Last Update: 6 December 2017 Part II

Inland water bodies their Physicochemical characters F.T.- 17

The total visible water bodies of the world can be broadly divided in to two main categories as
marine water body or marine water resources and Fresh-water bodies or inland water resources.
The former includes inland brackish water as well as marine and estuarine habitat. The study of the
fresh water ecosystem in called limnology are conveniently divided into two groups
1. Lentic or standing water habitat eg. Lake, pond, swamp etc.
2. Lotic or running water habitat eg. Spring, stream or river.
Lentic Ecosystems :
a. Lakes are inland depressions containing standing water, they vary in size from small pond
of less then a hector to large seas covering thousands of square kilometres. They range in
depth in 1 mt. to over 2000 mt.
b. Ponds are defined as small bodies of standing water so shallow that rooted plants can grow
over most of the bottom.
A. Physical characteristics of Lentic system :
The main physical characteristics of Lentic system is temperature, light, turbidity, current pressure,
density and bouncy etc.
Pressure, density and bouncy :
Due to the minimum depth the ocean, the pressure is also less in case of the lake and ponds, but in
between the lakes and ponds, the pressures much in case of lakes then the ponds becomes the pressure
increase with the increasing depth at a rate of 1 mt. for every 10 mt. of about 0.3 ton per square cm.
pressure influences solubility ionic disassociation and surface tension of water.
Density of water is varies inversely proportional to temperature water is most dense at 4C and
become less dense as its above and below. Salts dissolved in water directly increased its density. Density of
most inland water bodies in much less than that of the ocean.
Buoyancy rises with the density of water and is influenced by the factors that affect density. The
Buoyancy of the fresh- water is lesser then that of the sea water.
Temperature :
Temperature variation in a fresh water habitat is smaller and the changes takes place very slowly this
is due to unique thermal properties of water i.e.,
High specific heat
High latent heat
High latent heat of evaporation and
Greatest density at 4C
Because of above properties, temperature variation in water is less. Even then it is a major limiting
factor, because aquatic organism have narrow thermal tolerance (Steno thermal).
Also, Temperature changes produce characteristic patterns of circulation which greatly influence the
aquatic life. During summer specially in the large lakes, the top water become warmer then bottom water.
Because of the through mixing of water in the top layer by wind action, the temperature is nearly uniform.
This upper warmer circulation layer is called epilimnion, and the colder, non-circulating bottom layer is the
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hypolimnion / metalimnion. In between the two layer is the thermocline which is a zone with a steep
temperature gradient involving a drop of at least 1C per meter of depth. This is the general thermal
stratification of fresh water habitat (Lake).
During the hot months of summer, the organism from the top layer migrate to the lower layers to
avoid high temperature of epilimnion. With the onset of winter, as the surface water cool below the 4C, it
expands and become lighter, remain on the surface and freezes. Immediately below the ice, the temperature
of water is very close to 0C but further below of one / two meters it usually raises rapidly to 4C.
With the approaches of spring water get wormer, becomes heavier and sinks to the bottom and spring
overturn occurs and water at all depths is at some temperature.
Light :
The daily alternation of light and darkness establishes a rhythm in the activities of many aquatic
organisms. Light is essential for photosynthesis. Some fish require light to feed. Many organisms orient to
light and some are sensitive to UV light. Small, soft bodied bottom dwelling organisms are particularly
sensitive to light. It is thought the evolution of pigmentation, chitinous exoskeleton, shells, cases and similar
other structure have helped certain photo sensitive species to survive in shallow, well lighted areas (WELCH
1952).
Turbidity / Transparency :
Suspended material in water produces turbidity and reduces light penetration. Turbidity when caused
by clay and silt particles in often important as a limiting factor and it is diversely proportional to the
photosynthesis of aquatic phytoplankton and submerged macrophysics, not only retards the photosynthetic
rate but clogs the gill systems of lamellibranches thereby increasing the rate of mortality.
Wind and currents ;
Wind is an important physical environmental factor of water bodies because of water currents
generates by a normal process in lotic system. The effect of wind action depends largely on the extend of
exposed water surface, the presence or absence of protecting upland and configuration of the water bodies.
As the water is continuously moving across the path of water flow, the effect of winds is also differ from
one areas to another.
B. Chemical characteristics of Lentic system :
Water consists primarily of a single compound, H2O. It is a universal solvent and most chemical
compounds ionise readily in water and provide many radicals and considerable versatility in the
rearrangement of chemical substances. Therefore the water bodies exhibit some chemical properties. These
properties are greatly varies on their status i.e. on the basis of lentic or lotic system.
Dissolved Gasses :
Most of the gasses dissolve readily in water bodies, the concentration of any gas in water generally
varies between zero and theoretical maximum or saturation. The saturation level of any gas in water depends
upon on several variables, most notably temperature. Salinity concentration of the gas in the atmosphere and
relative solubility of water. As the water is continuously moving therefore, in lotic system, the saturation
level of oxygen is a natural process.
Oxygen :
One of the most critical chemical factor in an aquatic environment is the amount of oxygen in the
water because most living organism (except anaerobic forms) required this gas for respiration. In contrast to
atmosphere the oxygen becomes limiting factors for aquatic animals as the saturation concentration of
oxygen in water is governed by temperature and salinity.
In fresh water areas of nay depth and in the salt-water habitat, there are three recognizable zone with
regards to oxygen concentration.
A surface stratum where the oxygen tends to be in equilibrium with the atmosphere above. Below the
surface stratum of variable depth is an inter mediate stratum where oxygen values fluctuates in accordance

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with existing factors. Respiration, decomposition of organic materials (stagnent pond) and pollution all tend
to reduce the amount of available oxygen loss.
The deepest layers of water will usually have a very low oxygen concentration in deeper lakes
because the continuous decomposition of organic debris, the respiration of organisms inhabiting this deeper
layer and the complete absence of photosynthetic activity will tend to deplete the oxygen concentration. In
the lake, the deep stratum is entirely depends upon the slow transport of oxygen from the overlaying
intermediate layer.
Because oxygen is needed for the respiration of all hetetrophs, it tends to be taken out of solution
contiguously by organisms. The only means by which it can enter the water are via,
1. Solution at the air water interface or
2. through the photosynthesis by aquatic plant.
The rate of oxygen solution at the surface is lightly variable depending mainly on the turbulence /
water circulation.
Carbon dioxide :
The decomposition of organic matter and the respiratory activity of aquatic plants and animal
produce carbon-d-oxide. This gas is one of the essential raw-materials necessary for photosynthesis activity
by green plant. It may occur in free state (CO2), half-bound-state (HCO3) or fixed state (CO3).
CO2 combines chemically with water to produced carbonic acid (H2CO3) which influences the
Hydrogen ion concentration (pH) of water, carbonic acid disassociated to produce H+ and CHO3 ions. The
bicarbonate radical may undergo further disassociation forming more H+ and carbonate as following
reaction.
CO2 + H2O = CO2 + H2O = H2CO3 = H+ + HCO3-
The amount of free or uncombined carbon-di-oxide in water is of ecological importance; it governs
the precipitation of calcium when temperature and salinity are high and the amount of uncombined carbon-
di-oxide is low. This means more carbonate (CO3-) is present to combine with the calcium cation (Ca++).
This conditions exist in shallow tropical waters, where evaporation is high. This raises the salinity and
photosynthetic activity of plants and reduces the quantity of free carbondi-di-oxide in water. The
precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in tropical areas. The preponderance of thick calcareous shells
of shallow water tropical molluscs, plankton and algae.
Other gasses :
Beside of these two main dissolves gasses there, are several other gasses present in water as a
dissolved stats these are Marsh gas, hydrogen sulphide, Nitrogen, Ammonia etc. Amongst these four, the
H2S and NH3 are the toxic in effect.
Biogenic Salts :
The dissolved salts which are vital to life are called biogenic salts. Nitrogen and phosphorous salts
are of major importance. Both of them may become limiting factor in freshwater areas. The growth of
phytoplanktonic organism particularly the Blue-Green Algae, depends directly on nitrogen of the water. Fish
population is also directly affected by the nitrogen and phosphorous concentration of the water. The Ca
content of fresh water regions may vary from 9 mg/lit in soft water to 26 mg/lit in hard water. Hard water
ponds and lakes are more productive areas because of high amount of carbonates. Molluscs are far more
numerous in hard water than in soft water. Calcium is also of almost importance, as it regulate shell
formation essential for plant and animal metabolism; it regulates the permeability of cell membrane and
control the hydrogen ion concentration of aquatic environment. Other minerals of variable importance are
silicon required by freshwater diatoms and sponges, and such minerals as iron, manganese and copper that
are required in tress and are important for certain vital physiological activities of many organisms.
Other important features of freshwater habitat is osmoregulation in the body of animals. Since the
fluids inside the body have higher concentration of salts then in freshwater environment, water tends to enter
the body by osmosis. The fresh water organisms have / developed the adoptive power to regulate it.

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Salinity : In the inland water body, salinity plays an important role in regulation to aquatic organisms.
In freshwater bodies its limited to 0.0 to 5.0 ppt. Its concentration varies typically in lentic system or lotic
system.
Hydrogen ion concentration ;
One property of natural water is their acidity or alkalinity. The water molecule due to split into
hydrogen ion (H+) and a hydroxyl ion (OH-).
In pure water, there are equal number of H+ and OH- ions in therefore, has a neutral reaction. Some
neutral waters, however, acquire an excess of H+ ion and are acidic, while others, with an excess of OH- are
alkaline. In a freshwater medium pH (antilog of H+ ion concentration) become determining factor by
becoming a limiting factor.
The pH may shows variation between surface water and deeper water, as for example, waters in
sandynulla reservoir in the Nilgiris shows a different of 2.2.
The fresh water habitat such as acid bags, swamps and drivers streams carrying water form these
areas are acidic, contain pH value as low as 1.4. Despite the high acidity, rich population of acidophilic flora
and fauna thin under such condition. On the other hand, certain lake water may be quite alkaline, particularly
in lime-stone areas, where the pH may range form 1 to 12. Basophilic plants and animals are found in this
area.
In a vast majority of freshwater localities pH values ranges between 5.5 and 8.5; however, the O 2
dissolved in water has on inverse relationship with the hydrogen ion-concentration.
Inflow and outflow of CO2 from water alters the pH the fluctuation of pH is predominant in soft
waters with small amount of CO3 or HCO3.

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