Ecology Basics and Human Impacts on Ecosystems

These flashcards cover key concepts related to ecosystems, lake nutrient status, human impacts on the environment, pollution types, and the characteristics of various aquatic and terrestrial systems.

What is an oligotrophic lake characterized by?

Low nutrient levels, low productivity, and clean, clear water.

What happens to a lake's nutrient status as it becomes eutrophic?

It has high nutrient levels, leading to muddy water and lower oxygen concentration.

What two types of pollution are distinguished in water pollution?

Point source pollution can be traced to a specific source, while non-point source pollution cannot be pinpointed.

What is the effect of deforestation on biodiversity?

It leads to loss of biodiversity, including medicinal plant species.

What are the four conditions required for photochemical smog formation?

Sunny conditions, temperature greater than 18 degrees Celsius, presence of nitrogen oxides, and presence of VOCs.

What type of nutrient is usually considered limiting for eutrophication?

An immobile nutrient such as phosphorus.

What is a watershed?

An area of land where all the water drains into a common waterway.

What adaptations do smooth cordgrass have for survival in intertidal zones?

Salt-secreting cells and hollow tubes for oxygen transport to roots.

What is the significance of mangrove forests?

They provide critical habitats for fish and protect coastal areas.

What is the main feature of first-order streams?

They are small headwater streams with no tributaries.

What is considered biological pollution?

The spread of invasive species that disrupt local ecosystems.

What major problem does the emerald ash borer cause?

It threatens ash tree populations, impacting forest ecosystems.

What specific characteristic distinguishes the intertidal zone?

It is exposed during low tide and submerged during high tide.

Which invasive species is known as a significant threat to crops and horticulture?

The brown marmorated stink bug.

Why are forests considered carbon sinks?

They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to regulate climate.

What is the most famous watershed in the United States?

The Chesapeake Bay watershed.

What is the main consequence of nutrient runoff in rivers?

Eutrophication, leading to oxygen depletion and unhealthy water conditions.

What is an oligotrophic lake characterized by?

Low nutrient levels, low productivity, and clean, clear water.

What happens to a lake's nutrient status as it becomes eutrophic?

It has high nutrient levels, leading to muddy water and lower oxygen concentration.

What two types of pollution are distinguished in water pollution?

Point source pollution can be traced to a specific source, while non-point source pollution cannot be pinpointed.

What is the effect of deforestation on biodiversity?

It leads to loss of biodiversity, including medicinal plant species.

What are the four conditions required for photochemical smog formation?

Sunny conditions, temperature greater than 18 degrees Celsius, presence of nitrogen oxides, and presence of VOCs.

What type of nutrient is usually considered limiting for eutrophication?

An immobile nutrient such as phosphorus.

What is a watershed?

An area of land where all the water drains into a common waterway.

What adaptations do smooth cordgrass have for survival in intertidal zones?

Salt-secreting cells and hollow tubes for oxygen transport to roots.

What is the significance of mangrove forests?

They provide critical habitats for fish and protect coastal areas.

What is the main feature of first-order streams?

They are small headwater streams with no tributaries.

What is considered biological pollution?

The spread of invasive species that disrupt local ecosystems.

What major problem does the emerald ash borer cause?

It threatens ash tree populations, impacting forest ecosystems.

What specific characteristic distinguishes the intertidal zone?

It is exposed during low tide and submerged during high tide.

Which invasive species is known as a significant threat to crops and horticulture?

The brown marmorated stink bug.

Why are forests considered carbon sinks?

They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to regulate climate.

What is the most famous watershed in the United States?

The Chesapeake Bay watershed.

What is the main consequence of nutrient runoff in rivers?

Eutrophication, leading to oxygen depletion and unhealthy water conditions.

What is eutrophication?

The excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.

What are common sources of non-point source pollution?

Agricultural runoff, urban runoff (stormwater), atmospheric deposition, and acid rain.

What are the main challenges for organisms living in the intertidal zone?

Fluctuating temperatures, desiccation (drying out), intense wave action, and rapid changes in salinity.

How are higher-order streams formed?

When two streams of the same order merge, the new stream's order increases by one (e.g., two first-order streams form a second-order stream). If streams of different orders merge, the higher order is maintained.