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Changes in Biotic Integrity of a River in North‐Central Tennessee
Author(s) -
Crumby W. Dennis,
Webb Mark A.,
Bulow Frank J.,
Cathey Harold Joe
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1990)119<0885:cibioa>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - index of biological integrity , population decline , dredging , watershed , population dynamics of fisheries , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , environmental science , population , habitat , geography , fishery , biology , demography , machine learning , sociology , computer science
Fish species composition and index of biotic integrity of Roaring River, Tennessee, were assessed in 1972 and 1986. During the intervening years, a fish barrier dam was constructed in the river, heavy gravel dredging occurred, and the watershed was disturbed by bridge construction, highway construction, and poor agricultural practices. Species composition changes and a general decline in index values reflected these instream and watershed disturbances. Deliberate and inadvertent introductions of new fish species also contributed to these changes. There was a general decline in number of native species, a loss of intolerant species in the lower reaches, and a general increase in tolerant species. There was also an increase in number of introduced species in the lower reaches, and a general increase in percentage of the population consisting of introduced species.