Water Quality Flashcards
1
Q
Geology
A
- porosity and permeability
- composition of the minerals, (highly soluble or easily weathered)
- rock and soil types
2
Q
proximity to ocean
A
- controls exponential decrease of ocean aerosols input to land
- saline intrusion (aquifers)
3
Q
climate/soil moisture
A
ambient temperature controls along with biological soil activity, the weathering reaction with kinetics
- aridity (precip/runoff ratio) determines concentration of dissolved substances
- (walling and webb, 1986) higher discharge weighed total dissolved solid concentration the lower mean annual runoff
4
Q
vegetation/biological productivity
A
- terrestrial primary productivity govern the release of nutrients
- bacteria and viruses
5
Q
Rate of tectonic uplift
A
- tectonics
- relief
- river terraces
6
Q
Agriculture
A
- fertiliser = nitrate
- increased levels of nitrate since 1970
- Eutrophication
- irrigation causes over abstraction: saline intrusion
- animal production
7
Q
Urbanisation
A
- increase in urban areas and populations
- more impermeable surfaces = more runoff
- sewage
- industry
- acidification from power plants
- climate change which influences natural controls
- all increase in 21st century
8
Q
Eutrophication
A
- nutrients from fertiliser flush into stream from land
- these pollutants cause aquatic plant growth of algae
- algae blooms preventing sunlight reaching other plants
- plants die and oxygen in water is depleted
- dead plants are broken down by bacteria decomposed using even more oxygen
- oxygen levels eventually reach a point where no life is possible
- fish and other organisms die
