Browser Settings and Additional Software

• For the best viewing
  • the optimum screen resolution is 1024 x 768
  • make sure your browser's text size is set on "medium" for Internet Explorer and "100%" for Netscape
    • Netscape = View > Text Zoom > 100% (Original Size)
    • Internet Explorer = View > Text Size > medium.
• To access all the files and links in the CD-ROM, you will need three pieces of software:
  • web browser - use whatever browser you're most comfortable with; we tested this guide mostly with Netscape and Internet Explorer.
  • *.pdf reader - you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free from the Adobe website. http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
  • movie software - there is a small section of the Guide with a macroinvertebrate movies in *.mpg format; to access these, you will need to have Windows Media Player or a similar software that plays *.mpgs.
• For best printing you may need to check your printer settings: at least in Netscape 7.01, there is an option under, File > Page Setup, to "shrink to fit page width"; make sure that box is checked. In Internet Explorer 6.02, the best way I found to get full pages to print is to go to, File > Page Setup, and set the left and right margins to 0.35". Probably the best printing for any browser is in the "Portrait" Orientation.

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General Hints and Information

• Whenever you run across a word or phrase that stumps you, try the "Glossary" section. It's not a complete glossary of terms, but it has quite a bit of the jargon used in macroinvertebrate monitoring and identification, and also has links to a couple other helpful glossaries.
• Whenever you're looking for a particular word or phrase on a page, you can use the Find function on your browser to speed your efforts along. "Find ..." is usually under the Edit menu at the upper left of your browser.
• Links
  • You can click on almost any image to see an enlargement. Then use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the page in which the smaller image was embedded.
  • Logos may have a blue or purple rectangle around them and will open a link in a new browser window. This only works if you are on-line while working with the CD-ROM.
  • Any text that is highlighted in blue or purple and underlined (e.g. cool images) will link you to a page or document within the CD-ROM. You can use your browser's "Back" button to return to the previous page or use any of the navigation lists or buttons at the side, top, or bottom of the Guide itself.
  • Links in the format of a web page (e.g. http://www.xerces.org) will only work if you are connected to the Internet, but if you're offline and it's a link you are keenly interested in, the address is there so you can copy it for later use.
• The buttons on the left or the links at the bottom of the page will always take you to the main page for each the major sections.
• The top of each page has a "cookie crumb trail" that will tell you where you've been within the Guide and allow you to go back to any step you've taken away from one of the main section pages.
• Under the bug banner at the bottom of each page is a link called "Return to top" that will always allow you to bounce to the top of the page.

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Identifying Taxa Tips

The front page for the "Identify taxa" section offers a number of paths you can take to learn more about macroinvertebrates. Under the title of most taxonomy pages, you will see links for "... key" or "... list". These will either take you to an identification key, to help you identify the organisms to the next taxonomic level, or provide you with a list of the taxa that are at the next level if you know what you have and want to jump ahead to more information or more detailed identification keys. The other five options are in a box on the right hand side about half way down the page, and include information on macroinvertebrate life histories, invasive species, distribution by ecoregion, and field identification.

When you get to the next level by either using the key or jumping ahead from the list, you will start at the main page for the next taxonomic level. Similar to the front page, this page will include links to a key and list under the title (see below). Above the title, you can see the links, step-by-step, that got you to that point if you had gone through the keys, allowing you to step back as necessary if you feel you made a mistake. The step-by-step feature persists throughout the identification section. At the bottom of each main page are links to Internet and literature resources for that group.

Once you have identified an organism to the most specific level that the keys take you, you will reach a page similar to the one on the left. These pages provide the most specific information available in this guide for a macroinvertebrate or group of macroinvertebrates. Key features to notice on these pages include the list of ecological characteristics of the organism and the relative size chart (both circled in red); the composite image of the organism and discussion of its traits and identifying characters (upper red arrow); and the images of particular characters of the organism (lower red arrow). Any image can be clicked on for an enlargement; then use the "Back" button of your browser to return to the page.

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Image Use Policy

Within this guide, you have access to thousands of images. All images were taken by Jeff Adams of the Xerces Society, unless otherwise printed on the image. Permission is happily granted for the use of any of Jeff's images to further the cause of macroinvertebrate monitoring, education, and conservation. Please drop a quick note to cd@xerces.org that says you would like to use some of the images, then provide the appropriate credit when you use the image.

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Home • Why macros? • Sampling process • Identify taxa • Interpret data • Use results
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Copyright © 2004, The Xerces Society www.xerces.org; please send comments to cd@xerces.org