The mission of the Kansas Aquatic Gap Project is to map aquatic biodiversity in Kansas and link it to habitat characteristics.  This will allow determination of local species of concern.  Kansas Gap is also part of a larger group that is describing the biodiversity of the Missouri River Basin.  We hope to establish the presence of ecoregions, and provide products that will allow management of species of concern on a regional basis.  Finally, we will make our aquatic data compatable with Kansas terrestrial Gap.

The following objectives will assist in characterization of biodiversity of aquatic habitats of Kansas:
1.          Define ranges all fish and mussel species within ecologically-distinct drainage basins using data compiled from known records
2.          Determine species richness by valley segments within these drainage basins.
3.          Define habitat affinities for each species by valley segment characteristics.
4.          Predict occurrence of each species to areas where collections have not occured by extrapolation from habitat affinities.

We will use methods developed by the Missouri Aquatic GAP pilot project.  Our data will be in a format compatable with that of surrounding states.


   
copyright Gerald W. Sneegas




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