Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Quantifying The Effects Of Land Use Change On Stream Ecosystems For Use In Ecological Risk Assessment, Katherine Sciera

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Land disturbance often results in a cascade of physical and chemical stressors to aquatic ecosystems which can impact their biotic integrity. This study examined three developing watersheds near Greenville, SC to evaluate the quantitative relationships between the physical stressors associated with land use alterations and biotic integrity. More specifically, the objectives of this study were to 1) quantify the mechanisms of aquatic ecosystem degradation in streams impacted by watershed urbanization, 2) demonstrate the use of quantitative relationships among the physical, chemical, and biological stressors associated with land use change in an established ecological risk assessment framework, and 3) identify the …