Blue Planet Term 2

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Pollution

The addition of a substance into the environment via human activity, and occurs at a faster rate than the environment can treat it while having a negative effect on organisms

Types of source water contamination

Pesticides and fertiliser, dumps, hazardous waste, wastewater, seepage, groundwater discharge, manure

Organic pollution

Pollutants containing carbon, biodegradable and natural or synthetic (e.g pesticides, industrial chemicals) in origin

Inorganic pollution

Non-biodegradable chemicals that do not contain carbon but are comprised mainly of heavy metals which are toxic at low concentrations from industrial, agricultural and residential sources

Persistent organic pollutions (POPs)

Remain in the environment as they cannot be broken down through chemical, biological processes or light

Point source pollution

Pollutants released from a single source with a localised impact making monitoring and control easier (e.g Chernobyl)

Non-point source pollution

Pollutants released from many different sources, effects are spread over a wider area making monitoring and management challenging (e.g car exhaust, run off from agricultural lands)

Primary Pollution

Released directly into the environment (e.g Methane, Nitrous Oxides)

Secondary Pollution

When primary pollutants react further in the environment through other chemical reactions causing further pollutions or a new pollutant (e.g Acid rain)

Effect of Industrial waste (mercury, lead, nitrates, phosphates)

These chemicals accumulate in the tissues of marine organisms resulting in poisoning and reproductive problems, bioaccumulation also occurs.

Effect of Sewage water (household)

Excess nutrients trigger eutrophication that depletes oxygen and kills marine flora and fauna

Effect of Plastic

Biomagnification, plastics accumulate in tissues of marine organisms deceiving them into thinking they are 'full' and eventually die of starvation

Effect of Fertilisers and pesticides

Excess nutrients trigger eutrophication that depletes oxygen and kills marine flora and fauna

Eutrophication

When lakes, estuaries and coastal waters receive inputs of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates), which results in an excess growth and plants and phytoplankton.

Explain how human activities lead to eutrophication of river and ocean ecosystems

More nutrients in the oceans = more algal blooms = less oxygen = hard for marine creatures to survive

Sources of ocean based pollutants

Litter, oil spills, agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial waste, lost or abandoned gear, commercial shipping

Biofouling

When organisms attach and grown on the submerged parts of a vessel

Effect of biofouling on marine biodiversity

Introduces invasive marine species into Australian waters that spread and outcompete native species

Level 1 (Pollution Management)

Reduce: Change the human activity that generates the pollutant in the first place, most effective

Level 2 (Pollution Management)

Regulate: Minimise the amount of the pollutant released into the environment

Level 3 (Pollution Management)

Restore: Clean up the pollutant and the affected areas after the pollutant has been released

How does the ingestion of plastic cause damage to organisms? (1)

Plastics accumulate in the stomach causing blocked digestion, internal injuries or cuts, false sense of fullness = starvation

How does the ingestion of plastic cause damage to organisms? (2)

Microplastics may be too small to egest, sharp plastics can damage the gut during it

Biomagnification

The process in which chemical substances become more concentrated at higher trophic levels

Bioaccumulation

The build up of a chemical substance in the tissues of a single organism

Difference between Biomagnification and Bioaccumulation

Biomagnification refers to the food web, bioaccumulation refers to an individual