Salmon in the Classroom Culmination Lab Answer Document
Name: Luke Baker
Date: 5/14/2014
Hour: Math: 2 Science: 3
Directions: Complete ALL data tables, graphs and discussion questions.
You must answer all questions in appropriate QIS form by clicking on the textbox
and typing in your answer. For the data tables you must include the data that you
collected along with appropriate units of measurement.
Lab Station number 1
Salmon Release
1. What was the purpose to adding water from the creek to the bucket of water that the fish were
in?
By filling the bag with extra water from the lake, the fish are converting from our water to the
creeks water.
2. Why is this important?
By getting the fishes used to the water, they won’t die from going to the water that’s clean and
filtered to the water that’s filled with chemicals, trash, and different kinds of pollution.
3. What might happen if we were not to follow these steps?
The fish would die because of all the changes to their immediate environment.
4. Create a data table for the length of each fish that we released (you will need to get the lengths
from all other groups)
Released Salmon by 15 Groups
Groups
In
inc
hes
Fis
h1
Fis
h2
Fis
h3
Fis
h4
Fis
h5
Fis
h6
Fis
h7
Fis
h8
Fis
Gr
oup
1
2.5
Gr
oup
2
1.6
Gr
oup
3
1.2
Gr
oup
4
2.5
Gr
oup
5
2
Gr
oup
6
2.8
Gr
oup
7
3.5
Gr
ou
p8
2.5
Gro
up
9
2
Gr
oup
10
2
Gr
oup
11
2.5
Gr
oup
12
2.5
Gr
oup
13
3.3
Gr
oup
14
2
Gr
oup
15
2.5
2
2
1.2
1.5
2.5
2.6
2.5
2
2
2.5
1.5
2.5
2
1.5
1.5
3.1
1.5
1.5
1.4
2.5
2.7
2.1
2.2
5
3
1.2
5
1.7
5
2.5
2.4
2
1.5
2.2
5
2
2.7
5
2.8
2.5
2.4
2.2
5
1.2
5
2.5
2
2.5
2.2
5
2.2
5
2.2
5
2.2
5
3
2
2.5
1.7
5
2.2
2.8
1.5
2
2.2
2
2.4
2.4
2
2.2
1.5
1.5
2.4
2
2.8
1.5
2.2
5
2
2
h9
Fis
h
10
Fis
h
11
Fis
h
12
2.5
1.5
2.5
Lab Station number 2
Water Quality
Date: Release Day
Ammonia Test .25ppm
pH Test
7.7ppm
Dissolved
Oxygen Test
9.76ppm
Nitrate Test
Nitrite Test
.1ppm
Temperature
60.9 ̊ Fahrenheit
5ppm
1. Identify three different substances that are present in the water where we are releasing our
salmon. With regard to each substance, will the substance positively or negatively affect the
survival of our fish? Explain.
The pH will positively affect the salmon because 7.7 is close to pure water which means that
it’s not too much of a good thing, and it’s not acidic water, like lemon juice (acid) or bleach
(base).
Ammonia is the same as it was in our tank. This is good because too much ammonia can be
acidic. So, the Ammonia is ok, not the best, but okay.
Dissolved Oxygen is important to our salmon. We kept the Dissolved Oxygen around the same
every part of the year. With this Dissolved Oxygen being close to that, it will stand for the fact
that they will have enough to support not only our fish, but all the fish in the river.
2. Why is temperature important to the survival of our fish? Describe why they need colder
temperatures (think about the relationship between temperature and amount of dissolved gassesspecifically oxygen).
Temperature is important to the salmon because the colder it is, the more dissolved oxygen
there is in the actual water, so keeping the temperature at around the same will also make it
easier for them to adapt to the new water.
Lab Station number 3
Macro Invertebrate Study
Directions: Assign a group member to report the type and number of invertebrates that your group found.
This information will be posted in the class so that you can complete the following bar graph by inputting
the entire 8th grades data.
Macroinvertebate Population in Fish Creek 2006
Mayfly
Caddisfly Larva
Damselfly
Dragonfly
Scuds (crustacean)
Stonefly Nymph
Dobson Fly
Gastropods
Bivalves
Alder Fly
Crayfish
Hemiptera (true bugs)
Macroinvertebate Population in Fish Creek 2013
Corixids
Mayfly species
Blackfly Larva
Stonefly
Midge
Damselfly Larva
Piggyback Swimmer
Fingernail clam
Watermites
Caddisfly Larva
Crayfish
Scud
Riffle Beetle
Giant Cranefly
Dragonfly larva
Isopod
Whirlygig beetle
Bloodworm
Leech
Deerfly Larva
Macroinvertebate Population in Fish Creek 2014
Midgefly larva
Mayfly Larva
Stonefly Nymph
Water mites
Scuds (crustacean)
Caddisfly Larva
Crayfish
Damselfly Larva
Fingernail clam
Riffle Beetle
Black Fly Larva
Dragonfly
Gastropods
Water penny
Leech
Water Boatman
Hemiptera (true bugs)
Dobson fly Larva
Alder Fly larva
Lab Station number 4
Producers Identification
1. How many molecules of Carbon dioxide are needed to create one molecule of glucose?
It takes 6 carbon dioxide molecules to make glucose.
2. How many molecules of water are needed to create one molecule of glucose?
6 water molecules because it takes 1 oxygen molecule and 2 hydrogen molecules to make H2O.
Altogether, in glucose, there 6 oxygen and 12 hydrogen molecules, so there is an even 6 H2O molecules.
3. If a plant was to convert 42 molecules of CO2 and 42 molecules of H2O into glucose, how many
molecules of glucose would be produced?
If you combined all those, you would end up with 42 molecules of glucose, with a lot of oxygen
molecules left over.
4. All producers go through this chemical reaction during the daylight hours. Why can’t they go through
photosynthesis during the night?
It takes sunlight to go through photosynthesis, so that’s why they can’t go through it I the night.
5. How are these producers important to the salmon that we are placing in the creek?
Producers are important to salmon because they provide places of shade, things to chow on if hungry,
because most attract bugs, and especially because they can provide a place where predators like birds
can’t get to.
6. How are the salmon important to the producers around the creek?
Salmon can provide protection to producers by eating some of the bugs that plague it. Salmon can help
“fertilize” the plants too.
Lab Station number 5A
Predator/ Prey Identification
Percent of Population in Fish Creek 1996
White sucker
Blacknose dace
Sculpins (family)
Johnny darter
Northern hog sucker
Creek chub
Blackside darter
Brown Trout
Central mudminnow
Common shiner
Northern pike
Percent of Population in Fish Creek 2013
Green Sunfish
Jonny Darter
Common Shiner
Finescale dace
Pumpkin seed
Golden Rehorse Sucker
Rainbow darter
Burbot
Creek Chub
Rock Bass
Chestnut lamprey
Smallmouth bass
White Sucker
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Directions: Assign a group member to report the type and number of predator Species that your group
caught. This information will be posted in the class so that you can complete the following bar graph by
inputting the entire 8th grades data.
Percent of Population in Fish Creek 2014
Golden Red Horse Sucker
Blue Gill
Emerald Shiner
Blackside darter
Creek chub
Rock bass
Rainbow Darter
Common shiner
Johnny darter
Largemouth bass
Northern hog sucker
Quill back Sucker
Spotted Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Chestnut Lamprey
Blacknose dace
Brown Trout
White sucker
Central mudminnow
Northern pike
Sculpins (family)
Stickleback (family)
1.
What type of interaction do these “fish” have with our salmon? Will they become predators, prey,
or competitors? Explain
In general, our salmon will be all of those things at one point or another. As we released them, they
had become prey. Other things will try to eat them while the fish are small. Wait till they grow, then
they will become predators. They eat other fish as they grow, but they will still be prey. Pike and Bass
will eat the salmon. They won’t really compete because these are two of the only other competitors,
and other species, which would become prey, have great populations. There isn’t really a need to
compete.
Lab Station number 5B
Box and Whisker Plot Analysis
Fish Size Distribution (FMS 2013)
20
18
16
Lenght in Inches
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Redhorse Sucker
Chinook Salmon
Lower Quartile
14.6
2.5
Minimum
13.4
1.2
Median
15.40
2.90
Maximum
17.7
5
Upper Quartile
16.1
3.25
Predator Species
Fish Size Distribution (2014)
16
14
Lenght in Inches
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Redhorse Sucker
Chinook Salmon
Lower Quartile
12
2
Minimum
10
1.75
12.50
2.25
15
2.8
13.75
2.5
Median
Maximum
Upper Quartile
Predator Species
Using the 5 number summary and the chart of the previous years’ data, specifically compare both of the
fish species from previous years. Please be sure to include the following information for full credit:
2. Input your data from the Salmon Release into the chart. The Box and Whisker plots from
previous years have been created for you.
3. In a paragraph, beginning with a topic sentence, compare your fish data to previous years. Be
sure to include specific descriptions. For example, the top 50% percent of our walleye were
longer than 75% of the walleye caught in previous years. Be sure to do this for EACH of the 3
types. In a final paragraph, describe whether or not you believe your collected data to be a good
representation of the actual length of this type of fish in the spillway or not.
Comparing both the years, using the box and whisker plot, last year had it good. There
salmon were a lot bigger than ours. 75% of our fish are smaller than 25% of theirs. Not only that, but
most of our salmon were under 2 inches, while some of theirs are over 3. Comparing the Redhorse
Suckers, theirs were still bigger than ours. 75% of theirs were bigger than 75% of ours. That means
our top 25% is even with their bottom 25%. Last years wish were huge!
I believe the data we recorded was accurate because, not using the box and whisker plot,
just my knowledge, we had more fish then them. Using the box and whisker plot, yes it was. We
collected a lot of fish, found the different centers of focus, like the median, lower quartile, and other
different things like that. The median, being 12.5 (Redhorse sucker), is the average size this year of
them. The median of our salmon is also different. We have raised more fish this year than most
years, and released more. It is only natural that our points be a little off. Moreover, Using the box
and whisker plots; the river is steadily decreasing in animal size, but increasing in population size.
Additional Information found at:
http://pond.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/fish.html
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/seagrant/GLWL/Fish/minnows/minnows.html
Lab Station number 6
Rock Grain Size
Scatter-Plot and Line of Best Fit
Input the data that you collected into the graph by clicking on the Chart tab, and then the Edit button.
Create a scatter plot of your data by inputting your data into the given Excel sheet. Place a Line of Best
Fit on your scatter plot by picking the chart layout that will draw a line (Layout 3). Create the equation
for the line by determining the slope and the y-intercept of your line.
Rock Grain Size
Sediment Size (cm)
20
15
Measurement 1
10
Measurement 2
Measurement 3
5
Linear (Measurement 1)
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
Water Speed (meters per second)
In a paragraph, including a topic sentence, answer the following questions about your data.
1. Is the association between the average sediment size and the water speed positive, negative, or
does there seem to be no relationship?
2. What does the slope of the line tell you in terms of the situation (be sure to talk about both
variables)?
3. What does the y-intercept tell you in terms of the situation?
4. Using your equation, predict the average sediment size at 1 meter per second and 0.5 meters per
second.
5. Using your equation, predict the distance where you would find sediment with a grain size of 5
Using the line of best fit, the flow between rocks and sentiments has a great variation
when sediment sizes become greater. There is a positive relationship between the
sediment sizes and the speed at which the velocity of water increases in meters for every
second (mps). In accordance with the line of best fit, the slope tells you that for every
12.5cm of sediment size, the water is increasing by 1 mps. Using the line of best fit, you can
see that the line of best fit crosses over the y at .5 centimeters (cm). Meaning, at still water,
there is a sediment size of .5 cm. Seeing that this factoid stands, then the formula for
finding water speed would be y = 12.5 x+.5 . An example for this would be using 1 mps, so y
= 12.5 * 1 + .5 which ends up getting you 13 cm in sediment size. Using this for a different
example, .5, you’d end up with 6.75 cm of sediment size. Finally, what would the sediment
size be if the waters mps was 5, using the same equation, y= 12.5 * 5+ .5? Actually, it would
end up being 63 cm of sediment size. So in general, the water speed and sediment sizes
increase, then the water speed increase, making this a positive relationship.
Lab Station number 7
Habitat Assessment
Salmon Species Chinook Salmon Name of this stream ______Fish Creek ________
Name of this water __________Grand River Watershed________________
Discussion Question
1. Do you think the salmon will be able to survive in Fish Creek and return to spawn? Why
or why not? Explain in detail using your river habitat assessment data and data from
at least two (2) other lab stations. Answer in QIS form. This will be a portion of your
argumentative report in Language Arts.
All around, Fish Creek was one of the greatest places to possibly relocate our salmon to, so
they can survive and spawn. Fish creek is a fine place. It’s on the Grand River watershed, one of the
most well-known watersheds in Michigan. It’s a very dammy water shed though…
Let’s look at the water quality. Compared to our annual averages, all of the creeks water
quality tests were almost spot on. Some were spot on, like the ammonia. Others were close, like the
dissolved oxygen. Altogether though, they were pretty dam close… ha-ha… get it? Back On topic
though, they were at great levels. pH was at almost pure water with 7.7, so a bit over pure and into
basic. Dissolved Oxygen was at a good level, being over with 9.76. Dissolved oxygen is great, it helps
the fish breathe. With so many fish, High levels of dissolved oxygen can save a life. So many fish, so
big of a creek, and know theirs some more competitors to join the party.
Thinking on the topic of consumers, as we released them, they had become prey. Other
things will try to eat them while the fish are small. Wait till they grow, and then they will become
predators. They eat other fish as they grow, but they will still be prey. Pike and Bass will eat the
salmon. They won’t really compete because these are two of the only other competitors, and other
species, which would become prey, have great populations. There isn’t really a need to compete.
So… in general, if they can survive throughout childhood, then they’ll have a very, very easy life.
Now, when looking at the river, it doesn’t look like a place a fish would live. Look farther
down the river. You can see a lot of different spots to spawn, called riffles, and places t live as they
grow older, called pools. Looking at the banks of the river, we can see that there is lots of
overhanging vegetation, which can be some of use to the salmon because it gives them a place to
hide if a predator comes around. There’s even some woods along the bank, so its harder for some
predators to even get o waters edge to hunt them down, like a raccoon or other mammals/ birds.
The habitat is perfect for them, what else do you need?
All together, looking back, Fish Creek is one of the greatest spots in the state of Michigan to
release our salmon. The water quality is magnificent. There is no need to compete when they get
older. Habitat assessment states that even some of the most industrial parts of the river, in other
words the dam, are a great place for the fish to live. All around, this place is a great place, and next
year is going to be a blast.
Lab Station number 8
Fishing
For each of the fish that were caught during our lab day create a box and whisker plot and add that data to
your report for lab stations #5A and 5B.
0 data collected