Aquatic Macroinvertebrates What They Tell Us About the

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates & What They Tell Us About the Water By: Bianca, Carnecia & Mark

Our Purpose • We set out to find different Aquatic Macroinvertebrates. Our plan was to study not only them but there environment as well. To also see just what the types of Macroinvertebrates we found, could tell us more about the water we found them in. Certain Marcroinvertebrates are found in certain types of water.

What are Aquatic Macroinvertebrates? ? • Macroinvertebrates are organisms that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone. They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. • The most common Macroinvertebrates are insects in their larval or nymph form, crayfish, clams, snails and worms.

Hypothesis • The higher the water quality , the higher the diversity and the quantity of the Macro invertebrates.

Methods • We used nets to capture the Macroinvertebrates at ODR, Concord and Mt. Moosilauke. • We then identified them as a specific class or family. • We later compared them to the water quality.

Other Methods • Scoring- used to calculate the water quality, the number of Macro Invertebrates, and the Macro Invertebrate score • We used this scoring method in the ODR, Concord, Upper, Middle, and Lower Gorge

ODR Findings…… • At the ODR, we came across a lot of water striders and several aquatic worms.

Look What We Found At Mount Moosilauke • We found a plenty of flies at the upper gorge brook. Both caddis and may flies were all over. There were to different types of mayflies but ten altogether.

Middle Gorge Brook • We found one small red worm and five caddisflies in the middle gorge brook of Mount Moosilauke.

Lower Gorge Brook • Mostly caddisflies and • mayflies were found in this area. These flies are in class one which is intolerant to pollution. They are very sensitive.

Merrimack Findings…. . • At Merrimack, in Concord, we discovered a blackstriped leech and two different small snails. These are all tolerant to pollution and part of the Class 3 of the Macroinvertebrates index class.

Results

Conclusions • In conclusion the water quality does have a positive affect on the quantity of Macro Invertebrates in the water. • Because as the water quality increases so does the Macro Invertebrate index number.

Reference • http: //www. dec. ny. gov/animals/35772. html • http: //www. bv 229. k 12. ks. us/bvnwbiology/fieldbi • • ology/macroinvertebrates/background. htm Mitchell, F. and J. Schloss Interpreting Water Quality Results For the Merrimack River. UNH Cooperated Extension July 1991 Dr. Jeff Schloss. Personal Communication