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Chapter 5: Ecology & Biology

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NIAGARA RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN (Phase 1) Chapter 5: Ecology & Biology Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the term given to the diversity, or variety of plants and animals and other living things in a particular area or region. It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems within which they live and interact. Ecological Biodiversity is the diversity of ecosystems, natural communities and habitats. In essence, it’s the variety of ways that species interact with each other and their environment. We look at the biodiversity of an ecosystem, a natural area made up of a community of plants, animals, and other living things in a particular physical and chemical environment. In practice, "biodiversity" suggests sustaining the diversity of species in each ecosystem as we plan human activities that affect the use of the land and natural resources. Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem is necessary to preserve the web of life that sustains all living things. Each species of vegetation and each creature has a place on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. Plant, animal, and insect species interact and depend upon one another for what each offers, such as food, shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms. Therefore healthy ecosystems and biodiversity influence and sustain natural ecosystems and the natural resources those ecosystems support, such as water. This chapter outlines the important biological components and ecosystems of the watershed. Ecological Regions within the Watershed The 900,000 acres of the Niagara River watershed contains a variety of ecological conditions in regards to land cover, topography, hydrology, and geology. The headwaters contain distinct topographic relief and are dominated by large patches of forested cover, while the northern part of the watershed is flat and consists mostly of low-lying wetland habitat. More specific differences throughout the watershed are reflected through the classification of ecological regions (ecoregions). Defined by US EPA, ecoregions delineate areas containing similar ecological characteristics that provide a spatial framework recognizing the different potentials and capacities that are associated with the various environmental features within each region. Within the watershed, four physiographic ecological regions exist (See Figure 5.1) and include: . Ontario Lowlands (387,026 acres or 42.9% of the watershed) . Cattaraugus Hills (324,708 acres of 36% of the watershed) Page 5 ‐ 1 NIAGARA RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN (Phase 1) . Erie/Ontario Lake Plain (190,556 acres of 21.1% of the watershed) . Glaciated Low Allegheny Plateau (773 acres or .1% of the watershed) Ontario Lowlands The delineation of the Ontario Lowlands ecoregion stems from, “the extent of glacial Lake Iroquois.” This zone covers a large portion of the lower watershed, including Lower Tonawanda Creek, Middle Tonawanda Creek, Ellicott Creek and Murder Creek sub-basins. This area was once dominated by forests, however much of it has been cleared due to the agricultural capability of the land. Much of the land is low-lying, containing large wetland complexes, glacial lake plains, grasslands, and kettle topography. Streams within this zone are characterized as low-gradient, and transition into a channel closer to the confluence with the Niagara River. The built landscape contains residential, urban centers, and farmed land for both livestock and crop cultivation. Cattaraugus Hills Ecoregion This region contains the upland, headwater area of the southern sub-watersheds, including Eighteenmile Creek, Buffalo River, Buffalo Creek, Cayuga Creek and Upper Tonawanda Creek. The topography is characterized as “dissected plateau, rolling hills, and plateau toeslopes.” Streams within this region are generally low gradient with substrates consisting of gravel or silt, and in some cases are spring-fed and therefore able to support populations of native trout. Land cover within the Cattaraugus Hills contains significant areas of both deciduous and evergreen forest, emergent herbaceous wetlands, and fens. Rural residential, urban and, farmed lands also exist throughout this region. Erie/Ontario Lake Plain The middle portion of the watershed is characterized by the Erie/Ontario Lake Plan ecozone. The physiography of this region consists of flat lake plain bounded inland by Pleistocene beach ridges. Streams empty into the Niagara River, and host a variety of Great Lakes migratory fish species. Historically the area had natural vegetation types including beech-maple forest along with chestnut and oak, however the land is now dominated by residential and urban land uses. Page 5 ‐ 2 NIAGARA RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN (Phase 1) Figure 5.1: Ecoregions of the Niagara River Watershed Watershed Biology Fish Various fish sampling efforts have taken place in select locations throughout the watershed; however most data exists for the Niagara River and the Niagara River/Lake Erie waterfront communities. Much of the data collection within the watershed has been conducted by NYSDEC, D. Carlson, and studies conducted in relation to the New York Power Authority’s relicensing process. Page 5 ‐ 3 NIAGARA RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN (Phase 1) Typical fish species within the watershed include: “smallmouth bass, walleye, white bass, yellow perch, white sucker, muskellunge, northern poke, carp, various shiners, brown bullhead, bluegill, and rainbow smelt” (Niagara River Greenway Plan and Final EIS). Generally, migratory fish travel upstream along the tributaries off of the Niagara River, however many are impeded by both man-made and naturally caused barriers. Figure 5.2 on the following USF&W Fish Sampling, Buffalo Creek Headwaters (Brown Trout) page depicts the known fish barriers within the tributaries of the Niagara River Greenway Communities1 (Niagara River Greenway Habitat Strategy Phase 1). Barriers within the river itself are also present and include water level fluctuations and changes in water velocities caused by man-made influences. In the upper portions of the watershed smaller populations of non-migratory fish are present, including self-sustaining populations of native trout. These trout streams are documented within the water quality classifications section found on the State Water Quality Classifications map after page 4-2 and in Figure 5.3. The master list of fish species is provided on the following page and was compiled as part of the Ramsar Convention evaluation for the Niagara River Corridor. The master list details 102 fish species that have been documented within the watershed. Within the Niagara River corridor, different species communities are found to exist above and below the falls. The upper Niagara River has been recorded to support 89 species of fish, 36 of which have been introduced since 1960. The lower Niagara River has had 38 species documented, with 2 of them having not been observed after the late 1800s (Carlson, 2001). Loss of fish habitat within the watershed has been significant, resulting from human activities including development, dredging, water diversions, and bulk heading. This loss is most dramatic in the upper Niagara River, where valuable habitat including submerged aquatic vegetation and coastal 1 Niagara River Greenway Communities were designated as such as part of the New York Power Authority’s relicensing process and include the City of Buffalo; Town of Tonawanda; Village of Kenmore; City of Tonawanda; City of North Tonawanda; Town of Wheatfield; Town of Grand Island; Town of Niagara, City of Niagara Falls, Town of Lewiston; Village of Lewiston, Town of Porter; and Village of Youngstown. Page 5 ‐ 4 FISH Species Status Records Spawning Records Introduced US New York State Canada Ontario CITES IUCN Red List (Endangered (Environmental (Species at (Endangered ABCE Appendix Species Act) Conservation Law) Risk Act) Species Act) Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) Least concern Appendix II - Threatened - Threatened X X Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) Least concern - - - - - X X X X1 Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Least concern - - - - - X XX X1 Central Mudminnow (Umbra limi) Least concern - - - - - X X American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) - - - - - Endangered X X Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) - - - - - -X Lake Herring (Coregonus artedi) Least concern - - - - - X X American Brook Lamprey (Lampetra appendix) Least concern - - - - - X X Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus) Least concern - - - - - X XX X Bowfin (Amia calva) Least concern - - - - - X XX X Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus) - - - - Special concern Special concern X X Mooneye (Hiodon tergisus) Least concern - - Threatened - - X Longnose Sucker (Catostomus catostomus) - - - - - -X White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni) - - - - - -X XX X Northern Hognose Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans) Least concern - - - - - X X Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) Least concern - - - - - X X Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) Least concern - - - - - X X Greater Redhorse (Moxostoma valenciennesi) - - - - - -X X Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) Least concern - - Special concern - Threatened X X Silver Redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) Least concern - - - - - X Redhorse sp. (Moxostoma sp.) - - - - - -X Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes
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