Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages of Red Rock Canyon ...Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Final Report for United States Department of the

Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages of RedRock Canyon National Conservation Area

Final Report for United States Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land ManagementRed Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

4765 Vegas DriveLas Vegas, Nevada 89108

Report Prepared by:Dr. Mark Vinson, Ph.D. & Ms. Mamie Jennings National Aquatic Monitoring CenterDepartment of Fisheries and WildlifeUtah State UniversityLogan, Utah 84322-5210www.usu.edu/buglab

7 November 2000

i

ForewordThe work described in this report was conducted by the National Aquatic Monitoring Center,Utah State University, Logan, Utah. Mr. J. Matt Tagg identified all of the aquatic invertebrates. Mr. Dan Zamecnik and Ms. Leslie Ogden entered the data into the computer system. We thankthem for all their help and good spirit.

cover photographs: clockwise from top left, view along White Rock Loop Trail, La Madrespring, First Creek, Odonata: Libellulidae Tramea lacerata nymph- a beautiful desert dragonfly, scenery pictures by M. Jennings, Odonata by M. Vinson.

1

Sampling Site Selection

Sampling locations were provided by Mr. Tim Rash. These locations were selected

primarily because there was surface water present at the time samples were collected.

Methods

Locations and physical habitat

The latitude and longitude of each site was determined using hand held global positioning

units. Elevation was determined using an altimeter or a 7.5 min topographic map. Water and air

temperatures were determined at the time of sampling using thermometers. The conductivity of

the water was determined using an Oakton TDS Testr 40 hand held meter and the pH was

determined using an Oakton pH Testr 2.

Aquatic invertebrates

Qualitative invertebrate collections were done at each sampling location. The objective of

our sampling was to collect as many different kinds of invertebrates living at a site as possible.

Samples were collected with a kicknet (457 x 229 mm) with a 500 micron mesh net and by hand

picking invertebrates from woody debris and large boulders. All major habitat types (e.g. , riffles,

pools, back waters, aquatic macrophyte beds) were sampled and all samples were composited to

form a single sample from each site.

Laboratory methods � All samples processed in the entirety, i.e., all the organisms were

removed and identified. We attempted to identify each organism to the lowest taxonomic level

possible, except for Chironomidae and Hydrobiidae. This was generally genus as most of the

specimens were imature. Once identified, all of the invertebrates were composited into a single

glass screw-top vial with a polypropylene lid and polypropylene liner. Sample labels were written

with fade proof permanent black carbon ink on waterproof paper. Information on each label

includes the sampling location, sampling date and a unique catalog number. Vials were filled with

70% ethanol. All samples were retained in our collection and will be made available to other

researchers upon request.

2

Results

Aquatic invertebrate sampling locations

A total of 7 locations were sampled between 3 June 2000 and 22 July 2000 (Table 1).

Table 1. Location of aquatic invertebrate sampling sites

Station Water body name Latitude Longitude Elevation (m)

REDRK-01 Red Spring 36.144 115.420 1085

REDRK-02 Lost Creek 36.157 115.497 1100

REDRK-03 First Creek 36.079 115.471 1206

REDRK-04 Willow Spring 36.161 115.499 1418

REDRK-05 La Madre Spring 36.181 115.504 1615

REDRK-06 Pine Creek 36.123 115.488 1241

REDRK-07 Mormon Green Spring 36.057 115.434 1070

Aquatic invertebrate assemblages

A total of 32 unique aquatic invertebrates were collected at the 7 sampling locations. We

identified 246 individual invertebrates from 9 orders and 22 families (Table 1). Diversity was

highest among insects. We collected 3 Coleoptera, 3 Diptera (excluding Chironomidae), 1

Ephemeroptera, 3 Hemiptera, 5 Odonata, 0 Plecoptera, and 0 genera of Trichoptera (Table 2).

Non-insects were less diverse, but we also did not yet identify several of these taxa groups to

genus, so these results are more preliminary. We identified 1 genera of Crustacea and 1 genera of

Mollusca. Individual taxa lists for each sampling location are provided in Tables 3-9.

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Table 1. List of aquatic invertebrate taxa and 2 amphibians collected at the 7 sampling locations.

Samples were collected between 3 June 2000 and 22 July 2000.

Arthropoda

Crustacea

Amphipoda

Hyalellidae

Hyalella azteca

Insecta

Coleoptera

Dryopidae

Helichus

Gyrinidae

Gyrinus consobrinus

Haliplidae

Peltodytes

Diptera

Ceratopogonidae

Probezzia

Chironomidae

Chironominae

Orthocladiinae

Tanypodinae

Simuliidae

Simulium

Tabanidae

Tipulidae

Tipula

Ephemeroptera

Baetidae

Callibaetis

Hemiptera

Corixidae

Corisella

Gerridae

Aquarius

Notonectidae

Notonecta kirbyi

Veliidae

Odonata

Aeshnidae

Aeshna

Coenagrionidae

Argia unidentified

Argia sedula

Argia vivida

Gomphidae

Progomphus borealis

Lestidae

Archilestes grandis

Libellulidae

Libellula saturata

Mollusca

Gastropoda

Basommatophora

Physidae

Physella

Mesogastropoda

Hydrobiidae

Platyhelminthes

Turbellaria

Vertebrata

Amphibia

Anura

Ranidae unidentified

Table 2. General assemblage measures for each sampling location.

Invertebrates

collected Dominant Taxa Shannon

Station Date & identified family Richness Diversity

REDRK-01 06/03/2000 40 Hyalellidae 7 1.40


REDRK-03 06/17/2000 22 Coenagrionidae 6 1.37



REDRK-06 07/15/2000 16 Dryopidae 10 2.06

REDRK-07 07/22/2000 13 Lestidae 7 1.78

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Table 3. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 06/03/2000 at stationREDRK-01, Red Spring near picnic area. Sample identification number is 114172. Life stage: L= Larve, P = pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented asnumber per sample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supportedbecause: I - immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U= indistinct characters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection.

multiple

Life habitat

Order Family Subfamily/Genus/species Stage abundance Notes

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea

Amphipoda Hyalellidae Hyalella azteca A 21

Class: Insecta

Coleoptera Haliplidae Peltodytes A 3

Diptera P 2

Diptera Chironomidae Chironominae L 9

Odonata Coenagrionidae Argia L 1

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda

Basommatophora Physidae Physella A 3

Phylum: Platyhelminthes

Class: Turbellaria A 1

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Total: 7 taxa 40

Table 4. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 06/03/2000 at stationREDRK-02, Lost Creek. Sample identification number is 114173. Life stage: L = Larve, P =pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented as number persample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supported because: I- immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U = indistinctcharacters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection.

multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea


Class: Insecta

Diptera Ceratopogonidae Probezzia L 1

Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 3

Diptera Simuliidae Simulium L 1

Diptera Tipulidae Tipula L 1

Ephemeroptera Baetidae L 1

Odonata Coenagrionidae Argia vivida L 11


Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda


Mesogastropoda Hydrobiidae A 7



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Total: 11 taxa 75

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Table 5. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 06/17/2000 at stationREDRK-03, First Creek. Sample identification number is 114174. Life stage: L = Larve, P =pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented as number persample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supported because: I -immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U = indistinctcharacters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection. multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Diptera Tabanidae L 1

Hemiptera Gerridae Aquarius L 2

Hemiptera Notonectidae L 1

Odonata Aeshnidae L 1


Odonata Lestidae Archilestes grandis L 8

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Total: 6 taxa 22

Table 6. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 06/17/2000 at stationREDRK-04, Willow Spring. Sample identification number is 114175. Life stage: L = Larve, P =pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented as number persample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supported because: I- immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U = indistinctcharacters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection. multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea


Class: Insecta


Hemiptera Veliidae L 2

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda




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Total: 5 taxa 30

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Table 7. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 06/24/2000 at stationREDRK-05, La Madre Spring. Sample identification number is 114176. Life stage: L = Larve, P= pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented as number persample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supported because: I- immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U = indistinctcharacters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection.

multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea


Class: Insecta


Ephemeroptera Baetidae L 1

Hemiptera Corixidae Corisella A 1

Hemiptera Notonectidae L 6

Odonata Aeshnidae Aeshna L 1

Odonata Coenagrionidae Argia vivida L 5

Odonata Libellulidae Libellula saturata L 4

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda




Phylum: Vertebrata

Class: Amphibia

Anura Ranidae L 2

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Total: 11 taxa 52

Table 8. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 07/15/2000 at stationREDRK-06, Pine Creek. Sample identification number is 114177. Life stage: L = Larve, P =pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented as number persample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was not supported because: I- immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G = gender, U = indistinctcharacters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection.

multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Coleoptera Dryopidae Helichus A 5

Coleoptera Gyrinidae Gyrinus consobrinus A 1


Ephemeroptera Baetidae Callibaetis L 1

Hemiptera Gerridae L 1

Hemiptera Gerridae Aquarius L 1

Hemiptera Notonectidae Notonecta kirbyi A 1

Hemiptera Veliidae L 1


Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda


Phylum: Vertebrata

Class: Amphibia

Anura Ranidae A 1

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Total: 11 taxa 17

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Table 9. Taxonomic list and abundances of aquatic invertebrates collected 07/22/2000 at stationREDRK-07, Mormon Green Spring. Sample identification number is 114178. Life stage: L =Larve, P = pupae, A = adult, E = exuvia. NC = not calculated. Abundance data is presented asnumber per sample of unknown area. Notes - identification to genus or species was notsupported because: I - immature organisms, D - damaged organisms, M = poor slide mount, G =gender, U = indistinct characters or distribution, R = retained in our reference collection.

multiple

Life habitat


Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta


Diptera Chironomidae Tanypodinae L 1

Odonata Coenagrionidae Argia sedula L 2

Odonata Gomphidae Progomphus borealis L 1


Odonata Libellulidae Libellula saturata L 3

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda


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Total: 7 taxa 13

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Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages of Red Rock Canyon ...Aquatic Invertebrate Assemblages of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Final Report for United States Department of the