Tea c her Resourc e Pa c ka g e
For more information please contact the
Environmental Education Coordinator
Department for Environment and Heritage
11 Helen St Mt Gambier SA 5290
Phone: 08 8735 1145
Fax: 08 8735 1135
Updated Jul 2010
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources
South East Natural Resources
Management Board
Acknowledgements
The comprehension exercise was developed by Matthew Cattanach of the Onkaparinga Waterwatch Network.
The life cycle graphics were adapted from the Waterwatch South Australia Manual.
The habitat zone pictures are adapted from the Waterwatch Australia Technical Manual.
Contents
1.
What are Macroinvertebrates?
Lea rn a b out the fea tures of m a c roinverteb ra tes a nd
macroinvertebrate and an invertebrate.
the d ifferenc e b etw een a
2. What do Macroinvertebrates eat?
What d o m a c roinverteb ra tes ea t? How d o they ea t their food sourc e? Lea rn a b out the
food web concept.
3. Life Cycle
Lea rn a b out the life c yc le of inverteb ra tes. Dra w a nd la b el a d ia g ra m of a typ ic a l
macroinvertebrate life cycle.
4. Macroinvertebrate habitat
Learn about what places within a waterway macroinvertebrates like to live in. Find out why
a healthy habitat is important for macroinvertebrates.
5. How do Macroinvertebrates breathe
Lea rn a b out som e of the fa sc ina ting w a ys tha t m a c roinverteb ra tes a re a b le to b rea the
under water.
6. Threats to aquatic invertebrates
What is having a negative effect on the macroinvertebrate populations in the South East?
7. Macroinvertebrates found in the South East
Learn about the common macroinvertebrate species found in the South East?
8. Additional resources
I ha ve inc lud ed a list of g rea t resourc es to help your c la ss lea rn m ore a b out
macroinvertebrates
9. Further Learning Opportunities
Some suggested activities for your class to complete.
10. Macroinvertebrate Fact Sheets
Ma cro Fa cts - Some b iza rre a nd interesting fa c ts a b out som e of the m ore c om m on
macroinvertebrate species found in the South East and throughout Australia.
Ma croinvertebra te Ha bita ts- Inform a tion on the d ifferent ha b ita t zones inha b ited b y
aquatic macroinvertebrates.
-2-
1. What
a re Ma croinvertebra tes?
Ma c roinverteb ra tes a re a q ua tic a nim a ls tha t a re q uite sm a ll b ut c a n b e seen w ith the
na ked eye (G ood erha m & Tsyrlin, 2002). The w ord m a c ro m ea ns b ig a nd the Greek w ord
inverteb ra te m ea ns no b a c kb one a nd this is reflec ted w ith m a c roinverteb ra tes b eing
visible to the naked eye and containing no backbone.
They a re a d iverse g roup of a nim a ls tha t c a n b e w o rm s, c rusta c ea ns or insec ts inc lud ing
b eetles, b ug s a nd even sp id ers. Ma c roinverteb ra tes c a n b e fo und in b oth running w a ter
and in still water.
Ma c roinverteb ra tes ha ve sp ec ia lised b od y system s tha t a llow them to live in w a ter. They
ha ve g ills instea d of lung s, a llow ing them to ob ta in oxyg en from the w a ter. Different
species also have different mouthparts depending on what they eat.
One of the m ost c om m on q uestions a sked is Do m a c roinverteb ra tes
g row ?
Well, the answer is, yes of course they do.
All inverteb ra tes g row . Som e sp ec ies suc h a s leec hes a nd sna ils ha ve skins
tha t c a n g row a t the sa m e ra te a s the rest of the a nim a l a nd sim p ly
g et b ig g er the sa m e w a y a s w e d o . Both c rusta c ea ns a nd insec ts
have exo-skeletons, w hic h d on t g row onc e they ha ve ha rd ened .
These a nim a ls a re c a lled a rthrop od s and shed their exo-skeleton a s they g row to a void
b een c om p ressed insid e this outer shell. They d o this b y rep la c ing the old shell w ith a new
one which is bigger.
A Dragonfly Larvae
No Bones, No Worries!
Aq ua tic Ma c roinverteb ra tes d o n t ha ve a b a c kb one a nd this m ea ns tha t they a re hig hly
prone to becoming damaged in the water.
Aq ua tic m a c roinverteb ra tes ha ve d evelop ed som e a m a zing fea tures over tim e to help
p rotec t them from d a m a g e in a n a q ua tic environm ent. These fea tures inc lud e c onta ining
a p rotec tive outer shell a round their b od y to p rotec t their org a ns a s seen on a d ra g o nfly
a nd d a m selfly la rva e a nd m ost c rusta c ea ns. Other typ es of m a c roinverteb ra tes w ill live in
ha rd ob jec ts tha t a re found in w a terw a ys suc h a s insid e stic ks a nd tw ig s. The c a d d isfly
la rva e is one exa m p le. This a nim a l w ill ea t throug h the c enter of a stic k a nd c a rry the stic k
around with it while in the water.
A Damselfly Larvae has a
skeleton on the outside of
its body called an
exoskeleton to protect
itself.
The Caddisfly Larvae uses
objects in the water such as
sticks to protect itself.
-3-
2. Wha t
do ma croinvertebra tes ea t?
The food w eb is a c onc ep t, w hic h exp la ins how d ifferent org a nism s ob ta in food w ithin a n
ec osystem . The foo d w eb c onsists of va rious levels inc lud ing p rod uc ers, herb ivores,
d etritivores a nd p red a tors. At the b ottom of the food w eb a re the p rod uc ers; these a re
org a nism s suc h a s p la nts a nd a lg a e. These org a nism s c rea te their food in the form o f
energ y fro m sunlig ht or ra w m a teria ls. Herb ivores a re the sec ond level a nd they ea t
p rod uc ers. Herb ivores c a n b e either sc ra p ers or shred d ers; w ith sc ra p ers sc ra p ing sm a ll
la yers of a lg a e off surfa c es a nd shred d ers w hic h c hew throug h lea ves a nd p la nts.
Detritivores ea t a m ixture of lea f litter, w ood y d eb ris a nd d ea d org a nism s. Ma ny
detritovores are also herbivores because their mouthparts and digestive systems are similar.
The p red a tors a re a t the hig hest level a nd feed off la rg er inverteb ra tes they c a n feed o n
either producers or herbivores.
Ma c roinverteb ra tes a re c la ssed a s herb ivores, d etritovores or p red a tors. This m ea ns tha t
som e sp ec ies inc lud ing sna ils ea t p rod uc er org a nism s suc h a s p la nts a nd a lg a e, w hile
som e ea t d ea d p la nt m a teria l or d etritus. Ma ny sp ec ies suc h a s a Dra g onfly La rva e feed
off other smaller animals, including smaller invertebrates making them predators.
Ma c roinverteb ra tes c onta in sp ec ia lised m outhp a rts, w hic h d eterm ine w ha t typ e of
herb ivore they a re. Herb ivores c a n b e either sc ra p ers or shred d ers w ith sc ra p ers c onta ining
b rush or b la d e like m outhp a rts eq uip p ed fo r rem oving firm ly a tta c hed a lg a e. Alterna tively,
Shredders contain chewing mouthparts.
Som e Ma c roinverta b ra tes a re p red a tors or c a rnivores, this m ea ns they p rey on other
smaller animals and eat meat. These animals tend to contain piercing mouthparts.
Mouthparts of Dragonflies and Damselflies. These have been adapted
for capturing prey.
-4-
Wha t Ea ts Ma croinvertebra tes?
Picture from: Environmental Starters
Gould League VIC.
Many animals eat macroinvertebrates. In the picture above the invertebrates have
been highlighted. The vertebrate predators of macroinvertebrates include; frogs,
fish, birds and mammals like water rats.
-5-
3. Life Cycles
The life c yc le of a m a c roinverteb ra te is q uite sim p le. They ha tc h from eg g s a nd sp end a
long tim e d evelop ing into a la rva e or nym p h sta g e. Onc e the la rva e or nym p h ha s g row n
they become adults and can reproduce to begin the cycle again.
The following is a diagram of a macroinvertebrate life cycle. You could use this diagram for
your students to draw and label the cycle or build a model using clay or recycled materials
such as icy pole sticks and pipe cleaners.
-6-
3. Habitat
The q ua lity of ha b ita t is im p orta nt for a ll m a c roinverteb ra tes surviva l. Ma c roinverteb ra tes
live in a ra ng e of ha b ita ts ra ng ing from flo w ing c reeks a nd strea m s to still p ond s a nd la kes,
w etla nd s a nd estua ries. In a ny of these w a terw a ys a q ua tic veg eta tion, lea f litter a nd
woody debris all provide the essential habitat for a range of macroinvertebrates.
Streams, Creeks and Rivers
Flow ing w a terw a ys suc h a s c reeks, rivers a nd strea m s a re often b roken into 2 sec tions; fa st
flow ing a nd slow flow ing . The fa st flow ing a rea s a re know n a s riffles . Ma c ro inverteb ra tes
found in the riffle a rea s live on a nd und er roc ks so they c a n hold onto the strea m b ed a nd
not be washed down stream.
The slow flo w ing a rea s a re know n a s p ools . Ma c roinverteb ra te sp ec ies found living in this
area are free living and are often found swimming around in the water.
A typical river habitat.
Ponds and Lakes
La kes offer a d iverse ra ng e o f d ep ths w hic h sup p orts a ra ng e o f a q ua tic flora a nd this
p rovid es a va riety of ha b ita t for m a c roinverteb ra tes to inha b it. There tend s to b e a d iverse
ra ng e of sp ec ies living in la kes b ec a use of the ra ng e of ha b ita t tha t is p resent w ithin the
water body.
Pond s a nd d a m s w hic h a re not d irec tly c onnec ted to flow ing strea m s ha ve a low d iversity
of m a c roinverteb ra tes. This environm ent c a n som etim es not a lw a ys c onta in w a ter a nd
therefore c a n sp end ha lf of the yea r d ry. Sp ec ies tha t fly suc h a s flies m osq uitoes a nd
midges tend to colinate these areas because the waterbody is not connected to a flowing
waterway.
A typical pond habitat
-7-
Wetlands and Marshes
Wetlands provide some of the most diverse habitats and often consist of a large diversity of
sp ec ies. These sites a lso sp end so m e p a rt of the yea r d ry. Wetla nd s sup p ort a hig h d iversity
b ec a use they tend to c onta in a hig h nutrient c ontent m a king them extrem ely p ro d uc tive
environments for the development of aquatic flora.
A typical wetland habitat
-8-
4. Breathing
There a re 2 m a in sourc es for ob ta ining oxyg en for a q ua tic macroinverteb ra tes; the
a tm osp here just a b o ve the w a ter surfa c e a nd the oxyg en d issolved in the w a ter. The
oxygen p resent w ithin the w a ter is c om b ined w ith hyd rog en a nd is therefore not a va ila b le
itself, a s it c a nnot b e sep a ra ted from the hyd rog en, it is therefore a va ila b le a s d issolved
oxygen.
Oxygen from the atmosphere
Animals that obtain oxygen from the atmosphere either swim to the surface, break through
the surfa c e w a ter to ob ta in their oxyg en sup p ly a nd hold onto their oxyg en sup p ly in the
w a ter. Alterna tively, they m a y o b ta in a long tub e w hic h the a nim a l c a n p oke up to the
surface, like a snorkel to obtain their oxygen supply.
Anim a ls tha t c a tc h oxyg en fro m the a tm osp here m ust b e a b le to store this
oxyg en so m ew here w hile they a re sw im m ing und er the w a ter. Som e a nim a ls
suc h a s the Ba c ksw im m er c a rry a n a ir b ub b le w ith them und er their a b d om en
a nd use a row of ha irs a long the ed g es to tra p the oxyg en, w hile other
a nim a ls inc lud ing m a ny b eetles store their oxyg en und er their w ing p a d s.
The Backswimmer collects a bubble
of air from the atmosphere and
st or e s it on it s be lly!
Anim a ls, suc h a s a m osq uito la rva e c onta in a short tub e a t
the end of its b od y w hic h c a n b e extend ed into the
a tm osp here w here they sp rea d a row o f ha irs a long the
water surface, leaving an opening for the animal to take in oxygen.
Using Dissolved Oxygen
Another m ethod for ob ta ining oxyg en for a nim a ls living in w a ter is to use the d issolved
oxyg en p resent in the w a ter a nd d evelop ing g ills. Aq ua tic inverteb ra tes tha t ha ve
d evelop ed g ills b rea the b y p a ssing a w a ter c urrent throug h their b od y a nd out throug h
their g ills. The g ills c onta in b lood vessels a nd a s the w a ter p a sses throug h them , oxyg en
p a sses into the b lood strea m a nd c a rb on d ioxid e p a sses out into the w a ter. A Dra g o nfly
Larvae contains gills inside its rectum and breathes by taking water into its rectum and then
forcing it out again.
Damselfly Larvae showing their gills at
the base of their tail which enable the
animal to breathe under water.
A Mayfly Larvae which has its gills at their
sides of their body.
Gills on a Damselfly
Larvae
-9-
Mayfly
Larvae gills
5. Threa ts to
ma croinvertebra te popula tions
Dec lining w a ter q ua lity, b lue g reen a lg a l b loom s, c o nta m ina tion from p estic id es, nutrient
a nd sed im ent p ollution, m ic rob es a nd sa linity a re just som e of the issues a ffec ting m a ny
w a terw a ys in Austra lia . All of these issues a ffec t the q ua lity of o ur w a ter a nd p ose a threa t
to our d rinking w a ter sup p lies, b ut w ha t a ffec t d oes this ha ve on m a c roinverteb ra te
populations that call our rivers and streams home?
There a re a num b er of m a jor loc a l issues a ffec ting m a c roinverteb ra tes in the South Ea st
inc lud ing d ec lining w a ter q ua lity, na tive veg eta tion c lea ra nc e a nd sem i p erm a nent w a ter
bodies or waterways that only have water for short periods of the year.
Let s ta ke a look a t how ea c h o f these m a jor issues a ffec ts m a c roinverteb ra tes a nd w ha t
can be done to manage these issues.
Water quality
Dec lining w a ter q ua lity ha s hug e im p lic a tions for m a c roinverteb ra te p op ula tions. Wa te r
q ua lity c a n d ec line d ue to a num b er of p ossib le rea sons; a c hem ic a l sp ill or d um p ing , a n
influx of nutrients suc h a s p hosp ha te a nd nitra te, rising sa linity a nd inc rea sed turb id ity fro m
erosion or stoc k c rossing the w a terw a y. Ma ny typ es o f inverteb ra tes a re sensitive to w a ter
p ollution w hic h m ea ns a ny p ollution tha t enters a w a terw a y ha s d ra m a tic effec ts on
ind ivid ua ls a nd p otentia lly their entire p op ula tion. Should p ollution enter a w a terw a y
m a c roinverteb ra te num b ers w ill d ec line a nd eventua lly none w ill c olonise tha t p a rtic ula r
area.
Native vegetation clearance
Ha b ita t fra g m enta tion or the c lea ring of na tive veg eta tion is a c onc ern for
m a c roinverteb ra te p op ula tions. The c lea ring of na tive veg eta tion ultim a tely red uc es the
ha b ita t a va ila b le for m a c roinverteb ra te p op ula tions to c olonise. By red uc ing their ha b ita t
m a c roinverteb ra tes a re m ore susc ep tib le to p red a tion from la rg er a nim a ls, ha ve a
red uc ed food sourc e a nd w a ter q ua lity in the system they live in w ill d ec line d ue to less
filtering of nutrients a nd hig her soil erosion ra tes w hic h c ould lea d to a p op ula tion rise in
exotic plants and animals.
- 10 -
6. Ma croinvertebra tes found
in the South Ea st
The South Ea st reg ion is a b iolog ic a lly d iverse a rea for a q ua tic m a c roinverteb ra tes a nd
more than 350 types of macroinvertebrates have been recorded in the region since 1994.
The hig h d iversity of sp ec ies is m ost p rob a b ly d ue to the hig h ra infa ll evid ent in the reg ion
whic h c rea tes a n a b und a nc e o f ha b ita ts ra ng ing from flow ing c oa sta l strea m s to sea sona l
waterways. This varying number of habitats allows a variety of species to populate an area.
The m ost c om m on m a c roinverteb ra te sp ec ies found in the reg ion inc lud e round w o rms,
sna ils, a m p hip od c rusta c ea ns, m id g e la rva e, m a yfly la rva e a nd freshw a ter shrim p s. Alo ng
w ith these c om m on typ es there a re a lso severa l ra re typ es inc lud ing stonefly nym p hs,
native snails, beetles and freshwater crayfish.
Ma c roinverteb ra tes ha ve som e interesting a nd fa sc ina ting fea tures tha t ha ve a llow ed
them to live in a n a q ua tic environm ent. Here is som e inform a tion a b out som e of the
common types found in the South East which may help you find and identify them.
Roundworms
Eats: Eat organic matter both living and dead.
Identification clue: The end of roundworms taper to a point.
Lives: Roundworms prefer to live amongst the strata where they burrow
in.
Snails
Eats: Sna ils a re sc ra p er feed ers w hic h sc ra p e a lg a e from roc ks a nd
plants.
Lives: Lives amongst the weeds and stones in a slow flowing waterway.
Amphipod crustaceans
Eats: Dead and decomposing plant and animal matter
Lives: These a nim a ls c a n live in a va riety of environm ents from
flowing water to stagnant pools.
Midge Larvae
Eats: Algae and debris and can be predacious, feeding on other animals.
Identification clue: Worm like animals with some types been red in body colour.
Lives: Lives in the sediment at the bottom of the waterway.
Caddisfly Larvae
Eats: Are sc ra p er feed ers w hic h sc ra p e a lg a e
from the roc ks they live on, or filter m a teria l from
the w a ter c urrent. Som e typ es a re even
predators of insects and crustaceans.
Identifica tion clue: Ma kes a p orta b le c a se from
stones, p la nt m a teria l a nd sed im ent a nd c a rries
this around with it like a tortoise shell.
Lives: At the b ottom of the w a terw a y a m ong st
the sediment and rocks.
- 11 -
Mayfly Larvae
Eats: Scraper feed ers w hic h sc ra p e a lg a e from roc ks or ea t d ec a ying p la nt a nd
animal material.
Identifica tion clue: Ha ve fea thery g ills on their a b d om en a nd 3 ta ils a t the end of
their abdomen.
Lives: Under rocks and logs in both flowing and non flowing streams.
Freshwater Shrimp
Eats: Plant and animal material
Lives: Low flowing rivers and still waterways.
- 12 -
7. Macroinvertebrate
Materials
Books
Child, J. (1968). Australian Pond and Stream Life. Lee Fung Printing Company, Hong Kong.
Gooderham, J., Tsyrlin, E. (2002). The Waterbug Book. CSIRO Publishing, Victoria.
Ha w king , J., Sm ith, F. (1997). Color Guid e to Inverteb ra tes of Austra lia n Inla nd Wa ters.
Cooperative Research Center for Freshwater Ecology, Albury.
Hod son, A. (2002). Minib ea sts of Wetla nd s. Urrb ra e Printing Servic es, Netherb y, South
Australia.
Miller, R. (1996). Freshwater Invertebrates. Gould League of Victoria, Australia.
Wallis, W. & Sm yth, C. (1992). Pond ing . Ac tivities for your loc a l la ke, p ond or p ud d le. Gould
League of Victoria, Australia.
Websites
Critter Catalogue.
www.sa.waterwatch.org.au/programs.htm#new
Waterwatch Australia Technical Manual. Biological Parameters.
www.waterwatch.org.au/library/module3/index.html
- 13 -
Further Lea rning Opportunities
Marvelous Macro Minds!
How m uc h d o yo u know a b out m a c roinverteb ra tes? Und erta ke a short c la ssroom q uiz to
find out w ho is the m a ster m a c ro in your c la ss. Refer to the inform a tion c onta ined in this
pack for some ideas for questions and the answers.
Some questions might include:
If I contained gills for breathing what method would I use to obtain oxygen?
The Greek word invertebrate means?
What order does a macroinvertebrate life cycle take?
Where do Ma cro s live?
Using the ha b ita t c ross sec tion p oster a nd w a terb ug p ic tures (lo c a ted a t the end of this
p a c ka g e) c olour in the ha b ita t p oster a nd the w a terb ug s a nd stic k the w a terb ug s onto
the poster in the habitat zones preferred by different macroinvertebrates.
My Favorite Macro
Prep a re a rep ort on yo ur fa vorite a q ua tic m a c roinverteb ra te sp ec ies. The rep ort c ould
contain information including:
The common and scientific name of the macro.
What type of habitat it lives in.
What does it eat and the type of feeder it is classified as.
Some interesting features about the animal.
Draw a picture of the macro
The Waterbug Hunt
Comprehension Exercise
Rea d the c om p rehension exerc ise, Wa terb ug Hunt p rep a red b y the Onka p a ringa
Waterwatch Network and complete the comprehension questions at the end.
Macro Sampling
Practical Activity
Ta ke a visit to your loc a l w a terw a y a nd c ollec t a nd id entify som e a q ua tic
m a c roinverteb ra tes. Id entify a s m a ny w a terb ug s a s p ossib le a nd d eterm ine the p ollution
index for this site. Contact Waterwatch coordinator 87 351145.
Create A Critter
Creative Activity
Reconstruct your favorite water critter using a variety of features from common
macroinvertebrates found at you local Waterwatch site.
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AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATE
WORD FIND
Why are aquatic macroinvertebrates important in determining water health?
Find a ll the m a c roinverteb ra te w ord s in the p uzzle a nd string tog ether the
remaining letters to answer the question.
E
F
N
P
H
A
N
T
O
M
M
I
D
G
E
L
C
I
I
C
A
Y
I
Y
D
S
S
U
R
Y
T
A
A
S
T
T
L
T
A
O
P
T
N
E
L
BACKSWIMMER
CADDISFLY
COPEPOD
CRANEFLY
DAMSELFLY
E
D
E
M
H
E
F
D
N
P
R
O
W
M
F
E
D
L
O
R
I
E
R
D
E
I
N
A
M
L
B
I
F
S
E
W
N
A
L
P
N
E
T
I
E
G
S
R
Q
A
A
A
G
R
O
G
F
E
W
S
DRAGONFLY
FISHINGSPIDER
MOSQUITO
PHANTOMMIDGE
SOLDIERFLY
I
F
E
U
D
T
R
O
S
C
T
L
R
S
M
G
L
T
I
W
E
C
N
E
P
A
Y
M
K
A
I
Y
A
T
O
S
U
F
V
O
I
L
I
C
D
SPRINGTAIL
STONEFLY
THREADWORM
WATERBOATMAN
WATERFLEA
L
W
W
O
R
R
A
L
E
F
L
D
T
A
I
R
E
D
E
M
Q
L
Y
L
P
O
L
E
B
O
WATERSCORPION
COPEPOD
BACKSWIMMER
- 15 -
H
A
R
E
D
I
R
T
S
R
E
T
A
W
O
WATERMITE
WATERSCORPION
WATERSTRIDER
WHIRLIGIGBEETLE
STONEFLY
DAMSELFLY
I
I
T
Y
L
F
R
E
I
D
L
O
S
R
N
WATERMITE
W
N
A
M
T
A
O
B
R
E
T
A
W
T
O
Comprehension Exercise
The Great Waterbug Hunt
Prepared by Matt Cattanach - Education Officer, Onkaparinga Waterwatch
Melissa and Robert
Melissa likes a nim a ls. So d oes her yo ung er b rother Rob ert. At sc hool Melissa lea rned a b out
these a m a zing b ug s tha t live in the loc a l c reek c a lled a q ua tic m a c roinverteb ra tes. On her
w a y hom e from sc hoo l she exp la ined to Rob ert, Aq ua tic m ea ns w a ter, m a c ro m ea ns yo u
c a n see it w ith your eyes a nd inverteb ra te m ea ns a n a nim a l w ithout a b a c k b one. So
Aquatic macroinvertebra tes a re w a terb ug s tha t you c a n see.
Ca n I see them ? a sked Rob ert.
Of c ourse , she rep lied .
Tha t w eekend she d ec id ed to ta ke Rob ert to a c reek nea r their house to see w ha t kind s o f
water bugs they could find.
Getting Ready
You need old c lothes a nd g um b oots yelled
Melissa to Robert from the shed.
Melissa w a s sea rc hing throug h old d ra w s to
find some small jars. Earlier that morning Melissa
a nd her m other ha d m a d e tw o stoc king nets
using old wire coat hangers and stockings.
Tha t should b e enoug h ja rs no w , sa id Melissa
to herself a s she w a lked b a c k tow a rd s the house. She w a lked to the front vera nd a h w here
Robert was waiting for her with his gum boots on.
O.K Rob ert. We ha ve tw o stoc king nets, tw o em p ty ic e-c rea m c onta iners, som e p la stic
spoons and five sm a ll g la ss ja rs. Oh, a nd I a lm ost forg ot a b out the id entific a tion sheet.
Rob ert p ointed to the id entific a tion sheet a nd a sked ,
Wha t w ill w e use tha t for?
We need it to w ork o ut the na m es of the w a terb ug s w e
find , rep lied Melissa .
Robert then asked , Should I g et m y new m a g nifying g la ss
a s w ell?
Tha t s a g rea t id ea , a nsw ered Melissa .
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At the creek
Melissa a nd Rob ert a rrived a t the c reek to see a tortoise sitting in the sun on a log . Ro b ert
p ointed a nd yelled ; look a t tha t .
The startled tortoise scurried into the water and disappeared with a splash.
Wha t d id yo u d o tha t for?
sig hed Melissa .
If w e keep q uiet w e ll see hea p s m ore
a nim a ls. Try to b e q uiet .
O.K a g reed Rob ert w ishing he ha d b een a b le to see m ore of the tortoise.
Melissa a nd Rob ert q uietly p ut their eq uip m ent on the g round a nd then c a rried their nets
to the w a ter s ed g e.
You sc oo p for w a terb ug s in the reed s a nd I ll sc ra p e a long the b ottom , sa id Melissa .
What did they find?
After sw ishing his net in the reed s for a w hile Rob ert
notic ed there w a s m ud a nd d ea d lea ves in his net. He
looked m ore c a refully into the net a nd sa w little b ug s
wriggling around.
I ve g ot som e he c a lled out to Melissa .
Well p ut them in the ic e-c rea m c o nta iner , she
rep lied , a nd a d d so m e w a ter so the b ug s d on t d ie .
O.K , rep lied Rob ert.
Soon a fter he w a s p eering exc ited ly a t the b ug s zoom ing a round in his ic e-cream
container.
Try to sc o op the b ug s into a ja r , sa id Melissa .
Rob ert a nd Melissa b oth used their sp oons to sc oop the b ug s into ja rs. Then Rob ert used his
m a g nifying g la ss to p eer a t the b ug s. Som e looked like m inia ture sna ils a nd others w ere
swimming around so fast it was hard to see them.
Melissa began to recognise some of the bugs and showed Robert what to do.
O.K, see how this one ha s six leg s a nd a long thin b od y. And , see how it ha s three ta ils.
Well tha t m ea ns it s a Da m selfly la rva e. See it on the id entific a tion c ha rt?
Rob ert w a s nod d ing in a g reem ent. Rob ert looked b a c k in his c onta iner a nd shouted out in
excitement. I fo und a ya b b y! He c a refully p ic ked up the sm a ll ya b b y w ith his fing ers a nd
put it in a glass jar of its own.
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Why count the bugs?
Melissa held up the Id entific a tion c ha rt a nd sa id , O.K So w e ve found ; Da m selfly La rva e,
Dra g onfly La rva e, Ya b b ies, Shrim p , Ba c ksw im m ers, Freshw a ter Sna ils, Fla tw orm s, Mo sq uito
La rva e, Sc ud s, Wa ter m ites a nd Wa ter Sp id ers.
Tha t s 11 d ifferent kind s of w a terb ug s , rep lied Rob ert.
We found som e b ug s tha t a re p ollution sensitive , she sa id .
Wha t d oes tha t m ea n? Rob ert asked.
It m ea ns tha t if there is som e p ollution in the w a ter then they m ig ht d ie.
So there isn t m uc h p ollution in this w a ter?
There m ustn t b e .
The turtle again
After the exc item ent of the w a terb ug hunt Rob ert a nd Melissa w ere sitting und er a tree
q uietly looking a t the c reek. Rob ert ha d w a nted to ta ke his ya b b y hom e. But Melissa ha d
sug g ested they p ut a ll the b ug s b a c k w here they b elong . Rob ert still w a sn t sure it w a s the
rig ht thing to d o . He thoug ht the Ya b b y w o uld m a ke a w ond erful p et. It c ould sit on his
bedside table in a jar, and he could feed it little pieces of meat.
Mum a nd d a d ha ve to w a sh the c a r on the g ra ss from now on , sa id Melissa .
Why?
Bec a use if they w a sh it on the roa d the c hem ic a ls in the d eterg ent w ill end up w a shing
d ow n the d ra ins a nd into this c reek. And tha t m ea ns the p ollution sensitive w a terb ug s w ill
d ie .
As Melissa pointed to the creek she noticed the water rippling near the log where they had
seen the tortoise. A hea d sta rted to p oke out of the w a ter a nd then a shell. She w hisp ered
to Rob ert, ha ve a look a t tha t .
Hey it s the tortoise, a nd he s g ot m y ya b b y! c ried Rob ert. With a q uic k sp la sh the tortoise
was gone.
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Comprehension Questions:
1)
What equipment did Robert and Melissa use on their waterbug hunt?
2)
What does the word aquatic mean?
3)
Name two of the macroinvertebrates that Melissa and Robert caught.
4)
What does pollution sensitive mean?
5)
Wha t c ould Melissa s p a rents d o to help sa ve p ollution sensitive w a terb ug s?
6)
What do you think pollution tolerant means?
7)
How many different types of bugs did they catch?
8)
What did this tell them about their site?
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Fa ct Sheet 1
Mighty Ma cro Fa cts
Aqua tic Ma croinvertebra tes a re la rge wa terbugs tha t we ca n see with our na ked eye
tha t don t ha ve a ba ckbone. They include la rva l sta ges of va rious insects, worms, sna ils
and crustaceans. Aquatic Macroinvertebrates are bioindicator animals, this means their
presence may define the hea lth of the environment they a re living in. Ma ny Aqua tic
Ma croinvertebra tes a re sensitive to cha nges in wa ter qua lity while some ha ve the
ability to tolerate changes in water quality.
Macro Facts
Here are some fun facts about our aquatic macroinverteberates that make them so
fascinating for us to study.
A Leech has exactly 34 body segments
All arthropods (insects, spiders and crustaceans) shed their outer shell during their
growth. A Yabbie can have 10 to 20 shells during its lifetime.
Midge Larvae contain the substance hemoglobin in them which gives them a red
appearance.
If a Flatworm is cut in half it is possible that the 2 halves can develop into 2 new
individuals!
The bright red colouring of a water mite is a defenc e mechanism against predators. The
red colouring is a distasteful substance that the water mite secretes.
Copepods live for less than 2 months.
Dragonfly Larvae breathe using gills at the end of its abdomen, in other words it
breathes from its bottom.
Macro Websites
Critter Catalogue.
www.sa.waterwatch.org.au/programs.htm#new
Waterwatch Australia Technical Manual. Biological Parameters.
www.waterwatch.org.au/library/module3/index.html
www.bugsurvey.nsw.gov.au
www.ento.csiro.au/Ecowatch
www.mdfrc.org/bugguide
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Fa ct Sheet 2
Ma croinvertebra te Ha bita ts
A ha bita t is described a s the a rea where a n a nima l ca n successfully feed, breed a nd
survive, it is the home of a n a nima l. Aqua tic Ma croinvertebra tes live in a va riety of
ha bita ts including riffles, edge a nd benthic. Let s find out where these ha bita ts a re in a
waterway.
Riffle Zone
The riffle zone is the fa st flow ing a rea o f a c reek
or strea m . They tend to b e sha llow w ith the
w a ter flow ing over a sub stra te w hic h inc lud es
lots of roc ks, p eb b les a nd g ra vel. These roc ks,
p eb b les, g ra vel a nd exp osed sna g s help
a nim a ls esta b lish territories a nd a ssist in the
a nim a ls na vig a ting their w a y a round the w a ter.
Com m on
m a c roinverteb ra tes found
here
include stonefly and mayfly nymphs and shrimps.
Pool Zone
Pools usua lly ha ve sa nd y or m ud d y
b ottom s a nd a re g enera lly less d iverse
tha n the riffle zone. The ha b ita t
a va ila b le
is
less
suita b le
for
m a c roinverteb ra te p op ula tions a nd
ta xa found g enera lly a tta c h them selves
to a q ua tic p la nts, ro ots, log s a nd other
submerged objects.
Edge Zone
The ed g e ha b ita t is d efined a s a n a rea w here little or no c urrent exists. There is little or
no veg eta tion a nd is often in q uite d eep w a ter. The ed g e m a y ha ve overha ng ing
veg eta tion, und erc ut b a nks, root m a ts or other suita b le ha b ita t w hic h p rovid es c over
a nd refug e for m a c roinverteb ra tes. Dra g onfly a nd d a m selfly la rva e, w a ter m ites, w a ter
boatman and backswimmers are commonly found in this habitat zone.
Run Zone
Runs are generally deeper and contain slow moving
w a ter. Sm a ll p a rtic les tend to settle on the b ottom
of the w a terw a y a nd this lim its the ra ng e of a rea s
for m a c roinverteb ra tes to c olonise. The ha b ita t tha t
is p resent is not a s sta b le a s tha t found in the riffle
zone a nd therefore there tend s to b e less d iversity
living in the runs.
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HABITAT GAME
The following pages contain pictures of some macroinvertebrates and
two habitats. The pictures can be coloured in.
There are 2 pictures of a habitat one in its natural state and the other polluted.
Enlarge the habitat pictures to A3, print and stick them together.
Cut out the pictures of the macroinvertebrates write their names on the back and
some interesting information about the critter. Then stick them on the habitat
pictures where they like to live e.g. on the bottom of the waterway in unpolluted
water. Mosquito larvae can live in polluted water and hang under the surface of
the water. You may have to do some extra research.
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