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Learn why macroinvertebrates are abundant and crucial as water quality indicators. Discover easy collection methods and identification tips. This article covers sampling details, site characteristics, and species examples.
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Macroinvertebrates: Why? • Abundant
Macroinvertebrates: Why? • Abundant • Easy to collect
Macroinvertebrates: Why? • Abundant • Easy to collect • Fairly easy to identify
Macroinvertebrates: Why? • Abundant • Easy to collect • Fairly easy to identify • Water quality indicators • Very responsive to: • Particles • Land use
Macroinvertebrates: Why? • Abundant • Easy to collect • Fairly easy to identify • Water quality indicators • Very responsive to: • Particles • Land use • Of interest to VT DEC as screening tool • Fish Food • Disease Vectors • Cool
Abundant Image sources: Wikimedia commons; NABS; McCabe lab group (undergraduate students from SMC and UVM – most by Erin Hayes Pontius
Easy to Collect • ‘Kick’ samples • Water flow • Disturb substrate for fixed time interval
Easy to Collect • Remove sample from kick net • Sieve sample • Discard water • Preserve bugs in ethanol • LABEL!!
Sample labels • Example: Brown’s River @ Cambridge Road Westford, Vermont, USA 44.612284,-73.008356 March 24 2008 Col. Declan McCabe 080324001
Labeling • Pencil on paper (card stock) • Transfer information to field note book • Add sample code to field sheets • Placed in sample • Preserve sample in 100% Ethanol
Sample fate • All samples, field sheets, field note books stay with project • Data uploaded ASAP
Easy to CollectSampling details • Minimum of 4 samples per site • Each is a 30-second ‘kick’ sample • Bagged separately • Small streams only & All samples in riffles – Why?
Easy to CollectSampling details • Minimum of 4 samples per site • Each is a 30-second ‘kick’ sample • Bagged separately • Small streams only & All samples in riffles – Why? • Highest diversity
Easy to CollectSampling details • Minimum of 4 samples per site • Each is a 30-second ‘kick’ sample • Bagged separately • Small streams only & All samples in riffles – Why? • Highest diversity • Consistent habitat type
Easy to CollectSampling details • Minimum of 4 samples per site • Each is a 30-second ‘kick’ sample • Bagged separately • Small streams only & All samples in riffles – Why? • Highest diversity • Consistent habitat type • Easier to sample consistently
Easy to CollectSampling details • Minimum of 4 samples per site • Each is a 30-second ‘kick’ sample • Bagged separately • Small streams only & All samples in riffles – Why? • Highest diversity • Consistent habitat type • Easier to sample consistently • Safer sampling
Site Characteristics: Safer Sampling? Image sources: Wikimedia commons; NABS; McCabe lab group (undergraduate students from SMC and UVM – most by Erin Hayes Pontius Home
Site Characteristics: Safer Sampling? • Riffles • Shallow (safer) and good potential for light penetration • Flowing water • Lots of oxygen – gills work well • Food delivered • Staying put - Hang on for dear life
Staying put: be flat Image sources: Wikimedia commons; NABS; McCabe lab group (undergraduate students from SMC and UVM – most by Erin Hayes Pontius Home
Staying put: ballast Image sources: Wikimedia commons; NABS; McCabe lab group (undergraduate students from SMC and UVM – most by Erin Hayes Pontius Home
Staying put: anchor to substrate Image sources: Wikimedia commons; NABS; McCabe lab group (undergraduate students from SMC and UVM – most by Erin Hayes Pontius
Fairly Easy to Identify: in the lab • Samples: • Picked • IDed • Photographed • Data uploaded
Fairly Easy to Identify: Details Dichotomous Keys - Dich (two);Tome (a cut section of a papyrus roll) We will use these sometimes: 1a. Three pairs of jointed legs……………………………2. 1b. Jointed legs not present………………………………3. We will use these more often: ID to order on the old web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/Vermont_rivers/Help/Identifying%20to%20Order.htm ID to family / genus on new web site: http://wikieducator.org/Streams/home
Macroinvertebrates ‘Big’ invertebrates
Life cycle example • Eggs in Nov. • Larval growth until May • Pupation until Oct. • Adults complete cycle in Early Nov.
Two claws Two ‘tails’ Stoneflies: Plecoptera
True flies: Diptera; no legs; adults have two wings
Trichoptera: Caddisflies • Frequently build cases or nets • All use silk • Adults have hairy wings • All larvae have anal claws
Ephemeroptera: mayflies One claw Three ‘tails’
Ephemeroptera: mayflies Adults: Wings held vertically
Megaloptera: dobsonflies: there is little on earth you could confuse it with
Odonata • Anisoptera (dragonflies) Zygoptera (damselflies)
Eggs in Nov. • Larval growth until May • Pupation until Oct. • Adults complete cycle in Early Nov.
Mollusca: clams and snails http://eol.org/pages/50249/overview http://eol.org/data_objects/19130282
Land use, water quality and insects Slide from Brian Cunningham
P-value = 0.0016 Land use, water quality and insects
Land use, water quality and insects Potash Snipe Home