A Survey of Summer Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera, of the Abrams Creek Drainage of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
DeWalt RE and Heinold BD. 2002. A Survey of Summer Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera, of the Abrams Creek Drainage of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Illinois Natural History Survey
ABSTRACT: Nine sites in the Abrams Creek drainage of western Great Smoky Mountains National Park were investigated, from 25 May through 22 July 2001, for an assemblage of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies). These EPT taxa were collected at up to five intervals over that time frame. Ultra-violet light trapping and several other more active methods were used to determine species composition, based on the adult lifestage, at these sites. Adult specimens examined totaled 35,895. The Abrams basin provided 163 species consisting of 36 mayflies, 35 stoneflies, and 92 caddisflies. Within the mayflies, the Heptageniidae (clinging mayflies)provided 17 species. The most speciose stonefly families were the Perlidae and Perlodidae, with ten and eight species, respectively. Speciose families of caddisflies included Hydropsychidae (net-spinners), Leptoceridae (longhorns), and Hydroptilidae (microcaddisflies), with 12, 15, and 16 species, respectively. The latter is somewhat surprising as evidence to date suggested that microcaddisfly species were few in the park.Small streams and highest elevation sites tended to support fewer species, while largestreams, especially Abrams Creek at Abrams Creek Campground, were by far the most productive and diverse. Several species previously unknown from the state of Tennessee and GRSM were taken, as were specimens of undescribed caddisflies in Agapetus and Goera.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- DeWalt, R; Heinold, Brian
- Date of Issue
- 2002-08-30
- Publisher
- Illinois Natural History Survey
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, ATBI, caddisflies, Ephemeroptera, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, Insecta, mayflies, Plecoptera, SER, Southeast Region, stoneflies, Trichoptera