A Multi-Taxa Biological Survey of Passage Creek, Virginia

Abstract Identifying and conserving functioning headwater ecosystems is essential for ensuring the structure and function of natural ecosystem processes. The Passage Creek watershed (PCW) in Virginia is an upland tributary system of the North Fork Shenandoah River, which is found within the Potomac River basin. The PCW appears to maintain an array of terrestrial and fluvial habitats now uncommon in many adjacent watersheds because of human disturbance. We assessed the biotic condition of the PCW by sampling the fish, mollusk, and salamander assemblages throughout the watershed. We observed 29 fish, 9 salamander, and 4 aquatic mollusk species representing a variety of life histories and functional groups. Furthermore, we found that due to spatial differences in abundance and species richness, each assemblage offered unique insight into the condition of the PCW. The fish assemblage was indicative of those found in least disturbed areas within the Potomac basin, while salamander abundance and richness indica...