Tuesday, June 5, 2007
422

We All Live Upstream: Aquatic Insect Communities above the “Blue Line” in Central Appalachian Headwater Streams

Ben M. Stout III, Department of Biology, Wheeling Jesuit University, 316 Washington Ave., Wheeling, WV 26003

Studies of aquatic insect communities in unmapped central Appalachian headwater streams provided a preliminary taxa checklist for mountaintop removal/valley fill mine permit areas.  Samples were collected in winter starting at spring seeps and continuing downstream to “blue line” status as depicted in USGS 1:24,000 data.  Community composition included 94 taxa dominated by Ameletus, Pycnopsyche gentilis and Leuctra which occurred in all 7 coalfield regions, 90%+ of 30 streams, and half of 175 samples.  These and 5 other genera (Neophylax, Tipula abodominalis, Ephemerella, Sweltza, and Peltoperla) occurred in over 1/3 of samples.  Seventeen taxa occurred in all 7 regions and 50%+ of streams.  Some taxa including Ostracerca, Allocapnia, and Neophylax were locally abundant whereas other taxa such as Nigronia serricornis were ubiquitous but diffuse, encountered in most streams but only 20% of samples.  Many taxa like Ostracerca and Pycnopsyche gentilis spp. were encountered near spring seeps in 10-20 hectare watersheds but disappeared as watershed size exceeded 100 ha.  Others, such as Acroneuria spp. characterized 200+ hectare watersheds 1-2 km downstream of the origin.  Replicated assessments along longitudinal gradients are needed to achieve accurate portrayal of rapidly changing community dynamics along Appalachian headwater stream gradients.

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