Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
May 2012 Activity Highlights
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Topics covered in the May activity report:
Aquatic Ecosystem Health
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Aquaculture Workshop
- Maren Tuttle-Lau and Steve Redman (UMESC) attended the 2012 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration and Research Facility (NADRF) Field Day and Vendor Fair in Bayfield, WI, May 31. The workshop gives fish farmers/aquaculturists the opportunity to participate in focused sessions on various aspects of fish rearing including both pond and indoor culture. Tuttle-Lau attended because UMESC is planning work to evaluate the effects of animal drugs on the biofilters of recirculating aquaculture systems, a project supported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Redman attended to learn new methods of fish culture being developed by NADRF for incorporation into UMESC’s aquatic animal rearing practices.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Asian Carp
- The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) hosted a visit from Jocelyn Hunn, Budget Officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) May 16, following her visit to the Asian carp hydrogun project on the Chicago waterway near Morris, IL, May 15. At UMESC, Hunn met with the scientists working on the projects to developing tools for detecting and controlling Asian carp and zebra mussels, and toured the Center’s aquatic invasive species containment facility and research laboratories.
Zebra Mussels
- Jim Luoma, Jeremy Wise (UMESC), and Denise Mayer (New York State Museum Field Research Laboratory) will assess the overwinter survival of zebra mussels on test substrates during the week of May 7, in preparation for on-site evaluations to determine the efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescens for controlling zebra mussels in natural waters. The zebra mussels were seeded on perforated aluminum test substrates for colonization at two locations in Minnesota locations and one Wisconsin location, during the fall of 2011. The on-site evaluations will be conducted using a new self-contained mobile research trailer capable of utilizing surface waters at remote locations. The assessments and tests will be conducted in cooperation with the respective state Department of Natural Resources, at Lake Carlos and Lake Pepin in Minnesota, and Shawano Lake in Wisconsin.
Geospatial Sciences and Technology
Digital Mapping Techniques Workshop
- John (JC) Nelson and Larry Robinson (UMESC) presented posters of their LIDAR and 3D mapping projects at the 16th annual Digital Mapping Techniques 2012 conference in Urbana-Champaign, IL, May 20-23. This workshop on digital mapping techniques is an invitation-only event designed to bring together scientists, cartographers, and GIS specialists, primarily from State and Federal agencies who are using digital techniques to create and manage geologic maps. Among the topics discussed was the use of LIDAR or other advanced terrain models for field work and map/database preparation, 3D databases and/or visualization techniques, and information management and delivery.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
Project #80, Birds as Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes
- The third year of data collection on GLRI Project 80, Birds As Indicators of Contaminant Exposure in the Great Lakes, has begun. Tree swallows are nesting at all 31 sites including 6 new Areas of Concern (AOCs), where tree swallow nest box arrays were established last fall. Egg collections have commenced and will continue over the next 2-3 weeks until all sites have been sampled. For more information contact Christine Custer (UMESC), at ccuster@usgs.gov, 608-781-6247.
Project #82, Characterize Habitat and Foodweb Structures across Great Lakes Rivermouth Estuaries
- William Richardson and James Larson (UMESC) provided updates on their work for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) project #82 (Characterize Habitat and Foodweb Structures across Great Lakes Rivermouth Estuaries),and co-moderated the session, “Linkages between landscape and Great Lakes coastal ecosystems,” at the 2012 International Association of Great Lakes Research conference in Cornwall, Canada, May 12-17. UMESC presentations included;
- “Variation in fatty acid content of seston from tributaries, rivermouths and nearshore Lake Michigan,” by W.B. Richardson*, J.H. Larson, J.A. Vallazza, J.A. Veldbom, L.A. Bartsch and J.C. Nelson. This work shows that tributaries deliver large quantities of relatively low quality (less lipid-rich) particles and nutrients to rivermouths, while the Lake delivers low quantities of nutrients and high quality particles (lipid-rich) to the rivermouth. This combination of factors creates a nutrient-rich, high light, and lipid-rich environment to support potentially productive rivermouth ecosystems.
- “Relationships between elemental composition and watershed characteristics in caddisflies and dreissenid mussels,” by J.H. Larson*, W.B. Richardson, J.A. Vallazza, and J.C. Nelson. The work shows that watershed land-cover strongly effects elemental composition (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) of these filter feeders. The results also suggest that species occupying habitats with a high diversity of closely related competitors (e.g., hydropsychid caddisflies) are less likely to exhibit much within-species variation in tissue elemental composition, while species with few close competitors (e.g., Dreissena mussels) appear to exhibit far more variation in tissue elemental composition.
- “Characterizing and Classifying Great Lakes Rivermouths,” by J.S. Schaeffer* (GLSC), J.C. Nelson, and J.H. Larson (UMESC).
- “Cafe Session: Great Lakes Rivermouth Ecosystems: Understanding Connections Between Ecosystem Structure, Function and Services,” by P.W. Seelbach (GLSC) and J.H. Larson (UMESC).
Freshwater Mussels and Climate Change
- Teresa Newton, Alissa Ganser, and Patty Ries (UMESC) are participating in the 60th annual meeting of the Society for Freshwater Science in Louisville, Kentucky, May 20-24. Alissa will present her Master Thesis research, and Teresa will participate in numerous activities as an associate editor for the Society's journal.
- Ganser, A., T. Newton, and R. Haro. 2012. The effects of temperature on survival and physiology of juvenile freshwater mussels: Implications for climate change research. 60th Annual meeting of the Society for Freshwater Science. Louisville, KY, May 2012.
National Park Service
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Andrew Strassman (UMESC) delivered a data layer to Ery Largay (NatureServe), Andy Cutko (Maine Dept. of Conservation), and Brett Engstrom (independent contractor for NatureServe) providing potential Quick Plot survey locations for the Northern Appalachian (NAP) Ecoregion of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (APPA) Vegetation Mapping Project. This layer consisted of approximately 250 strategically located points that will be used to guide this summer’s vegetation data collection effort in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
- Andrew Strassman and Kevin Hop (UMSEC) will spend 10 days surveying vegetation in the Lower New England (LNE) ecoregion of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (APPA) May 30-June 8, for the APPA Vegetation Mapping Project, part of the National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Program. They will be accompanied for 5 days by Lesley Sneddon (NatureServe), who will assist with vegetation identification, field key application, and application of the National Vegetation Classification System (NVCS) to the local flora. The data collected on this trip will be used during the vegetation mapping process this winter (FY 2013).
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
- Jennifer Dieck, Kevin Hop, Erin Hoy, and Andrew Strassman (UMESC) participated in the National Park Service (NPS) Vegetation Inventory Program (VIP) scoping meeting for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS), May 17. Attendees included: Ulf Gafvert (NPS Great Lakes Network), Nancy Duncan (MISS), Shannon Menard and Jim Drake (NatureServe), and Bart Richardson (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources). The meeting’s agenda included; presentations on the NPS VIP Inventory and Monitoring Program (Ulf Gafvert), vegetation classification (Shannon Menard and Jim Drake), vegetation mapping (Kevin Hop and Andrew Strassman), accuracy assessment (Kevin Hop), and final products (Kevin Hop); discussions on the MISS’s photo collection, Minnesota Land Cover Classification System, management/science issues, functional/logistical support, and specific interests.
Upper Mississippi River Basin Association
- Mike Jawson, Barry Johnson (UMESC), and Dave Bornholdt (MWA) will participate in the quarterly partner meetings of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the Environmental Monitoring Program Coordinating Committee, May 23-24 in St. Louis, MO. The meetings will focus on communication and actions regarding navigation infrastructure, Asian carp, water quality, habitat rehabilitation, and issues related to strategic planning and program management.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Great Lakes Waterbird Distributions
- Kevin Kenow (UMESC) will give the presentation, “Methods used to monitor the distribution of migrating and wintering waterbirds on Lake Michigan,” at the Pelagic Bird Survey Protocol Workshop sponsored by the Great Lakes Commission, May 30, Ann Arbor, MI. The focus of the workshop is to ensure waterbird survey methodology is consistent among principal investigators participating in an upcoming Great Lakes pelagic bird study.
Marine Radar and Bird Migration – Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
- Eileen Kirsch and Mike Wellik (UMESC) started a preliminary study of regional airspace use by migrating songbirds near the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and along the southwest shore of Lake Erie. The two are scoping out locations to place radar units, testing new hardware and software, and holding meetings with their partners (Ottawa NWR, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University) to discuss project logistics.
USGS Wind and Wildlife Initiative
- Wayne Thogmartin (UMESC) is assisting the USGS Energy Program National Wind and Wildlife Initiative in identifying how to assess the potential impact of wind energy generation on the nation's wildlife. A number of quantitative ecologists and biometricians from across the USGS attended the Initiative’s meeting in Reston, VA, May 30.
Other
Acronyms
AOC – Area of Concern
APPA – Appalachian National Scenic Trail
FWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
GLRI – Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
LNE – Lower New England
MISS – Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
NAP – Northern Appalachian Ecoregion
NPS – National Park Service
NVCS – National Vegetation Classification System
NWR – National Wildlife Refuge
UMESC – Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
USGS – U.S. Geological Survey
VIP – Vegetation Inventory and Monitoring Program
URL: http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/outreach/highlights/2012_may_umesc_highlights.html
Page Contact Information: Contacting the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Page Last Modified:
November 16, 2012
