Benthic Macroinvertebrates Cane Creek NC 



63 



Total Taxa Richness 



Table 2 presents Cane Creek taxa richness by group, and includes 

 data from several other southeastern Piedmont stream investigations. 

 These data show a remarkable degree of consistency if allowances are 

 made for geographic area, collection methods, and special interest of the 

 investigators. Some differences, as seen in South Carolina and Georgia 

 samples, are attributable to collections of nonaquatic adult insects. This 

 usually increases estimates of species richness, as greater taxonomic pre- 

 cision may be attained with adult specimens. 



Collections in semiaquatic areas also may increase the number of 

 species collected, especially for Coleoptera. Holeski and Graves (1978) 

 found that 30+ species of "shore beetles" were usually found at most 

 stations, but that this type of data was not useful in assessing environ- 

 mental stress. Eighty chironomid taxa were identified from Cane Creek, 

 about 30% of the total fauna. Use of adults or pupal exuviae might have 

 doubled this figure. Coffman (1973), using pupal exuviae, identified 143 

 chironomid taxa from Linesville Creek, while larval sampHng from the 

 same area produced only 77 taxa. 



Table 2. Total taxa richness at Cane Creek, with selected data from other intensive stream 

 investigations. Numbers in parentheses omit data based only on nonaquatic 

 adults. NI = Not Identified. 





Stream: 

 State: 



Cane' 



NC 



Wildcat' 

 SC 



Little 



Garvin' 



SC 



20(19) 



Upper 



Three Runs* 



GA 



Linesville' 

 PA 



EPHEMEROPTERA 





30 



54 



32(27) 



13 



ODONATA 





22 



29 



30(16) 



24 



7 



PLECOPTERA 





13 



44 



6 



28(17) 



5 



HEMIPTERA 





10 



4 



8 



27 



5 



MEGALOPTERA 





4 



2 



5 



6(4) 



2 



LEPIDOPTERA 





1 











9(1) 







NEUROPTERA 





1 











2 







COLEOPTERA 





16 



20 



15 



86^ 



15 



TRICHOPTERA 





31 



48 



10 



108(46) 



25 



DIPTERA/(MISCELLANEOUS) 



19 



17 



12 



NI 



14 



DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE 



80 



50 



61 



NI 



77 



OLIGOCHAETA 





13 



NI 



NI 



NI 



? 



HIRUDINEA 





4 



NI 



NI 



NI 



? 



MOLLUSCA 





14 



NI 



NI 



NI 



? 



OTHER 



• ^y.: - 



8 



272 



NI 

 266 



NI 



167 



NI 



321 



? 



TOTAL 



192 



This study. 



White and Fox (1980), based largely on the collections of Paul Carlson. 



White and Fox (1980). 



Morse etal. (1980). 



Coffman etal. (1971). 



Includes many semiaquatic species. 



