Environmental Science Chapter 7

Front

What is overfishing?

Back

Overfishing is the practice of catching fish at a rate faster than they can reproduce, leading to a decline in fish populations and threatening marine ecosystems.

Front

What is a swamp?

Back

A swamp is a type of wetland that is dominated by woody plants, such as trees and shrubs, and is characterized by saturated soil and standing water.

Front

What are littoral and benthic zones?

Back

The littoral zone is the nearshore area of a body of water where sunlight penetrates, allowing aquatic plants to grow. The benthic zone is the bottom layer of a water body, where organisms live on or in the sediment.

Front

What is runoff?

Back

Runoff is precipitation that flows over land and can carry pollutants into aquatic ecosystems, affecting water quality and aquatic life.

Front

What factors influence where an organism lives in an aquatic ecosystem?

Back

Factors include sunlight, nutrient availability, temperature, and water depth, all of which affect the habitat and survival of aquatic organisms.

Front

What is eutrophication?

Back

Eutrophication is the process by which water bodies become overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen, harming aquatic life.

Front

What is salinity?

Back

Salinity is the concentration of salts in water, which can affect the types of organisms that can live in a particular aquatic environment.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem and supporting the growth of new organisms.

Front

What is the benthic zone?

Back

The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water, including the sediment surface and sub-surface layers.

Front

What is the significance of coral reefs?

Back

Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems that provide habitat for many marine species, protect coastlines from erosion, and support fishing industries.