Variability Of Sediment Nutrients And Benthic Macro-Invertebrates In Recreational Fishing Ponds

The overall objective of this study was to identify trends of sediment nutrients and benthic macro-invertebrates in recreational fishing ponds. The Ekman dredge and the Yabby pump, also were compared for benthic macro-invertebrate sampling effectiveness. Large ranges in the coefficient of variation for Pw (52 – 123.9), C:N (13.4 – 124), density (61.5 – 98.5), and diversity (67 – 142) indicated significant spatial variability within and among ponds. Invertebrate familial diversity was the only variable that did not show any significant temporal variation (H = 4.31, P = 0.230). Results from the gear comparison indicated no differences between the Ekman dredge and Yabby pump (3 pulls); however, showed the Ekman dredge was more effective than the Yabby pump (12 pulls) (Z = -1.796, P = 0.073) indicating potential gear saturation. Although these data supported no discernable patterns between sediment nutrients and macro-invertebrates, it provided an opportunity to detail an operational framework for future studies