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Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(453) BIOHYDROLOGICAL COMPARISON OF THE NASSAWANGO AND NANJEMOY WATERSHEDS IN THE MARYLAND COASTAL PLAIN REGION.
N.A. Baer1, W.O. Lamp1, and D. Samson2. 1Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, 4112 Plant Science Building, College Park, MD 20742, 2The Nature Conservancy, Maryland/District of Columbia Chapter, 2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 300, Chevy Chase Circle, MD 20815
Understanding biohydrological patterns and processes of streams is important for watershed management and land protection decisions. The objective of our study was to assess and compare the biological, chemical, and hydrological components of two coastal plain streams in Maryland, the Nassawango Creek and the Nanjemoy Creek. The Nassawango watershed is influenced by agricultural practices and development on the Eastern Shore, while the Nanjemoy watershed is predominantly forested. Starting in August, 1998, stream discharge, chemical measurements, and physical data were collected monthly from each of five sites within both stream systems. The study sites on the Nassawango Creek have yielded elevated phosphorus levels, on the order of 170-2750 ug PO4-P/L, while the Nanjemoy Creek had 20-940 ug PO4-P/L. Benthic macroinvertebrate sampling was performed using artificial leaf packs three times annually. Leaf pack samples were composed of 25 genera in 7 macroinvertebrate orders. Within Diptera, 5 families were represented, with chironomids predominating. Multivariate analysis was used to relate the macroinvertebrate diversity to the physical and chemical components of the stream system. In addition, intra- and inter-watershed comparisons were made using cluster analysis.
Presented at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 in Bioassessment: Case Studies
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