The development and evaluation of a benthic index of biological integrity for the Cedar River Watershed, Washington
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Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
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Physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the Duwamish River Estuary, King County, Washington, 1963-67
This report describes the significant results to 1967 of a comprehensive study that began in 1963 to evaluate what changes take place in an estuary as the loads .of raw and partially treated industrial and municipal wastes are replaced by effluent from a secondary treatment plant. The study area is the Duwamish River estuary, about 18.3 river kilometers long. At mean sea level the estuary has a water-surface area of about 1 square mile and a mean width of 440 feet. At the lowest and highest recorded tides, the volume of the estuary is about 205 and 592 million cubic feet, respectively. The estuary is well stratified (salt-wedge type) at fresh-water inflows greater than 1,000 cfs (cubic feet per second), but when inflow rates are less than 1,000 cfs the lower 5.6 kilometers of the estuary grades into the partly mixed type. The crosschannel salinity distribution is uniform for a given location and depth. Salinity migration is controlled by tides and fresh-water inflow. At fresh-water inflow rates greater than 1,000 cfs, water in the upper 8.4 kilometers of the estuary is always fresh regardless of tide. At inflow rates less than 600 cfs and tide heights greater than 10 feet; some salinity has been detected 16.1 kilometers above the mouth of the estuary. Studies using a fluorescent dye show that virtually no downward mixing into the salt wedge occurs; soluble pollutants introduced at the upper end of the estuary stay in the surface layer (5-15 ft thick). On the basis of dye studies when fresh-water inflow is less than 400 cfs, it is estimated that less than 10 percent of a pollutant will remain in the estuary a minimum of 7 days. Longitudinal dispersion coefficients for the surface layer have been determined to be on the order of 100-400 square feet per second. Four water-quality stations automatically monitor DO (dissolved oxygen), water temperature, pH, and specific conductance; at one station solar radiation also is measured. DO concentration in the surface layer decreases almost linearly in a downstream direction. Minimum DO concentration in the surface layer is usually greater than 4 rag/1 (milligrams per liter). The smallest DO values are consistently recorded in the bottom layer at the station 7.7 kilometers above the mouth; monthly means of less than 3 mg/1 of DO have occurred at this point. Manual sampling shows that the DO sag in the bottom layer oscillates between 7.7 and 10.4 kilometers above the mouth of the estuary. Multiple-regression analysis shows that the surface DO content can be estimated from the fresh-water inflow and water temperature. Tidal exchange and fresh-water inflow indirectly control the bottom DO content. Information available from previous studies failed to indicate a progressive decrease in DO content during the period 1949-56, but data from the present study suggest a slight general decrease in the annual minimum DO concentrations in both the upper and lower layers. Average nitrate concentration in fresh water at station 16.2 has increased progressively since 1964, by amounts greater than those which can be attributed to the Renton Treatment Plant, 4.3 kilometers upstream from station 16.2. The BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) in both surface and bottom layers is generally less than 4 rag/1 of oxygen, but values greater than 6 rag/1 have been measured during a period of phytoplankton bloom. Phytoplankton blooms can occur during periods of minimum tidal exchange and fresh-water inflows of less than 300 cfs if solar radiation and water temperature are optimum. Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) do not control the occurrence of a bloom, because sufficient quantities of these nutrients are always present. Nutrients in the treated effluent may increase the biomass of the bloom. Trace-element studies have not defined any role that these elements may play in algal growth. The inflowing fresh water contains principally calcium and bicarbonate and has a dissolved-solids content ra
Water Supply Paper↗
Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River Basin, Kentucky; analysis of available surface-water-quality data through 1986, with a section on biological indicators of water quality
As part of the National Water-Quality Assessment program (NAWQA), existing water-quality data and ancillary information from the Kentucky River basin study unit were compiled and evaluated to provide a description of existing conditions and long-term trends in water quality. The data and evaluations were used to develop a conceptual understanding of the observed conditions and trends, including relations to causative factors, both natural and human controlled.
Kentucky↗
Effects of the eruptions of Mount St. Helens on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of surface water, ground water, and precipitation in the Western United States
Over 120 publications that describe the 1980 eruption effects of Mount St. Helens on rivers, lakes, and the Columbia River estuary are reviewed. Water-quality changes ranged from minor, short-lived effects, to totally altered drainage basins and newly created lakes. Turbidity increased; concentrations of cations, anions, and dissolved organic carbon increased. Migrating fish were adversely affected; benthic-invertebrate populations changed. Ground-water levels rose near the Cowlitz River. Precipitation effects included transient, but increased specific conductance and decreased pH.
Water Supply Paper↗
Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Charlotte Harbor basin and estuarine system in southwestern Florida: A summary of the 1982-89 U.S. Geological Survey Charlotte Harbor assessment and other studies
The Charlotte Harbor estuarine system, having a surface area of about 270 square miles, averages about 7 feet in depth and is connected to deep water of the Gulf of Mexico through several passes and inlets between barrier islands. Three major rivers flow into the estuary--the Peace, the Myakka, and the Caloosahatchee. Freshwater and tidal flushing transport nutrients and other constituents from the basin through the estuary into the gulf. Flushing characteristics were evaluated using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The model indicated that the time required to flush injected dye (simulated) from some subareas of the harbor was longer for reduced freshwater inflow than for typical freshwater inflow. After 30 days of simulation of reduced freshwater inflow, 42 percent of the dye injected into the upper harbor remained in the upper harbor, compared to 28 percent for typical freshwater inflow. The Charlotte Harbor estuary is usually well mixed or partially mixed in the vertical, but vertical salinity stratification does occur, primarily during late summer when freshwater inflows are greatest. A box model was developed that incorporated vertically averaged salinities to account indirectly for three-dimensional transport processes associated with vertical stratification. The box model predicts that under high (7,592 cubic feet per second) and average (2,470 cubic feet per second) freshwater inflows from the Peace and Myakka Rivers, 50 percent of the original water (present at the start of the model run) would be flushed from the northern part of the estuarine system into the Gulf of Mexico in 10 days and 20 days, respectively. The distribution of plant nutrients in the Charlotte Harbor Estuary is affected by nutrient inputs, freshwater and tidal flushing, mixing, and recycling processes in the estuary. The distributions of total phosphorus and orthophosphate are affected mainly by river input and physical mixing. The distribution of ammonia nitrogen is variable and is related more to recycling within the estuary than to input from the rivers. Ammonia concentrations increase in deeper water, probably in response to vertical salinity stratification and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen that foster regeneration of ammonia from bottom sediments. The distribution of nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen is nonconservative--concentrations are high in the rivers and decrease more rapidly in the estuary than expected due to dilution with sea water, probably because of phytoplankton uptake. Phytoplankton productivity and biomass are usually greatest during late summer near the mouths of the tidal rivers when freshwater inflow and nutrient loading are greatest. The highly colored freshwater runoff reduces light penetration and phytoplankton productivity in regions of the estuary where salinity is less than about 10 parts per thousand, but the nutrient-rich, colored water is diluted by seawater at midsalinities (10-20 parts per thousand) so that availability of light increases and inorganic nitrogen concentrations are still high enough to stimulate productivity and growth of phytoplankton. In much of the estuary, salinity is greater than 20 parts per thousand, and availability of inorganic nitrogen, not light, limits productivity and growth. Although the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system is relatively undisturbed, much of its basin has been altered by human activities. Streamflow decreased substantially during 1931-84 in parts of the Peace River, probably because of ground-water withdrawals in the basin. Nutrient concentrations generally increased in the rivers during 1970-85, because of an increase in the flow of wastewater and agricultural runoff. The concentrations of phosphorus are naturally high in the Peace River because of extensive phosphate deposits in the basin. The phosphate deposits also are relatively rich in radionuclides of the uranium-238 series, including radium-226. In the upper basin, these deposits are exposed in the riverbed. Extensive phosphate mining and processing have exposed additional deposits to surface runoff. Periodic spills of phosphate sediments (slimes) have contributed additional phosphorus and radium-226 to the river and estuary. A single spill can contribute a phosphorus load equal to the annual loading in the Peace River at Arcadia. The projected increase in population in the basin by the year 2020 would generate an additional 60 million gallons per day of domestic wastewater over that generated during 1980, which would increase nitrogen loading in the basin by more than 3 tons per day. Intensified agricultural and industrial developments, particularly expanding citrus production and phosphate mining, could generate additional loads of nutrients and a variety of inorganic and organic contaminants. Increased inputs of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, could encourage growth and increase abundance of phytoplankton and benthic and epiphytic algae. If water were less colored as a result of reduced freshwater inflow, undesirable algal growth could be exacerbated because of increased availability of light. Increased abundance of phytoplankton and other algae could likely change dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the estuary, resulting in greater day-to-night fluctuations and the possible depletion of dissolved oxygen in deep water. At the present time, near-anaerobic conditions occur for days or weeks in the deep water (more than 9 feet) of the northern harbor during late summer. These conditions could become more persistent with time and over wider areas, if phytoplankton and other algae increase in abundance and in their contribution to benthic oxygen demand. An increased abundance of phytoplankton and other algae also would reduce light penetration and adversely affect seagrasses.
Florida↗
Biological and anthropogenic influences on macrophage aggregates in white perch Morone americana from Chesapeake Bay, USA
The response of macrophage aggregates in fish to a variety of environmental stressors has been useful as a biomarker of exposure to habitat degradation. Total volume of macrophage aggregates (MAV) was estimated in the liver and spleen of white perch Morone americana from Chesapeake Bay using stereological approaches. Hepatic and splenic MAV were compared between fish populations from the rural Choptank River (n = 122) and the highly urbanized Severn River (n = 131). Hepatic and splenic MAV increased with fish age, were greater in females from the Severn River only, and were significantly greater in fish from the more polluted Severn River (higher concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, and brominated diphenyl ethers). Water temperature and dissolved oxygen had a significant effect on organ volumes, but not on MAV. Age and river were most influential on hepatic and splenic MAV, suggesting that increased MAV in Severn River fish resulted from chronic exposures to higher concentrations of environmental contaminants and other stressors. Hemosiderin was abundant in 97% of spleens and was inversely related to fish condition and positively related to fish age and trematode infections. Minor amounts of hemosiderin were detected in 30% of livers and positively related to concentrations of benzo [a] pyrene metabolite equivalents in the bile. This study demonstrated that hepatic and splenic MAV were useful indicators in fish from the 2 tributaries with different land use characteristics and concentrations of environmental contaminants. More data are needed from additional tributaries with a wider gradient of environmental impacts to validate our results in this species.
Maryland Virginia↗
Bioavailability of biologically sequestered cadmium and the implications of metal detoxification
The deposit-feeding oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri possesses metallothionein-like proteins and metal-rich granules for storing and detoxifying cadmium (Cd). In this study we investigated the bioavailability of Cd sequestered within this oligochaete by conducting feeding experiments with 109Cd-labeled oligochaetes and the omnivorous grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio. We also make predictions on Cd trophic transfer based on oligochaete subcellular Cd distributions and absorption efficiencies of Cd by shrimp Cytosol [including metallothionein-like proteins and other proteins) and a debris fraction (including metal-rich granules and tissue fragments) isolated from homogenized 109Cd-labeled oligochaetes were embedded in gelatin and fed to shrimp. The 109Cd absorption efficiencies of shrimp fed these subcellular fractions were 84.8 and 48.6%, respectively, and were significantly different (p < 0.001), indicating that 109Cd bound in these fractions was not equally available to a predator. Mass balance equations demonstrate that shrimp fed whole worms absorb 61.5% of the ingested 109Cd, an absorption efficiency similar to that obtained experimentally (57.1%). Furthermore, the majority of the absorbed 109Cd comes from the fraction containing metallothionein-like proteins (i.e. cytosol). 109Cd absorbed from the debris fraction probably comes from the digestion of tissue fragments, rather than metal-rich granules. The ecological significance of these findings is that prey detoxification mechanisms may mediate the bioreduction or bioaccumulation of toxic metals along fond chains by altering metal bioavailability. Another important finding is that trophic transfer of metal can be predicted based on the subcellular metal distribution of prey.
Marine Ecology Progress Series↗
Advancing marine biological observations and data requirements of the complementary Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) and Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) Frameworks
Measurements of the status and trends of key indicators for the ocean and marine life are required to inform policy and management in the context of growing human uses of marine resources, coastal development, and climate change. Two synergistic efforts identify specific priority variables for monitoring: Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) through the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), and Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) from the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). Both systems support reporting against internationally agreed conventions and treaties. GOOS, established under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), plays a leading role in coordinating global monitoring of the ocean and in the definition of EOVs. GEO BON is a global biodiversity observation network that coordinates observations to enhance management of the world’s biodiversity and promote both the awareness and accounting of ecosystem services. Convergence and agreement between these two efforts are required to streamline existing and new marine observation programs to advance scientific knowledge effectively and to support the sustainable use and management of ocean spaces and resources. In this context, the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), a thematic component of GEO BON, is collaborating with GOOS, the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), and the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) project to ensure that EBVs and EOVs are complementary, representing alternative uses of a common set of scientific measurements. This work is informed by the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM), an intergovernmental body of technical experts that helps international coordination on best practices for observing, data management and services, combined with capacity development expertise. Characterizing biodiversity and understanding its drivers will require incorporation of observations from traditional and molecular taxonomy, animal tagging and tracking efforts, ocean biogeochemistry, and ocean observatory initiatives including deep ocean and seafloor. The partnership between large-scale ocean observing and product distribution initiatives (MBON, OBIS, JCOMM, and GOOS) is an expedited, effective way to support international policy-level assessments (e.g., the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services or IPBES), along with the implementation of international development goals (e.g., the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals).
Frontiers in Marine Science↗
Biologging to identify nesting and non-nesting emergences for four species of imperiled sea turtles
Quantifying sea turtle nesting behavior is essential for recovery planning and evaluating management actions. Traditional monitoring approaches, based on nest counts from beach surveys, can misclassify non-nesting emergences, obscure true fecundity, and underestimate clutch frequency, metrics that directly influence population models and regulatory decisions. Here, we demonstrate that high-resolution acceleration data loggers (ADLs) can reliably discriminate nesting from non-nesting emergences across four imperiled species of sea turtles at sites in the Gulf of America, southeast USA, and Caribbean. From 60 recovered ADL deployments on green ( Chelonia mydas ; N = 10), hawksbill ( Eretmochelys imbricata ; N = 7), Kemp’s ridley ( Lepidochelys kempii ; N = 21), and loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ; N = 22) lasting on average 17.5 ± 8.7 days (range 2–43 days), we identified 54 nesting events and 76 non-nesting emergences, with >97% accuracy when compared to direct observations. These data provide the first observer-validated, species-specific behavioral signatures of nesting phases and reveal correlations between egg-laying duration and clutch size. All non-nesting emergences occurred within 72 hours of subsequent nesting, allowing managers to anticipate nest deposition windows. By refining inter-nesting intervals and fecundity estimates, ADLs offer a practical path to reduce error in clutch frequency estimates. The integration of ADL-derived algorithms with satellite-transmitting tags would enable the remote, real-time monitoring of nesting activity, creating a system for the remote monitoring of inter-nesting intervals and nest fecundity that are crucial to quantify the impacts of climate change and other threats to sea turtle nesting habitat.
Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Texas↗
The biological soil crusts of the San Nicolas Island: Enigmatic algae from a geographically isolated ecosystem
Composite soil samples from 7 sites on San Nicolas Island were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively for the presence of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae. Combined data demonstrated a rich algal flora with 19 cyanobacterial and 19 eukaryotic microalgal genera being identified, for a total of 56 species. Nine new species were identified and described among the cyanobacteria and the eukaryotic microalgae that were isolated: Leibleinia edaphica, Aphanothece maritima, Chroococcidiopsis edaphica, Cyanosarcina atroveneta, Hassallia californica, Hassallia pseudoramosissima, Microchaete terrestre, Palmellopsis californiens, and Pseudotetracystis compactis. Distinct distributional patterns of algal taxa existed among sites on the island and among soil algal floras of western North America. Some algal taxa appeared to be widely distributed across many desert regions, including Microcoleus vaginatus, Nostoc punctiforme, Nostoc paludosum, and Tolypothrix distorta, Chlorella vulgaris, Diplosphaera cf. chodatii, Myrmecia astigmatica, Myrmecia biatorellae, Hantzschia amphioxys, and Luticola mutica. Some taxa share a distinctly southern distribution with soil algae from southern Arizona, southern California, and Baja California (e.g., Scenedesmus deserticola and Eustigmatos magnus). The data presented herein support the view that the cyanobacterial and microalgal floras of soil crusts possess significant biodiversity, much of it previously undescribed.
Western North American Naturalist↗
Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools
Burmese pythons ( Python molurus bivittatus ) are native to southeastern Asia, however, there is an established invasive population inhabiting much of southern Florida throughout the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Pythons have severely impacted native species and ecosystems in Florida and represent one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe. The difficulty stems from a unique combination of inaccessible habitat and the cryptic and resilient nature of pythons that thrive in the subtropical environment of southern Florida, rendering them extremely challenging to detect. Here we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis of the science relevant to managing invasive Burmese pythons. We describe existing control tools and review challenges to productive research, identifying key knowledge gaps that would improve future research and decision making for python control.
Florida↗
A protocol for modelling generalised biological responses using latent variables in structural equation models
In this paper we consider the problem of how to quantitatively characterize the degree to which a study object exhibits a generalized response. By generalized response, we mean a multivariate response where numerous individual properties change in concerted fashion due to some internal integration. In latent variable structural equation modeling (LVSEM), we would typically approach this situation using a latent variable to represent a general property of interest (e.g., performance) and multiple observed indicator variables that reflect the specific features associated with that general property. While ecologists have used LVSEM in a number of cases, there is substantial potential for its wider application. One obstacle is that LV models can be complex and easily over-specified, degrading their value as a means of generalization. It can also be challenging to diagnose causes of misspecification and understand which model modifications are sensible. In this paper we present a protocol, consisting of a series of questions, designed to guide the researchers through the evaluation process. These questions address (1) theoretical development, (2) data requirements, (3) whether responses to perturbation are general, (4) unique reactions by individual measures, and (5) how far generality can be extended. For this illustration, we reference a recent study considering the potential consequences of maintaining biodiversity as part of agricultural management on the overall quality of grapes used for wine making. We extend our presentation to include the complexities that occur when there are multiple species with unique reactions.
One Ecosystem↗
Out of control? The effects of climate change on biological control agents and their target hosts
No abstract available.
Conference Paper↗
Breeding biology of eastern phoebes in northern Wisconsin
Abstract has not been submitted
The Wilson Bulletin↗
Some aspects of the breeding biology of the upland sandpiper in North Dakota
Abstract has not been submitted
The Wilson Bulletin↗
The Nature Conservancy's approach to conserving and rehabilitating biological diversity in the Upper Mississippi River system
Abstract has not been submitted
Archiv fur Hydrobiologie↗
Searching for biological specimens from midwestern parks: Pitfalls and solutions
This paper describes the results of searches of herbarium and museum collections and databases for records of vertebrate and vascular plant specimens that had been collected in 15 midwestern National Park System units. The records of these specimens were previously unknown to the National Park Service (NPS). In the course of our searches, numerous obstacles were encountered that prevented us from fully completing our task. These ranged from difficulties with the way databases are structured, to poor record-keeping, to incomplete or incorrect information on the actual location of specimens within collections. Despite these problems, we are convinced that the information to be gained from such searches in invaluable, and we believe that our experience, and the recommendations we offer, may well prove instructive to others undertaking this kind of work.
Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missou↗
Laboratory biological testing of new acid mine drainage treatment technology provides support for field applications
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Slate Run Tackle Shop Newsletter↗