The effect of stream channelization on macroinvertebrates, fish, and the sport fishery was studied in the Olentangy River at Columbus, Ohio. Macroinvertebrate abundance, diversity indices, standing stock in the benthos, and drift were significantly lower in a channelized area than in either a natural area or a channelized area mitigated with artificial riffles and pools. Predominant macroinvertebrates were moving‐water forms in the natural and mitigated areas, and burrowing forms in the channelized areas. Diversity indices and relative abundance of game fish were significantly lower in the channelized area than in the natural and mitigated areas. However, some nongame species became relatively abundant in the mitigated area when compared to the natural area. Composition of the sport fishing catch and catch rates accurately reflected the predominant fish community in each area. The biota in the area mitigated with artificial riffles and pools was similar to the biota in the natural area.
When four species of fish were taken from western Lake Erie in each of four seasons and held usually for less than 7 days at ambient lake temperatures, the temperatures they selected during 2–3 days in a horizontal temperature gradient differed seasonally. The differences were largely attributable to the conditions at which the fish had been acclimatized in the lake, and were modified by acclimation during 2–3 days in the gradient.The selected temperatures provided insights into the temperatures that might be selected by these species each season if the lake basin or other waters with similar seasonal ambient temperatures were subjected to thermal discharges. Temperatures selected were above ambient lake temperatures except for emerald shiners (Notropis atherinoides) in summer and fall. In general, white bass (Morone chrysops) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) selected a high range in temperatures throughout the year (18–30 C and 18–31 C, respectively), yellow perch (Perca flavescens) an intermediate range (10–29 C) and emerald shiners the lowest range (6–23 C). Three of the species were distributed within a relatively precise temperature range in the summer and within a larger range during other seasons; emerald shiners selected a narrow range during all seasons. A fairly stable temperature preference was usually reached within several hours in summer, but the temperatures selected by three species generally increased with time in the gradient during the other seasons; emerald shiners selected constant temperatures in all seasons. Temperatures selected by young and adults differed mainly in yellow perch and emerald shiners in summer and winter, when the lake temperatures fluctuated least.
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