Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Properties

Question 1

What are three basic properties of water covered in this class?

Answer 1

Temperature, Salinity, and Vertical Stratification

Question 2

What is described by trophic status of a body of water?

Answer 2

The amount of standing biomass present in a standing freshwater system

Question 3

What are the three trophic levels and what do they represent?

Answer 3

-Oligotrophic water has low nutrient concentration
-mesotrophic water has middling numbers
-eutrophic water has high nutrient concentration

Question 4

What nutrients are used to determine trophic status?

Answer 4

Phosphorus and Nitrogen

Question 5

At what temperature does water reach its maximum density?

Answer 5

4 Degrees Celsius

Question 6

What happens in spring turnover?

Answer 6

All water is around the same temperature and nutrient mobilization from the bottom(substrate) of the water channel occurs

Question 7

What is summer stratification and how does it differ in eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes?

Answer 7

Summer stratification is characterized by an increase in temperature that warms the surface of the water and thereby creates stratification layers. In oligotrophic lakes, there will be a higher DO level deeper in the lake, and in eutrophic lakes there will be little to no DO in the bottom of the lake.

Question 8

Why does deeper water in eutrophic lakes have less DO?

Answer 8

Decomposition is an oxygen intensive process