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French Creek's Critters
 BIODIVERSITY:
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SPECIES IN FRENCH CREEK?
 rench
Creek is home to more species of fish and freshwater mussels
than any other stream in Pennsylvania. In fact, many scientists
now believe that it is one of only six streams in the
Northeast to maintain such a variety of species. This
extraordinary biodiversity (variety of species) is a result
of the creek's glacial history and current high water
quality. At one time, French Creek and the Allegheny River
flowed north as part of the St. Lawrence River System.
However, the glaciers of the last ice age, which ended
about 15,000 years ago, forced the creek to run south.
As a result, French Creek eventually began emptying into
the Allegheny River, and became part of the Ohio River
System, of which it is still part today.
 ver
time, French Creek therefore "captured" species
native to the northern St. Lawrence River System and native
to the more southern Ohio River System, explaining much
of the biodiversity we see today. Captures of streams
(and their species) that were once part of the Susquehanna
River drainage basin have also added to the biodiversity.
The French Creek drainage basin is also a final refuge
for a number of endangered species. Some species that
still thrive in French Creek have been eliminated from
many other streams in Pennsylvania and around the country.
When the glaciers moved through northwestern Pennsylvania,
they laid down a great deal of limestone deposits that
are still present in the soils throughout the French Creek
Watershed. These soils act as a natural buffer, neutralizing
acid rain which otherwise would runoff into streams. In
this way, French Creek over time has been able to avoid
many of the pollution problems associated with acid rain,
and to maintain its diverse number of species. To find
out more about endangered species look at PA's DCNR Endangered
Species Page
Information received from the French Creek Project's
website. Visit them at:
http://webpub.alleg.edu/group/fcreek/index.html
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