Skip to Navigation
Auburn University Homepage
A-Z Index | Map | People Finder
Auburn University Logo
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Skip to Main Content
Main Navigation 
  • AUETD Home
  • Graduate School
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
View Item 
  •   AUETD Home
  • View Item
  •   AUETD Home
  • View Item

Using sonar habitat mapping and GIS analyses to identify freshwater mussel habitat and estimate population size of a federally endangered freshwater mussel species, Amblema neislerii, in the Apalachicola River, FL

View/Open
Extracted text (140.2Kb)
Thesis manuscript for Master's Degree (3.053Mb)
Date
2014-05-02
Author
Smit, Reuben
Type of Degree
thesis
Department
Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Identification and quantification of freshwater mussel habitat in large turbid rivers is challenging. Sonar habitat mapping offers a low cost and time efficient means to identify and quantify benthic habitats over large spatial extents. I used sonar to classify freshwater mussel habitat across a 700 hectare reach of the Apalachicola River, FL, and used sonar imagery collected before and after a 10-year flood event to assess habitat stability. GIS-derived metrics and survey data were used to develop predictive models of presence/absence and abundance for the federally endangered freshwater mussel, Amblema neislerii. Strong associations were identified between habitats representing flow refugia, as well as deep water habitats. I validated predicted abundances with data from an independent, quantitative study. Suitable A. neislerii habitat as revealed by this approach was much larger than identified in previous studies, as was the resulting reach-wide population estimates of 7-8 million individuals.
Files
Name:
Reuben_B_Smit_Thesis_2014.pdf.txt  
Size:
140.2Kb
Name:
Reuben_B_Smit_Thesis_2014.pdf  
Size:
3.053Mb
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10415/4124

Browse

All of AUETDBy Issue DateAuthor / AdvisorTitlesDepartments

My Account

Login

Auburn University Libraries | 231 Mell Street | Auburn, Alabama 36849 | (334) 844-4500 or (800) 446-0387 |

 

Auburn University |Auburn, Alabama 36849 |(334) 844-4000 |

Website Feedback |Privacy |Copyright ©