SENECA FIELD TRIP LABREPORT

QUESTION: Why is the water quality effecting the different population species of plants and animals in these waters?

DEPENDENT VARIABLE:

• Study of different species already there
• Amount of each in the same better or worst conditions
• Different locations
• Day difference

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE:

• Depth at all 3 locations

OTHER VARIABLES:

• PH
• Amount of dissolved Oxygen
• Temperature
• Turbidity

There are many factors that are bad to the success of aquatic ecosystems such as the levels of dissolved oxygen and PH. A deficiency of D.O. is a sign of an unhealthy body of water.  As mentioned in the Science on Seneca Manual, Seneca Lake is a primary source of drinking water and is useful to nearby towns and municipalities. The temperature of the lake varies. The lake can get as warm as 72 degrees fahrenheit  and it can as cold as 38 degrees fahrenheit. However all of the Finger Lakes are subjected to environmental harms such as; "agricultural pollutants, shoreline development, increasing recreational use,and the introduction of exotic species like the spiny water flea, zebra and quagga mussel and Eurasian watermilfoil". Theses environmental threats are factors that impact the water quality of Seneca Lake. As done in the Furnace Brook lab, water quality was tested by sampling macro-invertebrates present in the water, along with testing pH, Dissolved Oxygen, and Turbidity. By testing for the things mentioned above in the three soil samples taken from the lake, along with taking into account the environmental threats that impact Seneca Lake, the water quality can be determined. By seeing organisms that live or do not live in Seneca Lake, you can determine the water quality based on the organisms' pollution tolerance.

HYPOTHESIS: 
   Different organisms require different conditions. Such as salt water fish and those that live in fresh water. The salt water fish filter the salt and use it for different parts in their bodies. Verses fresh water fish. That's like putting a gold fish in salt water, they would die. They can't survive. Or like plankton different areas and plants and animals require many conditions to survive.

METHOD: 
    Find three different shallow water locations.

              2. Take the temperature of the 3 different locations.

              3.Find the pH values of all three locations

              4. Take a net and see what kind of MacroInvertebrates you get.

              5. Record your data.

              6. Find three different deep water locations.

              7.Repeat steps 1-5 for the deep water locations.

PROCEDURE:

• Collect an equal water sample from 3 of our locations 
• test for DO by adding 8 drops of the manganese(II) sulfrate solution (bottle 4167) followed by 8 drops of the alkaline potassium iodize azide solution (bottle 7166) to the LaMotte sample bottle
• mix it all up and wait 3-4 minutes to allow the orange/brown precipitate to settle
• add one level of sulfamic acid (bottle 6286) to the solution you made above 
• shake until all crystals have dissolved 
• pour this new solution from the LaMotte bottle into the titration tube up to 20ml
• fill the Direct Reading Titrator (0337) up to the 0 mark with the sodium thiosulfate solution
• put the titrator through the hole in the cap of the titration tube and stir in one drop of titrant until the bluish color is gone. 
• dump everything left over into a labeled waste container and clean with distilled water.