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Some Thermal and Biological Effects of Forest Cutting in West Virginia
Author(s) -
Lee R.,
Samuel D. E.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500040005x
Subject(s) - benthic zone , fauna , biomass (ecology) , watershed , environmental science , weir , ecology , hydrology (agriculture) , clearcutting , biology , geography , geology , cartography , geotechnical engineering , machine learning , computer science
Water temperatures, benthic fauna, and aquatic insect emergence were observed in four small watersheds to document the effects of forest cutting. During the summer months, complete cutting caused mean temperature increases > 4C, and maximum temperature increases > 9C. The changes diminished to about one‐half after 3 years of natural hardwood regeneration. Complete cutting more than tripled the mean weekly range of stream temperature during summer, and decreased mean minimum temperatures during winter months by about 2C. Two orders, Diptera and Pelecypoda , accounted for most of the benthic biomass in watershed weir ponds; the former predominated in clear‐cut watershed ponds, and the latter in a control (forested area) pond. The control pond produced by far the highest total numbers and biomass of benthic fauna, and the greatest numbers of aquatic insects.