Have you ever wondered why we are raising trout, specifically brook trout in the classroom? Brook trout are native to New York State and are the official state fish. They can be found in brooks, lakes and streams and are dependent on water that is cool, clean and pure. While spawning, brook trout need cool gravel areas to create a nest and release their eggs. Their dependence on such high quality of water actually teaches us a lot about the waterways where they live.
Brook trout are very sensitive to warm water, low oxygen, pollution as well as changes in the ph/acidity level. Because of their sensitivity, their presence-or lack thereof- acts as an indicator of the health of the stream/brook/lake they exist in. Just as canaries fled the coal mines when toxic gas present throughout the 1900's, native brook trout are quick to leave streams that present any danger or failure to their survival.
Brook trout teach us a lot about the health of a stream. As we make observations about the trout's life cycle and learn to care for them, we also learn about environmental state of the waterways where they live. For example, we learn about the diversity of insects a stream has available for trout to eat, the environmental conditions adult trout need for spawning, and the presence of trees surrounding the stream and offering shade to keep water cold for trout to exist.
As you continue to care for the trout in your classroom, imagine the day when you release them into the stream and they begin to swim around, looking for food. Think about the rocks, the moving water, the sunlight, the trees, the surrounding land. What if the rocks had been moved around? What if there was trash in the water? Or an oil leak that made its way into the stream? What if the surrounding land was barren and there were no trees to offer the stream shade? How would this effect your trout's ability to survive?
No comments:
Post a Comment