Evaluating fish community and habitat quality using the index of biotic integrity and the quality habitat evaluation index along York Prairie Creek and Jake's Creek, Delaware County, IN : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

The objective of this study was to relate the quality of the fish community with thequality of the habitat using the Index of Biotic Integrity (1131) and Quality Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) in York Prairie and Jake's creeks, Delaware County IN. Four locations were chosen at bridge sites in each stream from the most upstream waters to the mouth. At each sample location point, the upstream reach was typically sampled and evaluated independently for both IBI and QHEI. Sampling was conducted by using a backpack electrofishing unit and a total of 24 fish species were collected from the eight sites. IBI scores ranged from 20 to 28 and QHEI scores ranged from 43 to 67. A significant positive correlation between IBI and QHEI scores was observed. In addition to this, a significant positive correlation was also found between the IBI scores and one of the individual QHEI metrics (channel morphology). A positive relationship was found between the IBI scores and two other individual QHEI metrics (riparian zone and bank erosion and instream cover), but this correlation was not shown to be significant. Sites were found to have IBI scores that reflected the habitat conditions. Low QHEI scores and IBI scores point to poor habitat and water quality along the creek due to anthropogenic influences that negatively affected the fish populations.