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61 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the two aquatic zones and how much do they cover of the earth's surface?
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Saltwater and Freshwater, 75%
Oceans=70% |
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What are the two types of freshwater ecosystems?
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Flowing (lotic) ex. streams and rivers
Standing (lentic) ex. lakes, ponds, inland wetlands |
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What ecological services do freshwater systems provide?
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climate moderation, nutrient cycling, waste treatment, flood control, groundwater recharge, habitats for many species, genetic resources and biodiversity, and scientific information
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What economic services do freshwater systems provide?
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food, drinking water, irrigation water, hydroelectricity, transportation corridors, recreation, employment
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What are the characteristics of Headwater streams?
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narrow zone of cold, clear water. rushes over waterfalls and rapids. large amounts of oxygen (water is stirred up). fist are present (trout)
faster moving, lots of oxygen, cool/cold temperatures, clean water (little algae and cyanobacteria) |
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What are characteristics of Downstream?
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slower moving, less oxygen, warmer temperatures, lots of algae and cyanobacteria.
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What drives a river?
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gravity
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Order of the flow from the mountains to the oceans:
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Source Zone: Rain and Snow, Lake, Glacier, Rapids, Waterfall
Transition Zone: tributary, flood plain Floodplain zone: Oxbow lake, salt marsh, delta, deposited sediment, ocean |
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How do Dams and levees affect ecosystems?
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reduction in natural flow has destroyed natural wetlands; changed environments. causes city to lie below sea-level (up to 3 meters) and has devastated downstream ecology.
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What are the Characteristics of the Littoral Zone?
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A shallow area near shore. extends to depth at which rooted plants stop growing.
ex. frogs, snails, insects, fish, cattails, and water lilies |
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What are the characteristics of the Limnetic Zone?
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open, sunlit water that extends to the depth penetrated by sunlight. (euphotic zone)
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What are the characteristics of the Profundal (aphotic) Zone?
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deep, open water where it is too dark for photosynthesis
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Definition of a lake:
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large natural bodies of standing freshwater formed from precipitation, runoff, and groundwater seepage consisting of four major zones
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4 major zones of a freshwater lake
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littoral zone-near shore, shallow, with rooted plants
limnetic zone- open, offshore area, sunlit profundal zone- deep, open water, too dark for photosynthesis benthic zone-bottom of lake, nourished by dead matter |
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What is stratification?
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during summer and winter, deep temperate zone lakes become stratified into temperature layers and will overturn. this equalizes the temperature at all depths. oxygen and nutrients is circulated. (the temp difference in deep lakes where there are warm summers and cold winters)
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What causes stratification?
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during the summer, lakes stratify based on temperature that resist mixing because summer sunlight warms surface waters, making them less dense.
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Define Thermocline:
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the middle layer that acts as a barrier to the transfer of nutrients and dissolved oxygen
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What happens at fall turnover?
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as the temperature drops, the surface layer becomes more dense. it sinks to the bottom, bringing nutrients from the bottom to the surface, and sending oxygen to the bottom.
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What happens at spring turnover?
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as top water warms and ice melts, it sinks through and below the cooler less dense water, sending oxygen down and nutrients up.
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Define Marshes:
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an area of temporarily flooded, often silty land beside a river or lake
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Define Swamp:
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a lowland region permanently covered with water
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Importance of freshwater wetlands:
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-filter and purify water, degrade pollutants
-habitat for many plants and animals -act like sponge that absorbs and stores excess water from storms -reduce flooding and erosion by absorbing slowly releasing overflows -help replenish stream flows during dry periods -help recharge ground aquifers -provide economic resources and recreation |
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How have humans affected freshwater systems?
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-dams, cities, farmlands, and filled-in wetlands alter and degrade freshwater habitats.
-dams, diversions and canals have fragmented about 40% of the worlds 237 large rivers -flood control levees and dikes alter and destroy aquatic habitats -cities and farmlands add pollutants and excess plant nutrients to streams and rivers -many inland wetlands have been drained or filled for agriculture or sub(urban) development. |
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Define Oligotrophic:
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(poorly nourished) lake: usually newly formed lake with small supply of plant nutrient input
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Define Eutropic:
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(well nourished) lake: over time, sediment, organic material, and inorganic nutrients wash into lakes causing excessive plant growth
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Define cultural eutrophication:
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human inputs of nutrients from the atmosphere and urban and agricultural areas can accelerate the eutrophication process.
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What are the ecological services of saltwater life zones?
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climate moderation, CO2 absorbtion, nutrient cycling, waste treatment, reduced storm impact (mangroves, barrier islands, coastal wetlands), habitats and nursery areas, genetic resources and biodiversity, scientific information
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What are the economical services of saltwater life zones?
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food, animals and pet feed, pharmaceuticals, harbors and transportation routes, coastal habitats for humans, recreation, employment, oil and natural gas, minerals, building materials
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Define Coastal Zone:
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the warm, nutrient-rich, shallow water. extends from the high-tide mark on land to the edge of the continental shelf. the coastal zone=less than 10% of the world's ocean area but contains 90% of the marine species. highly susceptible to human disturbance
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Zones of Saltwater Life:
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1. Coastal Zone
2. Euphotic Zone 3. Bathyal Zone 4. Abyssal Zone |
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Are marine systems more productive than terrestrial? by how much?
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Scientists estimate that marine systems provide $21 trillion in goods and services per year- 70% more than terrestrial ecosystems
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What do estuaries include?
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river mouths, inlets, bays, sounds, salt marshes in temperate zones and mangrove forests in tropical zones
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Estuaries provide what services?
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-filter toxic pollutants, excess plant nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants
-reduce storm damage by absorbing waves and storing excess water produced by storms and tsunamis -provide food, havitats, and nursery sites for many aquatic species |
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How common are Mangrove forests? Where are they located?
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They are found along about 70% of gently sloping and sandy coastlines in tropical and subtropical regions
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Intertidal Area definition:
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area of shoreline between low and high tides. Gravitational pull by moon and sun causes tides. Organisms experiencing daily low and high tides have evolved a number of ways to survive under harsh and changing conditions.
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Specialized niches help organisms in the intertidal zone to deal with daily changes in:
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-temperature
-salinity -wave action |
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Problems with degredation in coral reefs inlude:
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ocean warming, soil erosion, algae growth from fertilizer runoff, mangrove destruction, bleaching, rising sea levels, increased UV exposure, damage from anchors, damage from fishing and diving
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What are the biological zones in the open sea?
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-Euphotic Zone: brightly lit surface layer. nutrient levels low, DO high, photosynthetic activity
-Bathyal Zone: dimly lit middle layer. no photoshythetic activity, zooplankton and fish live there and migrate to euphotic zone to feed at night Abyssal Zone: dark bottom layer. very cold, little dissolved O2. |
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Define estuary:
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a partially enclosed area of coastal water where sea water mixes with freshwater.
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What are characteristics of salt marshes?
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-the ground is saturated with water
-little oxygen, so decay takes place slowly -has a surface inlet and outlet, and containes many invertebrates |
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What are characteristics of Mangrove Forests?
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-warm tropical coasts
-too much silt for coral reefs to grow -it is dominated by salt-tolerant trees (55 different species of mangroves exist) -protects the coastline from erosion and provides a nursery for many fish, plants, and other animals |
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Define Surface water and characteristics:
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examples: streams, rivers, and lakes
source: precipitation watershed-ex. small streams--> larger streams--> rivers -->sea |
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Define Groundwater and characteristics:
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aquifers-porous rock w/ water flowing through
water table- the level of earth's land crust to which the aquifer is filled renewability- the circulation rate of groundwater is slow (300-4,600 yrs) |
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What are the types of water usage?
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-irrigation (watering crops)
-industry (coolant-power plant) -domestic and municipal (drinking, sewage, bathwater, dishwater, and laundry) |
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What happens when we overdraw surface water?
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lake levels drop, recreation use drops, fisheries drop, and salinization occurs.
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surface water problems:
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-mississippi river has too much phosphorus
-erie canal (lampreys came in and depleted fish, zebra mollusk is also problem) -mono lake (like dead sea) has huge salt concentration due to man's draining -colorado river basin |
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groundwater problems:
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-pollution
-salt -draining too much |
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Define ogalla aquifer:
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worlds largest known aquifer, fuels agricultural regions in the US. extends from South Dakota to TX. non-renewable aquifer from the last ice age with extremely slow recharge rate. water is pumped out 8 to 10 times faster than renewed in south. 1/4 of aquifer will be depleted by 2020.
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Global water problems:
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-as water runs off from rain, it's supposed to get into rivers, and finally off to the sea.
-when we dam rivers, less goes to the ocean, meaning the brackish water becomes more salty. -this is the breeding ground for many fish and invertebrates. harms the ecology of the area. |
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Drinking water problems:
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-Coliform Bacteria
-Water Soluble Inorganic Chemicals (include acids, salt, mercury, and lead) -Organic Material (oil, gas, plastics, pesticides, and detergents) |
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Problems with Population Growth:
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-overdrawing fresh water
-overbuilding so water can't seep into ground -sharing water resources (water wars) |
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Characteristics of Dams and Reservoirs:
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Description: A dammed stream that can capture and store water from rain and melted snowl.
Benefits: Hydroelectric power; provides water to towns; recreation; controls floods downstream Problems: Reduces downstream flow; prevents water from reaching the sea (Colorado River) devastates fish life; reduces biodiversity |
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Characteristics of Water Diversion:
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Description: damming a river to control where the water flows
Benefits: Keeps water where we want it-cities! Problems: Drains wetlands, destroys land, habitat destruction |
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Characteristics of Desalinization:
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Description: Removing salt from salt water
Benefits: freshwater Problems: uses lots of energy; costs 3-5X more $, where does the salt go? |
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Characteristics of Harvesting Icebergs:
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Description: Towing massive icebers to arid coastal areas (S. California;Saudia Arabia)
Benefits: freshwater Problems: Technology not available; costs too high; raise temperatures around the earth. |
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Characteristics of Conservations:
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Description: Saving the water we have
Methods: recycling;conserving at home;xeriscaping;fix leaks Benefits: Saves Money;Saves wildlife Problems: bothersome to people;lack of caring;laziness |
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Water is unique among all liquids in terms of:
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-density
-melting and boiling points -viscosity -specific heat -surface tension -solvent properties -absorption of radiation |
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Structure of Water:
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-H2O is a polar molecule
-Oxygen is relatively negative -Hydrogen end is relatively positive -H atoms form hydrogen bonds with the O atoms of adjacent water molecules -In liquid water, H-bonds break and form constantly, lasting only 10^-12 seconds -In liquid water, on average 3 of 4 possible H-bonds are formed -In ice, 4 of 4 possible H-bonds are formed and molecules are locking in a hexagonal crystalline lattice -Polarity and H bonds result in most of the other unique properties of water |
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Density of Water:
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for most substances, density increases as the liquid phase cools to become a solid. In water density DECREASES as liquid water freezes to become a solid.
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Factors that affect density of water:
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-temperature
-dissolved salts (inc. p) -particulates (inc. p) -dissolved gases-increase (CO2) or decrease (CH4) depending on partial molar volume -Pressue- water not very compressible, but inc. p in dec. max temp so that at depths of (approx. 1000m) the temp of the density max is reduced to approx. 2.91degrees celsius |
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1 gram=?
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1 cubic cm of pure water (at 4 degrees celsius)
also= 1 mL |
