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Articles 31 - 60 of 69
Full-Text Articles in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Stimulated Growth Response To Sand Burial Of A Coastal Shrub, D. Nicole Keller
Stimulated Growth Response To Sand Burial Of A Coastal Shrub, D. Nicole Keller
Theses and Dissertations
Drivers of vegetation zonation on barrier islands are complex and interconnected. Sand burial is a strong driver in dynamic coastal systems, especially in the foredune community. However, it is not well understood how burial impacts the interdunal swales communities and it is especially difficult to separate the effects of burial from salinity. Climate change is altering the frequency of overwash events as well as expanding the range of the native shrub, Morella cerifera, on the Virginia barrier islands. To accurately forecast island response to climate change it is important to understand how the shrub responds to sand burial. Juvenile …
Spatial And Temporal Distributions Of Larval Clupeid Fishes In A Tidal Freshwater Marsh Complex, Philip Reid Anderson
Spatial And Temporal Distributions Of Larval Clupeid Fishes In A Tidal Freshwater Marsh Complex, Philip Reid Anderson
Theses and Dissertations
Tidal freshwater wetlands provide valuable ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, coastal flood control, and reproductive habitat for early life stages of economically and ecologically important fishes. The nutrient rich environments that tidal freshwater wetlands occur in support high levels of primary productivity of phytoplankton and vegetation that provide essential reproductive habitat for anadromous clupeid fishes (Alosa spp., Brevoortia tyrannus) in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Seasonal retention of clupeid eggs and larvae within tidal freshwater habitats may enhance early growth, survival, and year class strength. The primary goal of the present study was to characterize the relative importance of …
Geospatial Analysis Of Invasive Plant Species And Their Threats To Ecological Functionality At The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Erik W. Kellogg
Geospatial Analysis Of Invasive Plant Species And Their Threats To Ecological Functionality At The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Erik W. Kellogg
Theses and Dissertations
Invasive plants are a significant threat to native ecosystems and to biodiversity. They are often strong competitors and have multiple techniques to outcompete native plants. Thus, controlling or removing invasive plants facilitates the restoration of native ecosystems. We used GPS technology coupled with field surveying techniques adapted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to locate and identify invasive plants present within VCU’s Rice Rivers Center. We digitally overlaid a 50-meter x 50-meter grid system over the property. In each grid cell we recorded visual estimations of invasive plant coverage sorted into modified Daubenmire cover classes and used ArcGIS for …
Characterizing Water Quality And Hydrologic Properties Of Urban Streams In Central Virginia, Rikki Lucas
Characterizing Water Quality And Hydrologic Properties Of Urban Streams In Central Virginia, Rikki Lucas
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this study was to characterize water quality and hydrologic properties of urban streams in the Richmond metropolitan area. Water quality data were analyzed for six urban sites and two non-urban sites. Geomorphological surveys and conservative tracer studies were performed at four urban sites and one non-urban site to describe intra- and inter- site variability in transient storage, channel geomorphology, and related hydrologic parameters. Urban sites showed elevated concentrations of nitrogen and more variable TSS concentrations relative to reference sites. Urban channels were deeply incised with unstable banks and low sinuosity. Little Westham Creek exhibited the greatest transient …
Mechanisms Underlying Production Stability In Temperate Deciduous Forests, Shea B. Wales
Mechanisms Underlying Production Stability In Temperate Deciduous Forests, Shea B. Wales
Theses and Dissertations
A persistent and reliable future terrestrial carbon (C) sink will depend on how stable forest production is under more variable climate conditions. We examined how age, forest structure, and disturbance history relate to the interannual variability of above-ground wood net primary production (NPPw). Our site in northern Michigan spans two experimental forest chronosequences and three late successional stands; the chronosequences have distinct disturbance histories, originating following either clear cut harvesting (“Cut Only”) or clear cut harvesting and fire (“Cut and Burn”), and range from 21 to 108 years old. Annual NPPw was estimated using dendrochronology and site specific allometric equations. …
Influence Of Environmental Features On Spermatophore Placement In Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma Maculatum), Megan A. Kuechle
Influence Of Environmental Features On Spermatophore Placement In Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma Maculatum), Megan A. Kuechle
Theses and Dissertations
Successful reproduction in salamanders is driven by behavioral, environmental, and temporal interactions among adults. While much of our understanding of salamander mating systems is based upon either courtship behavior of both sexes or aspects of female choice, the decisions made by males regarding where to place spermatophores is much less quantified. In this study, we mapped male spermatophore placement in the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) with respect to ecological and spatial locations within a vernal pool complex in Charles City County, Virginia. The overall goal was to use the spatial and ecological placement of spermatophores to determine if …
Nutrient Uptake Among Urban And Non-Urban Streams Within The Piedmont Physiographic Province Of Virginia, Joseph T. Famularo
Nutrient Uptake Among Urban And Non-Urban Streams Within The Piedmont Physiographic Province Of Virginia, Joseph T. Famularo
Theses and Dissertations
To assess how urbanization impacts stream nutrient uptake, a series of instantaneous (i.e. slug) nutrient additions were conducted in 3 urban and 3 non-urban streams during open and closed canopy conditions. Single additions of N, P, and combined additions of N and P were performed at each site. These data were used to test the hypothesis that high N:P concentrations in urban streams would result in P-limited conditions, and to assess differences in nutrient uptake kinetics (i.e., the relationship between uptake and concentration) between urban and non-urban streams. The results show that there were no consistent differences in N vs. …
Assessment Of Microbial Carbon Processing And Its Implications To The Carbon Budget Of Lake Superior, Lindsey Michelle Koren
Assessment Of Microbial Carbon Processing And Its Implications To The Carbon Budget Of Lake Superior, Lindsey Michelle Koren
Theses and Dissertations
Over the past few decades, there has been increased research focus on carbon cycling within aquatic systems, especially with the changing global climate. Inland waters play a major role in the global carbon cycle, but the fundamental features remain poorly understood, particularly the large lakes of the world. Our experimental approach assessing the carbon budget of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake by area, provides spatial and temporal variability that has been previously overlooked but may be critical to our understanding on the biogeochemical processes controlling the lake. Multiple stations were chosen across the lake, both nearshore and offshore, to …
Forest Structural Complexity And Net Primary Production Resilience Across A Gradient Of Disturbance In A Great Lakes Ecosystem, Lisa T. Haber
Forest Structural Complexity And Net Primary Production Resilience Across A Gradient Of Disturbance In A Great Lakes Ecosystem, Lisa T. Haber
Theses and Dissertations
Forests are an important component of the global carbon (C) cycle and contribute to climate change mitigation through atmospheric C uptake and storage in biomass and soils. However, the forest C sink is susceptible to disturbance, which modifies physical and biological structure and limits spatial extent of forests. Unlike severe, stand-replacing disturbances that reset forest successional trajectories and may simplify ecosystem structure, moderate severity disturbances may instead introduce complexity in ways that sustain net primary production (NPP), leading to the phenomenon of “NPP resilience.” In this study, we examined the linkage between disturbance severity and ecosystem biological and physical structural …
Climate Change And Mountaintop Removal Mining: A Maxent Assessment Of The Potential Dual Threat To West Virginia Fishes, Lindsey R F Hendrick
Climate Change And Mountaintop Removal Mining: A Maxent Assessment Of The Potential Dual Threat To West Virginia Fishes, Lindsey R F Hendrick
Theses and Dissertations
Accounts of species’ range shifts in response to climate change, most often as latitudinal shifts towards the poles or upslope shifts to higher elevations, are rapidly accumulating. These range shifts are often attributed to species ‘tracking’ their thermal niches as temperatures in their native ranges increase. Our objective was to estimate the degree to which climate change-driven shifts in water temperature may increase the exposure of West Virginia’s native freshwater fishes to mountaintop removal surface coal mining. Mid-century shifts in habitat suitability for nine non-game West Virginia fishes were projected via Maximum Entropy species distribution modeling, using a combination of …
Identification Of Taxonomic And Functional Ichthyofaunal Zones Within The James River Basin, Virginia, Joseph L. Noel
Identification Of Taxonomic And Functional Ichthyofaunal Zones Within The James River Basin, Virginia, Joseph L. Noel
Theses and Dissertations
Environmental gradients structure ichthyofaunal communities longitudinally along river networks via the selective filtering of species’ traits. In many instances, these environmental influences have created distinct zones of co-occurring fish species. Zonation studies have most often been conducted with taxonomic data (species x site matrices), but the increasing availability of functional trait data creates an opportunity to build more rigorous understanding of species’ co-occurrence patterns. Notably, zonation studies that use taxonomic data may not reveal the same patterns as studies based on trait data. In this study, we tested for distinct ichthyofaunal zonation in James River Basin, VA using a combination …
Quantifying Current Sediment Deposition, Legacy Sediments, And Pre-Impoundment Vertical Accretion And Carbon Dynamics Following Dam Removal In A Recently Restored Tidal Freshwater Wetland, Melissa J. Davis
Theses and Dissertations
Damming disrupts natural sediment flow to downstream resulting in legacy sediment accumulation. Legacy sediments have been well investigated in streams throughout the Piedmont region; however, there is no research of legacy sediments following dam removal in low-gradient Coastal Plain streams. Research objectives were to: characterize legacy sediments in a low-gradient stream restoration, quantify pre-impoundment accretion and carbon dynamics, and assess current sediment deposition rates via 14C analyses within sediment cores and sediment collection tiles. Carbon accumulation and accretion rates of modern tidal sediment have reached that of the tidal relic benchmark and current sediment deposition rates are similar between …
Behavioral Responses Of Sub-Adult Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Oxyrinchus) To Electromagnetic And Magnetic Fields Under Laboratory Conditions, Andrew Mcintyre Iii
Behavioral Responses Of Sub-Adult Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Oxyrinchus) To Electromagnetic And Magnetic Fields Under Laboratory Conditions, Andrew Mcintyre Iii
Theses and Dissertations
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) produced by high voltage (HV), submarine transmission cables leading from offshore wind energy generation facilities could affect foraging or migratory behaviors of electro-receptive fishes, including endangered Atlantic Sturgeon. However, no published studies have quantitatively evaluated the possible behavioral effects of EMF exposure on sturgeon during residence in coastal waters. This study evaluated behavioral responses by sub-adult Atlantic Sturgeon to electromagnetic and magnetic fields under controlled laboratory conditions. Fabricated EMF generators were used to emulate a range of field EMF conditions that migratory fishes could encounter in proximity to submarine HV sources. Sensor arrays and digital video recorders …
A Comparison Of Computational Methods For Estimating Estuarine Production And Respiration From Diel Open Water Dissolved Oxygen Measurements, Spencer Tassone
A Comparison Of Computational Methods For Estimating Estuarine Production And Respiration From Diel Open Water Dissolved Oxygen Measurements, Spencer Tassone
Theses and Dissertations
Diel dissolved oxygen (DO) data were used to characterize seasonal, inter-annual, and longitudinal variation in production and respiration for the James River Estuary. Two computational methods (Bayesian and bookkeeping) were applied to these data to determine whether inferences regarding DO metabolism are sensitive to methodology. Net metabolism was sensitive to methodology as Bayesian results indicated net heterotrophy (production < respiration) while bookkeeping results indicated net autotrophy (production > respiration). Differences in net metabolism among the methods was due to low seasonal variation in respiration using the Bayesian method, whereas bookkeeping results showed a strong correlation between production and respiration. Bayesian results suggest a dependence on allochthonous organic matter (OM) whereas …
The Status Of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra Serpentina) In Virginia: Population Viability, Demography, Regulatory Analysis, And Conservation, Benjamin C. Colteaux
The Status Of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra Serpentina) In Virginia: Population Viability, Demography, Regulatory Analysis, And Conservation, Benjamin C. Colteaux
Theses and Dissertations
Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) are being harvested in unprecedented numbers in the United States (US) to meet the needs of international markets. Over three million live snapping turtles from farm and wild caught stock were exported from the US to Asia in 2012-14 alone. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, records indicate that 29,860 snapping turtles were commercially harvested between 2000 and 2015. Size limits are often used to regulate harvest pressure in snapping turtles and other game species. I analyzed the historic harvest of eleven US states to test the efficacy of minimum-size limit regulations at reducing commercial …
The Effect Of Chronic Nutrient Addition From Wastewater On Forest Ecosystems At The Rice Rivers Center, Michael Beck
The Effect Of Chronic Nutrient Addition From Wastewater On Forest Ecosystems At The Rice Rivers Center, Michael Beck
Theses and Dissertations
Wastewater application to land can be a useful tool for mitigating impacts of nutrient enrichment on aquatic systems. A land application treatment system at VCU’s Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, VA provided an opportunity to study the impact of wastewater addition on the biogeochemistry of forests representative of the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Nutrient concentrations in throughfall and leachate were measured at Treatment and Control sites to assess differences in nutrient deposition and retention. Wastewater amended plots from the Walter L. Rice education building received 20-fold (N) and 6-fold (P) higher inputs relative to Control plots and plots located …
Short-Term Effects Of Nutrients On A Barrier Island Grassland Community, Ashley Moulton
Short-Term Effects Of Nutrients On A Barrier Island Grassland Community, Ashley Moulton
Theses and Dissertations
Increased nutrient availability globally has the potential to affect community functional composition of plants in nutrient limited environments, such as coastal grassland systems. Stability of these systems are threatened worldwide by urbanization, as well as effects of sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of storms, and atmospheric N deposition, associated with climate change. Annual net primary productivity (ANPP), species composition, and functional traits (community weighted specific leaf area (CWSLA), leaf area index (LAI), growth form and photosynthetic pathway) were measured across four treatments to assess multiple resource limitation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and functional community response …
Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Cope’S Gray Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis) Across Habitat Scales And Life Stages, Logan Mcdonald
Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Cope’S Gray Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis) Across Habitat Scales And Life Stages, Logan Mcdonald
Theses and Dissertations
Fire may alter both aquatic and terrestrial habitat used by all amphibian life stages, yet, our knowledge of its effects on amphibians is primarily limited to adult responses. I present an integrated approach to test the response of Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) to fire by examining responses in tadpole performance and survivorship, adult abundance, and oviposition. Tadpoles raised with burned leaf litter had similar survival, but total mass and total length were 440% and 170% greater, respectively, for tadpoles raised in unburned litter. I assessed terrestrial and aquatic oviposition cues by embedding burned and unburned litter treatments within burned …
From Seed To Sky: Impacts Of Explosive Compounds On Vegetation Across Spatial And Developmental Scales, Stephen M. Via
From Seed To Sky: Impacts Of Explosive Compounds On Vegetation Across Spatial And Developmental Scales, Stephen M. Via
Theses and Dissertations
Explosive compounds are broadly distributed across the globe as a result of nearly two centuries of munitions use in warfare and military activities. Two explosive compounds have seen disproportionate use; RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) and TNT (2-methyl- 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene), being the most commonly found explosives in the environment. The effects of explosives on biota have been studied in great detail; however, there is a general lack of understanding with regard to broader ecological impacts of these contaminants. My dissertation objective was to follow the impacts of explosive compounds on vegetation across scales. Impacts on vegetation at the species scale alter community composition via …
The Effects Of Tidal Forcing On Nutrient Fluxes In The Tidal, Freshwater James River Estuary, Va, Dana L. Devore
The Effects Of Tidal Forcing On Nutrient Fluxes In The Tidal, Freshwater James River Estuary, Va, Dana L. Devore
Theses and Dissertations
A 12-month study (January to December 2015) focused on the effects of tidal forcing on nutrient fluxes in the tidal, freshwater segment of the James River Estuary (JRE). Discrete sampling of nutrient chemistry and continuous monitoring of tidal discharge were used to determine the volume and timing of the tides, and differences in nutrient concentrations between incoming and outgoing tides. The goal of this study was to improve understanding of tidal influence on nutrient fluxes and their role in nutrient transport to the lower estuary. Results suggested that differences in nutrient concentrations between incoming and outgoing tides were small throughout …
Forest Stand Structure And Primary Production In Relation To Ecosystem Development, Disturbance, And Canopy Composition, Cynthia M. Scheuermann
Forest Stand Structure And Primary Production In Relation To Ecosystem Development, Disturbance, And Canopy Composition, Cynthia M. Scheuermann
Theses and Dissertations
Temperate forests are complex ecosystems that sequester carbon (C) in biomass. C storage is related to ecosystem-scale forest structure, changing over succession, disturbance, and with community composition. We quantified ecosystem biological and physical structure in two forest chronosequences varying in disturbance intensity, and three late successional functional types to examine how multiple structural expressions relate to ecosystem C cycling. We quantified C cycling as wood net primary production (NPP), ecosystem structure as Simpson’s Index, and physical structure as leaf quantity (LAI) and arrangement (rugosity), examining how wood NPP-structure relates to light distribution and use-efficiency. Relationships between structural attributes of biodiversity, …
Coarse Woody Debris And The Carbon Balance Of A Moderately Disturbed Forest, Amy V. Schmid
Coarse Woody Debris And The Carbon Balance Of A Moderately Disturbed Forest, Amy V. Schmid
Theses and Dissertations
Landscapes are comprised of multiple ecosystems shaped by disturbances varying in severity and source. Moderate disturbance from weather, pathogens, insects, and age-related senescence, in contrast to severe disturbances that fell trees, may increase standing woody debris and alter the contribution of coarse woody debris (CWD) to total ecosystem respiration (RE). However, woody debris dynamics are rarely examined following moderate disturbances that substantially increase standing dead wood stocks. We used an experimental manipulation of moderate disturbance in an upper Great Lakes forest to: 1) examine decadal changes in CWD stocks through a moderate disturbance; 2) quantify in situ CWD …
The Export Of An Algal Toxin Into Terrestrial Predators Via Emerging Aquatic Insects, Nicholas J. Moy
The Export Of An Algal Toxin Into Terrestrial Predators Via Emerging Aquatic Insects, Nicholas J. Moy
Theses and Dissertations
Algal blooms are directly related to human-caused nutrient enrichment of water bodies. The cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa produces microcystin (MC), a toxin that has been linked with mortalities and illness of many organisms. We show that MC is not constrained by the aquatic-terrestrial ecotone. MC was detected in a primary consumer and emerging aquatic invertebrate (Hexagenia Mayfly), a terrestrial insect and predator of emerging aquatic invertebrates (Tetragnathidae Spider), and a vertebrate consumer (Prothonotary Warbler). Mayfly and spider MC levels varied across the blooming period. MC levels in prothonotary warbler livers varied by age class; nestlings having the highest levels. MC levels …
Physical And Biological Constraints On The Abundance Of Cyanobacteria In The James River Estuary, Brendan C. Trache
Physical And Biological Constraints On The Abundance Of Cyanobacteria In The James River Estuary, Brendan C. Trache
Theses and Dissertations
The tidal-fresh James River experiences recurring blooms of toxin-producing cyanobacteria, including Microcystis aeruginosa. However, cyanobacteria cell densities in the James are relatively low. Our purpose was to identify key factors suppressing cyanobacteria growth in the face of eutrophication. A mesocosm experiment was designed to test the effects of light, mixing and grazing on cyanobacteria abundance, with nutrients held constant. We predicted that toxic cyanobacteria would be most abundant under stagnant conditions, with enhanced light, with no bivalve grazers present. Abundances of indicator gene copies and phytoplankton counts supported this hypothesis. However, chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin, and the toxin microcystin were all …
Expanding Eco-Visualization: Sculpting Corn Production, Jennifer E. Figg
Expanding Eco-Visualization: Sculpting Corn Production, Jennifer E. Figg
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation expands upon the definition of eco-visualization artwork. EV was originally defined in 2006 by Tiffany Holmes as a way to display the real time consumption statistics of key environmental resources for the goal of promoting ecological literacy. I assert that the final forms of EV artworks are not necessarily dependent on technology, and can differ in terms of media used, in that they can be sculptural, video-based, or static two-dimensional forms that communicate interpreted environmental information. There are two main categories of EV: one that is predominantly screen-based and another that employs a variety of modes of representation …
Aquatic Priming Effects In The York River Estuary And Implications For Dissolved Organic Carbon Mineralization, Thomas M. Dunlap
Aquatic Priming Effects In The York River Estuary And Implications For Dissolved Organic Carbon Mineralization, Thomas M. Dunlap
Theses and Dissertations
The priming effect (PE), characterized as the enhanced microbial processing of bio-recalcitrant organic matter with the addition of labile substrates, has been hypothesized to moderate carbon (C) cycling in aquatic systems. In this study, aquatic PEs were evaluated through bacterial respiration and dissolved organic C consumption in incubations of water collected from three locations along the York River estuary. Incubations from White’s Landing on the Pamunkey River, a tidal freshwater tributary of the York, and from Croaker Landing in the middle of the estuary, displayed positive PEs when amended with labile C. In contrast, amended incubations from Gloucester Point, near …
Canopy Effects On Tropical Leaf Litter Arthropods, Theodore Peter Sumnicht
Canopy Effects On Tropical Leaf Litter Arthropods, Theodore Peter Sumnicht
Theses and Dissertations
Changes in canopy structure, which are likely to occur at faster rates due to climate change, affect leaf litter structure and the ecology of litter-dwelling organisms. One such change is the increased abundance of lianas in tropical forest canopies. Here, I quantify effects of these changes on tropical leaf litter arthropod communities by surveying patches of Panamanian forest where lianas have been removed, and experimentally isolating two aspects of the litter environment affected by canopy structure: incident light and litter depth. Increased litter produced by liana cutting resulted in increases in ant species richness and arthropod abundance. Structural complexity was …
Canopy Ants Of Central Arkansas And The Atlantic Forest Of Brazil: Community Patterns, Petrus Fauaze Moreira
Canopy Ants Of Central Arkansas And The Atlantic Forest Of Brazil: Community Patterns, Petrus Fauaze Moreira
Theses and Dissertations
Ants in the forest canopy are of special ecological interest due to their high diversity and ecological importance in this relatively inaccessible system. I explored the ecology of ants of temperate and tropical arboreal settings in Central Arkansas and Brazil respectively. I tested the hypothesis that biotic (e.g., tree identity) and abiotic (e.g., spatial distribution) factors regulate the diversity and composition of ants in the forest canopy, as well as the potential conservation benefits of agroforests in the tropics. In Arkansas, tree identity influenced ant species richness in tree crowns, in Brazil, ant species richness was significantly different between primary …
Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Ozark Ant Ecology, Robin Michelle Verble
Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Ozark Ant Ecology, Robin Michelle Verble
Theses and Dissertations
Fires are among the most conspicuous disturbances affecting leaf litter communities, and are sources of both direct and indirect insect mortality. Fires historically occurred on the Ozark landscape at high frequencies, and modern forest managers utilize prescribed fire to restore and maintain those ecosystems. I examined fire effects at multiple scales, ranging from post-fire patterns in leaf litter arthropod community structure to responses of individual organisms to heat stress. This dissertation summarizes the history of fire occurrences in Ozark forests of Arkansas. It then unifies the results of four observational and experimental studies designed to assess how Ozark forest ant …
Comparative Ecology And Conservation Status Of Procambarus (Pennides) Gibbus And Procambarus (Pennides) Versutus In Marion County, Georgia, Joann Chadwick
Comparative Ecology And Conservation Status Of Procambarus (Pennides) Gibbus And Procambarus (Pennides) Versutus In Marion County, Georgia, Joann Chadwick
Theses and Dissertations
Two crayfish species, whose conservation status was of concern, Procambarus (Pennides) gibbus Hobbs and Procambarus (Pennides) versutus Hagen, and one relatively common crayfish, Procambarus (Pennides) spiculifer LeConte were studied at nine creek sites in Marion County, Georgia. Major objectives of the yearlong study were to 1) compare the habitats of these species, looking for environmental differences that might account for their isolated distributions within the county and 2) assess the current conservation status of P. gibbus and P. versutus. Each study site was characterized by a one-time assessment of floodplain width, stream width, water velocity, stream depth and assessment of …