2004 CANON INTERNATIONAL ENVIROTHON
AQUATIC ECOLOGY STATION
100 POINTS
Question 1. (16 pt) Perform a stream visual assessment (habitat assessment) of Hell Creek within
the designated area. You will be provided a habitat sheet to do this. You may separate this part
from the test and decide who on your team will work on this while the rest of the team is answering
questions.
What is the total habitat score?_____________________________________________
Question 2. (2 pt) What is the steam’s overall habitat integrity rating (i.e. optimal, sub-optimal,
marginal or poor?) _______________________________________________
Question 3. (8 pt) Write down your assessment (optimal, sub-optimal, marginal or poor) of each
of the following habitat attributes.
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
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
Sediment Deposition
Embeddedness
Bank Stability (left bank)
Bank Stability (right bank)
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Question 4. (4 pt) Assess the following chemical parameters within the designated area. Record
your results in the spaces below.


Dissolved Oxygen
Alkalinity
____________ mg/L
____________ ppm/CaCO3
Question 5. (2 pt) The aquatic life standard of dissolved oxygen in certain warm water streams is
>5.0 mg/L. Does this stream meet or exceed the aquatic life standard (answer yes or no, based upon
your result)?
Question 6. (2 pt) According to studies from the acid rain monitoring project of the University of
Massachusetts Water Research Center, streams with an alkalinity of <10 ppm CaCO3 are considered
to be poorly buffered against acid inputs, streams between 10-20 ppm CaCO3 are moderately
buffered, and streams >20 ppm CaCO3 are well buffered. Based upon your results, is the stream
segment poorly, moderately or well buffered against acid inputs?
Question 7. (5 pt) Identify the preserved benthic macro invertebrate specimens. Choose and
identify five (5) from the samples provided. Write down the vial number and the name(s) of the
specimen.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Vial #
Common Name
Order or Family Name
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Question 8. (2 pt) Aquatic invertebrates will re-colonize a polluted stream after it has been
cleaned up. List two possible sources of these invertebrates.
1.
2.
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Question 9. (6 pt) The hydrologic cycle is described in the paragraph below. Complete the
statements (write the appropriate term in the blank spaces).
The hydrologic cycle begins with the ___________ of water from the surface of the ocean. As
moist air is lifted, it cools and water vapor in a process called ___________ to form clouds.
Moisture is transported around the globe until it returns to the grounds surface as ____________.
Once the water reaches the ground, one of two processes may occur:
1.
2.
Some of the water may evaporate back to the atmosphere, or
The water may ________ the surface and become groundwater, which either seeps its way
into streams and rivers, and eventually returns to the oceans, or is released back into the
atmosphere through __________________. The balance of water that remains on the earth
surface is known as _________, which empties into streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands and
is carried back to the oceans where the cycle begins again.
Question 10. (4 pt) A watershed supporting coniferous trees, such as spruce, fir or pine, typically
has lower winter streamflow than one supporting deciduous trees, such as oaks and maples. Which
of the following reason(s) explain this condition? Indicate (X) all situations that may contribute to
the lower winter streamflow.
________
________
________
________
Conifers transpire water during the winter, while deciduous trees do not.
Conifers taproots pull water from the groundwater table, while deciduous trees don’t
have taproots.
Conifers intercept more precipitation during the winter than deciduous trees.
Conifers taproots pull water from the groundwater table, while deciduous trees don’t
have taproots.
Question 13. (4 pt) Often harvesting in a watershed results in a short-term increase in annual
streamflow. List the two primary sources of this additional water?
1.
2.
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Question 14. (3 pt) What are three environmentally important chemicals that are found in water?
1.
2.
3.
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2
Question 15. (2 pt) What are the primary pollutants associated with acidic deposition?
1.
2.
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Question 16. (6 pt) Fill in the blanks in the following question with the appropriate word. The bed
of a __________________ stream channel is below the groundwater table so this type of stream
usually flows year round. The bed of a _____________ stream channel is above the groundwater
table. This type of stream receives water from runoff during storm and snowmelt events. The bed
of a ________________ stream channel typically is below the groundwater table for 6-9 months of
the year. During the remainder of the year, the groundwater table falls below the channel causing
the stream to dry up.
Question 17. (4 pt) It is mid-June. You are a member of a community planning team that just
received information forecasting a drought in the next 3 months. The community has 2 major
industries, a nearby ski resort, irrigation farming outside the city limits. The city owns the reservoir
that each of these competing uses draw from. Everyone wants to be assured they will have enough
water. List 4 things you might do to deal with the problem and insure there is sufficient water
available to preserve public health, sanitation and safety.
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Question 18. (4 pt) Explain the difference between point source pollution and non-point source
pollution and provide two examples of each.
Point Source Pollution __________________________________________________________
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1.
________________________________________________________________________
2.
________________________________________________________________________
Non-Point Source Pollution _______________________________________________________
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1.
________________________________________________________________________
2.
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Question 19. (3 pt) Wetlands vary widely, yet they generally include three distinguishing features.
Briefly describe each of these features.
1.
2.
3.
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Question 20. (3 pt) Wetlands contribute to the vitality and safety of both urban and rural
environments. Describe three of these contributions.
1.
2.
3.
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Question 21. (5 pt) List 5 reasons for leaving forested buffers along stream channels during
harvesting operations.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Question 22. (5 pt) As a result of human activities such as water withdrawal, water diversion, and
channelization, many aquatic resources have experienced alterations to their natural hydrologic
conditions. If your neighborhood river were channelized for the purposes of better navigation or
flood control, what impacts would you expect? Discuss 5 impacts and provide examples.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Question 12. (5 pt) Using the topographic map image below, delineate the Hooker Run watershed
boundary.
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