Biotic Assessment Of Two Central Kentucky Streams: Examining The Effects Of Wastewater Treatment And Anthropogenic Disturbance

<p>Globally, anthropogenic disturbance has altered many aquatic habitats, including lotic waters. Flowing, fresh water sustains life on Earth yet suffers the resulting waste products. Native, locally adapted ecosystems integrate or eliminate the byproducts of life. However an increase of human population, poor agricultural practices, accelerated overland runoff, a non-point source of pollution, and wastewater treatment plants (WTP), a point source of pollution, have all placed a strain on the world’s flowing, fresh, waters. The de-commissioning of two WTPs in the Kentucky River basin, and the commissioning of a new WTP in an adjacent watershed, provided an opportunity to examine the effects of WTPs and land-use for potentially influencing stream degradation. Using multi-metric bioassessments for habitat, fishes, and macroinvertebrates this study sought to evaluate the relative health of both streams and establish a reference survey of the habitat and biota of these two streams, relative to the presence of a wastewater treatment facility. Although WTP activity has impacted both streams it is apparent that it is only one component responsible for the overall impairment of these streams. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Eastern Kentucky University

Year

2016

Author dc:creator

• Ratterman, Daniel John

• Fish
• KIBI
• Macroinvertebrate
• MBI
• RBP
• Waste-water treatment
• Environmental Monitoring
• Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Daniel John Ratterman

Repository record dc:identifier

https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/414

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:encompass.eku.edu:etd-1412