A freshwater body is any body of water with a low salt content. Freshwater bodies include lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and springs. The term “freshwater” can also refer to the water in these bodies, as opposed to seawater or brackish water.
The science of freshwater ecology is concerned with the study of the organisms that live in and around freshwater bodies, and the interactions between them. It includes the study of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecologists may study plankton, benthos or nekton; while terrestrial ecologists might focus on riparian vegetation or wetland soils.
Freshwater ecology is a relatively young science, only really coming into its own in the last few decades. This is partly due to the fact that freshwaters are often under-studied compared to other ecosystem types (such as forests or coral reefs). However, it is also because our understanding of how freshwater systems work has changed dramatically in recent years. In particular, we have come to realize that many processes that were once thought to be exclusively marine (such as nutrient cycling) actually take place in freshwater systems too. As our knowledge continues to grow, so does our appreciation for the importance of healthy freshwater ecosystems – not just for the creatures that call them home, but for humans too.