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MDE NON-TIDAL BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE MONITORING PROGRAM
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Description:
The Maryland Non-tidal Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program provides data on benthic macroinvertebrates for many streams in the state. Through it, an entire network of 100 stations in the nontidal reaches of Marylands Chesapeake Bay Basin are sampled within a two year period. CORE stations are sampled annually. Programs objectives are to characterize macroinvertebrate community structure and diversity within the non-tidal streams in Maryland. Sampling is conducted between June and August of every year. All stations are sampled at least every other year, except CORE stations, part of the EPAs national water quality monitoring network, which are sampled annually. An effort is made to collect within a week of the date of the last sampling (i.e. the first week of June). Samples are collected using multiplate sampling devises (placed in the field for about 6 weeks), or a Surber sampler. Specimens are then identified to the lowest taxonomic level, and community structure and diversity are determined.