Science Olympiad Water Quality

fresh water

Naturally occurring water with low amounts of salt. Ocean water contains approximately 3.5 % salt and is not safe to drink for humans.

glacier

a mountain of ice, sometimes several square miles in area, that moves on the land. Glaciers trap large amounts of fresh water, and create many distinctive land forms through erosion and deposition.

groundwater

water that is located below the Earth's surface in the soil.

pollution

introduction of foreign substances or energy to an environment such that organisms in the environment are aversely affected.

potable

referring to water, safe for humans to drink.

renewable resource

a resource that is replenished after it is used by living things in a short period of time. Generally, if the overall concentration of the resource on Earth does not change over time, it is considered renewable.

reservoir

large holding area for fresh (or potable) water. This term may also refer to a generalized part of the water cycle (e.g. groundwater, glaciers).

resource

a material that may be used by living things to satisfy basic needs.

surface water

Water that exists on the Earth's surface, e.g. oceans, rivers, lakes.

transpiration

a process occurring in plants where water is moved from the ground into the atmosphere. Unlike evaporation, transpiration occurs as a biological process.

usable water

Water that may be used by living things to survive. Usually this term is applied to use by humans, and therefore, refers to fresh water.

water cycle

a generalized representation of the transitions and movements water undergoes throughout the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere. The water cycle is not an actual description of a path of water through time or space, but a summary of the transitions water undergoes as ice, water, and vapor.

watershed

the entire geographic area directly affected by a body of water.

percolation

movement of water through a partition or medium, usually accompanied by the water dissolving substances as it moves through the partition.

porosity

the amount of space between particles in a partition or medium.

riparian

referring to rivers and streams.

riparian buffer zone

an area near riverbanks where plants with extensive root systems are established to prevent excessive runoff.

sediment

soil or other material deposited by running water, wind, or other moving matter.

Altitude

distance above sea level.

contour interval

the difference in elevation (measured in feet) between two adjacent contour lines.

Contour line

on a topographic map, a continuous line of a given elevation. Numerals on contour lines represent feet above or below sea level.

Elevation

vertical distance. see Altitude.

index contour line

every 5th contour line on a map; these lines are bolder and often have the elevation above sea level printed on them.

Topographic map

a map of a region which indicates differences in elevation.

Tributary

a smaller stream or river that empties into a larger stream or river.

dissolved oxygen

The amount of oxygen dissolved in a water sample. Dissolved oxygen is an indicator of whether the water source can support life.

macroinvertebrates

small invertebrates that have various tolerances for pollution. If certain sensitive macroinvertebrates are thriving in a watershed, that watershed is probably not polluted.

non-point source pollution

a type of pollution that occurs because of widespread contamination, where no one source is the cause (e.g. agricultural runoff)

pH

a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a water sample. A low pH indicates acid conditions, and a high pH indicates alkaline conditions. Living things can only survive in a narrow range of pH (near pH 7).

point source pollution

a type of pollution that occurs from a specific location or a specific action (e.g. dumping raw sewage at a broken line).

Class 1 Name And Definition

Pollution sensivitive- these are indicator species {if you see them the water is non polluted.}

some types of pollution

oil,chemicial,waste,sendiment

class 2 name and definition

Moderately sensitive- these are not an indicator species because they can live in slightly polluted or non-polluted water.

One example of an evasive species

Zebra Mussle {another is the carp}

example of a nutrient cycle

The water cycle.

parts of the water cycle

evaporation, condesation, precipitation

class C name and def

Moderately tolerant-can live in a small amount of pollution.

class D name and definition

Pollution tolerant- These creatures can live in polluted water.

How much of the fish species live in freshwater?

45%

start of all food chains

THE SUN!!!!!

one of the main aquatic pretators

Sharks

The grandest and largest coral reef

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

marine ecosystems...

cover 71% of earths surface.

one thing a nutrient cycle has to do

be able to reproduce the cycle.

One of the things that harms marine enviorments is...

overfishing.

total amount of freshwater compared to all water

0.009%

lentic water

slower moving water: lakes,ponds,and rivers/still water

lotic water

faster water, like streams and rivers/ flowing water

wetland

Soil is saturated with water for at least part of the year.

Brackish water is...

a mixture of salt and fresh water.

Salinity is..

amount of salt in water.

Potable water is...

water fit for human consumption {drinking.}

Desalination is...

the process of removing salt and other unwanted substances from sea/salt water.

What animal is able to suck your blood and is in class C?

The Leech

What animals will we have to identify?

both adults and juviniles.

class 1 fly:

mayfly, caddisfly

a type of snail we will have to identify

air breathing snail

a beetle that we have to identify

water beetle

what class is a mosquito in???

class 5 - air breathing.

the top layer of the earths crust that also holds animals.

The crust

a watershed is...

it is an area of land where water runoff goes into a lake , resorvior, or a wetland

the 4 levels of ecological organization:

population-idividuals,same species, common geographical area

class 5 animals

Whirlgig beatle, Water strider , Mosquito, Giant water bug, Back swimmer,Water Boatman, Predacious Diving beatle

ecology is...

the study of how organisms interact with one anothe rand with their enviorment

the 2 enviorments

biotic- living species

watershed surface water management plans are implemented to:

reduce flodding,impove water quality,enhance straem and wetland habitat

all of the animals that no not make energy are called...

Consumers

different spicies interactions

neutrual- 2 species that don't interact at all

different competive interactions

INtraspecific- IN the same species

water quality

The term used to express the degree to which a body of water is suitable for multiple uses: drinking, household needs, recreation, fishing, transportation, and commerce.

decomposers & detrivores

decomposers-break down te remains of organisms

energy flow is..

one way!!!

first trophic level

contains the autotrophs which build energy containing molecules

2nd trophic level

Primary Consumers who eat the primary producers eg. incects deer grasshoppers and wildabeast

3rd trophic level

secondary consumers - carnivores who eat herbavores (owls, spiders, eagles, wolves)

4th trophic level

Tertiary Consumers,Secondary Carnivores, eat primary carnivores

linear food chainare rare in nature:true or false.......

True. many organisms feed off of the same species

ph is ....

hydrogen ion consentration

abiotic

not alive; non biological

acid

A solution that is a proton (H+) donor and has a pH less than 7 on a scale of 0-14.

acidity

a measure of how acid a solution is- the lower the pH, the greater this is

acid rain

Precipitation having a ph lower than the natural range of ~5.2 - 5.6; caused by sulfur and nitrogen derived from anthropogenic emissions.

acidification

The process by which acids are added to a water body, causing a decrease in its buffering capacity (also referred to as alkalinity or acid neutralizing capacity), and ultimately a significant decrease in pH that may lead to the water body becoming acidic

adhesion

The molecular force of attraction between unlike bodies that that acts to hold them together.

algae

Simple single-celled, colonial, or multi-celled aquatic plants. They are mostly microscopic plants that contain chlorophyll and grow by photosynthesis, and lack roots and stems.They absorb nutrients (carbon dioxide, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate and micronutrients) from the water or sediments, add oxygen to the water, and are usually the major source of organic matter at the base of the food web in lakes. Freely suspended forms are called phytoplankton; forms attached to rocks, stems, twigs, and bottom sediments are called periphyton.

alkalinity

Acid neutralizing or buffering capacity of water; a measure of the ability of water to resist changes in pH caused by the addition of acids or bases and therefore, the main indicator of susceptibility to acid rain; in natural waters it is due primarily to the presence of bicarbonates, carbonates and to a much lesser extent occasionally borates, silicates and phosphates.

anaerobic

Technically this means "without air" but in limnology it is used synonymously with "anoxic."

angle of incidence

Angle between direction of motion of waves and a line perpendicular to surface the waves are striking.

angle of reflection

Angle between direction of motion of waves and a line perpendicular to surface the waves are reflected from.

anions

Negatively charged ions.

anoxia

Condition of being without dissolved oxygen (O2).

anoxic

Completely lacking in oxygen.

anthropogenic

Human caused.

aquatic respiration

Refers to the use of oxygen in an aquatic system including the decomposition of organic matter and the use of oxygen by fish, algae, zooplankton, aquatic macrophytes, and microorganisms for metabolism.

atmospheric pressure

Measure of the pressure of the earth's atmosphere per unit area. It is 760 mm Hg at sea level and decreases with increasing elevation.

attenuation

Decrease.

aufwuchs

The community of algae and other microorganisms that attach to surfaces such as rocks, twigs, and aquatic plants; essentially the same as "periphyton" that means "attached algae."

base

A substance which accepts protons (H+) and has a pH greater than 7 on a scale of 0-14; also referred to as an alkaline substance.

basin

Geographic land area draining into a lake or river; also referred to as drainage basin or watershed.

benthic

Refers to being on the bottom of a lake.