Everglades Ecosystem Challenges
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Questions and Answers

What chemical composition primarily makes up the shells of marine calcifiers?

  • NaCl
  • SiO2
  • MgCO3
  • CaCO3 (correct)

    • What are coral polyps primarily dependent on for their survival?

  • Abyssal currents
  • Freshwater inputs
  • Deep-sea nutrients
  • Zooxanthellae algae (correct)

    • Which of the following factors does NOT contribute to coral bleaching?

  • Increased nutrient availability (correct)
  • Low pH levels
  • Salinity changes
  • Pollution

    • What consequence can result from coral bleaching?

    <p>Weakened coral and potential death</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one major threat to coral reefs mentioned in the content?

    <p>Overfishing and destructive fishing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of plastic produced is recycled?

    <p>9%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a way plastics in oceans harm marine life?

    <p>They provide nutrients to marine organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one risk associated with microplastics in marine environments?

    <p>They often harbor toxic substances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to organisms that ingest plastics?

    <p>They can starve due to gut blockage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statistic reflects the total production of plastic by 2015?

    <p>8.3 billion metric tons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the minimum water temperature required for hurricanes to form?

    <p>80° F</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by the 'assimilative capacity' of a water body?

    <p>The capacity of a water body to accept waste</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best explains saltwater intrusion?

    <p>Overuse of freshwater leading to saltwater mixing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of global water use is attributed to agriculture?

    <p>69%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What causes aquifers to experience a decrease in water supply?

    <p>Over-withdrawal and decreased infiltration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is surface water?

    <p>Any body of water above ground, like rivers and lakes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much water does agriculture use in the United States according to recent estimates?

    <p>42%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to wells when an aquifer suffers from saltwater intrusion?

    <p>They run dry or become contaminated with saltwater</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most significant factor contributing to the decline in Florida Panther populations?

    <p>Habitat loss</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the concept of natural selection?

    <p>It is a nonrandom influence affecting survival and reproduction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following invasive species has been identified in the Florida Everglades?

    <p>Burmese Python</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of evolution is affected by factors such as genetic diversity and population size?

    <p>The pace of evolution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the reproductive rate influence the pace of evolution?

    <p>Faster reproduction can lead to quicker changes in gene frequencies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines an endangered species in the context of the Florida Everglades?

    <p>Species facing significant threats leading to a declining population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are alleles in the context of genetics?

    <p>Variants of genes that create diversity within a population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor is least likely to influence the pace of extinction?

    <p>Natural habitat preservation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary challenge associated with nonpoint source pollution?

    <p>It often arises from runoff and is difficult to address.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a consequence of combined sewer overflows (CSOs)?

    <p>Contamination of surface waters due to untreated sewage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process of eutrophication primarily driven by?

    <p>Excess nutrients leading to increased biological productivity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes hypoxia?

    <p>Inadequate oxygen levels detrimental to aquatic organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does stormwater runoff contribute to water pollution?

    <p>It carries pesticides, sediments, and trash into aquatic systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What strategy is NOT commonly proposed to address the issues of combined sewer systems?

    <p>Creating more combined sewer pipes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ultimately happens to aquatic life as a result of eutrophication?

    <p>Decreased levels of dissolved oxygen leading to fish deaths.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a source of nonpoint source pollution?

    <p>Runoff from agricultural fields.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Everglades Restoration

    • Everglades restoration efforts aim to improve water quality and quantity, restore natural hydrological patterns, and reduce invasive species
    • Restore the natural flow of water from the Kissimmee River to Florida Bay
    • Provide more water to the Everglades and eliminate harmful effects of exotic species
    • Built and Natural Systems Compatibility: the Everglades and humans need to coexist
    • Future Changes include climate change, sea level rise, and population growth

    Endangered Species

    • Endangered Species: include the wood stork, wood rat, and the Florida Panther (only about 200 left)
    • At least 11 Florida Panthers were killed by vehicles in 2024.
    • Habitat loss is the primary factor in the decline of panther populations.

    Invasive Species

    • Burmese Python
    • Argentine Tegu
    • Brazilian Pepper

    Pace of Evolution and Extinction

    • The pace of evolution and extinction is generally slow and varies based on multiple factors:
      • Genetic Diversity
      • Population Size
      • Reproductive Rate (biotic potential)
      • Generation Time
      • Strength of Selective Pressure
    • Evolution: changes in gene frequencies within a population from one generation to the next
    • Extinction: complete loss of a species from an area
      • Local extinction: gone from a specific area
      • Global extinction: gone forever

    Natural Selection and Evolution

    • Individuals within a population vary genetically, resulting in differential survival due to selective pressure
    • Genes: stretches of DNA that direct the production of molecules (usually proteins), impacting an individual’s traits
    • Alleles: variants of genes, contributing to the diversity of traits in a population
    • Selective Pressure: an environmental force that influences survival and reproduction
    • Evolutionary Biology: the study of how life on Earth has diversified and populations change
    • Natural Selection: organisms best adapted to their environment survive, reproduce, and leave more offspring
      • Natural Selection is the primary driving force of evolution and is a slow process
    • Hurricanes form in tropical waters at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit

    Long-term Relationship with Water and Humans

    • Human Water Needs:
      • Acquire water: requires power (pumping)
      • Drinking Water Treatment: requires power
      • Wastewater Treatment: mostly requires power
      • Assimilative Capacity: a water body's ability to accept waste
    • Groundwater: water underground, trapped in soil or porous rock
      • Supplies can shrink due to over-withdrawal and decreased infiltration
      • Aquifer: a permeable region of soil saturated with water
      • Infiltration: water soaking into the ground, filtered as it travels through soil and rock
      • Water Table: uppermost level of water in a saturated aquifer.
      • Saltwater Intrusion: ocean water infiltrates a freshwater aquifer due to freshwater depletion
    • Surface Water: found above ground, including oceans, rivers, and lakes
      • Provides freshwater to human communities
      • Sources can run dry if water is removed faster than it is replenished

    Global Water Use

    • Agriculture: uses 69% of global water
      • The largest water user (72%)
      • Over 90% of water usage in South Asia is for irrigation
      • Agriculture withdrawals in the U.S. account for 42% of water use, with surface and groundwater contributing equally to irrigation
      • The Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer, the largest in North America, supplies 30% of U.S. water.
    • Effluent: wastewater discharged into the environment
    • Nonpoint Source Pollution: runoff entering water from overland flow
      • Runoff is the leading cause of water pollution today
    • Stormwater Runoff: water from precipitation flowing over land
      • Contains nutrients, pesticides, sediments, and trash from various sources like farms, lawns, and construction sites
      • Also includes air pollutants that fall with precipitation
      • CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows): sewer systems connected to stormwater systems, pose a health hazard
        • Stormwater can overwhelm sewers, leading to diluted sewage bypassing treatment and spilling into surface waters

    CSO Solutions

    • Separate stormwater conveyances from sewer pipes
    • Increase combined sewer system storage capacity: gray infrastructure
    • Reduce the amount of rain entering the system: green infrastructure

    Eutrophication

    • Dissolved Oxygen (DO): the amount of oxygen in water
    • Hypoxia: low oxygen levels in water, harming aquatic organisms
    • Eutrophication: excess nutrients in aquatic ecosystems stimulate biological productivity, lowering oxygen content
      • Dead algae and plants are decomposed by bacteria, consuming oxygen
      • Result: lower oxygen levels, causing fish kills
    • Marine Organisms: even small pH declines affect the ability of marine organisms to produce shells
    • CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) is the chemical component of marine calcifier shells
    • Carbonic Acid: formed when CO2 dissolves in water, dissolves calcium-based materials and disrupts shell formation

    Coral Reefs

    • Major Threats to Coral Reefs:
      • Overfishing and destructive fishing practices
      • Inland pollution
      • Coastal development
      • Thermal Stress: climate change-related heat stress
      • Marine-based pollution
    • Coral: colonial marine animals that secrete hard outer shells, dependent on a mutualistic algal partner (zooxanthellae)
      • Zooxanthellae: photosynthetic algae that provide food and color to coral
    • Coral Bleaching: a stress response where the algal partner is expelled, weakening or killing the coral
      • Stressors: pollution, salinity changes, low pH, high temperatures

    Plastic Pollution

    • 5 Ways Plastic Pollution Harms Marine Life:
      • Transporting organisms: to new locations, potentially causing invasive species
      • Entanglement: in plastic debris
      • Ingesting plastic: mistaking it for food, leading to starvation
      • Toxic chemicals: plastics harbor toxins
    • Plastic Production: around 400 million tons produced annually, with only 9% recycled
    • Microplastics: found everywhere, potentially absorbing toxic substances from the surrounding water

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    Ecol 1000 Exam 2 PDF

    Description

    This quiz covers critical topics related to the Everglades, including restoration efforts, endangered species like the Florida Panther, and the impact of invasive species. It also addresses the interplay between natural and built systems, as well as future changes due to climate and urbanization. Test your knowledge on these vital environmental issues!

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