Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Abstract
Hatchery Creek is a restored stream in Jamestown, KY that drains Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery. The previous degraded channel of Hatchery Creek caused large sediment plumes in the Lower Cumberland River and was restored to decrease sediment loss and provide the opportunity for a self-sustaining trout population. I predicted that the increased amount of habitat would increase taxa richness, abundance and biomass of macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates were monitored in three periods; the degraded period, a one-year recovery period, and a restored period using surber and kicknet samples in order to determine biomass, abundance, diversity, taxa richness, and macroinvertebrate biotic index. Temperature and nutrients were also monitored during the restored period. In the degraded channel, the macroinvertebrate community included 8-13 taxa, dominated by low scoring and very-tolerant taxa. Macroinvertebrate density and biomass reached values over 100,000 ind/m2 and 10 g/m2 respectively in the old channel. The one year “recovery” period was dominated by tolerant taxa with high turnover such as Simulidae and Chironomidae. In the restored reach, macroinvertebrate taxa richness increased to 17 taxa, with appearance of new EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Tricoptera) taxa. Macroinvertebrate density and biomass in the restored channel have decreased to roughly 1/3 and 1/5 pre-restoration levels respectively, and are within ranges of expected values. Collector-gatherers remain the dominant functional feeding group in the restored channel, but collector-filterers now make up 33% of overall functional feeding group (FFG) composition compared to 18% in the old channel. The patterns of macroinvertebrate community recovery suggest new habitat from stream reconstruction allowed full recovery following the first year, and increased taxa richness after the first year, and that monitoring recovery may take longer monitoring periods.
Year manuscript completed
2021
Year degree awarded
2021
Author's Keywords
Stream Restoration, Macroinvertebrate, Fish, Rainbow Trout, Aquatic Ecology
Thesis Advisor
Michael Flinn
Committee Chair
Michael Flinn
Committee Member
Tim Spier
Committee Member
Howard Whiteman
Committee Member
Gary Stinchcomb
Document Type
Thesis
Recommended Citation
Vrablik, Patrick, "The Reconstruction of Hatchery Creek: Effects on Macroinvertebrate and Fish Community Dynamics" (2021). Murray State Theses and Dissertations. 207.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/etd/207
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Biodiversity Commons, Entomology Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons