On April 5, 1999 two Russian teachers and six students from Miass, Russia came to Minnesota for a "follow-up" to the 1998 Minnesota to Chelyabinsk River Watch Exchange. Their first five days were in Little Falls where they were trained in the methodology of macroinvertebrate monitoring and web site construction. The photographs which follow are from this event.

Macroinvertebrate Monitoring

 

	NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
	The intent of this web page is to serve two functions: to provide a background for teachers and students on the methodology of macroinvertebrate monitoring in the Little Falls River Watch Program, and to document the visit by teachers and students from Miass, Russia in April of 1999. Wayne H. Pikal, River Watch Coordinator

Little Falls Community High School

Benthic MacroInvertebrate Monitoring Swan River, April 7,1999

Benthic macroinvertebrates are small animals without backbones which live on the bottom of lakes and rivers. The best habitat for these critters are riffles with moderate to fast flowing current. A riffle is a shallow area, usually less than knee deep, with a rocky bottom. Of the three major habitats found in rivers, riffles, runs and pools, the riffle is by far the most productive and diverse. The riffle shown in this photograph is from the Swan River, a tributary of the Mississippi located in Sobieski, a small community about 4 miles southwest of Little Falls.

There are several ways to collect samples of macroinvertebrates. These photographs show two students wading into the Swan River with one holding a kick net and the other rubbing rocks upstream of the net. Many of these critters attach themselves to rocks, others burrow into the sand and sediment.

	Rocks are rubbed much in the same manner as a bar of soap. The bottom is disturbed to collect any organisms which have burrowed into the sand and sediment

	Sampling time will vary depending upon the abundance of organisms. Several different spots can be sampled at the site. This particular site produced over two hundred critters. Sampling time totaled about fifteen minuets.     Russian student, Sasha and Hermantown student Zak (holding the net)

After the sample has been collected, the net is back-washed into a bucket and transported to the school lab.