Poster Details
COMPARISONS AND ANALYSES OF DIFFERENT SAMPLING TYPES FOR REGULATORY PROTOCOLS IN MULTIPLE WESTERN STATES
Protocols utilized to evaluate the health of macroinvertebrate populations vary from state to state, with different sampling, analysis, and assessment methods, as well as different regulatory outcomes. While sampling methods vary in terms of the targeted habitat, number of samples collected, and sorting protocols, several states utilize some form of a multi-metric index to report results and determine attainment or impairment of aquatic life. While the overall composition of the multi-metric indices vary among states and ecoregions, some similar metrics are incorporated into these multimetric indices. We utilized these specific metrics that are common to one or more state protocol to discuss the potential effects of differing sampling methods on variability in metric values among replicates, seasons, or years in metric scores. In addition, if our results suggest that some methods result in more substantial variability than others even when natural factors are accounted for when possible, we will discuss how this could affect regulatory outcomes.
Jennifer Shanteau (Primary Presenter/Author), GEI Consultants, Inc., jshanteau@geiconsultants.com;
Jeniffer Lynch (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), GEI Consultants, Inc., jlynch@geiconsultants.com;
Jamie Carmon (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), GEI Consultants Inc, jcarmon@geiconsultants.com;
Kimberly Gerlock (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), GEI Consultants, Inc., kgerlock@geiconsultants.com;