UK)
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
(EMAP)
PROGRESS REPORT
JANUARY, 2000
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CONTENTS
Introduction 4
Summary of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program 5
Background and Programmatic Context 5
Description 5
In Support of Agency and ORD Needs 5
Authorizations/Mandates 6
Program Goal and Objectives 6
NHEERL's Research Strategy for EMAP 6
Ecological Monitoring Research 7
Process and Modeling Research 7
Outreach and Technology Transfer 7
Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program 8
Scientific Products and EMAP Recognition 8
Public Access to EMAP 8
Scientific Publications 8
Symposia and Workshops 8
Peer Review 9
Awards 9
Selected EMAP Contributions to Major Environmental Decisions 10
EMAP Progress 11
Ecological Monitoring Research
Large-Scale Geographic Assessment Research:
Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) 11
Background 11
Approach 11
Major MAIA Findings 12
Future Directions 13
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Large-Scale Geographic Assessment Research:
EMAP Western Pilot Study 13
Background 13
Approach 13
Major Western Pilot Findings 13
Future Directions 14
Coastal Monitoring Initiative 14
Background 14
Approach 14
Major Coastal Monitoring Findings 14
Future Directions 14
Biocriteria 14
Background 14
Approach 15
Major Biocriteria Findings 15
Future Directions 15
Process and Modeling Research 15
Indicators of Ecosystem Health 15
Background 15
Approach 16
Major Indicators Findings 16
Future Directions 17
Index Sites 17
Background 17
Approach 18
Major Index Sites Findings 18
Future Directions 18
Outreach and Technology Transfer 18
R-EMAP and Regional Intensification Sites 18
Background 18
Approach 19
Major R-EMAP Findings 19
Future Directions 20
NHEERL EMAP PROGRESS REPORT, 1999
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INTRODUCTION
&URW3SE'
The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) is a major research
program, involving each of EPA's Laboratories and Centers, EPA Regions, states, tribes,
and universities. The purpose of this report is to communicate research progress in EMAP.
It is not the intent of the report to discuss the findings of al! EMAP partners; rather, the
objective is to focus on the contributions to EMAP made by EPA's National Health and
Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL).
This report contains
a summary of EMAP, including a description of the overall program, its goal and
objectives, an overview of the scientific products of EMAP and where to gain access
to those products, and NHEERL's Research Strategy for EMAP;
a section that highlights recent key contributions; and
a more detailed discussion of EMAP, by research area.
COMMENTS WELCOME
We welcome feedback. Readers with comments, questions, or requests for further
information are encouraged to contact:
Mike McDonald, EMAP Director
[T3 U.S. EPA, NHEERL (MD-87)
Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27711
"H" (919)541-7973
mcdonald.michael@epa.gov
NHEERL EMAP PROGRESS REPORT, 1999
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EMAP SUMMARY
BACKGROUND ANDPROGRAMMATIC CONTEXT £ : ,/j-
Description
EMAP was created in 1988 by EPA in response to a recommendation from the Agency's Science
Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB noted the need for a program to monitor the status and trends of
the nation's ecological resources, maintaining that a greater understanding of the overall health of
ecosystems would improve EPA's ability to identify emerging problems and avert potential
environmental disasters. Such a program, it was surmised, could be used to determine the
condition of ecological resources (such as estuaries or wetlands), locate regions where problems
were most severe, track trends in response to environmental protection or restoration activities, and
identify environmental stressors associated with negative trends. EPA could then more wisely target
its dollars and research efforts toward resources at greatest risk, problems of greatest concern, and
actions that provided the greatest environmental restoration gain.
Today, EMAP is a major ORD research program. It is the research cornerstone for a national
monitoring network, an effort coordinated by the President's Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources (CENR). Conceived as a cooperative venture that would unite the monitoring programs
of multiple federal agencies across the nation, EMAP's partners now include federal agencies, state
and local organizations, tribes, universities, and the scientific community at large.
EMAP is designed to help EPA answer the question, How are we doing in our efforts to protect the
environment? Instead of taking the conventional single-chemical or single-site approach to
environmental assessment, EMAP has adopted a comprehensive perspective to address longer-
term environmental problems occurring at regional or national scales. Developing the science
necessary for taking the "pulse" of the nation's resources and producing Environmental Report
Cards are the driving forces behind EMAP.
NHEERL is responsible for organizing and orchestrating EMAP. A high priority is placed on
research to develop tools for measuring the condition of ecological resources and on monitoring
designs for detecting trends in environmental condition. These methods and concepts form the
scientific underpinnings for determining the effectiveness of environmental policies and for
anticipating problems before they reach crisis proportions.
By coordinating and leveraging existing monitoring programs, NHEERL and its partners are
achieving much more through EMAP than would have been possible through individual monitoring
programs. Thanks to EMAP research, a greater understanding of ecosystem health is being gained.
In the last 10 years, EMAP has successfully developed the foundation for monitoring the status and
trends of complex ecosystems, demonstrated proof-of-concept in a five-year study of the Mid-
Atlantic region of the United States, and created the first nation-wide plan for assessing the status
of coastal ecosystems. In the next 10 years, as it is implemented by state and local organizations,
EMAP research and data will play an ever greater role in shaping environmental policy decisions.
In Support of Agency and ORD needs
EMAP research supports EPA's goal to "provide sound science to improve understanding of
NHEERL EMAP PROGRESS REPORT, 1999
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environmental risk and develop and implement innovative approaches for current and future
environmental problems." This goal (Goal 8) is one of 10 specified Agency goals developed in
response to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Although EMAP is an ORD-
wide program, its organizational home is NHEERL.
A uthorizations/Mandates
EPA's authority to improve monitoring capabilities stems from its mandates to protect and preserve
the biological, chemical, and physical integrity of the nation's resources. Both the Clean Air Act
(CAA) Amendments and the Clean Water Act (CWA) require EPA to monitor and report on the
condition of air and water, respectively. EMAP research also provides critical support for the
development of biocriteria under Section 303 of the CWA.
PROGRAM rGOALTvAND OBJECTIVES
i. -. -. » ^^ .-._.- ., _ t _1T*?ll_-^ -JT-I-1 ...*.,.. ... , . .. ... ... -i... I,
Theflroa/of EMAP is
"to monitor the condition of the nation's ecological resources, to evaluate the
cumulative success of current policies and programs, and to identify emerging
problems before they become widespread or irreversible."
To achieve this goal, EMAP is developing the scientific understanding necessary for collecting
environmental monitoring data so that it can be used to assess current ecological conditions and
trends. This enables us to forecast future risks to the sustainability of our natural resources and to
prioritize restoration efforts.
EMAP has four strategic objectives:
> to estimate the geographic coverage and extent of the nation's ecological resources with
known statistical confidence;
to estimate the current status, trends, and changes in selected indicators of the condition
of the nation's ecological resources on a regional basis with known statistical confidence;
to seek associations between selected stressor indicators and indicators of ecological
condition; and
to provide annual statistical summaries and periodic assessments of the nation's ecological
resources.
NHEEERLS,
NHEERL conducts effects-based research. Our scientists develop test methods, predictive models,
and scientific data that strengthen risk assessment and inform regulatory and policy decisions.
EMAP research is conducted by each of our ecology divisions: the Mid-Continent Ecology Division
(MED) in Duluth, MN; the Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) in Narragansett, Rl; the Western Ecology
Division (WED) in Corvallis, OR; and the Gulf Ecology Division (GED) in Gulf Breeze, FL.
NHEERL's EMAP research can be divided into four general categories, each of which contains
several key components, briefly described below.
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1. Ecological Monitoring Research
-* Large-Scale Geographic Assessment Research
Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA). MAIA was undertaken as "proof-of-concepf
research to demonstrate the scientific validity and practicality of using national environmental
monitoring methods on a regional scale. The area selected for evaluation was the Mid-
Atlantic region of the U.S. Information was compiled on the distribution of major stressors
throughout the region (such as ozone, acid deposition, nitrogen, pesticides, etc.) and major
natural resources (streams, estuaries, forests). These data were then analyzed to determine
resource condition. Summaries of results are available in user-friendly State-of-the-Region
reports.
EMAP Western Pilot Study. Like MAIA, the objective of the Western Pilot Study is to apply
national EMAP concepts and techniques to a specific region of the U.S. Unlike MAIA, which.
chose an ecologically homogeneous region of the country for study, the Western Pilot will
focus on an especially complex region, the West. This research, which was launched in
1999, will be the most comprehensive assessment of ecological conditions ever undertaken
in the West.
-# Coastal Monitoring Initiative
Under the Coastal Monitoring Initiative, a single resource (coastal areas) is being studied
across the United States. This research will use the tools of EMAP to provide a national
snapshot of the condition of coastal areas of the U.S. Ultimately, the program will
incorporate EMAP methods into State coastal monitoring programs.
-# Biocriteria
Biocriteria are a measure of water quality. Establishing biocriteria as an integral part of State
and Tribal monitoring efforts is important to EPA's Office of Water (OW). EMAP supports
biocriteria research, especially research related to the identification of reference conditions.
2. Process and Modeling Research
-# Indicators of Ecosystem Health
It is not practical to monitor every component of an ecosystem to determine its overall
condition; instead, indicators of ecosystem health are used. Indicators provide early warning
signs of ecological stress, and they can be used to detect changes in ecosystem status and
monitor trends over time. NHEERL is identifying and evaluating indicators both in-house
and through an extramural program (ORD's STAR program, discussed on page 8). '
-# Index Sites
EMAP and the National Park Service have identified research sites at important locations
across the U.S. for use in monitoring changing environmental conditions over long periods
of time. These sites are of interest to multiple federal agencies and have some degree of
environmental monitoring or effects research already in place; consequently, trends can be
monitored relatively easily and with judicious use of funds.
3. Outreach and Technology Transfer
-* Regional EMAP (R-EMAP) and Regional Intensification Sites
These projects are designed to address problems of specific concern to the Regions. They
typically tackle questions of indicator selection, sampling design, and assessment
approaches, applying EMAP principles on a relatively small geographic scale.
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4. Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program
Nearly 68% of EMAP's extramural research funds support the STAR Program. Under this
program, the scientific community may submit research proposals in response to Requests
for Applications (RfAs) developed by NHEERL scientists and ORD's National Center for
Environmental Research and Quality Assurance. The research is intended to complement
NHEERL's in-house program. Several major EMAP projects are funded by the STAR
program, such as Index Sites research and Regional Scaling. For more information on the
STAR program and its results, please refer to http://es.epa.gov/ncerqa/.
SCIENTIFICrPRODUCTS AND EMAP RECOGNITION
Public Access to EMAP
EMAP's web site (http://www.epa.gov/emap/index.html) is the primary mechanism for linking users
to EMAP data and information via the Internet. It consists of a set of linked web pages that provide
access to various components of EMAP, such as research projects, a bibliography, data sets, and
important news items. Usage statistics for the web site (more than 50 million hits since 1994) show
a consistent broad interest in the program from the federal government, states, academia, the
private sector, and environmental organizations around the world.
Scientific Publications
In its 10-year history, EMAP has produced over 1000 publications. They include over 390 peer-
reviewed papers in scientific journals, seven special journal volumes, 62 book chapters, 230
publications in proceedings of technical conferences, three books on EMAP methods, 361
government publications and reports, and seven theses. These publications form the scientific
foundation for the new EMAP technology. The complete EMAP bibliography is on the web page.
Examples include:
» US EPA, Office of Research and Development, An Ecological Assessment of the United
States Mid-Atlantic Region, EPA/600/R-97/130, November 1997. This atlas uses
measurements derived from satellite imagery and spatial data bases to depict changing
conditions across the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
> Monitoring Ecological Condition at Regional Scales. Albany, NY, April 8-11,1997. Sandhu
et al., Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, MA. 603 pp. This book contains the
proceedings of the Third Symposium on the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Program. It lays out the scientific direction for EMAP and discusses key research areas.
» US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Condition of the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries,
EPA/600/R-98/147, November 1998. This report is the first in a series of State-of-the-
Region Reports for the Mid-Atlantic. It breaks new ground in employing the latest scientific
tools and by drawing upon carefully designed sampling plans that provide broad coverage
of the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Estuary, and Delmarva coastal estuaries.
Symposia and Workshops
EMAP has sponsored numerous symposia and workshops (27 to date) to incorporate the new
technology into the monitoring infrastructure. Notable meetings include:
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" Ecological Resource Monitoring: Change and Trend Detection Workshop. EMAP, in
conjunction with the Ecological Society of America and the American Statistical Association,
sponsored a workshop on trend detection in ecological systems to determine the state of the
science in this area. The presentations will be published in a special issue of Ecological
Applications, a journal published by the Ecological Society of America.
Statistical Issues for Monitoring Ecological and Natural Resources in the United States.
Working with the American Statistical Association's section on environmental statistics,
EMAP sponsored a workshop to evaluate extant national federal monitoring programs. The
working group of statisticians evaluated 12 programs. The workshop found that all federal
terrestrial surveys have a strong probability design for the network, while none of the aquatic
monitoring efforts, except EMAP, have this as a basis for their design.
* American Geophysical Union (AGU) Chapman Conference on Nitrogen Cycling in Forested
Catchments. EMAP was a co-sponsor of this conference, which assembled 130 scientists
from 14 countries to discuss the most recent advances in nitrogen cycling. The proceedings
of the conference are being published in a special issue of an AGU peer reviewed journal.
The EMAP Symposium on Western Ecological Systems: Status, Issues, and New
Approaches. This three-day symposium, which attracted nearly 300 scientists, resource
managers, and policy makers, focused on monitoring and assessment research, ecological
indicators and monitoring designs, and ecological processes in the western U.S. The
proceedings of the symposium will be published in the international journal Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment.
Peer Review
Prior to 1995, EMAP underwent 20 peer reviews of individual components of the program as well
as a program-wide review by the National Research Council. Taking into account reviewers'
recommendations, an EMAP Research Strategy (EPA/620/R-98/001) was prepared in 1997. More
recent peer reviews include a highly favorable review in 1998 of the EMAP Monitoring Approach by
the Ecological Society of America and the American Statistical Association.
Awards
Several distinguished awards have been presented to EMAP researchers in NHEERL, including the
following.
In 1998, EMAP scientists at our Atlantic Ecology Division (Narragansett, Rl) were presented
EPA Bronze Medals by Region 3 for their work on The Condition of Mid-Atlantic Estuaries
report.
» Scientists at our Atlantic Ecology Division received EPA Bronze Medals from Region 3 for
their assessment of the impacts of mountain-top removal for large-scale extraction of coal.
EMAP researchers in our Gulf Ecology Division (Gulf Breeze, FL) received an External
Appreciation Recognition award from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(the first bestowed since 1990) for assisting the Department in developing their Integrated
Water Monitoring Program.
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SELECTED EMAP CONTRIBUTIONS TO
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS
Ha+ The State of Maryland used the EMAP publication, An Ecological Assessment of the United
States Mid-Atlantic Region: A Landscape Atlas, during the development of the Governor's
Smart Growth Initiative in 1999. The Atlas provided critical information on land cover and
land use. (p. 12)
""* The State of Maryland established a National Estuary Program to further protect its coastal
bays based on results from the EMAP report, Condition of the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries.
Released in 1998, this report analyzed estuarine health across the Mid Atlantic, revealing
important problem areas. It was hailed as a prototype for the Vice President's
"Environmental Report Card 2000." (p. 12)
""* Based on MAIA research, administrators in EPA's Region 3 were able to assess the
potential impacts of a new coal mining practice involving mountain-top removal and valley
fill to achieve large-scale extraction of coal. They concluded that the proposed plans would
increase forest fragmentation and destroy some of the most productive stream habitat in the
region, (p. 12)
""* A Biological Assessment and Biocriteria Research Strategy is in its final stages of
completion and is scheduled for release in FYOO. (p. 15)
""* EMAP indicators, when used in our probabilistic monitoring design, have reduced monitoring
costs. In one example, EMAP characterized the trophic status of northeastern U.S. lakes
using only 344 lakes, a savings in both time and cost over a conventional study requiring a
census of 2756 lakes, (p. 16)
""* EMAP has developed and delivered a national database on 10 landscape indicators for the
U.S. These indicators are being incorporated into EPA's Office of Water's National
Watershed Assessment Program, (p. 17)
""* A report called Evaluation Guidelines for Ecological Indicators is in its final stages of
completion. The report, in which 15 indicator evaluation guidelines are identified, will steer
the technical evaluation of indicators and facilitate indicator research and review, (p. 17)
""*' R-EMAP research has led to more accurate population estimates of the Oregon Coho
salmon. Research showed that historic monitoring methods overestimated salmon stocks,
and Oregon's fishery management program has since been restructured using an EMAP
approach, (p. 19)
""* A R-EMAP project in EPA Region 1 was a stunning success. The State of Maine used
EMAP study design to investigate mercury contamination in its lakes and fish. Their analysis
le; o a state-wide fish consumption advisory. New Brunswick (Canada) also issued an
advisory based-on the strength of the EMAP/Maine study, (p. 19)
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EMAP PROGRESS
ECOLOGICAL MONITORING RESEARCH:, .;:;..-.
Issue
What are the risks posed to ecosystems by stressors (alone and in combination) over time?
Objective
Develop techniques for determining how and why a system is likely to respond to stressors
and, through integrated risk assessment, enhance EPA's ability to determine whether
systems respond to risk management actions as predicted.
Anticipated Impact
Strengthen forecasts of the integrated response of large-scale ecological systems to
different management scenarios.
LARGE-SCALE GEOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT RESEARCH:
MID-ATLANTIC INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT (MAIA)
Background
MAIA was EMAP's first regional-scale study of environmental condition. It began as a
partnership between ORD and Region 3 in 1995, and later grew to include other federal and
state environmental organizations. As "proof-of-concept" research, its objective was to use
the monitoring methods developed by EMAP for a regional assessment of ecological quality
in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the U.S. The Mid-Atlantic stretches from southern New York
to northeastern North Carolina and includes Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware,
Pennsylvania, and portions of New Jersey. Various measures of ecosystem condition from
across this region were compiled and analyzed to answer the following questions:
Is there a problem?
Where is the problem located?
What is causing the problem?
Have the problems changed with time?
» What can we do about it?
Approach
Using state and federal databases in conjunction with their own monitoring research on
environmental quality, NHEERL scientists compiled vast amounts of information on the
condition of the ecological resources of the Mid-Atlantic region and its watersheds. Among
the sources of information were the National Estuary Programs; the Chesapeake Bay
Program (which has been collecting data since the late 1970s); state monitoring programs
in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia; and federal programs such as EMAP, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's (NOAA) National Status and Trends Program and
National Shellfish Register, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands
Inventory. Once information was compiled, various measures of ecosystem condition were
analyzed to assess status and trends in different resource categories. Fundamental issues,
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such as sampling design and indicator development and testing, were addressed.' The
findings are being used to produce State-of-the-Region Reports, which present resource-
specific environmental data in user-friendly terms. These reports will form the basis of an
integrated regional "report card," a concept first proposed by Vice President Al Gore.
Major MAIA Findings
* MAIA research has provided "proof of concept" far large-scale monitoring, emphasizing
regional-scale assessments rather than site-specific impacts. It demonstrated the integrated
assessment framework, and it is setting the standard worldwide for analyzing and presenting
environmental data to the public.
The first major MAIA product was An Ecological Assessment of the United States Mid-
Atlantic Region: A Landscape Atlas, released in April 1998. Using satellite imagery and.
data collected on the ground, the Atlas describes patterns of land cover and land use across
the Mid-Atlantic. The level of detail and comparability in the report has never before been
achieved across such a large region. The result is an ecological "snapshot" that allows
readers to visualize environmental conditions in the area. This important document helped
identify vulnerable environmental areas within the region, and it was used by the State of
Maryland during the development of its Governor's recent Smart Growth Initiative.
» The Condition of the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries is the first in a series of planned State-of-the-
Region Reports. Hailed as a prototype for the Vice President's "Environmental Report Card
2000," this 1998 report provides the first-ever analysis of the health of 5,500 square miles
of estuaries in this important geographic region. Included are such features as water quality,
sediment contamination, habitat change, and the condition of living resources. Both
encouraging and troubling signs were found. On the one hand, programs established to
protect estuaries are having positive effects, leading to declines in nutrient levels in the
Chesapeake Bay. However, the report also indicates the presence of high levels of toxic
chemicals in the Delaware Estuary; declines in shellfish harvests; low dissolved oxygen in
the Chesapeake Bay; and threats to coastal bays from encroaching urbanization. This report
is already effecting change in the region. Based on report results, Maryland established a
National Estuary Program to further protect its coastal bays.
» Results of MAIA's Integrated Estuarine Monitoring Program were featured in the Office
of Water's (OW) National 305(b) Report to Congress entitled "National Water Quality
Inventory -1996 Report to Congress" (EPA-841/R-97/0008). MAIA studies were cited as
an example of the direction in which aquatic monitoring should proceed. The results
emphasize the role of habitat alteration as a major factor impacting the biological integrity
of streams in the Mid Atlantic.
» MAIA has provided important insights for ecosystem management. MAIA research
showed that mountain-top forests in the Mid-Atlantic were in relatively pristine condition
(<2% fragmented), supported a high level of biodiversity, and contained high-quality
streams. Based on these data, regional administrators were able to address the potential
impacts of a new coal mining practice involving mountain-top removal and valley fill to
achieve large-scale extraction of coal. In their assessment, the proposed mining plans
would not only increase forest fragmentation, they would also destroy some of the most
productive stream habitat in the region.
Environmental indicators for biology, habitat, and land activities were developed and
linked with chemical and physical parameters to provide dynamic assessments of ecological
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resources. More information on EMAP indicators is available on page 15.
Future Directions
A number of other MAIA reports are slated for release, including an Integrated Regional
Report Card and reports on the state of streams, forests, and groundwater. MAIA also will
produce a Pesticides Profile. The next phase of MAIA is the Regional Vulnerability
Assessment (ReVA) project. ReVa will build on existing EMAP data and extend it into
regional predictions based on the most pressing environmental problems expected over the
next 5-25 years. NHEERL is developing partnerships with other Regions to adapt the MAIA
experience to different geographical areas of the country, such as the West (see the
Western Pilot Study described below).
LARGE-SCALE GEOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT RESEARCH:
EMAP WESTERN PILOT STUDY
Background
The first major integrated geographic pilot study to demonstrate EMAP concepts and tools
on a regional scale was MAIA. But are the monitoring and assessment methods developed
for the Mid-Atlantic Region applicable to other regions of the country? While the Mid-Atlantic
is rather homogeneous in terms of its natural resources, the West is a much more complex
region. It is a large territory with vast ecological variability (containing, for example, coastal,
mountainous, and arid systems). This complexity presents a great deal of uncertainty. In
this project, NHEERL will test the generalities and the core tools developed in MAIA by
applying them to the West.
Approach
The Western Pilot, a cooperative venture involving 12 western states, tribal representatives,
universities, and the western EPA Regional Offices (Regions 8, 9, and 10), was launched
in the spring of 1999. Planned as a five-year effort to demonstrate EMAP concepts across
a large and ecologically complex region, the study will focus on problems and ecosystems
of critical importance to environmental decision-makers in the West. It will be the largest
comprehensive study conducted by EPA on the ecological condition in this region.
NHEERL's overall objectives for the study are to:
test indicator performance (using the Ecological Indicators Guidelines) and survey
designs to determine the condition of western streams and estuaries,
collect data relative to critical regional issues, and
establish land cover classifications for western states.
Researchers will test landscape indicators used in MAIA to determine their utility in western
states, they will conduct stream surveys to confirm the existence of mapped streams and
determine their health, and they will collect biological and habitat data in small estuaries with
the intent of characterizing estuarine health. (This latter research is linked to the Coastal
Monitoring Initiative described in greater detail in the following section.) In subsequent
years, monitoring and assessment activities will be expanded to include aquatic resources
in forests, deserts, mountains, and the Great Plains.
Major Western Pilot Findings
The Steering Committee for the Western Pilot has endorsed the overall implementation
plans for the first year of the study. Monitoring will be conducted to determine the condition
of aquatic ecological resources and to rank potential stressors.
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Future Directions
Mapping and analysis of landscape indicators will continue, and a land cover atlas for the
West will be produced. Researchers will evaluate landscape conditions relative to aquatic
resources, and a monitoring framework for the western region will be developed for
implementation by state and federal organizations.
COASTAL MONITORING INITIATIVE
Background
This program represents the first attempt ever to measure estuarine health nationwide.
Though technically a stand-alone project, it is integrated into and operated in conjunction
with various EMAP components, such as the Western Pilot. Incorporating EMAP monitoring
methods, it is a large and comprehensive effort that is linked with state and local coastal
monitoring programs around the country. Funding for coastal monitoring was received in
FY2000.
Approach
This research will monitor estuarine communities along the Gulf coast, the Atlantic coastal
region, and - through the Western Pilot - the Pacific coast. Efforts will be aimed at
developing baseline data for trend analyses and to fill important gaps in our understanding
of the aquatic health of the Nation's estuaries. The first national estuarine Environmental
Report Card will be developed from this program. The report card will summarize the
ecological condition, or health, of estuaries. This information will be used by EPA to track
efforts to control stressors and protect these critical resources.
Major Coastal Monitoring Findings
EMAP conducted training sessions with four of the National Estuary Programs (NEPs)
to expand their ability to achieve monitoring goals. Local government personnel were
trained to collect, analyze, and evaluate data on a variety of indicators. The training
activities will be extended to all 28 NEPs as needed to incorporate these new techniques
into a national coastal monitoring program.
" Field reconnaissance was conducted in May of 1999 for the new "probabilistically based"
monitoring program for Florida, the first state to implement probability monitoring for all its
natural aquatic resources. Probabilistic monitoring will allow states to fulfill their 305(b)
Congressionally mandated reports on the conditions of their waters in a more cost-effective,
efficient manner. The first samples are scheduled for collection in January 2000.
Future Directions
It is expected that the first marine coastal Environmental Report Card will be completed in
2001.
BIOCRITERIA
Background.
A critical part of developing biological indicators is the establishment of a standard against
which the indicator may be compared to determine any deterioration in environmental
condition. This baseline standard is termed a "reference" condition, and when these
references are, embedded within State water quality standards, they are referred to as
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biocriteria. Biocriteria provide a direct measure of the condition of the aquatic community
of plants and animals, and they extend the protection offered by traditional chemical criteria
for aquatic life.
Approach.
EMAP research provides critical support for the development of biocriteria under section 303
of the Clean Water Act. NHEERL is assisting OW by providing sound scientific designs for
determining biocriteria reference sites, assessing reference conditions by measuring the
distribution and variance of biotic integrity among populations in natural waters, and
improving diagnostic methods and indicators of condition.
Major Biocriteria Findings.
A Biological Assessment and Biocriteria Research Strategy is in its final stages of
completion and will be released in FYOO.
EMAP-sponsored research on ecoregions has assisted states in their assessments of
biological criteria. For example, an ecoregion framework developed for the State of
Tennessee, complementing its watershed assessment program, has helped in the
development of biocriteria.
Future Directions.
EMAP and OW will test different approaches to establishing reference conditions for use
with biocriteria in the West under the Western Pilot. This will provide an opportunity to
address unanswered questions related to biocriteria and reference conditions.
PROCESS AND MODELING RESEARCH :...: -^ _ _..
Issue
What is the current condition of the environment, and what stressors are most closely
associated with that condition?
Objective
Develop tools for monitoring ecological systems and for determining the response of
ecosystems to multiple stressors at local, regional, and national scales.
Anticipated Impact
Enhance EPA's technical abilities for evaluating environmental condition and for assessing
the consequences of risk management options and mitigation efforts.
INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
Background
EMAP describes indicators as characteristics of the environment that can be related to the
condition of an ecological resource. They are used in monitoring programs to estimate
ecological status, detect changes in ecosystem condition, identify stressor source, predict
effects, and assess the effectiveness of management and policy actions. Indicators may be
biological, physical, or chemical measures, an index of measures, or a model. Indicators
are important tools in risk assessment, and they are central to EMAP's success. NHEERL
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promotes indicator research in two ways: 1) by coordinating an intramural program and 2)
by developing RfAs to stimulate academic research using funds from ORD's STAR program
(discussed on page 8).
Approach
The objective of this program is to evaluate indicators for their scientific validity, relevance
to ecosystem function, and responsiveness to questions of environmental value. Through
this analysis, researchers determine which indicators are of immediate value to monitoring
programs and which are in need of further development. Of great importance is the
consistency of indicators across different spatial scales (local to regional to national) and
across different levels of biological organization. EMAP measures two types of ecological
indicators:
indicators of condition, which provide quantitative estimates of the health of
ecological resources (e.g., percent pollution-tolerant organisms or the
number of individuals in fish communities), and
» stressor indicators, which identify characteristics of the environment that may
elicit a change in the condition of ecological resources (e.g., acid deposition
rates or pollutant concentrations).
Indicator development involves the study of numerous biological and ecological endpoints
at multiple sampling stations. Survey techniques are often developed in order to obtain
accurate field measurements. These measurements are then combined with output from
predictive models to evaluate indicator performance by determining whether statistical
associations exist between indicators of ecosystem condition and indicators of stress. From
this information, hypotheses are formulated regarding potential causes of change. The
approach recognizes that ecological resources are affected by multiple stressors capable
of producing cumulative effects on entire populations and communities.
Major Indicators Findings
The first regional evaluation of indicators took place in MAIA (see p. 11). This research
led to the production of a Landscape Atlas for the Mid-Atlantic region, which used more than
30 indicators (e.g., population density, patterns of vegetation change) to assess watershed
conditions in this region. Indicator research also led to the 1998 report Condition of th& Mid-
Atlantic Estuaries in which scientists applied the estuarine benthic index (using the condition
of bottom-dwelling organisms) as one indicator of the ecological status of the Chesapeake
Bay and other Mid-Atlantic estuaries.
» EMAP indicators, when used in our probabilistic monitoring design, have reduced
monitoring costs. For example, EMAP scientists were able to characterize the trophic
status of northeastern U.S. lakes using only 344 lakes, a savings in both time and cost over
a conventional study requiring a census of 2756 lakes.
* EMAP has sponsored continued research on ecoregion classifications, which allow more
efficient use of watershed indicators for environmental monitoring and assessment. These
ecoregion classifications are currently in use by over 30 states in assessments of chemical,
physical, and biological criteria.
The development of a stream habitat indicator by EMAP researchers working on surface
waters has resulted in a re-evaluation of the approach currently in use by States using OW's
Rapid Bioassessment Protocols.
EMAP research has resulted in a recommendation by EPA's OW that probability surveys
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using appropriate indicators be incorporated into State monitoring programs. This
recommendation has become part of the guidance for improving the EPA 305(b) Report to
Congress.
- EMAP has developed and delivered a national database on 10 landscape indicators for
the U.S. These landscape indicators are being incorporated into the Office of Water's
National Watershed Assessment Program.
EMAP studies, in addition to providing biological condition information, also provide data on
12 of the EPA Office of Water's 18 national chemical/physical indicators for water quality.
> The culmination of EMAP's work on estuarine indicators is embodied in the effect these
studies have had on the Agency's Indicator Report. All of the Estuarine indicators were
reviewed in the production of these reports, and several (Benthic Community Indices, Marine
Debris Estimates, Dissolved Oxygen, Contaminants, etc.) were either used directly or
offered as part of a recommended indicator.
* EMAP's dissolved oxygen studies in estuaries have directly affected the manner in which
States, OW Programs, National Estuary Programs, and National Estuarine Research
Reserves collect, analyze, and interpret dissolved oxygen information.
A report called Evaluation Guidelines for Ecological Indicators, which describes guide-
lines for developing and evaluating indicators, is in review. Indicator development experts
outside of EPA have cited the guidelines as a crucial step in assessing ecological condition.
Future Directions
NHEERL researchers will continue to test the performance of Mid-Atlantic indicators
(developed as part of MAIA) using the Ecological Indicators Guidelines and will work to
adapt those indicators to western ecosystems. As part of the Coastal Monitoring Initiative,
there will be a push to develop and implement ecological indicators to determine the health
of the nation's estuaries. Indicators of habitat suitability, landscape-level biotic processes,
aquatic health, and watershed sustainability will be developed. Indicators for intensive study
sites (Index Sites, below) will be incorporated into our regional surveys, and we will explore
ways to link ecological health indicators and human epidemiology. Ultimately, the goal is to
develop indicators that can be used to assess not only individual resources, but larger,
interlinked ecological systems.
INDEX SITES
Background
In response to program reviews and the work of the CENR, EMAP is establishing research
sites across the country from which to conduct intensive, long-term monitoring of ecological
condition. One of our partners in this effort is the National Park Service (NPS). NPS has
a history of monitoring data, and it offers a broad spectrum of ecological systems for study.
Jointly, we are working to establish a set of sites that can serve as "outdoor laboratories."
The goal is to create sites with consistent baseline ecological data that not only serve the
particular needs of EPA and the NPS, but also provide a "magnet" for research by
investigators from other agencies and institutions. Additional federal agencies will be invited
to participate as the project matures.
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Approach
The initial phase in this intensive network involves 14 sites located at National Parks across
the country. Air monitoring is under way at each site, and additional monitoring is being
initiated. The suite of stressors being monitored includes chemical contaminants (e.g.,
ozone, SOx, NOx, and metals and organics) and non-chemical stressors (e.g., UV-B
radiation and climate change). Effects research will be based on known stressors at each
site. For example, the TIME/LTM project will combine intensive site monitoring with regional
surveys to measure response to acidic deposition in northeastern lakes. Other index site
partners include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These agencies have joined EPA
to provide standardized information on coastal ecological condition through CISNet (the
Coastal Intensive Site Network), a STAR/EMAP program that will develop a network of
coastal monitoring and research locations. This research will enable us to better understand
coastal ecosystem processes, short-term coastal variability and long-term trends, and
indicators for identifying stress and responses to stress in coastal systems across the U.S.
Major Index Site Findings
> EMAP has developed a monitoring design for detecting changes in aquatic effects due to
acidification of surface waters. This design has been implemented by EMAP for lakes in the
northeast and streams in the mid-Atlantic states.
» Research on the effects of acid rain found significant declines in sulfate levels (sulfate
being the primary ingredient in acid rain) in many lakes and streams during the 1990s, an
indication of recovery from acid rain. Because the effects were detected at large numbers
of sites in many regions across North America and Europe, it was concluded that the
declines resulted from environmental regulations to reduce emissions that cause acid rain.
Future Directions
Future plans include efforts to monitor stressors of soil and sediment quality and habitat
quality, and to assess amphibian population declines and malformation rates in National
Parks using measures of UV dosimetry.
PUTREACHANDITECHJMOLOG Y/TRANSFER
Issue
Are EMAP's scientific products being used? Do they demonstrate scientific credibility, public
acceptance and accessibility, and applicability to a variety of situations or scenarios?
Objective
Transfer EMAP techniques and approaches to the Regions, States, and Tribes.
Anticipated Impact
More rigorous and scientifically defensible approaches for use by environmental decision-
makers at all levels.
REGIONAL EMAP (R-EMAP) AND REGIONAL INTENSIFICATION SITES
<
Background
R-EMAP partners include EMAP, EPA's Regional Offices, States, and Tribes. It is a
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program that uses EMAP's broad-scale monitoring principles (i.e., its statistical sampling
design and indicator concepts) to produce ecological assessments at smaller geographic
scales and in shorter time frames. The objectives of R-EMAP are to
evaluate and improve EMAP concepts for state and local use,
assess the applicability of EMAP indicators at differing spatial scales, and
demonstrate the utility of EMAP for resolving issues of importance to EPA Regions,
States, and Tribes.
Approach
Through R-EMAP, all 10 Regions have the opportunity to develop and test indicators and
conduct limited applications of the EMAP approach. Each EPA Regional Office can request
funding for use in applying EMAP monitoring approaches to assessment problems within
the regions. Research proposals are submitted to EMAP, where they undergo a competitive
scientific peer review by the Laboratory. Those approved for funding receive up to $200,000
per year. An NHEERL Ecology Division acts as sponsor, providing the funding and working
with the Region in the development of the scientific design for the projects and the analysis
and interpretation of data. Each Region, however, is responsible for implementing the
research. The Western Regions currently have the opportunity to select certain sites as part
of the Western Pilot where intensive research to acquire more information would be
advantageous. These regional intensification sites will receive additional scrutiny using
R-EMAP approaches within the broader Western Pilot context. Site examples include the
Upper Missouri Basin in Region 8, the San Francisco Bay delta in Region 9, and the
Colombia River basin in Region 10.
Major R-EMAP Findings
A project in Region 1 to evaluate mercury contamination in Maine's lakes (and fish) has
been a stunning success. The project used an EMAP probabilistic approach to sampling.
Physical, chemical, and biological samples were collected from lakes, some of which had
not been sampled in 15 years. Following analysis of the samples, Maine issued a state-wide
fish consumption advisory. The adjacent province of New Brunswick, Canada, issued its
own advisory based on Maine's results and the similarity of ecoregions. The project
triggered studies in other New England states, which have since issued advisories, resulting
in a comprehensive data base of lake characteristics and fish populations.
> A R-EMAP project has improved estimates of population size for Oregon Coho salmon.
While historic, long-term monitoring of spawning suggested minimal problems with
population size, salmon populations continued to decline. After using EMAP probability
design, more accurate population estimates were made, and it was discovered that salmon
stocks were being overestimated. These findings led to an EMAP type of monitoring
approach by the Oregon fishery management program.
» Through R-EMAP efforts in Region 4, the first broad-scale descriptions of mercury
contamination throughout South Florida (which includes the Everglades) have been
obtained. A statistical EMAP survey design provided the foundation for the research, and
can subsequently be used as a baseline to measure improvements in condition.
EMAP helped initiate the federal interagency Multi-Resolution Landscape
Characterization (MRLC) effort in 1993. EPA, USGS, and NOAA are the primary federal
partners in this effort. The MRLC is producing the first nationally consistent land cover
database in over 20 years at half the cost of having each agency develop its own coverages.
These crucial land cover classification data bases are already available for EPA Regions 1,
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2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 and will be complete for all of the contiguous U.S. early in 2000.
EMAP has provided extensive assistance in monitoring designs, indicator development,
and interpretation and assessment to all 10 EPA Regions and to 27 States. In addition,
EMAP has provided monitoring designs for 10 eastern European countries, Indonesia, the
Russian Arctic, Brazil, Kenya, Australia, and the Scandinavian countries.
Future Directions
The next round of R-EMAP projects will be initiated in 2000 following meetings to review,
select, and fund proposals.
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