Explain the causes and effects of eutrophication.
Increases in nitrates and phosphates on land (fertilizers) that are transported into lakes, rivers, estuaries, etc. This causes hypoxia (low oxygen conditions) in large bodies of water.
Identify the sources of the following pollutants and describe their effects on humans and/or the environment:
a. Wastewater- agriculture and wastewater treatment; exposure to fecal coliform bacteria like E.coli
b. Oil- natural seeps, major oil spills, sources from land (cooking oil, motor oil); habitat destruction along coastal ecosystems
c. Heavy metals- combustion of coal and mining; neurotoxins which affect brain and nervous system development and function
d. Thermal- leftover cooling water emitted from a power plant; warm water leads to lower dissolved oxygen
e. Noise- SONAR, wind turbines, and electrical transmission lines; additional stress put on animals
f. Sediment- agricultural runoff and construction; decreases photosynthesis, decreases dissolved oxygen, increases temperature, eutrophication, clogs the gills of fish
g. Pesticides- agricultural runoff; decreases biodiversity because they are broad spectrum
h. Perchlorates- industrial chemicals; carcinogens
i. PCBs- industrial chemicals; carcinogens
j. Pesticides- agriculture; carcinogens
k. Inorganic nutrients (N & P)- agricultural runoff and suburban runoff (fertilizers); eutrophication
Describe bioaccumulation
Buildup of toxins in an individual overtime
Compare point sources and nonpoint sources
Point source- smokestack, tailpipes, effluent pipes
Non point source- over a large area, like a farm
Describe how BOD changes as the result of organic wastes in a stream
As waste is introduced, BOD increases because bacteria take up much of the dissolved oxygen
Explain primary, secondary, and tertiary sewage treatment
Primary- removes large solids with screens and gravity
Secondary- removes small solids with decomposing bacteria (oxygen required)
Tertiary- removing N and P (filter)
Disinfectant - disinfection using UV, ozone, or chlorine
Identify and explain the laws that protect water in the USA
Clean water act- focuses on surface water health for fish and other organisms
Safe drinking water act- sets safety standards for groundwater
What are the characteristics and functions of a wetland
Buffer from coastal flooding, filters pollutants from the land, and habitat for many organisms
Compare bioaccumulation to biomagnification and identify 2 toxins that can bioaccumulate
Bioaccumulation- toxin builds up in an individual
Biomagnification- toxin moves up & magnifies in the food chain
Examples: Mercury and DDT
Describe estrogen mimics effect on organisms and identify a toxin that acts as an estrogen mimic
Feminization of male fish or amphibians who are exposed to pharmaceutical drugs that people dispose of improperly
Describe compost and identify the materials that can be composted
Organic household waste that decomposes into a fertilizer (grass clippings, leaves, eggshells, carrot tops, banana peels)
Explain why plastics are harmful to the environment
Contribute to solid waste pollution on land and in the ocean. Some organisms will eat plastics mistaking them for food. Can destroy coastal habitats.
Describe MSW and identify the materials that make up the largest percentage of MSW in the USA
MSW includes your household garbage and consists mostly of paper and plastic products
Discuss the effect of climate change on the incidence of infectious disease around the world
As temperatures increase, the habitat of disease vectors like mosquitoes also increases
Explain the how the dose-response curve allows scientists to compare the toxicity of various chemicals (LD-50, threshold, etc)
Dose response curve measures the effect different concentrations of a chemical has on a test population. LD50 is used to compare toxicity between chemicals, with a lower LD50 indicating a greater toxicity and higher LD50 indicating a lower toxicity.
Describe the environmental consequences of landfills
Habitat destruction, water pollution, climate change
Describe the components of a sanitary landfill
Bottom liner and top cap both include impermeable materials like clay and rubber that will prevent anything contaminates from escaping the landfill
Describe the environmental effects of trash incineration
Climate change, air pollution
19. Identify the symptoms and transmission pathways of various infectious diseases:
Name | Cause | Spread | Symptoms |
Tuberculosis | Bacterial infection of the lungs | Inhaling droplets from people who cough or sneeze | Coughing, fever, chills |
Zika | Virus | Mosquito bites | Mild fever, can cause reproductive problems including children being born with smaller heads |
Malaria | Protist | Mosquito bites | Very high fever and chills |
Cholera | Bacteria | Contaminated drinking water | Diarrhea, dehydration |
SARS | Virus | Respiratory droplets | High fever |
West Nile | Virus | Mosquito bites | Fever, headaches |
Plague | Bacteria | Fleas, rats, mice | Fever, black lesions |