oce hw chapter 11
What happens after a surface oil spill? Choose all that apply.
- an oil slick is created - photooxidation occurs - emulsification occurs
Which of the following process(es) explain why DDT concentrations in predators such as osprey or bald eagles are higher than the DDT concentrations in their prey? Choose all that apply.
- bioaccumulation - biomagnification
Why is DDT still a concern today, even though it has now been banned in the United States for decades? Choose all that apply.
- choose all that apply. It is still found throughout the world's oceans - it is very toxic - even a small amount of DDT has an extremely detrimental impact on marine organisms - it lasts a long time in the environment without breaking down
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the cleanup of oil spills? Choose all that apply.
- cleanup efforts can create new hazards - cleaning up oil spills is difficult - cleaning up oil spills is expensive
How does mercury get into the ocean? Choose all that apply.
- industrial runoff - improper disposal of batteries - burning fossil fuels
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the danger levels of mercury poisoning? Choose all that apply.
- it is considered an "extreme danger" to eat large amounts of fish if the methylmercury concentrations in the fish are very high - it is considered a "possible hazard" to eat small quantities of fish if methylmercury concentrations in the fish are high - it is considered a "safe level" to eat small quantities of fish if methylmercury concentrations in those fish are low
Why is plastic debris such a big problem in the ocean? Choose all that apply.
- it photodegrades into small pieces that are ingested by marine organisms and birds - plastics absorb and concentrate toxins from the seawater and poison marine life when ingested - marine organisms and birds become entangled in plastic debris - Plastics float and are not readily biodegradable
Which of the following items is/are illegal to dump within 3 miles of the shore? Choose all that apply.
- metal, ground to less than 1 inch - food, ground to less than 1 inch - glass, ground to less than 1 inch - dunnage, ground to less than 1 inch - plastic, ground to less than 1 inch
Which of the following are by-products of an oil slick? Choose all that apply.
- mousse - methane vapor - tarballs
Which of the following items is/are illegal to dump within 3 to 12 miles of the shore? Choose all that apply.
- plastic, ground to less than 1 inch - dunnage, ground to less than 1 inch
Which of the following is/are responsible for releasing oil into the ocean? Choose all that apply.
- purposeful release by humans - spills during transport by ship - leaks during offshore drilling - natural seeps
Which of the following statements regarding the causes of oil and natural (methane) gas seeps and spills is/are correct? Choose all that apply.
- some natural (methane) gas is released into the atmosphere via natural gas seeps on the ocean floor - some natural (methane) gas is released into the atmosphere via photooxidation of surface oil slicks - some oil slicks are caused by natural oil seeps on the ocean floor - some oil slicks are caused by oil spills on the ocean surface
What is the concentration of DDT in seawater?
0.000003 parts per million
When was DDT banned in the United States?
1972
How much oil was released by the Deepwater Horizon spill?
2.4 million gallons per day for more than three months
What percent of marine debris is composed of plastic?
80%
What is the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation refers to the buildup of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism. Biomagnification refers to the concentration of impurities as animals are eaten and the impurity is passed through food chains.
Where did the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill occur?
Prince William Sound
According to the figure above, which organism has the highest concentration of DDT in their tissue due to biomagnification? How many times more concentrated is the DDT in the organism, compared to the water?
The osprey would have the highest concentration of DDT in its tissues. The concentration of DDT in the osprey would be 8,333,333 times higher than the concentration in the water
What causes emulsification of an oil slick?
evaporation of the lighter components in the oil
What is currently the largest oil spill in recorded history?
intentional release during the Persian Gulf War
Why was DDT intentionally released into the environment?
it was applied in swamps to kill mosquitos that spread malaria
What type of scale does the vertical, or y, axis use in this chart?
logarithmic
Why do fish in Minamata Bay have such high methylmercury concentrations?
methylmercury-laden wastewater was intentionally released into the ocean
What caused the Deepwater Horizon spill?
natural gas explosion
How does methylmercury make its way up the food chain?
phytoplankton to zooplankton to small fish to big fish
Which of the following materials is/are illegal to dump anywhere in the ocean?
plastic
If you wanted to avoid the effects of the biomagnification of certain marine pollutants, such as methylmercury, which of the following organisms would you want to avoid consuming?
shark, such as mako
