Macroinvertebrate Communities and Habitat Characteristics in the Northern and Southern Colorado Plateau Networks. Pilot Protocol Implementation.

摘要

A pilot implementation study was conducted at nine sites in eight streams in seven national parks across the Colorado Plateau. Streams for this pilot study were selected to represent a range of habitat characteristics (stream types) and maximize variance across sites. Two types of macroinvertebrate samples were collected in each reach: one from a measured (quantitative) area within a targeted habitat (riffles), and the other a qualitative sample collected from multiple habitat types. Quantitative samples provide estimates of species densities and allow statistical comparisons among sites and over time, while qualitative samples provide a representative species list and information on biodiversity at a site. Physical habitat characteristics, including water depth, velocity, substrate size, and riparian canopy closure, were measured at three spatial scales: reach, transect, and points along each transect. Physical habitat characteristics were also measured at each quantitative macroinvertebrate sample location.