Comparison of Fish Communities in a Clean-water Stream and an Adjacent Polluted Stream

Abstract

Fish populations were studied in two parallel tributaries of the Mohican River, Ohio: Clear Fork, relatively undisturbed; and Rocky Fork, which receives industrial discharges and sewage effluent. Water quality in Rocky Fork was significantly worse than the control stream with respect to heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn) and ammonia concentrations. Fish species richness and diversity increased downstream in Clear Fork but decreased downstream in Rocky Fork. Pollution-intolerant species were present in the headwaters of Rocky Fork and at all sites of Clear Fork. Fish community similarity of fish communities between corresponding headwater sites was significantly greater than similarity of corresponding downstream reaches, using polluted and unpolluted sites for comparison. Both headwater sites were dominated numerically by generalized invertebrate-feeding fish. At downstream sites in Clear Fork benthic insectivores became dominant in Rocky Fork, generalized invertebrate-feeding fish were present. Fish communities at polluted sites had comparatively lower variability of both trophic structure rank and relative abundance. The smaller populations of fish in these sites were dominated by a few pollution-tolerant species.