A COMPARISON OF HABITAT DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS WITH FISH POPULATION STRUCTURE OF CROOKED CREEK, HUNTINGDON COUNTY, PA

Abstract

Previous research and beta tests have shown that the Riverine Community Habitat Assessment and Restoration Concept (RCHARC) provides a means to compare physical characteristics between streams or stream segments (Peters et. Al 1995). Modifications to the original models have provided for more quantitative analysis. The addition of the canberra metric coefficient, for example, provides a dissimilarity index that can be used to compare stream segments. Beta tests have shown the model to be a comprehensive yet simplified analysis when compared to other habitat assessment models, but little research has been conducted to correlate actual biotic relationships to the RCHARC results.