Habitat Hunt Lesson Plan
Aquatic Habitat Characteristics
Some suggested aquatic habitat characteristics to explore, equipment to use, features to note and questions to ask:
  1. Water and air temperature - Use non-glass thermometers, since glass could be a hazard at slippery field sites. How do the air and water temperatures'-compare and why are they the same or different? Is the water influencing the air temperature or vice versa? How can you tell?

  2. pH - Use pHydrion paper, Merk pH paper, pH meter or LaMotte or HACH colorimeter. What factors influence pH: precipitation, biota, soil conditions, other water chemistry features or other factors?

  3. Salinity - Hydrometers and silver nitrate test kits are acceptable for this activity. How might recent weather patterns have affected the salinity readings? (At some parks and after rainy spells at others, salinity is too low to detect, even in tidal areas.)

  4. Dissolved oxygen - Use an oxygen meter or a test kit (such as HACH or LaMotte). Do the oxygen levels at each site seem to be influenced by water movement or stillness, biota, water temperature or other factors? How do you think the readings compare at other times of day or year?

  5. Turbidity (water clarity) - Use a Secchi disk; a white meter stick or collect a bottle of the water at each site. Note the clarity and color of the water and the abundance and size of suspended particles. Do you think the observed turbidity is the result of waves, runoff, algae or other factors?

  6. Wafer movements - Observations and measurements can be made about the direction and speed of flowing water and the size and frequency of waves using the techniques described in the activity, "Water Motion and Commotion." What are the probable forces behind the water movement... wind, tide, gravity? Or why does the water appear still? Are man-made factors, such as dams or jetties involved?

  7. Bottom characteristics - Sort substrate particles by size using a series of progressively smaller mesh sieves. If sieves are not available, examine bottom samples in shallow pans with a little water to separate the components. Is the bottom primarily clay, sand, silt, gravel or mixed? Is the bottom hard or soft? Is recognizable organic matter present? If so, how much?

  8. Vegetation - Note the presence, abundance and variety of plants growing in the water. What are their shapes and textures? Which parts are above or below water? What is the water depth where they are growing? Are the plants herbaceous, trees or shrubs? Make sketches.

  9. Animals - A dip net and bucket may be useful. Note all forms of animal life seen in or on the water such as wading birds, insects and fish. Note signs of aquatic and amphibious animals such as tracks, seat, fish breaking the surface of the water and eggs. (Extreme care should be taken to avoid hurting or being hurt by any animals caught and all must be released where they were caught. Do the animals' features and habits reflect anything about the habitat in which they are found ?

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