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Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Environmental Correlates in Springs of the Ridge and Valley Province
Citation:
RASHLEIGH, B. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Environmental Correlates in Springs of the Ridge and Valley Province . Presented at Association of Southeastern Biologists Meeting, Greenville, SC, April 16 - 19, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
The overall objective is to develop modeling and decision support capabilities that allow environmental managers and planners to protect, conserve, and restore aquatic habitats and species.
Description:
Springs are unique features in the landscape that provide important habitat for benthic invertebrates, yet there are few studies characterizing the distribution of benthic macro invertebrates in springs. Benthic macroinvertebrate and water quality data were collected at 35 springs in the Ridge and Valley region of the upper Tennessee River basin. Benthic macroivertebrate taxa comprised 75 familes, most occurring in the orders of Trichoptera and Diptera. The number of familes per site ranged from 10-26. Classification tree analysis of benthic macroivertebrate data identified five groups of springs based on elevation, conductivity, temperature, and coliform bacteria. High elevation and oxygen favored diversity especially in the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa. Springs with higher temperature and pollutants support more families within Coleoptera and Odonata. These findings for spring ecosystems can guide future assessments of springs in the Southeastern region.