| Abstrakt: |
The industrialization of Birmingham Alabama in the 1800s following the discovery and mining of limestone, coal, and iron ore for the production of steel is well documented. Changes in native flora and fauna in response to impact from those activities likely occurred in those early, frontiersman days and continue to present day. Floral species loss is evident as ecologists began conducting surveys in the 1800s. However for fishes the earliest extensive surveys began in the 1950s. We used EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBPs) to examine fish assemblages in several headwater streams (Village creek, Five-Mile creek, Beaver creek, Turkey creek, Black creek, and the Little Cahaba river) in the NE corridor of Birmingham to assess current status in comparison to historical fish assemblage data. These streams are found in the heart of the city (Village creek) and extend about 20 mi. NE into rapidly gentrifying, suburban regions. Two teams of surveyors worked at each site collecting fish downstream and upstream. Habitat assessment and water quality parameters were also examined at each site and included D.O, temp, pH, conductivity, TDS, nitrate, and phosphorus measurements. In three years of surveying, over 2,000 fishes comprising 20 species were captured, identified, and released following on-site enumeration. IBI scores calculated were poor to fair with most sites dominated by tolerant minnow and sunfish species including stonerollers (Campostoma oligolepis), creek chubs (Semotilus atromaculatus), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Comparisons of fish assemblages show a reduction in overall species number in current versus historic reports (ADCNR heritage database). Although some inconsistencies related to reclassification of species can account for species loss, an overwhelming number of missing species is evident. We suggest that habitat degradation is a major factor influencing assemblages considering water quality among all sites was similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
