Biodiversity Step 1 / Biodiversity Monitoring Form
The 4empowerment projects are designed to allow students from many different schools along a given watershed to share, compare and discuss each other's sampling station results. For this reason, it is necessary for each school to report their individual biodiversity results so that they represent the same amount of area/volume sampled. In addition to allowing these results to be discussed and compared on the same area/volumetric level, correcting your data will also help to eliminate bias (a kind of built in standard error present in all scientific studies). The following steps should be used in order to achieve standardized results:
- Use the Shannon-Wiener formula for each replicate; then, average those numbers so that you have a mean H' for the entire system.
- Determining the proper correction factor in order for your data to represent the number of given individuals you would expect to find in 1.0 m3 of water.
- Apply the conversion factor to your data.
First, (for each individual sample taken)
- Remove all flora/fauna from your sampling device being careful to retain ALL sample materials
- Identify and count all species using accurate and precise laboratory procedures
- Record each species found [Note: initially it is not necessary to know the exact scientific name of the organism found as long as all like species are identified to the same generic level (example: fish A...B...etc.)]
- Record the number of individuals within each species
- Record the dimensions of the sampling device used
- Record the distance the device was pulled through the water (Note: this measurement should be the same for all replicates, otherwise, it will be necessary to calculate a correction factor for each sample taken)
The following is an example of a correctly reported sample:
BIODIVERSITY MONITORING FORM
Biodiversity Step 1
| Sampling Technique:
Seine (optional)
Date: 04-02-1999
Length Of Pull (meters): 3.0m
School: Riverside High School
Test Site: San Felipe River sampling station
|
Replicate Number: 1of 3 (circle one)
Time (military): 09:30
Seine/Kick net dimensions: .25m * .45m
Monitoring Group: Extreme Team
|
Species
Green Darter
Red Darter
Mosquito Fish
Dragonfly Nymph A
Whirligig beetle
Amphipod A |
Number of Individuals Collected
5
2
4
1
2
15 |