Poster Details
COUPLED EFFECT OF CHANNELIZATION AND PRECIPITATION EXTREMES ON THE FISH COMMUNITY IN A PERENNIAL, LIMESTONE STREAM OVER A DECADE
The Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity (KIBI) is a modification of Karr's IBI and was used to assess the long-term health of Little Six Mile, a low order (wadeable) perennial stream in Central Kentucky.The stream displays the features of a channelized limestone stream with low sinuosity, waterfalls, bedrock, low density of riffles, bank erosion, and former agriculture in the flood plain. Data span 2007-2017 with an increase in sampling frequency after 2011. Fish, habitat, and water quality data were sampled in late summer. Overall, the KIBI scores decreased from a peak in 2012. When drought conditions did not exist, KIBI scores were fair to excellent and during an extreme drought, the stream scored as good. The absence of simple lithophilic spawning species, intolerant species richness, and percent insectivores (excluding tolerant species) decreased the KIBI. The results indicate a coupled effect of channelization and precipitation extremes on the fish communities in a limestone stream and are not likely to improve without restoration of riffle habitat and upstream connectivity.
Rhiannon Cecil (Primary Presenter/Author), Kentucky State University, rhiannon.cecil@kysu.edu;
Tamara Sluss (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Kentucky State University, tamara.sluss@kysu.edu;
Stephanie Brandt (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Kentucky Fish and Wldlife, stephanie.brandt@ky.gov;
Matthew Thomas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Kentucky Fish and Wldlife, matthew.thomas@ky.gov;