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| This plaque on State Street in Troy marks the spot where Charles Nalle was freed |
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| Pictures of the Mohawk River |
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| A freed fish from an ephemeral pool |
The fish
above, one of many, was caught by bare hands today in an ephemeral pond (or
vernal pool) on Peebles Island. An ephemeral pond is a collection of rain water
and wind-blown sediment on soils that form tiny ecosystems. These ponds can
range from a few millimeters to a few meters in depth (“National Park
Service”). The National Park Service
says that organisms living in these pools have very short life cycles, as brief
as ten days. What brave students in the Discovery Degree Program we have to
catch these fish, with their bare hands, and set them free in the Hudson River.
If the students would have left the fish to continue living in the ephemeral
pond, the fish are exposed to being caught and eaten by birds, and consuming
all of their source of food until there is none left. Personally, I am too
afraid to hold the fish in fear that they will slip out of my hand and onto the
ground that will soon lead to their death. Fish have what is called a slime
coat that protects them from infectious bacteria. By looking at the hand
holding the fish above, you can tell that a firm grip is the only way to
prevent the fish from slipping out of your hand. But having a natural slime coat is not the
only reason why fish slip out of a firm grip. A fish breathes by taking water
into its mouth and pushing it out through the gills. When the fish are exposed
to the dry air, they flop in hopes of swimming and obtaining water. It was
interesting, and quite amusing, to watch my fellow classmates try to hold the
fish. After hearing yelps and seeing bug-eyed faces, I was sure I would not
attempt to catch a fish. What a great experience it was to have a sly look on
my face while my classmates are barefoot in an ephemeral pond.
National Park Service. Ephemeral Pools (Potholes). NPS, 05/14/2014. Web, 20 May 2014
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