ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
13 JULY – 7 AUGUST, 2007
INSTRUCTOR AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURSE
Dr. Brad Taylor
Dartmouth College
Biological Sciences
Hanover, NH 03755
Phone: 603-646-1525; E-mail: brad.taylor@dartmouth.edu
GOALS OF THIS COURSE
By the end of this course, you should:
-be able to identify aquatic invertebrates to genus and use invertebrates to ask ecological or conservation questions.
-understand the phylogeny, life histories, behaviors, trophic importance, adaptations to life in water, and conservation significance of aquatic invertebrates.
-be familiar with methods for measuring invertebrate density, biomass, and diversity.
-be able to use invertebrate bioassessment protocols to test for environmental impacts.
-know that aquatic invertebrate ecology isn’t rocket science - it’s harder and more fun!
TIME ALLOTMENT
20% lectures, 40% field trips, and 40% field & lab identifying and collecting.
GRADING
Take home final: 20% (Focusing on topics covered in lecture, lab, and the field)
Collection and Project: 50% (voucher collection of invertebrates identified to genus and a paper)
5 Quizzes: 15% (Sight identification of taxa and unique traits)
Lab Practical: 20% (Sight identification of taxa to family level)
PROJECT AND COLLECTION
You will use the invertebrates you collect and identify as part of your invertebrate collection and to answer an ecological or conservation oriented question. You are required to turn in a paper that describes the project in a standard scientific format, with appropriate graphs, tables, and references. In addition, you are required to turn in a collection of voucher specimens
(representative specimens of the taxa, identified to genus , that you find at each site). The collection will be an important product from the course demonstrating your mastering of aquatic invertebrate taxonomy, and the paper will demonstrate your ability to synthesize and interpret ecological data using invertebrates. More detailed instructions on the collection and papers will be provided, and I will work with you to develop field methods and provide additional handouts with directions on how to do the appropriate data analyses, find relevant references, etc. Potential group projects include, but are not limited to: Investigating possible changes due to climate, land use, etc. of the distribution of aquatic invertebrates along an elevation gradient in Cement Creek,
Colorado, the site of a classic study done 35 year ago. Also, their are a number of current and pending changes in the area (e.g., mines, land development, ski area water extraction, dams, etc.) that would be good topics for a biomonitoring project investigating possible effects on the ecosystem and water quality of a local stream(s), pond(s), or wetland(s). I am receptive to any other feasible project ideas as well.
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LABORATORY
Labs are scheduled in the afternoons when rain and thunderstorms typically occur at RMBL.
Each lab session will start with a short (15 minute) introduction of characters used to identify various taxa, and demonstrations of difficult morphological characters using local taxa will be provided. You will use microscopes to identify taxa during the remainder of the lab, and I will assist with identification and difficult characters (on the invertebrates). There will also be an optional overnight camping and collecting trip to a fun and interesting aquatic place.
REQUIRED TEXT
Ward, J.V., B.C. Kondratieff, R.E. Zuellig. 2002. An Illustrated Guide to the Mountain Stream
Insects of Colorado. University of Colorado Press, Boulder, USA (~$19.95). Other taxonomic keys will be provided to supplement Ward et al., but students will not be required to purchase these.
SUPPLIES
A packet of supplies (vials, boots or waders, and the textbook), is available in the Gothic Store, if you would like to purchase the textbook somewhere else or have your own boots please let me know. Other supplies for the course will be provided by RMBL.
PREPARING FOR AN AQUATIC FIELD COURSE
Collecting trips will involve hiking at high elevations (>9000 ft) sampling in cold streams, wetlands, and ponds. On days that we are in the field, we will eat a sack lunch from the dining hall. Students are encouraged to bring hip waders or purchase lightweight stockingfoot waders
(Cabela's Three Forks™ Stockingfoot Hip Wader, Item:XG-830085, Price $34.95), which must be worn with old sneakers or short rubber boots. Please email your shoe size and we will order these. Students should bring a raincoat, a warm wool or synthetic-fiber sweater, daypack, water bottles, and plenty of extra socks – we’ll get our feet wet!
PACKET OF SUPPLIES TO BE PURCHASED BY EACH STUDENT
● rubber boots or Cabela’s lightweight stockingfoot waders, only included if you send an email to me with their shoe size. (e.g., Cabela's Three Forks™ Stockingfoot Hip Wader, Item:XG-
830085, www.cabelas.com).
● 50 scintillation vials.
● Ward, J.V., B.C. Kondratieff, R.E. Zuellig. 2002. An Illustrated Guide to the Mountain Stream
Insects of Colorado. University of Colorado Press, Boulder, USA. Included in packet unless you email me stating you have found another source.
● 1 pair soft forceps (Bioquip Featherweight forceps, Item: 4750, www.bioquip.com)
● 1 pair hard forceps (Bioquip Featherweight forceps, Item: 4531, www.bioquip.com)
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SCHEDULE
Subject to change depending on weather.
WEEK I
Day 1, Friday, July 13 th
0815 – Lecture: Introduction to aquatic invertebrates and their habitats (Phylogeny, origins, and evolution of aquatic invertebrates)
1015 – Local field trip: Invertebrate sampling for project and collection (East River and
Copper Creek and Bellview ponds)
1315 – Lab: Process samples from field trip and learn the aquatic insect orders
WEEK II
Day 2, Wednesday, July 18 th
0815 – Lecture: Problems and solutions to living in water: (morphology, physiology, osmoregulation, respiration, sensory system)
1015 – Local field trip: Invertebrate sampling and collecting for project and collection
*Bring a sack lunch
1515 – Lab: Process samples from field trip, work on collection, and learn Ephemeroptera
(Mayflies) and Plecoptera (Stoneflies) families
Day 3, Thursday, July 19 th
0815 – Lecture: Aquatic invertebrate life histories (life cycles, mating, diapause, emergence, oviposition)
1015 – Local field trip: Invertebrate sampling for project and collection
*Bring a sack lunch
1415 – Lab: Process samples from field trip, work on collections, and learn Odonata (dragon and damselflies) and Hemiptera (true bugs) families
WEEK III
Day 4, Wednesday, July 25 th
0815 – Lecture: Aquatic invertebrate behavior (feeding behavior, defensive behavior, parasites & pathogen alteration of behavior, dispersal behavior)
1015 – Local field trip: Invertebrate sampling for project and collection
*Bring a sack lunch
1415 – Lab: Process samples from field trip and learn Trichoptera (Caddisflies) and
Coleoptera (Beetles) families
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WEEK III cont.
Day 5, Thursday, July 26 th
0815 – Lecture: Using invertebrates for biological assessment and as indicator organisms
(Motivation, theory, and methods; computer lab to calculate indices and estimate species diversity by rarefaction)
1000 – Local field trip: Invertebrate sampling for project and collection
*Bring a sack lunch
1315 – Lab: Process samples from field trip, work on collections, and learn Diptera (true flies) and aquatic Lepidoptera (moths), and Neuroptera (spongilla flies) and
Megaloptera families (Dobson flies)
WEEK IV
Day 6, Wednesday, August 1 st
0815 – Lecture: Conservation of freshwater invertebrates and linkages between terrestrial and aquatic food webs
1000 – Local field trip: Sampling and collecting of hyporheic invertebrates
1315 – Lab: Process samples from field trip and work on collections, and learn Other taxa
(Worms, Leeches, Water Mites, Crustacea, Molluscs)
Day 7, Thursday, August 2 nd
0815 – Lecture: Guest lecture
1000 – Work on project and collections
1315 – Work on collections
WEEK V
Day 8, Tuesday, August 7 th
0815 – Written: comprehensive exam
1415 – Practical: Sight identification of insect orders and families
End-of-class social and aquatic invertebrate charades!
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