APES FVHS Poster Template

Eutrophic Development in Local Lakes and its Impact on Native Fish Species
Heather Carr and William Truong
Fountain Valley High School
Five samples of bird species collected from each lake
and classified from A to E, and then transferred to a
specific nutrient measurement case.

Contents of a pill for that same nutrient were
added and its contents were mixed for one
minute than allowed to settle to determine
which category of concentration (Surplus,
sufficient, adequate, or depleted) the feces fell
under according to the color charts.

Sample of lakewater transferred to a test vial and mixed with P04-1 and P04-2. The color of the mixture once settled was compared to the scale of colors on a color chart indicating the concentration of phosphorous in the sample from 0 to 3.00 parts per million, or number of milliliters per liter.

Titration method known as the Carolina method was used. Lakewater from each lake formed a solution with manganese sulfate and alkaline potassium iodide, and a precipitate was formed.

The precipitate was then dissolved and the
sample was titrated with sodium thiosulfate
gathered with a syringe, first directed towards
creating a blue color, and then towards erasing
that blue color completely. Each mL of sodium
thiosulfate used during the titration indicated
1 ppm of dissolved oxygen , or 1 mg of dissolved oxgyen per liter of water.

Rangers and locals were questioned on a face-to-face basis on issues concerning the lake quality and local fish species.




















A warm thank-you to Ms. Battig, the staff at Mile Square Park, the fisherman interviewed, and the scholars of Pubmed and Google Scholar for their contributions to this study.
ABSTRACT
REFERENCES
IMAGE/FIGURE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS








Eutrophication results when bodies of water accumulate large concentrations of nutrients, thereby increasing growth rate for many species, but especially that for algae populations. Algae consume large quantities of bacteria, and can contribute to the rapid depletion of dissolved oxygen. This creates an anoxic environment, which is lethal to many aquatic species, including fish. The desecration of bird feces is one major contributor to eutrophication after development has limited migration areas and feeding grounds, increasing the concentration of nutrient-rich feces per body of water. Central Park Lake was compared to two other local lakes to assess its level of eutrophication and whether that level had contributed to an anoxic environment that would prove lethal for many fish species. Visual observations were recorded from each lake and dissolved oxygen levels, phosphorous concentrations, and bird feces were collected. Overall, the lake was found to have been in the beginning stages of eutrophication with large losses in fish populations, the majority of them resulting from overnight fishing. Anoxic conditions were found to have contributed only to the death of species who rely on high concentrations of dissolved oxygen to survive.


The lake at Central Park consistently revealed the highest concentration of nutrients from bird feces out of the rest of the lakes. Additionally, it had the lowest concentration of dissolved oxygen per miligrams per liter. It was also tied with North Lake at the highest phosphorus concentrations, with 0.03 mg/L. North Lake had the lowest concentration of nutrients in bird feces.
Both the ranger at Mile Square Park and the fishermen at Central Park were interviewed on the state of the fish population in the parks' lake(s). The fisherman reported illegal overnight fishing to account for the majority of the loss in population, but had acknowledged eutrophication as a possibility. The ranger had cited aeration systems as key in preventing any algal blooms and had stated that dissolved oxygen levels were stable. If eutrophication were to occur, it would likely be owed from bird feces and any loss in fish populations would be most likely from algae.












DISCUSSION

RESULTS
Manny, Johnson; Wetzel, (1994) Nutrient additions by waterfowl to lakes and reservoirs: predicting their effects on productivity and water quality, Aquatic Birds in the Trophic Web of Lakes v.96, 279-280

Wang L, Liang T, (2015) Distribution characteristics of phosphorus in the sediments and overlying water of poyang lake v. 10


Gaulke GL, Dennis CE 3rd, Wahl DH, Suski CD, (2014) Acclimation to a low oxygen environment alters the hematology of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) v.40 129-40





Reasons behind a decline of fish in each study site may be correlated with the fact that dissolved oxygen levels are below tolerable limits of 2.0mg/L, which is problematic for many species (Gaulke, Dennis, Wahl, Suski, 2014). A decrease in oxygen levels is largely stemmed from the desecration of nutrients from bird feces, especially nitrogen and phosphorous. Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient for aquatic environments and accelerates growth in bodies of water, which can lead to algal blooms. Algae feed off dissolved oxygen and can create a hypoxic (Depleted of oxygen) environment for many aquatic species.

Although the disposal of nitrogen from feces is oftentimes higher than that of phosphorus in many eutrophication sites (Manny, Johnson, Wetzel, 1994), the average concentration of phosphorous from the bird feces near each lake was either higher or similar to that of nitrogen. In the Central Park Lake, for example, phosphorous levels in feces were adequate on average while nitrogen levels were deficient. However, the lake was found to have contained phosphorus concentrations below expected eutrophic levels ( Liang, Wang, 2015), having 0.03 mg/L as opposed to the limit for sustainable growth being an approximated 0.15 mg of phosphorus per liter. Both lakes in Central Park also contained lower-than-average phosphorus concentrations, with North Lake at 0.03 mg/ L as well and South Lake at a mark between 0 to 0.03 mg/L.

Overall, it seems that the Central Park Lake, in comparison to the other two is slightly more eutrophicated. This is indicated by its lower dissolved oxygen content (1.0mg of dissolved O2/L as opposed to 1.2mg/L) and its higher concentration of nutrients found in bird feces. However, it is undergoing only the first stages of the eutrophication process, as seen by only a limited concentration of phosphorous in the lakewater. Any loss of fish would have most likely been due to over night fishing or other anthropogenic activities, as mentioned from the fishermen interviewed there. Therefore, anoxic conditions may contribute to the death of some fish species who rely on large concentrations of dissolved O2, such as bass (Gaulke, Dennis, Wahl, Suski, 2014), but not the majority of them.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
GRAPHS/TABLES /IMAGES (REFERENCE)












The nutrients of the feces were measured on a scale of 1 to 5 for level of concentration.
1=Depleted
2=Deficient
3=Adequate
4=Sufficient
5=Surplus
Each lake was below the recommended concentration of dissolved O2 of 2.0 mg/L
Key for X-Axis
K=Potassium
P=Phosphorus
N2=Nitrogen
Each lake was below the sustainable limit of Phosphorus of 0.15mg/L.
Potassium was found to be the most concentrated nutrient, with phoshorus in second.
Potassium was found to be the most concentrated nutrient, but all were in lower concentrations.
Unlike the other sites, phosphorous was the most concentrated nutrient overall at this lake.
Fisherman
Ranger
Q: How many years have you been fishing here?
A: 4 years

Q: Has the supply or quality of your fish decreased in any way whatsoever to this day?
A: Yes, a major decrease; reported 80% decrease
-Loss of bass and bluegill
-Attributed it to overnight poaching (Against rules) and perhaps people feeding fish
-Considered eutrophication a possibility, but were unsure whether it was the direct cause
Q: Has eutrophication been a major issue at any of the park's lakes? If so, how large a role has the accumulation of bird feces been a part of it? From which birds in particular?
A: Not exactly; O2 levels seem stable
-Algicide and have aeration systems
-Yet if eutrophication does occur, it is likely from bird species.
-If death was to occur to each species, however, it would "...more likely be algae than anything."



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