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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302776
Title: Relative influence of different habitat factors on creek chub population structure within channelized agricultural headwater streams in central Ohio

Author
item Smiley, Peter - Rocky
item King, Kevin
item Fausey, Norman

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2014
Publication Date: 5/18/2014
Citation: Smiley, P.C., King, K.W., Fausey, N.R. 2014. Relative influence of different habitat factors on creek chub population structure within channelized agricultural headwater streams in central Ohio. 2014 Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting. May 18-23, 2014, Portland, Oregon. Meeting Abstract #14517.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Creek chubs (Semotilus atromaculatus) are commonly found within channelized agricultural headwater streams within the Midwestern United States. Understanding the relationships of this headwater fish species with different habitat factors will provide information that can assist with developing restoration strategies for degraded agricultural headwater streams. We addressed the following research question: what habitat factors have the greatest influence on the population structure of creek chubs within channelized agricultural headwater streams? We collected fishes and measured riparian habitat, geomorphology, instream habitat, physico-chemical variables, nutrients, and pesticides from 14 channelized agricultural headwater streams within the Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed from 2006 to 2011. The results from our preliminary multiple regression analyses indicate that the relative abundance of creek chubs is more strongly correlated with riparian habitat than either instream habitat or water chemistry. These results suggest that restoration practices that lead to changes in riparian habitat conditions adjacent to channelized agricultural headwater streams may lead to changes in the population structure of creek chubs within these small streams.