WATERSHEDS

SOIL

• Composed of inorgantic particles, dead organic matter, air, and water
• Pore spaces between soil particles store water, moves down into the saturated ground water or used by plants
• Soil organisms include plants and algae, fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, insects, and more
• When it rains, water filters through the soil, dissolves soil components, and carries them downward

SOIL

• Diverse makeup allows soil to fullfill numerous ecological functions
• Soil is found right under our feet
• Substances that leach from soil may be carried into groundwater
• "Only a small part of soil is related to geology..." (Waershed Study, pg. 2)

GEOLOGY

• Type of rock and soil in a watershedc directly influences the biology, chemistry, and hydrology
• Streams flowing from volcanic mountains have low concentration of salt and other eroded solids
• Some streams and rivers in Eastern Oregon and Washingto are "alkaline" because of geology
• Geology is the study of the Earth

GEOLOGY

• Streams flowing through erodable rock have higher dissolved solids, & higher conductivity
• Salt and other volcanic rock contain low nutrient concentrations and erode very slowly
• "In general, alkaline waters have large macroinvertebrae populations..." (Watershed Study, pg.2

PLANTS AND ALGAE

• Are multi-cellular organisms
• Require sunlight, carbon-dioxide, & water to produce carbohydrates
• Phosphorus and nitrogen are also needed for growth

PLANTS AND ALGAE

• Some plants have complex mechanisms for distributing their seeds
• Use inorganic nutrient sources to produce the energy they need for life
• "Plants aren't able to move to a new location..." (Watershed Study, pg. 5)

ANIMALS

• Three Creeks Natural area is the habitat to animals
• Species live here through their entire lifecycle
• Buffer is important to a healthy watershed
• Three Creeks is located in a suburban area

ANIMALS

• Wiping out oak trees and building roads would negatively affect animals
• Three Creeks is a high-quality habitat
• "97%of Willamette Valley Legacy White Oak have been lost." (Video)

POLLUTION

• Pollution can come from distinct locations, such as a factory
• Pollution can come from many places spread over a large area
• Toxic chemical pollution can poison aquatic animals & plants
• Can cause human health problems such as cancer

POLLUTION

• Sediment pollution can cause the aquatic environment to change
• Thermal pollution can decrease water's oxygen level and harm fish
• "...water pollution comes from either a point or a non-point source." (pg.733)