Salinity, is a measure of the amount of salt dissolved in the water. Usually measured in parts per thousand. It largely depends on the body of water considered. For example, it is typically between 34 and 37 parts per thousand for sea water (1). A dangerous salinity depends on the specific water considered. Brine waters are associated with a 50 ppt salinity. Thus, this salinity is considered dangerous for sea water. Salt in the sea comes from rocks on land. Ground water salinity is quite important as it’s the main source of the water we drink. Its salinity has been raising because the rain that falls on the land contains some dissolved carbon dioxide from the surrounding air (2). Rain water penetrates the rock layers and eventually …show more content…
pH levels exceeding 8.3 are stressful to most marine animals. pH also has an impact on a process called calcification. Calcification increases with pH rise (4). The monitoring of the acidity and basicity of the liquids disposed in the ocean by factories and research facilities on the long term might allow the control of the pH levels. Turbidity represents the clarity of water. It is affected by the amount of phytoplankton, clay, slit, minerals or even algae, suspended in the water. The more opaque the water is, the higher its turbidity. It is measured in nephelometric units NTUs using a turbidimeter or nephelometer (6). Acceptable ranges for streams are < 25 NTU and for lakes and reservoirs < 50 NTU. High turbidity levels can cause health issues such as increasing the possibility for waterborne diseases. They can also cause environmental problems especially that higher turbidity means less light penetrating. Thus, leading to less photosynthesis for aquatic plants (7). This can be reduced by decreasing urban runoff and implementing better treatment techniques for sewage treatment and discharge plants. Just like the name indicates, dissolved oxygen DO, is the amount of dissolved oxygen in water. It is measured in mg O2/L. The main source for the dissolved oxygen is the aquatic plants that carry out photosynthesis. Therefore, its levels vary a lot within one day due to light availability (8). Normal
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organism requires oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of parts per million (ppm). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from; finally, answer the questions below.
“The pH of a solution is a measure of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution and as such is a measure of the acidity or basicity (sic) of the solution. The letters pH stand for power of hydrogen and the numerical value defined as the negative base 10 logarithm of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions.” (PH, 2002). The pH scale is from 0 to 14. When the pH is higher, the hydrogen ions are fewer and the substance considered alkaline. This means when a pH unit increases by one, there is a tenfold change in the hydrogen ion. For example, if a substance has a 7 pH, it has 10 times as many as hydrogen ions available as 8 pH. A lake having a water pH between 6.5 and 8.5 is considered to be neutral. Researchers tested Peckham Park lake water monthly from August 2015 to April 2016 for water pH levels. A water quality PH test strip taken from a jar and dipped into the lake. After a few minutes, the strip will turn a color and this color determines the pH. The jar the strips came in has a chart of the colors on the back which compared to the color on the strip. The lake tested monthly using the PH test strips, which show the pH level, hardness, toxic, etc. using color-change
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organism requires oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of parts per million (ppm). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from; finally, answer the questions below.
Soil, which is the layer of earth on the top where plants and vegetation grow, contains a pH balance, everything does. The pH, acidity, or alkalinity balance of each type of soil that is being observed can affect the plants, because it determines how many nutrients are being deposited to them. It
Overall, the more macroinvertebrates in the water, the healthier the stream. pH is a measure of how acidic or basic water is. It is measured on a scale from 0-14. 0 is the most acidic, 14 is the most basic, and 7 is neutral. It is the measure of the relative amount of free hydrogen and hydroxide ions in the water. Acidic water has more hydrogen ions, and basic water has more hydroxide ions. When water’s pH is around neutral (7), that is a suitable and healthy living environment for fish, and indicates a healthy stream. If the water is too acidic or too basic, it can be harmful to the aquatic life. Dissolved oxygen is a measure of how much oxygen is dissolved in the water. As the amount of dissolved oxygen drops below normal levels in water bodies, the water quality is harmed and creatures begin to die off as a result of eutrophication. The higher the level of dissolved oxygen, the healthier the stream. When there is a lot of dissolved oxygen present it makes for a safe environment for fish to live and reproduce. Having all this healthy fish can provide us with food, so overall the more dissolved oxygen, the better. Nitrates are a compound found in fertilizers that is used to help plants grow. It is what is given off as a result of the use of nitrogen in water. The organisms in the soil eat the nitrates and it helps the metabolism and the health of organisms. Plants, such as Algae use nitrates as a source
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organism requires oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of parts per million (ppm). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from; finally, answer the questions below.
Water is the most relied upon resource on earth and if it disappeared life could not and would not exist on this planet. So if one of our main sources of water in South Australia, The Murray Darling-Basin, becomes unusable then we would need to find the problem and do everything possible to stop it or counteract it. This report investigates on salinity in the Murray Darling-Basin, using the issue question “Is there enough being done to counteract the effects of salinity in the Murray?” as the focus. Salinity is a key significant environmental challenge which the Murray faces and if left unmanaged it could cause serious implications for water quality, plant growth, biodiversity, land productivity, infrastructure and could lead to a loss of
Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organisms require oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes, and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of parts per million (ppm). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from and then answer the questions below.
Dissolved Oxygen, pH levels, Temperature Change, Fecal Coliform, BOD, Nitrate, Phosphates, Turbidity, and Total Solids were each tested in the stream at least one time. If more time and enough supplies were given, then certain tests should be done more than once. Temperature Changes should be tested every other month because it is quick and a change in temperature can affect the health of the organisms living in the stream and therefore the quality of the stream. Temperatures can also drastically change in a short amount of time and there is a large difference in water temperatures in summer and winter. Another test that should be done every other month is dissolved oxygen because it is related to the temperature of the water. Cooler waters have a greater capacity for dissolved oxygen than warmer waters. This test is important because due to human activity and industrial processes, can increase water temperature and therefore decrease the dissolved oxygen levels. Certain organisms living in the stream need a sufficient amount of dissolved oxygen to survive. Another test that should be done more often is the
7) In the depth, oxygen is used by respiration and decomposition of organic materials and the carbon dioxide is given off. Oxygen from the surface water conducted in the deeper ocean and combine dioxide is responsible of gas distribution by carbonate, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate reactions in
The velocity of the water or speed of water determines the dissolved oxygen levels in the water. The higher amount of dissolved oxygen the better the water is to the aquatic life in the creek. Because fish need dissolved oxygen to survive, low level of dissolved oxygen will be bad for aquatic life. Also the creek would not be healthy with low amounts of dissolved oxygen. The results of the test had an average of 9.8 . This is the average number a normal and healthy creek should have.
The average temperature was approximately 9.67 C. The temperature of the water is significantly impacted by the amount of cool wind the area receives, the amount of sunlight, and the time of year in which the temperature was measured. These factors allow for the water to maintain significantly cooler throughout the year. Also affected by wind are the velocity and rate of flow of the stream. The average velocity is 0.29 meters per second (m/s) and the rate of flow is 41.30 meters3 per second (m3/s). The velocity and rate of flow in the area are higher because it was closer to the dam and also contained areas that were more elevated than some. Sunlight, on the other hand, also affected the turbidity and the photic zone. The turbidity of the stream was 26.50 centimeters (0.265 meters), while the photic zone was 0.42 meters. The photic zone is the depth of the water that receives the greatest amount of sunlight that is then used to carry out photosynthesis. Turbidity is an indicator of how much algae or sediments is present in a lake because it affects the visibility of the water. The cloudiness of the water is caused by the dissolved particles scattering light molecules within the water. The average depth of the water is 9.50 meters and the average width of the water is 14.99 meters. The measurements of the width and depth are not affected by anything. According to Trout
Dryland salinity has become a large problem in Australia. As salt start to accumulate near the soil surface, plants find it harder to absorb water and then start to slowly die, as they become dehydrated. 30% loss of field crops can occur, even before the effect of soil salinity is visible.
1. What is the composition of seawater? The salinity of seawater ranges from 3.3 to 3.7%. When seawater evaporates it leaves behind sodium chloride, better known as table salt. The other components of seawater are acquired through various methods. One of which is weathering. Chemical weathering of rock releases soluble such as salts of sodium, potassium, and sulfur.
The world we live in is so vast and exciting. Seventy percent of our world is liquid water we call the ocean. In the ocean there are many creatures that each are unique in their own way. However, it is possible that in our lifetime, many marine organisms will become endangered or possibly extinct. The loss of these mejestic marine creatures will be caused mainly because of human advancements in which fossil fuels are used to produce energy. Biodiversity is greatly affected by this increase in acidity. As the ocean acidifies, multiple social and economic issues arise. As humans, we rely on the ocean for almost everything. Much of our food, clothing, cleaning products and cosmetics come from the ocean. With the loss of