Great Day to Investigate a Vernal Pool!

Its been raining now for two days, so our back woods is chock full of ... not puddles, but "vernal pools"!  These pools are incredibly important in our environment... and its amazing what you can see with a just smartphone and household materials.  Let's check it out!

I'm going to edge right up and collect a jar full of water... that is pretty green, isn't it?  Its chilly, but spring is well underway for these tiny algae.   Do you think anything eats that algae?


OK, now, we're going to head inside where its warm, and grab a paper coffee filter (leftover from back when we used disposable filters!) to get a better look.  I'll let the whole pool sample filter through, and then rinse whatever gets caught off into a smaller container with some clear water.   Do you think we'll find anything moving?




Take a look....



Using just my phone camera, here are some close ups... not the best quality, but again: just with a very old iPhone.

 Mosquito larva (midge)...












A copepod (you can find better images at www.DiscoverCayugaLake.org!)

And wait, what's this... could it be?  Everyone in the Trout in the Classroom knows what this little one is... DAPHNIA!  Look at that bright green gut!

(You can find a better image of Daphnia right on this blog, in the Images page!)

Yep.  This temporary little pool of water is where our forest (and stream!) foodweb begins.  We'll think more about what eats daphnia later this week.  Trout classes, you ought to know!

For complete instructions to help you through this activity, see the "For Teachers" page!
                            ~ Bill, aka, "The Trout Guy"