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Daniels J, Liang L, Benedict KB, Brahney J, Rangel R, Weathers KC, Ponette-González AG. Satellite-based aerosol optical depth estimates over the continental U.S. during the 2020 wildfire season: Roles of smoke and land cover. Sci Total Environ 2024; 921:171122. [PMID: 38395165 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Wildfires produce smoke that can affect an area >1000 times the burn extent, with far-reaching human health, ecologic, and economic impacts. Accurately estimating aerosol load within smoke plumes is therefore crucial for understanding and mitigating these impacts. We evaluated the effectiveness of the latest Collection 6.1 MODIS Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm in estimating aerosol optical depth (AOD) across the U.S. during the historic 2020 wildfire season. We compared satellite-based MAIAC AOD to ground-based AERONET AOD measurements during no-, light-, medium-, and heavy-smoke conditions identified using the Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product. This smoke product consists of maximum extent smoke polygons digitized by analysts using visible band imagery and classified according to smoke density. We also examined the strength of the correlations between satellite- and ground-based AOD for major land cover types under various smoke density levels. MAIAC performed well in estimating AOD during smoke-affected conditions. Correlations between MAIAC and AERONET AOD were strong for medium- (r = 0.91) and heavy-smoke (r = 0.90) density, and MAIAC estimates of AOD showed little bias relative to ground-based AERONET measurements (normalized mean bias = 3 % for medium, 5 % for heavy smoke). During two high AOD, heavy smoke episodes, MAIAC underestimated ground-based AERONET AOD under mixed aerosol (i.e., smoke and dust; median bias = -0.08) and overestimated AOD under smoke-dominated (median bias = 0.02) aerosol. MAIAC most overestimated ground-based AERONET AOD over barren land (mean NMB = 48 %). Our findings indicate that MODIS MAIAC can provide robust estimates of AOD as smoke density increases in coming years. Increased frequency of mixed aerosol and expansion of developed land could affect the performance of the MAIAC algorithm in the future, however, with implications for evaluating wildfire-associated health and welfare effects and air quality standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Daniels
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Lu Liang
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Katherine B Benedict
- Earth and Environmental Science Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Janice Brahney
- Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5210 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Roman Rangel
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | | | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah, 375 South 1530 East, Suite 220, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
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Burke M, Marín-Spiotta E, Ponette-González AG. Black carbon in urban soils: land use and climate drive variation at the surface. Carbon Balance Manag 2024; 19:9. [PMID: 38429441 PMCID: PMC10908174 DOI: 10.1186/s13021-024-00255-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Black carbon (BC) encompasses a range of carbonaceous materials--including soot, char, and charcoal--derived from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. Urban soils can become enriched in BC due to proximity to these combustion sources. We conducted a literature review of BC in urban soils globally and found 26 studies reporting BC and total organic carbon (TOC) content collected to a maximum of 578 cm depth in urban soils across 35 cities and 10 countries. We recorded data on city, climate, and land use/land cover characteristics to examine drivers of BC content and contribution to TOC in soil. RESULTS All studies were conducted in the northern hemisphere, with 68% of the data points collected in China and the United States. Surface samples (0-20 cm) accounted for 62% of samples in the dataset. Therefore, we focused our analysis on 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths. Urban soil BC content ranged from 0-124 mg/g (median = 3 mg/g) at 0-10 cm and from 0-53 mg/g (median = 2.8 mg/g) at 10-20 cm depth. The median proportional contribution of BC to TOC was 23% and 15% at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, respectively. Surface soils sampled in industrial land use and near roads had the highest BC contents and proportions, whereas samples from residential sites had among the lowest. Soil BC content decreased with mean annual soil temperature. CONCLUSIONS Our review indicates that BC comprises a major fraction (nearly one quarter) of the TOC in urban surface soils, yet sampling bias towards the surface could hide the potential for BC storage at depth. Land use emerged as an importer driver of soil BC contents and proportions, whereas land cover effects remain uncertain. Warmer and wetter soils were found to have lower soil BC than cooler and drier soils, differences that likely reflect soil BC loss mechanisms. Additional research on urban soil BC at depth and from diverse climates is critical to better understand the role of cities in the global carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Burke
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
- Department of Geography, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Erika Marín-Spiotta
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 North Park Street, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
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Kang KA, Marín-Spiotta E, Vaughan E, Ferring CR, Ponette-González AG. Soil Black Carbon Increases Under Urban Trees with Road Density and Time: Opportunity Hotspots for Carbon Storage in Urban Ecosystems. Environmental Management 2023:10.1007/s00267-023-01911-z. [PMID: 37993546 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01911-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) can comprise a significant fraction of the soil carbon pool in cities. However, vegetation cover and human activity influence the spatial distribution of urban soil BC. We quantified soil total carbon (TC), soil organic carbon (SOC), BC, and total nitrogen (TN) in a medium-sized city in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Soils were sampled to 20 cm depth from underneath 16 paired Quercus stellata (post oak) trees and open lawns. Effects of vegetation cover, road density, and building age (a proxy for time since development) on soil C and N were analyzed. Soil OC concentrations were higher under post oak trees (5.5%) compared to open lawns (3.6%) at 0-10 cm, but not at 10-20 cm depth. In contrast, soil BC and TN did not differ by vegetation cover. There were significant interaction effects between vegetation cover and road density and vegetation cover and building age on soil BC. At 0-10 cm, soil BC concentrations, stock, and BC/SOC ratios increased more with road density under trees than lawns, indicating enhanced atmospheric BC deposition to tree canopies. Black carbon in tree soils also increased with building age as compared to lawn soils, likely due to higher BC retention under trees, enhanced BC losses under lawns, or both. Our findings show that urban tree soils are localized opportunity hotspots for BC storage in areas with elevated emissions and longer time since development. Conserving and planting urban trees above permeable surfaces and soils could contribute to long-term carbon storage in urban ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherina A Kang
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Erika Marín-Spiotta
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Elliot Vaughan
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Evironmental Science Program, Southwest Minnesota State University, 1501 State St., Marshall, MN, 56258, USA
| | - C Reid Ferring
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA.
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA.
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Van Stan JT, Allen ST, Aubrey DP, Berry ZC, Biddick M, Coenders-Gerrits MAMJ, Giordani P, Gotsch SG, Gutmann ED, Kuzyakov Y, Magyar D, Mella VSA, Mueller KE, Ponette-González AG, Porada P, Rosenfeld CE, Simmons J, Sridhar KR, Stubbins A, Swanson T. Shower thoughts: why scientists should spend more time in the rain. Bioscience 2023; 73:441-452. [PMID: 37397836 PMCID: PMC10308363 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Stormwater is a vital resource and dynamic driver of terrestrial ecosystem processes. However, processes controlling interactions during and shortly after storms are often poorly seen and poorly sensed when direct observations are substituted with technological ones. We discuss how human observations complement technological ones and the benefits of scientists spending more time in the storm. Human observation can reveal ephemeral storm-related phenomena such as biogeochemical hot moments, organismal responses, and sedimentary processes that can then be explored in greater resolution using sensors and virtual experiments. Storm-related phenomena trigger lasting, oversized impacts on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, organismal traits or functions, and ecosystem services at all scales. We provide examples of phenomena in forests, across disciplines and scales, that have been overlooked in past research to inspire mindful, holistic observation of ecosystems during storms. We conclude that technological observations alone are insufficient to trace the process complexity and unpredictability of fleeting biogeochemical or ecological events without the shower thoughts produced by scientists' human sensory and cognitive systems during storms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott T Allen
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science at the University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States
| | - Douglas P Aubrey
- Savannah River Ecology Lab and with the Warnell School of Forestry at the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States
| | - Z Carter Berry
- Department of Biology at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
| | - Matthew Biddick
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | | | - Paolo Giordani
- Dipartimento di Farmacia at the University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sybil G Gotsch
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
| | - Ethan D Gutmann
- Research Applications Laboratory, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Yakov Kuzyakov
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Systems, Agricultural Soil Science, at Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
- Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
| | - Donát Magyar
- National Public Health Center, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Valentina S A Mella
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, at the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kevin E Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of City and Metropolitan Planning and with the Natural History Museum of Utah at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - Philipp Porada
- Department of Biology at Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carla E Rosenfeld
- Department of Minerals and Earth Sciences at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Jack Simmons
- Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, United States
| | - Kandikere R Sridhar
- Department of Biosciences at Mangalore University, Konaje, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Aron Stubbins
- Departments of Marine and Environmental Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Ellis JL, Ponette-González AG, Fry M, Johnson JA. Reduced reflectance and altered color: The potential cost of external particulate matter accumulation on urban Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) feathers. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.946624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Feather quality in birds is considered an honest signal of individual health as feather appearance and function depend on an individual’s ability to maintain them. In addition to flight and insulation, feathers are essential for social interactions and sexual selection in the form of visual signals. Airborne particulate matter (PM) can accumulate on feather surfaces and alter feather appearance. We quantified PM accumulation on Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) feathers and analyzed the spectral properties of extracted particulates. Feathers were sampled from two pigeon populations, one rural and one urban, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with 47 and 93% developed land cover, respectively, within 2 km of the populations. We determined accumulated PM gravimetrically after rinsing feathers and then measured the visible-near-infrared diffuse reflectance and color properties of extracted particulates. The rate of PM accumulation on rural birds was higher than on urban birds. However, feather particulates collected from urban pigeons had significantly lower total reflectance, reflectance in the visible portion of the spectrum, lightness, and hue angle compared to those of rural pigeons. The hue angle of rural feather particulates displayed a negative relationship with PM accumulation while total reflectance, reflectance in the visible range, and lightness of urban feather particulates were negatively related to PM accumulation. Our findings suggest that wild birds could incur an urban pollution penalty as PM accumulation has the potential to alter feather properties. Further research is needed to better understand the influence of external PM accumulation on the physiological and behavioral health of birds.
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Ponette-González AG, Chen D, Elderbrock E, Rindy JE, Barrett TE, Luce BW, Lee JH, Ko Y, Weathers KC. Urban edge trees: Urban form and meteorology drive elemental carbon deposition to canopies and soils. Environ Pollut 2022; 314:120197. [PMID: 36189483 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Urban tree canopies are a significant sink for atmospheric elemental carbon (EC)--an air pollutant that is a powerful climate-forcing agent and threat to human health. Understanding what controls EC deposition to urban trees is therefore important for evaluating the potential role of vegetation in air pollution mitigation strategies. We estimated wet, dry, and throughfall EC deposition for oak trees at 53 sites in Denton, TX. Spatial data and airborne discrete-return LiDAR were used to compute predictors of EC deposition, including urban form characteristics, and meteorologic and topographic factors. Dry and throughfall EC deposition varied 14-fold across this urban ecosystem and exhibited significant variability from spring to fall. Generalized additive modeling and multiple linear regression analyses showed that urban form strongly influenced tree-scale variability in dry EC deposition: traffic count as well as road length and building height within 100-150 m of trees were positively related to leaf-scale dry deposition. Rainfall amount and extreme wind-driven rain from the direction of major pollution sources were significant drivers of throughfall EC. Our findings indicate that complex configurations of roads, buildings, and vegetation produce "urban edge trees" that contribute to heterogeneous EC deposition patterns across urban systems, with implications for greenspace planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA.
| | - Dongmei Chen
- Department of Geography, 1251 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1251, USA
| | - Evan Elderbrock
- Department of Landscape Architecture, 5249 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5249, USA
| | - Jenna E Rindy
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Tate E Barrett
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Brett W Luce
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Jun-Hak Lee
- Department of Landscape Architecture, 5249 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5249, USA
| | - Yekang Ko
- Department of Landscape Architecture, 5249 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5249, USA
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Ponette-González AG, Lewis H, Henderson BH, Carnelos D, Piñeiro G, Weathers KC, Schwede DB. Wet nitrogen (N) deposition to urban Latin America: filling in the gaps with GEOS-Chem. Atmos Environ (1994) 2022; 278:1-119095. [PMID: 35664373 PMCID: PMC9161428 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In Latin America, atmospheric deposition is a major vector of nitrogen (N) input to urban systems. Yet, measurements of N deposition are sparse, precluding analysis of spatial patterns, temporal trends, and ecosystem impacts. Chemical transport models can be used to fill these gaps in the absence of dense measurements. Here, we evaluate the performance of a global 3-D chemical transport model in simulating spatial and interannual variation in wet inorganic N (NH4-N + NO3-N) deposition across urban areas in Latin America. Monthly wet and dry inorganic N deposition to Latin America were simulated for the period 2006-2010 using the GEOS-Chem Chemical Transport Model. Published estimates of observed wet or bulk inorganic N deposition measured between 2006-2010 were compiled for 16 urban areas and then compared with model output from GEOS-Chem. Observed mean annual inorganic N deposition to the urban study sites ranged from 5.7-14.2 kg ha-1 yr-1, with NH4-N comprising 48-90% of the total. Results show that simulated N deposition was highly correlated with observed N deposition across sites (R2 = 0.83, NMB = -50%). However, GEOS-Chem generally underestimated N deposition to urban areas in Latin America compared to observations. Underestimation due to bulk sampler dry deposition artifacts was considered and improved bias without improving correlation. In contrast to spatial variation, the model did not capture year-to-year variation well. Discrepancies between modeled and observed values exist, in part, because of uncertainties in Latin American N emissions inventories. Our findings indicate that even at coarse spatial resolution, GEOS-Chem can be used to simulate N deposition to urban Latin America, improving understanding of regional deposition patterns and potential ecological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G. Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Haley Lewis
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 365 Weil Hall P.O. Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Barron H. Henderson
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 365 Weil Hall P.O. Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Danilo Carnelos
- Facultad de Agronomía, LART, Catedra de Climatología y Fenología Agrícolas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gervasio Piñeiro
- IFEVA-LART, Facultad de Agronomía, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
| | | | - Donna B. Schwede
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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Pitre C, Ponette-González AG, Rindy JE, Lee A, Doherty D, Fry M, Johnson JA. Bird feathers are potential biomonitors for airborne elemental carbon. Environ Monit Assess 2021; 193:35. [PMID: 33409602 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08804-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Birds can serve as effective biomonitors of air pollution, yet few studies have quantified external particulate matter accumulation on bird feathers. Biomonitoring of airborne elemental carbon (EC) is of critical significance because EC is a component of particulate matter with adverse effects on air quality and human health. To assess their effectiveness for use in EC monitoring, we compared EC accumulation on bird feathers at two sites that differed in vehicular traffic volume in an urban environment within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area, USA. Moulted flight feathers from domestic chickens were experimentally exposed to ambient EC pollution for 5 days in two urban microenvironments 1.5 km distant from each other that differed in traffic volume--adjacent to an interstate highway and a university campus bus stop. Feathers near the highway accumulated approximately eight times more EC (307 ± 34 μg m-2 day-1), on average, than feathers near the bus stop (40 ± 9 μg m-2 day-1). These findings indicate that EC accumulation on feathers varies over short distances within urban areas and that bird feathers potentially can be used for biomonitoring airborne EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Pitre
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, USA
- Albrecht Daniel Thaer - Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, USA.
| | - Jenna E Rindy
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna Lee
- Department of Studio Art, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 1155 Union Circle #305100, USA
| | - Dornith Doherty
- Department of Studio Art, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 1155 Union Circle #305100, USA
| | - Matthew Fry
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Jeff A Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #310559, Denton, TX, USA
- Wolf Creek Operating Foundation, 1026 Soldier Creek Road, Wolf, WY, 82844, USA
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Hamel P, Bremer LL, Ponette-González AG, Acosta E, Fisher JRB, Steele B, Cavassani AT, Klemz C, Blainski E, Brauman KA. The value of hydrologic information for watershed management programs: The case of Camboriú, Brazil. Sci Total Environ 2020; 705:135871. [PMID: 31836212 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Investments in watershed services programs hold the promise to protect and restore ecosystems and water resources. The design and implementation of such programs is often accompanied by hydrologic modeling and monitoring, although the role of hydrologic information in meeting the needs of program managers remains unclear. In the Camboriú watershed, Brazil, we explored the value of hydrologic modeling and monitoring with respect to two dimensions: scientific credibility and use of generated knowledge in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the watershed management program. We used a combination of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and hydrologic modeling under various levels of data availability to examine when improved models and data availability might build credibility and provide more useful information for decision makers. We found that hydrologic information was not actually used for the detailed design, but rather contributed to broad-scale support of the program by increasing scientific credibility. Model sophistication and data availability improved the credibility of hydrologic information but did not affect actual decisions related to program design. Hydrologic monitoring data were critical for model calibration, and high-resolution land use and land cover data, obtained via remote sensing, affected some model outputs which were not used to design the program. Our study suggests that identifying how hydrologic data will inform decision making should guide the level of effort used in hydrologic modeling and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perrine Hamel
- Natural Capital Project, Stanford Woods Institute on the Environment, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.
| | - Leah L Bremer
- University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization and Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, United States
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203, United States
| | - Eileen Acosta
- Atlantic Forest and Central Savannas Program, The Nature Conservancy, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Jonathan R B Fisher
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N Fairfax Dr, STE 100, Arlington, VA 22203, United States
| | - Bethel Steele
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, United States
| | - André Targa Cavassani
- Latin America Region Ecosystem Services Program, The Nature Conservancy, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Claudio Klemz
- Atlantic Forest and Central Savannas Program, The Nature Conservancy, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Everton Blainski
- Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina - Epagri, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1347, Itacorubi, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Kate A Brauman
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States
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Albus KH, Thompson R, Mitchell F, Kennedy J, Ponette-González AG. Accuracy of long-term volunteer water monitoring data: A multiscale analysis from a statewide citizen science program. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227540. [PMID: 31995580 PMCID: PMC6988940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of citizen science water monitoring programs is continuously collecting water quality data on streams throughout the United States. Operating under quality assurance protocols, this type of monitoring data can be extremely valuable for scientists and professional agencies, but in some cases has been of limited use due to concerns about the accuracy of data collected by volunteers. Although a growing body of studies attempts to address accuracy concerns by comparing volunteer data to professional data, rarely has this been conducted with large-scale datasets generated by citizen scientists. This study assesses the relative accuracy of volunteer water quality data collected by the Texas Stream Team (TST) citizen science program from 1992–2016 across the State of Texas by comparing it to professional data from corresponding stations during the same time period. Use of existing data meant that sampling times and protocols were not controlled for, thus professional and volunteer comparisons were refined to samples collected at stations within 60 meters of one another and during the same year. Results from the statewide TST dataset include 82 separate station/year ANOVAs and demonstrate that large-scale, existing volunteer and professional data with unpaired samples can show agreement of ~80% for all analyzed parameters (DO = 77%, pH = 79%, conductivity = 85%). In addition, to assess whether limiting variation within the source datasets increased the level of agreement between volunteers and professionals, data were analyzed at a local scale. Data from a single partner city, with increased controls on sampling times and locations and correction of a systematic bias in DO, confirmed this by showing an even greater agreement of 91% overall from 2009–2017 (DO = 91%, pH = 83%, conductivity = 100%). An experimental sampling dataset was analyzed and yielded similar results, indicating that existing datasets can be as accurate as experimental datasets designed with researcher supervision. Our findings underscore the reliability of large-scale citizen science monitoring datasets already in existence, and their potential value to scientific research and water management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Hibbeler Albus
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ruthanne Thompson
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Forrest Mitchell
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - James Kennedy
- Department of Biology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, United States of America
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Rindy JE, Ponette-González AG, Barrett TE, Sheesley RJ, Weathers KC. Urban Trees Are Sinks for Soot: Elemental Carbon Accumulation by Two Widespread Oak Species. Environ Sci Technol 2019; 53:10092-10101. [PMID: 31403775 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Urban trees could represent important short- and long-term landscape sinks for elemental carbon (EC). Therefore, we quantified foliar EC accumulation by two widespread oak tree species-Quercus stellata (post oak) and Quercus virginiana (live oak)-as well as leaf litterfall EC flux to soil from April 2017 to March 2018 in the City of Denton, Texas, within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Post oak trees accumulated 1.9-fold more EC (299 ± 45 mg EC m-2 canopy yr-1) compared to live oak trees (160 ± 31 mg EC m-2 canopy yr-1). However, in the fall, these oak species converged in their EC accumulation rates, with ∼70% of annual accumulation occurring during fall and on leaf surfaces. The flux of EC to the ground via leaf litterfall mirrored leaf-fall patterns, with post oaks and live oaks delivering ∼60% of annual leaf litterfall EC in fall and early spring, respectively. We estimate that post oak and live oak trees in this urban ecosystem potentially accumulate 3.5 t EC yr-1, equivalent to ∼32% of annual vehicular EC emissions from the city. Thus, city trees are significant sinks for EC and represent potential avenues for climate and air quality mitigation in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Rindy
- Department of Geography and the Environment , University of North Texas , 1155 Union Circle #305279 , Denton , Texas 76203 , United States
| | - Alexandra G Ponette-González
- Department of Geography and the Environment , University of North Texas , 1155 Union Circle #305279 , Denton , Texas 76203 , United States
| | - Tate E Barrett
- Department of Geography and the Environment , University of North Texas , 1155 Union Circle #305279 , Denton , Texas 76203 , United States
| | - Rebecca J Sheesley
- Department of Environmental Science , Baylor University , 1 Bear Place #97266 , Waco , Texas 76798 , United States
| | - Kathleen C Weathers
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies , Box AB , Millbrook , New York 12545 , United States
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Ponette-González AG, Brauman KA, Marín-Spiotta E, Farley KA, Weathers KC, Young KR, Curran LM. Managing water services in tropical regions: From land cover proxies to hydrologic fluxes. Ambio 2015; 44:367-375. [PMID: 25432319 PMCID: PMC4510328 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-014-0578-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Revised: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Watershed investment programs frequently use land cover as a proxy for water-based ecosystem services, an approach based on assumed relationships between land cover and hydrologic outcomes. Water flows are rarely quantified, and unanticipated results are common, suggesting land cover alone is not a reliable proxy for water services. We argue that managing key hydrologic fluxes at the site of intervention is more effective than promoting particular land-cover types. Moving beyond land cover proxies to a focus on hydrologic fluxes requires that programs (1) identify the specific water service of interest and associated hydrologic flux; (2) account for structural and ecological characteristics of the relevant land cover; and, (3) determine key mediators of the target hydrologic flux. Using examples from the tropics, we illustrate how this conceptual framework can clarify interventions with a higher probability of delivering desired water services than with land cover as a proxy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kate A. Brauman
- />Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, 325 Learning and Environmental Sciences, 1954 Buford Ave, St Paul, MN 55108 USA
| | - Erika Marín-Spiotta
- />Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 550 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Kathleen A. Farley
- />Department of Geography, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4493 USA
| | - Kathleen C. Weathers
- />Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Turnpike, PO Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545-0129 USA
| | - Kenneth R. Young
- />Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Texas at Austin, GRG 334, Mailcode A3100, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Lisa M. Curran
- />Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- />Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Main Quad, Building 50, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
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Griffith KT, Ponette-González AG, Curran LM, Weathers KC. Assessing the influence of topography and canopy structure on Douglas fir throughfall with LiDAR and empirical data in the Santa Cruz mountains, USA. Environ Monit Assess 2015; 187:270. [PMID: 25893759 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-015-4486-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric inputs to forest ecosystems vary considerably over small spatial scales due to subtle changes in relief and vegetation structure. Relationships between throughfall fluxes (ions that pass through the canopy in water), topographic and canopy characteristics derived from sub-meter resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and field measurements were compared to test the potential utility of LiDAR in empirical models of atmospheric deposition. From October 2012 to May 2013, we measured bulk (primarily wet) deposition and sulfate-S, chloride (Cl(-)), and nitrate-N fluxes beneath eight clusters of Douglas fir trees differing in size and canopy exposure in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California. For all trees sampled, LiDAR data were used to derive canopy surface height, tree height, slope, and canopy curvature, while tree height, diameter (DBH), and leaf area index were measured in the field. Wet season throughfall fluxes to Douglas fir clusters ranged from 1.4 to 3.8 kg S ha(-1), 17-54 kg Cl(-) ha(-1), and 0.2-4 kg N ha(-1). Throughfall S and Cl(-) fluxes were highest under clusters with large trees at topographically exposed sites; net fluxes were 2-18-fold greater underneath exposed/large clusters than all other clusters. LiDAR indices of canopy curvature and height were positively correlated with net sulfate-S fluxes, indicating that small-scale canopy surface features captured by LiDAR influence fog and dry deposition. Although tree diameter was more strongly correlated with net sulfate-S throughfall flux, our data suggest that LiDAR data can be related to empirical measurements of throughfall fluxes to generate robust high-resolution models of atmospheric deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- K T Griffith
- Department of Geography, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
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Ponette-González AG, Marín-Spiotta E, Brauman KA, Farley KA, Weathers KC, Young KR. Hydrologic Connectivity in the High-Elevation Tropics: Heterogeneous Responses to Land Change. Bioscience 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/bit013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Fry M, Hoeinghaus DJ, Ponette-González AG, Thompson R, La Point TW. Fracking vs faucets: balancing energy needs and water sustainability at urban frontiers. Environ Sci Technol 2012; 46:7444-7445. [PMID: 22746694 DOI: 10.1021/es302472y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fry
- Department of Geography, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States.
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Abstract
Scientists across the globe recognize the importance of reducing carbon emissions to combat climate change. At the same time, we have increased our carbon footprint through air travel to the growing number of scientific society “mega-meetings” that host thousands of attendees. Although alternative solutions have been proposed to reduce the environmental impact of annual conferences, these have yet to be evaluated against the business-as-usual scenario. Here, we use 9 years of annual meeting attendance data from the Ecological Society of America and the Association of American Geographers to assess the efficacy of two additional solutions: 1) alternate large national meetings that require significant air travel with smaller regional meetings that do not; and 2) incorporate geography into the meeting location selection process. The carbon footprint of annual mega-meetings ranged 3-fold, from 1196-4062 metric tons of CO2. Results indicate that an alternating schedule of national and regional meetings can reduce conference-related CO2 emissions up to 73%, while improved spatial planning may result in further reductions. We discuss the benefits and tradeoffs of proposals to green scientific meetings, with a view to spark further debate on how to increase the sustainability of scientific conferences.
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Ponette-González AG, Weathers KC, Curran LM. Tropical land-cover change alters biogeochemical inputs to ecosystems in a Mexican montane landscape. Ecol Appl 2010; 20:1820-1837. [PMID: 21049872 DOI: 10.1890/09-1125.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In tropical regions, the effects of land-cover change on nutrient and pollutant inputs to ecosystems remain poorly documented and may be pronounced, especially in montane areas exposed to elevated atmospheric deposition. We examined atmospheric deposition and canopy interactions of sulfate-sulfur (SO4(2-)-S), chloride (Cl-), and nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3-)-N) in three extensive tropical montane land-cover types: clearings, forest, and coffee agroforest. Bulk and fog deposition to clearings was measured as well as throughfall (water that falls through plant canopies) ion fluxes in seven forest and five coffee sites. Sampling was conducted from 2005 to 2008 across two regions in the Sierra Madre Oriental, Veracruz, Mexico. Annual throughfall fluxes to forest and coffee sites ranged over 6-27 kg SO4(2-)-S/ha, 12-69 kg Cl-/ha, and 2-6 kg NO(3-)-N/ha. Sulfate-S in forest and coffee throughfall was higher or similar to bulk S deposition measured in clearings. Throughfall Cl- inputs, however, were consistently higher than Cl- amounts deposited to cleared areas, with net Cl- fluxes enhanced in evergreen coffee relative to semi-deciduous forest plots. Compared to bulk nitrate-N deposition, forest and coffee canopies retained 1-4 kg NO(3-)-N/ha annually, reducing NO(3-)-N inputs to soils. Overall, throughfall fluxes were similar to values reported for Neotropical sites influenced by anthropogenic emissions, while bulk S and N deposition were nine- and eightfold greater, respectively, than background wet deposition rates for remote tropical areas. Our results demonstrate that land-cover type significantly alters the magnitude and spatial distribution of atmospheric inputs to tropical ecosystems, primarily through canopy-induced changes in fog and dry deposition. However, we found that land cover interacts with topography and climate in significant ways to produce spatially heterogeneous patterns of anion fluxes, and that these factors can converge to create deposition hotspots. For land managers, this finding suggests that there is potential to identify species and ecosystems at risk of excess and increasing deposition in montane watersheds undergoing rapid transformation. Our data further indicate that montane ecosystems are vulnerable to air pollution impacts in this and similar tropical regions downwind of urban, industrial, and agricultural emission sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G Ponette-González
- Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 210 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
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