Macroinvertebrate communities in PA and MD Piedmont mixed agricultural streams, 2023

From 12 May – 18 May 2023, a Virginia Tech team of 2-3 sampled the macroinvertebrate community in 30 Upper Northern Piedmont streams (Maryland and Pennsylvania, USA) as part of a larger stream-health study including other teams who surveyed geomorphology, water quality, flow, temperature, fish community, and fish health at the same 30 streams. Macroinvertebrates were sampled using a 500-micrometer mesh d-frame net on a known area (0.25 m2). Five d-frame net samples were collected in the most productive available habitat types for that 100-meter stream reach, such as woody debris, undercut banks or leaf packs. Macroinvertebrate data are related to the Chesapeake Bay Index of Biotic Integrity metrics and scores calculated for the Upper North Piedmont region. These macroinvertebrate community data were collected as part of a larger interdisciplinary Chesapeake Stream Team field campaign