Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Services
Governor’s Institute
Summer
2007
Summer 2007
Governor’s Institute
E.W.W. !
(Eco-workers of the Woods)
“We put the FUN in function!”
Sam, Angie, Nick, Mallory, Adrienne, Bill, Elizabeth, John William,
Andrew, Marie, Pat, Shane, Carey, Ryan, Taylor, Maura, Jesi
Ecosystem Services
What is it?
 Threats.
 How ecosystem
services affect us.

Centennial
Woods
Frequently visited UVM
natural area.
 Adjacent to city and UVM.
 65 acres.
 Excellent natural laboratory
to study the region’s
ecosystems.
 Part of the impaired
watershed and extensive
drainage system.
 Includes a well developed
trail system.

1967
Centennial Woods
Today
The Map
People
Jesi
Sam
Andrew
John William
WWW
(Woodland Wildland Wetland)
Angie
Adrianne
Mallory
Nick
Elizabeth
Our Main Questions

What are the types of ecosystems in
Centennial Woods?

What are the biotic and abiotic factors that
control the presence of these
ecosystems?

What are the ecosystem services in these
ecosystems?
Soil Testing
Ecosystem & layer #
Depth of Layer
pH of Layer
Appearance
Hardwood 1
2cm
5
Dark Brown
Hardwood 2
6cm
5.5
Olive Brown
Hardwood 3
8cm
6
Mustard brown
Hardwood 4
46cm
6.5
Bronze
Softwood 1
2cm
5.5
Dark brown
Softwood 2
2cm
5.5
Gray Brown
Softwood 3
3cm
6
Gray
Softwood 4
8cm
6
Clay-like
Softwood 5
10cm
5.5
Brown Gray
Softwood 6
41cm
6
Silver Gray
Marsh 1
3cm
8
Grass roots
Marsh 2
7cm
8
Gray Brown
Marsh 3
5.5cm
8
Iron deposits
Marsh 4
21cm
8
Iron& sulfur smell
Marsh 5
5.5cm
8
clay
Flora

Hardwood Forest: Black cherry, White pine, Oak, Sugar
maple, Beech, Birch, Striped maple, New York fern, Bracken, Poison
ivy and Buckthorn

Softwood Forest: Hemlock, Pine trees, Ostrich, New York,
Beech, and Interruptive ferns, partridgeberry, blueberry, and
elderberry

Marsh: Phragmites sp., jewelweed, red clover
Fauna

Hardwood Forest: Eastern Chipmunk, Mosquito, Blue
Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Softwood Forest: Robin (Turdus migratorius), Worms,
Mosquitoes, signs of a Woodpecker

Marsh: Grey Cheeked Thrush, Robin,
Rusty Blackbird,
Crawfish, Damsel flies, Frogs, Minnows, and Benthic Macro
Invertebrates
BMI&P Research Team
(Benthic Macro Invertebrates & Phosphorus Testing)
BilBo
(Bill)
MauraLess
(Maura)
T-Bone
(Taylor)
Rye Guy
(Ryan)
Research Question: Are the streams healthy and sustainable?
Methods: Monitoring BMIs to assess stream health.

What is a BMI?

Benthic = Bottom
Dwelling

Macro = Large
enough to see with
naked eye.

Invertebrate =
Creatures without a
spine.
What do they tell
us?
Diversity and Density of
Creatures indicates how
healthy the waters are.
If there aren’t many species
of BMI’s, the stream may
be impaired.
Methods: Measuring dissolved phosphorous to quantify pollution.
Phosphorus Levels –PO4 ( mg/L)
Site F

2.75
Retention basin (headwaters).

Stream A

2.35
Murky, stagnant water. Few BMI’s
found.

Stream B

0.00

0.04

0.01

0.33



Stream C
Stream D
Stream E
Wide, eroded bank, dogs frequent in
the water.
Rubble and gravel bottom. Little
diversity.
Bend in Centennial Brook, sandy
bottom, little diversity.
Mouth where Centennial Brook
ends. Murky, muddy water, few
BMI’s found.
Phosphorous of Centennial Brook
3
Phosphorous (mg/L)
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
stormwater
outlet from
middle of
retainment
stormwater
Brook
above swamp
Hospital pond
junc. of hosp.
pond outlet
pond 2
Data Site
Winooski
Are the Streams Healthy?
Observations:


Extremely low diversity of BMI’s
High phosphorus levels emitted from Fletcher
Allen Hospital wastewater retention ponds
Conclusion:


Severely impaired watershed.
However, wetlands help decrease phosphates.
Stormwater Quality
(Watch out, these guys are good!!!)
Shane Putnam
Pat Nee
Marie Limoges
Carey
Storm Water Quality

Studied Urban run off from Centennial Brook watershed

Stormwater is collected from storm drains surrounding Centennial woods
and is piped into several retaining ponds, then into Centennial Brook

We also studied Wool Pulley Brook, which drains into Centennial Brook

Centennial Woods drains into the Winooski River which eventually drains
into Champlain

We theorized that the aquatic plants would improve water quality as it
filtered through the brook, and reduce the overall pollution of the Winooski
River and Lake Champlain.

We used scientific instruments such as pH, conductivity, temperature, and
dissolved oxygen meter, to test the water of Centennial Brook and Wool
Pulley Brook to prove or disprove our theory.
Data Collection

pH

Conductivity

Dissolved
Oxygen

Temperature
Conductivity
Conductivity of Woolpulley Brook
Conductivity of Centennial Brook
1.8
9
1.6
7
1.4
6
1.2
Conductivity (2mS)
5
4
3
2
1
0.8
1
0.6
8
ju C
nc
B
ea . 1
v
B er
ea A
ve
rB
ju
nc
.
m 2
ou
w
in th
oo
sk
i
8B
7
8A
6
5
4
3B
2
3A
1B
0
1A
Conductivity (20mS)
8
0.4
0.2
Data site
0
WP 1
WP 2
WP 3
WP 4
Data Site

The conductivity of the Centennial Brook improved
drastically as we went downstream because the levels
of suspended solids decreased

the conductivity of the Woolpulley Brook dropped
slightly then leveled out for the rest of the test sites.
WP 5
Conclusions

Overall, the chemical parameters measured in
Centennial Brook showed mixed trends

The amount of suspended solids measured by
conductivity decreased between the retaining ponds
(headwater) and the point where Centennial Brook
discharges into the Winooski River

Ecosystems of Centennial Woods provide the
“ecosystem service” of improving stormwater quality as
the water flows through the watershed
E.W.W.
(Eco-workers of the Woods)
”We put the fun in function”
Thank You
T
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