Water Quality Assessment of Streams Using a Qualitative Collection Method for Benthic Macroinvertebrates

A standardized qualitative sampling technique was developed and tested for shallow streams in North Carolina. This method emphasizes multihabitat collections and the use of both coarse- and fine-mesh samplers. All samples are picked in the field, a process facilitated by field-preservation of some samples. The qualitative method was found to be more rapid than a semi-quantitative technique (kick nets), yet produced a greater number of taxa per site. Different taxa richness criteria were developed for each ecoregion to assign water quality classifications, and these values were shown to be related to more conventional physical/chemical measurements. This method has potential as a rapid, inexpensive biomonitoring tool.