Platypus Watch: Macro-Invertebrates and the Food Web Workshop

Platypus Watch: Invertebrates and the Food Web Discover the tiny creatures that help keep our river - and its platypus - healthy! What can tiny aquatic invertebrates tell us about the health of our river, and why are they so important to platypus? Join the Werribee River Association for a fascinating, hands-on workshop as part of our Platypus Watch Citizen Science Project, delivered in partnership with Victoria University and supported by Greater Western Water. Aquatic invertebrates are an essential part of the river’s food web, helping transfer energy through the ecosystem and providing food for fish and other wildlife. Their presence, absence and diversity can also offer valuable clues about water quality and the condition of our waterways. Facilitated by Dr Robert Walsh, freshwater scientist, limnologist and aquatic invertebrate zoologist, this workshop will explore the remarkable world of aquatic invertebrates and their role in maintaining a healthy river ecosystem. Rob is the owner of Australian Waterlife Laboratory and brings more than 20 years of specialist experience in identifying aquatic microfauna and macroinvertebrates from inland waters across Australia. What will you discover? • Meet the invertebrates: Learn about aquatic invertebrates and how to identify different groups. • Read the signs of river health: Discover what the presence or absence of particular invertebrates can tell us about water quality and environmental conditions. • Explore the food web: Understand how tiny aquatic organisms support larger species and why a healthy food web matters. • Connect invertebrates to platypus: Explore the direct relationship between aquatic invertebrates, platypus feeding and the health of platypus populations. Be part of Platypus Watch Platypus Watch brings community members, researchers and environmental specialists together to investigate water quality and its impacts on platypus populations in the Werribee River. By learning more about the small creatures living in our waterways, we can better understand the connections between water quality, food availability, habitat health and the future of our local platypus. Whether you are passionate about wildlife, interested in citizen science or simply curious about what lives beneath the water’s surface, this workshop is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of river ecology. Come along and discover how the smallest creatures can tell us some of the biggest stories about the health of our river! This workshop is part of the Platypus Watch Citizen Science Project, delivered in partnership with Victoria University and supported by Greater Western Water. The National Measurement Institute will also collaborate on the project.