Maryland Envirothon Aquatic Ecology 2018 Prepared by Stacy

Maryland Envirothon Aquatic Ecology 2018 Prepared by Stacy Epperson MD-DNR Updated 03/14/18

Format of state test n Four categories: n Abiotic Biotic Aquatic Environments Water Protection and Conservation n 5 th topic woven inside all of these. n n Test Questions: Fill in the blank most common; multiple choice, matching (no true/false)

Abiotic n Stream orders

Abiotic n Stream runoff is affected by n Shape of watershed (affects rate) n Slope (affects rate) n Land use: vegetation and development (affects rate and amount) n Land geology and soils (affects amount)

Abiotic n Physiographic provinces n Appalachian Plateau n Ridge and Valley n Blue Ridge n Piedmont n Coastal Plain

Abiotic n The lower the p. H, the more acidic the substance. n Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the p. H of surface ocean waters has fallen by 0. 1 p. H units. Since the p. H scale, like the Richter scale, is logarithmic, this change represents approximately a 30 percent increase in acidity.

Abiotic n Temperature, Salinity, Oxygen Relationship n Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water. n Fresh water holds more oxygen than saline water. n Cold fresh water +++oxygen n Warm saline water---- oxygen Warm fresh water vs cold saline water? n http: //www. chesapeakebay. net/content/publications/cbp_1 3039. pdf

Freshwater storage: Freshwater existing on the Earth's surface What about freshwater? https: //water. usgs. gov/edu/watercyclesummary. html

Biotic n Macroinvertebrates n Sensitivity to pollutants-3 levels n Dichotomous Key to Family level: n Number and length of tails; location of gills; wing buds; thickness, shape, and length of body n Stonefly, Mayfly, Caddis fly, Water penny, Gilled Snail, Alderfly, Crane Fly, Damselfly, Dragonfly, Scud, Black Fly http: //dnr. maryland. gov/streams/Publications/ea-99 -2_rev 2003. pdf

Biotic Mayfly: Order Ephemeroptera Stonefly: Order Plecoptera http: //wupcenter. mtu. edu/education/stream/Macroinvertebrate. pdf Caddisfly: Order Trichoptera

Biotic

Biotic n Invasive Species n n Difference between non-native and non-native invasive Introduction method Effect Control methods http: //www. invasivespeciesinfo. gov/aquatics/main. shtml http: //www. mdinvasivesp. org/list_aquatic_plants. html http: //www. mdinvasivesp. org/

Biotic Common Aquatic Invasive Species Zebra Mussel n Hydrilla n Nutria n Grass Carp n Didymo n Water lettuce n Phragmites n Rusty Crayfish n Chinese Mitten Crab n

Biotic n Submerged Aquatic Vegetation n Value n Invasives: Water lettuce (free floating) and hydrilla https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ig. Qoat 0 p 52 k (Hydrilla at Deep Creek Lake)

Biotic n Freshwater Fish ID n Eel, catfish, shad, shiner, minnow, dace, chub, killifish, perch, silverside, sculpin, sunfish, bass, darter, trout, sucker n Invasive fish (fresh and brackish) n n n Blue and Flathead Catfish Northern Snakehead Carp: Black, Silver, Grass, and Bighead (no native carp)

Biotic Food web and trophic levels

Aquatic Environment Typical urbanized watershed Typical Forested watershed

Water Protection and Conservation n Benefits of Using Cover Crops Reduce erosion n Increase water retention n Reduce weeds and pests n Use excess soil nutrients n Reduce leaching of nutrients into water n http: //mda. maryland. gov/resource_conservation/counties/Conservation. Choices_ 2012_FINAL%20%281%29. pdf

Water Protection and Conservation n Conservation Choices for Maryland Farmers n Reduce Erosion n n n n Cover Crops Critical Area Planting Pasture Planting Riparian Buffers Grassed Waterways Diversion Livestock Fencing Etc…. http: //mda. maryland. gov/resource_conservation/counties/Conservation. Choices_201 2_FINAL%20%281%29. pdf

Water Protection and Conservation n TMDL’s n EPA 2010 established TMDL for Chesapeake Bay n 6 states and a district n TMDL n Total Maximum Daily Load n Nitrates, Phosphorus, Sediment n All measures in place by 2025 http: //www. epa. gov/reg 3 wapd/pdf_chesbay/Bay. TMDLFact. Sheet 8_26_13. pdf

Water Protection and Conservation n Water Use n Average Maryland citizen uses 100 gallons of water per day. n U. S. uses 355, 000 million gallons per day (2010). n Water use going down even as population goes up. n Four states use ¼ of all US withdrawals. http: //pubs. usgs. gov/fs/2014/3109/