Unit 4 APES

What is a point source?

Refers to a single, identifiable source of a pollutant, such as a smokestack or waste discharge pipe.

What is a non point source?

No point sources of pollution are diffused and can therefore be difficult to identify, such as pesticide spraying or urban runoff.

How have coral reefs been suffering damage?

Coral reefs have been suffering damages due to a variety of factors, including increasing ocean temperature, sediment runoff, and destructive fishing practices.

How do oil spills affect marine waters?

Oil spills in marine waters cause organisms to dire from the hydrocarbons in oil. Oil that floats in the surface of water can coat the feathers of birds and fur of marine mammals. Some components of oil sink to the ocean floor, killing more bottom-dwelling organisms.

How does oil that washes up on the beach have economic consequences on the fishing and tourism industries?

Oil that washes up on the beach kills many of the marine life (fishes) there, therefore halting the fishing industry. The oil in the water will not only cause it to stench but it can also be a hazard which would discourage guest from visiting the area.

How do heavy metals used for industry, especially mining and burning of fossil fuels, reach the groundwater? How does this impact the drinking water supply?

Mining and fossil fuels reach groundwater through the leaching of contaminants into soil, which than percolates downward, or through direct contamination of surface water that recharges aquifers. The contamination of groundwater impacts drinking water quality because it introduces toxic chemicals and radioactive materials.

What are the consequence of litter being in aquatic ecosystems?

Litter can create intestinal blockage and choking hazards for wildlife and introduce toxic substances to the food chain. 

What are the consequences of there being an increase in sediments in waterways?

 It can reduce light infiltration, which can affect primary producers and visual predators. Sediment can also settle, disrupting habitats.

When does Thermal Pollution Occur?

It occurs when heat released into the water produces negative effects on the organisms in that ecosystem. 

How does temperature affect the concentration of dissolved oxygen?

Variations in water temperature affect the concentration of dissolved oxygen because warm water does not contain as much oxygen as cold water.

What is primary treatment?

Primary treatment of sewage is the physical removal of large objects, often through the use of screens and grates, followed by the settling of solid waste in the bottom of a tank.

What is Secondary Treatment?

Secondary treatment is a biological process in which bacteria break down organic matter into carbon dioxide and inorganic sludge, which settles in the bottom of a tank. The tank is aerated to increase the rate at which the bacteria break down the organic matter.

When treating Wastewater, what happens prior to discharge?

Prior to discharge, the treated water is exposed to one or more disinfectants (usually, chlorine, ozone, or UV light) to kill bacteria.

Rivers

-Young Rivers: At a slant and flow faster. Tend to be in the mountains

-Middle Aged rivers 

-Old Rivers: Falter so the water flows slower. Tend to be closer to the ocean/ coast line. 

Type of rivers

-Braided River

-Meandering River

-Oxbow Lake: Indicative of a very old river. 

Lakes and Ponds

• Classification of lakes 

-Oligotrophic Lakes: Low in nutrients and high in oxygen 

-Europhic: high in nutrients and low in oxygen

• Zones:

Benthic: bottom

Littoral: Surface next to coast

Limmentic: Still surface water in open water (not next to the shore) 

Profundal: Water at debt and open    

Wetlands

-Freshwater marshes: do not have trees associated with them

-Swamps: shallow standing water, lots of vegetation (trees are associated with them).

-Bogs: They have a mat of plants on top of them (a foot thick). Water is more acidic and has low levels of oxygen associated with it. 

-Vernal pools: seasonal (at the end of the winter, evaporates during the summer), small pools of water.

Which ecosystems services are provided by Wetlands?

• Slow runoff

• Reducing flooding

• Recharging aquifers

• Filtering pollutants

Groundwater

⅕ of Earths freshwater supply and used for a large portion of human water needs. Groundwater is easier to deplete than surface water. Pulling out water from the ground can cause salt to go in, which makes the water not fresh. 

When does eutrophication occur?

Eutrophication occurs when a body of water is enriched in nutrients. 

What are Hypoxic waterways?

Hypoxic waterways are those bodies of water that are low in dissolved oxygen. 

What are the qualities of oligotrophic waterways?

 Oligotrophic waterways have very low amounts of nutrients, stable algae populations, and high dissolved oxygen.

What Anthropogenic (human activity) causes eutrophication?

Agricultural runoff and wastewater release

Which ecosystem services are provided by wetlands?

Water purification, flood protection, water filtration, and habitat. 

What are the phenomena of El Niño and La Niña and what do they cause?

They are associated with changing ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. These phenomena can cause global changes to rainfall, wind, and ocean circulation patterns. 

Describe El Nino event.

El Nino causes the trade winds to weaken. This will cause all the warm surface water to start to migrate from west to east. The warmer surface water in the eastern Pacific will lead to an increase in percipitation and rain in Northern and Southern America. While the cooler surface water in the western Pacific will cause a dry climate in Australia and Southern Asia.

Describe la Nina.

La Nina cause the trade winds to increase dramatically. This will cause all the warm surface water to start moving to the western Pacific. This in turn will lead to colder than normal surface water in the eastern Pacific. The increase in temperature of the surface water in the west will lead to an increase in rain and percipitation in Australia and Southern Asia. The decrease in temperature of the surface water in the east will lead to colder and dryer weather in North and South America.

Explain the impact a dam has on surrounding ecosystems and why some dams are being removed.

Dams can trap sediments, causing downstream erosion and reducing habitat health. They also fragment river habitats, and block fish migration. Dams are being removed to restore river ecosystems and fish migration.

How do humans alter freshwater systems, including diversion of rivers, using dikes, levees, and dams, depleting surface water, losing wetlands, and depleting groundwater.

Dams, dikes, and levees fragment river systems, interrupting fish migration and blocking sediment transport. The depletion of surface water diminishes water quality, degrades aquatic habitats, and can result in the drying up of streams and rivers, particularly in arid regions. Losing wetlands can also lead to the loss of biodiversity, as well as diminishing natural water filtration. Depleting groundwater can reduce stream/lake levels and cause land subsidence. River diversions reduce downstream flows, destroy habitats, alter sedimentation, and can cause significant ecological imbalances. 

Explain how altering the flux of the carbon cycle affects coral reefs and shelled organisms, including the chemistry behind this issue.

Ocean acidification is due to an increase in Carbon Dioxide emission in the atmosphere. This is due to the increase in the combustion of fossil fuels. When carbon dioxide is absorbed by sea water they create carbonic acid. Then they dissociate into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. These hydrogen ions than bond with carbonate ions. Unfortunately, marine organisms can’t extract the carbonate they need from this bicarbonate ion, making it harder for them to build shells and exoskeletons. Corals are the foundation of high biodiverse reef ecosystems, so when they die off, ocean biodiversity is severely impacted.