Golden West develops outdoor aquatic ecology laboratory

There will be something new on campus when students return for classes

later this month at Golden West College: an Outdoor Aquatic Ecology

Laboratory.

The outdoor laboratory is situated near the Health Sciences building

and will include 14 300-gallon tanks with fresh and brackish (a

combination of fresh and salt) water. Each tank will receive different

treatment to simulate the varying types of aquatic environments.

Some will carry open water, others gravel.

Most of the tanks will be planted with an assortment of aquatic

vegetation, including floating lilies, rice, papyrus, cattails, sedges

and pickle weed.

With water tanks, a weather station, a water fall and pools, science

instructors expect to open up a new world of study for students, school

officials said.

“It should be quite attractive when it’s done,” said Rod Wallbank,

co-director of the college’s California Native Garden, who oversees

construction on the aquatic laboratory.

Next to the tanks are two buildings, one to store aquatic gardening

tools, the other will house a computer-based weather station and

scientific equipment. The computers will allow students to monitor heat

and rainfall.

“It will give a more complete picture on how modern science is done,”

biology professor Bonnie Roohk said.

The 14 tanks will be in open space to best simulate a real pond. Two

30-foot long work benches, covered by a ranch-style roof, will give

students the chance to work with their microscopes and record data.

The laboratory will feature a waterfall with pools that will house

native plants, mosses and liverworts under newly-planted birch trees.

Students studying general biology, marine biology, ecology and zoology

likely will use the laboratory.

The Partnership for Excellence grant funded the $39,791 bill to build

the laboratory.

District releases school lunch policy

Huntington Beach City School District officials this week announced

their policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for children

served under the National School Lunch Program. Each school and/or the

central office has a copy of the policy, which can be reviewed by any

interested party.

Application forms are being distributed to all households with a

letter explaining the availability of free and reduced-price meals for

their children. Applications also can be found at the principal’s office

at each school. They may be submitted at any time during the school year.

Students’ household size and income will be used as criteria to

determine eligibility for free and reduced-price benefits.