I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology

2. Course Prefix & Number:
NATR 1150

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 2

Lab Hours: 2

4. Course Description:

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

III. Course Purpose

Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):

Other - If this course is not required in a program or is not part of the MN Transfer Curriculum, it may be used for the purpose(s) listed below:

• Liberal Arts Elective
• Technical Elective

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Demonstrate their understanding of the taxonomic classification of major groups of aquatic invertebrates.
• Identify common aquatic macro-invertebrates in central Minnesota.
• Correctly apply standardized methods to sample aquatic invertebrates.
• Analyze aquatic macro-invertebrate data to assess ecosystem and fisheries health.
• Operate safely in and around lakes and streams.
• Demonstrate proper vouchering and cataloging of specimens using standard techniques.
• Measure physical features of a stream using MPCA guidelines.
• Compare and contrast different techniques for sampling aquatic invertebrates. 
• Describe an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and how it differs from diversity and species richness.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Review of the taxonomy and systematic of aquatic invertebrates
• history of taxonomy and invertebrate taxonomy
• contrast/compare the major groups of aquatic macro-invertebrates (e.g., Tubellaria, Gastropoda, Mollusca, etc.)
2. Examine regionally common aquatic macro-invertebrates
• orders, families, etc. of aquatic macro-invertebrates distributed within Minnesota
• life histories and ecological requirements of these groups
• ecology of invertebrates and roles they play in trophic levels and food webs
3. Discuss and demonstrate the use of aquatic invertebrate sampling methods and equipment
• sampling techniques and equipment designed specifically for aquatic invertebrates
• statistics associated with sampling methods and provide examples for students to apply statistics and perform calculations
4. Discuss and demonstrate the management and analysis of aquatic invertebrate sampling data
• concepts such as recording units of measurement, recording “0” values versus no observation, completing data sheets
• quality assurance techniques and practice quality assurance checks of original data sheets and computer files
5. Explain indexes of biological integrity (IBI) and demonstrate their application using aquatic macro-invertebrate data
• development of measures of stream and lake health using aquatic invertebrates
• introduce the concept of IBI and have students perform calculations using data sets
6. Demonstrate the incorporation of aquatic invertebrate sampling into holistic lake assessments and management
• applications and limitations in applying aquatic invertebrate data in broad-based ecological assessments
• demonstrate and practice incorporating IBI and other data into lake assessments and management plans

2. Laboratory/Studio Sessions

1.  Review aquatic invertebrate specimens and highlight distinguishing characteristics
• examine aquatic invertebrates (by groups) for defining features used to identify them 
2. Construct invertebrate sampling equipment for use in the field
• demonstrate construction of aquatic sampling equipment (e.g., Hester-Dendy)
• provide students with plans and materials from which they construct sampling equipment
3. Review sampling designs for assessing aquatic invertebrate communities and select appropriate techniques
• discuss the selection of techniques for specific applications
• guide students in the selection of sampling techniques for laboratory applications
4. Sample aquatic invertebrate communities, identify species and manage data
• visit field sites to install and monitor aquatic invertebrate sampling equipment
• demonstrate correct data recording practices and have students replicate
• demonstrate and apply quality control/quality assurance techniques to data sets
5. Create aquatic assessments and management recommendations using aquatic invertebrate data
• demonstrate integrating water quality data, fisheries data, and watershed information with aquatic invertebrate sampling results
• demonstrate and guide students in the creation of lake assessments and management plans using these data sources.