The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is making public aquatic life sampling results from across the state. The data is publicly available in a GIS viewer with downloadable data sets. Known as benthic macroinvertebrates, these are the insects and animals that spend most, if not all, of their lives underwater. They can be mayflies or midges, crayfish or clams, or one of many other underwater species, and are one of the most important parts of the food chain that fish, birds and other animals depend on.
“Because they spend almost their entire lives in the water, benthic macroinvertebrates are especially attuned to water quality,” said Dustin Shull, Water Program Specialist for DEP. “They are an excellent way to gauge how healthy a particular section of stream or river is, and help DEP meet our obligations for monitoring water quality. This kind of biological assessment helps DEP see and assess long-term, cumulative effects of stressing factors on an ecosystem.”
DEP has developed unique methods to collect the acquatic life. “This type of […]
Full article: DEP using water insects to measure waterway health
Coral reefs already face a litany of threats. Experts say storm runoff from the recent…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xqa0B9r7Y8 Iowa water: Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen and award-winning cinematographer Jerry Risius have teamed…
Clean water is essential for life, yet millions of Americans unknowingly consume contaminants through their…
Human brains contain higher concentrations of microplastics than other organs, according to a new study, and the…
From the Office of the Governor: In anticipation of a multi-day, significant atmospheric river in Northern California,…
From Governor Newsom: Scientists, water managers, state leaders, and experts throughout the state are calling…