Experimental Lakes Area

The data from our experimental design supports the idea that the pH in the Chesapeake Bay is decreasing and becoming acidic. Our team used the following materials to test this idea:

As seen in Figure 1. during the removal of carp in Lake Susan the amount of vegetation had increased by 40% (Bajer and Sorensen 2015). The importance of having vegetation in lakes especially around the littoral zone is vital for providing a habitat for other aquatic and semi aquatic species like amphibians and invertebrates (Radomski et al 2010). It was surprising to learn that removal of carp in a deep lake that can stratify, did not affect the concentration levels of phosphorous. While it improved the turbidity of the water, becoming more clear, and allowing for more light to enter the lake needed for submersed vegetation to growth (Bajer and Sorensen

In healthy lakes and streams, nutrients are needed for the growth of alar that forms the base of a complex food web supporting the entire aquatic ecosystem (Lindberg 2012). Based off of this background information, a second experiment was conducted to study the community ecology within the LSU University Lake. This experiment arose interest in observing the amount of ammonia (abiotic factor) in the lake water and its effect on the concentration of chlorophyll (biotic factor). The data retrieved in this experiment lead to the question, if there is an increase in the amount of ammonia in the LSU University Lake, would that result in an increase of chlorophyll concentration due to an increase in nutrient availability? The null hypothesis states that in an aquatic ecosystem, the different levels of ammonia will have no effect on the concentration of chlorophyll present in the University Lake. Inversely, the alternative hypothesis states that in an aquatic ecosystem, the different levels of ammonia will have an effect on the concentration of chlorophyll present in the University

Today, the lake and its surrounding terrain are a very interesting site to behold. It is, in fact, the largest lake that is completely inside the state of California at over 70 square miles in size (Foss 1). It is also one of the oldest lakes and ecosystems here in the United States. The lake itself is now almost completely uninhabitable by most marine life, as the salt levels in the water are far too high to be able to sustain fish populations. Still. There is an abundance of aquatic life, even though the salts levels are too high to sustain the normal fish populations that are found in other surrounding lakes in the Eastern Sierra Mountain ranges near by. The lake is now a prime breeding ground for a very small number of species. Brine shrimp and the brine flies that feed off their larva are the dominant groups in the salty lake. Today, "Mono lake is actually one of the most productive ecosystems on the

A total of nine samples were acquired from the outer perimeter of lake vista. Spanning from two hundred and four hundred feet apart. Samples were taken with disposable plastic sample bottles between the hours of ten and eleven am on 11/7/2016. Visual assessment of lake vista seemingly contained an abundant amount of organic material, in the form or blue green algae, and other small debris. It had rained heavily the night prior to samples being taken. Aerial view below of lake vista has been marked where samples were taken.

Again Schindler and his team set up groundbreaking experiments that used both sulfuric and nitric acid on lake systems, demonstrating that acidification could knock out species within aquatic food chains, sometimes with dramatic and cascading effects. They discovered that two important species, opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), stopped reproducing at pH values below 6, when water has become slightly acidified (note: neutral pH is 7.0). Their results were important because they showed that fish were vulnerable to more subtle levels of acidity than had previously been recognized. Photographs of starving fish from some of Schindler's acidification research assisted in gaining the attention of the public,

This paper shows that acid rain is a reality. It is destroying our freshwater ecosystems and must be stopped in order to save them. If the problem is not fixed soon the aquatic ecosystems will be destroyed.

abiotic and biotic factors and how they influenced each other in a small freshwater ecosystem.

Ocean acidification is a big problem in society but hasn’t been given the recognition needed. Before the industrial era began, the average pH at the ocean surface was estimated at 8.2 (slightly basic; 7.0 is neutral). In 2013 the average pH level was 8.1. Although the change may seem insignificant, similar natural shifts have taken 5,000 to 10,000 years but because of societal development this change occurred between 50 to 80 years. It was hypothesised that by the lowering the PH level of the experiment water it will have a decomposing effect on the organisms (shells).Three shells were placed in separate beakers with different levels of pH and were tested for the changes of mass (intervals of 2 to 3 days). Sample 2 of the experiment showed

In 1852, a chemist by the names of Angus Smith “coined the term acid rain to refer to the effect that industrial emissions hod on precipitation in the English Mainlands.” Scientists began to study and research acid rain and the effects that it had on the environment, but it was not until years later, in the late 1970s, that scientist began to recognize the major effects acid raid had. “The damaging effects of acid rain on the environment are believed to be considerable in some areas and imminent in others. The best known effect of acid precipitation is the lowering of pH in thousands of lakes and streams in Scandinavia and eastern America.”

The oceans of the earth are a massive part of the natural cycles that make this planet habitable. They regulate global temperatures, absorb carbon dioxide, provide a home for millions of plants and animals that make up various levels of the food chain, and so much more. They are a resource given for us to use and benefit from, however, it is also a resource that needs to be protected. It is the fountain of life for the planet and drastic changes to the makeup of the oceans could be detrimental to life as we know it. Ocean acidification is a problem which has come to light in the last decade, but is becoming increasingly concerning to many scientists (1). In this essay I will attempt to direct your attention to some of the

Due to the ocean’s continued absorption of carbon dioxide, it continues to acidify. This acidification is having a notable effect on the oceanic ecosystem, most notably in the phytoplankton. In fact, the continued acidification is a direct result of the drop in plankton population.

The potential impacts of ocean acidification pose several threats on marine organisms and ecosystem processes. Many marine species are sensitive to changes in ocean. The effects of acidification on individual species will have ripple effects throughout the ecosystem. So, species that might not be directly affected by acidification may still be influenced by ocean acidification if their predators or prey are affected by changes in water chemistry. These food web interactions are difficult to predict, and may play out in unexpected ways. Acidification’s potential effects on marine ecosystems are an economic concern as well. These issues need to be addressed because they are all issues today, not the future. Ocean acidification may also be threatening not only marine life but our own way of life as humans. Although ocean acidification may not directly impact specific organisms, it’s impact will have a ripple effect that is felt in our own ecosystem we live in today. Threatening the health of

For our project this semester my team studied the effects that a riparian buffer zone had on both Adams Lake and Chapman Pond. We also looked at how climate change effects Adams Lake and Chapman Pond. A riparian buffer zone is where vegetation is grown around a water source to help keep sediment, phosphorous, pesticides, and other harmful things from getting into the water systems (Correll, 2016). The affects that riparian buffer zones have on our water systems and the change in climate is extremely important. My team believed that the water quality would be better in a body of water that had a riparian buffer zone (Chapman Pond) than a body water without a riparian buffer zone (Adams Lake).

The acid in freshwater is dependent on the quantity of the soil of calcium carbonate within the soil. Other freshwater sources such as lakes, streams, and ponds all have a natural pH of 6 – 8. Acid deposition has many harmful effects when the pH system falls below 6 -5 in any of these types of freshwater. For example, if you increase the acidity with a pH below 5, fish population will disappear and the bottom of the freshwater environment will be covered with decayed material (1).