Mesoscale spatial variability of selected aquatic invertebrate community metrics from a minimally impaired stream segment

Gebler, Joseph B.

doi:10.1899/0887-3593(2004)023<0616:msvosa>2.0.co;2

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 67 publications

(18 reference statements)

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“…More interestingly, however, in five out of the eight streams sampled, there was no relationship between percent similarity among assemblages at riffles and linear distance between two riffles. For these streams, diatoms appear to be more patchily distributed, as has been found for macroinvertebrate assemblages (Matthaei et al, 2003;Gebler, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The spatial heterogeneity of diatoms in eight southeastern Ohio streams: how far does a single riffle reach?

Hollingsworth

Vis

2010

Hydrobiologia

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Periphyton is a commonly used biomonitoring tool for streams. Often only one or few riffles are sampled and assumed to be representative of a stream reach. Current literature focuses on periphyton heterogeneity at small scales, on individual rocks within a riffle, and larger scales, within watersheds or ecoregions. The intermediate scales, within single riffles or among riffles, have not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this research was to determine how many riffles must be sampled in order to represent a reach and whether the number of necessary riffles varied with stream health. Since periphyton is sensitive to habitat change, it was hypothesized that heterogeneity would be primarily partitioned among riffles. Eight to ten consecutive riffles were sampled at eight individual stream reaches. Sampled reaches were categorized based on previously collected bioassesment data: three nonattaining, three partially-attaining, and two fullyattaining water quality standards as defined by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Data were analyzed using the Bray-Curtis Similarity Index, Hill's N 2 dominance diversity index, and the Acid Mine Drainage Diatom Index of Biotic Integrity. Diatoms appeared to be patchily distributed within a reach. This patchiness often led to varied relative abundance of common species and the introduction or loss of rare species among riffles. To account for this variation within a reach, at least two riffles should be sampled. However, a multimetric index may correctly classify a stream based on a one-riffle sample. Variation does not appear to correspond directly to stream health, but to species richness and diversity.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The spatial heterogeneity of diatoms in eight southeastern Ohio streams: how far does a single riffle reach?

Hollingsworth

Vis

2010

Hydrobiologia

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“…The detectable differences for the SQMCI from single hand-net samples (c. 17%), and the MCI (c. 22%) and QMCI (c. 27%) from single Surber samples were somewhat higher. MCI estimates based upon data from single samples are more precise than for the other indices (named above) inNew Zealand (Stark 1993), more precise than for some widely used indices elsewhere (e.g., Hilsenhoff's (1988) FBI (c. 25%) and EPT richness (c. 50%) in the San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona, United States (Gebier 2004)), but comparable to others (e.g., Montana Multimetric Index (10-15%) (Stribling et al 2008)). Stark & Maxted (2007b) recommended that the MCI and MCI-sb (but not the SQMCI, QMCI, SQMCI-sb, or QMCI-sb) should be used for SoE reporting inNew Zealand.…”

Section: Flow Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 71%

Seasonal variability in the Macroinvertebrate Community Index: Are seasonal correction factors required?

Stark

Phillips

2009

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Freshwater macroinvertebrate data collected from streams in Taranaki, New Zealand (1981-2006 were used to examine seasonality of biological indices including taxon richness, %EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) richness, and the hard-and soft-bottomed (-sb) stream versions of the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI). All indices tested showed modest but statistically significant seasonal variation in hardbottomed streams. Seasonal means for the MCI were within ±3.0% of the annual mean. The SemiQuantitative MCI (SQMCI) (±4.3%), %EPT richness (±7.4%) and taxon richness (±7.7%) showed greater seasonal variability than the MCI. MCI, SQMCI, and %EPT richness were significantly higher in spring and winter compared with autumn and summer. Taxon richness was lower in winter than in other seasons. In soft-bottomed streams, SQMCI-sb showed least seasonality (within ±3.6% of the annual mean, nonsignificant), followed by MCI-sb and taxon richness (±4.7%), and %EPT richness (±11.2%). Spring and winter MCI-sb and SQMCI-sb values tended to be significantly higher than those calculated from summer or autumn samples, although most values were within 5% of the annual site means. Examination of seasonal variation in species traits and their relationships to observed seasonal patterns of biotic indices did not support the suggestion that seasonal variations in life histories of aquatic macroinvertebrates affect index values. Rather, seasons with higher biotic index values were associated with a greater frequency of flow disturbance, which is consistent with the view that the character of New Zealand's stream macroinvertebrate communities with their poorlysynchronised life histories, has been shaped by the unpredictable physical environment. We recommend the MCI and MCI-sb for State of Environment reporting in New Zealand for cost-effectiveness and because data requirements and seasonal variation were less than for quantitative alternative indices. We suggest that seasonal variability is unlikely to confound interpretation, and does not need to be considered.

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“…The results of published studies investigating this issue are variable; for example Rabeni et al (1999) concluded that single reaches were representative of stream segments at a range of reference sites in Missouri using protocols similar to those applied in the present study. In contrast, Gebler (2004) found high variability among reaches of a minimally impaired stream segment in Arizona, U.S.A., and concluded that a small number of reaches may not be adequate to represent segment characteristics depending on the effect size of interest. Furthermore, caution should be exercised if applying metric means derived over one season to other times of year as community composition even at reference sites can vary temporally depending on climatological phemomena and major emergence cycles (Barbour et al, 1992;Clarke et al, 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Variability among retained reference sites was <20% for all biodiversity metrics and several condition metrics, and <10% for the biotic indices MCI and QMCI (Table 4). Metrics with high variability among sites are unlikely to have high power for discriminating between impaired and unimpaired sites (Barbour et al, 1992;Gebler, 2004).…”

Section: Condition and Biodiversity Metricsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupling GIS and mulitvariate approaches to reference site selection for wadeable stream monitoring

Collier¹,

Haigh²,

Kelly³

2006

Environ Monit Assess

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Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify potential reference sites for wadeable stream monitoring, and multivariate analyses were applied to test whether invertebrate communities reflected a priori spatial and stream type classifications. We identified potential reference sites in segments with unmodified vegetation cover adjacent to the stream and in >85% of the upstream catchment. We then used various landcover, amenity and environmental impact databases to eliminate sites that had potential anthropogenic influences upstream and that fell into a range of access classes. Each site identified by this process was coded by four dominant stream classes and seven zones, and 119 candidate sites were randomly selected for follow-up assessment. This process yielded 16 sites conforming to reference site criteria using a conditional-probabilistic design, and these were augmented by an additional 14 existing or special interest reference sites. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis of percent abundance invertebrate data indicated significant differences in community composition among some of the zones and stream classes identified a priori providing qualified support for this framework in reference site selection. NMS analysis of a range standardised condition and diversity metrics derived from the invertebrate data indicated a core set of 26 closely related sites, and four outliers that were considered atypical of reference site conditions and subsequently dropped from the network. Use of GIS linked to stream typology, available spatial databases and aerial photography greatly enhanced the objectivity and efficiency of reference site selection. The multi-metric ordination approach reduced variability among stream types and bias associated with non-random site selection, and provided an effective way to identify representative reference sites.

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Mesoscale spatial variability of selected aquatic invertebrate community metrics from a minimally impaired stream segment

Cited by 11 publications

References 67 publications

The spatial heterogeneity of diatoms in eight southeastern Ohio streams: how far does a single riffle reach?

The spatial heterogeneity of diatoms in eight southeastern Ohio streams: how far does a single riffle reach?

Seasonal variability in the Macroinvertebrate Community Index: Are seasonal correction factors required?

Coupling GIS and mulitvariate approaches to reference site selection for wadeable stream monitoring

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