The first step is to collect soil from the vernal pools or ponded basins of the project area. Anyone holding a Recovery Permit for fairy shrimp should be authorized to collect the soil as long as they follow the USFWS collection guidelines. Ecological Soil Labs can also collect the soil for you. 

The soil processing procedure involves soaking the soil in water, sometimes overnight, to thoroughly separate any potential cysts from the soil substrate. This soaking allows clay-based soils to rehydrate, enabling the cysts to naturally detach without causing harm.

After the soil has soaked and been fully kneaded to eliminate clumps, it is passed through a series of sieves. The sieve size is selected based on the target species for the survey and the range of those cyst sizes. The soil is carefully rinsed through the sieves to avoid damaging the cysts or forcing them through the sieve instead of capturing them.

Once the soil has been filtered, it is transferred onto coffee filters and the contents are examined under a microscope. This is the point of determination: if Branchinecta cysts are found, the process moves on to Steps 3 and 4. If no cysts are detected, it is concluded that no fairy shrimp are present, and the process ends. If non-Branchinecta cysts are found, many can be identified to species based on their appearance and the location of the sample. For example, the only known Streptocephalus species in southern California is Streptocephalus woottoni. In this case, hatching and rearing are unnecessary, and the process concludes.

Once Branchinecta cysts have been identified, they need to have a chilling period before they will reliably hatch. This ecological trick prevents them from hatching in the hours after a summer thunderstorm ponds their habitat and then living only for a few hours! 

Cysts are placed into labeled basins and moved into a specialized chill area for several days. After sufficient chilling time, cysts are moved to the laboratory bench for hatching. 

Once the cysts are placed in their basins on the laboratory bench, they are carefully monitored, aerated, and fed as necessary. Our custom aeration bubblers help prevent algal overgrowth, which can be fatal to fairy shrimp. We also regulate temperature and light to give the shrimp the best chance of reaching adulthood.

After approximately 8 to 14 days, the shrimp are mature enough for species identification. Our proprietary method does not require sacrificing the shrimp for identification. Instead, they are observed and identified, then returned to their basins, where they continue to live out their natural lives.