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Durango Nature Studies Paper
Amphibian population estimates and ecosystem assessment on the Durango Nature Studies property
Introduction
Durango Nature Studies (DNS) is a 140 acre nature center outside of Durango that invites schools, organizations, and the community to participate in research activities and learn about nature.
There is a pond and part of the Florida River on the DNS property. Leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) are native to the DNS pond and surrounding area, but bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) have recently been spotted on the property. Bullfrogs are harmful to the leopard frogs because they are not native to Colorado, and take resources away from the leopard frogs. They are an invasive species. An invasive species is an organism that is introduced to an area in which they are not native, and they affect the ecosystem. Bullfrogs are a concern because as they disrupt the leopard frogs, the quality of the ecosystem declines. If one part of the ecosystem declines, it is probable that it could affect the ecology of the region.
Natural History
The bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. They vary in color, from dark olive to bright green, and from white to cream underneath, on their belly. Bull frogs are very territorial, and are also very solitary. They have the ability to reproduce rapidly. Bullfrogs are voracious eaters, and will eat about anything they can swallow, including insects, crayfish, and worms. Bullfrogs live in places with warmer weather.
Leopard frogs are named for their dark spots that are on their back and hind legs. They are normally three to five inches, and the females are slightly larger than the males. They live in ponds and marshes, but they will also venture into tall grass. Leopard frogs eat beetles, ants, flies, and worms, along with some other animals.
Methods and Materials
Different methods and materials were used in the process of getting info on the DNS pond. Four pitfall traps were set up around the areas, being used to try and catch frogs. One hour was taken to capture frogs and mark them, and an hour was taken for recapture. While this happened, visual encounter surveys were also conducted. Water chemistry tests were conducted with nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Four Veg Plot Surveys were also conducted, and macroinvertebrates were collected in the river using a kick method, and in the pond using a dipping net.
Results
In 2011, the diversity index in the Durango Nature Studies pond was 0.99. In 2012, the diversity index in the pond has risen to 1.2. In 2011, in the Florida river, the diversity index was 1.03. In 2012, it is .88 in the Florida River. The stonefly has a low pollution tolerance, and there were no stoneflies in the DNS Pond nor the Florida River in 2011, and there are still none occupying either body of water in 2012. In 2011, there were 120 caddisflies in the Florida River. In 2012, there are 270 caddisflies in the Florida River. In 2011, there were 53 damselflies and 41 mayflies in the DNS Pond. Now, in 2012, there are only 5 damselflies and 10 mayflies. In 2011, there were 125 mayflies in the Florida, and in 2012 there are only 57. Also, the nitrates and phosphates in the Florida River are high. There are fifteen leopard frogs in the river, compared to one bull frog.
Conclusion
In the Durango Nature Studies pond, the numbers of nearly all the macroinvertebrates dropped, with some dropping dramatically (such as there being 53 damselflies in 2011, and only 5 damselflies in the pond in 2012). This may be due to the pollution jumping up from what it was in 2011. There was also a large jump in the number of caddisflies in the Florida River. This is probably due to pollution in the Florida River falling. So, in the span of one year (from 2011-2012), the pollution levels in the DNS Pond have risen, and the pollution levels in the Florida River have dropped.
The high levels of nitrates and phosphates in the Florida River may be due to the amount of sunlight that has been received this year. The amount of sunlight received this year is greater than the amount of sunlight that has been received previous years. Because of the massively high levels of nitrates and phosphates found in the Florida River, there is a risk for an algal bloom. An algal is a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. It happens when high levels of nitrates created by photosynthesis cause the plants to rapidly grow. This is called eutrophication. An algal bloom could be prevented by lowering the amount of light the river receives, and the amount of nutrients the river receives, along with keeping the temperature of the river at a lower temperature than it is currently at. These conditions could be achieved by doing something as simple as planting trees along the river. This would lower the amount of sunlight the river receives and reduce the temperature, all at once.
The pond has fifteen leopard frogs to only one bullfrog. Although bullfrogs are territorial, and are capable of killing and eating leopard frogs, this is not an issue. With the ratio of fifteen leopard frogs to one bullfrog, that bullfrog poses no threat to the leopard frog population in the Durango Nature Studies pond. This may become an issue in the future, though, because bullfrogs have the ability to reproduce rapidly, but at the moment it is not a major issue.
Introduction
Durango Nature Studies (DNS) is a 140 acre nature center outside of Durango that invites schools, organizations, and the community to participate in research activities and learn about nature.
There is a pond and part of the Florida River on the DNS property. Leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) are native to the DNS pond and surrounding area, but bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) have recently been spotted on the property. Bullfrogs are harmful to the leopard frogs because they are not native to Colorado, and take resources away from the leopard frogs. They are an invasive species. An invasive species is an organism that is introduced to an area in which they are not native, and they affect the ecosystem. Bullfrogs are a concern because as they disrupt the leopard frogs, the quality of the ecosystem declines. If one part of the ecosystem declines, it is probable that it could affect the ecology of the region.
Natural History
The bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. They vary in color, from dark olive to bright green, and from white to cream underneath, on their belly. Bull frogs are very territorial, and are also very solitary. They have the ability to reproduce rapidly. Bullfrogs are voracious eaters, and will eat about anything they can swallow, including insects, crayfish, and worms. Bullfrogs live in places with warmer weather.
Leopard frogs are named for their dark spots that are on their back and hind legs. They are normally three to five inches, and the females are slightly larger than the males. They live in ponds and marshes, but they will also venture into tall grass. Leopard frogs eat beetles, ants, flies, and worms, along with some other animals.
Methods and Materials
Different methods and materials were used in the process of getting info on the DNS pond. Four pitfall traps were set up around the areas, being used to try and catch frogs. One hour was taken to capture frogs and mark them, and an hour was taken for recapture. While this happened, visual encounter surveys were also conducted. Water chemistry tests were conducted with nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Four Veg Plot Surveys were also conducted, and macroinvertebrates were collected in the river using a kick method, and in the pond using a dipping net.
Results
In 2011, the diversity index in the Durango Nature Studies pond was 0.99. In 2012, the diversity index in the pond has risen to 1.2. In 2011, in the Florida river, the diversity index was 1.03. In 2012, it is .88 in the Florida River. The stonefly has a low pollution tolerance, and there were no stoneflies in the DNS Pond nor the Florida River in 2011, and there are still none occupying either body of water in 2012. In 2011, there were 120 caddisflies in the Florida River. In 2012, there are 270 caddisflies in the Florida River. In 2011, there were 53 damselflies and 41 mayflies in the DNS Pond. Now, in 2012, there are only 5 damselflies and 10 mayflies. In 2011, there were 125 mayflies in the Florida, and in 2012 there are only 57. Also, the nitrates and phosphates in the Florida River are high. There are fifteen leopard frogs in the river, compared to one bull frog.
Conclusion
In the Durango Nature Studies pond, the numbers of nearly all the macroinvertebrates dropped, with some dropping dramatically (such as there being 53 damselflies in 2011, and only 5 damselflies in the pond in 2012). This may be due to the pollution jumping up from what it was in 2011. There was also a large jump in the number of caddisflies in the Florida River. This is probably due to pollution in the Florida River falling. So, in the span of one year (from 2011-2012), the pollution levels in the DNS Pond have risen, and the pollution levels in the Florida River have dropped.
The high levels of nitrates and phosphates in the Florida River may be due to the amount of sunlight that has been received this year. The amount of sunlight received this year is greater than the amount of sunlight that has been received previous years. Because of the massively high levels of nitrates and phosphates found in the Florida River, there is a risk for an algal bloom. An algal is a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. It happens when high levels of nitrates created by photosynthesis cause the plants to rapidly grow. This is called eutrophication. An algal bloom could be prevented by lowering the amount of light the river receives, and the amount of nutrients the river receives, along with keeping the temperature of the river at a lower temperature than it is currently at. These conditions could be achieved by doing something as simple as planting trees along the river. This would lower the amount of sunlight the river receives and reduce the temperature, all at once.
The pond has fifteen leopard frogs to only one bullfrog. Although bullfrogs are territorial, and are capable of killing and eating leopard frogs, this is not an issue. With the ratio of fifteen leopard frogs to one bullfrog, that bullfrog poses no threat to the leopard frog population in the Durango Nature Studies pond. This may become an issue in the future, though, because bullfrogs have the ability to reproduce rapidly, but at the moment it is not a major issue.
Colony Collapse Disorder Management Plan
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Management Plan
1. Public awareness campaign against pesticides.
Introduction
The EPA tests all pesticides to make sure they are safe for the environment before they are released and good to go, but they do not test what happens when these pesticides mix out in nature. Since they do not test this, we do not know if this could be a cause for colony collapse disorder.
Details
· Write a strongly worded letter to the EPA encouraging them to test pesticide synergy, instead of testing pesticides individually.
· Put out a petition to encourage the EPA to test pesticide synergy.
· Submit articles to the newspaper explaining what happens when certain pesticides mix.
· Create an informational video about pesticide usage and share it to numerous pages, hoping it gets across the entire web.
· Hold seminars explaining
Pros
· This plan can educate the public.
· There is no harm in trying to getting the EPA to change their policies.
· If the petition gets enough signatures for the EPA to change their policy, they can test the effects of pesticides mixing, and see if it is a cause of colony collapse disorder.
· If any pesticide mixing is found to be a cause of colony collapse disorder, we can save the bees.
Cons
· People may not care about pesticide usage and may not read the articles or watch the videos.
2. Encourage the public to own bees.
Details
· Explain the advantages of owning a colony of bees.
o Honey.
o Bees are responsible for more than $15 billion dollars of agriculture (ARS 2012).
o If you own a garden, bees can help it flourish.
· Submit articles to newspapers and magazines encouraging people to own bee, explaining the advantages of owning bees, and giving information providing websites you can visit to purchase bees.
· Post posters around town showing why one should purchase a colony of bees.
· Target farmers and encourage them to purchase colonies of bees.
Benefits
· More bee colonies will allow for more plants to get pollinated.
· More colonies mean more bees reproducing and swarming to a new home (Jacobsen 2008).
Cons
· Some people may not want to own bees
· The management of a bee colony may be difficult for some
· Some may not have money to purchase a bee colony.
3. Monitor varroa mite activity in the Four Corners
Introduction
Varroa mites are an external parasite that attacks colonies of bees. They suck the blood from both adults and the developing brood, shortening the lifespan of bees and making them weak. Untreated infestations of varroa mites that are allowed to increase will kill honeybee colonies (VARROA 2012).
Details
· Send out surveys to beekeepers across the entire four corners, asking:
o How many colonies they own
o How many varroa mites have been seen
o How many colonies have collapsed due to varroa mites in the last year
· Include a letter stating what CCD is, what are some believed causes of it, and request them to notify us if they notice CCD happening in their colonies so that we can know if this is an issue in the Four Corners.
Pros
· If every beekeeper in the area gets a survey and returns a survey, we can get an accurate idea of what is an issue in the Four Corners area.
Cons
· If not every beekeeper gets a survey, the results will be inaccurate.
· If not every beekeeper returns a survey, the results will be inaccurate.
1. Public awareness campaign against pesticides.
Introduction
The EPA tests all pesticides to make sure they are safe for the environment before they are released and good to go, but they do not test what happens when these pesticides mix out in nature. Since they do not test this, we do not know if this could be a cause for colony collapse disorder.
Details
· Write a strongly worded letter to the EPA encouraging them to test pesticide synergy, instead of testing pesticides individually.
· Put out a petition to encourage the EPA to test pesticide synergy.
· Submit articles to the newspaper explaining what happens when certain pesticides mix.
· Create an informational video about pesticide usage and share it to numerous pages, hoping it gets across the entire web.
· Hold seminars explaining
Pros
· This plan can educate the public.
· There is no harm in trying to getting the EPA to change their policies.
· If the petition gets enough signatures for the EPA to change their policy, they can test the effects of pesticides mixing, and see if it is a cause of colony collapse disorder.
· If any pesticide mixing is found to be a cause of colony collapse disorder, we can save the bees.
Cons
· People may not care about pesticide usage and may not read the articles or watch the videos.
2. Encourage the public to own bees.
Details
· Explain the advantages of owning a colony of bees.
o Honey.
o Bees are responsible for more than $15 billion dollars of agriculture (ARS 2012).
o If you own a garden, bees can help it flourish.
· Submit articles to newspapers and magazines encouraging people to own bee, explaining the advantages of owning bees, and giving information providing websites you can visit to purchase bees.
· Post posters around town showing why one should purchase a colony of bees.
· Target farmers and encourage them to purchase colonies of bees.
Benefits
· More bee colonies will allow for more plants to get pollinated.
· More colonies mean more bees reproducing and swarming to a new home (Jacobsen 2008).
Cons
· Some people may not want to own bees
· The management of a bee colony may be difficult for some
· Some may not have money to purchase a bee colony.
3. Monitor varroa mite activity in the Four Corners
Introduction
Varroa mites are an external parasite that attacks colonies of bees. They suck the blood from both adults and the developing brood, shortening the lifespan of bees and making them weak. Untreated infestations of varroa mites that are allowed to increase will kill honeybee colonies (VARROA 2012).
Details
· Send out surveys to beekeepers across the entire four corners, asking:
o How many colonies they own
o How many varroa mites have been seen
o How many colonies have collapsed due to varroa mites in the last year
· Include a letter stating what CCD is, what are some believed causes of it, and request them to notify us if they notice CCD happening in their colonies so that we can know if this is an issue in the Four Corners.
Pros
· If every beekeeper in the area gets a survey and returns a survey, we can get an accurate idea of what is an issue in the Four Corners area.
Cons
· If not every beekeeper gets a survey, the results will be inaccurate.
· If not every beekeeper returns a survey, the results will be inaccurate.
Reflection
This project was most definitely my favorite of the entire year. Before this project, I thought bees were just little buggers who sting you and ruin your day. I learned that honeybees are instead one of the most interesting animals on the planet. Honeybees do a number of things, such as making honey, pollinating crops and gardens, and dancing. They're born knowing exactly what they need to do. They can survive harsh winters by huddling around the queen bee like penguins. In the winter, they kick the drones (male bees) out of the hive because they have no purpose in the winter. Through this project, bees have definitely become my favorite animal. This project has inspired me to take on the role of an apprentice beekeeper, and this summer I will be owning bees and learning about how to care for them, get the honey from their hive, etc.
If I were to do this project over, I would spend more time on my management plan instead of just going crazy over bees. I learned so much from this project, but some how that got in the way of me getting the best grade I possibly could.
This project was most definitely my favorite of the entire year. Before this project, I thought bees were just little buggers who sting you and ruin your day. I learned that honeybees are instead one of the most interesting animals on the planet. Honeybees do a number of things, such as making honey, pollinating crops and gardens, and dancing. They're born knowing exactly what they need to do. They can survive harsh winters by huddling around the queen bee like penguins. In the winter, they kick the drones (male bees) out of the hive because they have no purpose in the winter. Through this project, bees have definitely become my favorite animal. This project has inspired me to take on the role of an apprentice beekeeper, and this summer I will be owning bees and learning about how to care for them, get the honey from their hive, etc.
If I were to do this project over, I would spend more time on my management plan instead of just going crazy over bees. I learned so much from this project, but some how that got in the way of me getting the best grade I possibly could.
Crime Scene Investigation
This project told me and my partner the tragic story of a man who just had too much to drink. He also had too much to smoke, too much to crack, and too much to meth. One night, this poor man was stumbling along when he passed out, and vomited. His vomit blocked all of his airways, so he died in a peaceful slumber. But what kind of Crime Scene Investigation would that be? There's more! The wife of a very wealthy man ran over this poor man and tried to cover it up! What a bad person. But we figured it out, and she'll be locked up for at least two weeks (money talks).
In this project, partners were required to solve a crime. In doing so, we learned how blood typing works, how to examine foot prints/tire prints, how to determine the trajectory of a bullet, placing the time of death, and DNA profiling among other things. It was fascinating to learn about all these interesting topics. It was also great learning about false imprisonment. If I were to do this project over, I would definitely try to pay more attention to each of our lessons, so that I would have an easier time writing up the evidence logs.
In this project, partners were required to solve a crime. In doing so, we learned how blood typing works, how to examine foot prints/tire prints, how to determine the trajectory of a bullet, placing the time of death, and DNA profiling among other things. It was fascinating to learn about all these interesting topics. It was also great learning about false imprisonment. If I were to do this project over, I would definitely try to pay more attention to each of our lessons, so that I would have an easier time writing up the evidence logs.