United States
                                 Environmental Protection
                                 Agency
                            Office of Research
                            and Development
                            Washington. D.C. 20460
EPA620/N-92/001
February 1993
wEPA




MONITOR
                     /4n Interagency Program to monitor the nation's ecological resources
The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program

A note from Dr. Edward A. Martinko, Director of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP).

"With this issue we are establishing a different format for the 'Monitor.' We begin with an overview
perspective of the program. In upcoming issues we will focus on specific aspects of the program. Each
issue will have a feature article—such as the Monitoring Forest Ecosystems article in this issue—which will
provide a forum for reporting significant activities and demonstration project results from major ecosystem
resource groups. We will also present highlights of what is happening in selected EMAP resource and
coordination areas, as well as EPA Regions and States."

The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) is an innovative
research, monitoring, and assessment effort designed to report on the condition of our
Nation's ecosystems. EMAP objectives are to (1) estimate the current status, trends, and
changes in selected existing and newly-developed indicators of the condition of the
Nation's ecological resources on a regional basis with known confidence; (2) estimate the
distribution and extent of the Nation's ecological resources; (3) seek associations between
selected indicators of natural and anthropogenic stresses and indicators of the condition
of ecological resources; and (4) provide annual statistical summaries and periodic
assessments of the Nation's ecological resources.

Managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Develop-
ment (ORD), EMAP is a response to the EPA Science Advisory Board's recommendation to
monitor ecological status and trends and to characterize environmental problems. As
stated by the National Research Council's EMAP Committee in their June 1992 review,
"No other program is attempting to assess the status and trends of the full range of the
Nation's ecological resources in a statistically rigorous fashion. The Committee views this
national overview as the main potential contribution of EMAP."

EMAP is unique in many aspects, while drawing on the successes of other monitoring
programs: (1) its scale is national and regional across all ecological resources; (2) it is'a
long-term program; (3) EMAP uses a probability-based sampling scheme that permits the
estimation of resource condition with known confidence; (4) EMAP emphasizes biologi-
cal indicators; and (5) EMAP relies on a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the quality
of all program aspects—review comments are met with concrete actions.

EMAP's peer-review  process has already resulted in several changes, including (1)
establishing more stringent evaluation criteria for moving from the pilot to the demonstra-
tion phase, (2) experimenting with alternative sampling strategies, and (3) refining and
continuous testing of ecological indicators.  EMAP today is already different from and
stronger than when it was initiated three years ago because of its peer-review process.
                                          EMAP is assessing the condition of
                                          ecological resources—wetlands, surface
                                          waters, the Great Lakes, agroecosystems,
                                          arid ecosystems, forests, and estuaries.
                                          The program is currently in the pilot and
                                          demonstration phase for these resource
                                          areas. When fully implemented, EMAP
                                          will provide comparable, high-quality data
                                          on the condition of our Nation's ecological
                                          resources.

                                          EMAP requires active collaboration and
                                          partnerships with other EPA offices, Federal
                                          agencies, States, and a wide range of
                                          cooperating institutions. In addition, EMAP
                                          has actively solicited participation of
                                          the Nation's best scientists in the academic
                                          community and professional organizations.

                                          EMAP strives to support environmental
                                          decisionmaking and to complement
                                          existing monitoring efforts that are
                                          conducted by EPA and other agencies to
                                          meet  statutory requirements. The program
                                          will generate new ecological monitoring
                                          and assessment information, which will be
                                          combined with data from other monitoring
                                          programs to provide a comprehensive view
                                          of the effectiveness of our environmental
                                          policies.  In addition, as it accumulates
                                          data from all sources over time, EMAP will
                                          provide support for regional comparative
                                          risk assessments and strategic planning.
                                          Inside Highlights
                                          Monitoring Forest Ecosystems
                                          Regional/State Participation
                                          Current Activities 	
                                          Major Reports _
                 2
                .6
                _7
                 8

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                  EMAP:  Monitoring the  Nation's Forest  Ecosystems
Introduction
Forests co\er approximately one-third of
the United States tsee Figure 1) and are an
important part of the U.S. ecology,
culture, and economy.  Forests provide
recreation and serve essential ecosystem
functions bv supplying food and habitat
for wildlife, protecting watersheds, and
improving air quality.  Public concern that
forest ecosystems remain viable has
prompted scientists, regulators, and
resource managers to take a closer look at
the current condition of our Nation's
forests and to evaluate the potential risks
posed by air pollution, global climate
change, insects, disease, and other stressors.

EMAP is addressing these concerns
through a long-term, interagency monitor-
ing effort—the Forest Health Monitoring
Program—that is designed to estimate the
current status and extent of forest
resources and to identify associations
between stressors (natural and human
induced) and the ecological condition of
the Nation's forests. Information is
provided to  resource managers, scientists,
and the public through periodic statistical
summaries and interpretive reports.
Ultimately, these data will be integrated
with monitoring data from other ecologi-
cal resources to generate assessments of
overall environmental condition.
The Forest Health Monitoring Program is
jointly managed and cofunded by EPA
(EMAP) and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (Forest Service).  Substantial
support is provided by other cooperating
Federal and State agencies. Teams of
scientists and technical experts from these
agencies are responsible for planning and
implementing tasks in major program
areas such as design and statistics,
indicator development, logistics, informa-
tion management, quality assurance, and
assessment.  Other interagency teams,
called Regional Technical Committees,
coordinate and support field activities in
four mega-regions:  North, South,
Intermountain, and West Coast. This
team approach to planning and manage-
ment is intended to take advantage of
each agency's expertise.

Activities
During the past 3 years, the Forest Health
Monitoring program has been concerned
primarily with two major types of
activities:

•  Pilot and demonstration studies to
  '  develop and test field data collection
    methods and procedures and
    potential forest ecosystem indicators
    (current forest indicators are high-
    lighted  in  the information box on
    page 5), and
Figure 1.  Forests cover about 1.1 million square miles of the United States.
    Detection Monitoring (a demonstra-
    tion of regional-scale monitoring) to
    collect data for assessing and
    identifying trends in forest condition.
Forest Health Monitoring
Participants:

•  U.S. Department of Agricul-
    ture (Forest Service, Soil
    Conservation Service)
•  U.S. Department of the
    Interior (Bureau of Land
    Management, Fish and
    Wildlife Service, National
    Park Service)
•  U.S. Environmental Protec-
    tion Agency (EMAP)
•  Tennessee Valley Authority
•  National Association of State
    Foresters
•  States (Alabama, California,
    Colorado, Connecticut,
    Delaware, Georgia, Maine,
    Maryland, Massachusetts,
    New Hampshire,  New Jersey,
    North Carolina, Rhode
    Island, South Carolina,
    Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia)
•  Universities (Duke Univer-
    sity, Michigan Technological
    University, North  Carolina
    State University, Oregon
    State University, Pennsylva-
    nia State University, Univer-
    sity of Arkansas, University of
    Massachusetts,  University of
    Nevada at Las Vegas, Univer-
    sity of Tennessee, Virginia
    Polytechnical Institute)

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Pilot and Demonstration Studies
The first pilot study of the EMAP sampling
and plot design for forests was conducted
in 1990.  Prior to this study, critical, but
untested, factors for evaluating indicator
techniques had been questioned by some
scientists and technical experts. There-
fore, positive results, such as indications
that the design was more than adequate
for most of the measurements tested, were
an extremely important first step in
moving the program forward. The study
also resulted in recommendations for
improving sampling and logistics proce-
dures.  Several 1991 pilot studies,
conducted in Georgia, California, and
Colorado, focused on indicator develop-
ment and the applicability of indicators
and measurement procedures to different
geographical regions.

Two demonstration projects and one pilot
study are being conducted in 1992 to
further develop and evaluate forest
indicators.  In Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Georgia, the South-
east Regional Demonstration will test the
regional assessment potential of a broad
suite of indicators in the loblolly/shortleaf
pine forest ecosystem. The second
demonstration  project in the Southern
Appalachian Man and Biosphere
(SAMAB) Reserve—one of 300 interna-
tional research sites that are part of the
United Nations' Man and Biosphere
program—will  provide an opportunity to
evaluate  indicators in a second type of
forest ecosystem (principally oak-hickory)
in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The pilot study in Colorado and California
is testing a similar suite of indicators in
Western forests. In addition to these field
activities, seven small-scale field research
projects are being funded to develop and
test indicators.

Detection Monitoring
Detection monitoring in 1990 included
the establishment of more than 200
permanent plots in six New England
States and collection of first-year growth,
crown classification, and tree damage
information. Data analysis further
confirmed the effectiveness of Forest
Health Monitoring sampling techniques
used on the EMAP sampling frame:
comparisons with data from intensive
forest inventories conducted by the Forest
Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis
program, indicate that the sampling
techniques provide an accurate represen-
tation of New England forests in terms of
species composition and forest stand
characteristics.

In 1991, detection monitoring continued
in New England and was initiated in six
other eastern States. The plot network
was expanded to 925 plots.  Approxi-
mately 25,000 trees representing 106
species were tallied, and detailed growth
and crown classification measurements
were collected for 14,296 trees.
Detection monitoring activities in 1992
include revisiting established plots in 12
Eastern States and establishing additional
plots in two Western States, California and
Colorado. Data on site condition, growth,
regeneration, crown classification,
damage, and  mortality will be collected.
In the six New England States, detection
monitoring has expanded to include soil
classification  and physiochemistry
sampling on one-quarter of the forested
plots.

Preliminary Results
In 1990 and 1991, only a limited number
of indicators were measured; data are still
being analyzed and peer-reviewed.  Data
from several years are needed to make
interpretations and to identify trends in
the growth and condition of various
species and forest types.  Therefore,
Figure 2.  Forest Health Monitoring field activities 1990-1992.

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 Figure 3.  A field crew member
 places a tree core into a holder.
 Tree cores are used to measure
 radial growth and for chemical
 analysis.
                      Crown
                      density = 70'!',
          Crown
        i density = 35%
     f-
     1
Crown
density = 20"/,
Figure 4. Estimated crown density
ratings for different types of tree
crowns.
overall estimates ol forest condition are
not yet possible; however, some prelimi-
nary results are presented below.

Data collected in 1990 from the six New
England Stales of Connecticut. Maine,
Massachusetts,  New Hampshire, Rhode--
Island, and Vermont indicated the
following:

1  Approximately 10",, of the forested
    plots in New England showed
    symptoms ot ozone injury on ozone
    sensitive bioindicator plants.

•  Approximately 5"., of all trees
    showed greater than  JO",, crown
    dieback.

•  Approximately 1 ]",, of Americ an
    Beech Forests showed symptoms of
    significant  crown  dieback;
    natural causes are suspected.

Data collected in 1991 from the same six
New England States and from six addi-
tional  States:  Alabama, Delauare,
Georgia, Maryland, New  Jersey,  and
Virginia indicated the  following:

•  Approximately 69"., of the trees
    evaluated in 1991  were tree from
    injury. Of the trees that were injured,
    open wounds, closed wounds, and
    crooks accounted  for  the majority of
    the damage.  The  primary known cause
    of open wounds was logging; disease
    was the most frequent cause of closed
    wounds. Crooks were usually
    attributed to weather  and growth
    suppression by surrounding trees.

•  The majority of tree populations were
    in nominal (good-to-optimal)
    condition based on an' integrated
    measure of five crown variables—
    density, ratio, transparency, dieback,
    and diameter.

•  More than 25% of the population of eight
    species fell into the subnominal class lot
    concern to poor) for crown density; likely
    a result of natural competition.
                                                                         Although initial results primarily focus on
                                                                         tree condition, croun condition and tree
                                                                         damage measurements have significant
                                                                         implications for determining habitat
                                                                         condition for multiple species and
                                                                         processes, and over the next several years
                                                                         will be integrated with information from
                                                                         additional indicators to provide a more
                                                                         comprehensive assessment of forest
                                                                         health.

                                                                         Looking to the Future
                                                                         Preparation of the tirst national statistical
                                                                         summary from 1991  detection monitoring
                                                                         data from the northeast and southeast,
                                                                         and expansion of vital assessment and
                                                                         reporting functions are among Forest
                                                                         Health Monitoring's  1992 goals.  Activities
                                                                         in several other areas are crucial to the
                                                                         expansion of forest monitoring and to the
                                                                         production of high-quality data—
                                                                         information management, quality
                                                                         assurance, logistics, and design and
                                                                         statistics activities will continue to receive
                                                                         high priority in 1992.

                                                                         As forest ecosystem monitoring continues
                                                                         to expand nationwide, it will provide
                                                                         increasingly  comprehensive and valuable
                                                                         information for assessing and  interpreting
                                                                         long-term trends in forest condition.
                                                                         Although full implementation is still
                                                                         several years away, the Forest Health
                                                                         Monitoring program  is well on its way to
                                                                         accomplishing its goals.

                                                                         For more inlormation. contact Sam Ale\ander.
                                                                         fAMP/Vwsf Health Monitoring Technical Director,
                                                                         at 19191549-4020.
                                                                          "EPA has been very impressed
                                                                          with the quality, commitment,
                                                                          and cooperation received from
                                                                          the U.S. Forest Service. We look
                                                                          forward to a long and prosper-
                                                                          ous relationship."
                                                                                          — Dr. Ed Martinko
                                                                                             Director, EMAP

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      Forest Ecosystem
           Indicators
An indicator is a measurement that
can be used to assess the status and
trends of environmental quality, that
is, to  assess the ability of the environ-
ment to support a desired human or
ecological condition.

Forest indicators can be measured to
quantify

    • The degree of ecological/
       biologic al response

    • The magnitude oi stress on
       the forest

    • Various habitat characteristics

    • The degree o! exposure to
       stressors.

This page highlights the c urrent
Forest Health Monitoring indicators.
                                                 Ozone
                                             Concentrations
         Son» Bird Populations
         Air Pollution
         Bioindicator
            Plants
        Fire Occureiue
     Atmospheric Deposition
           Climate

Air Pollution Bioindicator Plants

        Visual Symptoms (Canop\)

      Foliar Nutrients & Contaminants

          Tree Growth Efficiency
        Photosvnthetically Active
            Radiation IPAR)
            Wildlife Habitat
 Insect Pests
and Diseases
                                                Lichen Biomonitoring
                                                 Soil Flora and Fauna
                                  Linear Habitat Classification
                                Patch Size/Pattern/Connectivity
                        Soil Nutrients & Contaminants
                             Soil Classification
                                 Forest Health Monitoring Indicators
             Environmental Value   ^  Assessment Endpoint
             Ecological Integrity
             Extent
             Aesthetics
Sustainability



Productivity


Biodiversity
Extent
Aesthetics
                                  Indicator Category
 Vegetative Quality
 Nutrient Cycling Balance
 Soil Productivity
 Contaminants

 Vegetative Quality
 Soil Productivity

 Vegetative Quality
 Biodiversity
 Vegetative Quality
 Landscape Characterization
 Vegetative Quality
 Biodiversity

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                 Highlights of Regional  and State Participation in EMAP
 The following pro\ides selected informa-
 tion on regional and State participation in
 EMAP.  Activities from other States and
 EPA Regions will be featured in upcoming
 issues of the "Monitor."

 R-EMAP
 During the Third Quarter of FY92, a new
 intra-agencv program, the Regional
 Environmental Monitoring and Assess-
 ment Program (R-EMAP) was developed
 as a partnership between EMAP, EPA's
 Regional Offices, and States to promote
 the use of EMAP technology, methods,
 and concepts  in regional, State, and local
 monitoring efforts. The objectives of
 R-EMAP are

 •   To evaluate and improve EMAP
     concepts for State and local use

 •   To assess the applicability of EMAP
     indicators and the EMAP approach at
     differing spatial scales

 •   To demonstrate the uti I ity of EMAP
     for resolving issues of importance to
     EPA Regions and  States.

 R-EMAP proposals have been developed
 by the Regional offices for studies with a
 limited geographic scale and time frame.
 Several of these proposals involve cross-
 cutting resource assessments.  R-EMAP
 projects are being designed with the goal
 of providing useful information for
 decision makers within a 1 to 2-year
 period. Projects will largely address risk-
 based issues identified in Regional
 Strategic Plans.

 Projects being considered for FY 1993
 funding by R-EMAP include

•   Conditions of fisheries in the Great
     Plains

•   Surface water indicators for streams
•   Biological assessment of streams and
     wetlands in western watersheds

•   Mercury contamination in high-value
     lakes

•   Sediment toxicity and benthic
     invertebrate structures in highly
     stressed harbors

•   Characterization of toxics problems
     in the Gulf of Mexico

•   Assessment of aquatic and riparian
     ecosystems in irrigated deserts.

R-EMAP activities will aid in demonstrat-
ing the applicability of the EMAP
approach, not only for national and
regional assessments, but also for smaller
scale, short-term applications. Ultimately,
R-EMAP activities and projects will result
in mutually beneficial changes to both
State and EMAP monitoring activities.

For more information, contact Rick Linthurst at
(919)541-4909.

California, Colorado, and
Maryland Contribute to
Monitoring Forest Ecosystems
The California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection and the Colorado Depart-
ment of Forestry have been instrumental
in the EMAP Western Forests Pilot Project.
California has provided advice, site
access, and logistical support (including
providing vehicles for field crews and
helicopter support.)  Both Colorado and
California are involved in joint field
monitoring activities with EMAP, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest Service,
the Soil Conservation Service, and the
Bureau of Land Management.

According to Sam Alexander, the EMAP
Forest Health Monitoring Technical
Director,  the State of Maryland also has
been "very proactive and responsive to
Forest Health Monitoring activities."
During 1991 and 1992, Maryland assisted
in locating and establishing sampling
plots, obtaining owner-access permission,
and providing field crews for data
collection.

For more information, contact /esse Rios of the
California Department oi forestry and Fire
Protection at 19161 b53-947b; Mike Shoemaker.
Colorado Forest Health Monitoring Coordinator, at
1303! -491-6303: or Creene /ones, Director, Region
III Environmental Services Division, at 12151 597-
4532,

Maryland Undergoes Landscape
Characterization
The EMAP-Landscape Characterization
task group produced a series of detailed
digital maps of land use in Maryland's
Chesapeake Bay watershed.  The water-
shed,  which comprises 60% of the State,
also was included in the four sample
hexagons that were selected to test the
landscape characterization methods.  The
State expects to be able to use the
characterization data  for strategic
environmental planning and natural
resource management.

For more information, contact Creene Jones,
Director, Region III Environmental Services
Division, at 1215) 597-4532.
New York Provides Crews to
EMAP-Surface Waters
The colleges of Environmental Sciences
and Forestry at the State University of
New York (SUNY) provided field crews,
via a cooperative agreement with U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, for the North-
eastern Lakes Pilot  Study (see also
"Surface Waters," page 9).

For more information, contact Barbara Metzger,
Director, Region II Environmental Services Division,
31(201)321-6754.

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EMAP-Estuaries Benefits from
New York and Rhode Island
Involvement
In support of EMAP-Esluaries Virginian
Province activities in Long Island Sound,
the New York/New Jersey Estuary Program
contributed to indicator selection and
design.  EPA Region II has proposed that
a Benthic Index, which was developed for
the Virginian Province area, be applied on
a broader scale along the New York and
New )ersey coasts.

The estuaries of Rhode Island also are
being monitored as part of the EMAP-
Estuaries Virginian Province Demonstra-
tion Project. Research sites in Rhode
Island are located  in Block Island Sound
and Narragansett Bay.

The University of Rhode Island is the lead
for a consortium of academic institutions
involved in a cooperative agreement with
EPA to conduct research, sampling, and
analysis for the EMAP-Estuaries program
in the Virginian Province. Other institu-
tions taking part in this agreement include
Rutgers  University, the University of
Maryland, and the Academy of Natural
History  in  Philadelphia, PA.  Cooperative
agreements are mutually beneficial: they
provide  EPA with access to expertise from
the academic community and the
academic institution with support for
graduate students, access to EMAP data,
and involvement in research that comple-
ments ongoing projects.

EMAP also has a cooperative agreement
with the State's Rhode Island Geographic
Information System (RIGIS).  RIGIS houses
State-level multiple resource monitoring
and demographic data. Both EMAP and
the State have benefited from shared data
and techniques.

For more  information, contact Barbara Metzger,
Director, Reg/on // Environmental Services Division,
at (2011321-6754; or Don Porteous, Deputy
Director Region I, Environmental Services Division
(617)860-4317.
                  Current Activity Highlights
The following provides selected informa-
tion on current activities of the EMAP
resource, integration, and coordination
groups.  Further information on activities
of these groups will be featured in
upcoming issues of the "Monitor."

Integration and Assessment
In addition to internal EMAP responsibili-
ties, the Integration and Assessment Team
is involved in the Ecosystem Valuation
Forum, a major  initiative sponsored by the
EPA Office of Policy, Planning, and
Evaluation and facilitated by the World
Wildlife Fund and the Conservation
Foundation.  The objectives of this
program are

•  To bring together nationally
    renowned academicians to provide
    input on how national environmental
    decisions are made

•  To help transfer information about
    EPA's ecological/economic
    approaches to the national academic
    community

•  To assist the Agency in developing
    better methods for valuing the goods
    and services provided by ecosystems.

During 1992 and 1993, one of the
Forum's anticipated primary activities will
be a case study for EMAP.  The assessment
component of EMAP-lntegration and
Assessment is seen as both a large, early
contributor and  a beneficiary of this
initiative.

For more information on EMAP-lnlegration and
Assessment activities, contact Dan  Vallero at 1919i
541-0150.

Arid Ecosystems
The EMAP-Arid  Ecosystems Team is
comprised of representatives of the U.S.
EPA (EMAP),  the U.S.  Department of
Agriculture (Forest Service, Soil Conserva-
tion Service), the U. S. Department of of
Interior (National Park Service, Fish and
Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land
menti, the Grand Canvon Trust, and 'he
Navajo Natural Heritage Program.  Th,;
summer the Team is conducting its  firs'
pilot study in the Southeast Utah portion
of the Colorado Plateau 'see Figure ~j  .
The objectives of the studv  are ' 1 • to
evaluate the applicability of the 1.5. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Gap Analysis
Program (GAP) data to EMAP; (2j to
evaluate logistical, quality assurance,  and
information management and transfer
issues; and l3i to evaluate and identify
appropriate plot design protocols for
selected pilot study indicators. Vegeta-
tion, spectral properties, and soils
indicators are being tested in tuo
biomes—conifer wood I and and scrub
desert.

The EMAP-Arid Ecosystems Pilot Stuck
results will be shared with the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, Committee
on the Challenges of Modern Socieh
Program, which is evaluating ecosystem
degradation associated with desertifica-
tion.

For more information on EMAP-Arid fcos> >ff n?>
jrf/'i /'lies, c ontact Bill Kepner jf i "OJ  ~<>8-J 193.
Figure 5. The Colorado Plateau,
Location of the EMAP-Arid
Ecosystems Pilot Study.

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                •
               -

    Major Upcoming
       EMAP Reports
Estuaries

    1990 Virginian Province
    Demonstration Project
    Report

    1991 Virginian Province
    Annual Statistical Summary

    1991 Louisianian Province
    Annual Statistical Summary

    1991 Louisianian Province
    Demonstration Project
    Report
    For more information, contact Dick Latimer at
    (401) 782-3077.

Surface Waters

    1991 Northeastern Lakes
    Pilot Study
    For more information, contact Steve Paulsen
    at 1503) 754-4428.

Forests

    1991 New England/
    Southeast Annual Statistical
    Summary
    For more information, contact Sam Alexander
    at (919) 549-4020.
Statistics and Design
EMAP's 4-year rotating sampling
schedule, a design component that
attempts to resolve conflicts inherent in
the assessment of "current" status and
"long-term" trends, has been a subject of
recent evaluation by the EMAP-Statisitics
and Design Team. The theoretical
efficiency of the 4-year rotating sampling
schedule (e.g., the EMAP design) was
compared to an alternate strategy that
prescribes visiting a group of sites for
several consecutive years with partial
replacement of sites each year (e.g. the
National Agricultural Statistical Survey
design). The research concluded that the
EMAP 4-year rotating sampling schedule
was the most appropriate method for
resolving these two conflicting design
criteria. In a related endeavor, the EMAP-
Agroecosystems team is field testing the
two sampling methods (see
Agroecosystems). EMAP-Statistics and
Design will continue its efforts to evaluate
and improve design efficiency—ultimately
maximizing results while streamlining
costs.

for more information on EMAP-Statistics and
Design activities, contact Tony Olsen at 1503) 754-
4790.

Agroecosystems
The EMAP-Agroecosystems Team is
conducting a pilot study in North Carolina
to evaluate indicators of agroecosystem
condition and to compare two design
options for monitoring agroecosystems:
the EMAP hexagon design and the
National Agricultural Statistics Survey
(NASS) design. Fifty-one hexagons from
the EMAP grid and 65 NASS sample units
were selected for use in the 1992 pilot
program. The five principal indicators
being tested in the pilot are crop produc-
tivity, soil quality, agricultural chemical
use, land use, and pond and well-water
quality.

For more information on EMAP-Agroecosystems
activities, contact George Hess at (919) 515-3311.
Information Management/
Communications
The EMAP-Ceographic Information Systems
(CIS) Team, the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection and Energy's Division
of Science and Research, and EPA Region II are
cooperatively identifying pilot data access
opportunities at the regional, State and county
levels. The goals of this project are to develop
mechanisms that allow EMAP to benefit from
State-developed CIS data and to determine
methods for identifying and developing
mutually beneficial data sets. This project will
involve the transfer of select data sets from New
Jersey (at both the State and county levels) as
well as from Region II. These data will be
incorporated into the EMAP-CIS Interface,
which will serve as the access platform.

The EMAP video titled "America's Ecological
Report Card" (EPA Report No. 600/V-92/001/
OMMSQA-DC 66) can be obtained by
contacting the U.S. Department of Commerce,
National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, VA  22161. The NTIS No. is PB92-
780865. The cost is $35.00 per copy.

For more information on EMAP-CIS activities.
contact Denice Shaw at 1703) 341-7510.
 "We are aggressively devel-
 oping a Statewide, quality
 database which I think
 could benefit EMAP...
 I am particularly interested
 in exploring a mechanism
 whereby data developed at
 the State and local level can
 be incorporated into the
 national framework of
 EMAP."
          —Henry L. Garie,
             Assistant Director,
             New Jersey Department
             of Environmental
             Protection and Energy.

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Wetlands
The EMAP-Wetlands Program initiated two
pilot projects. One, a cooperative effort
with Louisiana State University, is a study
of the performance of key saltmarsh
indicators for assessing the condition of
Gulf Coast wetland communities. Data
depicting the following indicators was
collected last summer and currently is
being analyzed: biomass, percent cover,
species density, stem length, stem
diameter, percent organic,  salinity, redox
potential and pH, sulfide, hydraulic
conductivity, cesium 137, tidal hydrogra-
phy, and chemical constituents. Analysis
of this information will  be used to select
indicators for phase two of the project
(next summer).

The second indicator evaluation pilot
project, a cooperative effort with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, is designed to
evaluate the performance of various
indicators of prairie pothole condition in
the upper midwestern States.  Common to
both projects is the attempt to identify and
collect data for individual and group
indicators that,  in conjunction with
rigorous statistical analyses, will deter-
mine regional resource condition.

For more information on EMAP-Wetlands activities,
contact Spencer Peterson at 1503) 754-
4457.
                                  •

                            -
                        .
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V*.
                     Great Lakes
                     The field season for EMAP-Great Lakes
                     officially began during April and May
                     1992 with activities in Lakes Michigan
                     and Superior.  Using the EPA Research
                     Vessel, Lake Guardian, as the sampling
                     platform, the EPA Great Lakes National
                     Program Office collected samples for
                     indicators of trophic status in the offshore
                     water for both lakes. Twelve EMAP grid
                     locations were sampled in Lake Michigan
                     and twenty-five in Lake Superior for
                     response, exposure, and habitat indica-
                     tors. Analysis  of chemical parameters is
                     near completion; biological samples are
                     expected to take several months to
                     process. In an effort to coordinate with
                     EMAP, the Canadian Centre for Inland
                     Waters expanded their regular sampling
                     schedule for the Upper Lakes Surveillance
                     Program to include nine EMAP offshore
                     base grid locations in Lake Superior.

                     For more information on EMAP-Great Lakes
                     activities, contact Steve Hedtke at (218) 720-5610.

                     Surface Waters
                     The 1991  EMAP Surface Waters North-
                     eastern Lakes Pilot Study demonstrated
                     the approach and design for selecting and
                     sampling a representative set of lakes to
                     be used in describing lake condition. The
                     first pilot focused on indicators related to
                     trophic condition. Additional biological
                     indicators (fish, macro-invertebrates,
                         riparian birds, etc.) were evaluated
                       -      and added to the 1992 Lake
                              Pilot. Several academic
                               organizations have been
                                 involved in the Northeastern
                                           Lakes Pilot effort:
                                                                •    The colleges
                                                                 of Environmental
                                                                 Sciences and
                                                               Forestry at the State
                                                                 University of New
                                                                 York, Syracuse
                                                               provided field crews
                                                             via a cooperative
                                                         agreement with the  U.S.
                                                   Fish and Wildlife Service. [The
                             .
     1992 Northeastern lake* Pilot was
     conducted as a cooperative effort
     between EPA /ORD, Regions I and II
     and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
     Service).

•   The Harvard Museum of comparative
     zoology verified fish specimens from
     the 1991 Lake Pilot; the specimens
     will be incorporated into the
     museum's collection of archives.  This
     cooperative effort continued during
     the 1992 Lake Pi lot and will be
     expanded to other museums in future
     pilot projects.

•   Dartmouth col lege evaluated
     zooplankton samples from the 1991
     Northeastern Lakes Pilot in order to
     determine the suitability of this group
     of animals to serve as indicators of
     biological integrity in lakes. Analyses
     confirm that results of previous
     investigations can be generalized to
     broader groups of lakes and that
     zooplankton show strong promise as
     indicators of lake condition.

In conjunction with the 1991 Northeast-
ern Lakes Pilot, the University of Maine
conducted an evaluation of the feasibility
of a riparian bird indicator for lakes. The
study found a strong correlation between
the number of bird species and lake size
and temperature (warm or cold water
fisheries).  In addition, the lakes with
moderate levels of human
settlement could be distin-
guished from more intensively
developed lakes based on the
bird assemblages. Riparian
bird data continues to be
collected in the 1992 pilot.

For more information on
EMAP-Surface Waters
activities, contact
Steve Paulsen at
1503)754-4428.
                                                                                                         >**»«, ,",v-.'
                                                                                                                   - :„-•-•-

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 Estuaries
 The EMAP-Estuaries Team is in the
 process of defining a new level of
 interagena cooperation with the
 establishment of the National Atmos-
 pheric and Oceanic Administration
 (NOAAVEPA loint Office of Coastal and
 Marine Environmental Quality Monitor-
 ing. The joint office is charged with two
 specific tasks for the coming year:

 •   Producing a  joint NOAA/EPA report
     on the distribution and effects of
     toxic contaminants in the Virginian
     Province (an area from Cape Cod to
     the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay),
     and

 •   Designing an implementation plan
     for monitoring the estuaries  of the
     Carolinian Province (an area from
     Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral).

 This partnership—actually an extension
 of the cooperation that began at the start
 of the EMAP-Estuaries Program—will
 serve as a model  for future EMAP
 collaborations.

 Cooperation is also evident in regional
 demonstration projects. In 1990, EMAP-
 Estuaries initiated its first demonstration
 project—sampling 217 stations through-
 out the estuaries of the Virginian  Province.
 These efforts continued  in 1991 and
 demonstration efforts  were expanded to
 the estuaries of the Louisianian Province
 (an area  in the Gulf of Mexico from
 northern Florida to the Mexican border).
 Monitoring continues this summer in both
 geographic provinces. Virginian  Province
 activities are being facilitated by  a
 consortium of academic institutions (see
 "Rhode Island," page 7)  involved in
 research, sampling, and analysis  for the
 project.  Several academic organizations
 also are supporting Lousianian Province
 1992 activities:

•   Texas A&M University is providing
     field crew support and contaminant
     analyses for sediments,
•    The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
     is providing field crew support and
     benthic sample processing, and

•    The University of Mississippi is
     providing field crew support and fish
     tissue contaminant analysis.

In a  related endeavor the Louisianian
Province Team presently is working with
the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program's Toxics
and  Pesticides Subcommittee to develop a
monitoring plan based on the EMAP
design that allows assessment of State and
local issues.
Several reports that provide more detailed
information on these two demonstration
projects are highlighted in the information
box on page 8.  One information product,
the EMAP-Estuaries Geographic Informa-
tion System (CIS) poster, which illustrates
how CIS technology was used in the 1990
Virginian Province Demonstration Project,
received high profile as one of six EPA
CIS presentations exhibited at the
Conference on the Environment (the Earth
Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (figure 6
highlights  one of the information panels
from this poster).

For more information on EMAP-Estuaries activities,
contact Dick Latimer at 1401) 782-3077
Figure 6.  Adapted from the EMAP-Estuaries CIS Poster.
                                     Salinity	
                                     Contours were created with mean bottom
                                     salinity values measured during the 1990
                                     Demonstration Project. Salinity values will
                                     be used in the post stratification of results
                                     for many analyses such as benlhic biology
                                     and distribution of fish biota.

                                     EMAP collects and integrates a variety of
                                     new and existing data for analysis and
                                     assessment.
            Delaware

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             Opportunities for Environmental Scientists in a Multi-disciplinary Research Program
 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking scientists with strong leadership abilities and expertise in ecological research,
 monitoring, and assessment to join the national Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). EMAP is an innovative,
 multi-agency program designed to estimate status and trends in the condition of our Nation's ecological resources. Exemplary scientists
 of all levels are needed to support EMAP's technical center in the Research Triangle Park area of central North Carolina. Applicants
 should possess technical proficiency in terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and/or landscape ecology; experience with multiple-resource
 integration and assessment is also desirable.

 EMAP-Center provides a stimulating research environment with many opportunities for scientists:

•    Access to area research  universities and science facilities

•    Interaction with the national and international scientific community

•    Availability of funds and research support that allow senior scientists to remain active in their research fields

•    Leadership role in an innovative ecological research, monitoring, and assessment program.

 To request more information, please write

                                               Edward A. Martinko, Director
                               The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (RD-680)
                                           U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                                    401 M Street, SW
                                                 Washington, DC 20460
  The EMAP Monitor is prepared by EMAP staff in EPA's Office of Research and Development. The EMAP Monitor is intended to inform
  interested agencies and individuals of current activities and findings from the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program.

  If you currently do not receive the Monitor and would like to be added to the distribution list (or know of others who might be inter-
  ested), please complete the form below. Please also use the form to inform us of any change of address.  Return to Dorothy Williams,
  EMAP Monitor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (C-72),  26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268.
         Name:
     Affiliation:

       Address:
    Please check the appropriate box:

    Q   I am interested in receiving the EMAP Monitor.
         Please add my name to the distribution list.

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         Monitor.  Please remove my name from the
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    Q   Please note my change of address.
    Name:
 Affiliation:

   Address:
Please check the appropriate box:

Q   I am  interested in receiving the EMAP Monitor.
     Please add my name to the distribution list.

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     Monitor.  Please remove my  name from the
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-------