Author: Xitlali Ramirez
Mentors: Jonathan Behrens, Emily Bernhardt, PhD
Department of Biology
Impervious surfaces in urban development dramatically increase river discharge and contaminant presence in urban rivers, thereby creating a turbulent environment for aquatic insects and the river ecosystem. Durham’s Ellerbe Creek (EC) and New Hope Creek (NHC) watersheds vary significantly in urbanization, with EC being % developed and NHC being 7.9% developed, however the effects of this urbanization on aquatic insects and river ecosystem health have yet to be measured in Durham. I hypothesize that overall aquatic insect biodiversity and the abundance of pollution-sensitive orders will be lower at EC than at NHC. I calculate the biodiversity and abundance of aquatic insects at two EC sites and one NHC site using sticky traps and make a qualitative water quality assessment. I compare that data to precipitation and discharge data collected by the USGS and our sensors. EC’s Glenn Stone site has the highest aquatic insect abundance among the three sites. However, NHC’s site shows more diversity and more resilient species among the sites, suggesting that pollution is highly likely at EC and highly unlikely at NHC. Further quantitative assessments of water quality and river ecosystem health at these sites are needed to inform urban river conservation in Durham.
