Aquatic Ecology Resources and Objectives
On this page, you will find helpful materials for preparing for the aquatic ecology portion of the Indiana Envirothon Competition.
2025 Aquatic Ecology Resources
Volunteer Stream Monitoring Training Manual by Hoosier Riverwatch USGS Water Resources
- Water cycle diagram: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-cycle-diagrams
- Water Basics: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-basics-information-topic
- What is a watershed: https://www.in.gov/idem/nps/2369.htm
- Watershed Basics: https://www.neefusa.org/water/lesson-1-watershed-basics
- https://engineering.purdue.edu/watersheds/resources/WatershedAgencies.pdf
- Be familiar with the agencies, programs, and roles of each agency
- After the Storm: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/200049A9.PDF?Dockey=200049A9.PDF
- Basic information about NPS Pollution: https://www.epa.gov/nps/basic-information-about-nonpoint-source-nps-pollution
Aquatic Ecology Objectives
- Identify assisting agencies and laws that govern Indiana waters, and develop a working understanding of the programs which benefit our water resources.
- Define a watershed and the interaction of its components.
- Define and understand the difference between non-point source and point source water pollution, as well as types of water pollution (organic, inorganic, thermal, toxic, etc.) and their impacts.
- Be able to conduct water tests and interpret data for assessing water quality ie: dissolved oxygen, BOD5, turbidity, nitrate/nitrite etc.
- Identify aquatic organisms, be able to classify them by pollution tolerance groups, and determine their indication of aquatic health.
- Understand the unique characteristics of freshwater resources (lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, reservoirs, wetlands, and groundwater).
- Understand the basic concepts of hydrology and the water cycle.
- Be familiar with the distribution of the Earth’s water and understand water’s changing states and processes of the water cycle.
- Be familiar with citizens’ simple actions that can be implemented to prevent nonpoint source pollution.
- Be able to identify and understand the interaction of segments of a community where water pollution can occur.
Connected Indiana Academic Standards:
| Connected Indiana Academic Standards - Aquatic |
Visit each of the following topics to access the Reference Material & Learning Objectives:
Soil & Land Use |
Wildlife |
Forestry |
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