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    What Shapes a River: Field Lesson
    This lesson introduces students to field methods and theoretical concepts regarding the factors that shape river environments and ecosystems. Introductory material is followed by instruction in...

    Keywords: substrateRiver Field Studies Network Fluvial GeomorphologyWolman Pebble CountBankful FlowSediment Transport.

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    Field sketching, geomorphic data, and the power of perspective
    Sketching is a powerful tool to capture observations about the landscape and preserve a picture of a field site at a particular time. At the same time, our perspectives, be they disciplinary,...

    Keywords: sketchingstream dischargedata collectionGeomorphologyRiver Field Studies Networkgrain sizeperspective

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    Simple, Accessible River-Based Field Investigation of Riverine Microplastics
    Scientists have discovered that microplastic pollution is ubiquitous in the environment, but the small size of these microscopic pollutants prohibits most people from recognizing their prevalence....

    Keywords: environmental sciencemicroplastic pollutionurban waterswasteenvironmental studiesfield-based learningfreshwater ecologywater qualityRiversSingle-use plasticfreshwater sciencewater ecologyField ExperiencesRiver Ecologyfield workThe Scientific MethodRiver Field Studies Networkfield courses

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    Understanding Fish Habitat Selection Using Snorkel Surveys
    Identifying the habitat selection patterns of aquatic species is necessary for protecting threatened and endangered native fishes, as well as for producing satisfying and exciting sport fisheries....

    Keywords: fishfisheriesstreamshabitatRiver Field Studies NetworkResource Selection

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    Riverbird distributions and habitat use
    Riverbirds are widespread, use diverse riparian habitats, and respond rapidly to changing conditions. Students can apply riverbird data to evaluate hypotheses about these responses, while gaining...

    Keywords: logistic regressionHabitat selectionRiver Field Studies NetworkWaterfowl raptorkingfisherheronfocal speciesmonitorriverbank

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    A STEAM Approach to Understanding Water Systems
    Students will investigate their relationships to water through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) using a combination of science, art, and reflection and build new...

    Keywords: STEAMwater qualitypollutionRiver Field Studies Networkwatershedparticipatory mappingPhotovoice

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    Measuring streamflow using the float method
    Streamflow, the amount of water flowing in a creek, stream, or river at a certain point in time, is critical to people and the environment. Knowing the amount of flowing water is important for...

    Keywords: River Field Studies Networkstreamflowstreamflow measurements

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    Identifying Groundwater Discharge Dynamics into Stream Habitat Assessments
    Groundwater contributions are overlooked in many habitat assessments, even though their ecological and water quality importance to streams has been broadly recognized. This lab encourages students...

    Keywords: landscape ecologyriver systemsRiver Field Studies NetworkGroundwater - Surface Water Exchangegroundwater seepsstream temperature

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    Exploring Detritus-Based Food Webs in Streams
    This two-part field lesson for mid- to upper-level undergraduates connects allochthonous inputs to the invertebrate consumers that depend on them. After preparing students with background...

    Keywords: aquatic macroinvertebratesfunctional feeding groupallochthonousorganic matterleaf packRiver Field Studies Network

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    Time Immemorial: Water Governance Approaches and Indigenous Rights
    The purpose of this experiential lesson is to introduce students to key concepts in water governance in the United States, and provide them with the opportunity to reflect on the western and...

    Keywords: River Field Studies Networkwater governanceprior appropriationtime immemorialfield observationsIndigenous water rights

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    Geography and Embodied Perceptions: a pathway to reanimating rivers through lived experiences.
    In this lesson students embark upon a journey through the many ways we come to know a watershed, with foci on its physical geography and our embodied perceptions. This enables students to formulate...

    Keywords: PhilosophygeographyRiver Field Studies Networkperceptionwatershednature journalexperiencesensationhumanityplacehomeembodied perceptionsense of placeplace attachmenttransdisciplinaryqualitative methodscalable

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    Microhabitats and macroinvertebrates: Logjam influences on stream morphology and macroinvertebrate traits
    Logjams are important hydrologic features that shape stream channel morphology and create habitat for organisms. In this lesson, students learn about and measure logjams in a wadeable stream and...

    Keywords: aquatic macroinvertebrateswoodriparian ecologyhabitatfunctional feeding groupRiver Field Studies Networklarge wood

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    Using Survey123 to Map Physical Habitat Characteristics, Watershed Activities, and Disturbances
    In this lesson, students are introduced to the idea and practice of “remote sensing” and provided with hands-on, field-based experience using standardized stream habitat assessment protocols (the...

    Keywords: GISmappingremote sensingRiver Field Studies Networkriparian habitat assessmentGPSSurvey123National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA)watershed activitieswatershed disturbances

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    A STEAM Approach to Investigating the Hydrologic Cycle
    The purpose of this experiential lesson is to teach introductory to mid-level undergraduate students how to make detailed hydrologic field observations into a conceptual model using a painting...

    Keywords: modelinghydrologyfield-based learningSTEAM curriculumhydrogeologyhydrologic cycle

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    Island biogeography, spatial ecology, and macroinvertebrate species diversity in Richmond’s rock pools
    Students investigate questions of community ecology and biogeography using data from an urban rock pool ecosystem. Using ArcGIS 10, students learn to create effective maps, calculate landscape...

    Keywords: aquatic macroinvertebratesCommunity Ecologyspecies diversityGeographic Information System (GIS)spatial analysisJames River

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    Using Aquatic Macroinvertebrates in Stream Bioassessment
    Bioassessment is an evaluation of the biological condition of a waterbody using biological surveys and other direct measurements of resident living organisms. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are...

    Keywords: toleranceMacroinvertebratesRiver Field Studies Networkbioindicatorbioassessmentstream health

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    Climate Change, Phenology, and Community Interactions: Helping students explore the complexity of changing ecosystems
    Students explore findings from long-term studies of migrating and hibernating animals at high elevation. Students then use this understanding to explore the phenology of species and possible...

    Keywords: species interactionsclimate changefmnphenologyDIGenvironmental variationtrophic mismatch

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    Flow regime and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) wadeable stream sites
    This resource uses discharge data from three of NEON's wadeable stream sites to illustrate how streams can differ in their flow regimes using graphical analysis of annual hydrographs.

    Keywords: NEONstreamsstreamflow

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    A Changing Climate in the Hawaiian Wet Forest: In-Person and Virtual Curriculum for Field Courses at Puʻu Makaʻala NAR
    Curriculum for Puʻu Makaʻala Huakaʻi with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), developed by Teaching Change. This module was created to guide Teaching Change Field Courses at Puʻu...

    Keywords: climate changecommunityenvironmental sciencephenologyhuman-environmental interactionsNEONhawai'icareer connected

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    DNA Barcoding & Biodiversity databases
    This resource pairs DNA barcoding databases with Biodiversity databases. Students collect their insect specimens in the field and use BLAST and BOLD to identify their species. They then use...
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