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Estimating benthic secondary production from aquatic insect emergence in streams affected by mountaintop removal coal mining, West Virginia, USA
Citation:
JOHNSON, B. R., K. M. FRITZ, AND R. Price. Estimating benthic secondary production from aquatic insect emergence in streams affected by mountaintop removal coal mining, West Virginia, USA. Presented at North American Benthological Society, Grand Rapids, MI, May 17 - 22, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
We measured emergence of aquatic insects in the Twentymile Creek, WV watershed from Autumn 2007 through Summer 2008. Three emergence traps were placed ine ach of ten streams for 14-31 days each season. Abundance, biomass and production were highly variable among streams and seasons and there were no significant differences between mined and forested treatments.
Description:
Mountaintop removal and valley filling is a coal mining method that results in burial of headwater streams. As a result of recent litigation, rapid methods for measuring ecosystem functions are needced for more appropriate permittingand mitigation stra tegies.