EFFECTS OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES ON THE AQUATIC BIOTA OF THREE FLORIDA RIVERS

Aquatic communities were studied at three bridge sites in Florida rivers to determine whether bridge design features have any adverse impacts on biota. Construction methods were considered where information was available. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected along transects that extended across each river. Submerged macrophytes and associated epifaunal invertebrates that occurred in one of the rivers were also collected. Numbers of individuals for each of the taxa of benthic and epifaunal invertebrates and biomass for each of the plant species were determined. Dominance, diversity, and evenness values were calculated for sample collections. Significant alteration of the aquatic community occurred at one bridge site. Adverse impacts on the aquatic biota were attributed to bridge design and construction methods. Construction practices rather than bridge design were found to have potentially adverse impacts on the biota at a second site. At the remaining site, only minor disturbance of the aquatic community was detected. Impacts on aquatic communities can be minimized by (a) placing bridges at locations where alteration of the river channel or floodplain can be avoided; (b) designing bridges and selecting construction methods that maintain, as much as possible, the natural hydrological, sedimentary, and illumination characteristics of the river system and that minimize site disturbance, and (c) providing adequate quality control of construction practices.

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: pp 1-7
  • Monograph Title: Wetlands and roadside management
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00394934
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309037514
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM