Dissolved
Oxygen
The Good Gas
Photosynthesis: Your one-stop
shop for all of your oxygen needs!
Solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
Happy Rays
of Sunshine
Carbon
Dioxide
(from air)
Oxygen
Carbohydrate
(plant material)
(to air)
Water (from ground)
Aquatic plants and phytoplankton
(single cell floating plants) release
oxygen into the water as a product
of photosynthesis
Happy Rays
of Sunshine
CO2
O2
Phytoplankton (single cell plants) are the base of the
aquatic food web and provide most of the aquatic oxygen.
Submerged aquatic plants can provide shelter for
young fish as well as house an abundant food
supply.
Oxygen: A Soluble Gas
H2 O
O2
H2 O
H
O
2
O
O2
2
O2
H2 O
O2 H O
H
O
2
2
O 2 H2 O
O2 H O
H
O
2
2
H2 O
Habitat Classification Based on DO
Concentration
> 2 mg/L
Normoxic
0.2 2 mg/L
Hypoxic
0 0.2 mg/L
Anoxic
Most fish need oxygen levels > 2.0 mg/L
Respiration: How we, the animals,
use oxygen (and plants too!)
C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (in form of ATP)
Carbohydrate + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
Oxygen in
CO2 and H2O out
Energy out
Previous Meal
h
o
b
Car
in
e
t
a
ydr
CO2: A Soluble Gas Too!
CO2
H2O CO2 O2
H2 O
H
O
2
O
O2
CO2 O2 CO2 2
CO2
O2 H O
H
O
2
2
O 2 H2 O
O2 H O
H
O
2
2
H2 O
CO
2
Biological Production and Consumption of Oxygen
Heat
Energy
Solar Energy
CO2
Respiration
Photosynthesis
C6H12O6
O2
Biomass (g/m2/yr)
Chemical
Energy (ATP)
Daily Aquatic Oxygen Cycle
Sunshine
Moonshine
Dissolved Oxygen
Moonshine
Midnight
Sunrise
Noon
Sunset
Midnight
Day
Night
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Low
Respiration
High
Respiration
Photosynthesis
Respiration
High
Photosynthesis
Low
Photosynthesis
CO2+H2OH2CO3H++HCO3-2H++CO3-
An increase in CO2 causes an increase in H+
Sunshine
Moonshine
pH Level
Moonshine
pH
Midnight
Sunrise
Noon
Sunset
Midnight
Decomposition Not good for DO
Decomposer organisms (mainly bacteria)
consume oxygen
Sometimes consume oxygen faster than plants
can produce it, even during the middle of the
day!
A sudden increase in organic matter (think
leaf litter) can create a spike in
decomposition activity especially if it is
hot
Hurricanes not only add organic matter to our
waterways, but also stir up the sediment.
Can cause fish kills!!
Abiotic Factors That Affect
DO Concentration
Temperature
Wind
Water Clarity
Cloud Cover
Current
Velocity (Flow)
Temperature
The warmer water is, the less DO it can
hold
100% Saturation Lavel
Think about opening a coke bottle after it sat a
few hours on the dash of your car in August.
100% DO Saturation
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
Temperature (C)
Excess DO evaporates into the atmosphere!
Oxygen Can Diffuse Out of or
Into the Water Column
Atmosphere
Oxygen diffuses out
of water column
Oxygen diffuses into
water column
Oxygen > 100%
Saturation
Oxygen < 100%
Saturation
Water Column
Wind
Stirs in atmospheric oxygen
Current Velocity
The faster water flows, the more atmospheric
oxygen is mixed into the water.
Water Clarity
Amount of Sunlight Reaching Plants
The muddier the water is, the less light reaches the plants!
Cloud Cover
Clouds decrease the amount of sunlight reaching
aquatic plants, thus oxygen production is reduced.
