Tag: B-IBI

Are some streams in Puget Sound getting cleaner?

Benthic invertebrates range in size from those easily seen with the naked eye to those that cannot be spotted without the use of a microscope. Photo: Christopher Dunagan
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Scientists are reporting some potentially good news about the health of Puget Sound’s streams. Ten years of data from 126 stream sites within King County have shown a slight improvement in water quality, according to the county’s Water and Land Resource Division. The study examined the variety of insects and other invertebrates that were collected from stream sediments. Twenty-one percent of the streams showed an increase in sensitive stream bugs in 2019, earning them a higher score on what is known as the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity, or B-IBI […]

Healthy stream, healthy bugs

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Many groups have been formed around the goal of saving salmon, but few people talk about a concerted effort to save microscopic creatures. Whether or not a pro-bug movement catches on, future strategies to save salmon are likely to incorporate ideas for restoring streambound creatures known as benthic invertebrates. Read our latest story in Salish Sea Currents.