T&E Playlist

by OB34

Aquatic ecosystem quality
By OB34
Bowker Creek current water quality: Temperature: (average) 12 degrees celsius. Dissolved oxygen (average) 8.25 ppm. pH: (average) 6.5. Phosphate: (average) 0.25 mg/l. Nitrate: (average) 0.37 ppm

Qualities that make bowker creek suitable for aquatic life
By OB34
Water qualities temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphate, and nitrate are acceptable to support aquatic life. Native plant species reintroduced, helps slow erosion into the creek. Native and non native plants create shade for organisms for protection from the sun. Some curves in the creek pathway have created places for organisms to live. 

Desired species for the future: Cutthroat trout
By OB34
Cutthroat trout vary widely in size from 6-40 inches long. They have a golden greyish green colour with pink markings. Cutthroat tend to live in smaller habitats. They require cold, clear, well oxygenated, shallow rivers with gravel bottoms or cold, deep lakes, and healthy stream-side vegetation. Coastal cutthroat are highly predatory. 

Aquatic animals in bowker creek: Three spined stickleback
By OB34
The three spined stickleback is a small fish with three spines on its back. It has a greenish olive colour with a large black eye. Their preferred fresh water habitat are well vegetated sheltered bays, or quiet rivers with a sandy or muddy bottom. They eat small crustaceans, worms, insect larvae, and fish larvae and eggs even from their own species

Desired species for the future: Chum Salmon
By OB34
The chum salmon live most of their lives in the ocean, but migrate to spawn from June to August. When in the ocean their colouring tends to be a silvery blue green with unclear spotting, when in fresh water their colour changes to a dark olive green and their belly colour darkens. Their ideal spawning habitats are rivers and streams, near springs.

Aquatic animals in Bowker Creek: Leech
By OB34
Leeches have soft but muscular bodies with two suckers, one on each end. Colouring varies, but usually tends to be darker with blotches, stripes, or spots. Average size is around 50 mm long. They prefer to live in shallow streams, creeks, or lakes. Leeches reproduce individually, they can all produce eggs which they attach to a surface underwater. 

Aquatic animals in Bowker Creek: Crayfish
By OB34
Crayfish are small shrimp-like crustaceans that are usually 6-9 inches long. They have a segmented body, with variations or different sandy colours. Crayfishes ideal habitats are lakes, rivers, springs, or seasonally wet habitats such as roadside ditches. Sometimes they will live in dry areas. They spawn in late summer, or early fall or spring.