Environmental Science
8 years ago

Headwater streams at risk: Location in drainage network impacts fish biodiversity.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
Influence of Stream Location in a Drainage Network on the Index of Biotic Integrity
Lewis L. Osborne, Steven L. Kohler, Peter B. Bayley, David M. Day, William A. Bertrand, Michael J. Wiley, Randy W. Sauer

Paper Summary

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The location of a stream in a drainage network affects the health of fish communities. Headwater streams in Illinois have lower scores on a measure of stream health compared to tributary streams that connect directly to larger streams. This is because tributary streams have more fish species, especially sucker and darter species. To accurately assess stream health, separate measures should be used for headwater and main-channel tributaries. Otherwise, the health of headwater streams may be underestimated.