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Title: The Resilience of the Macroinvertebrate Community of Bolin Creek: The Effects of Intensity of Land Use (Advisor: Dr. Seth R. Reice)
Emily Tidd The Piedmont of North Carolina experienced prolonged and severe drought conditions beginning in May of 2002 and gradually recovered by the end of the year. In my research, I aimed to characterize the effects of this environmental disturbance on the aquatic insect community of Bolin Creek. Sampling over a range of development levels, I also considered the impact of land use on these systems. These data will allow me to quantify changes in insect abundance and diversity, and propose possible post-flood recolonization mechanisms of these organisms. Aquatic insects are important biological indicators of water quality, and located on the bottom of the food chain, a reduction in biodiversity affects their predator community (fish), and may impact other higher systems. |
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