Description: Kentucky has a diverse topography, and analysis of the similarity among biological assemblages across geographic scales can help clarify the inherent biological differences in the state. An a posterioriregional classification scheme based on river basins, physiographic regions and ecoregions has been developed (Pond et al., 2003; Pond and McMurray, 2002; Pond et al., 2000). Bioregions were established to incorporate ecoregion and river basin differences within the state and typically correspond to Level III Ecoregion boundaries (Woods et al., 2002). Due to the strong affinity between fish and river basins, bioregions for fish communities (also called Ichthyoregions) include some finer subdivisions than for macroinvertebrates, algae, and physical habitat (Compton et al., 2003). The bioregions are Mountains (MT; includes Ichthyoregion subdivision Cumberland River above Cumberland Falls, CA), Bluegrass (BG), Mississippi Valley-Interior River (MVIR), and Pennyroyal (PR; includes Ichthyoregion subdivision Upper Green River, GR). Generalized bioregion boundaries are described below. Note that in most cases bioregion boundaries do not follow stream and river networks, so these boundaries should not be considered to be precise in terms of assigning a particular stream segment location. Areas near bioregion boundaries should be examined closely to determine the appropriate classification. A description of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of bioregions, as well as guidance for classifying sites in transitional areas can be found in KDOW’s SOP, Bioregions of Kentucky for Water Quality Assessments of Biological Integrity.Mountains (MT) and Cumberland above the Falls (CA)The Mountains bioregion includes all river systems (Big Sandy, Cumberland, Kentucky, Licking, Little Sandy and minor tributaries of the Ohio River) within the boundaries of the Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregion (70) and Central and Southwestern Appalachian ecoregions (69 and 68). Portions of the Central and Southwestern Appalachian ecoregions that are within the Cumberland River system and upstream of Cumberland Falls are categorized as a separate bioregion with respect to fish, Cumberland Above the Falls (CA).Bluegrass (BG) The Bluegrass bioregion includes all river systems (Kentucky, Licking, Salt and minor tributaries of the Ohio River) that lie within sub-ecoregions (Level IV ecoregions) 71d, 71k, and 71l of the Interior Plateau ecoregion (71).Pennyroyal (PR) and Upper Green River (GR)Includes all river systems (Cumberland, Green, Kentucky, Salt, Tradewater, Tennessee and the minor tributaries of the Ohio River) that lie within sub-ecoregions (71a, b, c, e, f, g, and h) of the Interior Plateau (71). The portion of the Green River system that falls within sub-ecoregion (Level IV ecoregion) 71g of the Interior Plateau ecoregion (71) is categorized as a separate bioregion with respect to fish, Upper Green River (GR).Mississippi Valley-Interior River (MVIR) Includes all river systems (lower Cumberland, Green, Tradewater, Tennessee, minor tributaries of the Mississippi River and minor tributaries of the Ohio River) within the boundaries of the Interior River Valleys and Hills (72), Mississippi Alluvial Plain (73), and Mississippi Valley Loess Plain (74).Transitional Areas (TR)Most boundaries between bioregions are not distinct. Watersheds or individual sites near boundaries may exhibit characteristics of more than one bioregion in these zones, or portions of these areas may be classifiable to one or another bioregion. HUC12s are marked as “Transitional” on this map where more than one bioregion is spanned by the HUC12 unit. Additionally, some HUC12 units in far western areas of the Pennyroyal bioregion, in sub-ecoregions 71a and 71f, have been marked as Transitional even though they are wholly within the Pennyroyal. These areas have been observed by KDOW to have varied stream types and some streams here are more similar to the neighboring MVIR bioregion. Assignment of watersheds or sites to bioregions in Transitional areas must be made based on examination of local features. KDOW personnel familiar with the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of bioregions make these assignments following the SOP “Bioregions of Kentucky for Water Quality Assessments of Biological Integrity “. The column “BioregDesc” in the attributes table indicates which specific bioregions are pertinent in Transitional HUC12 units.CitationsCompton, M.C., G.J. Pond, and J.F. Brumley. 2003. Development and application of the Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity (KIBI). Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Water, Frankfort, KY.Pond, G.J., and S.E. McMurray. 2002. A macroinvertebrate bioassessment index for headwater streams of the Eastern Coalfield Region, Kentucky. Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Kentucky Division of Water. Frankfort, KY.Pond, G.J., J.F. Brumley, and R.E. Houp. 2000. Preliminary ordination of stream organisms in Kentucky. Abstract in Bull. North Am. Benthol. Soc. 17(1):448.Pond, G.J., S.M. Call, J.F. Brumley, and M.C. Compton. 2003. The Kentucky macroinvertebrate bioassessment index: derivation of regional narrative ratings for assessing wadeable and headwater streams. Kentucky Dept. for Env. Prot., Kentucky Div. of Water, Frankfort, KY.Woods, A. J., J. M. Omernik, W. H. Martin, G. J. Pond, W.M Andrews, S. M. Call, J.A Comstock, and D. D. Taylor. 2002. Ecoregions of Kentucky (2-sided color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs): Reston, VA, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,000,000).
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