2012 Training Program - Segment 3
Benthic Macroinvertebrates & Stream Health

Introduction

Small watercourses, such as streams, are homes to lots of tiny animals that live on and under the rocks, on the water plants, or on bits of wood lying in the stream. These animals include larval insects, clams, mussels, worms, and leeches. Collectively they are called macroinvertebrates - animals without backbones - and can be seen with the naked eye. Macroinvertebrates are a good indicator of stream health. An experienced biologist, with only a cursory examination of the macroinvertebrate assemblage, can determine the site-specific conditions of a stream. The Rapid Bioassessment (RBA) has become one of the standard methods to gather such biological data.

This training segment provided participants with a discussion, including identification, of stream macroinvertebrates; a review of the RBA method; a hands-on exercise to identify organisms and determine the health of a hypothetical stream; and ended with an optional field stream survey demonstration.

Background Materials

• Location: Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area
• Agenda and Instructors

Classroom Presentations

• Benthic Macroinvertebrates: Relevance to Municipal Inland Wetlands Agencies
• Water Quality Monitoring and Stream Health Assessments - A Primer for Wetlands Officials

Supplemental Training Materials

• Riffle Bioassessment by Volunteers (RBV)
  • Rapid Bioassessment in Wadeable Streams & Rivers by Volunteer Monitors
  • Macroinvertebrate Sorting Guide
  • Macroinvertebrate Field Identification Cards
  • Photos of benthic macroinvertebrates provided by EPA
  • Field Datasheet
• Related Websites

Content Last Updated March 17, 2020.