HEY EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CHRIS ANDERSON AND TODAY ON SCIENCE AROUND CINCY, WE ARE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT OUR AMAZING LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS.

♪ ♪ WATER SYSTEMS ARE CONNECTED IN MANY WAYS AND HOW HUMANS USE THE LAND CAN AFFECT AQUATIC LIFE WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE AT AK TON LAKE TO MEET WITH A RESEARCHER HOW THE LAKE FOOD WEB HAS CHANGED OVER TIME.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH MARIA AND SEE WHAT SHE HAS LEARNED.

>> HEY, CHRIS, HOW ARE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANKS FOR INVITING ME OUT.

THIS LAKE IS BEAUTIFUL.

>> WE LOVE IT.

SO HOW DOES A FOOD WEB WORK?

WHAT IS A FOOD WEB, I GUESS, TO START WITH?

>> WELL, A FOOD WEB IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE INTERACTIONS AMONG THE ORGANIC THINGS THAT LIVE IN THE LAKE AND THEY ARE A FOOD WEB IS ORGANIZED IN DIFFERENT LEVELS ACCORDING TO THE ORGANISMS.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOD WEB, YOU HAVE ALGAE AND WHAT MAINLY THEY DO IS THEY PHOTO SYNTHESIZE AND WHILE THEY PHOTO SYNTHESIZE, THEY PRODUCE OBJECTION OXYGEN AND THAT IS THE FOOD FOR THE NEXT LEVEL THAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY CONSUMERS.

AND IN THIS LAKE, PRIMARY CONSUMERS ARE WHAT IS CALLED PLANKTON.

THEN YOU HAVE MANY DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT CONSUME THE ALGAE AND THAT PLANKTON IS FISH FOOD.

THEN THERE ARE FISH THAT CONSUME THE PLANKTON AND THEN WE HAVE ON THE TOP OF THE FOOD LEVEL, THE FISH THAT CONSUME FISH.

THEN YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE FOOD WEB YOU WILL HAVE FOUR LEVELS.

PRIMARY PRODUCERS, PRIMARY CONSUMERS, SECONDARY AND SECONDARY.

THERE IS A LOT OF INPUT ON SEDIMENTS FROM THE WATERSHED, THE AREA, THE LAND AROUND IT BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU ARE HERE, YOU SEE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY TREES, BUT THIS IS THE PART, IF YOU THINK OF ALL THE OTHER AREA NEAR THE LAKE WHERE THE WATER IS RUNNING OFF IS BASICALLY.

>> EVEN ON THE DRIVE THROUGH HERE, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF FARMLAND.

>> EXACTLY.

AND WHEN THE RUNOFF GTS TO THE LAKE, IT HAS SEDIMENTS AND NUTRIENTS.

WHAT HAPPENS IS, THE INTERESTING PART IS WHEN THIS BECOMES, THEN IT IS MUD AND BASICALLY RELEASED THOSE NUTRIENTS FROM THE MUD.

>> SO IT'S SUPER CHARGING THE WATER WITH NUTRIENTS.

>> THROUGH EXCREETION.

>> SO YOU HAVE BEEN MEASURING HOW THE FOOD WEB HAS CHANGED OVER TIME.

CAN YOU SHOW ME.

>> WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.

>> LET'S GO.

>> THIS ONE.

>> THIS IS A GIZZARD SHARD.

>> THEY HAVE TO TYPICALLY BEFORE THE BLUE HILL SO THEY'RE BIGGER.

>> THIS SIZE IS ONES OF THE YEAR.

THEY HATCHED THIS YEAR.

THEY JUST PUT A LOT OF EGGS AND THEY HATCH.

SOMETIMES WE GET THOUSANDS OF TINY FISH IN THREE MINUTES.

IF YOU LOOK IN HERE, YOU HAVE THE PRIMARY PRODUCERS, THEN YOU HAVE THE PLANKTON AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PLANTOVORES.

AND THESE GUYS THAT ARE LITTLE, BLUEGILL WHEN THEY ARE ALSO LITTLE LIKE THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR LIFE.

OR MAYBE THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THEIR LIFE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SECONDARY CONSUMERS THAT EAT THESE GUYS.

NOW, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS GUY IS IT MOVES FROM BEING A SOLE PLANTOVORE,.

>> IT MOVES TO THE SIDE.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THEN LIKE YOU SAID, BECAUSE THEY EAT THAT MUD AND DEAD MATERIAL, THEY ARE BASICALLY A PUMP FOR ALL THE PHOSPHOROUS AND NITROGEN BACK INTO THE SYSTEM.

>> EXACTLY.

THEY HAVE FOOD BUT DO NOT CONTROL THE POPULATION GROWTH OF THESE GUYS.

AND THEN THAT'S WHY THESE GUYS BECOME... AND BECAUSE THEY'RE ABUNDANT, THE LAKE IS GREEN.

>> PROBABLY JUST LIKE SUPER CHARGES THE RUNOFF SITUATION FROM THE LAND.

>> ULTIMATELY THE NUTRIENTS ARE COMING FROM RUNOFF AND IT KEEPS THEM IN THE WATER.

>> LIKE A PERFECT STORM MAKING THEM VERY GREEN.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO AT HOME TO PROTECT, NOT JUST LAKE ECOSYSTEMS WHEN FOOD WEBS BUT ALL SORTS OF LOCAL FOOD WEBS?

>> I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT I ADVISE PEOPLE IS TO STOP FERTILIZING THEIR LAWNS.

FERTILIZERS, WHEN THEY GO TO THE LAWNS, OR PESTICIDES OR ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT ON YOUR LAWN, EVENTUALLY WILL END UP IN THE OCEAN.

AND THE FIRST PART WILL BE TO THE RIVERS AND THEN TO THE LAKES AND THEN EVENTUALLY BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASE, WE GO IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

>> MARIA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME OUT HERE AND HELPING ME LEARN ALL ABOUT THE FOOD WEB.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> IT WAS GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> SURE.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M WITH BIOLOGIST LA TANYA JACKSON.

AND THE POLLUTION IS AFFECTING ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH LA TANYA AND SEE WHAT SHE HAS BEEN LEARNING.

>> HOW ARE YOU!

>> SO, TELL ME WHAT IS RUNOFF POLLUTION?

>> SIMPLY PUT, RUNOFF POLLUTION IS ANYTHING THAT CAN RUN INTO A BODY OF WATER THAT IS COMING FROM THE LAND, THE STREET OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE AFTER A RAIN.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT GOES DOWN THE DRAINS AND OUT INTO PLACES LIKE THIS, THIS BEAUTIFUL LAKE.

IT RUNS INTO THE LAKE.

>> WHAT ARE SOME ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY WITH CINCINNATI THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH LIKE THE RUNOFF POLLUTION?

>> BEING IN AN URBAN AREA, YOU HAVE A LOT OF CARS THAT DRIVE ON THE STREETS AND SO ON AND WHEN YOU HAVE LIKE A RAIN STORM LIKE WE HAVE BEEN HAVING LATELY, ALL OF THE RUNOFF FROM THE STREETS ARE GOING DOWN THE DRAINS AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT STUFF LIKE METALS.

LOOKING AT PLASTICS.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY THROWS OUT ON THE STREETS.

>> KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU PUT SHAMPOO IN YOUR HAIR AND RINSE IT OFF, IT RINSES DOWN THE DRAIN AND GETS INTO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT WATER ECOSYSTEMS.

>> YES.

>> ALL THE POLLUTION.

>> YES.

>> SO WHAT ARE SOME PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS OR DAMAGING CHEMICALS FOR OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT HERE?

>> OH WOW.

YOU HAVE SAID A MOUTHFUL THERE.

SHAMPOOS LIKE YOU SAID, OUR PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS.

THOSE CONTAIN CERTAIN CHEMICALS THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY WORK FOR US, THEY REACT WITH ORGANISMS OUT IN THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

WE ALSO TALKING STUFF LIKE THE THINGS WE CLEAN WITH.

OUR BLEACHES, OUR CLEANING SOLUTIONS.

I DON'T WANT TO NAME ANY IN PARTICULAR, GET ANYBODY IN TROUBLE, BUT THOSE THINGS THAT WE USE TO CLEAN OUR CABINETS, CLEAN OUR FLOORS WITH.

THEY ALL GO DOWN THE DRAIN AND EVENTUALLY EVERYTHING ENDS UP GOING INTO THE WATER.

>> I'M SURE THERE ARE FACTORIES AND THINGS THAT USE CHEMICALS AND THAT ENDS UP GETTING INTO THE WATER SYSTEM AS WELL, RIGHT?

>> YES.

YES, IT DOES.

>> NOW DOES HOW WE USE THE LAND, LIKE BEING IN A CITY.

YOU TALK ABOUT THE ROADS.

DOES THAT CONCRETE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO-- DOES THAT EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM?

>> UNLIKE THE GROUND, THE CONCRETE DOESN'T SOAK UP A LOT OF THE THINGS, SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN AREA LIKE THIS, WHERE YOU HAVE THE SOIL, WHERE YOU HAVE PLANTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT HELPS WITH THOSE CONTAMINANTS TO AN EXTENT.

BUT THE CONCRETE DOESN'T HAVE THAT SO EVERYTHING WASHES RIGHT OFF OF IT.

>> JUST LIKE HARD SURFACE, NOTHING TO ABSORB IT.

>> NOTHING AT ALL AND IT WASHES IT RIGHT ON OUT.

>> ARE YOU TAKING DATA TODAY?

>> ACTUALLY, I AM.

DO YOU WANT TO COME AND SEE?

>> OF COURSE I DO.

>> LET'S GO.

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> SO BASICALLY WHETHER OR NOT I'LL DO IS I'LL TAKE THESE FISH AND I'LL PUT THEM INTO HOMEMADE LITTLE FISH CAGES.

NOW... >> I LIKE HOW LOW TECH IT IS.

>> RIGHT.

IT IS VERY LOW TECH AND IT IS, IT IS GOING TO GET ME THE ANSWERS THAT I NEED.

SO BASICALLY WHAT I WANT IS THIS TO LOOK KIND OF LIKE A FISH BOWL TO THEM.

BUT I WANT THE WATER TO BE ABLE TO FLOW THROUGH.

THIS IS WHY I HAVE THE SCREENS HERE ON THE END.

>> SO THE WATER PERMEABLE THROUGH THERE AND THEY CAN, WHATEVER TOXINS ARE IN THE WATER, THEY'LL GET INTO THEIR BODIES.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THE MESH ON THE SCREEN OR THE HOLES IN THE SCREEN, IS GOING TO BE BIG ENOUGH TO LET IN THINGS THAT THEY CAN EAT LIKE ALGAE, LIKE INVERTS, LITTLE SMALL BUGS IN THE WATER.

>> KEEP THEM STUCK IN THERE.

>> YES.

BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE OUT THERE IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING WILLY NILLY AND DOING THEIR OWN THING.

AND BESIDE, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MEASURE THEM.

>> YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK.

>> SO BASICALLY THIS IS JUST A HUGE PVC PIPE, THE SAME PIPES YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOME.

AND THIS NICE HANDY DANDY ZIP TIES.

THAT I JUST PUT TOGETHER.

WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL ADD THE FISH RIGHT BEFORE WE GET INTO THE WATER.

ADD THE FISH, ZIP TIE, TIGHTEN IT WHERE I CAN'T PULL IT OFF.

THAT MEANS IF I CAN'T PULL IT OFF, THE FISH CAN'T PUMP IT AND THEY CAN'T... >> AND THE CURRENTS CAN'T.

>> EXACTLY.

SO WE'LL PUT THE FISH IN THERE AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL LOAD IT INTO THE WATER.

♪ ♪ >> OKAY, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND WE ARE GOING TO GET THE FISH OUT OF THERE AND FROM THERE I'LL BRING THEM BACK TO THE LAB AND THAT IS WHERE I'LL MEASURE THEIR LENGTH, MEASURE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON WITH THEM.

>> LA TANYA, WHAT HAS OUR DATA SHOWN ABOUT HOW THE FISH HAVE REACTED TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL STREAMS AND RIVERS?

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT I HAVE SEEN, IN MY DATA HERE, THAT WE JUST COLLECTED AND THEY ENDED UP COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS, IS THAT OUR WATERS HAVE A LOT OF HORMONES IN THEM.

ESTROGENS AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY HORMONES FROM MEDICINES, ALTHOUGH THOSE GET DOWN THE DRAIN AS WELL, AND THEY ARE STILL ACTIVATED WHEN THEY GET OUT IN THE WATERWAYS.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON.

BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE REASON ARE LIKE PLASTICS.

THEY HAVE SYNTHETIC ESTROGENS IN THEM AND THEY REACT THE SAME WAY AS NATURAL HORMONES.

SO WHAT IT IS DOING IS FEMININIZING THE MALE FISH.

THE MALE FISH ARE PRODUCING EGGS AS WELL AS SPERM.

>> THAT CAN BE A REAL PROBLEM FOR POPULATIONS THOUGH.

>> EXACTLY.

IT CAN BE.

FOR THESE FISH IN PARTICULAR, THE MALES ARE SMALLER THAN THE FEMALES AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MATE WITH THE FEMALES, THEY LITERALLY HAVE TO GET INTO THE FEMALE'S BLIND SPOT TO THRUST FORWARD.

THE ANAL FINS AND THEY DELIVER THE SPERM PACK TO THE FEMALE.

THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE LESS LIKELY THEY ARE TO GET INTO THE FEMALE'S BLIND SPOT SO THEY DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO MATE WITH HER.

AND IT CAN ALSO BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PRODUCING AS MUCH SPERM.

SO THAT COULD INDICATE THAT IF YOU ARE NOT PRODUCING AS MUCH SPERM AND YOU ARE NOT GETTING AS MANY CHANCES TO REPRODUCE, THE POPULATION LEVELS COULD ACTUALLY GO DOWN.

>> GO WAY DOWN IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE.

>> EXACTLY AND THEY CAN TOTALLY COLLAPSE.

YOU CAN HAVE A WIPEOUT OF THE LOCAL POPULATIONS OF THE LOCAL FISH.

>> WOW.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO AT HOME TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THESE POLLUTANTS ARE NOT GETTING IN OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS?

>> YOU WANT TO NOT WASH YOUR CLOTHES EVERY DAY.

LIKE YOU KNOW, CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF TIMES YOU WASH.

IF YOU CAN GET BY WASHING ONCE A WEEK, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS DO SO.

YOU WANT TO-- >> I'M DEFINITELY DOING THAT RIGHT.

I'M NOT DOING LAUNDRY ONCE A WEEK SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT I'M DOING MY PART WITH LAUNDRY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER] YOU ALSO WANT TO DO, FOR OUR SHOWERS, TAKE SHOWERS INSTEAD OF BATHS.

YOU USE LESS WATER THERE.

YOU ALSO WANT TO, WITH YOUR CLEANING PRODUCTS, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO NOT USE A CLEANING PRODUCT BUT WE WANT YOU TO USE A ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS SO, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T NEED A GALLON OF BLEACH FOR THAT ONE STAIN ON YOUR COUNTER.

USE SOME ELBOW GREASE, YOU KNOW EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.

USE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS.

USE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LAUNDRY DETERGENTS AND SOAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND YOU WILL BE DOING YOUR PART.

AND LESS IS MORE.

SO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE A WHOLE LOT, DON'T USE A WHOLE LOT.

>> AND I'M SURE CUTTING DOWN ON SINGLE USE PLASTICS, AND IF YOU HAVE TO USE PLASTIC, MAKE SURE YOU RECYCLE THOSE PLASTICS SO THEY DON'T GET INTO OUR WATER STREAM, PROBABLY HELPS A LOT, TOO.

>> HEY, CUT OUT THE PLASTICS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, SINGLE-USE PLASTICS MAKE A REUSE FOR THEM.

>> THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME OUT TO CHECK IN ON THE HEALTH OF OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS AND THE ECOSYSTEMS HERE.

I THINK IT IS REALLY COOL HOW YOU ARE MEASURING THE RUNOFF POLLUTION AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING THE LOCAL WILDLIFE.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

COME BACK ANY TIME.

>> I WILL.

I'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT.

>> VERY SPECIAL EPISODE FOR YOU.

FORMER TEACHERS OF MINE Dr. HAYES CUMMINGS AND Dr. DONNA MCCULLOUGH OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY HAVE BEEN RESTORING DOZENS OF FARM LIGHT TO THE NATURAL HABITAT.

EDGE OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THEY'RE RESTORING THE LAND.

HEY, HAYES, DONNA.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS.

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING.

YOU GUYS GOT FORESTS, PRAIRIES, WETLANDS, PUPPIES.

SO WHAT DID THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE BEFORE YOU GUYS STARTED CONVERTING IT BACK TO ITS NATURAL HABITAT.

>> THIS AREA HERE WAS SOY BEANS AND CORN.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE DEVELOPED THESE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THROUGH VALLEY CONSERVATION TRUST.

>> YOU WORKED WITH THOSE GROUPS TO HELP YOU RESTORE THE HABITAT.

>> YES.

AND WE PUT THE LAND IN A CONSERVATION EASEMENT SO THAT THE LAND WILL BE FOREVER PROTECTED.

>> WHAT INSPIRED YOU GUYS TO RESTORE THE LAND TO THE FORMER ECOLOGICAL GLORY?

>> ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEMS IN THE U.S. IS PRAIRIE BECAUSE WE HAVE USED IT FOR FARMING AND SO WHEN IT CAME TO PROVIDING HABITAT FOR A VARIETY OF CREATURES THAN PLANTS, IT SEEMED LIKE HAVING PRAIRIE.

THE OTHER MOST ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEM IS WETLANDS.

WE'VE LOST UPWARDS OF 95% OF THE PRAIRIE IN OHIO AND WE HAVE LOST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND 95% OF THE WETLANDS.

>> AND YOU WANT BIODIVERSITY ON THE LAND.

>> YOU BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME.

>> WETLANDS WERE BOWLS OF WATER AT FIRST AND THEN TURTLES STARTED SHOWING UP AND WHEN WE TOOK NATIVE SPECIES PLUGS AND PLANTED THEM STRATEGICALLY IN EACH WETLAND, SOON WE DO THAT, THE BIRDS SHOW UP, THE INSECTS START SHOWING UP.

IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.

>> CAN YOU GUYS SHOW ME AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

>> LET'S TAKE A WALK THROUGH ONE OF THE WETLANDS.

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> WE HAVE FIVE WET LANDS.

AND THIS IS PICK RELL WEED POND.

WE PLANTED PLUGS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES, NATIVE PLANTS AND THE ONE THAT SEEMED TO TAKE OVER WAS THE PICKLE WEEDS WHICH ARE RIGHT HERE.

>> THAT GUY RIGHT THERE.

>> YEAH, AND WE HAVE THESE NEW BLOOMS.

AND THERE WILL BE HUNDREDS OF THROWRS ON EACH ONE OF THESE SPIKES, HUNDREDS OF FLOWERS.

AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE POND, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT COLONIES.

WE NAMED THIS PICKLE WEED POND.

THE POLLINATORS IN JULY, IF YOU WERE TO COME OUT IN JULY, THEY WILL BE HUNDREDS OF THESE FLOWERS AND THE POLLINATORS, SO MANY POLLINATORS.

YOU COULD RECORD THE HUMMING OF THE INSECTS.

RIGHT HERE UP TO MY LEFT IS BUTTON BUSH.

AND THEY'RE JUST STARTING TO FLOWER.

FLOWERS LAST A LONG TIME AND THE POLLINATORS GO CRAZY BUTTER FLIES PARTICULARLY LOVE IT.

AND THEN DONE AS GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BLACK WILLOWS.

>> BLACK WILLOWS ONE OF MY FAVORITES WE DIDN'T PLANT THESE.

THEY'RE AROUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

BUT AS THE WATER COMES IN, THEIR SEEDS COME IN WITH THEM.

AND SO-- BUT THE COOLEST THING ABOUT WILLOWS IS THAT THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT FOR RESTORATION.

THEY ARE AROUND 500 INSECTS THAT USE THE WILLOW.

AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE CYCLE.

>> EITHER FOR FOOD OR HABITAT.

>> YES.

>> COOL.

>> AND SO, YOU KNOW, BY PLANTING ONE TREE, YOU HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTRACTING 500 SPECIES OF INSECTS WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.

>> THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF BIODIVERSITY.

>> A HUGE AMOUNT.

THEY'RE A REALLY IMPORTANT PLANT.

THEY LIKE TO BE, JUST LIKE THEY ARE, RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE WETLAND SO THEY CAN'T HANDLE BEING TOTALLY SATURATED FOR MONTHS ON END.

BUT THEY CAN HANDLE, YOU KNOW, BEING DRY FOR A LONG TIME.

JUST AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IT TO THE WATER JUST A GREAT PLANT.

>> BIRDS LOVE THEM.

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING TREE SWALLOWS AND THERE GOES ONE RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE GOING DOWN FROM THE BOWELS OF THE LOW LIMBS OF THOSE WILLOWS DOWN TO THE WATER TO CATCH INSECTS.

>> THAT'S COOL.

>> THEY'RE GREAT FOR BIRDS, GREAT FOR INSECTS.

JUST A FANTASTIC PLANT.

>> AND SO THINKING ABOUT LIKE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLANTS THEY'RE BRINGING IN.

ONE PLANT WILL BRING IN 500 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF INSECTS ALONE AND ALL THE OTHER PLANTS HERE, YOU GOT TO THEN PROBABLY SEE BIRDS AND MAMMALS AND WHAT OTHER SPECIES DO YOU GUYS GET IN THE WETLANDS.

>> MEANING AND RACCOONS AND MINK AND OPOSSUMS AND DEER AND COYOTES.

>> TURTLES.

>> TURTLES, WE HAVE COMMON SNAPPING TURTLES, PAINTED.

>> WATER SNAKES, GARER SNAKES, BLACK SNAKES.

>> OTHER THAN PROVIDING SPACE FOR POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES, WHAT OTHER THINGS DO WETLANDS DO FOR LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS.

>> FROM ALL THE AGRICULTURAL LAND AND THE RUN YF THAT WE GET FROM THEM, THIS HOLDS IT BACK, RELEASES IT A LITTLE AT A TIME TO THE STREAMS INSTEAD OF GETTING BIG FLUSHES OF NUTRIENTS PARTICULARLY IN THE SPRING.

>> IT PROBABLY DOES A LITTLE FILTER IS AS WELL WITH ALL THE PLANTS ACTING AS SPONGES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> CAN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRAIRIE LANDS.

>> LET'S DO THAT.

IF YOU LOOK OUT OVER THIS SECTION, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IS THE ROLLING ARCHITECTURE OF THE PRAIRIE AT THIS SEASON AND MOST OF WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ARE THE MAXIMILLIAN SUNFLOWERS, FANTASTIC NATIVE SUNFLOWERS, THEY GET ABOUT EIGHT TO 11 FEET TALL.

THEY MAY HAVE MULTIPLE STEMS AND EACH STEM WILL HAVE 10 TO 25 FLOWERS ON IT.

SO IF YOU COME OUT HERE IN SEPTEMBER, THIS WILL BE A MASS OF SUNFLOWERS.

THE OTHER MOST DOMINANT PLANT IS PROBABLY BIG BLUE STEM, WHICH IS THE NATE NATIVE GRASS FROM OUR TALL GRASS PRAIRIES.

THE REASON THEY SURVIVE HERE AND NOT THE WETLANDS IS TWO FOLD.

THEY CAN'T HANDLE THEIR FEET BEING WET.

SO SATURATED ROOTS WOULD KILL THESE PLANTS.

NUMBER 2: THEY CAN HANDLE REALLY EXTENDED DROUGHTS.

LONGER EVEN THAN THE WETLAND PLANTS.

THEY CAN BE DROI FOR A YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR THEY WILL COME BACK.

LE WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE EDGE OF THE FARM CONSERVATION AREA.

>> WORKING ON MAKING IT A NON-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE THOUSAND STUDENTS OUT HERE WORKING OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.

I FIGURE THE MESSAGE OF HAVING NATIVE PLANTS AND RESTORING ECOSYSTEMS IS ONE THAT PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE TAKING THAT MESSAGE OUT TO THEIR OWN HOMES.

>> WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO, MAYBE AROUND YOUR OWN YARD, TO HELP PROVIDE A HOME FOR SOME OF THESE BIRDS AND INSECTS AND PLANTS AND THINGS THAT YOU HAVE ALL HERE?

>> EVERYBODY IN THEIR HOME CAN PUT PART OF THEIR YARD AND PART OF THEIR GARDEN INTO NATIVE PLANTS AND IT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR NATIVE POLLINATORS.

>> IF EVERYBODY HAD A PATCH OF NATIVE SPECIES IN THEIR BACKYARDS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AROUND THE EDGES, AND THEY WERE ALL CONNECTED, JUST THINK OF THE AMOUNT OF HABITAT AND THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WOULD GIVE TO ANIMALS THAT NEED.

>> IT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME OUT HERE.

YOU GUYS HAVE INSPIRED SO MANY STUDENTS OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING MYSELF.

AND I HOPE YOUR WORK HERE ON THE FARM GOES TO INSPIRE PEOPLE AT HOME TO MAKE THEIR OWN NATIVE HABITATS.

>> ME, TOO.

>> THAT'S OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WATCHING.

WE HOPE YOU LEARNED ABOUT OUR AMAZING LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON SCIENCE AROUND CINCY.

HEY EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CHRIS ANDERSON AND TODAY WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE FOR YOU.

SOME FRIENDS OF MINE AND ACTUALLY FORMER TEACHERS GOT Dr. CUMMINGSS AND Dr. DONNA... HAVE BEEN RESTORING DOZENS... BLAH BLAH.

[LAUGHTER] SCIENCE AROUND CINCY IS AN INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS IN CINCINNATI AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

FUNDING PROVIDED IN PART BY... STAY CURIOUS MY FRIENDS.