4.5 River Basins
F I GU RE
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Location of priority watersheds in the Roanoke River Basin
• Mussels—determine distribution and status of priority species (e.g., Alewife Floater, Atlantic Pigtoe, Green Floater, and James Spinymussel).
• Crayfshes—determine distribution and status of priority species (e.g., Carolina Ladle Crayfsh).
• Snails—conduct baseline distribution surveys for all species that occur in the basin.
Monitoring. Long-term monitoring is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health over time and gauging the resilience of organisms to continued impacts to state waters. Studies should include identifcation of population trends, as well as assessment of impacts from conservation or development activities. Tese eforts will inform species and habitat management decisions. Long-term monitoring sites need to be identifed and monitoring protocols developed for all priority species. Monitoring plans should be coordinated with other existing monitoring programs where feasible. • Identify long-term monitoring sites and develop monitoring protocols for priority species (e.g., Bigeye Jumprock, Chowanoke Crayfsh, Green Floater, Ironcolor Shiner, Orangefn Madtom, and Roanoke Logperch). Research. Research topics that facilitate appropriate conservation actions include habitat use and preferences, reproductive behavior, fecundity, population dynamics and genetics, feeding, competition, and food web dynamics. Formal descriptions for known or putative
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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