Stream Study/Human Activity Vocabulary ~ Mrs. Bailey

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to stream studies and human activity, including definitions and important concepts.

Pollution that enters a stream from one identified source, for example, from pipes.

Point Source Pollution

A wide-ranging source of pollution that is difficult to link to one source.

For example: runoff from fertilizer or oil from cars.

Non-Point Source Pollution

The area of land, including water, that drains into a larger body of water.

Watershed

An area of the stream where water bubbles over rocks.

Riffle

The bottom of a stream.

Substrate

Materials from living things or things that were once living, which are a natural part of a thriving ecosystem.

Organic Material

Water that is still or not moving.

Stagnant

Cloudy water, as a result of sediment being mixed or stirred up.

Turbid

When heavy rains cause pollutants to wash off the land and into a body of water.

Run-off

Studying living organisms to determine the quality or health of a stream or ecosystem.

The prefix "bio" means living
Monitor means to watch

Biomonitoring

Different forms of life living in an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

Bottom-dwelling organisms without a backbone that are large enough to see with the human eye.

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Benthic macroinvertebrates that are extremely sensitive to polluted water.

Taxa 1

Benthic macroinvertebrates that are somewhat sensitive to polluted water.

Taxa 2

Benthic macroinvertebrates that are tolerant (can live/survive) of polluted water.

Taxa 3

The amount of oxygen that is present in the water.

Dissolved Oxygen

The build-up of a substance, usually a toxin, as it rises through a food chain.

Bioaccumulation

A measure of the acidity (acide) or alkalinity (base) of a solution.

pH

A harmful toxin, chemical, sediment, or bacteria material discharged (brought into)into the water, soil, or air.

Pollution

A substance that causes pollution.

Pollutant

The thin layer of Earth extending from ocean bottoms to the highest mountaintops that contains all living organisms.

Biosphere

The complete disappearance of a species from Earth.

Extinction

An invasive, reed-like plant that indicates the presence of water and thrives in wetland areas.

Phragmites

A resource that can be replenished over time, for example, electricity from solar panels.

Renewable Resources

A resource that, once used up, cannot be replaced or used again, for example, fossil fuels.

Nonrenewable Resources

Using a resource without depleting it or permanently damaging it.

Sustainable

Making a problem less harsh or severe (minimizing it).

Example: placing down sandbags in an area to prevent or lessen flooding

Mitigate

Living or once-living things in an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.

Biotic

The non-living parts of an ecosystem, like sunlight, water, temperature, air, and rocks.

Abiotic

Biotic factors __________ (work together) with non-living, or abiotic factors to form a complete ecosystem.

interact