Unlike many science programs in our schools' curricula, this program is designed to give students an opportunity to collect data on water quality, habitat, and water chemistry in the field using the same methods professionals use on a daily basis. Obviously, the data collected would show the differences between the two. If there are more intolerant species present, it would suggest that there are no influencing factors which would limit their ability to survive. The number of tests made would be determined by the size and the complexity of the water chemistry kit used. The number of insect species at a stream site can tell a lot about the condition of the stream being studied.
Some species are major food sources for various species of fish.
Some are intolerant whereas others are able to withstand various conditions which negatively affect the overall water quality. This station is, in many ways, similar to the IBI station as it looks at the number of species present and in what numbers, and whether they are intolerant or tolerant. As many insect species are not very mobile, localized water quality problems can, in some cases, be pinpointed to a certain section of a stream by the data collected. They look at the amount of sediment on the bottom, the condition of the streambank, and the types of vegetation, if there is any, along the stream as all of these factors affect the stream's overall condition in one way or another. At the end of the day, the students compare the data, draw conclusions as to the condition of the streams and in some cases, may determine what factors contribute to the stream's poor or good condition.