1. LIVING SYSTEMS WATERSHEDS
SOL 6.7
LIVING SYSTEMS
WATERSHEDS

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

3. ABIOTIC FACTORS TOPOGRAPHY (shape of the land)
LANDFORMS (features like mountains and valleys)
GEOLOGY (what the Earth is made of)
SOILS
SUNLIGHT
AIR QUALITY
OXYGEN AVAILABILITY
WATER SUPPLY

4. ECOSYSTEM

10. HOW DO HUMANS AFFECT ECOSYSTEMS?
DESTROY WETLANDS(INCREASE FLOODING) OR RESTORE WETLANDS AND PREVENT FLOODING
INCREASE EROSION BY CUTTING DOWN TREES OR DECREASE EROSION BY PLANTING TREES

11. WHAT IS A WATERSHED?
AN AREA OF LAND THAT WATER FLOWS ACROSS ON ITS WAY TO A STREAM, LAKE, WETLAND OR OTHER BODY OF WATER
WATERSHEDS ARE SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY DIVIDES

15. What is a watershed?

17. WHAT IS A DIVIDE?
IT IS AN AREA OF HIGHER ELEVATION SUCH AS MOUNTAINS

18. VIRGINIA RIVER SYSTEMS

19. CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED

21. CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL

22. WHAT IS A WETLAND?
AN AREA OF LAND THAT HAS SATURATED SOIL OR IS FLOODED BY A LAYER OF WATER
3 MAIN TYPES OF WETLANDS:
Marsh, Bog, Swamp

23. MARSH

24. BOG

25. SWAMP

26. WETLAND FUNCTIONS FILTER SEDIMENTS TRAPPING NUTRIENTS
BREAKING DOWN POLLUTANTS
REDUCING EROSION
REDUCE FLOODING
PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR DIVERSE WILDLIFE
PROVIDE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH NESTING AND RESTING AREAS

27. WHAT IS AN ESTUARY?
A SLIGHTLY ENCLOSED BODY OF WATER FOUND AT THE EDGE OF A WATERSHED
WHERE FRESH RIVER WATER EMPTIES INTO SALTY OCEAN WATER

28. WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? PROVIDE HABITATS FOR MANY LIVING ORGANISMS
AREAS OF GREAT BEAUTY
ATTRACT TOURISTS
IMPORTANT TO FISHING INDUSTRY
CONTROL POLLUTANTS

29. Water quality monitoring
Our country’s waters are always being checked by state, federal, and local agencies.
Water samples are collected and checked for specific parameters (values).

30. WATER QUALITY PARAMETERSpH
Temperature
Salinity
Dissolved oxygen
Turbidity
Macroinvertebrates

31. pH PH is the measure of how acidic or basic a water source is.
A pH range of 6.0 to 9.0 has been found to support and protect freshwater aquatic life. High pH levels can damage the tissues of aquatic animals and cause death

33. Temperature
Changes outside of the normal seasonal changes can be detrimental (harmful)
When human activities change water temperatures in rivers and streams, the death of aquatic life can result.

35. Salinity Salinity is the measure of dissolved salts in a water system.
High levels of salt can damage floodplains and wetlands.
Salinity levels also determine what plant and animal species can live in a water habitat.

37. Dissolved Oxygen
affect the growth and reproduction of aquatic animals.
Low levels can kill vulnerable animals such as oysters, clams, and fish.

39. Turbidity
The clearer the water is, the lower the turbidity. Increased turbidity can be caused by silt and clay from shoreline erosion as well as an increase in the numbers of microscopic plants called phytoplankton.
High levels of turbidity can block sunlight, clog the gills of fish and smother aquatic nurseries.

41. Macroinvertebrates
Water quality can also be determined by the type of organism present
Some organisms will only thrive in healthy streams (like mayfly larvae)
Others will thrive in polluted waters (like leeches)

43. LEECH

44. MAYFLY LARVA

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