Marvelous MacrosIntroduction
The waters of rivers, ponds and wetlands are teeming with life. Macroinvertebrates are just one of those life forms, they can tell us so many important things. Macroivertebrates are invertebrates that are large enough for a person to see, without a device, like a microscope. If you catch enough of them (we used Leaf Packs, more on that later) you can tell the water quality by doing math based on a macroinvertbrate biotic index. Clean Water Services is a facility that cleans much of Forest Grove's waste water. Recently they started a project to clean the water more naturally using Fernhill Wetlands. This study intended to measure the amount of macros and type, therefore proving would this renovation be worth it, would macroinvertbrates be able to live there, would there be any other unforseen problems. |
Research Question & Hypothesis
- What is the overall water quality of the Experimental Wetlands using macroinvertebrate biotic index?
- We predict that the water quality of the Experimental Wetlands will be excellent.
Methods
· Leaf Pack
· D nets
· Dip net
· Calculation of biotic index
Materials:
· Dip nets
· D Nets
· Macro sorting materials (trays, droppers, sorting tray, petri dishes, ID cards)
· Leaf pack bag, label, twine, scizzors, etc.
· Habitat data collection sheet, macro data collection sheet, clipboard, pencil, map
· Microscopes
Procedures:
In November, we went to a pond that connected to Ferhill's experimental wetlands, and set up a "leaf pack". A leaf pack is a mesh bag with leaves in it, designed to serve as a home for macros. We were going to wait for our next visit, and then take the pack out of the water and study it. After the pack was ready, we took nets and used these to try and catch macros. We were planning to use the macro-invertebrate biotic index to prove that Fernhill's wetland project would be worth doing. The biotic index is a chart used to help indicate water quality based on the number and type of macros found in a body of water. Plus it would give us an insight to what type of macros would be living in the wetlands.
Here is how it worked:
1. Start at the Floating Bridge by the experimental wetlands. Record habitat data.
2. Locate leaf pack placed in November. Gently place a bucket under the leaf pack, then cut the string. Scoop it out. * If no leaf pack can be found, skip to step _____
3. Follow leaf pack procedure to search for any macroinvertebrates in the leaf pack – use a brush to go over each leaf, and use strainer to check for macroinvertebrates hiding in the water.
4. Sort all macroinvertebrates by family using the sorting tray. Use microscope to observe fine details. Record tally of each macro on the data sheet.
5. Prepare a second leaf pack with 30-50 g dried leaves and tie securely. Record location and habitat data.
6. If not leaf pack was found, use dip nets and D nets to collect as many macros as possible. Sort and record data.
* November Procedures:
1. Select first site. Start your stopwatch for 5 minutes. Using dip nets and D nets, collect as many macroinvertebrates as you can in a bucket.
2. Store your nets. Now, start identifying as many macroinvertebrates as you can using the sorting tray.
3. After 15 minutes, make a tally of all macroinvertebrates identified. Return remaining water and macros to the water, and pack up materials.
4. Select second collection site. Complete procedures 1-4 at this new site.
5. Prepare leaf pack and place for February visit.
6. After returning to class, calculate biotic index for both location and average to estimate water quality.
· Leaf Pack
· D nets
· Dip net
· Calculation of biotic index
Materials:
· Dip nets
· D Nets
· Macro sorting materials (trays, droppers, sorting tray, petri dishes, ID cards)
· Leaf pack bag, label, twine, scizzors, etc.
· Habitat data collection sheet, macro data collection sheet, clipboard, pencil, map
· Microscopes
Procedures:
In November, we went to a pond that connected to Ferhill's experimental wetlands, and set up a "leaf pack". A leaf pack is a mesh bag with leaves in it, designed to serve as a home for macros. We were going to wait for our next visit, and then take the pack out of the water and study it. After the pack was ready, we took nets and used these to try and catch macros. We were planning to use the macro-invertebrate biotic index to prove that Fernhill's wetland project would be worth doing. The biotic index is a chart used to help indicate water quality based on the number and type of macros found in a body of water. Plus it would give us an insight to what type of macros would be living in the wetlands.
Here is how it worked:
1. Start at the Floating Bridge by the experimental wetlands. Record habitat data.
2. Locate leaf pack placed in November. Gently place a bucket under the leaf pack, then cut the string. Scoop it out. * If no leaf pack can be found, skip to step _____
3. Follow leaf pack procedure to search for any macroinvertebrates in the leaf pack – use a brush to go over each leaf, and use strainer to check for macroinvertebrates hiding in the water.
4. Sort all macroinvertebrates by family using the sorting tray. Use microscope to observe fine details. Record tally of each macro on the data sheet.
5. Prepare a second leaf pack with 30-50 g dried leaves and tie securely. Record location and habitat data.
6. If not leaf pack was found, use dip nets and D nets to collect as many macros as possible. Sort and record data.
* November Procedures:
1. Select first site. Start your stopwatch for 5 minutes. Using dip nets and D nets, collect as many macroinvertebrates as you can in a bucket.
2. Store your nets. Now, start identifying as many macroinvertebrates as you can using the sorting tray.
3. After 15 minutes, make a tally of all macroinvertebrates identified. Return remaining water and macros to the water, and pack up materials.
4. Select second collection site. Complete procedures 1-4 at this new site.
5. Prepare leaf pack and place for February visit.
6. After returning to class, calculate biotic index for both location and average to estimate water quality.
Results
Findings
Overall, we found a lot of mayflies and stoneflies. Our February 3rd, 2015 the macroinvertebrate research group had the most fun and made the most significant progress in advancing their knowledge regarding their estimate of the water quality at Fernhill Wetlands (based on the macro-invertebrate biotic index.)
To cite some key facts, these scientists discovered:
-There was an abundance of mayflies and stoneflies, these are sensitive to pollution, so it's good news they're living here
-An even greater abundance of snails and aquatic worms, these are not pollution sensitive
-An interesting macro called a "boatman"
In May, we did not find our Leaf Pack, because the water overflowed the area we placed it in.
Overall, we found a lot of mayflies and stoneflies. Our February 3rd, 2015 the macroinvertebrate research group had the most fun and made the most significant progress in advancing their knowledge regarding their estimate of the water quality at Fernhill Wetlands (based on the macro-invertebrate biotic index.)
To cite some key facts, these scientists discovered:
-There was an abundance of mayflies and stoneflies, these are sensitive to pollution, so it's good news they're living here
-An even greater abundance of snails and aquatic worms, these are not pollution sensitive
-An interesting macro called a "boatman"
In May, we did not find our Leaf Pack, because the water overflowed the area we placed it in.
Conclusion
Our hyptohesis that the water quality was excellent may have been incorrect. The biotic index shows that there is likely pollution for the months we found macros. We don't know about May, because we couldn't locate our Leaf Pack. This means our results are inconclusive. A goal of the wetlands is to clean water naturally. Macros will tell tehm how their doing by measuing water quality. A major error to our study was that we could not locate our May Leaf Pack. We would like to continue this study to see if the water quality changes.
Our hyptohesis that the water quality was excellent may have been incorrect. The biotic index shows that there is likely pollution for the months we found macros. We don't know about May, because we couldn't locate our Leaf Pack. This means our results are inconclusive. A goal of the wetlands is to clean water naturally. Macros will tell tehm how their doing by measuing water quality. A major error to our study was that we could not locate our May Leaf Pack. We would like to continue this study to see if the water quality changes.
Reflection
Our macroinvertebrate research project was fun, but challenging. We enjoyed the chance to get out of the class to find bugs in the water. It’s important for kids to get involved in research so we can get a chance to feel like a real scientist involved in a project that matters. Losing a Leaf Pack was a challenge to our experience and threw off our data. Even so, students should continue this research so they can see the other side to our waste water!
Our macroinvertebrate research project was fun, but challenging. We enjoyed the chance to get out of the class to find bugs in the water. It’s important for kids to get involved in research so we can get a chance to feel like a real scientist involved in a project that matters. Losing a Leaf Pack was a challenge to our experience and threw off our data. Even so, students should continue this research so they can see the other side to our waste water!