Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2010 Evaluating the Effects of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) on Soil, Vegetation, and Wildlife Joshua Allen Vance West Virginia University Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Vance, Joshua Allen, "Evaluating the Effects of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) on Soil, Vegetation, and Wildlife" (2010). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 3070. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/3070 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Evaluating the Effects of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) on Soil, Vegetation, and Wildlife Joshua Allen Vance Thesis submitted to the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources James T. Anderson, Ph.D., Chair Petra Bohall Wood, Ph.D., Committee Member Norse B. Angus, Committee Member Morgantown, West Virginia 2010 Key Words: anurans, Blennerhassett Island, bridge, island, mammals, Ohio River, songbirds, turtles, waterbirds Copyright 2010 Joshua Allen Vance ABSTRACT Evaluating the Effects of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) on Soil, Vegetation, and Wildlife Joshua Allen Vance Corridor D was one of the original 23 highway corridors selected by the Appalachian Highway Development System in 1965 and stretches from Bridgeport, West Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio. The last piece of Corridor D to be completed was the Blennerhassett Island Bridge which crosses over the Ohio River and Blennerhassett Island near Parkersburg, West Virginia and Belpre, Ohio. The Blennerhassett Island Bridge is a tied-arch style bridge about 1,220 m in length and 24 m above the ground and water surface. Construction of the bridge began in March 2005 and the bridge was opened to the public in June 2008. This study examined environmental impacts of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge to comply with mitigation requirements for the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways in accordinance with the Blennerhassett Island Bridge Final Environmental Impact Statement. From October 2007 through July 2009, I researched the impacts of the Blennerhassett Island Bridge upon vegetation, soil, and the following wildlife groups: waterbirds, songbirds, anurans, turtles, small mammals, and furbearers. Comparisons were made to two other islands (Buckley Island [bridge crossing present for about 45 years] and Muskingum Island [no bridge crossing]), to three distances from the bridge (0 [under], 100, and 300 m), and to pre-construction data collected during the 1985-1987 and 1998-2000 time periods. Over the course of this study, 170 plant, 19 waterbird, 60 songbird, 7 anuran, 5 turtle, 9 small mammal, and 4 furbearer species were detected among the three islands. Also, 19 soil variables were analyzed. Vegetative communities were different under the bridge compared to other sampling distances and pre-construction data. Vegetative communities were composed of species from the seed mixture used for reclamation, exotic and invasive species, and disturbance tolerant species with low herbaceous cover and minimal woody plants. Thirteen soil variables (phosphorus, bray II phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, soluble sulfur, zinc, aluminum, copper, total exchange capacity, organic matter, and estimated nitrogen released) had altered levels under the Blennerhassett Island Bridge and/or Buckley Island Bridge. Great blue heron (Ardea herodias) abundances were lower at islands with bridges. Songbird abundances were lower under the bridge and species composition differed compared to other distances with generalist species present under the bridge. Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), and common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) abundances were lower under the bridge and rock pigeon (Columba livia), cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), and European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) abundances were highest under bridges. Overall small mammal abundance, richness, and diversity were lower under the new bridge compared to other distances and abundances of Peromyscus spp. were lower under the new bridge. Raccoon (Procyon lotor) occurrences were lower under the new bridge compared to other sites and distances. Anurans and turtles showed no differences among islands and distances. The Blennerhassett Island Bridge was found to have some impacts to vegetation, soil, and wildlife. These impacts, however, are minor in scale and are mostly limited to the area directly under the bridge and did not impact large portions of Blennerhassett Island or the adjacent mainlands. Some of these impacts under the bridge include: altered soil chemistry, altered amount and type of vegetation, attraction of exotic and non-native vegetation, lower abundances and different composition of songbirds, attraction of urbanized songbird species, lower abundance, richness, and diversity of small mammals, and changes and alteration in habitat. I recommend that all possible care should be taken during future bridge construction to minimize environmental impacts to vegetation, soil, and wildlife and to restore the impacted land back to previous conditions. I also suggest that vegetation, soil, songbirds, and small mammals should continually be monitored at the Blennerhassett Island site to determine if these impacts found in this study are temporary or permanent. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died for my sins and changed my heart. I would not be the person I am today without His work in me. I thank my major advisor Dr. James T. Anderson for his advice, patience, and willingness to work with me through difficult times. I thank my other committee members Dr. Petra Wood and Norse B. Angus for their support and advice. I thank the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways for providing funding for this project. Special thanks go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources and Parks and Recreation sections specifically Patty Morrison, Scott Morrison, Gary Batton, Jeff McCrady, and Matt Baker for their cooperation with this project including use of boats and 5 star living arrangements at the world renowned “Bass Shack”. I am endebted to Dr. Phil Turk and Dr. George Merovich for their assistance with statistical analyses with this project. I thank Dr. Jim Rentch and the late Bill Grafton for their assistance and unprecedented knowledge displayed during vegetation sampling. I thank my fellow graduate students for their support, encouragement, advice, and friendship during my time at WVU. I thank my friend and mentor Bill Tolin for his work on the Ohio River islands and the advice he provided for me throughout this project. I thank the biologists from the WVDNR Wildlife Diversity unit in Elkins, WV for support and encouragement during this study. Many thanks go to the multiple technicians, volunteers, and graduate students who are too many to name who assisted with this project. Much appreciation is extended to my Uncle Dan and Aunt Rhonda for opening their house to me and the hospitality they provided. Lastly, I thank my parents, David Vance and Rachael Vance, for instilling the love of the outdoors into my heart and encouraging me to always chase and never give up on my dreams. I love you both. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ v CHAPTER 1 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER 2 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 2 LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. x CHAPTER 3 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 4 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 4 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ xii LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................................