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Monitoring Pollution. KEYWORDS Monitor Pollution Lichen Indicators. LO: What methods do we use to monitor pollution? Why are these people wearing masks?. Learning Outcomes. Specification Details.
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Monitoring Pollution KEYWORDS Monitor Pollution Lichen Indicators LO: What methods do we use to monitor pollution? Why are these people wearing masks?
Specification Details Living and non-living indicators can be used as a measure of the level of pollution in an ecosystem: • a. lichens are sensitive to sulfur dioxide • b. algae and freshwater shrimps as indicators of water pollution • c. dissolved oxygen and nitrate concentration in water as non-living indicators • of water pollution • d. limestone buildings can be eroded by acid rain.
Air Monitoring Stations Air quality monitoring station. Various instruments are being used here to measure the amount of pollutants in the air, along with other standard data . Which pollutants might they measure?
Buildings What about this building indicates some level of pollution? What kind of pollution do you think caused this?
pH meter A pH meter is an electronic instrument measuring the acidity or alkalinity of water, soil etc.
Gathering Rainwater/Soil a soil test is the analysis of a soilsample to determine nutrient content, composition and other characteristics, including contaminants.
How do we know it’s polluted? Ecologists use pollution indicators - Organisms that are sensitive to the effects of pollution. If they are present, the environment is healthy. Some organisms point to an unhealthy environment (one that is polluted)
Pollution indicator - clean Mayfly larvae Caddis fly larvae Stonefly larvae
Pollution indicators – some pollution Water lice Shrimp
Pollution indicators - Polluted Bloodworm Sludge worm
Which organisms would you expected to find in a lake which has had sewage pouring into it? Explain why. Which organisms would you expect to find in a mountain stream, surrounded by forests? Explain why.
Lichens Lichens absorb water and minerals from rainwater and directly from the atmosphere. This makes them extremely sensitive to atmospheric pollution. So there are usually very few lichens around industrial centres and towns. Different lichen species vary in their tolerance to pollution and therefore make very good biological indicators of levels of atmospheric pollution.
Lichens are sensitive to sulphur dioxide.The cleaner the air the more lichens will grow. Will there be more lichen in the countryside or in the town?Why?
Plants The impact of air pollution can be seen when people garden in areas that have high levels of pollution. some species are more sensitive to foul air than others. You can see some of the impact of air pollution on gardening when you look at damaged plants E.g. discolored leaves and speckled leaves that often look like they are burned or have been bleached