Aquatic Benthic Macroinvertebrates. As Water Quality Indicators

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Cody Gilbert
6 years ago
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1 Aquatic Benthic Macroinvertebrates As Water Quality Indicators

4 Complete Metamorphism

5 Incomplete Metamorphisms

6 Aquatic Insect Orders Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Odonata (Dragonflies & Damselflies) Plecoptera (Stoneflies) Hemiptera (True Bugs) Trichoptera (Caddisflies) Lepidoptera (Moths) Coleoptera (Beetles) Megaloptera (Dobsonflies, fishflies, alderflies) Diptera (True flies)

7 Tolerance Values How much pollution can you stand?

8 Intolerant to: Low levels of DO Water High Water Temperature High Amount of Sediment in Water Nutrient Enrichment Toxic chemicals and heavy metals

9 Tolerance Values On a scale of = no tolerance 10 = very tolerant to pollution and low DO

10 General Tolerance Ranges for Orders of Macroinvertebrates Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) 0-70 Plecoptera (Stoneflies) 0-40 Trichoptera (Caddisflies( Caddisflies) ) 0-80 Odonota (Dragonflies) 1-31 (Damselflies) 5-95 Megaloptera (Dobsonflies)) 0-40 Diptera (True Flies) Coleoptera (Beetles) 2-52 Crustacea (Crayfish, Scuds, Sowbougs) ) 4-74 Mollusca (Snails, Clams) 6-86 Oligochaeta, Hirudinea (Worms, Leeches) 8-108

11 Habitat Requirements for Low Tolerance Organisms Riffles Mostly low order streams Clear, cold water High oxygen content Well shaded Low nutrients Relatively undisturbed

12 Identifying Orders of Macroinvertebrates

Carnivora) Family (Canidae( Canidae) - Genus (Canis(

14 For Comparison Kingdom (Animalia( Animalia) Phyllum (Chordata) Class (Mammalia( Mammalia) Order (Carnivora( Carnivora) Family (Canidae( Canidae) - Genus (Canis( Canis) * Species (familiaris( familiaris) + Variety (Golden Retriever)

15 Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

17 Ephemeroptera 675 Species in 20 Families Evolved mya (carboniferous) Two adult stages Gills on abdominal segments (usually)1-7 Most are univoltine 3 (sometimes 2) Long, filamentous caudal filaments and the presence of lateral or ventrolateral gills Gills aid in the uptake of oxygen Most are herbivores or detritivores

19 Majority in cool, clean headwater streams ( some species prefer lentic (pond) environments) HBI tolerance value for species ranges from 0-7 Greatest diversity found in 2nd and 3rd order streams Most require a high DO content (some can withstand fairly low conditions) Primarily grazers and collector-gatherers (algae or detritus)

23 Plecoptera (Stoneflies)

24 Plecoptera

26 Plecoptera 614 species are know from North America Often the top predators in the invertebrate food chain They are important in biological monitoring Distinguishing characteristics: two long cerci, relatively long antenna, distinct Compound eyes, two or three ocelli, chewing mouthparts, two pairs of thoracic Wing-pads, and three segmented tarsi with two claws on each tarsus

30 Trichoptera (Caddisflies- Netspinners/Casemakers)

31 Trichoptera

34 Respiration is through the integument and abdominal gills Trichoptera (1400 Species) Larvae use silk from their labial glands to construct retreats and nets, to filter or gather food such as algae, detritus, Some construct portable cases that are barrel-shaped, purse like, or saddle-shaped All larvae pupate in completely closed cocoon Casemakers are mostly herbivores that feed on periphyton Netspinners or freeliving larvae are mostly predators- on other arthropods Have simple eyes, chewing mouthparts, very short antennae, 3 pairs of thoracic legs single tarsal claw, and fleshy prolegs on the last abd. segment Many larvae have single or branched gills on the abdominal segments

35 Casemakers Limnephilidae

38 Netspinners

40 Odonata

Odonata (Dragonflies/Damselflies) 9 families and 47 species 2 suborders Anisoptera and Zygoptera Lower lip (labium) is long and elbowed and is folded back against the head when not feeding Wing pads

41 Odonata (Dragonflies/Damselflies) 9 families and 47 species 2 suborders Anisoptera and Zygoptera Lower lip (labium) is long and elbowed and is folded back against the head when not feeding Wing pads are present on the thorax Three pairs of segmented legs, two claws No gills are found on the sides, but damselflies have three flat, elongate gills on the end of the abdomen Body is either long and stout or oval and somewhat flattened. Head is narrower than the thorax and abdomen In dragonflies, three short, stiff, pointed structures occur on the end of the abdomen, forming a pyramid-shaped valve

45 Coleoptera (Beetles) 20 aquatic families and 1,000 species Head has thick hardened skin Thorax and abdomen of most kinds have moderately hardened skin, but the abdomen has thin, soft skin in some kinds No wing pads occur on the thorax Three pairs of segmented legs extend from the thorax in most kinds, but some kinds have no segmented legs No structures project from the sides of the abdomen in most kinds, but some kinds have flat plates or stout filaments No prolegs or tapering filament occurs on the end of the abdomen

50 Megaloptera (Helgamites) 2 families 46 species Head and thorax have thick, hardened skin, while the abdomen has thin,soft skin. Prominent chewing mouthparts project in front of the head. No wing pads occur on the thorax Three pairs of segmented legs extend from the thorax Seven or eight pairs of stout, tapering filaments stick out from the sides of the abdomen End of the abdomen has either a pair of prolegs with two claws on each proleg, or a single long, tapering filament

55 Diptera (True Flies) 29 aquatic families 3,500 species Complete metamorphosis Elongate, soft, and fleshy and resemble maggots Head may be capsule-like, separate structure with thick hard skin Head may be partially reduced on the rear margin, or may be greatly reduced to just mouth parts that protrude from the thorax No wing pads No segmented legs, may have Prolegs Thorax and abdomen are entirely of soft, thin skin

63 HBRW Family Level Benthic Macroinvertebrate Data Analysis Sheet Site Beaver 1a River/ Stream/ County: Beaver River, Richmond, RI W of Hillsdale Rd, just N of bridge, below breached dam Date Sampled: 8/12/04 Name(s) Guillot, Poyer, Aube 1 Mean Date of Lab Work 8/ 12/04 # Squares Picked 1 1 Total # Squares in Tray Grid 1 Replicate # 1 Replicate # 1 Families in I II III IV V VI I II III IV V VI Families in Major Groups T (1) D (2) D T x D % (3) Major Groups T D D T x D % EPHEMEROPTERA (E) TRICHOPTERA (T) Baetidae Brachycentridae Baetiscidae Glossosomatidae Caenidae Helicopsychidae Ephemerellidae Hydropsychidae Ephemeridae Hydroptilidae Heptageniidae Lepidostomatidae Leptophlebliidae Leptoceridae Metretopodidae Limnephilidae Isonychiidae Molannidae Polymitarcyidae Odontoceridae Potomanthidae Philopotamidae Siphlonuridae Phryganeidae Tricorythldae Polycentropodidae Other Psychomyiidae Rhyacophilidae Subtotal E Sericostomatidae PLECOPTERA (P) Capniidae Other Chloroperlidae Subtotal T Leuctridae DIPTERA (D) Nemouridae Athericidae Peltoperlidae Blephariceridae Perlidae Ceratopogonidae Perlodidae Chironomidae Pteronarcyidae Tipulidae Taeniopterygidae Empididae Simuliidae Other Tabanidae Subtotal P MEGALOPTERA (M) Corydalidae Sialidae Other Subtotal D Other ISOPODA (I) Subtotal M Asellidae LEPIDOPTERA (L) Pyralidae Other Other Subtotal L Subtotal I COLEOPTERA (C) DECAPODA (I) Dryopidae Cambaridae Elmidae Astacidae Gyrinidae Other Haliplidae Subtotal I Psephenidae OTHER Oligochaeta Other Hirudinea Subtotal C Gastropoda ODONATA (O) Pelecypoda Aeshnidae Turbellaria Calopterygidae Nemertea Coenagrionidae Other Cordulegastridae Subtotal Other Corduliidae Gomphidae TOTALS Lestidae Libellulidae Organism Density/Sample Unit Macromiidae EPT Richness Total Family Richness Other EPT/EPT+Chironomidae Ratio Subtotal O Biotic Index AMPHIPODA (A) % Contribution of Dominant Family Crangonyctidae % Model Affinity Gammaridae Talitridae % COMPOSITION OF Other MAJOR GROUPS Subtotal A EPHEMEROPTERA 2% PLECOPTERA 39% EPT RICHNESS = RE+RP+RT TRICHOPTERA 40% # Ephemeroptera Families 1 CHIRONOMIDAE 0% # Plecoptera Families 5 OTHER DIPTERA 5% # Trichoptera Families 3 COLEOPTERA 13% EPT Richness (Total) 9 ODONATA 1% MEGALOPTERA 1% Codes: LEPIDOPTERA 0% (1) T = Hilsenhoff pollution tolerance- NYS DEC adjusted values AMPHIPODA 0% (2) D = Density ISOPODA 0% (3) % = percent composition OLIGOCHAETA 0% GASTROPODA 0% PELECYPODA 0% OTHER 0% Ephemeroptera Plecoptera Tricoptera Coleoptera Chironomidae Oligochaeta Other

Volunteer-based Stream. Macroinvertebrates. Paul Steen Watershed Ecologist Huron River Watershed Council

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