Advanced Ecology Freshwater Test
Name: ________________________________
1. ABOUT what percentage of the surface of the earth is covered in water?
a. 100%
d. 20%
b. 90%
e. 10%
c. 70%
2. ABOUT what percentage of the water on earth is freshwater?
a. 50%
d. 10%
b. 75%
e. 2.5%
c. 30%
3. What percentage of the water on Earth is found in oceans?
a. 97.3%
c. 25.4%
b. 75.2%
d. 68.7%
4. What percentage of the Earth’s water is found in soil?
a. 0.005%
c. 20.1%
b. 70%
d. 3%
5. What percentage of the Earth’s total water is found in snow & ice?
a. 68.7%
c. 1.9%
b. 0.009%
d. 70%
6. What organisms break down waste in wastewater treatment plants?
a. bacteria
c. algae
b. aquatic plants
d. fungus
7. Which of the following is not specifically a problem with runoff?
a. excess nutrients can get into the aquatic system
b. erosion
c. flooding
d. excess oxygen
8. How does water move from the atmosphere to the clouds?
a. melting
c. transpiration
b. freezing
d. condensation
e. precipitation
9. What is the source of most of the pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay?
a. industry
c. acid rain
b. agriculture
d. sedimentation
10. The clean water act states that the water in our waterways must be drinkable
(potable) for humans.
a. true
b. false
11. The Chesapeake Bay is uniquely shallow
a. true
b. false
12. Large portions of the Chesapeake Bay are considered dead zones.
a. true
b. false
13. What is the definition of an acid?
a. a substance with a higher concentration of hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions
b. a substance with a high concentration of hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions
c. a substance which produces hydroxide ions in pure water
d. a substance with an equal number of hydrogen and hydroxide ions.
14. What are the two main nutrients which are most often considered limiting factors
for aquatic plant growth?
a. potassium & carbon
b. oxygen and nitrogen
c. nitrogen & phosphorus
d. magnesium & calcium
15. Which of the following is NOT a natural source of nutrients in an aquatic system?
a. decomposition of organic matter
b. livestock wastes
c. geologic formations rich in nitrogen or phosphorus
d. nitrogen fixation by bacteria & algae
16. Which of the following is a way in which nitrogen leaves a system?
a. fishing
b. drainage and waste deposits
c. direct deposition from the atmosphere
d. nitrogen fixation in the system
17. Which two types of organisms can fix nitrogen in an aquatic system?
a. algae & bacteria
b. fungus & bacteria
c. aquatic plants & bacteria
d. lichen & algae
18. Nitrification is the process whereby
a. ammonium is converted to nitrite or nitrate
b. nitrite is converted to ammonium
c. organic nitrogen is converted to inorganic nitrogen
19. Which of the following is an abiotic factor which can introduce oxygen into a
system?
a. waves & currents
c. photosynthesis
b. respiration
d. decomposition
Identify the following as acids, bases or neutrals on the pH scale.
a. acid
b. base
c. Neutral
20. A pH of 5 A
21. A pH of 7 C
22. A pH of 12 B
23. Most aquatic organisms prefer a pH within which range?
a. 12.1-14
b. 7.4-10
c. 6.5 & 8
d. 2.8-4
24. Most of the Earth’s total freshwater is in
a. glaciers & ice caps
b. desalination plants
c. large lakes
d. the oceans
25. Who was the first president to take action for the Chesapeake Bay?
a. Nixon
c. Bush
b. Reagan
d. Clinton
26. The greatest area of water use world wide is
a. domestic
b. industrial
c. agricultural
d. the blue jean industry
27. In the US, what is the highest area of water use in the home?
a. the dishwasher
c. leaky faucets
b. the yard
d. showers & baths
28. The release of water vapor to the atmosphere by plants is called
a. evaporation
b. degassing
c. transpiration
29. Life on earth is dependent on FRESH water
a. true
b. false
30. To be classified as fresh water the body of water can have no more than
________parts per thousand (ppt) salt content.
a. 50
c. 10
b. 30
d. 0.5
31. Brackish water is
a. in the aphotic zone
b. rich in phytoplankton
c. in between salt and fresh water
d. found only in river deltas
32-34. Matching
a. aphotic zone
b. benthic zone
c. photic zone
32. C
33. B
34. A
35. Lake Mono in California and the Great Salt Lake in Utah are examples of
____________________ lakes (with 40 ppt salt content).
a. hypersaline
b. photic
c. brackish
d. salt marsh
36. What happens to the sediment in the water when a river slows down?
a. it is picked up by the water
b. it is dropped by the water (sedimentation)
c. the rate of erosion increases
d. organisms pick it up
37. The headwaters of rivers are typically
a. high in oxygen
b. fast-moving
c. cold
d. in the mountains
e. all of the above
38. Which of the following is not a standing water ecosystem?
a. marsh
c. lake
b. bog
d. stream
39. Which of the following is the deepest type of standing water ecosystem?
a. lake
c. marsh
b. pond
d. bog
40. Which type of standing water ecosystem is comprised of (made-up of) shallow
water, trees, and a layer of sphagnum moss?
a. marsh
c. lake
b. bog
d. stream
41. Which type of standing water ecosystem is comprised of shallow water and
grass?
a. marsh
c. lake
b. bog
d. stream
42. The water and the soil in a wetland is typically
a. low in oxygen
b. high in oxygen
43. Wetlands are very important as
a. recreation areas
b. scenic areas (people like to go and look at them)
c. they help to filter the water
d. they are a place for organisms to breed and raise young
e. both c & d
44. Phytoplankton
a. are typically microscopic
b. can perform photosynthesis
c. are animal-like
d. both a & b
e. a, b, & c
45. What are aquifers?
a. underground bodies of water
b. above-ground flowing water ecosystems
c. wetlands
d. above-ground standing water ecosystems
46. The overdraft (over-use) of aquifers can lead to
a. subsidence
b. running out of water
c. loss of habitat
d. a, b, & c
e. a & b
47. The construction of dams can lead to
a. subsidence
b. running out of water
c. loss of habitat
d. a, b, & c
e. a & b
48. The Ogallala aquifer is also called the
a. Malawi aquifer
b. Baikal aquifer
49. The formation of a delta is a result of
c. Tahoe aquifer
d. High plains aquifer
a. erosion
b. sedimentation
c. gravity
B
A
50-51.
Choose one of the processes for point A and point B
50. Point A.
a. sediment deposition due to water moving slowly
b. sediment deposition due to water moving quickly
c. erosion due to water moving slowly
d. erosion due to water moving quickly
51. Point B.
a. sediment deposition due to water moving slowly
b. sediment deposition due to water moving quickly
c. erosion due to water moving slowly
d. erosion due to water moving quickly
52. American ON AVERAGE use _________ times as much water as the global average.
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
53. Are freshwater or marine organisms disappearing more quickly?
a. freshwater
b. marine
54. Worldwide, what is the area of greatest water use?
a. home
d. manufacturing
b. agriculture
c. drinking
55. What food item takes the most water to produce?
a. soybeans
b. beef
c. chicken
d. tea
56. Which of the following is a LESS thirsty plant (uses less water)?
a. corn
b. cotton
c. wheat (sunflowers)
57-62. Choose the correct answer.
a. precipitation
b. condensation
d. accumulation
e. evaporation
57. B
59. A
c. run-off
a. transpiration
58. A
60. C
61. E
62. D
63. Is there more or less water on Earth one million years ago?
a. more
b. less
c. about the same amount
64. Water in the gaseous stage is called
a. water vapor
b. methane
c. ozone
d. ice
e. water
65. Acid Rain is:
a. nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide
b. pollution from coal-fired power plants
c. quickly corrected in streams with quartzite beds
d. Precipitation that mixes with gases from factories and cars to form
precipitation harmful to living things
66. The ______________________ led to the reduction of pollutants in the air
a. Clean Air Act
b. Clean Water Act
c. NOX and SOX Act
d. Endangered species act
67. What two abiotic factors affect how quickly an aquatic ecosystem can recover from
acid rain?
a. precipitation and turbidity levels
b. turbidity levels and soil composition
c. precipitation levels and bedrock composition
d. bedrock composition and soil chemistry
68. What percentage of the total contents of the High Plains Aquifer have been
pumped?
a. 50%
b. 30%
c. 75%
d. 95%
69. According to the below graph, which region is experiencing the greatest disparity
between their percentage population and percentage water supply?
a. North and Central America
b. Asia
c. Europe
d. Africa
70-72. Choose the correct option for each.
a. emergent zone
b. floating-leaved zone
c. submergent zone
70A
71B
72 C
73. How much water does the average American use?
a. 2000 gallons daily
c. 56 gallons weekly
b. 2000 gallons yearly
d. 10 gallons per day
74. Who was the main proponent of preserving the Hetch Hetchy Valley?
a. John Muir
d. The major of Los Angeles
b. Theodore Roosevelt
e. Aldo Leopold
c. Gifford Pinchot
75. The Hetch Hetchy Valley was owned by
a. The National Park Service (Yosemite)
b. San Francisco
c. The city of Los Angeles
d. The National Park Service (Yellowstone)
76. The Hetch Hetchy dam would provide a potential water source for which city?
a. San Francisco
c. Denver
b. Los Angeles
d. Sacaramento
77. Eventually, the dam was built
a. true
b. false
78. Currently, the mayor of the city in question favors the proposal to drain the
valley
a. true
b. false
79. Why was the Hetch Hetchy valley especially attractive as a water source?
a. There was only one landowner to contend with
b. The water was especially pure
c. It would make an especially interesting recreation site once flooded
80-83. Choose TWO Short answer questions. More for extra credit. BUT
ANSWER BELOW.
A. Name at least one adaptation of an organism that lives in a flowing water
ecosystem, and describe HOW it helps it to survive.
*Hellgramite—flattened body, hooks for rocks
*Black fly larvae—silken string to hang onto substarte (benthic)
*Bamboo shrimp—Fan-like forearms for catching food particles
B. Describe the ecological benefits of wetlands. Give at least 3.
*filters the water
*breeding ground for fish & water fowl
*habitat for many organisms
*feeding ground for fish & water fowl
C. Describe the benefits and costs of building dams
Benefits
*water supply
*controls flooding cycles
*recreation
*power supply (hydroelectric)
Costs
*destroys ecosystems
D. If the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, why weren’t there in improvements
observed in the acidity levels of Virginia streams until 2000?
*Takes a while for the acid to work its way out of the substrate
E. Describe what we mean when we say the pH scale is logarithmic.
*It means each step of the pH scale represents a ten-fold change in hydrogen
ion or hydroxide ion concentration. A “small” change on the scale represents
a big change for organisms
F. When would you expect DO to be the highest (during the day), and WHY?
Midday—due to photosynthesis
G. Describe the current controversy surround Hetch Hetchy valley.
There are people who want to deconstruct the dam & restore the habitat.
However, the dam is used to provide a water source for San Francisco, and
it’s very expensive to do.
84-91. REQUIRED, 4 points each.
Answer BELOW.
A. Water covers over two-thirds of Earth’s surface, yet water shortages are a major
problem worldwide. Why do you think this is the case? Be specific and cite at least
three reasons.
*pollution (acid rain, agriculture, nutrient-off)
*most of the water is salt water, desalination is expensive
*Global distribution is unequal
*Some people use a disproportionate amount of water
*Aquifers are being depleted
(written out & explained)
B. Describe the link between excess nutrients and a waterway and dead zones. Be
specific and use terms such as eutrophication, algal blooms, anoxic, hypoxic, etc.
*Excess nitrogen & phosphorus can be introduced to the waterway through
run-off (fertilizer, animal waste, sewage, etc.). These nutrients can cause the algae to
grow really quickly, resulting in an algae bloom. The mat of algae on the surface of
the water blocks sunlight, resulting in lower rates of photosynthesis in the photic
zone. Also, when the algae begins to decompose this process uses oxygen, resulting
in low oxygen conditions in the body of water. Without oxygen, organisms cannot
survive, so there are dead zones in the body of water.
Bonus:
1. TKN is the total nitrogen found in ___________________ and ___________________
organisms.
2. Which two forms of nitrogen can be toxic at high levels?
3. What river was dammed to flood Hetch Hetchy Valley?
4. When is the best time to test for nutrients, oxygen & pH? (daily & seasonally?)
5. What are you doing over break?