1. Basics River continuum – transition from headwaters to large river Main variables on life: temperature, bottom type and water chemistry Temperature is one of the biggest determining factors of fish populations. Coldwater (50 degrees to 65 degrees), cool water (65 degrees to 70 degrees) and warm water (70 degrees to 85 degrees). Compare headwaters to large river…

2. Pollution Agriculture – Sediment = Chokes fish & macros, increases temp – nitrogen and phosphorus = increases plant growth, which in turn decays and consumes DO – animals= increased plant growth, decreasing dissolved oxygen (as manure breaks down) and eliminating important stream bottom habitat

3. Pollution- Acid Mine Drainage Water reacts with iron pyrite and forms acid – Kills algae and bottom of food chain – Damages fish physically Metal toxicity- coats stream bottom= yellow (iron), white (aluminum) or black (manganese).

4. Pollution Acid Rain a pH level that falls below 5.6 average pH of rainfall in Pennsylvania is 4.3 (among highest in US) Worst in spring Same affects as AMD

5. Incomplete Metamorphosis ENA – Egg, nymph, adult Sort of like humans Just a small, cute, more helpless version of an adult.

6. Complete Metamorphosis ELPA – Egg, larva, pupa, adult – Caterpillars to butterflies- COMPLETE changes! Nothing like the adult.

7. Fishing 80,000 miles of rivers and streams $1.35 billion industry loss of riparian buffers results in temperature increases, changes in stream banks and channels, and destruction of important spawning habitat Focus on riparian zone repair, dam removal, fixing manmade lakes from bowl-like state

8. Meanders make a stream longer and increase the amount of habitat increase the quality of the habitat – Undercuts (hiding places) on outside of bend – Sediment piles on inside of bend

9. Riffles, Runs, & Pools riffle is shallow with lots of rocks that break the surface Runs are deep and fast, with no rocks Pools are wide, deep sections that have a slow current, with lots of debris and detritus

10. Lakes bigger and deeper than ponds, some as deep as 50 to 100 feet made by humans to hold back flood waters or to provide drinking water Naturally formed by glaciers Lake Erie is our largest Common fish= walleye

11. Ponds small, shallow waters, with mud or silt bottoms. less than 12 feet deep Common fish= panfish

12. Reservoirs Made by blocking rivers for flood control or electricity Common fish= largemouth bass

13. Rivers lower-order tributaries eventually feed rivers Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers Common fish- smallmouth bass

14. Wetlands Wet for part of the year Anaerobic soil Hydrophytic plants Great at removing silt, controlling flood runoff, removing excess nutrients Diversity, recreation benefits

15. Endangered Fish 34% of PA fish endangered Reasons- – Dams – Pollution – Overfishing Permits and study required before alteration

16. Endangered Reptiles & Amphibians Habitat loss as main cause 12 reptile and amphibian species of special concern in Pennsylvania: Six endangered, three threatened and three candidate. Extirpated- extinct only in PA Mud turtle http://www.envirothonpa.org/documents/roa dtoextinction3.pdf http://www.envirothonpa.org/documents/roa dtoextinction3.pdf