©mathscience innovation center our backyard waterways : water quality and bioindicators presented...
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Our Backyard Waterways:
Water Quality and Bioindicators
Presented by: Rachel Martin
Day 2
Testing for Water Pollution
• pH• Temperature• Nitrates• Phosphates• Dissolved Oxygen• Ammonia• Conductivity or Total
Dissolved Solids• Fecal matter
pH• Optimal range 6.5 to 8.5 for a diverse aquatic life
• Sudden changes in pH levels can indicate pollution
• Long-term studies are most effective
Dissolved Oxygen
What factors contribute to changes in oxygen levels?
• Temperature: • COLD vs. HOT
• Aeration: • How does water speed impact oxygen levels?
• Photosynthesis: • How do plants add and deplete oxygen levels?
• Organic Matter: • As organisms decompose how does it affect
oxygen levels?
Nitrates
• Used to build proteins in plants and animals
• Households and farms add nitrates to our waterways
• Optimal range: 1.0 - 3 ppm
Phosphates
• Excess causes algae blooms
• Decrease dissolved oxygen
• Water temperatures rise
• Results in death of many organisms
Salinity
• Organisms living in estuaries must adapt to changing salinity levels
• Measured in ppt = 0/oo
• What can cause changes in salinity?
Hydrometer
• Which has a higher density: fresh or salt water?
• Which hydrometer contains salt water?
• Make your own!!!
Temperature• Fluctuations can
cause harm to aquatic life
• Temperature affects the amount of dissolved oxygen
• Changes the rate of chemical and biological reactions
Temperature
exposu re tosunlig ht
M ediumLow Low
Air Temperature
High
exposu re tosunlig ht
Amount of shade
Turbidity
Turbidity- An optical property of water based on the amount of light reflected by suspended particles.
Conductivity can be used to measure the cloudiness of the water.
Secchi Disk
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
Optimal Temperature Range
Organism Temp(°C)
Trout 5-20
Smallmouth Bass 5-28
Caddisfly larvae 10-25
Mosquito larvae 10-25
Carp 10-25
Catfish 20-25
Temperature
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
Dissolved Oxygen
Minimum DO Requirements
Organism DO (mg/l)
Trout 6.5
Smallmouth Bass 6.5
Caddisfly larvae 4.0
Carp 2.0
Catfish 2.5
Mosquito larvae 1.0
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
pH
Effects of pH on aquatic life
pH___________Effect__________________
4.0-4.5 All fish, most frogs, insects absent
5.0-5.5 Bacteria die. Detritus accumulates, locking up essential nutrients.
6.5-8.2 Optimal for most organisms
11.0-11.5 Rapidly lethal to all species of fish
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
• Naturally comes from rocks and soil
•If salts are high, dehydration occurs.
• Solids cause a laxative effect.
•Dissolved minerals can affect the pH, raising or lowering depending on the ions present.
How do abiotic factors affect freshwater organisms?
Turbidity
• High turbidity decreases sunlight which decreases the rate of photosynthesis.
• Water that is highly turbid will warm faster, decreasing the dissolved oxygen available for respiration of all organisms.
Electro-fishing
• Aquatic Insects
• Crustaceans
• Mollusks
Macroinvertebrates as BioindicatorsWhat are they?
• Sensitive to Changes
• Cannot easily escape changes
• Collected very easily
Macroinvertebrates as BioindicatorsWhy do we study them?
Job Example
• Predators dragonfly, damselfly, beetles
• Filter feeders mussels, fly larvae, midge larvae
• Scrapers snails, mayfly larvae
• Collectors worms, planarians
• Shredders amphipods, caddisfly larvae
Macroinvertebrates as BioindicatorsWhat is their role?
River Continuum Model
Group A: Very sensitive to Environmental Stresses
Stoneflies Mayflies Caddisflies Dobsonflies Water penny
Group B: Somewhat sensitive to Environmental Stresses
Dragonflies Craneflies Damselflies Crayfish Scuds
Group C: Tolerant to Environmental Stresses
Midges Leeches Snails Pouch Snails Blackfly larva
Macroinvertebrates as BioindicatorsHow do they indicate water
quality?
Acorn Naturalists
Damselfly: Somewhat Sensitive
Dragonfly: Somewhat sensitive
DobsonflyWide range of tolerance
Mayfly Very Sensitive
Stonefly Very Sensitive
Indicating Insects
• Use your resources (dichotomous keys, illustrations, books) to identify the macroinvertebrates from our sample stream.
• Goal: To determine the water quality of the stream.
Preserving Specimens
• Having a classroom specimen collection serves as a good reference for students and allows for closer investigation under magnification.
• Specimens can be preserved in rubbing alcohol (60 – 70 %).
• Place in small glass vials, preferably with screw-top lids.
Preserving Specimens
• To identify specimens: Use acid-free paper printed in 8 font with this information:– Name of organism– Name of body of water– Type of zone or microhabitat– Name or number of nearest road and distance
from road (GPS point)– County or city, and state– Date specimens were collected– Name of the collector