EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021
(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)
5/26/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Authentic research in the undergraduate classroom comparing the impact of land use on macroinvertebrates and water quality | Virtual Platform
Authentic research in the undergraduate classroom comparing the impact of land use on macroinvertebrates and water quality
To provide introductory biology students with an authentic research experience, we compared macroinvertebrate and water quality data collected by Smith College students in the Mill River, a stream next to campus in a more urban area, to data collected by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) in the Lower Hop Brook, a stream surrounded by forest and far less human development around 40 km away. Macroinvertebrate density was lower and tolerance to pollution was higher in the Mill River compared to the Lower Hop Brook. Turbidity, pH and water temperature were greater in the Mill River. However, the dissolved oxygen was higher in the Mill River for a given water temperature. It is not fully clear what is causing these differences, but the land use around these two rivers very likely plays a role. While additional research is needed to understand what is causing these patterns, the patterns are interesting and stimulated students to think about the effect of land use on macroinvertebrates and water quality. Comparing NEON data to our own data collected on campus was a rewarding way to involve undergraduate students in authentic research.
- Land use
- Stream
- Biodiversity
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded.
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Marney Pratt
(), Smith College, mcpratt@smith.edu;
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -