Reference no: EM132466856
Assignment - Water Pollution-Plant Nutrients
First, review the biogeochemical cycles from chapter 2 - pages 39-45.
Activity - Water Pollution from Nitrates
Q1. Why do we have to fertilize crops with synthetic N but natural systems don't? (hint - recheck the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle).
Q2. Name 4 ways humans pollute waterways with nitrogen.
Q3. There are 6 "rules" given for fertilizer use, name your favorite three.
Q4. Excess nitrates in drinking water can cause 3 medical problems in humans. Name and define them.
Q5. What is a manure "lagoon"?
If you do not have access to the book website, do the following for the nitrates part of this assignment: Answer the questions posed below:
Q1. What does "10 parts per million" really mean?
Q2. Where is the main reservoir of P in its biogeochemical cycle? (i.e. where is most of it)
Q3. What are the main sources of P pollution in aquatic systems?
Q4. What is the source for the P in fertilizers? See if you can determine how is obtained and where in the world it occurs.
Q5. What is an "algae bloom" and why can they be very bad for an aquatic ecosystem?
Q6. Are all algae blooms a bad thing? Explain.
Q7. What is Atrazine? And, what are its associations with water pollution?