Current Speed. Procedure. Conclusion. Local Aquatic Field Study WATERS W AROUND THE WORLD

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1 WATERS W AROUND THE WORLD Current Speed At this station, your team leader will calculate the current speed, or how fast the water in your aquatic site is flowing (if it flows at all). Fast-flowing water tends to be cool and well oxygenated, and thus better able to support more kinds of life. Look for adaptations that allow aquatic invertebrates to hold on in a fast-flowing environment. What is the current speed at your aquatic site? How does the current speed affect other abiotic and biotic factors? For the pre-field station Meter stick or metric tape measure Chalk 4 oranges Stopwatch For the field station Meter stick or metric tape measure Stopwatch 8 oranges 1. In the classroom or another large area such as a gym, measure 12 meters on the floor with a meter stick. Use chalk to mark the beginning and end of the 12 meters. If you have too little space to mark 12 meters, cut the distance in half. 2. Label one end of the measured distance Point A and the other Point B. 3. Have one member of your team stand at Point A and another at Point B. The two students now form an imaginary line, which you can call A B. 4. Have a third team member roll an orange along the line, making sure the orange is rolling before it reaches Point A and after it passes Point B. 5. As the orange rolls past Point A, the team member at Point A calls out Start! 6. A fourth team member holds a stopwatch and starts timing as soon as the word Start! is heard. 7. As the orange rolls past Point B, the team member at Point B calls out Stop! 8. The timer stops and calls out the number of seconds the ball took to pass from Point A to Point B. 9. Write down in your JASON Journal the amount of time recorded by the stopwatch. 10. Repeat steps 4 through 9 several times, rotating duties among team members. 11. Calculate the speed of the orange from Point A to Point B in centimeters per second using the following formula: speed = distance/time. 12. Now calculate the average speed of the orange. (The average speed is the sum of all speeds divided by the number of times the speeds were recorded.) Record this in your JASON Journal. Field Station 1. Determine which way the water is moving or if it is moving at all. If the water is flowing, designate the upstream end of the 12 meters as Point A and the downstream end as Point B. Have one of your team members stand at Point A and another stand at Point B. 2. Have a third team member stand upstream from Point A and drop an orange into the water so that it floats by Points A and B. 3. Do steps 5 through 12 from the pre-field component above, recording the data on Master Baseline Study Form. Was your aquatic body standing or flowing? Why? How can the speed of a current be calculated, and what does it indicate?

2 Invertebrate Populations Have you ever cupped your hands together under shallow water at the beach or beside a river in search of living creatures or shells? Did you carefully drain the sand and water through your fingers, leaving only the fun stuff behind? The tool you are about to use called a dip net or collection net will let you collect and study some of the most important living things at your site: animals without backbones, also called invertebrates. Your second tool, a bottom scraper, will help you get to the bottom of a streambed or the ocean floor to learn about the creatures that call these places home. What types of invertebrates are found at your aquatic site? For the pre-field station Rectangular tray filled with sand Sand or cat litter Multicolored paperclips, pushpins, and popcorn 4 to 6 trays Masters Saltwater Aquatic Invertebrates and Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates (one cutout copy on card stock per research team) For the field station 2 or 3 empty buckets for sample collection Trays Plastic utensils and shovels (1 or 2) 1 or 2 magnifying glasses or bug boxes Masters Saltwater Aquatic Invertebrates and Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates (one laminated copy per research team) Tools (see TJO s Field Center for building instructions) Dip net Bottom scraper Plankton net (optional) Seine net (optional) Your teacher has prepared a simulated aquatic environment where you can practice collecting aquatic invertebrates and try to classify organisms. One member of your team will sample using the dip net. Your team will then devise a strategy for classifying the collected organisms. Field Station 1. Take turns so each team member samples with the dip net and the bottom scraper. 2. Designate a bucket as a live sample container. Fill it with water from your aquatic site. 3. Standing near the water s edge, use the dip net to scoop for invertebrates. Scoop across the water surface, along the surface of the sediment, and under ledges. Put all collected invertebrates into your live sample container. 4. Using the bottom scraper or the plastic shovel, scoop up some sediment and pour it into the dip net. Holding the net over the water, gently pour water through the net. This should wash away the sediment while preserving many of the aquatic invertebrates buried in the sediment. 5. Use a field guide or Masters Saltwarer Aquatic Invertebrates and Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates to identify and sort the animals. (Try Mac s Field Guides, which you can buy at org.) Use a magnifying glass or bug box to distinguish their features. How many types of animals did you collect? Did you collect any vertebrates or invertebrates not shown on Masters Saltwarer Aquatic Invertebrates and Freshwater Aquatic Invertebrates? Record aquatic invertebrates on Master Baseline Study Form. 6. (Optional) Download the instructions from TJO s Field Center to learn how to sample your aquatic site with a plankton net. Study the sample with a magnifying glass or bug box. Do you see tiny dots zooming around? These are zooplankton. Take the sample back to your class (try to keep the sample cool). Using an eyedrop-

3 Local Aquatic Field Study per, put a few drops of your sample into a depression slide and cover with a cover slip (make sure no air bubbles are in the depression). Examine your sample with a compound microscope and draw what you see in your JASON Journal. Can you identify any of the plankton? 7. (Optional) Follow the directions at TJO s Field Center to learn how to sample your aquatic site with a seine net. If you catch something, carefully place the organism(s) in your live sample bucket using the plastic utensils. Using a local field guide, try to identify the organisms. 8. Note: Always keep your live sample in a cool, shaded spot (if possible), and gently pour the sample back into your aquatic site as soon as the experiment is finished. What did your sampling indicate about your site? Is there any relationship between the site s abiotic characteristics and the aquatic invertebrates you found? Saltwater Aquatic Invertebrates Master Saltwater Aquatic Invertebrates Rock crab to 13 cm Crumb of bread sponge 4 cm Northern moon shell to 10 cm Blue mussel to 10 cm Adapted from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Connections to the Sea, 50 57

4 Saltwater Aquatic Invertebrates Barnacle (small) Blue Mussel Brittle Star Chiton Crumb of Bread Sponge 1.3 cm (0.5 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.) 20.3cm (8 in.) 3.8 cm (1.5 in.) 5.1 cm (2 in.) Goose Barnacle Hard-Shelled Clam Hermit Crab Isopod Limpet 15.2 cm (6 in.) 15.2 cm (6 in.) 3.8 cm (1.5 in.) 2.5 cm (1 in.) 3.8 cm (1.5 in.) Mole Crab Moon Jelly Moon Snail Nemertean Worm Nudibranch 2.5 cm (1 in.) 12.7 cm (5 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.) 20.3 cm (8 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.) Oyster Periwinkle Plumose Anemone Rock Crab Sand Dollar 25.4 cm (10 in.) 1.3 cm (0.5 in.) 30.5 cm (12 in.) 12.7 cm (5 in.) 7.6 cm (3 in.) Sand Flea Sand Worm Scallop Sea Gooseberry Sea Peach 1.3 cm (0.5 in.) 15.2 cm (6 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.) 2.5 cm (1 in.) 12.7 cm (5 in.) Sea Star Sea Urchin Slipper Snail 12.7 cm (5 in.) 7.6 cm (3 in.) 2.5 cm (1 in.)

5 Key to Invertebrate Life in the River Shells No Shells Single Shell Double Shell Without Backbone With Backbone spiral, opening on left spiral, opening on right coiled large, dark-colored small, whitish External Gills (legs may not be present) No Gills Fish Pouch Snail Gilled Snail Orb Snail Freshwater Mussel Fingernail Clam With Tentacles, Brushes, or Tails No Legs Worm like Salamander Larvae Tadpole breathing tube at rear large head, wriggles transparent body on surface, stiff with tail disk red, green or tan twists body with bristles, no suckers reddish brown suckers, expands and contracts small, hairlike, swims in "S"-shape glides along bottom tan to brown, long lobster-like pinkish, feathery 10+ Legs shrimp-like, swims on side walks on bottom Mosquito Larvae Four Pairs of Legs Three Pairs of Legs tiny, swims in water Mosquito or Midge Pupa runs on top of water Phantom Midge Larva Soldier Fly Larva Midge Larva Bristle Worm Tubliflex Worm Leech Threadworm Planaria or Flatworm round Horsehair Worm swims with a jerk using antennas Microscopic tentacles Crayfish Fairy Shrimp Amphipod or Sc ud Isopod or Aquatic Sowbug Water Mite Fishing Spider swims right-side up, black back swims on back, back white Leathery Wings dark, lives on surface Wings tan, lives on surface long, stick-like long breathing tube, grasping front legs Ostracod or Clam S hrimp grasping front legs, up to three inches Copecod or Cyclops Daphnia or W ater Flea Hydra No wings Water Boatman apostropheshaped Backswimmer Water Strider Marsh Treader Water Sc orpion "Ranatra" Water Sc orpion "Nepa" Giant Water B ug No Obvious Tails Three Tails Worm like large mouth parts, spines on side large body, hinged mouth hangs from surface, large mouth parts small, hops on surface lives in tube or case plate-like tails, no gills on abdomen long tails, gills on abdomen swims, moving hind legs alternating back legs move at same time swims on surface crawls through water, spotted Alderfly Nymph Dragonfly Nymph Predaceous Diving Beetle Larva Springtail Caddisfly Larva Damselfly Nymph Mayfly Nymph Water Sc avenger Beetle Predaceous Diving Beetle Whirligig Beetle Crawling Water Beetle

6 Dissolved Oxygen Aquatic organisms need oxygen to live but how do they get it underwater? From dissolved oxygen (DO). At this station, your team will measure the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water and learn what that measurement indicates about your aquatic site. Some freshwater invertebrates and vertebrates (such as salmon) need high levels of dissolved oxygen, while others can handle a wide range of dissolved oxygen levels. The amount of dissolved oxygen in a body of water depends on abiotic properties such as temperature, wind, and current speed. How much oxygen is dissolved in the water at your aquatic site? How does the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water affect other abiotic and biotic properties? Oxygen tablets Bucket Small pill bottle/vial with cap (1-teaspoon capacity is best) 1. Measure how many teaspoons of water your pill bottle holds. You will need to maintain a ratio of 1 DO tablet to 1 teaspoon. Calculate how many DO tablets you will need to use in your bottle. 2. Submerge your bottle in a bucket of water until it s full. Cap it while it is still underwater. 3. Remove the bottle from the bucket. Look into the bottle to make sure there are no air bubbles. If there are, dump the sample and start again. 4. Watch your teacher add oxygen tablet(s) to the bottle, recap the bottle, and shake it until the tablet(s) have dissolved. You may notice that the water has changed color. The tablets contain a chemical that reacts with the oxygen dissolved in the water to turn the water a different color. The intensity of the color indicates how much DO is in the water. Rate the color of the sample by intensity (clear = no DO, light pink = low DO, medium pinkish-orange = medium DO, dark orange = high DO). Record the color in your JASON Journal. 5. Try these steps again with different kinds of water (boiled, aged, or oxygenated). Field Station (demonstration) 1. Your teacher or adult station leader will sample water from the aquatic site in a bucket. 2. She/he will submerge a pill bottle in the bucket and cap it, then remove the bottle from the bucket and make sure there are no air bubbles. 3. She/he will take off the cap and add one oxygen tablet for every teaspoon of water in the bottle. She/he will then recap the bottle and shake it until the tablets have dissolved. 4. Once the tablets have dissolved, you should observe what color the water has turned. Rate the color of the sample by intensity, as you did in the pre-field experiment. If the change in color is faint, hold a piece of white paper behind the bottle when examining the color. If the water remains clear, there is no DO in the water, or there is so little that this method can t detect it. 5. Record the DO level on Master Baseline Study Form. 1. What do air and water temperature tell you about your aquatic site? Does the air temperature at your aquatic site change dramatically over the year? If so, how might this affect the other abiotic and biotic factors? 2. How would sites with cold water likely differ from those with warm water? 3. How does air temperature relate to water temperature? Over the course of a day, which do you think varies more? Why? Over the course of a year, which do you think varies more? Why? 4. Think about some of the measurements you have taken at other stations. How do air and water temperature relate to these other measurements, both abiotic and biotic?

7 Air and Water Temperature At this station, your team will take air and water temperature measurements and learn what these measurements indicate about your aquatic site. Water temperature affects the ability of oxygen and salt to stay dissolved in water. (Cold water tends to have more dissolved oxygen.) Air temperature is also important, because it is linked to weather factors that can increase or decrease water temperature. Changing seasons can affect temperature dramatically if your area is affected by seasons, your field study results may have a lot to do with the time of year. What are the air and water temperatures at your aquatic site? For the pre-field station 4 Celsius thermometers or a swimming-pool thermometer (preferred) Cup of warm water Cup of cold water For the field station 4 Celsius thermometers or a swimming-pool thermometer (preferred) Several meters of twine Duct tape 1. Hold the thermometer in the air for a few minutes until you can take a steady temperature reading. Record the results in your JASON Journal. 2. Hold the thermometer in the cup of warm water for a few minutes until you can take a steady temperature reading. Record the results in your JASON Journal. 3. Hold the thermometer in the cup of cold water for a few minutes until you can take a steady temperature reading. Record the results in your JASON Journal. Field Station 1. Hold the thermometer in the air for a few minutes until you can take a steady temperature reading. Record the reading on Master Baseline Study Form. 2. Hold the thermometer in the water for a few minutes until you can take a steady temperature reading. Record the reading on Master Baseline Study Form. 3. If you want to get a water temperature reading at a deeper spot and do not have a swimming pool thermometer, you can modify your thermometer as follows: Cut a piece of twine several meters long, tie the thermometer near the end of the line, secure the line with duct tape, and weight the end with a rubber sinker or some other kind of weight that will not break the thermometer. Keep the thermometer underwater for a few minutes. Record the results on Master Baseline Study Form. 1. What do air and water temperature tell you about your aquatic site? Does the air temperature at your aquatic site change dramatically over the year? If so, how might this affect the other abiotic and biotic factors? 2. How would sites with cold water likely differ from those with warm water?

8 Measuring ph At this station, your team will test the water at your aquatic site to determine whether the water is acidic, basic, or neutral. To do this, you ll measure the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water the water s ph. Most aquatic organisms have adapted to life in water with a specific ph; if the ph changes, they may die. Dramatic ph changes are often (but not always) caused by humans. A change in ph in a stream, for instance, may mean that pollution is affecting the water. What is the ph of the water at your site? Four mystery substances in labeled jars ph kits Baby-food jars Examine the ph scale on your ph kit. The ph scale ranges from 0 to 14. A ph measurement of 7 indicates that the water is neutral neither acidic nor basic. As ph values increase from 7, so does the alkalinity of the substance (that is, how basic it is). Thus, a substance with a ph of 14 is very alkaline. As ph values decrease from 7, acidity increases. Thus, a substance with a ph of 1 is a very strong acid, containing a high concentration of hydrogen ions. Each increment on the ph scale represents a tenfold change. That is, water with a ph of 9 is 10 times more alkaline than water with a ph of Look at the first mystery substance. Does its appearance help you identify it? 2. Open the jar. Holding the jar away from your face, wave your hand over the jar toward your nose a few times. Can you identify the substance now? 3. Dip a strip of ph paper into the substance. Remove the strip and watch for a change in color. Match the color to the ph scale on your ph kit. What is the ph? In your JASON Journal, record the code letter that your teacher has written on the container. Next to the letter, record the ph for that substance. Is the substance acidic or basic? Can you identify the substance now? 4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to test the other substances. 5. Once you have recorded the phs of all the substances and guessed their identity, your teacher will tell you what each substance is. Write this information in your journal. Field Station 1. To test the ph of the water at your aquatic site, collect a water sample from the bank. 2. Test the ph of the sample immediately after collecting it. (Watch out for temperature changes.) 3. Examine the color of the ph paper and match it to the ph scale on your ph kit. Record the ph value on Master Baseline Study Form. 4. Examine the diagram showing ph ranges that can support life. Why do you think the ph range of 6.5 to 7.5 supports the most life? What do your measurements indicate about the water at your aquatic site?

9 Local Aquatic Field Study Density and Salinity How can a 300-ton glacier float freely in the cold Arctic waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean? The answer has nothing to do with weight and everything to do with specific gravity and density. To determine what factors contribute to density differences, you are going to use a tool called a hydrometer. By placing your hydrometer in different liquids, you ll be able to tell how dense those liquids are compared to distilled water. But remember: it takes a very steady hand to do it right. Make sure your hydrometer stays upright and does not tip over! Your hydrometer will also help you determine water s salinity, or the amount of salt it contains. Most aquatic creatures are adapted to a particular range of salinity they prefer either fresh water or salt water. One exception is anadromous fish such as salmon, which spend most of their lives in the open ocean but migrate up freshwater rivers and streams to lay their eggs. How can you measure the specific gravity and salinity of a body of water? How are salinity and density related? For the pre-field station 3 1-liter beakers or hydrometer jars, filled with water, tomato juice, and alcohol Black waterproof marker 750 milliliters (3 cups) of table salt Glass stirring rod or plastic coffee stirrer Hot water Distilled water, 750 milliliters, room temperature For the field station 1-liter beaker or jar, empty Hydrometer (see TJO s Field Center for building instructions) 1. Build a hydrometer following the instructions at TJO s Field Center. 2. Float the hydrometer in the jars containing alcohol, tomato juice, and water to determine the relative specific gravities of these liquids. Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a liquid (or solid or gas) to the density of distilled water at 4 C. Water is most dense at 4 C. If it is colder or warmer than 4 C, it is less dense. (That s why ice floats no matter if it is as small as an ice cube or as large as a glacier!) Distilled water should have a specific gravity of 1; liquids less dense than water have specific gravities between 0 and 1, and liquids more dense than water have specific gravities greater than 1. The higher a hydrometer floats in a liquid, the denser that liquid. When you float your hydrometer in the alcohol, does your initial 1.00 mark ride above or below the line of the alcohol? How about with the tomato juice? 3. To see how salinity affects water density, empty the water jar from step 2 and refill it three-quarters full (750 milliliters) with room-temperature water. Slowly add measured quantities of salt to the water, stirring occasionally, until the water becomes saturated. (The water is saturated when salt accumulates at the bottom of the jar and will no longer dissolve.) Write down how much salt was added before the solution became saturated. 4. Float the hydrometer in the saltwater. Does the 1.00 mark float higher or lower than it did in step 2? Using the waterproof marker, mark the new water line on the straw. Is salt water more or less dense than fresh water? 5. To see how temperature and density are related, empty the jar and refill it three-quarters full with hot water. Add measured quantities of salt until it is saturated. Were you able to add more or less salt before the sample became saturated? Why? Put your hydrometer in the beaker and note where the water line is. How does it compare to the water lines for room temperature or cold water?

10 6. You will take your hydrometer to the aquatic site to help you measure the salinity of water there. First, you will record the density of the water. Then you will use the Conversion Chart at right to convert that reading into a measure of salinity. Practice using the Conversion Chart now by converting the specific gravity measurements for your saltwater solutions to salinity measurements. Field Station To measure the salinity of the water at your aquatic site, you will need a 1-liter beaker or jar and your hydrometer. 1. Fill the beaker or jar three-quarters full with water from the aquatic site. 2. Place the hydrometer in the water. Which of the marks is the surface of the water closest to? Is the specific gravity greater than or less than 1.00? In other words, is it more or less dense than the distilled water used in class? 3. Using the Conversion Chart, convert your specific gravity reading to an approximate salinity measurement. How does the salinity at your site compare to the salinity measurements you calculated for various substances in the classroom? 4. Record your results on Master Weather Observations. Specific Gravity (at 20 C) Salinity (ppt) What is the relationship between the height at which your hydrometer floats and the density of the liquid you are testing? 2. Is salt water more or less dense than fresh water? Why? 3. Describe the relationship between the following three abiotic characteristics: density, salinity, and temperature. (Hint: If one characteristic increases, what happens to the others? Why?)

11 Water Clarity At this station, your team will measure your aquatic site s water clarity and learn how water clarity affects aquatic life. When water clarity is low, solid particles, such as sediment suspended in water, can block the light aquatic plants and organisms need to survive, as well as clog the gills of fish. Suspended solids can also absorb heat from sunlight, raising the temperature of the water. As the water warms, dissolved oxygen levels drop, further reducing the number of plants and animals that can live in the water. Water clarity may also be low due to high concentrations of plankton. Oceanographers use a tool called a Secchi disk to measure water clarity. If you are doing your aquatic study in deep water, build a Secchi disk or borrow one from your local university s aquatic sciences department. If you re doing your study in shallow water, carry out the experiment outlined in the procedure. What is the clarity of your site s water? For the pre-field station 3 sheets black construction paper (8½ 10) Large clear plastic jar Empty soda can Hole puncher Flashlight Photographic light meter (if available) Dirt or silt Water For the field station Light penetration apparatus you built at the pre-field station Secchi disk (see TJO s Field Center) 1. Take two pieces of black construction paper, line them up, and trace a circle in the center using the empty soda can. 2. Punch holes in the circles. 3. Tape the two pieces of construction paper around the plastic jar so that the two hole-punched circles are opposite each other (see the diagram below). 4. Fill the jar three-quarters full with tap water. 5. Using the flashlight, shine the beam of light through the holes in the side of the jar. On the opposite side of the jar, hold up another sheet of black paper about 1 inch from the holes. 6. Record the level of light intensity. (This can be done qualitatively low, medium, high or quantitatively if you have the use of an inexpensive photographic light meter.) 7. Slowly add measured amounts of silt and/or dirt to the water and monitor the change in light intensity. 8. Record your results in your JASON Journal. Field Station 1. Take your jar covered with black construction paper into the field. 2. Add water from your aquatic site so that the jar is three-quarters full. 3. Follow steps 5 and 6 above and record your results on Master Baseline Study Form. 4. (Optional) Following the instructions at TJO s Field Center, build a Secchi disk and use it as an alternative method for measuring water clarity at your aquatic site. What do your water clarity readings suggest about the water at your site?

12 Sediment Analysis At this station, your team will examine the different types of sediments in your aquatic site and soils around the site. Sediments are particles deposited on the bottom of an aquatic site through the action of rivers, glaciers, or wind. The color, odor, and particle size of the sediment may provide important information about the geology, ecology, and drainage of your aquatic site. To collect sediment samples within your aquatic site, you will use a small shovel or a bottom scraper like the one you built for Exercise You ll also explore the layers of soil at a spot near your school. What types of sediment are found at your aquatic site? Garden shovel Trays (like frozen-dinner trays) Master D (one copy per research team) Bottom scraper (see Exercise 5.1.2) Meter stick or metric tape measure 1. At a schoolyard location where the ground is not too hard, use a garden shovel to dig a circular pit (about 15 centimeters wide and 30 centimeters deep). Examine the vertical structure of the soil along the sides of the soil pit and bring a small sample back to class for further analysis. See Master Sediment Chart. 2. Examine the soil sample to see if it contains different types of materials (sand, pebbles, large rocks, other objects). Try to categorize the materials you found using Master Sediment Chart. 3. Describe the texture of each element of the soil. Rub a sample of each layer between your fingers. Does it feel smooth? Gritty? Sticky? What else do you notice about your sample? Field Station 1. Using a shovel, take your first sample (sample 1) at the edge of the water at your aquatic site. Dump the sample on one of the light-colored trays for analysis. 2. Examine the sample to see if the sediment contains particles of different sizes. Rub a sample of each layer between your fingers. Does it feel smooth? Gritty? Sticky? What else do you notice about your sample (e.g., does it have an odor)? 3. Identify which type(s) of sediment make up sample 1, and write the type in the sediment table. Draw a picture in the box provided. 4. For sample 2, mark out a spot about 5 meters from the water s edge. (The tape measure should be perpendicular to the edge of the water.) If there is no soil 5 meters from the water s edge, get as close as possible to 5 meters and mark the actual distance on the sediment table. Repeat steps 1 through For sample 3, use your bottom scraper to collect a sample of submerged sediment. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to analyze it. Fill in the column labeled Sample 3 on the sediment table and note how far from the shore the sample was taken. When all three columns of your sediment table are complete, enter the sediment type for your three samples onto Master Baseline Study Form. 6. Did each of your three samples contain similar types of sediment? If not, are the samples different? Were any of the samples layered? How? Record your answers in your JASON Journal. 7. Repeat the preceding steps at different locations around your aquatic site. Are they the same or different? Why? 1. How is the sediment in and around an aquatic environment sampled? 2. What does the sediment type tell you about your site s geology, ecology, and drainage?

13 Local Aquatic Field Study Sediment Sizing Chart Use this chart to determine the size of the sediment that you and your classmates find. Sediment Type/Size Pebbles (4 64 mm) How to Identify Use a ruler Granules (2 4 mm) Sands These particles can be easily seen Gritty very coarse (1 2 mm) coarse (0.5 1 mm) A soil pit. medium ( mm) fine ( mm) very fine ( mm) Silt ( mm) Smooth but not sticky Clay (< mm) Smooth and sticky Sediment Table Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Type: Type: Type: Master Sediment Chart Draw: Draw: Draw:

14 Weather Conditions When scientists do fieldwork, they collect weather information along with their other scientific data. Weather patterns affect plant and animal life. For example, certain animals may not leave their homes to gather food in cold or rainy conditions. Recording sky conditions, air temperature, and wind speed will give you useful information about your site. What equipment is used for recording weather conditions? What are the weather conditions of the field study area? How does weather affect the plants and animals that live there? Thermometer Anemometer or Beaufort Wind Scale Compass Small flag (handmade) Copy of Master Weather Observations 1. As you practice taking weather observations, record your practice information on Master Weather Observations. 2. Practice reading air temperature without touching the bulb end of the thermometer. When taking the air temperature outdoors, look for a sheltered, shady area out of the wind and the sunshine. 3. Is the sky clear, partly cloudy, or overcast? Circle the correct symbol on Master Weather Observations. 4. If clouds are present, name them and draw or describe their appearance. 5. Precipitation can come in many forms (e.g., rain, snow, hail, sleet, drizzle). Do you see any precipitation outside? If not, write none. If yes, record the kind of precipitation. Also, look for evidence of precipitation during the past 24 hours. 6. Practice using the anemometer, a device for recording the speed of the wind. If an anemometer is not available, use the Beaufort Wind Scale on Master Weather Observations. 7. Hold a small handmade flag into the wind. Notice the direction the wind is coming from. Use a compass to find the wind s direction. Field Station 1. Record the following information on Master Weather Observations: Air temperature: open area and sheltered area Sky conditions Precipitation: current and during past 24 hours Wind speed: open area and sheltered area Wind direction 1. Was the air temperature and wind speed the same for the open and the sheltered area? If not, provide several reasons for why each factor was different in each area. 2. Look at your sky conditions data and your open area air temperature reading. What would happen to the open area s air temperature reading if the sky conditions became even cloudier? Less cloudy? 3. How might your present precipitation and the wind speed be affecting the plants today? The animals? 4. Why is it important for scientists to record weather data while studying the plants and animals of an area?

15 Local Aquatic Field Study Weather Observations and Beaufort Scale Date: Time: Place: Air temperature: Open area: Sheltered area: Sky conditions: (circle one) clear partly cloudy overcast Description, type, or drawing of any clouds present: Current precipitation: none present as (form) Precipitation within the past 24 hours: none present as (form) Wind speed: open area: mph sheltered area: mph Wind direction: (from north, northeast, east, etc.) Number Name Description Miles per Hour 0 Calm Calm; smoke rises vertically Less than 1 mph 1 Light air Wind direction shown by smoke-drift but not wind vanes 1 3 mph 2 Light breeze Wind felt on face; leaves rustle; vanes moved by wind 4 7 mph 3 Gentle breeze Leaves and small twigs in constant motion; wind extends small flags 8 12 mph 4 Moderate breeze Raises dust and loose paper; small branches are moved mph Master Weather Observations 5 Fresh breeze Small trees in leaf begin to sway; mph crested wavelets form on inland waters 6 Strong breeze Large branches in motion; whistling heard in utility wires, mph umbrellas used with difficulty 7 Near gale Whole trees in motion; mph inconvenience felt when walking against the wind 8 Gale Breaks twigs off trees; generally impedes progress mph 9 Strong gale Slight structural damage occurs mph 10 Storm Seldom experienced inland; mph trees uprooted; considerable structural damage 11 Violent storm Very rarely experienced; accompanied by widespread damage mph 12 Hurricane Devastation occurs mph

16 Analyzing Your Data Scientists often take multiple measurements and average them to come up with a representative figure. Each of the research teams in your class has now been to your aquatic site and recorded a variety of data. In this exercise, you ll share this data to get a more comprehensive impression of your aquatic site and what it tells about aquatic ecosystems in general. Let s see how your measurements compare to the measurements taken by the other research teams in your class. How can your class compile its data to establish overall baseline data for your aquatic site? How can your class share data with other classes and make overall comparisons? (for each research team) Copy of your research team s completed Master Baseline Study Form Copy of every other team s completed Master Baseline Study Form Blank copy of Master Baseline Study Form 1. Make sure your team has completely filled out Master Baseline Study Form. What did all your fieldwork tell you about your site and the organisms that live there? 2. Make a class chart, then review the data that the other teams obtained at the aquatic site. How is this data similar to and different from your team s? 1. What biotic and abiotic (living and nonliving) properties do scientists measure to determine the ecology of aquatic ecosystems? 2. How do you measure these properties? 3. What is the relationship between your aquatic site and the larger watershed? 4. What relationship do humans have to aquatic ecosystems? How do humans alter aquatic ecosystems? 5. How does your aquatic site compare to the JASON XIII research site? 6. How might your aquatic site change over time? Why? 7. Why is it important to monitor changes at your aquatic site? For Further Exploration Do you think that humans have negatively impacted your aquatic site? If so, can you recommend ways in which humans can modify their behavior to have less of an impact on your site and other aquatic sites around the world? In your JASON Journal, write a description of the ecology of your site. Remember to use the results from the tests you performed in the field and any other information you obtained during this investigation. Explore the Watershed Study in Team JASON Online. Input your data and compare it with data from aquatic ecosystems all over the world!