Chapter 5: Environmental Sciences Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
a biological community of interacting organisms and their environment
What does an ecosystem consist of?
biota = living things & abiotic = non-living things (soil, water, light)
What are the two main types of ecosystems?
terrestrial= on land aquatic = in water
What are the two types of aquatic ecosystems?
freshwater and marine (sea water)
What are the two types of freshwater ecosystems?
lentic = still water lotic = flowing water
What is the term for the study of freshwater ecosystems?
Limnology
What does glaciation mean?
cold periods when huge sheets of ice covered nearly Canada’s entire land surface.
What are two names for small lakes?
tarns or potholes
What does deposition mean?
build up of sediment such as gravel, sand or silt.
What is a reservoir?
French word that means storehouse, a human made lake created to store water.
What are the two substances that are the most common pollutants of lakes close to agriculture?
fertilizer (chemicals which enhance plant growth) and pesticides (chemicals which eliminate pests such as insects and weeds)
What is it called when algae dominate in an ecosystem, leaving no room for other organisms?
eutrophication
What are the two types of microscopic organisms which are found in small ponds?
phytoplankton (microscopic floating plants) zooplankton (microscopic floating animals)
What is the name for a pond with high pH?
alkaline
What is the name for a pond with low pH?
acidic
What are some benefits to having lakes and ponds around?
They provide drinking water for people and livestock and reduce flooding in impermeable areas including roads and manmade structures.
What is the name of the function that ponds provide when they collect carbon?
carbon sequestration
What is a Riparian zone?
the banks of a river or body of water
Name three examples of a lodic ecosystem.
river, stream or spring
Lotic comes from the Latin word lotus, what does it mean?
form of the verb laver which means to wash
Name some common features of lotic bodies of water.
no matter what their size lotic bodies of water flow in one direction and there is always new water which flows from the source of the river or stream to the end.
what is the beginning of the water source called?
headwaters
What is the name of the end of the water source?
downstream terminus (mouth)
What is the meaning of erode?
wear away
Rock, soil and organic matter are examples of what?
terrain
What season does flooding occur most in Canada?
spring
What is a watershed?
The area of land that supplies water to a particular river
What divides water sheds?
higher lands called watersheds divides.
Where do Canada’s rivers flow?
into five continental watersheds. The Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson Bay or the Gulf of Mexico.
What is a stream gauge?
A tool that tells the height of the water in the stream.
What is the term for the volume of water flowing in the stream at any instant?
discharge
Water quality is defined by three things. What are they?
Chemical content (concentration of substances, such as dissolved oxygen, heavy metals) Physical characteristics ( such as temperature) Biological Nature (how much and type of algae)
How is water quality affected?
natures own patterns and human activity
The healthiest river water contains what minerals?
sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium and potassium
How do these minerals get into the river water?
from rain and snow
What is the meaning of soluble substance?
substances that can dissolve
What is limestone made up of?
calcium carbonate
What are some examples of Aquatic macrophytes?
large aquatic plants that grow in or near the water such as cattails, bullrushes or pondweed
What are benthic invertebrates?
bottom dwelling aquatic animals without backbones such as the larval stages of insects like mayflies, dragonflies and mosquitoes.
What else do scientists look for to discover water quality besides chemical and physical characteristics of the river. ?
Many types of organisms are recognized as indicators such as aquatic macrophytes and benthic invertebrates.
How are some ways that your family can do to help improve water quality?
Don’t throw garbage overboard when boating. Don’t use pesticides or chemical fertilizer on your gardens.
What are wetlands?
Habitats that are submerged (under water)or permeated (soaked with) water either all the time or some of the time
What are some examples of wetlands?
marshes, bogs, swamps or fens
What percent of Canada’s land area are wetlands?
14%
What are the characteristic of hydric soil?
unique colour and texture.
Name some animals that are dependant on wetlands.
fish, amphibians, reptiles, insect eggs, larvae, nymphs, numerous birds and mammal species
What is a marsh?
permanently or periodically covered by standing or slowly moving water. They are characterized by emergent vegetation. Animal species protected by marshes are bald eagle, sandhill crane, fox snake and fowlers toad .
What is a swamp?
contain trees and shrubs. May be flooded seasonally or for long periods of time. Nutrient rich and productive. Species protected by swamps are:Prairie Fringed Orchid, Loggerhead Shrike, Red shouldered Hawk.
What is a bog?
Peat covered wetlands. Poor drainage and decaying plant material, water in bogs is acidic. The main type of vegetations is sphagnum mosses and heath shrubs. Species protected in bogs are Swan’s sedge, Toadflax, Opossum, Back rat snake,
What is a fen?
wetlands that are fed by mineral rich surface water or ground water. The water is acidic or alkaline. More productive than bogs. Contain shrubs and trees, species protected by fens are: Coopers Hawk and Spotted Turtle.
What type of water is in a fen?
acidic or alkaline
what is more productive a bog or a fen?
a fen
What is the main type of vegetation in a bog?
sphagnum mossess and heath shrubs
What species are protected in a bog?
Swan’s sedge, Toadflax, Opossum and Black rat snake
What species are protected in a fen?
Coopers Hawk, Spotted Turtle, the Twin-Scaped Bladder Wart.
What species are protected by a marsh?
bald eagle, sandhill crane, fox snake and fowlers toad .
What species are protected by a swamp?
Prairie Fringed Orchid, Loggerhead Shrike, Red shouldered Hawk.
What’s the difference between a marsh and a swamp?
A swamp has large trees and shrubs, whereas a marsh has small, emergent vegetation.
What is the largest lake in the world?
Lake Michigan-Huron
What is the difference between a lake and a pond?
A pond has to be smaller than 2 hectares or 20000 m squared, a lake is a body of water larger than 2 hectares
Why is lake Michigan-Huron considered to be one lake when it has two names?
The two water bodies are connected by the Straits of Mackinac, have the same surface altitude, and their water levels rise and fall at the same time
Name this water feature
an oxbow lake
What is surface run off?
Water from the rain which flows over land.
How are wetlands useful?
- During floods act like giant sponges and absorb extra water.
- They store water
- filter suspended particles, fertilizers and toxic pollutants from the water
- They supply food and habitat for many species.
- They are important spawning areas
- Provide resources to humans such as food, fuel, and building materials.
- Provide recreational areas
What are direct stresses that human cause on wetlands?
Highly visible and can result in rapid changes. Include, dredging (digging out), filling in or draining, invasive species.
What is an invasive species?
Plants and animals that are not native to a given habitiat.
Give a example of a common wetland invasive species.
Purple loosestrife (a flowering plant)
What are Indirect stresses that human cause on wetlands?
Less visible and impact a wetland over a longer period of time. Include building or hydroelectric dams on rivers, runoff from fields and sewage treatment plants.
Describe some conservation methods for wetlands.
Rehabilitating (restoring to good health), creating and securing (purchasing and managing) wetlands in order to proctect and conserve them.
What does Rehabilitating a wetland include?
Re-establishing natural water levels, controlling invasive species and removing contaminated sediments.
Give some examples of parterships to conserve wetlands.
The Great Lakes Wetlands Conservation Action Plan, North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Ducks Unlimited.
How does a Bioreactors treat water?
Starting with the removal of containated water from the ground using a solar-powered pump. The water makes it way through coils of black hose that are heated by the Sun. The water enters the bioreactor where chlorine-containing chemicals are biodegraded.
What do Bioeactors use to work?
Organic mulch filled pits with groundwater recirculation system powered by solar energy.
What is bioremediation?
Organisms break down pollutants.
How much less is the carbon footprint of a solar powered bioreactor compared to that of a traditional pump and powered bioreactor?
less than 10%
