Submitted by Albert Ruhi Vidal on
We are monitoring stream invertebrate communities in the Chalone Creek watershed (Pinnacles National Park), an intermittent stream network that exhibits clear gradients in drought severity and habitat fragmentation. We will continue to perform seasonal monitoring and analyze collected samples from past monitoring. The goal of the project is to parse out the relative importance of different resistance and resilience mechanisms that allow stream biodiversity to persist in the face of drought.
The student’s primary goals will be to sort and identify benthic macroinvertebrates in the lab. Additionally, students will have opportunities to perform fieldwork, and engage in additional laboratory-based activities that align with their interests as they arise. The student will have opportunities to take part in day or multiple-day trips to Pinnacles National Park, for sampling.
No prior experience is required, but skills or coursework in aquatic ecology, engineering, entomology, hydrology, or field research techniques are advantageous and should be mentioned in the application. While participation in fieldwork for this project is not mandatory, students that choose to participate should be able to carry 30+lbs for up to 15 miles in a single day. Importantly, SPUR students should be excited to learn about freshwater ecology and collaborate with our lab team.