Geology topics

Research about New York

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including New York.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

USGS2023

Responses of native freshwater mussels to remediation to remove polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated sediments in the upper Hudson River

The Hudson River, New York, was contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from two manufacturing plants over a period of approximately 30 years, and PCBs are still present in sediment and biota today. The river provides habitat for a variety of plants and animals, including native freshwater mussels. A remediation programme, consisting of dredging followed by the placement of backfilled sediment and/or a subaqueous cap, was initiated in 2009 to remove PCB-contaminated sediments, and managers were concerned about how remediation could affect the mussels. Quantitative surveys were conducted across nine reaches (pools) to estimate species composition, density, population size, population structure, and ecosystem services of mussel assemblages, pre- and post-remediation. Surveys were stratified into remediated areas (targeted for dredging) and non-remediated areas (not targeted for dredging). Pre-remediation, the river contained a low diversity, and high, but variable, density of mussels that were strongly dominated by Elliptio complanata . The presence of few fresh dead mussels indicates low natural mortality. Frequent recruitment by many species, varied length classes, and high biomass also support robust assemblages that perform important ecosystem services, such as biofiltration. Remedial activity removed most of the mussels and the associated services that they perform: their density was reduced by 83% and their filtration capacity was reduced by 93%, relative to non-remediated areas. Areas that were remediated were almost devoid of adult mussels, but the presence of small mussels indicates that natural recolonization is occurring. However, it is unknown whether these assemblages will persist. As mussels are generally long lived and slow growing, natural recovery is anticipated to be slow, in the order of decades.

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USGS2023

Twenty-year record of salt marsh elevation dynamics in response to sea-level rise and storm-driven barrier island geomorphic processes: Fire Island, New York, USA

Twenty years of surface elevation table and marker horizon monitoring at three sites along the Fire Island (New York, USA) barrier island indicates that rates of marsh surface elevation change (Watch Hill, 4.4 mm year −1 ; Hospital Point, 3.5 mm year −1 ; Great Gun, − 0.3 mm year −1 ) were lower than the rate of monthly mean sea-level rise during the 2002–2022 monitoring period (5.1 mm year −1 , NOAA Sandy Hook, NJ, water level station). The Great Gun monitoring site, with an elevation deficit relative to sea-level rise, shallow subsidence (surface accretion > marsh elevation rate), low elevation capital, prolonged marsh surface flooding, and declining vegetation cover, displays characteristics common to deteriorating marshes. The submergence trend was not as evident at the other monitoring sites, but with low tidal range (0.4 m) and projections of accelerated sea-level rise, sustainability is questioned if marsh elevation change continues to lag behind the local rate of relative sea-level rise. Hurricane Sandy occurred during the monitoring period (October 2012), creating a new inlet located about 300 m from one of the monitoring sites. Surprisingly, no immediate signals of deposition or erosion were noted from the marker horizon sampling. Overwash sand deposits on the marsh surface were extensive along Fire Island, although not reaching the monitoring sites, and will likely provide opportunities for future salt marsh growth, as will the flood-tide delta created by the inlet. Projecting the future of barrier island salt marshes under a regime of accelerated sea-level rise and episodic storms requires knowledge of marsh elevation and accretion processes and geomorphic dynamics.

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USGS2023

Evaluating population trends of juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon at low abundance in a dynamic estuarine environment (Hudson River, New York)

Evaluating population trends in dynamic estuarine environments can be challenging, especially when survey data include a high percentage of zero observations. In fishery-independent surveys, zeros that come from reduced susceptibility to sample gears and reduced availability of the population to the survey impact survey catchability and negatively bias relative abundance indices. A zero-inflated negative binomial model was used to standardize a juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus ) relative abundance index (Hudson River, New York) that included a high proportion (42%) of zero observations and intra- and interannually variable covariates. Reduced susceptibility was related to low water temperature, with the percentage of zeroes increasing rapidly below 7°C. Availability was influenced by temperature and distance to salt front, as catch rates increased with temperature and peaked in mesohaline waters ~27 km downstream of the predicted salt front. An alternative index suggested significant population growth ( r = 0.15; p -value = 0.007) occurred from 2004 to 2015. The zero-inflated model helped better understand Hudson River juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon ecology and relative trends in abundance, to better inform future management and monitoring decisions along the Atlantic Coast.

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USGS2023

A century of hydrologic data collection prepares western Long Island for current and future water-resources challenges

Freshwater is a vital natural resource. New York is a water-rich State; however, even here, the economical use of water resources is needed to ensure there is enough water of adequate quality for human and ecological needs—now and into the future. Nowhere in New York is this more evident than on Long Island where public-water supply is obtained from the sole-source aquifers directly beneath the 3 million people that live there. The U.S. Geological Survey works in partnership with the Nassau County Department of Public Works and Department of Health to monitor streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use.

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USGS2023

Hydrogeology of sand and gravel aquifers in the Owasco Inlet watershed, Cayuga and Tompkins Counties, New York

This study is a continuation of a series of hydrogeologic appraisals that have been conducted since 1980, as part of a cooperative, long-term, detailed aquifer mapping program by the U.S. Geological Survey and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. These appraisals provide a foundation for wellhead protection programs, water-resource management and planning decisions, and groundwater remediation in upstate New York. The Owasco Inlet watershed drains north directly to Owasco Lake, one of New York’s Finger Lakes. The watershed is similar in form to other watersheds of the Finger Lakes region of New York State and is characterized by broad, smooth uplands punctuated by the 18-mile-long Owasco Inlet valley and the secondary valleys of Decker, Dresserville, and Hemlock Creeks. All these streams occupy “through valleys”—the valleys are continuous into adjacent watersheds such that watershed divides are high points within the valley bottoms, rather than in uplands. Most glacial deposits in the watershed were deposited during the Valley Heads Readvance and subsequent retreat (with at least one minor readvance). Estimates are that the Valley Heads Readvance likely peaked in the Cayuga basin about 17,000 (calendar) years ago based on dates from western New York and the Mohawk Valley in east-central New York. It was the last major ice advance of the Pleistocene Epoch in this region. This readvance covered the entire Owasco watershed. Valley Heads ice in the Owasco watershed was part of the Cayuga ice lobe, which flowed parallel to the Owasco Inlet valley as far south as Moravia, but which became progressively more eastward south of Locke, effectively raking across the valley from the west. The Owasco Inlet watershed drains north, like other Finger Lakes watersheds, and during deglaciation, northward meltwater drainage was largely blocked by the ice, which resulted in development of a series of regional proglacial lakes in which fine lacustrine sediments predominated. Lacustrine sediments constitute much of the Owasco Inlet valley fill, but it has been pointed out that there are no obvious outlet channels exiting the Owasco Inlet watershed, and it has been proposed that there was northward drainage of meltwater into the ice within the larger, neighboring Cayuga Trough. The lacustrine deposits in the Owasco Inlet valley are commonly underlain by thinner coarse-grained stratified deposits (subaqueous fans and eskers) of variable sorting and permeability. An exception occurs at Groton, N.Y., where retreating ice paused long enough for coarse-grained sediments to fill much of the valley. Smaller, higher elevation valleys have a wider variety of glacial valley-fill deposits, ranging from fine lacustrine sediments to sand and gravel to till. Groundwater is the sole source of water supply in the area; glacial sand and gravel aquifers are the primary water source in the Owasco Inlet and Decker Creek valleys, and fractured bedrock aquifers typically supply domestic wells in the remaining valleys and upland areas. Municipal supplies tap a variety of aquifer types in the Owasco Inlet valley and nearby uplands. The hamlet of Locke taps the extensive confined aquifer beneath fine-grained lacustrine deposits in the valley. The Village of Moravia taps a semiconfined aquifer that overlies proglacial lake deposits and is partly confined by overlying recent lake deposits and alluvium. Withdrawals from this aquifer may also induce water from the Owasco Inlet into the aquifer. The Village of Groton draws from two aquifers: (1) a thin upland unconfined sand and gravel aquifer tapped by an infiltration gallery and (2) the local unconfined or semiconfined aquifer in the Owasco Inlet valley. Another aquifer with potential for municipal supply is the unconfined aquifer in the Decker Creek valley near Wilson Corners. The confined aquifer in the lower Dresserville Creek valley may have some water-resource potential, but it is largely untested. Unconfined aquifers are the most susceptible to contamination from activities at land surface directly above the aquifer because precipitation and subsequent recharge can transport contaminants directly to the water table. Adjacent upland areas can also contribute contaminants. Confined aquifers are less susceptible to contamination from overlying land surface areas because confining units largely prevent downward movement of water. Recharge occurs elsewhere at unconfined upvalley locations and along valley walls where alluvial fans, ice-contact deposits, or stream incision into the valley wall may provide pathways for downward movement of groundwater.

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USGS2023

Analysis of aquifer framework and properties, North Magee Street well field, Southampton, New York

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Suffolk County Water Authority, evaluated the groundwater-flow characteristics and aquifer properties of the North Magee Street well field north of the village of Southampton, New York. Characteristics and properties included groundwater-flow direction, potential groundwater-contributing areas to the well field production wells, and aquifer transmissivity and storage. The groundwater flow and aquifer properties were also evaluated to allow Suffolk County Water Authority to better assess the potential source of dissolved halocarbons (refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons). The well field production wells are screened in the upper glacial aquifer and an observation well is screened in the Magothy aquifer. Based on depth and available logs, groundwater from wells screened in the upper glacial aquifer was classified as under water-table (unconfined) conditions, and groundwater from wells screened in the Magothy aquifer was classified as being under semiconfined conditions. Groundwater flows radially to the well field during production and in a northwesterly direction under the effect of the regional flow regime. A previously published particle tracking analysis identified the following recharge contributing areas nearby the well field: (1) contributing areas to surface-water bodies of the Peconic Estuary, (2) contributing areas to surface-water bodies of the South Shore Estuary Reserve, (3) a contributing area to the Atlantic Ocean, and (4) a contributing area to another Suffolk County Water Authority well field. Five other pumping well contributing areas were identified within the study area, including those of various wells pumped for golf-course irrigation. Analysis of drawdown and recovery data collected during the multiple-well aquifer test, through the application of a Neuman analytical model, provided estimates of upper glacial aquifer characteristics and properties. Inclusion of lateral aquifer boundaries was not necessary for the analysis to result in satisfactory matches with the observed water-level responses. Aquifer transmissivity was estimated to be 170,000 feet squared per day. Storativity was estimated to be 0.02 (dimensionless), and specific yield was estimated to be 0.08 (dimensionless), consistent with the inferred degree of confinement and well field characteristics.

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USGS2023

Larval cisco and lake whitefish exhibit high distributional overlap within nursery areas

Coregonine fishes, including lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ) and cisco ( C. artedi ), are socioecologically important in the Laurentian Great Lakes and of conservation concern, but the processes driving recruitment variability are unclear. In Lake Ontario, cisco and lake whitefish exhibit similar spawning behaviours and early life histories, but population trajectories are diverging. One hypothesis is that sympatric cisco and lake whitefish larvae occupy distinct habitats and experience dissimilar local environmental conditions, despite co-occurrence within nursery areas. We described the spatiotemporal distributions of larval cisco and lake whitefish among multiple Lake Ontario embayment nursery areas, characterised physical habitat features associated with their distributions, determined the degree of spatial habitat partitioning between species and evaluated how habitat niche divergence occurred along an ontogenetic progression. Both species were widely distributed across larval nursery areas, though lake whitefish were less abundant and more narrowly distributed than cisco. Within the yolk sac stage, lake whitefish occupied more nearshore, shallower and colder waters than cisco, indicating potential habitat niche partitioning between congeners. However, distributional differences were subtle and likely driven by differential hatch timing and staggered ontogenetic habitat shifts. Combined, our results illustrate similar habitat use between cisco and lake whitefish through the larval stage and demonstrate that ontogeny and species-specific phenology influence habitat use for these species. This study provides additional evidence that the early life histories of cisco and lake whitefish are highly similar and does not support the hypothesis that larval habitat use differences are a major driver of differential recruitment success for these species.

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USGS2023

Spatial variability in vertical accretion and carbon sequestration in salt marsh soils of an urban estuary

Salt marshes in New York City’s Jamaica Bay have been disappearing and deteriorating since early 1900s, resulting in the loss of long-term accumulated carbon storage. However, the spatial variations and mechanisms in vertical accretion and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration across this highly urbanized estuary remains unclear. In this study, we collected soil cores to a depth of ~ 50 cm across Jamaica Bay to study the spatial variability in long-term (50–100 years) vertical accretion, the accumulation of mineral sediment and organic matter, and SOC sequestration. Results of gamma spectrometry analysis of 137 Cs and 210 Pb show that there was moderate spatial variability in long-term vertical accretion rates across Jamaica Bay study sites (mean: 0.48 ± 0.13 cm yr − 1 , range: 0.36–0.78 cm yr − 1 ). This local scale spatial variability in vertical accretion is largely driven by spatial variations of sedimentation. The magnitude of the long-term vertical accretion in Jamaica Bay is significantly correlated with organic matter accumulation, but not with mineral sediment. However, the role of organic matter in contributing to vertical accretion has been declining. The declining role of organic matter to vertical accretion is reflected by the lower SOC sequestration rate (mean: 128 and range: 26–189 g C m − 2 yr − 1 using the 210 Pb dating technique) compared to the global mean salt marsh SOC sequestration rate (244 g C m − 2 yr − 1 ). This is especially so on the marsh islands in the degrading western part of the bay where SOC sequestration was less than half the global average.

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USGS2023

Network analysis of a northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colony in a suburban forest patch

Many bat species are highly social, forming groups of conspecifics, particularly during the maternity season. In temperate North America, these social groups are typically comprised of closely related individuals or individuals that share some common trait (i.e. reproductive state or shared hibernacula from the previous winter). In the summer, when bats use forests for day-roosts, these social groups often demonstrate nonrandom patterns of periodically associating in common roosts and disassociating using different roosts as a ‘fission–fusion society’. As cave hibernating bat species in North America continue to decline due to the impacts of White-nose Syndrome, opportunities to describe these dynamics are becoming rare. Unfortunately, these patterns often are still poorly documented, yet understanding these behaviors is critical for species-specific habitat conservation and management. In our study, we tracked female northern long-eared bats ( Myotis septentrionalis ) to their day-roosts in a small, suburban forest fragment in coastal New York, USA, in the summers of 2018 and 2019. We confirmed that the bats shared roost sites and, using network analyses, analyzed social dynamics and space use. In contrast to previous research on this imperiled species in large, unfragmented core forests, we found a more dense, connected roost network that concentrated around forest patch edges. Unusual for this species, primary roosts were anthropogenic structures. Our findings suggest that northern long-eared bats can utilize small forest patches and that incorporation of specific types of anthropogenic roosts might be an effective strategy for long-term conservation in more urbanized landscapes where forest management actions to enhance day-roosting conditions a

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USGS2023

The weight of New York City: Possible contributions to subsidence from anthropogenic sources

New York City faces accelerating inundation risk from sea level rise, subsidence, and increasing storm intensity from natural and anthropogenic causes. Here we calculate a previously unquantified contribution to subsidence from the cumulative mass and downward pressure exerted by the built environment of the city. We enforce that load distribution in a multiphysics finite element model to calculate expected subsidence. Complex surface geology requires multiple rheological soil models to be applied; clay rich soils and artificial fill are calculated to have the highest post-construction subsidence as compared with more elastic soils. Minimum and maximum calculated building subsidence ranges from 0 to 600 mm depending on soil/rock physical parameters and foundation modes. We compare modeled subsidence and surface geology to observed subsidence rates from satellite data (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar and Global Positioning System). The comparison is complicated because the urban load has accumulated across a much longer period than measured subsidence rates, and there are multiple causes of subsidence. Geodetic measurements show a mean subsidence rate of 1–2 mm/year across the city that is consistent with regional post-glacial deformation, though we find some areas of significantly greater subsidence rates. Some of this deformation is consistent with internal consolidation of artificial fill and other soft sediment that may be exacerbated by recent building loads, though there are many possible causes. New York is emblematic of growing coastal cities all over the world that are observed to be subsiding (Wu et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098477 ), meaning there is a shared global challenge of mitigation against a growing inundation hazard.

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USGS2023

Use of environmental DNA to assess American Eel distribution, abundance, and barriers in a river-canal system

Objective: The American Eel Anguilla rostrata historically was one of the most common fish species in Atlantic coast watersheds, but extensive dam construction and other factors caused a widespread population decline. One of the watersheds where American Eels have declined considerably is the Mohawk River in eastern and central New York. Recent attempts to characterize the distribution and abundance of American Eels in this watershed have been ineffective, and the extent to which a series of locks and dams on the Hudson River and lower Mohawk River limits use of the watershed is unclear. Methods: We developed a model between environmental DNA (eDNA) quantity and American Eel abundance in the Hudson River watershed in which the DNA concentration in water samples explained up to 65% of the variability in eel density and 56% of the variability in eel biomass. We then used this relationship to interpret eDNA data collected twice from 36 sites across the Mohawk River watershed in 2021 and make inferences about the distribution and abundance of American Eels. Result: American Eel DNA was detected almost exclusively in the downstream-most 4 km of the Mohawk River within a series of barriers. The concentration of DNA was reduced by approximately 80% across each successive upstream barrier before becoming too low to detect consistently. Our data suggest that eel population density was high in the Hudson River estuary and declined rapidly in the lower Mohawk River, and the species was nearly absent or undetectable in the Mohawk River and its tributaries upstream of the Crescent Dam and the Waterford Flight of Locks. Conclusion: Barriers appear to be largely restricting American Eels from using over 99% of the Mohawk River watershed. Therefore, improvements in fish passage at dams and hydroelectric facilities in the region could help the American Eel to regain access to this part of its native range.

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USGS2023

Wave asymmetry impacts on sediment processes at the nearshore of Fire Island, New York

Effects of wave asymmetry on sediment processes and coastal evolution were investigated using a field data set and a numerical model. Field observations at the nearshore of Fire Island, New York revealed sediment fluxes during various wave energy levels. The preliminary results indicate a strong correlation between the wave asymmetry and the onshore bedload fluxes. The model results captured the observed hydrodynamics and the sediment processes reasonably well. Ongoing work involves in-depth analysis of the model performance, followed by the evaluation of the nearshore morphodynamics at the island and shelf scales.

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USGS2023

Preliminary machine learning models of manganese and 1,4-dioxane in groundwater on Long Island, New York

Manganese and 1,4-dioxane in groundwater underlying Long Island, New York, were modeled with machine learning methods to demonstrate the use of these methods for mapping contaminants in groundwater in the Long Island aquifer system. XGBoost, a gradient boosted, ensemble tree method, was applied to data from 910 wells for manganese and 553 wells for 1,4-dioxane. Explanatory variables included soil properties, groundwater flow, land use, and other features that describe the hydrogeology and geochemistry of the aquifer system. Four models were developed to predict the probability of manganese concentrations greater than a detection level of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L) and greater than three threshold concentrations (50, 150, and 300 μg/L) relevant to drinking-water quality. One model was developed to predict the probability of 1,4-dioxane concentrations greater than a detection level of 0.07 μg/L. The 1,4-dioxane model was limited geographically to Suffolk County because of data availability. Predictions were made for two layers in the upper glacial aquifer and three layers in the Magothy aquifer, which are the upper two of the three major aquifers of the Long Island aquifer system. The objective of the study described in this report was to demonstrate the application of the methods rather than to develop precise estimates of manganese or 1,4-dioxane concentrations at any given location. The predictive models developed in the study are considered preliminary in the sense that they are an initial effort at developing these kinds of models specifically for Long Island. The models could be improved by the inclusion of additional data, by the use of methods to improve the modeling of infrequent high concentrations of manganese and 1,4-dioxane (above threshold concentrations), and by including more explanatory variables that specifically describe conditions and contaminant sources on Long Island. Nonetheless, the distribution of model predictions and the influence of explanatory variables in the models were consistent with the expected relations between contaminant concentrations and groundwater-flow-system characteristics and the distribution of manmade sources. Mapped predictions indicated that manganese detections were more probable in the upper glacial aquifer and along the southern shore of Long Island, consistent with the distribution of anoxic conditions in groundwater in the Long Island aquifer system. Manganese was infrequently predicted at concentrations greater than thresholds of concern for drinking-water quality in any of the aquifer layers. Detections of 1,4-dioxane were predicted in the western, more highly developed parts of Suffolk County, in the upper glacial aquifer and the top and middle layers of the Magothy aquifer, and in northwestern Suffolk County in the bottom layer of the Magothy aquifer. Although preliminary in nature and based on limited data, these mapped predictions can be used to generally identify areas where manganese and 1,4-dioxane may be present at concentrations of concern to prioritize areas for future monitoring and to guide future modeling and mapping efforts.

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USGS2023

Perception and trust influence acceptance for black bears more than bear density or conflicts

Introduction: To sustain black bear (Ursus americanus) populations, wildlife managers should understand the coupled socio-ecological systems that influence acceptance capacity for bears. Method: In a study area encompassing a portion of New York State, we spatially matched datasets from three sources: human-bear conflict reports between 2006 and 2018, estimates of local bear density in 2017–2018, and responses to a 2018 property owner survey (n=1,772). We used structural equation modeling to test hypothesized relationships between local human-bear conflict, local bear density, and psychological variables. Results: The final model explained 57% of the variance in acceptance. The effect of bear population density on acceptance capacity for bears was relatively small and was mediated by a third variable: perception of proximity to the effects of human-bear interactions. The variables that exerted a direct effect on acceptance were perception of bear-related benefits, perception of bear-related risks, perceived proximity to effects of human-bear interactions, and being a hunter. Perception of bear-related benefits had a greater effect on acceptance than perception of bear-related risks. Perceived proximity to effects of human-bear interactions was affected by local bear density, but also was affected by social trust. Increased social trust had nearly the same effect on perceived proximity as decreased bear density. Social trust had the greatest indirect effect on acceptance of any variable in the model. Discussion: Findings suggest wildlife agencies could maintain public acceptance for bears through an integrated approach that combines actions to address bear-related perceptions and social trust along with active management of bear populations.

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USGS2023

Groundwater quality in the Mohawk and western New York River Basins, New York, 2016

Water samples were collected from July through December 2016 from 9 production wells and 13 domestic wells in the Mohawk River Basin, and from 17 production wells and 17 domestic wells in the western New York River Basins. The samples were collected and processed by using standard U.S. Geological Survey methods and were analyzed for 320 physicochemical properties and constituents, including dissolved gases, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, radionuclides, and indicator bacteria, to characterize groundwater quality in the basins. Analytical results are provided in the companion U.S. Geological Survey data release titled “Groundwater Quality Data From the Mohawk and Western New York River Basins, New York, 2016.” The Mohawk River Basin study area covers 3,500 square miles in New York. Of the 22 wells sampled in the Mohawk River Basin, 8 are completed in sand and gravel, and 14 are completed in bedrock aquifers. Most constituents in the samples from the Mohawk River Basin were present in concentrations below the maximum contaminant levels used in public supply drinking-water regulations by the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Values for some of the properties and concentrations of some constituents—pH, color, iron, manganese, aluminum, sodium, chloride, dissolved solids, radon-222, and heterotrophic plate count—sometimes equaled or exceeded primary, secondary, or proposed drinking-water standards. The western New York River Basins study area covers 5,340 square miles in western New York and includes parts of the Lake Erie and Niagara River Basins, the western Lake Ontario Basin (between the Niagara River and Genesee River Basins), and the Allegheny River Basin. Of the 34 wells sampled in the western New York River Basins, 16 are completed in sand and gravel, and 18 are completed in bedrock aquifers. Most constituents in the samples from the western New York River Basins were present in concentrations below the maximum contaminant levels used in public supply drinking-water regulations by the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Values for some of the properties and concentrations of some constituents—color, chloride, sodium, dissolved solids, iron, manganese, aluminum, arsenic, barium, radon-222, methane, total coliform bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, and Escherichia coli bacteria—sometimes equaled or exceeded primary, secondary, or proposed drinking-water standards.

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USGS2023

Survey of fish communities in tributaries to the Mohawk River, New York, 2019

Fish communities of the Mohawk River and associated sections of the New York State Canal System have been well documented but little information is available regarding the status of fish communities in the extensive network of tributaries that feed the Mohawk River. This lack of information is problematic because changes in species distributions or general ecosystem health may go unnoticed in the absence of baseline data. The need for baseline information has been made particularly urgent by the recent establishment of a high-profile invasive fish species in the mainstem of the Mohawk River, the round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus ). Round goby can adversely affect aquatic ecosystems in numerous ways and are able to colonize streams in addition to large rivers and lakes. This potential threat to the aquatic ecosystem, therefore, has created an urgent need to quantify the distribution and abundance of fish species inhabiting tributaries to the Mohawk River before round goby can begin colonizing these habitats. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mohawk River Basin Program of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation initiated a study in 2019 to collect quantitative information on fish communities and stream habitats in tributaries to the Mohawk River that could be used in the future to determine the effects of round goby on local fish assemblages and identify substrate and other habitat characteristics that facilitate or inhibit colonization by round goby. Fish communities were surveyed at 20 sites on tributaries to the Mohawk River during summer 2019, using three-pass depletion backpack electrofishing surveys. The resulting data were used to produce quantitative estimates of fish population density and biomass for all species at each site. A total of 11,794 individual fish and 37 species were captured during the 20 surveys. Longnose dace ( Rhinichthys cataractae ), white sucker ( Catostomus commersonii ), blacknose dace ( Rhinichthys atratulus ), fantail darter ( Etheostoma flabellare ), and creek chub ( Semotilus atromaculatus ) were the most frequently encountered species, occurring at 18, 18, 17, 17, and 16 of the 20 sites, respectively. Six darter species, small bottom-dwelling fish that are highly vulnerable to displacement by round goby, were captured during the surveys, and at least one darter species was captured at all but one of the sites. Round goby were only captured at one site, Ninemile Creek near Rome, New York, where they occurred at a low density. Overall, the results indicated that round goby had not extensively colonized tributaries to the Mohawk River as of 2019, and the suite of data collected in this project should serve as a valuable baseline for future assessments of the effects of round goby and other stressors on aquatic ecosystems.

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USGS2023

Foliar chemical composition and respiration rates of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees across a gradient of soil acidification

Acidic deposition has been well studied for its impacts on forest soils and plants and is thought to detrimentally affect sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) in northeastern North America. The physiological mechanism driving reduced tree growth on acid impaired sites is not well understood, but has been suggested to involve increased autotrophic respiration rates. We measured foliar respiration and leaf elemental composition on two species with contrasting acid tolerances (sugar maple and American beech, Fagus grandifolia ) across a naturally occurring soil base saturation (BS) gradient in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Foliar chemistry varied strongly as anticipated across the BS gradient, with decreases in base cations and increases in phytotoxic metals (e.g., Mn) on sites with highly acidified soils. However, foliar respiration rates were not correlated with most measures of acidity (e.g., BS, foliar concentrations of Ca, Mg, Al content). Respiration rates did correlate with other leaf traits (N content, leaf mass per unit area) reflective of leaf morphological variation in response to variable light availability. After accounting for multivariate trait covariation, mass-based respiration rates were associated with foliar Mn content, suggesting a positive relationship between the concentration of this phytotoxic metal and foliar respiration rates. Soluble foliar Ca, Mg, and Mn were closely correlated with total foliar concentrations of these elements. Overall these results demonstrate that soil acidification and loss of base cations is largely unrelated to foliar respiration rates, although the accumulation of foliar Mn on acidified soils may contribute to the metabolic burden of both sugar maple and American beech trees.

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USGS2023

Assessing impaired benthic communities using sediment toxicity and contaminant concentrations from reference sites inside the Niagara River Area of Concern

Anthropogenically degraded benthic-macroinvertebrate communities (benthos) are one of seven beneficial use impairments (BUIs) in the Niagara River Area of Concern (AOC). Over the last 50 years, upgrades to waste-water treatment, industry closures, and sediment remediations reduced contaminant levels throughout the system. Improvements in benthic communities and sediment toxicity, however, were difficult to assess because there are no comparable reference reaches outside the AOC. A multi-phase study was initiated in 2015 to determine if data from inside the AOC could identify reference conditions, if toxicity and benthic-community data from these sites differed from other AOC sites, and if further remediation efforts were warranted in parts of the AOC. Concentrations or quotients of PAHs, PCBs, dioxins and furans, pesticides, and most metals were below their New York Sediment Class A Guidance Values at 10 sites that were subsequently designated as reference sites. Survival and growth data from Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca bioassays indicated that sediments from only a few individual AOC-impact sites were toxic or significantly different from reference sites, and that mean toxicity at pooled AOC-impact and reference sites did not differ significantly. Similarly, New York Biological Assessment Profile scores and chironomid mentum deformity scores at only a few individual sites differed significantly from corresponding indices at reference sites, but neither metric differed significantly in comparisons between pooled AOC-impact and reference sites. Most analyses indicated that benthic communities were unimpaired and that removal criteria for the benthos BUI were largely met in much of the upper Niagara River AOC.

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