see the bottom, that would be high turbidity.
Nitrogen tests measure how many nutrients are in the water. Too many nutrients can be a bad thing and could possibly result in eutrophication. The same goes with phosphorus testing, this, too, measures the amount of nutrients in the water.
Coliform Bacteria tests show us how much fecal matter is located in lakes, streams, rivers, and other water sources. The lower the coliform bacteria level is, the safer it is.
2.) What are some factors that influence each of these tests?
Dissolved Oxygen - A factor that could have influenced this test is the area that the test was taken in and the depth of the water.
pH - A factor that could have influenced this test would be the area this test was taken. This area could have been more exposed to trash and other harmful things than in other areas.
Turbidity - A factor that could have influence this test would be people. When walking through the stream, you happen to stir up dirt and other particles. It is a possibility that right before testing somone could have walked through that area, stirring up particles.
Nitrogen - A factor that could influence this test would be fertilizer run-offs. Fertilizer would increase the amount of nutrients, overall affecting the nitrogen test. This goes for phosphates as well. Any other type of agricultural run-off would affect both of these tests.
Coliform Bacteria - Kicking up the stream bottom by accident could be a factor that influenced this test.
3.) Are your and the other groups’ results consistent with one another and what you might expect to find in a stream of this order? Explain.
Some of our results were consistent with the other groups.
Some others? Not so much. For example, our results for the coliform bacteria test and the dissolved oxygen tests were all the same. But, for other tests such as the phosphate test, there were four different results.
In a stream of this order, I would expect to find boulders,cobble, and gravel on the stream bed. I would also expect to find that the temperature would be cold, but not the coldest.
Discussion and Analysis
1.) Based on your readings and class notes, how do the abiotic factors affect the biotic factors in the stream? Is the information you collected in the field consistent with this data?
Abiotic factors can affect biotic factors by making their habitats unlivable. For example, the stream water temperature—an abiotic factor—could affect the BMI—a biotic factor—by making it either livable or unlivable. If it’s too cold, some BMI would not be able to make their homes there. Another example would be the stream bed, some BMI could adapt on a gravel and silt bed but, others may need stream beds with cobble and boulders. This goes for any aquatic organisms.
2.) What can you conclude about the stream based on ALL the data collected and analyzed? Is Fox Run healthy? Support your answer with facts/data.
I think it is safe to say that Fox Run is healthy. The biological results concluded that the stream’s quality is good and by the fact that there are a good few taxa one BMI living in the stream, I’d say that these results are accurate.
3.) Changes and improvements to the study. What would you do differently to the study if you were to perform it again in the future? What would you keep the same?
One thing I would change to the study is the fact that the study was completed in one day. I know for my group, we were rushing to get the velocity test done and just barely made it. Also, I think that we should have interacted with the other groups some more. Other than that, I thought that going outside was overall pretty fun. I would definitely keep the BMI collecting and identifying; it gave me a much better understanding of BMI and what they were.
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