Biomonitoring Spread Sheet Questions Procedure: 1.Open power point “lab 9” and excel “lab 9”. 2.You are going to simulate the process of collecting macroin

Biomonitoring Spread Sheet Questions Procedure: 1.Open power point “lab 9” and excel “lab 9”. 2.You are going to simulate the process of collecting macroinvertebrates (“bugs”) from six different locations along the stream.Hopefully, the information provided by the bugs will help you determine why the water quality has decreased in the areas where you fish. 3.One common way to collect bugs is to take net samples throughout your site.We’re going to pretend that one net sample is obtained by kicking the bottom of the stream fifty times in your location.Kicking the bottom of the stream should dislodge the bugs, and they should flow into your net.You will obtain three net samples for each site and then calculate the average number of bugs for the site.Please watch the video for a demonstration on how to do this. Biomonitoring
Objectives:
1. “Sample” organisms from different locations along a steam system.
2. Use these organisms to assess water quality and identify what changes in the
landuse have contributed to a decline in stream water quality.
Background:
Lately you’ve begun to notice that the trout fishing in the Rapid River has been
getting worse and worse. You’re pretty sure that it has to do with something
going on upstream from your house. You know that trout like to feed on a
diverse assemblage of bugs, so you are going to sample the macroinvertebrates
upstream and determine the quality of the water using a biological index. Your
results should help determine if a reduction in food quality is what is leading to a
decline in trout. Right now you have three ideas what the problem could be.
Here are a few things you know about the Rapid River: 1) It is a 3rd order stream,
and historically it was within a forested/prairie area, 2) in the last 10 years
suburban sprawl has started to encroach on one branch of the river. 3) Two
years ago a large tree blow down occurred 5km upstream from you, and 4) within
the last ten years agriculture has expanded in part of the Rapid River watershed.
Procedure:
1. Open power point “lab 9” and excel “lab 9”.
2. You are going to simulate the process of collecting macroinvertebrates
(“bugs”) from six different locations along the stream. Hopefully, the information
provided by the bugs will help you determine why the water quality has
decreased in the areas where you fish.
3. One common way to collect bugs is to take net samples throughout your site.
We’re going to pretend that one net sample is obtained by kicking the bottom of
the stream fifty times in your location. Kicking the bottom of the stream should
dislodge the bugs, and they should flow into your net. You will obtain three net
samples for each site and then calculate the average number of bugs for the site.
Please watch the video for a demonstration on how to do this.
There is one error in the video that you should be aware of. At 7:13 I select
some shredders from column G (2nd sample), and then proceed to column H (3rd
sample), and column I (average). I should have started with column F (1 st
sample), then column G (2nd sample), and then column H (3rd sample).
4. Once your three samples for each site have been obtained, you will be
calculating two different pieces of information to help assess the stream water
quality at each site. The first item you will calculate is called the EPT index. This
index is the total number of distinct “bug” families within the orders,
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. Most of these families of insects
are very sensitive to change, therefore, the more representatives from these
families you have, the better your water quality.
5. Click on the “bugs” tab in excel. Here are pictures, serial numbers, and
names of the 16 bugs you will find throughout this stream. Notice that numbers
1-9 are in the EPT group. When calculating this index, you can ignore numbers
10-16. Since there are only 9 families available, the highest the EPT index could
ever get would be 9, which indicates outstanding water quality.
6. The second piece of information you need is the percentage of functional
feeding groups at each site. Learn about the shredders, collectors, scrapers, and
predators in the supplemental video on the River Continuum Concept.
7. Once you have established the EPT index, and the percentage of different
functional feeding groups for each site, you are ready to begin the questions.
Questions (please complete in a separate word document):
1. What are the potential forms of pollution or changes in stream habitat that
could be contributed by 1) the blow down, 2) the farming, and 3) urbanization?
2. What site seems to have the worst water quality near it? Why do you think
this is (you can use the info from #1 to help with this answer)?
3. What seems to be the cause of the lower trout catch (poor water quality), 1)
the blow down, 2) the farming, or 3) urbanization? How do you support your
argument? Is it the same or different from the site in question number 2?
4. What are some possible consequences of lowering the biodiversity of
macroinvertebrates within the stream (relate this to energy flow and matter
cycle)?
5. Explain the percentages of functional feeding groups at each site if it deviates
from what you would expect under natural conditions. Your control site for a
forest area is site 1, and the control site for a prairie is site 5. If sites 2, 3, and 4
differ substantially from site 1, explain why. For example if site 3 has many more
scrapers and fewer shredders than site 1, you should explain why. If site 6
differs from site 5, explain why.
6. Why is it important to collect more than one sample from single site?
7. Where are some additional locations along this stream system where you
would like to see more sample sites? Explain why they would be useful sites to
add.
Stream flow
Agriculture
Site 5
Prairie
http://dfwlocalgrocer.wordpress.com/
Site 6
Where you usually
fish for brook trout
Site 4
Site 3
http://www.novaweather.net/Hurricane_Juan.html
Blow down
Site 1
http://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/sprawl.htm
Urban sprawl
Site 2
Forest
High quality indicators Use for EPT calculation
Mayfly Nymphs
(Order Ephemeroptera)
Family Oligoneuridae
Hairs growing on the inner front legs are used for filtering small
organic particles from the water.
Family Heptageniidae
Stonefly Nymphs
(Order Plecoptera)
Family Perlidae
streamlined, flattened bodies of stonefly nymphs
enable them to move about the rocky streambed
in rapid current and hunt other invertebrates
Family Peltoperlidae
found clinging to rocks where they graze on
algae associated with the stream bottom
Family Ephemeridae
Caddisfly Larvae
(Order Trichoptera)
Family Hydropsychidae
construct a silken mesh net which they use to
filter small organic particles from the water column
Family Philopotamidae
spin a tube-like net with which they filter small
organic material from the water
Consume larger living and decaying plant material
found among leafpacks
Family Capniidae
Family Ryacophilidae
Most species eat other invertebrates
Most species are thought to feed
on small organic particles associated
with the substrate
found feeding on large decaying leaves
Medium quality waterindicators
Order Odonata
Order Diptera
Order Megaloptera
Eats other invertebrates
Eats leaves
Feed on other aquatic insects
Order Coleoptera
Order Odonata
Eats other invertebrates
Collects small organic particles
Low quality water indicators
Order Diptera,
Family Chironomidae
found in bottom sediments of lakes, streams, and ponds
where they feed on small deposited organic material
Order Diptera,
Family Simulidae
found attached by the end of their abdomens to rocks,
woody debris, or vegetation in the currents of rivers
and streams filter small organic particles
High water qualtiy organisms used for EPT
Serial number Common name Order
Family
1
Mayfly larvae
Ephemeroptera Oligoneuridae
2
Mayfly larvae
Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae
3
Mayfly larvae
Ephemeroptera Ephemeridae
4
Stonefly larvae
Plecoptera
Perlidae
5
Stonefly larvae
Plecoptera
Peltoperlidae
6
Stonefly larvae
Plecoptera
Capniidae
7
Caddisfly larvae Trichoptera
Hydropsychidae
8
Caddisfly larvae Trichoptera
Philopotamidae
9
Caddisfly larvae Trichoptera
Ryacophilidae
Medium water quality organisms
Serial number
Common name
Order
10
Dragonfly larvae
Odonata
11
Damselfly larvae
Odonata
12
Hellgrammite larvae Megaloptera
13
Cranefly larvae
Diptera
14
Riffle bettle larve
Coleoptera
15
Midge larvae
Diptera
16
Black fly larvae
Diptera
Low water quality organisms
Site 1
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
0,1
2
2,2
3
1,8
4
0,8
5
3,3
6
4,0
7
0,6
8
0,3
9
0,7
10
0,4
11
0,4
12
0,3
13
2,1
14
1,0
15
1,1
16
0,8
20
2nd sample 3rd sample average
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0
Site 2
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
0,3
2
0,5
3
0,3
4
0,0
5
0,0
6
0,0
7
0,0
8
0,0
9
0,0
10
1,4
11
0,8
12
1,2
13
1,0
14
3,9
15
4,4
16
6,1
20
Site 3
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
0,1
2
10,9
3
0,3
4
0,3
5
0,1
6
0,4
0
0
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0
0
0
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7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
0,5
0,7
0,5
0,4
0,8
0,8
1,2
0,8
1,2
0,9
20
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0
Site 4
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
1,1
2
2,8
3
1,2
4
0,8
5
4,5
6
2,8
7
1,2
8
0,9
9
0,6
10
0,0
11
0,2
12
0,0
13
0,5
14
1,6
15
1,4
16
0,5
20
Site 5
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
0,5
2
6,9
3
0,2
4
1,2
5
2,1
6
2,0
7
0,2
8
1,2
9
0,8
10
0,2
11
0,7
12
0,2
13
2,1
14
0,2
0
0
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0
0
0
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15
16
0,8
0,8
20
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0
Site 6
Bug Serial Number Bugs collected 1st sample
1
0,4
2
1,9
3
0,3
4
0,4
5
0,4
6
0,3
7
0,4
8
0,4
9
0,5
10
1,5
11
1,1
12
1,0
13
1,0
14
2,2
15
4,2
16
4,0
20
0
0
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0
0
0
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EPT Score
Shredders
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
#DIV/0!
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EPT Score
Shredders
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
EPT Score
Shredders
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
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EPT Score
Shredders
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
EPT Score
Shredders
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
#DIV/0!
EPT Score
Shredders
#DIV/0!
#DIV/0!
Total amounts
Collectors
Scrapers
#DIV/0!
Predators
Percentages
% Shredders % Collectors %Scrapers %Predators
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Biomonitoring
Objectives:
1. “Sample” organisms from different locations along a steam system.
2. Use these organisms to assess water quality and identify what changes in the
landuse have contributed to a decline in stream water quality.
Background:
Lately you’ve begun to notice that the trout fishing in the Rapid River has been
getting worse and worse. You’re pretty sure that it has to do with something
going on upstream from your house. You know that trout like to feed on a
diverse assemblage of bugs, so you are going to sample the macroinvertebrates
upstream and determine the quality of the water using a biological index. Your
results should help determine if a reduction in food quality is what is leading to a
decline in trout. Right now you have three ideas what the problem could be.
Here are a few things you know about the Rapid River: 1) It is a 3rd order stream,
and historically it was within a forested/prairie area, 2) in the last 10 years
suburban sprawl has started to encroach on one branch of the river. 3) Two
years ago a large tree blow down occurred 5km upstream from you, and 4) within
the last ten years agriculture has expanded in part of the Rapid River watershed.
Procedure:
1. Open power point “lab 9” and excel “lab 9”.
2. You are going to simulate the process of collecting macroinvertebrates
(“bugs”) from six different locations along the stream. Hopefully, the information
provided by the bugs will help you determine why the water quality has
decreased in the areas where you fish.
3. One common way to collect bugs is to take net samples throughout your site.
We’re going to pretend that one net sample is obtained by kicking the bottom of
the stream fifty times in your location. Kicking the bottom of the stream should
dislodge the bugs, and they should flow into your net. You will obtain three net
samples for each site and then calculate the average number of bugs for the site.
Please watch the video for a demonstration on how to do this.
4. Once your three samples for each site have been obtained, you will be
calculating two different pieces of information to help assess the stream water
quality at each site. The first item you will calculate is called the EPT index. This
index is the total number of distinct “bug” families within the orders,
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. Most of these families of insects
are very sensitive to change, therefore, the more representatives from these
families you have, the better your water quality.
5. Click on the “bugs” tab in excel. Here are pictures, serial numbers, and
names of the 16 bugs you will find throughout this stream. Notice that numbers
1-9 are in the EPT group. When calculating this index, you can ignore numbers
10-16. Since there are only 9 families available, the highest the EPT index could
ever get would be 9, which indicates outstanding water quality.
6. The second piece of information you need is the percentage of functional
feeding groups at each site. Learn about the shredders, collectors, scrapers, and
predators in the supplemental video on the River Continuum Concept.
7. Once you have established the EPT index, and the percentage of different
functional feeding groups for each site, you are ready to begin the questions.
Questions (please complete in a separate word document):
1. What are the potential forms of pollution or changes in stream habitat that
could be contributed by 1) the blow down, 2) the farming, and 3) urbanization?
2. What site seems to have the worst water quality near it? Why do you think
this is (you can use the info from #1 to help with this answer)?
3. What seems to be the cause of the lower trout catch (poor water quality), 1)
the blow down, 2) the farming, or 3) urbanization? How do you support your
argument? Is it the same or different from the site in question number 2?
4. What are some possible consequences of lowering the biodiversity of
macroinvertebrates within the stream (relate this to energy flow and matter
cycle)?
5. Explain the percentages of functional feeding groups at each site if it deviates
from what you would expect under natural conditions. Your control site for a
forest area is site 1, and the control site for a prairie is site 5. If sites 2, 3, and 4
differ substantially from site 1, explain why. For example if site 3 has many more
scrapers and fewer shredders than site 1, you should explain why. If site 6
differs from site 5, explain why.
6. Why is it important to collect more than one sample from single site?
7. Where are some additional locations along this stream system where you
would like to see more sample sites? Explain why they would be useful sites to
add.

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