Category: Ecology

Dammed River Reservoirs

Dammed River Reservoirs

Dammed River Reservoirs

07/17/26

“How can we dam rivers to create reservoirs?”

People can create reservoirs to store water. One way is to install a dam over a river, bringing its flow to a near halt and practically turning the water body into a lake. These Dammed River Reservoirs can hold vast amounts of water throughout the year. Water is typically still let out through controlled release. Dams can release enough water to generate hydropower. Dammed river reservoirs can protect against floods by concentrating water upstream and releasing only a paltry amount downstream. Dammed river reservoirs can be environmentally catastrophic (especially for Indigenous livelihoods), and people may remove dams to restore the natural environment. Damned river reservoirs are also liable to sedimentation buildup and algae blooms from the stopped flow.

Net Primary Productivity

Net Primary Productivity

Net Primary Productivity

07/13/26

“How do we quantify the rate of new biomass by photosynthesizers after accounting for keeping themselves alive?”

Primary productivity measures the rate of new biomass growth by photosynthesizers. However, these organisms will need to use some of the energy they receive from the sun to keep themselves alive. Consequently, these organisms will only have the Net Primary Productivity, or biomass growth rate, accounting for the energy used to keep themselves alive. Photosynthesizing organisms use the former to grow themselves, and the latter to sustain themselves.

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

07/12/26

“How can we define an organism’s food chain position based on its energy level?”

Organisms at the bottom of food chains use primary production to gain biomass, while those higher up use secondary production. The higher up the food chain you go, the lower the energy potential there is. Ecologists have termed the food chain level an organism is at by their potential energy as their Trophic Levels.

Secondary Productivity

Secondary Productivity

Secondary Productivity

07/11/26

“How can we quantify the rate at which ecological consumers create new biomass?”

Biomass is the amount of mass that exists within living organisms. Some organisms, like animals, fungi, and many microorganisms, consume organic matter to create their own biomass. Because this organic matter was not created by sunlight but by consuming other biological organisms, the rate at which the new biomass is created is quantified as Secondary Productivity. Secondary productivity is expressed in units of mass per volume per unit of time and conceptualizes how biomass is transferred from one part of the food chain to the next.

Primary Productivity

Primary Productivity

Primary Productivity

07/10/26

“How can we quantify the rate at which organic matter is created by photosynthesis in a given area?”

Certain organisms, such as green plants and algae, create organic matter/biomass from solar energy using photosynthesis. The amount of biomass created by photosynthesizing organisms in a given area per unit time is quantified as Primary Productivity. Primary productivity is the foundation of most ecosystems. 

Ghost Forests

Ghost Forests

Ghost Forests

07/01/26

“How can saltwater intrusion seriously harm forests?”

Saltwater damages freshwater trees. Consequently, saltwater intrusion into coastal forests leads to wide swaths of destruction, leaving Ghost Forests in its wake. Sea-level rise from climate change is already leading to a proliferation of ghost forests. Ghost forests are an increasingly common sight in the U.S. Southeast.

Hypertrophic Lakes

Hypertrophic Lakes

Hypertrophic Lakes

06/30/26

“What is the highest level of algal contamination for lakes?”

A lake’s trophic state index determines its algal power. Lakes at the highest end of the index (above 70) are classified as Hypertrophic Lakes. Hypertrophic lakes have very poor water quality and low water visibility. Algal overgrowth can be so intense that animals die off en masse from lack of dissolved oxygen.

Trophic State Index

Trophic State Index

Trophic State Index

06/28/26

“How can we quantify algal bloom intensity?”

Algal blooms in water bodies result from high nutrient load and strong environmental conditions. The associated biological productivity can be measured by the Trophic State Index. The trophic state index captures the amount of light striking the surface of a water body, the concentration of particulate matter, and the physical measuring depth to determine the algal bloom intensity.

Why Saltwater Kills Freshwater Trees

Why Saltwater Kills Freshwater Trees

Why Saltwater Kills Freshwater Trees

06/25/26

“Why does saltwater kill freshwater trees?”

Trees require water to live. However, saltwater is toxic to trees not adapted to it. Saltwater impedes roots’ ability to absorb water, is toxic to plant cells, damages roots, and hurts oxygen delivery to trees. This is Why Saltwater Kills Freshwater Trees.