Biotic and Abiotic Indicators of Water Quality in Muddy Run

• Jeremy Chen See

  Juniata College

  Author

• Perrine Lesage

  Juniata College

  Author

• Alanna O’Neil

  Juniata College

  Author

As many organisms need water for habitat and physiological functions, it is important to evaluate its quality. Water quality can be evaluated abiotically through alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, pH, and temperature measurements, or biotically through analyzing the amount of fecal coliform bacteria present in the water. Abiotic and biotic water conditions can create an unhealthy environment for both the aquatic and terrestrial biota, including humans. Types of macroinvertebrates found in water bodies serve as another biotic indicator of water quality. In fact, several biotic indices exist to classify stream water quality based on the macroinvertebrates residing in them. We hypothesized that water bodies with higher numbers of fecal coliforms would have fewer pollution intolerant macroinvertebrates. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed the water quality of Muddy Run, a stream in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, by completing a qualitative study of the macroinvertebrates present in it. We also gathered abiotic water quality measurements to give us a broader understanding of the water quality including alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, pH, and temperature measurements. Our qualitative analysis of macroinvertebrates categorized Muddy Run as a moderately polluted stream, however we did not find a correlation between macroinvertebrate pollution tolerance and number of fecal coliform colonies. Overall, our abiotic parameters of Muddy Run reveal that its water quality is adequate for aquatic organisms, however, it is not suitable for human recreational use.

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