1. B2: water pollution Learning Objectives
Know that water pollution causes changes to the types/amount of animals at a water source (all)
Understand what an indicator species is and how testing for indicator species gives us information on pollution in water samples (all)
Know why certain indicator species occur in certain places (most)
Success Criteria
Correctly draw out a table of indicator species
Correctly answer 6 questions on indicator species

2. Being responsible for your rubbish
Family watched TV programme on water becoming contaminated by plastic rubbish
Set themselves a goal of only producing one bag of rubbish per year.
This is VERY COOL – considering that most families produce 1-2 bags per week
How do you think they did it? Write down 5 ways you think they reduced their rubbish.

3. Took own containers to butchers and supermarket deli counter
Only bought food that was not in any packaging
Took own bags to supermarket
Grew own vegetables
Composted waste vegetables and fruit
Re-used any packaging they had
Found it was no extra cost and no extra trouble once they had the routine
What do you think about this? What can you do to be more responsible about how much you throw away? Write down (at least) 3 things you will try and do to reduce the amount of rubbish you produce.

4. This year the family aim to not produce any rubbish at all RESPECT!

5. Carry on: Draw a mind map/poster
On your poster/mind map:
Summarise the issue of population growth and use of fossil fuels
Describe the pollution effects:
Global warming (climate change)
Ozone layer depletion
Acid rain
Population and pollution

6. River damage caused by pollution
Insect species change – some like polluted water, some only like clean water
Kills fish
River damage caused by pollution
Kills plants
Has knock-on effects up the food chain

7. How do we detect pollution in rivers?
Look for whether an indicator species lives there
Some insects only like clean water
Some insects only like polluted water

8. Definition of Indicator Species
Write this down!
Definition of Indicator Species
An indicator species is a species whose presence/absence tells you something about the pollution levels and oxygen levels.

9. Type of pollution linked to Present in clean or polluted areas?
Draw out this table and fill it in as we look at some indicator species
Species
Type of pollution linked to
Present in clean or polluted areas?
Reason
Bloodworm
Water Louse
Sludge Worm
Alderfly
Rat-tailed Maggot
Lichen

10. Water Pollution – Bloodworm
Indicate high levels of pollution

11. Water Pollution: Water Louse
Indicate high levels of pollution

12. Water Pollution: Sludge Worm
Indicate very high levels of pollution as it can cope with low levels of oxygen

13. Water Pollution: Alderfly
The alderfly cannot live in polluted water as it cannot cope with low oxygen levels

14. Water Pollution: Rat-tailed maggot
Indicate very high levels of pollution

15. Air Pollution: Lichen
Indicate low pollution (killed by sulphur dioxide)

16. Type of pollution linked to Present in clean or polluted areas?
Species
Type of pollution linked to
Present in clean or polluted areas?
Reason
Bloodworm
Water
Polluted
Tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions
Water Louse
Tolerant of a range of pollutants
Sludge Worm
Can cope with low oxygen levels
Alderfly
Clean
Cannot tolerate low oxygen levels
Rat-tailed Maggot
Lichen
Air
Killed by sulphur dioxide

17. We would have done a practical now with some pond and river water – analysing what animals we can find and what this indicates.
However, it is winter and therefore there are not many indicator species found in the ponds around here.
So I’ll have to tell you how we would have done it instead....

18. Measuring water quality
You would take a water sample
Find the animals in the sample and identify them, classify them and count them
You would then multiply the number of each animal from each classification by a specific factor (a given number that has been formulated to be used for indicating cleanliness)
There will be a different factor for each classification of animals
The number you get in the end can then be divided by the total number of animals and compared to a chart which will tell you how clean the water is – e.g.:
How clean is your water sample?
excellent
good 2.6–3.5
fair 2.1–2.5
poor 1.0–2.0

19. Measuring Pollution
What other things might you measure in a river/pond to work out pollution?
Oxygen levels – measured by oxygen probes attached to computers
Nitrate levels – special chemicals can be used to work out nitrate levels from fertiliser run off

20. Scan in pink box of questions – p.83 textbook

21. Another question
A scientist compares oxygen levels in two different ponds. He uses both living and non-living methods. Describe the two different methods he uses. Describe advantages and disadvantages of both methods

22. plenary
1) A pond has a large amount of water louse and sludge worm with a small amount of alderfly. What would this indicate? It is polluted 2) Why would it be more difficult to find lichen growing in cities? Air pollution kills lichen 3) You receive a water sample containing a very high number of alderfly. What type of source do you think this could have come from? (Higher – but Foundation people try to answer it!) Possibly a rapidly flowing river