Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems share some key similarities, but also have important differences. Both include communities of interdependent species organized into trophic levels that generally reach equilibrium. However, aquatic ecosystems support more life due to nutrient richness and greater stability, with less fluctuation in variables like temperature. Oxygen and light can also be limiting factors in some aquatic environments that are rarely issues terrestrially. Additionally, gravity influences terrestrial animals more while buoyancy impacts organisms in aquatic settings.

1. Similarities and Differences
between Aquatic and Terrestrial
ecosystems
CORTEZ, GALLEDO, SY, TALLEDO, VILLAVERT

2. ECOSYSTEM
The self-sustaining structural and functional
interaction between living and non-living
components.

3. Terrestrial Ecosystem
•Grasslands
•Forests
•Desert

4. Aquatic Ecosystem
A. Freshwater ecosystem
Lentic (Stagnant water)- lakes, ponds
Lotic (Flowing water)- river, ocean,
sea
B. Transitional communities
Estauries
Wet lands- bogs/ fens, swamps,
marshes
C. Marine Ecosystem
Shorelines
Barrier islands
Coral Reefs
Open Sea

5. BOTH ECOSYSTEMS INCLUDE:
communities made up of a variety of species
populations at the different trophic levels
mutual independence among species
state of equilibrium in undisturbed terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

6. ABIOTIC CHARACTERISTICS AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
LIGHT Increased depth gets lesser amount of light. Available in most terrestrial environments. The
amount of light available is important for plant
growth.
WATER Water is readily available, but access to this water
sometimes depends on osmotic factors.
Availability varies depending on rainfall or
groundwater.
IONS Saltwater environments contain dissolved ions
such as sodium and chloride.
Present in soil
GASES Dissolved oxygen increases with decreasing
temperature and decreases with depth.
Are readily available in the air. Air contains about
20% oxygen and 0.03% carbon dioxide.
BUOYANCY
VISCOSITY Low viscosity, but is more viscous than air Very low viscosity
TEMPERATURE Less variation Temperature experiences daily and seasonal
variations.
PRESSURE Increases as depth increases. Decreases as altitude increases.

7. SIMILARITIES
 In both terrestrial and aquatic environments the ecosystems include
communities made up of a variety of species
 within both terrestrial and aquatic communities there are populations
at the different trophic (nutrient) levels
 a great deal of mutual interdependence exists between species in
both terrestrial and aquatic environments
 in undisturbed terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems equilibrium is
reached i.e. very few major changes are observed over a period of
time,

8. DIFFERENCES
 because aquatic environments are so rich in nutrients they support more
live than equivalent terrestrial ecosystems. The small drifting photosynthetic
organisms of the oceans, referred to collectively as phytoplankton are
regarded as the major photosynthesizers, or primary producers of the earth.
aquatic environments are much more stable than terrestrial environments,
with smaller fluctuations in temperature and other variables.
Oxygen (because there is very much less present) is sometimes a limiting
factor **an aquatic habitats but this is seldom the case in terrestrial habitats.

9. Light can be a limiting factor in some aquatic habitats, but in
most terrestrial environments there is hardly ever a shortage of
light.
terrestrial animals are influenced far more by gravity while
water supports aquatic organisms