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USGS2021

Considerations of variability and power for long-term monitoring of stream fish assemblages

Little attention has been given to optimizing statistical power for monitoring stream fish assemblages. We explored the relationship between temporal variability and statistical power using 34 metrics from fish community data collected annually at six sites over 10 years via electrofishing. Metric variability differed by the life stage and group of species considered, use of abundance or mass data, and data standardization technique. Lower variability was associated with community data, abundance data, and time-based standardizations, while greater variability was associated with young-of-the-year data, mass data, and area-based standardizations. Simulation-based power analysis indicated metric choice, and to a lesser degree, monitoring design (annual, biennial, endpoints, or haphazard sampling) influenced power to detect change. Across a fixed number of surveys (N = 60), endpoints sampling performed best. The N needed to detect change was heavily dependent upon metric choice for all monitoring designs, with the most biologically specific metrics requiring greater N. Large savings in effort and resource expenditure can be obtained utilizing biologically relevant metrics that are robust to temporal noise within an appropriate sampling design.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2022

A novel approach for directly incorporating disease into fish stock assessment: A case study with seroprevalence data

When estimating mortality from disease with fish population models, common disease surveillance data such as infection prevalence are not always informative, especially for fast-acting diseases that may go unobserved in infrequently sampled populations. In these cases, seroprevalence — the proportion of fish with measurable antibody levels in their blood — may be more informative. In cases of life-long immunity, seroprevalence data require less frequent sampling intervals than infection prevalence data and can reflect the cumulative exposure history of fish. We simulation tested the usefulness of seroprevalence data in an age-structured fish stock assessment model using viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) in Pacific herring ( Clupea pallasii ) as a case study. We developed a novel epidemiological model to simulate population dynamics and seroprevalence data and fitted to these data in an integrated catch-at-age model with equations that estimate age- and time-varying mortality from disease. We found that simulated seroprevalence data can provide accurate estimates of infection history and disease-associated mortality. Importantly, even models that misspecified nonstationary processes in background or disease-associated mortality, but included seroprevalence data, accurately estimated annual infection and population abundance.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2010

Proceedings of preparing for a significant central United States earthquake: Science needs of the response and recovery community

Imagine waking up at 2 o'clock in the morning by a violent rumbling that causes ceilings to fall, furniture to topple over, and windows to break. Your home is crumbling, it is dark, and by the time you realize what is going on the shaking stops. You quickly determine that your family members are okay, but you also realize your power is out, all the windows are broken, and there is substantial damage to your home possibly making it unsafe to remain inside. The temperature outside is in the 20s, there is a heavy snow on the ground, and the flu season is at its peak with two of your family members affected. Unfortunately your family is one of thousands in a similar circumstance and the response to your needs may not be immediate, if at all. Could an earthquake like this happen unannounced? It did in the Central United States during the great New Madrid earthquake of 1811-12. A resident of New Madrid, Missouri writes (Martin, 1848 ): 'On the 16th of December 1811, about 2 o'clock, AM, we were visited by a violent shock of an earthquake accompanied by a very awful noise resembling loud but distant thunder, but more hoarse and vibrating, which was followed in a few minutes by the complete saturation of the atmosphere with sulphurious vapor, causing total darkness. The screams of the affrighted inhabitants running to and fro, not knowing where to go, or what to do-the cries of the fowls and beasts of every species-the crackling of trees falling, and the roar of the Mississippi-the current of which was retrograde for a few minutes, owing as is supposed to an irruption in its bed-formed a scene truly horrible.' Eliza Bryan, March 22, 1816 The residents of the Central United States during the great New Madrid earthquake were accustomed to living rugged life styles. Electrical power was not a reality, water was drawn from shallow hand-dug wells or retrieved from streams, food was hunted or grown, and the homes typically were log structures with dirt floors. Though these inhabitants were primitive by today's standards, they could survive because they did not rely on the supporting infrastructure we rely on today. What would you do if such an event struck as you read this? As a society, are we prepared for a similar event? Could you live for an extended period without power, refrigeration, heat, air conditioning, or fresh water? Missouri and its adjacent states have experienced more than 450 recorded earthquakes greater than magnitude 3 since 1964 (Petersen and others, 2008); however, none of these Central United States earthquakes has been as severe as the 1811-12 event. The 1811-12 events actually were a series of three very large earthquakes followed by many smaller but significant aftershocks (Johnston and Schweig, 1984). Ground shaking was reported as far away as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Charleston, South Carolina.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2025

Using complementary biomarkers to unravel fish lifetime exposure to hypoxia and mercury

Aquatic ecosystems are losing oxygen due to climate change. This deoxygenation can favor microbial methylation of mercury (Hg). To understand the dynamics of Hg under increasing deoxygenation, we simultaneously quantified both Hg and hypoxia (< 2 mg O2/L) lifetime chronologies in fishes. We used a novel combination of chemical biomarkers in ear stones and eye lenses. We compared these markers in two species with different life histories, benthic Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and semi-demersal Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), from two connected ecosystems with different levels of hypoxia: the Central Basin of Lake Erie and the less hypoxic but more polluted Western Basin. Overall, Central Basin Round Goby were exposed to hypoxia throughout their lifetime and exhibited significantly elevated eye lens Hg concentrations ([Hg]) compared to their Western Basin counterparts. In contrast, the Central Basin Yellow Perch were exposed to hypoxia only at their juvenile stage. Central Basin Yellow Perch exhibited significantly lower eye lens [Hg] compared to their Western Basin counterparts. Patterns revealed by eye lens [Hg] were not detectable in muscle tissue [Hg]. Findings show that exposure to hypoxia can alter fish lifetime Hg accumulation patterns, with species-specific outcomes.

central and western basins of Lake Erie↗

USGS2023

Co-production of models to evaluate conservation alternatives for a threatened fish in a rapidly changing landscape

Reintroductions are one means of managing species distributions, but the feasibility of such efforts is uncertain. Here we consider reintroduction for threatened bull trout ( Salvelinus confluentus ) that currently occupy a small fraction of historically occupied habitats in the upper Klamath River basin owing to climate warming and human modifications of ecosystems. We engaged stakeholders across multiple organizations to co-produce a decision support model that estimated the potential of reintroduction to establish new populations and persistence of donor populations. Stakeholders identified recipient and donor populations, strategy (e.g., artificial propagation, translocation), number of individuals, and life stage of bull trout. The most optimal decision for reintroduction was artificial propagation of 10,000 fry into Annie Creek. This strategy may have negative consequences on donor populations, with the exception of Sun Creek, which was resilient to simulated removal of bull trout. Donor populations and recipient streams identified as most feasible were generally consistent across all of these scenarios. During model development, however, an unexpected and intense wildfire affected half of the streams considered and may have dramatically impacted donor populations. With models in hand from the initial feasibility assessment, we adapted them to further evaluate the potential of supplementation following this massive disturbance. Overall, results of this study indicate the value of developing co-produced tools that can be rapidly adapted to evaluate the consequences of whole-system transformations in near-real-time assessments.

Oregon↗

USGS2005

Host diversity begets parasite diversity: Bird final hosts and trematodes in snail intermediate hosts

An unappreciated facet of biodiversity is that rich communities and high abundance may foster parasitism. For parasites that sequentially use different host species throughout complex life cycles, parasite diversity and abundance in ‘downstream’ hosts should logically increase with the diversity and abundance of ‘upstream’ hosts (which carry the preceding stages of parasites). Surprisingly, this logical assumption has little empirical support, especially regarding metazoan parasites. Few studies have attempted direct tests of this idea and most have lacked the appropriate scale of investigation. In two different studies, we used time-lapse videography to quantify birds at fine spatial scales, and then related bird communities to larval trematode communities in snail populations sampled at the same small spatial scales. Species richness, species heterogeneity and abundance of final host birds were positively correlated with species richness, species heterogeneity and abundance of trematodes in host snails. Such community-level interactions have rarely been demonstrated and have implications for community theory, epidemiological theory and ecosystem management.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sci↗

USGS2008

Annual variation in habitat-specific recruitment success: Implications from an individual-based model of Lake Michigan alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

The identification of important spawning and nursery habitats for fish stocks can aid fisheries management, but is complicated by various factors, including annual variation in recruitment success. The alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) is an ecologically important species in Lake Michigan that utilizes a variety of habitats for spawning and early life growth. While productive, warm tributary mouths (connected to Lake Michigan) may contribute disproportionately more recruits (relative to their habitat volume) to the adult alewife population than cooler, less productive nearshore habitats, the extent of interannual variation in the relative contributions of recruits from these two habitat types remains unknown. We used an individual-based bioenergetics simulation model and input data on daily temperatures to estimate alewife recruitment to the adult population by these different habitat types. Simulations suggest that nearshore lake habitats typically produce the vast majority of young alewife recruits. However, tributary habitats may contribute the majority of alewife recruits during years of low recruitment. We suggest that high interannual variation in the relative importance of habitats for recruitment is a common phenomenon, which should be considered when developing habitat management plans for fish populations. ?? 2008 NRC.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2012

Characterizing invertebrate traits in wadeable streams of the contiguous US: differences among ecoregions and land uses

Much is known about invertebrate community traits in basins across Europe, but no comprehensive description of traits exists for the continental US. Little is known about the trait composition of invertebrates in reference or least-disturbed basins of the US, how trait composition varies among ecoregions, or how consistently traits respond to land use. These elements are essential to development of trait-based tools for conservation and assessment of biological integrity. We compared invertebrate traits of least-disturbed basins among ecoregions of the US. Benthic invertebrate data (presence/absence) from 1987 basins were translated into 56 binary traits (e.g., bivoltine, clinger). Basins were classified as least-disturbed, agricultural, or urban, and grouped into 9 ecoregions. Landuse, climatic, physiographic, and hydrologic data were used to describe ecoregions and to evaluate least-disturbed basin quality. The unique habitat template of each ecoregion selected for trait compositions in least-disturbed basins that differed among ecoregions. Among the traits examined, life-history (e.g., voltinism, development) and ecological traits (e.g., rheophily, thermal preference) differed most among ecoregions. Agricultural and urban land uses selected for trait compositions that differed from least-disturbed, but the extent of the differences depended on ecoregion and quality of the least-disturbed basins. No trait compositions unique to specific land uses were found. However, a disturbance syndrome was observed in that the magnitude and direction of trait responses to urban and agricultural land uses were consistent among ecoregions. Each ecoregion had a unique trait composition, but trait compositions could be used to aggregate ecoregions into 3 broad regions: Western Mountains, Plains and Lowlands, and Eastern Highlands. Our results indicate that large-scale trait-based assessment tools for the US will require calibration to account for regional differences in the trait composition of basins and in the quality of least-disturbed basins.

Freshwater Science↗

USGS1999

Design approaches in quarrying and pit-mining reclamation

Reclaimed mine sites have been evaluated so that the public, industry, and land planners may recognize there are innovative designs available for consideration and use. People tend to see cropland, range, and road cuts as a necessary part of their everyday life, not as disturbed areas despite their high visibility. Mining also generates a disturbed landscape, unfortunately one that many consider waste until reclaimed by human beings. The development of mining provides an economic base and use of a natural resource to improve the quality of human life. Equally important is a sensitivity to the geologic origin and natural pattern of the land. Wisely shaping out environment requires a design plan and product that responds to a site's physiography, ecology, function, artistic form, and publication perception. An examination of selected sites for their landscape design suggested nine approaches for mining reclamation. The oldest design approach around is nature itself. Humans may sometimes do more damage going to an area in the attempt to repair it. Given enough geologic time, a small-site area, and stable adjacent ecosystems, disturbed areas recover without mankind's input. Visual screens and buffer zones conceal the facility in a camouflage approach. Typically, earth berms, fences, and plantings are used to disguise the mining facility. Restoration targets social or economic benefits by reusing the site for public amenities, most often in urban centers with large populations. A mitigation approach attempts to protect the environment and return mined areas to use with scientific input. The reuse of cement, building rubble, macadam meets only about 10% of the demand from aggregate. Recognizing the limited supply of mineral resources and encouraging recycling efforts are steps are steps in a renewable resource approach. An educative design approach effectively communicates mining information through outreach, land stewardship, and community service. Mine sites used for art show a celebration of beauty and experience -- abstract geology. The last design approach combines art and science in a human-nature ecosystem termed integration. With environmental concerns, an operating or reclaimed mine site can no longer be considered isolated from its surroundings. Site analysis of mine works needs to go beyond site-specific information and relate to the regional context of the greater landscape. Understanding design approach can turn undesirable features (mines and pits) into something perceived as desirable by the public.

Book↗

USGS2011

Host and viral ecology determine bat rabies seasonality and maintenance

Rabies is an acute viral infection that is typically fatal. Most rabies modeling has focused on disease dynamics and control within terrestrial mammals (e.g., raccoons and foxes). As such, rabies in bats has been largely neglected until recently. Because bats have been implicated as natural reservoirs for several emerging zoonotic viruses, including SARS-like corona viruses, henipaviruses, and lyssaviruses, understanding how pathogens are maintained within a population becomes vital. Unfortunately, little is known about maintenance mechanisms for any pathogen in bat populations. We present a mathematical model parameterized with unique data from an extensive study of rabies in a Colorado population of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) to elucidate general maintenance mechanisms. We propose that life history patterns of many species of temperate-zone bats, coupled with sufficiently long incubation periods, allows for rabies virus maintenance. Seasonal variability in bat mortality rates, specifically low mortality during hibernation, allows long-term bat population viability. Within viable bat populations, sufficiently long incubation periods allow enough infected individuals to enter hibernation and survive until the following year, and hence avoid an epizootic fadeout of rabies virus. We hypothesize that the slowing effects of hibernation on metabolic and viral activity maintains infected individuals and their pathogens until susceptibles from the annual birth pulse become infected and continue the cycle. This research provides a context to explore similar host ecology and viral dynamics that may explain seasonal patterns and maintenance of other bat-borne diseases.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of↗

USGS2010

Interacting parasites

Parasitism is the most popular life-style on Earth, and many vertebrates host more than one kind of parasite at a time. A common assumption is that parasite species rarely interact, because they often exploit different tissues in a host, and this use of discrete resources limits competition ( 1 ). On page 243 of this issue, however, Telfer et al. ( 2 ) provide a convincing case of a highly interactive parasite community in voles, and show how infection with one parasite can affect susceptibility to others. If some human parasites are equally interactive, our current, disease-by-disease approach to modeling and treating infectious diseases is inadequate ( 3 ). Telfer et al. 's study—which involved tracking infections of four different parasites by taking blood samples from nearly 6000 wild voles ( Microtus agrestis ) over 5 years—helps highlight our growing understanding of how parasites can interact in complex ways (see the figure). What are some of the take-home messages?

Science↗

USGS1993

Volcanic eruption of the mid-ocean ridge along the East Pacific Rise crest at 9°45-52'N: direct submersible observations of seafloor phenomena associated with an eruption event in April, 1991

In April, 1991, we witnessed from the submersible Alvin a suite of previously undocumented seafloor phenomena accompanying an in-progress eruption of the mid-ocean ridge on the East Pacific Rise crest at 9°45′N–52′N. The volume of the eruption could not be precisely determined, although comparison of pre- and post-eruption SeaBeam bathymetry indicate that any changes in ridge crest morphology resulting from the eruption were < 10 m high. Effects of the eruption included: (1) increased abundance and redistribution of hydrothermal vents, disappearance of numerous vent communities, and changes in characteristics of vent fauna and mineral deposits within the eruption area since December, 1989; (2) murkiness of bottom waters up to tens of meters above the seafloor due to high densities of suspended mineral and biogenic particulates; (3) destruction of a vent community by lava flows, mass wasting, and possible hydrovolcanic explosion at a site known as ‘Tubeworm Barbecue’ in the axial summit caldera (ASC) at 9°50.6′N; (4) near-critical temperatures of hydrothermal vent fluids, ranging up to 403°C; (5) temporal variations over a 2 week interval in both temperatures and chemical/isotopic compositions of hydrothermal fluids; (6) unusual compositions of end-member vent fluids, with pH values ranging to a record low of 2.5, salinities ranging as low as 0.3 wt% NaCl (one-twelfth that of seawater), and dissolved gases reaching high concentrations (> 65 mmol/l for both CO 2 and H 2 S); (7) venting at temperatures above 380°C of visually detectable white vapor that transformed to plumes of gray smoke a few centimeters above vent orifices; (8) disorganized venting of both high-temperature fluids (black and gray smoke) and large volumes of cooler, diffuse hydrothermal fluids directly from the basaltic seafloor, rather than from hydrothermal mineral constructions; (9) rapid and extensive growth of flocculent white bacterial mats (species unknown) on and under the seafloor in areas experiencing widespread venting of diffuse hydrothermal fluid; and (10) subseafloor downslope migration of magma normal to the ridge axis in a network of small-scale (1–5 m diameter) lava tubes and channels to distances at least 100–200 m outside the ASC. We suggest that, in April, 1991, intrusion of dikes in the eruption area to < 200 m beneath the ASC floor resulted in phase separation of fluids near the tops of the dikes and a large flux of vapor-rich hydrothermal fluids through the overlying rubbly, cavernous lavas. Low salinities and gas-rich compositions of hydrothermal fluids sampled in the eruption area are appropriate for a vapor phase in a seawater system undergoing subcritical liquid-vapor phase separation (boiling) and phase segregation. Hydrothermal fluids streamed directly from fissures and pits that may have been loci of lava drainback and/or hydrovolcanic explosions. These fissures and pits were lined with white mats of a unique fast-growing bacteria that was the only life associated with the brand-new vents. The prolific bacteria, which covered thousands of square meters on the ridge crest and were also abundant in subseafloor voids, may thrive on high levels of gases in the vapor-rich hydrothermal fluids initially escaping the hydrothermal system. White bacterial particulates swept from the seafloor by hydrothermal vents swirled in an unprecedented biogenic ‘blizzard’ up to 50 m above the bottom. The bacterial proliferation of April, 1991 is likely to be a transient bloom that will be checked quickly either by decline of dissolved gas concentrations in the fluids as rapid heat loss brings about cessation of boiling, and/or by grazing as other organisms are re-established in the biologically devastated area.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters↗

USGS2004

Effects of rearing treatment on the behavior of captive whooping cranes (Grus americana)

Small founder populations of whooping cranes are managed to maximize egg production for the purpose of reintroducing young to the wild. This results in an excessive number of hatched chicks that cannot be naturally reared by parents. Hand-rearing techniques have been developed to raise the additional hatches. However, hand rearing may affect the behavior of the birds and their chances of survival later in life. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of rearing practices on the behavior of whooping crane chicks. The birds were reared under three commonly used rearing techniques: parent reared (PR), hand reared (HR), and hand reared with exercise (HRE). Fifty-six whooping crane chicks were observed by focal animal sampling from hatch to 20 weeks of age. During these observations, occurrences of comfort behavior, aggression, foraging, nonvigilance, sleep, vigilance, and other types of behavior were collected. Data were analyzed using mixed models repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Behavior was affected by rearing treatment, age, and time of day. PR birds spent more time being vigilant than HR and HRE birds. An inverse correlation was found between percentage of time foraging and vigilant (r = -0.686, P < 0.0001). However, there were no differences in the behavior of birds reared in HR or HRE programs.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science↗

USGS1993

Managing biological diversity

Biological diversity is the variety of life and accompanying ecological processes (Off. Technol. Assess. 1987, Wilcove and Samson 1987, Keystone 1991). Conservation of biological diversity is a major environmental issue (Wilson 1988, Counc. Environ. Quality 1991). The health and future of the earth's ecological systems (Lubchenco et al. 1991), global climate change (Botkin 1990), and an ever-increasing rate in loss of species, communities, and ecological systems (Myers 1990) are among issues drawing biological diversity to the mainstream of conservation worldwide (Int. Union Conserv. Nat. and Nat. Resour. [IUCN] et al. 1991). The legal mandate for conserving biological diversity is now in place (Carlson 1988, Doremus 1991). More than 19 federal laws govern the use of biological resources in the United States (Rein 1991). The proposed National Biological Diversity Conservation and Environmental Research Act (H.R. 585 and S.58) notes the need for a national biological diversity policy, would create a national center for biological diversity research, and recommends a federal interagency strategy for ecosystem conservation. There are, however, hard choices ahead for the conservation of biological diversity, and biologists are grappling with how to set priorities in research and management (Roberts 1988). We sense disillusion among field biologists and managers relative to how to operationally approach the seemingly overwhelming charge of conserving biological diversity. Biologists also need to respond to critics like Hunt (1991) who suggest a tree farm has more biological diversity than an equal area of old-growth forest. At present, science has played only a minor role in the conservation of biological diversity (Weston 1992) with no unified approach available to evaluate strategies and programs that address the quality and quantity of biological diversity (Murphy 1990, Erwin 1992). Although actions to conserve biological diversity need to be clearly defined by viewing issues across biological, spatial, and temporal scales (Knopf and Smith 1992), natural resource managers find much conflicting information in the literature on strategies and programs for the conservation of biological diversity (Ehrlich 1992). Moreover, recommendations provided in much of the published information available for planning or decisions not only can be debated but may prove counterproductive if implemented. Current operational efforts beg for clearer focus on fundamental concepts central to daily decisions that impact native biological diversity. Recognizing that many biologists would provide different council and at the risk of oversimplification, we offer the following 4 topical issues as fundamental guidance to wise conservation action. These recommendations are based on our collective experiences working within conservation agencies since our original, collaborative essay (Samson and Knopf 1982). They are offered as initial, rather than authoritative, steps to better align research and management decisions with what we perceive as the critical issues in conserving biological diversity at the landscape and ecosystem levels of resolution.

Wildlife Society Bulletin↗

USGS2021

Scale growth rates and scale circulus deposition rates of marine-stage Atlantic salmon Salmo salar raised under semi-natural conditions

Scale circuli yield valuable information about the life history, age, and growth of a fish. However, because circuli formation is influenced by somatic growth, the rate at which circuli are formed and the factors influencing these rates must be taken into account for the given life stage of the study species. Scales were collected from Atlantic salmon raised in marine net pens off of the coast of Maine in order to characterize the formation of scale circuli and the growth of scales during the ocean phase, and to relate circulus deposition and scale growth rate to water temperature. Fish were sampled 13 times over a period of 25 months. Neither circulus deposition rate nor growth rate were constant through time and the same trend held when circulus deposition and growth were related to thermal experience. Both rates decreased over the course of the study, presumably related to the fish reaching sexual maturity. The results of this study indicate that the pattern of circulus deposition and scale growth of Atlantic salmon vary greatly during the early marine phase, and this dynamic should be taken into account when assessing growth, especially over short time periods.

Newfoundland↗

USGS2007

Revisiting evolutionary dead ends in sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) life history

This study challenges recent hypotheses about sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) colonization based on life history and broadens the pathways that investigators should consider when studying sockeye colonization of novel habitats. Most sockeye populations exhibit lake-type life histories. Riverine populations are thought to be more likely to stray from their natal stream to spawn and therefore colonize new habitat. We examined genetic relationships among five geographically proximate sockeye populations from the Aniakchak region of the Alaska Peninsula, Alaska. Specifically, we sought to determine if the genetic population structure was consistent with the hypothesis that a riverine population colonized a recently available upriver volcanic caldera lake, and whether recent volcanism led to genetic bottlenecks in these sockeye populations. Heterozygosity and allelic richness were not higher in the riverine population. Patterns of genetic divergence suggested that the geographically proximate riverine sockeye population did not colonize the lake; the caldera populations were more genetically divergent from the downstream riverine population ( F ST &ensp;=&ensp; 0.047) than a lake-type population in a different drainage ( F ST &ensp;=&ensp; 0.018). Our results did not suggest the presence of genetic bottlenecks in the caldera populations.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2024

Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) impairs lipid homeostasis in zebrafish larvae through activation of PPARα

Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), an emerging short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, has been frequently detected in aquatic environments. Adverse outcome pathway studies have shown that perfluorinated compounds impair lipid homeostasis through peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs). However, many of these studies were performed at high concentrations and may thus be a result of overt toxicity. To better characterize the molecular and key events of PFHxS to biota, early life-stage zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) were exposed to concentrations detected in the environment (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L). Lipidomic and transcriptomic evaluations were integrated to predict potential molecular targets. PFHxS significantly impaired lipid homeostasis by the dysregulation of glycerophospholipids, fatty acyls, glycerolipids, sphingolipids, prenol lipids, and sterol lipids. Informatic analyses of the lipidome and transcriptome indicated alterations of the PPAR signaling pathway, with downstream changes to retinol, linoleic acid, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. To assess the role of PPARs, potential binding of PFHxS to PPARs was predicted and animals were coexposed to a PPAR antagonist (GW6471). Molecular simulation indicated PFHxS had a 27.1% better binding affinity than oleic acid, an endogenous agonist of PPARα. Antagonist coexposures rescued impaired glycerophosphocholine concentrations altered by PFHxS. These data indicate PPARα activation may be an important molecular initiating event for PFHxS.

Environmental Science & Technology↗

USGS2014

Urban ecosystem services and decision making for a green Philadelphia

Traditional approaches to urban development often do not account for, or recognize, the role of ecosystem services and the benefits these services provide to the health and well-being of city residents. Without such accounting, urban ecosystem services are likely to be degraded over time, with negative consequences for the sustainability of cities and the well-being of their residents (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005; Hirsch, 2008). On May 23, 2013, the Spatial Integration Laboratory for Urban Systems (SILUS), a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science and Decisions Center and the Wharton GIS Lab, convened a one-day symposium—Urban Ecosystem Services and Decision Making: A Green Philadelphia—at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to examine the role of green infrastructure in the environmental, economic, and social well-being of cities. Cosponsored by the USGS and the Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), the symposium brought together policymakers, practitioners, and researchers from a range of disciplines to advance a research agenda on the use of science in public decision making to inform investment in green infrastructure and ecosystem services in urban areas. The city of Philadelphia has recently implemented a program designed to sustain urban ecosystem services and advance the use of green infrastructure. In 2009, the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability launched its Greenworks plan, establishing a citywide sustainability strategy. Major contributions towards its goals are being implemented in coordination with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD). The Green City, Clean Waters initiative, the city’s nationally recognized stormwater management plan, was signed into action with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2012. The plan outlines a 25-year strategy to use green infrastructure to protect and improve the city’s watershed. Widespread support for the plan marks a citywide effort to factor environmental quality concerns into the city’s strategic planning, choosing to replace expensive and aging grey infrastructure, with innovative and resilient green infrastructure. The symposium focused on these city of Philadelphia initiatives and also on two new Federal- local partnership programs: America’s Great Outdoors, initiated to promote conservation and recreation, and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a multiagency effort to reconnect urban communities to their waterways. A second goal of the symposium was to advance a research agenda on urban ecosystem services. While there has been considerable work on ecosystem services, the discussion of the benefits provided by urban ecosystems is not as developed. Benefits range from improved water and air quality to quality of life gains, including aesthetic and recreational considerations. There is also need for additional focused research toward furthering the understanding of the multiple indirect benefits provided by urban ecosystem services (Bolund and Hunhammar, 1999). Moreover, there is a need for a greater understanding of how best to inform local decision making in this area, as local decision makers in cities across the country are increasingly recognizing the importance of developing sustainability measures for their immediate and long-term planning (United States Conference of Mayors, 2005). Approaching these local and regional plans from a holistic perspective has become a guiding principle of sustainability and resiliency. Therefore, there is a need to better understand the gains that have been achieved and to advance a research agenda on ecosystem services going forward. The day’s program included presentations on greening initiatives from the Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, as well as discussion about using an urban ecosystem services framework to evaluate these initiatives. Panel sessions included discussion of the Green City, Clean Waters initiative; a dialogue about the management of urban trees and green space; and a conversation addressing the needs for future research.

Pennsylvania↗