MBSS Site Summary for: PTOB-002-S-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-002-S-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-002-S-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Hoghole Run in the Port Tobacco River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140109.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/2010 and again in the summer on 7/14/2010.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,329 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.5 %
Forested Land Use 70 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.47
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		76.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3439 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 140
Eastern Mudminnow 76
Blacknose Dace 47
Creek Chub 41
Creek Chubsucker 5
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Sea Lamprey 3
Tessellated Darter 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 25
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 21
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 9
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Demicryptochironomus 1
Neoplasta 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.