Aquatic Entomology

As a teaching assistant at the University of Maryland, also during Spring 2018, I taught Aquatic Entomology course (ENTM667). This course included lectures, wet labs, seminars, and field trips. My students and I participated in aquatic insect collection, sorting and insect identification, discussions on insect adaptations, as well as article critiques. I helped students identify insect morphological structures (mouthparts, abdominal and tarsal elements, etc.). The students also developed and presented short lectures on major insect groups. At the end of semester, we also went on a 2 day field trip (in Garrett County, MD) to collect aquatic invertebrates and update our class insect collection.

Topics covered

WEEK 1. Orders of Aquatic Insects; Classification, Insect videos
WEEK 2. Evolution of Aquatic Insects; Collection and in-lab Dissection of Pteronarcys and Acroneuria, Demonstration of Adaptations
WEEK 3. Ephemeroptera; Physiological Constraints and Adaptations
WEEK 4. Odonata; Functional Feeding Groups and Trophic Relationships; Demonstration of Mouthparts
WEEK 5. Plecoptera; Identifications
WEEK 6. Collection trip: Fishing Creek and Little Fishing Creek (6 hours); Identifications; Article 1
WEEK 7. Minor orders: Collembola, Orthoptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera; Identifications
WEEK 8. SPRING BREAK!
WEEK 9. Collection trip: Jackson Lane, Eastern Shore (6 hours); Identifications; Article 2
WEEK 10. Trichoptera; Identifications; Article 3
WEEK 11. Coleoptera; Identifications; Article 4
WEEK 12. Diptera: Nematocera; Identifications
WEEK 13. Diptera: Brachycera; Collection trip: Beltsville Pond
WEEK 14. Hemiptera; Collection trip: Middle Patuxent River; Identifications
WEEK 15. Identifications; Weekend Field Trip to Garrett County
WEEK 16. Identifications; Preparing collections

Collection trip to Garrett County, MD:

Local aquatic insect collections:

Articles discussed

Article 1: Nakano, S., H. Miyasaka, and N. Kuhara. 1999. Terrestrial-aquatic linkages: Riparian arthropod inputs alter trophic cascades in a stream food web. Ecology 80: 2435-2441.
Article 2: Lytle, D.A., M.T. Bogan, and D.S. Finn. 2007. Evolution of aquatic insect behaviours across a gradient of disturbance predictability. Proc. Royal Soc. B 275: 453-462.
Article 3: Rosi-Marshall, E.J., J.L. Tank, T.V. Royer, M.R. Whiles, M. Evans-White, C. Chambers, N.A. Griffiths, J. Pokelsek, and M.L. Stephen. 2007. Toxins in transgenic byproducts may affect headwater stream ecosystems. PNAS 104: 16204-16208.
Article 4: Lund, J.O., S.A. Wissinger, and B.L Peckarsky. 2016. Caddisfly behavioral responses to drying cues in temporary ponds: implications for effects of climate change. Journal of Freshwater Science 35: 619-630.