Readings about Limnology, Darby Creek, and Riparian Corridors

(Written 27 September 2010)

During the past 2 week I have done some reading about Limnology (the study of inland bodies of water) and Darby Creek. Here is a bibliography of the sources:

- Textbook of Limnology, Fourth Edition, Gerald A. Cole, Waveland Press, Prospect /heights, IL, 1994.
- Lindsey, Alton A., Natural Features of Indiana, Indiana Academy of Science Indiana State Library, 1966.  

- http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=15201
- http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/preserves/art31520.html
- http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology/facilities/algae/html/Darby.html
- http://www.metroparks.net/ParksBattelleDarbyCreek.aspx
- http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/preserves/art31520.html
- http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/ohio/preserves/art23970.html
- http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/tabid/2511/Default.aspx
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Darby_Creek
- http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5020664/Hydrology-water-quality-and-restoration.html
- http://www.darbywatershed.com/
- http://www.oxbowriver.com/Web_Pages/Stream_Ecology_Pages/Ecology_Riparian/Ecology_R_What_Is.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riparian_zone
- http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/993/Default.aspx

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier

- http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/981/Default.aspx

- http://ohioline.osu.edu/dc/intro.html

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Territory

- http://www.dysartwoods.org/

- http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/herculespeople/p/antaeus.htm

 




Some sources have been very academic, while others have more laymen in terms yet informative, and a couple offered little new information. As I read the information, I gathered a list of attributes or information about creeks in general, or Darby Creek specifically, that could be illustrated in photographs. The list also includes information about Darby Creek that could be used in captions. Here is the list that I compiled (which is not in any particular order):

- Darby Creek headwaters are northwest of Maryville, OH.
- Darby Creek confluence with the Scioto River is at Circleville, OH.
- Darby Creek Watershed (comprised of Big Darby Creek, and Little Darby Creek, and a dozen small tributaries) drains approx. 557 square miles.
- Darby Creek is approx. 80 miles long (78-84 miles long depending on the cited source of information).
- It contains 98 species of fish currently, probably just over 100 species at the time of colonization.
- It contains 44 species of freshwater mussels, it contained “over 40” prior to colonization.
- It is fed by coldwater springs and streams, and underground seeps at its headwaters.
- 84 miles of Big and Little Darby Creeks became a State Scenic River on 22 June 1984.
- 84 miles of Big and Little Darby Creeks became a National Scenic River on 3 October 1994.
- It was originally called “Olentangy” by the Native Americans; later it was renamed in honor of a Native American. (Another larger nearby river is currently called the Olentangy River.)
- Darby Creek currently is home to 170 bird species, 34 mammal species, and 100 diatoms.
- Over 30 organizations help preserve it.
- Rivers and streams are “lotic” habitants – they are running water. Lakes and ponds are “lentic” habitats because they are standing water.
- All the rivers and streams in the world contain only .0001% of the Earth’s water. Ground water contains about 5000 times as much water (.5% of the Earth’s water).
- Oceanologists and limnologists are very concerned with light and how far it vertically penetrates into the waters they study.
- The movement of water – direction (vertically as well as horizontally) as well as velocity is an important factor to the ecological environments in a stream.
- Hardwood forests once covered the eastern United States so that a squirrel could go east from Indiana to the Atlantic Ocean and never step onto the ground.
- The geology of the Darby Creek area is apparent in wintertime since the leaves are off of the trees and the creek has cut into hillsides and parts of the fast-flowing creek is down to bedrock.
- 42% of the precipitation over North America becomes runoff and carried by rivers to the sea.
- Erosional effects are dominant in smaller streams near the headwaters; deposition of materials is greater in larger rivers and in the confluence into the oceans.
- Stream Order: 1sst order has no tributaries; 2nd Order is fed by 2 or more 1st Order streams: 3rd Order is fed by 2 or more 2nd Order streams; etc.
- Concerning water flow: “Turbulent” is characterized by irregularity. Neighboring water units move in different directions and at different velocities.
- Velocity and turbulence of the stream, along with the size, shape and specific gravity of the alluvium debris, determines how long and how far rocky debris is carried. (Alluvium is rocky debris)
- Within any typical section of a smaller order stream altering areas of “riffles” and “pools” are common. Each area has varied ecology.
- A canopy of riparian forest affects the balance of autotrophy and heterotrophy. (autotrophy – high in photosynthesis activity; heterotrophy – high in energy gained from organic degradation, such as carnivory, herbivory, omnivory, and microbial decay.)
- The balance of autotrophy and heterotrophy can be seasonal; leaves on trees can block sunshine or in the autumn, leaves fall into stream and decay.
- Algae growth can peak in spring before trees leaf out.
_ It may seem that some animals prefer less turbulent waters, such as crayfish, but the reality is that they select low turbulent areas by day under rocks or vegetation to avoid predators; they become active in the open turbulent waters by night.
- Large pieces of wood become lodged and are “stored” in upstream areas for very long periods of time. Their slow degradation serves as a source of FPOM (fine particulate organic matter) food source for downstream communities.
- Leaves fallen from trees are a valuable nutrient source. Small shedder animals bite and chew the leaves, but their inefficient feeding creates small bits and fine particles with much surface area for bacteria to feast upon. Decomposing leaf matter also leaches DOM (dissolved organic material) into the stream’s water.
- A few mussels or mussel shells need to be photographed.
- Animal activity is high along the riparian corridor. Show mammals or mammal trails.
- Riparian zone is one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth.
- The meandering course of a stream dissipates stream energy.
- Riparian vegetation reduces soil erosion. It also helps filter pollutants from surface water runoff via biofiltration.
- A canopy of vegetation along a stream shades the water mitigating changes in water temperature.

Introducing Darby Creek Project

What is Darby Creek?

Portions of Darby Creek are designated as State and National Scenic Rivers. Because of its bio-diversity, The Nature Conservancy, in 1991, designated Darby Creek as one of a dozen “Last Great Places” in the western hemisphere. This creek is reminiscent of a vast ecosystem of hundreds of miles of meander-ing creek that existed in the forested glacial till areas of Indiana and Ohio from pre-colonization times.



Why photograph Darby Creek?

“A Glimpse of Darby Creek: One of the Last Great Places” is a linguistically-based fine art project. The project has a depictive subject intent - to show the aesthetic and ecological significance of the Darby Creek area. The experiential outcome intent will allow the viewer to experience the beauty and character of Darby Creek and become aware that many beauties of nature may already be close to them, but simply overlooked.




How is the Darby Creek area to be photographed?

The formal qualities of the images are paramount to achieve the desired experiential outcome intent. The color images will be recorded using tilt-shift lenses and long telephotos on a DSLR camera to create a unifying formal characteristic throughout the project of selective focus to direct the viewer's attention to key elements in the scene. Color and tonal value will also be important formal qualities within the images. HDR imagery will occasionally be used.



Thoughts about Darby Creek:

The Darby Creek waterway has existed since the last ice age began to melt 12-13 thousand years ago. The area has experienced slow climatic and ecological changes since then. It was once a small insignificant part of a vast wilderness that existed until just a couple of hundred years ago when man began to colonize the area. But what is unique about the Darby Creek area is that there still remains enough of once existed to give a glimpse of the natural order of things as they existed under the natural laws given by their creator. It is a remnant area of what was once a vast wilderness. Now, the creek currently runs through countless farms and near many towns and cities that were once forests.

Just as a city or town has a personality or character which is the sum of the people who live in the town, the creek has a character which is the sum of its inhabitants - trees, plants, birds, animals, fungus, etc.

Just as music is more than rhythmic sounds - it reflects the personality of its author or performer, the creek is a reflection of its author or divine creator.



Thoughts about the Artist:

When I photograph Darby Creek, I do not photograph what is there, but I photograph what should be there. The project “A Glimpse of Darby Creek: One of the Last Great Places” should not be photographed objectively, it must be subjective. It is necessary to understand what is modern man's influence on the creek's environment, and minimize that influence in the images, in order to let the true character of the creek be revealed to the viewer.

To be in-tune with the creek on an emotional and spiritual level is essential so that the imagery reflects it's divine creation.

My interest and years of observing and studying the natural world is key to my subjective analysis of photographing the Darby Creek area.



Mark R.