H umans have long been fascinated by the dynamism of free-flowing waters. Yet we expended great effort to tame rivers for transportation, water supply, flood control, agriculture, and power generation. It is now recognized that harnessing streams comes at cost: Many no longer support socially valued native species or sustain healthy ecosystems provide important goods services (Naiman et al. 1995, NRC 1992).

Man's activities have had profound, and usually negative, influences on freshwater fishes from the smallest streams to largest rivers. Some negative effects are due contaminants, while others associated with changes in watershed hydrology, habitat modifications, alteration of energy sources upon which aquatic biota depends. Regrettably, past efforts evaluate man's attempted use water quality as a surrogate for more comprehensive biotic assessment. A refined assessment program is required...

Water of sufficient quality and quantity is critical to all life. Increasing human population growth technology require society devote more attention protection adequate supplies water. Although perception biological degradation stimulated current state federal legislation on the water resources, that focus was lost in search for easily measured physical chemical surrogates. The "fishable swimmable" goal Pollution Control Act 1972 (PL 92—500) its charge "restore maintain" biotic integrity...

Summary 1. Society benefits immeasurably from rivers. Yet over the past century, humans have changed rivers dramatically, threatening river health. As a result, societal well‐being is also threatened because goods and services critical to human society are being depleted. 2. ‘Health’— shorthand for good condition (e.g. healthy economy, communities) — grounded in science yet speaks citizens. 3. Applying concept of health logical outgrowth scientific principles, legal mandates, changing...

This paper analyzes factors determining the extent of density compensation on islands: i.e., is summed population individuals all species islands equal to mainland as a result niche expansions and higher abundances island compensating for absence many species? In addition, method described estimating bird densities based analysis time dependence or mist—netting yields. Puercos Island in Pearl Archipelago off Panama has less than one—third resident birds comparable habitats. Analysis avifauna...

This paper applies concepts of landscape ecology and patch dynamics to lotic systems. We present a framework for the investigation pattern process in ecosystems that considers how specific characteristics determine biotic abiotic processes over various scales. Patch include: size, size distribution within landscape, juxtaposition, diversity, duration, mechanisms affecting formation. Several topics current interest are examined from patch-dynamics perspective: (1) response periphyton...

Invertebrate data from rivers in the Tennessee Valley were used to: (1) evaluate utility of 18 characteristics invertebrate assemblages (attributes) to assess biological condition streams and (2) develop a comprehensive benthic index that reflects important aspects stream biology responds effects human society detectable ways. We Authority's (TVA) fixed—station monitoring program established 1986 water resources Valley. The covered sites with various types levels disturbance. TVA biologists...

Journal Article Biological Integrity versus Diversity as Policy Directives: Protecting biotic resources Get access Paul L. Angermeier, Angermeier Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar James R. Karr BioScience, Volume 44, Issue 10, November 1994, Pages 690–697, https://doi.org/10.2307/1312512 Published: 01 1994

Development and implementation of local regional plans to control nonpoint sources pollution from agricultural land are major mandates section 208 Public Law 92-500. Many planners tend equate erosion as measured by the universal soil loss equation with improvements in water quality. Others implement channel management practices which degrade rather than improve quality thereby decrease effectiveness other efforts sources. Planners rarely recognize importance land-water interface regulating...

Abundance of woody debris was manipulated in a small Illinois stream to determine the importance this material fish. When reach divided along midchannel, and added one side, but removed from other, fish benthic invertebrates were usually more abundant on side with than cleared side. In further experiments during low-flow year (1980), removal followed by rapid decreases water depth occurrence organic litter, increases current velocity proportion sand bottom. These changes less apparent...

Data on avian community structure and vegetation for Illinois, Panama, Texas, Bahama study areas are discussed. Bird species diversity is linearly related to foliage height sigmoidally the percent cover. Under some circumstances, volume of in addition layering distribution among layers important as a predictor bird diversity. Historical factors seem be importance phases evolution Horn's Rh, an inverse measure overlap, applied tropical temperate data, other considerations indicate that...

The goal of biological monitoring is to evaluate the effect human activities on resources. In this study, we linked across landscapes specific changes in assemblages benthic macroinvertebrates streams that drain those landscapes. We used data from 2nd- 4th-order southwestern Oregon test approximately 30 hypotheses about how respond several common actions, especially logging and associated road construction. found 10 attributes macroinvertebrate be reliable indicators disturbance. Data a...

The recently proposed index of biotic integrity (IBI) was evaluated for several watersheds throughout the midwestern United States. Five community metrics comprising IBI depend on number fish species present and must be adjusted changes in expected richness with stream size or zoogeography. We use basic relationships versus size, calculated from historical data seven watersheds, to define lines maximum richness. These are used predict attributes "excellent" communities, basis comparison...

To elucidate the causal factors responsible for diversity gradients in avian communities, populations were studied 12 months seven lowland tropical areas Republic of Panama and compared with structurally similar habitats Illinois. Resident (breeding) species made up 38—49% on temperate but only 20—36% habitats. There significantly more irregular occurrence mature Tropical grassland avifaunas no higher (number information measures diversity) than those areas, shrub forest tropics had as...

We investigated breeding bird communities of isolated woodlots (1.8—600 ha) in east—central Illinois during three summers (1979—1981) to compare the influence area and habitat on community structure. Woodlots supported from 9 43 species composition was relatively constant among years. Ecological generalists dominated small woodlots, while more specialized increased importance with area. Area accounted for most variation (86—98%) total number each year species—area relationship did not change...