Salmon in the Classroom Culmination Lab Answer Document
Name: Katie Good Date: May 16, 2014 Hour: 3rd Hour
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?
The importance too adding the creek water into the bucket of water the fish were in, because you
want to have their bodies warm up to the creek water.
2. Why is this important?
The importance to put the water in the bag is so that the fish’s body temperature doesn’t increase
or decrease too quickly. Also, you want to have the fish get used to the kind of nitrate, nitrite,
ammonia, dissolved oxygen, and PH of the Water.
3. What might happen if we were not to follow these steps?
If we do not follow these steps thoroughly the fish may not survive because of its body not being
immune to the new habitat it will be living in for the rest of their lives.
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)
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group 8
Group 9
Group 10
Group 11
Group 12
Group 13
Group 14
Group 15
2.5
1.6
1.2
2.5
2
2.8
3.5
2.5
2
2
2.5
2.5
3.3
2
2.5
2
2
1.2
1.5
1.75
2.5
2.6
2.5
2
2
2.25
2
2.5
1.5
2.5
2.5
2
1.5
1.5
2.2
3.1
1.5
2.25
2.25
2
3
1.5
2.75
1.25
2.5
2.5
2.4
1.4
2.5
2.25
2.7
2.1
2.25
1.25
2.4
2.25
3
2.8
1.75
2
2.4
2
1.5
2
2.8
1.5
2
2.2
2
2.25
2.5
2.4
2.2
2
2.25
2
1.5
1.5
2.5
2.4
2.8
2
1.5
2.5
Lab Station number 2
Water Quality
Date: Release Day
Ammonia Test .25 ppm
pH Test
7.66 PH
Dissolved
Oxygen Test
9.8ppm
Nitrate Test
Nitrite Test
0 ppm
Temperature
60 .9◦ F
0 ppm
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.
Three different substances that were in the water while we released our salmon were
Ammonia, PH, and Dissolved Oxygen. Ammonia in the salmon’s water is ok to have some but
once you are over .25 ppm you should be alarmed. PH is salmon water is good to have so that
the fish can have a basic material balance. Lastly, Dissolved Oxygen is the most important
thing to have in Salmon water, it is important because it provides enough oxygen to live.
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).
It is important for fish to have cooler water temperatures so that the dissolved oxygen stays
high. My research show that the higher the temperature the water is the lower the dissolved
oxygen level will become. Those mean that the fish will have a risk of death if the water
temperature is high.
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
Midge Fly Larva
Mayfly Larva
Stonefly Nymph
Watermites
Scuds (crustacean)
Caddisfly Larva
Crayfish
Damselfly
Fingernail Clam
Riffle Beetle
Blackfly Larva
Dragonfly
Gastropods (snail)
Water Penny
Leech
Water Boatmin
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?
There are 6 molecules of carbon to make up one total molecule of glucose.
2. How many molecules of water are needed to create one molecule of glucose?
There also has to be 6 molecules of water to make up one total molecule of glucose.
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?
Well you have to divide 42 by 6 to get 7. There would be 7 total molecules of glucose.
4. All producers go through this chemical reaction during the daylight hours. Why can’t they go through
photosynthesis during the night?
The producers cannot experience photosynthesis at night because when you have light it is converted to
chemical energy to produce sugar. In the night you have no light.
5. How are these producers important to the salmon that we are placing in the creek?
These producers are important because if fish do not have these they will not survive. They need food
to live.
6. How are the salmon important to the producers around the creek?
Salmon are important to the producers around the creek, because if the creek didn’t have the salmon
animals wont have food to eat and they cannot produce anything else.
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 Redhorse Sucker
Blue Gill
Emerald Shiner
Blackside darter
Creek chub
Rock bass
Rainbow Darter
Common shiner
Johnny darter
Largemouth bass
Northern hog sucker
Quailback Sucker
Spotted Sucker
Small Mouth Bass
Chesnut Lampray
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
These different fish have all different effects on our salmon. The salmon are mainly going to be prey
to the larger fish, but once they got larger they will become Predators to the smaller fishies.
Lab Station number 5B
Box and Whisker Plot Analysis
Fish Size Distribution (FMS 2013)
20
18
16
Length in Inches
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Redhorse
Chinook
SuckerSalmon
Lower Quartile 14.6
2.5
Minimum
13.4
1.2
Median
15.40 2.90
Maximum
17.7
Upper Quartile 16.1
5
3.25
Predator Species
Fish Size Distribution (FMS 2014)
25
Lenght in Inches
20
15
10
5
0
Redhorse Sucker Chinook
Lower Quartile
12
2
Minimum
10
1.75
12.50
2.25
20
2.8
Median
Maximum
Upper Quartile 13.75
2.5
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.
On the 13th of May 2014 Fulton Middle School 8th Graders traveled to Fish Creek in
Hubbardston, Michigan. Every year we have to collect data for the Redhorse Sucker. This year are
data changed dramatically compared to the year of 2013. In 2014 we only had collected the data
from 5 fish, and now we have data for about 20! In the box and whisker data table, the data in 2014
for the Redhorse sucker seems to be 50% lower than the data in 2013 because in 2013 the fish
average at a larger size.
The data that I have collected is a very good representation of the data that our grade has
collected. I know that this data is good because it shows the middle length of the fish. My data also
says the lowest length and the largest length.
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
Rock Size (cm)
20
15
Measurement 1
10
Measurement 2
Measurement 3
5
Linear (Measurement 1)
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Water Speed (meters per second)
1.4
1.6
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 45 m. 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
cm.
In this lab we studied the size of rock/grain sediments and the speed of the water in Fish
Creek in Hubbardston, Michigan. It seems when the water speed is moving faster the size of the
grains of rocks are larger. Also, when the water is moving slower the sizes of the grains are smaller.
To find the slope of the line you have to multiply 8.33 by your water speed. For every increase in
8.33 centimeter in rock size on the y-intercept the water speed increases by 1 meter per second. In
the terms of the situation, the y-intercept tells us when the water is not moving there is little to no
sediment in the river therefore the y- intercept is 1. We know that this is 1 because the y-intercept
starts at 1 centimeter. When the water is moving at 1 meter per second the average size of
sediments is around 8.3 cm. You would most likely find a grain with the size of 5 cm at 41.65 meters
per second.
Lab Station number 7
Habitat Assessment
Salmon species ____Chinook Salmon
Name of this stream _____Fish Creek__
Name of this watershed _ _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.
I believe that Fish Creek in Hubbardston, Michigan is a very suitable place to release our
baby Chinook salmon. I believe that this is a great place for many reasons. First, overhanging
vegetation makes it so that the salmon have a nice cool place to hang out when they are not
swimming. Second, the gravel on the bottom of the river is where the salmon spawn. Third, there is
a lot of litter in fish creek. The litter and the pollution are not good for the fish and may make it so
they don’t survive, but what river does have spotless water? Out of the 317 Chinook salmon we
released, I predict about half of those salmon survived. After all, they are all food to the larger fish.
Overall, Fish Creek is a good place for the Chinook salmon to be let go at. The only thing that
is not good is the pollution and the litter. The Salmon will have a long happy live in fish creek, and
will return to spawn in 2016 when we are in 10th grade.
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.