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AN EVALUATION OF HABITAT STRUCTURE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE AND COMMON DARTERS IN OHIO

Kingdom, Erin Lee
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1310393511

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, Biological Sciences.
Darters are small benthic-feeding fish. I examined reasons why some darter species are rarer than others based on geographic range, habitat specificity, and local population size using the Ohio EPA database and field research. The Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) represented habitat quality. I examined drainage area and gradient at the landscape-scale, riparian and channel characteristics at the reach-scale, and substrate, cover, and riffle/pool characteristics at the microhabitat scale. Some rare species occur in few rivers in Ohio, but throughout a basin, while other rare species occur only in moderate-sized rivers. Most rare species occur at only a few sites with low abundance. Common darters occurred in all-sized rivers and gradients. Rare darters occurred in large drainage areas with moderate gradients. Species richness was positively correlated with high QHEI, although the common johnny darter was abundant at sites with low QHEI. Mesohabitat and microhabitat were examined for each darter species within the species-rich Scioto River and Muskingum River basins. Rare species were more associated with high quality habitat than common species. Within Battelle-Darby Creek Metropark, a site with good habitat quality, species distributions differed. Overall, watershed size was the best predictor for a darter's distribution.
Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, PhD (Advisor)
James Runkle, PhD (Committee Member)
Don Cipollini, PhD (Committee Member)
67 p.
Aquatic Sciences
darters; Qualitative Habitat Evalution Index; Ohio EPA

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kingdom, E. L. (2011). AN EVALUATION OF HABITAT STRUCTURE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE AND COMMON DARTERS IN OHIO [Master's thesis, Wright State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1310393511

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kingdom, Erin. AN EVALUATION OF HABITAT STRUCTURE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE AND COMMON DARTERS IN OHIO. 2011. Wright State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1310393511.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kingdom, Erin. "AN EVALUATION OF HABITAT STRUCTURE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE AND COMMON DARTERS IN OHIO." Master's thesis, Wright State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1310393511

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Wright State University and OhioLINK.