SOL 6.7SOL 6.7

LIVING SYSTEMSLIVING SYSTEMS

WATERSHEDSWATERSHEDS

ECOSYSTEMECOSYSTEM

COMMUNITY OF LIVING COMMUNITY OF LIVING ORGANISMS INTERACTING WITH ORGANISMS INTERACTING WITH THE NON-LIVING ENVIRONMENT THE NON-LIVING ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDING IT.SURROUNDING IT.

ABIOTIC FACTORSABIOTIC FACTORS

TOPOGRAPHY (shape of the land)TOPOGRAPHY (shape of the land) LANDFORMS (features like mountains LANDFORMS (features like mountains

and valleys)and valleys) GEOLOGY (what the Earth is made of)GEOLOGY (what the Earth is made of) SOILSSOILS SUNLIGHTSUNLIGHT AIR QUALITYAIR QUALITY OXYGEN AVAILABILITY OXYGEN AVAILABILITY WATER SUPPLYWATER SUPPLY

ECOSYSTEMECOSYSTEM

HOW DO HUMANS AFFECT HOW DO HUMANS AFFECT ECOSYSTEMS?ECOSYSTEMS?

DESTROY WETLANDS(INCREASE DESTROY WETLANDS(INCREASE FLOODING) OR RESTORE FLOODING) OR RESTORE WETLANDS AND PREVENT WETLANDS AND PREVENT FLOODINGFLOODING

INCREASE EROSION BY CUTTING INCREASE EROSION BY CUTTING DOWN TREES OR DECREASE DOWN TREES OR DECREASE EROSION BY PLANTING TREESEROSION BY PLANTING TREES

WHAT IS A WHAT IS A WATERSHED?WATERSHED?

AN AREA OF LAND THAT WATER AN AREA OF LAND THAT WATER FLOWS ACROSS ON ITS WAY TO A FLOWS ACROSS ON ITS WAY TO A STREAM, LAKE, WETLAND OR STREAM, LAKE, WETLAND OR OTHER BODY OF WATEROTHER BODY OF WATER

WATERSHEDS ARE SEPARATED WATERSHEDS ARE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY DIVIDESFROM EACH OTHER BY DIVIDES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ63xGJY4pM

What is a watershed?

WHAT IS A DIVIDE?WHAT IS A DIVIDE?

IT IS AN AREA OF HIGHER IT IS AN AREA OF HIGHER ELEVATION SUCH AS MOUNTAINSELEVATION SUCH AS MOUNTAINS

VIRGINIA RIVER VIRGINIA RIVER SYSTEMSSYSTEMS

CHESAPEAKE BAY CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHEDWATERSHED

CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNELTUNNEL

WHAT IS A WETLAND?WHAT IS A WETLAND?

AN AREA OF LAND THAT HAS AN AREA OF LAND THAT HAS SATURATED SOIL OR IS FLOODED SATURATED SOIL OR IS FLOODED BY A LAYER OF WATERBY A LAYER OF WATER

3 MAIN TYPES OF WETLANDS:3 MAIN TYPES OF WETLANDS:

Marsh, Bog, SwampMarsh, Bog, Swamp

MARSHMARSH

BOGBOG

SWAMPSWAMP

WETLAND FUNCTIONSWETLAND FUNCTIONS

FILTER SEDIMENTSFILTER SEDIMENTS TRAPPING NUTRIENTSTRAPPING NUTRIENTS BREAKING DOWN POLLUTANTSBREAKING DOWN POLLUTANTS REDUCING EROSIONREDUCING EROSION REDUCE FLOODINGREDUCE FLOODING PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR

DIVERSE WILDLIFEDIVERSE WILDLIFE PROVIDE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH PROVIDE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH

NESTING AND RESTING AREASNESTING AND RESTING AREAS

WHAT IS AN ESTUARY?WHAT IS AN ESTUARY?

A SLIGHTLY ENCLOSED BODY OF A SLIGHTLY ENCLOSED BODY OF WATER FOUND AT THE EDGE OF A WATER FOUND AT THE EDGE OF A WATERSHEDWATERSHED

WHERE FRESH RIVER WATER WHERE FRESH RIVER WATER EMPTIES INTO SALTY OCEAN EMPTIES INTO SALTY OCEAN WATERWATER

WHY ARE THEY WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?IMPORTANT?

PROVIDE HABITATS FOR MANY PROVIDE HABITATS FOR MANY LIVING ORGANISMS LIVING ORGANISMS

AREAS OF GREAT BEAUTYAREAS OF GREAT BEAUTY ATTRACT TOURISTSATTRACT TOURISTS IMPORTANT TO FISHING IMPORTANT TO FISHING

INDUSTRYINDUSTRY CONTROL POLLUTANTSCONTROL POLLUTANTS

Water quality monitoringWater quality monitoring

Our country’s waters are always Our country’s waters are always being checked by state, federal, being checked by state, federal, and local agencies.and local agencies.

Water samples are collected and Water samples are collected and checked for specific parameters checked for specific parameters (values).(values).

WATER QUALITY WATER QUALITY PARAMETERSPARAMETERS

pHpH TemperatureTemperature SalinitySalinity Dissolved oxygenDissolved oxygen TurbidityTurbidity MacroinvertebratesMacroinvertebrates

pHpH

PH PH is the measure of how acidic or is the measure of how acidic or basic a water source is. basic a water source is.

A pH range of 6.0 to 9.0 has been A pH range of 6.0 to 9.0 has been found to support and protect found to support and protect freshwater aquatic life. High pH freshwater aquatic life. High pH levels can damage the tissues of levels can damage the tissues of aquatic animals and cause death aquatic animals and cause death

TemperatureTemperature

Changes outside of the normal Changes outside of the normal seasonal changes can be detrimental seasonal changes can be detrimental (harmful)(harmful)

When human activities change water When human activities change water temperatures in rivers and streams, temperatures in rivers and streams, the death of aquatic life can result. the death of aquatic life can result.

SalinitySalinity

SalinitySalinity is the measure of dissolved is the measure of dissolved salts in a water system. salts in a water system.

High levels of salt can damage High levels of salt can damage floodplains and wetlands. floodplains and wetlands.

Salinity levels also determine what Salinity levels also determine what plant and animal species can live in plant and animal species can live in a water habitat.a water habitat.

Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen

affect the growth and reproduction affect the growth and reproduction of aquatic animals. of aquatic animals.

Low levels can kill vulnerable Low levels can kill vulnerable animals such as oysters, clams, and animals such as oysters, clams, and fish.fish.

TurbidityTurbidity

The clearer the water is, the lower the The clearer the water is, the lower the turbidity. Increased turbidity can be turbidity. Increased turbidity can be caused by silt and clay from shoreline caused by silt and clay from shoreline erosion as well as an increase in the erosion as well as an increase in the numbers of microscopic plants called numbers of microscopic plants called phytoplankton. phytoplankton.

High levels of turbidity can block High levels of turbidity can block sunlight, clog the gills of fish and sunlight, clog the gills of fish and smother aquatic nurseries.smother aquatic nurseries.

MacroinvertebratesMacroinvertebrates

Water quality can also be Water quality can also be determined by the type of organism determined by the type of organism presentpresent

Some organisms will only thrive in Some organisms will only thrive in healthy streams (like mayfly larvae)healthy streams (like mayfly larvae)

Others will thrive in polluted waters Others will thrive in polluted waters (like leeches)(like leeches)

LEECH

MAYFLY LARVA

http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/html/lifecycle.html

http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/html/benthosclean.htmlSlide 40