Services Provided by EcoAnalysts

Is your study legally defensible?

Study design can be one of the most difficult steps in the bioassessment process. Many factors can influence this process, from project objectives to budget concerns, and without a sampling plan designed specifically for these ends, projects can be completed without meeting the original objectives. We have a team of consulting scientists experienced with a variety of habitat types, field and lab methods, and analytical procedures who can help you build a study design and determine a sampling strategy that ensure the success of your project. We want to help you get the answers you need with a design that will stand up to scientific – and legal – scrutiny. Our experience can be a significant asset to your project.

Are you looking for help with your Field Sampling?

EcoAnalysts has years of experience with lakes, reservoirs, large rivers, wadeable streams, vernal pools, and a variety of unique habitats at your disposal. Our experienced staff can provide valuable assistance in the field with chemical, physical and biological parameters as well as other collection techniques in use around the country. We can supply you with whatever services you need, from logistical planning to field execution.

Do you need macroinvertebrate samples processed?

With some of the most rigorous QA/QC standards in the industry, our clients can be sure their data is complete and accurate. Our dedicated team of technicians meticulously hand-pick between 90-100% of all macroinvertebrates from each sample, which are then identified by some of the most respected taxonomists in the industry. Our labs are managed with an unwavering dedication to the scientific method, using only the best equipment and resources to ensure your samples are safe from cross-contamination. We are the only private taxonomic laboratory in North America with 16 NABS (North American Benthological Society) certifications. Our full-time macroinvertebrate taxonomists specialize in the taxonomic identification midges, crustaceans, mollusks, plankton, and worms.

Do you have specimens in need of Taxonomic Identification?

EcoAnalysts is a leading provider of taxonomic services, with 16 NABS certifications and over 100 years of combined taxonomic experience. We have completed projects from all regions of the United States , as well as Canada and other countries. Our skills range from freshwater to marine environments; including benthic invertebrates, zoo/phytoplankton, periphyton, larval fish (ichthyoplankton), fish stomach contents, and adult fish identifications. We also provide terrestrial invertebrate identification of forest insects and mosquitoes.

Do you already have a taxonomist but need samples sorted?

We have a staff of over 20 laboratory technicians chosen for their specialized skills and solely dedicated to the sorting process. O ur QA standards are the most rigorous in the industry. We ensure that every sample meets the client's desired sorting effectiveness level (usually 90% or 95%) and we provide QA documentation. We are familiar with a variety of subsampling techniques that allow for a statistically valid subsampling approach and because we have standardized processing methods of the highest caliber, we are able to match any criteria and protocols desired. Data integrity and consistency are important, and we are confident our methods will fit your needs.

“Good Algae” vs “Bad Algae”

You have probably seen seasonal algal blooms in ponds and lakes. Certain types of blue-green algae are toxic to fish, livestock, pets, and even humans. An algal bloom is also a problem when the algae die off because they rob the water of oxygen as they decompose.

EcoAnalysts can determine what kind of organisms are in the water and provide you with a strategy to maintain a properly balanced aquatic environment.

How good is your lab?

At EcoAnalysts, we believe whole-heartedly in third party quality assurance. This is why our sample residues and identified specimens are always available for external quality control and why we are often hired to be a third-party, independent QA laboratory. Because of our focus and the expertise housed at our facility, we can provide rigorous QA analyses of both sorting and identification processes, and can quantitatively address accuracy and precision, confirming the integrity of your results.

So you have your data… Now what?

We frequently are called upon to help clients analyze their data. Using industry-standard indices, approaches, and statistical methods, our consulting scientists can perform quantitative and qualitative data analyses to help you make sense of your data, and what it means within the context of your project. We can also use biological community analyses, such as benthic invertebrates, plankton, periphyton and fish, to help you determine the biological integrity of your project site.

Are you working with Rare, Threatened and Endangered Invertebrate Species?

EcoAnalysts' invertebrate ecologists are permitted by the US Fish Wildlife Service to work with several endangered invertebrate species in the US . We can perform endangered species surveys and ecological assessments to determine the conservation status of your site. We conduct quantitative habitat assessments using benthic macroinvertebrates and special-status invertebrate surveys, in conjunction with biological and environmental assessments, wetland delineations and biological resource inventories. From there, we develop habitat conservation plans and help with constructed habitat monitoring. For clients looking for legal compliance, we conduct site surveys and impact assessments, provide written species accounts, develop mitigation plans, and perform mitigation monitoring.

Are you dealing with Invasive Species?

Invasive species can be a major detriment to the overall ecological health of your project site. EcoAnalysts has wide-ranging experience with many western invasive species, both aquatic and terrestrial. Eco's invertebrate experts can perform identifications to determine the extent of infestation, and measure its ecological effects on the area. We can describe life histories, temperature/growth correlations, and desiccation rates as well as provide risk assessment, monitoring, and management recommendations.

Experimental and Laboratory Research?

Our facilities and staff provide the capacity and expertise to perform experimental and laboratory research designed to fit your needs.

EcoAnalysts' consulting scientists are often engaged in providing experimental research services to answer ecologically important questions for our clients. At our aquatic laboratory facility in Bozeman , MT we have conducted a significant amount of research on the invasive New Zealand Mud Snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum . For this species we have researched and published life history and growth studies, competition studies, and survival to dessication and freezing. We are currently working with several federally endangered snails found in Idaho 's Snake River basin to document their life history, competitive interactions with invasive species, survival to dessication and vulnerability to fish predation. Our facility is well-suited to conducting controlled experiments with macroinvertebrates, so please contact us if you have a research question you would like answered.

Do you need additional Laboratory Services?

We provide several laboratory services in addition to taxonomy, including (but not limited to):

• Organism wet weight, dry weight, and ash-free dry weight
• Chlorophyll A,B,C, and pheophytin (fluorometric analysis)
• Biovolume
• Individual organism measurements
• Length-weight equations
• Digital imaging of specimens
• Specimen Procurement
• Creation of teaching and reference collections

If you do not see what you need listed here, please contact us for assistance.

Would you like your staff trained by some of the best in the industry?

EcoAnalysts' uniquely experienced staff offers a variety of training classes and workshops. We have put together several larger taxonomic workshops with up to 40 participants and have provided clients with instruction on bioassessment techniques, endangered vernal pool crustacean certification, invertebrate taxonomy, periphyton taxonomy, and taxonomic data quality. We also offer education in field sampling and sorting procedures. If there is a topic of interest to you here, or you have a topic not listed, please contact us for more information. We love what we do and want to share that knowledge.

Are you having difficulty hiring the people you want?

We know that obstacles can get in the way of hiring the personnel you want. Sometimes, it is easier to hire a person using contract funds than direct salary funds. We can help you with this process. For a reasonable fee, EcoAnalysts can serve as a contract labor outfit. We will employ your person of choice and you will hire us to provide the labor hours you need.