The Effects of Restoration Structures on Nutrient Uptake and Macroinvertebrate Communities in Restored Urban Streams in Greensboro, North Carolina
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Stacy Lynn Hines (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Anne Hershey
Abstract: Urban stream restoration projects have been undertaken to improve physical, chemical, and biological integrity, but there has been little assessment of the effectiveness of these projects in restoring ecological function. I looked at the effect of restoration on improving water quality, periphyton, nutrient uptake, and macroinvertebrate communities compared to unrestored streams. When there was a restoration effect, I compared three types of restoration structures (riffle, cross vane, and step pool) in the restored streams to unrestored streams. Two years after restoration, restored streams did have a more oxygen rich environment. The structures provided hard substrate for algal growth which positively affected nutrient uptake length. There was also a strong trend toward faster uptake velocity and greater uptake rate in restored streams. There was a trend indicating riffles were more beneficial than cross vanes and step pools. The trend suggested that riffles allowed for more mean algal growth and had better water quality ratings. Despite the benefits of the restoration, there was little improvement in biotic integrity based on the North Carolina Biotic Index.
The Effects of Restoration Structures on Nutrient Uptake and Macroinvertebrate Communities in Restored Urban Streams in Greensboro, North Carolina
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Created on 12/1/2007
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2007
- Keywords
- Restoration, Nutrient, Macroinvertebrates, Urban