Inland water ecosystem: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	freshwater ecosystem

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pure water and temperature

Diagram showing seasonal water circulation in a dimictic lake. In summer, the lake is layered with epilimnion at the top, metalimnion in the middle, and hypolimnion at the bottom, with wind-driven circulation in the upper layer. In autumn and spring, the lake undergoes overturn, mixing water throughout. In winter, ice forms on the surface, with 0 degreesC near the top and 4 degreesC at the bottom, resulting in minimal circulation. Arrows indicate the direction of water movement in each season.

biological communities of freshwater lakes

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Chutes d'Ekom - a waterfall on the Nkam river in the rainforest near Melong, in the western highlands of Cameroon in Africa.

Ecosystems