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What is an aquatic ecosystem?

What is an aquatic ecosystem?. Agenda for Tuesday Sept 20 th Outside to collect water samples/data Finish aquatic ecosystem presentations Learning Targets Describe a pond and its characteristics Identify parameters that constitute a healthy pond/wetland. Rivers and streams.

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What is an aquatic ecosystem?

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  1. What is an aquatic ecosystem? Agenda for Tuesday Sept 20th • Outside to collect water samples/data • Finish aquatic ecosystem presentations Learning Targets • Describe a pond and its characteristics • Identify parameters that constitute a healthy pond/wetland

  2. Rivers and streams • Start at headwater and flow to mouth • Characteristic change as you go down a river • Slow water vs fast water • Plants and animals differ

  3. Lakes and Ponds • 4 zones • Littoral – sunlight reaches the bottom, closest to shore • Limnetic – open water area that well lit (sunlight does not reach bottom) • Profundal – no light, colder • Benthic - bottom

  4. What makes a healthy pond? Agenda for Wednesday Sept 21st • Finish notes • Testing Learning Targets • Describe a pond and its characteristics • Identify parameters that constitute a healthy podn/wetland

  5. Transitional Aquatic Ecosystems • Wetlands • Estuaries • Freshwater merges with saltwater (river to ocean) • Salt tolerant species • Used for nurseries for young

  6. Marine Ecosystem • Intertidal zone • Ocean meets land • Organisms are adapted to changes – tide • Open ocean ecosystem • 4 zones – photic, aphotic, benthic, abyssal • Species diversity decreases with depth

  7. Marine Ecosystem • Coastal ocean and coral reefs • Most diverse ecosystems • Protect shorelines from erosion • Sensitive to change

  8. Ponds/Wetlands • Also known as marshes, bogs, swamps • A lot of species • Amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, mammals • MN, 43% endangered/threatened species use wetlands • Benefits • Recreation (hunt, bird watch, fish) • Improve water quality (absorb contaminants and N2) • Help control flooding

  9. List 2 uses for a pond/wetland Agenda for Thursday Sept 22nd • Finish testing/looking for organisms • Go over chemical testing – what does it mean • Start research Learning Targets • Describe a pond and its characteristics • Identify parameters that constitute a healthy pond/wetland

  10. Chemical testing – what does it mean? • pH • normal range for most ponds is from 6.8 to 7.8 • natural daily fluctuations • Limestone raises pH • Dissolved Oxygen • About 10 ppm is normal • DO below 3 ppm stress most warmwater species of fish • below 2 ppm will kill some species/stress fish

  11. Nitrogen Cycle

  12. Nitrogen • Sources • Fish waste • Too many fish in a body of water that is too small • Fertilizer run-off • Decaying plants and insects • High Levels = increased plant growth • Eutrophication – rapid plant growth • Uses oxygen and gives off toxins • Kills plants/animals

  13. Nitrogen • Less than 10 ppm is wanted • 10 mg/L • More will increase plant growth

  14. Phosphate • Sources • living and decaying plant and animal remains • Sediments, soils, rocks • partially treated and untreated sewage, • runoff from agricultural sites • some lawn fertilizers • Levels

  15. Phosphate • Importance • key element necessary for growth of plants and animals • growth limiting nutrient • low levels limit the production of freshwater systems • Unlike nitrogen, phosphate is retained in the soil • Not toxic unless they are present in very high levels

  16. Phosphate

  17. What happens when there is too much phosphorous in a pond? Agenda for Friday Sept 23rd • Finish notes • Start research Learning Targets • Describe a pond and its characteristics • Identify parameters that constitute a healthy pond/wetland

  18. Animals • Predictable results • Invertebrates are relatively sedentary and representative of local conditions • Large number of species involved • Exhibit a range of sensitivities to contaminants • Ubiquitous • Fish and other aquatic organisms are used sometimes

  19. Diversity and Taxon Richness • More diversity the better • Great Habitat for life • Some animals are sensitive • More sensitive animals the better the environment • Keystone species • Species whose health/existence influences entire ecosystem

  20. What does it mean if our pond is very diverse? Agenda for Monday Sept 26th • Finish research and presentation Quiz Wednesday Learning Targets • Describe a pond and its characteristics • Identify parameters that constitute a healthy pond/wetland

  21. Research • Look up information about ponds/wetlands • Specific to MN and other places • Animals, chemical testing requirements • Other (uses for ponds, habitats for specific organisms) • Compare to our pond • Draw conclusions – how does our pond compare? • Is it healthy? Why or why not • What could we do to improve?

  22. Make a presentation • You and your lab partner will make a presentation • Everyone is required to talk and share information • At least 5 minutes long

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