ZOOPlankton Monitoring Studies

Zooplankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds; in salt water and in freshwater. The amount and types of zooplankton present give us information about food web interactions and water quality. Data from the zooplankton project and water quality data help us understand food web and habitat interactions, deepening our understanding of the ecology of Otter Point Creek.

Because zooplankton are not visible to the unaided eye, their importance can be overlooked. We know that other "unseen" factors that influence life in the Bay can have devastating effects if they are out of balance. For example, water with low levels of dissolved oxygen "looks" perfectly normal yet can cause fish kills.

Research projects:

Development of a micro-culturing technique
The effect of changing salinity on species
Community composition in response to water quality parameters

Volunteer Corps

Joanne Mattson
Claire Hauer
Frank Mannone
Clarke Romans
Peggy Mannone
Nancy Newman Zooplankton volunteer
Madeline Lovera
Patrick Matejka

Past Volunteers

Trey Morton
Samantha Castillo
Katie Soltysiak
Brittany Long
Helene Klair
Linda Romans
Jeff Griffin
Heidy Blumenschein
Megan Gaesser
Jacob Corselius
Bill Roberts
Gayanne Basham

zooplankton

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Calendar of EventsView all

Chilly Insect Hunt01/25/2020 @ 11:00 am-12:00 pmGrab your family and a magnifying glass to venture outside to hunt for insects. In the winter? Absolutely!! Learn all the tricks to buggy winter survival.
Winter Afternoon01/25/2020 @ 2:00 pm-3:30 pmLove camping, but it’s just a little too cold? “Camp” indoors while practicing putting up a tent and making a “fire”, eating s’mores, and more!
Leight Speaker Series - Nature and Nosh01/25/2020 @ 3:00 pm-5:00 pmWildlife and Habitat Management on Aberdeen Proving Ground: Supporting the Army's Testing and Training Mission by Protecting its Biological Resources by Jess Baylor, Forester, and Deidre DeRoia, Wildlife Biologist. Because military lands often are protected from human access and impact, they contain significant large tracts of valuable natural resources. We'll present an overview of the unique challenges and opportunities associated with conducting natural resources programs and projects on Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Summer Research Intern Report01/26/2020 @ 1:00 pm-2:00 pm2019 Summer Research Intern Eric Amrhein will present “A Survey of Microplastics in Otter Point Creek.” Learn about the relatively new environmental issue of microplastics, including what they are, where they come from, possible impacts to the environment, how they can be measured, and what you can do to reduce their impact.
Minecraft and Nature01/26/2020 @ 3:00 pm-4:30 pmIs Minecraft teaching kids about nature? Compare Minecraft’s natural world with real life nature and see what’s true and what’s fantasy.