Alternate Summer Assignment for students NOT ON hike!
Week 2 Second Unit Test (First test on Cartoon Guide 1st Week Required by all)
Chaptes 8
1. Read Chapter 8
Complete the Review on page 180( Review 1-10) & know Review on page 47 (Review 1-10)
2.
Research Stream Ecology online and/or read the River Continuum Article linked here. Answer
the questions below on Stream Quality Assessments. You are welcome to visit another source.
The Deerfield River Watershed Association (DRWA) along with many others are wonderful.
Numerous factors, both biotic and abiotic, influenced the dynamics of the system. Overall, there
are two ways to assess quality of streams. The most common way is chemical testing but there are
many disadvantages to this method. On the mountain trip we will be using chemical water test kits
to determine levels of Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen, Phosphate in the Cold River. The
second method of measuring water quality is Macro invertebrate assessment. Understanding the
biota of the stream and monitoring their health over time can offer critical information on the
health of the stream. The students decided to perform water quality tests on their model system.
List three water-quality tests that could be conducted and explain what information each test
provides. Include in your answers a description of the impact of each factor on the health of the
stream system.
A. Describe the many types of Abiotic tests useful in determining stream ecology by filling in
the chart below. The first column indicated the chemical test, the second column should be
the information gathered from the test and the third column should contain the impact of that
particular chemical test. Complete the Chart below.
B.
Water Quality Test
Information
Impact
Required for aerobic respiration (decomposition),
Amount of dissolved
Decreased DO and Decreased viability of eggs and
Dissolved Oxygen
oxygen
larvae
Presence of chlorine,
Specific to smell, rotten, decomposition, lack of oxygen,
Odor
H2S, sewage, etc.
contaminants...
Alkalinity
Turbidity (Secci disk)
Suspended Solids
Carbon Dioxide
pH
Ammonia
Nitrate (NO3–) (N)
Nitrites (NO2–)
Phosphates (PO43–)
(P)
Salinity
Heavy Metals e.g.
lead, mercury,
cadmium
Other macro or
Micronutrients (K,S)
Chlorine
B Describe how the introduction of high levels of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates into
the system would impact. Where might these nutrients come from?
C. Different kinds of macro invertebrates have varying tolerances (or sensitivities) to pollution
and/or to changes in habitat and water chemistry conditions. The different features of a macro
invertebrate community (pollution sensitivity, abundance, diversity) or community metrics tell
us about the quality or health of the water body. Describe the many types of organisms
useful in determining stream ecology by filling in the chart below. The first column indicates
the organism, the second column should be the information on the type of environment in the
stream where the organism is found and finally, the third column should contain the stream
reach they are most commonly found. Read the article. Complete the Chart below.
Macro invertebrate
Information
Stream Reach
Mayfly
Sensitive, requires clean well oxygenated water
headwaters
stonefly
caddisfly
(true flies) dipterans
nematodes
cranefly
dragonflies
crayfish
dobsonfly