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FISH 415 LIMNOLOGY UI Moscow

Status assessment of Best Hills Property Lake

This year’s service-learning project will focus on the Best Hills Property Lake in CoeurD’Alene - a narrow but long and fairly shallow lake just north of I-90. The property ownersbelong to a homeowners association (fee based) which has a lake committee that is chargedwith lake maintenance (funded by the annual fees charged to each property owner). Thehousing development and lake are relatively new (exact age will be supplied by the committeemembers). The lake is the result of an earthen dam at the south-western end, and it is suppliedby intermittent runoff from forest and agricultural lands - primarily snowmelt and spring rains. During summer the water level in the lake is supplemented with well water. When the lake wasdeveloped, the bottom was lined with an impervious liner, earth moved onto it and then allowedto fill with water. Homes are located along the north side, while the south side is natural forestand a steep grade. A fish community is present, including bass and bluegill (observed visually)- other species may also be present. Currently the lake experiences high macrophyte growthduring the summer to the point it becomes difficult to boat over parts of the lake. This growth iscurtailed by the application of aquatic herbicides. The current lake management group isinterested to learn as much as possible about the lake and to examine various managementoptions to curtail the macrophyte issues. We will hopefully get more specific directions in termsof their long-term goals for the lake when we meet with them during the intro lab.

The limnology class, you, will work in teams and act as expert consultants to provide anoverall assessment of the pond to the association with recommendations to meet their goals forthe lake. This will be similar to tasks you would complete as part of a job with an agency (e.g.,IDFG, US Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA) or with a private firm. Because of the large nature ofthis study and multiple tasks, each team will tackle one aspect and the lake will be split in halffor each section to deal with half. The data gathered by each team will form the basis for yourindividual reports and group presentations due at the end of the term. The reports shouldprovide a current overview of the status of the pond each group worked on andrecommendations for future management to address the specific issues identified.

Goals of project: i) develop skills in the scientific process; ii) assess the status ofhomeowners association lake to provide baseline data and make managementrecommendations; iii) provide experience in project design, development and execution; and iv)provide experience presenting results orally.

You will work as a team - specific tasks are:

i) Develop specific objectives/hypotheses, detailed methods, material list and budget(Due on Monday Oct 5 4:30 pm both Groups)th

ii) Undertake field sampling during field lab (Oct 7 X, Oct 14 Y)th th

iii) Perform analyses on your samples during analysis lab (Oct 21 X, Oct 28 Y)st th

iv) Provide summary data for posting on web site for your group on Nov 4 .th

v) Give a presentation and recommendations to class and homeonwers association Dec2 or 9 X & Y together.nd th

v) Write a full lab report (see web page) - draft due Nov 5 X and Nov12th Yth

vi) Write final report (Dec 03 both X and Y)

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Date Activities Grade

X&Y Sep 30, 2009 General Introduction / Team meeting: objectives;methods/materials; budget

X & Y Oct 5, 2009 Team Objectives/Materials/Methods/Budget DUE 5%

X Oct 7, 2009Y Oct 14, 2009

Field sampling labTeams sample Best Hills Development Lake

X Oct 21, 2009Y Oct 28, 2009

Analysis LabAnalysis lab

X & Y Nov 4, 2009 Draft reports due 10%

X&Y Dec 2/9, 2009 Oral presentations 12.5%

X&Y Dec 03, 2009 Individual Reports Due 12.5%

For the first assignment, your team needs to turn in clearly formulated objective(s) /Hypotheses to be pursued during the project phase of the course, which will contribute to theoverall assessment of the lake (see attached grading criteria). In addition, as complete amethods and materials section as possible is required, detailing how your team expects to carryout the research. Remember anyone should be able to complete your objectives. Please alsoinclude a table on a separate page listing all of the equipment you will need. We will detach thissheet and use it to prepare for the sampling lab to make sure we have all of your equipmentready. As well, prepare and include a budget - we will address budgetary issues in class, andyou may find it easiest completing this in tabular form. Hand in a group copy in digital and hardcopy form.

Field sampling will be completed during the regularly scheduled lab periods. Dependingon what you pursue, you may need to spend some time outside of class time to complete tasks.

Lab analysis of samples will also occur during scheduled class time.

On Dec 2 or 9 , all teams from both groups will give a 10-12 minute presentation usingth

visual aids to present results to the class and the homeowners (PC computer and LCDprojector with Microsoft Powerpoint will be available). Presentations and data spreadsheets indigital format will be posted on the Limnology web page so everyone can access all of the data.

On Thursday Dec 3 individual final reports are due. You will be responsible for a fullrd

manuscript report (All sections except abstract). For the methods, focus only on those of yourgroup, to cut down on the amount of material. However, for your discussion, you shouldconsider as much of the class data as necessary to provide a complete assessment of theLake. Each individual should hand in a copy of their own work. You can work in groups for theanalysis, but do your own final writing. Grading criteria for the final report will be as indicated inthe attached grading criteria.

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Self assessment for team work

Team work to complete projects is the norm in the real world. Being part of a teamcarries responsibilities. Decide early on how you will split up the work, (evenly, drawing straws,individual strengths, etc.). However, you do it, each individual will need to contribute. Toencourage participation you will self-evaluate yourself and your team members for each of thetasks.

To evaluate your team members and yourself, enter all names including your own andthen consider the contribution of each member to the effort of each component by distributing24 points. I will tally scores for each person and calculate a ratio by which to multiply myassessed grade.

Example: team of 4; everyone contributes equally. Give each person including yourself 6points - each person obtains a total score of 24/24 and the ratio is 1. If the effort is distributedunequally and one person ends up with a score of 27/24 then that person’s grade will bemultiplied by 1.125, etc.

Expectations are that individuals will contribute evenly - for example a team may deemthat one person not participating in the field but doing all analyses is fair. Or perhaps someindividuals will participate less in lab and field work but will then contribute more to datapresentation or the final presentation. How you split the work is up to you. Teams should nottolerate absences without a medical certificate or prior arrangement. The instructor reservesthe right to intervene.

Group # _________

Group Members (Objectives,methods, materials,budget)

(Field and labwork, data prep)

(Presentation)

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Project areas - very general - feel free to swap tasks / add other items

A - Physical and Chemical Parameters- draw a bathymetric map using GPS/GIS, calculate water volume (and eventuallysediment volume), maximum and average depths, profiles of oxygen, temperature, andconductivity; measure total phosphorus and Chlorophyll a. - other nutrients.

B - Littoral macrophyte survey and zooplankton communities- quantitatively sample littoral areas to estimate macrophyte abundance, biomass andnutrient contents; sample pelagic area(s) of the pond for invertebrates.

C - Sediment analysis- sediment analysis for depth, water content, organic matter, and nutrients to provide anestimate of how much material has accumulated since the lake was created.

Your tasks:

Develop clear objectives/hypotheses to be completed by your team in the selectedproject area. Develop detailed methods and a materials list needed to complete your tasks. Asyou proceed you may want to keep the following in mind:

1) You have limited manpower and time - think of the number of samples you have analyzed inlabs so far and the time required for each. Try to optimize your entire effort for theproject.

2) Consider how you will account for variability - do you sample more than 1 site, more than 1sample per site ? Remember a minimum of 3 replicates is required to arrive at ameaningful estimate of variation for a point estimate. How will you treat depth? (Do youhave to?)

3) Can you piggyback some of your proposed sampling with that of another group - e.g., usesame site? Talk to others and see what their plans are - the more samples are takenfrom the same site, the easier it is to link the data.

4) You may need to do some library research to see how others have completed similarsampling/analyses - relying on published methods is better than coming up with yourown. Allow for having to do this.

5) Decide how you are going to split up tasks so the project can be completed and everyonecontributes equally. This could mean everyone chips in equally along the way - or yourteam may deem that person X is going to do less field work but do more of thepresentation.

Management recommendations (+Costs, likely outcomes, implementation time frame):

1) Worst case scenario2) Middle of the road3) Minimal intervention

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Grading criteria

Objectives ( /3)3 - Objectives clearly stated, perhaps phrased as hypotheses.2 - Objectives obscure, not clearly stated.1- Objectives only partial i.e. not all stated or included.0 - No objectives stated.

Methods and Materials ( /3)3 - Contains information that is effective, quantifiable, and concise which allows the

objectives to be repeated; contains all procedural steps for field collection,laboratory analysis, and statistical analysis, if applicable; properly identifiesequipment and contains table of equipment for field and laboratory analyses;contains literature cited for common methods.

2 - contains information that allows objectives to be replicated; is missing someequipment; contains unnecessary information; no citations for common methods.

1 - presents information in format that is marginally replicable; parts of the basic designmust be inferred by the reader; procedures not quantitatively described; no tableof equipment for field or laboratory component;

0 - presents information so poorly or in such a non-scientific way that it cannot bereplicated.

Budget ( /3)3 - budget is complete and covers majority of anticipated expenditures; contains realistic

figures.2 - incomplete budget; key personnel or expenditures omitted; or contains unrealistic

figures.1 - some line items entered, neither compete or realistic.0 - no budget included.

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Sample Budget Worksheet (you can download this from the Limnology homepage as an excel[.xls] file) - this will make it easier to do the calculations because formulae are already entered)

Agency:Project Title:

Budget Period: Salary % of Person

(bi-weekly) # wks Effort wks Agency

A. Professional Staff

0 0

Subtotal 0 0

B. Fringe Benefits for Professional Staff @38%

0

Subtotal 0

C. Other Personnel

1. Graduate student (15.60/hr*40 hrs/bi-wk) 624 52 1 52 16227

Subtotal 16227

D. Benefits for Other Personnel (grad student @1%)

162

Subtotal 162

E. Subtotal Personnel 16227

F. Subtotal Personnel and Benefits 16389

G. Travel

Subtotal 0

H. Supplies and Materials

Subtotal 0

I. Equipment (>$5000)

Subtotal 0

J. Services (Contractual)

Subtotal 0

K. Direct Costs 16389

L. Indirect Costs (43.4% of MTDC) 7113

M. Total Year One Costs 23502

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FISH 415 LIMNOLOGY UI Moscow

Laboratory report grading criteria

Cover / Title ( /2)

2 - Clear, succinct title

1 - vague, long title

0 - no title

Introduction ( /5)

5 - Clearly identifies purpose of research, provides background information supported by adequate

literature references, adopts appropriate tone.

4 - Clearly identifies purpose of research, provides background information supported by some

literature references.

3 - Clearly identifies purpose of research

2 - Purpose in introduction but must be identified by reader

1 - Fails to identify purpose

Methods and Materials ( /5)

5 - Contains information that is effective, quantifiable, and concise which allows the experiment to be

repeated; is written so that all information inherent to the report can be related to this section;

identifies all sources of data to be collected and instruments used; identifies sequential

information in an appropriate chronology; gives brief summary of how data was analyzed; does

not contain unnecessary, wordy descriptions (references common methods appropriately).

4 - as above, but missing identity of some equipment; contains unnecessary information, and/or wordy

descriptions within the section - common methods not referenced.

3 - presents information in format that is replicable; all information in the report can be related to this

section; however, fails to identify some sources of data and/or presents sequential information in

a disorganized, difficult pattern.

2 - presents information in format that is marginally replicable; parts of the basic design must be

inferred by the reader; procedures not quantitatively described; some information in later parts of

report can not be anticipated by reading the Methods and Materials section.

1 - presents information so poorly or in such a non-scientific way that it cannot be replicated.

Results ( /5)

5 - Presents correct/accurate summary data in graphs / tables; where possible, means and standard

deviations are presented to show variation among samples; is written in parallel order to methods;

summarizes main aspects of data in narrative with reference to figures/tables for support.

4 - same as above but some mistakes in data analysis - i.e. numbers/calculation are not correct.

3 - mistakes in calculations; data not well summarized in tables or figures; some data missing; section

not parallel to methods.

2 - reader is left to infer major trends on own; narrative and data (figures/tables) not integrated;

data/figures missing; incorrect calculations.

1 - results contains tables of raw data, poorly written narrative that does not use reference to figures

and/or table for support, poorly summarized data, if any.

Discussion ( /5)

5 - Purpose and findings of the research are summarized; student draws inferences that are

consistent with the data and scientific reasoning and relates/contrasts these to other findings of

other studies; student explains expected results and offers explanations and/or suggestions for

further research for unexpected results; student presents data honestly; distinguishes fact and

implication; and avoids overgeneralizing; accepts or rejects hypothesis.

4 - same as 5 above, but information not related/contrasted to findings of others.

3 - same as 4 above but student overgeneralizes

2 - Student summarizes the purpose and finding of the research; student explains expected results

but fails ignores unexpected results.

1 - Student may or may not summarize the results, but fails to interpret their significance to interested

audiences

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References ( /5)

5 - all references cited included and in proper format; current primary literature

4 - all references cited; format not consistent.

3 - references cited in text but not included in list.

2 - few primary references; references not ordered

1 - some web references

Figures ( /5)

5 - Proper figures including labeled axes; units, complete figure captions.

4 - Axis labels/units missing, incomplete figure captions.

3 - same as 3 above, no figure captions

2 - Figures out of order, lack figure caption

1 - some figures included, no labels, caption or units

Tables ( /5)

5 - descriptive table captions, row and column headings, data well organized only presenting

necessary information such as depths means and standard errors.

4 - as 5 above but not including standard errors.

3 - descriptive table caption missing

2 - same as 3 above, data not well organized, superfluous data included

1 - same as 2 above; missing crucial data.

Organization (Scientific format demands) ( /5)

5 - All materials placed in correct sections; organized logically within each section; runs parallel

among sections.

4 - All material placed in correct sections; organized logically within each section, but may lack

parallelism among sections.

3 - Material placed in right sections, but not well organized within sections; disregards parallelism.

2 - Some materials are placed in wrong sections or are not adequately organized wherever they are

placed.

1 - Material placed in wrong sections or not sectioned; poorly organized wherever placed.

FISH 415 LIMNOLOGY U of I Moscow (Project evaluations)

Group # __________ Names__________________

Content /10 (scientific content - objectives clear; appropriate data and analysis; errorestimates; focused discussion; clear summary)

Style /10 (clear speech; clear, concise and appropriate visual aids; pace;enthusiasm; confidence; time; direct answers to questions)

Specific comments: