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Marine Biology

2018

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Articles 421 - 450 of 857

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Variability In Water Column Respiration In Salish Sea Waters And Implications For Coastal And Ocean Acidification, Jude K. Apple, Claire Cook, Natasha R. Christman, Shauna Bjornson, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton Apr 2018

Variability In Water Column Respiration In Salish Sea Waters And Implications For Coastal And Ocean Acidification, Jude K. Apple, Claire Cook, Natasha R. Christman, Shauna Bjornson, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Water column respiration is a key driver of carbon cycling, ocean acidification, and oxygen dynamics in marine ecosystems. However, empirical estimates of the range and variability of respiration and its relative contribution to ocean acidification are seldom measured. In 2014, we began measuring respiration rates at multiple sites in the central Salish Sea (San Juan Islands, Bellingham Bay) and then initiated routine monitoring of water column respiration at multiple sites in Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). Measurements in Padilla Bay were integrated into the well-established NERR System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). Our investigation revealed that 1) rates of …

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The 30-Year History Of The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference: Where We Started, Where We've Been, And Where We May Be Going, Scott B. Redman Apr 2018

The 30-Year History Of The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference: Where We Started, Where We've Been, And Where We May Be Going, Scott B. Redman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

No abstract provided.

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Community Forage Fish Habitat Restoration In The San Juans, Tina Whitman Apr 2018

Community Forage Fish Habitat Restoration In The San Juans, Tina Whitman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

As intertidal spawners, surf smelt and Pacific sand lance are vulnerable to the effects of shoreline development – especially hard armoring which has both immediate and long-term impacts to the incubating eggs and the availability of suitable spawning substrate. On private property along a public road, Friends of the San Juans restored large sections of a priority year-round forage fish spawning beach. Key steps included spawn surveys, landowner, neighborhood and community outreach including school youth involvement in pre-project monitoring. Rock removal designs were completed for the entire documented spawning reach. In the fall of 2017, 600 linear feet of habitat …

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An Integrated Environmental And Human Systems Modeling Framework For Puget Sound Restoration Planning, Robert Mckane, Jonathan Halama, Paul Bryce Pettus, Bradley Barnhart, Allen Brookes, Kevin Djang, Tarang Khangaonkar, Isaac Kaplan, Christopher James Harvey, Emily Howe, Phillip S. Levin, Michael W. Schmidt, Raphael Girardin Apr 2018

An Integrated Environmental And Human Systems Modeling Framework For Puget Sound Restoration Planning, Robert Mckane, Jonathan Halama, Paul Bryce Pettus, Bradley Barnhart, Allen Brookes, Kevin Djang, Tarang Khangaonkar, Isaac Kaplan, Christopher James Harvey, Emily Howe, Phillip S. Levin, Michael W. Schmidt, Raphael Girardin

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Local, state, federal, tribal and private stakeholders have committed significant resources to restoring Puget Sound’s terrestrial-marine ecosystem. Though jurisdictional issues have promoted a fragmented approach to restoration planning, there is growing recognition that a more coordinated systems-based restoration approach is needed to achieve recovery goals. This presentation describes our collaborative effort to develop and apply an integrated environmental and human systems modeling framework for the Puget Sound Basin, inclusive of all marine and land areas (1,020 and 12,680 sq. mi.). Our goal is to establish a whole-basin systems modeling framework that dynamically simulates biophysical interactions and transfers (water, nutrients, contaminants, …

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From Knowledge To Action: Advancing Washington State's Strategic Response On Ocean Acidification, Julie D. Horowitz, Martha Kongsgaard Apr 2018

From Knowledge To Action: Advancing Washington State's Strategic Response On Ocean Acidification, Julie D. Horowitz, Martha Kongsgaard

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In the five years since the Blue Ribbon Panel’s 2012 report “Ocean Acidification: From Knowledge to Action”, there have been significant scientific advances and progress on the recommended actions. The Marine Resources Advisory Council (MRAC) saw a need to re-evaluate the 2012 strategy, resulting in a 2017 Addendum to the Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification report. The Addendum is a companion report that expands upon the 2012 work. New research emphasizes and justifies the need for more concerted efforts to combat ocean acidification as the North American west coast experiences some of the earliest and most advanced signs of …

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Listening To Farmers: The Farming In The Floodplain Project, Spencer Easton Apr 2018

Listening To Farmers: The Farming In The Floodplain Project, Spencer Easton

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Farming in the Floodplain Project (FFP) is an effort to engage farmers in the Clear Creek area, just east of Tacoma, in the planning and design of a multiple-benefit floodplain reconnection project. The foundation of the FFP is to understand and document technical information on the needs of the agricultural community in the area so that those needs can be incorporated into the project. Environmental Science Associates (ESA) conducted technical work on the FFP on behalf of PCC Farmland Trust. Over the course of the FFP, we learned to let the viewpoints of farmers guide how we conducted our …

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The Heavy Load: Addressing Creosote And Large Debris In The Salish Sea, Chris Robertson Apr 2018

The Heavy Load: Addressing Creosote And Large Debris In The Salish Sea, Chris Robertson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Remnant creosote treated wood products and other large marine debris are major contributing factors to decreased ecosystem health within the Salish Sea. The wood preservative creosote is a known carcinogen and a significant source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These chemicals persist in sediments and lead to increased forage fish spawn mortality. PAH impacts are amplified through bioaccumulation and directly impact native salmon runs and resident Orca Whales. There is an estimated 650,000 gallons of creosote currently leaching from the remaining 16,000 creosote treated pilings. The hazardous and technical nature of removing creosote logs and large debris does not lend …

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Puget Sound No Discharge Zone For Vessel Sewage, Amy Jankowiak Apr 2018

Puget Sound No Discharge Zone For Vessel Sewage, Amy Jankowiak

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington State Department of Ecology conducted a detailed five-year evaluation process leading to the establishment of a No Discharge Zone (NDZ) for vessel sewage in Puget Sound. The evaluation included gathering data on Puget Sound vessels, pumpout facilities, the conditions of Puget Sound, marine sanitation device performance, boater surveys, research on other states with NDZs, modeling of pollutant movement in areas of Puget Sound, an evaluation of implementation, and outreach to stakeholders. This led to a petition to EPA and for public comment. EPA reviewed our petition and in February 2017, determined that a no discharge zone can be …

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Data And Derelict Fishing Gear: Implications For Monitoring, Predicting, And Management, Samantha Farquhar, Colton Mcdavid Apr 2018

Data And Derelict Fishing Gear: Implications For Monitoring, Predicting, And Management, Samantha Farquhar, Colton Mcdavid

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Derelict fishing gear (DFG), also known as ‘ghostfishing gear’, describes when fishing gear has been lost, abandoned, or discarded in the marine environment and continues to trap and kill fish, crustaceans, marine mammals, sea turtles, or seabirds. Although it is impossible to get an accurate global number, a rough estimate is that less than 10% of marine debris by volume is DFG. In the context of the Puget Sound, more than 290,000 animals representing 241 unique species have been found dead in removed derelict gear including: porpoise, sea lions, scoters, grebes, cormorants, canary rockfish, Chinook salmon, and Dungeness crab. Crab …

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Input Of Pbde Exposure In Juvenile Chinook Salmon Along Their Out-Migrant Pathway Through The Snohomish River, Wa, Andrea J. Carey, James E. West, Robert J. Fisk, Mariko M. Langness, Gina Maria Ylitalo, Sandra M. O'Neill Apr 2018

Input Of Pbde Exposure In Juvenile Chinook Salmon Along Their Out-Migrant Pathway Through The Snohomish River, Wa, Andrea J. Carey, James E. West, Robert J. Fisk, Mariko M. Langness, Gina Maria Ylitalo, Sandra M. O'Neill

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant inputs to Puget Sound may be impairing the health of juvenile Chinook salmon and reducing their early marine survival in the Salish Sea, possibly contributing to their decline and limiting their recovery. Previous studies have shown Chinook salmon outmigrating from the Snohomish River accumulate PBDEs at concentrations high enough to alter their immune response, increasing their susceptibility to naturally occurring diseases; however, the source of PBDEs is unknown. Our study objective was to determine where in the Snohomish River system migrating Chinook salmon are exposed to and accumulate PBDEs, and to assess the source …

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Conserving Forage Fish Beach Spawning Habitat In British Columbia, Rachel Wang, Haley Tomlin Apr 2018

Conserving Forage Fish Beach Spawning Habitat In British Columbia, Rachel Wang, Haley Tomlin

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Many beaches in the Salish Sea are experiencing a "coastal squeeze", where climate change impacts combined with shoreline development are diminishing the quantity and quality of forage fish spawning habitat. In British Columbia, the jurisdictional landscape of the nearshore environment is complex and often fragmented. There is little coordination between the governing agencies, including municipalities, the province, First Nations, and the federal government. Voluntary action using softshore techniques as alternatives to hard armouring is gaining some momentum, but the regulatory backbone continues to be lacking. There is no specific language in policies, save for some municipal Official Community Plans, which …

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Predicting Puget Sound's Organic Carbon—And Why We Need Enhanced Monitoring, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky, Anise Ahmed, Sheelagh Mccarthy, G. J. Pelletier, Teizeen Mohamedali, John Gala Apr 2018

Predicting Puget Sound's Organic Carbon—And Why We Need Enhanced Monitoring, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky, Anise Ahmed, Sheelagh Mccarthy, G. J. Pelletier, Teizeen Mohamedali, John Gala

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

How much has the total organic carbon deposited into the water column and sediments of Puget Sound increased due to human activity? How has that increase impacted sediment flux rates, hypoxia and the carbonate system balance? These are two important questions with answers that are still elusive. To date, both marine and freshwater organic carbon measurements in Puget Sound are relatively sparse. In the long-term, inadequate temporal and spatial organic carbon data may lead to an incomplete and incoherent understanding of carbon cycling in the Puget Sound. The Salish Sea Model, developed by PNNL in collaboration with Department of Ecology, …

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Salish Sea Model: Ocean Acidification Module And The Response To Regional Anthropogenic Nutrient Sources, G. J. Pelletier, Laura Bianucci, Wen Long, Tarang Khangaonkar, Teizeen Mohamedali, Anise Ahmed, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky, Nina Bednarsek Apr 2018

Salish Sea Model: Ocean Acidification Module And The Response To Regional Anthropogenic Nutrient Sources, G. J. Pelletier, Laura Bianucci, Wen Long, Tarang Khangaonkar, Teizeen Mohamedali, Anise Ahmed, Cristiana Figueroa-Kaminsky, Nina Bednarsek

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Several monitoring programs indicate the presence of lower pH and related changes in carbonate system variables in the Salish Sea. This project expands the existing Salish Sea Model to evaluate carbonate system variables. This project quantifies the influences of regional nutrient sources on acidification. The model accounts for Pacific Ocean upwelled water, regional human nutrient contributions, and air emissions around the Salish Sea. This effort also identifies geographical areas and seasons experiencing greater influence from regional sources of nutrients to Salish Sea waters. Results from this effort indicate that increased dissolved inorganic nitrogen, phytoplankton biomass, and non-algal organic carbon caused …

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The Clarks Creek Tmdl Dispute Resolution Agreement Plan: Advancing The Use Of Model Based Analysis To Demonstrate Reasonable Assurance In Wa State, Timothy Hagan Apr 2018

The Clarks Creek Tmdl Dispute Resolution Agreement Plan: Advancing The Use Of Model Based Analysis To Demonstrate Reasonable Assurance In Wa State, Timothy Hagan

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Clarks Creek is designated as an important salmon-bearing creek (7 species) in Pierce County, WA. Clarks Creek was identified as a Category 2 waters of concern in 2004 for low dissolved oxygen (DO). In 2014, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) reassigned Clarks Creek as a Category 5 water body and placed it on the 303d list for being impaired by low dissolved oxygen (DO) and excessive fine sediment. In December 2014, Ecology issued a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) designed to increase DO and reduce sediment loads. The DO waste load allocation (WLA) used stormwater runoff as a …

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Are Otters Toxic? A Trial In Using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (Elisas) To Measure Contaminants In Sea And River Otter Diet And Feces, Amy Olsen, Shawn Larson Apr 2018

Are Otters Toxic? A Trial In Using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (Elisas) To Measure Contaminants In Sea And River Otter Diet And Feces, Amy Olsen, Shawn Larson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Puget Sound has been inundated with toxic contaminants for decades. As a highly urbanized body of water, contaminants are easily brought into the ecosystem through a variety of methods including runoff, air transport, industrial and residential use. The Seattle Aquarium is located centrally within downtown Seattle, and utilizes sand filtered Puget Sound seawater for use in the sea otter exhibit, and sand and carbon filtered ozonated freshwater for the river otter exhibit. This study was a trial in using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to measure four chemicals in captive sea otter and river otter feces, a variety of diet …

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Big Sharks In The Salish Sea: Combining Passive Acoustics With The Salish Sea Model To Predict Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus Griseus) Presence, Alli Cramer, Steve Katz, Kelly Andrews, Daniel H. Thornton Apr 2018

Big Sharks In The Salish Sea: Combining Passive Acoustics With The Salish Sea Model To Predict Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus Griseus) Presence, Alli Cramer, Steve Katz, Kelly Andrews, Daniel H. Thornton

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Examination of species-environment relationships that determine broad-scale distribution patterns is a key focus of ecological research. Characterizing animal-habitat associations in the marine environment is particularly challenging given the opacity of the ocean, and addressing this question in marine systems has consequently lagged behind terrestrial systems. In this project, we have leveraged existing data on locations of a large marine predator, the Sixgill Shark, Hexanchus griseus, and linked that with the PNNL’s Salish Sea Model over the domain of shark movement in Puget Sound, Washington state. Twenty-nine Sixgill sharks were tracked from 2005-2009 across 130 hydrophone receivers with tags that reported …

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Seagrass Nursery Function Enhanced By Habitat Connectivity, Angeleen Olson, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Francis Juanes Apr 2018

Seagrass Nursery Function Enhanced By Habitat Connectivity, Angeleen Olson, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Francis Juanes

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Seascape connectivity is an emerging feature influencing marine ecosystem function. Connectivity, via the interplay of habitat configuration, its physical structure, and associated food webs, may alter the provision of nursery habitat, influencing the success of fish populations and harvests thereof. We quantified the effects of adjacent habitat type on seagrass nurseries for rockfish. We compared seagrass sites with contrasting structure and productivity in adjacent habitats: kelp forest and sand. To elucidate the spatially-dependent flow of material in the seagrass meadow, we estimated the proportion of basal contributions (producers) to the food web using an isotopic mixing model on YOY (young-of-the-year) …

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Shoreline Armoring Removal: Assessment Of Restoration Effectiveness In The Salish Sea, Jason David Toft, Jeffery R. Cordell, Megan Nichols Dethier, Emily Howe, Hannah Faulkner Apr 2018

Shoreline Armoring Removal: Assessment Of Restoration Effectiveness In The Salish Sea, Jason David Toft, Jeffery R. Cordell, Megan Nichols Dethier, Emily Howe, Hannah Faulkner

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Shoreline armoring removal is becoming a common restoration technique in the nearshore of the Salish Sea, yet we lack a comprehensive understanding of the ecological benefits obtained, and how such an understanding could be used to inform management recommendations and educate diverse audiences. To address this knowledge gap, we studied effects of shoreline armor removal at 10 sites, expanding the spatial framework of what was previously known by collaborating across academic (University of Washington), agency (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), and citizen science groups. Each site had three beach types of: (1) restored beaches with armoring removed 1-11 years …

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Source, Transport, And Age Of Sediment From Cascade Volcano Watersheds To The Nearshore: Insights For Contaminant And Ecological Studies, Renee Takesue, Kathy Conn, Margaret Dutch Apr 2018

Source, Transport, And Age Of Sediment From Cascade Volcano Watersheds To The Nearshore: Insights For Contaminant And Ecological Studies, Renee Takesue, Kathy Conn, Margaret Dutch

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Inputs of sediment and sediment-bound contaminants from urbanized watersheds to the nearshore region are a growing concern as coastal populations increase around the Salish Sea and worldwide. Geochemical sourcing and aging of nearshore sediment is one potential way to: a) distinguish land-derived sediment in nearshore environments, b) gain insights about how sediment and contaminants are redistributed, and c) determine how recently they were deposited. Sediments from Cascade volcanoes have distinct geochemical compositions that allow discrimination between land-derived (volcanic) and marine (lowland) sediment. As sediment is transported by rivers to the nearshore, it adsorbs particle-reactive contaminants and short-lived radionuclides, and the …

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Exposure Time Of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon To Discovery Islands Salmon Farms, Erin Rechisky, Aswea Porter, David Welch, Christine Stevenson, Stephen Johnston, Nathan Furey, Scott Hinch Apr 2018

Exposure Time Of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon To Discovery Islands Salmon Farms, Erin Rechisky, Aswea Porter, David Welch, Christine Stevenson, Stephen Johnston, Nathan Furey, Scott Hinch

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Discovery Islands region is a major salmon migration corridor. Open net-pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands and the Broughton Archipelago are a potential source of sea lice infestation and disease transfer to wild salmon, but the real risks and impacts remain unquantified. In 2017, 306 wild Chilko Lake sockeye smolts were captured and acoustic- tagged as they migrated from the lake. To investigate exposure time near salmon farms during their migration through the Discovery Islands region, we deployed acoustic receivers in Okisollo Channel, Hoskyn Channel, and two minor passes. Two of these acoustic receivers were placed within fish …

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Tipping The Balance: The Impact Of Eelgrass Wasting Disease In A Changing Ocean, Morgan Eisenlord, Colleen Amy Burge, Phoebe D. Dawkins, Reyn Yoshioka, Tyler Tran, Natalie Rivlin, Miranda Winningham, Clio Jensen, Kathy Van Alstyne, Drew Harvell Apr 2018

Tipping The Balance: The Impact Of Eelgrass Wasting Disease In A Changing Ocean, Morgan Eisenlord, Colleen Amy Burge, Phoebe D. Dawkins, Reyn Yoshioka, Tyler Tran, Natalie Rivlin, Miranda Winningham, Clio Jensen, Kathy Van Alstyne, Drew Harvell

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Infectious disease has the potential to cause devastating damage to valuable marine organisms and habitats. Eelgrass wasting disease (EGWD), caused by the pathogenic protist Labyrinthula zosterae (LZ), has caused mass die-offs in Zostera marina at regional and global scales. Despite this, little is known about the host-pathogen interaction or disease drivers in the Salish Sea. To determine the regional impact of EGWD, we measured summer prevalence and severity in the San Juan Islands, Padilla Bay, Hood Canal, South Puget Sound, and Willapa Bay. We used cultures and quantitative PCR to verify results, measuring LZ load in lesioned tissue from multiple …

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Chinook Habitat Restoration Decision Support Tool- Identifying Chinook Salmon Habitat Restoration Effectiveness Based On Temperature, Flow, And Bioenergetics Models, Andrew Spanjer, Patrick W. Moran, Robert Black Apr 2018

Chinook Habitat Restoration Decision Support Tool- Identifying Chinook Salmon Habitat Restoration Effectiveness Based On Temperature, Flow, And Bioenergetics Models, Andrew Spanjer, Patrick W. Moran, Robert Black

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Stream restoration projects focus on improving habitat for Pacific Salmonids in watersheds throughout the Pacific Northwest. Currently, few comprehensive tools are available for managers to mechanistically predict the improved fish growth that comes with restoration actions, such as riparian acquisitions, riparian planting or levee setbacks. Therefore, managers need tools that can predict salmonid growth potential given different decision scenarios. One approach to address the Puget Sound Partnership’s regional chinook recovery goals would be a linked stream temperature, flow, and fish bioenergetics model that predict chinook growth benefits of different remediation strategies. Considered strategies will include changes to riparian habitat and …

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Omega Oracle: Forecasting Estuarine Carbonate Weather, Cameron Allen, George G. Waldbusser, Burke Hales Apr 2018

Omega Oracle: Forecasting Estuarine Carbonate Weather, Cameron Allen, George G. Waldbusser, Burke Hales

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

There are serious concerns about ecological, social, and economic impacts in the Pacific Northwest due to Ocean Acidification (OA). We built a system to predict aragonite saturation state (Ω) of seawater in Netarts Bay, Oregon based on large scale forcing parameters. An artificial neural network – trained against a continuous, multiyear monitoring record of carbonate chemistry – learns a regression estimate of Ω based on seasonality, tides, and wind conditions. This approach is agnostic to the details of the underlying chemical and biological processes offering a distinct modelling perspective. The result is a conceptually simpler and more strictly empirical parameterization …

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Raising The Standards For Water Quality Objectives In Burrard Inlet: Interaction Between Public, Ecological And Cultural Values Through Indigenous-Provincial Collaboration, Anuradha Rao, Bridget Doyle, John Konovsky, Patrick Lilley Apr 2018

Raising The Standards For Water Quality Objectives In Burrard Inlet: Interaction Between Public, Ecological And Cultural Values Through Indigenous-Provincial Collaboration, Anuradha Rao, Bridget Doyle, John Konovsky, Patrick Lilley

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) in British Columbia set limits within which various parameters should remain to enable sensitive uses of water bodies. The current WQOs for Burrard Inlet are more than 25 years old and do not reflect current science, all pollutants of concern or a complete understanding of uses and values, for example uses of particular importance to First Nations. As part of its work to implement the Burrard Inlet Action Plan, Tsleil-Waututh Nation is leading an initiative with the Province of BC to update the Burrard Inlet WQOs. One goal in doing so is to ensure that ecological …

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The Transformation Of Port Gamble Bay: From Remediation To Restoration, Celina Abercrombie Apr 2018

The Transformation Of Port Gamble Bay: From Remediation To Restoration, Celina Abercrombie

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

For over 140 years, a lumber mill operated at the mouth of Port Gamble Bay producing lumber and other wood products, and leaving behind a legacy of contamination and degraded habitat when it closed its doors in 1995. Fast forward to the present when state and federal agencies, local government, tribes, community groups, and industry teamed up to cleanup, restore and preserve the bay’s high-quality natural resources. Undertaking extensive cleanup and the largest creosote-treated piling removal effort in the Puget Sound, Pope Resources removed contaminated sediment, over 8,500 creosote-treated pilings and numerous overwater structures to improve over 3,000 feet of …

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A Decision Support Framework To Assess And Prioritize Recovery Actions For Salmon In The Puget Sound, Philip Murphy, Gregory R. Blair, Sono Hashisaki Apr 2018

A Decision Support Framework To Assess And Prioritize Recovery Actions For Salmon In The Puget Sound, Philip Murphy, Gregory R. Blair, Sono Hashisaki

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Protecting functioning habitats and restoring degraded habitats are critical actions for salmon and Puget Sound recovery. Restoration alone cannot keep up with habitat loss and water quality degradation from development and the pressures of anticipated population growth and future climate. We need a framework for prioritizing diverse projects and programs that takes into account the complexity of the science, competing stakeholder goals, treaty obligations, and the need for regulatory harmonization. As part of the Tulalip Tribes Harmonization project, we present a decision support framework based on three core principles. First the framework must assess ecosystem conditions across diverse indicators and …

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Toward A Standard Trash Assessment Method, Sydney Harris Apr 2018

Toward A Standard Trash Assessment Method, Sydney Harris

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

How much trash is carried from inland areas to the ocean? Where does hazardous solid waste accumulate once it has escaped into the environment? What are the most effective upstream interventions for waste reduction and the prevention of aquatic debris? These questions cannot be answered without reliable trash metrics. ORISE Research Participant Sydney Harris has worked with a national team of EPA staff to develop a standardized trash assessment protocol built upon existing methods including California’s Urban Rapid Trash Assessment, NOAA’s Shoreline Monitoring program, and others. This new tool will, for the first time, enable trash assessment in any environment …

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Mercury Trends In Cormorant And Great Blue Heron Eggs From Pacific Canada: A Question Of Local And Global Sources, Tanya Brown, John E. (John Edward) Elliott, Kyle Elliott, Sandi Lee Apr 2018

Mercury Trends In Cormorant And Great Blue Heron Eggs From Pacific Canada: A Question Of Local And Global Sources, Tanya Brown, John E. (John Edward) Elliott, Kyle Elliott, Sandi Lee

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Mercury (Hg) levels and trends in the NE Pacific Ocean are due to the convergence between natural and anthropogenic sources, with the latter broadly related to a combination of local and long-range sources. Legacy and current local point sources include chlor-alkali plants, pulp and paper mills and other mixed sources. In addition, long-range atmospheric and oceanic pathways deliver mercury to the Pacific coast, primarily from points to the west, where it is taken up by algae and bacteria and transferred through the marine food web in its inorganic form, but also its organic form, methylmercury. We present data on Hg …

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The Environmental Effects Of Diluted Bitumen On Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Jessica Banning, Saira Butter, Christopher Kennedy Apr 2018

The Environmental Effects Of Diluted Bitumen On Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Jessica Banning, Saira Butter, Christopher Kennedy

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world, most of which exists in the form of bitumen in the oil sands of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Plans are underway to increase the export of petroleum products such as diluted bitumen (dilbit) and crude oil to overseas markets, highlighting the potential risk of a spill into the Canadian marine environment. Information on the toxicity of dilbit to key marine species is needed to understand and evaluate risk, and to develop chemical management plans. Little information exists regarding the toxic effects of most petroleum products to intertidal vascular plants. …

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Insights From Community-Based Approaches To Salish Sea Restoration Projects: Meadowdale Beach Park And Estuary Restoration Project, Logan Daniels Apr 2018

Insights From Community-Based Approaches To Salish Sea Restoration Projects: Meadowdale Beach Park And Estuary Restoration Project, Logan Daniels

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Meadowdale Beach Park and Estuary Restoration project proposes to restore a pocket estuary connection to the Salish Sea at the northern end of Brown’s Bay to provide essential rearing habitat for non-natal juvenile Chinook, and other fish species. Lund’s Gulch Creek, a small coastal stream, and gulch-derived sediments were confined to a six-foot wide culvert when the railroad embankment, separating the tidelands from the backshore, was constructed along Puget Sound. This project will replace 128 feet of embankment with a five-span railroad bridge providing a 90-foot opening for widened creek meander and sediment delivery. Fill material removed from the existing …

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