Studying Site Six

Over the past two classes Nicole Kimtis and I have travel across campus to where the water from the Proctor Pond run to. We have been taking samples and measurement from our site. Our site is site six which is beyond maintenance and the barn in a little wooded area with a stream running through it which is feed by the pond’s runoff.

(Taken by Chloe Methven)

During the past two classes Nicole and I have taken our supplies over to our site. Are supplies include a net, a white bin, and smaller container, two spoons, a dropper and a booklet to help us identify invertebrates, all intending to help us collect and document our findings.

(Taken by Chloe Methven)

When we reached our site and put water in our containers we then got to work on our sampling and documentation. The first day, Monday October 16 2017 at 8:10 am, was a brisk morning when we started collecting. We immediately noticed that the water was very low with a smattering of puddles and a light trickle of water between. “ Where's the water!” Nicole questioned as we approached our site. When we chose a puddle we saw small fish swimming around, they looked plenty full and we ended up catching ten with the net after a couple passes through the water. We also managed to catch a crawfish which we identified with our booklet.

As we waited for Alan to arrived with the tests we looked around and documented the abiotic factors in an around our puddle. There was a thin layer or grim covering the bottom of the puddle which was lined with fallen leaves and rocks of various sizes and shapes. There were also leaves floating on the surface of the puddle shielding it from the sunlight that managed to get through the canopy above us. There was still a surprising amount of fish, but we did not notice any small invertebrates except for the crawfish we caught.

(Taken by Chloe Methven)

When Alan appeared, galloping through the forest with a box of supplies we were relieved because we had begun to feel the cold. As we ran the PH test and turbidity tests Alan checked the dissolved oxygen and ran the nitrate and nitrite test. The PH was at 6 which is lower than normal New Hampshire waters and the turbidity was at 60 which mean it is relatively cloudy, the nitrate and nitrite can up as zero which is good. The dissolved oxygen was low which we expected because of the shade from the canopy and the fallen leaves.

( Day 1, photo taken by Nicole Kimtis)

( Day 2 Photo taken by Nicole Kimtis)

The second day was even colder than the first with an air temperature of 43 degrees fahrenheit. It was Tuesday, October 17 2017 and 9:10 am. The water was notably colder and we saw less fish swimming around, we only caught 7 fish that day and Nicole expressed her theory “ It’s too cold they’re all dead” which got us questioning whether fish fish hibernate like frogs or can they survive under the ice.

( Taken by Chloe Methven)

The abiotic conditions where the same except more leaves had fallen of the puddle. When Alan arrived with the test again it was all the same results except for the dissolved oxygen which had risen, this might be the result of testing later in the day.

(Taken by Chloe Methven)

While we are only part way through this experiment I have learned a lot about how the waters chemical and physical make up effect what can grow and survive in it. I have realised the scope of the ponds impact and what impacts it, what runs into it and what runs out and how the land is affected by that. I am excited to look at data from other years to see how it compares and how the data answers the question, is the pond healthy?