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Basics

Basics. River continuum – transition from headwaters to large river Main variables on life: temperature, bottom type and water chemistry Temperature is one of the biggest determining factors of fish populations .

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Basics

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  1. Basics • River continuum – transition from headwaters to large river • Main variables on life: temperature, bottom type and water chemistry • Temperature is one of the biggest determining factors of fish populations. • Coldwater (50 degrees to 65 degrees), cool water (65 degrees to 70 degrees) and warm water (70 degrees to 85 degrees). • Compare headwaters to large river…

  2. Pollution • Agriculture • Sediment = Chokes fish & macros, increases temp • nitrogen and phosphorus = increases plant growth, which in turn decays and consumes DO • animals= increased plant growth, decreasing dissolved oxygen (as manure breaks down) and eliminating important stream bottom habitat

  3. Pollution- Acid Mine Drainage • Water reacts with iron pyrite and forms acid • Kills algae and bottom of food chain • Damages fish physically • Metal toxicity- coats stream bottom= yellow (iron), white (aluminum) or black (manganese).

  4. Pollution Acid Rain • a pH level that falls below 5.6 • average pH of rainfall in Pennsylvania is 4.3 (among highest in US) • Worst in spring • Same affects as AMD

  5. Incomplete Metamorphosis • ENA • Egg, nymph, adult • Sort of like humans Just a small, cute, more helpless version of an adult.

  6. Complete Metamorphosis • ELPA • Egg, larva, pupa, adult • Caterpillars to butterflies- COMPLETE changes! Nothing like the adult.

  7. Fishing • 80,000 miles of rivers and streams • $1.35 billion industry • loss of riparian buffers results in temperature increases, changes in stream banks and channels, and destruction of important spawning habitat • Focus on riparian zone repair, dam removal, fixing manmade lakes from bowl-like state

  8. Meanders • make a stream longer and increase the amount of habitat • increase the quality of the habitat • Undercuts (hiding places) on outside of bend • Sediment piles on inside of bend

  9. Riffles, Runs, & Pools • riffle is shallow with lots of rocks that break the surface • Runs are deep and fast, with no rocks • Pools are wide, deep sections that have a slow current, with lots of debris and detritus

  10. Lakes • bigger and deeper than ponds, some as deep as 50 to 100 feet • made by humans to hold back flood waters or to provide drinking water • Naturally formed by glaciers • Lake Erie is our largest • Common fish= walleye

  11. Ponds • small, shallow waters, with mud or silt bottoms. • less than 12 feet deep • Common fish= panfish

  12. Reservoirs • Made by blocking rivers for flood control or electricity • Common fish= largemouth bass

  13. Rivers • lower-order tributaries eventually feed rivers • Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers • Common fish- smallmouth bass

  14. Wetlands • Wet for part of the year • Anaerobic soil • Hydrophytic plants • Great at removing silt, controlling flood runoff, removing excess nutrients • Diversity, recreation benefits

  15. Endangered Fish • 34% of PA fish endangered • Reasons- • Dams • Pollution • Overfishing • Permits and study required before alteration

  16. Endangered Reptiles & Amphibians • Habitat loss as main cause • 12 reptile and amphibian species of special concern in Pennsylvania: Six endangered, three threatened and three candidate. • Extirpated- extinct only in PA • Mud turtle • http://www.envirothonpa.org/documents/roadtoextinction3.pdf

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