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Abstract

This study was designed to better understand the possible effects of channelization by comparing natural and previously channelized sections of the Cache River and Bayou DeView. Forty-five fish species were collected in natural reaches, but only 24 species were collected in channelized reaches. Cyprinus carpio and Dorosoma cepedianum constituted 40 and 20 percent of the total fish biomass in channelized reaches, respectively, but only 22 and 2 percent of the total biomass in natural reaches. The mean weight of total fishes and game fishes only per surface ha in natural sections were 276 and 46 kg, respectively, but these values in channelized sections were only 88 and 2 kg, respectively. Mean species diversity indices for natural and channelized sections of the Cache River were 3.1 and 1.8, respectively, and mean redundancy values for these sections were .30 and .55, respectively. Species diversity indices and redundancy values for Bayou DeView followed this trend.

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