WEEK 11: Apr 10 - 16

Aquatic Systems-- April 16, 2025 ZOOM link

This Week's Topic

Aquatic Systems: Ecology and Management- Unit 18 in your textbook Optional quiz

Our Expert on Stage

Dr. Bjorn Schmidt, associate professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences at East Texas A&M University BIO

Dr. Fouad Jaber, professor and integrated water resources management extension specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension BIO

Pre-work - Must be completed by class time

Look through Unit 18 in your textbook. Complete the Optional quiz
Watch these videos:

What is a Watershed? (1:06)

Lake Ecosystems (7:47)

Pond Ecosystems (2:36)

Identifying macroinvertebrates (6:35) (optional quiz: ID macroinvertebrates quizlet )

Aquatic Insects in Food Webs (5:21)

Optional Activities

Download A Guide to Freshwater Ecology . This 120-page book is put out by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. If you'd like the hard copy, you can order one for free from the TCEQ here. (They also have a number of other free publications.)

Bring to Class

Reminders

Logging Hours

Make sure that you have recorded last week's attendance in VMS.

(If you missed class, contact your pod guides to schedule a make-up.)

Opportunity: Init Training - Class 10

Date: April 9, 2025

Hours: 3.0

Description: Interpretation with Chris Ulch

If you attend any of the Field Trips to John Bunker Sands or Hagerman NWR enter it in VMS.
Opportunity: IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST FIELD TRIP, LOG IT AS: Initial Training: Field Trip (A)

IF IT IS YOUR SECOND FIELD TRIP, LOG IT AS: Initial Training: Field Trip (B)

IF IT IS YOUR THIRD FIELD TRIP, LOG IT AS: Initial Training: Field Trip (C)

Date: date you attended
Hours: 2.5
Description: Class Field Trip to enter name of location

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED YOUR THREE FIELD TRIPS, Log as Advanced Training

Opportunity: AT: BPTMN Other Pre-approved training

Date: date you attended

Hours: 2.5

Description: ADDITIONAL Class Field Trip to enter name of location

Volunteer and Training Opportunities

Volunteer Service (VH) Opportunities

Texas Stream Team water testing - contact Brittany Hamilton at shioko@gmail.com

See the chapter calendar for other VHAT opportunities

Other Aquatic Systems Resources

Texas Stream Team - website
River Basins of Texas - The Texas Water Development Board
Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Training - Texas A&M AgriLife self-paced course
Insects and Other Arthropods That Feed on Aquatic and Wetland Plants - USDA paper
How Polarity Makes Water Behave Strangely - video
Backyard Ecology (Podcast) Vernal Pools
The Trinity Coalition - website
Texas Water Development Board - website
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center - website

CLASS MEETING INFORMATION

First, make sure you are signed into your zoom account.

Then, click HERE to join zoom meeting.

Week ELEVEN: April 16, 2025

6:00 - 9:00 PM

Class meets via zoom

Meeting ID: 840 3781 2641

Passcode: 500271

Need Help with Zoom? Click here to see helpful video links

If you have trouble logging into Zoom, call or text

Lisa's cell at 817-832-3912

WEEK ELEVEN CLASS UPDATE

Last night's class was FUN! I hope you enjoyed Chris' presentation as much as I did. You guys did a fantastic job with your presentations. Color me impressed.

Week Ten:

I added links to Chris' PPT slides and the books he listed on the Resources page of the class website. Just scroll down to "Week Ten extras". This is where you'll find the LLELA volunteer docs I mentioned as well.

Week Eleven (April 10-16):

Next week will be our last Zoom class, Aquatic Systems. Here is the LINK. Your pre-work includes five videos but they range in length from just 1 to 8 minutes. I want to remind you that using your phone to Zoom doesn't work that great. Please plan to be on a PC, tablet, or laptop. We have 2 new speakers for our aquatics class. They are experts in their field and I don't want you to miss a single minute.

Signing up for TMN ListServ:

The website gives you information about ListServ and how to sign up. This is a great way to get direct communication from the state office about events, etc.

Logging Hours for EOC Presentations & Projects:

For those of you researching and creating a presentation or project to share during Week 14, make sure to log your hours. You will need to log each day separately in VMS. Log your hours as:

BPTMN: Community Presentations

Date: date you did the research/prep

Hours: how long you worked on it

Description: list what you did and make sure to reference that it is in preparation for your Initial Training EOC presentation or project

BioBlitzes:

The BioBlitz SUG is open. Remember that the expectation is that you will attend the BioBlitz hosted by your pod. You are encouraged to attend more of course, but you get to choose which ones fit your schedule. You will should log your hours as:

Opportunity: Blackland Prairie iNaturalist project: Field Research Hours

Date: date of event

Hours: how long you stay + travel time + photo editing and uploading to iNat

Description: Group BioBlitz at ____enter location_____; took pictures and made observations for entry into iNaturalist

Field Trips:

The weather has been pretty crazy this spring. As the date nears, monitor your inbox for updates. Make sure to dress for the weather and lots of walking/hiking. Don't forget your class nametag!

FT: John Bunker Sands #2

Friday, April 11th

9-11:30am

FT: Hagerman NWR #2

Saturday, April 12th

1:30-4pm

FT: Chalk Hill Farm

Thursday, April 17th

9-11:30am

FT: LLELA - rescheduled

Saturday, April 19th

9-11:30am