1. Apiarist Investigation
Explore several experiments including:
Apiarist Investigation
The investigation behind 120 year old apple trees and the symbiosis between them and honey bees.
Determination Of Water Quality
An examination of Lake Champlain and the relationship between water Quality and benthic macroinvertebrates.
Insect Exploration
An extensive search for insects throughout many different environments.
Tree cores
The research of numerous tree cores gives clues to the history of the tree.
Water Quality
Welcome to Rock Point
Within Lake Champlain, the relationship between water
Quality and benthic macroinvertebrates was researched. A stream that feeds into
Lake Cham plain was found and various water chemistry tests were taken such as pH and conductivity. A transect of measurements were taken from the mouth of the stream into the lake in intervals of four meters to a total distance 52 meters away from the lake shore. Benthic macroinvert-ebrates were also collected from the lake, such as cad-disflies (Trichoptera), and mayflies (Ephemeroptera). Various BM I’s have different tolerances to pollution so they tell us a lot about the quality of the water. It was concluded that lake waters were good, as a result of finding macro-invertebrates having a low tolerance to pollution and the testing of pH and conductivity. It was also concluded that the stream was having no negative effect on the water at that particular site investigation.
Tree Coring
Precision tree corers were used to take samples of the inside of trees to calculate their ages. The drill made a small hole into each tree and then pulled out the inside. The tree cores were mounted and scanned making it easier to count the rings. By finding the age of the trees and observing the distance the rings were from each other, the growth pattern could be found and evidence could be observed about the former years and the effects the environment had on the tree.
Learn more about water quality, geology, and vegetation around Lone Rock Point in Burlington, V.T.
Insects
Let us take you there!
Insects at Lone Rock Point are interesting because of the rich diversity. There are many different habitats on the peninsula that support a multitude of species. As grass height increases, the abundance of insects and spiders goes up. Insects are important to the ecosystem be cause of the various roles they play. Some are herb-ivores, such as the common Meadow Grass-hopper (Conocephalus brevipennis) while others are predators, such as Dragon flies (Aeshna verticalis). Many insects play a key role in the symbiotic relationship of pollinating plants. Look for insects in the fields, within forests, and even around human influenced sites.
The Lone Rock Point Scientists:
The apiarist, also known as a beekeeper, on Lone
Rock Point has three bee hives, and the bees
total over one hundred thousand.
The bees help the pollination of
the plants, especially apple trees,
within a six mile radius. Before
the bees were added to the
environ- ment, the apple trees
produced “mutated” apples, or ones with deformities. Since
the bees have been introduced, they have improved the
quality of the apples and aided in the natural process of
pollination. The apple trees were also cored and the
growth rings were counted to find the approximate ages.
Apiarist Investigation
Top row : Bryden, Jaime, Ashley, Juan, Hannah, Joy, Laura. Front row: Dayton, Liz, Bill, Lucas, Dave, Nate, Sam.