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Freshwater Ecology > Freshwater Ecology > Flashcards

Freshwater Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Lentic System

A

An aquatic ecosystem that includes different forms of standing water.

Examples: Lake, pond, bog, marsh, swamp, oxbow reservior, and playa lake.

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2
Q

Lotic system

A

An aquatic system that includes different forms of running water.

Examples include rivers, streams and creeks

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3
Q

Lake

A

A large body of water where light penetration can be anywhere from several inches to many feet.

Characteristics:

  1. Large and deep
  2. Water temperature causes layering during summer months

Texas;

  1. Texas only has ONE natural lake Caddo Lake
  2. The rest of the major lakes are reservoirs
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4
Q

Pond

A

A smaller, shallower body of water where light penetrates all the way to the bottom.

Characteristics:

  1. Light penetrates to the bottom
  2. Shallower and smaller
  3. Tends to have uniform temperatures
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5
Q

Bog

Picture: Texas

A

A bog occurs when peat is formed in poorly drained areas. Small plants and moss characterize this habitat.

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6
Q

Marsh

A

A lentic system characterized by grasses and sedges.

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7
Q

Swamp

A

A lentic system that is characterized by trees such as cypress.

Example: Caddo Lake

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8
Q

Oxbow Lake

A

These snake-like loops are cut off from the rest of the river and forms a long, narrow, crescent or U shaped lake.

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9
Q

Reservoir

A

A man-made lake used to store water. Most lakes in Texas are reservors. A reservoir is an artifical lake formed by the construction of a dam.

Caddo Lake is Texas’s only natural lake.

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10
Q

Playa Lake

A

A desert lake that is periodically filled with water. Animals that live in the playa lake have adapted to the intermitent rain. Once the lake fills with water they must hatch, grow, mate and breed before the water evaporates.

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11
Q

Littoral Zone

A

The littoral zone is the vegetation area closest to the shore

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12
Q

Lemnitic Zone

A

The open water area of a lake or pond.

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13
Q

Profundal Zone

A

The profundal zone is the bottom area of lake. A place where light does not penetrate.

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14
Q

Succession

A

Succession is the natural aging of lakes and ponds. Overtime, sediment washes into a lake and starts to fill it up. As the lake becomes shallower, more plants grow around the edges of the lake. Given enough time the lake can fill in.

Bogs, swamps and marshes can be considered the final stages of succession(climax communities) OR it can fill up completly and bcome a meadow.

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15
Q

Substrate

A

Rocks, logs, sediment are objects that other organims can attach themselves to, or sit upon

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16
Q

Sediment

A

Sediment is classified by the size of the particles. (smallest to largest)

Examples: Silt, clay, pebbles, gravel, cobbles, bolders

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17
Q

Emergent Plants

A

Plants that are rooted witht he lower portion submerged and growing near the shore:

Example: Bulrush

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18
Q

Free-floating plants

A

These plants float on the surface of the water and have “water” roots. The roots hang in the water and are not in the sediment.

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19
Q

Floating Plant

A

Floating plants have leaves and flowers on the surface and their roots are in the sediment.

Example: Water Lily

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20
Q

Submerged Plants

A

Submerged plants are rooted plants with nearly all leaves below the surface.

Example: Coontail

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21
Q

What is the euphotic zone?

A

The upper layer of the lake where light penetrates

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22
Q

What is productivity?

A

Productivity is related to the amount of plants, animals and nutrients in the water

Limiting factor: plant nutrients (nitrgen and phosphorus in a lake are important in limiting growth of planktonic algae and other vegetation

Three major categories of lakes based on productivity:

  1. Oligotrophic
  2. Mesotrophic
  3. Eutrophic
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23
Q

What are the characteristics of an “oligotrophic” lake?

A

An oligotrophic lake is a body of water:

  • low in mineral nutrients
  • low plant and plankton populations
  • little organic material in the sediments
  • low chlorphyll a levels ( means low plants)

HINT: The “O” in oligotrophic reminds you this is LOW in nutrients.

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24
Q

What is a mesotrophic lake?

A

A mesotrophic lake is a body of water with MODERATE amounts of nutrients.

It is a transition stage from Oligotrophic to Eutrophic

HINT: The “M” for mesotrophic stands for MODERATE

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25
Q

What is a eutrophic lake?

A

A eutrophic lake, pond, river or stream is one that is highly productive. That means it has a lot of plants animals and nutrients.

Characteristics:

  1. High levels of plants
  2. Water color - green and turbid
  3. High levels of chlorphyll a
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26
Q

What is a thermocline?

A

A thermocline is an area where there is a rapid decrease in temperature- approximately on 1 degree Celcius per each meter of depth

It is found in the metalimnion area

For test purposes we will describe it as the “interface between warm and cold water”

Reminder:

  • Warm water is much lighter than cold water .
  • Cold water tends to sink to the bottom of the lake
  • This causes layering of different water temperatures
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27
Q

What is hypolimnion?

A

Hypolimnion is the dark, cold, oxygen-poor layer of a lake or reservoir that extends from the thermocline to the bottom of the lake.

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28
Q

What is a fall overturn?

A

Fall overturn: When air temperatures start to cool in the fall, the water temperature also starts to fall. The water temperature on the surface cools to the point that it is closer to the lower lake temperatures. This means that the water is becoming more dense. Winds cause the mixing of the surface and bottom layers of the water.

Surface layers sink to the bottom and bottom layer move to the surface. As water sinks from the surface it brings oxygen to the bottom layers. As water moves from the bottom up it brings nutrients to the upper layers.

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29
Q

What is monomictic?

A

One lake overturn (mono means 1)

Texas has 1 overturn

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30
Q

What is dimictic?

A

Dimictic means 2 overturns (di - means 2)

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31
Q

What is a producer?

A

Producers make their own food. They are called plants or autotrophs.

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32
Q

What is a primary consumer?

A

A primary consumer eats plants.

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33
Q

What is a secondary consumer?

A

A secondary consumer uses other organisms.

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34
Q

What is a lotic system?

A

A lotic system is running water. It includes rivers, streams and creeks.

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35
Q

What is the erosional zone?

A

The erosional zone is found on the OUTER edge of a river. Water moves faster in the erosional zone. This is the area where sediment is eroded from the bank.

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36
Q

What is the depositional zone?

A

The depositional zone if found on the INNER banck of a river. The water moves slower here and sediment falls out of the water. This sediment is deposited on the river bed and sand bars are formed.

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37
Q

What is a riffle?

A

A riffle is a shallow portion of a river or stream extending across the stream bed. It is characterized by relatively fast moving turbulent water.

As water moves over rocks on the stream bed, it causes more water to come in contact with the atmosphere. Water in a riffle is highly oxygenated.

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38
Q

What is a bar?

A

A sand bar forms when water slows dow and drops its sediment load. This is found in the depositional zone.

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39
Q

What is a pool?

A

A pool is an area of stream or river that is relatively deep and wide with slow moving water. This calm area within a stream is characterized by fine sediment on the bottom.

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40
Q

One lake overturn is?

A

monomictic

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41
Q

An area of fast running water that is highly oxygenated

A

Riffle

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42
Q

A lake that is low in plants, animals and nutrients.

Eutrophic, Mesotrophic or Oligotrophic?

A

Oligotrophic

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43
Q

Two lake overturns?

A

Dimictic

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44
Q

An area of the water where light penetrates

A

Euphotic

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45
Q

Water striders or other organisms that skate across the surface of the water,

A

Neuston

Help: It is a nuisance on the surface

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46
Q

Organims that can swim against the current

A

Nekton

Hint: Fish

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47
Q

Organisms that attach themselves to a substrate

A

Periphyton

Help: Fights to hang on

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48
Q

A large body of water where light does not usually penetrate to the bottom

A

Lake

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49
Q

Running water

A

Lotic system

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50
Q

Standing water

A

Lentic

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51
Q

Shallow vegetative area of a lake where light penetrates to the bottom

A

Littoral Zone

Help: It has more T’s so it is closer to the trees

52
Q

Open area of the lake

A

Lemnetic Zone

53
Q

Deep, dark bottom area of the lake with low oxygen content

A

Profundal Zone

54
Q

A small body of water where light pentrates to the bottom.

A

Pond

55
Q

A shallow body of water characterized by trees such cypress

A

Swamp

56
Q

A shallow area of water characterized by grasses and sedges

A

Marsh

57
Q

A desert lake

A

Playa Lake

58
Q

A area of soggy ground characterized by small plants such moss and sphagnum.

A

Bog

59
Q

A crecent or U shaped lake

A

Oxbow

60
Q

A word that describes body of water with lots of plants animals and nutrients.

A

Productivity

61
Q

How many lake overturns does Texas lakes have?

A

one

62
Q

Moderately productive lake, transition stage

Eutrophic, Oligotrophic and Mesotrophic

A

Mesotrophic

63
Q

Highly productive lake, PAN, often green water

A

Eutrophic

64
Q

Term used to describe the layering of water in a lake accourding to temperature

A

Stratification

65
Q

Interface between warm and cold water

A

Thermocline

66
Q

Plants, Algae and Phytoplankton

A

Producers/ Autotrophs

67
Q

Plant Eater

A

Herbivore

68
Q

Outer bank of a river

A

Erosional zone

69
Q

Inner Bank of a river (sand bar formation)

A

Depositional zone

70
Q

Desert river bed, water only during rains

A

Arroya

71
Q

This person studies the behavior of amphibians.

A

Wildlife Biologist

72
Q

This person studies aquatin insects.

A

Entomologist

73
Q

The person is responsible for making sure our waste water is clean BEFORE it goes back into the environment.

A

Waste Water Manager

74
Q

What happens if you do not have good science teachers?

A

YOU ARE DOOMED!

75
Q

What are the 3 functions of a watershed?

A

Capture, storage, release

76
Q

Where is 90% of our freshwater found?

A

Antarctica

77
Q

What is nonpoint pollution/

A

Pollution where you can NOT determine the point of origin.

78
Q

What is point pollution?

A

It is pollution where the point of origin can be determined.

79
Q

What is an estuary?

A

A area where fresh and salt water mix.

80
Q

What is hydrology?

A

The study of water.

81
Q

What is the name of your watershed

A

Elm Fork of the Trinity River

82
Q

What is your watershed address?

A

12030103

83
Q

What is aquaculture?

A

Raising of aquatic animals for food

Example: catfish, shrimp, oysters

84
Q

What is a herbarium?

A

A plant library

85
Q

What term descibes gravel, silt and clay?

A

sediment

86
Q

What instrument is used to measure turbidity

A

Secchi disk

87
Q

What is the limiting factor for aquatic plants?

A

Light

88
Q

The evaporation of water from plants is called?

A

Transpiration

89
Q

A manmade lake is called a:

A

Reservoir

90
Q

PAN stand for:

A

Plants, animals, and nutrients

91
Q

Another name for rain is?

A

Precipitation

92
Q

Abiotic means?

A

Non-living parts of an ecosystem

Example: air, water soil

93
Q

Biotic means?

A

Living parts of an ecosystem?

Example: plants, animals and other living organims

94
Q

what is a population?

A

A group of animals of the same species

95
Q

Different groups of animals within an ecosysstem?

A

Community

96
Q

The living and nonliving parts of a ntural system.

A

Ecosystem

97
Q

Name two producers found in a lotic system

A

Algae and plants

98
Q

What type of sediment would you find if a fast running stream?

A

Gravel or pebbles, more kenetic energy the larger the particles

99
Q

What type of sediment would you find it a pool or area with slow moving water?

A

Silt, clay or sand

Less kenetic energy, smaller particles

100
Q

Eats both plants and animals

A

Omnivore

101
Q

Decomposer

A

Bacteria and fungi

102
Q

Scavengers

A

Crayfish, vultures

103
Q

How much energy is transfered from one trophic level to the next?

A

%10

104
Q

What happens to the energy that is NOT transfered to the next level?

A

Waste or heat

105
Q

Natural aging of a lake

A

Succession

106
Q

Mature stage of a lake

A

Swamp, marsh or bog

107
Q

Animal that lives in the sediment like a worm or clam

A

Infauna

108
Q

Animal without a backbone

A

Invertebrate

109
Q

What do we call algae floating in the water column?

A

Phytoplankton

110
Q

What is the term used to describe the bottom?

A

Benthic/benthon/benthos

111
Q

The area where a river or stream starts its journey to the sea

A

Headwater

112
Q

A small stream that runs into a larger stream

A

Tributary

113
Q

Which of the following is NOT floating plant?

Water Lily, Duckweed, Water Hyacinth, Coontail

A

Coontail

114
Q

A 100 year flood occurs every 100 years.

True or False?

A

False

A 100 year flood occurs approximately every 100 years. It is a statistical evaluation of the data. You can have three 100 year floods three years in a row

115
Q

What animals are most likely found in areas that are low in oxygen?

A

Worms, bacteria, clams

116
Q

Which of the following is NOT a substrate?

Water, leaves, branches, rocks

A

Water

117
Q

Plants that grow naturally in an area are called:

A

Native/indeginous

118
Q

Plants that are brought in from a different area or country are called?

A

exotic/ invasive/ alien/nonindeginous

119
Q

Place the followin examples in order from lowest density to high density.

Salt water, distilled water, freshwater

A

distilled water, freshwater, saltwater

120
Q

What are examples of ABIOTIC FACTORS?

A

Rain

Sediment

Air

Water

Minerals

Gases

sunlight

121
Q

What are examples of BIOTIC FACTORS?

A

Plants

Animals

bacteria

122
Q

Oxygen is a waste product produced by?

A

Plants

123
Q

During photosynthesis, where does C02 come from?

A

Animals exhale C02

124
Q

As light decreases in a lake what happens to plants?

A

They decrease

125
Q

As light increases in the littoral zone, what happens to plants?

A

Plants increase

126
Q

What is the # 1 source of non-point pollution?

A

Sediment

Freshwater Ecology (1 decks)

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