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COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO WATERSHED ASSESSMENT
Citation:
Lussier, S, S. daSilva, R. W. Enser, M Charpentier, S M. Cormier, AND D J. Klemm. COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO WATERSHED ASSESSMENT. Presented at North American Benthological Society Conference, Vancouver, BC, June 6-10, 2004.
Description:
Anthropogenic activities in watersheds affect aquatic organisms, riparian vegetation, and their ability to support avian populations. Our objective was to compare indicators of stream and riparian condition with the composition of breeding bird populations in six Rhode Island subwatersheds along a range of residential land use. We used the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol (RBP) to measure biological, physicochemical, and habitat effects at stream sites. Field transects were used to measure riparian vegetation structure and species richness, and a GIS was used to document land cover attributes. Bird surveys were conducted in the riparian zone at each stream site. By plotting bird attributes such as species richness, intolerance to human disturbance, and vegetation preference against riparian vegetation metrics, we found changes in the patterns of breeding bird distribution. Results of graphical comparisons showed no difference in species richness with residential land use, but a pronounced effect on species diversity. Intolerant species declined significantly at 20% development and 5% impervious surface, while tolerant species increased. The abundance of aquatic insects decreased at similar levels of land use. The combination of stream, riparian, and avian metrics offer a more complete assessment of effects from altered habitat at the reach and subwatershed scales.