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Agricultural pollution
pollution from rural areas where few people live
Algae
a general term for small, chlorophyll-containing plants such as seaweed or pond scum
Ammonia
a colorless, pungent gas composed of nitrogen and hydrogen from animal waste
Aquaculture
the cultivation of aquatic organisms (as fish or shellfish) especially for food; fish farming
Aquatic
living or growing in water
Aquifer
an underground water system made of porous rock and sand
Bottom trawling
fishing method that involves towing trawl nets along the sea floor
By-catch
unwanted marine creatures that are caught in the nets while fishing for another species
Condensation
when water vapor (gaseous water) forms droplets of water in the atmosphere, making clouds; the change in water from gas to liquid form
Confining layer
a place in the aquifer where impermeable rock covers permeable rock
Evaporation
the change in water from liquid to gas
Eutrophication
when large amounts of nutrients enter the water and cause an increase in the amount of oxygen
Exotic Plant
a plant that is transported from its place of origin and introduced into a new environment
Groundwater
water that percolates through the surface and is retained in underlying rock and soil
Groundwater contamination
when any harmful substance enters the water underground and makes it unsuitable for use
Groundwater model
a representation of the underground water system
Groundwater system
holds the rock layers that make up an aquifer and the water that is stored and transported through the openings in the rocks
Herbicides
chemicals used to kill weeds
Hydrologic Cycle
the passage of water between reservoirs (oceans and atmosphere) by groundwater percolation, evaporation, condensation, and precipitation
Impermeable
something that does not allow liquid to run through it
Marine protected area (MPA)
officially, an MPA is any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural and cultural resources therein. In practice, MPAs are defined areas where natural and/or cultural resources are given greater protection than the surrounding waters
Native Plant
a plant that lives and thrives in its place of origin
Nitrate
a water-soluble molecule made up of nitrogen and oxygen, commonly found in agricultural fertilizers
Nitrogen
a colorless, odorless gas that is a non-metallic element which makes up almost four-fifths of the air
Non-point source
when the point of the pollution is difficult to identify
Organic Pollution
pollution that occurs when living things decompose
Percolation
when precipitation is absorbed into the ground and moves down through the soil
Permeable
ability of something to allow liquids to run through it
Pesticides
chemical substances applied to plants to keep insects away
Phosphates
phosphorus can come from natural sources such as phosphate-containing rocks and human sources such as fertilizers, pesticides, detergents, and industrial wastes
Photosynthesis
the process by which plants convert energy from the sun into food
Phytoplankton
single-celled algae
Point source
when the source of the pollutant is easily identified
Porous Rock
a rock with many spaces between grains
Precipitation
water that is released from the atmosphere as rain, snow, hail, etc.
Sediment Pollution
pollution that occurs when loose soil is carried into bodies of water by rain
Spring
water returning to the surface after being absorbed by the ground
Stormwater runoff
rainwater that does not soak into the ground and carries pollution into bodies of water
Surface Runoff
precipitation that drains across the land into lakes, streams, or rivers
Surface Water
water that lays on the earth’s surface, including rivers, lakes, streams, creeks, ponds, and wetlands
Transpiration
the process by which water is released from plant leaves
Watershed
an area of land over which water flows to reach a common body of water such as a lake or pond
Well
a hole that is drilled into the aquifer
Zooplankton
very small aquatic animals
