Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, 2018 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canada
Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, Sophia Johannessen
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
A strong decline in phytoplankton productivity has been proposed as a principal cause of the decline in salmon survival in the Strait of Georgia over the last four decades. The best estimate of total annual primary productivity in the Strait in the 1970s was 280 gC m-2 yr-1 (Harrison et al., 1983). We tested whether or not primary productivity had declined since that time by calculating recent productivity from regional nitrogen budgets. We constructed the budgets using measurements (collected 2001-2011) of dissolved and particulate nitrogen and stable isotopes of nitrogen in seawater, river water, sinking particles, bottom sediments, atmospheric deposition, …
Dye And Microbial Study In Response To Outbreak Of Norovirus-Like Illnesses From Consumption Of Shellfish From Hammersley Inlet, Washington, 2018 Washington Dept. of Health, United States
Dye And Microbial Study In Response To Outbreak Of Norovirus-Like Illnesses From Consumption Of Shellfish From Hammersley Inlet, Washington, Mark Toy
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Hammersley Inlet Growing Area has experienced several clusters of norovirus-like illness in recent years. This presentation will describe a recent study to help evaluate how likely the Shelton WWTP is a potential source of viral loading to the growing area. A hydrographic dye study of the WWTP effluent was conducted by injecting dye at the WWTP at a continuous rate over a full tidal cycle (approximately 24 hours) to approximate steady state concentrations. Sampling of wastewater was also done to evaluate microbial removal across the treatment train. Sentinel shellfish cages are also deployed to measure bioaccumulation of microbial indicators. …
The Story So Far: An In Situ Pairing Of Chemical Oceanography And Physiology, 2018 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canada
The Story So Far: An In Situ Pairing Of Chemical Oceanography And Physiology, Helen Gurney-Smith, Kayla Mohns, Caitlin Smith, Tamara Brown, Brenna Collicutt, Anne Haegert, Wiley Evans
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Climate change is a pressing environmental concern, and understanding how abiotic variation contributes to population dynamics and persistence may ultimately predict the fates of species. Ocean acidification negatively impacts a range of species, including those using calcium carbonate for shell formation such as shellfish, which are important as ecosystem engineers and for food security. While much is known about carbonate chemistry and impacts of ocean acidification on the U.S. Pacific coast, there is limited regional information in British Columbia (BC), especially in socio-economically important coastal zones for aquaculture and migrating fisheries populations. Laboratory experimentation mimicking future climate scenarios provide valuable …
Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, 2018 Washington State Dept of Natural Resources, United States
Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, Lisa Ferrier
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is steward to 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands. As part of its management responsibilities, DNR’s Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Program (SVMP) documents occurrences of seagrass throughout greater Puget Sound. Seagrasses are recognized globally as a sensitive indicator of water quality while providing productive, critical habitat utilized by many fish, bird and invertebrate species. The SVMP has been conducting seagrass surveys in Puget Sound, using underwater video, since 2000. Video is reviewed, classified for presence/absence, and ultimately used to characterize abundance, distribution and change in seagrass at local, regional, and sound-wide scales. …
Population Genetics Of Native Shellfish Aquaculture Species And Potential Genetic Risks Of Cultivation, 2018 Univ. of Washington, United States
Population Genetics Of Native Shellfish Aquaculture Species And Potential Genetic Risks Of Cultivation, Natalie Lowell, Lorenz Hauser, Brent Vadopalas
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Native shellfish aquaculture has many benefits, but interbreeding of hatchery and wild populations may pose genetic risks to wild populations. The type and magnitude of these risks depends in part on the genetic population structure of native shellfish species. Early genetic studies on marine shellfish provided little evidence for such structure. However, recent population genetic studies provide higher resolution, make use of both neutral and non-neutral molecular markers, and suggest some marine shellfish can exhibit population structure and even local adaptation. Here, we present preliminary results on genetic differentiation among populations of Crassadoma gigantea (the purple-hinged rock scallop) and Parastichopus …
Using Multivariate Statistical Tools To Evaluate Dioxin/Furan Congener Profiles And Inform Policy Decisions, 2018 NewFields, United States
Using Multivariate Statistical Tools To Evaluate Dioxin/Furan Congener Profiles And Inform Policy Decisions, Will Hafner, Jonathan Nuwer, Timothy Hammermeister, Peter Striplin, Chance Asher
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Multivariate statistical methods (collectively referred to as chemometrics) are a valuable means of reducing the variability and complexity of large data sets. When incorporated with data visualization tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), the output of these chemometric methods can be presented in a manner that is both intuitive and more readily usable for informing policy decisions. We have used these chemometric methods and visualization tools to evaluate the distributions of, and contributions from, various dioxin/furan congener profiles in sediments at three embayments in Puget Sound. One of these embayments was Budd Inlet, which is located in the south …
Plant Community And Nutrient Development Within Four Estuary Restoration Sites In Kitsap County, Washington, 2018 Western Washington Univ., United States
Plant Community And Nutrient Development Within Four Estuary Restoration Sites In Kitsap County, Washington, Shannon Call, Jenise M. Bauman
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Estuaries affected by physical barriers, such as culverts, experience reduced hydrological inputs and reduced connectivity resulting in the loss of ecological processes. To address reduction in ecological connectedness, culverts at three sites were removed and replaced with bridges. An observational field study was conducted in Kitsap County, Washington of three sites where culverts were replaced with bridges three, eight, and 13 years ago. Data was collected at a reference site where the estuary contains a culvert. It is hypothesized that estuary restoration will recover plant species, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling homogeneity above and below the restoration site. However, the …
Results From The Baynes Sound Environmental Intelligence Collaboration (Baseic), 2018 Hakai Institute, Canada
Results From The Baynes Sound Environmental Intelligence Collaboration (Baseic), Wiley Evans, Darlene Winterburn, Katie Pocock, Carrie Weekes, Alex Hare
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Baynes Sound, in the northern Salish Sea, hosts more than 50% of the BC shellfish aquaculture industry, with Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) as the dominant production species. The known vulnerability of this species to ocean acidification (OA)-driven changes in seawater chemistry – specifically through alteration in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral stability, combined with periodic production problems in Baynes Sound – have led to a growing concern regarding possible contemporaneous impacts of OA in spite of lacking environmental intelligence detailing baseline conditions. In order to build our understanding of current biogeochemical patterns in this key Salish Sea setting, the BC Shellfish …
Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, 2018 Washington (State). Department of Natural Resources
Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, Jeff Gaeckle, John Vavrinec, Kate Buenau, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Lara Aston, Ronald M. Thom, Jim Shannon
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs to track the health of Puget Sound and restoration of this critical nearshore habitat is part of the overall regional recovery strategy. Eelgrass restoration will provide a multitude of benefits, ranging from habitat for species to ameliorating the effects of climate change. Since 2013, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources has led regional evaluation of potential eelgrass restoration sites and transplanting in Washington State. Through collaborations we have developed and tested strategies to enhance transplant success and restore natural processes. We developed an eelgrass transplant suitability model to identify potential …
Copper Accumulation From Antifouling Paints In Five Marinas On Puget Sound, 2018 Washington State Dept. of Ecology, United States
Copper Accumulation From Antifouling Paints In Five Marinas On Puget Sound, William Hobbs, Melissa Mccall, Jennifer Lanksbury
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Marinas have been shown to contribute elevated levels of metals to marine waters, copper (Cu) in particular. The Cu comes primarily from antifouling paints which are designed to discourage biofouling (barnacles, mussels, and other organisms) of boat hulls. In 2011 the Washington State Legislature passed SSB5436 to phase out Cu in marine antifouling paints. This legislation states that new recreational vessels with Cu-containing bottom paint may not be sold in the state after January 1, 2018. This study provides baseline data for Cu in five marinas of different configuration and size within Puget Sound and assesses potential impacts to marine …
A Modeling Study Of Storm Surge In The Salish Sea, 2018 Pacific Northwest National Lab., United States
A Modeling Study Of Storm Surge In The Salish Sea, Zhaoqing Yang, Taiping Wang, Ian Miller
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Pacific Northwest coasts are subject to the threat of coastal inundation as a result of storm surge. This snapshot presentation provides an overview of a modeling study of storm surge in the Salish Sea using a high resolution coastal hydrodynamic model. A series of historical storm surge events were identified based on non-tidal residual (NTR) water levels observed at Seattle tide gage. Model simulations corresponding to selected storm surge events were conducted. The Salish Sea storm surge model was validated with both observed tidal and NTR data at NOAA tide gauges in the Salish Sea. Sensitivity analysis on the …
Survival Of Juvenile Cowichan River Chinook Throughout Their First Year Of Life: A Summary Of Pit Tag Returns Through Fall 2017, 2018 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canada
Survival Of Juvenile Cowichan River Chinook Throughout Their First Year Of Life: A Summary Of Pit Tag Returns Through Fall 2017, Kevin Pellett
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The productivity of many Chinook stocks within the Salish Sea has declined dramatically since the 1990s while reductions in marine survival are evident. Researching the mechanisms which control early marine survival of this species has proven to be challenging despite significant efforts. Juveniles occupy a broad range of habitats in their first summer at sea and become increasingly difficulty to study over time. A novel approach using PIT tags to study the survival of juveniles captured throughout their first year of life has shed light on previously unanswered questions. Returning adults were scanned for tags in the river to estimate …
Sources Of Acidic Bottom Water In Bellingham Bay, Washington, 2018 Western Washington Univ., United States
Sources Of Acidic Bottom Water In Bellingham Bay, Washington, David Shull
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Results of the first survey of acidification in Bellingham Bay demonstrate corrosive water in the center of the bay. Low levels of pH (7.5) and aragonite saturation state (0.5) were observed near the region of seasonal hypoxia. Measurements of the input of dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity from the Nooksack River, sediment flux, the Post Point WWTP, and deep water, along with measurements of respiration indicate that relatively high rates of respiration in the bay are largely responsible for the acidic water. Sediments are an important contribution to alkalinity. Model results suggest that acidification is seasonal and that water column …
If Historic Marine Pollution Ceases, Will The Natural Intertidal Community Return? How Exposure To And Release From Pollution Disturbance Shapes Rocky Intertidal Communities In The Salish Sea, 2018 Hemmera, Canada
If Historic Marine Pollution Ceases, Will The Natural Intertidal Community Return? How Exposure To And Release From Pollution Disturbance Shapes Rocky Intertidal Communities In The Salish Sea, Shannon Bard, Aaron Eger, Julia Baum
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Marine ecosystems in the Salish Sea are subject to a variety of pollution-based disturbances that restructure the composition of the vegetative and animal communities. A prime historical example of this is the effluent discharged from pulp mills across the province, which have been shown to have substantial negative impacts on coastal biodiversity. However, as environmental regulations have become more stringently enforced and the economic drivers of pulp mills have slowed down, in some areas much of this pollution has abated. The diminishment and in some cases, elimination of such disturbances provides a unique opportunity to assess the recovery of communities …
Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, 2018 Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources, United States
Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, Bart Christiaen, Pete Dowty, Lisa Ferrier, Jeff Gaeckle, Helen Berry
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Seagrasses provide important ecosystem services, and are sensitive to a wide range of environmental stressors, making them effective indicators of habitat condition. In Washington State, eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs for the health of Puget Sound. Management targets associated with this Vital Sign are defined on a soundwide scale. However, greater Puget Sound is a geomorphologically diverse system with complex circulation patterns and environmental gradients in tidal range, salinity, water clarity, and temperature. Given the variability in seagrass habitat, it is likely that depending on the location, different environmental drivers control the distribution of eelgrass and …
Sea Level Rise Guidance For Nearshore Habitat Restoration In Puget Sound, 2018 Univ. of Washington, United States
Sea Level Rise Guidance For Nearshore Habitat Restoration In Puget Sound, Harriet Morgan, Nicole Faghin, Jay Krienitz, Tish Conway-Cranos
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Many agencies, organizations, and communities across Puget Sound are working to restore nearshore habitats from historic degradation to reestablish or maintain the functionality of these ecosystems. Sea level rise is expected to cause increased coastal flooding in low-lying areas and increased storm surge reach in coastal zones. There is widespread recognition that these new threats must be addressed in the siting, design, and maintenance of Puget Sound’s nearshore habitat restoration projects, especially given the limited resources available for restoration. In spite of this, existing information on sea level rise has not yet been synthesized in a way that facilitates incorporation …
Seahurst Park Beach Restoration: Phase Ii, 2018 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, United States
Seahurst Park Beach Restoration: Phase Ii, Beth Mccasland
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the City of Burien completed construction and restoration of Seahurst Beach Park in 2014 with the objective to restore shoreline habitat and function. The project involved removal of approximately 1,200 linear feet of bulkhead, lawn terraces, and restoring a more natural pebbly beach habitat, reconnecting Puget Sound to the adjacent feeder bluffs. The project also restored mature riparian and wetland vegetation through plantings along the marine shoreline above mean higher high water. The $7.3 M construction project started in September 2013 and was completed in September 2014. The shoreline restoration project was …
Lessons From Cumulative Effects Assessment And Management Initiatives On The North Pacific Coast Of British Columbia, 2018 Marine Planning Partnership, Canada
Lessons From Cumulative Effects Assessment And Management Initiatives On The North Pacific Coast Of British Columbia, Rebecca Martone, John Bones, Steve Diggon, Stuart Crawford, Maya Paul, Gord Mcgee
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) is a collaborative, government-to-government initiative between the Province of British Columbia and 17 member First Nations in an area that encompasses approximately 102,000 km2 along two-thirds of British Columbia’s coast. Between 2011 and 2016, the Partners worked together complete a set of comprehensive marine plans for four sub-regions and an accompanying Regional Action Framework (RAF) emphasizing ecosystem-based management (EBM) of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. MaPP sub-regional plans and the RAF inform decisions on the sustainable economic development and stewardship of the North Pacific Coast’s ecosystems by providing recommendations for key areas of marine …
Factors That Affect The Vertical Distribution Of Olympia Oyster Larvae In Fidalgo Bay, Wa, 2018 Western Washington Univ., United States
Factors That Affect The Vertical Distribution Of Olympia Oyster Larvae In Fidalgo Bay, Wa, Brooke Mcintyre, Shawn Arellano, Erika Mcphee-Shaw, Marco Hatch
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Restoring viable, self-sustaining populations of the native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) in the Salish Sea is ecologically and socially valuable. Olympia oysters are sessile adults, so they rely entirely upon their free-swimming planktonic larvae for dispersal. Larval dispersal affects the size of local populations and connectivity between metapopulations, so understanding dispersal patterns can help managers prioritize habitat restoration efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of establishing a self-sustaining network of Olympia oyster populations throughout the Salish Sea. Olympia oyster larvae actively control their vertical position in the water column with swimming and sinking behaviors, which can affect which …
Climate Change Adaptation Planning For Port Of Seattle Waterfront Properties, 2018 Port of Seattle, United States
Climate Change Adaptation Planning For Port Of Seattle Waterfront Properties, Joseph Gellings
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
As Seattle’s economy continues to evolve, its significance as a port city is undiminished. The container ports of Seattle and Tacoma recently entered into a joint management agreement and, together, they are the fourth largest container gateway in North America. At the same time, competition is fierce between the remaining rival ports and capital spending on the land-side cargo terminals is a key variable in this competition. This makes it critical that the Port understands what role climate change adaptation will play in the broader challenge of setting the level of public fund expenditures on terminal upgrade projects. The types …