Question

On his trip to the laguna atascosa wildlife refuge, mr Ortiz wants to analyze the overall health of alligator pond. Which of the tests should he perform?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

To determine the overall health of the alligator pond, Mr. Ortiz should carry out the following tests:

• pH level test

pH is extremely important in this type of research as a reduction of pH could lead to a higher availability of toxic metals that may be absorbed by aquatic organisms such as alligators and fish species.

pH is acceptable in a range of 6.5 to 8.2.

• Nitrates and Ammonia (NH3) levels

Oversaturation of nitrates and ammonia could lead to the death of organisms that are crucial for the maintainance of a healthy pond and for the balance of the food chain.

Moreover, it could lead to algal blooms that result in a lower concentration of oxygen available for other organisms.

Over 0.2 per L could be lethal to some fish species that are also important for the health of the alligator pond.

Less than 0.1 indicates a healthy alligator pond.

• Bacterial coliform test

This test determines the amount of bacteria that comes from waste (animal or human), which could lead to mild to serious bacterial infections and diseases.

If it is a healthy pond, the results should indicate less than 10 fecal coliform bacteria/100 mL.