Assessing Societal Impacts When Planning Restoration of Large Alluvial Rivers: A Case Study of the Sacramento River Project, California

Studies have shown that ecological restoration projects are more likely to gain public support if they simultaneously increase important human services that natural resources provide to people. River restoration projects have the potential to influence many of the societal functions (e.g., flood control, water quality) that rivers provide, yet most projects fail to consider this in a comprehensive manner. Most river restoration projects also fail to take into account opportunities for revitalization of large-scale river processes, focusing instead on opportunities presented at individual parcels. In an effort to avoid these pitfalls while planning restoration of the Sacramento River, we conducted a set of coordinated studies to evaluate societal impacts of alternative restoration actions over a large geographic area. Our studies were designed to identify restoration actions that offer benefits to both society and the ecosystem and to meet the information needs of agency planning teams focusing on the area. We worked with local partners and public stakeholders to design and implement studies that assessed the effects of alternative restoration actions on flooding and erosion patterns, socioeconomics, cultural resources, and public access and recreation. We found that by explicitly and scientifically melding societal and ecosystem perspectives, it was possible to identify restoration actions that simultaneously improve both ecosystem health and the services (e.g., flood protection and recreation) that the Sacramento River and its floodplain provide to people. Further, we found that by directly engaging with local stakeholders to formulate, implement, and interpret the studies, we were able to develop a high level of trust that ultimately translated into widespread support for the project.     

VARIABILITY IN MEASURES OF MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE BY STREAM REACH AND STREAM CLASS1

ABSTRACT: Macroinvertebrate community data collected from streams in Wyoming were assessed at various scales: within one stream reach, between stream reaches within one stream, between streams, and between stream classes. Fourteen indices including number of individuals/m², biomass/m², number of taxa, Shannon's diversity index, and functional feeding group ratios were used to compare macroinvertebrates by stream reach and stream class. Statistical analysis indicated that for five of the 14 indices, significant variability occurred between macroinvertebrate communities within one reach. For two of the remaining nine indices there was significant variability between communities from several reaches within the same stream. For seven of the nine indices, there was significant variability among macroinvertebrate communities from streams of the same class. Variability among the macroinvertebrate communities from the three stream classes was significantly different for seven of the nine indices. ANOVA results suggest that macroinvertebrate communities from different samples within one reach and between reaches within one stream were more comparable than those from different streams and different stream classes.     

Using design effects from previous cluster surveys to guide sample size calculation in emergency settings

A good estimate of the design effect is critical for calculating the most efficient sample size for cluster surveys. We reviewed the design effects for seven nutrition and health outcomes from nine population-based cluster surveys conducted in emergency settings. Most of the design effects for outcomes in children, and one-half of the design effects for crude mortality, were below two. A reassessment of mortality data from Kosovo and Badghis, Afghanistan revealed that, given the same number of clusters, changing sample size had a relatively small impact on the precision of the estimate of mortality. We concluded that, in most surveys, assuming a design effect of 1.5 for acute malnutrition in children and two or less for crude mortality would produce a more efficient sample size. In addition, enhancing the sample size in cluster surveys without increasing the number of clusters may not result in substantial improvements in precision.     

Particulate Loads Caused by Wind Erosion in the Great Plains

Dust is always present in the air, but when wind erosion occurs, both the flux of soil particles into the air and the particulate concentration increase by orders of magnitude. Previous research¹ indicated that median duststorm concentration was 4.85 mg/m³ and median annual hours with duststorms was 45 in the Great Plains during the 1950’s. Of the total soil moved by wind, the suspended particulates probably represent 10% or less.²-³     

Synthesis of the two minor isomers, delta- and epsilon-1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane, present in commercial hexabromocyclododecane

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is prepared commercially by bromination of cis,trans,trans-cyclododecatriene (ctt-CDT) and widely used as a flame retardant, particularly in polystyrene foams. Commercial HBCD consists largely of three diastereomers, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HBCD, the structures of which have been known for many years. Recently, the presence in the mixture of small amounts of two minor diastereomers, delta- and epsilon-HBCD, has been reported. Bearing in mind the manner in which commercial HBCD is generated, it was anticipated that these components are probably formed by bromination of trans,trans,trans-cyclododecatriene (ttt-CDT), a common contaminant in commercial ctt-CDT. Indeed, when a sample of ttt-CDT was brominated it gave two products, the NMR spectra and LC/MS and GC/MS behaviour of which confirmed that they are identical to the minor components, delta- and epsilon-HBCD, present in commercial HBCD.     

A comparison of five high-resolution spatially-explicit,fossil-fuel,carbon dioxide emission inventories for the United States

The quantification of fossil-fuel-related emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere is necessary in order to accurately represent carbon cycle fluxes and to understand and project the details of the global carbon cycle. In addition, the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of carbon dioxide emissions is necessary for the success of international agreements to reduce emissions. However, existing fossil-fuel carbon dioxide (FFCO₂) emissions inventories vary in terms of the data and methods used to estimate and distribute FFCO₂. This paper compares how the approaches used to create spatially explicit FFCO₂ emissions inventories affect the spatial distribution of emissions estimates and the magnitude of emissions estimates in specific locales. Five spatially explicit FFCO₂ emission inventories were compared: Carbon Dioxide Information and Analysis Center (CDIAC), Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR), Fossil Fuel Data Assimilation System (FFDAS), Open-source Data Inventory for Anthropogenic CO₂ (ODIAC), and Vulcan. The effects of using specific data and approaches in the creation of spatially explicit FFCO₂ emissions inventories, and the effect of resolution on data representation are analyzed using graphical, numerical, and cartographic approaches. We examined the effect of using top-down versus bottom-up approaches, nightlights versus population proxies, and the inclusion of large point sources. The results indicate that the approach used to distribute emissions in space creates distinct patterns in the distribution of emissions estimates and hence in the estimates of emissions in specific locations. The different datasets serve different purposes but collectively show the key role of large point sources and urban centers and the strong relationship between scale and uncertainty.     

Structural characterization and thermal stabilities of the isomers of the brominated flame retardant 1,2,5,6-tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO)

1,2,5,6-Tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO) is a commercial brominated flame retardant that is employed mainly as an additive in textiles, paints and plastics. Very little is known about its presence or behavior in the environment or its analysis. TBCO can exist as two diastereomers, the stereochemistries of which have not been previously reported. We have named the first eluting isomer, under HPLC conditions, as alpha-TBCO (α-TBCO) and the later eluting isomer as beta-TBCO (β-TBCO) when using an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column with methanol/acetonitrile/water as the mobile phase. The structural elucidation of these two isomers was accomplished by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, GC/MS, LC/MS and X-ray structure determinations. α-TBCO is (1R,2R,5S,6S)-1,2,5,6-tetrabromocyclooctane and β-TBCO is rac-(1R,2R,5R,6R)-1,2,5,6-tetrabromocyclooctane. As with some other brominated cycloaliphatic compounds, TBCO is thermally labile and the isomers easily interconvert. A thermal equilibrium mixture of α- and β-TBCO consists of approximately 15% and 85% of these isomers, respectively. Separation of the two diastereomers, with minimal thermal interconversion between them, is achievable by careful selection of GC-capillary column length and injector temperature. LC/MS analyses of TBCO also presents an analytical challenge due to poor resolution of the isomers on chromatographic stationary phases, and weak intensity of molecular ions (or major fragment ions) when using LC-ESI/MS. Only bromide ions were seen in the mass spectra. APCI and APPI also failed to produce the molecular ion with sufficient intensity for identification.     

Physiological and developmental effects of O3 on cottonwood growth in urban and rural sites.

Previously we found that cloned cottonwood saplings (Populus deltoides) grew twice as large in New York, New York, USA, compared to surrounding rural environments and that soils, temperature, CO2, nutrient deposition, and microclimatic variables could not account for the greater urban plant biomass. Correlations between final season biomass and cumulative O3 exposures, combined with twofold growth reductions in an open-top chamber experiment provided strong evidence that higher cumulative O3 exposures in rural sites reduced growth in the country. Here, we assess the field gas exchange, growth and development, and allocation responses underlying the observed growth differences and compare them with isolated O3 responses documented in the open-top chamber experiment. Cottonwoods showed no visible foliar injury, reduced photosynthesis of recently expanded foliage, early leaf senescence, protective reduction in stomatal conductance, or compensatory allocation to shoot relative to root biomass for either the chamber or field experiment. Instead, O3-impacted chamber plants had significantly higher conductance and reduced photosynthesis of older foliage that led to reduced leaf area production and a twofold biomass reduction in the absence of visible injury. Rural-grown field plants showed the same pattern of significantly higher conductance in the absence of concomitant increases in photosynthesis that was indicative of a loss of stomatal control. Incremental changes in foliar production were also significantly inversely related to fluctuations in ambient O3 exposures. The similarity in biomass, gas exchange, phenological, and allocation responses between chamber and field experiments indicate that mechanisms accounting for reduced growth at rural sites were consistent with those in the open-top chamber O3 experiment. This study shows the limitation of visible symptoms as a sole diagnostic factor for documenting detrimental O3 impacts and points toward a new approach to show O3 impacts when visible injury is not present. Namely, O3-impacted vegetation showed an unusual inverse relationship of increased conductance with lower photosynthesis of older foliage that was indicative of a loss of stomatal control. This increased stomatal conductance of O3-impacted vegetation accentuates pollutant flux into affected foliage and has important implications for system water balance during warm, dry portions of the growing season when O3 concentrations are highest.     

Estimating Sonoran pronghorn abundance and survival with fecal DNA and capture–recapture methods

Population abundance estimates are important for management but can be challenging to determine in low‐density, wide‐ranging, and endangered species, such as Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis). The Sonoran pronghorn population has been increasing; however, population estimates are currently derived from a biennial aerial count that does not provide survival or recruitment estimates. We identified individuals through noninvasively collected fecal DNA and used robust‐design capture–recapture to estimate abundance and survival for Sonoran pronghorn in the United States from 2013 to 2014. In 2014 we generated separate population estimates for pronghorn gathered near 13 different artificial water holes and for pronghorn not near water holes. The population using artificial water holes had 116 (95% CI 102–131) and 121 individuals (95% CI 112–132) in 2013 and 2014, respectively. For all locations, we estimated there were 144 individuals (95% CI 132–157). Adults had higher annual survival probabilities (0.83, 95% CI 0.69–0.92) than fawns (0.41, 95% CI 0.21–0.65). Our use of targeted noninvasive genetic sampling and capture–recapture with Sonoran pronghorn fecal DNA was an effective method for monitoring a large proportion of the population. Our results provided the first survival estimates for this population in over 2 decades and precise estimates of the population using artificial water holes. Our method could be used for targeted sampling of broadly distributed species in other systems, such as in African savanna ecosystems, where many species congregate at watering sites.