Boats and motorized jet skis are great for a fun day on the lake, but how much fun are they for the different ecosystems that live right below the hull of your boat? Boat exhaust and small traces of gasoline and oil are released into the waters when jet skis are in operation. Boats have been shown to affect water clarity and can be a source of algae growth in aquatic ecosystems. Toxins emitted from boats can add chemicals to the water. Some amounts of fuel in engines are discharged, unburned and end up in water. Boats can also cause disturbances by creating turbulence and noise, thus becoming a problem for larger animals such as large fish or alligators that may live in the waters. Direct contact with boats or propellers can pose a death threat to large animals that live in the lake. Pollution due to boat exhaust or petrol spills (if large or substantial) could be toxic to lake fauna. Boat movement and increased turbidity can directly affect individual fish by disturbing their daily activities such as nesting, mating (including spawning success), or hunting (including sight-based feeding). Boats can also affect fish and other species through habitat alteration caused by waves or damage to propellers. My hypothesis states that waste from boats and motorized vessels, if considered extreme, will in fact alter the lake's pH and dissolved oxygen levels in areas of frequent boating and motor activity and create a disturbance to the lake's biodiversity due to the toxins present in the various types of fuels burned. Dissolved oxygen and pH levels influence fish abundance. In large enough quantities, metals can be toxic to fish, wildlife and/or microscopic animals. Local lake water will need to be tested in order… middle of paper… the effects on lake pH and dissolved oxygen levels. The pH level of the lake is slightly acidic at a level of 6 and the level of dissolved oxygen in lakes is slightly stressful for aquatic life at a level of 4 ppm. These mildly stressful levels may be the result of human activity over time and may continue to progress negatively. This could only be determined through years of continuous testing, but it is entirely possible. Works Cited Asplund, Timothy R. The Effects of Motorized Watercraft on Aquatic Ecosystems. Publication. University of Wisconsin–Madison, Water Chemistry Program and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Integrated Science Services, March 17, 2000. Web.Boat Motors and Water Quality - RMBEL." RMBEL. Np, nd Web. April 19 2014. http://www.ci.davidson.nc.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/902 http://roundthelake.com/PIER%20WI%20DNR/lakes.pdfp