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COMPARISON OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGES FROM INTERMITTENT AND PERENNIAL STREAMS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION
Citation:
Klemm, D J., K A. Blocksom, J J. Hutchens, F A. Fulk, W T. Thoeny, AND E S. Grimmett. COMPARISON OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGES FROM INTERMITTENT AND PERENNIAL STREAMS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. Presented at North American Benthological Society, Pittsburgh, PA, May 28-June 1, 2002.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this research is to develop methods and indicators that are useful for evaluating the condition of aquatic communities, for assessing the restoration of aquatic communities in response to mitigation and best management practices, and for determining the exposure of aquatic communities to different classes of stressors (i.e., pesticides, sedimentation, habitat alteration).
Description:
Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected using a kick net from 21 intermittent and 245 perennial sites in first-order streams to evaluate the relationship between assemblage structure and hydrologic permanence. Samples were divided into riffle and pool habitats, as well as spring high flow (1993-1995) and summer low flow (1996-1998) sampling periods. Metrics were used to compare different stream habitats and different sampling periods of intermittent and perennial streams. The Total Number of Taxa was lower in intermittent streams mainly duirng spring sampling, but EPT Taxa Richness was lower in intermittent streams only in pools during spring. Intermittent sites had fewer Collector-Filterer Taxa than perennial sites for pools during summer sampling and for riffles during spring sampling. Percent Dominant 5 Taxa for intermittent sites was lower than for perennial sites in all habitats during summer, but higher in riffles during spring. The modified HBI was lower in intermittent sites in riffles, regardless of sampling period. Percent Chironomid Individuals metric was lower in intermittent sites during both spring and summer, but only in pools. Results show that hydrologic permanence affects the macroinvertebrate assemblage, but that these effects vary by season and stream habitat.