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Aquatics | Forestry | Soils | Wildlife
Current Issue
Pennsylvania Envirothon 2008
Aquatic Ecology
Essential Topics |
| I. |
Aquatic Ecology |
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a. |
Abiotic |
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1. |
Influence of water’s chemical properties on aquatic organisms |
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2. |
Influence of water’s physical properties on aquatic organisms |
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3. |
Influence of the surrounding land on a stream |
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4. |
Influence of the water cycle on the aquatic ecosystem |
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5. |
Identification of watersheds and river systems in Pennsylvania |
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6. |
Identification of stream order within a watershed |
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b. |
Biotic |
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1. |
Identification of aquatic organisms |
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2. |
Life cycles of aquatic organisms |
| 3. |
Adaptations of aquatic organisms |
| 4. |
Habitat needs of aquatic organisms |
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c. |
Community |
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1. |
Identification of aquatic and wetland environments |
| 2. |
Functions and values of wetlands |
| 3. |
Physical, chemical and biological changes in the stream continuum |
| 4. |
Functional feeding groups of aquatic organisms and their niche in the stream continuum |
| 5. |
Energy flow in aquatic food chains |
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| II. |
Aquatic Resource Issues |
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a. |
Human effects on the aquatic ecosystem |
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b |
Impact of water pollution on aquatic communities |
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c. |
Threatened and endangered species and their impact on biodiversity |
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d. |
Introduced and invasive species and their effects on the aquatic ecosystem |
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| III. |
Aquatic Resource Management and Protection |
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a. |
Commission roles in management, conservation and protection of aquatic resources |
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b. |
Regulations and how they protect aquatic animals and aquatic habitats |
| c. |
Water quality assessment |
| d. |
Water quality improvement |
| e. |
Aquatic habitat enhancement |
| f. |
Restoration of aquatic organisms |
| g. |
Aquatic resource protection at home and school |
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Learning Objectives |
| *Correlated with the Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors for Environment and Ecology. |
| After completing study on this issue, students will: |
| 1. |
Aquatic Ecosystems |
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a. |
Abiotic |
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1. |
Determine pH, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity of a given waterway or sample using chemical test kits and explain how each property influences a particular aquatic organism. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.12.C
*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.7.A, 4.6.10.A |
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2. |
Determine stream velocity and explain how stream velocity, water temperature, water turbidity and surface tension influence a particular aquatic organism. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.C, 4.1.10.B, 4.1.12.C |
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3. |
Explain how surrounding land influences water flow, channel shape and habitat types in a stream. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.B, S11.A.3.2 |
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4. |
Identify three specific parts of the water cycle and describe their influence on the aquatic ecosystem. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.A |
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5. |
Identify Pennsylvania’s six watersheds and their related river systems and locate them on a map. |
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*4.1. Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.B |
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6. |
Identify the stream order of three or more given watercourses in a particular watershed and compare or contrast the habitats and aquatic animals that are found in each of those ordered watercourses. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.12.A |
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b. |
Biotic |
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1. |
Identify (to include calls) common and signficant aquatic animals from a given identification list. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.C, 4.1.7.D, 4.1.10.C |
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2. |
Describe the life cycle of three or more specific aquatic organisms. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.C |
| 3. |
List three adaptations of a specific aquatic organism and explain the advantage of each. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.C, 4.1.10.C
*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.7.A
*4.7 Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species - 4.7.10.A, 4.7.10.B |
| 4. |
Describe the habitat needs of three or more specific aquatic animals. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.C |
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c. |
Community |
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1. |
Identify six specific aquatic or wetland environments given their physical, chemical and biological characteristics. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.D, 4.1.12.B |
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2. |
List three functions or values of wetlands. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.7.D, 4.1.7, E, 4.1.10.D, 4.1.12.D |
| 3. |
Compare and contrast a physical, chemical and biological difference found in a stream continuum from headwater to mouth.. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.A, 4.1.10.C, 4.1.12.A |
| 4. |
Identify the functional feeding group of four or more specific aquatic macroinvertebrates and describe their niche in the stream continuum. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.C |
| 5. |
Compare and contrast the flow of energy in two different aquatic food chains. |
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*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.7.A, 4.6.10.A |
| 2. |
Aquatic Resource Issues |
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a. |
Explain the effects of three different human activities on the aquatic ecosystem. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.E
*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.7.B, 4.3.10.B |
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b |
List three types of water pollution, their sources and explain how they impact an aquatic community. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.E
*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.7.A, 4.3.7.B |
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c. |
Identify at least three threatened or endangered species and give reasons for their status and explain how their extirpation or extinction could impact biodiversity. |
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*4.7 Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species - 4.7.7.C, 4.7.10.A, 4.7.12.A, 4.7.12.B |
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d. |
List at least three invasive or introduced plant and animal species and discuss their affects on the aquatic ecosystem. |
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*4.7 Threatened, Endangered and Extince Species - 4.7.10.A |
| 3. |
Aquatic Resource Management and Protection |
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a. |
Explain three or more ways that the Commission manages, conserves, and protects aquatic resources. |
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*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.7.D
*4.9 Enviornmental Laws and Regulations - 4.9.7.A, 4.9.10.A |
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b. |
Identify or list at least three specific fishing regulations from the current PA Fishing Summary and explain how each protects aquatic animals or aquatic habitats. |
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c. |
Explain one or more methods to assess the water quality of a stream. |
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*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.12.C |
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d. |
List and describe three or more ways to improve the water quality of a stream. |
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*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.7.D |
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e. |
List and describe three or more ways to enhance aquatic habitats. |
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*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.7.D |
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f. |
Identify three or more migratory fish that the Commission is restoring and name the watershed in which each can be found. |
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*4.7 Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species - 4.7.7.C |
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g. |
Discuss at least three ways that you can protect aquatic resources at home or school. |
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*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.7.A
*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.7.C, 4.8.7.D |
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Assessment Anchors |
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S.11.A.3. 1 and 2
S.11.B.1 and 3 S.11.D.1 |
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Reference Materials List |
| The following resources are available on the Envirothon Aquatic Ecology CD, except where indicated. |
| 1. |
Books: |
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Pennsylvania Fishes
Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles (ISBN 1-930369-00X)*
*The PA Amphibians and Reptiles book is not available on the Aquatics CD. New teams should contact the PA Envirothon to obtain their copy of this book. |
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| 2. |
Fact Sheets |
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| 3. |
Select Pages from PLAY |
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PLAY Issues (not on the Aquatics CD and added for 2008) Hardcopy provided.
All about Trout
Flex Your Mussel Knowledge
PA's Most Mighty Migratory Fish
Six Legs Underwater
Smallmouth Bass
Watersheds and Stream Order
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| 4. |
Articles |
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| 5. |
Select pages from the 2008 Pennsylvania Summary of Fishing Laws and Regulations (The Summary book will be available on the Fish page of the Commission's website (www.fish.state.pa.us) in January 2008. Teams should review the following regulations or information (ordered as they appear in the Summary):
- Commonwealth Inland Waters
- Big Bass Program
- Stop Aquatic Nuisance Species
- Trout Fishing Regulations
- Catch and Release Fishing - How to Release Fish
- Panfish Enhancement Special Regulations
- Reptiles, Amphibians, Endangered Species - Seasons and Limits
- General Regulations, Tackle and Bait
- Unlawful Acts - It is Unlawful
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| 6. |
Frog and Toad Calls of Pennsylvania (New teams should contact the PA Envirothon to obtain their copy of this CD.) |
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Learning Enhancements |
| Completing these activities will enhance learning and help students begin to meet some of the Aquatic Ecology objectives. |
| 1. |
Froggy Swamp (included on the Envirothon Aquatic Ecology CD) |
| 2. |
Herp Sweet Home (included on the Envriothon Aquatic Ecology CD) |
| 3. |
Can Mussels Move (PLAY - Flex Your Mussel Knowledge) |
| 4. |
Match the hatch (PLAY - Six Legs Underwater ) |
| 5. |
Smallmouth Bass Skills (PLAY - Smallmouth Bass) |
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Identification Study List
The animals from this list are common species or have other significance in the aquatic ecosystem (migratory, endangered, invasive, water quality indicator, etc).
| Fish |
Amphibians |
Reptiles |
Invertebrates |
| American eel American shad
Atlantic
sturgeon Blacknose
dace
Bluegill
Brown bullhead Brook trout Brown trout Chain pickerel Channel
catfish Common carp Flathead
catfish Largemouth
bass
Mottled
sculpin
Muskellunge Northern pike Paddlefish
Rock bass
Sea lamprey Smallmouth
bass
Striped bass Walleye
White sucker Yellow perch |
Bullfrog* Eastern
American toad*
Eastern gray
treefrog* Pickerel frog* Northern green
frog*
Northern leopard
frog*
Northern spring
peeper*
Wood frog*
Four-toed
salamander
Eastern
hellbender Jefferson
salamander Longtail
salamander Marbled
salamander Mudpuppy Northern dusky
salamander Northern spring
salamander
Northern two
lined
salamander
Northern red
salamander
Redback
salamander
Red-spotted
newt
Slimy
salamander
*Must know
calls |
Bog turtle Common
snapping
turtle Eastern box
turtle
Map turtle Midland
painted
turtle
Red eared
slider
Spotted turtle Wood turtle Northern coal
skink Northern
fence lizard Black rat
snake Eastern
garter snake Eastern
hognose
snake Eastern
massasauga Eastern milk
snake
Eastern
smooth green
snake
Northern
brown snake
Northern
copperhead Northern
ringneck
snake
Northern water
snake
Ribbon snake |
Amphipod/scud Backswimmer
Blackfly larva
Caddisfly*
Crayfish
Cranefly*
Damselfly*
Dobsonfly/fishfly*
Dragonfly* Freshwater mussel
Freshwater snail
Giant water bug
Isopod/aquatic
sowbug
Mayfly*
Predaceous diving
beetle
Stonefly*
Water scorpion
Water strider Whirligig beetle Water boatman Water penny
*Know larval/adult stage |
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| PA Fish & Boat Commission Regional Aquatic Resources Program Specialists |
Northwest Region, 11528 State Highway 98, Meadville PA 16335 814-336-2426 kedwards@state.pa.us
Southwest Region, 236 Lake Road, Somerset, PA 15501-1644 814-443-9841 dtubbs@state.pa.us
Northcentral Region, 450 Robinson Lane, Bellefonte, PA 16823 814-359-5193 landers@state.pa.us
Southcentral Region, PO Box 67000, Harrisburg PA 17106-7000 717-705-7850
Southeast Region, PO Box 8, Elm, PA 17521-0008 717-626-9081
Northeast Region, PO Box 88, Sweet Valley, PA 18656 570-477-2206 wdietz@state.pa.us
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