Ponds

Met Rich, Jessica and Thayer this afternoon around 3 to go to the Ponds in the Woods..marvelous day low 70's. Seine and pole net captured abundant populations of large Daphnia pulex in the sunny west pond. R, J and T took samples to see if Chaoborus were there (none found). Samples from the east pond yielded far fewer.. but there were abundant copepods, Acanthocyclops, plus diving beetles and misc other. No evidence of any Gambusia in either pond. May be good if they can remain fishless this spring. Rich and Thayer found dead Corbicula in the east pond.. and commented that they do not like anoxic water.. may have arrived on feet of waterfowl. Interesting to note that ponds were dry from summer heat/ drought until October 8 2011. Populations have had three months to grow from epiphia eggs.