Topic 5

Question 1

Define the term pollution

Answer 1

The addition to the biosphere of a substance or agent, by human activity, at a greater rate than that which it can be rendered harmless by the environment. It is a substance that has a great effect on the health of organisms.

Question 2

Point source pollution

Answer 2

The release of from a single, clearly identifiable site e.g. factory sewage pipe

Question 3

Non-point source pollution

Answer 3

The release of pollutants from numerous, widely dispersed e.g. chemicals spread over fields

Question 4

Distinguish between PS and NPS in terms of management

Answer 4

Point source is much easier to manage because the it can be traced to its origin and stopped. Non-point source pollution can be virtually impossible to trace to an origin, very hard to manage.

Question 5

Major sources of pollution

Answer 5

Combustion of fossil fuels, domestic waste, industrial waste, agricultural waste

Question 6

Combustion of fossil fuels

Answer 6

Pollutants: Carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, photochemical smog (ozone)

Question 7

Domestic waste

Answer 7

Pollutants: Organic waste (food and sewage), waste paper, plastic, tins, glass

Question 8

Industrial waste

Answer 8

Pollutants: Heavy metals, fluorides, lead, acids

Question 9

Agricultural waste

Answer 9

Pollutants: Nitrates, organic waste, pesticides

Question 10

Two direct methods of monitoring pollution

Answer 10

Direct measurements record the amount of pollutant in the water, air, or soil. A direct measurement for air pollution is measuring for CO2 in the atmosphere. A direct measurement for measuring soil pollution is testing for nitrates.

Question 11

Define Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Answer 11

BOD is the measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down the organic matter in a given volume of water through aerobic biological activities.

Question 12

How is BOD used to assess pollution levels in water?

Answer 12

The measurement of the rate of oxygen uptake is used as a standard indirect test to the polluting capacity of effluent. Greater the amount of organic pollutant, greater the BOD. Dark chamber, 20C, 5 days.

Question 13

Indirect method of measuring pollution levels using a biotic index

Answer 13

NAME?

Question 14

Indicator species

Answer 14

Plants and animals that show the condition of the environment based on their presence, absence, abundance, or scarcity.

Question 15

Biotic index

Answer 15

A scale that gives a measure of the quality of an ecosystem by the presence and abundance of the species living in it. Pollutants not measured directly but their effects on biodiversity are measured. The presence of various indicator species that can tolerate various levels of oxygen is used to calculate the biotic index.

Question 16

Outline the approaches to pollution management - replace

Answer 16

Alter human activity;

Question 17

Outline the approaches to pollution management - regulate

Answer 17

Regulating and reducing the pollutant at point of emission;

Question 18

Outline the approaches to pollution management - restore

Answer 18

Cleaning up the pollutant and restoring ecosystems:

Question 19

Discuss the human factors that affect the approaches to pollution management

Answer 19

• Economies depend on production of goods and these need raw materials
• Politicians are forced to make difficult decisions as it often comes down to jobs or the environment.

Question 20

Evaluate the costs and benefits to society of the World Health Organisation’s ban on the use of DDT

Answer 20

+ Less chance for environment, wildlife, and human poisoning.
- DDT was cheap to use, alternatives are more expensive (organic fertilisers)

Question 21

Define eutrophication

Answer 21

The addition of excess nutrients to a freshwater ecosystem. It can be a natural process but anthropogenic eutrophication has accelerated it. The nutrients are usually nitrates and phosphates which come from detergents, fertilisers, sewage, and increased erosion of top soil.

Question 22

Outline the processes of eutrophication

Answer 22

1. Fertilisers wash into lake

Question 23

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Answer 23

The second law of thermodynamics states that energy moves from from more organized to less organized forms and becomes less useful.

Question 24

Secondary Productivity

Answer 24

The biomass gained by heterotrophic organisms, through feeding and absorption, measured in units of mass or energy per unit area per unit time.

Question 25

Secondary Succession

Answer 25

Succession in an environment with some vegetation and soil

Question 26

Simpson’s Diversity Index

Answer 26

A measure of biodiversity that accounts for the number of species and the abundance of each species

Question 27

Species

Answer 27

The largest possible group of organisms capable of interbreeding

Question 28

Species Diversity

Answer 28

The number of different species present in an ecosystem

Question 29

Static Equilibrium

Answer 29

A state of balance because of no change.

Question 30

Steady State Equilibrium

Answer 30

A state of balance with constantly fluctuating change (i.e. population of rabbits)

Question 31

Storage

Answer 31

Energy is kept in one place in an ecosystem; indicated with boxes

Question 32

Succession

Answer 32

The observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time

Question 33

Top Carnivores

Answer 33

The animal at the highest possible trophic level

Question 34

Transfer

Answer 34

A transfer of energy from one organism to the other.

Question 35

Transformation

Answer 35

A change in the form of energy (i.e. from light to chemical, chemical to heat)

Question 36

Trophic Level

Answer 36

Producer, Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Tertiary Consumer, etc.