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Project T-51-D1

Project Title: Demonstrating the Benefits of In-stream Restoration to Riparian Wildlife in the Cache River Basin

Community and/or Species Focus: Aquatic insects, Insectivorous birds

Goals/Objectives:

  1. Quantify and compare differences in seasonal insect emergence production at 4 restored sites with rock weirs and 4 unrestored sites without rock weirs
  2. Quantify and compare abundance, richness, and diversity of insectivorous birds along restored and unrestored reaches
  3. Quantify and compare nest success, food delivery rates, clutch size, and fledgling rates of insectivorous birds along restored and unrestored reaches

Achievements:

  1. ​Insect abundance was higher at unrestored reaches, diversity was higher at restored reaches, and emergence was not different between the two
  2. Bird abundance was higher at restored reaches, but there was no difference between sites for richness and diversity
  3. Hatchlings and fledglings and nest success were higher at unrestored reaches, but every other factor had no difference between the sites

Post-Project Survey (if applicable): n/a

Project Period: 8/1/08 - 12/15/11

Principle Investigator(s): Matt Whiles (Southern Illinois University Carbondale)

Final Report: T-51-D1​