Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Seawater Exchange On Water Chemistry Among Coastal Lakes With Intermittent Connections To The Sea, A. Challen Hyman, Dana Bigham Stephens

VIMS Articles

Intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons (ICOLLs) are a dynamic class of coastal waterbodies with the unique feature of intermittently connecting to the sea. Understanding the functioning and potential threats of these globally rare systems is important to their preservation and protection. Coastal dune lakes of northwest Florida are one example of an understudied group of ICOLLs which connect with the Gulf of Mexico for brief periods of time. Using a 17-year, monthly water chemistry dataset, we analyzed long-term patterns in water chemistry among 16 coastal dune lakes. Using salinity as a proxy for frequency of seawater inflows, principal …

Trace Metals And The Environment: Studying The Behaviour Of Iceland’S Glacially Sourced Trace Metals, Owen Bailey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Trace metal contamination in marine ecosystems is a problem for every trophic level, from zooplankton up to humans. The mobility and uptake availability of these metals depend on such environmental parameters as salinity, temperature, and pH, among others. To explore the effects of varying parameters on dissolved metal behaviour, I studied the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, into which the Breidamerkurjökull glacier deposits trace metals from volcanic ash through glacial melt. In this study I develop and follow a sampling procedure to analyze trace metal concentrations in the lagoon, while additionally discussing the behaviour and impact of trace metals, focusing on cadmium, …

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction Of Quaternary Saltville, Virginia, Using Ostracode Autecology, Austin Gause

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Saltville valley in southwestern Virginia is home to Quaternary localities containing paleontological and archaeological remains. Historically the valley has been mined for salt and the small lakes, ponds and springs along the valley floor have a brackish signature. A preliminary report on the site’s ostracode fauna suggested that the site’s water was not always saline. This study analyzed modern and Quaternary ostracodes to understand the valley’s hydrologic and chemical evolution. Sediments contained primarily freshwater species, including the environmentally sensitive Candona crogmaniana. The presence of Pelocypris tuberculatum and a new Fabaeformiscandona species throughout a vertical section spanning the latest Pleistocene …

Statement Of World Aquatic Scientific Societies On The Need To Take Urgent Action Against Human-Caused Climate Change, Based On Scientific Evidence [Dear Colleague Letter], Scott A. Bonar, Brian R. Murphy, Leanne H. Roulson, Jesse T. Trushenski, Douglas J. Austen, Michael Edward Douglas

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Dear Colleague Letter from the American Fisheries Society to fellow scientific societies, July 25, 2020, about the urgent need for responsive collective action to mitigate impending radical climate change. Includes the Statement of World Aquatic Scientific Societies on the Need to Take Urgent Action Against Human-Caused Climate Change, Based on Scientific Evidence, emphasizing the importance of aquatic ecosystems. Includes extensive citations and notes.

"Water is the most important natural resource on Earth as it is vital for life. Aquatic ecosystems, freshwater or marine, provide multiple benefits to human society, such as provisioning of oxygen, food, drinking water, genetic resources; regulation …

A Framework For Aquatic Invasive Species Surveillance Site Selection And Prioritization In The Us Waters Of The Laurentian Great Lakes, Andrew J. Tucker, W. Lindsay Chadderton, Gust Annis, Alisha D. Davidson, Joel Hoffman, Jon Bossenbroek, Stephen Hensler, Michael Hoff, Erika Jensen, Donna R. Kashian, Sarah Lesage, Timothy Strakosh

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Risk-based prioritization for early detection monitoring is of utmost importance to prevent and mitigate invasive species impacts and is especially needed for large ecosystems where management resources are not sufficient to survey all locations susceptible to invasion. In this paper we describe a spatially-explicit and quantitative approach for identifying the highest risk sites for aquatic invasive species (AIS) introduction into the United States’ waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes, a vast inland sea with a surface area of 246,049 square km and a shoreline length of 16,431 km. We compiled data from geospatial metrics available across all of the US …

Projected Surface Water For Fruit And Vegetable Irrigation Under A Changing Climate In The Us, Marty Matlock, Greg Thoma, Kieu Ngoc Le, Eric Cummings, Zach Morgan, Andrew Shaw

Water Systems

Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, resulting in climate impacts, are raising concerns over the hydrologic cycle and its effects upon agricultural productivity. If rainfall patterns change, meeting an increased demand for fruits and vegetables will pose a challenge for domestic production regions in the United States (U.S.). Information on potential water supply scarcity in the current production regions provides decision makers with critical information for risk mitigation for future production. We used a hydrologic balance-based model of historic and future water availability to evaluate risk of available irrigation water to support major fruit and vegetable production the US. …

An Investigation Into The Trophic Magnification Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls In The Lake Michigan Food Web, Philip Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants known to contribute to several adverse health conditions in humans including cancers and a suite of liver diseases. While there exist 209 unique PCB congeners, the World Health Organization has identified 12 that pose the greatest health risk to humans due to these congeners’ functional similarity to dioxins, another notoriously toxic class of contaminants. Along with methylmercury, PCBs are the primary drivers behind fish consumption advisories in the Great Lakes. These guidelines are informed primarily by surveys of contaminants in freshwater biota. However, the proliferation of invasive species, such as …

The Release, Transport, And Utilization Of Phosphorus From Bed-Sediments: A Study Of A Eutrophic Littoral Cove On Beaver Lake In Northwest Arkansas, James A. Mccarty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eutrophication of surface waters not only impacts the environment but also water treatment processes, the most significant of which is from the effects of algae. During peak algal growth in many southern U.S. reservoirs, inflows that bring nutrients are at an annual minimum, and phosphorus released from bed-sediments is trapped in the hypolimnion. Littoral areas, described as the most productive zone of the lake, may be a possible source of phosphorus that fuels algal growth in the reservoir. I studied an isolated shallow cove in the War Eagle Creek arm of Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas to measure, quantify, and …

Assessing The Legacy Of Large Woody Debris As Coastal Protection In Bc And Washington, Jessica Wilson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Large Woody Debris (LWD) accumulates naturally in the coastal environment (Brennan et al., 2009; Sass, 2009) and is thought to be a vital component of a diverse coastal habitat ( Rich et al., 2014). Decreasing natural coverage of LWD (Heathfield & Walker, 2011) and increasing demand for environmentally sensitive coastal protection techniques has led to the promotion of LWD as a viable nature-based method of shoreline protection (e.g. Johannessen et al., 2014; Stewardship Centre for BC, 2016; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2016). However, there is currently no peer-reviewed literature assessing the efficacy of coastal protection using LWD. This …

Northern Kelp Crab (Pugettia Producta) Feeding Preferences - Kelp Crabs Eat Kelp, And Lots Else?, Katie Dobkowski

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) is an important source of both habitat and primary production in the Salish Sea and appears to be in decline in certain areas. Northern Kelp Crabs (Pugettia producta) are large crustacean consumers that preferentially consume N. luetkeana over other local seaweed species in laboratory feeding trials and exert some level of top-down control on kelp populations in the field. We have observed differences in kelp crab density around the Salish Sea and noted P. producta living on invasive wireweed (Sargassum muticum) as well as on kelp and in other habitats. We used a combination of laboratory …

Begin At The Beginning: Steps, Stumbles And Learnings On The Path To Understanding And Implementing Dei Practices In Regional Engo., Christianne Wilhelmson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In 2018, Georgia Strait Alliance made the decision to begin the journey of addressing the complex issue of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in our organization, one that like many environmental groups in BC lacks diversity in its staff and board. We prioritized this as we recognized there is an inherent risk that our work and our organization could become irrelevant if we don’t represent the communities we claim to serve. In addition to diversity, we also needed to address the need to deepen our relationships with indigenous communities in the Georgia Strait region and reflect those relationships in our …

A Journey, Not A Destination: An Agency Approach To Incorporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Justice, Alexandra Doty

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Puget Sound environmental recovery is a complex, wicked problem, including both ecosystem and human and cultural wellbeing. The Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) is a small Washington State agency that serves as a backbone organization guiding Puget Sound recovery, coordinating and collaborating with hundreds of partner organizations to accelerate recovery of Puget Sound. Our partner organizations include state and federal agencies, tribes, cities, counties, non-profits, academic institutions, special purpose districts, and many others. In 2018, the Partnership began a journey to better enable and foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within the agency itself, as well as within the Puget Sound …

Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena Phocoena Vomerina) Catching And Handling Large Fish On The U.S. West Coast, Katrina Maciver

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The harbor porpoise is a cryptic species, and information on their behavior is limited. This study describes the chase and capture of large fish by harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) in the Salish Sea off Fidalgo Island, Washington, which were identified as salmonid species (2017/2019). Similar large fish chase/capture events of American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) have also been documented in San Francisco, CA (2016/2017). In all capture events consistent behavior was observed: the porpoise accelerated after the fish, swimming in a circle at the same spot, diving and coming out of the water head first carrying the fish cross-wise in …

Reconstructing A Century Of Coastal Productivity And Predator Trophic Position In The Salish Sea Using Archival Harbor Seal Bone., Megan Feddern

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Following the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, pinniped populations along the west coast of North America experienced exponential population increases following historic lows in the 1970's. In the Salish Sea, this increase in pinniped abundance also corresponded to large scale changes environmental condition (ie. Pacific Decadal Oscillation; PDO) and declines of prey species (forage fish, salmon), creating new challenges and tradeoffs for fisheries management in the region. The objective of this research is to understand how an abundant top predator, harbor seals, respond to bottom up forces in the system such as shifts in primary productivity …

Shifting Phenology Of An Apex/Specialist Predator Tracks Changes In Its Favored Prey, Ailene Ettinger

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Phenology, or the timing of biological activities such as migration, growth, and reproduction, can have dramatic implications for fitness; consumer phenology that is out of step with its resource phenology can cause increased mortality or reduced reproductive success. The timing of southern resident killer whale (SRKW, Orcinus orca) movements in the Salish Sea is thought to be related to seasonal migrations of their prey. In recent decades, the abundance and phenology of the favored prey of SRKWs, salmon, has shifted in many locations across the western United States. Here, we use the OrcaMaster Database to quantify seasonal variation in SRKW …

Sources, Sinks, Dispersion And Cycling Of Dissolved Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (Pbdes) Discharged In The Strait Of Georgia, Yuanji Sun

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The temporal and spatial distribution of dissolved PBDE concentration in the Strait of Georgia (SoG) is combined with concentrations predicted from a time-dependent box model of the Salish Sea to investigate the sources, sinks, dispersion and cycling of PBDE congeners. Prominent sub-surface concentration maxima (up to ca. 400 pg/L for total PBDE) occasionally measured in the southern SoG point to the Iona Island Waste Water Treatment Plant diffusers, discharging primary-treated effluent at 72 - 106 m depth, as an important proximal point source of dissolved PBDE. The decreasing depth of concentration maximum with increasing congener bromination suggests that dissolved PBDEs …

Results From Biennial Mussel Watch Monitoring In Sinclair And Dyes Inlets, Puget Sound, Washington From 2010 To 2018, Robert Johnston

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

As a component of a greater effort to assess the status and trends of ecological resources within Sinclair and Dyes Inlets, a monitoring network of mussel watch sites was initiated in winter of 2010 and has continued every-other-year through 2018. Twenty-five indigenous bivalve monitoring sites were sampled biennially for a total of five campaigns. Indigenous mussels (Mytilus spp.) were collected at sites located near suspected sources (industrial, wastewater, and storm water outfalls; marinas, stream mouths, and other sources) as well as sites that were representative of ambient conditions in Sinclair and Dyes Inlets, the adjoining passages, and Liberty Bay in …

Innovative Treatment Of Wood Waste Sediments Using Reactive Amendments And Dgt Passive Porewater Sulphide Testing Techniques, Daniel Berlin

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Esquimalt Harbour has historically been used for log rafting, log storage and wood mill operations over the last 70 years, resulting in the accumulation of over 200 hectares of wood waste deposits. As wood waste decomposes, it creates a biological oxygen demand in sediments that can reduce or eliminate oxygenated zones. This can lead to a buildup of compounds such as sulphides and ammonia, which are toxic to benthic organisms at higher concentrations. Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Department of National Defence, has completed studies of wood waste sediments and is currently constructing a pilot project …

Sublethal Effects Of The Sea Lice Pesticides Ivermectin And Slice® On Starry Flounder Behaviour And Physiology When Exposed To Contaminated Sediments, Daniel King

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Aquaculture is an important part of Canada’s economy, and open net-pen Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture is a key facet of this industry. Chemotherapeutants, including anthelminthics, are often used in salmon aquaculture to prevent the loss of stock due to various pathogens. The formulation SLICE® (active ingredient: emamectin benzoate) and ivermectin (IVM) are two chemicals used in salmon aquaculture in Canada to treat and prevent sea lice infestations. SLICE® and IVM have low water solubilities and long half-lives in sediment (225 d and >100 d, respectively). Due to the persistence of these pesticides and their tendency to accumulate in marine …

Mapping Waves And Storm Surge For Coastal Resilience In The Salish Sea, Zhaoqing Yang

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Pacific Northwest coasts are exposed to coastal inundation as a result of storm surge and large waves induced by extreme weather events. Accurate coastal risk projections depend on detailed and accurate information on sea level rise, including waves and storm surge under extreme weather events. This paper presents a modeling study simulating the wave climate and storm surge distribution in the Salish Sea. The Salish Sea wave model is configured with the SWAN model, driven by spectral open boundary conditions from the nested regional WaveWatch3 models and sea surface winds from a 6-km resolution Weather Research and Forecasting simulation. A …

Mapping The Cysts Of Alexandrium Catenella In The Surface Sediments Of Puget Sound: A Comparison Of Microscopy And Molecular Methods For Enumeration, Cheryl Greengrove

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Preliminary results from a newly funded NOAA NCCOS MERHAB project developing new molecular methods for detecting Alexandrium catenella cyst concentrations in marine sediments will be presented. A. catenella is a dinoflagellate that produces saxitoxin, a powerful neurotoxin, that can be concentrated in filter feeding shellfish which, if ingested by humans, can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning and potentially death. A. catenella overwinters as a cyst in the sediment and when environmental conditions are right, in the spring and summer, germinates into the water column as a vegetative cell. Previous studies have mapped the winter distribution of A. catenella cysts in …

Sediment Sourcing In Cascade Watersheds And Nearshore Dispersal Of Terrestrial Sediment And Contaminants Using Multivariate Geochemical Analysis, Renee Takesue

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Coastal ecosystems require sediment inputs of sufficient quantity and quality to maintain ecological integrity. Identification of sources and processes affecting quality and nearshore dispersal of terrestrial sediment are important considerations for successful habitat restoration and resource management. Sourcing of sediment via geochemical fingerprinting is one way to explore such processes, and appears to be a promising approach in Cascade watersheds where volcanic uplands confer distinct geochemical signatures relative to glacial and marine sediment. A sediment geochemical source-to-sink study using compositional data of the fine fraction was undertaken from the Nooksack River watershed to Bellingham and Samish Bays in March 2019 …

A Comparison Of The Vulnerability Of Marine Ecosystems To Anthropogenic Stressors, Jocelyn Nelson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Cumulative effects assessments are increasingly required for resource management, marine spatial planning, and ecosystem-based management. A key step in a cumulative effects assessment is to determine the vulnerability of ecosystem components to stressors, which can be achieved through a vulnerability assessment. However, not all studies define vulnerability in the same way, which can lead to variable and incompatible results. For example, while many cumulative impact mapping studies use expert-derived scoring based on the variables of spatial scale, frequency, trophic impact, percentage change, and recovery time (e.g., Teck et al 2010), others, such as DFO’s Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (O et …

Effects Of Shoreline Armoring On Physical Beach Characteristics In The Salish Sea, Wa, Hannah Drummond

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Increasing coastal development makes it vitally important to understand the shoreline’s response to anthropogenic modifications. We compared physical beach characteristics from adjacent sections of armored and unarmored shoreline at a variety of locations in the Salish Sea in order to assess the effects of armoring on beach morphology. Ten reaches, each a minimum of 500 meters in length, were selected from locations sampled with boat-based LiDAR collected by the Washington Department of Ecology Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program. Cross-shore profiles were generated for each reach at 10-meter intervals alongshore. On each profile, estimates of beach slope, width, and toe elevation …

Engaging High School Juniors And Seniors At The Ocean Research College Academy As Researchers In A Two Year Study Of An Estuary In The Salish Sea, Ardi Kveven

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Ocean Research College Academy, an interdisciplinary, two year program at Everett Community College, has been utilizing the Salish Sea as a classroom for the past 16 years. Through embedded localized research in an estuary, enrolled 11th and 12th grade students conduct original research on the State of Possession Sound (SOPS) Project. This project is the backbone of the first year curriculum, where 60 students work collaboratively asking questions and gathering water quality data about the local estuary. Students analyze and interpret complex datasets that include temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll concentrations, and turbidity coupled with tidal influence. As …

Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus Californicus) Culture And Enhancement Opportunities., Andy Suhrbier

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Demand for giant red sea cucumbers (Apostichopus californicus) continues in Asian markets while wild harvest has declined on the west coast of North America. Multiple trials are in place in Washington state to culture this species on upland and floating structures that support other species. Co-culture of sea cucumbers has proved to be effective with mussels, black cod, sea weed and oysters. In addition, there are food resources from aquaculture that the wild population currently exploits but conceivably could utilize more efficiently. Efforts to further this utilization are in progress.

Large Woody Debris Protects Woody Plants From Browsing In Restoration Following Elwha Dam Removal., Caelan Johnson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The increasing number of dams approaching the end of their useful lives compels a need for knowledge about how to conduct riparian restoration associated with dam removal. One of the most difficult challenges following dam removal is restoring native vegetation to drained reservoir beds, which can be impeded by ungulate browsing. Woody plant growth can be slow in dry nutrient-poor reservoir sediment, and browsing can impede forest establishment further. We evaluated the potential for large woody debris (LWD) to limit ungulate browsing on riparian trees and shrubs following dam removal in the Elwha ecosystem. We studied LWD mitigation of browsing …

A Baseline Of Seasonal Changes In The At Sea Distribution And Abundance Of Marine Birds Near Shipping Lanes Around Southern Vancouver Island., Douglas Bertram

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Baseline information on marine distribution and abundance of marine birds and their prey populations is needed to evaluate current status in relation to threats from potential increases in tanker traffic near Southern Vancouver Island. We conducted year round (bi-trimonthly) boat-based, at-sea surveys between Sidney BC and Victoria BC from November 2015 - November 2019 to examine seasonal variation during the year and between years. Our study area includes parts of the Sidney Channel Important Bird Area, the Shoal Harbour and Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and the Chain Islets Ecological Reserve, which are all close to major shipping lanes. With …

Monitoring Coccolithophore Blooms In Hood Canal, Seth Book

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The re-occurrence of bloom observations of coccolithophores, Emiliania huxleyi, that were seen in the Hood Canal from 2006-2008 and resurfaced in 2016-2019 have raised concerns about adverse effects on marine shellfish resources. Crab and shrimp test fishery and catch data, together with observations of intertidal clam and oyster populations have raised the alarm with the tribal community and resource managers that the blooms adversely impacts these resources. The Skokomish Tribe has been collecting oceanographic, environmental and biological data to understand the possible causes and effects of the recurring events of the coccolithophore blooms in Hood Canal. Canal-specific oceanographic data compiled …

Between Two Worlds Indigenous High School Science Program, Todd Mitchell

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Traditional Swinomish culture relies on water dependent livelihoods in the Salish Sea, centered on the Swinomish Reservation near La Conner, Washington. A common saying at Swinomish is “when the tide is out, the table is set”; Subsistence shellfish harvests are common and Swinomish people call themselves the “People of the Salmon.” Without a clear understanding of the interconnectedness of nature, and a sense of stewardship over the land, our natural resources and traditional lifeways may be threatened. Between Two Worlds is a youth education program to give Swinomish high school students a greater appreciation of the land and environment and …