wildlife 



WILDLIFE require water of a quality ade- 

 quate to maintain their health, as well as 

 optimum production of beneficial biota in their 

 environment. A healthy animal is one that can 

 survive to an average lifespan, display normal be- 

 havior and migration patterns, and reproduce suc- 

 cessfully. We are fully as concerned with the 

 impact of pollution on the wildlife habitat as we 

 are with the direct or indirect efEects on the vari- 

 ous species of wildlife. Optimum production of 

 beneficial biota in the multifarious wildlife habitats 

 implies maintenance of natural, balanced ecosys- 

 tems unaltered by pollution. 



Wildlife is defined herein as all species of mam- 

 mals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Because of 

 the dependence of waterfowl on aquatic habitats, 

 their needs form the primary basis for definition 

 of water quality requirements for wildlife. In most 

 instances, water quality satisfactory for waterfowl 

 and their habitat would be satisfactory for most 

 other wildlife species. It is axiomatic that water 

 quality that can be tolerated by, and is productive 

 of, fish and their food organisms is generally ade- 

 quate for waterfowl and their habitat. Indeed, fish 

 and many of the organisms upon which they feed 

 are also important in the diet of many species of 

 wildlife; e.g., pelicans, loons, mergansers, other 

 ducks, herons, otters, bears, raccoons, snakes, alli- 

 gators, etc. It is obvious that requirements for sur- 

 vival of fish and aquatic organisms also constitute 

 the same requirements for preservation of the wild- 

 life habitat. Because of the greater sensitivity of 

 fish and their food organisms to pollution, much 

 more intensive research has been required and 

 conducted with those forms than with wildlife. 

 The water quality requirements stipulated for 

 fish and aquatic organisms generally are acceptable 

 for wildlife in regard to the following environ- 

 mental factors and materials: dissolved oxygen, 

 temperature, pH, carbon dioxide, alkalinity, hard- 

 ness, salinity, sulfides, ammonia, nutrients, floating 

 materials, surface active agents, tainting materials, 

 radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, and other 

 chemicals. Certain of these factors including DO, 

 pH, alkalinity, salinity, light, settleable solids, oil, 

 and nuisance growths must be considered in their 

 special relations to wildlife and waterfowl and 

 their habitats. These are discussed separately. 



Dissolved oxygen 



In waterfowl habitats, in addition to DO re- 

 quirements for the open water, there is need to 

 keep the bottom aerobic for the suppression of 

 botulinus organisms. Botulism, caused by Clos- 



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