Human Impacts on Ecosystems
Kate Anderson
9 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers human impacts on aquatic ecosystems, focusing on aquatic pollution monitoring and major pollution events. Key concepts include the zone of tolerance, indicator species, water quality parameters (DO, BOD, temperature, nutrient levels), the oxygen sag curve, and the impacts of oil spills (e.g., Deepwater Horizon, Exxon Valdez). It also provides exam tips emphasizing connections between concepts and FRQ/MCQ strategies.
#🌊 Human Impacts on Ecosystems: A Last-Minute Review 🌊
Hey there, future AP Environmental Science pro! Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of human impacts on ecosystems. This section is HUGE, but we'll break it down so it's easy to handle. Remember, you've got this! 💪
#8.2.1: Aquatic Pollution Monitoring
Let's start with how we keep an eye on our waterways, especially with nonpoint source pollution (think fertilizers running off fields). It's all about the health of the ecosystem! 🌿
#The Zone of Tolerance
Organisms have a 'happy place' – a range of conditions where they thrive. This is called the Zone of Tolerance. Think of it like a bell curve 🔔: the peak is the ideal condition, and things get stressful as you move away from it. Factors like sunlight 🌅 and pollutant levels affect this.
- Indicator Species: These are like the canaries in the coal mine. They're super sensitive to changes, so their presence (or absence!) tells us a lot about ecosystem health. If they disappear, it's a red flag! 🚩
Image: Zone of Tolerance Graph. Note the bell curve shape. The highest point represents the optimal conditions for the organism.
#Monitoring Water Quality
Scientists measure a few key things to check the health 🌡️ of aquatic ecosystems:
- Dissolved Oxygen (DO): How much oxygen is in the water for critters to breathe. Cooler water 🥶 holds more DO than warmer water 🥵. DO comes from moving water 🌊 and photosynthesis ☘️, and it's used up during respiration 😷.
- Nutrient Levels: Too many nutrients (like from fertilizers) can cause problems (we'll get to that!).
- Disease-Causing Organisms/Toxins: These are the bad guys that can make us sick 🤒.
- Remember, all these factors are linked! Water quality affects everything from recreation to drinking water 🚱 and fishing 🐠.
#Water Quality Trends
| Overall Water Quality | BOD | DO | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 👍 (Good) | ⬇️ | ⬆️ | ⬇️ |
| 👎 (Bad) | ⬆️ | ⬇️ | ⬆️ |
- BOD & DO Relationship: Think of it this way: BOD is like the 'oxygen demand' of the ecosystem, and DO is the 'oxygen supply'. If the demand (BOD) is higher than the supply (DO), it's trouble! 📉
- Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD): This tells us how much oxygen organisms need to break down organic waste. High BOD...
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