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Frantz MW, Wood PB, Latta SC. Spatial stream modeling of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) foraging substrate and aquatic prey in a watershed undergoing shale gas development. FOOD WEBS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Demographic characteristics of an avian predator, Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), in response to its aquatic prey in a Central Appalachian USA watershed impacted by shale gas development. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206077. [PMID: 30485266 PMCID: PMC6261416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We related Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) demographic response and nest survival to benthic macroinvertebrate aquatic prey and to shale gas development parameters using models that accounted for both spatial and non-spatial sources of variability in a Central Appalachian USA watershed. In 2013, aquatic prey density and pollution intolerant genera (i.e., pollution tolerance value <4) decreased statistically with increased waterthrush territory length but not in 2014 when territory densities were lower. In general, most demographic responses to aquatic prey were variable and negatively related to aquatic prey in 2013 but positively related in 2014. Competing aquatic prey covariate models to explain nest survival were not statistically significant but differed annually and in general reversed from negative to positive influence on daily survival rate. Potential hydraulic fracturing runoff decreased nest survival both years and was statistically significant in 2014. The EPA Rapid Bioassessment protocol (EPA) and Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) designed for assessing suitability requirements for waterthrush were positively linked to aquatic prey where higher scores increased aquatic prey metrics, but EPA was more strongly linked than HSI and varied annually. While potential hydraulic fracturing runoff in 2013 may have increased Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness, in 2014 shale gas territory disturbance decreased EPT richness. In 2014, intolerant genera decreased at the territory and nest level with increased shale gas disturbance suggesting the potential for localized negative effects on waterthrush. Loss of food resources does not seem directly or solely responsible for demographic declines where waterthrush likely were able to meet their foraging needs. However collective evidence suggests there may be a shale gas disturbance threshold at which waterthrush respond negatively to aquatic prey community changes. Density-dependent regulation of their ability to adapt to environmental change through acquisition of additional resources may also alter demographic response.
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Watson AS, Merovich GT, Petty JT, Gutta JB. Evaluating expected outcomes of acid remediation in an intensively mined Appalachian watershed. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2017; 189:339. [PMID: 28620711 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-6036-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Assessments of watershed-based restoration efforts are rare but are essential for the science of stream restoration to advance. We conducted a watershed scale assessment of Abram Creek before and after implementation of a watershed-based plan designed to maximize ecological recovery from acid mine drainage (AMD) impairment. We surveyed water chemistry, physical habitat, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish community structure in three stream types: AMD-impacted (14 streams), AMD-treated (13 streams), and unimpaired reference (4 streams). We used in-stream measurements to quantify ecological loss from AMD, the amount of ecological recovery expected through remediation, and the observed degree of post-treatment recovery. Sites impaired by AMD improved in water quality with AMD treatment. Dissolved metals and acidity declined significantly in treated streams, but sulfate and specific conductance did not. Likewise, sites impaired by AMD improved in bio-condition scores with AMD treatment. EPT genera increased significantly but were lower compared to unimpaired streams. We found fish at nine treated sites that had none before treatment. Community-level analyses indicated improved but altered assemblages with AMD treatment. Analysis of pre-treatment conditions indicated that only 30% of the historic fishery remained. Remediation was expected to recover 66% of the historic fishery value, and assessment of post-treatment conditions indicates that 52% of the historic fishery has been recovered after 3 years. Developing expected endpoints for restoration outcomes provides a tool to objectively evaluate successes and can guide adaptive management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Watson
- School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.
| | - George T Merovich
- Department of Environmental Science and Studies, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, 16652, USA
| | - J Todd Petty
- School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - J Brady Gutta
- Antero Resources, 535 White Oaks Blvd, Bridgeport, WV, 26330, USA
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Merriam ER, Petty JT, Strager MP. Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27501287 DOI: 10.3791/54095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a critical need for tools and methodologies capable of managing aquatic systems within heavily impacted watersheds. Current efforts often fall short as a result of an inability to quantify and predict complex cumulative effects of current and future land use scenarios at relevant spatial scales. The goal of this manuscript is to provide methods for conducting a targeted watershed assessment that enables resource managers to produce landscape-based cumulative effects models for use within a scenario analysis management framework. Sites are first selected for inclusion within the watershed assessment by identifying sites that fall along independent gradients and combinations of known stressors. Field and laboratory techniques are then used to obtain data on the physical, chemical, and biological effects of multiple land use activities. Multiple linear regression analysis is then used to produce landscape-based cumulative effects models for predicting aquatic conditions. Lastly, methods for incorporating cumulative effects models within a scenario analysis framework for guiding management and regulatory decisions (e.g., permitting and mitigation) within actively developing watersheds are discussed and demonstrated for 2 sub-watersheds within the mountaintop mining region of central Appalachia. The watershed assessment and management approach provided herein enables resource managers to facilitate economic and development activity while protecting aquatic resources and producing opportunity for net ecological benefits through targeted remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Merriam
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University;
| | - J Todd Petty
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University
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Merriam ER, Petty JT, Strager MP, Maxwell AE, Ziemkiewicz PF. Complex contaminant mixtures in multistressor Appalachian riverscapes. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2015; 34:2603-2610. [PMID: 26053694 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Runoff from watersheds altered by mountaintop mining in the Appalachian region (USA) is known to pollute headwater streams, yet regional-scale assessments of water quality have focused on salinization and selenium. The authors conducted a comprehensive survey of inorganic contaminants found in 170 stream segments distributed across a spectrum of historic and contemporary human land use. Principal component analysis identified 3 important dimensions of variation in water chemistry that were significantly correlated with contemporary surface mining (principal component 1: elevated dominant ions, sulfate, alkalinity, and selenium), coal geology and legacy mines (principal component 2: elevated trace metals), and residential development (principal component 3: elevated sodium and chloride). The combination of these 3 dominant sources of pollutants produced a complex stream-to-stream patchwork of contaminant mixtures. Seventy-five percent of headwater streams (catchments < 5 km(2) ) had water chemistries that could be classified as either reference (49%), development only (18%), or mining only (8%). Only 21% of larger streams (catchments > 5 km(2) ) were classified as having reference chemistries, and chemistries indicative of combined mining and development contaminants accounted for 47% of larger streams (compared with 26% of headwater streams). Extreme degradation of larger streams can be attributed to accumulation of contaminants from multiple human land use activities that include contemporary mountaintop mining, underground mining, abandoned mines, and untreated domestic wastewater. Consequently, water quality improvements in this region will require a multicontaminant remediation approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Merriam
- Division of Forestry, Natural Resources, and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - J Todd Petty
- Division of Forestry, Natural Resources, and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Michael P Strager
- Division of Resource Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Aaron E Maxwell
- Natural Resource Analysis Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Paul F Ziemkiewicz
- West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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Modeling Critical Forest Habitat in the Southern Coal Fields of West Virginia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1155/2012/182683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Throughout the Central Appalachians of the United States resource extraction primarily from coal mining has contributed to the majority of the forest conversion to barren and reclaimed pasture and grass. The loss of forests in this ecoregion is significantly impacting biodiversity at a regional scale. Since not all forest stands provide equal levels of ecological functions, it is critical to identify and map existing forested resources by the benefits that accrue from their unique spatial patterns, watershed drainage, and landscape positions. We utilized spatial analysis and remote sensing techniques to define critical forest characteristics. The characteristics were defined by applying a forest fragmentation model utilizing morphological image analysis, defining headwater catchments at a 1 : 24,000 scale, and deriving ecological land units (ELUs) from elevation data. Once critical forest values were calculated, it was possible to identify clusters of critical stands using spatial statistics. This spatially explicit method for modeling forest habitat could be implemented as a tool for assessing the impact of resource extraction and aid in the conservation of critical forest habitat throughout a landscape.
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Ayanu YZ, Nguyen TT, Marohn C, Koellner T. Crop production versus surface-water regulation: assessing tradeoffs for land-use scenarios in the Tat Hamlet Watershed, Vietnam. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & MANAGEMENT 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/21513732.2011.634836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trung Thanh Nguyen
- b Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth , Bayreuth , Germany
| | - Carsten Marohn
- c Institute of Plant Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany
| | - Thomas Koellner
- a Department of Earth Sciences , University of Bayreuth , Bayreuth , Germany
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Merriam ER, Petty JT, Merovich GT, Fulton JB, Strager MP. Additive effects of mining and residential development on stream conditions in a central Appalachian watershed. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1899/10-079.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Merriam
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - J. Todd Petty
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - George T. Merovich
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - Jennifer B. Fulton
- West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - Michael P. Strager
- Division Of Resource Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
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Petty JT, Fulton JB, Strager MP, Merovich GT, Stiles JM, Ziemkiewicz PF. Landscape indicators and thresholds of stream ecological impairment in an intensively mined Appalachian watershed. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1899/09-149.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Todd Petty
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - Jennifer B. Fulton
- West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 USA
| | - Michael P. Strager
- Division of Resource Management, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6108 USA
| | - George T. Merovich
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6125 USA
| | - James M. Stiles
- Limestone Engineering, 1766 Limestone Road, Parsons, West Virginia 26287-8557 USA
| | - Paul F. Ziemkiewicz
- West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 USA
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Erturk A, Gurel M, Ekdal A, Tavsan C, Ugurluoglu A, Seker DZ, Tanik A, Ozturk I. Water quality assessment and meta model development in Melen watershed - Turkey. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2010; 91:1526-1545. [PMID: 20231053 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2008] [Revised: 02/04/2010] [Accepted: 02/15/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Istanbul, being one of the highly populated metropolitan areas of the world, has been facing water scarcity since the past decade. Water transfer from Melen Watershed was considered as the most feasible option to supply water to Istanbul due to its high water potential and relatively less degraded water quality. This study consists of two parts. In the first part, water quality data covering 26 parameters from 5 monitoring stations were analyzed and assessed due to the requirements of the "Quality Required of Surface Water Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Water" regulation. In the second part, a one-dimensional stream water quality model with simple water quality kinetics was developed. It formed a basic design for more advanced water quality models for the watershed. The reason for assessing the water quality data and developing a model was to provide information for decision making on preliminary actions to prevent any further deterioration of existing water quality. According to the water quality assessment at the water abstraction point, Melen River has relatively poor water quality with regard to NH(4)(+), BOD(5), faecal streptococcus, manganese and phenol parameters, and is unsuitable for drinking water abstraction in terms of COD, PO(4)(3-), total coliform, total suspended solids, mercury and total chromium parameters. The results derived from the model were found to be consistent with the water quality assessment. It also showed that relatively high inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations along the streams are related to diffuse nutrient loads that should be managed together with municipal and industrial wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Erturk
- Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, 34469 Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey.
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