A Claytor Nature Center Stream Monitoring Experience

A Claytor Nature Center Stream Monitoring Experience Conduct field investigations in which distinctions are made among observations, hypotheses, results and conclusions Perform a visual habitat assessment of Big Otter River Perform chemical monitoring tests Perform biological monitoring /pollution tolerance index (PTI) and learn to id macroinvertebrates Gain understanding of how human activities influence the distribution and quality of freshwater Gain experience using a variety of field equipment

Major Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Foundation: http://www.cbf.org/page.aspx?pid=589

Heavy rains lead to more sedimentation and nutrient loading into bay- suburban wastewater and farmland fertilizer increased algal blooms leading to decreased dissolved oxygen harming fish, etc Chesapeake Bay s dead zone, is the area in which dissolved oxygen drops below 0.2 milligrams/liter of water. http://www.virginia.edu/ien/vnrli /docs/briefs/chesbay906.pdf

Stream Ecology Vocabulary Stream monitoring- to watch and care for a stream or river on a regular basis, including visual, chemical, and biological assessments Watershed- an area of land that drains into a specific body of water like a river, stream, or lake Riparian zone- area of vegetation next to the stream composed of some leafy plants, shrubs, and trees Canopy- portion of riparian area that provides overhead cover (trees) which helps determine shade and temperature for organisms

Visual Habitat Vocabulary Abiotic- any parameter of a stream or ecosystem that is nonliving - temp, dissolved oxygen, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate), ph, substrate, flow, stream velocity Habitat- area in which plants or animals, including aquatic organisms live. Includes food, water, shelter, and space Substrate- stream bottom, bedrock, silt, cobble stones, etc. Cobble stone- 2 to 10 size stone, under which benthic organisms can be found

Visual Habitat Vocabulary Smothering- evidence of sands and silts covering substrate Sediments- sand/silt found in freshwater systems often exacerbated by erosion and human activities Erosion- movement of surface sediments into a water body, more in areas of land development Sinuousity- curviness of a stream, often altered by humans Riffles- area in-between the pools where rocks break the surface of the water Runs- relatively fast moving water in a stream

Visual Habitat Vocabulary Pools- relatively slow moving or stagnant water in a stream Point source pollution- a known direct discharge of pollutants into a water body, such as industrial source or wastewater treatment plant Non-point source pollution- source of pollution not directly known, however numerous human activities typically cause non-point source discharges into a water body from runoff. Human activities include fertilizers, pesticides, oil and gas, animal wastes, etc. Runoff- water, including rain or snow, which is not absorbed into the ground, flows across land carrying materials into streams and rivers

Chemical Monitoring Temperature- water temp controls freshwater systems and affects biological and chemical processes ph- concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxide ions (OH-) determines the ph of the freshwater system, and affects biological and chemical processes Dissolved oxygen (DO)- oxygen as a dissolved gas in a freshwater system, critical to aquatic life Nitrates/nitrites/ ammonia- generally enters a freshwater system from fertilizers and/or animal wastes

Chemical Monitoring Turbidity- water clarity is deremined by the amount of suspended solids including sand, silt, and organic material turbid water can be the result of erosion Phosphates- while phosphates are naturally occurring in freshwater systems, high concentrations may be from faulty septics, fertilizers, or industrial/construction or household sources

Biological Monitoring Macroinvertebrate- animals without backbones which you can see without a microscope Benthic- bottom dwelling organisms that tend to cling under cobble stones in a stream Biotic- living organisms including trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, algae, wildlife, fish, and macroinvertebrates, plankton, etc Kick seine- rectangular net used to sample a 1 meter by 1 meter area of a riffle area, particularly under the substrate Dip net- or D net, is used to jab at the bottom in other habitats around the stream

Visual Habitat Assessment Substrate (stream bottom) Habitat (fish cover, suitable envir for macroinv) Stream shape/human alterations Land use (riparian zone, forest, agricultural, recreational) Depth and velocity of the stream Riffle/runs/pools in the monitoring site Visual assessment may help form a hypothesis about water quality and to begin biological and chemical research

Habitat Assessment

Riparian Zone Areas of vegetation adjacent to stream channels Bank support and stabilization, erosion and flood control, water quality protection, fish and wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, keeps water cool by providing shade, plant litter that falls into water is source of food

Citizens Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (CQHEI)

Draw a Site Map 200 foot stream segment

Stream Flow Calculations Discharge rate is the amount or volume of water flowing in the stream per second Influences other physical, chemical, and biological factors in the stream (all of our other tests) High discharge rate may indicate recent rainfall Low discharge rate may indicate drought conditions, affect water quality and aquatic life Discharge rate is obtained by multiplying the average width, depth, and velocity of stream All measurements converted into feet Avg width (W)- stream bank to stream bank-3 readings Avg depth (Z)- 3 readings with yardstick across stream on three transects- 9 total measurements Avg velocity (V)- speed of water, measure distance and time it takes an apple to float the distance, 3 readings Roughness coefficient (n)- 0.8 for gravel/rocky bottom; 0.9 for sandy, muddy, or bedrock

Stream Flow Calculations

Aquatic Food Web

Biological Monitoring of Big Otter River Researchers use macroinvertebrates to determine water quality Some are tolerant and can live in harsh conditions and some are very sensitive and cannot live in harsh conditions Pollution Tolerance Index (PTI) to record and interpret data Kick seine and dip net for sampling and collecting data (organisms) Change in number and types of organisms can determine richness of biodiversity

How Do We Collect Them?

Key to Macroinvertebrates

ID Key and Pollution Detection Pollution-sensitive: mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies- indicators of the absence of pollutants Pollution-tolerant: midges and wormsabsence or presence of them is an indirect measure of pollution

Other Organisms You Might See hellgrammite

Chemical Monitoring of Big Otter River Temperature ph Dissolved oxygen Nitrates/nitrites Phosphates Alkalinity Turbidity These affect organisms and it is important for us to monitor they

Hints for performing chemical tests Do not wear sunglasses when performing tests Rinse collection tubes or bottles with sample water before collecting sample Rinse collection tubes or bottles with distilled water after completing each test Obtain water sample from the stream s main flow (middle usually). Take sample 3-5 inches under the surface. You may have to discard chemical waste in a specially labeled container Ppm- Parts Per Million (one minute in two years or one inch in sixteen miles) Same as mg/l

Water Watering Parameters are Interrelated

Units of Measurement and Indices