What are some factors that affect aquatic (instream and riparian) habitats of Ozark streams?
(More information…) • Several factors can affect aquatic habitats, which then affect biological communities. Many habitat characteristics appeared to be influenced more by basin size than by land use. • Small streams in agricultural areas generally have fewer trees and other woody plants in the riparian zone than do small streams in forested areas. This results in more sunlight reaching the streams in the agricultural areas. More sunlight and the higher nutrient concentrations probably result in faster growing attached algae in these streams. • Some other habitat characteristics were different between the agricultural and forested sites studied. Of these characteristics, some are not likely the result of agricultural practices, while others (canopy angle, channel width, and sinuosity) may, at least in part, result from agricultural practices. These characteristics can affect biological communities. • Although the effects of instream gravel mining in the Ozarks were not studied by the
