Group 2 YWSIers ~Katherine PerryJasjit Butalia Lindsey Siegfried

What factors contribute to the health and diversity of water life in the East Fork

Little Miami River?

Covers 320,000 acres The East Fork State Park was

formed in 1949 Located in Clermont, Brown,

Montgomery, Clark, Madison, Greene, Warren, Butler, Clinton, and Highland counties.

Some fish types are: Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Spotted Bass.

East Fork Little Miami Watershed

Land use

Most land is: Agricultural Row crops Pasture/Hay

But some is: Deciduous forest Commercial Industrial Transportation Low intensity

residential

Hypothesis #1

As the habitat around the stream improves, the

macroinvertebrate population and diversity increases.

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The Effect of Habitat on Macroinvertebrate Population

Sample Location and Date

Ratin

g Sc

ale

If the substrate quality increases, then the fish diversity (IBI) will increase as well.

Hypothesis #2

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0.0

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AvIBI AvSUBSTRATE

Fish

Div

ersi

ty (I

BI)

Substrate Quality

Sample Date and Location

The Effect of Substrate Quality on Fish Diversity

As the percentage of agricultural land use increases, the fish population and diversity will decrease.

Hypothesis 3

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Ag AvIBI

The Effect of Agriculture on Fish Populations

Sample Date and Location

Perc

ent A

gricu

lture

/IBI R

atin

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ale

Meanders slow water speed and sediment drops into pools instead of riffles and runs where macroinvertebrates live.

A good substrate helps the fish survive by giving them place to hide, to lay their eggs, and for macroinvertebrates to live.

Agricultural land use negatively affects fish populations and diversity because organic waste given off by livestock, fertilizers and pesticides get carried into the stream by surface runoff.

Why the impact?

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Encourage land owners to restore channelized streams and creeks.

Help in simple ways like throwing things in trash cans and recycling bins so that they don’t end up littering streams and creeks.

Only use chemicals when needed.

How you can help

Katie Shannon

Laura

Kim Megan SteveLeslie

Paula

Thanks To…Ohio Supercomputer CenterAmerican Electric PowerBattelleP&GIngram White Castle FoundationThe Ohio State University