5.0 UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
List the roles plants play in a healthy aquatic ecosystem. - CORRECT ANSWER - -Producing
oxygen for other organisms
-Preventing shoreline erosion
-Lessening excess nutrients
-Stabilizing the lake bottom
-Providing food/habitat
List ways that excessive plant growth can adversely affect the ecology and uses of a water body.
- CORRECT ANSWER - -Harms the ecology
-Prevents recreational water use
-Makes drinking water smell/taste bad
-Hampers water treatment operations
-Produces toxins that are harmful to drink
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal, and potential problems caused by
emergent aquatic plants. - CORRECT ANSWER - Growth habits: arrowhead, cattail
Means of dispersal: underground roots
Problems: purple loosestrife
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal, and potential problems caused by
submerged aquatic plants (both pond weeds and plants with whorled leaves). - CORRECT
ANSWER - Growth habits: curly pondweed vs. coontail
, Means of dispersal: runners vs. wind/water
Problems: N/A vs. restricts boating and swimming
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal, and potential problems caused by free-
floating and rooted floating-leaved aquatic plants. - CORRECT ANSWER - Growth habits:
duckweed vs. pond lily
Means of dispersal: wind vs. roots
Problems: hard to get rid of vs. N/A
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal, and potential problems caused by free-
floating, filamentous, and "rooted" algae. - CORRECT ANSWER - Free-floating: blue-green
algae, growth limited by phosphates, release toxic compounds
Filamentous: anchor themselves to rocks, weeds, etc., long and stringy
Rooted: rooted to bottom with bristly stems and branches, Chara and Nitella
List the advantages and disadvantages of chemical control of aquatic plants and algae. -
CORRECT ANSWER - (+) Longer lasting control than mechanical
(+) Less physical labor
(+) Costs less
(+) Selective chemical options
(-) Restrictions on water use
(-) Oxygen depletion, sudden release of nutrients
(-) Risk to people, nontarget organisms