Water Quality B/C

[Cjkowalcz]

Hey guys, our Water Quality States test was very well balanced. We had a section on estuaries, then macro-invertebrates, then various knowledge questions scattered throughout. One of them included a depth versus temperature graph :O. The only problem was I didn't feel very good sixth period because I was a little sick. Near the end, my partner pretty much took over.

[caseyotis]

Hey guys, our Water Quality States test was very well balanced. We had a section on estuaries, then macro-invertebrates, then various knowledge questions scattered throughout. One of them included a depth versus temperature graph :O. The only problem was I didn't feel very good sixth period because I was a little sick. Near the end, my partner pretty much took over.

I wish our test was like that. >.< It was just a scantron, and the questions were erratic. 80 questions with no flow to any of them. Much unlike a river.

[ptkid]

So, I was looking over last years national test and there were two questions related to algal blooms. I know that both nitrates and phosphates contribute to algal blooms, so I remember last year being confused on which answer choice to choose (Too much ______________ can cause excess algae using up large amounts of oxygen and causing aquatic organisms as well as fish to die and With regards to most cases of nuisance algal growths in lakes, the limiting factor is most often
____________________.) The answers to the questions was phosphates/phosphorous. So which causes algal blooms more, Nitrates or Phosphates?

Edit: Now looking back on it, I think it's phosphates. If y'all could explain more that would be great.

[HeartCaro]

ditto

[FueL]

So, I was looking over last years national test and there were two questions related to algal blooms. I know that both nitrates and phosphates contribute to algal blooms, so I remember last year being confused on which answer choice to choose (Too much ______________ can cause excess algae using up large amounts of oxygen and causing aquatic organisms as well as fish to die and With regards to most cases of nuisance algal growths in lakes, the limiting factor is most often
____________________.) The answers to the questions was phosphates/phosphorous. So which causes algal blooms more, Nitrates or Phosphates?

Edit: Now looking back on it, I think it's phosphates. If y'all could explain more that would be great.

Nitrates and phosphates are both limiting factors for plant growth, but phosphate is much more important because it's so rare. The phosphorus cycle takes millions of years, while the nitrogen cycle is relatively short. Without runoff from things like phosphate fertilizers and unproperly treated wastewater, only a tiny amount of phosphates would be naturally present in lakes.

[codenamemoraine]

Sorry if someone's already asked this, but does anyone have salinometer tips? I've just been doing the straw and clay thing, but I feel like that's not gonna cut it for nationals. Is there a way to make a more precise salinometer? I have trouble making accurate straw ones.
Thanks!

[silentsage]

The PA div. B test was really short though. It could've had a ton more about water chemistry and quality analysis. Also in reply to previous posts, a damselfly nymph actually doesn't have tails, rather 3 short gilled protrusions from the end of the abdomen. A mayfly, however, has gills along its abdominal segments (7, I believe), and 3 actual tails, called cerci.

[moonflower]

Sorry if someone's already asked this, but does anyone have salinometer tips? I've just been doing the straw and clay thing, but I feel like that's not gonna cut it for nationals. Is there a way to make a more precise salinometer? I have trouble making accurate straw ones.
Thanks!

Maybe rather than clay, try to use something that doesn't change it's shape very easily. Like I think that when the clay's shape changes, your salinometer de-calabrates... So yea. Just find something that isn't as.. soft? as clay.

[havenbreadfish]

Last year, I did fresh waters, DP, and did aquifer at the beginning of the year but didn't end up competing. I'd say that aquifer was more helpful for Dynamic Planet than water quality, but thats just my opinion. Aquifer was pretty helpful for point source and non-point pollution though. But, aquifer dealt with, well, aquifers so I think that dynamic planet was probably more helpful.

[Wanttoget1st]

k