Land, air And Water Pollution Flashcards
How is water polluted?
From nitrates which are washed from the soil from fertilisers and untreated sewage which is dumped into water ways and the sea.
What is the problem with the use of pesticides?
They can get into the soil and be washed into streams and rivers. They can also become part of food chains and dangerous amounts of poison and build up.
Why are nitrates from fertilisers a problem if they get into the water?
Nitrates and other minerals fertilise the water plants and they grow rapidly. Plants die from the competition. There is a big increase of micro organisms which decompose the plant and use oxygen from respiring. This means there isn’t enough oxygen and fish die. They decompose and there is even less oxygen. Eventually oxygen levels fall low and the pond is dead. This is called eutrophication
What are bio indicators?
Species which can only be found in very clean or very polluted water- are used to monitor pollution level in water ways
What are the environmental affects of acid rain?
It can kill tree leaves and roots in the soil. It also falls into lakes and ponds and if the acidic concentration becomes too high, plants and animals die and it is no longer able to support life
What is the affects of global dimming?
The pollution of tiny particles in the air reflect sunlight so less light hits the surface of the earth. This causes dimming and could lead to cooling of temperatures at the surface of the earth
