http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/nola.asp?NOLA1=H20 Video episodes of H2O Videos from Alabama Public Television. http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=710 Biomagnification is the accumulation of a substance up the food chain by transfer of the pollutant in smaller organisms that are food for larger organisms in the chain. It generally refers to the sequence of processes which results in higher concentrations in organisms at higher levels in the food chain (at higher trophic levels). These processes result in an organism having higher concentrations of a substance than is present in the organism’s food. There is evidence that some carnivores at the ends of longer food chains (e.g. larger fish, birds of prey, HUMANS) can then accumulate the water pollutant from eating down in the food chain. Water Pollution and the Aquatic Food Chain http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=709 About 2/3 of our water supplies goes to agriculture and food production. Two-thirds (2/3) of the water from the supply pitcher is poured into the “agriculture” container. Students then list other demands...drinking water, water for cleaning, etc. Students are then presented with other factors that will influence their supply and demand. An environmental factor, such as a drought, will mean that the affected part of the country will have an increased demand (water is distributed from the supply pitcher). A great increase in the human population in another part of the country will increase their demand as well (water is distributed from the supply pitcher). When the supply pitcher is almost empty, the topic of water scarcity arises. Water scarcity occurs when the demand for water out paces the supply and causes water shortages. Water Supply and Demand http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=708 “Bottled water is a $50 billion-a-year industry worldwide, and people in the United States consume more bottled water than people in any other country. How is it different from what comes out of our taps? Is it really tastier, fresher and healthier – or is that just the advertising hype? The quality of tap water varies depending on where you live, and you can check on the EPA’s Web site to find out if your community’s water meets national standards. For most of us in the United States, tap versus bottled water is a personal choice.” Planet H2O Teacher’s Guide – www.thirteen.org/h2o Bottled - vs- Tap-Which Tastes Better? http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=707 This demonstration shows how ground pollution and upstream water pollution can be carried downstream to other bodies of water and land. The “ground” in the stream table model has been polluted with green food coloring (before the water is added). As the water passes over the polluted area, the pollution contaminates the stream, surrounding land and the larger body of water at the end of the steam. After polluted water has entered into larger bodies of water (seas, gulfs and oceans), it can be spread to other areas by the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth. The effect deflects objects moving along the surface of the Earth to the right in the Northern hemisphere and to the left in the Southern hemisphere. The resulting movements can cause pollution to spread far beyond its source and affect other parts of the world. Water Pollution http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=706 Seventy percent (70%) of the Earth’s surface is covered with water and when viewed from space, our planet appears blue with a plentiful supply of water. However, clean, fresh water for drinking and irrigation is a scarce and valuable commodity in many parts of the world. Even though water is abundant on our planet, only a very small percentage can be used by humans and other organisms. Wheres the Water http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television http://www.aptv.org/VideoRoom/viewprogram.asp?FileID=705 Acid rain is a prime example of how activities in one area can have a serious effect on conditions of a global scale. Acid rain primarily results from the transformation of industrial pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides into other compounds such as sulphuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3). This transformation occurs as these pollutants are transported in the atmosphere over distances of hundreds to thousands of kilometers. For example, sulfur dioxide emissions from industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels have resulted in extensive acid rain and accompanying water pollution problems in southeastern Canada and the northeastern US. These emissions have global implications: more than half of the acid deposition in eastern Canada originates from emissions in the United States. Even slight changes in the pH of lakes and rivers can cause the loss of fish and invertebrates which are important links in the food chain. Acid rain is also responsible for extensive loss of forest cover in that region. Acid Rain http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/1.0 nonadult Alabama Public Television