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REN R 105 > Lecture #5 (Hydrosphere) > Flashcards

Lecture #5 (Hydrosphere) Flashcards

1
Q

How much of the Earth’s surface is covered in water? And how much of it is freshwater?

A

70%; 1%

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2
Q

Out of the 1.4 billion cubic kilometers of water on Earth __% is seawater and is therefore not useable for humans

A

97

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3
Q

What 2 factors drive the Water Cycle?

A

Solar energy and gravity

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4
Q

Define evaporation

A

The process of turning from liquid to vapor

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5
Q

Define groundwater

A

Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock

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6
Q

Define aquifers

A

A body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater

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7
Q

What is water ‘recharge’ rates?

A

How long it takes for water to be contributed back to the aquifer

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8
Q

What is the largest reservoir of water on Earth?

A

Oceans

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9
Q

_____ are based on depth and corresponding water temperature

A

Oceanic divisions

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10
Q

What is the photic layer of the ocean?

A

The first 200m where light can still penetrate the water

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11
Q

The photic layer is also known as what?

A

The epipelagic layer

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12
Q

From 200m depth to where water temperature is 10C (~1000m) is known as the _____ layer

A

Mesopelagic

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13
Q

What layer of the Ocean is between 10C and 4C?

A

Bathypelagic layer

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14
Q

What layer of the Ocean is from 4C to 6000m depth?

A

Abyssalpelagic

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15
Q

What layer is below 6000m?

A

Hadalpelgic

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16
Q

What does the term pelagic refer to?

A

Anything relating to the open seas

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17
Q

What is the order (highest to lowest) of the Oceanic divisions?

A

Epipelagic; Mesopelagic; Bathypelagic; Abyssalpelagic; Hadalpelagic

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18
Q

What is the thermocline?

A

The rapid decline in temperature over a fairly narrow change in depth (directly below the mixed layer)

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19
Q

What is the mixed layer of Oceans?

A

The first 100m - 200m of the Ocean where the temperature is fairly constant due to surface winds, waves, and currents mixing the upper water and distributing the heat throughout the layer

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20
Q

Typical temperature profile for open ocean, mid-latitude water is what?

A

~2C (varies little over time)

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21
Q

Why is there a larger thermocline in tropics than polar areas?

A

Due to surface water being warmer near the equator and colder at the poles

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22
Q

The mixed layer is deeper, and the thermocline is less pronounced in the winter compared to the summer in what regions of the ocean?

A

Temperate (mid-latitude) regions

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23
Q

What areas have the largest seasonal changes?

A

Temperate (mid-latitude) regions

24
Q

At the lowest latitudes water is the _____

A

warmest

25
Q

At higher latitudes water is the _____

A

coldest

26
Q

What are the 2 types of freshwater systems?

A

Lentic and Lotic

27
Q

What are lentic freshwater systems?

A

Still or un-flowing water (lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, etc.)
Len think zen = still

28
Q

What are lotic freshwater systems?

A

Flowing water (rivers and streams)
Lo think flow = flowing

29
Q

Limnology is the study of what?

A

Freshwater systems

30
Q

What are some properties of oligotrophic lakes?

A

Low levels of nutrients and thus lower productivity (normally clear water); normally deeper; fewer phosphates & nitrates present as nutrients leading to high levels of oxygen; more growth of green algae & less blue green algae

31
Q

What are some properties of eutrophic lakes?

A

Large amounts of nutrients & thus higher productivity (often turbid/dark water); relatively shallow; has nutrients like phosphates & nitrates in large quantities making it difficult for some aquatic life as these nutrients lead to low levels of oxygen; eutrophic lakes have more growth of blue green algae & less green algae

32
Q

What is cultural eutrophication?

A

When the rate of eutrophication is rapidly accelerated by the addition of nutrients & organic matter from human activities

33
Q

An overgrowth of algae that blocks light & air exchange can be caused by what?

A

Cultural eutrophication

34
Q

What are dimictic lakes?

A

Lakes that ‘mix’ twice a year; typically, temperate & boreal regions lakes

35
Q

What is a thermocline?

A

The boundary area where temperature changes are drastic over short depths

36
Q

What is stratification?

A

The arrangement or classification of something into different groups (warm water at the surface & cooler below)

37
Q

Lakes are at a constant __C in the water column

A

4

38
Q

What happens in the spring during circulation in temperate lakes?

A

Mixing or turning over of a lake when surface temps reach 4C (constant density)

39
Q

What happens in the summer during circulation in temperate lakes?

A

Heating of surface creates a strong thermocline separating cool, deep water from warm water; mixing occurs only above thermocline

40
Q

What happens in the fall during circulation in temperate lakes?

A

Mixing or turnover of a lake when surface temps reach 4C (constant density)

41
Q

What happens in the winter during circulation in temperate lakes?

A

Winter ice prevents mixing; coldest water (& ice) at surface, warmest & denser water at bottom

42
Q

When lakes are stratified (i.e. in the presence of a thermocline), 3 layers are formed. What are the 3 layers?

A

1) Epilimnion
2) Metalimnion
3) Hypolimnion

43
Q

What is the epilimnion?

A

The surface layer of water that is constantly mixed by wind and waves and is warmed by the sun, from late spring to late fall.

44
Q

What is the metalimnion?

A

The middle layer characterized by a steep gradient in temperature and demarcated by the regions above (epilimnion) and below (hypolimnion). The metalimnion is the barrier that prevents mixing and heat exchange between the epilimnion and hypolimnion

45
Q

What is the hypolimnion?

A

The deepest layer of uniformly cold water that does not mix with the upper layers and has low circulation. The colder water within the hypolimnion is at its maximum density at a temperature of 39.32F (4C)

46
Q

At what temperature is freshwater most dense?

A

4C

47
Q

What is Langmuir circulation?

A

‘Cells’ of water with circular/rotational movements of water forming surface foam lines that run parallel to the direction of wind. The turbulence circulates nutrients in the water column & are important for mixing nutrients in the upper layer.

48
Q

What is evapotranspiration?

A

The combination of evaporation & transpiration in plants

49
Q

Are areas of high precipitation, plant biomass & warmth are associated with areas of high or low evapotranspiration?

A

High

50
Q

What are some sources of water contamination?

A

Point-source; air pollution; eroded soil and sediment; non-point source

51
Q

What is point-source pollution?

A

Contamination can be traced to specific points of discharge from wastewater treatment plants and factories or from combined sewers

52
Q

How is air pollution a source of water contamination?

A

It spreads across the landscape and is often overlooked as a major nonpoint source of pollution. Airborne nutrients and pesticides can be transported far from their area of origin.

53
Q

How is non-point source pollution a source of water contamination?

A

It is much more difficult & expensive to control than point source pollution because of its low concentration, multiple sources, & greater volume of water

54
Q

How is eroded soil and sediment a source of water contamination?

A

It can transport considerable amounts of some nutrients, such as organic nitrogen and phosphorus, and some pesticides, such as DDT, to rivers and streams

55
Q

What is another source of water contamination? (Think of urban centers when it rains)

A

Combined sewer system - combines sewer with storm drain

REN R 105 (6 decks)

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