STREAM ORDER AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISHES IN AN INTERMITTENT STREAM By RICHARD CUNNINGHAM HARREL Bachelor of Science East Central State College Ada, Oklahoma 1959 Master of Science Education University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 1963 Submitted to the faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY July, 1966 STREAM ORDER AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISHES IN AN INTERMITTENT STREAM By RICHARD CUNNINGHAM HARREL Bachelor of Science East Central State College Ada, Oklahoma 1959 Master of Science Education University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 1963 Submitted to the faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY July, 1966 Name: Richard Cunningham Harrel Date of Degree: July 29, 1966 Institution: Oklahoma State University Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma Title of Study: STREAM ORDER AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISHES IN AN INTERMITTENT STREAM Pages in Study: 76 Candidate for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major Field: Zoology Scope and Method of Study: The morphometry of the drainage basin, physico-chemical conditions and community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes were quantitatively related to stream order in a sixth order intermittent stream system located in Northcentral Oklahoma. Numbers of species and individuals, species diversity indices derived from information theory and indices of heterogeneity were used in determining community struc- ture. Findings and Conclusions: Average drainage area and average lengths of streams of each order increased, and stream numbers and average gradient decreased exponentially as stream order increased. Physico- chemical fluctuations, turbidity and water temperature decreased, while flow, alkalinity and conductivity increased as stream order increased. One hundred and twenty-one species of benthic invertebrates were collected. Numbers of species increased from 75 in third order pools to 86 in fifth order pools. Only 68 species were collected in the sixth order stream, as a result of reduction of micro- habitats caused by heavy siltation. Larger numbers of individuals occurred in fourth order streams throughout the year. Smaller numbers occurred in the sixth order stream during fall, winter and spring, and in third order streams during summer. Annually, species diversity (H) increased in third, fourth and fifth order streams, and decreased in the sixth order stream. Diversity per individual (H) increased and redundancy (R) de- creased as stream order increased. Species diversity was significantly different between and within stream orders at the 757. confidence level, diversity per individual at the 957. level and redundancy at the 907. level. During fall, winter and spring, diversity per individual increased and redundancy decreased as stream order increased. These values were similar in all stream orders during suataer. Diversity per individual was significantly different between and within stream orders at the 957. level during fall, and 907. level during winter and spring. Significance of redundancy increased from the 257. level during summer to the 907. level during spring. Ranges of species diversity, diversity per 1- individual and redundancy decreased as stream order increased, indicating more uniform community structure in higher stream orders. Mean annual indices of heterogeneity (Ill) between stations of the same order decreased as stream order increased, indicating that similarity of community structure increased progressively with stream order. A station located in a third order adventitious stream, which flowed directly into the sixth order stream and not through the hierarchy of tributaries, had a community structure more similar to higher order streams than to other third order streams. Drought and influx of oil field brines upset the stream ordermcommunity structure relationship. Fishes were collected after eight months of continuous stream flow and again after a severe drought. Species diversity (d) values for both collections were remarkably similar. Species diversity of fishes increased as stream order increased. ADVISER'S APPROVAL STREAM ORDER AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND FISHES IN AN INTERMITTENT STREAM Thesis Approved: Thesis Adviser Dean of the Graduate College 11 PREFACE This study of stream order and community structure in an intermit- tent Oklahoma stream was made to determine the correlation between stream order and the morphometry of the drainage basin, physico-chemical conditions and community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes. Professor Troy C. Dorris served as major adviser. Calvin G. Beams, William A. Drew, L. Herbert Bruneau and Rudolph J. Miller served on the advisory committee and criticized the manuscript. Robert G. Easterling wrote the computer program for community structure and analyses of variance. Billy J. Mathis, John H. Carroll and J. Kenneth Beadles helped make field collections. Billy J. Davis helped collect, identify and count fishes. Verifications of invertebrate determinations were made by Wm. F. Hahnert, Hirudinea; Walter J. Harman, Naididae; Carl F. Prophet, Conchostraca; Jay R. Traver, Ephemeroptera; Edward J. Kormondy, Odonata; Kurt F. Schaefer, Hemiptera; Paul J. Spangler, Dytiscidae, Halipidae, Helodidae, Hydrophilidae and Gyrinidae; Ralph M. Sinclair, Elmidae; C. Dennis Hynes, Tipulidae; Selwyn S. Roback, Tendipedidae; Willis W. Wirth, Ceratopogonidae; Alan Stone, Culicidae; Harold D. Murray, Gastropoda and Unionidae; and H. B. Herrington, Sphaeriidae. The assistance of all these people is appreciated. This study was supported in part by U. S. Public Health Service, Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control Research Fellowship, 5-Fl-WP-23,074. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1 II. DESCRIPTION OF AREA . 5 General Description of Basin ...5 Morphometry ................................... 6 Stream-Order Analysis ...6 Descriptions of Stations ............................ 12 III. PROCEDURES ................................................ 15 Physico-Chemical .............................. 15 Biological.• • • —• • 15 Species Diversity and Heterogeneity .................. 16 IV. PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CONDITIONS . • . o • . 18 V. COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES . 23 Numbers of Individuals and Species .................. 23 Effects of Drought and Flooding ...................... 28 Species Diversity .................................... 33 Heterogeneity ........................................ 38 Effects of Oil Field Brines .......................... 42 VI. COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF FISHES . 46 Species Diversity .................................... 46 Effect of Drought .................................... 50 Effect of Oil Field Brines . • . • • • • 4 0 0 • 0 0 50 VII. STREAM ORDER AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN COMPARATIVE STUDIES .................................................. 52 VIII. SUMKARY0000000000• • • 0 • 0 • • • • 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 LITERATURE CITED . 58 APPENDIX . 0 . 0 • O • • • • • • • o • • • • • • • e o 63 LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. Stream-Order Analysis of Otter Creek Drainage Basin . • • 8 II. Characteristics of Streams and Sampling Stations .......... 13 III. Monthly Precipitation in Centimeters ...................... 18 IV. Mean Annual Physico-Chemical Conditions and Extremes of Stream Orders .......................................... 20 2 V. Numbers of Benthic Macroinvertebrates Per M (Annual) . 24 VI. Extremes of Species Diversity (H), Diversity Per Individual (H) and Redundancy (R), and Ranges for Stream Orders. 37 VII. Calculated F Values From Analyses of Variance of Species Diversity (H), Diversity Per Individual (H) and ..... Redundancy (R) 38 VIII. Annual Indices of Heterogeneity for Otter Creek .......... 41 IX. Mean Annual Physico-Chemical Conditions at Stations Which Received Oil Field Brines and at Stations of the Same Order Above and Below the Brine Influx .................. 43 X. Annual Heterogeneity and Community Structure at Stations Which Received Oil Field Brines and at Stations of the ..... Same Order Above and Below the Brine Influx 44 XI. Distribution of Fishes in Otter Creek Drainage Basin, 10 June 1965 ............................................ 47 XII. Distribution of Fishes in Otter Creek Drainage Basin, 28 September 1965 ...................................... 49 XIII. Distribution of Prostoma Rubrum in Otter Creek and Limnological Conditions at Collecting Stations .......... 64 2 XIV. Seasonal Abundance of Tendipedid Larvae (No./M ).......... 74 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Otter Creek Drainage Basin and Collecting Stations ... 7 2. Number and Average Lengths of Streams in Relation to Stream Order ...9 3. Average Gradient and Basin Size in Relation to Stream Order .................................................. 11 4. Mean Annual Physico-Chemical Conditions in Relation to Stream Order ............................................ 19 5. Seasonal Variations in Numbers of Species and Individuals in Relation to Stream Order ............................ 29 6. Seasonal Variations of Limnodrilus Sp. and Tendipedid Larvae as Percentages of Total Fauna, with Daily Precipitation .......................................... 31 7. Seasonal Variations in Species Diversity (H), Diversity