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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Design and methods of the U.S. Geological Survey Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA), 2016

During 2016, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA), the U.S. Geological Survey conducted the Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA) to investigate stream quality in the northeastern United States. The goal of the NESQA was to assess the health of wadeable streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic life and by evaluating the relation between these stressors and the condition of biological communities. Urbanization, agriculture, and human modifications to streamflow are anthropogenic changes that greatly affect water quality in the region; consequently, the study design primarily selected sites and targeted stressors associated with these activities. The NESQA built on a prior NAWQA study conducted in the region in 2014, the Atlantic Highlands flow-ecology study, which investigated the effects of anthropogenically modified flows on aquatic biological communities in primarily forested watersheds. Land-cover data for the NESQA were used to identify and select sites within the region that had watersheds ranging in levels of urban and agricultural development. A total of 95 sites were selected: 67 on streams in watersheds representing a range of urban land use, 13 on streams in watersheds with some degree of agricultural land use, and 15 on streams in predominantly forested watersheds with little development. Depending on land-cover characteristics, sites were sampled weekly for metal and organic contaminants, nutrients, and sediment for either a 9-week period that began the week of June 6, 2016, or a 4-week period that begin the week of July 11, 2016. Beginning August 1, 2016, and for about 2 weeks, an ecological survey was conducted at every site to assess stream habitat, and algal, benthic invertebrate, and fish communities. Additional samples collected during the ecological surveys were streambed sediment for chemical analysis and toxicity testing, and fish tissue for mercury analysis. This report describes the various study components and methods of the NESQA and describes a precursor effort for the Atlantic Highlands flow-ecology study. Details are presented for measurements of water quality, sediment chemistry, streamflow, and ecological surveys of stream biota and habitat, as well as processes of sample analysis, quality assurance and quality control, and data management.

Open-File Report↗

Fish growth rates and lake sulphate explain variation in mercury levels in ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

Mercury concentrations in freshwater food webs are governed by complex biogeochemical and ecological interactions that spatially vary and are often mediated by climate. The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska (ACP) is a heterogeneous, lake-rich landscape where variability in mercury accumulation is poorly understood. Earlier research indicated that the level of catchment influence on lakes varied spatially on the ACP, and affected mercury accumulation in lake sediments. This work sought to determine drivers of spatial variation in mercury accumulation in lake food webs on the ACP. Three lakes that were a priori identified as “high catchment influence” (Reindeer Camp region) and three lakes that were a priori identified as “low catchment influence” (Atqasuk region) were sampled, and variability in water chemistry, food web ecology, and mercury accumulation was investigated. Among-lake differences in ninespine stickleback ( Pungitius pungitius ) length-adjusted methylmercury concentrations were significantly explained by sulphate concentration in lake water, a tracer of catchment runoff input. This effect was mediated by fish growth, which had no pattern between regions. Together, lake water sulphate concentration and fish age-at-size (proxy for growth) accounted for nearly all of the among-lake variability in length-adjusted methylmercury concentrations in stickleback (R 2 adj = 0.94, p < 0.01). The percentage of total mercury as methylmercury (a proxy for net Hg methylation) was higher in sediments of more autochthonous, “low catchment influence” lakes ( p < 0.05), and in the periphyton of more allochthonous, “high catchment influence” lakes (p < 0.05). The results indicate that dominant sources of primary production (littoral macrophyte/biofilm vs. pelagic phytoplankton) and food web structure (detrital vs. grazing) are regulated by catchment characteristics on the ACP, and that this ultimately influences the amount of methylmercury in the aquatic food web. These results have important implications for predicting future mercury concentrations in fish in lakes where fish growth rates and catchment inputs may change in response to a changing climate.

Alaska↗

Differences in native soil ecology associated with invasion of the exotic annual chenopod, Halgeton glomeratus

Various biotic and abiotic components of soil ecology differed significantly across an area where Halogeton glomeratus is invading a native winterfat, [ Krascheninnikovia (= Ceratoides ) lanata ] community. Nutrient levels were significantly different among the native, ecotone, and exotic-derived soils. NO 3 , P, K, and Na all increased as the cover of halogeton increased. Only Ca was highest in the winterfat area. A principal components analysis, conducted separately for water-soluble and exchangeable cations, revealed clear separation between halogeton- and winterfat-derived soils. The diversity of soil bacteria was highest in the exotic, intermediate in the ecotone, and lowest in the native community. Although further studies are necessary, our results offer evidence that invasion by halogeton alters soil chemistry and soil ecology, possibly creating conditions that favor halogeton over native plants.

Biology and Fertility of Soils↗

Microbial control of mineral–groundwater equilibria: Macroscale to microscale

Using field and laboratory experiments, the geomicrobiology of a petroleum-contaminated aquifer and the relationship between mineral alteration, groundwater chemistry, and microbial colonization were examined. Results indicate that indigenous microorganisms influence mineral weathering at two scales of interaction: macroscale processes that perturb general groundwater chemistry and therefore mineralwater equilibria; and microscale interactions, where attached organisms locally perturb mineral±water equilibria, potentially releasing limiting trace nutrients from the dissolving mineral. In the contaminated unconfined glacio-fluvial aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA, carbonate chemistry is influenced primarily at the macroscale. Under oxic conditions, respiration by native aerobic heterotrophs produces excess carbon dioxide that promotes calcite and dolomite dissolution. Aerobic microorganisms do not colonize dolomite surfaces and few occur on calcite. Within the anoxic groundwater, calcite overgrowths form on uncolonized calcite cleavage surfaces, possibly due to the consumption of acidity by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria. As molecular oxygen concentration increases downgradient of the oil pool, aerobes again dominate and residual hydrocarbons and ferrous iron are oxidized, resulting in macroscale carbonate-mineral dissolution and iron precipitation. Feldspars, in contrast, weather exclusively at the microscale near attached microorganisms, principally in the anoxic region of the plume. Native organisms preferentially colonize feldspars that contain trace phosphorus as apatite inclusions, apparently as a consequence of the low P concentration in the groundwater. These feldspars weather rapidly, whereas nearby feldspars without trace P are uncolonized and unweathered. Feldspar dissolution is accompanied by the precipitation of secondary minerals, sometimes on the bacterial cell wall itself. These observations suggest a tightly linked biogeochemical system whereby microbial processes control mineral diagenesis at many scales of interaction, and the mineralogy and mineral chemistry influence microbial ecology. Only the macroscale interaction, however, is easily observable by standard geochemical methods, and documentation of the microscale interactions requires microscopic examination of microorganisms on mineral surfaces and the locally intense diagenetic reactions that result.

Hydrogeology Journal↗

Rivers of Arctic North America

This chapter describes the geomorphology, hydrology, chemistry, biodiversity, and ecology of rivers in the North American Arctic. The history, physiography, climate, and land use of the Arctic regions are also described. The chapter includes details on the Kobuk and Colville rivers in Alaska, the Thelon and Kazan rivers in the central Canadian Arctic, Koroc River and Nakvak Brook in the eastern Canadian low Arctic, Thomsen River on Banks Island in the western Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and Ruggles River on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian high Arctic. The rivers are characteristic of the major ecoregions of the North American Arctic, covering a range of geomorphological and physiographic conditions. The history of use of the rivers by Inuit and Dene First Nations Peoples of the north provides the foundation to understand the social, cultural, and economic importance of the river systems, and potential threats to the rivers from climate change are outlined.

Book chapter↗

Handbook of ecotoxicology, second edition

Handbook of Ecotoxicology, Second Edition focuses on toxic substances and how they affect ecosystems worldwide. It presents methods for quantifying and measuring ecotoxicological effects in the field and in the lab, as well as methods for estimating, predicting, and modeling in ecotoxicology studies. Completely revised and updated with 18 new chapters, this second edition includes contributions from over 75 international experts. Also, a Technical Review Board reviewed all manuscripts for accuracy and currency. This authoritative work is the definitive reference for students, researchers, consultants, and other professionals in the environmental sciences, toxicology, chemistry, biology, and ecology - in academia, industry, and government.

Book↗

The benthic foraminifera cassidulina from the Arctic Ocean: Application to paleoceanography and biostratigraphy

We investigated the morphology, biostratigraphy, shell stable isotope composition and paleogeography of the common Arctic benthic foraminifera, Cassidulina teretis (Tappan 1951) (sometimes assigned to Islandiella (Nørvang 1958), for application to Quaternary paleoceanography. Cassidulina teretis, which has been studied by several generations of Arctic foraminiferal specialists, is used in Arctic Ocean paleoceanographic reconstructions based on foraminiferal assemblages and, increasingly, isotope shell chemistry. Here we review its modern and fossil distribution including discussions of its taxonomy, ecology, biostratigraphy and shell chemistry. Cassidulina teretis Tappan 1951, originally described from the Gubik Formation, northern Alaska coastal plain, has variability in test size, apertural morphology and development of an umbilical boss representing intra- and inter-population differences across the Arctic and subarctic in modern, Quaternary and Pliocene assemblages. Nonetheless, our studies and those previously published lead us to conclude that populations from the Arctic Ocean represent a single species proposed by Tappan as Cassidulina teretis. Its modern distribution is mainly 200 to 1000 m water depth, often living within the core of the relatively warm Atlantic Layer. However, shallower occurrences suggest other factors, such as food supply, are also critical to its ecology. The Holocene distribution of Cassidulina teretis in the Beaufort Sea boundary indicate millennial-scale changes in relative abundance related to changing Atlantic Layer influence, sea-ice cover, surface productivity and food availability. There are extremely large changes in its abundance during the last deglacial interval on the Yermak Plateau, Barents Sea slope and the Laptev Sea reflecting rapid ocean changes during the Bølling-Allerød, Younger Dryas, and Preboreal. Similarly, C. teretis abundance changes during the last 300,000 years allow us to use it, at least regionally, as a useful biostratigraphic marker. The stable isotopic composition of Cassidulina teretis tests holds promise for establishing an isotope stratigraphy across the Arctic Ocean and perhaps also in the Nordic Seas, off Iceland and in the northern North Atlantic Ocean, once disequilibrium values and offsets from other Arctic benthic species are more firmly established.

Micropaleontology↗

Design and methods of the California stream quality assessment (CSQA), 2017

During 2017, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted the California Stream Quality Assessment to investigate the quality of streams in the Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains ecoregion, United States. The goal of the California Stream Quality Assessment study was to assess the health of wadeable streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic biota and by evaluating the relation between these stressors and biological indicators of stream health. Urbanization, agriculture, and modifications to streamflow are anthropogenic changes that affect water quality in the region; consequently, the study design primarily targeted sites and specific stressors associated with these activities. For the study, 85 stream sites were selected to represent the types and intensity of land use in the watershed; categories of site types were undeveloped, urban (low, medium, high), agriculture (low, high), and mixed (urban and agriculture). Most sites (about 70 percent) represent a gradient of urbanization from undeveloped to 99-percent urbanized. At most of the sites, streamgages or pressure transducers were used to monitor stream discharge and stage, as well as temperature. Water-quality samples were collected routinely at all sites and were analyzed for major ions, organic contaminants, nutrients, and suspended sediment. Sampling frequency varied on the basis of site type and location. Discrete water samples were collected weekly and generally 6 times per site, except for 11 undeveloped sites that were sampled only 4 times (during the last 4 weeks). Water sampling began at sites in the southern part of the study on March 13, 2017, and at sites in the northern part of the study on April 3, 2017. Passive samplers were deployed at most sites for measurement of polar organic contaminants (pesticides and pharmaceuticals). In May 2017, coincident with completion of water-quality sampling, an ecological survey was conducted at each site to assess benthic algal and macroinvertebrate communities and instream habitat. During the ecological surveys, a single composite streambed-sediment sample was collected for chemical analysis and toxicity testing. In addition, a few focused studies were done at subsets of sites, namely, measuring pesticides using small-volume automated samplers, measuring pesticides in biofilms, and sampling suspended sediments using passive samplers. This report describes the various study components and methods of the California Stream Quality Assessment, including measurements of water quality, sediment chemistry, habitat assessments, and ecological surveys, as well as procedures for sample analysis, quality assurance and quality control, and data management.

California↗

Diazinon residues in insects from sprayed tobacco

Pooled samples of tobacco hornworms collected from a field sprayed with 0.84 kg/ha of diazinon were analyzed for residues at various intervals after application. No residues of the toxic metabolite diazoxon were detected (sensitivity 0.5 ppm) in any sample. Only one sample exceeded 1.0 ppm of the parent compound and was collected 4 hours after spraying. Residues declined over time (P<0.01) and none were detected (sensitivity 0.1 ppm) 18 days after spraying. the potential hazard to birds eating these insects appeared to be minimal.

Maryland↗

Organophosphate residues in grasshoppers from sprayed rangelands

Grasshoppers (Orthoptera) were collected in pastures that had been sprayed with malathion and acephate to estimate the secondary exposure of insectivorous birds to those pesticides. Residues of malathion were below 3 ppm at 30 and 54 hours after spraying and no malaoxon was detected. In contrast, acephate was found at 8 and 9 ppm 4 hours after spray; 3–5 ppm of the toxic metabolite methamidophos were also detected at that time. By 53 hours postspray, acephate levels declined to 2 ppm and methamidophos to less than 1 ppm. These results suggest that although malathion may not be a hazard to insectivorous species, acephate may be hazardous through metabolic transformation to methamidophos.

Chemistry and Ecology↗

Comparison of solid-phase and pore-water approaches for assessing the quality of marine and estuarine sediments

As part of our continuing evaluation of the pore-water approach for assessing sediment quality, we made a series of side-by-side comparisons between the standard 10-day amphipod whole sediment test with the corophiid Grandidierella japonica and a suite of tests using pore water extracted from the same sediments. the pore-water tests evaluated were the sea urchin ( Arbacia punctulata ) sperm cell test and morphological development assay, the life-cycle test with the polychaete Dinophilus gyrociliatus , and acute exposures of red drum ( Sciaenops ocellatus ) embryo-larval stages. Sediment and surface microlayer samples were collected from contaminated sites. Whole-sediment, pore-water, and surface microlayer toxicity tests were performed. Pore-water toxicity tests were considerably more sensitive than the whole-sediment amphipod test, which is currently the most sensitive toxicity test now recommended for determining the acceptability of dredged material for open ocean disposal.

Chemistry and Ecology↗

Isolation and chemical characterization of dissolved and colloidal organic matter

Commonly used techniques for the concentration and isolation of organic matter from water, such as preparative chromatography, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, and the methods used to analyze the organic matter obtained by these methods are reviewed. The development of methods to obtain organic matter that is associated with fractions of the dissolved organic carbon other than humic substances, such as organic bases, hydrophilic organic acids and colloidal organic matter are discussed. Methods specifically used to study dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved organic phosphorous are also discussed.

Chemistry and Ecology↗

Guidebook on the geology, history, and surface-water contamination and remediation in the area from Denver to Idaho Springs, Colorado

This guidebook for a 1-day drive in the Front Range west of Denver, Colorado, includes commentary on mountain landscapes, notes on the colorful mining history of the area, and discussions on the geology and some miningrelated environmental hazards in the Idaho Springs area. It was originally prepared as U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report 91-426 for a field trip sponsored by Division A-5 (Environmental Quality) of the Soil Science Society of America on October 10, 1991. That original report has been revised and expanded to make this circular more useful as a self-contained guide. A pamphlet entitled "Mountains and Plains: Denver's Geologic Setting" is a complimentary general interest publication that is available free of charge from map sales in building 810 on the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, Colorado. The pamphlet contains useful background information on the geologic setting of Denver and nearby portions of the Front Range. A few precautions and suggestions are offered to make the trip safe and enjoyable. Idaho Springs is about 7,500 feet above sea level and the lower oxygen content of the air (about 50 percent that of sea level) may adversely affect people with heart or breathing problems. The wetlands are "wet" so use suitable footwear. The daily weather patterns are changeable. Mornings in Denver may be sunny and warm, but afternoons in Idaho Springs may be cloudy, windy, and cool with rain or snow; be prepared for all types of mountain weather. As you travel westward from Denver into the mountains, successively older rocks are crossed. By studying the descriptions at the various mileage points and by taking time at each described STOP, you will get an excellent overview of the geologic events that shaped the Denver Basin and the mountains to the west. After traveling some 18 miles into the mountains, you will reach the old mining town of Idaho Springs. Here, you can learn about the two longest tunnels in the area-the Argo and Big Five Tunnels-and how the mine drainage affects the water of Clear Creek. The Argo Tunnel near the east end of Idaho Springs drains part of the large Central City and Idaho Springs hardrock mining districts and is a source of acid water (which contains arsenic and other heavy metals) that drains into Clear Creek. At the west end ofldaho Springs is the Big Five Tunnel. Near the tunnel entrance an experimental constructed wetland demonstrates technology for the remediation of acid-mine drainage and removal of arsenic and heavy metals. Take an opportunity to view this experimental method for treatment of mine drainage. For access to the wetlands, prior arrangements must be made with the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering Ecology or Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. Otherwise, the wetlands may be viewed from the road. Permission to enter the Argo Tunnel property may be obtained from Jim Maxwell of Idaho Springs, who owns the hot springs resort. The tunnel may also be viewed from public roads. After you leave Idaho Springs, the road log guides you down Clear Creek canyon, providing an opportunity to get a closer look at the various Precambrian rocks while traveling through one of Colorado's picturesque canyons.

Denver, Idaho Springs↗

Columbia Environmental Research Center

The U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center performs research to solve challenging environmental problems related to contaminants and habitat alterations in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The research is interdisciplinary and pursued through partnerships within the U.S. Geological Survey and with national, international, state, and local agencies; nongovernmental organizations; and universities. Research is prioritized to provide science to the U.S. Department of the Interior and other natural resource management agencies to inform rehabilitation of degraded habitats and imperiled fish and wildlife populations. The Columbia Environmental Research Center was established in 1966 in Columbia, Missouri, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Fish Pesticide Research Laboratory; the Columbia Environmental Research Center was incorporated into the U.S. Geological Survey in 1996. The U.S. Geological Survey’s staff of 130 includes 90 scientists of which one-half have advanced degrees in ecology, toxicology, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, hydrology, geology, and information technology.

Missouri↗

Variability of the carbonate chemistry in a shallow, seagrass-dominated ecosystem: implications for ocean acidification experiments

Open ocean observations have shown that increasing levels of anthropogenically derived atmospheric CO 2 are causing acidification of the world's oceans. Yet little is known about coastal acidification and studies are just beginning to characterise the carbonate chemistry of shallow, nearshore zones where many ecologically and economically important organisms occur. We characterised the carbonate chemistry of seawater within an area dominated by seagrass beds (Saint Joseph Bay, Florida) to determine the extent of variation in pH and p CO 2 over monthly and daily timescales. Distinct diel and seasonal fluctuations were observed at daily and monthly timescales respectively, indicating the influence of photosynthetic and respiratory processes on the local carbonate chemistry. Over the course of a year, the range in monthly values of pH (7.36-8.28), aragonite saturation state (0.65-5.63), and calculated pCO2 (195-2537 &mu;atm) were significant. When sampled on a daily basis the range in pH (7.70-8.06), aragonite saturation state (1.86-3.85), and calculated p CO 2 (379-1019 &mu;atm) also exhibited significant range and indicated variation between timescales. The results of this study have significant implications for the design of ocean acidification experiments where nearshore species are utilised and indicate that coastal species are experiencing far greater fluctuations in carbonate chemistry than previously thought.

Marine and Freshwater Research↗

A guide for establishing restoration goals for contaminated ecosystems

As natural resources become increasingly limited, the value of restoring contaminated sites, both terrestrial and aquatic, becomes increasingly apparent. Traditionally, goals for remediation have been set before any consideration of goals for ecological restoration. The goals for remediation have focused on removing or limiting contamination whereas restoration goals have targeted the ultimate end use. Here, we present a framework for developing a comprehensive set of achievable goals for ecological restoration of contaminated sites to be used in concert with determining goals for remediation. This framework was developed during a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) cosponsored workshop that brought together experts from multiple countries. Although most members were from North America, this framework is designed for use internationally. We discuss the integration of establishing goals for both contaminant remediation and overall restoration, and the need to include both the restoration of ecological and socio-cultural-economic value in the context of contaminated sites. Although recognizing that in some countries there may be regulatory issues associated with contaminants and clean up, landscape setting and social drivers can inform the restoration goals. We provide a decision tree support tool to guide the establishment of restoration goals for contaminated ecosystems. The overall intent of this decision tree is to provide a framework for goal setting and to identify outcomes achievable given the contamination present at a site.

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management↗

Rivers of the Lower Mississippi Basin

Discussed in this chapter are seven significant tributaries of the Lower Mississippi River and its major distributary. As a group, these eight rivers and their basins encompass substantial variation in physical form, hydrology, biota, ecology, and human impacts. The Current River, Ouachita River, and Saline River, flow to the Mississippi out of the U.S. Interior Highlands. The Cache River basin, centered in Arkansas, contains a vast expanse of bottomland hardwood forest and is famous for wintering waterfowl. The Hatchie River, flowing west out of Tennessee, is the longest free-flowing tributary of the Lower Mississippi River and famous for its rich diversity of mussels and fishes. The Wolf River of Tennessee supports a magnificent bald cypress-tupelo swamp and is notable as a protected urban river that flows through Memphis. The Big Sunflower River begins and ends in the alluvial floodplain of the Mississippi River and flows through a basin of intense agriculture and historical human conflict. The Atchafalaya River, the primary distributary of the Mississippi River, supports the nation's largest expanse of bottomland hardwood forest and swamp wetlands. In this chapter, we review the physiography, geomorphology, hydrology, water chemistry, land use, biological diversity, ecological processes, human impacts, and areas of need for research and management of each of these eight rivers and their basins.

Lower Mississippi River basin↗

Restoration of impaired ecosystems: An ounce of prevention or a pound of cure? introduction, overview, and key messages from a SETAC-SER workshop

A workshop on Restoration of Impaired Ecosystems was held in Jackson, Wyoming, in June 2014. Experts from Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States in ecotoxicology, restoration, and related fields from both the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and the Society for Ecological Restoration convened to advance the practice of restoring ecosystems that have been contaminated or impaired from industrial activities. The overall goal of this workshop was to provide a forum for ecotoxicologists and restoration ecologists to define the best scientific practices to achieve ecological restoration while addressing contaminant concerns. To meet this goal, participants addressed 5 areas: 1) links between ecological risk assessment and ecological restoration, 2) restoration goals, 3) restoration design, 4) monitoring for restoration effectiveness and 5) recognizing opportunities and challenges. Definitions are provided to establish a common language across the varied disciplines. The current practice for addressing restoration of impaired ecosystems tends to be done sequentially to remediate contaminants, then to restore ecological structure and function. A better approach would anticipate or plan for restoration throughout the process. By bringing goals to the forefront, we may avoid intrusive remediation activities that close off options for the desired restoration. Participants realized that perceived limitations in the site assessment process hinder consideration of restoration goals; contaminant presence will influence restoration goal choices; social, economic, and cultural concerns can factor into goal setting; restoration options and design should be considered early during site assessment and management; restoration of both structure and function is encouraged; creative solutions can overcome limitations; a regional focus is imperative; monitoring must occur throughout the restoration process; and reciprocal transfer of knowledge is needed among theorists, practitioners, and stakeholders and among varied disciplines.

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management↗