TRAINING PROGRAMME

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TRAINING PROGRAMME
Laboratory Processing
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Project folders

• Each project should have a folder
• field data sheets
• sample log
• photographs
• lab bench sheets
• chemistry results

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
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Invertebrate Sample processing

• Samples collected with kicknet
• After 72 h replace formalin with ethanol
• Wash sample in a 400 ?m mesh sieve to remove
  preservative fine sediment

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
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Invertebrate Sample processing

• Large samples require sub-sampling
• Sub-sampling in the laboratory
• 300 organism fixed count
• Evenly distribute the sample in the sub-sampler
  box
• Select a cell at random
• Use a vacuum pump to remove the contents of cells
  randomly selected

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Invertebrate Sample processing

• Sort the contents from the first cell with the
  aid of a microscope
• Remove to a vial and count all macroinvertebrates
  in the cell (check list of organisms to be
  included in the count)
• Calculate the number of cells needed to obtain
  300 organisms extract these from the
  sub-sampling box
• Extracted cells must be completely sorted even if
  the 300-organism count is reached

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Macroinvertebrate Identification

• All sorted organisms are in a single container
• Sort and identify organisms to family level,
  placing organisms from the same family into
  separate vials.
• Tally organsims as they are placed into the
  vials.
• Family level ID except Oligochaeta (class)
  Ostracoda, Nematoda, Nematomorpha,
  Platyhelminthes, Cladocera, Copepoda.

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Recording Macroinvertebrate Identification Data

• Check that
• All tallies have been transferred to the count
  column
• Counts have been summed the total count is
  correct
• Store bench sheet in project folder
• All vials from a site are stored in a single
  container

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology
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Quality Control/Quality Assurance
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QA/QC sorting efficiency

• Place the sorted sample residue into a large vial
  and retain for QA/QC sorting efficiency
• 20 (min 3) of samples are randomly selected

• Each of the selected samples are repicked and the
  number of new organisms found is recorded
• OM (organisms missed)
• ( missed/Total No.) x100

Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology
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QA/QC Identification
For all new persons, projects, or sampling runs,
the Environment Canada Taxonomy Lab should verify
the first 5 samples identified
A Percent Taxa Error of ?5 is acceptable at
family level
A Taxa Error is defined as a miss-identification
resulting in the loss or addition of a taxon
The Percent Taxa Error is the Number of Taxa
Errors divided by the Total Number of Original
Taxa, multiplied by one hundred
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QA/QC Identification cont.

• Percent Taxa Error Example
• Number of Taxa Errors (a) 1
• Total Number of Original Taxa (b) 15
• Percent Taxa Error (a/b x 100) 6.7
• Pass or Fail? (Pass if ?5) Fail

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Water samples
Sample containers provided contact T.
Reynoldson Acadia University 902 585
1638 trefor.reynoldson_at_acadiau.ca for container
shipment Samples submitted to Environment
Quality Laboratory Environment Canada PO Box
23005 Moncton NB E1A 6S8
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
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Water samples
Alkalinity -500 ml plastic - refrigerate Nutrie
nts - 250 ml plastic- 20 drops H2SO4, refrigerate
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater
Ecology and the Natural Heritage Trust
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