All Flashcards
What impacts water quality?
Recreation, drinking water, and fishing.
What is the relationship between BOD and DO?
High BOD leads to low DO, which is harmful to aquatic life.
How does temperature affect DO?
Cooler water holds more DO than warmer water.
What is the significance of indicator species?
Their presence or absence indicates ecosystem health and pollution levels.
What are the effects of high BOD on aquatic life?
Low DO levels can lead to hypoxia or anoxia, harming or killing aquatic organisms.
What are the environmental consequences of oil spills?
Death of wildlife, damage to ecosystems, and harm to fisheries.
How does fertilizer runoff impact aquatic ecosystems?
It increases nutrient levels, potentially leading to eutrophication and decreased DO.
What is the effect of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico?
Killed wildlife, damaged fisheries, and negatively impacted tourism.
What are the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill?
Oiled coastlines, killed animals, and hurt the local economy.
Define Zone of Tolerance.
The range of conditions where an organism can survive and thrive.
What are indicator species?
Species sensitive to environmental changes, used to assess ecosystem health.
Define Dissolved Oxygen (DO).
The amount of oxygen present in water, crucial for aquatic life.
What is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)?
The amount of oxygen needed by organisms to break down organic waste.
Define hypoxic.
An environment with low oxygen levels.
Define anoxic.
An environment with no oxygen.
What is the Oxygen Sag Curve?
It shows how DO changes downstream from a pollution source.