Illinois Streams Research Articles

Endosymbiotic Chlorella (Chlorophyta) in a Species of Vorticella (Ciliophora)

SMALL, E. B. 1973. A study of ciliate Protozoa from a small polluted stream in east-central Illinois. Amer. Zool., 13: 225-230. SOKAL, R. R. & ROHLF, F. J. 1969. Biometry. W. H. Freeman, San Francisco. 776 pp. SPOON, D. M. 1975. Survey, Ecology, and Systematics of the Upper Potomac Estuary Biota: Aufwuchs Microfauna, Phase 1. Final report, Water Resources Research Center, Washington Technical Institute, Washington, D.C. 117 pp.

Seasonal Population Interactions of Acanthocephalus dirus (Van Cleave 1931) in the Creek Chub, Semotilus atromaculatus, and Isopod, Asellus intermedius

The seasonal population interactions of adult and larval Acanthocephalus dirus were studied in the creek chub, Semotilus atromaculatus, green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus, and the isopod, Asellus intermedius, from a central Illinois stream. The prevalence of adult and larval parasites fluctuated sea- sonally in both the creek chub and isopod hosts. Small sample sizes prevented analysis of seasonal trends for green sunfish. The monthly adult worm prevalences in chubs lagged about 2 mo behind cystacanth prevalences in isopods. Seasonal fluctuations in isopod infections were related to the availability of acan- thors, influx of young isopods into the population, and death of older infected isopods. Fluctuations in chub infections were related to the availability of cystacanth infected isopods, and the 1-yr life span of adult worms. Both light and dark isopods were infected, but light isopods had extremely high prevalences and the light color appeared to be parasite induced. Adult A. dirus were recovered mainly from the middle portion of the creek chub's intestines throughout the course of the study. Neither prevalence nor mean density increased significantly with increasing size of isopods or creek chubs.

1976 Illinois drought: Evidence for improved water quality

During 1976, Illinois experienced a mild drought, of i ntensity equivalent to the once in 5 years frequency. It was anticipated that the drought would result in deteriorated water quality because dilution of point source discharges would be diminished. Furthermore, because productivity in Illinois streams is light limited, reduced runoff should result in clearer streams, higher algae levels, and greater variability in dissolved oxygen levels. In spite of these expectations, both chemical and biologic data showed that water quality in 1976 was appreciably better than that before 1975. The information provided by the Illinois water quality index (Janardan and Schaeffer 1977) coincides with biologic analyses of benthic invertebrates. The index supports and supplements the biologic data and provides a means for quantifying and integrating chemical and biologic data.

New Distributional Records for Three Species of Gammarid Amphipods

Nine species of the genus Gammarus are known from North America. Sympatric populations of Gammarus troglophilus Hubricht & Mackin, 1940, G. pseudo limnaeus Bousfield, 1958, and G. minus Say, 1818 occur in spring streams in southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri. G. troglophilus has a somewhat well defined, restricted geographical range while ranges of G. minus and G. pseudo limnaeus are much broader. None of these recorded ranges extends into south western Tennessee, although G. minus minus exists in northwestern, central and eastern portions of the state (Holsinger, 1972). We herein report sympatric popu lations of these three species from three localities in Shelby County, Tennessee, well

REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TOTAL DISSOLVED MINERALS IN STREAM WATERS OF ILLINOIS1

ABSTRACT Using water analyses from 67 gaging stations, discharge‐frequency‐weighted mean concentrations (QFC) and average annual yield (AAY) per unit area were determined for the total dissolved mineral content of Illinois streams. The resultant data indicates that total dissolved mineral contents are controlled by regional rather than local factors. In most cases plausible explanation for the magnitudes can be found in regional patterns of natural and demographic conditions. Although the data suggest that total dissolved minerals are increasing, the relative contributions of natural versus anthropogenic phenomena are difficult to delimit at this level of investigation.

A Study of Ciliate Protozoa from a Small Polluted Stream in East-Central Illinois

The role of species of ciliate Protozoa in trickling filter waste treatment processes awaits redefinition. Using the small fresh-water Salt Fork stream for our study, a stream which receives all of the discharge from the Champaign-Urbana Waste Treatment Plant in east-central Illinois, analyses of samples of carefully identified ciliates taken from selected sites over a three-year period yielded some interesting results. Four specific situations were noted: (1) free-swimming microphagous forms feeding selectively on primarily attached bacteria, and, in turn, being fed on by carnivorous ciliates; (2) sessile ciliates (peritrichs) feeding on non-attached bacterial species, but with high selectivity; (3) free-swimming carnivorous gymnostomes feeding on the sessile peritrichs but, again in turn, serving as prey themselves to stalked suctorian species attached to the peduncles of the peritrichs; (4) attached peritrichs and suctorians both serving as food for several groups of small invertebrates frequenting the stream. With respect to numbers and diversity of ciliates found, some 155 different species, belonging to 93 genera, were identified (including several to be described elsewhere as new species) in the stream and/or the trickling filter settling basin. The highest populations and greatest diversity were found at sites closest to the waste water influx; such protozoan populations might thus be considered as a form of tertiary treatment in the drainage basin.

An Analysis of Nitrate Concentrations in Illinois Streams

An Analysis of Nitrate Concentrations in Illinois Streams

Two-Distribution Method for Flood Frequency Analysis

A new method for flood-frequency analysis is developed using the concept of mixed distributions. A mixture of only two component distributions is shown to fit the various observed flood distributions. The two-distribution method is tested using annual flood series from 33 streams in Illinois. The flood distributions computed by this method fit the observed flood distributions better than other methods in use, insofar as the mean of absolute deviations of the computed floods from those observed is the least. The proposed method satisfactorily matches the medium and high floods which are of great interest to the engineers and hydrologists. An objective methodology has been formulated for computer application. The methodology is free from errors and uncertainties that exist when third and higher order moments are used for obtaining estimates of the component distribution parameters.

Survey of Phosphate and ABS Concentrations in Illinois Streams

The rapid increase in the use of synthetic detergents during the past decade has undoubtedly led to the presence of greater quantities of synthetic detergent compounds in sewage effluents and, as a consequence, in certain surface water supplies. Questions have been raised concerning the persistence of these substances in natural waters amd their possible effects on water treatment processes. This article presents data on ortho‐ and condensed phosphates, alkyl benzene sulfonate (ABS), and water quality from a survey of Illinois surface waters made during the period 1955‐57, in which 204 surface water samples were collected and analyzed. The four parts of the Illinois survey are described, along with rainfall and streamflow discharge from this same period, and survey results.

Biology of the White Crappie in Illinois

The white crappie, Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque, and the black crappie, Pomoxis nigro-maculatus (Le Sueur), are among the most characteristic and abundant fishes of the lakes and streams of Illinois. They are popular with Illinois anglers and are generally ranked with the better food fishes of the state. Both species have been used extensively for stocking artificial lakes of various sizes. This paper is based largely on white crappie studies carried on by the writer at Lake Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, during the period beginning in late November, 1935, and ending in early December, 1939. Most of the fish for the Lake Decatur studies were caught in hoop nets that were operated at 1- to 2-month intervals at all seasons of the year.

Goldeye, Amphiodon alosoides (Rafinesque), Occurring in Two Small Streams of Central Illinois

Goldeye, Amphiodon alosoides (Rafinesque), Occurring in Two Small Streams of Central Illinois

A NEW FUNGUS BELONGING TO THE CLADOCHYTRIACEAE

AS RECENTLY summarized by Berdan (1941), the family Cladochytriaceae includes eight well recognized genera. The sporangia of six of these genera dehisce following the gelatinization of the tip of the exit papillae, while the sporangia of the other two genera are operculate. In the inoperculate group are included the genera Cladochytrium (Nowakowskii, 1877), Amoebochytrium (Zopf, 1884), Physocladia (Sparrow, 1932), Catenaria (Sorokin, 1876), Mitochytridium (Dangeard, 1911), and Physoderma (Wallroth, 1833). The thalli of species of Urophlyctis (Schroeter, 1889) and of Physoderma are so much alike that most critical students of the family are more or less agreed that at present the criteria for separating these genera are superficial and inadequate. In the operculate group there are two genera, Nowakowskiella (Schroeter, 1897) with three species, and Septochytrium (Berdan, 1939), a monotypic genus. The species of Nowakowskiella at present accepted are: N. elegans (Schroeter, 1897), N. ramosum (Butler, 1907), and N. profusum (Karling, 1941a). The chytrid described as Nowakowskiella endogena Constantineanu by Domjan (1935) is probably the same as the species first described from India by Butler (1907) and just recently reported from Texas by Karling (1941b). The present paper reports a new species belonging to the Cladochytriaceae which is tentatively being placed in the genus Nowakowskiella, although the type of resting spore formation in this new species is fundamentally different from that of any of the other species of the genus. During the course of my examination of various types of bait that had been placed in water samples collected from pools and streams of eastern Illinois, I have encountered numerous chytridiaceous fungi, one of which is of particular interest. This chytrid was first isolated on cellophane as recommended bv Haskins (1939). The water samples from which it was obtained were taken near Penfield, Illinois, in the fall of 1940. It was collected again during the early summer of 1941, from Crystal Lake, Urbana, Illinois, likewise growing on cellophane bait that had been placed in a water sample. In addition to cellophane as a substratum, other materials have been used with success. Growth of the fungus on portions of grass leaves or corn seedling leaves, and on filter paper or lens paper as recommended by Couch (1939) has been quite extensive. Growth on plain agar is sparse. Unifungal cultures of this chytrid have been maintained on various types of substratum for over nine months, and observations indicate that growth on all is more or less uniform. The principal differences are produced by growth on cellophane where the cultures are less extensive, more compactly developed, have more swellings, and a larger percentage of inter-

Flow‐duration characteristics of illinois streams

The paper entitled “An investigation of the flow‐duration characteristics of North Carolina streams,” by Thorndlke Saville and John Dargan Watson, which was published by the American Geophysical Union in its report of the Fourteenth Annual Meeting in 1933 (pp. 406–425), stimulated the writer, who is familiar with the streams discussed, having been assigned for several years to the United States Geological Survey offices that collected the base data. Knowing that there is a marked similarity in runoff‐characteristics of the western North Carolina streams and also that fairly good similarity is shown by New England streams within reasonable zones, he felt it would be desirable to carry the investigation to a part of the country where stream‐flow characteristics are diverse. The present investigation was therefore made to cover all the long‐time records in Illinois on streams of definite drainage‐area, particular attention being paid to comparisons of records from the same stream. The record on the Rock River at Afton, Wisconsin, was also included. The streams studied are listed in Table 1.

Quality of Water in Illinois Streams

Quality of Water in Illinois Streams

A Catalogue of the Fishes of Illinois

This catalogue is based primarily on the collections in the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History, at Normal. These collections consist (a) of the material on which Mr. Nelson's list was based, and (b) of a large collection made by Professor Forbes during the past summer (1877), chiefly in the streams of southern Illinois. The writer's own collections in Illinois and adjacent states have also been drawn upon, as well as those contained in the United States National Museum. The various scattered notices of Illinois fishes have also been brought together as far as possible, thus giving all that is at present known of the distribution of the species within the limits of the state.