Rootmat and Non-Flow Habitat Contributions to Total Site Richness in Urban Streams of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, USA

We studied 11 small watersheds in the Kansas City metropolitan area with the Missouri multi-habitat bioassessment protocol used for aquatic life evaluations in riffle-pool dominated streams. Riparian habitat parameters and macroinvertebrate species richness for the three critical habitats included in the protocol (cobble riffles, rootmats along margins, non-flow substrate in pools) were determined for two sampling periods (spring, fall) over the last 4 years. Control and urban stormwater-affected sites were compared based on percent contribution of rootmat and non-flow habitats to the estimates of total site richness. Urban sites had significantly lower overall richness during both spring and fall sampling (p = 0.007–0.0013).  Number of taxa contributed by rootmat habitat was significantly correlated with habitat scores (r = 0.45 - 0.71), and was lower at urban sites only during fall sampling periods.  Number of taxa contributed by non-flow habitat was not significantly correlated with habitat scores during either season of collection, but was higher at control sites during spring (6.2 - 9.5%).  Rootmats contributed more macroinvertebrate species to estimates of richness when compared to non-flow habitats, but only during fall sampling periods and at control sites where in-stream bank cover, epifaunal substrate, and riparian buffer parameters attained higher scores.