Webinar – Assessing Source Springs and Fish SGCN in the Northwest Karst Region of Arkansas

Springs create unique aquatic habitats which support high levels of biotic diversity. Despite this, they are globally understudied and subsequently under protected. Northwest Arkansas geology is characterized by a mantled karst consisting of a highly fractured soluble limestone bedrock with a mosaic of surface and groundwater flow. Numerous surface interactions and increased regional urbanization and agriculture likely contribute to reduced water quality. This is problematic because the springs in this region support endemic Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) namely Arkansas and Least Darter. This study inventoried springs containing Least and Arkansas Darters (and other SGCNs) and quantified abiotic variables like density, flow, volume, and water quality across seasons within these systems.

Zach Moran, PhD, Assitant Professor, Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of Biological and Earth Sciences, Arkansas Tech University

Dr. Moran has spent over a decade studying fish and aquatic ecosystems across the southeastern United States and is currently employed as a professor of fish science at Arkansas Tech University. Dr. Moran boasts scientific degrees from Virginia Tech, Arkansas Tech, and Baylor University. His research interests center on ecotoxicology, ecosystem health, biodiversity, and aquatic species management.