1. Limnology

2. What is Limnology?  Think about –ology? What does biology mean?  Limnology is the study of fresh waters.  Today we will study a pond ecosystem.

3. What is an ecosystem?  Ecosystem….what is the first thing you think of when you hear this word?  Animals  Plants  Water  Air  Soil

4. Which of these are living?  Animals  Plants  Water  Dissolved Oxygen  Temperature Which of these are nonliving? We call these Biotic Factors. We call these Abiotic factors.

5. What could we catch today?  Invertebrates  Larva/Nymph-early stages of some insects lives Water Scorpion (Adult) Damselfly nymph Water Scavenger Beetle

6. What is pH?  pH is the measure of how much acid is in a substance.  It is measured with a scale that ranges from 0- 14.  Every substance with a pH less than 7 is an acid.  Every substance with a ph more than 7 is a base.  A pH of 7 gives us a neutral substance.

7. Fahrenheit vs. Celsius  We use Fahrenheit for as our standard unit for temperature. What is freezing? Boiling?  Scientists use Celsius. What is freezing? Boiling?  Which do you think we will use today?

8. Let’s get ready to go to the pond!  Today we will be divided into groups.  Each group will have a certain job to do.  Please stay in your group.  Everyone will go to every station.

9. Group 1 Binoculars and Turbidity  Your mission is to use the binoculars to find six animals and tell what they are doing. You may also write down signs of animals like tracks, webs, nests, or scat.  You must also check the turbidity.

10. Group 2: Nets  Your team’s mission will be to collect as many different types of animals as you can.  I will be at the nets station the entire time to help you scoop and show you where to scoop.  We will collect and classify our data. What does classify mean?

11. Group 3: Chemistry Station  At this station you will take the pH, temperature, and the dissolved oxygen.  It will take 1-2 minutes for the thermometer to get an accurate reading. Make sure you wait long enough between tests.

12. Group 4: Microscopes  Your team’s assignment will be to look at four or more different things underneath the field microscopes. Then you draw what you see.  The best thing about your station is you can look at whatever you want!

13. LETS GO TO THE POND!!  Remember to stay in your station  Walk on the trail and stay behind me  HAVE FUN!