Monday, August 18, 2008

Mixing up a little fall science

Now's the time to get in a few last visits to your favorite lake or recreation area (some prefer the Sidney Dam, for us it's Gilbert Lake). Believe it or not, the changing temperatures of fall are vitally important for our local trout, who spend much of their time deep below the surface of apparently placid waters. But as the surface waters cool in the fall, they sink, bringing oxygen-rich water to the bottom and allowing native fish to thrive in what would otherwise be lifeless depths.

See how it happens first hand by adding food coloring the next time you make ice cubes. Drop the colored ice into room-temperature tap water in a clear glass, and watch the coloring sink to the bottom before gradually coloring all of the water. Read more at the Electronic Naturalist's website.

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