NEON Biorepository Zooplankton Collection (Unsorted Bulk Sample)

Unprocessed zooplankton samples collected from wadeable streams, rivers, and lakes for DNA metabarcoding. 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) 3 field locations per NEON site 1 at deepest point (near NEON profiling buoy) 2 near littoral (shallow) sensor sets 6 samples collected per bout total 1 sample per location for morphological taxonomy (3 samples per bout) 1 sample per location for DNA metabarcoding (3 samples per bout) Bouts 1 & 3 DNA samples archived unprocessed Bout 2 samples extracted and sequenced Methods Habitat-appropriate sampling gear (e.g., tow net, Schindler-Patalas trap) Samples collected as an integrated water column sample Preservation Preserved in 30-40% ethanol (prior to 2020) or 95% ethanol (2020 and beyond) Maintained in temperature- and humidity-controlled storage