Introduction to Aquatic Introduction to Aquatic EcologyEcology

Instructor: Dave WernerInstructor: Dave Werner

MATESMATES

What is Aquatic Ecology?What is Aquatic Ecology?

Ecology=Ecology=study of the study of the relationships of organisms to relationships of organisms to their physical environment their physical environment and to one another. The and to one another. The study of an individual study of an individual organism or a single species organism or a single species is termed is termed autecologyautecology; the ; the study of groups of organisms study of groups of organisms is called is called synecologysynecology..

Add “Aquatic” to that Add “Aquatic” to that definitiondefinition

Question???Question???

Why is aquatic Why is aquatic ecology important to ecology important to understand?understand?

Does it impact you?Does it impact you?

EcosystemsEcosystems

What is an ecosystem?What is an ecosystem? Within the Within the biosphere—the total expanse of water, land, and —the total expanse of water, land, and

atmosphere able to sustain life—the basic ecological unit is atmosphere able to sustain life—the basic ecological unit is the ecosystem. An ecosystem may be as small as a tidal the ecosystem. An ecosystem may be as small as a tidal pool or a rotting log or as large as an ocean or a continent-pool or a rotting log or as large as an ocean or a continent-spanning forest. Each ecosystem consists of a community spanning forest. Each ecosystem consists of a community of plants and animals in an environment that supplies them of plants and animals in an environment that supplies them with raw materials for life, i.e., chemical elements and with raw materials for life, i.e., chemical elements and water. The ecosystem is delimited by the climate, altitude, water. The ecosystem is delimited by the climate, altitude, water and soil characteristics, and other physical conditions water and soil characteristics, and other physical conditions of the environment.of the environment.

WatershedsWatersheds

What is a watershed?What is a watershed? The land area that drains rain and snowmelt The land area that drains rain and snowmelt

to a river is called a watershed.to a river is called a watershed. Every person on Earth lives in a watershed.Every person on Earth lives in a watershed. What is your watershed?What is your watershed? Can you name the major headwaters?Can you name the major headwaters? How does the land use affect your area?How does the land use affect your area?

Studying Our Local Aquatic Studying Our Local Aquatic EcosystemsEcosystems

Equipment:Equipment:– Water Quality TestsWater Quality Tests– D-NetsD-Nets– Kick SeinesKick Seines– Bottom SamplersBottom Samplers– Plankton NetsPlankton Nets

FieldField

Studying Our Local Aquatic Studying Our Local Aquatic EcosystemsEcosystems

Your ChallengeYour Challenge

Your challenge for the semester is to learn Your challenge for the semester is to learn as much as possible about your surrounding as much as possible about your surrounding environment.environment.

Use the knowledge you gain to make a Use the knowledge you gain to make a positive impact on the aquatic ecosystem.positive impact on the aquatic ecosystem.