HR: 1330h
AN: NB33N-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Effects of wildfire on aquatic invertebrates in British Columbia streams
AU: * Heise, B A
EM: bheise@cariboo.bc.ca
AF: University College of the Cariboo, Natural Resource Sciences,P.O. Box 3010, Kamloops, BC V2C 5N3 Canada
AB: I examined the effects of the 2003 McClure fire on aquatic invertebrates in three forested streams. Two sites were sampled on Fishtrap Creek, which was extensively burned, one site was sampled on Peterson Creek, which was patchily burned, and one site sampled on Jamieson Creek, which served as the unburned control. The intensely burned areas of Fishtrap Creek had all vegetation removed around the creek, and burned the ground to the mineral soil. Random Hess samples were taken in riffles in all creeks in April 2004. Densities of mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies and diptera varied significantly among the creeks, and were lower in the burned streams compared to the control. The lower site on Fishtrap Creek, which flowed through the most intensely burned area, had a mean of only 67 individuals per square meter, compared to a mean of 1823 in the control. As expected due to the loss of riparian vegetation, shredder densities (Nemouridae+ Leuctridae+Capniidae) were significantly reduced in the burned streams (p=0.008).
DE: 1800 HYDROLOGY
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly