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APES Unit 8
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| WHat is a point source pollutant | Pollutant that enters environment from an easily identified and confined place You can “point” 👉 to it |
| Examples of point source pollutants | Animal waste runoff from a CAFO (ammonia (N), fecal coliform bacteria) Emissions from smokestack of a coal power plant (CO2, NOx, SO2, PM) BP Oil Spill (hydrocarbons, benzene) |
| What is a nonpoint source pollutant | Pollutants entering the environment from many places at once. Difficult to “point” to one individual source |
| What is one main way estuaries and Bays are polluted | by many nonpoint pollution sources from the large watersheds that empty into them |
| Examples of nonpoint sources | Urban runoff (motor oil, nitrate fertilizer, road salt, sediment) Pesticides sprayed on agricultural fields; carried by wind and washed off large agricultural regions ino bodies of water |
| WHat should you write on a pulltion related FRQ | Specific pollutant names Their sources Their env. & human effects Their mitigation strategies |
| What is a range of tolerance | defines the specific abiotic environmental conditions—such as temperature, salinity, pH, nutrient levels, and sunlight—within which an organism can survive, grow, and reproduce |
| What types of physiological stress can pollutants cause | Limited growth Limited reproductive function Difficulty respiring (breathing), potentially asphyxiation (suffocation) Hormonal disruption Death (if concentration of pollutant is high enough) |
| What happens to a population when pH decreases or becomes more acidic? WHy? | Pop. declines bc - it is outside of the optimal range - or if it completely leaves range of tolerance, pop. cannot survive at all, due to: Aluminum toxicity, Disrupted blood osmolarity (Na+/Cl- balance disrupted at low pH) |
| What is an optimal range meaning? | The narrow set of conditions where an organism thrives, grows, and reproduces best. |
| What are indicator species | can be surveyed and used to determine conditions of an ecosystem (soil, water, etc.) reflects specific environmental conditions or the overall health of an ecosystem highly sensitive to environmental stressor |
| Examples of indicator species | high whitemoss/filamentous algae pop. indicates pH < 6.0 High crustacean pop. indicates pH > 6.0 |
| What type of relationship does coral reef & photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) have? WHy | Mutualistic algae supply sugar & coral supply CO2 + detritus (nutrient containing org. matter.) |
| What type of temp tolerance does algae have? What does this cause them to do | narrow temp. tolerance and leave the reef when temp. rises |
| What else leaves algae to leave the reef | Pollutants from runoff (sediment, pesticides, sunscreen) |
| WHat happens to the coral when algae leaves the reef | Coral lose color & become stressed and vulnerable to disease without algae (main food source) |
| How do humans disrupt coral reef ecosystems | - through greenhouse gas emissions (warming ocean temp. & bleaching coral) - and overfishing - runoff from toxicants (sunscreen, oil) and nutrients in fertilizers used |
| How does overfishing affect reef ecosystems | Overfishing decreases fish populations in coral reef ecosystem & bottom trawling can break reef structure and stir up sediment |
| How does urban and agricultural runoff damage coral reef ecosystems (3 ways) | Sediment pollution: reef waters more turbid, reduces sunlight/photosynthesis Toxicants: chemicals in sunscreen, oil from roadways, pesticides from ag. runoff Nutrients (P/N): ammonia from animal waste, nitrates/phosphates from ag. or lawn fertilizers |
| How can hydrocarbons in crude oil harm or be toxic to marine organisms | can kill them, esp. if they ingest or absorb through their gills/skin Decreased visibility, decreased photosynthesis bc less sunlight penetrating water surface sticks to bird feather sinks 2 bottom & kills bottomdwellers bc direct toxicity +suffocation |
| How can oil affect revenue from marine life | Oil can wash ashore and decrease tourism revenue and kill fish, decreasing fishing industry revenue, hurt restaurants that serve fish negatively affects estuary habitats like mangroves or salt |
| How can oil affect estuary habitats like mangroves or salt marshes (tourism revene) | - oil can settle deep in root structures Can be toxic to salt marsh grasses, killing them and loosening their root structure, leading to coastline erosion Can remove habitats used by fish & shellfish for breeding grounds |
| How can oil spills occur | when an underwater oil well explodes/blows out (BP Gulf Spill) or when a tanker runs into a rock/iceberg and is punctured (Exxon Valdez) |
| Wha are ways to clean up oil spills | fire booms on surface to stop spread + ships w/ vacuum tubes to siphon oil off surface or devices 2 skim It off Physical removal of oil with towel, soap, shovel Chemical dispersants sprayed on oil slicks 2 break up & sink 2 the bottom Burning oil |
| What are endocrine disruptors | Chemicals that interfere with the endocrine (hormonal) systems of animals |
| How do endocrine disruptors harm hormone systems | Bind to cellular receptors meant for hormones, blocking the hormone from being received, or amplifying its effects |
| What is a common source of endocrine disruptors | Human medications that pass through urine & into sewage or are flushed down toilet (meant to influence human hormones, so they can also disrupt animals’) |
| How does atrazine affect frogs | Atrazine (herbicide) binds to receptors of cells that should convert estrogen into testosterone in male frogs, leading to: high estrogen in males, low sperm count, even feminization (development of eggs in the testes or ovary formation) |
| What are examples of endocrine disruptors | Atrazine, DDT, Phthalates, Lead, arsenic, mercury, Many human medications that enter sewage via human urine or flushed meds |
| What is Atrazine and how does it enter body systems | broad-spectrum herbicide used to control weeds & prevent crop loss Applied to ag. fields, runs off into local surface or groundwater or is carried by wind Can contaminate human well-water, or enter body via unwashed produce |
| What is DDT and how does it enter body systems | broad-spectrum insecticide that was phased out, but still persists in env. Applied to ag. fields, run off into local surface or groundwater/ is carried by wind enter body from ingestion of contaminated food (fatty meats, fish, dairy, root/leaf vegtabl |
| What are Phthalates and how does it enter body systems | compounds used in plastic and cosmetic manufacturing Enter surface & groundwater via intentional dumping of trash, or chemical waste from plastic/cosmetic factories improperly disposing waste, landfill leaching found in #3 plastic & “fragrance” |
| How can mercury be released | Coal combustion, trash incineration, burning medical waste, heating limestone for cement Attaches to PM released by burning & deposits in soil/water wherever PM settles petroleum drilling has mercury and is often disposed of by dumping on nearby land |
| What two things are mercury that is harmful and what doesthat mean? | Endocrine disruptor: inhibits estrogen & insulin (interferes with menstrual cycle & ovulation) Teratogen: (chemical harmful to developing fetuses) can accumulate in fetus brain Pregnant women can reduce risk by eating less seafood |
| WHat is the toxic form of mercury called and how does it convert to this source? | bacteria in water sources convert it to methylmercury which is highly toxic to animals (neurotoxicant that damages central nervous system) |
| What is arsenic and what are it's sources? | natural element in rocks underground, can dissolve into drinking water; Natural release in groundwater can be worsened by mining formerly in pesticides used on ag. Fields (linger in soil), wood treatment chemicals to prevent rot, coal combustion & ash |
| What two things are arsenic that is harmful and what doesthat mean? | Carcinogenic : can cause cancer (lungs, bladder, kidneys) & endocrine disrupting Endocrine disruptor (specifically glucocorticoid system) |
| How can aresenic be removed | with water filters |
| WHat is lead and what are it's sources | heavy metal that is found in old paint (in homes), old water pipes, and soils contaminated by PM from vehicle exhaust before lead was phased out of gas in 70s Also released in fly ash (PM) of coal combustion |
| What two things are lead that is harmful and what doesthat mean? | Neurotoxicant (damages central nervous system, especially in children) Endocrine disruptor |
| How can lead be removed | Can be removed with water filters |
| What is coal ash and what are it's sources | Can be a source of mercury, lead, and arsenic Attach to fly ash (PM) from smokestack and be carried by wind, deposited in ecosystems Both fly and bottom coal ash are often stored on site in ponds, dug into soil & lined with plastic (sometimes) |
| How can ponds storing coal and fly ash get into surface + groundwater | Ponds can leach into groundwater, contaminating it with arsenic, lead, mercury Ponds can overflow & runoff into nearby surface waters & agricultural fields |
| What can pollution in coral reefs from sedimentation, pathogens, toxicants, increased nutrients cause | -diease and mortality -disrupts ecological functions - changes dynamic and feeding behaviors - prevents coral growth and reproduction |
| What are wetlands | An area with soil submerged/saturated in water for at least part of the year, but shallow enough for emergent plants Wetland plants have adapted to living with roots submerged in standing water |
| WHat are examples of wetland plants | cattails, lily pads, reeds |
| What four ecosystem services does wetlands provide | Provisioning Regulating Supporting Cultural |
| How does wetlands provide provisioning services? | habitat for animal & plant foods |
| How does wetlands provide regulating services? | groundwater recharge, absorb. of floodwater, CO2 sequestration |
| How does wetlands provide supporting services? | H2O filtration, pollinator habitats, nutrient cycling, pest control |
| How does wetlands provide cultural services? | tourism revenue, fishing license, camping fees, ed/med research |
| What are the threats to wetlands | Pollutants (nutrients (N/P), sediment, motor oil, pesticides, endocrine disruptors), Development (wetlands can be filled in or drained), Overfishing (disrupts food web of wetlands (decrease in fish predators, increase in prey), |
| How does water diversion and dam construction impact wetlands | Water diversion upstream for flood control, agriculture, or drinking water can reduce water flow and dry up wetlands Dam construction reduces water & sediment (N/P) flow to wetlands |
| Solutions to watershed pollutants | Cover crops, animal manure management, riparian buffers, enhanced nutrient removal, septic tank upgrades |
| Threats to mangroves | Logging (causes altered species composition, fragmentation, + total clearance), agriculture, aquaculture, pollution (roots r clogged bc sediment, oil, solid waste), Coastal development, sea level rise |
| What does eutrophication mean | Excess nutrients in a body of water |
| Explain the eutrophication process | 1. Bc they’re limiting nutrients in aq. ecosystems, extra input of N & P lead to eutrophication which fuels algae growth. 2. algae bloom covers surface of water, blocking sunlight & killing plants below surface 3. Algae eventually die-off |
| What happens when the algae eventually die off | bacteria break down dead algae use up O2 in the water (b/c decomp= aerobic process) Lower O2 levels (dissolved oxygen) kill aquatic animals, esp fish Bacteria use up even more O2 to decompose dead animals Created POS feedback loop |
| What does cultural eutrophication mean | Anthropogenic (humans made) nutrient pollution (N & P) that leads to eutrophication |
| Major N/P sources | Discharge from sewage treatment plants (N/P in human waste & phosphates in soaps/detergents) Animal waste from CAFOS Synthetic fertilizer from ag. fields & lawns |
| What are Oligotrophic Waterways | Waterways with low nutrient (N/P) levels, stable algae pop, and high dissolved oxygen can be due to lack of nutrient pollution or age of the body of water |
| WHat happens to Oligotrophic Waterways overtime | Shift to eutrophic How: Aquatic ecosys. naturally undergo succession Sediment buildup on bottom (benthic zone) --> high nutrient level Ponds shift from oligotrophic, mesotrophic, eutrophic |
| What causes a deadzone | Decrease in dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) |
| What does all aq. life require for respiration | DO (dissolved oxygen) |
| WHat is the minimum parts per million (ppm) of DO (dissolved oxygen) most fish require to survive or reproduce | 3.0 ppm to survive 6.0 ppm to reproduce |
| Bioaccumulation meaning | Absorption and concentration of compounds (especially fat-soluble ones like POPs) in the cells & fat tissues of organisms |
| Why does bioaccumulation occur | Fat-soluble compounds like POPs and methylmercury don’t dissolve easily in water, they don’t enter blood easily & don’t leave body in urine easily They build up in fat tissue Leads to higher concentrations being built up in the organism over time |
| Biomagnification meaning | Increasing concentrations of fat-soluble compounds like methylmercury and POPs in each level up the trophic pyramid or food web/chain |
| Steps of biomagnification building up in trophic levels | 1. Begins with POPs or methylmercury in sediments or plants in an ecosystem 2. Primary consumers eat these producers, causing bioaccumulation of POPs in their tissues 3. Secondary consumers eat primary consumers and take in the POPs in their tissues |
| WHo has the highest Pop/methylmercury levels | Large predators like salmon, dolphins, and whales |
| Describe biomagnification of DDT | DDT still persists in sediments of many bodies of water Taken in by bottom feeders/zooplankton & biomagnified at higher trophic levels Reach highest levels in top predators, esp. predatory birds Causes thinning of the eggshells in these birds |
| Describe biomagnification of methylmercury | Emitted from burning coal & by volcanoes, carried by wind, deposited in water where bacteria convert it into methylmercury Taken in by phytoplankton, biomagnified at higher trophic levels Reach highest levels, tuna, sharks, whales (Neurotoxicant |
| Where does human exposure of methylmercury & POPs come from | Comes from eating large predatory fish like tuna & salmon (and other seafood) |
| What is the harm of methylmercury & POPs in humans | Damage to human nervous system (esp. developing fetus) and disrupt reproductive system |
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