**Investigation 1- Soil texture by sedimentation: Estimating relative amounts of sand, silt and clay. Do individually

**Investigation 1- Soil texture by sedimentation: Estimating relative amounts of sand, silt and clay. Do individually

• 
  Place 60-80 ml of your soil sample into a 100 ml graduated cylinder. Break up any large chunks.
  
• 
  SAVE YOUR REMAINING SOIL FOR LATER.
  
• 
  Fill the graduated cylinder to the 100 ml line with water.
  
• 
  Stretch a piece of Parafilm over the top of the cylinder to seal.
  
• 
  Shake vigorously, inverting the cylinder often.
  
• 
  Wait until the end of the class for the soil to settle into a column. The clay will not completely settle out for many hours, and you may have to let the column settle overnight.
  
• 
  You will observe at least three layers within the column: sand, silt and clay. Estimate the volumes of each. Sand looks like distinct particles, silt is gritty, and clay is uniform in color. Ignore the humus.
  

1. From what part of Los Angeles did you obtain this soil sample?_________________

B. Water Retention The ability of soil to hold onto water is water retention.

2. If there is no number on the dish, add one for identification, and place it in the drying oven or environmental chamber.

3. Do the above to a spoonful of wet clay.

4. After the samples have dried in the oven for 24 hours, mass them again.

5. The water holding capacity of a soil is calculated by:

wet - dry

_______ x (100)

dry

C. Soil pH

Some of the factors which affect soil pH are

• 
  the rock from which the soil is derived- for example much of the rock in the arid Southwest contains calcium carbonate, the same substance in Rolaids
  
• 
  the amount of rainfall which leaches away calcium ions
  

• 
  the kind of vegetation growing in the soil- pines often cause the soil to be acidic
  
• 
  acid rain is a greater problem on the East Coast than on the West
  

**Soil pH investigation #1 do individually

Determine the pH of your soil sample, using the pH test in your Soil Test Kit. pH = _____
1. Is the pH of your soil good for most plants?_______ If not, what could you do to improve your soils pH?
Soil pH investigation #2: comparing the pH of three soils. Do in pairs
Determine the pH of Los Angeles soil, a soil sample from New Hampshire (derived from granite) and a soil sample from Yosemite, California (also derived from granite). Both the New Hampshire soil and the Yosemite soil were collected in a coniferous forest. The Los Angeles soil was collected on campus. The bedrock of the campus is a diatomaceous shale cemented with CaCO₃

D. Soil Profiles Investigation do in pairs

1. The six soil samples in glass jars are the three horizons from two different locations. One location is Georgia and the other is Los Angeles. Which location is most likely to produce a pedocal?______________________ Why?

2. What two metals are likely to build up in a pedalfer

3. How does your answer to question 2 help you to identify which of the soils provided is a pedalfer?

4. Place the sample numbers in the proper location in the table below and explain what evidence led you to determine the horizon type.

• 
  Which locale is most likely to have rocks that contain calcium carbonate?__________
  

Summary Questions on Next Page-

Which student was the last to take soil out of the hole?_________ Explain your reasoning

4. Montmorillonite is a mineral that expands 100x as it absorbs water. Is montmorillonite a kind of clay or sand?________________

5. Did the pH of the Los Angeles soil differ from the soil in Yosemite? _____ If so, describe one likely reason for the difference .

6. Did the pH of the New Hampshire soil differ from the Yosemite soil? ______ If so, describe one likely reason for the difference.

7. Based on pH, which soil, L.A., Yosemite, or N.H., is least likely to be fertile?__________ Explain:

Analysis

1. What are two ways to explain why the pest population increased in 1978 when in 1977 it appeared that it had been eliminated in area A?

3. a. What effect did the spraying have on the insect predator populations?

b. How will this eventually influence the size of the pest populations?

4. a. Thoroughly explain how the birds and fish in the sanctuary could be affected by the spraying in the pine forest.

4. b. A well known insecticide, now banned in the United States, had this effect on some bird species. What is the insecticide and what are two species of birds so affected? What does this tell one about their diet?

5. What is the LD₅₀ for the fish exposed to the insecticide? ________________ Remember, LD₅₀ is the dosage that is lethal to 50% of a sample population.

1. 
   What is aquaculture? How old is this industry?
   
2. 
   Why is aquaculture the way of the future according to the business owners in this movie?
   
3. 
   Give examples of three regions that have major aquaculture industries?
   
4. 
   How can farm-raised salmon and other finfish like cod and halibut cause harm to wild fish? What has been done to remedy this problem?
   
5. 
   What type of food is used to feed farm-raised fish? What do the finfish discussed here eat in the wild?
   
6. 
   What are the main consequences of their diet for human health?
   
7. 
   How should consumers plan their diets to reduce these health risks?
   
8. 
   Describe some of the issues related to food labels that are confusing to consumers when they go to the supermarkets to purchase fish?
   
9. 
   What is Beggiotoa? What causes this condition? How is it a problem for fish farms and the environments where the farms are located?
   
10. 
    What do the sediments in substrate below areas where we have fish farms look like?
    
11. 
    What are the main compounds that form as a result of low oxygen (hypoxic or anoxic) conditions?
    
12. 
    Compare and contrast the various new types of aquaculture (open ocean or off-shore, land-based polyculture) to the traditional near-shore/estuarine type. Describe their benefits and consequences.
    
13. 
    Consider the following proposals for development of aquaculture, and debate their benefits and consequences in class:
    

1. 
   Move finfish pens offshore (open ocean aquaculture), and allow stronger current systems to disperse any excess waste.
   
2. 
   Develop aquaculture as a land-based industry that circulates seawater through a controlled system.
   
3. 
   Create floating finfish tanks that would drift with the ocean currents.
   

Chapter 11 Text

Section 11-1 through 11-9
ONLINE READING QUIZ DUE DATE:__________

Labs:

Dissolved Oxygen, Productivity, and B.O.D. Lab

Water Quality Lab
Worksheets:

Water Use Survey

Simple Math for Geniuses

Water Review Sheet
Water Resources

• 
  water’s unique properties
  
• 
  hydrologic cycle
  
• 
  drainage basins/watersheds
  
• 
  confined vs. unconfined aquifers
  
• 
  water table, zone of saturation/aeration, natural recharge
  
• 
  uses for water resources in U.S.
  
• 
  domestic water uses
  
• 
  reasons for water shortages
  
• 
  solutions for water shortages
  
• 
  use of dams/reservoirs
  
• 
  use of groundwater (benefits and drawbacks)
  
• 
  desalination (Methods, pros and cons)
  
• 
  water transfer (projects, pros and cons)
  
• 
  ways to use water more efficiently
  
• 
  methods of efficient irrigation (LEPA, drip, etc.)
  
• 
  case studies of water use gone awry (Owens Lake, Mono Lake, Aral Sea, James Bay, Three Gorges Dam, Colorado River)
  
• 
  floods (causes, effects i.e. Aswan Dam)
  

• 
  pollution types and sources (Table 11-1)
  
• 
  point vs. nonpoint sources
  
• 
  oxygen sag curve
  
• 
  differences in stream vs. lake pollution
  
• 
  eutrophication process vs. oligotrophic
  
• 
  biological oxygen demand (what is it, why would it change?)
  
• 
  groundwater pollution (sources, rates, prevention)
  
• 
  sources of ocean pollution (ex. oil spills BP, Chesapeake Bay)
  
• 
  methods of reducing surface water pollution
  
• 
  methods of treating sewage (basic, advanced, using wetlands)
  

• 
  where are they
  
• 
  what are the types
  
• 
  what roles do they serve
  
• 
  what threatens them
  
• 
  how are they protected and what are the difficulties
  

• 
  Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA
  

• 
  Mulholland’s Dream
  
• 
  Dissolved Oxygen, BOD, Productivity Lab
  
• 
  Water Quality Lab
  

The maximum amount of D.O. that a given aquatic ecosystem can hold depends on atmospheric pressure and water temperature. Water that is agitated comes in contact with the air, allowing it to be saturated with oxygen. The amount of D.O. in the system can also depend on the amount of organic material present.

The B.O.D. (biochemical oxygen demand) is a measure of the amount of aerobic respiration in an aquatic ecosystem. Precisely defined, the B.O.D. is the amount of oxygen (mg/liter) consumed by microorganisms in a sample of water kept at 20°C (about room temperature) over a 5-day period. Sterile water would have no B.O.D.

A water sample with healthy algae, bacteria, and other microorganisms will have a moderate B.O.D. Raw (untreated) sewage usually has a B.O.D. of 100 to 200.

One of the greatest challenges to the health of an aquatic community is the addition of large amounts of organic matter, such as sewage, garbage, or plant and animal wastes. Although these pollutants are highly biodegradable, (capable of being broken down by normal biological processes), a healthy aquatic ecosystem can handle only so much of them before it becomes overloaded. Organic material is oxygen demanding waste, which means that decomposer bacteria require oxygen to break it down. When a body of water becomes overloaded with oxygen-demanding waste, oxygen-using bacteria can deplete the D.O. content of the water below the level needed to support the diversity of organisms characteristic of healthy ecosystems.

Besides increasing B.O.D. directly, organic wastes can also indirectly raise the demand for oxygen. Organic wastes generally contain high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, substances that act as limiting nutrients for plants. Because nitrogen and phosphorus are usually present in ecosystems only in very small concentrations they act as “fertilizers” when added to lakes and streams in larger amounts. Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution can cause unnatural blooms of algae and other aquatic plants. When these plants die and begin to decay, aquatic microorganisms consume large amounts of oxygen in the decomposition process. The resulting abrupt decrease in D.O. is called an “oxygen crash” and can, in turn, bring about massive fish die-offs. Ultimately, this kind of pollution can reduce a healthy ecosystem to a smelly, virtually lifeless sewer inhabited by select bacteria or other organisms suited to anaerobic conditions.

1. Fill two B.O.D. bottles with your water sample. Use the oxygen meter, and determine the D.O. of the samples. There should be no more than a 0.5 ppm difference between the samples, since they come from the same source.

The B.O.D. reflects the amount of aerobic respiration in the sample. Usually a high B.O.D. reflects the amount of organic waste being consumed by aerobic bacteria. Algae also carry on aerobic respiration. In addition to aerobic respiration, algae can photosynthesize. A sample with a lot of algae may have a high B.O.D., yet still be very productive. Productivity is a measurement of the number of carbon atoms being fixed by photosynthesis.

3. 
   Do any of the data make no sense in terms of productivity or BOD? If so, what sources of error do you think are responsible?
   

1. 
   Using a sterile pipette, add 1mL (20 drops) of sample water to the fecal coliform test vial (it’s filled with either pink or purple liquid).
   
2. 
   Wait 24 hours. If the color changes to yellow, there are fecal coliform bacteria present in the sample.
   

A secondary purpose is to practice composing and revising scientific hypotheses.

Sample 1 - Top of Cascades

Sample 2 - Bottom of Cascades

Sample 3 - Along shoreline,

Sample 4 - At end of lake

Sample 5 - In the cement-lined outlet

• 
  Initial Hypothesis:
  

You will use the following methods to test the water quality parameters noted:

Turbidity- measures water clarity.

• 
  Close the drain tube of the turbidity tube by squeezing the crimp.
  
• 
  Carefully fill the transparency tube
  

• 
  While looking down through the opening of the tube, partially open the drain crimp, slowly drawing off the water.
  
• 
  When the black and white pattern at the base of the transparency tube faintly begins to appear, immediately tighten the crimp and record the level of water remaining by reading the centimeter rule on the side of the tube.
  
• 
  Note that the longer the column in cm, the more transparent the water must be. A low reading indicates that the water is turbid. A high reading means that the water is clear
  

Nitrate-Nitrogen 1 ppm – 15 ppm

• Use Nitrate-Nitrogen kit (3354)

• 
  Fill a test tube (0106) to the 5 ml mark with water sample.
  
• 
  Add one Nitrate #1 tablet (2799)
  
• 
  Cap and mix until tablet disintegrates
  
• 
  Add one Nitrate #2 CTA tablet (NN-3703)
  
• 
  Cap and mix until tablet disintegrates
  
• 
  Wait 5 minutes
  
• 
  Insert Nitrate-Nitrogen Octa-Slide Bare into the Octa Slide Viewer
  
• 
  Insert test tube into the Octa-Slide viewer
  
• 
  Match sample color to color standard. Record as ppm nitrate-nitrogen
  
• 
  Rinse out test tube and dispose of foil tablet containers.
  
• 
  If the color is stronger than the highest reading on the OctaSlide Viewer, Dilute the water sample with 9 parts of distilled water and 1 part of the water sample. Multiply your results by a factor of 10.
  

Phosphate 0– 2 ppm

• 
  Use Phosphate test kit 3121
  
• 
  Place the Axial Reader (2071) on the table top with open side facing operator. The mirror should be facing operator
  
• 
  Position the Octet Comparator in the open slot of the Axial Reader with labels facing the operator. The bottom of the Comparator should be flat on the table surface.
  
• 
  Fill two test tubes to the 10 mL line. These are the blanks. Fill the third tube with sample water according to the test tube procedure instructions.
  
• 
  Treat one test tube according to the following procedures:
  
• 
  Use a 1.0 ml pipette to add 1.0 ml of Phosphate Acid Reagent (6282). Cap and mix.
  
• 
  Use a 0.1 g. spoon (0699) to add one level measure of Phosphate Reducing Reagent (6283). Cap and mix until dissolved.
  
• 
  Wait 5 minutes. While you are waiting, clean the spoon and pipette.
  

• 
  Insert test tube into Phosphate Comparator (3115). Match sample color to color standard. Record as ppm phosphate.
  
• 
  Rinse test tube.
  

• 
  If the color is stronger than the highest reading on the OctaSlide Viewer, Dilute the water sample with 9 parts of distilled water and 1 part of the water sample. Multiply your results by a factor of 10.
  

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) was measured on site by your teacher when collecting the samples.

	Sample 1	Sample 2	Sample 3	Sample 4	Sample 5
Turbidity (cm)
Nitrate nitrogen (ppm)
Phosphate (ppm)
Dissolved Oxygen (ppm) (taken at the site)

Conclusions-
For each hypothesis, answer the following:

1. 
   Did the data support your hypothesis?
   

2. 
   Based upon the test results, refine your hypothesis about the water quality in Balboa Lake.
   

3. 
   What further tests should you want to make in order to support your new hypothesis?
   

Water Use Survey

Part 1- How much water does your family use?

1. To answer this question, obtain a water bill. What is your household daily average?_____________ gallons

2. 
   How many people are in your household?_______________
   

3. What is average use per person in your family?_____________gallons

4. 
   In California, there is an average of 150 gallons delivered per person per day. How does your family compare?_________________________
   

5. 
   If your family is significantly higher or lower than the California average, what factors do you think are responsible?
   

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