Salmon Review

Abiotic + Biotic Factors

Reviewing our learning from the last four weeks.

Let's see our Salmon!

We've been watching the salmon for 5 weeks now. Let's see what they look like before we leave for break!

Open Ended

What do you observe about the salmon?

Think about how much they've changed since we first saw the eggs!

The Alevin Stage

Our salmon are developing through their Alevin phase. Look at this image and try to identify which "Stage" our salmon are in now!

Multiple Choice

Where do salmon in the "alevin" stage get their nutrition?

• From the bacteria in the water

• From their yolk sacs

• They don't need nutrition

Vocabulary:

Abiotic

Biotic

Salmon

Turbidity

Flow

Temperature

pH

Dissolved Oxygen

Multiple Choice

Pick the "abiotic" factor.

• Rabbits

• Ferns

• Blue Jays

• Rocks

Multiple Choice

Pick the "biotic" factor.

• Temperature

• Bacteria

• Sunshine

• Wind

Let's Review some Abiotic Factors!

Temperature, turbidity, flow, PH and dissolved oxygen.

Multiple Choice

Which water has a higher turbidity?

Multiple Choice

High turbidity causes a(n) __________ in water temperature.

• Increase

• Decrease

Multiple Choice

Salmon prefer water that has a ____ turbidity.

• Low

• High

Not every fish is the same!

Some species, like the catfish, enjoy water with a higher turbidity

Open Ended

Think! Can you think of one reason some fish like high turbidity?

The flow of water can influence the level of turbidity

• Turbidity measures the amount of suspended solids in a liquid.

• Water that has a faster flow has a lower turbidity since the water is always moving.

Flow is important because:

• Flow brings in fresh, clean water with lots of oxygen

• Removes waste

• Helps maintain the temperature of the river

Multiple Choice

What picture shows a higher flow?

Multiple Choice

What type of flow do salmon prefer?

• Fast or quickly flowing water

• Slow or unmoving water

Again, not every fish is the same!

Lake Trout are one of many species of fish that are primarily found in lakes. These fish do well with very little natural flow.

Catfish too!

Since catfish like water with a higher turbidity, they are also common in lakes or streams with low flow.

Multiple Choice

Water with a higher flow usually has a ______ temperature.

• Higher

• Lower

Multiple Choice

Water with a higher flow usually has a ______ level of dissolved oxygen.

• Higher

• Lower

What is dissolved oxygen?

• These are oxygen molecules (O₂) that "float" in water

• You can see them in this picture inside the red circles

• Fish take water in through their lungs and filter out these dissolved oxygen molecules

Dissolved Oxygen

The temperature of the water has a big impact on how much dissolved oxygen it can hold.

This GIF shows how easily warm water releases its oxygen molecules.

Cool Water

Cool water holds on to dissolved oxygen more than warm water. In the last slide you could see the oxygen molecules floating away quickly. This GIF shows how cool water is better at holding its dissolved oxygen in.

Multiple Choice

How much dissolved oxygen do salmon need?

• They need a HIGH level of dissolved oxygen

• They need a LOW level of dissolved oxygen.

Different fish need different levels!

• Not every fish needs the same amount of dissolved oxygen

• In this chart you can see the salmon need a higher level of dissolved oxygen than the carp or pike.

• Bacteria need little oxygen.

Multiple Choice

Think about the catfish, how much dissolved oxygen do you think catfish need?

• More than salmon

• Less than salmon

What else changes dissolved oxygen?

• Increase in pH can cause a death of aquatic plants

• Without plants the level of dissolved oxygen in the water will drop

pH or "Potential of Hydrogen"

• Liquids with a pH lower than 7 are "acidic"

• Liquids with a pH higher than 7 are "basic"

• Pure water has a neutral pH

Changes in pH

• Salmon in "acidic" water can lose their senses. They cannot find food or avoid predators

• Salmon in "basic" water can become very sick. Water with a high pH can create ammonia, which is toxic for the salmon

Multiple Choice

What pH do salmon survive best in?

• 4

• 7

• 10

Fish in Acidic Water

• This is a "Cardinal Tetra"

• They live in water with a pH as low as 4.6!

• Cardinal Tetras are native to certain areas of South America.

Fish in Basic Water

• This is a "Blind Cave Tetra"

• They live in water with a pH as high as 9!

• Cardinal Tetras are native to certain areas of Mexico and Guatemala.

Multiple Choice

Does every species need the same levels of abiotic factors?

• No

• Yes

Why do "abiotic" factors matter?

• We have looked closely at what abiotic factors salmon need.

• Not every fish or aquatic animal needs the same factors

• The abiotic factors control what kind of plants and animals can survive in an ecosystem

Ecosystems

• The weather and climate in an area determine what plants can grow.

• The growing plant life is consumed by animals specific to that area.

• Interaction between abiotic and biotic factors make up complex ecosystems.

This is a picture of the "Tundra"

• This area has an incredibly cold climate.

• There are long periods of time without natural sunlight

• There is a layer of soil here that is constantly frozen

• This area still has plants and animals that survive!

Open Ended

What kind of plants do you think could grow in the tundra?

This is a Lemming

Lemmings are one of the animals that live in areas of tundra all year long. During the long winters the lemmings burrow underground and eat the roots of grasses and shrubs.

We live in the Temperate Rainforest

• Moderate temperatures and consistent rain fall

• Plant life includes: deciduous trees, thick underbrush full of ferns and berry bushes.

• Animals in this area include: wild salmon, wolves, bears, elk, raccoons, and many more.

After break we'll learn how species can affect each other in an ecosystem.

Stay safe and enjoy the break!