NEON Biorepository Benthic Macroinvertebrate Collection (Taxonomy Reference Collection)

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Description

This collection contains individual invertebrate specimens included in the taxonomist's reference collection (NEON sample class: inv_pervial_in.referenceID). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples are collected three times per year at wadeable stream, river, and lake sites during aquatic biology bout windows, roughly in spring, summer, and fall. Samples are collected using the most appropriate sampler for the habitat type, including Surber, Hess, hand corer, modified kicknet, D-frame sweep, and petite ponar samplers. Macroinvertebrates are sampled using a percent-based macrohabitat approach. In wadeable streams, samples are collected in the two most dominant habitat types (e.g. riffles, runs, pools, step pools) within each 1 km-long wadeable stream site. In lakes, samples are collected near the buoy and littoral sensors using a petite ponar, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep. In rivers, samples are collected near the buoy and two other deep-water locations using a petite ponar sampler, and in littoral areas using a D-frame sweep or large-woody debris sampler. Field protocols differ depending on the habitat and substrate being sampled, but all samples are collected from the surface of the natural substratum in each habitat. Samples are preserved in ethanol in the field, returned to the domain support facility for a preservative change where a small volume of glycerol is added to help keep invertebrates from becoming brittle. Samples are shipped to a taxonomy lab for sorting and identification, including counts of each taxon per size class (to nearest mm) and identification to lowest practical taxon (genus or species). Reference collections are deposited at the NEON Biorepository at the end of a taxonomist's contract period. Reference collections are archived in glass vials and stored in a temperature (17-18°C) and humidity controlled environment. Specimens are preserved in 95% ethanol. These expertly identified specimens represent standard morphotypes for each taxon at a domain and can be used to verify identification of specimens in bulk samples. See related links below for protocols and NEON related data products.

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