water class final

Question 1

what are coastal marine environments?

Answer 1

diverse ecosystems found at the interface between land and the ocean

Question 2

what are the characteristics of coastal marine environments?

Answer 2

dynamic freshwater-saltwater interactions, variability in salinity, high biodiversity and productivity, and exposure to ocean currents and atmospheric forces

Question 3

classification of coastal marine environments?

Answer 3

NOAA- marine settings modified by humans
EPA- classification based on geography and hydro-settings (ex. riverine, marine)
IUCN- ecosystems found within coastal marine environments (ex. mangroves)
geomorphic- classification based on shape (primary or secondary shape)

Question 4

what is the unique property between salt and fresh water?

Answer 4

density

Question 5

what is freshwater lens?

Answer 5

how water lays due to density difference, freshwater floats above saltwater

Question 6

what is the transition zone?

Answer 6

zone where salt and freshwater mix

Question 7

what is submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)?

Answer 7

mixing of freshwater and saltwater forms SGD and submarine springs, nutrient cycling

Question 8

what is the main challenge of GW pumping near coastal marine environments?

Answer 8

sea water intrusion

Question 9

what ways does sea water intrusion occur?

Answer 9

-over-pumping of GW (indirect)
-sea level rise (direct)
-land subsidence (direct)

Question 10

what is the issue with GW pumping near coastal environments?

Answer 10

pumping creates a cone of depression AND a reverse cone of depression at the bottom that allows salt water to move up towards the well, now pulling up sea water. Once water replenishes, it is all salt water where freshwater used to be.

Question 11

what is the issue with sea level rise?

Answer 11

sea level rise increases storm surge which causes coastal flooding with salt water. Saltwater percolates into the ground, contaminating freshwater and causing a wider transition zone.

Question 12

why are some areas (Alaska) not experiencing sea level rise but rather sea level drop?

Answer 12

because land is rising up North due to ice melting and the geoid

Question 13

what is the geoid?

Answer 13

a map showing variation in masses, a change in gravitational pull by shifting water mass. Areas near ice melting see sea level fall

Question 14

elastic deformation

Answer 14

how Earth moves as it rebounds from removed ice, it causes East coast to subside faster than northern regions.

Question 15

does sea water intrusion affect sea level rise?

Answer 15

no, it mitigates the effects by pushing freshwater down and storing saltwater.

Question 16

what does sea water intrusion do to environments?

Answer 16

promotes Nitrogen and Carbon release which causes eutrophication, inland migration of tidal forests, and soil degradation

Question 17

what are the key transitional marine environments?

Answer 17

-estuaries
-barrier islands
-deltas
-coastal cliffs

Question 18

what are estuaries?

Answer 18

rivers lacking in sediments meet the ocean, high energy systems that are tidal dominant

Question 19

what are deltas?

Answer 19

rivers full of sediments meet the ocean, low energy systems with weak tides

Question 20

what are barrier islands?

Answer 20

rivers full of sediments meet the ocean, high energy systems with strong ocean currents and longshore drift

Question 21

what are coastal cliffs?

Answer 21

erosional landform (no river), high energy system with wave erosion

Question 22

how do estuaries form?

Answer 22

forms with a greater inflow of freshwater than sea water influx

Question 23

characteristics of estuaries?

Answer 23

nutrient rich ecosystems, brackish water, sediments settle in benthic zone

Question 24

what are the estuary types?

Answer 24

1. lagoon
2. coastal plain
3. tectonic
4. fjord

Question 25

how do deltas form?

Answer 25

sediment deposition at river mouth, creates wetlands and characterized by sediment deposition

Question 26

how do you classify deltas?

Answer 26

types of deltas based on sediment, waves, and tides. -Arcuate -Bird's Foot -Cuspate -Tectonic

Question 27

what are deltaic wetlands?

Answer 27

freshwater marshes and swamps that contain freshwater vegetation

Question 28

deltas vs. estuaries

Answer 28

deltas are sediment driven, relatively freshwater, less tidal influence. Estuaries are partially closed (barrier island), limited sediment input, and have a salt gradient

Question 29

how does marine life get nutrients?

Answer 29

from river runoff

Question 30

why do rivers have nutrients?

Answer 30

result of mineral weathering process

Question 31

what two things are submarine GW discharge good for?

Answer 31

1. important for nutrient cycling (nitrogen and carbon) 2. redox reactions promote this cycling

Question 32

what is subterranean estuary?

Answer 32

ecosystem that consists of a mixing zone between groundwater and sea water, where they meet beneath the coast. tides enhance the mixing (redox reactions)

Question 33

salt marshes

Answer 33

low area that is subject to gentle tides and dominated by grasses

Question 34

swamps

Answer 34

any wetland dominated by woody plants

Question 35

what forms behind barrier islands?

Answer 35

estuary features such as swamps or lagoons

Question 36

what is a barrier island?

Answer 36

geomorphic complex systems that form from longshore drift and waves and tides. has high and low energy systems

Question 37

what are the different types of estuary landforms?

Answer 37

salt marshes tidal flats swamps mangrove swamps

Question 38

what are the different kinds of nutrient sources to marine life?

Answer 38

- river runoff - ocean currents/upwelling (brings deep nutrients up) - marine sediments (benthic storage of marine life excrete when die) - atmospheric deposition (nitrogen input) - SGD - hydrothermal vents - tides (enhance redox reactions and mixing of FW and SW)

Question 39

nutrient sources in deltaic wetlands?

Answer 39

similar to estuaries, but more river, agricultural waste, sewage input causes rapid nutrient turnover, while estuaries have input from ocean tides which have slower nutrient turnover

Question 40

what are the 3 human impacts on marine ecosystems?

Answer 40

1. pollution 2. eutrophication 3. climate change (altering ocean chemistry)

Question 41

what are some ecological services of marine ecosystems?

Answer 41

CO2 absorption, O2 production, nutrient cycling, and storm protection

Question 42

what are some economic services of marine ecosystems?

Answer 42

food, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas reserves, and recreation

Question 43

what controls biological productivity zones in deep marine ecosystems?

Answer 43

light and depth of water

Question 44

what controls light and depth of water?

Answer 44

the depth of the ocean floor which depends on features such as continental shelf, slope, abyss, and trenches

Question 45

what does the abyss consist of?

Answer 45

hydrothermal vents that are nutrients for local biodiversity

Question 46

what leads to organic matter production?

Answer 46

photic zones

Question 47

what is thermohaline?

Answer 47

ocean circulation, known as a conveyor belt

Question 48

what do deep ocean ecosystems depend on?

Answer 48

thermohaline effect

Question 49

what happens in upwelling zones?

Answer 49

high biological productivity zones where rocks with high organic matter form

Question 50

what rocks form from organic matter and clay rich sediments?

Answer 50

shale that contains high amounts of organic matter

Question 51

why are shale rocks important?

Answer 51

they are the source rocks that form oil and gas over geologic time

Question 52

what is hydraulic fracturing?

Answer 52

high pressure fluid injection to fracture low-permeability shale for oil and gas

Question 53

why is coal being replaced by natural gas?

Answer 53

we have a lot more natural gas resources and produce 50% less CO2 but impacts are complex due to methane leaks

Question 54

what are the 2 parts clean coal?

Answer 54

1. pollution control 2. carbon capture and storage/sequestration

Question 55

what is coal washing?

Answer 55

crushing and washing coal to remove ash and sulfur

Question 56

clean coal vs. natural gas

Answer 56

clean coal is economically challenging, and natural gas offers CO2 reduction but unknown methane leaks

Question 57

what is the short-term solution?

Answer 57

natural gas

Question 58

how are oil and gas produced?

Answer 58

- conventional methods (vertical drilling) - unconventional methods (horizontal drilling)

Question 59

how long has fracking been done?

Answer 59

since the 1940s

Question 60

what is the main concern of fracking?

Answer 60

groundwater contamination, but there has been no reported cases.

Question 61

what is the deal with earthquakes and fracking?

Answer 61

fracking was thought to be causing induced earthquakes, but there is no link between fracking and earthquakes but rather the earthquakes but rather coming from the wastewater disposal.

Question 62

waste retention ponds and potential impacts?

Answer 62

wastewater could flood during a flood event and contaminate groundwater because of overdraft of GW which leads to degradation of quality

Question 63

what happens to water injected during fracking?

Answer 63

water mixes with the source rocks, the mixing produces wastewater with oil and gases

Question 64

what is the wastewater management for fracking?

Answer 64

wastewater is disposed in deep wells, and the overuse of this disposal is what causes the earthquakes.

Question 65

what is the new mandate that came in on December 6, 2018?

Answer 65

allows for this wastewater and radioactive material to de-ice roads and send it into the air and environments.