Five Years of Biomonitoring at a Southern New Hampshire Stream Otter Brook Farm Harris Center For Conservation Education Rick Van de Poll, Ph. D. Laurel Swope, M.S.

Otter Brook Farm Overview “The Otter Brook Farm Trust exists to preserve the integrity, the stability, the beauty and the sanctity of its community, which includes land, water, plants and animals and the people who live there and those that visit for education and inspiration.” Otter Brook Farm Mission Statement May 2008

Harris Center in the Schools Program

Otter Brook Farm Project Began in Spring 2008 Two local 8th-Grade classes focus on Field Ecology High School Envirothon skills training Adult Ed Programs & Field Trips

Otter Brook Farm Project Over 100 students served each year Teacher & Parent assisted hands-on learning Coached by experts & professional biologists Culminates in June Symposium for both schools

OBF Water Quality Sampling Sites

Otter Brook Farm Bogle Brook Site Nigronia sp.

Otter Brook Farm Bogle Brook Site Peltoperla sp. Acroneuria sp.

Otter Brook Farm Bogle Brook Site White sucker Creek chub

Otter Brook Farm Bogle Brook Site Siphloplecton sp. Hagenius brevistylus

NH Rapid Stream Assessment Technique This was the data form we first used, which was then modified after several years of field testing

Field Testing Results Using the RSAT Data Form Students were far better collectors than anticipated > 100 bugs were usually collected Species diversity ranged from 17 – 44 spp. Species were regularly ID’d well below RSAT groups The RSAT WQ Index was better understood when based on 100 points

Changes Made to the RSAT Data Form WQ Index based on 100 pts WQ ratios per group were altered to better reflect distribution data Tolerance groups were re-aligned according to EPA biometrics data and regional tolerance values Greater specificity was given to the level of effort and substrate type(s) sampled

The NH RSAT Data Form NEW

Sample Species – Nov 2012 Organism Insect Order # Found 11/13/12 Total Mayflies Ephemeroptera   Heptageniidae - Flathead mayfly 2 10 12 Leptophlebiidae - Pronggill mayfly 11 9 20 Baetidae - Small Minnow mayfly 14 23 Other Mayfly 5 7 Dragonflies (Anisoptera) Odonata Aeshna - Darners 1 Boyeria - Fawn Darner 4 Cordulegaster - Spike tail 13 Libellulidae - Skimmer Damselflies (Zygoptera) Calopterygidae - Broadwinged Stoneflies Plecoptera Peltoperlidae - Roachlike stonefly Perlidae - Common stonefly 6 Perlodidae - Perlodid stonefly Chloroperlidae - Green stonefly Nemouridae - Nemourid stonefly 3 Capniidae - Winter stonefly 8 Leuctridae - Rollwinged stonefly True Bugs Hemiptera Notonectidae - Backswimmer Veliidae - Broad-shouldered water strider Gerridae - Common water strider Nepidae - Water scorpion

Sample Species – Nov 2012 Caddisflies Trichoptera   Glossosomidae - Saddlecase makers Hydropsychidae - Common netspinners Hydroptilidae - Micro caddisflies Lepidostomatidae - Box casemakers Leptoceridae - Longhorn casemakers Limnephilidae - Northern casemakers 4 8 12 (Pycnopsyche - Leafy casemakers) 18 26 Phryganeidae - Giant casemakers 1 Rhyacophilidae - Free-living caddisflies 2 Unknown sand casemaker Dobsonflies-Fishflies-Alderflies Megaloptera Corydalus - Dobsonfly Nigronia - Fishfly 6 Sialis - Alderfly Beetles Coleoptera Dytiscidae - Predaceous diving beetle Elmidae - Riffle beetle Gyrinidae - Whirligig beetle 3 Haliplidae - Crawling water beetle Hydrophilidae - Water scavenger beetle Psephenidae - Water penny True Flies Diptera Ceratopogonidae - Biting midges Chironomidae - Tanypod bloodworms 7 Chironomidae - Chironomid midges Cuculiidae - Mosquitoes Tipulidae - Craneflies sum 81 105 186

Findings for 2008 - 2012

Acknowledgments Otter Brook Farm Landowners Otter Brook Farm is comprised of 1850 acres, over 1000 acres of which is in permanent conservation. Old growth swamp forests, sinuous beaver meadowlands, centuries old cellar holes, rushing streams & trout-filled brooks are all a part of this remarkable landscape. Yet Otter Brook Farm would not even be known or thought of were it not for the vision of its owners and the following of hundreds of students and visitors who come every year to enjoy its beauty… Acknowledgments Otter Brook Farm Landowners Crotched Mountain Foundation Harris Center for Conservation Education Peterborough Conservation Commission NHDES Biomonitoring Program