The terrestrial Gastropods in selected areas of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) in Kentucky and Tennessee were studied in 2002. Thirty-three native land snails were documented. Discus patulus, Inflectarius inflectus, and Stenotrema stenotrema were the most frequently encountered and among the most widely distributed species within the area. Species richness and abundance increased around calcareous soils and outcrops of limestone but declined on the upland sites where soils are more acid and well drained. Terrestrial snail fauna at Land Between the Lakes is more diverse than once believed and represents an important Mollusca region.

The authors add 29 species to the list of known butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) recorded from Kentucky, bringing the total number to 2,452. Previous lists included Covell (1999) with 2,423 species, and Covell, Gibson and Wright (2000) that added 35 more.

Two hundred eighty-two taxa of diatoms (Bacillariophyta) were identified from composited benthic samples collected at 16 sites on the Little River in western Kentucky in 2000 and 2003. The Little River basin is heavily impacted by non-point source pollution consisting of high nutrient inputs and siltation from agricultural and urban runoff. Pennate diatoms dominated the flora comprising >96% of the total taxa throughout the basin. Commonly occurring pennate species included Achnanthidium minutissimum, Amphora perpusilla, Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta, Gomphonema parvulum, Navicula cryptocephala, N. cryptotenella, N. menisculus, N. minima, N. seminulum, N. tripunctata, Nitzschia amphibia, N. dissipata, N. frustulum, N. palea, Planothidium lanceolata, and Sellophora seminulum. Most common centric species were Cyclotella meneghiniana and Melosira varians. The number of taxa found in the Little River was similar to other eastern North American streams and typical of streams impacted by agricultural and urban non-point source pollution (organic and nutrient enrichment and high siltation). A species checklist of all diatom taxa identified in the Little River with currently accepted nomenclature is presented as a baseline for future comparisons.

As a great river, the Ohio is an important natural resource. It is crucial that we understand the implications that human disturbances are having on the biological integrity of this ecosystem. By monitoring current conditions and the health of this ecosystem, we may be able to identify causes of degradation and potentially determine the stability of the ecosystem to human and natural alterations. In this study, we analyzed fish data collected in 1982–1986 and 2001–2005 to characterize the current fish assemblage around William H. Zimmer Power Plant, Moscow Ohio and investigate any long-term (past 20 years) and short-term (past 5 years) effects of disturbance in this area. During these two 5-year study periods, over 30,000 individuals were collected comprising 12 families and 60 species. We found that many metrics of the Ohio River Fish Index have improved over the past 20 years and the fish assemblages have remained stable over the past 5 years. Despite apparent stability, we found a decrease in invertivores and detritivores over the past 20 years and a declining trend in the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index over the past five years. Data suggest a potential negative trend in the biological integrity of this area. The need for more data concerning the possible negative impacts of human disturbance on fish assemblages in this area of the river is apparent.