Description Annual stream macroinvertebrate surveying to establish a site-specific database and monitor trends. Two streams will be monitored, Browns River and Stevensville Brook, at 1400 foot elevation on each. Sampling consists of two replicate composite samples. Macroinvertebrates collected are returned to the laboratory for identification to the lowest possible taxonomic level, and density and percent compositon are recorded. These streams are steep and rocky and are subject to extreme variations in flow.
Drainage areas are small and predominantly forested.
These sites represent conditions that are minimally affected by human activities other than atmospheric deposition. Long-term sampling is undertaken at these sites in order to gather data describing the natural variability of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities between years. Samples are collected from riffle areas of the streams to standardize for physical habitat type. Organisms collected are identified to the lowest practical level, generally genus or species. The following table summarizes the eight year statistics for these metrics.