OSU Faculty Research Assistant, Emilee Mowlds, uses a sieve to collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Stream Ecology Spring 2024
Researchers returned to stretches of Lookout Creek and Mack Creek that were burned over in the 2023 Lookout Fire to collect information on changes in the stream and stream habitat after the wildfire. The researchers measured decomposition rates of the stream and riparian soils, collected stream invertebrates, and studied animal usage of large wood as stream crossings. The information will be compared to data collected in 2021, before the Lookout Fire. The comparison, of pre- and post- fire data, will allow researchers to understand how wildfire affects animal movement, decomposition rates, stream habitat, and stream invertebrates in headwater streams. See, also, the Stream Invertebrate Sampling 2021 photo gallery.
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/1/2024
Photo number: afu_001
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, uses a Surbur sampler to collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/1/2024
Photo number: afu_002
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, holds up a strand of cotton strips used to measure stream decomposition rates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/1/2024
Photo number: afu_003
Meagan White uses a flow meter to measure the velocity of the water in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_004
A range finder is used to measure the wetted width of the streambed in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_005
Researchers measure stream velocity, while placing decomposition strips
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_006
Researchers measure stream velocity, while placing decomposition strips
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_007
Researchers measure stream pH, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen using a multi-parameter water quality meter
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_008
A strand of cotton strips is buried under the leaf litter at the edge of the stream and will be used to measure riparian soil decomposition rates
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_009
Researchers measure and record riparian soil humidity
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_010
Researchers measure and record water quality in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_011
OSU graduate student Meagan White (left) and OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds (right) at Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_012
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, deploys cotton strips to measure decomposition and anchors in a temperature sensor used to measure stream temperatures over time
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_013
OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds(left) and graduate student Meagan White (right) on the Lookout Creek Old Growth trail after the 2023 Lookout Fire
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_014
OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds(left) and graduate student Meagan White (right) on the Lookout Creek Old Growth trail after the 2023 Lookout Fire
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_015
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, in Lookout Creek just below the LO Trail bridge
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_016
Researchers measure water quality in Lookout Creek (left) and attach a wildlife cam (right). The wildlife cam will be used to track use of the downed log as a passage way for animals crossing the creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_017
Researchers in Lookout Creek, eight months after the 2023 Lookout Fire
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_018
OSU Graduate student Meagan White deploys a strand of cotton strips used to measure soil microbial activity and decomposition rates
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_019
Lookout Creek, just above the bridge along the Old Growth trail, eight months after the 2023 Lookout Fire
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_020
Lookout Creek, just above the bridge along the Old Growth trail, eight months after the 2023 Lookout Fire
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_021
A temperature sensor is anchored to a stone and will be placed in the stream to measure water temperature over time
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_022
Cotton strips are placed into blackout containers and incubated in the stream for two hours. Dissolved oxygen readings are then taken as a metric to measure metabolism in the tubes
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_023
A range finder is used to measure the distance between large logs crossing the stream
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_024
A Surber sampler and sieve are used to collect stream invertebrates
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_025
A Surber sampler is used to collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_026
A Surber sampler is used to collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_027
Undergraduate research technician Ashley Weissenfels (left), and OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds (right) collect stream invertebrates using a Surber sampler
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_028
Undergraduate research technician Ashley Weissenfels (left), and OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds (right) collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_029
Undergraduate research technician Ashley Weissenfels (left), and OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds (right) collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_030
Undergraduate research technician Ashley Weissenfels (left), and OSU Faculty Research Assistant Emilee Mowlds (right) collect stream invertebrates in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_031
Emilee Mowlds holds a Pacific giant salamander
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_032
Researchers at the edge of Lookout Creek, processing decomposition strips after a two week incubation period
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_033
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, holds a small Pacific giant salamander
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_034
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, rinsing off decomposition strips with ethanol to halt decomposition after the two week incubation period
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/17/2024
Photo number: afu_035
OSU Faculty Research Assistant, Emilee Mowlds, uses a flow meter to measure the velocity (speed) of the water in the stream
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/2/2024
Photo number: afu_036
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, deploys cotton strips to measure decomposition rates in the stream
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_037
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, rinsing off a decomposition strip with ethanol to halt decomposition after a two week incubation period
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_038
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, measures dissolved oxygen consumed by microbes on a decomposition strip.
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_039
Researchers measures dissolved oxygen consumed by microbes on a decomposition strip and collect stream invertebrates with a Surber sampler.
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_040
Researchers rinse off a decomposition strip with ethanol to halt decomposition and collect stream invertebrates with a Surber sampler.
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_041
OSU graduate student, Meagan White, measures dissolved oxygen consumed by microbes on a decomposition strip.
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/15/2024
Photo number: afu_042
OSU Faculty Research Assistant, Emilee Mowlds, uses a BenthoTorch to measure green algae, cyanobacteria, and diatoms in Lookout Creek
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/16/2024
Photo number: afu_043
OSU Faculty Research Assistant, Emilee Mowlds, sets up a wildlife cam to record how wildlife use a large log laying over the stream as a passageway
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/17/2024
Photo number: afu_044
OSU Faculty Research Assistant, Emilee Mowlds, measures the size of a large log laying across the stream as part of a study on wildlife use of downed wood as passageways
Photographed by: Benjamin E. Nash
Date: 5/17/2024
Photo number: afu_045