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Benthic Organisms As Water Quality Indicators

Benthic Organisms As Water Quality Indicators. Mr. Christensen. Objectives for Today. Understand the use of biological indicators for assessing water quality Learn to capture, handle and identify macroinvertebrates

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Benthic Organisms As Water Quality Indicators

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  1. Benthic Organisms As Water Quality Indicators Mr. Christensen

  2. Objectives for Today • Understand the use of biological indicators for assessing water quality • Learn to capture, handle and identify macroinvertebrates • Learn to associate macroinvertebrate presence or absence with levels of water quality

  3. The Concept Of Biological Indicators • The presence, condition, and numbers of the types of fish, insects, algae, and plants can provide accurate information about the health of a specific river, stream, lake, wetland, or estuary. • Used to characterize current water quality status and to track and predict significant change.

  4. Biological Indicators • Evaluating the health of a body of water through the use of biological indicators is called biological assessment. • Water quality can include: dissolved oxygen, pollutants, algal growth and ph levels.

  5. From Managing Michigan Ponds for Sport Fishing MSU Extension Bulletin E-1554

  6. Why Use Biological Indicators? • By observing directly the plants and animals that live in bodies of water—we can---. • Set protection or restoration goals. • Determine what to monitor and how to interpret.

  7. Why Use Biological Indicators • Prioritize stressors and choose control measures. • Assess and report the effectiveness of management actions.

  8. What Are Benthic Macroinvertebrates • Benthic = bottom. • Macro = large. • Invertebrate = animal without a backbone.

  9. Benthic Macroinvertebrates • Aquatic invertebrates that live in the bottom parts of our waters and make good indicators of watershed health. • Live in water all or part of its life cycle usually the nymph or larval stage (complete or partial metamorphosis).

  10. Why Benthic Macroinvertebrates Are Good Indicators of Water Quality • Live in the water for all or most of their life • Stay in areas suitable for their survival • Are easy to collect • Are easy to identify in a laboratory

  11. Why Good Indicators-continued • Often live for more than one year • Have limited mobility • Are good indicators of local environmental conditions

  12. Levels of Sensitivity • Sensitive—stoneflies, water penny beetles, mayflies, dobsonflies, alderflies, snipe flies, mussels, riffle beetles, (trout)

  13. Levels of Sensitivity • Moderate—damselflies, dragonflies, crayfish, amphipods, blackflies, caddisflies isopods, craneflies, (catfish)

  14. Levels of Sensitivity • Pollution tolerant--midge flies (blood- worms), worms, leeches, pouch snails, (carp)

  15. ISOPOD (SOWBUG) MAYFLIES LEECH CRAYFISH From: www.epa.gov/indicators/html/benthosclean.html

  16. Found at --http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000/rbp/s19a.jpg

  17. Lets Get to Work From www.cpawscalgary.org/education/pdf/pond-study-lesson-plan.pdf

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