Standard Operating Procedures (SOP): Aquatic Field Collection Guidelines Habitat Characterization Benthic Sample Processing

Abstract

Assessing biological condition of aquatic habitats involves multiple phases and a variety of methodologies and techniques. Monitoring, as one form of assessing biological condition includes, but is not limited to, field observations, data and sample collection, laboratory processing, and data interpretation. This document is limited to aquatic biota sampling, characterizing habitat structure, assessing aquatic macrophytes and adjacent riparian condition, and evaluating water quality parameters. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to collect biological samples and evaluate habitat characteristics for interpreting, or continually monitoring, biological condition. Guidelines are provided to establish sample collection protocols once an experimental design is formulated. Descriptions that follow will be limited to habitat characteristic evaluation, monitoring water quality parameters, and fish, macroinvertebrate, and periphyton community sampling.