NEON Biorepository Benthic Macroinvertebrate Collection (Unsorted Bulk Sample)

Unprocessed macroinvertebrate samples collected from wadeable streams, rivers, and lakes. Samples from bouts 1 and 3 are archived without analysis. Samples from bout 2 are sequenced, and the resulting DNA extracts are archived.
Sampling

3 sampling bouts per year (spring, summer, fall)
8 field locations per NEON site

5 in dominant habitat (wadeable streams) or littoral zone (lakes/rivers)
3 in sub-dominant habitat (wadeable streams) or pelagic zone (lakes/rivers)

11 samples collected per bout total

8 morphology samples (1 per location)
3 DNA samples from dominant/littoral locations

Bouts 1 & 3 DNA samples archived unprocessed
Bout 2 samples extracted and sequenced

Methods

Habitat-appropriate sampling gear (e.g., Surber, Hess, corer, kicknet, D-frame sweep, petite ponar)
Samples collected from natural substrate surface

Preservation

Preserved in 70-95% ethanol
Maintained in temperature- and humidity-controlled storage