Biomonitoring is for everyone: How project STREAM combines citizen science with DNA technology

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Barely noticeable to the naked eye, small bugs called benthic macroinvertebrates give us a window into the status of freshwater health. STREAM (Sequencing the Rivers for Environmental Assessment and Monitoring) uses DNA metabarcoding to analyze bulk samples of benthic macroinvertebrates from rivers across Canada – but this project isn’t only for researchers! STREAM produces data on river systems through community-based biomonitoring. Join the STREAM team for this free webinar and learn how you can monitor your local rivers!

Living Lakes Canada’s Biomonitoring Program Coordinator, Rhia MacKenzie, will be speaking at this event. Rhia resides in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. In her position, she supports groups in a variety of community-based monitoring programs including CABIN, STREAM for wadeable rivers and wetlands and the iTrackDNA program. Her background is in fisheries and biomonitoring in wetlands.