Four Aquatic Environments In Natchitoches, Louisiana

DO, BOD, pH, and Turbidity of four Aquatic Environments in Natchitoches, Louisiana

I. Introduction
From August 27th to September 3rd of this year, data was collected from Chaplin’s Lake, Cane River, Wellwoods Lake, and Wellwoods Bayou in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Data collected by previous Ecology classes in 2010 and 2011 was included in the experiment in order to provide data that could help to determine patterns over time. The objective of this experiment was to measure and compare dissolved oxygen content, pH, biological oxygen demand, and turbidity of these four sites in order to determine whether any correlations exist between these factors. Because of the variance between each of the aquatic ecosystems involved in this experiment, each supports different types of plants and animals which are affected by environmental changes such as temperature and, by extension, dissolved oxygen content.
II. Procedure
Once the sample was collected, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity were measured. To determine turbidity, a transparency tube with a checkerboard pattern was used. The trasparency tube was emptied and then filled with water so that the pattern on the bottom could bnot be seen. Water was then slowly released and a measurement was taken when the checkerboard was visible again. There were some measurements that were not taken due to the lack of a thermometer on September 13th at Wellwoods Bayou and Wellwoods Lake. A sample bottle from each site was collected and analyzed by Meredith McManus in the lab to determine biological oxygen demand (BOD). Salinity was also measured at each site, but there was no salt present because all sites consisted of fresh