Question 1

An artesian well occurs when ________________.

Accepted Answer

An artesian well occurs when an aquifer is trapped under pressure between two layers that are less permeable. This pressure forces water to rise to the surface without the need for pumping.

Question 2

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-Any obstruction placed in a river or stream to block flow

Accepted Answer

A dam is specifically designed to obstruct the flow of a river or stream.

Answer: C
 Aqueducts are man-made structures that are designed to transport water from one place to another, which can involve blocking the flow of a river or stream.

Answer: H
 A reservoir is a man-made body of water designed to store water, which can involve blocking the flow of a river or stream.

Note: Ogallala aquifer, aquifers, vernal pools, water table, pH, and watersheds are not specifically related to obstructing the flow of a river or stream. Bogs may affect water flow, but they are not specifically designed for this purpose.

Question 3

Of the following, ________________ characterize(s) an oligotrophic lake or pond.

Accepted Answer

Oligotrophic lakes or ponds are characterized by low nutrient levels, which limits the growth of algae and other aquatic plants, resulting in high oxygen concentrations due to less organic matter decomposing and consuming oxygen.

Question 4

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-Seasonal wetlands that form in early spring from snowmelt and rain and dry up as the weather warms

Accepted Answer

Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that form from snowmelt and rain in early spring and dry up as the weather warms.

Other options that could potentially fit include:
- D: Bogs are wetlands but they are typically not seasonal and are sustained by precipitation throughout the year.
- H: Reservoirs are man-made structures used for storing water, so they would not typically form as a result of snowmelt and rain.
- I: The water table is the underground depth at which soil and rock become saturated with water, so it is not directly related to the formation of seasonal wetlands.
- J: A watershed is an area of land that drains into a particular waterway, so while it may be related to the formation of wetlands, it is not specific to seasonal wetlands that form from snowmelt and rain.

Question 5

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-Ponds covered with aquatic vegetation: a stage in succession of aquatic ecosystems

Accepted Answer

Bogs are a type of wetland that accumulate peat, often have a significant amount of aquatic vegetation, and can represent a stage in the succession of aquatic ecosystems.

Question 6

Use the figure above to answer the following question
-The pair of mallard ducks in the figure eats floating plants such as duckweed, seeds of shoreline plants, and very small organisms at or near the surface. They would be most affected by any change to the __________________.

Accepted Answer

The mallard ducks eat floating plants and small organisms at or near the surface, which suggests that they are most likely found in the littoral zone (near the shore) or the limnetic zone (open water surface). Therefore, any change to the littoral or limnetic zones would have the greatest impact on their food sources and ultimately, their survival.

Question 7

Use the figure above to answer the following question
-Rooted freshwater plants cannot live below __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Use the figure above to answer...

Question 8

Of the following, ________________ best describes floodplains.

Accepted Answer

Floodplains are regions of land that are periodically flooded when a river overflows. They are natural areas that provide high levels of fertility due to the deposition of nutrient-rich sediments during floods. While human activity can alter floodplains, they are primarily a natural feature of river systems.

Question 9

We build dams to ________________.

Accepted Answer

Dams are primarily built to generate electricity, prevent flooding, and provide irrigation and drinking water. While some dams may improve the habitat for native fish, this is not the primary reason for building them. Draining wetlands for urban development and transforming watersheds into farms, towns, and recreational areas are not ecological benefits of dams, but rather potential negative consequences. Controlling the spread of waterborne diseases is not a benefit of dams, as they do not necessarily address the root causes of the diseases.

Question 10

Precipitation that falls on Earthʹs surface ________________.

Accepted Answer

Precipitation that falls on Earth's surface may take various pathways through surface water or groundwater flow. It may either evaporate, run off into rivers and lakes, seep into the ground to become groundwater, or be taken up by plants or other organisms.

Question 11

Humans allocate approximately 70% of their annual freshwater use for ________________.

Accepted Answer

According to multiple sources, including the United Nations and the World Wildlife Fund, approximately 70% of annual freshwater use by humans is allocated for agricultural irrigation and providing water for livestock.

Question 12

Use the figure above to answer the following question
-Frog eggs are usually attached to vegetation or rocks near the surface of a pond. Tadpoles can use essentially all areas of a shallow pond, or the top few feet of a deeper pond or lake. Adult frogs can live on land or in the water. A frogʹs life would be least likely to be disrupted by a change in the ___________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Use the figure above to answer...

Question 13

One-fifth of Earthʹs total fresh water supply is in ________________.

Accepted Answer

One-fifth of Earth's total fresh water supply is in groundwater.

Question 14

Freshwater wetlands provide important ecosystem services, including ________________.

Accepted Answer

Freshwater wetlands provide all of the ecosystem services listed, including filtering pollutants, slowing runoff, reducing flooding, and recharging aquifers. Wetlands are valuable habitats and play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

Question 15

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-Place where the groundwater zones of aeration and saturation meet

Accepted Answer

The water table is the boundary between the groundwater zones of aeration and saturation, where the pores in the ground are filled with both air and water.

Question 16

Water bodies where rivers flow into the oceans, mixing fresh water with saltwater, are called ________________.

Accepted Answer

Estuaries are semi-enclosed bodies of water where freshwater from rivers mixes with salty seawater, creating a unique and highly productive ecosystem. Mangroves and salt marshes are types of vegetation found in estuaries, but they do not describe the entire ecosystem. Littoral ecosystems refer to areas along the coastline where water meets land, but this term does not specifically refer to bodies of water where rivers meet oceans. Upwellings refer to the movement of nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface, but do not describe the type of water body formed where rivers meet oceans.

Question 17

Only about 2.5% of all the water on our planet is freshwater, however,________________ .

Accepted Answer

While only about 2.5% of all the water on our planet is freshwater, most of it is in polar ice caps, glaciers, and underground aquifers and is not easily accessed for human use. Over half of the freshwater on our planet is frozen in ice caps and glaciers, while much of the rest is in underground aquifers. Only a small portion of freshwater is easily accessible for human use, such as in rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Question 18

Oceans have absorbed approximately one-third of the excess carbon dioxide that humans have added to Earthʹs atmosphere so far. This has slowed the progression of global climate change, but it has led to ________________.

Accepted Answer

When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of the ocean and makes it more acidic. This process, known as ocean acidification, is harmful to many marine organisms, including shellfish and corals, as it makes it harder for them to form their shells and skeletons.

Question 19

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-Porous, sponge-like layers of rock, sand, or gravel that are capable of holding water

Accepted Answer

Aquifers are porous, sponge-like layers of rock, sand, or gravel that can hold and transmit water, making them crucial for groundwater storage.

Question 20

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
-The worldʹs largest known aquifer

Accepted Answer

The Ogallala aquifer is commonly known as the world's largest known aquifer.

Answer: I
 The water table is the level below which the ground is saturated with water and is a key factor in the formation and maintenance of aquifers.

Quiz 12: Fresh Water, Oceans, and Coasts

An artesian well occurs when ________________.

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following: -Any obstruction placed in a river or stream to block flow

Of the following, ________________ characterize(s) an oligotrophic lake or pond.

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following: -Seasonal wetlands that form in early spring from snowmelt and rain and dry up as the weather warms

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following: -Ponds covered with aquatic vegetation: a stage in succession of aquatic ecosystems

Use the figure above to answer the following question -The pair of mallard ducks in the figure eats floating plants such as duckweed, seeds of shoreline plants, and very small organisms at or near the surface. They would be most affected by any change to the __________________.

Use the figure above to answer the following question -Rooted freshwater plants cannot live below __________.