Historical Alpena FWCO Early Detection and Monitoring Invertebrate Database

Benthic invertebrate surveys are a component of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Early Detection and Monitoring (EDM) Program. Benthic invertebrate surveys were included in the EDM program starting in 2014 with the goal of detecting novel AIS invertebrate species by sampling a diversity of habitats with a wide array of gear types. Surveys occurred annually from 2013 - 2024. Sampling focuses on harbors, rivers, and streams of Lake Huron and Lake Erie as determined by a risk-based prioritization framework for AIS in the Great Lakes.

Benthic invertebrates are collected using a variety of sampling gears with the most utilized including: colonizers (rock bags and Hester-Dendy samplers) and sweep nets. The survey design targets the following three general taxon: Amphipoda, Bivalvia, and Gastropoda. These taxon are targeted due to the potential invasiveness and level of concern of species within those taxa as determined by Ecological Risk Screening Summaries (ERSS). The sampling season is typically between July and October - not all locations are sampled on a similar temporal scale, particularly those locations on the fringes of the programs surveillance range. Sampling strategies are analyzed and designed to capture the maximum species richness at locations with the assumption that capturing an abundance of species, including singletons and doubletons, could lead to detecting rare novel AIS species if present. Samples are preserved using 95% ethanol (EtOH) which allows for tissue preservation. The samples are then picked and sorted in-house (Alpena FWCO) by the three aforementioned general taxon. For several samples, these taxa groupings were screen for Region 3 watch list/target species. Some targeted sampling sites was sent to an external contractor for taxonomic identification a year or more later once funds became available. Given the dynamic and adaptive nature of AIS early detection, the list of watch list species has changed over time. The current watch list of invertebrates is as follows: Signal Crayfish, Spinycheek Crayfish, Yabby, Australian Redclaw Crayfish, Marbled Crayfish, Noble Crayfish, Red Swamp Crayfish, Harris Mud Crab, Bald Urchin Shrimp, Bloody Red Shrimp, Demon Shrimp, Killer Shrimp, Pontogammarus robustoides (no common name), Scud, Banded Mysterysnail, Chinese Mysterysnail, European Ear Snail, European Stream Valvata, Golden Mussel, Gravel Snail, Japanese Mysterysnail, Mud Bithynia (Faucet Snail), New Zealand Mudsnail, Quagga Mussel, and Zebra Mussel. Quagga and Zebra mussels are widespread in Lake Erie and Lake Huron and, with the exception of the St. Marys River, are no longer sorted or counted as bivalves because of the large number and frequency.

The information within this dataset is geospatial in nature and documents benthic invertebrate sampling events. Both abiotic and biotic data is collected for each individual sampling event. It is possible that over time, the tools, gears, and instruments used to collect information have changed or been modified. The EDM Program is adaptive in nature and standardization, although important for comparisons, is not the primary intention of this AIS sampling strategy. Therefore, in some instances, the general statements made above regarding sample procedures may not apply. Also, identifying aquatic invertebrates such as amphipods, bivalves, and gastropods are difficult - especially when tasked with discovering novel AIS with limited support from reference materials (keys, voucher specimens, etc.). Because of this, some specimens collected cannot be assigned to the species level. Furthermore, due to these difficulties, identifications within this data set may be inaccurate and those records will remain within this data set unless otherwise detected and removed.

Tags: ais, alpena-fwco, aquatic-invasive-species, crayfish, detroit-river-substation, early-detection-and-monitoring, edm, general-biology-invasive-species-invasive-exotic-animals, general-biology-species-invertebrates, great-lakes, invertebrates, lake-erie, lake-huron, usfws
Organization: Department of the Interior