CPOM in Little Niagara, Invertebrate Density and Species Richness

Team CPOM (Course Particulate Organic Matter) 

Aquatic Ecology Lab Project

Overview:

We will be looking at how different types of CPOM are related to stream invertebrates. Specifically, we will be looking at the interactions and relationships between three different types of CPOM and one mixed treatment of CPOM. The mixed treatment will include all three types of CPOM. The three types of CPOM we will be looking at will include leaves, needles, and woody debris. The specific leaves, needles, and woody debris used will be maple leaves, white pine needles, and a mixture of woody debris found in the forest. We may also include a treatment where nothing is used.

The factors we will be measuring include CPOM invertebrate diversity and the numbers of individual invertebrates of different species on the different types of CPOM. Stream current velocity will be held as a constant. To characterize the stream as a whole we will include four independent replicates throughout the stream. However, the four different sites will be the same as far as current velocity goes. This will insure the bottom will be relatively similar as well. Equal weights of CPOM will be placed in each habitat. There will be a total of four habitats at each of the four locations. A total of 16 habitats.

Materials:

-        16 Mesh fruit bags

-        CPOM of the three different types collected by Nate

-        Current velocity meter

-        Invertebrate collection gear from lab

-        Weight for each fruit bag. So 16 rocks

Data Analysis:

            We can’t do a basic t-test if we are just comparing the mixed treatment to the individual types of CPOM. A multi-way anova test would be better suited for comparing mixed with the three other types. We plan on running t-tests between the individual habitats. For example, we will compare invertebrate diversity between leaves and needles.