Comparing the Effects of Mesh Size on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Performance Characteristics in Montana streams

HR: 09:00h
AN: NB51F-03 [Abstracts]
TI: Comparing the Effects of Mesh Size on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Performance Characteristics in Montana streams
AU: * Laidlaw, T L
EM: laidlaw.tina@epa.gov
AF: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Montana Field Office, 10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200, Helena, MT 59626 United States
AU: Jessup, B
EM: benjamin.jessup@tetratech.com
AF: Tetra Tech, Inc., 10045 Red Run Blvd., Suite 110, Owings Mills, MD 21117-6102 United States
AU: Stagliano, D
EM: dstagliano@state.mt.us
AF: Rhithron, and Associates Inc., 1501 W Central Ave., Missoula, MT 59801 United States
AU: Stribling, J
EM: james.stribling@tetratech.com
AF: Tetra Tech, Inc., 10045 Red Run Blvd., Suite 110, Owings Mills, MD 21117-6102 United States
AU: Feldman, D L
EM: dfeldman@state.mt.us
AF: Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 East 6th Avenue, Helena, MT 59601 United States
AU: Bollman, W
EM: wbollman@rhithron.com
AF: Rhithron, and Associates Inc., 1501 W Central Ave., Missoula, MT 59801 United States
AB: Montana's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has collected macroinvertebrate data for twenty years. During this time, sampling methods and mesh sizes have been modified, though the effects of the modifications on the samples collected have not been studied. DEQ has used and continues to use both 500 and 1200 肯 mesh sizes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of the different mesh sizes on taxonomic diversity and metric values. Field crews followed DEQ's traveling kick sampling methods and collected samples at each site using both mesh sizes. Sixteen sampling locations were distributed throughout two ecoregions (the Mountains and the Mountain and Valley Foothills) with replicate samples collected at seven locations. We developed a suite of both quantitative and qualitative performance characteristics (precision, accuracy, bias) and directly compared them for each mesh size. Preliminary ordination results showed no significant differences between the community level performance measures. Preliminary metric analysis showed that the 1200 肯 mesh captured a greater abundance and diversity of caddisflies (Trichoptera) than the 500 肯 mesh. This study will determine if data collected using different mesh sizes can be aggregated for development of bioassessment tools and will help DEQ implement consistent statewide sampling protocols.
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly