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1995 MARYLAND BIOLOGICAL STREAM SURVEY BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES (BENTH95)
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The Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS) is a multi-year probability-based sampling program designed to assess the status of biological resources in non-tidal streams of Maryland. The MBSS study area comprises eighteen drainage basins across the state of Maryland, providing biological, water chemistry, and physical habitat data for approximately 300 first- through third-order stream sites per year. 1995 was the first year of full implementation of the MBSS, with all basins to be sampled during 1995-1997. Beginning in 1995, the program implemented a revised sampling design, based on results of the earlier 1994 MBSS Demonstration Project. MBSS 1995 sampling was conducted in six basins: Youghiogheny, Upper Potomac, Lower Potomac, Patapsco, Chester, and Nanticoke-Wicomico. Using rapid bioassessment procedures, the MBSS collects benthic macroinvertebrate samples from a variety of instream habitats during the spring index period. The data set BENTH95 contains counts of individual benthic macroinvertebrate taxa from D-net samples of approximately 100 individuals per sampled site. Macroinvertebrates are identified to family level. Data are from the 1995 MBSS sampling year.