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NON-INSECT AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATE ABUNDANCE AND COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA**

Abstract

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are useful to monitor the health of a body of water including its associated abiotic features. Non-insects within this group are important since they are a part of the food source for higher trophic levels. Though insects are heavily studied and abundant, non-insect aquatic macroinvertebrates mostly spend their entire life in bodies of water, compared to insects eventually leaving the ecosystem. Diversity and abundance of non-insect aquatic macroinvertebrates is one method to look at the health in these environments. This study focuses on two lakes, Lake Oliver Hardy and Lake Laurel in Milledgeville Georgia over a two-year period using a Hester Dendy sampler. Samples were taken during each seasonal period to show differences in abundance and community composition for each lake at the family level. It is hypothesized that Lake Laurel has higher diversity and abundance of non-insect aquatic macroinvertebrates due to relatively lower human impacts on its environment. Family composition was similar for both lakes; however, abundance of each family differed between lakes. The differences are due to differing amounts of residential life and runoff surrounding each lake. Further research should be done to see changes over an extended period of time and with other lakes.

Acknowledgements

GCSU Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences

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