This data product contains the quality-controlled, field sampling metadata and associated taxonomic and biomass data for aquatic plants, bryophytes, and macroalgae. Field samples are collected in wadeable streams, rivers, and lakes, and processed at the domain support facility. Clip harvest samples are collected once per year during the mid-summer aquatic biological sampling bout. Additional presence/absence data are collected in lakes and rivers during bouts 1 and 3 (similar to point transect data for streams). During midsummer sampling, grab samples are collected from a known area, separated by taxon in the domain lab, identified, and processed for dry mass and ash-free dry mass. Specimens that cannot be identified with certainty are dried and sent to an expert taxonomist. For additional details, see the user guide, protocols, and science design listed in the Documentation section in this data product's details webpage. Latency: The expected time from data and/or sample collection in the field to data publication is as follows, for each of the data tables (in days) in the downloaded data package. See the Data Product User Guide for more information. apl_biomass: 60 apl_clipHarvest: 60 apl_taxonomyProcessed: 240 apl_taxonomyRaw: 240 apc_morphospecies: 390

Aquatic plant, bryophyte, and macroalgae clip harvest sampling is conducted once per year at wadeable streams (during the mid-summer aquatic biology window) and three times per year in rivers and lake sites. During the first and third bouts in rivers and lakes, only presence/absence of vegetation is noted. During the mid-summer bout, samples are collected via quadrats in wadeable streams, and rake collection in lakes and rivers. Ten samples are collected per site if plants are present. In wadeable streams, clip harvest samples are collected near plant transect locations. In lakes and rivers, ten randomly selected points are sampled at depths that are colonized by plants. These samples are partitioned into samples for ash-free dry mass analyses and chemical analyses.