Invasives and Macroinvertebrate Data
Metadata and Supporting Resources
Photo Guide to the Macroinvertebrates in this Study
Background Reading on Water Chestnuts
You can also explore this dataset on TUVA, an interactive graphing platform.
Scientists sampled two different vegetative aquatic habitats for macroinvertebrates: water chestnut beds (Trapa natans) and water celery beds (Vallisneria americana). Trapa is a floating invasive species that was introduced to the Hudson River. Vallisneria is a submersed (underwater) native species in the Hudson River.
Scientists used a corer and a Downing box sampler to sample the macroinvertebrates living on and under both Trapa and Vallisneria. Macroinvertebrates were sampled in adjoining Trapa, Vallisneria, and unvegetated sites at Cruger Island and Esopus Meadows, near Kingston, NY, in July and August 2000.
We also have a related lesson on water chestnuts and macroinvertebrates which you may wish to check out before using this dataset.
Data Source: Dr. Dave Strayer, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. An analysis of these data was published in: "Invertebrate communities associated with a native (Vallisneria americana) and an alien (Trapa natans) macrophyte in a large river" by David L. Strayer, Colleen Lutz, Heather M. Malcom, Krista Munger, and William H. Shaw in Freshwater Biology (2003) 48: 1938-1949.