Freshwater ecology inventory and monitoring
Introduction
This module describes methods to inventory and monitor freshwater environments.How to use this module
- Read project planning guides.
- Read the methods to inventory and monitor freshwater environments.
- Consult the introduction and the comparative tables and decision trees to help you select the method(s) most appropriate for your study.
- Be aware of the minimum data collection standards for methods.
- Check if any training is available for this method.
Introduction
Macroinvertebrate monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Introduction (PDF, 712K)
Refer to this introduction for comparative tables and decision trees to help you decide which method is best suited to inventory and monitoring macroinvertebrates in wadeable streams.
Periphyton monitoring in stream ecosystems: Introduction (PDF, 1,083K)
Refer to this introduction for an overview of periphyton monitoring and use the decision tree to help you decide which method is best suited to use based on your project's objectives.
Methods
Periphyton
Quantitative periphyton monitoring in freshwater ecosystems (PDF, 988K)
Two quantitative sampling methods 1a and 1b from Biggs and Kilroy (2000) are described here that are suitable to provide data to test for differences amongst sites and to detect impact effects.
Periphyton taxonomic sampling and identification (PDF, 1,240K)
This taxonomic sampling method is based on that presented by Biggs & Kilroy (2000). It can rapidly assess the dominant taxa in a sample and provide data to test for differences amongst sites and to detect impact effects.
Periphyton rapid assessment monitoring in streams - method 1 (RAM – 1) (PDF, 813K)
This rapid assessment method will provide qualitative assessment of the composition and cover of filamentous algae. This method is largely based on Biggs and Kilroy (2000).
Periphyton rapid assessment monitoring in streams - method 2 (RAM – 2) (PDF, 1,271K)
This rapid assessment method will obtain cover estimates of algae at fixed points on transects and also other basic information about an algal community. This method is largely based on Biggs and Kilroy (2000).
Periphyton RAM data sheets (Excel, 89K)
Use this example data sheet and periphyton score calculator when using the qualitative rapid assessment methods “Periphyton rapid assessment monitoring in streams - method 2 (RAM - 2)” and “Periphyton rapid assessment monitoring in streams - method 1 (RAM – 1)”.
Macroinvertebrates
Macroinvertebrate monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Hard bottomed stream semi-quantitative macroinvertebrate sampling (PDF, 2,058K)
This method samples macroinvertebrate communities in hard-bottomed streams. It can produce qualitative or semi-quantitative data by applying coded abundance or fixed count processing methods. The method described is based upon that described by Stark et al. (2001)
Macroinvertebrate monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Hard bottomed stream quantitative macroinvertebrate sampling (PDF, 1,567K)
This method quantitatively samples hard-bottomed, wadeable streams to calculate high-precision estimates of the population density of macroinvertebrates at a sampling location. The method described is based upon that described by Stark et al. (2001).
Macroinvertebrate monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Soft bottomed stream semi-quantitative macroinvertebrate sampling (PDF, 1,183K)
This method collects presence/absence or semi-quantitative data from habitats within soft-bottomed New Zealand streams. The method described is based upon that described by Stark et al. (2001).
Macroinvertebrate monitoring in freshwater ecosystems: Soft bottomed stream quantitative macroinvertebrate sampling (PDF, 1,450K)
This method quantitatively samples soft-bottomed, wadeable streams to calculate high-precision estimates of the population density of macroinvertebrates at a sampling location. The method described is based upon that described by Stark et al. (2001).
Other documents
Habitat assessment
Stream habitat assessment field sheet (PDF, 253)
This document is a good guide to the basic habitat information that can be collected without specialised equipment.
Aquatic plants
Lake Submerged Plant Indicators (PDF, 1,345)
This method quantitatively monitors the condition of aquatic plant structures and composition in lakes. It is based upon the method as described by Clayton and Edwards (2006).
