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The Upstate Freshwater Institute conducts on-going biological research for a wide range of aquatic organisms. These studies include surveys for composition and density of various biological communities:
- Fish
- Macrobenthos (including zebra mussels)
- Macrophytes
- Phytoplankton and Zooplankton
Fisheries Studies
The fish studies at UFI are designed to provide a thorough description of the fish community in the system studied. This is accomplished through the use of various types of nets to insure all zones of a system are surveyed. Data are interpreted to characterize the community structure of both adult and juvenile fishes, age structure and trophic structure of the adult community, and overall species diversity.
Aquatic biologist deploying a net to sample
the littoral zone of Onondaga Lake
Fish are identified to species and measured
Fish are individually tagged using Floy tags
or other identifying marks
Examples of fish sampled from regional freshwater systems:
channel catfish, bowfin, and black crappie
Macrobenthos Surveys
UFI's macrobenthic studies survey the community structure, species diversity, and abundance of macroinvertebrates in the near-shore and benthic zones. Portable invertebrate samplers (PIB), core samplers, and Ekman dredges are used to sample these areas. Samples are preserved and identified to the species level.
Example of a PIB sampler used to
survey benthic communities
Benthic invertebrate: riffle beetle
Zebra Mussel Surveys
Since 1993, UFI has intensively studied the water quality impacts of the zebra mussels (an exotic species) on the Seneca River, NY. Zebra mussels have been shown to have a severe impact on the water quality and clarity of aquatic systems.
Zebra mussels attached to an old bike frame
retrieved from the river bed
Close up view of zebra mussels
Macrophyte Surveys
UFI SCUBA divers collect macrophyte specimens from sampling grids or transects to assess abundance of these aquatic plants and community composition.
Dense macrophyte growth in the littoral zone of Austin Lake, MI
  
Examples of macrophytes collected on a survey
Plankton Studies
UFI studies phytoplankton and zooplankton to determine how changes in water quality affect the plankton community. Plankton data are used in model development and testing.
Net used to collect zooplanton samples
Aquatic biologist examining plankton
sample under microscope
  
Examples of phytoplankton examined under microscope
Examples of zooplankton examined under microscope
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