{"id":11150,"date":"2024-07-24T10:24:45","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T15:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=11150"},"modified":"2024-07-24T10:24:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T15:24:45","slug":"out-of-the-classroom-and-into-the-stream-how-fish-sampling-teaches-uw-platteville-biology-students-conservation","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/out-of-the-classroom-and-into-the-stream-how-fish-sampling-teaches-uw-platteville-biology-students-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Out of the classroom and into the stream: How fish sampling teaches UW-Platteville biology students conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
Dr. Kristopher Wright takes his students and the Chancellor and Provost into the Rountree Branch Stream.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Biology students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville stepped into chest waders and took to the water to conduct fish sampling. Fish sampling provides a straightforward method to assess fish populations or communities, particularly in their habitats. It\u2019s part of a broader collaboration with Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on conserving, protecting and restoring America\u2019s coldwater fisheries and watersheds.<\/p>\n

The research is led by UW-Platteville Biology Professor Dr. Kristopher Wright, who has been conducting long-term monitoring at 42 sites for the local chapter of Trout Unlimited. He describes streams as the barometer of the local environment, calling them the lifeblood of the surrounding ecosystem.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf our streams are in trouble, it\u2019s likely something in the greater system is in trouble,\u201d Wright emphasized. \u201cWater in our streams is like the lifeblood of our landscapes, as streams collect everything from the surrounding watershed. Observing streams helps us understand what\u2019s happening in the wider world because they connect so many different habitats.\u201d<\/p>\n

On this trip to Rountree Branch Stream in Memorial Park, students were joined by Dr. Tammy Evetovich, chancellor, and Dr. Laura Reynolds, provost. Chancellor Evetovich, who received her undergraduate degree in biology, finds immense value in leaving the office and connecting with students.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery now and then we need to get out and do something like this to help us reinvigorate, reenergize and remember why we\u2019re here,\u201d she said. \u201cAt the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, we\u2019re known for our high impact practices. Holding the fish in your hands and identifying it is so much more impactful than looking at it in a book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chancellor Evetovich commends Wright for getting students outside and learning.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Wright is fabulous,\u201d she added. \u201cHe is the epitome of what a faculty member at UW-Platteville is like.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is unique to this research project is that the group used a technique called electrofishing. Electrofishing applies a direct electric current to shock the fish to temporarily immobilize it for easy capture. The Environmental Protection Agency says electrofishing, chosen for its advantages over other capture methods, is generally painless and stress-free for most fish, causing no lasting harm.<\/p>\n

As for the students, they were getting used to the bulky fish shocking equipment. This session is practice in preparation for research at actual study sites in the months ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am still learning, but you have to learn to swing the wand around, and sometimes you don\u2019t know where the fish are,\u201d said senior Noah Braun, from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. An environmental science major with a minor in biology, Braun is supportive of UW-Platteville\u2019s conservation efforts beyond the stream. \u201cIt\u2019s important to be in touch with your own campus. I really like seeing the prescribed burns as well that we run on campus to keep it renewed. Fish sampling is another example of this as we keep an eye on our own area. It\u2019s great practice as we go out in the field next month and do it elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

The practice paid off as the haul netted Brown Trout, White Sucker, Creek Chub, Common Shiner, Smallmouth Bass, Johny Darter, Fantail Darter, and Blacknose Dace, which were sampled and studied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been extremely fascinated with aquatic life, particularly invertebrates,” said UW-Platteville sophomore Kai Cutler, from Belmont, Wisconsin. “I want to be a stream ecologist, but I want to stay near my family, and there are plenty of lakes and rivers in Wisconsin.”<\/p>\n

Cutler said she wants other students to know about the numerous research opportunities available at the university and how important it is to get involved.<\/p>\n

Reynolds echoed that sentiment, adding, \u201cOne thing we are focused on is hands-on, applied learning at this institution. It\u2019s become trendy nationally, but it\u2019s something that UW-Platteville Pioneers engage in every day. Learning is more effective when we are as close to an authentic environment as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The knowledge students are gaining today could significantly shape and improve land-use practices in the years ahead. This research not only informs organizations like Trout Unlimited in their conservation decisions but also educates the public about the contents of streams, which affect what ends up on dinner tables.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough things have certainly improved, the last 200 years of land-use have been pretty hard on Wisconsin streams,\u201d lamented Wright. \u201cWe\u2019re all to blame, so instead of pointing fingers we need to work at positively impacting our streams\u2019 functions and communities. Doing so can improve water quality, floodplain soils, fishing and recreation, and even local economies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that training is complete, the team will be going out to the study sites for the year and officially collecting data on habitat, invertebrates and fish to be shared with Trout Unlimited.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team is so committed, and Dr. Wright is getting students out in the field, learning and absorbing so much knowledge being out here,\u201d said Chancellor Evetovich. \u201cThat is heartening for me. I\u2019m going to go back to my office and think, \u2018OK, let\u2019s keep going. This is why we\u2019re here!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Christine Bellport<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwplatt.edu\/news\/out-classroom-and-stream-how-fish-sampling-teaches-uw-platteville-biology-students-conservation<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Biology students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville stepped into chest waders and took to the water to conduct fish sampling. Fish sampling provides a straightforward method to assess fish populations or communities, particularly in their habitats. It\u2019s part of a broader collaboration with Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on conserving, protecting and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":11154,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[93],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-11150","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-platteville"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/11150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11150"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=11150"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=11150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}