Fish Communities in Pools and Riffles of Fox Creek, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Chase County, Kansas

Abstract

We sampled fishes in Fox Creek at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Chase Co., Kansas in June 2012 to record fish species present and to compare richness, abundance, and evenness between pools and riffles. We collected 31 fish species from 94 pools and 14 riffles. The most common species in riffles were Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile), Redfin Shiner (Lythrurus umbratilis), and Central Stoneroller (Compostoma anomalum), and the most common species in pools were Redfin Shiner, Central Stoneroller, and Orangespotted Sunfish (Lepomis humilis). Species richness and abundance were higher in pools than riffles, however evenness was not statistically significantly different. Since this study was conducted in the middle of a severe drought, these results could provide important data on how fish communities are assembled during periods of low-flow in tallgrass prairie streams.