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Aquatic invertebrates are important bioindicators, and the ABMI samples wetlands across the province annually.
Aquatic invertebrates are used as biological indicators due to their constant exposure to the physical and chemical properties of the water they live in. Environmental changes and intactness can be inferred by the change and response of sensitive species or entire invertebrate communities. The ABMI samples wetlands across the province annually. Invertebrate samples are processed and subsampled before ABMI’s aquatic invertebrate taxonomists identify specimens to species. Species ID allows for individual and community taxon composition data to be analyzed.
Data Links
Often referred to as aquatic bugs, invertebrates are a diverse group that forms a key link in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Learn more about them and access our monitoring data and analysis.
Anabolia – Photo: Rob Hinchliffe
Aquatic Invertebrates Form Key Links in Aquatic Food Webs
Strength in Numbers
Daphnia – Photo: Rob Hinchliffe
Photo: Rob Hinchliffe
Overview
Species Discoveries (in ABMI Samples)
Tebby, C., R. Hinchliffe, and T. Cobb. "New Waterboatman Record for Alberta, Corisella inscripta (Hemiptera: Corixidae)." Entomological News 128.4 (2019): 407–409. Lapierre, A.R., et al. "New Record of Neohaemonia melsheimeri (Lacordaire, 1845)(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Alberta, Canada." The Coleopterists Bulletin 73.2 (2019): 440–442. Lapierre, A.R., et al. "New Water Boatman Records from Alberta, Canada (Hemiptera: Corixidae)." Entomological News 129.5 (2021): 522–528.
Drunella sp. – Photo: Rob Hinchliffe
What's in a Name?
Aquatic invertebrate sampling in the field
Elutriation setup separating invertebrates from vegetation
An aquatic leaf beetle: Donacia proxima (Chrysomelidae)
Workflow – Life of a Collection
Collections begin by annual field sampling. ABMI field technicians sample an assortment of invertebrates from wetlands across the province via net sweeps at set points in a wetland. Habitat information such as water depth, temperature and chemistry, and vegetation type are consistently recorded and compiled from site to site and sample to sample. These samples are preserved and sent to the Processing Centre at the University of Alberta to be washed, subsampled, and analyzed.
1. Samples consist of invertebrates and numerous large pieces of vegetation. Vegetation such as submerged and emergent macrophytes, algae, and decomposing woody debris impede efficient subsampling and thus need to be removed. Samples are washed through an elutriation system that separates light-bodied invertebrates from dense vegetation pieces.
2. Washed samples are transferred to a Marchant box: a standardized Plexiglas box used to subsample the remaining organic material into manageable units. Invertebrates and small pieces of vegetative debris are distributed randomly across the Marchant box’s grid of 100 identical wells. Technicians use a random-number generator to select a corresponding unit that contains a small section of the sample. This unit is then closely examined for invertebrates present.
3. Invertebrates are removed and coarsely sorted into appropriate taxonomic groups. These groups are then examined by the aquatic invertebrate taxonomists who identify every invertebrate to the lowest taxonomic level possible. In some cases, an invertebrate can be identified to subspecies.
4. An average of 17,000 specimens are identified each year; these data are sent to the ABMI’s Information Centre to be analyzed. Identified specimens are stored in vials of 80% ethanol and are used in part in a voucher collection for future specimen referral. Currently, specimens are housed at the Royal Alberta Museum.
The ABMI is developing and implementing new biodiversity assessment tools to support the environmental performance of Canadian beef production systems by incorporating biodiversity and habitat management into beef life-cycle assessments.
The Peltigera project aims to expand our understanding of Peltigera lichen diversity in Alberta through genetic markers. Building on the research done by global Peltigera experts, we hope to use genetic data to both verify our identifications and detect new species to the province.
Learn more about aquatic invertebrates and why they are important to monitor. Find out about individual aquatic invertebrates species in Alberta on ABMI's Biodiversity Browser.
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