LIS Quiz #2 Flashcards
airborne pollutants
Produced from industry and car exhaust, travels in rain or settles into the water by gravity.
floatables
Litter left by careless people. Can wash up on shore.
pathogens
Viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms that cause disease
Comes from CSOs or farm run off.
erosion and sedimentation
Caused by construction of buildings or roads and plowing on farms. Makes the water cloudy. (Increases Turbidity of water)
point pollution
Pollution that you can “pin-point” the source (a specific source)
non-point pollution
Pollution that you cannot “pin-point” the source
nutrients
Substances essential to living things. It controls how much algae will grow.
heavy metals
Toxic at very low levels. Can accumulate in top order predators. Comes from paint, plumbing and factories.
Primary Sewage Treatment
Removes solid wastes from water
Sanitary Sewer
Pipes that carry human wastes and household waste water
Combined Sewer Overflow
Release of partially treated waste water during heavy rain.
Storm Sewer
Carries water from roads that enter the drains on the street
Can you list the benefits of the Wetlands?
- Breaks down toxic substances
- Filters out debris/silt
- Provides food
- Cleans water
- Absorbs water/Flood control
- Nursery & Breeding ground
- Mixes nutrients and Oxygen in water
- Shelter and home
- Resting place for migratory birds
Know the order of hypoxia…
1 - Excess fertilizer is sprayed on hundreds of residential lawns.
Rain or runoff (CSO) brings the nitrogen to rivers, then to the Sound.
2 - Excess nitrogen in the water causes an algae bloom.
The algae die in a short time and settles to the bottom of the water.
3 - Bacteria decompose the dead algae using more oxygen as they multiply.
4 - Dissolved oxygen levels become very low.
Fish leave and other less mobile animals weaken and die.
5 - The animals that died from low oxygen levels decompose. Decomposers use more oxygen & the problem of low oxygen becomes worse.
