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The Effects of Hydrology on Freshwater Ecosystems

The Effects of Hydrology on Freshwater Ecosystems. By: Scott Hampton. Two Organisms will Be Used to Observe the Effects: Trout and Aquatic insects. Motivation. Very personal subject to me because I grew up enjoying streams and lakes around the United States I am an avid fly fisherman

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The Effects of Hydrology on Freshwater Ecosystems

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  1. The Effects of Hydrology on Freshwater Ecosystems By: Scott Hampton

  2. Two Organisms will Be Used to Observe the Effects: Trout and Aquatic insects

  3. Motivation • Very personal subject to me because I grew up enjoying streams and lakes around the United States • I am an avid fly fisherman • I feel strongly about conservation of these ecosystems

  4. Objectives • How can Hydrology effect the health of an ecosystem? • What water conditions are ideal for trout and aquatic insects to thrive? • What are some specific trout and aquatic insect sub-species? • What hydrologic conditions produce negative effects on freshwater ecosystems? • What effects do humans have on hydrologic conditions and freshwater ecosystems?

  5. Living requirements • Both trout and aquatic insects have a demand for pristine water conditions • Require cool, fast moving water, with little suspended solids

  6. Indicator species of Good Water Quality

  7. Common Stonefly Nymph

  8. Mayfly Nymph

  9. Caddisfly Larva

  10. Dobsonfly Larva

  11. Riffle Beatle

  12. Trout

  13. Measurements of Water Quality • Temperature • Dissolved Oxygen • Silt Content

  14. Temperature If the optimal temperature is not met, organisms will not be able to effectively breed and grow.

  15. Temperature • Fast moving water conditions will typically lead to cooler water • Ground water recharge helps to drive down water temperatures to ideal conditions for trout and aquatic insects • Temperature can be affected by clearing stream vegetation (it allows for greater solar penetration) • Temperature directly effects dissolved oxygen

  16. Dissolved Oxygen • Without proper dissolved oxygen, fish and aquatic insects can not meet their bodies oxygen requirements • Fast moving riffles help to oxygenate water • Slow moving water becomes anoxic due to lack of atmospheric involvement • Cold water holds more dissolved oxygen

  17. Siltation • Siltation is another water quality standard that is used in relation to aquatic insects and trout alike • Can be caused by turbulent flow, a miss-managed dam, destruction of buffer zone vegetation, or destruction or excavation of stream bed • Both suspended silt or sediment and deposited silt or sediment have negative impacts on freshwater ecosystems

  18. Suspended Particulate • It can cause cloudiness or turbidity, and can result in a variety of harmful impacts on trout, insects, and their habitat • Some negative effects include: clogging and abrasion of the gills of trout and aquatic insects, behavioral changes such as migration or movement, increased probability of disease, impairment of feeding due to reduced visuals, poor egg and fry development, and fatal impacts on aquatic insects

  19. Deposited Silt • Some negative effects include: the clogging of small spaces between bottom rock work which will prevent free flowing oxygen from reaching trout eggs and often lead to embryo loss, the destruction of insect and other invertebrate habitat (trout rely on these species for food), and the clogging of sheltered areas between boulders and rock work that young fish need to survive predators

  20. Case Study • In June 2008 the dam located at song of the morning ranch, on the pigeon river in Gaylord Michigan, broke for the second time since 1984 (MDNR). • The dam was poorly designed and mismanaged even before its failure, with water level fluctuating up to 1 ft daily at measurement gages • The dam held back a five-acre impoundment of water that was loaded with silt and sediment • The aftermath was devastating, and MDNR officials reported an incredible fish kill and a complete wipeout of the rivers ecosystem • Fish and invertebrates likely died due to clogged gills. Examples of such incidents are not rare, and can be prevented.

  21. Case Study • When the dam gave way the river was flushed with high levels of sediment, and it was reported that river went completely black

  22. Case Study

  23. Summary • Humans take much of the blame for destruction of river ecosystems • The fields of hydrology and biology provide a great understanding for the demands of stream ecosystems • Slight alterations in flow variability, stream discharge, or the pathways of surface water can lead to insect and trout habitat destruction, and overall lowering of water quality. • With proper education and conservation, stream ecosystems can be enjoyed by generations to come

  24. References Au Sable Big Water Preservation Association Official Home. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.asbwpa.org/Fish%20kill%20in%20PigeonRiverblamedondamf.pdf>. Davie, Tim. Fundamentals of Hydrology (Routledge Fundamentals of Physical Geography). 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2007. "Fish habitat & the effects of silt and sediment." Welcome Page | Page d'accueil. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/regions/central/pub/factsheets-feuilletsinfos-on/t1-eng.htm>. "Important Water Quality Factors." Welcome to Hach Company's H20 University, dedicated to environmental and water science education! 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.h2ou.com/h2wtrqual.htm>. "Jowett & Richardson--Flood effects on trout in 7 N.Z. rivers." The Royal Society of New Zealand. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/Site/publish/Journals/nzjmfr/1989/2.aspx>. Mitsch, William J., and James G. Gosselink. Wetlands. 3rd ed. New York: Wiley, 2000. Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL) at Colorado State University. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/star/papers/greenback.pdf>. Townsend, Colin R. The Ecology of Streams and Rivers. Bedford Square: Edward Arnold (Publishers) Limited, 1980. United States. Department of the Interior. Geological survey. Traveltime, unit-concentration, longitudinal-dispersion, and reaeration characteristics of upstream reaches of the yampa and little snake rivers, colorado and wyoming. By Daniel P. Bauer, Ronald E. Rathbun, and Hugh W. Lowham. Lakewood: U.S. geological survey, 1979. United States. U.S. Geological Survey. Water Resources Division. Recycling Ground Water in Waushara County, Wisconsin: Resource Management for Cold-Water Fish Hatcheries. By R. P. Novitzki. Madison: U.S. geological survey, 1976. United States. U.S. Geological Survey. Water Resources Division. The biology of salt wells creek and its tributaries, southwestern wyoming. By Morris J. Engelke Jr. Cheyenne: U.S. geological survey, 1978. "USGS Real-Time Water Data for USGS 04128990 PIGEON RIVER NEAR VANDERBILT, MI." USGS Water Data for the Nation. 26 Feb. 2009 <http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=04128990&agency_cd=USGS>. Williams, Peter J., and Paul A. Giorgio. Respiration in aquatic ecosystems. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005.

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