Soil and Water Characteristics in Restored Canebrake and Forest Riparian Zones1

Andrews, Danielle M., Christopher D. Barton, Randall K. Kolka, Charles C. Rhoades, and Adam J. Dattilo, 2011. Soil and Water Characteristics in Restored Canebrake and Forest Riparian Zones. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(4):772‐784. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00555.x Abstract: The degradation of streams has been widespread in the United States. In Kentucky, for instance, almost all of its large streams have been impounded or channelized. A restoration project was initiated in a channelized section of Wilson Creek (Nelson Co., Kentucky) to return its predisturbance meandering configuration. A goal of the project was to restore the native riparian corridor with giant cane and bottomland forest species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of giant cane in riparian restoration and to compare water quality and soil attributes between restored cane and forested communities. Comparison of data to replicated sites of similar size in undisturbed upstream areas (control) was also examined to evaluate restoration success. Vegetation establishment was initially hindered by frequent flooding in 2004, but mean survival was good after two growing seasons with rates of 80 and 61% for forest and cane plots, respectively. Results showed an improvement in stream water quality due to restoration activities. Significant differences between the cane and forested plots in shallow groundwater dissolved oxygen, NO₃^?‐N, NH₄⁺‐N, and Mn concentrations suggest that soil redox conditions were not similar between the two vegetation types. Retention and transformation of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) within the restored riparian system also differed by vegetation treatment; however, both communities appeared to be advancing toward conditions exhibited in the control section of Wilson Creek.     

Extensive cross-disciplinary analysis of biological and chemical control of Calanus finmarchicus reproduction during an aldehyde forming diatom bloom in mesocosms

Egg and faecal pellet production and egg hatching success of the calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus were monitored over a period of 14?days (14?C28 April, 2008) while fed water from 4 differently treated mesocosms and ambient water. Two of the mesocosms used were inoculated with the polyunsaturated aldehyde (PUA)-producing diatom Skeletonema marinoi, while 2 received only nutrient additions with or without silica. The mesocosms developed blooms of S. marinoi, mixed diatoms or the haptophyte Phaeocystis pouchetii, respectively. Faecal pellet production of C. finmarchicus increased with increasing food availability. Egg production increased with time in all mesocosms to a maximum single female production of 232 eggs female^?1?day^?1 (average of 90 eggs female^?1?day^?1) and followed the development of ciliates and P. pouchetii, but was not affected by the observed high (up to 15?nmol?L^?1) PUA production potential of the phytoplankton. The hatching success of the eggs produced on the mesocosm diets was high (78?C96%) and was not affected by either aldehydes in the maternal diet or exposure to the dissolved aldehydes in the water.     

Predicting breeding habitat for amphibians: a spatiotemporal analysis across Yellowstone National Park

The ability to predict amphibian breeding across landscapes is important for informing land management decisions and helping biologists better understand and remediate factors contributing to declines in amphibian populations. We built geospatial models of likely breeding habitats for each of four amphibian species that breed in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). We used field data collected in 2000-2002 from 497 sites among 16 basins and predictor variables from geospatial models produced from remotely sensed data (e.g., digital elevation model, complex topographic index, landform data, wetland probability, and vegetative cover). Except for 31 sites in one basin that were surveyed in both 2000 and 2002, all sites were surveyed once. We used polytomous regression to build statistical models for each species of amphibian from (1) field survey site data only, (2) field data combined with data from geospatial models, and (3) data from geospatial models only. Based on measures of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) scores, models of the second type best explained likely breeding habitat because they contained the most information (ROC values ranged from 0.70 to 0.88). However, models of the third type could be applied to the entire YNP landscape and produced maps that could be verified with reserve field data. Accuracy rates for models built for single years were highly variable, ranging from 0.30 to 0.78. Accuracy rates for models built with data combined from multiple years were higher and less variable, ranging from 0.60 to 0.80. Combining results from the geospatial multiyear models yielded maps of "core" breeding areas (areas with high probability values for all three years) surrounded by areas that scored high for only one or two years, providing an estimate of variability among years. Such information can highlight landscape options for amphibian conservation. For example, our models identify alternative areas that could be protected for each species, including 6828-10 764 ha for tiger salamanders, 971-3017 ha for western toads, 4732-16 696 ha for boreal chorus frogs, and 4940-19 690 ha for Columbia spotted frogs.     

Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in sandy soil: impact of length scale

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of length scale (travel distance) on the retention and transport of Cryptosporidium oocysts in a sandy soil. Long columns (1 and 2 meters) and an in situ lysimeter (4 m) were used to allow investigation of larger-scale transport under controlled conditions. Significant retention of oocysts was observed, with the magnitude of removal from solution ranging between 2 to 5 logs. While the removal was greater for longer travel distances (or residence times), the increase was not log-linear. This observation indicates that oocyst transport was not consistent with standard colloid filtration theory. The observed behavior is speculated to arise, at least in part, from intrapopulation variability in oocyst properties. The results of this study indicate that while Cryptosporidium oocysts may be expected to experience significant retention and removal during transport in sandy soil, the magnitude of retention may be less than that which would be predicted by applying standard colloid filtration theory to the results of typical short-column experiments. Thus, a fraction of the oocysts may be more mobile than anticipated and thereby pose a greater than expected risk to groundwater.     

Novel operations research methods for efficiently determining irreplaceable sites for conservation

We examine the irreplaceability of sites in the context of the species set covering problem and the maximal covering species problem. We show that a succession of 0-1 programming problems can be solved to quickly determine the set of irreplaceable sites. For the widely available Oregon data set, we find a general lack of trend in the number of irreplaceable sites with the number of sites available for selection used. Moreover, we observe that irreplaceability at one level of resource may not be a predictor of irreplaceability at a higher or a lower level of resource. Finally, we investigate the economic value of irreplaceable sites by trial removals of those sites. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Charles S. ReVelle.     

Formerly utilized sites remedial action program “completed” sites: Lessons for long‐term stewardship

The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) covers inactive commercial, federal, and university facilities that once supported activities of the Manhattan Project or Atomic Energy Commission. Current responsibilities, established by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), are split between the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The MOU distinguishes between facilities remediated before 1997 (“completed” sites) and those where remediation remained to be completed at that time. This article evaluates activities conducted at completed sites with regard to considerations for long‐term stewardship, which is defined by the US DOE as all activities necessary to protect human health and the environment after remediation is considered complete. Experience with these FUSRAP sites provides “lessons learned” for the requirements of satisfactory long‐term stewardship. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Toward a sustainable Iceland scallop fishery in Gilbert Bay,a marine protected area in the eastern Canada coastal zone

Iceland scallop (Chlamys islandica) stocks in the North Atlantic are usually pulse harvested, resulting in boom and bust local landings. We describe an adaptive management strategy for a sustainable harvest of Iceland scallops in Gilbert Bay, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) of coastal Labrador. The current management plan for the MPA closes pristine scallop habitat, a practice that under favourable ocean conditions may lead to local reseeding. The community-based co-management structure for the MPA utilizes the local ecological knowledge of fishermen. Scallop harvesters are participating in research on the present state of the resource. Currently scallops are smaller near the mouth of the bay where fishing effort has been concentrated historically. The cooperation of fishers in enforcing area closures and in monitoring the scallop harvest may lead to a sustainable scallop fishery.     

Bioassessment of Streams using Macroinvertebrates: Are the Chironomidae Necessary?

Median hardness and sodium levels in groundwater were calculatedfor 244 Texas counties from measurements at 7728 water wells.The data were mapped and analyzed with a geographic informationsystem (GIS). County median hardness levels varied widely, from4–2304 mg L^-1. More than 60% of the counties had hardnessmedians above 180 mg L^-1. County medium sodium concentrationsranged from 6–1170 mg L^-1, with more than 90% of those valuesexceeding 20 mg L^-1. There was a significant positive correlationbetween hardness and sodium concentrations in six of Texas' ninemajor aquifers. A significant negative correlation betweenhardness and sodium was observed in two aquifers. Severalfactors control hardness and sodium variations in Texas aquifers including rock/sediment composition, groundwaterchemical evolution, and seepage from nearby formations. Probablehuman controls include agricultural return flow andpumping-induced saltwater intrusion.     

A dynamic transmission model of eastern equine encephalitis virus

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is one of several arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) endemic to the United States. Interactions between arthropod (mosquito) vectors and avian amplification host populations play a significant role in the dynamics of arboviral transmission. Recent data have suggested the hypothesis that an increased rate of successful feeding on young-of-the-year (YOY) birds might play a role in the dynamics of EEEV transmission. To test this hypothesis, we developed a model to explore the effect of the interactions of the vectors and avian host populations on EEEV transmission. Sensitivity analyses conducted using this model revealed eleven parameters that were capable of disproportionately affecting the predicted level of EEEV infection in the vertebrate reservoir and vector populations. Of these, four parameters were related to the interaction of the vector with young-of-the-year birds. Furthermore, adult birds could not substitute for young-of-the-year in initiating and maintaining a predicted enzootic outbreak of EEEV. Taken together, the model predicted that young-of-the-year birds play a key role in establishing and maintaining enzootic outbreaks of EEEV.