Triton Students Join Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program

Triton Regional High School AP Environmental Science teacher Thomas Horsely and his students attend a macroinvertebrate identification workshop at Riverbend.

Rivers are places that should be full of clean water and living things; not only fish, but the many small creatures that live among the rocks and debris on the river bottom. In particular, the creatures known as macroinvertebrates are those that are visible to the naked eye and which are a vital part of the river food web. Volunteer monitors sample macroinvertebrates annually as reliable indicators of river health, since many require specific conditions that are directly affected by changes to water and habitat quality. For example, we found that the drought in 2016 dramatically impacted the abundance of many types of macroinvertebrates. Volunteers are critical to this effort not only by collecting samples, but also engaging in the process of sorting and identifying individual specimens.

We recently welcomed students from Triton Regional High School as new participants in the Macroinvertebrate Monitoring program. Students from the AP Environmental Science class contacted us seeking opportunities related to their class and this program was an ideal match for them. Many students attended the annual training in the fall where everyone learned how to collect macroinvertebrates from the river by wading out in the water and brushing rocks from a small area to loosen the organisms hiding among them. They asked many questions and were very excited to learn the procedure. The students then used their new skills to sample sites in the Parker River last fall.

We recently held an event to begin the sorting and identification process by picking individual specimens from the river debris and seeing what we collected. The group managed to complete samples from 5 out of 10 sites in a few hours! We will continue working over the winter to complete the sorting and specimen identification as there is more to do.

We greatly appreciate the work of these and the many volunteers who are responsible for the success of this and other monitoring programs including the monthly RiverWatch testing and spring herring count. Please visit the volunteer page of our website if you are interested in learning more about these programs and how you might be able to participate.