The Peril River Problem
What evidence showed that Paradise Organic Farm was contributing to water pollution?
Water tests showed increased levels of nitrates, phosphates, and E. coli near the farm.
What does ocean acidification mean?
Ocean acidification is when the ocean absorbs excess CO₂ from the atmosphere, lowering its pH (becoming more acidic).
What water temperature conditions do hurricanes form in?
Hurricanes form in warm ocean water near the equator.
What is sustainable development?
Meeting today’s needs without harming the environment or resources for the future.
What is biodiversity and why is it valuable?
Biodiversity is the variety of life; it provides medicine, food, and healthy ecosystems.
What happens to dissolved oxygen (DO) when algae and bacteria increase?
Algae blooms grow, then die; bacteria break them down using oxygen, lowering dissolved oxygen levels.
What two threats do marine calcifiers face due to acidification?
1) Their shells may dissolve more easily. 2) They can’t get enough carbonate ions to build new shells.
How is the climate affected by global warming?
Global warming increases ocean temperatures, making storms stronger and more frequent.
What are two effects of agriculture on soil and water?
Causes soil erosion, pesticide buildup, water waste, and fossil fuel use from machinery.
What is a keystone species?
A keystone species has a large impact on its ecosystem; without it, the ecosystem can collapse.
Why is pesticide runoff from farms harmful to aquatic life?
Runoff carries harmful chemicals into the river, disrupting ecosystems and killing aquatic life.
Why does more carbon in the atmosphere lead to more acidic oceans?
Carbon dioxide enters the ocean and reacts to form carbonic acid, which breaks into hydrogen ions, reducing carbonate.
Why are hurricanes getting stronger?
Warmer water = more energy for storms, increasing wind speed, rainfall, and destruction.
What is deforestation and one sustainable alternative?
Deforestation is the clearing of forests. One sustainable practice is selective harvesting of mature trees.
How do ecological hotspots help conservation efforts?
Hotspots are areas with high biodiversity and endangered species; saving them protects many organisms.
What is a testable hypothesis for the Pearl River problem?
If farms release excess nutrients, then we should see higher nitrate and phosphate levels downstream.
What happens to carbonate ions when CO₂ dissolves in ocean water?
Carbonate ions bind with the extra hydrogen, leaving fewer free carbonate ions for shell-building creatures.
What are dead zones and how do they form?
Dead zones form when excess nutrients cause algae blooms that die and are decomposed by bacteria, using up oxygen.
What are point source and nonpoint source pollution?
Point source = from one identifiable place (like a factory pipe); nonpoint = scattered sources (like cars or farms).
What is biological magnification and how does it affect food webs?
Pollutants like mercury and DDT increase in concentration up the food chain, harming top predators most.
What conclusion can you make about the water quality in green vs. blue areas?
The green area had lower oxygen levels and higher pollution, while the blue area had cleaner, healthier water.
Why is ocean acidification a big deal for the food chain?
If calcifiers like corals and shellfish struggle to build shells, animals that rely on them for food or habitat are affected.
How do greenhouse gases affect the atmosphere?
Greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change.
Describe 3 sustainable practices that protect soil, air, or water.
1) Crop rotation (soil), (2) drip irrigation (water), and (3) clean energy (air) are examples of sustainable practices.
How does preserving an entire ecosystem help more than saving one species?
Saving whole ecosystems protects all the species and natural processes within it, not just one organism.