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GY327 Freshwater Processes and Ecosystems_Revision Session

Description

This is a revision session for the University of Brighotn's GY327 module 'Freshwater Processes and Ecosystems'. The revision session is comprised of a set of 39 multiple-choice questions. These are designed to stimulate your memory in order to prepare you for longer essay-style questions. In the examination for this module (worth 60% of the module grade) you will be required to answer two essay questions out of a choice of six. All essay questions carry equal marks.
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Quiz by g.s.bilotta, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by g.s.bilotta over 10 years ago
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Resource summary

Question 1

Question
What salinity classified freshwater?
Answer
  • <1 mg L-1
  • <100 mg L-1
  • <1000 mg L-1

Question 2

Question
What are the three dominant ions in freshwater?
Answer
  • Mg, CaCO3, HCO3
  • Mg, Na, Ca
  • Mg, Na, Cl

Question 3

Question
What percentage of Earth's water is defined as being freshwater?
Answer
  • 0.25 %
  • 2.5%
  • 25 %

Question 4

Question
What term best describes ‘all the organisms in a given area as well as the abiotic factors with which they interact; a community and its’ physical environment’ ? Campbell and Reece, 2002)
Answer
  • Niche
  • Biosphere
  • Ecosystem

Question 5

Question
Which of these sets of definitions distinguishes correctly between the terms phytoplankton and periphyton?
Answer
  • Periphyton are free-floating plants/algae, that are suspended in the water column. Phytoplankton are algae that are attached to substrates such as rocks (epitlithic phytoplankton) and larger plants/macrophytes (epiphytic phytoplankton)
  • Phytoplankton are free-floating plants/algae, that are suspended in the water column. Periphyton are algae that are attached to substrates such as rocks (epitlithic periphyton) and larger plants/macrophytes (epiphytic periphyton)

Question 6

Question
The term ‘Lotic’ describes which of the following categories of water?
Answer
  • Standing waters
  • Ephemeral waters
  • Flowing waters

Question 7

Question
What are the seven general challenges of living in freshwater environments?
Answer
  • Respiration, Productivity, Reproduction, Ontogeny, Feeding, Emersion, Diffusion
  • Respiration, Physical forces, Reproduction, Osmoregulation, Feeding, Emersion, Dispersal
  • Respiration, Photosynthesis, Reproduction, Oncology, Feeding, Emersion, Disposal

Question 8

Question
Suggest 4 reasons why oxygen availability is more variable in freshwater ecosystems than marine systems or the atmosphere?
Answer
  • High volume ecosystems = high buffering capacity Low surface area to volume ratio = small temperature fluctuations (affect 02 dissolving/diffusion rate). Variable organic loading = low microbial oxygen demand High photosynthetic oxygen production
  • Small volume ecosystems = High buffering capacity High surface area to volume ratio = wide temperature fluctuations (affect 02 dissolving/diffusion rate). Low organic loading = high microbial oxygen demand High photosynthetic oxygen production
  • Small volume ecosystems = low buffering capacity High surface area to volume ratio = wide temperature fluctuations (affect 02 dissolving/diffusion rate). Variable organic loading = variable microbial oxygen demand Variable photosynthetic oxygen production

Question 9

Question
Freshwater ecosystems are geographically isolated and temporally impermanent. What effect does each of these characteristics have on the number of species present?
Answer
  • Spatial isolation increases speciation. Temporal impermanence decreases speciation.
  • Spatial isolation decreases speciation. Temporal impermanence increases speciation.

Question 10

Question
What is anhydrobiosis and name an organism that can perform it?
Answer
  • Anhydrobiosis means life without water. It is a form of desiccation resistance that some vertebrates exhibit (African lungfish).
  • Anhydrobiosis means life without water. It is a form of desiccation resistance that some invertebrates exhibit (tardigrades, rotifers, chironimids).
  • Anhydrobiosis means life without water. It is a form of desiccation resistance that some algae exhibit.

Question 11

Question
What are the two main differences between lakes and ponds?
Answer
  • Lakes tend to be bigger and are mixed primarily through atmospheric turbulence (wind). Ponds tend to be smaller and are mixed primarily through thermal convection currents.
  • Lakes tend to be bigger and are mixed primarily through thermal convection currents. Ponds tend to be smaller and are mixed primarily through atmospheric turbulence (wind).

Question 12

Question
Distinguish between the terms plankton and benthos?
Answer
  • Benthos are the organisms that spend the majority of their time in the water column. Plankton are the organisms that spend the most of their time in the bed sediments (lake or river).
  • Plankton are the organisms that spend the majority of their time in the water column. Benthos are the organisms that spend the most of their time in the bed sediments (lake or river).
  • Plankton are the organisms that spend the majority of their time in the subsurface environments. Benthos are the organisms that spend the most of their time in the bed sediments (lake or river).

Question 13

Question
The availability of light influences the distribution of plants and animals within a lake. What is the name given to the depth at which only 1 % of the incoming light remains (i.e the boundary between the photic and aphotic zone)?
Answer
  • The critical depth
  • The boundary depth
  • The compensation depth

Question 14

Question
Who developed a conceptual model known as the ‘River Continuum Concept’ that describes the longitudinal changes in physical, chemical and biological composition along a river?
Answer
  • Vannote et al (1980)
  • Begon et al (1980)
  • Townsend et al (1980)

Question 15

Question
What is meant by the term ‘allocthonous’?
Answer
  • Energy or matter derived from within the freshwater ecosystem (e.g. phytoplankton and fungal spores)
  • Energy or matter derived from outside of the freshwater ecosystem (e.g. terrestrial leaf fall into a river; bat guano in a cave)

Question 16

Question
What term best describes ‘subsurface water that occurs beneath the watertable in soils and geologic formations that are fully saturated’? (Freeze and Cherry, 1979)
Answer
  • Hyporheos
  • Soil water
  • Groundwater

Question 17

Question
How do the temperature/thermal conditions differ in subsurface environments compare to terrestrial environments?
Answer
  • Subsurface thermal regimes are more stable than their terrestrial counterparts; they are warmer than the terrestrial minimum, but cooler than the terrestrial maximum.
  • Subsurface thermal regimes are more variable than their terrestrial counterparts; they are cooler than the terrestrial minimum, but warmer than the terrestrial maximum.
  • Subsurface thermal regimes are identical to their terrestrial counterparts

Question 18

Question
There are two main groups of subsurface dwelling organisms (hypogeans). These are stygophiles and stygobites. Which group show specific adaptations to living in subsurface environments?
Answer
  • Stygophile
  • Stygobite

Question 19

Question
Where on the R-K-A selection continuum might you expect stygobites to be positioned?
Answer
  • Stygobites are R-selected species; they are adapted to high resource availability but environmental variability
  • Stygobites are K-selected species; they are adapted to high resource availability and environmental constancy
  • Stygobites are A-selected species; they are adapted to poor resource availability but environmental constancy

Question 20

Question
What is an ephemeral waterbody?
Answer
  • A temporary waterbody
  • A waterbody on the fringe of a catchment
  • An isolated waterbody

Question 21

Question
Name 5 ways in which humans disturb the physical characteristics of freshwater ecosystems?
Answer
  • Thermal discharges from industrial processes
  • Suspended sediment pollution from increased soil erosion from agricultural fields
  • Straightening river channels
  • Damming river channels
  • Removing native species of invertebrates
  • Introducing non-native species of invertebrates
  • Abstracting water for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses

Question 22

Question
For what reasons are river channels straightened?
Answer
  • To decrease the speed of removal of flood waters in order to protect land/properties. To abandon land and impede drainage. To impede navigability for vessels.
  • To increase the speed of removal of flood waters in order to protect land/properties. To reclaim land and improve drainage. To improve navigability for vessels.

Question 23

Question
What management system is in place in England and Wales, as part of the EU Water Framework Directive, to prevent the negative impacts of over-abstraction from freshwater environments?
Answer
  • Catchment Abstraction Drainage System (CADS).
  • Catchment Abstraction Management System (CAMS).
  • Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)

Question 24

Question
Why is water temperature so important for many freshwater organisms?
Answer
  • Water temperature is important to freshwater organisms because most freshwater organisms are poikilothermic- their internal body temperature is controlled by the environmental temperature, therefore their rate of metabolism also changes with changing external temperatures.
  • Many freshwater organisms rely on thermal cues for certain stages within their life-cycle, disruption to thermal regimes can have significant detrimental impacts on the populations of species.
  • Many freshwater organisms obtain their oxygen directly from the water. Dissolved oxygen availability decreases with increasing water temperature, thus warming temperatures can lead to hypoxic conditions.

Question 25

Question
What legislation is in place across Europe in order to protect freshwater ecosystems?
Answer
  • EU Freshwater Fisheries Directive
  • EU Shellfisheries Directive
  • EU Water Framework Directive

Question 26

Question
What plant nutrient is most commonly the limiting nutrient in freshwater ecosystems?
Answer
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • Potassium

Question 27

Question
What term describes the trophic status of a water body where phosphorus concentrations are in the range of 30-100 µg L-1?
Answer
  • Oligotrophic
  • Mesotrophic
  • Eutrophic

Question 28

Question
Which of the following are potential sources of heavy metals in freshwater environments?
Answer
  • Oil spills
  • Combustion of fossil fuels
  • Metal works/industry
  • Mining/quarrying
  • Waste incineration
  • Sewage sludge disposal
  • Waste landfill sites
  • Military firing ranges

Question 29

Question
Who is responsible for monitoring the water quality of freshwaters in Scotland?
Answer
  • Environment Agency
  • European Environment Agency
  • Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Question 30

Question
What are the two main ways in which humans directly disturb the biological characteristics of freshwater ecosystems?
Answer
  • Introduction of non-native invasive species
  • Physical disturbance of the habitat
  • Chemical pollution of the habitat
  • Removal of native species through fishing and harvesting

Question 31

Question
What is the name of this non-native (to the UK) invasive plant?
Image:
Himalayan_balsam (image/png)
Answer
  • Hogweed
  • Himalayan balsam
  • Giant Hogweed

Question 32

Question
Which of the following can be used to successfully control and eradicate populations of the plant identified in Q31?
Answer
  • Mechanical control (cutting/mowing) for 18 months, ensuring that no new seeds are produced during that period.
  • Chemical control (glycophosphate or 24D-amine), for 18 months, ensuring that no new seeds are produced during that period.
  • Biological control (grazing by non-specific livestock), for 18 months, ensuring that no new seeds are produced during that period.
  • Environmental control (maintenance of a dense grass sward on river banks), for 18 months, ensuring that no new seeds are produced during that period.

Question 33

Question
What is the main mechanism through which Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus lenisculus) has its deletory impact on the native white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes)?
Answer
  • Competition
  • Predation
  • Disease

Question 34

Question
This species provides an example of how removal of native species can influence an ecosystem. What is the name of this fish?
Image:
European_Eel (image/jpg)
Answer
  • European lamprey
  • European eel

Question 35

Question
Name the main sampling method used to sample benthic invertebrates under the EU Water Framework Directive?
Answer
  • Kick sample
  • Surber sampler
  • Grab sample

Question 36

Question
Which of the following are common methods used to sample fish populations as part of EU Water Framework Directive assessments?
Answer
  • Seine netting
  • Electrofishing
  • Mark re-capture

Question 37

Question
What is the name of the method used by the Environment Agency to survey the hydromorphological aspects of a river?
Answer
  • River Ecosystem Survey
  • Riverine Environmental Impact Assessment
  • River Habitat Survey

Question 38

Question
Which of the following environments are protected by the EU Water Framework Directive?
Answer
  • Freshwater surface waters (rivers, streams and lakes)
  • Freshwater groundwaters
  • Brackish estuaries
  • Marine waters out to one mile from the low water mark.
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