The level of oxygen is an important abiotic factor in aquatic ecosystems. On land the level of oxygen is not a limiting factor but in water the amount of available oxygen is a limiting factor.
Adaptations to the lack of oxygen
Mangrove grow in soils that are waterlogged and anoxic ( without oxygen). Roots require oxygen to carry out respiration. Mangroves have elaborate adaptations in their roots to ensure that oxygen can reach the root tissue. The picture below shows a pneumatophore of Avicennia marina. These special roots are exposed during low tide. They have many air spaces within them to store oxygen.Using an oxygen meter to gather results from one of the sites. Click on the picture to go to the results.
Home Panorama Planning Abiotic Interactions Report Links Glossary
