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Where They are Found |
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Water bears live in
ocean or fresh water areas, and also “semi-aquatic terrestrial” (limno-terrestrial)
environments. If you sample the mosses around your yard, you are likely to
find them. Water bears can be found in almost every type of ecosystem around
the world, from moss in tropical rain forests to the Antarctic, from the
deepest ocean to the highest mountain. They can all be considered aquatic
since they must have a film of water surrounding their body to permit gas to
be exchanged and prevent uncontrolled drying. Some water bears exist in environments that experience changes in temperature and water levels, so water bears must be able to survive these changes or they would die. Water bears have the ability to go into cryptobiosis, an extreme form of hibernation, in order to survive the fluctuating conditions in their environment. |