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Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Of Rio Grande Delta Ponds, Anna Maria Navarro

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to identify aquatic macroinvertebrates living in the vegetated margins of local ponds, to determine their relative abundances, and to construct a rapid bioassessment model. I collected macroinvertebrates seasonally from seven ponds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Collection sites included: Moore Airfield, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and Olmito Fish Hatchery. Twenty-eight samples were sampled and preserved at the University of Texas-Pan American. Seventy-six taxa were identified and were stored as a reference collection. Cluster analysis of the taxa and their relative abundances showed three distinct geographic patterns or regions. These patterns were verified …