Basics River continuum – transition from headwaters to large river Main variables on life: temperature, bottom type and water chemistry Temperature is one of the biggest determining factors of fish populations. Coldwater (50 degrees to 65 degrees), cool water (65 degrees to 70 degrees) and warm water (70 degrees to 85 degrees). Compare headwaters to large river…

Pollution Agriculture – Sediment = Chokes fish & macros, increases temp – nitrogen and phosphorus = increases plant growth, which in turn decays and consumes DO – animals= increased plant growth, decreasing dissolved oxygen (as manure breaks down) and eliminating important stream bottom habitat

Pollution- Acid Mine Drainage Water reacts with iron pyrite and forms acid – Kills algae and bottom of food chain – Damages fish physically Metal toxicity- coats stream bottom= yellow (iron), white (aluminum) or black (manganese).

Pollution Acid Rain a pH level that falls below 5.6 average pH of rainfall in Pennsylvania is 4.3 (among highest in US) Worst in spring Same affects as AMD

Incomplete Metamorphosis ENA – Egg, nymph, adult Sort of like humans Just a small, cute, more helpless version of an adult.

Complete Metamorphosis ELPA – Egg, larva, pupa, adult – Caterpillars to butterflies- COMPLETE changes! Nothing like the adult.

Fishing 80,000 miles of rivers and streams $1.35 billion industry loss of riparian buffers results in temperature increases, changes in stream banks and channels, and destruction of important spawning habitat Focus on riparian zone repair, dam removal, fixing manmade lakes from bowl-like state

Meanders make a stream longer and increase the amount of habitat increase the quality of the habitat – Undercuts (hiding places) on outside of bend – Sediment piles on inside of bend

Riffles, Runs, & Pools riffle is shallow with lots of rocks that break the surface Runs are deep and fast, with no rocks Pools are wide, deep sections that have a slow current, with lots of debris and detritus

Lakes bigger and deeper than ponds, some as deep as 50 to 100 feet made by humans to hold back flood waters or to provide drinking water Naturally formed by glaciers Lake Erie is our largest Common fish= walleye

Ponds small, shallow waters, with mud or silt bottoms. less than 12 feet deep Common fish= panfish

Reservoirs Made by blocking rivers for flood control or electricity Common fish= largemouth bass

Rivers lower-order tributaries eventually feed rivers Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers Common fish- smallmouth bass

Wetlands Wet for part of the year Anaerobic soil Hydrophytic plants Great at removing silt, controlling flood runoff, removing excess nutrients Diversity, recreation benefits

Endangered Fish 34% of PA fish endangered Reasons- – Dams – Pollution – Overfishing Permits and study required before alteration

Endangered Reptiles & Amphibians Habitat loss as main cause 12 reptile and amphibian species of special concern in Pennsylvania: Six endangered, three threatened and three candidate. Extirpated- extinct only in PA Mud turtle dtoextinction3.pdf dtoextinction3.pdf