National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Protocol for Monitoring Aquatic Invertebrates of Small Streams in the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network Natural Resource Report NPS/HTLN/NRR—2008/042 A Heartland Network Monitoring Protocol protecting the habitat of our heritage i ON THE COVER Herbert Hoover birthplace cottage at Herbert Hoover NHS, prescribed fire at Tallgrass Prairie NPres, aquatic invertebrate monitoring at George Washington Carver NM, the Mississippi River at Effigy Mounds NM. ii Protocol for Monitoring Aquatic Invertebrates of Small Streams in the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network David E. Bowles, Michael H. Williams, Hope R. Dodd, Lloyd W. Morrison, Janice A. Hinsey, Catherine E. Ciak, Gareth A. Rowell, Michael D. DeBacker, and Jennifer L. Haack National Park Service Heartland I&M Network Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield 6424 West Farm Road 182 Republic, Missouri 65738 June 2008 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado i The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer- reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. Natural Resource Reports are the designated medium for disseminating high priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. Examples of the diverse array of reports published in this series include vital signs monitoring plans; monitoring protocols; "how to" resource management papers; proceedings of resource management workshops or conferences; annual reports of resource programs or divisions of the Natural Resource Program Center; resource action plans; fact sheets; and regularly-published newsletters. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations and data in this report are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior, NPS. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is also available from the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/NRPM) on the Internet or by sending a request to the address on the back cover. Please cite this publication as: Bowles, D. E., M. H. Williams, H. R. Dodd, L. W. Morrison, J. A. Hinsey, C. E. Ciak, G. A. Rowell, M. D. DeBacker, and J. L. Haack. 2008. Monitoring Protocol for Aquatic Invertebrates of Small Streams in the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network. Natural Resource Report NPS/HTLN/NRR—2008/042. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS D-75, June 2008 ii Contents Page Contents…………………………………………………………………………………..iii Figures……………………………………………………………………………………vi Tables……………………………………………………………………………………..vi I. Background and Objectives............................................................................................. 1 Issues Being Addressed and Rationale for Monitoring Benthic Invertebrates............... 1 History of Invertebrate Monitoring................................................................................. 2 Revision of the Original Protocol ................................................................................... 3 Monitoring Objectives Addressed by the Protocol......................................................... 5 II. Sampling Design ............................................................................................................ 6 Rationale for the Sampling Design................................................................................. 6 State Monitoring Programs........................................................................................ 6 Federal Monitoring Programs.................................................................................... 8 Spatial Design ............................................................................................................... 10 Establishing the sample frame ................................................................................. 10 Sampling Sites ......................................................................................................... 11 Sample Placement.................................................................................................... 11 Temporal design............................................................................................................ 14 Response Design........................................................................................................... 15 Types of Data Collected in the Field ....................................................................... 15 Sampling Devices ......................................................................................................... 16 Number of Samples.................................................................................................. 16 Suitability of Survey Design to Meet Study Objectives ............................................... 17 III. Field and Laboratory Methods.................................................................................... 18 Field Season Preparations, Field Schedule, and Equipment Setup............................... 18 Collecting Benthic Invertebrate Samples and Associated Habitat and Water Quality Data............................................................................................................................... 18 Benthic Sample Processing and Specimen Identification............................................. 20 Subsampling benthic samples....................................................................................... 20 iii Sample Storage and Reference Collection.................................................................... 21 Post Season Procedures................................................................................................. 21 IV. Data Management....................................................................................................... 21 Overview of Database Design ...................................................................................... 21 Data Entry ..................................................................................................................... 22 Data Verification and Validation.................................................................................. 22 Metadata Procedures..................................................................................................... 23 Database Versions......................................................................................................... 23 Database Security.......................................................................................................... 23 V. Analysis and Reporting................................................................................................ 24 Metric Selection and Community Indices..................................................................... 24 Data Analysis................................................................................................................ 27 Bayesian methods .................................................................................................... 27 Hypothesis testing.................................................................................................... 27 Parameter estimation................................................................................................ 28 Control Charts.......................................................................................................... 28 Power Analysis ........................................................................................................ 29 Other Statistical Tests .............................................................................................. 29 Reporting....................................................................................................................... 30 VI. Personnel Requirements and Training........................................................................ 30 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 30 Qualifications and Training .......................................................................................... 30 VII. Operational Requirements......................................................................................... 31 Annual Workload and Field Schedule .......................................................................... 31 Facility and Equipment Requirements.......................................................................... 31 Startup Costs and Budget Considerations..................................................................... 31