Monthly Archives: April 2012

Pond #1 “… in a drop of water”

The following images represent some of the organisms recorded in a 500mL water sample colleceted on March 25 from the littoral water and leaf litter of Pond #1. It also includes organisms photographed during the survey but not collected.

The pictures are organized Taxonomically:

Hydrozoa: Hydra spp. – 3 to 12mm long

Gastropods – Finger-nail clams (Spheriidae) – 2 to 7mm long

 

 

 

 

 

Molluscs: Water snail – 20mm long

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arthropods are represented in this pond by the Crustaceans Orders: Cyclopoda, Ostracoda, and Amphipoda, as well as, the Hexapod Orders: Adephaga, Mixophaga and Polyphaga Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Ephemeroptera.

Crustaceans- Cyclopoda – Cyclops spp. – 0.1 to 0.5 mm

Amphipoda – Scud – Hyallela azteca complex – 5 – 7mm

Ostracoda – Podocopidae – 0.2mm long

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several egg masses were found attached to the leaf litter in the pond. These egg masses varied in appearance and texture as well as, in the size of the eggs it contained. The eggs in the water sample were observed from the day they were collected on March 25 until April 27. The water sample was kept at 13C to 16C and exposed to daylight through a window located two meters away from the sample.

1) Two translucent ochre single layered plastic cartouches with egg chambers about 1mm in diameter were found attached only to oak leaves. These eggs were the first ones to develop into recognizable morulae by April 4. Species unknown.

cartouche illuminated from the top (25.iii.2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morulae after 20 days (04.iv.2012)

 

recognizable snail embryos two days later (16.iv.2012)

 

 

 

 

well-developed snail before hatching (21,iv,2012). By April 24 all snails had hatched.

Neyagawa Forest System Species Inventory

The attached Acrobat pdf file (Table of Species), contains a list of Trees, Shrubs, Forbs, Ferns, Grasses, Sages and Fungi identified at the Neyagawa Forest System between 2010 and 2012.

The identification of some shrubs is tentative, the sage and grass species are incomplete, and that of Fungi needs to be verified.

Polygons refers to the way the forest system was subdivided for study purposes. These polygons partially correlate with specific forest types and post disturbance stages.

Amphibians & Reptiles of Neyagawa

 

Survey 2012 to 2013

 

Spring Peepers Pseuacris crucifer

 

 

 

 

Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens

 

 

 

Tadpoles (approximate 70 to 75mm long); very possibly overwintering L. pipiens tadpoles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red-spotted Newt  Notophtalmus viridescens viridescens

 

 

 

 

 

Red-spotted Newt  Notophtalmus viridescens viridescens

 

 

 

Midland Painted Turtle Chrysemis picta marginata

 

 

 

Midland Painted Turtle Chrysemis picta marginata

 

 

 

 

Eastern Garter Snake – Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Water quality measurements

The water quality factors measured were pH, alkalinity (ppm, indicates buffering capacity), hardness (ppm, indicates content of polyvalent cathions), TDS (ppm total dissolved solids, indicates ions in solution)

POLYGON & LOCATIONpHAlkalinity (ppm)Hardness (ppm)TDS (ppm)Water Temperature (C)
Polygon I, WP 68b (Main stream) MARCH 25680200615nd
POLYGON I, WP 52 (VERNAL) MARCH 14520100ndnd
POLYGON I, WP 12 (VERNAL) MARCH 14520100253 TO 6
POLYGON I, WP 38a (VERNAL) MARCH 144.520100255
POLYGON 1, WP 47 (POND#1) MARCH 14540100775
POLYGON 1, WP 47 (POND#1, rain fed only) MARCH 256802501567
POLYGON I, WP 72 (FEN, central sage swamp) MARCH 145402001427
POLYGON III, WP P2 (POND#2) MARCH 2561008080nd
POLYGON III, WP P3 (POND#3/MARSH)620<50130nd
POLYGON IV, WP 81 (SWD) MARCH 23
POLYGON V, WP ABA (MARSH) MARCH 235205034nd
POLYGON V, WP 72 (BROOK, marsh draining stream) MARCH 235<20<5038nd