The spatial and temporal variation in fish distribution, assemblage structure, and habitat associations were investigated in relation to the available macrohabitats (riffle, run, or pool) in Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek, 2nd and 3rd order streams, respectively, located within the Red Bird River watershed in southeastern Kentucky. A total of 7,662 individuals were captured; 3,038 from Gilbert's Big Creek (21 species) and 4,624 from Elisha Creek (19 species). The most prevalent species overall in both streams was the creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Most fish species were distributed in the middle sampling sites in the spring, the lower sites in the summer, and the middle sites in the fall for both streams. Species richness increased from the upper to the lower sections of both streams during all seasons. Darter species (Etheostoma and Percina) selected riffles and runs while avoiding pools; whereas cyprinids selected pools while avoiding riffles and runs. Elisha Creek produced more total individuals; but overall the distributions, assemblage structures, and habitat associations exhibited by the fish communities in both Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek were very similar to what has been reported for the same species within their geographical range.
","abstract_html":"<p>The spatial and temporal variation in fish distribution, assemblage structure, and habitat associations were investigated in relation to the available macrohabitats (riffle, run, or pool) in Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek, 2nd and 3rd order streams, respectively, located within the Red Bird River watershed in southeastern Kentucky. A total of 7,662 individuals were captured; 3,038 from Gilbert's Big Creek (21 species) and 4,624 from Elisha Creek (19 species). The most prevalent species overall in both streams was the creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Most fish species were distributed in the middle sampling sites in the spring, the lower sites in the summer, and the middle sites in the fall for both streams. Species richness increased from the upper to the lower sections of both streams during all seasons. Darter species (Etheostoma and Percina) selected riffles and runs while avoiding pools; whereas cyprinids selected pools while avoiding riffles and runs. Elisha Creek produced more total individuals; but overall the distributions, assemblage structures, and habitat associations exhibited by the fish communities in both Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek were very similar to what has been reported for the same species within their geographical range. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Smith, Eric J."],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:32Z","subjects":["assemblage structure","distribution","fishes","habitat associations","stream","Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2014 Eric J. Smith"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/318","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Smith, Eric J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["assemblage structure","distribution","fishes","habitat associations","stream","Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2014 Eric J. Smith"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/318"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The spatial and temporal variation in fish distribution, assemblage structure, and habitat associations were investigated in relation to the available macrohabitats (riffle, run, or pool) in Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek, 2nd and 3rd order streams, respectively, located within the Red Bird River watershed in southeastern Kentucky. A total of 7,662 individuals were captured; 3,038 from Gilbert's Big Creek (21 species) and 4,624 from Elisha Creek (19 species). The most prevalent species overall in both streams was the creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Most fish species were distributed in the middle sampling sites in the spring, the lower sites in the summer, and the middle sites in the fall for both streams. Species richness increased from the upper to the lower sections of both streams during all seasons. Darter species (Etheostoma and Percina) selected riffles and runs while avoiding pools; whereas cyprinids selected pools while avoiding riffles and runs. Elisha Creek produced more total individuals; but overall the distributions, assemblage structures, and habitat associations exhibited by the fish communities in both Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek were very similar to what has been reported for the same species within their geographical range.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Distributions, Assemblage Structure, and Habitat Associations of Fishes in Two Streams of the Red Bird River Watershed, Kentucky"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Smith, Eric J."],"dc:description.abstract":["The spatial and temporal variation in fish distribution, assemblage structure, and habitat associations were investigated in relation to the available macrohabitats (riffle, run, or pool) in Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek, 2nd and 3rd order streams, respectively, located within the Red Bird River watershed in southeastern Kentucky. A total of 7,662 individuals were captured; 3,038 from Gilbert's Big Creek (21 species) and 4,624 from Elisha Creek (19 species). The most prevalent species overall in both streams was the creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Most fish species were distributed in the middle sampling sites in the spring, the lower sites in the summer, and the middle sites in the fall for both streams. Species richness increased from the upper to the lower sections of both streams during all seasons. Darter species (Etheostoma and Percina) selected riffles and runs while avoiding pools; whereas cyprinids selected pools while avoiding riffles and runs. Elisha Creek produced more total individuals; but overall the distributions, assemblage structures, and habitat associations exhibited by the fish communities in both Gilbert's Big Creek and Elisha Creek were very similar to what has been reported for the same species within their geographical range.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/318"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2014 Eric J. Smith"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["assemblage structure","distribution","fishes","habitat associations","stream","Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology"],"dc:title":["Distributions, Assemblage Structure, and Habitat Associations of Fishes in Two Streams of the Red Bird River Watershed, Kentucky"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:32Z"}