16.3 water quality key concept pollution of earth’s freshwater supply threatens habitat and health
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16.3 Water Quality
KEY CONCEPT Pollution of Earth’s freshwater supply threatens habitat and health.
16.3 Water Quality
Water pollution affects ecosystems.
• Pollution can put entire freshwater ecosystems at risk.– Sewage– Farm Run off
16.3 Water Quality
• Indicator species provide a sign of an ecosystem’s health.– amphibians– top predators– “Canary in a coal mine”
16.3 Water Quality
Indicator species examples
• Frogs have skin that is permeable to water and they spend their entire immature stage in the water
• This makes them a very valuable indicator species
16.3 Water Quality
16.3 Water Quality
Pollutants
Fat Soluble
Retained in tissues of body
Stored in body tissue
Water Soluble
Flushed out of body with water
Must be replaced each day
16.3 Water Quality
Biomagnification causes accumulation of toxins in the food chain.
• Pollutants can move up the food chain.– predators eat contaminated
prey– pollution accumulates at
each stage of the food chain
• Top consumers, including humans, are most affected.
16.3 Water Quality
Biomagnification
Measured in Parts
per million (ppm)
The movement of fat-soluble
pollutants through a food chain results in
higher concentration
in the top consumer.Zooplankton
0.123 ppm
Lake trout4.83 ppm
Smelt 1.04 ppm
Herring gull eggs 124
ppm
Phytoplankton
0.025 ppm
16.3 Water Quality
16.3 Water Quality
Biomagnification
• Examples: DDT, Mercury, PCB’s
16.3 Water Quality