Week 12 Flashcards
(9 cards)
What are the main physical/chemical parameters that determine the water quality in a wetland?
Light, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, Salinity and nutrients.
What factors can effect the depth penetration ability of light in aquatic environments?
Dissolved substances like tannins, silt or phytoplankton increasing turbidity
What human activities are likely to increase the salinity of a water body in an area with saline ground water at depth
Irrigation or removal of trees/perennial vegetation being replaced with annual crops
Why is phosphorus often more important that nitrogen in freshwater that are subject to eutrophication?
Eutrophic water bodies usually have populations of N-fixing Cyanobacteria and are thus more likely to be phosphorus limited than nitrogen limited
What is the thermal stratification of a water body, and what factors might disrupt this.
The separation of lake water into layers of different temperatures and density.
Wind and seasons can disrupt this.
Explain the difference between lotic and lentic inland wetlands?
Lentic= standing water (Lakes, wetlands) Lotic= flowing water (Rivers, steams)
Why are macrophytes important to wetlands, and what do they provide?
They are Photosynthetic=oxygenate water, recycle nutrients, stabilise sediments, reduce scouring.
Provide habitats for aquatic organisms.
What the components of a detritus-based food chain?
Dead organic matter/faeces -> vertebrates/invertebrates (Eat it)
Microbes break down organic matter/faeces.
As you move from the surface of water, to the bottom of the water in a lake, what environmental factors/organisms will change.
Decrease light, changed wavelengths, lower temp, less seasonal fluctuations in temp, Less photosynthetic organisms. Carnivores, detritivores/decomposers.
