Sustainability and the Changing Earth Unit 2 Review

Redfield Ratio

Tells you how eutrophication will impact an ecosystem. Carbon(106):Nitrogen(16):Phosphorus(1)

Why is phosphorus so important?

• Currency of energy transfer

• Acts like superglue for DNA & RNA

• Biological signaling (acelytating agent)

• Cell membranes (Phospho-lipid bilayer)

Why is nitrogen so important?

• Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins

• RuBisCo Enzyme that allows for photosynthetic conversion of atmospheric carbon into organic carbon

• Major component in chlorophyll which is crucial to photosynthesis

What’s special about diatoms?

They require much more silica than other phytoplankton

What’s special about cyanobacteria?

They have the ability to grow from atmospheric nitrogen because of nitrogen fixation

Secchi disks

Measure water quality

A secchi disk visibility depth of 1M is equal to what depth in the photic zone?

2.7 meters

Hysteresis

A time lag between input and output due to internal feedback helping a system resist change

List the 5 Water Management Districts

1. Northwest Florida WMD

2. Suwanee River WMD

3. St. Johns River WMD

4. Southwest Florida WMD

5. South Florida WMD

Most of the water on the planet is located in…

Oceans

Most of the freshwater on the planet is…

Frozen in polar ice and glaciers

Most of the liquid freshwater is…

Groundwater

Name the two main water treatment techniques

Chlorination and filtration

Chlorination

Eliminates microbes by using bleach

Filtration

Removes particles and debris from water

Improving basic sanitation and water quality can improve the general population by…

Reducing child mortality

What causes countries to have worse air pollution?

Industrialization

Which countries have had the worst air pollution in the past?

London, China, and India

Which country can we expect to have the worst air pollution in the nect 20 years?

Africa, because it is a giant continent with a lot of people, resources, and potential for growth

What are the 4 guiding principles to fix the system in Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades?

Quality, Quantity, Timing, and Distribution of Water (QQTD)

Name 5 of the 7 the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Components

1. Surface Water Storage Reservoir

2. Aquifer Storage & Recovery

3. Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs)

4. Reuse Wastewater

5. Seepage Management

6. Removing Barriers to Sheetflow

7. Operational Changes

Why was the system of the Everglades revamped?

Early agriculture was extensively developed to prioritize the safety of the people after many hurricanes