WorksheetsAquatic Ecology Practice Midterm
Total questions: 111
Worksheet time: 1hrs 4mins
Higher turbidity can . . .
increase the temperature of water
negatively affect aquatic life
have all of these effects
decrease the dissolved oxygen
Based on the article "Controls of Nitrates," what is the best recommendation for managing a watershed?
focus on the smaller streams at closer to the source of the watershed
increase the amount of dams in order to prevent pollution from moving downstream
focus on the largest ponds and lakes in the watershed
focus on tier 3 streams in the watersheds
What is the most limiting nutrient for plant growth in lakes?
nitrogen
phosphorus
magnesium
sulfur
These organisms are the most important part of the nitrogen cycle, allowing plants to take up the proper forms of nitrogen.
fish
trees
ALL
bacteria
When mercury and other heavy metals move throughout the food chain into larger species, it is called
bio-accumulation
fixation
hypoxia
biomagneficiation
Which is true about the carbon cycle?
ALL
It is associated with photosynthesis
Decay of dead materials can recycle carbon back to the system
Fossil fuels, coal and natural gas are a major contributor to the cycle
Carbon dioxide is a type of inorganic molecule
What are the ways the suspended solids, that cause turbidity, get into waterways?
erosion of banks of streams and rivers
stormwater entering waterways
over-development and urban runoff
ALL
Which form of phosphorus is produced by non-living materials?
PP
DOP
TP
DIP
Which is the best indicator of a lake's phosphorus content?
DOP
TP
DIP
PP
An area that lacks oxygen, such as at the bottom layers of a wetland, is called
aerobic
reduction
anaerobic
oxidation
Where does dissolved oxygen in the water come from?
atmosphere
zooplankton
decaying plants
fish
The heavy user of fertilizers and ammonia in agriculture areas can cause this syndrome in infants if they drink the water from nursing or formula.
Blue Bottle
Assimilation
Methemoglobinemia
Anoxia
What are the units of turbidity we use?
NTU
STU
JTU
FTU
What is the main source of phosphorus in the aquatic ecosystem?
rainfall
weathering
eutrophication
non-point source pollution
This process of the nitrogen cycle is when ammonia is converted to nitrate and nitrite.
denitrification
nitrification
nitrogen fixation
assimilation
The process of the nitrogen cycle when nitrogen gas (N2) is converted to ammonium is called
nitrification
nitrogen fixation
assimilation
denitrification
Why is it important for animals to uptake nitrogen?
Nitrogen is never toxic to animals
Nitrogen is a building block of organic material, such as DNA
Nitrogen provides oxygen to the blood
Nitrogen increases the habitat range for species
The small streams that are the source of rivers in a watershed are called
watershed streams
tributaries
4th order streams
headwater streams
Which of the following does not measure turbidity?
turbidimeter
secchi disk
refractometer
turbidity tube
This term describes an increase in productivity (decrease in water quality) due to anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to lakes and streams
non-point source pollution
ALL
Acid Rain
Cultural eutrophication
The loss of nitrogen to the air when it turns into gas, usually from urea, is called
ammonification
volatilization
fixation
mineralization
Which is involved in fixing nitrogen from the air?
lightning
bacteria in root nodules
ALL
cyanobacteria at the surface
How much of the atmosphere is nitrogen?
78%
57%
38%
87%
When phosphorus is recycled within the ecosystem (i.e. food web) several times it is known as...
internal loading
nutrient cycling
eutrophication
external loading
Which is not an effect of turbidity on aquatic life?
lowers photosynthetic processes
smothers fish eggs
clogs fish gills
increases oxygen
Which is not a term for a location where rivers meet the sea which have brackish water and act as nursery areas for many fish species?
estuaries
wetlands
calderas
marshes
In 1972, what was the name of the act which established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United Sates and regulating quality standards for surface waters?
The Endangered Species Act
The Contaminated Waterways Act
The Clean Water Act
The Controlling Water Pollution Act
The depth of a lake which can be drawn by contour lines is called the
isotherms
capillary
bathymetry
fetch
Which type of fish is not appropriate for use in our freshwater fish farms?
Pumpkinseed sunfish
Ocean sunfish
American pickerel
Bluegill sunfish
Of all of the Earth's water, how much is drinkable freshwater?
25%
1%
3%
<1%
The property of water molecules that allows them to bond with other molecules, thus making water the universal solvent, is called
cohesion
adhesion
latent heat
viscosity
A system that grows plants without soil is called
polymiptic
aquanautics
hyperbarics
hydroponics
Which of the following is not a factor that influences lake mixing?
wind
seasonal changes
visibility
temperature and light
Qanats, aqueducts and dams are
used to measure turbidity
obsolete in modern day times
natural formations created through geological processes
engineered structures made to use water as a resource
Describe one way you can decrease your own personal water use.
The Hydrologic Cycle contains all the following processes except
eutrophication
runoff
precipiation
condensation
Which is true about ice and liquid water?
Ice is less dense than liquid water, therefore ice floats
Ice is more dense than liquid water, therefore ice floats
Ice is less dense than liquid water, therefore ice sinks
Ice is more dense than liquid water, therefore ice floats
Describe 2 tools we have used in the field or lab so far. Include the name of the tool, what it is used for and what is measured.
surface waters of a lake
epilimnion
hypolimnion
metalimnion
isopleths
littoral zone
thermocline or transition zone
epilimnion
hypolimnion
metalimnion
littoral zone
pelagic zone
area where the terrestrial and aquatic zones interact
isopleths
epilimnion
hypolimnion
littoral zone
pelagic zone
bottom waters of a lake
epilimnion
hypolimnion
metalimnion
littoral zones
pelagic zones
lines of equal temperature
equilibrium
hypolimnion
isopleths
parallel
open water
epilimnion
hypolimnion
metalimnion
littoral zone
pelagic zone
A non-flowing system, such as the Retention Basin, is termed
isobath
watershed
lotic
lentic
An area of land defined by geographic features in which water drains to the lowest point and is interconnected by runoff is called
state
watershed
estuary
lotic system
Organisms that are a part of an aquatic ecosystem that swim throughout the open water are called
neuston
plankton
nekton
aufwuchs
At approximately what degree does water reach its maximum density?
4°C
4°F
-4°C
-4°F
What caused the deaths in the Lake Nyos case study?
a landslide caused a tsunami that drowned the citizens
the engineered pipe system caused an explosion of toxic chemicals into the air
volcanic eruptions released toxic gases into the town
the monimonilimnion layer of built-up gases was released by a mixing event
What does YSI stand for?
Yellow Standard Instrument
Yellow Springs Instruments
Yucky Springs Instrument
Yellow Springs Institutions
Name this fish that is found in massive numbers in the Great Lakes
lake trout
alewive
lamprey
pickerel
What is ecology?
study of the relationships of organisms to their physical environment and to one another
the study of an individual organism or a single species
the study of groups of organisms
the study of the environment
the study of lakes
What is limnology?
study of the relationships of organisms to their physical environment and to one another
the study of an individual organism or a single species
the study of groups of organisms
the study of environments
the study of lakes
What is autecology?
the study of the relationships of organisms to their physical environment and to one another
the study of an individual organism or a single species
the study of groups of organisms
the study of the environment
the study of lakes
What is synecology?
the study of the relationships of organisms to their physical environment and to one another
the study of an individual organism or a single species
the study of groups of organisms
the study of lakes
the study of the environment
What is a biosphere?
consists of a community of plants and animals
the total expanse of water, land, and atmosphere able to sustain life
the atmosphere full of bacteria
physical characteristics of the environment
Where does the majority of our water come from?
ocean water
the sink
aquifers
Which does not relate to eutrophication?
excess nutrients in the water
creates algae blooms
decreases turbidity
can lead to dead zones
Which does not relate to an environment?
may be as small as a tidal pool or a rotting log or as large as an ocean or a continent-spanning forest
delimited by the climate, altitude, water and soil characteristics
a place where biotic and abiotic factors interact
consists of a community of plants and animals
Which does not relate to morphometry?
function of underwater contour lines
the shape of the lake
how the lake formed
the lake's geologic origin
What is another name for a flowing lake?
lentic
lotic
What are the 2 major zones of a lake?
littoral zone
photic/euphotic zone
sublittoral zone
pelagic or limnetic zone
What defines a sublittoral zone?
the deepest area of growth
focuses on shorelines
open water
light zonation
Define the characteristics of a stratified lake.
warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom
cool at the top and bottom
cooler at the top and warmer at the bottom
warm at the top and bottom
In what seasons do lakes often overturn or mix?
winter
spring
summer
fall
Check off all the factors that affect thermal stratification.
time of year
lake depth
wind fetch
topography
solutes
This lake never mixes, is usually covered with ice year-round, and is located in the polar regions.
amictic
meromictic
polymictic
monomictic
dimictic
This lake may mix once or more annually but does not mix completely
amictic
meromictic
polymictic
monomictic
dimictic
This lake has many periods of mixing annually, even approaching continuous mixing and is the most influenced by daily temperature than seasonal changes.
amictic
meromictic
polymictic
monomictic
dimictic
This lake has one period of mixing annually. When cold, ice covers the lake most of the year with a mix during the brief summer. When warm, its the opposite with a brief ice-free winter period of mixing.
amictic
meromictic
polymictic
monomictic
dimictic
This lake usually mixes twice annually, in the spring and in the fall.
amictic
meromictic
polymictic
monomictic
dimictic
What are the 2 types of water pollution?
point source pollution
natural pollution
nonpoint source pollution
anthropogenic pollution
Anthropogenic pollution is polution that came from human waste or industry.
true
false
What is the essential startpoint of the hydrologic cycle?
transpiration
condensation
evaporation
precipitation
Check all of the factors of transpiration.
the evaporation of water from plants
leaves all impurities in the water
occurs by stomata, small openings located on the underside of leaves
when water enters soil as it falls
Which does not relate to evaporation?
essential starting point of the hydrologic cycle
leaves all impurities in the water
starts to form clouds
when water changes from the liquid form into the gaseous form
The part of the hydrologic cycle when water starts to change from the gaseous form back into liquid form and starts to form clouds.
precipitation
condensation
infiltration
runoff
The part of the hydrologic cycle when water enters soil as it falls.
transpiration
condensation
infiltration
The movement of water through the ground and its layers by gravity and capillary action
infiltration
transpiration
percolation
condensation
Which factor does not relate to precipitation?
when the water particles start to grow too large
when the rising air can no longer support the water molecules anymore
when clouds form
particles fall as rain, hail, snow, or sleet
What happens when the ground is too saturated and the water has nowhere to go? (select all that apply)
runoff
can form lakes
can form rivers
flow back into the ocean
the ground becomes supersaturated
What percent of Earth's water is located in oceans?
100%
99%
95%
97%
What percent of freshwater is trapped in ice caps, glaciers or permanent snow?
68%
50%
74%
53%
What percent of Earth's water is freshwater?
5%
8%
3%
1%
Which defines a confined aquifer?
lays underneath a layer of impermeable rock
close to the surface and easily accessible
Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer is
a confined aquifer
an unconfined aquifer
How does layering occur in lakes most often? (select all that apply)
warmer layers float on top of colder layers
less dense layers float on top of denser layers
colder layers float on top of warmer layers
most dense float on top of less dense
The size, slope, geologic composition and climate of the lake's drainage basin influence the identity and quantity of minerals suspended or dissolved in the lake or deposited in the sediment
watershed
airshed
earthshed
fireshed
Ponds are smaller than lakes.
true
false
Rivers are a synonym for streams.
true
false; rivers are bigger than streams
false; streams are bigger than rivers
What wetlands have vegetation as their most important structural element?
marshes
swamps
bogs
estuaries
How was Lake Nyos formed?
by volcanic activity
by glaciers
by tectonic plates
manmade
Carbon dioxide and bicarbonate gas accumulated in the monimolimnion of Lake Nyos and caused the water and air to become toxic.
true
false
Asphyxiation is the deprivation of nitrogen, which can result in death.
true
false; it is the deprivation of oxygen
false; it is the deprivation of carbon dioxide
false; it is the deprivation of phosphorus
What is aquaponics?
cultivation of aquatic plants or animals for food
a gardening method that allows plants to be grown without the use of soil
a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics working together
What is aquaculture?
cultivation of aquatic plants or animals for food
a gardening method that allows plants to be grown without the use of soil
What is hydroponics?
a gardening method that allows plants to be grown without the use of soil
cultivation of aquatic plants or animals for food
What is biological filtration used for?
decrease bad bacteria
helps to purify the water
helps circulate the water
What is chemical filtration used for?
decrease bad bacteria
helps purify the water
helps circulate the water
What is mechanical filtration used for?
decrease bad bacteria
helps purify the water
helps circulate the water
Which does not relate to nitrogen fixation?
the process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia, ammonium, or nitrate
the purpose of taking nitrogen from the air and converting it into something that plants can use
when ammonia is converted into nitrogen gas
essential starting point of the nitrogen cycle
Which is not a process of nitrogen fixation?
lightning
biological (microorganisms use nitrogenase, which converts nitrogen into energy and ammonia)
methods like the Haber-Bosch process
plants
Which does not relate to assimilation?
synonym of nitrogen uptake
when organic nitrogen compounds are formed from inorganic nitrogen compounds found in the environment
creates amino acids, proteins, nitrates, etc.
creates ammonium, ammonia, nitrogen gas, etc.
What are symbiotic bacteria?
bacteria that live in the roots of plants
free-living bacteria
Which answers relate to nitrogen mineralization?
the process by which bacteria takes nitrogen from dead and decaying organisms to create ammonia for plants to use
synonym for ammonification
main reason soil is fertile
when nitrogen from dead animals is released back into the air
Nitrification is when ammonia is converted to nitrite and nitrite is then converted to nitrate.
true
false; it is the opposite order
false; that is dinitrification
Which does not relate to denitrification?
the process of reducing nitrate/nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen
occurs in soils, sediments, and anoxic zones in oceans and lakes
removes fixed nitrogen from the atmosphere and environment by turning it into nitrogen gas, which is inert
the process of creating ammonia from nitrogen gas
What are the negative effects of volatilization?
nitrogen is lost from the convertion of ammonium to ammonia gas
results in the loss of nutrients
too much excess nitrogen
Which words relate to no oxygen?
oxic
anoxic
hypoxia
What is the second most limiting nutrient in lakes?
nitrogen
phosphorus
calcium
magnesium
Which word does not belong?
cyclone
hurricane
typhoon
storm
