Freshwater Ecology: Using Macroinvertebrate Communities to Examine Biodiversity and Stream Quality

A set of flashcards designed to help students review key vocabulary and concepts related to freshwater ecology, specifically focused on macroinvertebrate communities and stream quality assessment.

Macroinvertebrates

Organisms without backbones that are big enough to be seen with the naked eye; important indicators of stream health.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Stream Ecosystem

A community of interacting organisms and their physical environment within a flowing body of water.

Aquatic Biome

A large geographical area characterized by its aquatic conditions, including rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Biotic Index

A scale that ranks the quality of an ecosystem based on the organisms present and their tolerances to pollution.

%EPT

The percentage of sensitive taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) in a sample, used as an indicator of stream quality.

Kick Sampling

A field sampling technique used to collect macroinvertebrates from a specified section of a stream.

Functional Diversity

The range of different biological processes or functions present within an ecosystem.

Simpson Diversity Index

A measure that calculates the probability that two randomly selected individuals from a community are of different species.

Species Richness

The total number of different species present in a community.

Detritus

Organic matter that has died and decomposed, a primary energy source in small stream ecosystems.

CPOM (Coarse Particulate Organic Matter)

Larger organic debris in aquatic systems, such as leaves and wood.

FPOM (Fine Particulate Organic Matter)

Smaller particles of organic matter available for decomposition and use in ecosystems.

Shredders

Organisms that break down coarse organic matter into finer particles, facilitating decomposition.

Collectors

Organisms that gather organic matter out of the water column or from the substrate.

Grazers

Organisms that feed on algae and microorganisms growing on surfaces in aquatic environments.

Predators

Organisms that hunt and feed on other animals.

Filter Feeders

Organisms that extract suspended particles from the water using specialized structures.

Deposit Feeders

Organisms that consume sediment, extracting nutrients from bacteria and decomposed matter.

Omnivore

An organism that eats both plant and animal matter.

Ecosystem

A biological community and its physical environment, interacting as a system.

Habitat

The specific environment in which a species or community lives.

Community

All the populations of different species that live and interact within a specific area.

Population

All the members of a single species living in a particular area.

Anthropogenic Effects

Environmental changes caused by human activities, such as pollution and habitat destruction.

Water Quality Testing

Assessing the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water to determine its condition.

Data Analysis Techniques

Methods used to interpret and understand data collected during research.

Field Procedure

The steps taken during the data collection phase of ecological research.

Aquatic Taxa

Different categories of organisms found in aquatic environments.

Human Development Impacts

Changes to natural ecosystems caused by urbanization, agriculture, and industrial activities.

Graphing Data

The process of visually representing collected data for analysis and interpretation.