Tullos, D.D., Penrose, D. L., Jennings, G.D. 2006. Development and application of a bioindicator for benthic habitat enhancement in the North Carolina Piedmont. Ecological Engineering. Elsevier, New York, NY. Volume 27, Number 3. Pages 228-241

habitat, restoration, stream

This paper describes the development, application, and evaluation of a method for assessing the effectiveness of stream restoration activities in enhancing four lotic habitats based on the presence of habitat specialists. Application of this methodology to 27 paired reaches in the North Carolina Piedmont indicated that no change in specialists was the most frequent result of restoration, particularly for the woody debris habitats, when each habitat was examined individually. By combining the habitats into a composite score, a distinction by land use emerged. This framework introduces a valuable alternative for evaluating benthic habitat enhancement in various hydrogeographic and land use conditions, and is constructive for guiding restoration designs to maximize biotic integrity.