Macroinvertebrates
are larger-than-microscopic invertebrate animals.
Freshwater macroinvertebrates include
aquatic insects, worms, clams, snails, and crustaceans.
Macroinvertebrates are animals
that have no backbone and are visible without magnification.
Stream-bottom macroinvertebrates include such animals
as crayfish, mussels, aquatic snails, aquatic worms, and the larvae of aquatic insects.
Decreases in the dissolved oxygen levels can cause changes in the types and numbers of aquatic macroinvertebrates which live in a water ecosystem.
Species which cannot tolerate decreases in dissolved oxygen levels
include
mayfly nymphs,
stonefly nymphs,
caddisfly larvae and
beetle larvae.
As the dissolved oxygen levels decrease,
these pollution-intolerant organisms are replaced
by the pollution-tolerant
worms and
fly larvae.
Site: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/stream |
Since 1972, the Stream Biomonitoring Unit of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has used aquatic macroinvertebrates to monitor the water quality of the State’s rivers and streams. Macroinvertebrates are larger-than-microscopic invertebrate animals. Freshwater macroinvertebrates include aquatic insects, worms, clams, snails, and crustaceans. Because of their abundance and their sensitivity to environmental impacts, they are widely used in biomonitoring programs for assessing water quality.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Images: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/stream/orderpageone.htm |
Stream Study | Virginia | Key:
| http://www.people.virginia.edu/~sos-iwla/Stream-Study/Key/MacroKeyIntro.HTML |
The Stream Study provides a method to determine the water quality of a stream based on the collection and identification of stream-bottom macroinvertebrates.
Macroinvertebrates are animals that have no backbone and are
visible without magnification.
Stream-bottom macroinvertebrates include such animals as crayfish,
mussels, aquatic snails, aquatic worms, and the larvae of aquatic insects.
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~ajclevel/macroinvert.html |
