CHAPTER IV. BENTHIC BIOLOGY 



Although both plants and animals were collected, emphasis was 

 given to the collection, identification, and enxmeration of the bottom 

 fauna. 



Results 



Aquatic Plants 



A list of the incidence of aquatic plants collected during the 

 survey is given in Table 1. With two exceptions, all of these collections 

 were made with a Surber bottom sanrpler. Two species of pondweed 

 ( Potamogeton pectinatus and P^ crispus ) were collected in a still pool 

 near the sampling station at mile 295*2, and several specimens from a 

 large growth of ftanunculus aquatilis were collected near shore in Keswick 

 Reservoir at mile 305 •? 



Fragments of Potaxnogeton collected at four of the riffle stations 

 were washed into the sampling net by the ciirrent, and were not growing 

 in the river at the sampling location. Similarly, Lemna found at two 

 stations were eLLso washed into the collecting net. 



The moss, Fissidens , was present throughout the year at all 

 of the riffles which were sampled for bottom organisms . These plants 

 became more or less dormant during the winter (December-February) , but 

 were extremely abundant diiring the svmmer and early fall months. 



Twenty-seven genera of algae were identified from the bottom 

 samples. Representatives of green, blue-green, red, emd yellow eilgae, 

 and diatoms were included. Algae was Identified to genus when it was 

 encountered in a sample. No attempt was made to determine the volumes 

 of algae which, in most of the samples, was less than 0.1 cc. 



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