Aquatic invertebrate community structure in springs at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri, 2007–2016

Bowles, David; Dodd, Hope; Hinsey, Janice; Cribbs, J.; Williams, Jeffrey

The extensive karst topography in the area surrounding Ozark National Scenic Riverways contributed to the formation of more than 425 springs within the park. Springs at Ozark National Scenic Riverways receive portions of their baseflows from deeper karst components as well as surficial groundwater traveling through a karst landscape. Contaminates from land and surface water are known to enter surficial groundwater through rapid recharge, facilitated by the soluble bedrock system of fissures and sinkholes. Pollutants can be conveyed over great distances to springs through relatively unimpeded interbasin and subsurface transport. Land use practices, particularly land clearing and associated increases in sediment and nutrient loads, and other point and nonpoint discharges present the greatest long-term threat to springs in the Ozark Highlands. Little information exists on the physical and biological impacts of contaminated groundwater within springs or within surface water fed by springs. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network began a spring monitoring program in 2007 to provide a baseline for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on the ecological integrity of springs at Ozark National Scenic Riverways. This report summarizes monitoring data on aquatic invertebrates, habitat, and water quality collected from Alley, Big, Blue, Pulltite, Round, and Welch springs at Ozark National Scenic River-ways from 2007 to 2016, and from Phillips Spring beginning in 2011. All water quality parameters monitored and the invertebrate communities indicate that conditions among the respective springs are good. The invertebrate fauna occurring in all of the springs was dominated by environmentally sensitive taxa. The dominance of intol-erant taxa, mainly representatives of the caddisfly genus Lepidostoma, occurring in the springs indicates their respective water quality conditions and habitat are not disturbed. The findings presented here reflect the broad natural habitat diversity and physical and chemical stability in these springs. Collecting and analyzing additional monitoring data will help us to better understand invertebrate community dynamics in the springs.

Aquatic invertebrate community structure in springs at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri, 2007–2016

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