Urban Life

vs. Biodiversity
and Wildlife
Zach Krakauer Ganz,
Genevieve George,
Daisy Sullivan
Comparison of Values at Inks Lake
Biodiversity: the variety of life in a place (world or ecosystem)

Teste Prese 1994

d nt
Salini 0.33p 0.05p
ty pt pt
dissolved
salt in water

Nitrat <0.2p <0.01

Various factors have caused these levels to change over the decades.
e salts from pm ppm
nitric acid
Possible Reasons for Changes in
Values
The salinity (amount of dissolved salt) may have increased from visiting
campers throwing leftover food and other materials in the water.

The nitrate levels have likely risen due to soil/pollution runoff that has gone into
the lake.

The ph levels may have risen due to more plant life being present in the lake
(photosynthesis can rid of carbon dioxide, which reduces the acidity and causes
pH to rise).
Importance of Water Quality
Conservation
Salinity can affect a variety of things such as agriculture production, the
ecological health of streams, soil erosion and terrestrial biodiversity. This
means the salinity (or how much salt is in the water) determines the plant and
animal life in the area as well as the overall health and shape of the river.

Excess levels of nitrates in water makes it hard for fish to survive, so it is

necessary to reduce nitrates to save the fish populations in our nearby lakes.
Also, the nitrates in Inks Lake affects our drinking water negatively. Too many
nitrates in drinking water can lead to methemoglobinemia, which harms infants.

Altered pH can change the behaviors of the chemicals in the water. Altered
chemistry can restrict plant and animal growth.

Of course, protecting our water is extremely important in order to preserve the

health of the organisms that live in the water and ourselves as well.
Conservation Techniques
If campers were to reduce the amount of food scraps and trash that they threw
in the lake, the amount of salinity, or dissolved salt in water, would not increase
as quickly.

To reduce the amount of nitrates in the water, nearby places could decrease the
amount of (nitrate rich) fertilizer they use in order to keep runoff as clean as
possible. We could also ask the government to make an outer drainage system,
to make sure that damaging water doesnt get into the lake.

Reducing fishing and allowing more fish to live in the lake increases the amount
of respiration taking place in the water, which reduces pH levels.
Citations
Ashley, Steven. Drink Up. 19 March 2009. Scientific American. 27 March 2017. <
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/taking-the-salt-out-of-seawater/>

Nitrates and their affect on Water Quality. 2017. Whealthy River Improvement Group. 27 March
2017. <
http://www.wheatleyriver.ca/media/nitrates-and-their-effect-on-water-quality-a-quick-study/>

Nitrates in Drinking Water. Penn State Edu. 28 March 2017. <

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/drinking-water/water-testing/pollutants/nitrates-i
n-drinking-water
>