2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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6/07/2017  |   9:15 AM - 9:30 AM   |  TURN YOUR TV TO 10: URBAN ASSESSMENT OF TAXA SENSITIVITY INDICATES INCREASED TOLERANCE   |  302A

TURN YOUR TV TO 10: URBAN ASSESSMENT OF TAXA SENSITIVITY INDICATES INCREASED TOLERANCE

Benthic macroinvertebrate sensitivity or tolerance values (TVs) are regularly used by research scientists and regulatory agencies as indicators of aquatic stress or ecosystem recovery. Tolerance values are useful as surrogates for water quality if they are incrementally correlated with the level of stressor(s) and/or have a threshold response (extirpation) when the level of stress reaches some quantifiable level. However, few TVs are developed within urban systems similar to Fairfax County, Virginia. Data from Fairfax County’s biological monitoring program (2004-2016) were used to develop cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) and generalized additive models (GAMs) for over 90 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa (mostly genera) in response to various aquatic stressors such as impervious area, specific conductivity and habitat. Results indicate the TVs for many common benthic taxa should be revised, particularly when working in urban systems. Further, variation among the benthic community structure and function indicate that local landscapes (Level IV Ecoregions) have additional influences on taxa sensitivity. Both are important considerations when setting achievable goals for regulatory implementation and stream restoration projects.

  • S14 Stressors in linked aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems: New developments and solutions
  • C08 Urban Ecology
  • C08 Urban Ecology & C16 Restoration Ecology

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Presenters/Authors

Chris Ruck (), Fairfax County DPWES, Watershed Assessment Branch, christopher.ruck@fairfaxcounty.gov;


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