Water Properties & Cycle
Define the following terms:
- Transpiration
- Infiltration
- Transpiration: The release of water vapor from plant leaves
- Infiltration: The trickle of water through soil to replenish groundwater resources
What is a divide, and how does it relate to a watershed?
- A divide is a high point in topography (ex: mountain peak).
- Watersheds are found between divides because water flows into the watershed from these high points.
Where does most of the water used for irrigation come from?
- Underground/groundwater in aquifers
How does the salinity differ between freshwater and saltwater biomes? Give an example of each biome.
- Freshwater has a salinity level of 0.1% (examples: River or Lake)
- Saltwater has a salinity level of 3% (example: Ocean)
Provide 1 example of Point Source Pollution and 1 example Non-Point Source Pollution.
- Point Source: Construction of a new neighborhood, discharge pipe, acid mine drainage from an abandoned coal mine, wastewater treatment treatment overflow, etc.
- Non-Point Source: Plastic waste from the coast, agricultural pesticides, auto oil found in the streets of a city, etc.
Why is water called a polar molecule? How does this cause cohesion?
- Water is considered polar because it has slightly unequal charges on the H and O ends.
- This causes water molecules to be attracted to each other, which causes cohesion.
Describe differences in headwaters and wide rivers (temperature, biodiversity, speed of flow, etc.)
- Headwaters are narrow, cold, rapid, and have low biodiversity.
- Wide rivers are warmer, slower, and have more biodiversity.
What were the causes of the Dust Bowl? Name at least 2.
- Weather, prolonged drought, & poor farming techniques
Name 2 adaptations shown by organisms that inhabit the intertidal zone. List 2 of these organisms.
- They can withstand various levels of submersion (underwater) or desiccation (drying out). They also attach to a substrate.
- Examples: Sea Urchins, Sea Stars, Mussels, Sea Anemones
What were 3 consequences (economic or environmental) of the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
- Economic: Tourism and fishing industries lost billions of dollars.
- Environmental: Thousands of plants and animals died, and oil sunk to the bottom of the ocean and affected benthic organisms.
In the image, name the processes labeled with letters A-F.
- A: Precipitation
- B: Transpiration
- C: Runoff
- D: Infiltration
- E: Condensation
- F: Evaporation
Put the following in order: Acidification of waterway, nutrient runoff, algal bloom, increase in carbon dioxide
- Nutrient runoff
- Algal bloom
- Increase in carbon dioxide
- Acidification of waterway
What is the tragedy of the commons, and how does it relate to aquifers?
- The tragedy of the commons is the use of resources without acknowledgement of the common good.
- Aquifers can demonstrate this because they can be used selfishly, leading to depletion of groundwater resources.
Terrestrial ecosystems rely on a steady supply of sunlight to fuel their food chains. What do marine food chains rely on?
- Nutrients from upwelling
Provide 2 ways a waterway might be contaminated with thermal pollution.
- Power plants (using the water as a coolant)
- Runoff from impervious surfaces (parking lots/concrete in less shaded areas like cities)
What causes acid rain? Name 3 ways acid rain can affect living or nonliving things.
- Acid rain is caused by the mixing of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides with water, oxygen, and other chemicals in the atmosphere.
- It can kill aquatic organisms, leach minerals from soil, kill foliage on trees, and damage statues and monuments.
How does deforestation affect the following:
- Moisture in the air
- Precipitation
- Runoff
- Groundwater infiltration
- It decreases moisture in the air due to lack of transpiration.
- It decreases precipitation due to lack of transpiration.
- It increases severity of runoff due to lack of filtration by roots.
- It decreases groundwater infiltration because runoff is too quick.
What groundwater layer is required to dig an artesian well? Why?
- A confined aquifer is required because artesian wells rely on water pressure from this type of aquifer.
What is the equation for net primary productivity?
- Net Primary Productivity = Gross Primary Productivity - Cellular Respiration
What are the 3 requirements for an area to be considered a wetland?
- Water must be present for part of the year.
- Hydric (wet) soils
- Hydrophytic (water-loving) plants
Name 5 unique properties of water.
- Water is polar.
- Water has a neutral pH.
- Water has attractive properties: Cohesion (surface tension) & Adhesion (together, they make capillary action!)
- Water has a high heat of vaporization.
- Water has a high specific heat (resists temperature change).
- Water is less dense as a solid (expands when it freezes).
- Water is a universal solvent.
Contrast eutrophic lakes and oligotrophic lakes.
- Eutrophic lakes are high in nutrient load, and oligotrophic lakes are low in nutrient load.
HIGH NUTRIENTS = Decreased dissolved oxygen, increased biological oxygen demand, lower pH (acidic), higher amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus
In the image, label parts A, B, C, & D.
- A: Artesian Well
- B: Water Table
- C: Confined Aquifer
- D: Unconfined Aquifer
What causes coral bleaching?
- When corals are stressed, they expel the mutualistic algae (zooxanthellae), causing them to appear white.
What are 3 environmental benefits provided by wetlands?
- They mediate runoff from storms (reduce flooding).
- They filter pollutants (nature's kidneys!)
- They act as carbon sinks.