Biological Assesment"Bio Assesment"
Biological Assessment collects and analyzes the aquatic macroinvertebrates found at six different sites of the Arcade Creek to gather data to assess the creek's overall health. Aquatic macroinvertebrates such as stoneflies and waterpennies are found in lakes, streams, ponds, marshes and puddles; they help maintain the health of the water ecosystem by eating bacteria and decaying plants and animals. We assess the diversity of macroinvertebrate populations for four reasons. Firstly, they are an important part of the food chain found in and around a body of water. Secondly, they differ in water toxicity sensitivity and the presence of certain macroinvertebrates can clearly indicate the health of a creek site. Third, the presence or absence of macroinvertebrates can provide information about the quality of a stream over extended periods of time. Lastly, they are relatively easy to collect.
