Environmental Science Chapter: Atmosphere & Pollution

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of point source pollution?

It is usually less harmful than non-point source pollution.

It does not lead to a decrease in biodiversity.

It comes from multiple diffuse sources.

It originates from a single identifiable source. (correct)

What is a significant consequence of eutrophication in aquatic systems?

Rapid growth of algae followed by decay. (correct)

Increased biodiversity of aquatic life.

Increased water temperatures.

Higher oxygen levels in water.

How do dead zones typically form in aquatic environments?

From the influx of freshwater in estuaries.

Following excessive algal blooms and subsequent decomposition. (correct)

By increasing biodiversity in marine ecosystems.

Due to a lack of nutrients in the water.

What is a major effect of ocean acidification?

Decreased pH levels affecting calcification. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about ocean garbage is true?

Plastic pollution is concentrated in areas like the Plastic Garbage Patch. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the ozone layer in the stratosphere?

To protect against harmful UV radiation. Signup and view all the answers

Which layer of the atmosphere is known for warming due to solar heat and is the one we breathe?

Troposphere Signup and view all the answers

What are primary pollutants?

Pollutants released directly into the air. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main cause of ozone depletion in the stratosphere?

Human-made chemicals like CFCs. Signup and view all the answers

Why do particulate matter and aerosols affect air quality?

Their size influences how long they stay and how they scatter light. Signup and view all the answers

Which atmospheric layer experiences a decrease in temperature as altitude increases?

Mesosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'ozone hole' primarily attributed to?

The depletion of the ozone layer due to CFCs. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes point sources from non-point sources of air pollution?

Point sources release pollutants directly from a specific location. Signup and view all the answers

What was discovered in 1973 regarding ozone?

The link between CFCs and ozone depletion. Signup and view all the answers

What caused the acidification of lakes near industrial centers in Europe during the 1960s and 70s?

Pollutants reacting to form acidic compounds. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary natural source of mercury in the environment?

Natural geological processes. Signup and view all the answers

What is one effect of acid deposition on soils?

Nutrient leaching from the soil. Signup and view all the answers

What significant policy was established in 1987 regarding ozone depletion?

Montreal Protocol. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly describes the hydrologic cycle?

It is powered by solar energy and involves multiple Earth systems. Signup and view all the answers

How much of the Earth's freshwater is considered usable by humans?

1% Signup and view all the answers

What process involves the release of water vapor by plants into the atmosphere?

Transpiration. Signup and view all the answers

What two chemicals primarily contribute to acid rain formation?

SO2 and NO2. Signup and view all the answers

What year marked the ban on leaded fuel in the United States?

<ol start="1980"> <li></li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is a negative consequence of plastics in the environment?

They leach toxic chemicals. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of levees in water management?

To hold back floodwaters. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant issue when it comes to water use in agriculture?

Irrigation efficiency is often less than desirable. Signup and view all the answers

What method is NOT used for desalination?

Chemical Treatment Signup and view all the answers

What was one outcome of the Green Revolution?

Significant increase in food production. Signup and view all the answers

Which irrigation method is considered the most efficient?

Drip irrigation Signup and view all the answers

What is a trade-off of using fertilizers in agriculture?

They can lead to chemical dependence. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of Earth's surface is used for agriculture?

38% Signup and view all the answers

What is one main environmental impact of pesticide use?

Toxicity threats to human health Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the effect of trophic level efficiency in agroecosystems?

It determines the efficiency of energy transfer between consumers. Signup and view all the answers

What agricultural practice is associated with increased environmental impacts, such as waste and land use?

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of food grown in the US goes uneaten?

40% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following practices is suggested to reduce ecological footprint in agriculture?

Limiting pesticide and herbicide use Signup and view all the answers

What factor contributes to eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems?

Chemical residues from fertilizers Signup and view all the answers

What problem does the use of synthetic fertilizers cause regarding water resources?

Accumulation of toxic residues in water bodies Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a factor contributing to disease transmission in agriculture?

Bacterial infections from soil Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Atmosphere

Layer of gases surrounding Earth
Very thin
Absorbs solar radiation
Burns up meteors
Transports and recycles water

Atmospheric Layers

Troposphere (10-15 km): Air we breathe, weather, warmed by the sun
Stratosphere (15-48 km): Temperature increases, contains ozone, airplanes fly here
Mesosphere (48-90 km): Temperature decreases
Thermosphere (90-500 km): Very thin air

Air Pollutants

Particulate matter/aerosols: Size matters, affects how long it stays in the atmosphere, how it scatters light, and how it is deposited in lungs
EPA monitors 190 air pollutants
Primary pollutants: Released directly into the air (CO, SO2, CFCs)
Secondary pollutants: Formed through chemical reactions (NO + O2 in sunlight = O3)

Air Pollution Sources

Point source: Stationary, localized sources (factory smoke stack)
Non-point source: Diffuse sources, small amounts (automobiles, agriculture, fireplaces)

Ozone

Troposphere: Harmful
Stratosphere: Beneficial, protects from UV radiation
Ozone layer: 12 parts per million in lower stratosphere, enough to absorb UVA light and protect
Ozone depletion: Detected over Antarctica in 1985, 40-60% decline over a decade
Cause: Human-made molecules (CFCs) that persist in the stratosphere and split oxygen atoms off ozone (O3) to form oxygen (O2)

Acid Deposition

Killing N. European forests in the 1950s, reducing biodiversity of lakes and streams
Very acidic lakes near industrial centers in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s
Caused by reaction of pollutants (SO2 + NO2)
Sources: Coal-fired power plants, metal smelters, power plants, vehicle exhaust
Effects: Nutrient leaching from soil, aluminum becomes available and taken in by plants (damage to roots)

Heavy Metals

Mercury: 1/3 natural, 1/3 human activity, 1/3 re-emitted
Lead: Added to gasoline in 1923 to increase power efficiency, catalytic converters required in 1975, leaded fuel banned in 1980

Smog

Industrial: CO, SO2, soot
Photochemical: Exhaust + Sun = smog

International Air Pollution Policy

Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (1983): Abate acidification, ground-level ozone
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987): Phase out ozone-depleting substances

Earth's Water

Over 10% of Earth's surface is covered in water
Same amount of water evaporates as precipitates
3 ways precipitation returns to the atmosphere: Evapotranspiration, rivers and streams, groundwater

Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

Continuous movement of water between Earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere
Powered by the sun and gravity
278,000 cubic miles of water enter the atmosphere daily
Basic steps: Condensation, precipitation, runoff or infiltration, evaporation

Transpiration

Process by which plants release water into the atmosphere as water vapor

Evaporation

Process by which water turns into water vapor

Precipitation Runoff

Watershed: Area of land being drained by runoff

Infiltration

Non-renewable resource, we are using it faster than it can recharge
Gets to air by evaporation/transpiration

Water Pollution

Point source pollution: Single identifiable source of pollution
Non-point source pollution: No identifiable source of pollutants

Water Quality

Clean Water Act: Impaired waters exceed total maximum daily load
Pathogens: Sewage, septic, stormwater flow
Nutrients: Agriculture
Metals: Industry

Effects of Water Pollution on Ecosystems

Headwaters to the sea: Biodiversity loss, endangered mussels
Lakes: Eutrophication

Eutriphication

Excess nutrients (N, P)
Rapid growth of algae followed by death
Decomposition leads to low oxygen and biodiversity reduction

Water Pollution Impacts on Ecosystems

Estuaries: Areas where freshwater meets saltwater, dead zones due to pollution
Oceans: Dead zones, coral reef decline

Ocean Acidification

Increasing CO2 inputs from atmosphere, 1/4 absorbed by oceans
Decreasing pH
Reduced calcification, slowing coral reef growth

Ocean Garbage

Plastics are a big problem
Great Pacific Garbage Patch: > 5 million square miles

Harmful Plastic

Cannot biodegrade
Breaks down into smaller pieces
Toxic chemicals leach out
Endangers wildlife: mistaking for food, feeding to young, entanglement

Water Management and Conservation

Dams and diversions: Limit flooding, store water, produce electricity
Channelization: Widens rivers and streams to make them less prone to flooding
Levees: Hold back water

Managing and Conserving Water in Agriculture

70% of water for human use is for irrigation
Most evaporates from fields
Irrigation efficiency: Percentage of water used by crop plants
Ways to increase irrigation efficiency: Surge irrigation, aerial sprinklers, drip irrigation

Desalination

Removing salts from water
Distillation: Boiling water, condensing steam
Reverse Osmosis: Filtering through selective membrane

Water Pricing

Agriculture in CA uses >80% of water, farmers pay 5-20% of supply cost, little incentive to invest in conserving technologies
Residential use: Flat monthly rate, no price change
Water meters: Changes pricing based on exact usage
Graduated pricing: Changes pricing based on usage tiers

Agriculture

Practice of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock for human use and consumption
38% of Earth's surface is used for agriculture
Croplands and rangelands depend on healthy soil

The Green Revolution

1940s-1960s effort to eliminate hunger
Improved crop performance through use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers, modern irrigation and equipment, and high-yield varieties (HYTs)
Results: 1000% increase in global food production, 20% reduction in famine
Trade-offs: Chemical dependence on fertilizers, toxicity threats from pesticides, pest resistance

Agroecosystems

Humans < 1% of Earth's animal biomass
Converted 1/3 of ice-free Earth to agriculture
Production of a few species
Depend on natural cycles

Energetics

Agroecosystem includes crops/domestic animals, abiotic and biotic environment
Producers: Plants
Consumers: Animals
Short food chain
Trophic level efficiency: Fraction of consumed food energy stored as biomass

Agriculture's Environmental Impacts

Depletes water supply
Fertilizer and chemical residues carried into waters and streams, leading to eutrophication and mortality of aquatic organisms
Soil salinization where evaporation rates are high
Industrialized livestock operations (CAFOs) lead to waste, land use, deforestation, overgrazing, disease transmission (bird and swine flu, E. coli)

Japanese Rice Farmer Takao Furuno

Avoids pesticides and herbicides
Works towards an ecology of eating

Food Footprint

Component of ecological footprint
Top of food chain
Land area to produce food
Exposure to toxins
Organic food: Limits synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, smaller ecological footprint

Hidden Water

Water used to produce food

Reduce Food Waste

40% of food grown in the US doesn't get eaten
Trayless dining

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Description

Explore the layers of the atmosphere, their functions, and the various air pollutants affecting our environment. This quiz covers essential concepts such as point and non-point sources of pollution, and the role of ozone in different atmospheric layers. Test your knowledge of this critical subject in environmental science!