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At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
USGS2023

Assessing contaminants of emerging concern in the Great Lakes Ecosystem: A decade of method development and practical application

Assessing the ecological risk of contaminants in the field typically involves consideration of a complex mixture of compounds which may or may not be detected via instrumental analyses. Further, there are insufficient data to predict the potential biological effects of many detected compounds, leading to their being characterized as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Over the past several years, advances in chemistry, toxicology, and bioinformatics have resulted in a variety of concepts and tools that can enhance the pragmatic assessment of the ecological risk of CECs. The present Focus article describes a 10+- year multiagency effort supported through the U.S. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to assess the occurrence and implications of CECs in the North American Great Lakes. State-of-the-science methods and models were used to evaluate more than 700 sites in about approximately 200 tributaries across lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior, sometimes on multiple occasions. Studies featured measurement of up to 500 different target analytes in different environmental matrices, coupled with evaluation of biological effects in resident species, animals from in situ and laboratory exposures, and in vitro systems. Experimental taxa included birds, fish, and a variety of invertebrates, and measured endpoints ranged from molecular to apical responses. Data were integrated and evaluated using a diversity of curated knowledgebases and models with the goal of producing actionable insights for risk assessors and managers charged with evaluating and mitigating the effects of CECs in the Great Lakes. This overview is based on research and data captured in approximately about 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and reports, including approximately about 30 appearing in a virtual issue comprised of highlighted papers published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry or Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management . Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2506–2518. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS2013

Spatial education: improving conservation delivery through space-structured decision making

Adaptive management is a form of structured decision making designed to guide management of natural resource systems when their behaviors are uncertain. Where decision making can be replicated across units of a landscape, learning can be accelerated, and biological processes can be understood in a larger spatial context. Broad-based partnerships among land management agencies, exemplified by Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (conservation partnerships created through the U.S. Department of the Interior), are potentially ideal environments for implementing spatially structured adaptive management programs.

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management↗
USGS2006

Fish-assemblage variation between geologically defined regions and across a longitudinal gradient in the Monkey River Basin, Belize

Linkages between geology and fish assemblages have been inferred in many regions throughout the world, but no studies have yet investigated whether fish assemblages differ across geologies in Mesoamerica. The goals of our study were to: 1) compare physicochemical conditions and fish-assemblage structure across 2 geologic types in headwaters of the Monkey River Basin, Belize, and 2) describe basin-scale patterns in fish community composition and structure for the benefit of conservation efforts. We censused headwater-pool fishes by direct observation, and assessed habitat size, structure, and water chemistry to compare habitat and fish richness, diversity, evenness, and density between streams in the variably metamorphosed sedimentary geologic type typical of 80% of Belize’s Maya Mountains (the Santa Rosa Group), and an anomalous extrusive geologic formation in the same area (the Bladen Volcanic Member). We also collected species-presence data from 20 sites throughout the basin for analyses of compositional patterns from the headwaters to the top of the estuary. Thirty-nine fish species in 21 families were observed. Poeciliids were numerically dominant, making up 39% of individuals captured, followed by characins (25%), and cichlids (20%). Cichlidae was the most species-rich family (7 spp.), followed by Poeciliidae (6 spp.). Habitat size and water chemistry differed strongly between geologic types, but habitat diversity did not. Major fish-assemblage differences also were not obvious between geologies, despite a marked difference in the presence of the aquatic macrophyte, Marathrum oxycarpum (Podostemaceae), which covered 37% of the stream bottom in high-nutrient streams draining the Santa Rosa Group, and did not occur in the low-P streams draining the Bladen Volcanic Member. Correlation analyses suggested that distance from the sea and amount of cover within pools are important to fish-assemblage structure, but that differing abiotic factors may influence assemblage structure within each geologic type. The fauna showed weak compositional zonation into 3 groups (headwaters, coastal plain, and nearshore). Nearly 20% of the fish species collected have migratory life cycles (including Joturus pichardi , Agonostomus monticola , and Gobiomorus dormitor ) that use freshwater and marine habitats. Some of these species probably rely on a natural flow regime and longitudinal connectivity for reproduction and dispersal of young, and natural flow regime and longitudinal connectivity are important factors for maintenance of functional linkages between the uplands and the coast in the ridge-to-reef corridor where the Monkey River is located. Therefore, we suggest that the viability of migratory fish populations may be a good biological indicator of upland-to-estuary connectivity important both to fishes and coastal ecosystem function. We recommend follow-up studies to substantiate the relative strengths of relationships between community structure and abiotic factors in contrasting geologies and to examine potential bottom−up responses of stream biota to the higher nutrient levels that were observed in stream waters draining the Santa Rosa Group geologic type.

Journal of the North American Benthological Societ↗
USGS2005

Bioeconomic analysis of selected conservation practices on soil erosion and freshwater fisheries

Farmers can generate environmental benefits (improved water quality and fisheries and wildlife habitat), but they may not be able to quantify them. Furthermore, farmers may reduce their incomes from managing lands to produce these positive externalities but receive little monetary compensation in return. This study simulated the relationship between agricultural practices, water quality, fish responses to suspended sediment and farm income within two small watersheds, one of a cool water stream and one of a warm water stream. Using the Agricultural Drainage and Pesticide Transport (ADAPT) model, this study related best management practices (BMPs) to calculated instream suspended sediment concentrations by estimating sediment delivery, runoff, base flow, and streambank erosion to quantify the effects of suspended sediment exposure on fish communities. By implementing selected BMPs in each watershed, annual net farm income declined $18,000 to $28,000 (1 to 3 percent) from previous levels. “Lethal” fish events from suspended sediments in the cool water watershed decreased by 60 percent as conservation tillage and riparian buffers increased. Despite reducing suspended sediments by 25 percent, BMPs in the warm water watershed did not reduce the negative response of the fisheries. Differences in responses (physical and biological) between watersheds highlight potential gains in economic efficiency by targeting BMPs or by offering performance based “green payments.”

Journal of the American Water Resources Associatio↗
USGS2022

Comparison of indices to infer population dynamics of black brant

To aid managers in assessing status of Pacific black brant Branta bernicla nigricans (hereafter brant), I examined pre-existing long-term data series from summer, fall staging, and wintering areas to infer overall population processes and assessed the utility of the various data sources. Variation in demographic parameters measured in subarctic and Arctic locations suggests some form of metapopulation structure likely exists for brant. I used serial autocorrelation coefficients to assess the ability of various indices to track population processes. Based on this approach, the Lincoln–Petersen estimator and the fall aerial survey estimate partitioned using age ratios of staging brant at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, appear to be the best indicators. However, these two indexes show different trends for the overall brant population. The Lincoln–Petersen estimates showed biologically implausible changes in size among sequential years, whereas the fall Izembek index did not. Annual estimates of survival and productivity fit the patterns of annual variation in the fall Izembek index better than the Lincoln–Petersen estimates. I conclude that the fall age–partitioned Izembek Lagoon index appears to be the best for tracking population processes in brant.

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management↗
USGS2012

Semi-discrete biomass dynamic modeling: an improved approach for assessing fish stock responses to pulsed harvest events

Continuous harvest over an annual period is a common assumption of continuous biomass dynamics models (CBDMs); however, fish are frequently harvested in a discrete manner. We developed semidiscrete biomass dynamics models (SDBDMs) that allow discrete harvest events and evaluated differences between CBDMs and SDBDMs using an equilibrium yield analysis with varying levels of fishing mortality ( F ). Equilibrium fishery yields for CBDMs and SDBDMS were similar at low fishing mortalities and diverged as F approached and exceeded maximum sustained yield ( F MSY ). Discrete harvest resulted in lower equilibrium yields at high levels of F relative to continuous harvest. The effect of applying harvest continuously when it was in fact discrete was evaluated by fitting CBDMs and SDBDMs to time series data generated from a hypothetical fish stock undergoing discrete harvest and evaluating parameter estimates bias. Violating the assumption of continuous harvest resulted in biased parameter estimates for CBDM while SDBDM parameter estimates were unbiased. Biased parameter estimates resulted in biased biological reference points derived from CBDMs. Semidiscrete BDMs outperformed continuous BDMs and should be used when harvest is discrete, when the time and magnitude of harvest are known, and when F is greater than F MSY .

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS2002

Educational background and professional participation by federal wildlife biologists: Implications for science, management, and The Wildlife Society

Over 2,000 people are employed in wildlife biology in the United States federal government. The size of this constituency motivated me to examine the amount of formal education federal biologists have received and the extent of continuing education they undertake by reading journals or attending scientific meetings. Most federal biologists who are members of The Wildlife Society (TWS) have a graduate degree. However, one-third have only a Bachelor of Science degree, despite the current trend toward hiring people with graduate degrees. Most federal biologists are not research biologists. Numbers of journals subscribed to was positively related to educational level. Less than one-third of all wildlife biologists employed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service are members of TWS or subscribe to any of its journals. In contrast, the majority of presenters at the TWS 2000 Annual Conference were research biologists and members of TWS. The failure of many federal wildlife biologists to read scientific literature or attend professional meetings indicates a failure to promote the importance of continuing education in the federal workplace. I identify 2 potential adverse impacts of this failing: an inability to recognize important and relevant scientific contributions and an ineffectiveness in carrying out adaptive management.

Wildlife Society Bulletin↗
USGS2015

Seasonal thermal ecology of adult walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Huron and Lake Erie

The purpose of this study was to characterize thermal patterns and generate occupancy models for adult walleye from lakes Erie and Huron with internally implanted biologgers coupled with a telemetry study to assess the effects of sex, fish size, diel periods, and lake. Sex, size, and diel periods had no effect on thermal occupancy of adult walleye in either lake. Thermal occupancy differed between lakes and seasons. Walleye from Lake Erie generally experienced higher temperatures throughout the spring and summer months than did walleye in Lake Huron, due to limnological differences between the lakes. Tagged walleye that remained in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron (i.e., adjacent to the release location), as opposed to those migrating to the main basin of Lake Huron, experienced higher temperatures, and thus accumulated more thermal units (the amount of temperature units amassed over time) throughout the year. Walleye that migrated toward the southern end of Lake Huron occupied higher temperatures than those that moved toward the north. Consequently, walleye that emigrated from Saginaw Bay experienced thermal environments that were more favorable for growth as they spent more time within their thermal optimas than those that remained in Saginaw Bay. Results presented in this paper provide information on the thermal experience of wild fish in a large lake, and could be used to refine sex- and lake-specific bioenergetics models of walleye in the Great Lakes to enable the testing of ecological hypotheses.

Journal of Thermal Biology↗
USGS2025

How quickly do brook trout lose long-term thermal acclimation?

Abundances of coldwater adapted stream fish populations are declining largely due to anthropogenic influences, including increased temperature. To persist in streams with unsuitable thermal habitat, fish must move to coldwater patches, acclimate, or adapt to water temperatures above thermal optima. Brook trout, a coldwater adapted salmonid, has previously displayed physiological plasticity and the ability for reversible thermal acclimation when reared at higher temperatures. However, because stream temperatures are not static, it is important to explore the rate at which thermal acclimation occurs to evaluate whether prior thermal experience will influence future thermal performance. To determine the temporal scale in loss of thermal acclimation as water temperatures cool, we acclimated brook trout to three thermal regimes: +0 °C (ambient; mimicking the daily average water temperature of a nearby long-term study site), as well as +2 °C and +4 °C above ambient. After 2 years of being reared under those conditions, fish from the warmer treatments were moved to a common, colder temperature (ambient). We then used critical thermal maximum to measure the loss in acclimation response of fish from each treatment over time. We found that regardless of initial acclimation temperature, thermal tolerance of warm acclimated fish decreased rapidly for 1 week, then gradually decreased, and was completely lost within 42 days. This gradual loss of acclimation may be valuable to persistence in warmer streams and will be important to include in models of the impact climate change has on brook trout and other aquatic ectotherms with significant thermal plasticity.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2024

Using the electron transport system as an indicator of organismal thermal tolerance and respiratory exploitation

Freshwater ecosystems are undergoing rapid thermal shifts, making it increasingly important to understand species-specific responses to these changes. Traditional techniques for determining a species’ thermal tolerance are often lethal and time consuming. Using the enzyme activity associated with the electron transport system (ETS; hereafter referred to as enzyme assay) may provide a non-lethal, rapid, and efficient alternative to traditional techniques for some species. We used largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede, 1802) to test the efficacy of using an enzyme assay to determine thermal tolerance and respiratory exploitation in response to variable acclimation temperatures. Three tissue types were dissected from fish acclimated to 20, 25, or 30 °C and used in ETS assays at temperatures ranging from 7.5 to 40 °C. While there were significant differences among tissue types and acclimation temperatures, maximal enzyme activity occurred from 25.23 to 31.91 °C. Fish lost equilibrium at 39–42 °C in traditional CT max trials, significantly higher than the upper optimum range determined via enzyme assays. The ratio of enzyme activity to measured whole organism respiration rate decreased with increasing water temperature, with the largest changes occurring at the upper optimum thermal range determined by enzyme assays. Our results indicate that ETS analysis may prove useful for obtaining biologically relevant thermal tolerances.

Canadian Journal of Zoology↗
USGS2011

Developing user-friendly habitat suitability tools from regional stream fish survey data

We developed user-friendly fish habitat suitability tools (plots) for fishery managers in Michigan; these tools are based on driving habitat variables and fish population estimates for several hundred stream sites throughout the state. We generated contour plots to show patterns in fish biomass for over 60 common species (and for 120 species grouped at the family level) in relation to axes of catchment area and low-flow yield (90% exceedance flow divided by catchment area) and also in relation to axes of mean and weekly range of July temperatures. The plots showed distinct patterns in fish habitat suitability at each level of biological organization studied and were useful for quantitatively comparing river sites. We demonstrate how these plots can be used to support stream management, and we provide examples pertaining to resource assessment, trout stocking, angling regulations, chemical reclamation of marginal trout streams, indicator species, instream flow protection, and habitat restoration. These straightforward and effective tools are electronically available so that managers can easily access and incorporate them into decision protocols and presentations.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗
USGS2016

Design and testing of a mesocosm-scale habitat for culturing the endangered Devils Hole Pupfish

aptive propagation of desert spring fishes, whether for conservation or research, is often difficult, given the unique and often challenging environments these fish utilize in nature. High temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, minimal water flow, and highly variable lighting are some conditions a researcher might need to recreate to simulate their natural environments. Here we describe a mesocosm-scale habitat created to maintain hybrid Devils Hole × Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish ( Cyprinodon diabolis × C. nevadensis mionectes ) under conditions similar to those found in Devils Hole, Nevada. This 13,000-L system utilized flow control and natural processes to maintain these conditions rather than utilizing complex and expensive automation. We designed a rotating solar collector to control natural sunlight, a biological reactor to consume oxygen while buffering water quality, and a reverse-daylight photosynthesis sump system to stabilize nighttime pH and swings in dissolved oxygen levels. This system successfully controlled many desired parameters and helped inform development of a larger, more permanent desert fish conservation facility at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. For others who need to raise fish from unique habitats, many components of the scalable and modular design of this system can be adapted at reasonable cost.

North American Journal of Aquaculture↗
USGS2022

Alaskan Yelloweye Rockfish fecundity revealed through an automated egg count and digital imagery method

Spawning stock biomass (SSB) is often used as an index for reproductive potential (RP) in fisheries stock assessments. This method assumes that mature female biomass is proportional to total egg production and implies that (1) the fecundity–length relationship follows a cubic function or (2) relative fecundity is constant. For many marine fishes, adequate fecundity estimates to evaluate these relationships are lacking. This study estimated fecundity and fecundity relationships for Yelloweye Rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus and evaluated an automated method of counting eggs and larvae. We collected Yelloweye Rockfish ovaries ( N = 90) from the northern Gulf of Alaska, including Prince William Sound, Alaska, during 2018–2019 and used the gravimetric method and image analysis software to count eggs from digital camera images. To evaluate the speed, accuracy, and precision of the automated counting procedure, one-third of the gravimetric samples were also manually counted. Image analysis software was approximately four times faster but equally accurate and precise for fecundity estimates relative to manual counts. Fecundity ranged from 53,249 to 3.052 × 10 6 eggs (mean ± SD = 896,762 ± 699,504 eggs), and relative fecundity increased with female FL and ranged from 68 to 435 eggs/g of body weight (mean ± SD = 226 ± 87 eggs/g). The use of SSB for Yelloweye Rockfish stock assessment could underestimate the contribution to egg production by larger (>5.6-kg) females, overestimate the contribution by smaller females, and lead to biased biological reference points. This study provides critical information to more realistically model RP and improve stock assessment inputs for the development of harvest control rules for Yelloweye Rockfish. Additionally, the use of image analysis software to count eggs in digital images proved to be an effective fecundity estimation method that could be applied to other highly fecund fish species for which the time demand of manual counting methods would be prohibitive.

Alaska↗
USGS2020

Egg and larval collection methods affect spawning adult numbers inferred by pedigree analysis

Analytical methods that incorporate genetic data are increasingly used in monitoring and assessment programs for important rate functions of fish populations (e.g., recruitment). Because gear types vary in efficiencies and effective sampling areas, results from genetic‐based assessments likely differ depending on the sampling gear used to collect genotyped individuals; consequently, management decisions may also be affected by sampling gear. In this study, genetic pedigree analysis conducted on egg and larval Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens collected from the St. Clair–Detroit River system using three gear types was used to estimate and evaluate gear‐specific differences in the number of spawning adults that produced the eggs and larvae sampled ( N s ), the effective number of breeding adults ( N b ), and individual reproductive success. Combined across locations and sampling years, pooled estimates were 330 ( N s ; point estimate) and 317 ( N b ; 95% CI = 271–372). Mean reproductive success was 4.35 with a variance of 5.33 individuals/spawner. Mean ± SE estimated numbers of unique parents per genotyped egg or larva (i.e., adult detection rate) from 2015 samples were 1.140 ± 0.003 for vertically stratified conical nets, 0.836 ± 0.002 for D‐frame nets, and 0.870 ± 0.002 for egg mats. Using samples from 2016, adult detection rates were 0.823 ± 0.001 for D‐frame nets and 0.708 ± 0.001 for egg mat collections. Coancestry values were negatively correlated with adult detection rate. Although genetic pedigree analyses can improve the understanding of recruitment in fish populations, this study demonstrates that estimates from genetic analyses can vary with the targeted life stage (a biologically informative outcome) and sampling methodology. This study also highlights the influence of sampling methods on the interpretation of genetic pedigree analysis results when multiple gear types are used to collect individuals. Development of standardization approaches may facilitate spatial and temporal comparisons of genetic‐based assessment results.

Michigan, Ontario↗
USGS2011

Testing the effect of habitat structure and complexity on nekton assemblages using experimental oyster reefs

Structurally complex habitats are often associated with more diverse and abundant species assemblages in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Biogenic reefs formed by the eastern oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) are complex in nature and are recognized for their potential habitat value in estuarine systems along the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Few studies, however, have examined the response of nekton to structural complexity within oyster reefs. We used a quantitative sampling technique to examine how the presence and complexity of experimental oyster reefs influence the abundance, biomass, and distribution of nekton by sampling reefs 4 months and 16 months post-construction. Experimental oyster reefs were colonized immediately by resident fishes and decapod crustaceans, and reefs supported a distinct nekton assemblage compared to mud-bottom habitat. Neither increased reef complexity, nor age of the experimental reef resulted in further changes in nekton assemblages or increases in nekton abundance or diversity. The presence of oyster reefs per se was the most important factor determining nekton usage.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology↗
USGS2002

Comparison of subyearling fall chinook salmon's use of riprap revetments and unaltered habitats in Lake Wallula of the Columbia river

Subyearling fall chinook salmon's Oncorhynchus tshawytscha use of unaltered and riprap habitats in Lake Wallula of the Columbia River was determined with point abundance data collected by electrofishing in May 1994 and 1995. We documented the presence or absence of subyearlings at 277 sample sites and collected physical habitat information at each site. Based on logistic regression, we found that the probability of fish presence was greater in unaltered shoreline habitats than in riprap habitats. Substrate size was the most important factor in determining fish presence, with dominant substrates larger than 256 mm having the lowest probability of fish presence. Water velocity, also included in our model due to its biological importance, was not a significant factor affecting presence or absence (P = 0.1102). The correct prediction rate of fish presence or absence in our sample sites using cross validation was 67%. Our model showed that substrate was the most important factor determining subyearling habitat use, but the model did not include other habitat variables known to be important to subyearlings in more diverse systems. We suggest that resource managers consider alternative methods of bank stabilization that are compatible with the habitat requirements of the fish that use them.

Washington↗
USGS2005

An evaluation of effects of groundwater exchange on nearshore habitats and water quality of western Lake Erie

Historically, the high potentiometric surface of groundwater in the Silurian/Devonian carbonate aquifer in Monroe County, MI resulted in discharge of highly mineralized, SO 4 -rich groundwater to the Lake Erie shoreline near both Erie State Game Area (ESGA) and Pointe Mouillee State Game Area (PMSGA). Recently, regional groundwater levels near PMSGA have been drawn down as much as 45 m below lake level in apparent response to quarry dewatering. From August to November of 2003, we conducted preliminary studies of groundwater flow dynamics and chemistry, shallow lake water chemistry, and fish and invertebrate communities at both sites. Consistent with regional observations, groundwater flow direction in the nearshore at ESGA was upward, or toward Lake Erie, and shallow nearshore groundwater chemistry was influenced by regional groundwater chemistry. In contrast, at PMSGA, the groundwater flow potential was downward and lake water, influenced by quarry discharge seeping downward into nearshore sediments, produced a different lake and shallow groundwater chemistry than at ESGA. Although the invertebrate and young fish community was similar at the two sites, taxonomic groups tolerant of degraded water quality were more prevalent at PMSGA. Sensitive taxa were more prevalent at ESGA. We propose a conceptual model, based on well-described models of groundwater/seawater interaction along coastal margins, to describe the interconnection among geologic, hydrologic, chemical, and biological processes in the different nearshore habitats of Lake Erie, and we identify processes that warrant further detailed study in the Great Lakes.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2020

Improved selenium recovery from tissue with modified sample decomposition

The present paper describes a simple modification of a recently reported decomposition method for determination of selenium in biological tissue by hydride generation atomic absorption. The modified method yielded slightly higher selenium recoveries (3-4%) for selected reference tissues and fish tissue spiked with selenomethionine. Radiotracer experiments indicated that the addition of a small volume of hydrochloric acid to the wet digestate mixture reduced slight losses of selenium as the sample initially went to dryness before ashing. With the modified method, selenium spiked as selenomethionine behaved more like the selenium in reference tissues than did the inorganic spike forms when this digestion modification was used.

Journal of the Association of Official Analytical ↗