Dam removal is an increasingly common river restoration option, yet some of the mechanisms leading to ecological changes remain unquantified. We assessed relationships between riffle structure and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages 2 years after a lowhead dam removal in Ohio, USA. Hydrogeomorphic, water-chemistry, and biotic surveys were conducted at seven study riffles at six time intervals from spring 2014 through summer 2015. The density and diversity of macroinvertebrates and fish were significantly different over time, largely as a function of season (lowest densities in early spring, greatest in summer). Macroinvertebrate, but not fish, assemblage composition was different by time but not riffle. Although hydrogeomorphic characteristics (e.g., streamflow velocity, substrate size) were linked to shifts in macroinvertebrates and fish, chemical water-quality parameters (e.g., dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentrations) were also implicated as potential biotic drivers. Our results indicate that riffle habitat development can be an important mechanism related to restoring sensitive species and biological diversity following dam removal.
Keywords: Aquatic biodiversity; Dam removal; Darter; Hydrogeomorphology; River restoration.