University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Annual Status Report, 2023: Macroinvertebrate Ponar Sampling Mississippi River and Illinois River

Pant, Manisha; Maxson, Kristopher; Solomon, Levi; Nordstrom, Abigail; Lamer, James

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125316

Description

Title
Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Annual Status Report, 2023: Macroinvertebrate Ponar Sampling Mississippi River and Illinois River
Author(s)
  • Pant, Manisha
  • Maxson, Kristopher
  • Solomon, Levi
  • Nordstrom, Abigail
  • Lamer, James
Issue Date
2024-07-01
Keyword(s)
  • Aquatic macroinvertebrates
  • River health
  • Mississippi River
  • Long Term Resource Monitoring Program
  • Ponar sampling
  • Paired Hester-Dendy/Rock bag
  • Ephemeroptera
  • Plecoptera
  • Trichoptera
  • Illinios River
  • Water quality
Date of Ingest
2025-01-17T13:40:19-06:00
Geographic Coverage
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
Abstract
Aquatic macroinvertebrates form an important food base for animals at higher trophic levels, such as fishes. They can also serve as a robust biological indicator of river health. Acknowledging the ecological importance of this group of organisms, Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) macroinvertebrate component was initiated in 1992 in Pools 4, 8, 13, 26, the Open reach of the Mississippi River, and the La Grange Pool of the Illinois River. However, it was discontinued in 2004 due to budget restrictions. After a 19-year hiatus, the LTRM macroinvertebrate component was reimplemented in 2023 with some modifications. The goal of the program is not simply to report the status and trends, but to provide insights to enhance UMRR resilience efforts. Macroinvertebrates were sampled using active and passive gears. The active gear, Ponar, was used for sampling following the methods outlined in Thiel and Sauer (1999) to maintain consistency with historic LTRM sampling and passive gears. A passive gear, Paired Hester-Dendy/Rock bag, was introduced to sample main-channel colonizer communities, predominantly composed of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (the so-called “EPT” taxa), and amphipods. The present report summarizes macroinvertebrates results from Ponar sampling at each of the LTRMP field stations during Spring 2023. Specifically, we document the sampling method, present macroinvertebrates densities, and compare densities of mayflies, fingernail clams, zebra-mussel and midges from 1993 to present.
Publisher
Illinois Natural History Survey
Series/Report Name or Number
Technical ReportINHS 2024 (24)
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
report
Language
eng
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
Sponsor Award Number: G24AC00154
Copyright and License Information
This document is a product of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and has been selected and made available by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is intended solely for noncommercial research and educational use, and proper attribution is requested.

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