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.
How do scientists monitor water quality?
By measuring dissolved oxygen (DO), nutrient levels, and disease-causing organisms/toxins.
Describe the cleanup process of oil spills.
Involves chemical dispersants and controlled burns, which release carbon into the atmosphere.
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.