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We present data displaying course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) effectiveness in providing authentic cutting-edge research experiences to undergraduates, which both private and government organizations recognize as essential. A total of 68 students were enrolled in this research with 50 students being in a traditional laboratory course and 18 students participating in the CURE implemented laboratory. Results from mid- and postsemester surveys were compared to assess knowledge and attitude. Knowledge showed no change; however, students who experienced the CURE responded with increased enjoyment, strong feelings of scientific contribution, and high project ownership, and overall they were more confident in research than their non-CURE peers.

This project involves students in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) as part of the traditional introductory biology laboratory course. Recently, research has shown that student engagement in authentic research has significant positive impacts on students, such as development of science literacy and reasoning skills. Being recently featured in the news, microplastics are a timely, interesting, and relevant topic for students. The authentic research conducted by students was the first attempt at quantification of microplastics in the Great Plains, which garnered further student excitement and engagement. Surface water and substrate samples were collected at 23 locations from small streams, rivers, ponds, and reservoirs in fall 2018. Authentic research, as broadly defined in the pedagogical context, is research conducted primarily by students. In the context of this project, authentic research is specifically defined as research done primarily by students in which the students are asking questions, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and writing a final manuscript that was submitted, and accepted, as a peer-reviewed publication. This project could be incorporated at the high school or university level, for biology major or nonmajor courses. The purpose of this paper is to serve as a how-to, sharing the lesson design with specific detail on student responsibilities.

SUMMARY 1. Stream fish can regulate their environment through direct and indirect pathways, and the relative influence of communities with different taxonomic and functional richness on ecosystem properties likely depends on habitat structure. Given this complexity, it is not surprising that observational studies of how stream fish communities influence ecosystems have shown mixed results. 2. In this study, we evaluated the effect of an observed gradient of taxonomic (zero, one, two or three species) and functional (zero, one or two groups) richness of fishes on several key ecosystem properties in experimental stream mesocosms. Our study simulated small (less than two metres wide) headwater prairie streams with a succession of three pool-riffle structures (upstream, middle and downstream) per mesocosm. Ecosystem responses included chlorophyll a from floating algal mats and benthic algae, benthic organic matter, macroinvertebrates (all as mass per unit area), algal filament length and stream metabolism (photosynthesis and respiration rate). Ecosystem responses were analysed individually using general linear mixed models. 3. Significant treatment (taxonomic and functional richness) by habitat (pools and riffles) interactions were found for all but one ecosystem response variable. After accounting for location (upstream, middle and downstream) effects, the presence of one or two grazers resulted in shorter mean algal filament lengths in pools compared to no-fish controls. These observations suggest grazers can maintain short algal filaments in pools, which may inhibit long filaments from reaching the surface. Accordingly, floating algal mats decreased in mid- and downstream locations in grazer treatment relative to no-fish controls. 4. At the scale of the entire reach, gross primary productivity and respiration were greater in treatments with two grazer species compared to mixed grazer/insectivore or control treatments. 5. The distribution of stream resources across habitat types and locations within a reach can therefore be influenced by the taxonomic and functional composition of fishes in small prairie streams. Thus, disturbances that alter diversity of these systems might have unexpected ecosystemlevel consequences.

The Baker Wetlands (Douglas County, KS) is a 375 ha (927 ac) site for conservation, research, and education on wetland ecosystems. This study focused on a wetland vegetation restoration in a 49 ha (120 ac) portion of Baker Wetlands. A vegetation assessment was carried out every fifth summer from 1991 to 2011, with a final survey in 2012, to determine the wetland vegetation establishment success of the restoration at the Baker Wetlands. Successful establishment was defined as having a significant increase in percent coverage of plant species classified as obligate wetland, facultative wetland, and facultative after 10 or more years of restoration. Surveys consisted of visually estimating percent coverage of wetland vegetation within 1m2 quadrats. We found a significant increase in the percent coverage of obligate wetland and facultative wetland plants between 1991 and the following years. These results will help guide future restoration efforts at Baker Wetlands.

SUMMARY 1. The objectives of our research were to examine commonness–rarity patterns in fish communities in networks of intermittent streams. We quantified species abundance distributions and the importance of nestedness and turnover to community dissimilarity and then related commonness to colonisation, extinction and physiological tolerance. Patterns and relationships were evaluated spatially among sites and temporally within sites during non-drought and drought periods in tallgrass prairie streams of eastern Kansas, U.S.A. 2. Supra-seasonal drought during 2011–2013 resulted in complete or partial drying of some sites and provided an opportunity to evaluate whether commonness was predictive of rather than predicted by colonisation and extinction. Abundance was used to predict re-colonisation in desiccated reaches and persistence in drying pools. 3. Few species were common, while most were rare regardless of drought, and nestedness drove community dissimilarity across sites. Common species had higher colonisation and lower extinction than rarer species, but physiological tolerance was unrelated to commonness. 4. Abundant species were generally the first to re-colonise desiccated reaches, but pre-drought abundance did not predict persistence in partially desiccated reaches. 5. Although common species were the first to colonise and the last to go extinct, we were unable to determine whether commonness was predictive of rather than predicted by colonisation and extinction. Regardless, our study demonstrates linkages among commonness, colonisation and extinction.

Microplastics have come to the forefront of aquatic science over the past decade. Research on microplastics has focused primarily on presence and distribution, and the overwhelming majority of studies have been conducted in marine environments. These plastic particles have the potential to leach chemicals into the surrounding aquatic environment, or into organisms that actively or passively ingest them, affecting growth, behavior, and survival. Plastics also change the physical properties of the stream, altering temperature, permeability of water through sediments, and habitat suitability. This research quantifies microplastics in the Great Plains. Surface water and sediment samples were collected at twenty-three locations from small streams, rivers, ponds, and reservoirs in Fall 2018. We reviewed a variety of sample processing techniques and chose a method that destroyed the least amount of microplastics per sample and exhibited a high rate of recovery. Samples were filtered through a 125 µm mesh sieve and thoroughly rinsed, placed into 30 mL polypropylene vials and processed in 15mL of 1N KOH for 14 days. Microplastics were detected in all samples. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance and paired t-test. Sediment samples had orders of magnitude greater microplastic densities than water column samples. The issue of microplastics is ubiquitous across aquatic environments, and we intend to build on this research with more thorough documentation of distribution and density across the Great Plains and mechanistic experimental manipulations to assess ecological impacts on stream environments and organisms.

Streams of North America have been degraded by over a century of anthropogenic stressors, including channelization, fragmentation, impoundment, dewatering, and the modification of the natural flow regime. These stressors have contributed to the decline of many freshwater fish species and are particularly detrimental to the pelagic-broadcast spawning reproductive guild of cyprinids. Members of this guild require an unfragmented river section of 458 (±137) river kilometers (rkm) in length to persist. The Plains Minnow is a member of this reproductive guild and is listed within Kansas as a threatened species. Plains Minnow were once common throughout Kansas, but have experienced declines in abundance and distribution. Using historical data and 14 y of new data, we analyzed the proportion of sites occupied by Plains Minnow over time within Kansas as a whole and within specific river basins using parametric linear regression models and nonparametric localized regression models. We found Plains Minnow to be declining within the historical range of the species across the state as a whole and specifically within the Smoky Hill-Saline and Lower Arkansas river basins. We found Plains Minnow distributions to be unchanging within the Kansas-Lower Republican and the Cimarron river basins. Within the Smoky Hill-Saline and the Kansas-Lower Republican river basins, the proportion of sites occupied by Plains Minnow has been at or near zero for the majority of the time period studied. Our findings support previously published studies and contribute to the growing body of evidence that Plains Minnow continue to decline within Kansas. If the species is to recover within the state, anthropogenic stressors will have to be mitigated, and repatriation efforts will need to be conducted.

Describing fish habitat associations and their relevance to conservation remains a central challenge in stream fish ecology. Unfortunately, there are limited opportunities to investigate these associations in unaltered systems and identify critical habitats used by native fishes. Investigation of fish habitat associations in tallgrass prairie is especially vital, owing to their widespread destruction. Our study aim was to identify habitat factors associated with the distribution and density of fishes in two protected tallgrass prairie stream watersheds in eastern Kansas: Kings Creek on the Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS) and Fox Creek on the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TPNP). We sampled fishes and measured eight habitat variables at three sites on KPBS (2006–2011) and four sites on TPNP (2008–2011). Multiple regression suggested that species richness was positively associated with pool area (partial r = 0.70) and discharge (partial r = 0.50) in Fox Creek (df = 15, Adj. R2 ...

Morphological variation of taxa frequently is correlated with local environmental variation. We tested for covariation in morphology and environmental variables in bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus from 10 sites in central Indiana. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to summarize local environmental variation and geomorphic morphometrics (procrustes method and relative warp analysis) to summarize morphological variation among individuals. We used MANCOVA to test for variation in morphology attributable to environmental variation, body size, and sexual dimorphism. Additionally, we used linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to identify if morphology varies with sexual dimorphism. Individual relative warp scores were separated by sex and tested for covariation with habitat PC axes using Pearson's correlations. We identified shape variation that was correlated with environment irrespective of body size or sex. Individuals with deeper-bodies tended to occur in deeper and wider streams with increased discharge. Individuals with fusiform body shape (e.g., slender elongated snouts) tended to occur at sites with increased current velocity. Although the morphology of male and female individuals covaried similarly with environmental variation, LDA significantly distinguished females, which had distended abdomens, narrower caudal peduncle and dorsal fin bases, and slightly upturned head shapes compared to males. We suggest that shape variation may be a product of phenotypic plasticity and may contribute toward the success of species with broad physicochemical tolerances by enhancing their ability to occupy a wide range of hydrological conditions.

N is a critical element for all living things, including the flora and fauna in aquatic ecosystems. However, N exists in many forms, and some organisms might preferentially use one compound over another. We used 15N tracers in laboratory microcosm experiments to measure preferential uptake of 4 different N compounds (NH4-N, NO3-N, glycine, methionine) by filamentous green algae (Cladophora glomerata; autotrophs), microbes in stream sediment (heterotrophs), and freshwater snails (Physa acuta; consumers) in response to varying trophic complexity. Seven trophic complexity treatments were applied: 3 types of single-organism treatments (filamentous algae, sediment microbes, or snails), three types of 2-organism treatments (filamentous algae + sediment microbes, sediment microbes + snails, filamentous algae + snails), and 1 treatment consisting of all organisms (filamentous algae + sediment microbes + snails). We combined trophic complexity treatments (n = 7) with 1 of 5 15N tracers: control (no 15N),...

Designing, building, and testing experimental microcosms are essential to conducting accurate and precise experiments. With completely new equipment, sometimes the most difficult task is getting it to fit together and work properly. In this pilot study, we built and tested a new experimental aquatic microcosm system. We conducted a brief, 2 week study with the main goals of 1) assessing the microcosm system was working properly and keeping fish alive and 2) investigating the effect temperature had on juvenile southern redbelly dace growth (weight, total length).

We surveyed Indiana collections of freshwater gastropods from 220 museum collection lots and found 39 species inhabiting Indiana historically. Collection dates of museum material ranged from 1900 to 2006, with a median date of 1986. We collected 17,593 gastropods at 123 sites, including 86 sites where museum material was previously collected. Our surveys were combined with recent literature surveys and indicate a total of 36 species are currently present in Indiana. The Indiana fauna is composed of three species that are apparently secure globally, and 36 species that are widespread, abundant, and globally secure, including two exotics. However, three species are locally extinct and many others are locally imperiled or vulnerable. The majority of freshwater gastropod taxa in Indiana are of local conservation concern. The causes of local gastropod extinctions are unknown but likely include agricultural impacts, hydrologic alterations from reservoirs, and pollution. We recommend thorough inventory, recognition, and protection of the aquatic gastropods in Indiana.