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Biology 3800 Aquatic Ecosystems Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00-10:50 AM,

Biology 3800 Aquatic Ecosystems Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00-10:50 AM, Jan 08-Apr 14, 2013 Place: LINC 1050 Instructor: Dr. Joseph B. Rasmussen—office hours by appt. Professor, Department of Biological Sciences Canada Research Council Chair in Aquatic Ecosystems

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Biology 3800 Aquatic Ecosystems Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00-10:50 AM,

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  1. Biology 3800 Aquatic Ecosystems Time: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00-10:50 AM, Jan 08-Apr 14, 2013 Place: LINC 1050 Instructor: Dr. Joseph B. Rasmussen—office hours by appt. Professor, Department of Biological Sciences Canada Research Council Chair in Aquatic Ecosystems Office: WE1050 WESB Phone: (403) 382-7182 Email: joseph.rasmussen@uleth.ca

  2. Lab Assignments—8% each I : The watershed and stream dynamics II. Morphometry and dynamics of lakes III: Primary production: calculation of 1o productivity IV. Phosphorus loading models and eutrophication V. Secondary producers: fish productivity and management

  3. Aquatic Ecosystems Definition of Eco-system System –many components functionally interacting most of these components are living organisms genetically unique and always changing (evolution) Composed of the biological community (many species populations) Interacting with the physical world Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are very different in their physical character and this has a major impact on the way nutrients cycle as well as on the types of organisms that are found there. -Key physical processes in aquatic systems—flow and sedimentation (mud) -flow brings nutrients into the system from the surrounding landscape (watershed), and cause them to be lost as well. Next: people who have played a major role in the development of Aquatic Ecosystem concepts

  4. Stephen Forbes,1887 “The Lake as a Microcosm” Founder of the Illinois Natural History Survey Well known for his work on aquatic insects and fishes, and for his description of aquatic food chains in small lakes and ponds. His writings stressed the isolated autonomous character, the separateness of lakes/ponds from the surrounding landscape.

  5. The Productivity of Waters and their Nutrient status Einar Naumann August Thienemann Founders of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology

  6. The thermal structure and energy budget of lakes, the thermocline Edward Birge and Chancey Juday sampling zooplankton in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin

  7. Trophodynamic processes Nutrient cycling in lakes G. Evelyn Hutchinson Yale University

  8. Charles S. Elton, • Fluctuations in numbers of animals • The food pyramid and the trophic web • also wrote the first book on the ecological impacts of exotic species invasions

  9. Eugene P. Odum, 1913 - 2002. Odum is widely considered to be the “Father” of ecosystem ecology Pioneered research into the use of radioactive tracers and dissolved oxygen cycles to study primary production in aquatic ecosystems. Author of Fundamentals of Ecology, 1953

  10. Cedar Bog Lake • Ph.D 1941 from the University of Minnesota • died at age 27 but is still remembered for “The trophic-dynamic aspect of ecology, Ecology 23: 399-418)” from his thesis work on Cedar Bog, Minnesota. • This paper has since become the foundation for research on the flow of energy in plant and animal communities. Raymond Lindeman 1915-42 energy flow through the foodweb could be analyzed by dynamic models Energetic efficiency of trophic levels

  11. Aquatic Ecosystems provide key resources E.g. fish, waterfowl, rice Ecosystem services that freshwater ecosystems provide • Water supply for drinking, agriculture and industry • Transport • Water storage • Hydroelectric power • Assimilation of pollutants • Recreation • Nutrient transport for fisheries • Ecosystem services are economically valuable services provided “free” by natural ecosystems. By free we mean either at no cost or at a cost well below that of a manufactured substitute. They are hard to place a value on.

  12. Transportation of people and goods

  13. Fouling of beaches by logging operations

  14. Dams and wiers for hydroelectric power, flood control, and water storage.

  15. Waste disposal Domestic and industrial

  16. Assimilative capacity The sewage treatment plant downstream from Lethbridge

  17. Agriculture is the biggest water user of all

  18. Recreation

  19. Management of Aquatic Resources Provincial Laws Water Act Water Allocation Environmental Protection & Enhancement Act Regional Planning Government Agencies Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Federal Laws Fisheries Act Fisheries Conservation Species at Risk Act Environmental Assessment Act Government Agencies Fisheries and Oceans, Canada Environment Canada

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