Lecture 17: Potential Exam Questions

What factors could affect the depth of the thermocline in a lake (name three)?

Answer:
-water clarity
-nutrient levels
-seasonal weather variations and climate
-latitude

What is nutrient enrichment of an aquatic ecosystem? Also, explain the difference between two lake classifications with regards to nutrient levels.

Answer:
Eutrophication is the nutrient enrichment of an aquatic ecosystem that can be classified a eutrophic and oligotrophic. Eutrophic lakes are nutrient rich and oligotrophic lakes are nutrient poor.

State, in order from primary producer to top-predator, and describe each classification of plankton and fish with regard to lake ecosystem trophic cascades.

Answer:
-Phytoplankton: Algae, including greens, blue-greens, and diatoms
-Zooplankton: Animal plankton, including rotifers, copepods, cladocerans, and many more
-Planktivores: small fish including blue-gills, lake herring, whitefish, and more
-Piscivores: Large fish including bass, adult salmonids, and more
^^ could continue to say: predatory birds and mammals like cormorants, otters, mergansers, dippers, etc. ^^

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