BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE AND PERIPHYTON MONITORING IN THE SUWANNEE RIVER BASIN IN FLORIDA 1: OVERVIEW AND BIOGEOGRAPHY.

BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE AND BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE AND PERIPHYTON MONITORING IN THE PERIPHYTON MONITORING IN THE

SUWANNEE RIVER BASIN IN FLORIDA 1: SUWANNEE RIVER BASIN IN FLORIDA 1: OVERVIEW AND BIOGEOGRAPHYOVERVIEW AND BIOGEOGRAPHY

Periphytic AlgaePeriphytic Algae

• Micro- to macroscopic algae growing on hard Micro- to macroscopic algae growing on hard

surfacessurfaces

• Major source of autochthonous (“in-stream”) Major source of autochthonous (“in-stream”)

primary productionprimary production

• Respond to natural and human-created Respond to natural and human-created

changes in water qualitychanges in water quality

• Integrate environmental effects over timeIntegrate environmental effects over time

Benthic MacroinvertebratesBenthic Macroinvertebrates

• Invertebrates retained by 0.5 mm mesh sieveInvertebrates retained by 0.5 mm mesh sieve

• Ecologically important group of animals in all Ecologically important group of animals in all

aquatic ecosystems in the drainageaquatic ecosystems in the drainage

• Also respond to natural and human-created Also respond to natural and human-created

changes in water quality and habitatchanges in water quality and habitat

• Integrate environmental effects over timeIntegrate environmental effects over time

Suwannee Basin Suwannee Basin Florida animal biodiversityFlorida animal biodiversity

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

No.

Tax

a

Fish Amphibians Reptiles

Birds Mammals Macroinvertebrates

Suwannee River DrainageSuwannee River Drainage Benthic Community Sampling in FloridaBenthic Community Sampling in Florida

• Fla. Fish & Wildl. Conservation CommissionFla. Fish & Wildl. Conservation Commission (resource assessments)(resource assessments)

• Fla. Dept. of Environmental ProtectionFla. Dept. of Environmental Protection (monitoring, impact (monitoring, impact

assessment, stream bioassessment program)assessment, stream bioassessment program)

• Suwannee River WMDSuwannee River WMD (SWIM monitoring, basin assessments)(SWIM monitoring, basin assessments)

• USGS Biol. Resources DivisionUSGS Biol. Resources Division (sturgeon & seatrout food resources)(sturgeon & seatrout food resources)

• USEPAUSEPA (NPDES impact studies)(NPDES impact studies)

• Private consultantsPrivate consultants (point source impact studies, NPDES monitoring)(point source impact studies, NPDES monitoring)

• Citizen groupsCitizen groups

Suwannee River Water Management District Suwannee River Water Management District Benthic Monitoring ProgramBenthic Monitoring Program

• began in 1989; currently continuingbegan in 1989; currently continuing• quarterly samplingquarterly sampling• multiple gear types:multiple gear types:– Hester-Dendy, Periph. & dip net (streams)Hester-Dendy, Periph. & dip net (streams)– Petite ponar (streams and lakes)Petite ponar (streams and lakes)

• mainly streams (some lake studies)mainly streams (some lake studies)• same organization doing samplingsame organization doing sampling• same taxonomistssame taxonomists

BENTHIC BENTHIC

SAMPLING GEARSAMPLING GEAR

Used in SRWMD ProgramUsed in SRWMD Program

D-frame dip netD-frame dip netHester-Dendy Hester-Dendy samplersampler

Petite ponar grabPetite ponar grab

PeriphytometerPeriphytometer

Suwannee River Water Management District Suwannee River Water Management District Benthic Monitoring ProgramBenthic Monitoring Program

• Sampling design (Sampling design (sites and methodssites and methods):):– SRWMDSRWMD– FDEPFDEP– FWCCFWCC– USGSUSGS

• Field sampling:Field sampling: Environmental Services and Environmental Services and

Permitting, Alachua, FLPermitting, Alachua, FL • Taxonomy: Taxonomy: Dr. John Epler (invertebrates)Dr. John Epler (invertebrates)

Mr. Michael Hein (algae)Mr. Michael Hein (algae)

Water quality sitesWater quality sites

Wq / biology sitesWq / biology sites

Inactive biology sitesInactive biology sites

SRWMDSRWMD

SUW010SUW010

SUW100SUW100

SUW130SUW130

SUW150SUW150

SUW240SUW240

Suwannee River taxa compositionSuwannee River taxa composition(1990-1999 Periphyton data)(1990-1999 Periphyton data)

Cyanobacteria 18 9 10 10 8

Chlorophyta 46 25 16 26 14

Bacillariophyceae 78 109 117 108 80

Other taxa 3 1 0 0 0

TOTAL 145 144 143 144102

SUW010 SUW100 SUW130 SUW150 SUW240

Suwannee River taxa compositionSuwannee River taxa composition(1989-2000 Hest.-Dendy data)(1989-2000 Hest.-Dendy data)

Mollusca 6 16 12 18 23

Crustacea 5 10 6 7 8

Oligochaeta 20 28 19 18 25

Ephemeroptera 17 39 29 28 26

Odonata 12 10 7 13 11

Chironomidae 99 96 81 91 94

Trichoptera 32 27 24 21 28

Plecoptera 2 10 12 9 9

Coleoptera 28 30 18 19 19

Other taxa 42 38 28 32 53

TOTAL 263 304 236 256 296

SUW010 SUW100 SUW130 SUW150 SUW240

Suwannee River taxa compositionSuwannee River taxa composition(1989-2000 Hest.-Dendy data)(1989-2000 Hest.-Dendy data)

Mollusca 6 16 12 18 23

Crustacea 5 10 6 7 8

Oligochaeta 20 28 19 18 25

Ephemeroptera 17 39 29 28 26

Odonata 12 10 7 13 11

Chironomidae 99 96 81 91 94

Trichoptera 32 27 24 21 28

Plecoptera 2 10 12 9 9

Coleoptera 28 30 18 19 19

Other taxa 42 38 28 32 53

TOTAL 263 304 236 256 296

SUW010 SUW100 SUW130 SUW150 SUW240

Species new to science:Species new to science:(Chironomidae)(Chironomidae)

• Rheopelopia sp (??)• Corynoneura (3 spp?)• Cricotopus sp• Parakiefferiella sp• Zalutschia sp• Orthocladiinae genus ‘E’• Cladotanytarsus sp• Dicrotendipes sp

• Einfeldia sp • Fissimentum sp• Glyptotendipes sp• Paratanytarsus sp• Polypedilum sp• Stempellina sp• Stictochironomus sp• Tanytarsus spp (several)

Species new to science:Species new to science:(Bacillariophyceae)(Bacillariophyceae)

• Anorthoneis dulcis – the first freshwater representative in a marine genus

Range extensions:Range extensions:

Ephemeroptera (mayflies)• Siphloplecton sp.• Ephoron sp.

Plecoptera (stoneflies)• Helopicus bogaloosa

Chironomidae (non-biting midges)• Polypedilum halterale

Kate and David . . . .Kate and David . . . .

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