Logo for the Maryland Envirothon Maryland Envirothon Aquatics Logo

The Maryland Envirothon
Aquatic Ecology Resource Site

This is the study guide for advisors and students participating in the Maryland State Envirothon competition. The four topic areas and listed objectives are the same as the Canon Envirothon curriculum guidelines though resources may differ. Questions for the test were generated from each resource listed under a particular topic. Please note that though there are many resources listed, and those resources cover many topics, students will only be responsible for the information pertaining to the specific objectives listed below.

I. Abiotic Factors

  1. Know the processes and phases for each part of the water cycle and understand the water cycle’s role in soil nutrient erosion, and climatic influences.

  2. Understand the concept and components of a watershed and be able to identify stream orders and watershed boundaries. Know the feature 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.

Resources:

Intro to Ecosystem:
 http://www.chesapeakebay.net/content/publications/cbp_13039.pdf

Natural Resources Conservation Service: How to read a topo map and delineate a watershed.
 http://www.nh.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/Publications/Topowatershed.pdf

Maryland Biological Stream Survey: Pages 44 and 59.
 http://dnr.maryland.gov/streams/pdfs/ea-07-01b_fieldRev2011.pdf

Basic Concepts On Watersheds:
http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/vms21.cfm

USGS Water Science Basics-What is the Water Cycle?
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclesummary.html

Georgia Adopt a Stream Manual on Biological and Chemical Stream Monitoring:
 http://georgiaadoptastream.com/Manuals_etc/Bio_Chem/Bio_Chem.pdf

Intro to Watershed Ecology:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/moduleFrame.cfm?module_id=20&parent_object_id=516&object_id=516


II. Biotic Factors

  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.

Resources:

EPA: An Introduction to Freshwater Fishes as Biological Indicators, Page 4:
 http://www.epa.gov/bioiweb1/pdf/EPA-260-R-08-016AnIntroductiontoFreshwaterFishesasBiologicalIndicators.pdf

Intro to an Ecosystem:
 www.Chesapeakebay.net/content/publications/cbp_13039.pdf

From Sun to Sunfish:
 http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/15444.pdf

Maryland Fisheries Management:
 www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/management/tne_species_man.html

Stream Macroinvertebrates:
 http://dnr.maryland.gov/education/envirothon/dnrbugid.pdf

Stream Quality Assessment Form using Macroinvertebrates:
 http://dnr.maryland.gov/education/envirothon/macroinvertasmt.pdf

Macroinvertebrate Dichotomous Key:
 http://www.vaswcd.org/documents/Education/Envirothon/Key%20to%20Stream%20Macroinverts.pdf


III. Aquatic Environments

  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.

Resources:

Introduction to an Ecosystem:
 http://www.chesapeakebay.net/content/publications/cbp_13039.pdf

Riparian Zones:
 http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Northeast_Mgt_Guide/Ch09_Reparian_Zones.pdf

Benefits of Riparian Zones:
 http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/stabilization/pdf/benefits.pdf

Wetlands Management:
http://www.mascd.net/envirothon/aquatics/Wetland%20Management.pdf

Chesapeake Bay Program pages:
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/estuarysystem.aspx?menuitem=14605
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/wetlands.aspx?menuitem=14641
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/nutrients.aspx?menuitem=14690

USGS Ground Water:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gw/gwgip.pdf


IV. Water Protection and Conservation

  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 from one river to another.

  2. Interpret major provincial and/or federal laws and methods used to protect water quality (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, state, and county agencies that provide oversight of water resources, and understand that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are 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.

Resources:

Maryland Invasive Species:
 http://dnr.maryland.gov/invasives/

Maryland Invasive Species Council:
 http://www.mdinvasivesp.org/index.html

Aquatic Nuisance Species:
 http://www.anstaskforce.gov/default.php

EPA: Understanding the Safe Drinking Water Act:
 http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/sdwa/upload/2009_08_28_sdwa_fs_30ann_sdwa_web.pdf

Critical Area Commission:
 http://www.dnr.state.md.us/criticalarea/index.asp

EPA Chesapeake Bay TMDL:
 http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/pdf/pdf_chesbay/BayTMDLFactSheet8_6.pdf


V. Electronic Resources (good to know)

In addition to the resources listed above, you can find useful information below about various aquatic topics. Keep in mind that test questions do not come directly from these sources.

Characteristics of a Watershed
Provides profiles of a watershed's geography, ecosystem condition, industry, planning resources and watershed management activities. http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/wsprofiles/surf/prof/prof.html 

Streams 101
Provides basic information, definitions, and concepts of stream ecology and assessment.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/streams/101/index.html 

Maryland Crayfish Dichotomous Key
 http://www.dnr.state.md.us/streams/pdfs/KeytotheCrayfishesofMD_8_18_10.pdf 

Chesapeake Bay

Official Chesapeake Bay Program Website
 http://www.chesapeakebay.net and www.bayeducation.net

Macroinvertebrate Ecology:
http://dnr.maryland.gov/education/envirothon/Aquatic%20Insect%20Ecology.pdf

Maryland Freshwater Fish Dichotomous Key:
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/irc/docs/00010619.pdf


VI. Teacher Resources

Project WET/Healthy Water, Healthy People/Discover a Watershed
For information on these materials, please contact Cindy Etgen at cetgen@dnr.state.md.us or visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/are/ 
Eyes on the Bay, visit www.eyesonthebay.net 

WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands
Please contact Environmental Concern at dir.educate@wetland.org  or visit: http://www.wetland.org/


IMPORTANT NOTE: FOR THE STATE TEST, GENERAL RESPONSES SUCH AS “POLLUTION” OR “POOR WATER QUALITY” WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE. A PARTICULAR TYPE OR SOURCE OF POLLUTANT MUST BE LISTED. BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE!!!


DNR Online Home | Education Home | Email Questions about Envirothon