Assessing Methods to Monitor Aquatic Invertebrates in a Large River: Comparing Rock Baskets and Hess Samplers in the Snake River, Wyoming, USA

Abstract

Large rivers are difficult to sample due to their size yet critical to monitor because humans heavily rely upon and alter them. Aquatic invertebrates are commonly used to assess the ecosystem quality of streams, but methods to sample large rivers are underdeveloped. We sampled aquatic invertebrates using a Hess sampler and rock baskets in the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming, USA. Hess samples collected more aquatic invertebrate taxa and a higher proportion of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and burrowing taxa. Rock baskets collected a higher proportion of Trichoptera, filterers, and clinging taxa. Bioassessment metrics differed between sampling methods; richness, diversity, evenness, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), and Hilsenhoff’s biotic index produced higher values in Hess samples, and percent EPT was higher in rock baskets. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarity indicated that the samplers collected different assemblages (p < 0.001). The standard error of total invertebrate density was smaller and most taxa were collected with seven replicate samples. Understanding how sampling methods alter the aquatic invertebrates collected will help managers develop monitoring protocols that are best suited to the river and collect the most unbiased invertebrate assemblages.