Macroinvertebrates in the Savannah River Below Richard B. Russell Lake, Georgia and South Carolina

Abstract

A survey of the macroinvertebrate community in the Savannah River below Richard B. Russell Lake, Georgia and South Carolina, was conducted in October 1989. The purpose was to collect benthic data prior to maintenance dredging in the river immediately below the dam. The macroinvertebrate fauna in this reach of the Savannah River was dominated by oligochaete worms (64.8 percent) with lesser numbers of chironomid larvae (10.7 percent), the phantom midge Chaoborus sp. (8.1 percent), and bivalve molluscs (9.0 percent). Macroinvertebrates other than these groups were uncommon (3.8 percent) and consisted mainly of Trichopterans (Crynellus fraternus and Oecetis sp.), the Megalopteran Sialis rotunda and the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia sp. Total macroinvertebrate density at six stations ranged from 237.3 to 2,480.0 individuals/sq m. Sixteen species of chironomidae were identified; species diversity (2.05) and evenness (0.74) were moderate for this group. Fourteen species of oligochaetes were identified; species diversity (1.48) and evenness (0.56) were substantially less than for chironomidae.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA232423

Entities

People

  • Andrew C. Miller
  • C. R. Bingham

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Drainage Basins
  • Dredging
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Habitats
  • Invertebrates
  • Materials
  • New York
  • North America
  • North Carolina
  • Organic Materials
  • Particle Size
  • Ridges
  • South Carolina
  • United States
  • Urban Areas
  • Water Quality
  • Waterways

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Coastal and Marine Engineering/Sediment Transport/Hydraulic Engineering
  • Riverine Ecology