HR: 11:15h
AN: B52A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Linking Watershed Land-Use, Stream Geomorphology, and Aquatic Biodiversity in a Hierarchical Classification Scheme
AU: * Hession, W C
EM: hession@emba.uvm.edu
AF: Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont 213 Votey Building, Burlington, VT 05405 United States
AU: Watzin, M C
EM: mary.watzin@uvm.edu
AF: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont 353 Aiken Center, Burlington, VT 05405 United States
AU: Cianfrani, C M
EM: christina.cianfrani@uvm.edu
AF: Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont 213 Votey Building, Burlington, VT 05405 United States
AU: Sullivan, M P
EM: mspsulli@uvm.edu
AF: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont 353 Aiken Center, Burlington, VT 05405 United States
AB: Twenty-five streams in northwestern Vermont spanning a range of geomorphic conditions were surveyed to determine the linkages between watershed land-use, stream geomorphology, and aquatic biodiversity as part of an overall watershed classification project. Watershed land-use was evaluated in a geographic information system using Landsat TM land cover data. Field-scale geomorphic assessments included rapid geomorphic assessments (RGA) and rapid habitat assessments (RHA) following Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation protocols. Quantitative field data was collected using detailed site surveys including cross-sections, longitudinal profiles, and pebble counts. Fish, bird and macroinvertebrate data were collected and diversity indices calculated to assess site biodiversity. As a first step, the ability of site-level geomorphic data to predict ecological condition was evaluated. The RGA and RHA were found to be reliable in explaining some of the variance seen in the biotic data. At the next level, the watershed-level characteristics were evaluated to assess their ability to predict geomorphic condition and biotic integrity. Finally, all factors were combined into a hierarchical model identifying the most significant factors at each level used to predict ecological condition.
UR: http://www.cem.uvm.edu/~hession/epa
DE: 1824 Geomorphology (1625)
DE: 1845 Limnology
DE: 9800 GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly