Poster Details
A COMPARISON OF REAERATION RATES OF EIGHT U.S. STREAMS IN DECIDUOUS FORESTS
Reaeration (or reaeration rate) refers to a stream’s ability to renew oxygen lost through biological or physical means, and is the primary predictor of a stream’s ability to cleanse itself of added pollutants. As land use changes over time, it becomes increasingly important to determine how much waste a stream can carry before it suffers detrimental effects.
It can be difficult to ascertain which factors (physical or biological) play a key role in stream repurification. Physical controls of velocity, temperature, and depth have been recognized as key elements of reaeration rates, expanded reaeration models seek to account for biological contributors but all factors are widely variable based on the particular stream measured. Stream reaeration studies are also typically limited in scope to the local level and can vary significantly in their methodologies, thereby introducing error when compared.
This investigation takes a step back with a simple comparison of reaeration studies based solely on land cover classification. Eight wadeable streams in deciduous forests in 6 states (and 6 ecological regions) throughout the U.S. were studied under identical protocols to ascertain if any significance in reaeration rates exists at a categorical level.
Elizabeth Johnston (Primary Presenter/Author), National Ecological Observatory Network, bjohnston@battelleecology.org;