Name: ______Group: ______

Study of a Stream Ecosystem

Date of study: ______

Location:

Expected time of departure: ______Expected time of return: ______

Weather:

  1. Physical Factors
  1. Transparency: (measured at deepest, slowest area)

1)Total depth of stream at sampling area: ______

2)Depth at which secchi disk disappears: ______

  1. Temperature:

Time

/

Water

Temperature

/

Air Temperature

/ Time / Water Temperature / Air Temperature
10:30AM / 11:45 PM
10:45 AM / 12:00 PM
11:00 AM / 12:15 PM
11:15 AM / 12:30 PM
11:30 AM / 12:45 PM
  1. Velocity: Record the velocity (time to travel 10 feet) 5 different times.

Time
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Average time

The average velocity is: 10 ft. / average time (seconds) = ______ft. / sec.

  1. Width of stream in feet: ______feet

Record the total width (bank to bank) of the stream at your transect line.

  1. Depth: (record depths from bank to bank in the chart on the next page)
  1. Distance along transect line near bank in feet.
  2. Depth from water surface to bottom (top of sediment) in inches.
  3. Depth from surface to bottom of sediment (push yardstick down) in inches.

For transects shorter than 40 feet record every ½ foot; otherwise every foot.

Data Table for Recording Depth
Location
/ Distance from near bank (ft.) / Depth of stream (in.) / Depth with sediment (in.) /
Location
/ Distance from near bank (ft.) / Depth of stream (in.) / Depth with sediment (in.)
1 / 41
2 / 42
3 / 43
4 / 44
5 / 45
6 / 46
7 / 47
8 / 48
9 / 49
10 / 50
11 / 51
12 / 52
13 / 53
14 / 54
15 / 55
16 / 56
17 / 57
18 / 58
19 / 59
20 / 60
21 / 61
22 / 62
23 / 63
24 / 64
25 / 65
26 / 66
27 / 67
28 / 68
29 / 69
30 / 70
31 / 71
32 / 72
33 / 73
34 / 74
35 / 75
36 / 76
37 / 77
38 / 78
39 / 79
40 / 80

Average depth (feet) = Total inches depth / Total number of measurements = ______ft.

12 inches / foot

  1. Volume (Flow)

Volume = Average depth (E) x Width (D) x Velocity (C) x (a correction factor)

Volume = ______ft. x _____ ft. x _____ ft/sec x _____ = ______cubic ft/sec

  1. Aerial Drawing

Purpose: To show the exact location of every test run during the field study.

Procedure:

1)Measure off 15 feet above and below transect line and 10 feet in from each bank. Draw in all prominent objects (trees, large rocks, bends in the stream, etc.) both in the stream and on the banks. Draw in transect and the direction of flow.

2)Locate the exact positions of each of your 4 zones and other tests. Note the compass reading and approximate distance from the middle of the transect line.

3)Standing at the midpoint of the transect line, take compass readings up and down the transect line, upstream, and downstream. Note these on your sketch.

4)Locate magnetic North on your drawing, and draw an object on shore that coincides with magnetic North when seen from the midpoint of your transect line.

  1. Higher organisms found around the stream area

A.Trees

On the date of the stream study, your teachers collected several leaves of the most common trees in Ridley Creek State Park. Back in the classroom, identify those trees, and list their identity on the lines below.

1. ______6. ______

2. ______7. ______

3. ______8. ______

4. ______9. ______

5. ______10. ______

B.Higher animals

Note animals such as birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crayfish, and adult insects in and around the stream (including approach to your site). Do not collect any of these, but note them in the table below.

1. ______6. ______

2. ______7. ______

3. ______8. ______

4. ______9. ______

5. ______10. ______

  1. Type of communities found within the stream
  1. Plankton To be identified from pooled samples in the classroom. Refer to Plankton Survey Handout for types and how often seen.

Phytoplankton (Algae)

Type

/

Genus

/

Seen

/ Type / Genus /

Seen

1) / 6)
2) / 7)
3) / 8)
4) / 9)
5) / 10)
Zooplankton (Animal-like)

Type

/

Genus

/

Seen

/ Type / Genus /

Seen

1) / 6)
2) / 7)
3) / 8)
4) / 9)
5) / 10)

1

B. Benthos summary / Zone 1 rock / Zone 1 scrn / Zone 2 rock / Zone 2 scrn / Zone 3 rock / Zone 3 scrn / Zone 4 rock / Zone 4 scrn /

Total

Sponges
Hydra
Planaria
Earthworms, Tubifex worms

Leeches

Wood lice, sow bugs

Sand hopper, scud
Crayfish
Water fleas, cyclops
Other crustaceans

Snails and slugs

Clams and mussels

Stoneflies
Mayflies

Dragonflies

Damselflies

Water striders

Backswimmers

Water boatmen

Ant lions

Dobsonflies/
Hellgrammites

Caddisflies

Beetles
Predacious Diving Beetles
Whirligig Beetles
Water scavengers
Water Penny Beetles
Riffle Beetles

Flies, mosquitoes, midges

Crane flies

Black flies
Midges
Mosquitoes

Other insects

Other

Totals

1