Aquatic

Aquatics Topics

I.Aquatic Ecology
A. Abiotic
    1. Influence of water’s chemical properties on aquatic organisms
    2. Influence of water’s physical properties on aquatic organisms
    3. Influence of the surrounding land on a stream
    4. Influence of the water cycle on the aquatic ecosystem
     5. Watersheds and river systems in Pennsylvania
    6. Stream order within a watershed
B. Biotic
    1. Identification of aquatic organisms
    2. Life cycles of aquatic organisms
    3. Adaptations of aquatic organisms
    4. Habitat needs of aquatic organisms
C. Community
    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
II. Aquatic Resource Issues
A. Human effects on the aquatic ecosystem
B Impact of water pollution on aquatic communities
C. Threatened and endangered species and their impact on biodiversity
D. Introduced and invasive species and their effects on the aquatic ecosystem
III. Aquatic Resource Management and Protection
A. Commission roles
B. Water quality assessment
C. Water quality improvement
D. Aquatic habitat enhancement
E. Restoration of aquatic organisms
F. Aquatic resource protection at home and school

Learning Objectives Envirothon students will be able to:
I. Aquatic Ecosystems
      A. Abiotic
    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.
     2. Determine stream velocity and explain how stream velocity, water temperature, water turbidity and surface tension influence a particular aquatic organism.
    3. Explain how surrounding land influences water flow, channel shape and habitat types in a stream.
    4. Identify three specific parts of the water cycle and describe their influence on the aquatic ecosystem.
    5. Identify Pennsylvania’s six watersheds and their related river systems and locate them on a map.
    6. Identify the stream order of three or more given watercourses in a particular watershed
       B. Biotic
    1. Identify common fishes, amphibians (to include calls), reptiles and aquatic macroinvertebrates without the use of a key and identify specific or unusual species through the use of a key.
     2. Describe the life cycle of three or more specific aquatic organisms.
     3. List three adaptations of a specific aquatic organism and explain the             advantage of each.
     4. Describe the habitat needs of three or more specific aquatic organisms.
        C. Community
    1. Identify six specific aquatic or wetland environments given their physical, chemical and biological characteristics.
     2. List three functions or values of wetlands.
    3. Compare and contrast a physical, chemical and biological difference found in a stream continuum from headwater to mouth.
    4. Identify the functional feeding group of four or more specific aquatic             organisms and describe their niche in the stream continuum.
    5. Compare and contrast the flow of energy in two different aquatic food chains.
II. Aquatic Resource Issues
    A. Explain the effects of three different human activities on the aquatic             ecosystem.
    B. List three types of water pollution, their sources and explain how they impact an aquatic community.
    C. Identify at least three threatened or endangered species and give reasons for their status and explain
    D. How their extirpation or extinction could impact biodiversity.
    E. List at least three invasive or introduced species and discuss their affects on the aquatic ecosystem.
III. Aquatic Resource Management and Protection
    A. Explain three or more ways that the Commission manages and protects aquatic resources.
    B. Explain one or more methods to assess the water quality of a stream.
    C. List and describe three or more ways to improve the water quality of a stream.
    D. List and describe three or more ways to enhance aquatic habitats.
    E. Identify three or more migratory fish that the Commission is restoring and their particular watersheds.
    F. Discuss at least three ways that you can protect aquatic resources at home or school.
Identification Study List

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
Muskellunge
Northern pike
Paddlefish
Rainbow trout
Rock bass
Sea lamprey
Smallmouth bass
Striped bass
Walleye
White sucker
Yellow perch American toad***
Bullfrog***
Eastern gray treefrog***
Pickerel frog***
Northern green frog***
Northern leopard frog***
Northern spring peeper***
Wood frog***
Hellbender
Jefferson salamander
Longtail salamander
Marbled salamander
Mudpuppy
Northern dusky salamander
Northern red salamander
Redback salamander
Red-spotted newt
Spotted salamander

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
Northern copperhead
Northern garter snake
Northern ringneck snake
Northern water snake
Timber rattlesnake

Amphipod (scud)
Backswimmer
Caddisfly****
Crayfish
Cranefly****
Dobsonfly (hellgrammite)****
Dragonfly****
Freshwater mussel
Freshwater snail
Giant water bug
Isopod (aquatic sowbug)
Mayfly****
Predaceous diving beetle
Stonefly****
Water strider
Whirligig beetle
Water boatman
Water penny
Zebra mussel

***Must know calls
**** Must know larval and adult stages