Date of Award

1974

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

Abstract

The size, species composition and structure of fish populations in a six mi stretch of the James River in the Piedmont Province of Virginia were analyzed. Twenty collections were made by electrofishing from October 1972 through September 1973 from both the north side of the river, which received a thermal discharge from a power station, and the south side where temperatures were ambient. Parameters investigated were number of species, total number of individuals and the Shannon-Wiener and evenness indices of species diversity. Significant differences in seasonal patterns were found between the communities in the thermal discharge and those on the opposite side of the river for number of species and for the Shannon-Wiener and evenness indices.

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