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USGS2019

Hydroseeding tackifiers and dryland moss restoration potential

Tackifiers are long‐chain carbon compounds used for soil stabilization and hydroseeding and could provide a vehicle for biological soil crust restoration. We examined the sensitivity of two dryland mosses, Bryum argenteum and Syntrichia ruralis, to three common tackifiers ‐ guar, psyllium, and polyacrylamide (PAM) ‐ at 0.5x, 1.0x, and 2.0x of recommended (x) concentrations for erosion control and revegetation. We measured moss shoot, gemma, and protonema production as well as moss organic matter and bound sand masses as indicators of growth and soil holding ability. We tested sand and tackifier chemistry to investigate potential nutrient and toxicant potential on moss growth. Groups of ten fragments from field‐collected mosses were grown on sand in open petri dishes arranged in a growth chamber in replicated blocks containing each tackifier and concentration combination plus a distilled water control. Bryum ( n =10) and Syntrichia ( n =9) growth were measured at the end of six and five weeks, respectively. Overall model tests yielded statistically significant results ( p <0.001) for every variable in each species. When compared to water, guar tended to decrease growth, psyllium tended to increase growth, and PAM's effects were generally neutral to positive. Within tackifier types, increasing concentrations of guar tended to decrease growth, while increasing concentrations of psyllium tended to increase growth. Changes in PAM concentrations had little effect on growth. Increases in guar and psyllium lowered pH and increased P and K. Psyllium and PAM yielded promising results as potential agents of dispersal and adherence of dryland mosses in field restoration.

Restoration Ecology↗

USGS2017

The interacting roles of climate, soils, and plant production on soil microbial communities at a continental scale

Soil microbial communities control critical ecosystem processes such as decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil organic matter formation. Continental scale patterns in the composition and functioning of microbial communities are related to climatic, biotic, and edaphic factors such as temperature and precipitation, plant community composition, and soil carbon, nitrogen, and pH. Although these relationships have been well explored individually, the examination of the factors that may act directly on microbial communities vs. those that may act indirectly through other ecosystem properties has not been well developed. To further such understanding, we utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate a set of hypotheses about the direct and indirect effects of climatic, biotic, and edaphic variables on microbial communities across the continental United States. The primary goals of this work were to test our current understanding of the interactions among climate, soils, and plants in affecting microbial community composition, and to examine whether variation in the composition of the microbial community affects potential rates of soil enzymatic activities. A model of interacting factors created through SEM shows several expected patterns. Distal factors such as climate had indirect effects on microbial communities by influencing plant productivity, soil mineralogy, and soil pH, but factors related to soil organic matter chemistry had the most direct influence on community composition. We observed that both plant productivity and soil mineral composition were important indirect influences on community composition at the continental scale, both interacting to affect organic matter content and microbial biomass and ultimately community composition. Although soil hydrolytic enzymes were related to the moisture regime and soil carbon, oxidative enzymes were also affected by community composition, reflected in the abundance of soil fungi. These results highlight that soil microbial communities can be modeled within the context of multiple interacting ecosystem properties acting both directly and indirectly on their composition and function, and this provides a rich and informative context with which to examine communities. This work also highlights that variation in climate, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition can affect maximum rates of soil enzyme activities, potentially influencing rates of decomposition and nutrient mineralization in soils.

Ecology↗

USGS2004

The effects of macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution in large landscape bioassessments: An example from the Mid-Atlantic Highlands, U.S.A.

1. During late spring 1993-1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) sampled 490 wadeable streams in the mid-Atlantic Highlands (MAH) of the U.S. for a variety of physical, chemical and biological indicators of environmental condition. We used the resulting data set to evaluate the importance of differing levels of macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution in bioassessments by comparing the ability of family versus genus to detect differences among sites classified by type and magnitude of human impact and by stream size. We divided the MAH into two physiographic regions: the Appalachian Plateau where mine drainage (MD) and acidic deposition are major stressors, and the Ridge and Valley where nutrient enrichment is a major stressor. Stream sites were classified into three or four impact classes based on water chemistry and habitat. We used stream order (first to third Strahler order) in each region as a measure of stream size. Ordination, 2 x 2 chi-square and biotic metrics were used to compare the ability of family and genus to detect differences among both stressor and size classes. 2. With one notable exception, there were only a small number of different genera per family (interquartile range = 1-4). Family Chironomidae, however, contained 123 different genera. As a result, significant information loss occurred when this group was only classified to family. The family Chironomidae did not discriminate among the predefined classes but many chironomid genera did: by chi-square analysis, 10 and 28 chironomid genera were significant in discriminating MD and nutrient impacts, respectively. 3. Family and genus data were similar in their ability to distinguish among the coarse impacts (e.g. most severe versus least severe impact classes) for all cases. Though genus data in many cases distinguished the subtler differences (e.g. mixed/moderate impacts versus high or low impacts) better than family, differences in significance levels between family and genus analyses were relatively minor. However, genus data detected differences among stream orders in ordination analyses that were not revealed at the family level. In the ordinations, both family and genus levels of analysis responded to similar suites of environmental variables. 4. Our results suggest that identification to the family level is sufficient for many bioassessment purposes. However, identifications to genus do provide more information in genera-rich families like Chironomidae. Genus or finer levels of identification are important for investigating natural history, stream ecology, biodiversity and indicator species. Decisions about the taxonomic level of identification need to be study specific and depend on available resources (cost) and study objectives.

Freshwater Biology↗

USGS2002

Land use and flow regime effects on phosphorus chemical dynamics in the fluvial sediment of the Winooski River, Vermont

In the last century, fourfold increase in phosphorus (P) loadings to Lake Champlain, Vermont (VT), USA, have led to nuisance levels of algal growth occurring more often. To better understand the transport, storage, and cycling of P within the lake's catchment, we examined the chemistry, bioavailability and processes controlling sediment P release to waters of the Winooski River, VT, the largest tributary to Lake Champlain. Iron-oxide strip P (algal-bioavailable P) of the river sediments adjacent to agricultural land (3.6 mg kg-1) was greater (P < 0.05) than adjacent to forested land (2.4 mg kg-1). When compared among flow regimes, impoundment (731 mg kg-1) and reservoir sediments (803 mg kg-1) had greater total P concentrations than river sediment (462 mg kg-1). This was attributed to more fines (< 63 ??m) in impoundments and reservoirs (64%) than in river sediments (33%), which also decreased the ability of impoundment sediments to release P to solution and thereby be a sink for P. Although land use and flow regime influenced whether Winooski River sediments acted as a sink or source of P to Lake Champlain, long-term remedial strategies for the catchment should continue to focus on decreasing P losses in agricultural and urban runoff. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecological Engineering↗

USGS2010

Hurricane storm surge and amphibian communities in coastal wetlands of northwestern Florida

Isolated wetlands in the Southeastern United States are dynamic habitats subject to fluctuating environmental conditions. Wetlands located near marine environments are subject to alterations in water chemistry due to storm surge during hurricanes. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of storm surge overwash on wetland amphibian communities. Thirty-two wetlands in northwestern Florida were sampled over a 45-month period to assess amphibian species richness and water chemistry. During this study, seven wetlands were overwashed by storm surge from Hurricane Dennis which made landfall 10 July 2005 in the Florida panhandle. This event allowed us to evaluate the effect of storm surge overwash on water chemistry and amphibian communities of the wetlands. Specific conductance across all wetlands was low pre-storm (<100 μS/cm), but increased post-storm at the overwashed wetlands ( x ¯ "> x ¯ x¯ = 7,613 μS/cm). Increased specific conductance was strongly correlated with increases in chloride concentrations. Amphibian species richness showed no correlation with specific conductance. One month post-storm we observed slightly fewer species in overwashed compared with non-overwashed wetlands, but this trend did not continue in 2006. More species were detected across all wetlands pre-storm, but there was no difference between overwashed and non-overwashed wetlands when considering all amphibian species or adult anurans and larval anurans separately. Amphibian species richness did not appear to be correlated with pH or presence of fish although the amphibian community composition differed between wetlands with and without fish. Our results suggest that amphibian communities in wetlands in the southeastern United States adjacent to marine habitats are resistant to the effects of storm surge overwash.

Florida↗

USGS2016

Detection limits of quantitative and digital PCR assays and their influence in presence-absence surveys of environmental DNA

A set of universal guidelines is needed to determine the limit of detection (LOD) in PCR-based analyses of low concentration DNA. In particular, environmental DNA (eDNA) studies require sensitive and reliable methods to detect rare and cryptic species through shed genetic material in environmental samples. Current strategies for assessing detection limits of eDNA are either too stringent or subjective, possibly resulting in biased estimates of species’ presence. Here, a conservative LOD analysis grounded in analytical chemistry is proposed to correct for overestimated DNA concentrations predominantly caused by the concentration plateau, a nonlinear relationship between expected and measured DNA concentrations. We have used statistical criteria to establish formal mathematical models for both quantitative and droplet digital PCR. To assess the method, a new Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) TaqMan assay was developed and tested on both PCR platforms using eDNA in water samples. The LOD adjustment reduced Grass Carp occupancy and detection estimates while increasing uncertainty – indicating that caution needs to be applied to eDNA data without LOD correction. Compared to quantitative PCR, digital PCR had higher occurrence estimates due to increased sensitivity and dilution of inhibitors at low concentrations. Without accurate LOD correction, species occurrence and detection probabilities based on eDNA estimates are prone to a source of bias that cannot be reduced by an increase in sample size or PCR replicates. Other applications also could benefit from a standardized LOD such as GMO food analysis, and forensic and clinical diagnostics.

Molecular Ecology Resources↗

USGS2001

A probabilistic model for silver bioaccumulation in aquatic systems and assessment of human health risks

Silver (Ag) is discharged in wastewater effluents and is also a component in a proposed secondary water disinfectant. A steady-state model was developed to simulate bioaccumulation in aquatic biota and assess ecological and human health risks. Trophic levels included phytoplankton, invertebrates, brown trout, and common carp. Uptake routes included water, food, or sediment. Based on an extensive review of the literature, distributions were derived for most inputs for use in Monte Carlo simulations. Three scenarios represented ranges of dilution and turbidity. Compared with the limited field data available, median estimates of Ag in carp (0.07-2.1 Iμg/g dry weight) were 0.5 to 9 times measured values, and all measurements were within the predicted interquartile range. Median Ag concentrations in biota were ranked invertebrates > phytoplankton > trout > carp. Biotic concentrations were highest for conditions of low dilution and low turbidity. Critical variables included Ag assimilation eficiency, specific feeding rate, and the phytoplankton bioconcentration factor. Bioaccumulation of Ag seems unlikely to result in txicity to aquatic biota and humans consuming fish. Although the highest predicted Ag concentrations in water (>200 ng/L) may pose chronic risks to early survival and development of salmonids and risks of argyria to subsistence fishers, these results occur under highly conservative conditions.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2004

Ground-water flow direction, water quality, recharge sources, and age, Great Sand Dunes National Monument, south-central Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Monument is located in south-central Colorado along the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley. The Great Sand Dunes National Monument contains the tallest sand dunes in North America; some rise up to750 feet. Important ecological features of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument are palustrine wetlands associated with interdunal ponds and depressions along the western edge of the dune field. The existence and natural maintenance of the dune field and the interdunal ponds are dependent on maintaining ground-water levels at historic elevations. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in collaboration with the National Park Service, of ground-water flow direction, water quality, recharge sources, and age at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. A shallow unconfined aquifer and a deeper confined aquifer are the two principal aquifers at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Ground water in the unconfined aquifer is recharged from Medano and Sand Creeks near the Sangre de Cristo Mountain front, flows underneath the main dune field, and discharges to Big and Little Spring Creeks. The percentage of calcium in ground water in the unconfined aquifer decreases and the percentage of sodium increases because of ionic exchange with clay minerals as the ground water flows underneath the dune field. It takes more than 60 years for the ground water to flow from Medano and Sand Creeks to Big and Little Spring Creeks. During this time, ground water in the upper part of the unconfined aquifer is recharged by numerous precipitation events. Evaporation of precipitation during recharge prior to reaching the water table causes enrichment in deuterium (2H) and oxygen-18 (18O) relative to waters that are not evaporated. This recharge from precipitation events causes the apparent ages determined using chlorofluorocarbons and tritium to become younger, because relatively young precipitation water is mixing with older waters derived from Medano and Sand Creeks. Major ion chemistry of water from sites completed in the confined aquifer is different than water from sites completed in the unconfined aquifer, but insufficient data exist to quantify if the two aquifers are hydrologically disconnected. Radiocarbon dating of ground water in the confined aquifer indicates it is about 30,000 years old (plus or minus 3,000 years). The peak of the last major ice advance (Wisconsin) during the ice age occurred about 20,000 years before present; ground water from the confined aquifer is much older than that. Water quality and water levels of the interdunal ponds are not affected by waters from the confined aquifer. Instead, the interdunal ponds are affected directly by fluctuations in the water table of the unconfined aquifer. Any lowering of the water table of the unconfined aquifer would result in an immediate decrease in water levels of the interdunal ponds. The water quality of the interdunal ponds probably results from several factors, including the water quality of the unconfined aquifer, evaporation of the pond water, and biologic activity within the ponds.

Colorado↗

USGS2023

Trace elements and consequent ecological risks in mining- influenced streams of Appalachia

Appalachian coal surface mines fracture geologic materials, causing release of both major ions and trace elements to water via accelerated weathering. When elevated above natural background, trace elements in streams may produce adverse effects to biota via direct exposure from water and sediment and via dietary exposure in food sources. Other studies have found elevated water concentrations of multiple trace elements in Appalachia's mining-influenced streams. Excepting Se, trace-element concentrations in abiotic and biotic media of Appalachian mining-influenced streams are less well-known. We analyzed environmental media of headwater streams receiving alkaline waters from Appalachian coal mines for eight trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn) and assessed potential consequent ecological risks. Streamwater, particulate media (sediment, biofilm, leaf detritus) and benthic macroinvertebrates (primary consumers, secondary consumers, crayfish) were sampled from six mining-influenced and three reference streams during low-flow conditions in two seasons. Dissolved Cu, Ni, and Sr were higher in mining-influenced streams than in reference streams; whereas Ni, Sr, and Zn in fine sediments and Ni in macroinvertebrates were also elevated relative to reference-stream levels in samples from mining-influenced streams. Seasonal ratios of mining-influenced stream concentrations to maximum concentrations in reference streams also demonstrated mining-influenced increases for several elements in multiple media. In most media, concentrations of several elements including Ni were correlated positively. All water-column dissolved concentrations were below protective levels, but fine-sediment concentrations of Ni approached or exceeded threshold-effect concentrations in several streams. Further study is warranted for several elements (Cd, Ni, and Zn in biofilms, and V in macroinvertebrates), which approached or exceeded previously established dietary-risk levels.

Virginia, West Virginia↗

USGS1999

Soil calcium status and the response of stream chemistry to changing acidic deposition rates

Despite a decreasing trend in acidic deposition rates over the past two to three decades, acidified surface waters in the northeastern United States have shown minimal changes. Depletion of soil Ca pools has been suggested as a cause, although changes in soil Ca pools have not been directly related to long-term records of stream chemistry. To investigate this problem, a comprehensive watershed study was conducted in the Neversink River Basin, in the Catskill Mountains of New York, during 1991–1996. Spatial variations of atmospheric deposition, soil chemistry, and stream chemistry were evaluated over an elevation range of 817–1234 m to determine whether these factors exhibited elevational patterns. An increase in atmospheric deposition of SO 4 with increasing elevation corresponded with upslope decreases of exchangeable soil base concentrations and acid-neutralizing capacity of stream water. Exchangeable base concentrations in homogeneous soil incubated within the soil profile for one year also decreased with increasing elevation. An elevational gradient in precipitation was not observed, and effects of a temperature gradient on soil properties were not detected. Laboratory leaching experiments with soils from this watershed showed that (1) concentrations of Ca in leachate increased as the concentrations of acid anions in added solution increased, and (2) the slope of this relationship was positively correlated with base saturation. Field and laboratory soil analyses are consistent with the interpretation that decreasing trends in acid-neutralizing capacity in stream water in the Neversink Basin, dating back to 1984, are the result of decreases in soil base saturation caused by acidic deposition.

Ecological Applications↗

USGS2005

Managing vegetation in surface-flow wastewater-treatment wetlands for optimal treatment performance

Constructed wetlands that mimic natural marshes have been used as low-cost alternatives to conventional secondary or tertiary wastewater treatment in the U.S. for at least 30 years. However, the general level of understanding of internal treatment processes and their relation to vegetation and habitat quality has not grown in proportion to the popularity of these systems. We have studied internal processes in surface-flow constructed wastewater-treatment wetlands throughout the southwestern U.S. since 1990. At any given time, the water quality, hydraulics, water temperature, soil chemistry, available oxygen, microbial communities, macroinvertebrates, and vegetation each greatly affect the treatment capabilities of the wetland. Inside the wetland, each of these components plays a functional role and the treatment outcome depends upon how the various components interact. Vegetation plays a uniquely important role in water treatment due to the large number of functions it supports, particularly with regard to nitrogen transformations. However, it has been our experience that vegetation management is critical for achieving and sustaining optimal treatment function. Effective water treatment function and good wildlife quality within a surface-flow constructed wetland depend upon the health and sustainability of the vegetation. We suggest that an effective tool to manage and sustain healthy vegetation is the use of hummocks, which are shallow emergent plant beds within the wetland, positioned perpendicular to the water flow path and surrounded by water sufficiently deep to limit further emergent vegetation expansion. In this paper, we describe the use of a hummock configuration, in conjunction with seasonal water level fluctuations, to manage the vegetation and maintain the treatment function of wastewater-treatment wetlands on a sustainable basis.

Ecological Engineering↗

USGS2022

Biogeochemical and ecosystem properties in three adjacent semiarid grasslands are resistant to nitrogen deposition but sensitive to edaphic variability

Drylands have low nitrogen stocks and are predicted to be sensitive to modest increases in reactive nitrogen availability, but direct evidence that atmospheric nitrogen deposition will have sustained effects on dryland ecosystems is sparse and conflicting. We used three long-running in situ nitrogen deposition simulation experiments and a complementary laboratory incubation experiment to address fundamental questions about how nitrogen inputs affect drylands: 1) What are the long- and short-term consequences of nitrogen inputs for biogeochemical and ecosystem properties?; 2) Do these consequences depend on soil moisture availability?; and 3) Does soil texture modify the effects of nitrogen inputs and/or soil moisture availability? In 2011, we established three study sites along a soil texture gradient in Arches National Park with plots receiving 0, 2, 5, or 8 kg N ha -1 annually ( n = 5 per treatment per site). We assessed a suite of biogeochemical metrics over the long- and short-term. To assess longer-term effects, we sampled annually (2013-2019), just prior to spring nitrogen fertilization. To assess short-term effects, we sampled immediately before and after spring nitrogen fertilization in 2013. Additionally, we compared foliar chemistry, soil extracellular enzyme activities, heterotrophic respiration rates, and nitrogen trace gas fluxes at select intervals during the study period (2011-2019). Finally, we conducted a laboratory incubation to measure the individual and interacting effects of soil moisture and nitrogen additions on soil microbial activity. We identified some short-term effects in situ , but no lasting consequences of added nitrogen for any of the metrics measured. In the incubation, soil moisture treatments independently increased heterotrophic respiration rates but did not modify the effects of added nitrogen. In contrast to nitrogen treatments, soil texture was associated with large differences in biogeochemical cycling. Our results oppose the common prediction that coupled dryland biogeochemical cycles are sensitive to nitrogen inputs and suggest that fine scale edaphic heterogeneity is a key driver of dryland ecosystem properties. Synthesis . This study synthesizes a rare, long-term dataset, which provides robust evidence that carbon and nutrient cycling and availability are resistant to realistic levels of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in remote dryland ecosystems.

Utah↗

USGS2009

Summary of surface-water quality data from the Illinois River Basin in Northeast Oklahoma, 1970-2007

The quality of streams in the Illinois River Basin of northeastern Oklahoma is potentially threatened by increased quantities of wastes discharged from increasing human populations, grazing of about 160,000 cattle, and confined animal feeding operations raising about 20 million chickens. Increasing numbers of humans and livestock in the basin contribute nutrients and bacteria to surface water and groundwater, causing greater than the typical concentrations of those constituents for this region. Consequences of increasing contributions of these substances can include increased algal growth (eutrophication) in streams and lakes; impairment of habitat for native aquatic animals, including desirable game fish species; impairment of drinking-water quality by sediments, turbidity, taste-and-odor causing chemicals, toxic algal compounds, and bacteria; and reduction in the aesthetic quality of the streams. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission, prepared this report to summarize the surface-water-quality data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at five long-term surface-water-quality monitoring sites. The data summarized include major ions, nutrients, sediment, and fecal-indicator bacteria from the Illinois River Basin in Oklahoma for 1970 through 2007. General water chemistry, concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, chlorophyll-a (an indicator of algal biomass), fecal-indicator bacteria counts, and sediment concentrations were similar among the five long-term monitoring sites in the Illinois River Basin in northeast Oklahoma. Most water samples were phosphorus-limited, meaning that they contained a smaller proportion of phosphorus, relative to nitrogen, than typically occurs in algal tissues. Greater degrees of nitrogen limitation occurred at three of the five sites which were sampled back to the 1970s, probably due to use of detergents containing greater concentrations of phosphorus than in subsequent periods. Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment, and counts of bacteria generally increased with streamflow at the five sites, probably due to runoff from the land surface and re-suspension of streambed sediments. Phosphorus concentrations typically exceeded the Oklahoma standard of 0.037 milligrams per liter for Scenic Rivers. Concentrations of chlorophyll-a in phytoplankton in water samples collected at the five sites were not well correlated with streamflow, nor to concentrations of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, probably because much of the algae growing in these streams are periphyton attached to streambed cobbles and other debris, rather than phytoplankton in the water column. Sediment concentrations correlated with phosphorus concentrations in water samples collected at the sites, probably due to sorption of phosphorus to soil particles and streambed sediments and runoff of soils and animal wastes at the land surface and resuspension of streambed sediments and phosphorus during wet, high-flow periods. Fecal coliform bacteria counts at the five sites sometimes exceeded the Oklahoma Primary Body Contact Standard of 400 colonies per 100 milliliters when streamflows were greater than 1000 cubic feet per second. Ultimately, Lake Tenkiller, an important ecological and economic resource for the region, receives the compounds that runoff the land surface or seep to local streams from groundwater in the basin. Because of eutrophication from increased nutrient loading, Lake Tenkiller is listed for impairment by diminished dissolved oxygen concentrations, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a by the State of Oklahoma in evaluation of surface-water quality required by section 303d of the Clean Water Act. Stored phosphorus in soils and streambed and lakebed sediments may continue to provide phosphorus to local streams and lakes for decades to come. Steps are being made to reduce local sources of phosphorus, including upgrades in capacity and effective

Arkansas, Oklahoma↗

USGS2025

Prioritizing chemicals of emerging concern in the Great Lakes Basin using covariance of chemical concentrations and diverse biological responses from a variety of species

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative aims to protect and restore the nation’s largest freshwater resource, in part, by furthering our understanding of the effects of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and chemical mixtures on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. To address this goal, an interagency team conducted field studies at sites along the Maumee River in Ohio, USA, in 2016–2017, monitoring CEC levels along with diverse in vitro and in vivo biological effects in ecologically relevant species (fathead minnows, tree swallows, and golden clams). The objective of the present work was to prioritize the CECs in these studies for further monitoring and assessment by determining if there are patterns in chemical–bioeffect relations across data sets, species, and response types that indicate relatively high or low hazard to aquatic life from CEC exposure. Of the 748 monitored chemicals, 425 were detected and were analyzed for covariance with bioeffects. All 748 chemicals were placed into 10 bins based on their frequencies of monitoring, detection, and covariance with bioeffects across studies and species. We describe how chemicals can be prioritized across bins to aid monitoring and assessment efforts. Our approach using effects-based monitoring data is especially useful for prioritizing chemicals with little or no traditional toxicity testing data. Similar evidence-based prioritizations will allow agencies to more efficiently allocate limited resources to improve the ability to protect aquatic and terrestrial organisms from adverse impacts due to contaminant exposure.

Ohio↗

USGS1997

Biogeochemical effects of seawater restoration to diked salt marshes

We conducted greenhouse microcosm experiments to examine the biogeochemical effects of restoring seawater to historically diked Cape Cod salt marshes. Peat cores from both seasonally flooded and drained diked marshes were waterlogged with seawater, and porewater chemistry was subsequently monitored for 21 mo. The addition of seawater to highly organic, seasonally flooded peat caused the death of freshwater wetland plants, 6–8 cm of sediment subsidence, and increased N and P mineralization. Also, sulfides and alkalinity increased 10-fold, suggesting accelerated decomposition by sulfate reduction. Addition of seawater to the low-organic-content acidic peat from the drained marsh increased porewater pH, alkalinity, PO 4 -P, and Fe(II), which we attribute to the reestablishment of SO 4 and Fe(III) mineral reduction. Increased cation exchange contributed to 6-fold increases in dissolved Fe(II) and Al and 60-fold increases in NH 4 -N within 6 mo of salination. Seawater reintroductions to seasonally flooded diked marshes will cause porewater sulfides to increase, likely reducing the success of revegetation efforts. Sulfide toxicity is of less concern in resalinated drained peats because of the abundance of Fe(II) to precipitate sulfides, and of NH 4 -N to offset sulfide inhibition of N uptake. Restoration of either seasonally flooded or drained diked marshes could stimulate potentially large nutrient and Fe(II) releases, which could in turn increase primary production and lower oxygen in receiving waters. These findings suggest that tidal restoration be gradual and carefully monitored.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2014

Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation project: 2. Comparison of four modeling approaches

As part of the Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation (MMME) project, models were developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan), the U.S. Geological Survey (USA), HDR⎪HydroQual, Inc. (USA), and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK) to address the effects of metal mixtures on biological responses of aquatic organisms. A comparison of the 4 models, as they were presented at the MMME Workshop in Brussels, Belgium (May 2012), is provided herein. Overall, the models were found to be similar in structure (free ion activities computed by WHAM; specific or non-specific binding of metals/cations in or on the organism; specification of metal potency factors and/or toxicity response functions to relate metal accumulation to biological response). Major differences in modeling approaches are attributed to various modeling assumptions (e.g., single versus multiple types of binding site on the organism) and specific calibration strategies that affected the selection of model parameters. The models provided a reasonable description of additive (or nearly additive) toxicity for a number of individual toxicity test results. Less-than-additive toxicity was more difficult to describe with the available models. Because of limitations in the available datasets and the strong inter-relationships among the model parameters (log KM values, potency factors, toxicity response parameters), further evaluation of specific model assumptions and calibration strategies is needed.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗

USGS2022

Prioritizing pharmaceutical contaminants in Great Lakes tributaries using risk-based screening techniques

In a study of 44 diverse sampling sites across 16 Great Lakes tributaries, 110 pharmaceuticals were detected of 257 monitored. The present study evaluated the ecological relevance of detected chemicals and identified heavily impacted areas to help inform resource managers and guide future investigations. Ten pharmaceuticals (caffeine, nicotine, albuterol, sulfamethoxazole, venlafaxine, acetaminophen, carbamazepine, gemfibrozil, metoprolol, and thiabendazole) were distinguished as having the greatest potential for biological effects based on comparison to screening-level benchmarks derived using information from two biological effects databases, the ECOTOX Knowledgebase and the ToxCast database. Available evidence did not suggest substantial concern for 75% of the monitored pharmaceuticals, including 147 undetected pharmaceuticals and 49 pharmaceuticals with screening-level alternative benchmarks. However, because of a lack of biological effects information, screening values were not available for 51 detected pharmaceuticals. Samples containing the greatest pharmaceutical concentrations and having the highest detection frequencies were from Lake Erie, southern Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron tributaries. Samples collected during low-flow periods had higher pharmaceutical concentrations than those collected during increased-flow periods. The wastewater-treatment plant effluent content in streams correlated positively with pharmaceutical concentrations. However, deviation from this correlation demonstrated that secondary factors, such as multiple pharmaceutical sources, were likely present at some sites. Further research could investigate high-priority pharmaceuticals as well as those for which alternative benchmarks could not be developed.

Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Wisc↗

USGS1994

Chemical characterization of sediments and pore water from the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir, Montana

The upper Clark Fork River basin in western Montana is widely contaminated by metals from past mining, milling, and smelting activities As part of a comprehensive ecological risk assessment for the upper Clark Fork River, we measured physical and chemical characteristics of surficial sediment samples that were collected from depositional zones for subsequent toxicity evaluations Sampling stations included five locations along the upper 200 km of the river, six locations in or near Milltown Reservoir (about 205 km from the river origin), and two tributary reference sites Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn decreased from the upper stations to the downstream stations in the Clark Fork River but then increased in all Milltown Reservoir stations to levels similar to uppermost river stations Large percentages (50 to 90%) of the total Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were extractable by dilute (3 n) HCl for all samples Copper and zinc accounted for greater than 95% of extractable metals on a molar basis Acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) concentrations were typically moderate (0 6 to 23 μmol/g) in grab sediment samples and appeared to regulate dissolved (filterable) concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in sediment pore waters Acid volatile sulfide is important in controlling metal solubility in the depositional areas of the Clark Fork River and should be monitored in any future studies Spatial variability within a sampling station was high for Cu, Zn, and AVS, therefore, the potential for toxicity to sediment dwelling organisms may be highly localized.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗