Science on Seneca

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Science on Seneca

• Explore the Environment of Seneca Lake

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Welcome to Hobart and William Smith Colleges
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Finger Lakes Region

• WatershedArea 5000 km²
• Drinking Water SupplyRochester, Syracuse,
  Ithaca, Geneva, Auburn
• Tourism Recreation
• 22 million tourists visit the region-generates
  2.6 billion in revenue
• Agriculture
• 45 Agricultural land use
• 35 Forested

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Science on Seneca Field Trip

• Purpose To learn more about the ecology of
  Seneca Lake while assisting in the collection and
  interpretation of scientific data on the lake.

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Boat Etiquette

• The Boat William Scandling

Captain John
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Data Collection Physical Parameters

• Transmission of Light Secchi Disk
• Wind Speed and Direction
• Water Temperature Profile
• CTD

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Secchi Disk and Productivity
Productive Lake algae bloom.
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Water Temperature in Lakes

• Cold water is more dense than warm water.
• Thermocline separates the warm water from the
  cold water.
• Water has a high specific heat index.

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Chemistry

• pH pH meter
• Chloride titration
• DO titration

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pH

• pH measures impact of acid rain on the lake.
• Hardness is an indicator of the concentration of
  CaCO3.
• Drinking Water Standards for Hardness and pH

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Chloride in Seneca Lake
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http//www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/lakes/lake
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Factors Affecting Dissolved Oxygen

• Water Temperature
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
• Aeration
• Decay uses up oxygen.

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Biology

• Biological Diversity plankton nets to collect
  samples of plankton and zooplankton

Zooplankton (Daphnia)
Phytoplankton (Diatom)
Daphnia pulex
Astrerionella
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Students using plankton net
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Plankton Sample
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Sediment dredge
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Quaggas and Zebra Mussels
Zebra Mussel
Quagga Mussel
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What Happens to the Food Chain?
Fish and other organisms
Invasive Mussels
Grazers
Nutrients
Producers
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Zebra Mussels and Seneca Lake Secchi Depths
Zebra Introduction
Zebra Die Off
Zebra Rebound Quagga Introduction
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Geology

• Sediment Character

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Life in Geological Time

• Sediments contain clues as to the type of life
  that existed over time in the Finger Lakes.
• For example students examining sediments during
  SOS 20 years ago would not have found zebra
  mussels because they did not inhabit Seneca Lake!

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Science on Seneca

• Looking forward to seeing you!
• Website http//fli.hws.edu/
• Credits Barb Busack, CABOCES Sheila Myers,
  FLI Sarah Meyer, FLI Jim Makinster, FLI Eric
  Primrose, FLI John Halfman, FLI plankton
  pictures by Wim van Egmond Paleontological
  Research Institute, Ithaca NY. Bob Dedrick,
  Canandaigua Schools.