Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Start Date
21-5-2015
End Date
21-5-2015
Keywords
Insects, Water, Burial
Abstract
Urban stream syndrome occurs when an urban area affects a stream system. Stream burial is common in urban systems, and burial blocks incoming light, potentially affecting available food resources and, in turn, affecting the insect communities. I tested for changes to the stream ecosystem as a result of urbanization by measuring insect community parameters upstream and downstream of buried sites in the three creeks in Ellensburg, Washington, that are affected by urban stream syndrome. I measured chlorophyll on rocks, total suspended sediments (TSS), fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), ammonium, and phosphorus to relate to insect communities characteristics. I hypothesized that there would be an overall significant difference between insect communities in the upstream and downstream sites. Each creek was tested at two sites, with an upstream and a downstream testing location, totaling twelve sample sites. To find the significance of the data, a paired t-test was used to find any significance between the upstream and the downstream sites. I found no significant difference in chlorophyll, FBOM, or TSS between the upstream and downstream sites, p = 0.92, p = 0.47, and p = 0.50, respectively. However, I did find higher phosphorus concentrations upstream of a buried stream segment compared to downstream, p = 0.048, implying net phosphorus uptake in the buried reach. The identification of the individual insects within their respected communities will show whether or not burial is affecting these communities.
Recommended Citation
Balda, Michael, "Insect Communities: Ellensburg Upstream Versus Downstream Sites" (2015). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 30.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2015/posters/30
Poster Number
37
Department/Program
Environmental Studies
Additional Mentoring Department
Biological Sciences
Insect Communities: Ellensburg Upstream Versus Downstream Sites
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Urban stream syndrome occurs when an urban area affects a stream system. Stream burial is common in urban systems, and burial blocks incoming light, potentially affecting available food resources and, in turn, affecting the insect communities. I tested for changes to the stream ecosystem as a result of urbanization by measuring insect community parameters upstream and downstream of buried sites in the three creeks in Ellensburg, Washington, that are affected by urban stream syndrome. I measured chlorophyll on rocks, total suspended sediments (TSS), fine benthic organic matter (FBOM), ammonium, and phosphorus to relate to insect communities characteristics. I hypothesized that there would be an overall significant difference between insect communities in the upstream and downstream sites. Each creek was tested at two sites, with an upstream and a downstream testing location, totaling twelve sample sites. To find the significance of the data, a paired t-test was used to find any significance between the upstream and the downstream sites. I found no significant difference in chlorophyll, FBOM, or TSS between the upstream and downstream sites, p = 0.92, p = 0.47, and p = 0.50, respectively. However, I did find higher phosphorus concentrations upstream of a buried stream segment compared to downstream, p = 0.048, implying net phosphorus uptake in the buried reach. The identification of the individual insects within their respected communities will show whether or not burial is affecting these communities.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Clay Arango