Vegetation+Protocol

Vegetation Protocol By Molly BonGiorno Purpose: This test is important because it is an important factor when determining the water quality in a body of water. In a clean, or oligotrophic, body of water there will be little plant growth, while in a body of water with a worse water quality, or a eutrophic body of water, there will be abundant plant growth. Materials: Conducting the test in the field: When in the field you will need to walk around the body of water to identify the different plants surrounding it, and how close they are to the edge of the water. You should also estimate what percentage each type of plant is in relation to the total amount of vegetation. You should note the different types of trees, and where they are in relation to the body of water. You can also go to the water and see if there are any plants in the water that you can identify, such as milfoil. You should take note of all plants found, refer to the vegetation packets for any plants that you can't identify on your own, and bring back samples of plants that you are not able to identify so that you can identify them in the classroom. Conducting the test in the classroom: When you return to the classroom, you will need to identify any of the plants that could not be identified in the field. For this you can refer to the vegetation packets and other resources that can be found in the room, or the internet. You will also need to record these findings later. Typical Findings: The findings of this test differ with each body of water. You could find that the plants found indicate that the body of water is oligotrophic and very clean, or you could find that your body of water was eutrophic, or in the middle meaning that it would be mesotrophic. Typically when you find an exotic aquatic plant like milfoil, which is highly invasive, it means that the water quality is not that good, or that it soon won't be because milfoil grows and spreads quickly.
 * Plastic Bags
 * Notes and packets containing the different types of plants you might find, and how to identify them
 * Paper and pencil to record the plants found