Aquatic Plant Survey

Poster Presentation and Lakeside Demonstration

Photo by: Winona Pugh

Cropped from photo: details about the lake and plant survey:

Lakeside Demo

Winona Pugh and Lori James Derry. Photo by: Carmel Thomson
Winona demonstrates our simple plant collection method: after the floating barge arrives at 1 of our 8 Sites around the lake,
a rope marker [tied off in knotted measurements] tells us where to gather plants at a depth of 2, 4 & 6 meters.

Here she tosses a rake, which comes to rest on the determined depth, then is dredged up with the aquatic plants.
Still photo from video by: Carmel Thomson
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Photo by: Lori James Derry
After a dearth of rain this summer, a storm was predicted for the day of our demo. Everything was weighted down with rocks. Photo by: Carmel Thomson
Photo by: Lori James Derry
The equipment is laid out here in order of processing.
Photo by: Carmel Thomson
Photo by: Carmel Thomson
Photo by: Carmel Thomson
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Left to Right:
the bathymetric map of Prospect Lake, showing our 8 Sites, plus depth in meters; below that is a bin of plant samples;
all set against the square meter density measuring mat; on the right lower quadrant of the mat,
we always display the site & depth before photographing [ie Site 2: 4 meters];
the labels are drying in the bin to the right; second bin right is our Aquatic Plant Identification Guide;
to the top right of the mat are examples of how we enter the data onto our website, complete with plant IDs, and photos;
right of the data board is a screen grab of our website, plus our QR code for quick access;
and finally, iNaturalist info, one of our data destinations.
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Bathymetric map, 8 Sites marked off.
To the left of Site 4 you can see the three depth lines of 2, 4 & 6 meters, delineations that circle the lake.
Above Site 8 is the island.
Photo by: Lori James Derry
The plants are teased out, spread onto a square meter mat for a density measurement: Sparse [under 5 plants], Moderate [5 – 10 plants], and Dense [0ver 10].
We save good examples of individual plants for ID, and photographing.
Photo by: Lori James Derry
On the right lower quadrant of the mat, we always display the site & depth before photographing [ie Site 2: 4 meters].
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Site labels; and top left are the real-time plant IDs, later entered onto the website.
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Photo by: Lori James Derry
How we enter our data onto website; and a photo progression toward a standardized measuring tool
[ie no more ziplocks, or linen napkins of undetermined sizes].
Photo by: Lori James Derry
Bottom left: our Plant ID guide; above is the screen grab of our website Home Page, plus our QR code;
and right is the iNaturalist guide.
Photo by: Lori James Derry

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