Water Quality ultimate flashcards

Aquatic Ecology

Study of freshwater organisms and their environment

Freshwater Ecosystem

Water-based ecosystem found in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams with low salt content

Lentic Ecosystems

Standing water habitats including lakes and ponds

Lotic Ecosystems

Flowing water habitats including rivers and streams

Aquatic Organism

Any living creature that depends on water for survival

Biotic Community

All living organisms in an aquatic ecosystem

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components of an ecosystem such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen

Nutrient Cycling

Movement and transformation of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus through ecosystems

Nitrogen Cycle

Process where nitrogen moves from atmosphere to soil to organisms and back

Phosphorus Cycle

Movement of phosphorus through water, sediment, organisms, and rocks

Nitrogen Fixation

Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas into biologically available forms like ammonia

Nitrification

Bacterial process converting ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate

Ammonification

Decomposition of organic nitrogen compounds into ammonia by microorganisms

Denitrification

Reduction of nitrate to atmospheric nitrogen, returning it to the atmosphere

Eutrophication

Process where water becomes overly enriched with nutrients, causing algal blooms

Algal Bloom

Rapid, uncontrolled growth of algae due to excess nutrients

Hypoxia

Condition of low dissolved oxygen in water creating dead zones

Dead Zone

Area of water with oxygen levels too low to support most aquatic life

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Indigenous knowledge accumulated over generations about local ecosystems

TEK Principles

Sustainability, stewardship, reciprocity, and holistic understanding of nature

Indigenous Stewardship

Long-term management practices that maintain ecosystem health

Phenological Indicators

Natural seasonal cues used to guide resource management decisions

Cultural Burning

Traditional fire management practice used by Indigenous peoples for ecosystem health

TEK Water Management

Traditional practices including timing harvests with water cycles and using riparian buffers

Sacred Waters

Cultural and spiritual significance of water in Indigenous communities

Sovereignty

Indigenous peoples' right to self-determination in environmental management

Water Cycle

Continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff

Evaporation

Process where liquid water turns into water vapor due to solar energy

Transpiration

Release of water vapor from plants into the atmosphere

Evapotranspiration

Combined process of evaporation from soil and transpiration from plants

Condensation

Process where water vapor cools and forms liquid water droplets

Precipitation

Water falling to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

Infiltration

Water soaking into the ground and becoming groundwater

Permeability

Measure of how easily water flows through soil or rock

Runoff

Water flowing over land surface into rivers, lakes, and oceans

Surface Runoff

Water that flows on top of soil and enters waterways

Groundwater

Water stored underground in soil and rock layers

Aquifer

Underground layer of rock or soil containing water

Water Table

The depth underground where ground becomes saturated with water

Subsurface Flow

Movement of water through soil beneath the surface

Life History Strategies

Reproductive and survival patterns evolved by species for success in their environment

R-Strategists

Organisms producing many offspring with little parental care, short lifespan

Examples of R-Strategists

Mosquitoes, bacteria, algae, dandelions

K-Strategists

Organisms producing few offspring with high parental investment, long lifespan

Examples of K-Strategists

Whales, elephants, humans, large trees

Exponential Growth

Pattern of rapid increase where quantity grows by fixed factor over time

Carrying Capacity

Maximum population size an environment can support long-term

Logistic Growth

Population growth that initially accelerates then slows as it approaches carrying capacity

Population Dynamics

Study of population changes including growth rate and carrying capacity

Succession

Gradual change in ecosystem species composition over time

Primary Succession

Ecological succession in newly formed, barren environments

Secondary Succession

Ecological succession following disturbance in existing ecosystem

Pioneer Species

Early colonizing species in primary succession, typically r-strategists

Climax Community

Stable, mature ecosystem reached at end of succession

pH

Measure of acidity or alkalinity on scale from 0 to 14

Optimal pH Range

6.5 to 8.5 for most freshwater aquatic life

Acidic Water

Water with pH below 7

Basic Water

Water with pH above 7, also called alkaline

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

Oxygen available in water for aquatic organisms to breathe

DO Optimal Level

Greater than 5 mg/L for supporting fish and aerobic life

Hypoxia

Condition of dissolved oxygen levels below 2-3 mg/L causing stress

Anoxia

Complete absence of dissolved oxygen in water

Temperature

Heat level of water affecting metabolic rates and oxygen solubility

Thermal Stratification

Layering of lake water by temperature

Thermocline

Layer of water with rapidly changing temperature

Epilimnion

Warm upper layer of stratified lake

Hypolimnion

Cold lower layer of stratified lake

Metalimnion

Middle transition layer between epilimnion and hypolimnion

Salinity

Measure of dissolved salts in water

Salinity Units

Parts per thousand (ppt) or practical salinity units (PSU)

Freshwater Salinity

Less than 0.5 ppt

Brackish Water

Salinity between freshwater and seawater

Osmoregulation

Process organisms use to maintain water and salt balance

Turbidity

Clarity of water affected by suspended particles

NTU

Nephelometric Turbidity Units used to measure turbidity

Secchi Disk

White and black disk used to measure water transparency and turbidity

Light Penetration

Depth sunlight can reach in water

Suspended Solids

Particles floating in water reducing clarity

Conductivity

Ability of water to conduct electricity based on dissolved ions

Hardness

Amount of calcium and magnesium minerals in water

Total Solids

Sum of all suspended and dissolved solids in water

Suspended Solids

Particles floating in water

Dissolved Solids

Minerals and salts dissolved in water

Nitrate

Nitrogen form created by nitrification, measured in mg/L

Nitrite

Intermediate form of nitrogen in nitrogen cycle

Ammonia

Reduced form of nitrogen from decomposition

Phosphate

Phosphorus form available to organisms, measured in mg/L

Orthophosphate

Soluble phosphate form taken up by algae

Condensed Phosphate

Complex phosphate forms in water

Organic Phosphate

Phosphorus bound in organic molecules

Fecal Coliform

Bacteria indicating potential pathogenic contamination

Fecal Coliform Standard

Safe drinking water has zero fecal coliforms

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Oxygen required by microbes to decompose organic matter

5-Day BOD

Standard measure of organic pollution using 5-day decomposition period

BOD Indicator

High BOD indicates high organic pollution

Methemoglobinemia

Blue baby syndrome caused by high nitrate levels

Potable Water

Water safe for drinking

Food Chain

Linear feeding relationship showing energy transfer between organisms

Food Web

Interconnected food chains showing multiple feeding relationships

Producer

Autotrophic organism making own food through photosynthesis (plants, algae)