Influence of Different Habitat Factors on Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) within Channelized Agricultural Headwater Streams

Abstract

Natural history information on habitat relationships of Semotilus atromaculatus (Creek Chub) in channelized agricultural headwater streams in the northeastern region of North America is limited. We hypothesized that Creek Chubs within channelized agricultural headwater streams would be more strongly influenced by instream habitat than other physical and chemical habitat variables. We sampled Creek Chubs and measured watershed characteristics, riparian habitat characteristics, geomorphology, instream habitat characteristics, and water chemistry in 14 channelized agricultural headwater streams in central Ohio from 2006 to 2011. We found that the abundance, mean length, and biomass of Creek Chub were most strongly influenced by watershed characteristics (land use, soil type) and geomorphology (channel shape, channel size). Our results indicate that conservation and restoration practices designed to mitigate physical habitat degradation are most likely to benefit Creek Chub within channelized agricultural headwater str eams.