forum.konstanz school excursion
Eight pupils from Ellenrieder-Gymnasium visited the research vessel “Robert Lauterborn” and experienced exciting insights into the underwater world of Lake Constance.
The week before last, the Ellenrieder-Gymnasium's Climate Change AG was able to accompany researchers from the Limnological Institute on their work on the research vessel. Equipped with great motivation and a multitude of questions, the pupils immersed themselves in the world of limnology to examine plankton samples and explore the complex ecosystem of Lake Constance.
After a short safety briefing and the donning of life jackets, the pupils listened intently to Janina Utz and Maxima Gebhardt explain the equipment used to take the samples. The two student teachers were well prepared, having developed a didactic concept for this excursion as part of a student seminar last winter semester.
The students were able to put their theoretical knowledge into practice straight away when they used a Secchi disk to determine the visibility depth of the lake and estimate the phytoplankton density in the uppermost layer of water. It turned out that the phytoplankton had been mixed deeper into the water column in the comparatively cold and windy previous weeks than in the unusually warm months of February and March, when growth had started earlier than usual. The students were particularly enthusiastic about the samples they had taken themselves using a plankton filter. Immediately afterwards, they had the opportunity to examine the samples under microscopes at various magnifications. They discovered a variety of crustaceans such as water fleas and hoppers, diatoms in various forms, but also rotifers, bell-shaped animals and other ciliates as well as bacteria.
Once all the questions had been answered, the excursion participants were able to fortify themselves with a snack they had brought with them. On the return journey, strong winds and rain added to the sense of adventure. Nevertheless, everyone arrived safely at the port of Constance at around 2 p.m. with many new insights.
This research expedition was not only instructive, but also inspiring for the young researchers of the Climate Change AG, who were able to gain an unforgettable insight into the world of limnology.