CABIN - Laboratory Methods, Processing, Taxonomy, and Quality Control of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Samples
Loading...
Date
2012-04
Authors
Environment Canada
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Government of Canada
Abstract
The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) is the national biomonitoring
program developed by Environment Canada. It provides a standardized biomonitoring
sampling protocol and data analysis for the comparability of biomonitoring data from
across the country and various agencies. CABIN provides the tools necessary to
conduct consistent and scientifically credible biological assessments of freshwater.
Each office or laboratory participating in the CABIN program must implement the
prescribed quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures. This ensures that
precision, accuracy, completeness, comparability and representativeness of the data are
known and documented (Barbour et al. 1999). The quality assurance (QA) component
provides data users and project managers with the confidence that the accuracy and
quality of data is within controlled and acceptable limits. The quality control (QC)
component provides users with standard procedures to reduce the error rate in sample
sorting and identification.
The objectives of this document are to provide:
• Requirements to assure quality in the processing and identification of benthic
macroinvertebrates
• Descriptions of quality control procedures for the sorting and taxonomic
identification of benthic macroinvertebrates
To maintain data quality in the national CABIN database all taxonomy laboratories must
process samples and provide data using the following methods.
Details of field sampling procedures, data analysis and associated QA/QC procedures
can be found in other CABIN documentation.
The preparation of this manual relied on protocols developed by other authors and is
adapted from existing QA/QC programs. In particular:
CABIN: Reynoldson, T.B., C. Logan, T. Pascoe and S.P. Thompson. 2001. CABIN (Canadian
Aquatic Biomonitoring Network) Invertebrate Biomonitoring Field and Laboratory Manual,
National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada 47 pp.
AUSRIVAS: WATER ECOscience. 2004. National River Health Program AusRivAS Quality
Assurance and Quality Control Project. Appendix B: Literature Review QA/QC methodology for
rapid bioassessment programs. Prepared for the Australian Government, Department of the
Environment and Heritage. WATER ECOscience Report Number: 543 Program:
http://ausrivas.canberra.edu.au/
USGS: Moulton, S.R., Carter, J.L., Grotheer, S.A., Cuffney, T.F., and Short, T.M. 2000. Methods
for analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory – processing,
taxonomy, and quality control of benthic macroinvertebrate samples: U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 00-212, 49 p.
EPA: Barbour, M.T., J. Gerritsen, B.D. Snyder and J.B. Stribling. 1999. Rapid bioassessment
protocols for use in streams and wadeable rivers: Periphyton, benthic invertebrates and fish.
Second Edition. EPA 841-B-99-002. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Office of Water;
Washington, D.C.
Description
We would like to acknowledge the authors of the original sampling manual,
Trefor B. Reynoldson, Craig Logan, Tim Pascoe and Sherri P. Thompson, from
which this manual has been adapted.
This manual was prepared by H. McDermott with T. Paull and S. Strachan.
Thank you to A. Armellin, L. Carter, M. Edbrooke, L. Grapentine, K. Heard and
T.Pascoe for the technical review and editing of this document.
Keywords
CABIN, monitoring, laboratory method, taxonomy, quality control, benthic macroinvertebrate