Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystem Fieldwork

Transcription

1 Year 11 Biology/Senior Science Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystem Fieldwork Outcomes: 1. Use scientific techniques to investigate how the distribution, diversity and numbers of plants and animals found in ecosystems are determined by biotic and abiotic factors 2. Use appropriate instruments and techniques, such as quadrats and transects to identify how each aquatic ecosystem is unique. Name Big Pond (Duck Pond) 1A Small Pond 1B Stations 1A & 1B. Abiotic Factors 2. Bird Observation 3. Dipnetting 4. Water Bug I.D. 5. Plant I.D. 6. Transect

2 2 STATIONS 1A and 1B Abiotic Factors Use test kit to collect abiotic data for each site. Site Descriptions Site 1A - Big Pond (Duck Pond) Site 1B - Small Pond (Perched Wetland) Factor Equipment used / Units Data Site 1A Big Pond 1. Water Temperature Data Site 1B Small Pond 2. Turbidity 3. Water ph 4. Conductivity or Total Dissolved Solids (Salts) 5. Dissolved Oxygen mg/l % mg/l % 6. Phosphate (Nutrient) 7. Light 8. Slope 9. Wind exposure (speed) 10 Water Depth Depth markers and general knowledge of 4 to 5 metres 80 cm lakes 11. Elevation Trig station black and white poles 15m 18m (height above sea level) 12. Water Source Observe. Shallow ponds mainly runoff. Deeper ponds have groundwater and runoff. 13. Visual Pollution Visual Assessment. Use your eyes. There could be no pollution, a little or a lot. 2

3 3 STATION 2 Bird Observation - Abundance and Distribution Fill in column 10 for birds found at this site. Total lines and columns as shown in the sample. Waterbird Counts at 10 survey sites Bird Species / Site No. Eg * Abundance Distribution Example: Waterbird Australian Grebe Australian Wood Duck Blackwinged Stilt Dusky Moorhen Eurasian Coot Great Egret Little Black Cormorant Little Pied Cormorant Masked Lapwing Pacific Black Duck Pelican Purple Swamphen White-faced Heron Royal Spoonbill 1 Total Abundance per Site 10 Total Species per Site 3 STATION 3 Dipnetting - Invertebrate Data Collection 1. Location: 2. Date: 3. Name of Ecosystem : 4. Describe the technique used to sample the abundance of invertebrates. 3

4 4 STATION 4 Waterbug (Invertebrate) I.D. - Measuring animal diversity Invertebrate Name Invertebrate Name Invertebrate Name Viewer No. Viewer No. Backswimmer Leech Water Mite Beetle Larvae Mayfly Nymph Water Scorpion Caddisfly Larvae Mosquito Larvae Water Spider Damselfly Nymph Pond Snail Water Treader Dragonfly Nymph Tadpole Worm Freshwater Shrimp Water Beetle Mosquito Fish Giant Water Bug Water Boatman Other - Viewer No. Complete the following: Total number of species identified Dominant species: Possible reasons for dominance: STATION 5 Plant ID Use the colour pictures and plant specimens to observe the main water plants found in this location. Plant Description Plant Description A. Common Rush Small brown flowers, green stem G. River Clubrush Tall green reed, bunch of brown flowers B. Slender Knotweed Thin leaf, white/pink small flower (all year) H. Water Lily The leaves are large pads. Large pink flowers in summer C. Water Primrose Dark green rounded leaf, yellow flower (summer) I. Ribbonweed A submerged aquatic plant with delicate ribbon-like leaves D. Water Couch Green grass J. Pondweed Submerged leaf-like structures whorled around hollow stem. E. Tall Spikerush Thin round large reed with pointy top K. Salvinia (introduced) Floating leathery leaves, fibre root system F. Cumbungi (Bullrush) Tall flat reed, fairy floss seeds (summer) L. 4

5 5 STATION 6 Transect Quadrat size cm Quadrat Interval metre/s Biotic Factor - vegetation A. Common Rush B. Slender Knotweed C. Water Primrose D. Water Couch E. Tall Spikerush F. Cumbungi (Bullrush) G. River Clubrush H. Water Lily I. Ribbonweed J. Pondweed Station 5 continued on next page K. Salvinia (Introduced) L. Complete transect using plant letters above and depth measurements (use dots and join on graph) Depth Abiotic - Water Depth (cm) (cm) 0 % of the plant in each quadrat Water Level Distance from bank in metres (a quadrat is placed at one metre intervals) 5

6 6 GENERAL NOTE TAKING 6