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Part 1: Biotic Indicators

Fresh Water Studies: Water Quality & Living Organisms. Part 1: Biotic Indicators. Tuckahoe Swamp. Photo: M.B. Elder. Aquarium. Photo: M.B. Elder. Abiotic Factors. Abiotic Factors. “abiotic”- without life

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Part 1: Biotic Indicators

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  1. Fresh Water Studies: Water Quality & Living Organisms Part 1: Biotic Indicators

  2. Tuckahoe Swamp Photo: M.B. Elder

  3. Aquarium Photo: M.B. Elder

  4. Abiotic Factors

  5. Abiotic Factors • “abiotic”- without life Refers to those environmental factors that are not alive, the non-living components of the environment.

  6. Abiotic Factors 1. Temperature

  7. Abiotic Factors Factors that Affect Water Temperature Air Temperature Amount of shade Which water will be warmer?

  8. Soil erosion increasingturbidity

  9. 4. Thermal pollution from human activities Temperature increases from human activities Photo: Dominion Virginia Power – North Anna Power Station

  10. Confluence of streams Photo: Virginia Academy of Science

  11. Abiotic Factors 1. Temperature

  12. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved)

  13. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved) Where does the oxygen come from? How does it get into the water?

  14. Diffusion from atmosphere Aeration as water moves over rocks and debris Aeration from wind and waves AND Photo: NOAA

  15. Photosynthesis from aquatic plants Photo: M.B. Elder

  16. Factors that affect DO levels are: • Temperature of water • Decaying plants in the water • Flow Rate • Human activity • Altitude and atmospheric pressure Photo: M.B. Elder

  17. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved) • pH

  18. What is pH? 0-7 water is acidic (more H+ ions, less OH- ions) 7 water is neutral (equal number of H+ and OH- ions) 7-14 water is basic (less H+ ions, more OH- ions)

  19. What is the optimum freshwater pH? Rainfall: 5 – 6.5 Most freshwater systems: 7 - 8 Most aquatic organisms: 6.5 – 8.2

  20. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved) • pH • Turbidity

  21. Turbidity- An optical property of water based on the amount of light reflected by suspended particles. –USEPA, 1999 Photos: M.B. Elder

  22. Secchi Disk Photo: M.B. Elder

  23. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved) • pH • Turbidity • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from hard water, fertilizer, urban runoff, acid rain, tidal mixing

  24. Abiotic Factors • Temperature • Oxygen (Dissolved) • pH • Turbidity • TDS • Stream Flow

  25. Stream Flow The volume of water that moves through a specific point in a stream during a given period of time.

  26. Stream Flow The volume of water that moves through a specific point in a stream during a given period of time. • Factors influencing water speed. • Depth of the water channel • Width of the water channel • Roughness of the stream bottom • Slope or incline of the surrounding terrain. • Factors influencing water volume • Weather or climate • Seasonal changes • Merging tributaries • Human impact

  27. Conclusion • Water quality is determined by conducting physical and chemical measurements of the ABIOTIC factors of a freshwater environment. • ABIOTIC factors include temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and stream flow. • ABIOTIC factors determine the BIOTIC factors (what can live) in the freshwater environment.

  28. Photo credits-used with Permission 13 - 15 * 16. National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 17 & 18 M.B. Elder 19 - 22 * 23 & 24 M.B. Elder 25 - 30 * * Background slide - R.B. Elder (all rights reserved) 1. R.B.Elder 2. M.B. Elder 3. M.B. Elder 4 - 9* 10. M.B. Elder 11. Dominion Virginia Power -North Anna Power Station 12. Virginia Academy of Science

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