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Using Landscape Variables to Assess Stream Health in Ohio's Western Allegheny Plateau

King, Lisa A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1206047003

Abstract Details

2008, Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, Geography (Arts and Sciences).
For twenty years the Ohio EPA has characterized stream health using fish and macroinvertebrate community assemblages, as well as by local habitat within the stream. Since the adjoining landscape may also influence stream health, this research explores a variety of easily attainable GIS land use/cover, population, and forest connectivity data to find which best correlate with stream health. Four different metrics (percent native fish, darters/sculpins, intolerant, and sensitive species) were evaluated against forty-eight different independent variables using multiple regression. Three variables were important for predicting stream health: density of abandoned mine openings in the upstream catchment, forest connectivity in a 66 ha area surrounding the sample point, and percent wetlands (from NLCD) within the HUC-14 subwatershed. Percent forest cover (GIRAS) in the upstream riparian buffer was also important for intolerant species. Despite known macro- and micro-controls on fish communities, landscape variables were able to explain up to half the variance in these fish metrics.
James M. Dyer, PhD (Advisor)
Brad Jokisch, PhD (Committee Member)
Geoff Buckley, PhD (Committee Member)
91 p.
Biology; Environmental Science; Geography
stream health; southeastern Ohio; land use land cover; forest connectivity; WAP ecoregion; IBI; STAR

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • King, L. A. (2008). Using Landscape Variables to Assess Stream Health in Ohio's Western Allegheny Plateau [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1206047003

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • King, Lisa. Using Landscape Variables to Assess Stream Health in Ohio's Western Allegheny Plateau. 2008. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1206047003.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • King, Lisa. "Using Landscape Variables to Assess Stream Health in Ohio's Western Allegheny Plateau." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1206047003

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1206047003
714
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.