Our goals in Environmental Statistics 2018-2019 were ambitious. Our main goal was to continue the population study of the mussels in Rocky Mountain started by the Environmental Statistics Class of 2016-2017. On 9/18/2016, the class found 18 James River Spiny Mussels (JRSM). The number of mussels found has continuously increased throughout the year as we gained skills and knowledge as a class. As of 2019 we have identified and tagged 115 different James River Spiny mussel.

   The second goal of the class was to locate a site for the introduction of the James Rivers Spiny Mussels into a new river. The James River Spiny Mussels are currently located in Rocky Creek.  Throughout this year, we compared Wards Creek and Buck Mountain River to Rocky Creek, where the Mussels are currently located. We tested the water with probes and chemicals to find which stream that was most similar to Rocky Creek.

   Our last goal for the class was to continue the chemical monitoring to look at the changes in data throughout the year, and the long term changes over multiple years. Most of our collection of data goes back to 2016.  

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This year we surveyed Rocky Creek in July, August, September, October, April, and May. Our total for these months was 85 newly tagged JRSM, 102 newly tagged Vico, 5 newly tagged Stuns. We found 198 recaptured mussels in total.    

 

Population estimates as of April 2019: JRSM=215.5  Vico=289.3 Stun=12.4

 

September:

We started our year learning how to accurately collect chemical data and how to distinguish the different levels. We went to West Virginia to test our newly acquired skills. We were unable to analyze the data in West Virginia this year because the flow rate was too high for random sampling. We can not compare data that was randomly sampled vs. conveniently sampled, so we used the experience as practice for collecting chemical data.

 

October-November:

We began going to Rocky, Buck Mountain, and Wards Creek to collect chemical data. Additionally, we collected mussel data at Rocky Creek and had it verified by Brian Watson at VDGIF.

 

December:

It was too cold to go to the river and collect any data so the class was divided into small groups and were given an assortment of tasks to complete. Each student calculated P-values using a software called Fathom. Students tested several hypotheses formulated around West Virginia data.

January-April:

We resumed our river data and began comparing sets of data, evaluating P-values to determine if there were significant differences. If we found no significant differences in the data between two creeks, the creeks were deemed similar and would be good candidates to introduce JRSM into. Additionally, we began to create the website and started condensing our research. Along with calculating P-values students were assigned a problem or technique that would help future classes with data analysis.