Question 1

The concentration of DDT in a species of phytoplankton is 12 mg DDT/kg phytoplankton. The concentration of DDT in a fish known to exclusively consume that species of phytoplankton is 150 µg DDT/kg fish. This results in a ratio of the DDT concentration in the fish to DDT concentration in the phytoplankton of 0.0125. Is this an example of biomagnification? Explain why or why not.

Accepted Answer

No, this is not biomagnification. Biomagnification requires that the organism has a higher tissue concentration of the contaminant than the organism it consumes (i.e., a ratio > 1). Here, the ratio is 0.0125 and 0.0125 < 1, therefore this is not biomagnification.

Question 2

Explain the sequence of events after the Army Corps of Engineers transformed the Kissimmee River from 1962-1971. What is its current status?

Accepted Answer

In 1962 the US Army Corps of Engineers began to transform 56 miles of the Kissimmee into a wide, deep, and navigable channel. The goal was to provide development, flood control, and a more consistent navigable channel. These changes produced the unintended effects of compromising the quality of the water, increasing flooding problems, and radically changing in the ecosystem. They are now attempting to reverse the process and return the land to its original state. The ecosystem is slowing being restored.

Question 3

What is the difference between a direct effect of a pollutant on an organism and an indirect effect? Explain.

Accepted Answer

A pollutant is said to directly affect an organism if the contaminant exerts a toxic action on the organism. For example, the contaminant may actually kill the organism or impair its ability to reproduce. An indirect effect could be when the contaminant impacts another organism on which the organism in question depends. If the contaminant decreases the population of the organism's food, for example, then that organism will be negatively impacted even if it is immune to the direct effects of the contaminant.

Question 4

Which of the following is an inorganic pollutant?

Accepted Answer

A)   Petroleum
B)   Manure
C)   Polychlorinated biphenyl (PC
B)  
D)   DDT
E)   Copper

Question 5

Amphibians are particularly sensitive to water pollution because

Accepted Answer

A)   all species of amphibians are endangered.
B)   a large portion of the life cycle of most amphibians is spent in the water.
C)   they have live births, making the juveniles susceptible to pollution.
D)   all adult amphibians breathe with gills, taking dissolved oxygen directly from water.

Question 6

The amassing of any given substance in a living organism is called

Accepted Answer

A)   biomagnification.
B)   consumption.
C)   exclusion.
D)   biaccumulation.
E)   None of the above

Question 7

Which of the following would not be an effect of eutrophication?

Accepted Answer

A)   Enhanced biodiversity
B)   Increased water turbity
C)   Decreased oxygen content
D)   An increase in toxic and inedible phytoplankton
E)   Higher incidence of dead fish

Question 8

Inorganic pollutants would not include

Accepted Answer

A)   phosphate.
B)   nitrate.
C)   sulfide.
D)   DDT.
E)   lead.

Question 9

Why does mercury tend to biomagnify in fish?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mercury has a strong chemical affinity for sulfur, a component of protein.
B)   Fish prefer the taste of mercury-containing algae and protists.
C)   The processing of fish uses mercury, which then taints the fish.
D)   Mercury is a metal and all metals biomagnify.
E)   Because it is water soluble, mercury accumulates in the gills of fish.

Question 10

In response to water shortages, some restaurants do not serve glasses of water with meals. Discuss the efficacy of this policy in terms of water conservation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In response to water shortages, some restaurants...

Question 11

The greatest quantity of accessible drinking water is held in

Accepted Answer

A)   rivers.
B)   lakes.
C)   ground water.
D)   oceans.
E)   glaciers and ice caps.

Question 12

A contaminant is released into a body of water that is toxic to a segment of the aquatic arthropod population. Explain how this could be both a direct biological effect and an indirect biological effect.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A contaminant is released into a body...

Question 13

A _______ is a chemical that is toxic to some or all forms of life but it is not of biological origin.

Accepted Answer

A)   toxicant
B)   pollutant
C)   contaminant
D)   polluter
E)   toxin

Question 14

When contaminating/polluting substances originate from many diffuse sources and enter a body of water indirectly, it is called _______ pollution.

Accepted Answer

A)   nonpoint source
B)   intrusion
C)   dilution
D)   water treatment
E)   point source

Question 15

An emerging pollution problem is from personal care products (antibiotics, medicines, birth control pills, etc.) that are flushed down the toilet or disposed as municipal soil waste. This kind of water pollution would be best called

Accepted Answer

A)   heat pollution.
B)   low level radioactive waste.
C)   point source pollution.
D)   nonpoint source pollution.
E)   acid precipitation.

Question 16

Many projections suggest that global warming in the future could greatly increase existing water inequities. Explain what this means and why it is a problem.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many projections suggest that global warming in...

Question 17

The Kissimmee River project is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)   successful redistribution of water.
B)   unintended consequences of humans attempting to engineer nature.
C)   positive responses of wildlife to flood control.
D)   desertification.
E)   the benefits of subsurface drainage for agriculture.

Question 18

Which of the following is not an example of how surface water functions to serve humans?

Accepted Answer

A)   Coastal waters serve as breeding areas for many species of plants and animals critical to humans.
B)   Oceans support a great diversity of plant and animal species.
C)   Pollution can disrupt the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems.
D)   Water is continually cycled and renewed.
E)   Coral reefs are especially sensitive to changes in their immediate environment.

Question 19

In studying the bioaccumulation of contaminants in aquatic organisms, toxicologists find that it is critical to understand the chemical behavior of contaminants. Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In studying the bioaccumulation of contaminants in...

Question 20

Dumping waste cyanide from a manufacturing facility would be considered _______, whereas dumping waste salt (sodium chloride) into a lake would be _______.

Accepted Answer

A)   toxification; pollution
B)   illegal; immoral
C)   pollution; contamination
D)   contamination; pollution
E)   pollution; toxification

Exam 10: Water Resources