BENEFITS OF

BIO-MONITORING

BY
VAUGHN WEAVER
Quick Definition

 Bio-monitoring – The study of living

organisms in an environmental
situation so as to determine
survivability.

 If there are organisms present at the time

of the survey, then there is a level of
survivability.
Current Need for Bio-
monitoring
 To assess chronic
environmental
impacts
 Assess historical
changes in
communities
 Tie mankind
activities to
environmental
responses
Water Quality Assessed
 The use of fish as
sentinels
 Other variables
used include:
 Benthics (aquatic
invertebrates)
 Physical-Habitat
 Chemistry
 Hydrology
Historical Trends Positive
 Since the
beginning of the
City’s Bio-Mon
program – data
suggests positive
trends in fish data
 Strong positive
shifts took over
10 years
 As seen in the
following graphs
Changing of the Guard!!!!
Dominate Species

90

80

70
Percent of total Population

60

50 Red Shiner %

40 Sand Shiner %
Emerald Shiner %
30 Remain Population %

20

10

0
1991 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
More Species Found –
Tolerant??

Tolerant Species Decline

60 45

40 Tolerant Species Average

50 Species Average/site
35
Total Species
40 30
Percent of Population

Number of Species
25
30
20

20 15

10
10
5

0 0
1991 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Sensitive Individuals
Increasing!!!
Sensitive Species

500 50000

450 45000

400 40000
Total Sensative Individuals

Total Individuals Collected

350 35000

300 30000
Sensative Individuals
250 25000
Total Individuals
200 20000

150 15000

100 10000

50 5000

0 0
1991 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Data suggests a healthier
aquatic community
 With just the little bit
of fish data shared,
the community
health of local fish
shows;
 A more even
distribution of species
 sensitive individuals
collected more
frequently
 tolerant species not
dominating the
population
Questions?????