Biological and Water Quality Monitoring at Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Oklahoma

Abstract

From 2013 to 2015, aquatic monitoring was conducted at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve (TGP) in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Biological monitoring consisted of fish and macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). Ten streams are located on the TGP with 21 fish species and 14 macroinvertebrate orders. The overall fish IBI score was 39 which indicates a good fishery. The overall macroinvertebrate IBI score was 37 which indicates a good macroinvertebrate community. Water quality consisted of water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, sodium, and chloride parameters. Conductivities ranged around 0.3 ms/cm with water temperatures varying from 13 Celsius in the spring to 38 Celsius in the summer. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 7mg/L to 14mg/L. Overall, streams on the preserve have good diversity based on the IBI with an abundant number of fish species and macroinvertebrate taxa represented.