Stream Ecology Kit ("Leaf Pack")

Stream Ecology Kit

This comprehensive field kit was developed by aquatic specialists and teachers from the Stroud Water Research Center and LaMotte. The kit contains everything needed to collect and study freshwater macroinvertebrates (visible without a microscope) in their natural aquatic habitats. Students learn about the complex relationships between the health of streamside forests and stream life: how natural balances are maintained in streams, along with food chain relationships and pollution impacts. The contents of kit include six mesh bags with waterproof labels, a waterproof marker, a stainless steel strainer (for rinsing leaf packs), a scale for weighing leaf packs, one DiscoveryScope®, six waterproof sorting sheets with drawings and names of typical freshwater invertebrates, four sorting trays, 60 plastic petri dishes (90mm), six hand lenses, 12 brushes and spoons for handling organisms, two rulers, a thermometer, nylon twine and bags, a magnifying viewer, and a set of 18 different full-color cards identifying common freshwater invertebrates. An instructor’s manual provides background materials for open-ended, hands-on environmental studies.