Pollution And Conservation Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is eutrophication?
Eutrophication is the nutrient enrichment of waterways by inorganic ions from fertilizers and sewage.
What are the main mineral ions causing eutrophication?
Nitrates and phosphates.
How does eutrophication lead to oxygen depletion in water?
The nitrate and phosphate ions cause excess growth of algae which form algal blooms on the water. These block out light so the plants below them die and eventually so do the algae. Decomposers break down the dead material but use up oxygen in the process, thereby lowering oxygen levels for fish and invertebrates.
How can farmers prevent eutrophication?
Do not apply fertilizer before periods of heavy rain. Do not apply fertilizer on land sloping downwards towards a river. Have closed periods when you’re not allowed to apply fertilizer and only apply to prior to a period of rapid growth. Alter the nutrient content of fertilizer for each crop. Legislation eg European Nitrates Directive.
Where does organic pollution of waterways come from?
Sewage, slurry, silage effluent.
What is BOD?
This is the biological oxygen demand of the water and it is a measure of usage of oxygen in the river.
What would cause BOD to suddenly rise?
A sudden influx of sewage or slurry would cause a surge in numbers of saprobiotic bacteria, which then would cause an increase in oxygen usage.
What would it tell us if a sample of water from a river gave a high BOD value?
It would tell us that the river has been polluted with something organic, like sewage or slurry.
What is an INDICATOR SPECIES?
Invertebrate species that can be used to indicate water quality.
What are the characteristics of polluted water?
Polluted water will tend to have a small number of different species (but each one may still be present in large amounts).
What are the characteristics of water with low pollution levels?
Cleaner water will have a higher diversity of species with no single species becoming overly abundant.
What is an ASSI?
Area of Special Scientific Interest (the area is managed to promote biodiversity).
What is a SAC?
Special Area of Conservation (the area is given special protective status).
What is a BAP?
Biodiversity Action Plan (quite often involves local policies and activities).
What is DAERA?
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
What is the Northern Ireland Priority habitat and species list?
A list of priority habitats and species that are most important in terms of needing to be conserved.
In the carbon cycle, what two main processes put carbon back into the air?
Combustion and respiration.
In the carbon cycle, what main process takes carbon out of the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis.
What processes are putting this cycle out of balance and increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?
Emissions from combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.
What is global warming mainly attributed to?
Emissions from combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Some sunlight that hits the earth is reflected. Some becomes heat. The ‘greenhouse gases’, namely, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides (from denitrification and car exhausts) and methane (from livestock and decomposition of organic matter), trap heat, keeping the earth warm.
What does global warming cause?
Ten Indicators of a Warming World:
- Air temperature rise
- Ocean temperature rise
- Loss of habitats like wetlands
- Rising sea levels
- Ocean acidification
- Loss of arctic ice sheets
- Extinction of some species
- Changes in distribution of species.
