Geology topics

Research about Massachusetts

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Massachusetts.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

USGS2023

Assessment of prerestoration water quality in the Herring River to support adaptive management at the Cape Cod National Seashore

In 2020 and 2021, the U.S. Geological Survey, Cape Cod National Seashore of the National Park Service, and Friends of Herring River cooperated to assess nutrient and suspended sediment concentrations across the ocean-estuary boundary at a dike on the Herring River on Chequessett Neck Road in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, that has restricted saltwater inputs by regulating water inflow through three culverts or sluiceways into the watershed for more than 100 years. The dike is slated to be removed, and the purpose of this project was to characterize natural variability of nutrient and suspended sediment concentration during flood tide and ebb tide conditions at the dike based on seasonal and environmental variables. This baseline can be used to assess if removal of the dike is likely to result in measurable changes in water quality. Data from the current [2023] study were aggregated with previously published data from November 2015 through September 2018 to provide a long-term record. Samples for the current [2023] study were collected from flood and following ebb tides approximately twice per month from June 2020 through December 2021 at fixed time intervals after the beginning of the tides. Samples were analyzed for nitrate plus nitrite, ammonium, total dissolved nitrogen, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, silica, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended sediment. Constituent concentrations generally were lower using fixed time sampling than in previous studies that used flow-weighted composite sampling, except for nitrate plus nitrite and orthophosphate. Concentrations of nitrate plus nitrite, ammonium, total nitrogen, total dissolved nitrogen, silica, and dissolved organic nitrogen generally were higher on the ebb tide than on the flood tide. By contrast, concentrations of orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and total dissolved phosphorus were generally similar between flood and ebb tides. Most nutrient concentrations except silica and ammonium varied seasonally on flood and ebb tides. Phosphorus species, total nitrogen, and dissolved organic carbon concentrations generally peaked in mid- to late summer and were lowest in winter. For nitrate, the reverse was true. Nutrient concentrations generally were higher on the ebb tide than on the flood tide except for total dissolved phosphorus and total phosphorus where differences between flood and ebb tide depended on season. Constituent concentrations were similar between spring, neap, and midamplitude tides on both the flood and ebb tides. Nitrate, ammonium, total nitrogen, and silica concentrations were positively correlated with precipitation and runoff. Orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon were positively correlated with surface air temperature, downwelling shortwave radiation, and ocean water temperature. Nitrate, ammonium, and silica concentration were negatively correlated with surface air temperature and ocean water temperature. Orthophosphate and total dissolved phosphorus were negatively correlated with runoff. Nitrate plus nitrite, ammonium, and silica concentrations were negatively correlated with downwelling shortwave radiation.

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USGS2023

Calibrating optical turbidity measurements with suspended-sediment concentrations from the Herring River in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, from November 2018 to November 2019

The sediment budget in the tidally restricted Herring River in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, must be quantified so restoration options for the river can be evaluated. Platforms equipped with optical turbidity sensors were deployed seaward and landward of the Herring River restriction to measure a time series of turbidity, from which a time series of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) can be estimated. Water samples were collected periodically from the Herring River from November 2018 to November 2019 and analyzed for SSC to derive a relationship to turbidity measurements given in nephelometric turbidity units. This report presents the data-collection methods used and the linear calibration model generated by repeated median regression to convert turbidity measurements to SSC.

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USGS2023

Evaluation of alternative groundwater-withdrawal scenarios on water levels in Kingsbury Pond, upper Charles River Basin, eastern Massachusetts

Kingsbury Pond is a glacial kettle pond in the town of Norfolk, Massachusetts, in the Mill River Basin, which is part of the Upper Charles River Basin in eastern Massachusetts. The pond is hydraulically connected to the surrounding groundwater-flow system, and water levels in the pond fluctuate in response to recharge to the aquifer from precipitation and wastewater return flows through septic systems, to withdrawals from the aquifer at nearby wells, and to precipitation directly on the pond surface. Concerns about the effects of withdrawals on water levels in the pond prompted an investigation to better understand the hydrology of Kingsbury Pond and its response to groundwater withdrawals and to determine if withdrawals from wells in Franklin, Mass., can be modified to simultaneously reduce the effect on water levels in the pond and yet meet the water-supply demands of the Town of Franklin. An existing, transient groundwater-flow model of the Upper Charles River Basin was modified for this study in the area near Kingsbury Pond to improve representation of the hydrologic system near the pond. The mean annual water-level altitude simulated for the pond for nonpumping conditions using the modified model is 136 feet (ft), which falls within the range of likely annual pond-altitude fluctuations of 135 to 140 ft estimated for average hydrologic conditions before the beginning of withdrawals at two nearby wells operated by the Town of Franklin (wells FR–04 and FR–05). The mean annual water-level altitude at the pond decreased by 3.8 ft to 132.2 ft for simulated mean monthly withdrawal rates at all wells within the Upper Charles River Basin from 2010 to 2019 (referred to as the baseline withdrawal condition). A groundwater management model that links the groundwater-flow model with a mathematical optimization method was developed to evaluate the effects of three alternative groundwater-withdrawal scenarios for the Franklin public-water system on water levels in Kingsbury Pond. In the first scenario, monthly withdrawal rates at wells FR–04 and FR–05 were increased from the baseline withdrawal rates to their maximum authorized rates for all months of the year; all other Franklin wells were specified at their baseline withdrawal rates. This scenario resulted in a mean annual water-level altitude at the pond of 129.3 ft, or a mean annual decline of 6.7 ft compared with nonpumping conditions and a decline of 2.9 ft compared with baseline conditions. The results of the second scenario showed that water levels in the pond can be increased relative to 2010–19 conditions while meeting Franklin’s 2010–19 monthly water-supply demands if withdrawals at wells FR–04 and FR–05 were shifted to other Franklin wells. In this scenario, monthly withdrawal rates at wells FR–04 and FR–05 were decreased from their baseline rates to one-third their maximum practical rates for all months of the year; increased withdrawal rates at other Franklin wells were determined by the management model. The decrease in withdrawal rates at wells FR–04 and FR–05 resulted in a mean water-level altitude at the pond of 134.1 ft, which was equivalent to a 51 percent increase (improvement) in the mean annual water level of the pond relative to the baseline condition. A third scenario was done to determine if Franklin’s existing water-supply system has the capacity to meet the mean annual maximum permitted withdrawal rate of the system of 3.45 million gallons per day while maintaining monthly withdrawal rates at wells FR–04 and FR–05 at their 2010–19 rates and water levels in Kingsbury Pond at baseline conditions. The analysis indicated that the capacity of the system cannot meet the increased demand during some months of the year with withdrawal rates at the two wells fixed at their monthly 2010–19 rates; however, the existing system is capable of meeting about 90 percent of the maximum permitted rate (3.10 million gallons per day) by increasing withdrawal rates at other Franklin wells above their 2010–19 rates.

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USGS2023

High-frequency variability of carbon dioxide fluxes in tidal water over a temperate salt marsh

Existing analyses of salt marsh carbon budgets rarely quantify carbon loss as CO 2 through the air–water interface in inundated marshes. This study estimates the variability of partial pressure of CO 2 ( p CO 2 ) and air–water CO 2 fluxes over summer and fall of 2014 and 2015 using high-frequency measurements of tidal water p CO 2 in a salt marsh of the U.S. northeast region. Monthly mean CO 2 effluxes varied in the range of 5.4–25.6 mmol m −2 marsh d −1 (monthly median: 4.8–24.7 mmol m −2 marsh d −1 ) during July to November from the tidal creek and tidally-inundated vegetated platform. The source of CO 2 effluxes was partitioned between the marsh and estuary using a mixing model. The monthly mean marsh-contributed CO 2 effluxes accounted for a dominant portion (69%) of total CO 2 effluxes in the inundated marsh, which was 3–23% (mean 13%) of the corresponding lateral flux rate of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from marsh to estuary. Photosynthesis in tidal water substantially reduced the CO 2 evasion, accounting for 1–86% (mean 31%) of potential CO 2 evasion and 2–26% (mean 11%) of corresponding lateral transport DIC fluxes, indicating the important role of photosynthesis in controlling the air–water CO 2 evasion in the inundated salt marsh. This study demonstrates that CO 2 evasion from inundated salt marshes is a significant loss term for carbon that is fixed within marshes.

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USGS2023

Centurial persistence of forever chemicals at military fire training sites

Drinking water contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is widespread near more than 300 United States (U.S.) military bases that used aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) for fire training and firefighting activities. Much of the PFAS at these sites consist of precursors that can transform into terminal compounds of known health concern but are omitted from standard analytical methods. Here, we estimate the expected duration and contribution of precursor biotransformation to groundwater PFAS contamination at an AFFF-contaminated military base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States, by optimizing a geochemical box model using measured PFAS concentrations from a multidecadal time series of groundwater and a soil survey in the source zone. A toolbox of analytical techniques used to reconstruct the mass budget of PFAS showed that precursors accounted for 46 ± 8% of the extractable organofluorine (a proxy for total PFAS) across years. Terminal PFAS still exceed regulatory limits by 2000-fold decades after AFFF use ceased. Measurements and numerical modeling show that sulfonamido precursors are retained in the vadose zone and their slow biotransformation into perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (half-life > 66 yr) sustains groundwater concentrations of perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). The estimated PFAS reservoir in the vadose zone and modeled flux into groundwater suggest PFAS contamination above regulatory guidelines will persist for centuries without remediation.

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USGS2023

Forecasting sea level rise-driven inundation in diked and tidally restricted coastal lowlands

Diked and drained coastal lowlands rely on hydraulic and protective infrastructure that may not function as designed in areas with relative sea-level rise. The slow and incremental loss of the hydraulic conditions required for a well-drained system make it difficult to identify if and when the flow structures no longer discharge enough water, especially in tidal settings where two-way flows occur through the dike. We developed and applied a hydraulic mass-balance model to quantify how water levels in the diked and tidally restricted coastal wetlands and water bodies dynamically respond to sea-level rise, specifically applied to the Herring River Estuary in MA, USA, from 2020 to 2100. Sensitivity testing of the model parameters indicated that primary outcomes were not sensitive to many of the chosen input values, though the terrestrial water input rate to the estuary and the flow coefficient for the hydraulic infrastructure were important. The relative importance of parameters, however, is expected to be site specific. We introduced a drainability metric that quantifies the net water volume drained over every tidal cycle to monitor and forecast how rising water levels on either side of the dike affected the net draining or impounding conditions of the system. Ensembles of model results across parameter and sea-level scenario uncertainties indicated that substantial impoundment of the Herring River Estuary was expected within ~ 20 years with the existing flow structures, a sluice and two flap gates. Simulations with up to three additional gates did not dampen this trend toward impoundment, suggesting that rising impounded water levels are likely even with major construction upgrades. Increasingly impounded diked coastal waterbodies present a hydrologic challenge with socioecological implications due to projected flooding and ecosystem impacts. Solutions to this challenge may be to allow coastal wetland restoration pathways or require substantial and recurring infrastructure improvement projects.

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USGS2023

Environmental factors influencing detection efficiency of an acoustic telemetry array and consequences for data interpretation

Background Acoustic telemetry is a commonly used technology to monitor animal occupancy and infer movement in aquatic environments. The information that acoustic telemetry provides is vital for spatial planning and management decisions concerning aquatic and coastal environments by characterizing behaviors and habitats such as spawning aggregations, migrations, corridors, and nurseries, among others. However, performance of acoustic telemetry equipment and resulting detection ranges and efficiencies can vary as a function of environmental conditions, leading to potentially biased interpretations of telemetry data. Here, we characterize variation in detection performance using an acoustic telemetry receiver array deployed in Wellfleet Harbor, Massachusetts, USA from 2015 to 2017. The array was designed to study benthic invertebrate movements and provided an in situ opportunity to identify factors driving variation in detection probability. Results The near-shore location proximate to environmental monitoring allowed for a detailed examination of factors influencing detection efficiency in a range-testing experiment. Detection ranges varied from < 50 to 1,500 m and efficiencies varied from 0 to 100% within those detection ranges. Detection efficiency was affected by distance, wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, water temperature, water depth, and water quality. Conclusions Performance of acoustic telemetry systems is strongly contingent on environmental conditions. Our study found that wind, waves, water temperature, water quality, and depth all affected performance to an extent that could seriously compromise a study if these effects were not taken into consideration. Other unmeasured factors may also be important, depending on the characteristics of each site. This information can help guide future telemetry study designs by helping researchers anticipate the density of receivers required to achieve study objectives. Researchers can further refine and document the reliability of their data by incorporating continuously deployed range-testing tags and prior knowledge on varying detection efficiency into movement and occupancy models.

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USGS2023

Uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by fish, mussel, and passive samplers in mobile laboratory exposures using groundwater from a contamination plume at a historical fire training area, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Aqueous film-forming foams historically were used during fire training activities on Joint Base Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and created an extensive per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) groundwater contamination plume. The potential for PFAS bioconcentration from exposure to the contaminated groundwater, which discharges to surface water bodies, was assessed with mobile-laboratory experiments using groundwater from the contamination plume and a nearby reference location. The on-site continuous-flow 21-day exposures used male and female fathead minnows, freshwater mussels, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS), and polyethylene tube samplers (PETS) to evaluate biotic and abiotic uptake. The composition of the PFAS-contaminated groundwater was complex and 9 PFAS were detected in the reference groundwater and 17 PFAS were detected in the contaminated groundwater. The summed PFAS concentrations ranged from 120 to 140 ng L –1 in reference groundwater and 6100 to 15,000 ng L –1 in contaminated groundwater. Biotic concentration factors (CF b ) for individual PFAS were species, sex, source, and compound-specific and ranged from 2.9 to 1000 L kg –1 in whole-body male fish exposed to contaminated groundwater for 21 days. The fish and mussel CF b generally increased with increasing fluorocarbon chain length and were greater for sulfonates than for carboxylates. The exception was perfluorohexane sulfonate, which deviated from the linear trend and had a 10-fold difference in CF b between sites, possibly because of biotransformation of precursors such as perfluorohexane sulfonamide. Uptake for most PFAS in male fish was linear over time, whereas female fish had bilinear uptake indicated by an initial increase in tissue concentrations followed by a decrease. Uptake of PFAS was less for mussels (maximum CF b = 200) than for fish, and mussel uptake of most PFAS also was bilinear. Although abiotic concentration factors were greater than CF b , and values for POCIS were greater than for PETS, passive samplers were useful for assessing PFAS that potentially bioconcentrate in fish but are present at concentrations below method quantitation limits in water. Passive samplers also accumulate short-chain PFAS that are not bioconcentrated.

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USGS2023

Temporal variability of runup and total water level on Cape Cod sandy beaches

In the present study, we evaluate the temporal variability in runup and total water level for sandy beaches along Cape Cod (Massachusetts, USA), and their impact on dune and beach erosion. We use a 43-year hindcast of waves and water levels and calculate runup and total water level based on the Stockdon formulation using previously extracted beach slopes. The dominant components of the runup are identified and their temporal variability evaluated. The seasonal and interannual variability of total water level is evaluated. For most locations along the outer Cape Cod coast, the comparison between total water level and dune elevations suggested that the coastal response remained predominantly under swash regime. The results over these study locations could be extended to other similar areas at regional scales to provide better characterization of total water level and coastal change at long temporal scales.

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USGS2023

Contributions to uncertainty in runup forecasts

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides operational forecasts of total water levels (TWL) and coastal change. Uncertainties around forecast TWL are based on the temporal and spatial range of observed beach slopes near the forecast site. This paper investigates other sources of uncertainty that are not accounted for, focusing on four beaches where the USGS has deployed remote cameras, and on outer Cape Cod, which has diverse bar morphologies. We find that the range of runup indicated by ten formulae is nearly as large as the variations caused by the range of beach slopes. A formula that accounts for bar morphology substantially decreases calculated runup, and might improve forecasts. Errors in the timing of forecast storm landfall generate uncertainties in TWL where tides are large. Analyses suggest that the effect of off-normal incident waves is relatively small. These results suggest opportunities for improving the TWL forecasts.

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USGS2023

Processes controlling coastal erosion along Cape Cod Bay, MA

Cape Cod Bay, MA, is a semi-enclosed embayment in the northeastern United States, open on the north to the Gulf of Maine. The coastline experiences impacts typically from strong Nor’easter storms that occur in the late fall or winter months, with some sections of this coastline being affected more severely than others. We investigate the processes that cause spatial variability in storm impacts by using geophysical surveys, shoreline-change analysis, and numerical modeling. We simulated the Gulf of Maine and Cape Cod Bay from Jan–April, 2021, using the COAWST modeling system, including ocean, wave, infragravity wave, and sediment transport models. Results identify bay-scale circulation of alongshore sediment fluxes and convergences at regional shoals. Nearshore modeling also revealed zones of increased wave heights that correlate with regions of increased erosion and coastal angle orientation. Modeled and computed shoreline-change have some correlation but the model does not capture all the variability. This overall approach can potentially be used for other coastal locations to identify regions of storm impacts and to manage coastal resources.

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USGS2023

Peat decomposition and erosion contribute to pond deepening in a temperate salt marsh

Salt marsh ponds expand and deepen over time, potentially reducing ecosystem carbon storage and resilience. The water filled volumes of ponds represent missing carbon due to prevented soil accumulation and removal by erosion and decomposition. Removal mechanisms have different implications as eroded carbon can be redistributed while decomposition results in loss. We constrained ponding effects on carbon dynamics in a New England marsh and determined whether expansion and deepening impact nearby soils by conducting geochemical characterizations of cores from three ponds and surrounding high marshes and models of wind-driven erosion. Radioisotope profiles demonstrate that ponds are not depositional environments and that contemporaneous marsh accretion represents prevented accumulation accounting for 32%–42% of the missing carbon. Erosion accounted for 0%–38% and was bracketed using radioisotope inventories and wind-driven resuspension models. Decomposition, calculated by difference, removes 22%–68%, and when normalized over pond lifespans, produces rates that agree with previous metabolism measurements. Pond surface soils contain new contributions from submerged primary producers and evidence of microbial alteration of underlying peat, as higher levels of detrital biomarkers and thermal stability indices, compared to the marsh. Below pond surface horizons, soil properties and organic matter composition were similar to the marsh, indicating that ponding effects are shallow. Soil bulk density, elemental content, and accretion rates were similar between marsh sites but different from ponds, suggesting that lateral effects are spatially confined. Consequently, ponds negatively impact ecosystem carbon storage but at current densities are not causing pervasive degradation of marshes in this system.

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USGS2023

Final report: A novel monitoring framework to assess intertidal biodiversity in mixed coarse substrate habitats across the Boston Harbor Islands

The Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (BOHA) is at high risk to the impacts of sea-level rise (SLR) and erosion from coastal storms. In June 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the islands as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to climate change. BOHA partners have been working to find climate adaptive solutions to protect and sustain critical ecological and cultural resources on the islands. A range of coastal adaptation efforts are currently under consideration including increased shoreline armoring and nature-based adaptation solutions. Any action taken in the coastal zone will require an assessment of environmental and ecological communities that could potentially be impacted by disturbance caused by restoration or adaptation projects. The primary goals of the initial phase of this project were to: 1) synthesize occurrence and distribution records of biodiversity living in and using mixed coarse substrate habitats of the intertidal zone of the Boston Harbor Islands; and 2) identify and compile potential methods to develop a standard and repeatable monitoring protocol to track changes (natural or anthropogenic) in intertidal biodiversity over time and across locations; and 3) conduct preliminary site scoping of target islands to identify locations for collecting new baseline data. A biodiversity inventory list was compiled, showing a total of 451 unique species were observed in BOHA between 1861-2020. Of this list, 55 species (invertebrates: 47; algae: 8) were considered nonindigenous species; a watchlist was also developed to help BOHA partners identify potential future invaders that could colonize and impact intertidal communities due to ongoing climate change or disturbance events. Native species observed in BOHA were evaluated using existing conservation frameworks and climate vulnerability information to prioritize species at greatest risk from anthropogenic and environmental stressors for future actions. Lastly, site scoping activities during 2021 identified three types of sites for future intertidal monitoring initiatives: (1) sites with relatively high biodiversity and foundational species, (2) erosional sites near cultural areas of importance to NPS, and (3) sites with generic (common across islands) biodiversity. Overall results are anticipated to help the NPS and BOHA partners identify a suite of species and sites for future monitoring given anticipated adaptation projects and ongoing changes due to SLR, coastal storms and other stressors.

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USGS2023

Developing a stochastic hydrological model for informing lake water level drawdown management

Winter drawdown (WD) is a common lake management tool for multiple purposes such as flood control, aquatic vegetation reduction, and lake infrastructure maintenance. To minimize adverse impacts to a lake’s ecosystem, regulatory agencies may provide managers with general guidelines for drawdown and refill timing, drawdown magnitude, and outflow limitations. However, there is significant uncertainty associated with the potential to meet management targets due to variability in lake characteristics and hydrometeorology of each lake’s basin, making the use of modeling tools a necessity. In this context, we developed a hydrological modeling framework for lake water level drawdown management (HMF-Lake) and evaluated it at 15 Massachusetts lakes where WDs have been applied over multiple years for vegetation control. HMF-Lake is based on the daily lake water balance, with inflows simulated by a lumped rainfall-runoff model (Cemaneige-GR4J) and outflow rate calculated by a modified Target Storage and Release Based Method (TSRB). The model showed a satisfactory performance of simulating historical water levels (0.53 ≤ NSE ≤ 0.86), however, uncertainties from meteorological inputs and TSRB determined lake outflow rate affected the result accuracy. To account for these uncertainties, the model was executed stochastically to assess the ability of study lakes to follow the Massachusetts’ general WD guidelines: drawdown by Dec 1 and fully refilled by Apr 1. By using the stochastic HMF-Lake, the probabilities of each lake to reach the drawdown level by Dec 1 were calculated for different drawdown magnitudes (1–6 ft). The probability results suggest it was generally less possible for most of study lakes to achieve a drawdown of 3 ft or more by Dec 1. Moreover, we employed the stochastic model to derive the annual latest refill starting dates that ensure a 95 % probability of reaching the normal water level by Apr 1. We found starting a refill in March for drawdowns up to 6 ft was feasible for most of study lakes. These results provide lake managers with a quantitative understanding of the lake’s ability to follow the state guidelines. The model may be used to systematically evaluate current WD management strategies at state or regional scales and support adaptive WD management under changing climates.

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USGS2023

Identifying mechanisms underlying individual body size increases in a changing, highly seasonal environment: The growing trout of West Brook

As air temperature increases, it has been suggested that smaller individual body size may be a general response to climate warming. However, for ectotherms inhabiting cold, highly seasonal environments, warming temperatures may increase the scope for growth and result in larger body size. In a long-term study of individual brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta inhabiting a small stream network, individual lengths increased over the course of 15 years. As size-selective gains and losses to the population acted to reduce body sizes and mean body size at first tagging in the autumn (<60 mm) were not observed to change substantially over time, the increase in body size was best explained by higher individual growth rates. For brook trout, increasing water temperatures during the spring (when both trout species accomplish most of their total annual growth) was the primary driver of growth rate for juvenile fish and the environmental factor which best explained increases in individual body size over time. For brown trout, by contrast, reduction in and subsequent elimination of juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar midway through the study period explained most of the increases in juvenile growth and body size. In addition to these major trends, a considerable amount of interannual variation in trout growth and body size was explained by other abiotic (stream flow) and biotic (population density) factors with the direction and magnitude of these effects differing by season, age-class and species. For example, stream flow was the dominant growth rate driver for adult fish with strong positive effects in the summer and autumn, but flow variation could not explain increases in body size as we observed no trend in flow. Overall, our work supports the general contention that for high-latitude ectotherms, increasing spring temperatures associated with a warming climate can result in increased growth and individual body size (up to a point), but context-dependent change in other factors can substantially contribute to both interannual variation and longer-term effects.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2023

Effects of freshwater residence time on reproductive success in anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus): climate change implications

Earlier spring warming and anadromous fish migrations prompted by climate change are linked to shorter freshwater residency. Impacts of phenological change on anadromous fish populations are poorly understood with limited studies focused on iteroparous non-salmonids. We assessed freshwater residence time and reproductive success in an iteroparous clupeid, alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) using a pedigree analysis and otolith-based spawning dates from captured juveniles. The primary objectives were to (1) estimate adult spawning duration in a freshwater pond (freshwater residence time) and (2) evaluate adult freshwater residence time, arrival date, length, sex, and reproductive success across 2 years in one system. Estimated freshwater residence times varied widely (1–64 days), and longer residence times were associated with earlier arrival dates, higher reproductive success, and more mating events. Longer freshwater residence times may allow alewife to spawn with more mates, produce more gametes, and experience a range of spawning and nursery conditions. Plasticity in alewife freshwater residence time could support earlier and shorter migration periods but may result in lower reproductive output if adults spend less time in freshwater ponds.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2023

A pilot biodiversity inventory and monitoring protocol in support of coastal adaptation projects in tidal and nearshore subtidal habitats of Boston Harbor Islands

The Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (BOHA) is at high risk to the impacts of sealevel rise (SLR) and erosion from coastal storms. In June 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the islands as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to climate change. BOHA partners have been working to find climate adaptive solutions to protect and sustain critical ecological and cultural resources on the islands. A range of coastal adaptation efforts are currently under consideration including increased shoreline armoring and nature-based adaptation solutions. Any action taken in the coastal zone will require an assessment of environmental and ecological communities that could potentially be impacted by disturbance caused by restoration or adaptation projects. The primary goals of the initial phase of this project were to: 1) synthesize occurrence and distribution records of biodiversity living in and using mixed coarse substrate habitats of the intertidal zone of the Boston Harbor Islands; and 2) identify and compile potential methods to develop a standard and repeatable monitoring protocol to track changes (natural or anthropogenic) in intertidal biodiversity over time and across locations; and 3) conduct preliminary site scoping of target islands to identify locations for collecting new baseline data. A biodiversity inventory list was compiled, showing a total of 451 unique species were observed in BOHA between 1861-2020. Of this list, 55 species (invertebrates: 47; algae: 8) were considered nonindigenous species; a watchlist was also developed to help BOHA partners identify potential future invaders that could colonize and impact intertidal communities due to ongoing climate change or disturbance events. Native species observed in BOHA were evaluated using existing conservation frameworks and climate vulnerability information to prioritize species at greatest risk from anthropogenic and environmental stressors for future actions. Lastly, site scoping activities during 2021 identified three types of sites for future intertidal monitoring initiatives: (1) sites with relatively high biodiversity and foundational species, (2) erosional sites near cultural areas of importance to NPS, and (3) sites with generic (common across islands) biodiversity. Overall results are anticipated to help the NPS and BOHA partners identify a suite of species and sites for future monitoring given anticipated adaptation projects and ongoing changes due to SLR, coastal storms and other stressors.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2023

Buzzards Bay salt marshes: Vulnerability and adaptation potential

Salt marshes with lush grass meadows teeming with shorebirds are iconic features of the Buzzards Bay coast and provide opportunities for recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, as well as important environmental benefits. These productive coastal wetlands are important because they protect properties from storm surges, remove nutrients from the water and carbon from the atmosphere, and provide critical habitats for fish, shellfish, and birds. Found where the land meets the sea, salt marshes are naturally dynamic features that change with rising seas, waves, ice, and storms. In the past, humans purposely altered salt marshes by filling them to create buildable land or digging drainage ditches. These major alterations harmed marsh structure and health. In recent decades, however, marshes are degrading because of more diffuse and complex pressures such as nutrient pollution, sea level rise, major storms, and crab overgrazing. As a result, at many places along the East Coast, marshes have crumbling banks and large areas where the plants have died, leaving behind mudflats. The Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program began field monitoring of salt marshes around Buzzards Bay in 2019 to document changes (map below shows sites). We partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Woodwell Climate Research Center to use aerial tools to investigate how different characteristics of the long-term marsh sites and their watersheds affect the marsh’s current health and likely future. This report brings together the results of on the ground monitoring with data from aerial imagery to look at marsh status at 12 long-term monitoring sites based on existing stressors, current marsh conditions, and potential for adaptation.

Massachusetts↗