5.0 Aquatic & Mosquito Exam 2025
Questions and Answers
List the roles plants play in a healthy aquatic ecosystem. - ....ANSWER ...--
producing oxygen
-preventing shoreline erosion
-lessening excess nutrients during growing season
-stabilizing lake bottom
-providing food and habitat for fish, waterfowl, and other aquatic animals
List ways that excessive plant growth can adversely affect the ecology and uses of a water
body. - ....ANSWER ...--harm ecology of aquatic ecosystem
-curtail or prevent recreational water uses (e.g. fishing, boating, swimming)
-impart tastes or odors to drinking water
-hamper water treatment operations
-adversely affect aesthetics, resort trade, and waterfront property values
-produce toxins that harm animals drinking the water
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Emergent aquatic plants - ....ANSWER ...--*growth habits*: rooted in shallow
water, most growth above water
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 1
,-*means of dispersal*: underground root systems
-*potential problems*: very dense and may exclude recreational pursuits like boating,
fishing, and swimming. Purple loosestrife is an example of a problem species.
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Submergent aquatic plants (both pondweeds and plants with whorled leaves) -
....ANSWER ...--*growth habits*: grow mostly under water surface, pondweeds
sometimes have floating leaves in addition to their submerged leaves; whorled-leaf
plants grow underwater with whorled leaf attachments
-*means of dispersal*: pondweeds have extensive root systems, runners, and can also
reproduce from seeds; plants with whorled leaves can disperse when uprooted by
breaking free and getting moved by the wind
-*potential problems*: most pondweeds not nuisance except for curlyleaf pondweed and
sometimes sago pondweed; whorled leaf plants can uproot and break free easily and drift
with wind to clutter shoreline; Eurasian watermilfoil is an aggressive non-native that can
affect habitat and restrict recreation. Raking is required to remove these clutters.
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Free-floating and rooted floating-leaved aquatic plants - ....ANSWER ...--
*growth habits*: occur on water surface and can be free-floating or rooted with large
floating leaves
-*means of dispersal*: free floating plants are easily windblown. rooted ones not so
much
-*potential problems*: free-floating plants accumulate on shorelines and are difficult to
control in large waterbodies; rooted plants are rarely a nuisance.
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 2
,Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Free-floating, filamentous, and "rooted" algae - ....ANSWER ...--*growth
habits*: found free-floating (planktonic) or attached to submerged surfaces (filamentous
or "rooted").
-*means of dispersal*: multiply rapidly in warm weather;
-*potential problems*: free-floating algae responsible for many nuisance algal blooms
(release toxin, low DO, blue-green algae); removing rooted algae can allow worse
species to come in so don't mess with them.
List the advantages and disadvantages of chemical control of aquatic plants and algae -
....ANSWER ...-*Advantages*:
-offer longer-lasting control than some mechanical methods
-less physical labor
-ultimately cost less
-important tool for specific nuisance plants/algae such as Eurasian watermilfoil and
purple loosestrife
*Disadvantages*:
-restrictions on water use
-oxygen depletion and fish kills
-sudden nutrient release into water can lead to other plant or algae problems
-risk to people and nontarget organisms
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 3
, Describe the beneficial roles of Wisconsin's fish populations. - ....ANSWER ...--
maintain balanced communities by feeding on aquatic plants, insects, and other fish &
provide a food source for natural predators
-fishing for food/sport is popular in WI and ddepends on healthy populations
-fish farms and hatcheries raise fish for food, feed, fertilizer, bait, and to release
List 5 types of situations in which fish control may be warranted - ....ANSWER ...--
eliminating undesirable or competing fish from fish rearing ponds
-removing exotic and other undesirable species from a waterbody
-thinning stunted fish to bring a population into balance
-eliminating fish from a hatchery water supply to prevent a potential reservoir of disease-
causing organisms
-treating fish spawning sites to prevent overpopulation of an individual species
Explain why post-treatment management can be important in the long-term success of a
pesticide treatment project. - ....ANSWER ...--because when fish populations are
lowered, density-dependent population growth allows the population to rebound if not
managed post-treatment
Know the Law: Who do you need to get approval from to conduct any chemical
treatment for fish control? - ....ANSWER ...-WI DNR Aquatic Plant Management
Program
List the 2 main reasons why mosquito control may be warranted. - ....ANSWER ...-
-nuisance
-disease
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 4
Questions and Answers
List the roles plants play in a healthy aquatic ecosystem. - ....ANSWER ...--
producing oxygen
-preventing shoreline erosion
-lessening excess nutrients during growing season
-stabilizing lake bottom
-providing food and habitat for fish, waterfowl, and other aquatic animals
List ways that excessive plant growth can adversely affect the ecology and uses of a water
body. - ....ANSWER ...--harm ecology of aquatic ecosystem
-curtail or prevent recreational water uses (e.g. fishing, boating, swimming)
-impart tastes or odors to drinking water
-hamper water treatment operations
-adversely affect aesthetics, resort trade, and waterfront property values
-produce toxins that harm animals drinking the water
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Emergent aquatic plants - ....ANSWER ...--*growth habits*: rooted in shallow
water, most growth above water
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 1
,-*means of dispersal*: underground root systems
-*potential problems*: very dense and may exclude recreational pursuits like boating,
fishing, and swimming. Purple loosestrife is an example of a problem species.
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Submergent aquatic plants (both pondweeds and plants with whorled leaves) -
....ANSWER ...--*growth habits*: grow mostly under water surface, pondweeds
sometimes have floating leaves in addition to their submerged leaves; whorled-leaf
plants grow underwater with whorled leaf attachments
-*means of dispersal*: pondweeds have extensive root systems, runners, and can also
reproduce from seeds; plants with whorled leaves can disperse when uprooted by
breaking free and getting moved by the wind
-*potential problems*: most pondweeds not nuisance except for curlyleaf pondweed and
sometimes sago pondweed; whorled leaf plants can uproot and break free easily and drift
with wind to clutter shoreline; Eurasian watermilfoil is an aggressive non-native that can
affect habitat and restrict recreation. Raking is required to remove these clutters.
Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Free-floating and rooted floating-leaved aquatic plants - ....ANSWER ...--
*growth habits*: occur on water surface and can be free-floating or rooted with large
floating leaves
-*means of dispersal*: free floating plants are easily windblown. rooted ones not so
much
-*potential problems*: free-floating plants accumulate on shorelines and are difficult to
control in large waterbodies; rooted plants are rarely a nuisance.
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 2
,Describe the general growth habits of, means of dispersal and potential problems caused
by: Free-floating, filamentous, and "rooted" algae - ....ANSWER ...--*growth
habits*: found free-floating (planktonic) or attached to submerged surfaces (filamentous
or "rooted").
-*means of dispersal*: multiply rapidly in warm weather;
-*potential problems*: free-floating algae responsible for many nuisance algal blooms
(release toxin, low DO, blue-green algae); removing rooted algae can allow worse
species to come in so don't mess with them.
List the advantages and disadvantages of chemical control of aquatic plants and algae -
....ANSWER ...-*Advantages*:
-offer longer-lasting control than some mechanical methods
-less physical labor
-ultimately cost less
-important tool for specific nuisance plants/algae such as Eurasian watermilfoil and
purple loosestrife
*Disadvantages*:
-restrictions on water use
-oxygen depletion and fish kills
-sudden nutrient release into water can lead to other plant or algae problems
-risk to people and nontarget organisms
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 3
, Describe the beneficial roles of Wisconsin's fish populations. - ....ANSWER ...--
maintain balanced communities by feeding on aquatic plants, insects, and other fish &
provide a food source for natural predators
-fishing for food/sport is popular in WI and ddepends on healthy populations
-fish farms and hatcheries raise fish for food, feed, fertilizer, bait, and to release
List 5 types of situations in which fish control may be warranted - ....ANSWER ...--
eliminating undesirable or competing fish from fish rearing ponds
-removing exotic and other undesirable species from a waterbody
-thinning stunted fish to bring a population into balance
-eliminating fish from a hatchery water supply to prevent a potential reservoir of disease-
causing organisms
-treating fish spawning sites to prevent overpopulation of an individual species
Explain why post-treatment management can be important in the long-term success of a
pesticide treatment project. - ....ANSWER ...--because when fish populations are
lowered, density-dependent population growth allows the population to rebound if not
managed post-treatment
Know the Law: Who do you need to get approval from to conduct any chemical
treatment for fish control? - ....ANSWER ...-WI DNR Aquatic Plant Management
Program
List the 2 main reasons why mosquito control may be warranted. - ....ANSWER ...-
-nuisance
-disease
…FOR STUDENTS ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 4
