Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates

WL 718

Fall 2006

 Instructor:       Steven R. Chipps, Ph.D.

Assistant Unit Leader, USGS SD Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit

                        Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Office:             NPBL 141D

Office hours:  By appointment or when in my office

Phone/email: 688-5467; Steve_Chipps@sdstate.edu

Webpage:      http://wfs.sdstate.edu/chipps.htm

Lectures:        M W 9:00-9:50   SNP 184

Credit hours:  3

Lab:                W 1:00-3:00   SNP 179

 
Course description 

This course covers the phylogeny, life-history, habitats and ecology of major freshwater invertebrates.  The use of invertebrate taxa as biomonitoring criteria and impacts from exotic/invasive species are also covered.  

Course objectives

To explore and discuss the ecological importance of aquatic invertebrates.  Students will gain knowledge about freshwater invertebrate taxonomy, develop an appreciation of ecological principles and theories associated with aquatic invertebrates and learn to apply what they’ve learned to address management problems. 

Course requirements

No text is required.  Topics are covered via lectures, assigned readings and handouts.  Reading material is placed on reserve in the Department’s library.  Class discussions are an integral part of the course.  Attendance and class participation are imperative.

Laboratory

Laboratory time will be devoted to sampling techniques, collecting/identifying aquatic invertebrates (field trip), and group projects.  Students will be expected to identify major invertebrate taxa and gain an appreciation for the role of invertebrates in aquatic food webs. 

Evaluation

Grades are based on a 10 pt scale (i.e., A=100-90, B=89-80, etc.) and are determined as follows:                                                                                                                                                           

Lecture/Discussion

(Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates WL 718)

*PowerPoint Presentations

Overview of Freshwater Invertebrates

Life-history & Ecology of Aquatic Insects

Mayflies

Stoneflies and Dragonflies

Aquatic Beetles

Caddisflies

Diptera

Life-history & Ecology of Crustacea

Life-history & Ecology of Mollusca

Biomonitoring

Invasive/exotic species

Class Discussions

Class discussions will be led by assigned discussion groups.  Each Discussion Group will 1) summarize background information on the topic (e.g., what is it?), 2) synthesize general findings from the papers, and 3) review/address questions posed by the class.  Non-group members (i.e. the rest of the class) will 1) read assigned papers and 2) email ME 2-4 questions/comments about EACH paper at least 1 WEEK before discussion date.  I will synthesize/collate questions and comments and forward to the Discussion Group members 1 week before the discussion date.

Assigned Readings – On reserve SNP 164

WL 718 Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates

September 27           Discussion:  Invertebrate drift

Minshall, G.W., and P.V. Winger.  1968.  The effect of reduction in stream flow on invertebrate drift.  Ecology 49:580-582.

Kohler, S.L.  1985.  Identification of stream drift mechanisms: an experimental and observational approach.  Ecology 66:1749-1761.

Flecker, A.S.  1992.  Fish predation and the evolution of invertebrate drift periodicity: evidence from neotropical streams.  Ecology 73:438-448.

October 11                 Discussion:  Nutrient cycling

Gallep, G.W.  1979.  Chironomid influence on phosphorus release in sediment-water microcosms.  Ecology 60:547-556.

Kitchell, J.F., R.V. O’Neill, D. Webb, G.W. Gallepp, S.M. Bartell, J.F. Koonce, and B.S. Ausmus.  1979.  Consumer regulation of nutrient cycling.  BioScience 29:28-34.

Covich, A.P., M.A. Palmer, and T.A. Crowl.  1999.  The role of benthic invertebrate species in freshwater ecosystems.  BioScience 49:119-127.

October 23                 Discussion:  Anti-predatory adaptations

Dodson, S.I.  1974.  Adaptive change in plankton morphology in response to size-selective predation: a new hypothesis of cyclomorphosis.  Limnology and Oceanography 19:721-729.

Petranka, J.W., and K. Fakhoury.  1991. Evidence of a chemically-mediated avoidance response of ovipositing insects to bluegills and green frog tadpoles.  Copeia 1991:234-239.

Angelon, K.A., and J.W. Petranka.  2002.  Chemicals of predatory mosquitofish influence selection of oviposition site by Culex mosquitoes.  Journal of             Chemical Ecology 28:797-806.

November 1               Discussion:  Zooplankton egg banks

Carvalho, G.R., and H.G. Wolf.  1989.  Resting eggs of lake Daphnia.  Distribution, abundance, and hatching of eggs collected from various depths in lake sediments.  Freshwater Biology 22:459-470.

Hairston, N.G., R.A. Van Brunt, C.M. Kearns, and D.R. Engstrom.  1995.  Age and survivorship of diapausing eggs in a sediment egg bank.  Ecology 76:1706-1711.

Hairston, N.G.  1996.  Zooplankton egg banks as biotic reservoirs in changing environments.  Limnology and Oceanography 41:1087-1092.

Hairston, N.G. and 8 co-authors.  1999.  Rapid evolution revealed by dormant eggs.  Nature 401:446.

November 20             Discussion: Fish-waterfowl-invertebrate interactions

Brooks, J.L., and S.I. Dodson.  1965.  Predation, body size, and composition of plankton. Science 150:28-35.

Hanson, M. A., and M. R. Riggs. 1995. Potential effects of fish predation on wetland invertebrates: A comparison of wetlands with and without fathead minnows. Wetlands 15:167-175.

Marklund, O., H. Sandsten, L. Hansson, and I. Blindow.  2002.  Effects of waterfowl and fish on submerged vegetation and macroinvertebrates.  Freshwater Biology 47:2049-2059.

November 29             Discussion: Invertebrate-based bioassessment

Merritt, R.W., J. Wallace, M.J. Higgins, M.K. Alexander, M.B. Berg, W.T. Morgan, K.W. Cummins, and B. Vandeneeden.  1996.  Procedures for the functional analysis of invertebrate communities of the Kissimmee River-floodplain ecosystem.  Florida Scientist 59:216-274.

King, R.S., and C.J. Richardson.  2002.  Evaluating subsampling approaches and macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution for wetland bioassessment.  Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21:150-171.

December 6             Discussion: Impacts of exotic species

Maclsaac, H.J. (and 5 coauthors).  1999.  Invasion of Lake Ontario by the Ponto-Caspian predatory cladoceran Cercopagis pengoi.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 56:1-5.

Chipps, S.R., and D.H. Bennett.  2000.  Zooplanktivory and nutrient regeneration by invertebrate and vertebrate planktivores: implications for trophic interactions in oligotrophic lakes.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:569-583.

Jarnagin, S., B. Swan, and C. Kerfoot.  2000.  Fish as vectors in the dispersal of Bythotrephes cederstroemi: diapausing eggs survive passage through the gut.  Freshwater Biology 43:579-589.

Discussion Groups

ADA Policy

Students are entitled to reasonable accommodations under the provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Those in need of such accommodations should notify the instructor and make appropriate arrangements with the SDSU Office of Disabilities Services, 110 West Hall, 688-4504 or 688-4032.

Academic Freedom and Responsibility (BOR Policy 1:11)

“Freedom in learning. Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled. Under Board of Regents and University policy, student academic performance shall be evaluated solely on an academic basis and students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study. Students who believe that an academic evaluation is unrelated to academic standards but is related instead to judgment of their personal opinion or conduct should first contact the instructor of the course. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may contact the department head and/or dean of the college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.”

Academic Dishonesty Policy

Review the Department’s Academic Dishonesty Policy (http://wfs.sdstate.edu/wfsdept) for procedural details that addre