Aquatic (adjective): Living, growing, or occurring in, on, or near water.
From Latin aquaticus, meaning "of water" or "living in water," derived from aqua meaning "water."
Adaptations: Gills for breathing, streamlined bodies for swimming, specialized organs for pressure.
Classification: Includes fish, marine mammals, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians.
Biodiversity: Oceans contain the highest species diversity on Earth, from microscopic plankton to blue whales.
Freshwater: Rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands with low salt content.
Marine: Oceans, seas, and coastal areas with high salt content and tidal influences.
Importance: Regulate climate, provide food resources, and support global water and carbon cycles.
Swimming Sports: Competitive swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming, and diving.
Surface Sports: Surfing, sailing, rowing, kayaking, and water skiing.
Underwater Sports: Scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater hockey, and freediving competitions.
Types: Submerged, floating, and emergent plants each with specific adaptations.
Adaptations: Modified leaves for gas exchange, air-filled tissues for buoyancy, flexible stems.
Ecological Role: Provide oxygen, habitat for animals, and help filter water pollutants.
Fish: Cold-blooded vertebrates with gills, fins, and scales adapted for underwater life.
Dolphins: Intelligent marine mammals with echolocation abilities and complex social behaviors.
Whales: Largest animals on Earth, including filter-feeding baleen whales and predatory toothed whales.
Water Lilies: Floating leaves with waxy surfaces, roots anchored in sediment, flowers above water.
Seaweed: Marine algae ranging from microscopic forms to giant kelp forests over 100 feet tall.
Importance: Primary producers in aquatic food webs, oxygen generators, and carbon dioxide absorbers.
Swimming: Four main competitive strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) with various distances.
Diving: Platform and springboard events judged on technique, form, and entry into water.
Training: Requires cardiovascular fitness, technique refinement, and specific muscle development.