CNR-IRSA activities related to INHABIT

Following step in sampling procedure is microhabitat identification and quantification. Microhabitats are listed in a standard inventory sheet that includes mineral substrates, diversified according to substrate size, and biotic substrates, characterized by their biotic origin and including aquatic macrophytes, particulate organic matter, living parts of terrestrial plants and algae. Abundance estimation of microhabitats is performed separately in the two mesohabitats, i.e. generally only in riffle or pool area. In each mesohabitat, microhabitat estimation is performed considering 10% steps and collecting 10 sampling units in total (1 sampling unit every 10%). Any microhabitat present with a <10% percentage is recorded but not sampled. For estimation of microhabitat occurrence mineral and biotic substrates have to be considered as a single layer. The sum of all recorded microhabitat must be 100%.
If the mineral substrate is partially or entirely covered with fine material (either organic or inorganic), this should be marked on the field form and sampling units allocations will be performed according to mineral substrates underneath. In particular river types the presence of biotic substrates is considered occasional and not fully representative of the river type. The inclusion of biotic habitats in the sampling in such river types can increment sampling variability. For this reason in the Alpine hydroecoregions (HER 1, 2, 3, 4), biotic microhabitat have not to be included in the sampling.

The full list of microhabitats related to macrobentos sampling is reported