Examining Sources Of Sediment Carbon Stored In Seagrass Habitats Across The Skagit Delta And Padilla Bay,
2018
Univ. of Washington, United States
Examining Sources Of Sediment Carbon Stored In Seagrass Habitats Across The Skagit Delta And Padilla Bay, Erin Murray
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The potential for seagrass (Zostera marina) habitats to store carbon is a topic of interest to resource managers and ecosystem scientists as they strive to develop and evaluate climate change mitigation strategies. I investigated the sources of carbon and nitrogen stored in Zostera marina habitats within the Salish Sea. I compared two sites, the Skagit River delta (delta) and Padilla Bay (embayment), in order to compare carbon storage and the sources of stored carbon between these two shoreline types. Within each site, I collected sediment cores in Z. marina meadows and on unvegetated mudflat. I measured changes in carbon density …
Patterns And Variability In Ocean Acidification Conditions In Puget Sound And The Strait Of Juan De Fuca,
2018
University of Washington
Patterns And Variability In Ocean Acidification Conditions In Puget Sound And The Strait Of Juan De Fuca, J. A. (Jan A.) Newton, Simone Alin, Beth Curry, Adrienne J. Sutton, John Mickett, Richard A. Feely, Marine Lebrec, Dana Greeley, Wendi Ruef, Andrea Fassbender, Terrie Klinger
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Washington Ocean Acidification Center is working with NOAA and other partners to increase understanding of ocean acidification dynamics and spatial variability in the Salish Sea, and how these correlate with planktonic responses. These data are critical for assessing water quality, areas with higher or lower OA stress, and to understand effects on the food web. Two main strategies are employed; seasonal ship cruises provide spatial coverage and the ability to collect plankton, while mooring buoys provide information on mechanisms and the range of variation due to the high-resolution and constant coverage they provide. Results show a strong degree of …
Pre-Contact Baseline Ecological Reconstruction In Burrard Inlet,
2018
Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Canada
Pre-Contact Baseline Ecological Reconstruction In Burrard Inlet, John Konovsky, Jesse Morin
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
This paper presents our research methodology to reconstruct pre-contact baseline marine ecological conditions in Burrard Inlet. Following the Back to the Future methodology outlined by Pauley et al. (1998) and emphasizing applied archaeological techniques, we will undertake multi-disciplinary research to reconstruct pre-contact baseline marine ecological conditions in Burrard Inlet. The marine ecosystems supported several communities of Tsleil-Waututh people in Burrard Inlet for millennia. The remains of Tsleil-Waututh village sites (shell middens) are very rich records of archaeofauna representing the accumulated remains of locally harvested species from about 1000 BC to AD 1792. Our research will investigate already excavated samples of …
Using Metapopulation Models To Estimate The Effects Of Pesticides And Environmental Stressors To Spring Chinook Salmon In The Yakima River Basin, Wa,
2018
Washington State Univ., United States
Using Metapopulation Models To Estimate The Effects Of Pesticides And Environmental Stressors To Spring Chinook Salmon In The Yakima River Basin, Wa, Chelsea Mitchell, Valerie R. Chu, Meagan J. Harris, Wayne G. Landis, Katherine E. Von Stackelberg, John D. Stark
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Population-level endpoints provide ecological relevance to Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs), because this is the level at which environmental management decisions are made. However, many population-level risk assessments do not reflect the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the populations they represent, and thus preclude an understanding of how population dynamics and viability are affected by toxicants on a regional scale. We have developed a probabilistic ERA (specifically, a Bayesian Network-Relative Risk Model (BN-RRM)) that integrates an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework, to quantify the sub-lethal and lethal effects of toxicants and environmental stressors on the metapopulation dynamics of salmonids. As a …
Lessons Learned: Tidal Marsh Restoration In A Dynamic Context Of Stress And Climate Change,
2018
Western Washington University
Lessons Learned: Tidal Marsh Restoration In A Dynamic Context Of Stress And Climate Change, Roger Nathan Fuller
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
In the Stillaguamish estuary, tidal wetlands have been receding for decades as a result of both natural and anthropogenic changes. Despite current restoration efforts, monitoring suggests that rising stress from climate change impacts on summer flows, legacy stresses from the levee system, and increased plant mortality from avian and insect herbivores may interact to accelerate the rate of marsh loss. Lessons learned from a 2012 restoration project should inform adaptive management and future restoration projects. Post-restoration monitoring has revealed a pattern of interacting stresses at both the site and system scales that affects marsh productivity and resilience to climate change. …
Pcbs In Lower Green River Juvenile Chinook Salmon,
2018
King County, United States
Pcbs In Lower Green River Juvenile Chinook Salmon, Jenee Colton, Rory O'Rourke, Richard Jack
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other persistent bioaccumulative toxics are known to accumulate in fish residing in the Lower Duwamish River. However, existing sediment chemistry data also suggest contaminant concentrations in the Lower Green River sub-basin may be high enough to impact aquatic life. Juvenile Chinook salmon spend variable lengths of time in different reaches of the Green-Duwamish system before entering Puget Sound. Recent publications on Green-Duwamish juvenile Chinook body burden and adult return rates suggest Chinook salmon health and survival may be impacted by exposure to PCBs or other contaminants in the Green-Duwamish River. Understanding the relative contributions of Lower …
Climate Robust Culvert Design: Probabilistic Estimates Of Fish Passage Impediments,
2018
Univ. of Washington, United States
Climate Robust Culvert Design: Probabilistic Estimates Of Fish Passage Impediments, Guillaume Mauger, Alan F. Hamlet, Se-Yeun Lee, Jason Won
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
*** This abstract is for a "Snapshot" (5-min) presentation. *** Many Washington State culverts are currently inadequate for fish passage. Apart from a few special cases, the standard for sizing culverts in Washington State is based on a simple linear function of bankfull width (BFW). This reflects a geomorphic approach to culvert design that can be applied across a large range of situations (Barnard et al. 2013, 2015). Future changes in BFW have previously been estimated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) (Wilhere et al. 2016), by estimating the percent change in BFW derived from projected changes …
Assessing The Influence Of Wave-Induced Bed Shear Stresses On Tidal Marsh Colonization Potential,
2018
Moffatt & Nichol, United States
Assessing The Influence Of Wave-Induced Bed Shear Stresses On Tidal Marsh Colonization Potential, Astrid Vargas
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The South Arm Jetty Tidal Marsh Project is proposed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's Habitat Enhancement Program. The proposed project site is located along the southern edge of Sturgeon Bank in Richmond, B.C. The project would increase the size of the existing marsh immediately adjacent to the site by converting approximately 30-40 hectares of low-value sand flat into highly productive marsh habitat. One of the main challenges for development of the proposed marsh is the mobility of the substrate, due to wave energy exposure, primarily from northwest storms. To provide sheltering for the proposed marsh, a cobble berm was …
Guiding Chinook Salmon Recovery Projects Towards A More Resilient Future,
2018
Puget Sound Partnership, United States
Guiding Chinook Salmon Recovery Projects Towards A More Resilient Future, Stacy Vynne Mckinstry, Amber Moore
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Changing climate conditions, along with land-use and other ecological changes, are affecting the health, vitality, and resilience of Chinook salmon populations in watersheds throughout Puget Sound. Restoration and protection projects are designed to address the most critical factors affecting salmon populations. However, with climate change, these factors may change: the medium- and long-term success of the projects and expected benefits to salmon may be compromised and/or current investments may not achieve expected results. The Puget Sound Partnership recently released guidance to help project sponsors and local salmon recovery lead entities identify key climate-related risks for Chinook salmon, guide project sponsors …
North To South: Ecosystem Features Determine Seagrass Community Response To Sea Otter Foraging,
2018
Hakai Institute, Canada
North To South: Ecosystem Features Determine Seagrass Community Response To Sea Otter Foraging, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Erin U. Rechsteiner, Brent Hughes, M. Tim Tinker, Zachary L. Monteith, Angeleen M. Olson, Mathew Morgan Henderson, Jane C. Watson
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
We compared sea otter recovery in California (CA) and British Columbia (BC) to determine how key ecosystem properties shape top-down effects in seagrass communities. Potential ecosystem drivers of sea otter foraging in CA and BC seagrass beds that we examined include the role of coastline complexity and environmental stress on sea otter effects. In BC, we found greater species richness across seagrass trophic assemblages. Furthermore, Cancer spp. crabs, an important link in the seagrass trophic cascade observed in CA, was less common. Additionally, the more recent reintroduction of sea otters, more complex coastline, and reduced environmental stress in BC seagrass …
Shared Waters: Restoring Shellfish Harvest In The Trans-Boundary Watershed Of Boundary Bay,
2018
A Rocha Canada, Canada
Shared Waters: Restoring Shellfish Harvest In The Trans-Boundary Watershed Of Boundary Bay, Christy Juteau
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Boundary Bay is a critical section of transboundary Salish Sea habitat, recognized locally, nationally and internationally. The intertidal salt marshes, mudflats and open water marine habitats of Boundary Bay comprise Canada’s top rated, globally significant, Important Bird Area (IBA Canada 2017), have recently been named a “Wetland of International Importance” as part of the Fraser River Delta Ramsar site (Ramsar 2012) and are “protected” through BC’s Wildlife Management Area designation (MFLNRO 1995). Indigenous peoples (including Semiahmoo First Nation) traditionally harvested the abundant fish and shellfish resources for their livelihood. Commercial oyster operations in B.C. began in Boundary Bay in 1904 …
Modeling Potential Population-Level Impacts Of Localized Oil Spills On Puget Sound Pacific Herring Stocks,
2018
Northwest Fisheries Science Center (U.S.)
Modeling Potential Population-Level Impacts Of Localized Oil Spills On Puget Sound Pacific Herring Stocks, Julann Spromberg, Sarah Allan, Nathaniel L. Scholz
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Localized oil spills that contaminate nearshore spawning areas pose a threat to developing Pacific herring embryos. Fish embryos are particularly susceptible to the developmental toxicity of oil derived PAHs, which can be acutely lethal or, at lower exposure doses, lead to permanent changes in heart structure, craniofacial morphology, and metabolic processes that cause delayed mortality, or more subtle delayed impacts that may be associated with premature subadult mortality. A variety of localized oil spill scenarios simulating direct and delayed mortality to young of the year were used to examine the potential response of Puget Sound stocks. The healthy stocks remaining …
An Investigation Of Benthic Recovery And Climate Change Resilience In The Englishman River Estuary,
2018
British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Canada
An Investigation Of Benthic Recovery And Climate Change Resilience In The Englishman River Estuary, Connie L. Miller Retzer, Thomas G. Reid, Peter K. Dekoning
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
SNAPSHOT: A benthic monitoring program will be added in 2018 to the ongoing Englishman River Estuary recovery study, situated on the east coast of Vancouver Island. This will complement investigations which have been ongoing, prior to and following the removal of a berm during 2017. Changes in salinity patterns, flow regimes, channel morphology, elevation, sediment size, and vegetation distribution are being assessed and these variables will be used to map distinctive areas of the estuary. Benthic samples will be collected from representative areas and monitored over the long term. Relative and total abundance, species diversity, biomass, and various derivatives of …
Cumulative Effects Of Marine Shipping,
2018
Transport Canada, Canada
Cumulative Effects Of Marine Shipping, Paula Doucette
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
As part of the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada will establish a shared approach to better understand coastal ecosystems and the potential effects of regional marine vessel activity on the environment. Transport Canada’s Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping Initiative seeks to create a cumulative effects assessment framework that would focus on 6 coastal sites across Canada including South Coast British Columbia. Local communities, stakeholders and Indigenous Nations will be engaged to determine key concerns and help collect baseline information that can be used to inform assessments of the cumulative effects of marine shipping framework and identify specific mitigation …
Social And Economic Impacts Of A 2017 Oyster-Transmitted Norovirus Outbreak In Hammersley Inlet, Puget Sound,
2018
Washington State Dept. of Health, United States
Social And Economic Impacts Of A 2017 Oyster-Transmitted Norovirus Outbreak In Hammersley Inlet, Puget Sound, Marisa Nixon
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Hammersley Inlet in Washington State is a highly productive growing area for oysters, with at least 34 different commercial shellfish growers operating in its tidelands. The oysters in Hammersley Inlet provide an important source of income, employment and recreation for surrounding Mason County. In early spring 2017, Hammersley Inlet was implicated in a shellfish-transmitted norovirus outbreak that resulted in growing area closures and recalls, significantly impacting small, local shellfish farmers. From its initial illness investigation, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) was unable to identify a point pollution source responsible for the outbreak, and some shellfish producing parcels remained closed …
Does Eelgrass Act As An Ocean Acidification Refuge For Shellfish In The Salish Sea?,
2018
Univ. of Washington Tacoma, United States
Does Eelgrass Act As An Ocean Acidification Refuge For Shellfish In The Salish Sea?, Bonnie Becker, Michelle Mccartha, Micah Horwith
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Marine waters worldwide are becoming more acidic due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Changes in pH are heterogeneous in space and time and can be affected by physical and biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration of plants and animals. Previous studies have shown that seagrass beds, which contain a large amount of plant biomass, can alter the carbonate chemistry in the immediate area, with higher pH during the day and lower pH at night. We explored the effects of this pattern on bivalve shellfish at four sites in Puget Sound and Willapa Bay. Pumped water samples were taken at …
New Brighton Shoreline Habitat Restoration Project,
2018
Moffatt & Nichol, Canada
New Brighton Shoreline Habitat Restoration Project, Mike Tranmer
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The New Brighton Park Shoreline Habitat Restoration Project is situated within New Brighton Park along the south side of Burrard Inlet, west of the Second Narrows Bridge in Vancouver, B.C. The project was undertaken through a partnership with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, along with Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. The project was part of the port authority’s Habitat Enhancement Program, which focuses on creating, restoring and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. The project presented a significant opportunity to restore coastal wetland habitat on the south shore of Burrard Inlet. The creation …
Seven Years Of Development And Change Within 200' Of The Shore In Puget Sound,
2018
Washington (State). Department of Fish and Wildlife
Seven Years Of Development And Change Within 200' Of The Shore In Puget Sound, Kenneth Pierce, Timothy P. (Thomas Peter) Quinn, Keith Folkerts, Jeanne Miller, Kevin Samson, Matt Muller
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The 1971 Washington Shoreline Management Act (SMA) defines "Shorelands" or "shoreland areas" as those lands extending landward for two hundred feet in all directions as measured on a horizontal plane from the ordinary high water mark. We analyzed land use change in the Shorelands of Puget Sound using WDFW’s High Resolution Change Detection project. We identified 2,960 individual change locations that intersected those shorelands. We found 73% of the locations exhibited anthropogenic change, 14% had no real change within the shoreland area, 5% of the locations were landslides, 3% were erroneously mapped as change and the remaining locations fell into …
Tsleil-Waututh Nation: Restoring Shellfish Harvest Opportunities In Burrard Inlet, Canada,
2018
Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Canada
Tsleil-Waututh Nation: Restoring Shellfish Harvest Opportunities In Burrard Inlet, Canada, Bridget Doyle
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Tsleil-Waututh are ‘the People of the Inlet’ and have occupied and used the lands and waterways surrounding Burrard Inlet since time out of mind. Approximately 90% of the Tsleil-Waututh diet was derived from marine resources of Burrard Inlet. Bivalve shellfish were a major component, and consistent staple, of that diet. This is supported by the richness of archaeological evidence throughout Burrard Inlet, including village sites, midden sites, processing sites, and at least one identified clam garden site. Due to contamination and sanitation concerns, the federal government closed Burrard Inlet to bivalve shellfish harvesting in 1972. The loss of a safe …
Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Residency And Early Growth In The Lower Fraser River Estuary,
2018
Univ. of Victoria, Canada
Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Residency And Early Growth In The Lower Fraser River Estuary, Lia Chalifour, David Scott, Misty Macduffee, John Dower, Julia Baum
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Fraser River has historically supported the most abundant salmon runs in North America, which have been declining for decades. Despite its importance and ongoing threats of climate change and habitat degradation, the Fraser River estuary is particularly understudied, with the latest comprehensive fish survey occurring in the early 1980s. We were particularly interested in the role of estuarine habitat in supporting juvenile salmon during the critical outmigration period. As part of a two-year study, which surveyed 20 sites in the lower estuary across three habitat types, we sampled over 3,000 juvenile Chinook salmon. We caught the majority of all …
