Study Guide for Water Pollution, and Aquatic Ecosystems
(Chapters 8, 13 and 20)
Chapter 20: Water Pollution
Be able to identify examples of point and nonpoint sources of water pollution.
Know the basic types of water pollution: pathogens, water soluble inorganic and organic compounds, sediment,
increased salinity, genetic pollution, biological oxygen demand and thermal pollution, and why each is harmful.
Be able to identify two processes that can replenish dissolved oxygen in a lake and two processes that can deplete
dissolved oxygen in a lake. Be able to define turbidity and explain how turbidity affects the rate of photosynthesis.
Understand why dissolved oxygen is important for the health of an aquatic ecosystem and how humans can affect
the level of DO in a water body. Be able to define biological oxygen demand. Know ways that humans can both
directly and indirectly increase the biological oxygen demand in an aquatic ecosystem. Be able to explain a SAG
curve in response to a biological oxygen demand or thermal output. Know factors that affect the recovery time for
the DO levels.
Be able to define oligotrophic, eutrophic, and eutrophication (both natural and cultural). Be able to explain the
effects of eutrophication. Know the most common sources of Nitrogen and Phosphates.
Understand the primary sources of water pollution in rivers, oceans, lakes and groundwater. Understand the effects
pollution has on each of these types of aquatic ecosystems. Know the difficulties with removing and reducing water
pollution from each of the types and how they are different in their abilities to handle pollutants.
Be able to explain the overall process of sewage treatment, including primary, secondary treatments, advanced
treatment, and septic systems.
Be able to define net primary productivity and gross primary productivity. Know some different indicators that can
be used to measure the rate of photosynthesis. Know how to find the NPP, GPP, and BOD/respiration rates given
sample data. (See background information for the Ellis Pond Lab and Clicker Questions.)
Know an aquatic ecosystem with a very high net primary productivity and why it has a high NPP.
Chapter 8: Aquatic Ecology
Be able to define photic and aphotic, and know the approximate depth of the photic region.
Be able to define the following ocean zones: euphotic, bathyl, abyssal , hadal, pelagic, and benthic.
Be able to define the following types of aquatic ecosystems: estuaries, coastal wetlands.
Know the terms riparian zone and watershed.
Be able to define thermal stratification. Explain the process of overturn in a lake including what seasons it typically
occurs and why it is important for the health of the lake. Know why tropical lakes do not have seasonal overturns
and how this impacts these lakes.
Be able to define the following zones in a lake: littoral, limnetic, profundal and benthic
Chapter 13: Water Resources
Know the basic hydrology terms: watershed, surface water, groundwater, aquifer (confined and unconfined),
recharge area, infiltration, percolation.
Know the pros and cons of each of the ways to supply more water to regions: Groundwater, Dams and reservoirs,
water transfers, and desalinization. Know several examples of each of the ways to supply more water.
Know several ways to reduce water waste in irrigation, cities, homes, etc.
Know the causes, both natural and anthropogenic, of flooding. Know basic prevention and river control techniques
for reducing flood damage.