Detecting Global Declines of Stoneflies at a Local Scale: Measuring Changes in Stonefly Diversity in a Tributary of the Cahaba River of Central Alabama

Title

Detecting Global Declines of Stoneflies at a Local Scale: Measuring Changes in Stonefly Diversity in a Tributary of the Cahaba River of Central Alabama

Date

2-14-2023

Faculty Mentor

Lori Tolley-Jordan, Biology

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Submission Type

Poster

Location

10:00-10:10am | Houston Cole Library, 11th Floor

Description

Projections of a global 40 percent decline in overall insect diversity in the next few decades are particularly worrisome for stonefly (Plecoptera) diversity. This group contains many species that are endemic, sensitive to habitat loss, and pollution intolerant primarily in their aquatic life stages where they occur only in non-impaired waterways. These insects often have life cycles of at least a year before emerging as adults so chronic exposure to pollutants, siltation, scouring, and other trends in impaired waterways cause localized extinction events. Currently, there are 650 described species in nine genera of stoneflies in the US of which 107 species are found in Alabama. In fact, type localities of 21 species are from small streams throughout the state. The headwaters of the Cahaba river starts in a very urbanized area and becomes more rural as it flows the almost 200 mile stretch away from Birmingham. Increased development at the headwaters is likely causing reduced stonefly diversity in the river as it becomes more impaired. Previously, 10 genera in four families were found along the Cahaba. A comparison of stonefly taxa along a single tributary of the Cahaba river from surveys conducted in 5 sites along the length of the creek from 1993-2018 will show trends in diversity changes through time and highlight the importance for long-term monitoring of Alabama streams.

Keywords

student research, biology

Rights

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Disciplines

Biology

Detecting Global Declines of Stoneflies at a Local Scale: Measuring Changes in Stonefly Diversity in a Tributary of the Cahaba River of Central Alabama
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