MBSS Site Summary for: YOUG-227-R-2015
Located on SOUTH BRANCH BEAR CREEK in the Youghiogheny River watershed,
8-digit code: 05020201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2015 and again in the summer on 6/4/2015.
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
|
Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
|
|
Benthic IBI
|
Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
|
Land Use
Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
|
|
Catchment area
|
1,282 acres
|
Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
|
|
Urban Land Use
|
11.1 %
|
|
Agricultural Land Use
|
49.6 %
|
|
Forested Land Use
|
37.4 %
|
Stream Water Quality:
|
| pH (lab) |
6.99 |
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
|
326.9 µeq/L |
| Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) |
1.3504 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.
|
 |
The following 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
|
| Common name |
Count |
|
Blacknose Dace
|
153 |
|
Creek Chub
|
13 |
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.
|
| Bull Thistle |
| Canada Thistle |
| Multiflora Rose |
| Shrub Honeysuckle |
|
|
|
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
|
| Genus/Family |
Common Name |
Count |
| Micropsectra |
Non-Biting Midges
|
24 |
| Gammarus |
Amphipod
|
22 |
| Ephemerella |
Sulphur Mayfly
|
22 |
| Neophylax |
Caddisfly
|
9 |
| Cheumatopsyche |
Net-Spinning Caddisfly
|
8 |
| Parametriocnemus |
Non-Biting Midges
|
7 |
| Polypedilum |
Non-Biting Midges
|
3 |
| Diplectrona |
Net-Spinning Caddisfly
|
3 |
| Heterotrissocladius |
European Non-Biting Midge
|
3 |
| Pseudolimnophila |
Crane Fly
|
2 |
| Stempellinella |
Non-Biting Midges
|
2 |
| Maccaffertium |
March Brown And Cahill Mayfly
|
2 |
| Epeorus |
Mayfly
|
2 |
| Pisidiidae |
Pill Clam
|
2 |
| Leptophlebiidae |
Pronggilled Mayfly
|
1 |
| Hemerodromia |
Tiny Fly
|
1 |
| Natarsia |
Non-Biting Midges
|
1 |
| Thienemannimyia Group |
Non-Biting Midges
|
1 |
| Rheotanytarsus |
Non-Biting Midges
|
1 |
| Caecidotea |
Isopod
|
1 |
| Parachaetocladius |
Non-Biting Midge
|
1 |
| Brillia |
Non-Biting Midges
|
1 |
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.
