Open Government Portal

Stream benthic invertebrates are important indicators of aquatic health and have been monitored in PEI National Park to assess community diversity as well as abundance of pollution tolerant and intolerant taxa in streams. Benthic invertebrates are collected on an annual basis using the sampling methods developed by Environment Canada for the "CABIN" stream monitoring network. Samples are sorted and invertebrates are classified to the lowest possible taxomonic classification to determine abundance and biodiversity in these aquatic ecosystems. Community biodiversity is assessed using the Simpson’s reciprocal index (D).

This dataset contains monitoring data for benthic invertebrate communities along the Thompson River Corridor. The raw data in this dataset is used to calculate benthic invertebrate richness and the percentage of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) (EPT) species (some of the most important species that indicate a healthy system). The data is collected annually in early-July at pre-determined sites along the Thompson River. Full benthic invertebrate sampling and habitat assessments are completed in accordance with CABIN protocols.

This dataset contains monitoring data for benthic invertebrate communities along the Hornaday River Corridor. The raw data in this dataset is used to calculate benthic invertebrate richness and the percentage of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) (EPT) species (some of the most important species that indicate a healthy system). The data is collected annually in early-July at pre-determined sites along the Hornaday River. Full benthic invertebrate sampling and habitat assessments are completed in accordance with CABIN protocols.

This dataset covers the monitoring of benthic invertebrate communities in 11 streams or rivers in Forillon National Park since 2007. The sampling methods and techniques used for this monitoring are based on those of the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) established by Environment Canada. This follow-up is usually done in early fall. The collection site is located near the brook trout community and water temperature monitoring site for each of the watercourses studied.

The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) is a national aquatic biomonitoring program, established and maintained by Environment and Climate Change Canada, to provide a standardized protocol for the ecological assessment of freshwater ecosystems with the use of benthic macroinvertebrate communities as biological indicators for stream or river conditions. The purpose of the benthic invertebrates monitoring program at Kouchibouguac National Park is to assess the status of freshwater benthic invertebrate assemblages over time and detect trends in order to provide an early warning of deterioration through reductions in total taxa richness, EPT index (i.e., pollution-sensitive taxa richness), or an increase in the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) for organic pollution. All field and laboratory procedures follow standard CABIN protocols. A total of 13 sites are monitored; 6 located within KNP boundaries and are sampled annually (PRT01, FNT01, PLY01, BLK01, RNK01, MKL01); while 7 sites are located outside KNP but within the zone of influence and cooperation; 3 of which are also sampled annually (KCC03, KCS03, RTB01-02) while the remaining 4 are sampled in alternate years (KCC01, KCC02, KCS01, KCS02).

Benthic samples are collected from 6 streams (Oiseau Creek, White Gravel River, North Swallow River, Swallow River, Tagouche Creek and Imogene Creek) in mid to late September using standarized methods for collecting invertebrates developed by the Canadian Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). Five sub-measures are calculated for the status of this measure; family richness, percent oligochaeta, the Hilsenhoff family biotic index (HfBI), Ephemeroptera - Plecoptera - Tricoptera (EPT) index and a multivariate community metric (90th percentile Hellinger's Distance).

Benthic invertebrates monitoring includes both lotic (rivers/streams) and lentic (wetlands) ecosystems. Aquatic biomonitoring provides a direct measure of change in biotic populations and communities in relation to benchmark or reference conditions and can help identify the ecological effects of cumulative stressors. Used together with the water chemical and physical monitoring components, this program uses an integrated approach to assess whether ecological affects are occurring in response to OS developments. Sampling can include the collection of invertebrates, algal biomass, water chemistry, and appropriate supporting habitat information and is conducted during periods of high abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates.

Tributary Biomonitoring (Lower Athabasca River)

Benthic macroinvertebrates, comprising insects, crusteaceans, molluscs and worms, represent a group of organisms used widely in environmental monitoring programs as early warning indicators to assess the effects of change in water quality or physical habitat conditions on aquatic ecosystem health. An interpretive report (Culp et. al., 2018) was released in 2018 which included assessments of the benthic and supporting data from 2012-2015. An excerpt from the executive summary regarding the tributary benthic invertebrate results is provided below and the full report can be found online at https://open.alberta.ca/publications/9781460140314.

Mainstem Athabasca River Biomonitoring

Benthic macroinvertebrates, comprising insects, crusteaceans, molluscs and worms, represent a group of organisms used widely in environmental monitoring programs as early warning indicators to assess the effects of change in water quality or physical habitat conditions on aquatic ecosystem health. An interpretive report (Culp et. al., 2018) was released in 2018 which included assessments of the benthic and supporting data from 2012-2015. An excerpt from the executive summary regarding the mainstem benthic invertebrate results is provided below and the full report can be found online at https://open.alberta.ca/publications/9781460140314).

This dataset contains monitoring data for benthic invertebrate communities along the Firth River Corridor. The raw data in this dataset is used to calculate benthic invertebrate richness and the percentage of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) (EPT) species (some of the most important species that indicate a healthy system). The data is collected annually in mid-July at pre-determined sites along the Firth River. Full benthic invertebrate sampling and habitat assessments are completed in accordance with CABIN protocols.