1. KAREN LANCOUR National Bio Rules Committee Chairman
2019 WATER QUALITY (B&C)
KAREN LANCOUR
National Bio Rules Committee Chairman
ROBYN FISCHER
National Event
Supervisor

2. Event Rules – 2019 DISCLAIMER
This presentation was prepared using draft rules.  There may be some changes in the final copy of the rules.  The rules which will be in your Coaches Manual and Student Manuals will be the official rules.

3. Event Rules – 2019
BE SURE TO CHECK THE 2019 EVENT RULES FOR EVENT PARAMETERS AND TOPICS FOR EACH COMPETITION LEVEL

4. EVENT COMPONENTS Ecology Content – 2019 Part 1 – Freshwater Ecology
Part 2 – Identify Macro-flora and Fauna
Part 3 – Water Monitoring and Analysis
Process skills in data, graph and diagram analysis
Event parameters – check the event parameters in the rules for resources allowed.

5. TRAINING MATERIALS Training Power Point – content overview
4 Training Handouts – General + 3 parts- content information
3 Practice Activities – for 3 parts of competition
2 Sample Tournament – sample problems with key
Event Supervisor Guide – prep tips, setup needs, and scoring tips
Internet Resources & Training Materials – on the Science Olympiad website at under Event Information
A Biology-Earth Science CD and a Water Quality CD are available from SO store at

6. Part 1: Freshwater and Estuary Ecology
Areas such as:
Freshwater Ecology
Aquatic Food Chains and Webs
Population Dynamics
Community Interactions
Nutrient Recycling
Water Cycle
Aquatic Chemistry and its implications for life
Potable Water Treatment
Waste Water Treatment
Watershed Resource Management Issues
Sedimentation Pollution
Exotic/invasive/harmful species

7. General Principles of Freshwater Ecology
ECOLOGY – how organisms interact with one another and with their environment
ENVIRONMENT – living and non-living components
ABIOTIC – non-living component or physical factors as soil, rainfall, sunlight, temperatures
BIOTIC – living component are other organisms.

8. ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
INDIVIDUAL – individual organisms
POPULATION – organisms of same species in same area (biotic factors)
COMMUNITY – several populations in same area (biotic factors)
ECOSYSTEM – community plus abiotic factors
BIOSPHERE – all ecosystems on earth

9. Aquatic Ecosystems
Lotic ecosystems – flowing water Streams Rivers Lentic ecosystems – still water Ponds Lakes Wetlands Estuary ecosystems

10. Watershed
A watershed or drainage basin is an area of land where water from rain and melting snow or ice drains downhill into a body of water, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea or ocean.

11. Lake Zones

12. Lake Turnover

13. Stream Order

14. Stream Analysis

15. ECOLOGY OF INDIVIDUALS
Homeostasis – delicate balance
Components
Physiological Ecology
Temperature and Water Balance
Light and Biological Cycles
Physiological Ecology and Conservation

16. ECOLOGY OF POPULATIONS
Properties of populations
Patterns of distribution and density
Intra-specific competition
Population dynamics
Growth and regulation
Altering population growth
Human impact

17. ECOLOGY OF COMMUNITIES
Closed vs. Open communities
Closed – sharp boundaries
Open – Lack boundaries
Species abundance and diversity
Trophic Structure of Communities
Food chains
Food web
Trophic pyramid

18. Food Chains algae  mayflies  stoneflies  trout  humans Producer
1st order Consumer or Herbivore
2nd order Consumer or 1st order Carnivore
3rd order Consumer or 2nd order Carnivore
4th order Consumer or 3rd order Carnivore
Decomposers – consume dead and decaying matter as bacteria

19. Food Web

20. Food Web

21. INTERACTIONS AMONG SPECIES
Inter-specific competition
Predation
Exploitation
Symbiosis

22. Types of Species Interactions
Neutral – two species do not interact
Mutualism – both benefit
Commensalism – one benefits, other neutral
Parasitism – one benefits, one harmed
but not killed
Predation – one benefits, other killed

23. ECOLOGY OF ECOSYSTEMS Energy Flow
Energy Flow Pyramids
Biomass Pyramids
Community Succession and Stability (C Division)
Nutrient Recycling – nutrient cycles

24. Energy vs Nutrient Nutrients – cyclic (Biogeochemical Cycles)
Energy flow – one way

25. Ecologic Pyramids
Ecological pyramid - a graph representing trophic level numbers within an ecosystem. The primary producer level is at the base of the pyramid with the consumer levels above.
Numbers pyramid - compares the number of individuals in each trophic level. May be inverted
due to size of individuals
Biomass pyramid - compares the total dry weight of the organisms in each trophic level.
Energy pyramid - compares the total amount of energy available in each trophic level. This energy is usually measured in kilocalories.

26. Ecological Pyramids

27. Biogeochemical Cycles recycles nutrients
Hydrologic Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Water Cycle

28. Nitrogen Cycle

29. Phosphorus Cycle

30. Carbon Cycle

31. Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

32. Potable Water Treatment

33. Sewage Treatment

34. Part 2: Macro-flora and Fauna
Identify macroinvertebrates
Identify aquatic nuisance plants
by their common name
Relate organisms to water and wetland quality

35. Indicator Species
FOR Division C ONLY students will also be expected to know the general ecology, life cycles, and feeding habitats of all listed organisms
Class 1-pollution sensitive Class 2-moderately sen. Class 3-moderately tolerant Class 4-pollution tol. Class 5 Air Br.
Caddisfly Aquatic Sowbug Blackfly Air Breathing Snail Back Swimmer
Dobsonfly Crane Fly Flatworm Blood Midge Giant Water Bug
Gilled Snails Damselfly Leeches Deer/House Fly Mosquito
Mayfly Dragonfly Midge Tubifex Predacious Diving Beetle
Riffle Beetle Scuds Water Mite Water Boatman
Stonefly Water Mite Water Strider
Water Penny Whirligig Beetle
Water Scorpion
Aquatic Nuisance Plants: Purple Loosestrife, Eurasian Water Milfoil and Water Hyacinth.
Aquatic Nuisance Animals: Zebra Mussel; Spiny Water Flea ,Asian Tiger Mosquito, and Carp

36. Freshwater Habitats and Their Organisms
Macroinvertebrates that may be living there
Riparian vegetation above the water (stream, river, pond, etc.)
Water surface (in quiet back pools)
Edgewater includes overhanging vegetation from banks
On or among vegetation in the water
Under grasses and undercut stream banks
Aquatic plants - plants under the surface as well as those growing through the water and floating
Riffles or water tumbling over rocks
Bottom under and among rocks-out of the swift current and tumbling debris
Macroinvertebrates as insects fall into water from foliage
whirligig beetles, water striders, springtails
Fast-moving bugs and beetles, freshwater shrimp
Haliplid beetles, dragonfly larvae
Gripping insects, caddis flies, beetle larvae that have burrowed into logs and under rocks, mayflies and stoneflies
high in oxygen and especially rich in insect diversity - caddis flies, stoneflies, mayflies, damselflies
Bottom - mud, sand, silt, gravel, rocks
Worms, fly larvae, bivalve mussels
Flowing water - riffles, pools and runs
Gripping insects, caddis flies, damselflies, shrimp, snails
Pools – slow moving water at edges or behind rocks and logs
Holding spot for organic material - shredders
amphipods, isopods, freshwater crayfish and some caddis fly larvae
Freshwater Habitats and Their Organisms

37.   Factors indicating water quality as indicated by macroinvertebrate populations
Abundance: The number of macroinvertebrates present - large numbers of macro-invertebrates tend to be found in water enriched with nutrients while small numbers may indicate erosion, toxic pollution or scouring by floodwaters.
Functional Group: The presence and absence of certain feeding group of macroinvertebrates such as grazers and predators also indicates the water quality.
Taxa Richness: Diversity of macroinvertebrates found in water. The more diversity in water, the better quality it is.
Composition: the proportion of different types living together – healthy communities contain a good number of mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies while community contains a lot of worms and midge larvae usually indicates a degraded environment.
Pollution tolerance: Different Macroinvertebrates have different level of sensitivity to pollution. The more number of pollution sensitive organisms, the better quality it is.

38. Feeding Groups Group Description Food Habitat Collectors
Physically gather food or construct net like structure to catch it
Dissolved organic, algae, feces and plants
Stream bottom
Shredders
Shred, cut, bite or bore food
Leaves and vegetation fallen into water
Areas with tree cover
Scrapers
Use organs to scrape the food
Scrape algae and diatoms off the rock
Areas with enough light for algae growth
Predators
Hunt other organisms for food
Other organisms – other invertebrates & small fish
All types of habitat

39. Tips for Learning Indicator Species
Power Point Slides - make power point slides for trees and use them so you can use them to study
Flash Cards – make a set of flashcards with pictures on the front and information on the back
Actual Specimens – collect and preserve actual specimens of leaves – put data on the back so you can use them for study. See the section following on collecting and preserving leaves
Study Binder - have a section for each part of water quality competition – see handouts for each section
Timer – prepare practice stations and use the timer to improve efficiency of your teamwork skills

47. Part 3: Water Monitoring
Understand and interpret data related to testing procedures and purposes for water testing (No actual testing)
Build and demonstrate a salinometer
capable of testing saltwater (1-10%)

48. Chemical Analysis Temperature pH Turbidity Dissolved oxygen
BOD-Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Phosphates
Nitrates
Total solids
Fecal Coliform
Salinity - only actual testing with salinometer
Their relationship to one another

49. Temperature Measured with a thermometer or temperature probe
Affects the amount of gases such as oxygen that can be dissolved in the water – cold water holds more oxygen than warm water
Increases the metabolic rates of aquatic organisms
Affects the rate of photosynthesis by aquatic plants and algae
Increases the sensitivity of organisms to disease, parasites and pollution

50. pH
Measured with pH paper or
pH probe

51. Turbidity
Clear water has low turbidity and cloudy or murky water has high turbidity
Cloudiness occurs from suspended sediment, algal blooms, or dead organic matter in the water
Turbidity id measured in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU’s) – a comparison of the amount of light scattered by the suspended particles in the water
The turbidity affects the amount of light penetrating to the plants for photosynthesis

52. DO-Dissolved Oxygen
Air is about 21% oxygen which is 210,000 ppm (parts per million)
Most surface waters contain between 5 and 15 ppm of dissolved oxygen
An appropriately high level of dissolved oxygen is essential for aquatic life
Below 5 ppm puts aquatic life under stress, below 1-2 ppm for a few hours can kill large fish
Absence of dissolved oxygen is a key sign of severe pollution

53. BOD – Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Aerobic microbes use oxygen to oxidize the organic matter in the water
BOD is tested using the maters for testing dissolved oxygen but the test is done over a period of time to determine the rate of oxygen being used
Natural sources of organic matter may include plant decay or leaf fall
Human waste as leaves, lawn clippings, paper waste, pet waste entering into the water can accelerate plant growth and decay because nutrients and sunlight are overly abundant
These human wastes can increase oxygen demand

54. Phosphates
The phosphorus cycle recycles phosphorus in the form of phosphates for most life forms
Phosphorus is necessary for plant and animal growth
The total phosphorus test measures all the forms of phosphorus in the sample (orthophosphate, condensed phosphate, and organic phosphate).
Phosphates enter waterway in a variety of natural ways such as phosphate containing rock and normal animal and plant waste in the water
Phosphates will enter waterways from runoff
Phosphates enter waterway in a variety of human sources such as fertilizers, pesticides, industrial and cleaning compounds, human and animal waste, power plant boilers (used to prevent corrosion), septic tanks and wastewater from sewage treatment plants
Too much phosphate can cause excess algae and aquatic weeds using up large amounts of oxygen and causing aquatic organisms and fish to die

55. Nitrates
Nitrogen is required for building proteins by all living plants and animals
Forms of inorganic nitrogen include ammonia (NH3), nitrates (NO3), and nitrites (NO2)
Usable forms of nitrogen for aquatic plant growth are ammonia (NH3) and nitrates (NO3)
Nitrates stimulate the growth of plants and algae in the water allowing for more animal food
Excess amounts of nitrates can cause algae to bloom wildly reducing oxygen levels for fish and sometimes causing their death (accelerated eutrophication)

56. Total Solids
Suspended solids can be retained on a water filter and will settle to the bottom of a water column and include silt, clay, plankton, organic wastes, and inorganic precipitates
Dissolved solids pass through a water filter and include calcium, bicarbonate, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and sulfur and other ions in the water
Concentration of dissolved solids in stream water is important because it determines the flow of water in and out of the cells of aquatic organisms
Many of the dissolved solids as nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur are essential nutrients for life
Low concentrations of total solids can limit growth of aquatic organisms
Elevated levels can lead to accelerated eutrophication of the water system and increase the turbidity both of which decrease water quality

57. Fecal Coliform
Fecal Coliform bacteria live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals
Fecal Coliform bacteria are also found in the feces excreted from humans and other warm-blooded animals
Fecal Coliform bacteria are living organism entering the waterway
High numbers of Fecal Coliform in water means that the water has received fecal matter from some source
Diseases as dysentery, typhoid fever, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and ear infections are associated with waters having high Coliform counts

58. Salinomter – Hydrometer
Salinometers / Hydrometers
Hydrometer calibrated to read in % of salt concentration
Materials (one example) –
soda straw
modeling clay
a fine-tipped permanent marker
a tall clear container to hold
the solution for calibrating your
device
salt for mixing one or more standard solutions
water (tap water will work-distilled is better)

60. Sample Analysis
Using the picture below, explain all of the possible human caused problems that can occur. In addition, what types of chemical testing would you perform to confirm your suspicions?