dc.contributor.author	Johnson, Laura Young	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Prisley, Stephen P.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Aust, W. Michael	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Angermeier, Paul L.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Heatwole, Conrad D.	en
dc.contributor.department	Forestry	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-14T21:47:42Z	en
dc.date.adate	2005-11-10	en
dc.date.available	2014-03-14T21:47:42Z	en
dc.date.issued	2005-05-27	en
dc.date.rdate	2005-11-10	en
dc.date.sdate	2005-10-17	en
dc.description.abstract	The goal of the Aquatic Indicators of Land Condition (AILC) project is to develop analytical tools that integrate land condition information with stream condition for improved watershed management within the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Based on the goal of the AILC, two objectives for this study were: to determine the effect of four GIS-derived distance measurements on potential relationships between common BLM landscape stressors (mining and grazing) and changes in benthic macroinvertebrate community structure; and to assess the effectiveness of individual questions on a commonly-used Bureau-wide qualitative stream assessment protocol, the proper functioning condition (PFC) assessment. The four GIS distance measurements assessed for biotic relevance included: straight-line distance, slope distance, flow length, and travel time. No significant relationships were found between the measured distance to stressor and macroinvertebrate community structure. However, the hydrological relevance of flow length and travel time are logically superior to straight-line and slope distance and should be researched further. Several individual questions in the PFC assessment had statistically significant relationships with the final reach ratings and with field-measured characteristics. Two of the checklist questions were significantly related to the number of cow droppings. This may indicate a useful and efficient measure of stream degradation due to grazing. The handling and use of the PFC assessment within the BLM needs further documentation and examination for scientific viability, and the addition of quantitative measurements to the PFC in determining restoration potential would be desirable.	en
dc.description.degree	Master of Science	en
dc.identifier.other	etd-10172005-092619	en
dc.identifier.sourceurl	http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-10172005-092619/	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45202	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.relation.haspart	Rtest2.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	participatingdistricts.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	Thesis.pdf	en
dc.relation.haspart	ES169flowlncolor.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	testflowlength.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	teststline.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	testtravtime.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	utstudyareacolor.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	wyoming_allots.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	wystudyareacolor.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	ES169stlinecolor.jpg	en
dc.relation.haspart	ES169timecolor.jpg	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	qualitative assessments	en
dc.subject	benthic macroinvertebrates	en
dc.subject	Geographic Information Systems	en
dc.subject	Riparian areas	en
dc.subject	Livestock Grazing	en
dc.title	Evaluation of Bureau of Land Management Protocols for Monitoring Stream Condition	en
dc.type	Thesis	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Forestry	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	masters	en
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science	en

Evaluation of Bureau of Land Management Protocols for Monitoring Stream Condition

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