Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
Dammeyer NT. Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring. 2009. National Park Service
Aquatic macroinvertebrates are a vital component of all healthy stream ecosystems. They are instrumental in nutrient and carbon flows and are themselves an important link in stream food webs. Moreover, unlike fish and periphyton (i.e., benthic algae) assemblages, aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages are both productive and diverse in virtually all undisturbed streams with permanent flow. This is an important consideration in the MIDN because many of the smaller tributary streams in MIDN parks (particularly Shenandoah NP) have gradients and natural barriers that impede the movement of fish, as well as canopies that restrict light and consequently limit algal productivity. As a result, fish and periphyton assemblages are often represented by very few species even in undisturbed streams. Other advantages of using benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to monitor streams include: (1) they are good indicators of local conditions because most benthic species are either sessile or have limited migration patterns during their aquatic phases; (2) they exhibit wide variation in tolerance to environmental stresses among both species and life stages; (3) many species have long life cycles relative to other groups, which allows conclusions to be drawn regarding temporal trends; and (4) sampling aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages is relatively easy and inexpensive, and has minimal effects on other biotic elements. In addition, because aquatic macroinvertebrates have been by far the most commonly used group for biological monitoring of aquatic habitats in North America, natural variations and responses to numerous sources of degradation have been established for a large suite of aquatic macroinvertebrate summary metrics. Monitoring objectives addressed by this protocol include: 1. Document the status and trends in the structure and composition of aquatic macroinvertebrates. 2. Determine trends in macroinvertebrate communities in relation to changes in water quality and quantity. Management applications include: 1. Identify changes in macroinvertebrate communities in relation to changing land use and pollution.
- Type
- Project
- Authors
- Dammeyer, Nathan
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- APCO , BOWA , EISE , FRSP , GETT , HOFU , MIDN , PETE , RICH
- Keywords
- APCO, Aquatic, Benthic, BOWA, Ecological Monitoring, EISE, FRSP, GETT, GEWA, HOFU, Insect, Macroinvertebrate, Mid-Atlantic Network, MIDN, Monitoring, PETE, RICH, VAFO, Vital Signs, Water Quality
Program
Products
- Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Legacy Data 2009-2018
- NPS Mid-Atlantic Network’s (MIDN) Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Data (2016-2024)
- Protocol implementation plan for benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring in the Mid-Atlantic Network.
- Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring, SOP 1.1 - Field Season Preparation and Close-out Activities
- Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring, SOP 1.2 - Site Visit Procedures and Collection of Field Data
- Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Resource Brief: 2009 Status and Trends for the Mid-Atlantic Network
- Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring, SOP 2.1 - Management of MIDN Benthic Macroinvertebrate Field and Lab Data
- Benthic macroinvertebrate pilot protocol summary report: Mid-Atlantic Network (2009–2014)
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Booker T. Washington National Monument.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Gettysburg National Military Park.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Petersburg National Battlefield.
- An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Richmond National Battlefield Park.
- Mid-Atlantic Network’s (MIDN) Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Transect Photo Database
- Mid-Atlantic Network’s (MIDN) Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Database
- Mid-Atlantic Network Benthic Macroinvertebrate Stream Monitoring Site Transect Photographs (2009 - 2010; 2014 - 2025)
- NPS Mid-Atlantic Network’s (MIDN) Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Data (2016-2025)