Unit 3 topic 5 Flashcards
what is a nonpersistent pollutant
wastes that can be broken down ex. Fertilizers and sewage
Persistent pollutants
accumulate in the environment because they can break down very slowly or not at all. Ex, Pesticides or heavy metal wastes.
What do Persistent pollutants have in common with nonpersistent pollutants and how do we monitor?
they are a concern if they become concentrated enough to harm living things. We monitor these with chemical tests
what do Phospuhurs and Nitrogen do?
they help plant growth that’s why they are used in fertilizers
How do Phosphate and nitrate concentrations greatly increase in the water?
from run-off from fertilizers and sewage.
what happens when water is highly concentrated?
oxygen is depleted and the organisms in the water die
what is algae bloom?
is a rapid increase or accumulation in the levels of algae in freshwater.
what are the 4 reasons why Algae bloom is bad?
- nutrient load: excessive nutrients and fertilizers are flushed into the water from land into rivers
- Death of the ecosystem: oxygen levels reach a point where no life is possible fish and other organisms die
- Plants flourish: these pollutants cause aquatic plant growth of algae, duckweed and other plants
- Decomosition further depletes oxygen: Dead plants are broken down by bacteria (decomposers) using up even more oxygen in the water
also plants dont get sun
Algae acts like a what on water?
a blanket on top of the water where no sun can reach the water
what is a dead zone?
excessive phytoplankton growth can result in a area called the dead zone
how do dead zones form?
when big blooms of phytoplankton at the surface trigger large quantities of organic matter which then sink to the bottom bacteria break down the material releasing carbon dioxide and absorbing oxygen as they work
how do humans play apart of dead zones?
fertilizers run off farms and land they seep into the network of rivers and streams and provide a lot of nutrients to phytoplankton that reach the shore causing a lot of growth of algae
where is the most dead zones occurred
Mississippi river
what can be used to measure water quality
biological indicators
polluted water bodies have done what to water?
decreases oxygen levels
Why do we monitor invertebrates when monitoring for pollution in water?
they can tell a lot if a water of body is healthy or not
what are some animals that indicate the water is good quality
Riffle beetle
Stonefly Nymph
Mayfly nymph
and caddisfly larvae
what is the level of ppm of oxygen that indicate water quality if healthy
8-10 ppm
what are some animals that indicate water is moderate quality?
dragonfly nymph
Clams and mussels
sowbug
and crayfish
what is the level of ppm of oxygen that indicate the water is moderate quality ?
4-8 ppm of oxygen
what are some animals that indicate poor quality of water?
midge larvae
aquatic worms
leeches
and black fly larve
what is the level of ppm of oxygen that indicate the water is poor quality
0-4 ppm of oxygen
what are point sources
pollutants that enter the environment from a specific locations such as drainpipes and smokestacks
what are non point sources
they discharge pollutants indirectly. These are much more difficult to control because the pollutants mix and disperse in the environment before they get to the water. Ex. Construction sites, acid precipitation
what is the most cheapest and most effective way to reduce pollution?
is to reduce the emission of pollutants
what are the 4 Rs
reduce
reuse
recycle and recover
what are macro invertebrates?
organisms visible to the unaided eye and lacking a backbone. This is the most useful organism for biological indicator of water quality
