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Study by Arbor Heights Elementary School October
15, 2003
Fourth-grade students Alex Phaiboon, Miranda Taylor, and
Alexandrea Wall presented the following report to the Fauntleroy Watershed
Council on November 13, 2003:
Data Collection Summary
For the third October in a row, intermediate students from Arbor Heights
Elementary School performed a data collection survey involving Fauntleroy
Park and the upper section of Fauntleroy Creek at Fenton Glen. The goals
of this project include teaching students how to be stewards of the local
watershed and contributing to an ongoing collection of data that can be
used to evaluate the general state of the watershed.
Seven teams were established and each team was assigned
specific roles. A brief description of the teams' activities in included
in this report.
Also included is a summary of the data collected at
Fenton Glen. Students did their best to determine the same location of the
macroinvertebrate collection net. Informal scientific protocol was
followed to gather and identify macroinvertebrates. In all cases,
microscopes were used in the classroom to identify different larvae and
worms.
We were not able to make any conclusions from the data
about possible trends in the watershed, although the low rainfall (over 50
days with no precipitation this last summer) may have contributed to the
majority of changes in data.
Thank you for letting us participate in this worthwhile
project. Monitoring the condition of the park and the water quality of
Fauntleroy Creek has made my students into stewards of their local
watershed! - Doug Swan, teacher
Habitat Conditions
|
Oct.
2001 |
Oct.
2002 |
Oct.
2003 |
| Dissolved
oxygen |
10 ppm |
8 ppm |
8 ppm |
| Nitrite |
0 ppm |
0 ppm |
0 ppm |
| Water
depth
|
11 cm |
6 cm |
4-7 cm |
| Channel
width |
28 in |
30 in |
39.25 in |
| Water
temperature |
54 F / 16
C |
52 F / 11
C |
50 F / 10
C |
|
|
|
|
| Macroinvertibrates |
| Stonefly
larvae |
5 (1-3 cm) |
4 (>1.5
cm) |
3 (>.5
cm) |
| Mayfly
larvae |
8 (>1
cm) |
6 (>1
cm) |
2 (>.5
cm) |
| Caddisfly
larvae |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Worms |
4 |
1 |
1 |
| Blackfly
larvae |
0 |
0 |
2 (>.5
cm) |
| Midgefly
larvae |
1 |
0 |
2 (>.5
cm) |
Study Teams
-
Guides -
Alexandrea, David
a) Tell students what team they're on. b) Direct the teams.
-
Equipment
Team - Olivia, Alex
a) Transport equipment b) Make sure all the teams have the equipment
they need.
-
Site-Description
Team - Jimmy, Antonio, Alexis, Kris
a) Locate survey site using compass bearing (110 degrees SE of the
last fence post at the end of the walkway in Fenton Glen).
b) Measure width and depth of creek and determine location of sampling
square in bottom of creek.
-
Collection
Team - Nicole M., Marina, Tyler S., Miranda, Emily
a) Place the square (per Site Description Team).
b) Rub the rocks.
c) Use the screwdriver
d) Pour water through the net into the bucket, then rinse the outside
of the net.
e) Rinse bugs into the bucket.
-
Water-Testing
Team - Carlos, Nicky, Sergio, Forrest, Ashley, Luke
a) Test for nitrite level.
b) Test for dissolved oxygen level.
c) Take temperature reading.
-
Stewardship Team - Alexa,
Griffen, Tyler L., Anthony, Quang, Kyle, Cling
a) Collect glass, litter, and aluminum in park (9 bottles, 22 aluminum
cans, 13 pieces of litter).
b) Evaluate invasive species (sighted English ivy and Himalayan
blackberry).
c) Count pet-waste sightings (3).
-
Documentation Team - Maria,
Michael, Tan, Natasha
a) Photograph survey.
b) Photograph other activities on field trip.
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