Advance Environmental Science/ ECE UConn Environmental Science teacher April Kelley recently accompanied her students to Milford’s Mondo Pond for an environmental assay survey. The students spent two hours surveying the environmental conditions of the pond and its surrounding habitat.
After a guided nature walk around the pond led by Mrs. Kelley, the students settled into their assigned roles in the environmental assay survey. Some aspects studied were dissolved oxygen levels, fecal bacterial counts, water quality (pH, nitrate and phosphate levels), dissolved carbon dioxide levels, turbidity, and species diversity.
After completing the field studies, the students spent time analyzing their data. After comparing the results of all the individual tests, the students determined that the overall health of the pond system was poor/fair in terms of species diversity and acceptable pollution levels. Their survey results will remain on file in the AP Environmental Science classroom so that future Advanced Placement Environmental Science classes can compare their results with survey results from previous years. This will allow the science department to monitor the long-term health of this local ecosystem and note any changes occurring over time. In addition, results will be posted on the Global Water Project database so students can compare the health of this local pond with the health of ponds in similar regions. In comparing this year’s assay results to previous years, students found that the health of the pond which had been improving slowly over the last five years (2008 – 2012) has experienced a slight decline in the last two years. If this disturbing trend continues into next year, the class will begin investigating changes to the community that could be contributing to the declining pond health and will research possible solutions to the issues.
