Sr. Chipps et al., FISH ASSEMBLAGES OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS - AN EXAMINATION OF TROPHIC GROUP ABUNDANCE IN 9 WEST-VIRGINIA STREAMS, Environmental biology of fishes, 40(1), 1994, pp. 91-98
We used multivariate ordination techniques to examine patterns of trop
hic group abundance among fish assemblages in nine West Virginia strea
ms. These patterns were examined in relation to habitat and water chem
istry gradients. The first two components from a principal components
analysis (PCA) explained 71 % of the variation in trophic group abunda
nce. The first two axes from a PCA of habitat data accounted for 75 %
of the total variation. Generalized insectivores and insectivore-pisci
vores were the predominant trophic groups in stable, pool environments
. Benthic insectivores and herbivores-detritivores were most abundant
in shallow, temporally variable environments. We attributed the presen
ce of generalized insectivores in deep, pool environments to the effec
ts of a severe drought. The predominance of benthic insectivores in sh
allow environments was attributed to an abundance of benthic stream fi
shes and a depauperate catostomid assemblage.