The Great Salt Lake: Case Study

Learning Target: I can analyze a case study and begin to explain how changes can

affect an entire ecosystem.

Part Title

1 Networks (Intro, Construct, Analyze, Quiz)

2 Ecosystems and Modeling

• Find the Bunnies!

• CHON Reading Jigsaw

• CHON Networks Jigsaw

• Group Presentations of Tyee Ecosystem

• Ecosystem Modeling in Excel

• Extreme Environments

• Great Salt Lake Case Study

3 Integration of Economics into Ecosystems

4 Human System Projects

1. Does a change in the environment (like less water or the temperature changing) result in a change in what lives there? Why or why not?

2. Does this include extremophiles? Why or why not? Give examples in your explanation.

Warm Up

Great Salt Lake - Case Study Details

• Setting: A large body of water• Time: 1952• Event: A causeway is built across the body of

water separating the north end from the south end. No water is exchanged between the two sides.

• The general question: What effect does this have on the ecosystem?

What is a causeway? Let’s look at the next slide to find out.

The Specifics• In 1902, a railroad built a train

trestle that went directly across the body of water. In the 1950’s, a causeway replaced the trestle allowing for safer and faster travel of the trains.

• The causeway is a solid, raised roadway made of 50 million cubic yards of rock, sand and gravel. However, unlike the trestle, the causeway does not allow circulation of water between the two sides. This basically split the lake into two halves, the North arm and the South arm.

Use the information from this slide to answer questions 1 & 2.

Turn & Talk: What do you see in this picture?

South Arm of Lake

North Arm of Lake

White stuff

The causeway separating the North and South arms

What do you notice about the colors of water on both sides of the causeway?Question #3

South Arm of Lake North Arm of

Lake

This body of water is a dynamic This body of water is a dynamic ecosystem and is affected by the amount ecosystem and is affected by the amount

of rainfall receivedof rainfall received1984 2004

What inference could you make about the amount of rainfall received in 2004?

Question #5

How does the size compare in 1984 and 2004?

Question #4

Brainstorming

• What differences do you notice, if any, between the north and the south arms?

• Why could building a causeway cause the water to be two different colors?– What might be some causes of the change seen?

As a class, create a list of

possibilities. Write down your

classmates’ ideas. Question #6

New Information• Both arms of the lake contain salt.• Only one arm of this body of water receives freshwater on

a continuous basis.– 2 rivers flow into that arm.– Does this help you explain why the body of water is two different

colors?• Answer questions 7 and 8

Turn & Talk: What is freshwater?

These are red onion cells. The purple stuff is the cytoplasm inside the cell.

After adding salt, look what happens. What is happening to the amount of purple cytoplasm inside the cell?

After adding EVEN MORE salt, look what happens. What is happening to the amount of purple cytoplasm inside the cell?

What do you think is causing that to happen?

In osmosis: water follows salt! - Wherever there is more salt, water will go because it loves salt!

#9: What inference can you make about which plant received salt water? Why?

The causeway separating the North and South arms

South Arm of Lake North Arm of

Lake

A Lake Divided: Salinity Before and After the Causeway

http://ut.water.usgs.gov/greatsaltlake/salinity/index.html

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Water Level History of the South Arm of the Great Salt

Lake

http://geology.utah.gov/online_html/pi/pi-39/pi39pg04.htm

Historic low GSL level Historic high GSL level

http://ut.water.usgs.gov/greatsaltlake/salinity/index.html

Lake Level and Water Density Inversely Correlate

• Which arm of the Great Salt Lake is saltier?

Evidence?

• How does lake level influence density?

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Digging in to the GSL Salinity Data

• Salt concentration can be measured in:– Percent Salinity– Parts Per Thousand (= % x 10)

• Salt concentration can be inferred as:– Density of Water

• Density of water = 1 gram / cm3 = 1 g / mL• If density is greater than 1 g/mL, there is something

dissolved in the water (i.e. salt)

Digging in to the GSL Salinity Data• The Great Salt Lake was once a vast body of salt water• Over time, the GSL evaporated to its present size,

leaving behind salt deposits• The size of the GSL continues to change, while the

amount of salt stays the same• Salinity and density inversely co rrelate with water

level– When water level ↑, salinity (% or ppt) and density ↓– When water level ↓, salinity (% or ppt) and density ↑

Halobacteria

Northern Harrier

Avocet

Brine shrimp

Brine fly

Eared Grebe

Cyanobacteria

Diatoms

North Arm(after the causeway)

South Arm(before the causeway)

Answer questions #10-11 from looking at the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Picture.

The Great Salt Lake

Ecosystem

Answer question #12 (Hint: what are the arrows pointing to?)

The causeway separating the North and South arms

South Arm of Lake North Arm of

Lake

Answer question #13

Want More? (Of course you do!)

Check out the Science Friday podcast from April 26, 2013: The Great Lake Is No ‘Dead Sea’

http://www.npr.org/2013/04/26/179224937/great-salt-lake-is-no-dead-sea

Work Time

Hypothesize what would happen to the Great Salt Lake ecosystem if the railroad causeway were removed.

Record your thoughts – at least 4 sentences – on the back of the case study worksheet.