Effects of Student-Induced Trampling on Aquatic Macroinvertebrates in Agricultural Headwater Streams

Abstract

Outdoor education (OE) stream classes provide students with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with sampling methods for evaluating stream water quality. Trampling by students as a result of stream classes may disrupt the substrate and negatively impact aquatic macroinvertebrates. The impact of student-induced trampling in headwaters as a result of stream classes on aquatic macroinvertebrates has not been evaluated. Our aim was to document the short-term macroinvertebrate responses to an experimental disturbance that simulated the impacts of trampling by students in riffles within small headwater streams. We measured hydrologic variables, visually estimated substrate composition and sampled aquatic macroinvertebrates within control and experimental riffles in three agricultural headwater streams in central Ohio one day prior to experimental disturbance, immediately after disturbance and one day after disturbance. Hydrologic variables and substrate type did not differ daily or between riffle types. Macroinvertebrate abundance, percentage of Ephemeroptera Plecoptera Trichoptera and percentage of Leuctridae increased after experimental disturbance, while diversity, evenness, percentage of clingers and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) axis 1 site scores declined after disturbance. Macroinvertebrate diversity, percent clingers and NMS axis 1 site scores were lower in experimental riffles than control riffles. None of the macroinvertebrate response variables exhibited a significant interaction effect of day × riffle type that is indicative of an effect of the experimental disturbance. Our results suggest the one-time use of an undisturbed riffle within an agricultural headwater stream for an OE stream class is not likely to impact aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Impact of student-induced disturbance on stream macroinvertebrates differs among habitat types

“…The results within Alum Creek differ from an experimental simulation of student-induced trampling conducted in June of 2015 in the adjacent headwater tributaries. A one-time disturbance simulating the effect of trampling caused by ROE stream classes did not influence macroinvertebrate community structure in riffles of the tributaries 24 . These contrasting results are likely due to a combination of differences in the extent of site usage by ROE stream classes, substrate size, and stream size between the fourth order Alum Creek sites this study, 21,22 and the first and second order tributary sites 24 .…”

“…A one-time disturbance simulating the effect of trampling caused by ROE stream classes did not influence macroinvertebrate community structure in riffles of the tributaries 24 . These contrasting results are likely due to a combination of differences in the extent of site usage by ROE stream classes, substrate size, and stream size between the fourth order Alum Creek sites this study, 21,22 and the first and second order tributary sites 24 . The contrasting results suggest that the ROE stream classes are more likely to affect macroinvertebrates in riffles that are more frequently visited by students, predominantly composed of cobble and other large substrate types, and located in fourth order streams.…”

“…These initial findings 21,22 documenting spatial differences in macroinvertebrate community structure suggest the potential long-term impacts of student instream activity within this fourth order stream. In contrast, an investigation of macroinvertebrate community response to simulated substrate disturbance in riffles within headwater tributaries unused by ROE stream classes in central Ohio revealed no effect of trampling on macroinvertebrates 24 .…”

“…As part of a series of four studies, Bossley & Smiley 21,22,24 investigated the effects of ROE stream classes on aquatic macroinvertebrates in agricultural streams in central Ohio. Bossley & Smiley 21 found that within a fourth order stream student instream activity did not alter short-term temporal trends in macroinvertebrate community structure in a riffle regularly used for ROE stream classes.…”

“…Within this manuscript we present the results of the fourth study that consists of a year-long investigation of trends in macroinvertebrate community structure across three habitat types (riffle, run, pool) and four seasons between the class site and the unused site. Previous studies 13–22,24 evaluating the impact of recreational activities and ROE classes in streams were mostly short term studies that encompassed one to three seasons. Additionally, previous studies evaluating the impacts of recreational activities and ROE classes in streams focused exclusively on riffles 13,15,19–22,24 or conducted reach level assessments involving composited information from multiple habitat types 14,16–18 and did not assess whether the anthropogenic impact on macroinvertebrates differed among habitat types.…”