Biodiversity, and Human Impacts With Q&A 2025/2026:
100% Verified Answers
1. Depth, light, temperature, velocity (currents), salinity, oxygen, nutrients (nitrates
and phosphates), suspended matter (silt), bottom substrate, annual average
precipitation, annual average temperature, latitude and altitude, soil type,
topography, and wind speed. - ANS>> What are the main abiotic conditions that
differ between aquatic and terrestrial biomes?
2. Coral reefs and estuaries. - ANS>> Which aquatic biomes have the highest
primary productivity and biodiversity?
3. Upwellings bring nutrients from the depths of the ocean to the surface,
supporting phytoplankton growth. - ANS>> What is the role of upwellings in
aquatic ecosystems?
4. The biomass sinks to the bottom where decomposers utilize the nutrients. -
ANS>> What happens to biomass when organisms die in aquatic environments?
5. It either runs downhill to join a river or its tributaries or percolates through the
soil to join groundwater. - ANS>> What are the two main pathways for rainwater
in a watershed?
6. Area, length, slope, soil type, vegetation type, and divides with adjoining
watersheds. - ANS>> What factors influence the flow of rainwater through a
watershed?
, 7. Cities, residential areas, livestock, cropland, and industrial sites. - ANS>> What
are common sources of pollutants in watersheds?
8. Dams can inhibit the flow of sediment along the river, affecting the ecosystem. -
ANS>> How can dams contribute to pollution in rivers?
9. Bycatch refers to the unintended capture of non-target species during fishing. -
ANS>> What is bycatch in commercial fishing?
10. It describes the depletion of shared resources, like fish populations, due to
unregulated fishing practices. - ANS>> What is the 'tragedy of the commons' in
relation to overfishing?
11. Implementing catch limits based on maximum sustainable yield, limiting the
age/size of fish caught, and modifying techniques to reduce bycatch. - ANS>>
What are some methods to make fishing more sustainable?
12. Critical ecosystems cover less than 1% of ocean area but support 25% of marine
species. - ANS>> What are critical ecosystems in the oceans, and what percentage
of marine species do they support?
13. Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel their symbiotic algae due to high
temperatures, leading to loss of food supply and color. - ANS>> What is coral
bleaching and what causes it?
14. They promote algal blooms, which, when decomposed, consume dissolved
oxygen and create dead zones. - ANS>> How do excess nutrients from
agricultural runoff affect aquatic ecosystems?