Geology topics

John W. Mason

Publications and source records attributed to John W. Mason.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2014

Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA): aerial seabird and marine mammal surveys off northern California, Oregon, and Washington, 2011-2012

Marine birds and mammals comprise an important community of meso- and upper-trophic-level predators within the northern California Current System (NCCS). The NCCS is located within one of the world’s four major eastern boundary currents and is characterized by an abundant and diverse marine ecosystem fuelled seasonally by wind-driven upwelling which supplies nutrient-rich water to abundant phytoplankton inhabiting the surface euphotic zone. The oceanographic conditions throughout the NCCS fluctuate according to well-described seasonal, inter-annual, and decadal cycles. Such oceanographic variability can influence patterns in the distribution, abundance, and habitat use among marine birds and mammals. Although there are an increasing number of studies documenting distributions and abundances among birds and mammals in various portions of the NCCS, there have been no comprehensive, large-scale, multi-seasonal surveys completed throughout this region since the early 1980s (off northern California; Briggs et al. 1987) and early 1990s (off Oregon and Washington; Bonnell et al. 1992, Briggs et al. 1992, Green et al. 1992). During 2011 and 2012, we completed the Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA) which included replicated surveys over the continental shelfslope from shore to the 2000-meter (m) isobath along 32 broad-scale transects from Fort Bragg, California (39° N) through Grays Harbor, Washington (47° N). Additionally, surveys at a finer scale were conducted over the continental shelf within six designated Focal Areas: Fort Bragg, CA; Eureka, CA; Siltcoos Bank, OR; Newport, OR; Nehalem Bank, OR; and Grays Harbor, WA. We completed a total of 26,752 km of standardized, low-elevation aerial survey effort across three bathymetric domains: inner-shelf waters (<100-m depth), outer shelf waters (100 – 200-m depth) and continental slope waters (200 – 2000-m depth). Survey effort was similar among seasons (winter, summer, and fall) and between years and varied according to the three bathymetric domains: 47% (12,646 km) covered the continental slope, 33% (8887 km) covered the inner-shelf (0 – 100-m depth), and 20% (5,219 km) covered the outer-shelf. Overall, we recorded 15,403 sightings of 59,466 individual marine birds (12 families, 54 species). During winter, seven species groupings comprised >90% of the total number of birds counted (19,033) with Common Murres (Uria aalge) representing the majority of individuals counted (70.4% of total). The remaining six most abundant taxa included: Surf/White-winged Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata/M. fusca; 4.8% of total), Herring/Thayer’s Gulls (Larus argentatus/L. thayeri; 3.8% of total), Cassin’s Auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus; 3.8% of total), Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens; 3.7% of total), Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla; 2.0% of total), and Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis; 1.9% of total). During summer, five species comprised >95% of the total number of birds counted (17,063) with the majority comprised of Common Murres (54.1% of total) and Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus; 34.4% of total). The remaining most abundant three taxa included: Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma furcata; 3.3% of total), Western Gulls (2.1% of total), and Leach’s Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa; 1.1% of total). During fall, nine species comprised >85% of the total number of birds counted (23,376) with the majority comprised of Common Murres (50.0% of total) and Sooty Shearwaters (10.5% of total). The remaining seven taxa included Cassin’s Auklets (5.2% of total), Surf/White-winged Scoters (5.1% of total), Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (3.8% of total), Red/Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus fulicarius/P. lobatus; 3.2% of total), California Gulls (Larus californicus; 3.1% of total), Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis; 2.7% of total), and Sabine’s Gulls (Xema sabini; 2.2% of total). Throughout the entire PaCSEA survey area, average densities (± SE) at sea for all marine birds combined were similar between fall (23.7 ± 1.9 birds km -2 ) and winter (24.0 ± 1.9 birds km -2 ) and least during summer (16.3 ± 2.2 birds km -2 ). Marine bird densities at sea varied according to bathymetric domain and season. Throughout the entire PaCSEA study area average densities (± SE) for all marine birds combined were greatest over the inner-shelf domain (<100-m depth) during fall (49.4 ± 5.0 birds km -2 ) and similar during winter (37.4 ± 4.6 birds km -2 ) and summer (37.5 ± 6.4 birds km -2 ). Within the outer-shelf domain (100 – 200-m depth), average densities for all marine birds combined were greatest during winter (34.6 ± 4.2 birds km-2), lesser during fall (16.2 ± 1.7 birds km-2), and least during summer (6.9 ± 1.1 birds km-2). Within the farthest offshore waters over the continental slope domain (200 – 2000-m depth) average densities for all marine birds combined were greatest during fall (10.0 ± 2.2 birds km -2 ) and winter (9.3 ± 1.5 birds km -2 ), and lesser during summer (6.2 ± 1.4 birds km -2 ). We observed 16 cetacean species and five pinniped species. Among the Mysticeti (baleen whales), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were most frequently observed (114 sightings of 264 individuals) during summer and fall mostly over the outer-shelf and slope waters, however, individuals were also seen within the Siltcoos, Nehalem, Fort Bragg, and Eureka Focal Areas. We recorded 11 Odontoceti (toothed whale) species. Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were the most frequently sighted (164 sightings of 270 individuals). Harbor porpoises were present year-round and most frequently sighted within the inner-shelf domain throughout the entire study area in all seasons. Harbor porpoises occurred in all six Focal Areas, with noteworthy aggregations within the Eureka, Siltcoos, and Grays Harbor Focal Areas. We recorded 246 sightings of 375 individual pinnipeds (5 species). California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) were the most frequently sighted and were present year-round with slightly more sightings recorded during the fall. California sea lions showed a decreasing frequency of sightings and relative abundance with distance from shore across the bathymetric domains surveyed, being most frequently observed over the inner-shelf. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) were observed occasionally during all seasons with harbor seals occurring nearshore (usually within 10 km of the coast) and northern fur seals almost exclusively beyond the shelf break (> 200-m depth), especially during winter off Oregon and Washington. Northern (Steller’s) sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were uncommonly sighted during winter and fall.

California;Oregon;Washington↗

USGS1993

Surface-water hydrology and quality, and macroinvertebrate and smallmouth bass populations in four stream basins in southwestern Wisconsin, 1987-90

Data on streamflow, water quality, and macroinvertebrate and smallmouth bass (microptercus dolomieni) populations were collected from July 1987 through September 1990, in four streams in southwestern Wisconsin to determine the effect of surface-water hydrology and quality on populations of macroinvertebrates and smallmouth bass. The study was a joint project of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Drought conditions greatly affected streamflows in southwestern Wisconsin throughout much of the period of study. Precipitation in all four basins in 1988 and 1989 was 9.91 to12.41 inches less than 1951-80 normal precipitation of 32.88 inches. The lowest annual mean discharge was recorded in water year 1988 at all of the streamflow- gaging stations except at Rattlesnake Creek, where annual mean discharge was lowest in water year 1990. Overland-flow runoff during the reproductive period of smallmouth bass (mid-May to mid-July) was 0.02 inch in 1988 at the Sinsinawa River and Rattlesnake Creek. Overland-flow runoff in the Little Platte River and the Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River also was low in 1988 (0.03 inch and 0.04 inch, respectively) during the reproductive period of smallmouth bass. The trend of low overland-flow runoff continued in 1989; in water year 1990, however, overland-flow runoff during the reproductive period of smallmouth bass was 1.38 inches at Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River and 0.22 inch at Rattlesnake Creek. Turbidity ranged from 1.5 nephelometric turbidity units at Rattlesnake Creek to 3,700 nephelometric turbidity units at the Sinsinawa River. Suspended-solid concentrations ranged from 2 milligrams per liter at Rattlesnake Creek to a maximum 24,300 milligrams per liter at the Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River. The high turbidities and suspended-solid concentrations, which occurred during storms, did not last for long periods of time and are not thought to have been harmful to the biota of the rivers. Un-ionized ammonia concentrations exceeded the State of Wisconsin, Department of Natural Resources' standard of 0.04 milligram per liter for warmwater streams at all four of the streams. The maximum concentration of un-ionized ammonia measured was 0.10 milligram per liter at Rattlesnake Creek and there was no discernible effects on smallmouth bass or macroinvertebrates. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations at all four study streams occasionally decreased to below or near the concentration of 1 milligram per liter considered necessary to sustain life of smallmouth bass. Two fish kills were documented as the result of low dissolved-oxygen concentrations. All of these episodes of low dissolved-oxygen concentrations occurred during or just after rainstorms and subsequent increasing streamflows. Samples of water-sediment mixture and bottom material were analyzed for pesticides commonly used in the basins. Samples from all of the stations had concentrations of herbicides that exceeded the analytical reporting limit. Water-sediment samples at the Sinsinawa River had the highest herbicide concentration. The concentration of metolachlor was the highest of the herbicides-- 110 micrograms per liter; concentrations of atrazine and cyanazine were next highest at 97 and 84 micrograms per liter, respectively. All of the water-sediment mixture samples had insecticide concentrations below the analytical reporting limit, with the exception of carbofuran. One water-sediment mixture sample collected at the Little Platte River had a carbofuran concentration of 0.44 microgram per liter. No pesticides were detected in the bottom-material samples collected at the four study streams. Richness of macroinvertebrate taxa did not differ substantially among the four streams during the study, but the abundances of several taxa differed significantly among streams. Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River had comparatively few midges but many caddisflies, whereas Rattlesnake Creek had many non-insect taxa and relatively few caddisflies. The Little Platte River had consistently high numbers of caddisflies, mayflies, and riffle beetles. Macroinvertebrate-community composition, as measured by Bray-Curtis dissimilarity coefficients, varied considerably over time within and among the streams. The macroinvertebrate community composition of the Little Platte River changed very little during the winter of 1987-88 as compared to the other streams, but the community composition of the Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River changed substantially. The communities of Rattlesnake Creek and Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River became more similar to the community of the Little Platte River from fall 1987 through fall 1988, whereas the community in the Sinsinawa River remained distinct. Water quality, as estimated by biotic-index values, generally was better in the Little Platte River than in the other streams from fall 1987 through fall 1988. However, water quality appeared to have deteriorated (biotic-index values increased) in the Little Platte River during the winter of 1988-89. Water quality in the Livingston Branch of the Pecatonica River also deteriorated during the same period. The drought of 1988-89 and accompanying decrease in frequency of storms contributed to an uncharacteristically stable environment for macroinvertebrate development in most streams. Total taxa richness increased in three of the four streams. Total taxa richness did not increase in the Little Platte River, possibly because of moderate flooding that occurred prior to the spring 1989 sampling period or, more likely, because of changes in dissolved-oxygen concentrations. Although dissolved-oxygen concentrations were fairly similar in all streams, dissolved-oxygen concentrations were lower in 1989 in the Little Platte River than in other streams. The observed increase in biotic-index values in the Little Platte River during the spring of 1989 supports a decline in water quality. Smallmouth bass reproduction was related to precipitation and streamflow during the critical mid-May to mid-July reproductive period. Reproductive success was good (38-297 Age 0 smallmouth bass per acre) in 1988 and 1989 and poor (0-3 Age 0 smallmouth bass per acre) in 1987 and 1990. This pattern corresponded with total precipitation of less than 7 inches in May and June in 1988 and 1989 and greater than 7 inches in 1989 and 1990. In years when runoff exceeded 0.10 inch, only three or fewer Age 0 (smallmouth bass less than 1 year old) smallmouth bass per acre were caught in late summer to fall sampling surveys. In contrast, when overland runoff was less than 0.10 inch, 32 to 297 Age 0 smallmouth bass per acre were found in late summer or fall. The numbers of Age 0 smallmouth bass per acre were significantly different from each other at the 1 -percent probability level (p=0.0001). Smallmouth bass reproductive success indicated that smallmouth bass in these streams were extremely vulnerable to the amount of runoff during the early stage of their life. Low concentrations of dissolved oxygen constituted the most detrimental water-quality problem affecting smallmouth bass populations. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were occasionally less than 3 milligrams per liter, a dissolved-oxygen concentration that may be detrimental to early-life stages of smallmouth bass in the streams; however, smallmouth bass were apparently able to withstand these low dissolved-oxygen concentrations and seem to have survived in some situations when dissolved-oxygen concentration decreased to1 milligram per liter.

Wisconsin↗