Geology topics

B. Scott Lowe

Publications and source records attributed to B. Scott Lowe.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2008

Occurrence and distribution of algal biomass and Its relation to nutrients and selected basin characteristics in Indiana streams, 2001-2005

Algal biomass and nutrient data were gathered at 322 randomly selected sites on 261 streams in the West Fork White River, Whitewater River, East Fork White River, Upper Wabash River, Kankakee River, Lower Wabash River, Tributaries to the Great Lakes, and Tributaries to the Ohio River Basins in Indiana from May through October for years 2001 through 2005. Basin characteristics (land use and drainage area), substrate, turbidity, and nutrient concentrations were determined for the basin and sampling sites. The relations of the seasonal algal biomass parameters periphyton chlorophyll a (CHLa), ash-free dry mass (AFDM), seston CHLa, and particulate organic carbon (POC) to concentrations of the seasonal nutrients nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were determined using Spearman’s rho. The effects of streamflow were determined using data collected at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging stations spatially located throughout the study basins. Throughout the 5-year study, the magnitude and frequency of stream discharge varied monthly and annually and greatly influenced algal biomass concentrations through scour and algal drift. Algal biomass median concentrations in Indiana streams consisted of periphyton CHLa, 41.2 milligrams per square meter (mg/m 2 ); AFDM, 52.1 grams per square meter (g/m 2 ); seston CHLa, 2.44 micrograms per liter (µg/L); and POC, 0.75 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Approximately 32 percent of the periphyton CHLa and 6 percent of the seston CHLa samples would be considered eutrophic (nutrient enriched). To ascertain seasonal variability, samples were collected in the spring (May), summer (June through August), and fall (September through October). The highest median concentration of periphyton CHLa was in the spring, 63.2 mg/m 2 , while the highest median concentrations of AFDM, seston CHLa, and POC were in the summer 55.4 g/m 2 , 2.96 µg/L, and 0.81 mg/L respectively. There were no significant differences among seasons for periphyton CHLa and AFDM; there were significant differences among seasons for seston CHLa and POC. There were no significant relations with nutrients and periphyton or seston CHLa parameters. The only significant positive relations were observed between summer POC and summer TP as well as summer POC and summer TKN. Positive relations also related spring POC and spring TP. These significant relations with TP are most likely related to phosphorus associated within seston algal cells and attached to sediment. Drainage area and land use were analyzed to understand the effect of site location on algal growth. Study basins varied in size (headwater streams, 0–51 km 2 ; wadable streams, 52–2,590 km 2 ; and boatable streams, 2,591–38,900 km 2 ) and were dominated by agricultural land use. Basin characteristics (land use, drainage area) as well as substrate type, turbidity, and nutrients, affected the concentration of algal biomass parameters. Of the eight basins in which samples were collected during the 5-year study, the Whitewater River Basin (2002) had the highest median concentration of periphyton CHLa (63.1 mg/m 2 ), the Tributaries to the Great Lakes (2005) exhibited the highest median concentration for AFDM (160 g/m 2 ), the East Fork White River Basin (2002) had nearly twice the median concentration (4.01 µg/L) of seston CHLa as the other basins, and the West Fork White River Basin (2001) exhibited the highest median concentration of POC (1.10 mg/L). Of the eight major basins sampled, 15–45 percent of the periphyton CHLa and up to 20 percent of the seston CHLa samples were eutrophic. Samples collected at headwater and wadable streams were the most eutrophic for periphyton CHLa (31–36 percent) and 28 percent of samples collected at boatable streams were eutrophic for seston CHLa. As basin size increased, seston CHLa and POC concentrations increased while periphyton CHLa and AFDM concentrations decreased. The median turbidity values ranged from 6.95 NTU for headwater streams to 8.27 NTU for wadable streams, and 17.0 NTU for boatable streams. In addition, the types and availability of periphytic substrates (epilithic, epipsammic, or epidendric) were an important factor when comparing periphyton CHLa and AFDM concentrations in the study due to the periphytic substrates individual susceptibility to bed movement and scouring. Periphyton CHLa median concentrations ranged from 53.8 mg/m 2 for epilithic substrates, to 41.8 mg/m 2 for epipsammic substrates, and 17.2 mg/m 2 for epidendric substrates. Higher AFDM concentrations were collected from epipsammic substrates during years of low stream discharge velocity, which enhanced the settling of organic matter on epipsammic substrates. AFDM median concentrations ranged from 141 g/m 2 for epipsammic to 28.8 g/m 2 for epilithic and 22.9 g/m 2 for epidendric substrates. The seasonal values for nutrients (nitrate, TKN, TN, and TP) and algal biomass (periphyton CHLa, AFDM, seston CHLa, and POC) were compared to published U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values for their respective ecoregions. Algal biomass values either were greater than the 25th percentile published USEPA values or extended the range of data in Aggregate Nutrient Ecoregions VI, VII, IX and USEPA Level III Ecoregions 54, 55, 56, 71, and 72. If the values for the 25th percentile proposed by the USEPA were adopted as nutrient water-quality criteria, then about 71 percent of the nutrient samples and 57 percent of the CHLa samples within the eight study basins would be considered nutrient enriched.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2007

Relations of Principal Components Analysis Site Scores to Algal-Biomass, Habitat, Basin-Characteristics, Nutrient, and Biological-Community Data in the West Fork White River Basin, Indiana, 2001

Data were gathered from July through September 2001 at 34 randomly selected sites in the West Fork White River Basin, Indiana for algal biomass, habitat, nutrients, and biological communities (fish and invertebrates). Basin characteristics (drainage area and land use) and biological-community attributes and metric scores were determined for the basin of each sampling site. Yearly Principal Components Analysis site scores were calculated for algal biomass (periphyton and seston). The yearly Principal Components Analysis site scores for the first axis (PC1) were related, using Spearman's rho, to the seasonal algal-biomass, basin-characteristics, habitat, seasonal nutrient, biological-community attribute and metric score data. The periphyton PC1 site score, which was most influenced by ash-free dry mass, was negatively related to one (percent closed canopy) of nine habitat variables examined. Of the 43 fish-community attributes and metric scores examined, the periphyton PC1 was positively related to one fish-community attribute (percent tolerant). Of the 21 invertebrate-community attributes and metric scores examined, the periphyton PC1 was positively related to one attribute (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) index) and one metric score (EPT index metric score). The periphyton PC1 was not related to the five basin-characteristic or 12 nutrient variables examined. The seston PC1 site score, which was most influenced by particulate organic carbon, was negatively related to two of the 12 nutrient variables examined: total Kjeldahl nitrogen (July) and total phosphorus (July). Of the 43 fish-community attributes and metric scores examined, the seston PC1 was negatively related to one attribute (large-river percent). Of the 21 invertebrate-community attributes and metric scores examined, the seston PC1 was negatively related to one attribute (EPT-to-total ratio). The seston PC1 was not related to the five basin-characteristics or nine habitat variables examined. To understand how the choice of sampling sites might have affected the results, an analysis of the drainage area and land use was done. The 34 randomly selected sites in the West Fork White River Basin in 2001 were skewed to small streams. The dominant mean land use of the sites sampled was agriculture, followed by forest, and urban. The values for nutrients (nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) and chlorophyll a (periphyton and seston) were compared to published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values for Aggregate Nutrient Ecoregions VI and IX and Level III Ecoregions 55 and 72. Several nutrient values were greater than the 25th percentile of the published USEPA values. Chlorophyll a (periphyton and seston) values were either greater than the 25th percentile of published USEPA values or extended data ranges in the Aggregate Nutrient Ecoregions and Level III Ecoregions. If the proposed values for the 25th percentile were adopted as nutrient water-quality criteria, many samples in the West Fork White River Basin would have exceeded the criteria.

Indiana↗

USGS2007

Relations of principal components analysis site scores to algal-biomass, habitat, basin-characteristics, nutrient, and biological-community data in the Whitewater River and East Fork White River basins, Indiana, 2002

Data were gathered from May through September 2002 at 76 randomly selected sites in the Whitewater River and East Fork White River Basins, Indiana, for algal biomass, habitat, nutrients, and biological communities (fish and invertebrates). Basin characteristics (land use and drainage area) and biolog-ical-community attributes and metric scores were determined for the basin of each sampling site. Yearly Principal Compo-nents Analysis site scores were calculated for algal biomass (periphyton and seston). The yearly Principal Components Analysis site scores for the first axis (PC1) were related using Spearman's rho to the seasonal algal-biomass, basin-charac-teristics, habitat, seasonal nutrient, and biological-community attribute and metric score data. The periphyton PC1 site score was not significantly related to the nine habitat or 12 nutrient variables examined. One land-use variable, drainage area, was negatively related to the periphyton PC1. Of the 43 fish-community attributes and metrics examined, the periphyton PC1 was negatively related to one attribute (large-river percent) and one metric score (car-nivore percent metric score). It was positively related to three fish-community attributes (headwater percent, pioneer percent, and simple lithophil percent). The periphyton PC1 was not statistically related to any of the 21 invertebrate-community attributes or metric scores examined. Of the 12 nutrient variables examined two were nega-tively related to the seston PC1 site score in two seasons: total Kjeldahl nitrogen (July and September), and TP (May and September). There were no statistically significant relations between the seston PC1 and the five basin-characteristics or nine habitat variables examined. Of the 43 fish-community attributes and metrics examined, the seston PC1 was positively related to one attribute (headwater percent) and negatively related to one metric score (large-river percent metric score) . Of the 21 invertebrate-community attributes and metrics exam-ined, the seston PC1 was negatively related to one metric score (number of individuals metric score). To understand how the choice of sampling sites might have affected the results, an analysis of the drainage area and land use was done. The sites selected in the Whitewater River Basin were generally small drainage basins; compared to Whitewater River Basin sites, the sites selected in the East Fork White River Basin were generally larger drainage basins. Although both basins were dominated by agricultural land use the Whitewater River Basin sites had more land in agriculture than the East Fork White River Basin sites. The values for nutrients (nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) and chlorophyll a (per-iphyton and seston) were compared to published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values for Aggregate Nutrient Ecoregions VI and IX and USEPA Level III Ecore-gions 55 and 71. Several nutrient values were greater than the 25th percentile of published USEPA values. Chlorophyll a (periphyton and seston) values were either greater than the 25thpercentile of published USEPA values or they extended data ranges in the Aggregate Nutrient and Level III Ecore-gions. If the values for the 25th percentile as proposes by the USEPA were adopted as nutrient water-quality criteria, many samples in the Whitewater River and East Fork White River Basins would have exceeded the criteria.

Indiana↗

USGS2007

Relations of principal components analysis site scores to algal-biomass, habitat, basin-characteristics, nutrient, and biological-community data in the Upper Wabash River Basin, Indiana, 2003

Data were gathered from May through October 2003 at 38 randomly selected sites in the Upper Wabash River Basin, Indiana, for algal biomass, habitat, nutrients, and biological communities (fish and invertebrates). Basin characteristics (drainage area and land use) and biological-community attributes and metric scores were determined for each sampling site's basin. Yearly Principal Components Analysis site scores were calculated for algal biomass (periphyton and seston). The yearly Principal Components Analysis site scores for the first axis (PC1) were related, using Spearman's rho, to the seasonal algal-biomass, basin-characteristics, habitat, seasonal nutrient, biological-community attribute and metric score data. The periphyton PC1 site score, which was most influenced by September chlorophyll a, was not related to the five basin-characteristics, nine habitat, or 12 nutrient variables examined. Of the 43 fish-community attributes and metric scores examined, the periphyton PC1 was negatively related to one attribute (tolerant percent) and positively related to one metric score (insectivore percent metric score). Of the 43 invertebrate-community attributes and metric scores examined, the periphyton PC1 was negatively related to three attributes (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) count, EPT-to-total ratio, and number of taxa) and four metric scores (EPT count metric score, EPT to total ratio metric score, macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity metric score, and number of taxa metric score). The seston PC1 was not related to the five basin-characteristics, nine habitat, or 12 nutrient variables or to the 43 fish- and 21 invertebrate-community attributes or metric scores examined. To understand how the choice of sampling sites might have affected the results, an analysis of the drainage area and land use was done. The random site selection in 2003 in the Upper Wabash River Basin was skewed to small streams. The lack of large streams in the Upper Wabash River Basin could account for the few relations among the seston and the biological-community data. The values for nutrients (nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) and chlorophyll a (periphyton and seston) were compared to published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values for Aggregate Nutrient Ecoregions VI and VII and USEPA Level III Ecoregions 55 and 56. Several nutrient values were greater than the 25th percentile of the published USEPA values. Chlorophyll a (periphyton and seston) values either were greater than the 25th percentile of published USEPA values or extended data ranges in the Aggregate Nutrient and Level III Ecoregions. If the proposed values for the 25th percentile were adopted as nutrient water-quality criteria, many samples in the Upper Wabash River Basin would have exceeded the criteria.

Indiana↗