1. How did pesticides help make

    the American Bald

    Eagle an endangered species?

       Adult eagles were poisoned when they drank water with pesticides in it.

       Pesticides made the shells of Bald Eagle eggs weak and fragile.  The eggs broke before the baby eagles were ready to hatch and many baby eagles died.

       Pesticides killed the fish that eagles need for food.

2. The geology of the North Carolina Coastal

    Plain was formed by:

       Two continental plates that ran into each other billions of years ago

       Two continental plates that scraped each other as they moved past each other over billions of years

       Ocean sediments that were laid down when the Coastal Plain was under the Atlantic Ocean billions of years ago

3. Why do blackwater rivers have dark

    water?

       The water is full of sediment, which blocks the sunlight and makes the water look muddy.

       The water is colored by tiny particles of broken-down plant material, called tannins.

       These rivers are full of non-point source pollution, like the water that runs off of streets and parking lots when it rains.

4. How do scientists use satellites to make

    maps of ecosystems?

       Satellites collect the light that bounces off of the Earth's surface and record it in an image.  Different types of light bounce off of different plant communities.  This creates unique "signatures" that can be used to map ecosystems using satellite images. 

       Satellites take pictures of the Earth that can be used to map each tree in a forest.

       Satellites create waves of sound that travel through space and bounce off the surface of the Earth. The amount of time it takes for these sound waves to return to the satellite is different for different ecosystems.  This tells scientists what kind of ecosystem the satellite is flying over.

5. What are some common sources of

    nonpoint source pollution?

       Trash and liquid wastes dumped into streams by factories

       Chemical spills and oil spills

       Rainfall that runs off of farm fields and cities

Click below to find out how you did.  When you are done checking your answers, click on the bird at left.  It is time to begin exploring the Lower Cape Fear River Basin...

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