Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

31 Aug, 05 PM - 29 Jun, 05 PM

Project # HDF-02 Title: Evaluating recovery of stream invertebrate communities following removal of introduced trout in Kings Canyon National Park Collaborators and affiliations: Danny Boiano, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, aquatic ecologist Project duration: 09/01/03 to 06/30/05 Funding: $40,000 National Park Service Award# J8C07030003 Summary: Despite their diversity, key ecological roles, and potential for application in environmental assessments, aquatic invertebrates are the most poorly known of all faunal groups in the Sierra Nevada (Erman 1996). Data for stream invertebrates are especially incomplete, with most collection records coming from intensively studied locales or taxonomic groups. Park managers and scientists recognize the need for a baseline invertebrate inventory, and the Sierra Nevada Network identified obtaining invertebrate species presence and distribution information as a critical need to help monitor ecosystem health and preserve biodiversity (USDI 2001). However, only a fraction of invertebrate inventory work has been completed in SEKI with minimal samples identified to species. With a funding award, invertebrate sampling and laboratory analyses for four SEKI stream segments will be completed in four seasons. These data will contribute not only to a monitoring design for evaluating ecological effects of trout removal, but also to documenting unknown headwater stream communities of SEKI. The objectives of this project are to: 1) evaluate the potential for recovery of streams after the removal of introduced trout; 2) evaluate differences in the structure and diversity of benthic invertebrate between communities of fishless and fish-stocked paired-watershed streams in SEKI; and 3) use the resulting recovery and inventory information to consider the inclusion of high-elevation stream habitats in parkwide planning to restore native biodiversity. This collaborative project with staff of Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park will conduct the following work: 1) conduct two seasons of both pre-treatment and post-treatment invertebrate sampling in four SEKI streams in Center Basin in the South Fork of the Kings River; and 2) use a BACI statistical design (before-after, control-impact) in which two treated streams (fish removed) are compared with two control untreated streams (fish not removed) before and after the treatment period to assess changes in the diversity and functional organization of the benthic invertebrate community.

Visit #6100 @Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Approved

Under Project # 843 | Research

Development of Biological Criteria for Assessing Stream Water Quality

research_scientist - University of California, Santa Barbara

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 2 Research Assistant (non-student/faculty/postdoc) Aug 31, 2003 - Jun 29, 2004 (304 days)
David Herbst Aug 31, 2003 - Jun 29, 2004 (304 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Lab 1 3 Aug 31, 2003 - Jun 29, 2004