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Title: Macroinvertebrate
Sampling
Subjects: Math, Science, English
Purpose: Evaluate soil pH
and understand its relevance to plant growth. Also, this can
be done before and after project completion, which can
assist you in obtaining grants in the future.
Materials:
• standard dip net (~0.3m x 0.5m, 250mm mesh size)
• sieve bucket, with 500 F opening mesh
• 95% ethanol
• sample containers, sample container labels
• forceps
• pencils, clipboard
• Benthic Macroinvertebrate Field Data Sheet *
• first aid kit
• waders (chest-high or hip boots)
• rubber gloves (arm-length)
• camera
• Global Positioning System (GPS) Unit
* It is helpful to copy fieldsheets onto water-resistant
paper for use
in wet weather conditions
in these cases.
Procedure:
1.
Find
a stream near your home or school. (http://water.usgs.gov)
You will need at least two people to perform this activity.
It is important to be extremely cautious when conducting
activities in the water.
2.
Select a riffle that is representative of the stream. (look
for cobble-sized rocks, swift moving water, depth 3-12
inches) The sampling area should be 3’ x 3’.
3.
Mark the location on a map or use a GPS to obtain the site
coordinates if you intend to return to the site for follow
up monitoring.
4.
Do not stand in the sampling area. This will disturb the
stream bed and possibly cause inaccurate results.
5.
Spread out the kick seine and place it on the bottom of the
stream bed at the downstream end of the sampling area. Be
sure that there is no water washing under or over the net.
6.
Now brush the rocks in the sample area to remove any
attached macroinvertebrates. Place each rock outside the
sample area after they are brushed.
7.
Use your feet to stir up the stream bed to a depth of
several inches in order to dislodge burrowing
macroinvertebrates.
8.
After approximately 60 seconds, remove the kick seine from
the water with a forward scooping motion. Take special care
during removal of the kick seine so that there is minimal
loss of macroinvertebrates.
9.
Lay the kick seine flat on the stream bank.
•
If you
plan to identify the sample contents at home or in the
school lab then wash everything into one bucket. Use stream
water for rinsing. Also make sure the bucket is partially
filled with stream water and that you place a lid on top.
•
If you
plan to identify the sample contents in the field then you
will need multiple buckets or other similar containers.
Using the identification key separate sample specimens.
10.
Identify the specimens and record the results. (see form)
Extra:
• Invite a local
environmental protection or extension
agent to speak to your group and offer advice.
