The major sampling activity for 2009 was a three week survey of the southern Altai Mountains’ drainages, in Hovd and Bayan Olgiy Provinces (Aimags).    In these Altai drainages, 52 sites with aquatic habitats were sampled, including 12 river sites, 30 streams, 6 springs, and 4 lakes. In addition sampling of specific groups was targeted for sites in the Hentiy Mountains, in the Selenge River drainage basin before the main expedition. These sites sampled near Ulaanbaator in the Selenge Basin included 1 river, 4 streams and 3 wetlands. 
 
A full range of sampling methods for adult aerial aquatic insects, and benthic macroinvertebrates (insects and other groups) was used, including for adult insects: aerial sweep netting, light traps, Malaise traps, yellow pan traps and hand collecting, and for benthic macroinvertebrates: kick and D-nets, sieves, hand collecting of rocks, diatom and algal samples and surface panning for floating pupal exuviae.  Qualitative pick and dip sampling was carried out for macroinvertebrates at nearly all of the aquatic sites (47 out of 52), and the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol was carried out on appropriate sized streams according to protocol; in 2009 this encompassed 23 streams.  Physical and chemical measurements were also collected at nearly all sites where this could be done; e.g. pH and water temperature is available for 48 out of 52 sites, and a full set of measurements was made at all RBP sites and nearly all Pick and Dip sites.
 
The scientific survey staff in 2009 included 19 senior scientists, researchers, and students, with 5 Mongolian researchers (one in a Masters program) and 3 Mongolian undergraduate students, and 6 senior US researchers, 1 US graduate student and 2 US Undergraduate students.  Two additional senior researchers were European.

Download the 2009 localities file (EXCEL .xls format)