A Method For Evaluating Stream Bioassessment Protocols Wease Bollman Rhithron Biological Associates Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages have become part of the arsenal of tools used to assess and monitor biological health or integrity

Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages have become part of the arsenal of tools used to assess and monitor biological health or integrity of surface waters. These communities are particularly well suited for such uses, since their relatively long lives, complex life cycles, and varying sensitivities mean that there is ample time for an interpretable response to environmental perturbations to occur. Typically, bioassessment protocols translate the taxonomic data collected at stream sites into metrics, or biological attributes that change predictably when pertubations of water or habitat quality are present. These protocols are termed "multimetric" indices.