Aquatics or aquatic ecology is the study of animals and plants in freshwater environments. In addition to the many common aquatic species in New York, a student of aquatics learns about watersheds, wetlands and the hydrologic cycle. Essential to understanding and appreciating the field of aquatics is a basic knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of water.
Water is arguably the most valuable substance on the planet, and is the common name applied to the liquid state of the hydrogen oxygen compound H2O. It covers 70% of the surface of the Earth forming swamps, lakes, rivers, and oceans. Pure water has a blue tint, which may be detected only in layers of considerable depth. It has no taste or odor. Water molecules are strongly attracted to one another through their two hydrogen atoms. At the surface, this attraction produces a tight film over the water (surface tension). A number of organisms live both on the upper and lower sides of this film.
Density of water is greatest at 39.2° Fahrenheit (4° Celsius). It becomes less as water warms and, more important, as it cools to freezing at 32° Fahrenheit (0° Celsius), and becomes ice. Ice is a poor heat conductor. Therefore, ice sheets on ponds, lakes and rivers trap heat in the water below. For this reason, only very shallow water bodies ever freeze solid.
Water is the only substance that occurs at ordinary temperatures in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. In its solid state, water is ice, and can be found as glaciers, snow, hail, and frost and ice crystals in clouds. It occurs in the liquid state as water droplets in rain clouds, and on vegetation as dew. Under the influence of gravity, water may accumulate in the openings of hard rock beneath the surface of the earth. This groundwater sustains wells, springs and some streams. As a gas, or water vapor, it occurs as fog, steam, clouds, and humidity.
The transparency of water permits enough light to penetrate for plants to carry on photosynthesis and animals to thrive. The depths to which light can penetrate decrease as water contains more suspended materials and becomes turbid (or less clear). Less light means fewer plants can grow, thus attracting less wildlife.
Our dependence upon water and competition for it have imperiled and will continue to threaten aquatic environments and the organisms living in them. Good water quality is essential for aquatic life as well as for the human species. Recently, the historical emphasis on political entities, such as counties, towns, villages and cities, has shifted to watersheds. It has been said that one-third of the world's population will experience a water shortage crisis in 2025.
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AQUATIC ECOLOGY Learning Objectives
For successful completion of the aquatics section, students should be able to:
- Know the processes and phases for each part of the water cycle and understand the water cycle's role in soil erosion, groundwater recharge, and climatic influences.
- Understand the concept and components of a watershed and be able to identify stream orders and watershed boundaries. Know the features of a healthy watershed and an unhealthy watershed.
- Know how to interpret water and biological quality tests and understand why aquatic organisms and water quality is affected by the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the water and how it impacts aquatic environments.
- Understand the dependence of all organisms on one another and how energy and matter flow within an aquatic ecosystem.
- Understand the concept of carrying capacity for a given aquatic ecosystem, and be able to discuss how water usage may affect the ability of the system to sustain different needs.
- Identify common, rare, threatened and endangered aquatic species as well as aquatic invasive species.
- Identify aquatic and wetland environments based on their physical, chemical and biological characteristics.
- Know characteristics of different types of aquifers, and understand historical trends and threats to groundwater quantity and quality.
- Understand the benefits and ecological functions and values of riparian zones, wetlands and open water systems and be able to identify the associated zone areas.
- Be familiar with both NYS and federal water protection laws and the agencies that enforce those laws. Understand the requirements for required permits.
- Understand concepts and practices to manage non-point source pollution from agricultural, forest and land under development.
- Be familiar with general terminology and definitions pertaining to the subject area.
We have attempted to find the most recent information from creditable, university or governmental based institutions related to the listed learning objective but please note that the following resources are not all inclusive or exclusive and there are many other sources of information that you may wish to consult in your study of Aquatic Ecology.
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Aquatics Ecology References
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