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Kevin Keller is a fourth year Biology major, from Eastampton, New Jersey.
He has been working under the guidance of John Waud and Gary Neuderfer, a retired DEC scientist, on investigating the health of Oatka Creek through the use of macroinvertebrates since the winter quarter of his third year.
After graduation Kevin hopes to go on to graduate school to earn a PhD in conservation ecology. |
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A 2009-2010 Sixteen and Seventeen Year Follow-up: Biological Monitoring Assessment of Oatka and Spring Creeks in Upstate New York |
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Abstract : Macroinvertebrates are organisms that do not posses backbones. They are found all throughout the world. Evolutionarily, most macroinvertebrates were terrestrial organisms that later moved into the water. Most macroinvertebrates have short lives, up a few years at most, and generally do not move far from their birth place unlike fish and other larger aquatic organisms. Their life cycle makes them excellent candidates for studying the long term effects on stream health. Macroinvertebrates were sampled from each of four sites along Oatka Creek. |
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Continued development in the Rochester, New York and in the surrounding Monroe County area, represents a threat to Oatka Creek’s water quality and the trout fishery it supports. In addition to the trout fishery and many important fish populations that call the creek home, Oatka Creek also has the unique position of supporting many human settlements at points along its banks. People use the Oatka Creek for obtaining drinking water, boating, and other recreational purposes. The polluting of the creek would not only harm the fish and other wildlife, but would affect the human populations living in the area as well. |
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| From the data taken from the various samples numerous indicators of the stream health can be derived. This research will look to calculate and interpret these numbers gathered from Oatka Creek. These indices will present a clear and complete picture of the state of health at Oatka Creek. |
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