Freshwater Macroinvertebrates and Water Quality Parameters

Flashcards relating to key concepts of freshwater macroinvertebrates, aquatic plants, water quality parameters, and ecological relationships.

Macroinvertebrates

Organisms without a backbone that are visible to the naked eye, often used as bioindicators of water quality.

Bioindicator

A species or group of species whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

The amount of oxygen that is present in water, essential for aquatic life.

Nitrogen Cycle

The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms.

Eutrophication

A process where water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth, often leading to oxygen depletion.

Phosphates

Inorganic phosphorus compounds that are often limiting nutrients in freshwater ecosystems.

Turbidity

The cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles, which can reduce light penetration in water.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

A measure of the amount of oxygen that microorganisms will consume while decomposing organic matter in water.

pH

The measure of acidity or alkalinity of a solution, with optimal levels for freshwater being around 6.5 to 8.5.

Fecal Coliform

A group of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals used as an indicator of water contamination.