Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
4-2022
Abstract
Macroinvertebrates are important biological indicators of health and ecological change within aquatic ecosystems. Macroinvertebrate diversity of the San Antonio (SA) River Watershed (Texas), which traverses rural and urban regions (Bexar County, TX), remains understudied compared to vertebrate counterparts of economic and conservation importance. The SA River hosts a diversity of crustaceans (crayfish), insects (beetles, dragonflies), annelids (leeches), and unidentified larvae at intermediate developmental stages. To improve ecological records of the SA River, an integrative approach is used to establish a reference macroinvertebrate species inventory and a genetic barcoding database (mitochondrial COI and/or 16S rRNA) for the SA River Mission Reach restored site. These data will improve the identification of (i) species of varying developmental stages to adult forms; (ii) cryptic species; and (iii) key biological indicators. Establishing baseline data will also facilitate the identification of not easily detectable changes in macroinvertebrate diversity potentially attributed to urban disturbance or climate change.
Recommended Citation
Silva, Gabrielle, "Species Diversity and Barcoding of Macroinvertebrates from the San Antonio River" (2022). Student Research Symposium 2022. 1.
https://digitalcommons.tamusa.edu/srs_2022/1