Eco 8_29 Q and A PDF

1. What are hydrological exchanges and reservoirs? Hydrological Exchanges and Reservoirs: The hydrologic cycle exchanges water among different reservoirs, such as oceans (96.5%), ice and glaciers (1.8%), groundwater (0.75%), surface freshwater like lakes and rivers (0.008%), an...

1. What are hydrological exchanges and reservoirs? Hydrological Exchanges and Reservoirs: The hydrologic cycle exchanges water among different reservoirs, such as oceans (96.5%), ice and glaciers (1.8%), groundwater (0.75%), surface freshwater like lakes and rivers (0.008%), and the atmosphere (0.0009%). 2. Is most water fresh or salty? Fresh or Salty Water: Most of Earth's water is salty, with 96.5% found in oceans. 3. What are the main reservoirs of fresh and salty water? Salty water reservoirs: Oceans (96.5%) Freshwater reservoirs: Ice and glaciers (1.8%), groundwater (0.75%), and a tiny fraction is in surface freshwater bodies like lakes and rivers (0.008%). 4. Are aquifers generally available to plants and animals? Aquifers are generally not available to plants and animals as they are usually too deep for most roots to reach. 5. What is turnover time and how does it vary among different reservoirs? Turnover Time: Time to renew a reservoir's volume: Atmosphere: 9 days Rivers: 12–20 days Lakes: Days to centuries Oceans: ~3100 years 6. What are the 5 main water exchanges? Main Water Exchanges: Precipitation: rain  Interception: precipitation that doesn’t reach surface Infiltration: precipitation reaches ground, enters soil moisture and groundwater reservoirs Runoff: excess water that does not infiltrate soil, flow along surface Evapotranspiration: 1. Evaporation: loss of water from surface of objects, water bodies, soil 2. Transpiration: loss from plants through stomata in leaves 7. Across the world, where is evapotranspiration generally highest and lowest? Highest Evapotranspiration: o Tropical and Subtropical regions: These areas are hot and often have lots of vegetation. The heat causes a lot of water to evaporate, and the plants release a lot of water through transpiration. Lowest Evapotranspiration: o Polar regions: These areas are cold, with little plant life and limited evaporation because the water is often frozen. o Desert areas: While deserts are hot, there is little water and few plants, so there's not much water to evaporate or be released by plants. Evapotranspiration is a process that includes both evaporation (water turning from liquid to vapor) and transpiration (water released from plants). 8. What are the major types of aquatic environments discussed in class? Major Aquatic Environments: Oceans kelp forests coral reefs intertidal zones estuaries rivers  lakes 9. What factors shape the movement of currents? Factors Shaping Currents: Wind patterns, such as trade winds and westerlies, push water across the ocean's surface, generating surface currents. Coriolis Effect: The rotation of the Earth causes moving water to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This deflection influences the direction of ocean currents. Thermohaline Circulation (temp and salinity): This refers to the global conveyor belt of ocean circulation driven by differences in water density, which are affected by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline). For example, when seawater freezes in polar regions, it leaves salt behind, making the surrounding water saltier and denser, causing it to sink. This movement sets up deep ocean currents. o Cold water has a higher density than warm water and sinks to the bottom o Salt water has a higher density than fresh water and sinks to the bottom Continental Bodies: The presence of continents and landmasses disrupts the flow of currents and causes them to change direction, forming circular current patterns known as gyres. 10. Which colors of visible light are absorbed fastest and slowest in water? Light Absorption in Water: Fastest: Red light. Slowest: Blue light. 11.What are thermoclines? What are their shapes and how do they vary with latitude? Thermocline: A thermocline is a distinct layer in the ocean where the temperature changes rapidly with depth. The slide illustrates typical temperature profiles for different latitudes: o Low Latitudes: Strong thermocline due to warm surface waters.  o Mid Latitudes: Moderate thermocline with seasonal variation. o High Latitudes: Weak or absent thermocline as surface water is colder. 12. Where are oceans the most and least salty? Salinity in Oceans: Salinity refers to the concentration of salts in ocean water. It varies across the globe due to differences in precipitation and evaporation rates. Higher salinity is typically found around 30° latitude, which coincides with regions where evaporation exceeds precipitation (similar to terrestrial deserts). Lower salinity is found near the poles and equatorial regions, where there is more precipitation and less evaporation. = 13. Where will you generally find coral reefs, kelp forests, intertidal zones, salt marshes, and mangroves? Habitats: Coral Reefs: Tropics and subtropics 18 – 29°C Colonial invertebrates Class Anthozoa Calcium carbonate structures > 29°C lethal Compare with rainforests Highest productivity and diversity Kelp Forests: Temperate latitudes 10 – 20°C Rocky substrate Highly oxygenated Intertidal Zones: aka Rocky Intertidal Alternating wet and dry Light, temperature, salinity Waves as stressor Waves deliver nutrients. Salt Marshes: Temperate coasts. Mangroves: Tropical and subtropical coasts. 14. What are the differences between oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes? Oligotrophic vs. Eutrophic Lakes:  Oligotrophic: Clear, low productivity, cool. Eutrophic: Turbid, high productivity, warm. NOTE: Ogallala Aquifer is the largest in north america 71% earth surface is covered by water Temperature of Ocean Water: Solar Energy: The surface water of the ocean is warmed by solar energy. The sun's rays heat the upper layers of the ocean, which impacts the temperature of the water. High Specific Heat of Water: Water has a high specific heat capacity, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before it increases in temperature. This property allows the ocean to regulate temperature changes effectively, influencing global climate and weather patterns.