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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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    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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    The River Field Studies Network: Connecting rivers, people, & science through immersive field-based education (RCN-UBE Introduction)
    Connecting rivers, people, & science through immersive field-based education

    Keywords: RCN-UBE Introduction

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    Rivers as Social-Ecological-Technological Systems: Integrative Issue Formulation and Problem Solving
    Flowing surface waters continue to capture the human imagination and are increasingly harnessed by many interdependent human activities. Existing theories for studying rivers as cohesive ecological...

    Keywords: Interdisciplinary STEMProblem based learningcomplex systemsexperiential learningRiver Field Studies Network

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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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    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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    The River Breathes: Stream reach metabolism as an integrative and comparable measure of stream processes
    Stream reach metabolism integrates organism respiration & production to provide a valuable ecosystem measure that varies as a function of biotic & abiotic factors. As a powerful indicator of whole...

    Keywords: ecosystem respirationMetabolismriverRespirationproductionRiver Field Studies NetworkDissolved OxygenStream MetabolismEcosystem ProductionStreamField LessonGuided Student ReflectionStudent Reflection

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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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    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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    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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    Using Data in Limnology
    Poster on the interdisciplinary study of limnology as a "PEAK" integrative learning experience at Concordia Collegepresented at the 2018 QUBES/BioQUEST Summer Workshop

    Keywords: student researchinterdisciplinary educationlimnologyeco-informaticsSummer Workshop 2018

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