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1 December 2015 Evidence for Negative Effects of Drought on Baetis sp. (Small Minnow Mayfly) Abundance in a Southern California Stream
Elizabeth Montgomery, Rosi Dagit, Crystal Garcia, Jenna Krug, Krista Adamek, Sandra Albers, Katherine Pease
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Abstract

Benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) sampling was conducted at two sites in Topanga Creek from 2003-2014. During this period, Southern California experienced extreme drought conditions (US Drought Monitor 2014). Examining trends in species composition over this period allows for a relatively long-term analysis of potential effects of drought on BMI communities. The Southern California Coastal Index of Biotic Integrity (SCC-IBI; Ode 2007) was applied to BMI samples from Topanga Creek to measure the effects of drought on quantitative biotic integrity. The following trends regarding the BMI community of Topanga Creek emerged during the course of this study: 1) Wet year rainfall in Topanga Creek Watershed positively correlated to relative and per sq. ft. springtime abundance of Baetis sp., relative abundance of Simulium sp. up to 78.7 cm (31") rain, and negatively correlated to relative abundance of Chironomidae n.d., 2) percent algae cover in April and May positvely correlated to abundance per sq. ft. Baetis sp. and Simulium sp., and 3) multiple regression analysis revealed a negative relationship between Chironomid n.d. and Baetis sp. abundance. BMI are an important food source for endangered steelhead trout and other native aquatic and terrestrial insectivorous species of special concern; significant changes to the BMI community could have trophic reprecussions for these and other wildlife. Long-term monitoring is important for tracking the influence of changes in climatic conditions on BMI community.

© Southern California Academy of Sciences, 2015
Elizabeth Montgomery, Rosi Dagit, Crystal Garcia, Jenna Krug, Krista Adamek, Sandra Albers, and Katherine Pease "Evidence for Negative Effects of Drought on Baetis sp. (Small Minnow Mayfly) Abundance in a Southern California Stream," Bulletin, Southern California Academy of Sciences 114(3), 129-140, (1 December 2015). https://doi.org/10.3160/soca-114-03-129-140.1
Published: 1 December 2015
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