Overview
"Freshwater Biology" is designed for upper undergraduates and beginning graduate students with interests
in aquatic ecology and the biology of organisms inhabiting lentic (e.g., lakes, ponds, wetlands) and lotic (e.g.,
rivers, streams, creeks) habitats. One feature of the course is the extensive hands-on experience through field
trips and demonstrations during the first half of the course. This experience will provide background and reinforcement
of principles and facts from lectures and discussions on the ecology of freshwater organisms and the community/ecosystem
structure of freshwaters. The identification portion of the laboratory during the second half of the course will
emphasize aquatic insects, which are often the most diverse and abundant group of organisms associated with freshwater
habitats. However, other components of freshwater ecosystems, e.g. plankton and periphyton as primary producers,
and fish as higher level consumers, will be included in both lab and lecture material. A second feature of the
course is the use of primary research articles to introduce key ecological concepts and to generate discussion
on the process and growth of knowledge within freshwater ecology.
Educational Objectives
The proposed course is designed for students to:
1. Develop an understanding of the biology and ecology of organisms found in freshwater,
2. Develop skills and knowledge required to collect and identify common invertebrate freshwater taxa,
3. Become familiar with the diversity, function, and adaptation of invertebrates in freshwater habitats,
4. Examine monitoring techniques and ecological responses of freshwater organisms in association with water quality deterioration and habitat destruction, and
5. Learn to critically read, with an understanding of salient points, original research articles relating to freshwater ecology.
Instructor
Dr. William O. Lamp, Associate Professor
Department of Entomology, 4120 Plant Sciences Bldg.
University of Maryland, College Park
301-405-3959
wl1@umail.umd.edu
Credit
Four credits: two lectures and two 3-hour laboratories per week. Two Saturday field trips are optional.
Frequency of Offering
Fall semesters.
Prerequisite
BIOL 106 and ENTM 205 or ZOOL 210.
Relationship to Other Courses
ENTM 428, "Ecology of Aquatic Insects", has been taught for 3 credits since 1993 by Lamp. ZOOL 384, "Aquatic
Biology", is no longer expected to be taught. The new course proposed here will combine the topics of the
two courses, replace specifically ENTM 428, and increase in the number of credits from 3 to 4 for additional laboratory
time.
Outside of ENTM 428 and ZOOL 384, no other introductory course on freshwater biology is offered on campus. Among
entomology courses, ENTM 424, "Insect Diversity and Classification," includes orders of aquatic insects,
however identification is not beyond the family level. The proposed course will consider more families and generic-level
identification for insects living in aquatic habitats, as well as include other common invertebrate taxa. Furthermore,
the proposed course will place greater emphasis on the ecological and physiological relationships between aquatic
organisms and their environment.
Several courses discuss the ecology of aquatic systems. For example, ZOOL 484, "Experimental Aquatic Ecology",
emphasizes experimental methods and hypothesis testing beyond the coverage of the proposed course. Also, ZOOL 481,
"The Biology of Marine and Estuarine Invertebrates," covers those invertebrates, largely non-insect,
associated with saltwater. Other courses, such as ZOOL 390, "Vertebrate Zoology", and ZOOL 472, "Protozoology",
cover taxa outside the proposed course. None of these emphasize ecology and identification of invertebrates inhabiting
freshwater systems. Thus, the proposed course will complement existing courses.
Course Description for Schedule of Classes
ENTM 482 and ZOOL 482 Freshwater Biology (4) Two hours of lectures and six hours of laboratory per week. Biology
and ecology of freshwater invertebrates in lotic and lentic habitats, their adaptation to aquatic life, their function
in aquatic ecosystems, and their relationship to environmental deterioration. Laboratory will include field trips,
demonstrations, and identifications.
The Course's Targeted Audience
The course is being offered as an upper level lab course for undergraduate students in biology (GENB, BEES, and
MARB specializations) and environmental science majors, and for graduate students in entomology, zoology, conservation
biology and MEES. The maximum enrollment is 25.
Required Text
The text is: Merritt, R.W., and K.W. Cummins (eds.). 1996. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America,
3rd ed. Kendall/Hunt Publ. Co. This edited book provides up-to-date keys to genera of North American aquatic insects,
as well as general introductions to major topics such as feeding groups, respiration, and biology of all aquatic
insect orders. Supplemental information on non-insect taxa will be provided.
In addition, a packet of required readings will be made available for purchase. See attached list as an example.
These readings, derived from primary research journals, will be the focus of discussions of original research on
the biology and ecology of freshwater invertebrates.
Grading
Midterm exam
Final exam
Lab practicals and participation
Lab notebook25%
25%
35%
15%
Overview of Laboratory
The laboratory period will be divided into two parts: field trips and in-lab demonstrations during the first half
of the semester, and labs for identification of families and genera of specimens within individual orders during
the last half of the semester. Students are paired to help each other with both field collection and lab identification.
The field trips will give students an opportunity to observe and collect aquatic invertebrates in their natural
habitat. Each field trip, students will make a collection from one or more sites, and later separate specimens
by order into separate vials. Each vial should be labelled clearly with location, date, and collector's name. Each
student will be expected to record observations during each field trip in a notebook.
During each identification lab session, an overview of the biology and classification of the taxa will be provided.
Students will use both the collected specimens and selected demonstration specimens to learn identification using
the key and noting primary characteristics. Each student will be expected to record these observations in their
notebook as well. Notebooks may be used during practicals for key identifications.
Lab Practicals
The lab practicals will be oral or written tests to determine students' knowledge of the habits and ecology of
collected organisms as well as their identification. Students will be expected to know all aquatic subclasses/orders
of invertebrates by sight, common families by sight, and selected families and genera by key.
List of Required Readings (to be updated each semester)
Bothwell, M.L., D.M.J. Sherbot, and C.M. Pollock. 1994. Ecosystem response to solar ultraviolet-B radiation: influence
of trophic-level interactions. Science 265:97-100.
Heard, S.B. 1994. Pitcher-plant midges and mosquitoes: a processing chain commenalism. Ecology 75:1647-1660.
Hopkins, P.S., K.W. Kratz, and S.D. Cooper. 1989. Effects of an experimental acid pulse on invertebrates in a high
altitude Sierra Nevada stream. Hydobiologia 171:45-58.
Kaitala, A. 1987. Dynamic life-history strategy of the water strider Gerris thoracicus as an adaptation to food
and habitat variation. Oikos 48:125-131.
McAuliffe, J.R. 1984. Resource depression by a stream herbivore: effects on distributions and abundances of other
grazers. Oikos 42:327-333.
Moore, K.A., and D.D. Williams. 1990. Novel strategies in the complex defense repertoire of a stonefly (Pteronarcys
dorsata) nymph. Oikos 57:49-56.
Palmer, M.A., A.E. Bely, and K.E. Berg. 1992. Response of invertebrates to lotic disturbance: a test of the hyporheic
refuge hypothesis. Oecologia 89:182-194.
Power, M.E. 1990. Resource enhancement by indirect effects of grazers: amored catfish, algae, and sediment. Ecology
71:897-904.
Svensson, B.W. 1985. Local extinction and re-immigration of whirligig beetles (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae). Ecology
66:1837-1848.
Williams, D.D., A.F. Tavares, and E. Bryant. 1987. Respiratory device or camouflage? - A case for the caddisfly.
Oikos 50:42-52.
Schedule
|
Week |
Lectures | Labs |
|
1 |
Objectives and procedures, definitions, morphological characteristics | Identification of orders Sampling of campus aquatic habitats |
|
2 |
Characteristics and trophic structure of lotic and lentic freshwaters | Field trip: Middle Patuxent River Demo: Invertebrate diversity |
|
3 |
Invertebrate evolution and diversity |
Field trip: Beltsville pond Demo: Invertebrate life histories |
|
4 |
Trophic relationships Feeding adaptations |
Sat Field Trip: Garrett Co. Demo: Feeding behavior and morphology Practical I |
|
5 |
Physiological adaptations Morphological and behavioral adaptations |
Field Trip: Catoctin Mts Demo: Respiration, swimming behavior, response to current |
|
6 |
Relation to water quality Eutrophication, acidity, heavy metals, pesticides |
Field trip: Paint Branch Creek to demonstrate biotic index Sat Field Trip: Baltimore Co. |
|
7 |
Community structure Population dynamics |
Biology and identification: Meiofauna, Plankton, Periphyton |
|
8 |
Intra- and interspecific competition Midterm |
Biology and identification: Annelida, Mollusca, Crustacea |
|
9 |
Herbivory and predation Top down - bottom up controls |
Biology and identification: Ephemeroptera, Odonata |
|
10 |
Life history strategies | Biology and identification: Plecoptera, Heteroptera Practical II |
|
11 |
Response to declining conditions Diapause, migration, and drift |
Biology and identification: Trichoptera, Megaloptera, Lepidoptera |
|
12 |
Metapopulations Population conservation |
Biology and identification: Coleoptera |
|
13 |
Spatial and temporal heterogeneity Sediment/microhabitat relationships |
Biology and identification: Diptera Chironomid identification |
|
14 |
Long-term prospects Bioremediation |
Review Final lab practical |
|
15 |
Course evaluation Final |
------ |
View some slides from the course.