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New Jersey Envirothon

Aquatics Study Guide

The Aquatics station covers many topics relating to water including, but not limited to, water chemistry, the hydrologic cycle, aquifers, watersheds, water pollution, water management, wetlands, biological and chemical monitoring, water regulations, water uses, aquatic invasive species, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and water conservation.

The primary source of written test questions and some hands-on test questions will be from the Aquatics Study Guide links available below. In addition, you should use any local resources available to you and study the current competition resources listed on the North American Envirothon website.

Once your team has studied, test your knowledge! Additional Aquatics station test questions are available on the North American Envirothon website.

Resources:

  1. The Water Cycle (NOAA)
  2. Basic concepts on Watersheds
  3. How to Read a Topographic Map and Delineate a Watershed
  4. Introduction to Water Quality (Yale)
  5. Salinity & Salinization Overview (usda.gov)
  6. Water Quality Indicators 
  7. Healthy Watersheds Protection | US EPA (Focus on links within the “Information about Healthy Watersheds” section.)
  8. Whatzzzzup-stream? (EPA)

Learning Objectives:

  1. Know the processes and phases for each part of the water cycle and understand the water cycle’s role in soil nutrient erosion, salinization of agricultural lands, and climatic influences.
  2. Understand the concept and components of a watershed and be able to identify stream orders and watershed boundaries.  Know the features of a healthy watershed and an unhealthy watershed.
  3. Know how to perform and interpret chemical water quality tests and understand why aquatic organisms and water quality is affected by the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the water.

Key Point 1: Abiotic Factors

Resources:

  1. Introduction to Watershed Ecology and Function (pages 23-28)
  2. The Endangered Species Act: Marine Species
  3. Fish as Biological Indicators in New Jersey
  4. NJ Fish Index of Biotic Integrity
  5. Freshwater Biological Monitoring
  6. Georgia’s Adopt-A-Stream Manual on Biological and Chemical Stream Monitoring (pages 12-19)
  7. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Field Guide
  8. Didymo Information
  9. NJ Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (focus on Reptiles, Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Fish)
  10. How We Use Water (EPA)
  11. Macroinvertebrate Guide

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand the dependence of all organisms on one another and how energy and matter flow within an aquatic ecosystem.
  2. Understand the concept of carrying capacity for a given aquatic ecosystem, and be able to discuss how competing water usage may affect the ability of the system to sustain wildlife, forestry and anthropogenic needs.
  3. Identify common, rare, threatened and endangered aquatic species as well as Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) through the use of a key.
  4. Know how to perform biological water quality monitoring tests and understand why these tests are used to assess and manage aquatic environments.

Key Point 2: Biotic Factors

Resources:

  1. USGS Ground water
  2. ​​USGS- Aquifers and Groundwater
  3. Types of Aquifers
  4. What are wetlands? | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)
  5. Types of Wetlands
  6. Why are Wetlands Important? (USGS)
  7. Defining Riparian Areas​
  8. Riparian Zones:  Managing Early-Successional Habitats near the Water’s Edge
  9. Pine Barrens: Streams, Rivers & Watersheds​
  10. What is a Wetland? (NOAA)

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify aquatic and wetland environments based on their physical, chemical and biological characteristics.
  2. Know characteristics of different types of aquifers, and understand historical trends and threats to groundwater quantity and quality.
  3. Understand societal benefits and ecological functions of wetlands.
  4. Understand the functions and values of riparian zones and be able to identify riparian zone areas.

Key Point 3: Aquatic Environments

Resources:

  1. What are Aquatic Nuisance Species?
  2. ANS Task Force (Focus on the About Us, What We Do, Get Involved, Prevention, and Outreach tabs.)
  3. NJ Invasive Species Strike Team Aquatic Invasive ID 
  4. Clean Water Act summary (no need to know any embedded links) ​
  5. TMDLs
  6. What is GIS? (ESRI video)
  7. GIS and Hydrology
  8. Urban Pesticides, Fertilizers, and Water Quality
  9. Polluted Runoff: Nonpoint Source Pollution
  10. How We Use Water (EPA)
  11. Water Conservation in NJ (read “Why Conserve Water,” “Conserve Water Inside Your Home,” and “Conserve Water Outside Your Home” tabs)​​

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand how education programs and enforcement agencies are working together to protect aquatic habitats and preventing those who use our waterways from inadvertently transporting Aquatic Nuisance Species ANS from one river to another. 
  2.  Interpret major provincial and /or federal laws and methods used to protect water quality (i.e. surface and ground water). Utilize this information to propose management decisions that would improve the quality of water in a given situation. 
  3. Be familiar with the Federal, Provincial and state agencies that provide oversight of water resources, and understand that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a useful and important tool in the management of water resources. 
  4. Identify global and local sources of point and non-point source pollution and be able to discuss methods to reduce point and non-point source pollution. 
  5. Understand the interaction of competing uses of water for water supply, hydropower, navigation, wildlife, recreation, waste assimilation, irrigation, and industry. 
  6.  Know the meaning of water conservation, and understand why it is important every time you turn on a faucet. 

Key Point 4: Water Protection and Conservation

​Nonpoint-Source Pollution: It begins at home!

  1. Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff (EPA)
  2. Protecting Water Quality from Agricultural Runoff (EPA)
  3. What is Green Infrastructure? (NJDEP)
  4. An introduction to green infrastructure practices (Rutgers)
  5. Salt runoff can impair lakes (Michigan State University)
  6. Basic information about nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution (EPA)
  7. Harmful Algal Blooms (Texas A&M University)

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