Using Rapid Bio-assessment and Habitat Evaluation Methods to Understand the Effects of Different Land Uses on a Privately-owned River in Southwest Virginia

Abstract

land uses that adversely affect conservation on private land can lead to improved management that promotes ecosystem and conservation services. The study site is situated in the Southern Appalachians, located in southeastern North America, spanning from West Virginia to northern Alabama. The Southern Appalachians, cover roughly 37.4 million acres, with over 80% owned privately (Southern Appalachian Vitality Index, 2016a). Approximately 22% of riparian habitat is disturbed or degraded with 75% of disturbances related to agricultural land use (Southern Appalachian Vitality Index, 2016b). The Southern Appalachians are a biodiversity hotspot for aquatic species because many streams and rivers drain southwards, which allowed aquatic species to persist during successive glaciations. For example, approximately 345 fish species inhabit Southern Appalachian streams and rivers, which represent more species than occur in all of Europe (Stein et al., 2000; Sutherland et al., 2002). Many of the species, including threatened and endangered species, require high water quality and clean substrate making them sensitive to sediment pollution from agriculture, forestry, urban development, and road construction (Waters, 1995; Sutherland et al., 2002). The specific study site within the Southern Appalachians is the North Fork of the Roanoke River, which transects a largely agricultural watershed. Because the Roanoke Logperch, a federally endangered species, has been confirmed to inhabit the Using Rapid Bio-assessment and Habitat Evaluation Methods to Understand the Effects of Different Land Uses on a Privatelyowned River in Southwest Virginia