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5 Cards in this Set
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- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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What is eutrophication
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Eutrophication is the increase in nutrient ion concentration in aquatic habitats (e.g. phosphate and nitrates)
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How does this happen?
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Run-off and leaching (when the ions are washed through the soil by rainwater)
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What is the result of eutrophication?
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Algal bloom - this is when algae rapidly increase in number because of the increase of ions in the water. Green blanket covers sea surface. This deprives lower layers of sunlight.
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Other effects?
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Death of algae because of unsustainable growth, dead of plants in lower part of sea due to restricted access to sunlight, and death of animals because algae can be toxic and missing links in food web due to death of plants.
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What happens next in terms of algal death?
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Swarms of algae die which enables aerobic microorganisms to take advantage of decomposing the algae. Oxygen levels of water decreases as BOD increases. Low dissolved oxygen conc = change in type of species in water.
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BOD = Biochemical Oxygen Demand
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