{{Short description|Scientific study of organisms to assess the condition of an ecological resource}} [[File:Nelda Phillips and Melissa Hoilman with their D nets (4977519860).jpg|thumb|150px|A biosurvey on the North Toe River. North Carolina]] A '''biosurvey,''' or a biological survey, is a scientific study of organisms to assess the condition of an ecological resource, such as a water body.
==Overview== Biosurveys are used by government agencies responsible for management of public lands, environmental planning and/or environmental regulation to assess ecological resources, such as rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands. They involve collection and analysis of animal and/or plant samples which serve as bioindicators. The studies may be conducted by professional scientists or volunteer organizations. They are conducted according to published procedures to ensure consistency in data collection and analysis, and to compare findings to established metrics.
Biosurveys typically use metrics such as species composition and richness (e.g. number of species, extent of pollution-tolerant species), and ecological factors (number of individuals, proportion of predators, presence of disease). Biosurveys may identify pollution problems that are difficult or expensive to detect using chemical testing procedures.<ref name="Karr">{{cite journal |last1=Karr |first1=James R. |year=1981 |title=Assessment of biotic integrity using fish communities |journal=Fisheries |volume=6 |issue= 6|pages=21–27 |doi=10.1577/1548-8446(1981)006<0021:AOBIUF>2.0.CO;2 |issn=1548-8446}}</ref>
A biosurvey may be used to generate an index of biological integrity (IBI), a scoring system for an ecological resource.<ref name="Karr"/>
==Water resource biosurveys== Protocols for conducting biosurveys of water resources have been published by state government agencies<ref>Mack, John J. (2001). "Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands, Manual for Using Version 5.0." Ohio EPA Technical Bulletin Wetland/2001-1-1. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Surface Water, 401 Wetland Ecology Unit, Columbus, Ohio. Documents available for download at [http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/wetlands/WetlandEcologySection.aspx Ohio EPA Wetland Ecology Section.]</ref> and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).<ref>{{cite report |last1=Barbour |first1=M.T. |last2=Gerritsen |first2=J. |last3=Snyder |first3=B.D. |last4=Stribling |first4=J.B. |date=1999 |title=Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Streams and Wadeable Rivers: Periphyton, Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Fish |edition=2nd |url=https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=20004OQK.txt |publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Office of Water |location=Washington, D.C. |id=EPA 841-B-99-002}}</ref> Agencies use these protocols to implement the Clean Water Act. Similar protocols have been published by volunteer organizations.<ref>Izaak Walton League of America. Gaithersburg, MD.[http://www.iwla.org/index.php?id=118 "Biological Stream Monitoring."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127161148/http://www.iwla.org/index.php?id=118 |date=November 27, 2008 }} Accessed December 21, 2008.</ref>
==See also== *Bioassay *Biological integrity *Biomonitoring *Indicator species *Water pollution *Water quality
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Biological surveys}} *[https://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/html/bioassess.html Biological Assessment of Water Quality] – US EPA *[http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/getinvolved/sos/Pages/Benthics.aspx Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates - WV Save Our Streams Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108022544/http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/getinvolved/sos/Pages/Benthics.aspx |date=2014-11-08 }} *Online biomonitoring of water quality by a permanent record of bivalve molluscs' behavior and physiology (biological rhythms, growth rate, spawning, early warning), 24/7, worldwide: the [http://molluscan-eye.epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr/index.php?rubrique=accueil&lang=en MolluSCAN ''eye''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113173444/http://molluscan-eye.epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr/index.php?rubrique=accueil&lang=en |date=2016-11-13 }} project
Category:Aquatic ecology Category:Bioindicators Category:Environmental science Category:Measurement of biodiversity Category:Water pollution