Life on the James Judging Water Quality Based on Macroinvertebrates

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Lilian Bryant
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1 Life on the James Judging Water Quality Based on Macroinvertebrates About this Lesson This lesson is an excellent introduction to the concept of pollution and how it affects macroinvertebrates and therefore determines water quality in freshwater lakes, streams, and creeks. This lesson is included in the LTF Middle Grades Module 8. Objectives Students will: Use the provided identification sheets to identify each macroinvertebrate species and count the number of each organism present at each site Calculate the water quality of the site by multiplying the number of species found by the species value Level Middle Grades: Earth Science Common Core State Standards for Science Content LTF Science lessons will be aligned with the next generation of multi-state science standards that are currently in development. These standards are said to be developed around the anchor document, A Framework for K 12 Science Education, which was produced by the National Research Council. Where applicable, the LTF Science lessons are also aligned to the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Content as well as the Common Core Literacy Standards for Science and Technical Subjects. Code Standard Level of Thinking (LITERACY) RST (MATH) A_CED.4 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text. Rearrange formulas to highlight a quantity of interest, using the same reasoning as in solving equations. Apply Apply Depth of Knowledge II II

2 Connections to AP* AP Environmental Science: I. Interdependence of Earth s Systems: Fundamental Principles and Concepts B. The Cycling of Matter 1. water II. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources: Distribution, Ownership, Use, Degradation A. Water 1. fresh *Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board. The College Board was not involved in the production of this product. Materials Each lab group will need the following: 1 set copy of organism cards Assessments The following assessments are located on the LTF website Middle Grades Earth: Hydrology Assessment th grade Posttest, Free Response Question 2 Teaching Suggestions Life on the James: Judging Water Quality Based on Macroinvertebrates has students use pictures of macroinvertebrate samples to evaluate water quality at several sites from the fictitious town of Aquaville. Benthic macroinvertebrates are invertebrates (animals without a backbone) that live on the bottom of streams during all or part of their life cycle. Benthic means bottom dwelling, and macro indicates that benthic macroinvertebrates are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. While many macroinvertebrates can be seen with the naked eye, most macroinvertibrates are small. Although benthic macroinvertebrates often go unnoticed because of their size and habitat, they are an extremely important part of river ecosystems, and serve as a link in the food web between decomposing leaves and algae, and fish and other vertebrates. Many benthic macroinvertebrates are the larval forms of flying insects, such as mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies. Some are small animals like crayfish. Many can travel between water and moist terrestrial environments, such as fresh water snails. Fish, birds, turtles, salamanders, newts, and frogs all feed on macroinvertebrates during different stages of their life.

3 Several characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates that make them useful indicator species include: their populations fluctuate depending on physical and chemical changes in their habitat they include a great diversity of species they do not move far during their time in the stream, and cannot move out of degraded areas they are easily collected in streams and rivers they provide a large number of species that occur in every conceivable aquatic habitat Life on the James To prepare for this lab you must produce seven sample packets for the students to rotate. These packets will represent the organisms found at each site labeled on the map. Photocopy master pages containing the organisms for each site are provided on the following pages. Make one copy of each page on cardstock. Laminating them before you cut them out will increase their life span. Once the students have read their student instruction pages, give one packet to each group of four students. Allow them five minutes to survey their site packet and then have the groups pass their packet to the next group. Rotate through all 7 packets. Map of Aquaville 1 2 School 3 Chicken Factory 4 Collection sites #1 - #7 Sewage Treatment Plant 5 6 N 7 James River

4 Packet for Site 1

5 Packet for Site 2

6 Packet for Site 3

7 Packet for Site 4

8 Packet for Site 5

9 Packet for Site 6

10 Packet for Site 7

11 POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO THE CONCLUSION QUESTIONS AND SAMPLE DATA Site 1 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant 8 Stonefly Larva 4 Crayfish Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva Lunged Snail 8 Mayfly Larva 2 Water Penny Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Blackfly Larva Leech 2 Gilled Snail Crane Fly Larva 12 Midge Fly Larva Planarian 4 Caddisfly Larva 2 Riffle Beetle Larva 2 Scud Hellgrammite Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 3 = 15 index value Number of boxes checked 2 = 6 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 1 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 22 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

12 Site 2 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant 2 Stonefly Larva 3 Crayfish 4 Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva Lunged Snail Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Blackfly Larva 1 Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Leech Gilled Snail 2 Crane Fly Larva 9 12 Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva 1 Caddisfly Larva Scud Hellgrammite Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 9 index value Sowbugs 3 Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 6 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 2 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 17 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

13 Site 3 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant 2 Stonefly Larva 5 Crayfish 3 Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva Lunged Snail Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Blackfly Larva Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Leech Gilled Snail Crane Fly Larva 4 Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva Caddisfly Larva Scud Hellgrammite Whirligig Beetle Larva 3 Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 3 index value Sowbugs 2 Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 6 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 2 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 11 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

14 Site 4 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Crayfish 4 Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva 3 Lunged Snail Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva 5 Blackfly Larva Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva 2 Leech Gilled Snail 2 Crane Fly Larva 4 Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva Caddisfly Larva Scud Hellgrammite Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 0 index value Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 2 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 5 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 7 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

15 Site 5 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Crayfish 11 Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva 2 Lunged Snail Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva 9 Blackfly Larva Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Leech Gilled Snail Crane Fly Larva 14 Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva Caddisfly Larva Scud Hellgrammite Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 0 index value Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 0 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 4 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 4 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

16 Site 6 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant 4 Stonefly Larva 2 Crayfish Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva Lunged Snail 5 Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Blackfly Larva 2 Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Leech 1 Gilled Snail 2 Crane Fly Larva Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva 8 Caddisfly Larva Scud Hellgrammite 1 Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 15 index value Sowbugs 3 Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 8 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 0 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 23 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

17 Site 7 Data Sheet Key Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant 8 Stonefly Larva 2 Crayfish Aquatic Worm Riffle Beetle adult Alderfly Larva Lunged Snail 7 Mayfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Blackfly Larva 1 Water Penny Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Leech 4 Gilled Snail 2 Crane Fly Larva Midge Fly Larva Planarian Riffle Beetle Larva 8 Caddisfly Larva Scud 2 Hellgrammite 1 Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = 18 index value Sowbugs 1 Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Number of boxes checked 2 = 8 index value Number of boxes checked 1 = 0 index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = 26 Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

18 Site James River Water Quality Analysis Score (Total Index Value) Water Quality 22 Good 17 Good 11 Fair 7 Poor 4 Poor 23 Excellent 26 Excellent CONCLUSION QUESTION 1. What does it mean for a macroinvertebrate to be pollution sensitive? What does it mean for a macroinvertebrate to be pollution tolerant? Pollution sensitive macroinvertebrates cannot livee if any pollution is present. Pollution tolerant macroinvertebrates can live even in polluted water. 2. Could a pollution tolerant macroinvertebrate live in clean water? Why? Yes, pollution tolerant organisms can live in all kinds of water. 3. Which site (number and location) of the James Riverr is the most polluted? Site 5, near the sewage treatment plant, was the most polluted with an index value of What are some possible causes of the pollution of thee James River? The chicken plant and the sewage treatment plant could be a source of pollution, as well as the general population in the area.

19 5. Can you be positive that the pollution is coming from these causes and not from a location upstream? Why or why not? You can be fairly certain of the pollution sources because the sites up river from the pollution sources are cleaner. 6. Why could the Chicken Plant be a source of pollution? Give a point source and nonpoint source example. Processing chicken produces waste products such as blood. Any of this that makes its way into the river is consideredd point source pollution. In addition, there is probably a lot of traffic in and out of the plant by trucks. These trucks and carss provide oil, gas and trash as non-point runoff pollution. 7. Which is a better indication of the water quality, the number of organisms (for example 12 crayfish are found at one site) or the type of organisms (water pennies are found with lots of pouch snails and leeches) found at a site? Why? It is not the number of organisms that is important, but rather the number of different species that are found. The number of organisms found mightt simply be a factor of collection time, whereas the number of different species able to live in the area gives a clearer picture of the pollution level. 8. In addition to taking macroinvertebrate specimens ass a water quality test, Mayor Pops has requested chemical analysis of the water. Why is this a good idea? Chemical testing is a good idea because it can provide specifics about what is polluting the water. Knowing what chemicals are present may tell you what is causing the pollution as well as what type of mediation is recommended. 9. Which direction (north or south) is the water of the James River traveling? Justify your answer based on natural occurrences. Either direction can be justified. Some natural occurrences could be water falls, rocky areas, fast moving areas, slow moving areas, natural spring water additions, areas of immense plant growth, hot springs, etc.

20 Macroinvertebrates That Are Sensitive to Pollution Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle Adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite

21 Macroinvertebrates That Are Somewhat Sensitive to Pollution Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbug Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel

22 Macroinvertebrates That Are Tolerant of Pollution Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Black Fly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva

23 Life on the James Judging Water Quality Based on Macroinvertebrates There is a whole world of life in rivers and lakes. Some of the tiny animals living in the water are benthic, meaning they live in the bottom of the body of water. Some are called macroinvertebrates because they are large and have no backbone. The most common of macroinvertebrates include insects, clams, snails, crayfish, and worms. Some live their whole lives in the water, others leave the water as adults to feed and reproduce. Macroinvertebrates are important as food to all the creatures living in the water. Some are considered by scientists to be indicator species and are a way of telling whether or not a river or lake is polluted. In rivers, macroinvertebrates live attached to rocks and plants where there is fast flowing water. They are good indicators of water quality because they do not move around and are easy to collect. The moving water gives them food and oxygen. If the water is polluted, there is less food and oxygen for the aquatic macroinvertebrates. Some types of macroinvertebrates are harmed and even killed by the presence of pollutants in the water. Those that are killed by the pollutants are said to be pollution sensitive. Those that can survive in polluted water are said to be pollution tolerant. If the water contains pollution sensitive macroinvertebrates, then it is a good indication that the water is clean enough and of high enough quality for these sensitive individuals to survive. If there are mostly pollution tolerant macroinvertebrates in the water, this may indicate that the water is polluted because those types of species are able to survive the water conditions. Water pollution can occur in two different ways, as point source pollution and as non-point source pollution. Point source pollution occurs at a specific place such as a leaky barrel of pesticide or a pipe discharging sewage. Nonpoint source pollution occurs over a large area and its cause cannot be pinpointed to a specific or easily identified place. Pollution such as runoff from a parking lot or pesticides on a lawn washed into a sewer system would be considered nonpoint source pollution. The severity of both point source and nonpoint source pollution can be judged by determining the types of macroinvertebrates that are found in the body of water. PURPOSE In this activity you will explore how macroinvertebrates are used to determine the quality of water in lakes, streams, creeks, and any body of freshwater. MATERIALS Each lab group will need the following: 1 set copy of organism cards

24 PROCEDURE In this activity your team of water quality specialists has been chosen by Mayor Sam Pops Waterson to analyze macroinvertebrate specimens taken from the James River in the nearby town of Aquaville. Seven different sites have been chosen and specimens were collected from each site. Using the specimens provided, the map of the James River and the town of Aquaville, and the Bug Picking data sheets, determine the water quality of the James River at all seven collection sites. 1. Obtain the first sample packet from your teacher. 2. Organize the macroorganisms according to species. 3. Use the provided identification sheets to identify each species (check the appropriate boxes) and count the number of each organism present at your site. 4. Record your site data on the appropriate data sheet provided in your student answer pages. 5. Calculate the water quality of the site by multiplying the number of species found by the species value, as given on your data sheets. For example, if there were 5 different species of pollution sensitive organisms you would multiple 5 times 3 (the species value for pollution sensitive). 6. When your teacher indicates that time is up, rotate your packet to the next group. 7. After collecting data for all seven sites, record your results on the James River data table and answer the conclusion questions. Map of Aquaville 1 Chicken Factory Collection sites #1 - #7 N School Sewage Treatment Plant James River

25 Life on the James Judging Water Quality Based on Macroinvertebrates ANALYSIS Site 1 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value Water Quality sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

26 Site 2 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

27 Site 3 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value Water Quality sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

28 Site 4 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

29 Site 5 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value Water Quality sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

30 Site 6 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Water Quality Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

31 Site 7 Data Sheet Sensitive Somewhat Sensitive Tolerant Stonefly Larva Riffle Beetle adult Mayfly Larva Water Penny Larva Gilled Snail Planarian Caddisfly Larva Hellgrammite Crayfish Alderfly Larva Dragonfly Larva Watersnipe Fly Larva Crane Fly Larva Riffle Beetle Larva Scud Whirligig Beetle Larva Damselfly Larva Sowbugs Fishfly Larva Clam or Mussel Aquatic Worm Lunged Snail Blackfly Larva Leech Midge Fly Larva Number of boxes checked 3 = index value Number of boxes checked 2 = index value Number of boxes checked 1 = index value Total Index Value Water Quality sum of all three index values = Excellent (>22) Good (17-22) Fair (11-16) Poor (<11)

32 James River Water Quality Analysis Site Score (Total Index Value) Water Quality CONCLUSION QUESTIONS 1. What does it mean for a macroinvertebrate to be pollution sensitive? What does it mean for a macroinvertebrate to be pollution tolerant? 2. Could a pollution tolerant macroinvertebrate live in clean water? Why? 3. Which site, or sites, (number and description of location) of the James River is the most polluted? 4. What are some possible causes of the pollution of the James River?

33 5. Can you be positive that the pollution is coming from this site and not from a location upstream? Why or why not? 6. Why could the Chicken Factory be a source of pollution? Give a point source and nonpoint source example. 7. Which is a better indication of the water quality, the number of organisms (for example 12 crayfish are found at one site) or the type of organisms (water penny larvae are found with lots of lunged snails and leeches) found at a site? Why? 8. In addition to taking macroinvertebrate specimens as a water quality test, Mayor Pops has requested chemical analysis of the water. Why is this a good idea? 9. Which direction (north or south) is the water of the James River traveling? Justify your answer.

How Sensitive Are They?

Pollution Tolerance Levels How Sensitive Are They? Adapted from: An original Creek Connections activity. Creek Connections, Box 10, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania 16335. Grade Level: intermediate