lab 4 - eutrophication

Question 1

what does oligotrophic mean

Answer 1

healthy aquatic ecosystems
relatively low in dissolved nutrients

Question 2

what does eutrophic mean

Answer 2

aquatic ecosystems with high nutrient levels
dominated by algae and other aquatic surface plants (not desireable)

Question 3

what is eutrophication

Answer 3

process by which a water body becomes enriched in nutrients from terrestrial ecosystems
can happen by natural processes (eroding river banks) or human processes (fertilisers)

Question 4

what are the primary nutrients needed by plants

Answer 4

N
P
K
major factors in fertiliser

Question 5

why do plants need N, P, and K

Answer 5

N and P = proteins and DNA
K = important to maintain turgor pressure in plant cells and enzyme activation

Question 6

what is the difference between cyanobacteria and green algae

Answer 6

cyanobacteria can fix gaseous N into a form that can be used by cells (can survive in N poor environments)

Question 7

why are we making microcosms

Answer 7

to investigate the effects of increasing fertiliser application on terrestrial plants and aquatic ecosystem over 3 weeks

Question 8

what are phytoplankton

Answer 8

foundation for most food webs
short lived
respond to increased nutrient availability with rapid increases in population growth

food for zooplankton