Using Invertebrates to Assess Water Quality Go to: http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_09/BL_09.

html Question: How do population changes of aquatic invertebrates indicate water quality? Purpose: In this investigation, you will demonstrate how water quality can be assessed by studying the effects of acid rain on different populations of aquatic invertebrates. Objectives: Investigate the effects of acid rain on different species of a uatic invertebrates Describe how the presence or absence of populations of aquatic invertebrates in icates water quality Proce ure: !n the screen "ou will see three a uatic invertebrates in the a uarium. #he p$ level indicator on the a uarium shows the current p$ level. !ote: #he specimens are not drawn to scale. #he computer randoml" chooses three specimens at a time from the following: aquatic earthwor"s# snails# tubife$ wor"s# cla"s# leeches# si eswi""ers# ragonfly ny"phs# crayfish# fairy shri"ps# an stonefly ny"phs% %ou can clic& &'(') until "ou get the selection "ou want to test. Infor"ation: *ow o changes in populations of aquatic invertebrates in icate water quality+ 'cid rain results from the release of pollutants in the air. )he pollutants co"e fro" fossil fuels such as gasoline( oil and coal being burned b" automobiles( factories( and power plants. )hen the fossil fuels are burned( the" release sulfur dio*ide and nitrous o*ides as b"products. #hese pollutants can combine with water and other chemicals to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. )hen the water falls to +arth as rain( snow( sleet( fog or dew( it is called acid precipitation ,acid rain-. #he carbonic acid used in this investigation represents acid rain. #he strength of acid rain is determined b" reading a p* scale% #he p$ is a measurement of how acidic or basic a solution is. )he p* scale ranges fro" , to -.% #he lower the p$( the more acidic the solution. #he higher the p$( the more basic the solution. !n the p$ scale( a change of one unit is actuall" a ten/fol change% .or e*ample( pure distilled water is neural at p$ /. ' solution at p$ 0 is ten times more acidic than pure water( and a solution at p$ 1 is 200 times more acidic than pure water. #hus( a p$ change of one or two units can seriousl" affect a great number of organisms in an ecos"stem. 'll rain naturall" has some amount of acid in it. 3npolluted rain has a p$ of 1.041.0. B" contrast( acid rain has a p$ range of 5.041.0. In highl" industriali6ed regions( acid rain can be e*tremel" acidic. )ith p$ readings below 5.0( the acid rain in these areas can be as strong as vinegar ,7.7.- and sometimes even as strong as lemon 8uice ,9.70-. )hen acid rain falls( it can produce man" problems for the environment( particularly for forest an aquatic habitats% 'll organisms are adapted to survive within particular p$ ranges. :ost freshwater fish( for e*ample( survive best within a p* range of 0%,/1%,. )hen acid precipitation falls into a la&e( it lowers the p$ of the water( thus &illing man" a uatic organisms. Indicator species are particular a uatic invertebrates that alert us to pollution proble"s in an environment. )he populations of these organis"s change rapi ly in response to changes in ecological variables# such as foo availability# water# te"perature# a"ount of issolve water in the water# p* levels# an other factors% 2lic3 on the Population 4ar 5raph on the computer to see the population data for the three species at the present p$ level. 2lic3 the )able button to open the #'BL+ and record the population data and the current p$ level.

2lic3 the PIP'))' to dispense three drops of carbonic acid ,acid rain- into the a uarium 2lic3 the Population 4ar 5raph to see the new data. !pen the #able and record the population data and the current p$ level ;ontinue to add ;arbonic 'cid and record the resulting population data and p$ levels until "ou have completed the table. When co"plete/ copy ata table 6ta3e screen shot7 to inclu e in write/up% 'fter "ou have completed the #able( clic& the graph button to see the data displa"ed in a graph. 62opy 5raph an inclu e in your write/up7 Analysis Questions: 2: )hat are the names of the species used in this e*periment< )hich of these species was the most tolerant of increased acidit" in the a uarium< )hich species was the least tolerant< 9: =escribe how acid precipitation affects ecos"stems. 7: )hat is an indicator species< $ow are indicator species used to assess pollution levels in the environment< 5: >uppose "ou are an ecologist stud"ing the effects of acid precipitation of plant life. =escribe an e*periment "ou would perform in order to determine which plant species would be an useful indicator species for acid rain pollution. 1: $ow do the data represented on the ?opulation Bar Graph compare to the data represented in the line graph titled( @?opulations of ' uatic Invertebrates at Aarious p$ Levels<B