Biology Unit 3 Air Quality & Water PDF

UNIT 3 BIOLOGY  Chapter 10 : Air quality atmosphere = layer of Earth's gases that surround plant very thin Role of atmosphere · Absorbs solar radiation · Burns up meteors · Transports & recycles water Atmospheric layers · Atmosphere cons...

UNIT 3 BIOLOGY  Chapter 10 : Air quality atmosphere = layer of Earth's gases that surround plant very thin Role of atmosphere · Absorbs solar radiation · Burns up meteors · Transports & recycles water Atmospheric layers · Atmosphere consist of several layers Troposphere 10-15 km) air we breathe , · = weather warmed by sun , · Stratosphere 115-48km) Temp increases = contains ozone- airplanes wMesosphere=148-90km) Temp decease. · Thermosphere = 190 500 km) - very thin air  Particles Gases & For particulate matter/aerosols · size matters how long they stay in atmosphere -how they scatter light - Deposited in lungs · EPA monitors 190 air pollutants Types of air pollution Primary pollutants ~ released directly in air CO HeSO4 CFC's , , secondartere as chemical reaction - NO +O2 in light Oz sources num Point source-stationary localized source (Factory Smoke Stack Non point source-diffuse small amounts lautomobiles ag , fireplaces) , OZONE ozone in troposphere: harmful # Stratosphere : beneficial layer protecting us from UV "Ozone layer" - 12 partsper million in lower stratosphere - is enough to absorb uva protect US Importance ofOzone shield · screens outur light ~ DNA UV light : replication disrupted , mutations formations of cancer In 1985 , the "ozone hole" was detected over Antartica 40-60% decline over the decade Ozone depletion due to : Human made molecules in which hydrogens of hydrocarbons are replaced by chlorine fluorine atoms-stable molecules (vs ammonia in 1928). Stratospheric ozone depletion : CFC's persist in the stratosphere. The split oxygen atoms off Ozone (03) to form oxy gen (02)  Link between CFC's & Ozone was discovered in 1973 Chemical company (Dupont) hotly debated · hypothesis · 1985 measurements of stratospheric over Ozone Antartica-basis of treaty banning Ozone Acid Deposition ~ killing 1950's N. European forests , reducing biodiversity of lakes & streams ~ 1960's & 70's lakes near industrial centers in use Europe were very acidic · Acid rain , fog , snow , a dry deposition · caused by reaction of pollutants ISO 2 + NO2) sources - Son : coal fired power plants , metal smelters No power plants , vehicle exhaust - : Effects : Nutrients leached from soil Aluminum now availablea taken in : by plants (damage to roots (  ACID DEPOSITION · Dispersal solutions - Downwind of industrial - scrubbers centers : trans-boundary ~ soz emissions issues reduced by 750% of 1980 levels Heavy metals seem · Mercury -113 natural , 1/3 human activity , 1/3 re-emitted · Lead ⑮ 1923 added to - gasoline to increase powera efficiency - 1975 catalytic converters required - 1980 leaded fuel banned SMOG nu · Industrial Photochemical - CO ~ Exhaust + Sun = SMOg - 502 - Soot International Air pollution policy -Geneva convention on long range transboundary air pollution (1983) ~ 1999 protocol to abate acidification , ground level (timelinefor Ozone -Montreal protocol on Ozone (1987) THE BLUE MARBLE ~ Over 10% of Earth's surface is covered ~ same amount of water that evaporates is equal to the amount of precipitation 3 ways of mmme precipitation · Returns to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration · flow over in rivers & streams · percolate in a join ground water · Only 1% of the freshwater is useable by humans THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE ~ Also known as the water cycle · The continuous movement of water between the Earth's atmosphere , hydrosphere lithosphere, , a biosphere · Powered by the sund gravity ~ 278cubic miles of , 000 water enter the atmosphere a day Basic steps : Condensation precipitation runoff , , or infiltration , evaporation # transpiration is the process by which plants release water into the atmosphere as water vapor m evaporation is the process by which water turns into water vapor Main ways the liquid can occur : Precipitation runoff · , · watershed > - area of land being drained by runoff Infiltration · non-renewable : we are using this faster than it can recharge Gets to air by evaporation/ transpiration what happens after evaporation? Leaves behind solutes only pure water evaporates - ESSENTIAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES * us beaches bring in billions to the economy Support system for water ecosystems: Photosynthesis , nitrogen cycle flow of minerals , on Earth Regulatory services for water ecosystems ~ Removal of pollutants ~ Moderation of the air temperature The provisioning services for water ecosystems #Providing drinking water * providing of seafood * Ag land a services. * energy CONSUMPTIVE US NON-CONSUMPTIVE. · consumptive water use : water is removed without being replaced · non-consumptive water use: water is only temporarily used EARTH'S FRESHWATER ~ 70% of earth's surface is covered by water · only 1/100 of 1% of that is fresh water that is useable by humans Freshwater is limite d... · Osmosis-water moves from low solute concentration to high solute concentration · Drinking salt water > - makes you thirsty · Over fertilizer > - "burn" plants GROUND WATER KEY TERMS Groundwater : rainwater that doesn't evaporate Irvhoff , instead percolates into the ground beneath water table Agrifier : saturated zone from which water can be extracted Recharge zone : Area where water flows directly between soil surface unconfined advifier : agrifiers trapped between layers of impermeable rock or sediment * water in confined aquifiers can be under pressure > - causes it to rise in wells above the level of the service Discharge zones : where groundwater flows to the service Human usage of groundwater - a 68%, industrial 21 %, domestic 11 % Because of humans - some extractions exceeds recharging Biggest impact caused by humans · Pollution : faculty septic systems , chemical storage tank leaks FLOODS what causes flooding ? · Deforestation , surfaces that are unable to absorb rainfall Flooding is worse in developed areas vs. natural areas Too little water-overdrawing Due to humans the overdrawing of water has become a big issue Aral sea > once the world's 4th largest freshwater lake - ~ 95% of flow was diverted to irrigation OGALLALA AQUIFIER · World's largest aquifer ~ underneath the U S. great. plains · used for agriculture ~ rapidly being depleted for irrigation SALTWATER INTRUSION mumm saltwater > migration of saltwater into a - freshwater aquifer in coastal region How can we reduce water use? · Limiting waste water conservation mu - greywater reuse · Improving efficiency · Municipal (household) ~ report links · improved efficiency ~ monitor you meter water sense · conservation practices - keeping showers shor t quality ~ don't leave taps running · chemicanusical · biological where does pollution come from ? me point source pollution : single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged non-point source pollution : no identifiable source of where pollutants come from QUALITY · clean water Act ~ impaired waters - exceed total max daily load ~ pathogens · sewage , septic , stormwater flow ~ Nutrients * agriculture ~ Metals · industry Effects of water pollution on ecosystems · Headwaters to the sea Streams · ~ biodiversity ~ 1/2 mussels endangered extinct · Lakes ~ eutrophication EUTROPHICATION · Excess nutrients (N , P) · Leads to rapid growth of algae followed , by death · Decomposition = low On biodiversity reduction · EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION ON ECOSYSTEMS Estuary :Area of freshwater meetsa mixes wI saltwater ~ dead zones due to pollution oceans - dead zones ~ coral reef decline OCEAN ACIDIFICATION mummus Increasing CO2 inputs from atmosphere 1/4 absorbed by oceans · decreasing PH · reduced calcification showing of coral reef growth OCEAN GARBAGE · plastics are a big problem · Plastic Garbage Patch+ > 0 5 million square miles. HARMFUL PLASTIC can't biodegrade breaks down into smaller pieces · Toxic Chemicals leach out can pollute groundwaters even living things · Endangers wildlife mistake for food · feed it to young · become entangled WATER MANAGEMENTA CONSERVATION · Dams & diversions limit flooding , store water, a ~ produce electricity channelization · widens rivers a streams ~ so they are less prone to flooding · levees ~ hold back water MANAGING A CONSERVING IN AG · 70% of water for human use for irrigation evaporates from fields ~ Irrigation efficiency > the percentage of water that - is used by crop plants ways to increase irrigation efficiency ~ surge irrigation ↑ ~ aerial sprinklers wh drop down tubes ~ drip irrigation NATION Desalination > removing the salts from water - Distillation - boiling water condensing steam , Reverse Osmosis - filtering through selective membrane Getting the price right 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 off exact usage graduated pricing changes pricing based off of usage tiers Future agriculture the practice of cultivating soil , - producing crops , a raising livestock for human use & consumption 38% Of Earth's surface is used for ag Croplands (for growing plant crops) a rangelands (for grazing animal livestock) depend on healthy soil The Green Revolution The 1940s-1960s Green Revolution was an effort to eliminate hunger by improving crop performance through use of chemical pesticides ↓ fertilizers , modern irrigation a equipment , as well as high-yield varieties (HYTs) of crops Resulted in success: · 1000% increase in global food production · 20 % reduction in famine · Grains come with tradeoffs Trade-Offs: Fertilizer Fertilizers help crops grow where they wouldn't otherwise, but lead to chemical dependence to enrich nutrient-depleted soil. Trade-Offs: Pesticide Use Use of pesticides create toxicity threats to human and ecosystem health, while the pests themselves can become resistant. Agroecosystems * Humans < 1% of earth's animal biomass * Converted 1/3 of ice-free earth to agriculture * Agriculture = production of a few species * Depend on natural cycles. - Consider energy flow and matter cycles Energetics Agroecosystem - includes crops/ domestic animals, abiotic and biotic environment - Producers - Consumers - Short food chain Trophic level efficiency- fraction of food energy consumed that is stored as biomass 5000 years · Now-consumes electricity depletes , water supply · Fertilizer Chemical residues carried into , waters a streams eutrophication , mortality of aquatic - organisms · soil salinization where evaporation rates are high Livestock in agriculture efficiency · conversion - vs edible product input feed input. Industrialized : concentrated animal Feeding operations (CAFO) Environmental impacts · - waste , land use - Deforestation , overgrazing - Disease transmission · Bird a Swine Flu , E Coli. Japanese rice Farmer Takao furuno avoiding pesticides & herbicides - Ecology of eating · Food footprint - component of ecological footprint : top of food chain · Land area to produce food · Exposure to toxins · organic food-limit synthetic fertilizer ↓ pesticides - smaller ecological footprint · Hidden water · Reduce food waste · In US , 40% of food grown does not get eaten · Trayless dining