THE BIODIVERSITY OF LENTIC EPHEMEROPTERA IN WESTERN MONTANA
Heth R. 2007. THE BIODIVERSITY OF LENTIC EPHEMEROPTERA IN WESTERN MONTANA. 2007 REU Internship. Missouri Southern State University, Joplin MO
Very few studies have been done on mayfly diversity and distribution in the western lakes of the United States. Montana is the third largest state (380,838 km2) in the United States but has been one of the poorest known states in terms of its specific Ephemeroptera fauna. This study is necessary for providing baseline comparative taxonomic information on mayfly species presence of the western Montana lentic habitats. The study area included lentic habitats west of the Continental Divide and the whole of Glacier National Park. Mayfly nymphs from 55 lakes were qualitatively collected using the standard kick net method and identified to the lowest possible taxon. Distributional polygons of elevation versus area were constructed to compare the common species’ preferred altitudinal and areal ranges. A total of 38 taxa were found from Ameletidae, Baetidae, Caenidae, Ephemerellidae, Ephemeridae, Heptageniidae, Leptohyphidae, Leptophlebiidae, and Siphlonuridae. Twelve of the taxa have not been recorded in western Montana. Eight of the taxa were only collected in one of the 55 lakes. Several species previously known only from lotic waters were collected in lentic environments. Five of the seven most diverse lakes were located in Glacier National Park.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Heth, Rachel
- Date of Issue
- 2007
- Publisher
- 2007 REU Internship
- Units
- GLAC
- Keywords
- Biodiversity, Ephemeroptera, Flathead Lake Biological Station, mayfly, REU