AN ANALYSIS OF THE SHORE BEETLE COMMUNITY OF CHANNELIZED STREAMS IN PAULDING COUNTY, OHIO (INSECTA: COLEOPTERA) Paul M. Holeski A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 1976 il ABSTRACT A study of the shore beetle community of the channelized streams in the Little Auglaize Watershed in Paulding County, Ohio was conducted between 1972 and 1974. Species composing the community belonged to several families (Carabidae, Heteroceridae, Staphylinidae, Hydrophilidae, etc.) and are restricted to a narrow zone of habitat at the water-shore interface. All of the streams studied had undergone channelization several times, the most recent ranging from 1937 to 1973. Collections were made six to eight times a season at nine sites selected to provide a variation in time period since channelization and to be as inclusive of conditions in the watershed as was possible. Ninety species of shore beetles were collected from the nine sites. The largest variety of species taken at one site over the total period was 47. Between 13 and 32 species were collected at any one site each season. Quantitative analyses (Margalef and Shannon & Weaver) of species diversity were generally high at all of the sites and although the fewest individuals were collected at the most recently channelized site, the quantitative differences among streams grouped by time post-channelization were not statistically significant. Qualitative analysis to determine species composition showed that the communities at sites changed very little throughout the season of activity and that the communities at different sites (streams) did not differ greatly. It appeared that the species making up the shore beetle community are adapted to quick recolonization of an area after normal natural Ill disruptions such as floods or drought periods and thus were able to also quickly recolonize an area after a man-made disruption of their habitat. Stream channelization, therefore, did not significantly alter the species diversity or composition of the community. Many species in the community appeared to have unique associations, always occurring together or never being found in the presence of one another. Several species apparently not previously reported from Ohio were collected. Also included is a listing of the species collected and their distributions, and information on the area studied. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge Professor Carl Lindroth, Dr. George Ball, Dr. J.M. Campbell, and Dr. Ales Smetana for help with certain determina­ tions; Dr. Rex Lowe, Mr. Richard Eroelich, Mr. Tim Dunsworth, and Dr. F. MacMorris for the use of computer programs; and Mr. Richard Nagel, SCS for technical information. I also wish to thank my advisor, Dr. Robert C. Graves for his aid and my wife, Sue Holeski, for her aid and constant support. This project was supported in part by grants from the Ohio Biological Survey. ¿1 71 77/ /$ lAt V TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 THE AREA AND ITS HISTORY............................................................................................. 3 Geography and history ........................................................................................ 3 Streams........................................... 7 Geology....................................................................................... 17 Soils.....................................................................................................................................17 Climate.......................................................................................................................... 18 THE INSECTS.................................................................................................................................... 20 METHODS AND MATERIALS............................................................................................................ 23 Collecting sites............................................................................................................ 27 RESULTS..............................................................................................................................................56 Quantitative results.................................................................................................. 56 Qualitative results ............................................................................................ 64 Results of physical and chemical measurements ........................................................................................ 114 DISCUSSION.................................................................................................................................. 116 SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................130 LITERATURE CITED 131 vi LIST OF TABLES Table I Dates and locations of first Page stream modifications.......................................................... .... 8 Table II Dates of modification to streams in the area of the sample locations.......................................................9 Table III Location of the sample sites...............................................................28 Table IV Summaries of quantitative data.......................................................... 58 Table V Stations most similar in species composition................................................................................................. 68 Table VI Coefficients of Similarity for stations based on yearly species totals......................................................74 Table VII Mean Coefficients of Similarity for each site based on seasonal comparisons............................................77 Table VIII Species collected in the Little Auglaize Watershed...................................................................................................... 79 Table IX List of species collected at each site....................................83 Table X Distribution of individuals by families listed for each collecting site.................................................92 Table XI Distribution of individuals by families Three year totals...................................................................................102 Table XII Species not collected at various sites..................................... 108 Table XIII Pairs of species found together................................................... 110 Table XIV Pairs of species not found together..........................................113 Table XV Soil analysis (particle size) for each site...................... 115 Vll LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Map of Ohio showing area of study..............................................5 Figure 2 Map of the Little Auglaize Watershed.................................... 13 Figure 3 Map showing the locations of the sampling stations................................................................................... 15 Figure 4 The sampling frame..................................................................................26 Figure 5 Site IT-48 The Little Auglaize River...................................... 26 Figure 6 Low water at site IT-48........................................................................30 Figure 7 Close view of substrate at site IT-48.....................................30 Figure 8 Site 2T-12 Dog Creek............................................................................. 33 Figure 9 Close view of substrate at site 2T-12. .........................33 Figure 10 Site 3T-12 Middle Creek . .................................................... 36 Figure 11 Site 3T-12 (36) Middle Creek...........................................................36 Figure 12 The shore area at site 3T-12(36)............................................... 39 Figure 13 Close view of the substrate at site 3T-12(36). .39 Figure 14 Site 3T-48 Middle Creek.................................................................. 41 Figure 15 Site 3T-48 showing second channel cut..................................... 41 Figure 16 The shore area at site 3T-48................................... 43 Figure 17 Close view of the substrate at site3 T-48..............................43 Figure 18 Site 5T-123 Hagerman Creek........................................................... .46 Figure 19 Site 5T-123 Typical shore beetle habitat...........................46 Figure 20 Site 4T-60 West Branch (Hoaglin Creek)................................48 Figure 21 Close view of the shore area at site 4T-60.............................................................................................48 Figure 22 Vegetation in the channel of West Branch.............................................................................................51 viii Page Figure 23 Site 6T-137 Prairie Creek....................................................................... 51 Figure 24 Site 6T-151 Prairie Creek....................................................................... 53 Figure 25 The shore area at site 6T-151............................................................. 53 Figure 26 The shore area at site 6T-137............................................................. 55 Figure 27 Close view of thè shore at site 6T-137...........................................