Lab 10: Nutrient Cycling and Macroinvertebrate Diversity

Question 1

What is indicative of a well-balanced stream systen?

Answer 1

high levels of low and medium pollution tolerant species

Question 2

What are Low pollution tolerant species examples?

Answer 2

caddisfly, water penny, stonefly, mayfly, riffle beetle, gilled snail, dobsonfly

Question 3

What are medium-low pollution tolerant species examples?

Answer 3

dragonfly, cranefly, damselfly, scud, sowbug, crayfish, clam, mussel

Question 4

What are medium-high pollution tolerant species?

Answer 4

leech, blackfly, midgefly, planaria/flatworm

Question 5

What are high pollution tolerant species?

Answer 5

aquatic worm, blood midge, red-tailed maggot, left-hand or pouch snail

Question 6

What were results?

Answer 6

overall quality of stream above pond is about same as below
- excellent water quality

Question 7

What are possible ways that the small impoundment may affect water quality?

Answer 7

trapping of organic matter and silica, reduction of O2 via decomposition, and generation of cyanotoxins by blue-green algae

Question 8

How did water quality compare to previous years?

Answer 8

lower in quality than 2023, could be due to extended drought and lowering of stream flow