Purpose:

• Water temperature fluctuates throughout the year. At times, the temperature is warmer and at other times it is colder. After a heavy snowfall during the winter months, the snow begins to melt as the air temperature increases. Soon enough, all the melted and freezing water will travel into the lakes, streams, and rivers as run-off. Because this run-off is so cold, it decreases the water temperature. The big question that lingers is can the wildlife that live in the water accommodate to the change in their environments temperature? How does their behavior change from that at normal temperature? My experiment will thus study the affect water temperature has on fish respiration rate.