A UVM blog Wonder Blog NR009

For my project I created a field guide because I felt that there were so many different types of wildflowers, weeds, shrubs, and other plants that I wanted to learn more about. Since I work at this site it allowed me to get to know this place better. This project helped me to connect to my site because it allowed me to learn more about the wildflowers that are commonly found here and to see how they all connect to the landscape. I have never done a project like this before and it was difficult trying to get the perfect picture but in all this project was really fun and I liked the final product!

Part 1

Day: July 3^rd, 2022

Time: 8:47 A.M.

Weather: 75ºF, dry, humid air with sparse cloud cover

Part 2

In the woods I can hear the snapping of branches as various wildlife step on leaves and branches. The common milkweed plant does not look as vibrant as it did last week, though I am not sure if the cause is due to the time of day I am here or if they are starting to wither and die off. Walking along the shore I came across red rocks in various sizes. I believe these rocks to be red rhyolite, though I am not sure. They are different than the ones found near the boat launch, which are shades of grey. The presumed red rhyolite rocks are about twenty feet from the grey rocks. What I noticed about the red rhyolite rocks is that they are abundant on the shoreline that is on a steep slope, but the grey rocks near the boat launch are few and far between. I found these red rocks in the water, but the rocks that are on the slope look similar to the grey rocks found near the boat launch. The reservoir is stocked with large and smallmouth bass, trout, and land panfish, but there appears to be no fish near the shore, which I believe to be due to the loud noises of the boats entering the water. 

Part 3

Something that I am curious about on the reservoir is: Why is the invasive species (Brittle Naiad) such a huge problem in this body of water? Invasive species are not only a threat to the Waterbury Reservoirs ecosystem, but also in bodies of water throughout Vermont. The reservoir is passionate about making sure that no aquatic invasive species are being transported from one body of water to another. Through research I found out that the main reason that Brittle Naiad is able to spread quickly is because it fractures easily. A second reason as to how it spreads is because mass seed production allows for seed scattering and overwinter triumph. Brittle Naiad favors alkaline waters found in streams, ponds, and lakes and is able to withstand eutrophic conditions and turbidity. 

Part 4

Part 5

I felt as though I went at the right time for taking photos because the morning light cast a good reflection off of the water which created a good background for some of my photos. I think that looking for the right lighting, subject, framing, and such allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the reservoir more than I already do. Sometimes when looking at weeds or types of grass it is hard to see the beauty in it but when you take time and really look at them it allows for someone to see more beauty in something as simple as orchard grass. When looking for various subjects, I initially did not think that a bunch of weeds and grass would be captivating enough but after figuring out the lighting and background, I started to love the photo. Compared to sketching I found taking photos to be much easier because I find drawing extremely difficult. With a photo I am able to capture tiny details that I would not be able to draw. In all, this assignment was fun to do because it allowed me to capture the beauty of the reservoir. I was also able to learn more about aquatic invasive species of the reservoir through this assignment, which is an important part of the reservoir.

References:

Vermont invasive patrollers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 5, 2022, from https://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wsm/lakes/ans/docs/2019%20VIP%20Manual%20Final.pdf 

Part 1:

Day: July 1^st, 2022

Time: 1:00 P.M. 

Weather: 86 °F, partly cloudy and humid

Part 2:

While exploring the Waterbury Reservoir, I saw numerous species of weeds and wildflowers. Near the water’s edge I found copious amounts of orchard grass swaying in the wind. The orchard grass grew in large clumps, mostly on the right side of the boat launch. Over by the parking spots I found cow vetch, oxeye daisies, common milkweed, false baby’s breath, bird’s foot trefoil, and common crown vetch. The butterflies seem to prefer landing upon common milkweed over other types of flowers/weeds. What I noticed is that the dominant weed/ flower species were orchard grass and cow vetch. From what I know about orchard grass, it made sense that it would grow near the reservoir as it grows in woodland boarders as the boat launch is in the middle of the woods. 

Part 3:

Sitting upon a common milkweed, I found a Great Spangled Fritillary, (scientific name: Speyeria cybele). To identify the butterfly, I used the website Inaturalist.org. Using the website, I searched for butterflies in Vermont and looked through the photos until I came upon the Great Spangled Fritillary, as its common features matched. The description on Inaturalist.org states: “…the forewing is yellowish orange with black marks similar to the upperside, with a few silver spots on the tip of the wing. The hindwing is reddish brown with silver spots on the base and middle of the wing. A broad yellow band and silver triangles are the most notable qualities on the wing, next to the brown margin” (Great Spangled Fritillary). A fascinating fact about this species is that in the summer females lay their eggs next to violets, (New Jersey Butterflies, 2017).

Part 4:

Conclusion:

When thinking about what to sketch, I was thinking about animals such as loons, which I see often at the reservoir, and I was also thinking about insects such as butterflies. For one of my four sketches I had wanted to attempt to draw a loon, but they wouldn’t come close enough to the shore for me to accurately draw. What challenged me was finding a species that I was not familiar with to draw as most wildlife was difficult to come close to and I knew the different types of trees and flower species. During my walk to find a species to draw, I came upon a butterfly perched on common milk weed that I had not seen before, and it allowed me to come close enough to take a photo of it and its intricate wings and study it. Another challenge for me was trying to accept that my drawings were not going to be perfect. This sketching exercise allowed me to get to know the reservoirs wildlife and vegetation better. During my next visit I would love to be able to find and identify more wildlife such as a heron. 

Reference:

Great Spangled Fritillary (speyeria cybele). iNaturalist. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2022, from https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47980-Speyeria-cybele 

New Jersey Butterflies. Great Spangled Fritillary. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2, 2022, from https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabanj/butterflies/great_spangled_fritillary.html 

Day: June 19^th, 2022

Time: 7:00 A.M.

Weather: 48°F, partly cloudy with windy and frigid air

Site: Waterbury Reservoir, 44.384° N 72.774° W

Flowers/ Weeds found:

• White Champion
• Cow Vetch
• Daisy
• Common Crown vetch
• Orchard Grass
• False baby’s breath

Site Description: Heavily forested with birch and various other trees. The reservoir is lush with verdant vegetation. The vast water stretches as far as the eye can see with the Mount Mansfield mountain range overlooking it. Weeds, and flowers such as cow vetch and false baby’s breath are fully bloomed within the expansive vegetation. In between the two sides of vegetation lies a boat launch that stretches below the surface. The sun sits high above the mountains reflecting off the water. In the background loon’s call. Though it is wooded with towering trees, the boat launch is left open and exposed with no shade or protection from the elements.

Questions:

1. How widespread is the invasive species called Brittle Naiad in the reservoir?
2. What are the implications seen in the past years of aquatic invasive species?
3. What role do loons play in the ecosystem at the reservoir?
4. Are there certain areas have that euthropied/ dead zones; and if so, how can the issue be fixed?
5. Why is the invasive species (Japanese Knotweed and Brittle Naiad) such a huge problem in this body of water?
6. How does species loss effect the other species that are still within the ecosystem?
7. How will climate change and other environmental changes effect species distribution, habitats, and ecosystem function within the reservoir? 
8. What types of aquatic plants and animals are present in the reservoir?
9. Are any of the species within the lake currently endangered?
10.  What can be done to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species in the reservoir?
11.  What is the most beneficial type of aquatic plant currently in the reservoir?
12.  Does the forest provide protection as a riparian zone does against farmland runoff?
13.  What resources would be lost if the reservoir was drained?
14.  How many invasive species currently effect the ecosystem of the reservoir?
15.  How has human influence effected the ecosystem?
16.  What parts of the ecosystem within the reservoir are most vulnerable?
17.  Is the reservoir showing signs of reaching the tipping point?
18.  Are any of the aquatic plants/ animals a key role in the reservoir invasive or hurtful to different aquatic ecosystems in Vermont?
19.  What is the total maximum daily load that the reservoir can handle?
20.  Are there any point/ nonpoint sources in this waterbody?
21.  What are the main issues/ problems that the reservoir currently faces?
22.  How does the dam effect the reservoir and its ecosystem?
23.  How does the reservoir affect the watershed/ rivers?
24.  Has the reservoir ruined any fish habitats?
25.  How quickly would the ecosystem collapse if more invasive species, both in and out of the water, were introduced into the ecosystem?

Research Question:

How will climate change and other environmental changes effect species distribution, habitats, and ecosystem function within the reservoir? 

Effect on waterbodies: Vermont is seeing an increase in average annual rainfall which is affecting stream flow, consequently causing more frequent and larger enormity of high flows. These high flows are happening more often in the later part of the year, (winter months) as a result of early snowpack thaw dates that are happening due to moderately hot temperatures. Estimates propose that warming temperatures combined with more irregular in seasonal rainfall could escalate the chance of short-term summer droughts. Stormwater runoff abundance/ recurrence and amount of runoff is another concern Vermont is facing with climate change. The magnitude of these changes in hydrological methods will hinder ecosystems to host its biodiversity and wildlife. 

Effect on habitats and species: As stormwater runoff increases in abundance, nutrient and sediment loading into waterbodies such as the reservoir will intensifies siltation and algae blooms which halts the ability of the waterbody to aid macroinvertebrates, fish, and various other aquatic organisms. As global warming continues to heat up the waterbodies, the warmer temperatures in conjunction with more nutrient loading will cause blue-green algae blooms that will damage the ecosystem. With changes in temperature, precipitation, and storm frequency changes due to climate stressors, habitat loss and species loss continues more frequently as well. As the spring temperatures continue to heat up, leafing out and plants are starting to bloom earlier than normal, along with wildlife species starting to breed and migrate sooner than ever before. Due to excessive weather events, thermal stress, parasite/ disease escalation, and habitat availably, many of the native wildlife in Vermont are finding it hard to have a home.

Source: Chapter 3 Climate Change & Conservation 2015. Vermont Fish and Wildlife. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/About%20Us/Budget%20and%20Planning/WAP2015/3.-Climate-Change-Wildlife-Conservation-%282015%29.pdf 

Conclusion:  Through this visit I was able to learn about the local plants, weeds, and flowers that the reservoir has. Along with that I was able to research the question: How will climate change and other environmental changes effect species distribution, habitats, and ecosystem function within the reservoir? From this I found out that with changes in temperature, precipitation, and storm frequency changes due to climate stressors, habitat loss and species loss continues more frequently and that stormwater runoff abundance/ recurrence along with the amount of runoff being a major concern Vermont is facing as the climate continues to change. The magnitude of these changes in hydrological methods will prevent ecosystems to host its biodiversity and wildlife. Something that caught my attention was the impact/ attention of aquatic invasive species at the reservoir. There are signs at the site which talk about how people can do their part towards protecting the waterways by making sure they are not transporting any invasive species into the waterbody. There are informational signs along with outreach/ education for the public to make sure that people know the consequences of invasive species. This is something I would like to follow up on future visits and with these visits I would like to be able to answer the following questions:

1. How widespread is the invasive species called Brittle Naiad in the reservoir?
2. What are the implications seen in the past years of aquatic invasive species? 
3. Why is the invasive species (Japanese Knotweed and Brittle Naiad) such a huge problem in this body of water?
4. What can be done to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species in the reservoir?
5. How many invasive species currently effect the ecosystem of the reservoir?
6. Are any of the aquatic plants/ animals a key role in the reservoir invasive or hurtful to different aquatic ecosystems in Vermont?
7. How quickly would the ecosystem collapse if more invasive species, both in and out of the water, were introduced into the ecosystem?