INTRO TO AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND WATER CYCLE Flashcards
study of the planet’s oceanic and
freshwater environments
aquatic science
study of the biological, chemical, geological, optical and physical characteristics of oceans and
estuaries
Oceanography
study of these same characteristics in inland waters (lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and wetlands).
Limnology
includes the study of relationships
between individuals of the same species, between different species, and between organisms and their physical and chemical environments in all aquatic environments, including oceans, estuaries, lakes, ponds, wetlands, rivers, and streams
Aquatic Ecology
these are the oceans, estuaries,
swamps, wetlands, streams, lakes,
rivers, springs, seeps, reservoirs,
ponds, groundwater, riparian areas,
and the fauna that reside within
them. Aquatic resources include
permanent, seasonal, flowing, standing, natural, or man-made water bodies
Aquatic Resources
Importance of Aquatic Ecosystem
- Biodiversity - Species richness/trophic structure
- Breeding - Breeding grounds for many species
- Buffer systems - Physical and chemical
- Sinks - Resting places for sediments and chemicals
- Only part of the hydrological cycle - What other parts are there?
refers to the management and
conservation of the aquatic resource, the concentration and capture of wild fish, as well as foraging for other aquatic resources such as crabs, prawns, snails, insects, aquatic plants, etc
Aquatic Resources Management
it never leaves the earth
water
constantly being cycled through the atmosphere, ocean, and land
water
It driven by energy from the sun and is crucial to the existence of life on our planet.
water cycle
Earth’s surface is covered by ___ percent water
71%
It is essential for life. We can only survive a few days without it.
water
ocean and saline lakes
97.4%
freshwater
2.6%
groundwater
0.592%
ice caps and glaciers
1.984%
readily accesible freshwater
0.014%
lakes
0.007%
soil moisture
0.005%
biota, river, atmospheric water vapor
0.001%
continuously collected, purified, recycled and distributed
water cycle
describes the total area
contributing drainage to a stream or river
watershed
May be applied to many scales
watershed
made up of many small watersheds
large watershed
2/3 lost to floods and not
available for human use.
surface runoff
amount of reliable runoff
one third
Amount of runoff that we can count on year to year
reliable runoff
Zone of saturation
groundwater
top of zone of saturation
water table
water saturated layers of sand
aquifer
Humans directly or indirectly use about ______ of reliable runoff
54%
Withdraw _____% of reliable runoff for agriculture, industry, domestic
34%
Withdraw _____% of reliable runoff for agriculture
70%
Withdraw _____% of reliable runoff for industry
20%
Withdraw _____% of reliable runoff for
domestic
10%
Leave _____ of runoff in streams for human use: transport goods, dilute pollution, sustain fisheries
20%
Could use up to _______ of the reliable runoff by
2025
70-90%
During part of the water cycle, the sun heats up liquid water and changes it to a gas by the process of _________.
evaporation
The process of evaporation from plants is called ________
transpiration
Water that evaporates from Earth’s oceans, lakes, rivers, and moist soil rises up into the __________
atmosphere
When a large amount of water vapor condenses, it results in the formation of _______
clouds
As water (in the form of gas) rises higher in the atmosphere, it starts to cool and become a liquid again
condensation
When the water in the clouds gets too heavy, the water falls back to the earth. This is called ___________.
precipitation
When rain falls on the land, some of the water is absorbed into the ground forming pockets of water
called ______.
groundwater
Most groundwater eventually
returns to the ______
ocean
Other precipitation runs
directly into _____ or ______
streams; rivers
Water that collects in rivers, streams, and oceans is called _____
runoff
water cycle is driven by _______
energy from the sun
gravel or bedrock through which groundwater flows
aquifer
Could use up to 70-90% of the reliable runoff by _____
2025
Water that evaporates from Earth’s oceans, lakes, rivers, and moist soil rises up into the _______
atmosphere
