2025 Area IV Envirothon - Water Quality & CEE #5

Evaporation

Occurs when liquid water turns to gas. There is always some vapor in the atmosphere.

Condensation

Water vapor changes into liquid water that condenses to form dew, fog, or clouds.

Most active cloud-forming particles

Sea salts, atmospheric ions caused by lightening, and combustion products containing sulfurous and nitrous acids.

Interception

Occurs when vegetal cover or depressions in the land interrupt the movement of water in the transportation events leading to streams.

Percolation

Movement of water in soil by gravity and capillary forces.

Vadose water

Water in the zone of aeration.

Groundwater

Water in the zone of saturation.

Transpiration (definition and purpose)

Water in plants is transferred from the plant to the atmosphere through leaf openings. Plants use this to move nutrients and cool leaves.

Impact of increased salinity

Negative impacts on soil structure, fertility, and plant growth.

Watershed

An area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet such as the outflow of a reservoir, mouth of a bay, or any point on stream channels.

Drainage divide

Ridges and hills that separate two watersheds.

Characteristics that control the amount of infiltration

Soil characteristics, soil saturation, ground cover, and slope.

1st - 3rd order streams

Headwater streams.

4th - 6th order streams

Medium streams

>7th order streams

River

Grab samples

Most common method for water missions. Give a snapshot of the water quality at a specific time and place.

Composite samples

Multiple samples taken over a period of time or at regular intervals.

Guidelines for water sampling at an open lake or river

Collect water samples from a location that provides a representative sample. Usually middle of the source at mid-depth.

Guidelines for water sampling at valves or tap stands

Allow water to run for 5 - 10 seconds to flush the valve.

Guidelines for water sampling at boreholes

Needs to be representative of the groundwater, not stangent and should be flushed if it has a pump.

Guidelines for water sampling of existing water systems

Samples are taken from the source and endpoint of the system.

Whirlpacks

Used with chlorine treated samples to neutralize the chlorine. Generally just for microbial testing.

Sample Label

Community name, water source, date, and collection time.

Factors for high levels of oxygen in aquatic ecosystems

Daytime, algae, rooted plants, surface water, and oxygen from the atmosphere.

Thermocline

Barrier that prevents mixing of the upper layers with the lower layers, Defines the photic zone.

pH

Affects photosynthesis. Logorithmic, not linear. Phgoti

Photic zone

Area in which photosynthesis occurs.

Acid rain pH

<5

Liebig’s lawe of the minimum

Elements less than the limiting factor allows for more photosynthesis and algal growth.

Microphytes

Algae and rooted aquatic plants. Primary producers in lake ecosystems. 85% of biomass.

Primary Consumers

Eat producers. 10% of biomass.

Secondary Consumers

Eat primary consumers. 5% of biomass.

Phyto plankton

Free floating forms (little green dots).

Periphyton

Attach to surfaces. If they attach to macrophytes they are epiphytes.

Filamentous algae

Stringly, attaches to submerged objects. Sign of a highly productive lake.

Macrophyes

Large, rooted lake plants. Either bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) or vascular plants with stems.

Littoral zone

Plant habitat.

Limnetic

Open water.

Thermocline

Photosynthesis barrier.

Profundal

Deep water.

Zooplankton

Crustaceans and invertebrates.

Water withdrawal

Agricultural irrigation. Results in less space, dissolved oxygen, food, and habitat.

Steps of biological water quality testing

Site selection, sampling organisms, habitat assessment, lab analysis, and biological indices.

Bio assessment - Defining goals for bodies of water

Information on one natural aquatic ecosystem can provide an idea of the expected conditions for other similar bodies of water.

Biological assessment

An evaluation of a waterbody’s health based on the structure and function of its biota.

Sampling techniques for bio assessment

Standardized field methods include kick nets, electrofishing, etc. Usually includes multiple habitat types, often paired with chemical testing.

Biologic indicators

Composition and abundance of species, pollution sensitive vs tolerant, signs of organism stress, presence of invasive or non-native species.

Stressor ID and CADDIS

Tools used to determine probable causes of impairment when stressors are not immediately clear.

Biological condition gradient level 1

Natural/undisturbed

Biological condition gradient level 2

Slight change, sensitive impact.

Biological condition gradient level 3

Moderate changes, some sensitive species lost.

Biological condition gradient level 4

Major changes, mostly tolerant species remain.

Biological condition gradient level 5

Severe changes, ecosystem function is impaired.

Biological condition gradient level 6

Complete degradation.

Fen

Peat forming, alkaline, ground-water fed wetlands that are sedge dominated and rich in biodiversity.

Bogs

Acidic peatlands, sphagnum moss, highly conservative plants and animals.

Marshes

Open wetlands, seasonally or permanently wet, non-woody vegetation.

Vernal pools

Small and shallow forested pools. No established fish populations.

Shrub swamps

Seasonally to permanently wet depressions dominated by shrubs.

Swamp forests

Seasonally wet flatlands. Non-riverine and floodplain.

Wet meadows

Open, sedge dominated seasonally wet grasslands.

Wet praires

Similar to wet meadows but with grasses.

Sustainable forest management

Maintains and enhances the long term health of forest ecosystems for the benefit of all living things while providing environmental, economic, social, and cultural opportunities.

Annual Allowable Cut (AAC)

The volume of timber that can be harvested sustainably each year from provincial crown lands, as estimated by professional foresters.

Paris Agreement

A legally binding international treaty on climate change aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Kunming-Montreal Protocol

An agreement focused on biodiversity and sustainabile management of forests to enhance forest sustainability.

Climate Adaptation

Adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects.

2023 Asia-Pacific Climate Week

Focused on addressing adaptation knowledge gaps and integrating traditional knowledge into climate action.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC)

An international treaty aimed at addressing climate change.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Provides guidelines and support for sustainable forest management practices globally.

ASEAN

Promotes cooperation in forestry among Southeat Asian Nations. Focuses on sustainable forest management and climate change.

Canada’s sustainable wood supply

215 million meters cubed

Industrial round wood harvested in 2021

147 million meters cubed (68% of sustainable supply).

Number of forest fires in 2023

5639

Area burned from forest fires

16543 square kilometers

Insect disturbance area

160,000 square kilometers

Climate change leading to hotter conditions results in…

More forest fires (and increased severity).

Deforestation leads to…

Increased global greenhouse gas emissions.

Paris Agreement leads to…

Countries having to submit Nationally Determined Contributions to reduce emissions and enhance resilience.

Insect outbreaks in forests lead to…

Disturbance of ecosystems and a reduction in timber supply.

Thalweg

The deepest part of a canyon. Primary navigable channel of a waterway. Often defines political and/or property boundaries in river law.

Benefits of wind for waterways

Improves circulation and natural aeration.

HABS

Harmful algal blooms. Presence and severity depends on nutrient loading from the watershed.

Pollution tolerance index

Measures stream health based on organisms’ tolerance to pollution.

Impact of urbanization on watersheds

Greater amount of impervious surfaces, resulting in larger flood events.

Most common non-point source pollutant

Silt

Only non-parastic lamprey

Least brook lamprey

Example of a primary consumer macroinvertebrate

Caddsfly

Cavity nesting birds

Wood ducks, prothonotary warblers, and common mergansers.

Macroinvertebrate used to perform rapid bio assessment

Stonefly, mayfly, and caddisfly.

Macroinvertebrate feeding habits

Shredders, collectors, grazers, and predators.

Causes of summer fish kills

Shallow ponds, thermal inversions, and chemical applications

Fish indices of warm water temperatures

Rainbow darter, small mouth bass, muskellunge, and the brindled madtom

Fish indices of cold water temperatures

Redside dace, brook stickleback, mottled sculpin, and the brook trout,

Tubifex Worm, Group 4

Bloodworm Midge Larva, Group 4

Leech, Group 4

Aquatic sowbug, Group 4

Pouch snail, Group 4

Scud, Group 3