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USGS1998

The aquatic macrophyte seed bank in Lake Onalaska, Wisconsin

Submersed aquatic vegetation, dominated by Vallisneria americana Michx., declined dramatically in Lake Onalaska (Navigation Pool 7, on the Upper Mississippi River) following drought conditions in the late 1980s. Coinciding with the decline were marked increases in the abundance of phyllum spicatum L., particularly in areas vacated by A. americana. Recent evidence indicates that much of the lake has remained unvegetated, but that since 1994, beds of V. americana have made a partial recovery. While the production of vegetative propagules may largely account for increases in populations of both species, the extent to which seed production may contribute to their expansion in the lake is unknown. To assess the germination potential and distribution of the aquatic macrophyte seed bank in Lake Onalaska, sediment cores (5 cm deep) were collected from 74 sampling sites in July 1996. Seedling emergence from sediments was observed in an environmental growth chamber operated at 25 C and a 14-hr photoperiod over a period of eight weeks. Fifteen species of aquatic macrophytes germinated in sediments from 55 sites. V. americana seedlings emerged from sediments from 36 sites throughout the lake, but were most prevalent in sediments collected within or downstream (within 250 m) of established V. americana beds. Seedlings of M. spicatum emerged from only two collected sediments that had supported this species in protected areas. These findings suggest that seed production may play a greater role in the dispersal of V. americana than M. spicatum, and further emphasize basic differences in their survival strategies, particularly in flowing water systems.

Journal of Aquatic Plant Management↗

USGS1998

The aquatic macrophyte seed bank in Lake Onalaska, Wisconsin

Submersed aquatic vegetation, dominated by Vallisneria americana Michx., declined dramatically in Lake Onalaska (Navigation Pool 7, on the Upper Mississippi River) following drought conditions in the late 1980s. Coinciding with the decline were marked increases in the abundance of Myriophyllum spicatum L., particularly in areas vacated by V. americana. Recent evidence indicates that much of the lake has remained unvegetated, but that since 1994, beds of V. americana have made a partial recovery. While the production of vegetative propagules may largely account for increases in populations of both species, the extent to which seed production may contribute to their expansion in the lake is unknown. To assess the germination potential and distribution of the aquatic macrophyte seed bank in Lake Onalaska, sediment cores (5 cm deep) were collected from 74 sampling sites injury 1996. Seedling emergence from sediments was observed in an environmental growth chamber operated at 25 C and a 14-hr photoperiod over a period of eight weeks. Fifteen species of aquatic macrophytes germinated in sediments from 55 sites. V. americana seedlings emerged from sediments from 36 sites throughout the lake, but were most prevalent in sediments collected within or downstream (within 250 m) of established V. americana beds. Seedlings of M. spicatum emerged from only two collected sediments that had supported this species in protected areas. These findings suggest that seed production may play a greater role in the dispersal of V. americana than M. spicatum, and further emphasize basic differences in their survival strategies, particularly in flowing water systems.

Journal of Aquatic Plant Management↗

USGS2013

Emerging methods for the study of coastal ecosystem landscape structure and change

Coastal landscapes are heterogeneous, dynamic, and evolve over a range of time scales due to intertwined climatic, geologic, hydrologic, biologic, and meteorological processes, and are also heavily impacted by human development, commercial activities, and resource extraction. A diversity of complex coastal systems around the globe, spanning glaciated shorelines to tropical atolls, wetlands, and barrier islands are responding to multiple human and natural drivers. Interdisciplinary research based on remote-sensing observations linked to process studies and models is required to understand coastal ecosystem landscape structure and change. Moreover, new techniques for coastal mapping and monitoring are increasingly serving the needs of policy-makers and resource managers across local, regional, and national scales. Emerging remote-sensing methods associated with a diversity of instruments and platforms are a key enabling element of integrated coastal ecosystem studies. These investigations require both targeted and synoptic mapping, and involve the monitoring of formative processes such as hydrodynamics, sediment transport, erosion, accretion, flooding, habitat modification, land-cover change, and biogeochemical fluxes.

International Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGS2001

Effects of emergency haying on vegetative characteristics within selected Conservation Reserve Program fields in the Northern Great Plains

Successional changes in vegetation composition within seeded grasslands may effect attainment of long term conservaation objectives. Comparisons between vegetation composition within Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields planted to cool season, introduced grasses hayed for emergency we, and non hayed fields of the same age and species composition were completed to determine potential effects of periodic haying. Emergency haying had little long term effect on vegetation height/density, percent cover of live pass, or forb cover when compared to characteristics within non hayed fields?. The presence of legumes [primarily alfalfa (Medicago sativa L)] increased in response to haying, whereas, abundance of noxious weeds [chiefly Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense (L) Scop.)] diminished. Implications for long term management CRP grassland to achieve wildlife habitat objectives are discussed.

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation↗

USGS2026

Biocrust and seed placement influence emergence rates of perennial grass Elymus elymoides across five North American deserts

1. Dryland vascular plant emergence is often limited by water availability especially with projected climate and precipitation changes. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) can promote water retention and nutrient availability that benefit germination, and emergence yet can also act as a surface barrier preventing critical seed soil contact and hindering emergence. Alongside these factors, dryland fire frequency has increased with the inclusion of invasive species and vegetation structural changes. With enhanced continuous fine fuel distribution there is a high potential to disrupt biocrust-plant interactions and influence associated management actions. 2. This study explores the dynamic relationship between biocrusts and fire-related heating effects on seedling emergence across five North American deserts: the Chihuahuan Desert, Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert. We conducted a greenhouse-based seedling emergence experiment using Elymus elymoides (bottlebrush squirreltail), a common perennial grass, with biocrust and bare soil mesocosms in which half were heated to mimic the effects of wildfire temperature. 3. The variables that had the greatest influence on germination rate and germination timing were the presence of biocrust and seed placement (on top of vs within the biocrust/soil matrix). Emergence rate was greatest atop bare soil followed by seeds inserted into biocrust. Emergence timing was faster with biocrust present, but only when seeds were inserted into it. Desert origin of biocrust and soil collection also influenced germination where the probability of any one seed emerging was highest in the Chihuahuan and Mojave desert sites relative to the Sonoran desert site which showed the lowest probability. Heating had mixed effects whereby it increased the likelihood of emergence but did not affect the overall rate or timing. 4. Synthesis and applications . This study underscores the importance of healthy and impaired biocrusts in dryland systems and suggests ways in which the combination of biocrust and seed placement can influence plant establishment, in addition to providing insight into seeding strategies for managers and restoration practitioners working in dryland sites.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico↗

USGS2023

Seed banks of rare Physostegia correllii (Lamiaceae) in Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

Rare species threatened by climate and land-use change may harbor seeds in soil seed banks for periods of time even if adults have disappeared from the site. Soil samples were collected from sites with current Phyostegia correllii populations and from sites with former populations in Lady Bird Lake (a reservoir of the Colorado River, Austin, Texas. A seedling emergence study was conducted under greenhouse conditions, and the presence/absence of seedling emergence was recorded for two years. Seeds germinated from the seed banks of all current and former colonies tested. The presence of seed banks in a historical site (Blunn Creek) of Physostegia correllii suggests that management to encourage the germination of seeds might help to encourage the establishment of populations of this species. The re-establishment of disturbance fugitives might be facilitated by removing overhanging ground vegetation or imposing water management regimes that mimic natural floodplain dynamics.

Texas↗

USGS2013

Taming wildlife disease: bridging the gap between science and management

1.Parasites and pathogens of wildlife can threaten biodiversity, infect humans and domestic animals, and cause significant economic losses, providing incentives to manage wildlife diseases. Recent insights from disease ecology have helped transform our understanding of infectious disease dynamics and yielded new strategies to better manage wildlife diseases. Simultaneously, wildlife disease management (WDM) presents opportunities for large-scale empirical tests of disease ecology theory in diverse natural systems. 2.To assess whether the potential complementarity between WDM and disease ecology theory has been realized, we evaluate the extent to which specific concepts in disease ecology theory have been explicitly applied in peer-reviewed WDM literature. 3.While only half of WDM articles published in the past decade incorporated disease ecology theory, theory has been incorporated with increasing frequency over the past 40 years. Contrary to expectations, articles authored by academics were no more likely to apply disease ecology theory, but articles that explain unsuccessful management often do so in terms of theory. 4.Some theoretical concepts such as density-dependent transmission have been commonly applied, whereas emerging concepts such as pathogen evolutionary responses to management, biodiversity–disease relationships and within-host parasite interactions have not yet been fully integrated as management considerations. 5.Synthesis and applications. Theory-based disease management can meet the needs of both academics and managers by testing disease ecology theory and improving disease interventions. Theoretical concepts that have received limited attention to date in wildlife disease management could provide a basis for improving management and advancing disease ecology in the future.

Journal of Applied Ecology↗

USGS2017

Sediment source fingerprinting as an aid to catchment management: A review of the current state of knowledge and a methodological decision-tree for end-users

The growing awareness of the environmental significance of fine-grained sediment fluxes through catchment systems continues to underscore the need for reliable information on the principal sources of this material. Source estimates are difficult to obtain using traditional monitoring techniques, but sediment source fingerprinting or tracing procedures, have emerged as a potentially valuable alternative. Despite the rapidly increasing numbers of studies reporting the use of sediment source fingerprinting, several key challenges and uncertainties continue to hamper consensus among the international scientific community on key components of the existing methodological procedures. Accordingly, this contribution reviews and presents recent developments for several key aspects of fingerprinting, namely: sediment source classification, catchment source and target sediment sampling, tracer selection, grain size issues, tracer conservatism, source apportionment modelling, and assessment of source predictions using artificial mixtures. Finally, a decision-tree representing the current state of knowledge is presented, to guide end-users in applying the fingerprinting approach.

Journal of Environmental Management↗

USGS2023

Rapid prototyping for quantifying belief weights of competing hypotheses about emergent diseases

Emerging diseases can have devastating consequences for wildlife and require a rapid response. A critical first step towards developing appropriate management is identifying the etiology of the disease, which can be difficult to determine, particularly early in emergence. Gathering and synthesizing existing information about potential disease causes, by leveraging expert knowledge or relevant existing studies, provides a principled approach to quickly inform decision-making and management efforts. Additionally, updating the current state of knowledge as more information becomes available over time can reduce scientific uncertainty and lead to substantial improvement in the decision-making process and the application of management actions that incorporate and adapt to newly acquired scientific understanding. Here we present a rapid prototyping method for quantifying belief weights for competing hypotheses about the etiology of disease using a combination of formal expert elicitation and Bayesian hierarchical modeling. We illustrate the application of this approach for investigating the etiology of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) and discuss the opportunities and challenges of this approach for addressing emergent diseases. Lastly, we detail how our work may apply to other pressing management or conservation problems that require quick responses. We found the rapid prototyping methods to be an efficient and rapid means to narrow down the number of potential hypotheses, synthesize current understanding, and help prioritize future studies and experiments. This approach is rapid by providing a snapshot assessment of the current state of knowledge. It can also be updated periodically (e.g., annually) to assess changes in belief weights over time as scientific understanding increases. Synthesis and applications: The rapid prototyping approaches demonstrated here can be used to combine knowledge from multiple experts and/or studies to help with fast decision-making needed for urgent conservation issues including emerging diseases and other management problems that require rapid responses. These approaches can also be used to adjust belief weights over time as studies and expert knowledge accumulate and can be a helpful tool for adapting management decisions.

Journal of Environmental Management↗

USGS2014

Beach science in the Great Lakes

Monitoring beach waters for human health has led to an increase and evolution of science in the Great Lakes, which includes microbiology, limnology, hydrology, meteorology, epidemiology, and metagenomics, among others. In recent years, concerns over the accuracy of water quality standards at protecting human health have led to a significant interest in understanding the risk associated with water contact in both freshwater and marine environments. Historically, surface waters have been monitored for fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli , enterococci), but shortcomings of the analytical test (lengthy assay) have resulted in a re-focusing of scientific efforts to improve public health protection. Research has led to the discovery of widespread populations of fecal indicator bacteria present in natural habitats such as soils, beach sand, and stranded algae. Microbial source tracking has been used to identify the source of these bacteria and subsequently assess their impact on human health. As a result of many findings, attempts have been made to improve monitoring efficiency and efficacy with the use of empirical predictive models and molecular rapid tests. All along, beach managers have actively incorporated new findings into their monitoring programs. With the abundance of research conducted and information gained over the last 25 years, “Beach Science” has emerged, and the Great Lakes have been a focal point for much of the ground-breaking work. Here, we review the accumulated research on microbiological water quality of Great Lakes beaches and provide a historic context to the collaborative efforts that have advanced this emerging science.

Great Lakes↗

USGS2024

Examining inter-regional and intra-seasonal differences in wintering waterfowl landscape associations among Pacific and Atlantic flyways

The Central Valley of California (CVC) and Mid-Atlantic (MA) in the U.S. are both critical sites for nationwide food security, and many waterfowl species annually, especially during the winter, providing feeding and roosting locations for a variety of species. Mapping waterfowl distributions, using NEXRAD, may aid in the adaptive management of important waterfowl habitat and allow various government agencies to better understand the interface between wild and domestic birds and commercial agricultural practices. We used 9 years (2014–2023) of data from the US NEXRAD network to model winter waterfowl relative abundance in the CVC and MA as a function of weather, temporal period, environmental conditions, and landcover characteristics using boosted regression tree modelling. We were able to quantify the variability in effect size of 28 different covariates across space and time within two geographic regions which are critical to nationwide waterfowl management and host a high density of nationally important commercial agriculture. In general, weather, geographic (distance to features), and landcover condition (wetness index) predictors had the strongest relative effect on predicting wintering waterfowl relative abundance in both regions, while effects of land cover composition were more regionally and temporally specific. Increased daily mean temperature was a major predictor of increasing relative waterfowl abundance in both regions throughout the winter. Increasing precipitation had differing effects within regions, increasing relative waterfowl abundance in the MA, while decreasing in general within the CVC. Increasing relative waterfowl abundance in the CVC are strongly tied to the flooding of the landscape and rice availability, whereas waterfowl in the MA, where water is less limiting, are generally governed by waste grain availability and emergent wetland on the landscape. Waterfowl relative abundance in the MA was generally higher nearer to the Atlantic coast and lakes, while in the CVC they were higher nearer to lakes. Our findings promote a better understanding of spatial associations of waterfowl to landscape features and may aid in conservation and biosecurity management protocols.

California, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North ↗

USGS2010

Hyperspectral analysis of columbia spotted frog habitat

Wildlife managers increasingly are using remotely sensed imagery to improve habitat delineations and sampling strategies. Advances in remote sensing technology, such as hyperspectral imagery, provide more information than previously was available with multispectral sensors. We evaluated accuracy of high-resolution hyperspectral image classifications to identify wetlands and wetland habitat features important for Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) and compared the results to multispectral image classification and United States Geological Survey topographic maps. The study area spanned 3 lake basins in the Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, USA. Hyperspectral data were collected with an airborne sensor on 30 June 2002 and on 8 July 2006. A 12-year comprehensive ground survey of the study area for Columbia spotted frog reproduction served as validation for image classifications. Hyperspectral image classification accuracy of wetlands was high, with a producer's accuracy of 96 (44 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2002 data and 89 (41 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2006 data. We applied habitat-based rules to delineate breeding habitat from other wetlands, and successfully predicted 74 (14 wetlands) of known breeding wetlands for the Columbia spotted frog. Emergent sedge microhabitat classification showed promise for directly predicting Columbia spotted frog egg mass locations within a wetland by correctly identifying 72 (23 of 32) of known locations. Our study indicates hyperspectral imagery can be an effective tool for mapping spotted frog breeding habitat in the selected mountain basins. We conclude that this technique has potential for improving site selection for inventory and monitoring programs conducted across similar wetland habitat and can be a useful tool for delineating wildlife habitats. ?? 2010 The Wildlife Society.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗

USGS2003

Comparison of electrofishing and rotenone for sampling largemouth bass in vegetated areas of two Florida lakes

We compared the sampling precision and efficiency of electrofishing and rotenone for assessing populations of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in vegetated portions of two Florida lakes. Sampling was conducted at Lochloosa and Orange lakes in north-central Florida from 1990 to 1999. Significant differences in length frequencies were determined between the two methods in 5 of 9 years for each lake. In years where differences existed, electrofishing collected larger fish than did rotenone. The maximum deviation between cumulative relative length frequencies for the two methods was not related to total vegetation, native emergent vegetation, or hydrilla Hydrilla verticallata coverage at either lake. Sampling precision was greater for electrofishing than for rotenone; electrofishing also required less sampling effort to detect changes in the abundance of juvenile and adult largemouth bass. Electrofishing was a more precise and cost-effective method than rotenone for estimating largemouth bass abundance.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2003

Factors affecting breeding dispersal of European ducks on Engure Marsh, Latvia

1. We used up to 35 years of capture-recapture data from nearly 3300 individual female ducks nesting on Engure Marsh , Latvia , and multistate modelling to test predictions about the influence of environmental, habitat and management factors on breeding dispersal probability within the marsh . 2. Analyses based on observed dispersal distances of common pochards and tufted ducks provided no evidence that breeding success in year t influenced dispersal distance between t and t + 1. 3. Breeding dispersal distances (year t to t + 1) of pochards and tufted ducks were associated with a delay in relative nest initiation dates in year t + 1. The delay was greater for pochards (c. 4 days) than for tufted ducks (c. 2 days) when females dispersed > 0.8 km. 4. Northern shovelers and tufted ducks moved from a large island to small islands at low water levels and from small islands to the large island at high water levels before the construction of elevated small islands (1960-82). Following this habitat management (1983-94), breeding fidelity was extremely high and not influenced by water level in the marsh for either species. 5. Because pochard nesting habitats in black-headed gull colonies were saturated during the entire study period, nesting females moved into and out of colonies with similar probabilities. Local survival probabilities and incubation body masses were higher for both yearlings (SY) and adults (ASY) nesting within gull colonies, suggesting that these females were of better quality than females nesting outside of the colonies. 6. Tufted ducks showed higher probabilities of moving from islands to emergent marshes when water levels were higher both before and after habitat management. However, rates of movement for a given water level were higher during the period before management than after. 7. Both pochards and tufted ducks exhibited asymmetric movement with respect to proximity to water, with higher movement probabilities to near-water nesting locations than away from these locations. 8. Multistate capture-recapture models provided analyses that were useful in investigating sources of variation in breeding dispersal probabilities.

Journal of Animal Ecology↗

USGS2011

Editor’s message: Groundwater modeling fantasies - Part 2, down to earth

Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art. (Frédéric Chopin, a musician and composer, quoted in If Not God, Then What? by Fost 2007 ) Despite the dubious developments discussed in part 1 of this Editor’s Message (Voss 2011 ), groundwater modeling really does represent the state of the art in hydrogeology, and groundwater modeling is in fact one of our most powerful tools for enhancing hydrogeologic understanding and for informing management of subsurface resources, at least when in the hands of competent hydrologists.

Hydrogeology Journal↗

USGS2014

Spatial distribution of loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta ) emergences along a highly dynamic beach in the northern Gulf of Mexico

As coastlines change due to sea level rise and an increasing human presence, understanding how species, such as marine turtles, respond to alterations in habitat is necessary for proper management and conservation. Survey data from a major nesting beach in the northern Gulf of Mexico, where a revetment was installed, was used to assess spatial distribution of loggerhead emergences. Through use of Quadrat analysis and piecewise linear regression with breakpoint, we present evidence to suggest that nest site selection in loggerheads is determined in the nearshore environment, and by characteristics such as wave height, alongshore currents, depth and patterns of erosion and accretion. Areas of relatively dense nesting were found in areas with relatively strong alongshore currents, relatively small waves, a steep offshore slope and the largest historical rates of erosion. Areas of relatively dense nesting also corresponded to areas of low nesting success. Both nesting and non-nesting emergences were clustered immediately adjacent to the revetment and at other eroding sites along the beach. These results suggest that alterations to the nearshore environment from activities such as construction of a jetty, dredging or installation of pilings, may impact sea turtle nest distribution alongshore. We also show that piecewise linear regression with breakpoint is a technique that can be used with geomorphological and oceanographic data to predict locations of nest clumping and may be useful for managers at other nesting beaches.

Florida↗

USGS2022

Quantifying streamflow depletion from groundwater pumping: A practical review of past and emerging approaches for water management

Groundwater pumping can cause reductions in streamflow (“streamflow depletion”) that must be quantified for conjunctive management of groundwater and surface water resources. However, streamflow depletion cannot be measured directly and is challenging to estimate because pumping impacts are masked by streamflow variability due to other factors. Here, we conduct a management-focused review of analytical, numerical, and statistical models for estimating streamflow depletion and highlight promising emerging approaches. Analytical models are easy to implement, but include many assumptions about the stream and aquifer. Numerical models are widely used for streamflow depletion assessment and can represent many processes affecting streamflow, but have high data, expertise, and computational needs. Statistical approaches are a historically underutilized tool due to difficulty in attributing causality, but emerging causal inference techniques merit future research and development. We propose that streamflow depletion-related management questions can be divided into three broad categories (attribution, impacts, and mitigation) that influence which methodology is most appropriate. We then develop decision criteria for method selection based on suitability for local conditions and the management goal, actionability with current or obtainable data and resources, transparency with respect to process and uncertainties, and reproducibility.

Journal of the American Water Resources Associatio↗

USGS1984

First evidence of successful natural reproduction by planted lake trout in Lake Huron

Twenty-two lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) swim-up fry, 24-27 mm long, were captured with emergent fry traps and a tow net in northwestern Lake Huron on a small nearshore reef off Alpena, Michigan, between May 10 and June 1, 1982. These catches represent the first evidence of successful production of swim-up fry by planted, hatchery-reared lake trout in Lake Huron since the lake trout rehabilitation program began in 1973.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗