Watershed Investigations Manual utahmasternaturalist.org May 2017 UMN/Manual/2017-01pr Welcome to Utah Master Naturalist! Utah Master Naturalist was developed to help you initiate or continue your own personal journey to increase your understanding of, and appreciation for, Utah’s amazing natural world. We will explore and learn aBout the major ecosystems of Utah, the plant and animal communities that depend upon those systems, and our role in shaping our past, in determining our future, and as stewards of the land. Utah Master Naturalist is a certification program developed By Utah State University Extension with the partnership of more than 25 other organizations in Utah. The mission of Utah Master Naturalist is to develop well-informed volunteers and professionals who provide education, outreach, and service promoting stewardship of natural resources within their communities. Our goal, then, is to assist you in assisting others to develop a greater appreciation and respect for Utah’s Beautiful natural world. “When we see the land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” - Aldo Leopold Participating in a Utah Master Naturalist course provides each of us opportunities to learn not only from the instructors and guest speakers, but also from each other. We each arrive at a Utah Master Naturalist course with our own rich collection of Knowledge and experiences, and we have a unique opportunity to share that Knowledge with each other. This helps us learn and grow not just as individuals, but together as a group with the understanding that there is always more to learn, and more to share. This manual is your literary companion as you journey through a Utah Master Naturalist course. Ideally, you’ll become very familiar with the contents of this manual before the course starts. That way, we can focus on applying this Knowledge while we are out on field excursions. I hope you enjoy your time as a participant in a Utah Master Naturalist course, and that it truly helps you on that journey through our natural world. Mark Larese-Casanova Extension Assistant Professor Utah Master Naturalist Director Utah State University Utah State University is committed to providing an environment free from harassment and other forms of illegal discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 and older), disability, and veteran’s status. USU’s policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment and academic related practices and decisions. Utah State University employees and students cannot, Because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disaBility, or veteran’s status, refuse to hire; discharge; promote; demote; terminate; discriminate in compensation; or discriminate regarding terms, privileges, or conditions of employment, against any person otherwise qualified. Employees and students also cannot discriminate in the classroom, residence halls, or in on/off campus, USU-sponsored events and activities. This puBlication is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension worK, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kenneth L. White, Vice President for Extension and Agriculture, Utah State University. (UMN/Manual/2017-01pr.) Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Important Naturalist Perspectives ......................................................................................................... 2 E. O. Wilson .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Rachel Carson ........................................................................................................................................... 3 John Wesley Powell .................................................................................................................................. 4 Environmental Education .......................................................................................................................... 6 What is Environmental Education? ........................................................................................................ 6 Education vs. Advocacy ............................................................................................................................ 8 Goals and OBjectives ................................................................................................................................ 8 Learning Environments ............................................................................................................................. 9 Learning Styles ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Instructional Techniques ........................................................................................................................ 11 Instructional Delivery ............................................................................................................................. 11 Access for Persons with Special Needs ................................................................................................... 13 Age Groups ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Assessment and Evaluation .................................................................................................................... 14 Physical Characteristics ........................................................................................................................... 16 What is a Watershed? ......................................................................................................................... 16 Watershed Functions .............................................................................................................................. 16 Watershed Scales and Nesting ............................................................................................................... 17 Water Cycle ......................................................................................................................................... 18 Water AvailaBility ................................................................................................................................... 18 The CarBon Cycle .................................................................................................................................... 19 The Nitrogen Cycle ................................................................................................................................. 20 The Phosphorus Cycle ............................................................................................................................. 20 The Sulfur Cycle ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Eutrophication .................................................................................................................................... 22 Weather and Climate .......................................................................................................................... 23 Climate Cycles ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Historic Climate Change ......................................................................................................................... 25 Modern Climate Change ......................................................................................................................... 26 Watershed Ecosystems ............................................................................................................................ 29 Rivers and Streams .............................................................................................................................. 29 Freshwater LaKes ................................................................................................................................ 32 Lake Zones .............................................................................................................................................. 34 Lake Mixing ............................................................................................................................................. 35 Lake Succession ...................................................................................................................................... 37 Wetlands ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Wetland Functions .................................................................................................................................. 38 Ponds ...................................................................................................................................................... 39 Marshes .................................................................................................................................................. 40 Wet Meadows .......................................................................................................................................