ited States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Western Ecology Division
Update
Spring 2008
Office of Research &
Development
National Health &
Environmental Effects
Research Laboratory
below: 'Northern Pike undergoes
biopsy sampling; tissue sample
will be tested for methylmercury
Corvallis, Oregon
EPA/600/N-08/002
FRESHWATER ECOLOGY BRANCH
Since the late 1980's, there has been a down-
ward trend in mercury emissions from manu-
facturing sources in the U.S. But according
to WED's Dr. Spencer Peterson, mercury in
stream fish tissue still exceeds the USEPA
tissue based water quality criterion in several
stream reaches across the Western U.S.
Mercury consumption via fish remains a
concern for both humans and wildlife because
of their Methylmercury (MeHg) content.
Since 2002, Peterson has carried out a series
of studies to assess the regional extent of the
problem.
MeHg is bioaccumulative; each fish absorbs mercury from the smaller fish or
organisms it eats. Thus, older, larger fish have more Hg in them than small fish.
MeHcpMethylMercury
Large-scale combustion of fos-
sil fuels like coal release tons
of mercury (Hg) into the
atmosphere. When it is depos-
ited in waterbodies (lakes,
rivers and wetlands), bacteria
transforms some of the Hg into
methylmercury (MeHg), the
most toxic form.
2002: "Level and Extent of Mer-
cury Contamination in Oregon,
U.S.A. Lotic Fish "—This was the
first statistically designed survey
of its kind for the state of Oregon;
it assessed the proportion of
stream length affected by fish tis-
sue Hg (mercury) concentrations
considered harmful for human and
wildlife consumption.
2005: "A Biopsy Procedure for
Determining Filet and Predicting
Whole Fish Mercury Concentra-
tion "—Non-lethal biopsy sampling
is a reliable predictor of whole-fish
Hg concentration. A tissue sam-
pling procedure was used to meas-
ure Hg in filet, and then compare it
with whole-body Hg concentration
of the same fish. Fish were ana-
lyzed at 65 sites across 12 Western
States, and a tight correlation re-
sulted in an equation for predicting
whole-body Hg concentration
from Hg concentration in filets.
Filet samples can be collected us-
ing a non-lethal sampling method.
2007: Holding Time Study
"Mercury Concentration in Frozen
Whole-Fish Homogenates is Insensi-
tive to Holding Time "— The most
recent research demonstrates that
there is no difference in Hg concentra-
tion measured in the same frozen fish
tissue sample when the analyses were
done 4 years apart. This extends the
acceptable fish tissue holding time for
analysis from the current 28-60 day
period to at least 4 years and probably
longer, since there was no statistically
significant change. Frozen fish tissue
can be held for at least 4 years without
affecting analytical results.
V-:
2007: West Stream Study
"Mercury Concentration in Fish from
Streams and Rivers Throughout the
Western United States "—This was
the first application of probability
sampling of streams for Hg in fish
tissue over a large area (12 Western
States).
Salmonids (i.e., salmon, cutthroat
trout) were assessed for mercury con-
centration in 125,000 km of stream-
length. In 11% of the assessed stream
length salmonids exceeded the wild-
life criteria value (0.1 (igHg/g). In
2.3% of stream length salmonids ex-
ceeded levels acceptable for human
consumption (0.3u.gHg/g). Piscivo-
rous fish (those that eat other fish) in
31,400 kilometers of stream were
also assessed. In 93% of assessed
stream length, individuals exceeded
0.1u.gHg/g. In 57% of assessed
stream length, individuals exceeded
0.3ugHg/g.
left: map shows scope of 2007 WED
study of streams in Western U.S.
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ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS BRANCH
In a Nutshell:
PATCH is a spatially
explicit, individual-based
life history simulator
designed to predict how
the numbers and distribu-
tion of wildlife species will
change overtime.
The model can predict
how wildlife populations
will respond to multiple
interacting stressors, how
population density will
increase or decrease,
and whether the species
is likely to go extinct. It
can produce maps of
where the species will be
found as a landscape
changes with time.
PATCH ("Program to
Assist Tracking Critical
Habitat") is a complex,
spatially explicit com-
puter model developed at
WED by Dr. Nathan
Schumaker. The model
can address diverse ques-
tions using multiple data-
sets to introduce various
factors into each simula-
tion.
PATCH was designed to
predict the potential ef-
fects of stressors such as
pesticides, pollutants and
land-use changes on eco-
systems, and the long-
term response of various
species to such stressors.
For example, habitat
types, weather conditions,
food sources or disease
events can be added or
removed to determine the
effect on a population.
Simulations can be used
to explore the efficacy of
anticipated habitat recov-
ery efforts.
Canadian researchers, led
by Dr. Julie Heinrichs,
recently sought input
from Dr. Schumaker to
assist them in predicting
the fate of the "at-risk"
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
(Dipodomys ordif).
Ord 's Kangaroo Rat was
once abundant in
Canada's arid sandhill
region.
Seeing an opportunity to
work with a dataset that
could test and improve the
model for EPA applica-
tions, Schumaker helped
parameterize PATCH for
this use by the Canadian
research team.
Ord's Kangaroo Rat is a
nocturnal desert dweller
whose energy require-
ment is met by a cheek-
pouch load of seeds daily.
It builds a complex under-
ground burrow, and can
survive for long periods
without water.
This solitary animal re-
quires an open, sparsely
vegetated, sandy habitat.
Kangaroo Rats are impor-
tant prey for many
raptors, reptiles, and
mammals, some of which
are considered at risk in
Alberta.
Under Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA), habitat that is critical to listed animals
must be identified. Mapping such habitats requires integration of habitat availability
and quality, as well as a population analysis that indicates the potential future "success'
of the species.
The goal of Heinrichs and
her colleagues was to iden-
tify and assess habitats nec-
essary for recovery and
long-term persistence of
Ord's Kangaroo Rat (K-Rat)
using WED's spatially
explicit population model.
While kangaroo rats in gen-
eral are wide-spread in the
U.S., Ord's Kangaroo Rat
is listed as "at risk" in Can-
ada's Alberta and Sas-
katchewan provinces due to
%iu_-_
xT
? ";
loss of its arid sandhill
habitat.
In the model, a simulated
population of K-Rats was
distributed throughout the
landscape; location and
movement of the individu-
als, and data on their over-
wintering, reproduction,
and summer survival,
were tracked through the
landscape over a 50-year
period. Schumaker set the
model's parameters to
assign habitat quality
scores to pixels on a map,
and then integrated them
into a hexagonal grid.
left: clusters of yellow
and green hexagons rep-
resent high quality indi-
vidual territories of
Dipodomys ordii on this
PATCH simulation map.
PATCH may help predict
what the future holds for
K-Rat, and the results of
this study will potentially
be used as a benchmark
for alternative manage-
ment scenarios.
The use of WED's
PATCH model by Cana-
dian scientists demon-
strates not only its versa-
tility in a variety of appli-
cations, but also the value
of EPA research to other
nations and their agencies.
PATCH is currently util-
ized by EPA's Office of
Pesticide Programs for
ongoing research on the
effects of pesticides in
the environment.
-------
PACIFIC COASTAL ECOLOGY BRANCH
Western Ecology Division scientist
Dr. James Power, working in
collaboration with the Oregon
Department of Fish & Wildlife
(ODFW), has been implanting
"pinger" devices into juvenile fish
and tracking their journeys to the
sea in an effort to learn more about
fish populations and migration pat-
terns.
Determining whether or not estua-
rine habitats are functioning prop-
erly to support salmonid popula-
tions is necessary because, under
the Clean Water Act, States must
designate specific uses for their
right: Derek Wilson (ODFW)
surgically implants tracking
device into smolt. The fish are
held for observation for up to a
week before release.
far right: Dynamac employees
Lucas Nipp and Una Monaghan
also searched for fish in the Alsea
River by kayaking downstream
while keeping an acoustic receiver
in the water to count fish.
How Do You Count Fish in a River?
Jim Power and the ODFW implanted
tiny transmitters in downstream-
moving coho, cutthroat, and steelhead
smolts at upriver locations in Oregon's
Yaquina and Alsea Rivers. Acoustic
receivers, which record the date, time
and individual ID of passing fish,
were deployed in the water along the
migration route. The receivers can
detect the signal from the fish at dis-
tances of up to 300 meters.
waterways, and periodically report
on those waterways. In Oregon,
"salmon rearing and migration" is
an important designated use for
many estuaries.
The downstream migration of sal-
monid smolts is an important phase
in the fish's life cycle: the fish is
under physiological stress as it tran-
sitions to the saltwater environment,
and it is also at greater risk of pre-
dation. Power's study tracked the
movements of migrant salmonid
smolts captured in tributaries of the
Yaquina and Alsea Rivers, and also
hatchery-raised smolts.
Salmonids are fish in the salmon
and trout family. Many salmonids
hatch in freshwater, migrate to the
ocean, and then return upriver to
spawn in fresh-water streams.
A smolt is a juvenile salmonid at
the stage where the fish becomes
physiologically adapted to saltwa-
ter and begins its trek to its salt
water environment.
left: A rotary screw trap
operated by Oregon
Department of Fisheries
and Wildlife. Migrating
smolts that are moving
downstream are captured
and held by the trap, al-
lowing ODFW to monitor
the salmon populations in
Oregon's coastal
streams.
Summary: Smolt Movements in Yaquina & Alsea Rivers/Estuaries:
Once entering the main channel of the river, smolts generally move downstream
rapidly, and spend more than half their time in the estuary reach nearest the
ocean, near seagrass beds and extensive tide flats. Smolts did not necessarily
enter the ocean at their first opportunity; rather some approached within a few
hundred meters of the open ocean, and then moved back up the estuary.
The seagrass beds are thought to be
an important habitat for these fish
while in the estuary. This research
underscores the importance of the
estuarine habitat, and will help
inform decisions that could help
protect this habitat in the future.
-------
ECOLOGY BRANCH NOTES
Eelgrass is a vital element of estuarine
habitats, and their growth depends on
receiving sufficient light to carry out
photosynthesis. If light is not suffi-
cient, plants must utilize stored energy,
depletion of which can eventually re-
sult in mortality. The minimum hours
of pigment-saturating (Hsat) daylight
needed by eelgrass has been estimated
at 3-5 per day. However, this value
has not been measured in the labora-
tory. Now, eelgrass harvested from
Yaquina Bay, Oregon is being grown
by Dr. Bruce Boese in 1,000 gallon
indoor mesocosms and exposed to
various light treatments. Results of a
similar experiment last summer indi-
cated that eelgrass was able to survive
and grow if Hsat light exceeded 4
hours daily. Data will be used by Drs.
Pete Eldridge and Jim Kaldy to aid in
the development of a model which will
predict seagrass responses to changes
in light, nutrients, temperature, salinity
and sediment chemistry.
Pilot experiment of eelgrass
growth in mesocosms
Recently Dr. Henry Lee II (PCEB)
was interviewed for an article in
"Ballast Exchange Newsletter" of the
West Coast Ballast Outreach Project,
based at the University of California/
Davis. The interview focused on sev-
eral of Henry's current projects, in-
cluding the PCEIS database (which
combines detailed distributional data
on native and non-native species), his
technical assistance to IMO
(International Maritime Organiza-
tion), and recently, his evaluation of
an Aquatic Invasive Species theory
based on biogeography.
To read full text of article, click here
and scroll to pages 4-5
Ballast water
Ballast water is carried in ships
to provide stability. At the ships'
destination, the water is
pumped out, along with any
organisms it contains; these
"hitchhiker" organisms can be
invasive and detrimental to
local marine ecosystems.
FRESHWATER ECOLOGY BRANCH NOTES
Since the mid 1990's, surplus fish
carcasses have been placed in Pacific
Northwest streams and rivers in an
effort to boost nutrient levels needed
by wild juvenile salmon. To deter-
mine how over-wintering juvenile
salmon utilize nutrients, Dr. Robbins
Church has developed an approach
for analyzing stable isotopes of car-
bon and nitrogen in fish mucus, a rap-
idly-changing "tissue" not previously
analyzed for isotopes. At the Oregon
Hatchery Research Center, Church and
colleague Dr. Joseph Ebersole are
conducting feeding experiments under
controlled conditions and measuring
the relative rates of isotopic change in
mucus vs. muscle tissue. The data in
this groundbreaking study will comple-
ment data collected from wild fish, and
will help evaluate restoration strategies
that may benefit wild salmon through-
out the region.
What is a Stable Isotope?
The element carbon, for
example, has 6 protons in its
nucleus, but the number of neu-
trons (6, 7 or 8) determines the
atomic mass and the specific
isotope.
When carbon is passed from
one system to another (as from
a food source to the tissue of an
animal) there is a slight prefer-
ence for either the heavier or
the lighter isotope, so the ratio
changes, producing a distinctive
isotopic "fingerprint".
In June 2006, the US Supreme Court
ruled in two cases concerning juris-
diction under the Clean Water Act
(CWA). The decisions, which deal
with CWA jurisdiction of non-
navigable streams and adjacent wet-
lands, have increased the need for
scientific information to inform fu-
ture policies and legislation.
In a recent journal article, Drs. Scott
Leibowitz and Jim Wigington pro-
pose an approach for addressing
these science needs.
In summary:
• Addressing the science needs
prompted by the Supreme Court cases
requires that the various waters be
regarded as components of integrated
hydrological and ecological systems.
• Leibowitz and colleagues define
metrics of hydrological permanence
and significant nexus.
• Applying these metrics could help
implement the new legal standards
during jurisdictional determinations.
Significant Nexus
refers to the effects of non-
navigable streams and adjacent
wetlands on the chemical, physi-
cal and biological integrity of
navigable waters.
-------
L EFFECTS BRANCH NOTES
There is a growing appreciation for
the importance of soil carbon to
ecosystem productivity and as a reser-
voir for carbon, yet our understanding
of soil carbon stability and distribu-
tion is limited. Soil carbon comprises
about 75% of all terrestrial carbon,
however, current soil carbon maps are
inadequate in representing these
stocks, which are vulnerable to loss,
as part of a dynamic carbon cycle. An
improved inventory and monitoring
approach is needed to assess not only
its distribution, but also its stability in
a changing environment. Dr. Mark
Johnson, a Soil Scientist at WED, has
been invited to serve on the Scientific
Steering Group of the National Soil
Carbon Network. This network is a
collaborative effort to produce high-
resolution information on soil carbon
stability and distribution of soil carbon.
The sequestration of additional carbon
in soil may reduce atmospheric carbon
loads and help to mediate the effects of
climate change.
BEYOND WESTERN ECOLOGY DIVISION
The report, A Summary ofNHEERL
Ecological Research on Global Cli-
mate Change, spans 14 years of re-
search conducted by EPA/Office of
Research and Development at its Na-
tional Health and Environmental Ef-
fects (NHEERL) research facilities.
Edited by Drs. Peter Beedlow and
David Tingey, the compendium pre-
sents findings on how global climate
change may affect terrestrial, fresh-
water and marine ecosystems as
well as agriculture. This research
has provided a better understanding
of the potential effects of global
warming and rising levels of atmos-
pheric CO2 on natural and managed
ecosystems.
Soil: a key life support system
SB*
A Summary of
NHEERL Ecological Research
on Global Climate Change
left: At WED's mesocosm facilities,
KristyMathes (with clipboard) of
Terrestrial Ecosystems Research
Associates (TERA) gives a tour of the
Asymmetric Warming experiment.
Preliminary results from the DOE/
EPA cooperative agreement study on
asymmetric warming conducted by
Dr. Jillian Gregg (TERA) show that
grassland mesocosms exposed to
asymmetrically elevated temperature
treatments (+5°C daily minimum /
+2°C daily maximum) had substan-
tially higher respiratory costs in re-
sponse to the warmer night tempera-
tures. However, assimilation also
increased in response to warmer
mornings and milder midday tem-
peratures, resulting in no biomass
difference when compared to sym-
metrically elevated temperature
treatments.
The question now is whether vege-
tation in the asymmetric treatments
will grow more in response to
longer growing seasons. The ex-
periment will also look for changes
in species composition and abun-
dance, and determine if there are
changes in flowering times in re-
sponse to the altered temperatures.
The study continues through June,
2010.
Invasive zebra mussels and quagga
mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and
D bugensis ) have been aggressively
spreading in many U.S. waterways.
Now, a team of researchers, including
Western Ecology Division scientist
Dr. Paul Ringold, have created an
ecoregion "risk" map based on cal-
cium concentrations, to determine
where the mussels could successfully
invade. Primary data were taken from
surveys made by the U.S. EPA's Envi-
ronmental Monitoring and Assessment
Program, and Wadeable Streams As-
sessment. The map can help determine
where resources should be targeted
for management of the invasive s.
above: Zebra mussels compete
with native species, and can clog
pipes and other municipal water
infrastructure.
-------
BEYOND WESTERN ECOLOGY DIVISION
Australia: Dr. Mark Johnson attended
the 3rd International Conference on
Mechanisms of Organic Matter Stabili-
zation and Destabilization in Soils and
Sediments to give a presentation and to
work with Australian colleagues on soil
assessment methods. Johnson also met
Brazil: Dr. Phil Kaufmann was invited
to the Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil to do research
and teaching in connection with the
Manuelzao Project, which includes de-
velopment of biomonitoring of water
quality, physical habitat and aquatic bio-
diversity of the Velhas River watershed.
China: Dr. Walt Nelson attended the
2nd Global Conference on Large Marine
Ecosystems (LME's) in Qindao, China
in September. On the agenda were
monitoring, assessment and manage-
ment of marine resources and ecosystem
France: Dr. John Stoddard attended
the 23rd Task Force Meeting of the
International Cooperative Programme
(ICP) on Assessment and Monitoring
of Acidification of Rivers and Lakes in
Nancy, France. Eighteen European
countries, the US and Canada supply
with the Australian scientist who
shares one of his own research inter-
ests: the effects of manufactured
nanomaterials on the environment.
One of the expected results of the
Conference is information sharing
and possible collaborations.
The Brazilian monitoring community
has been interested in the integrated
approaches of Environmental Moni-
toring and Assessment Program
(EMAP), which they learned of on
EPA's web site. Dr. Kaufmann's
visit will provide the foundation for
national biomonitoring in Brazil.
health, impacts of climate change on
LMEs, socioeconomics and valua-
tions of LMEs, assessment of the
impacts of climate and anthropo-
genic factors, and cooperative global
programs for action.
data on acidification to a central data-
base; analysis of the data provides an
understanding of long-range trans-
boundary air pollutants, heavy metals
and organic pollutants. The project
demonstrates the benefit of interna-
tional agreements to reduce emissions
of pollutants.
'
above: Freshwater Ecology Branch
Chief Dr. Tony Olsen (left) and Dr.
Kuegel at WED
Dr. Benno Kuegel, a biologist
with the Bavarian Ministry of
Environment's Agency of Water
Management in Germany, spent
two months at WED in Corvallis
during 2007 working with West-
ern Ecology Division scientists
and learning about WED's fresh-
water assessment methods. Dr.
Kuegel also shared information
about sustainable water manage-
ment practices in Bavaria.
above: Qindao, China—a junk
(traditional Chinese sailing
vessel) in Qindao.
Photo courtesy of Walt Nelson
India: Dr. Kristina McNyset attended
the Joint Workshop on Ecological
Forecasting in Pune, India in August.
The workshop addressed the rapidly
evolving discipline of ecological fore-
casting. The meeting exposed Indian
United Kingdom: Dr. Chris Andersen
attended the September SETAC Con-
ference on Environmental Effects of
Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials in
London. While production of nanoma-
terials is expanding rapidly, their ef-
fects on the environment remain in
scientists to U.S. advancements in
ecological forecasting; brainstorming
common areas of interest led to col-
laborative work programs and a
framework for an Indo-U.S. Virtual
Centre for Ecological Forecasting.
question. Meeting highlights in-
cluded: properties of nanoparticles in
the environment; detection and bioas-
says for nanosubstances; and envi-
ronmental and industrial applications
of nanotechnologies. Also discussed
were regulation, and policy issues.
above: Pune, India—local women
created sand mandala on floor of
hotel lobby to celebrate a festival.
Photo courtesy of Kristina
McNyset
-------
'NANO" MAKES BIG NEWS
Engineered nanoparticles have the
potential to be used in every sector
of the economy, including consumer
products, health care, energy, and
agriculture, and to improve how we
monitor, manage, and minimize con-
taminants. By 2014, 15% of all
goods manufactured globally could
involve nanotechnology; there are
already nearly 600 such products in
the marketplace including clothing,
cosmetics, and medicines.
Although the EPA is interested in the
possible benefits of nanotechnol-
ogy, it also has the mandate to pro-
tect human health and the environ-
ment, and to date, there is almost no
information on the effects of engi-
neered nanomaterials once they
reach the environment.
To address this information gap,
WED has initiated a new project,
being led by Drs. Chris Andersen,
Mark Johnson and Paul Ry-
giewicz, to examine the potential
effects of engineered nanoparticles
on terrestrial ecosystems. They re-
cently developed a three-phase re-
search approach. In Phase I, tradi-
tional OPPTS testing protocols will
be examined to determine their ade-
quacy in assessing the toxicity of
nanoparticles.
In Phase II, mechanisms of toxicity
will be explored and novel approaches
based on proteomics and genomics for
rapidly assessing toxicity will be
evaluated.
Finally, Phase III will focus on the
degree to which nanoparticles released
into reconstructed ecosystems repre-
sent a risk to ecosystem structure and
function. The unique aspect of Phase
III is shifting the endpoints of interest
from individuals to groups of individu-
als, and to their interactions and sys-
tem level responses.
This research will assist EPA OPPTS'
development of regulatory require-
ments, including pre- and post-
registration product assessments and
monitoring. In addition, the results
will allow other Agency offices to
identify potential environmental con-
cerns resulting from nanoparticle ex-
posure. Finally, the results will enable
the Agency to evaluate its current risk
assessment framework, and may lead
to the development of a new assess-
ment framework should the current
approaches be inadequate for nano-
particles.
Nanotechnology...
...or molecular "manufacturing",
allows researchers to alter
material properties to create
new materials and products.
The "novel" properties of
nanoparticles are different from
the properties of the bulk mate-
rial.
For example, your new bedroom
slippers could have a silver lin-
ing—literally—of material con-
taining silver nano-particles,
which have antibacterial and
antifungal properties.
One nanometer =1 billionth of a
meter
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Ackerman, Luke K., Adam R. Schwindt, Staci L. Massey
Simonich, Dan C. Koch, Tamara F. Blett, Carl B.
Schreck, Michael L. Kent and Dixon H. Landers.
Atmospherically deposited PBDEs, pesticides, PCBs,
and PAHs in Western U.S. National Park Fish: Con-
centrations and Consumption Guidelines. Environ. Sci.
Technol. 10.1021/es702348j (2008).
Almasi, Kama N., and Peter M. Eldridge. A Dynamic
Model of an Estuarine Invasion by a Non-Native Sea-
grass. Estuaries and Coasts: JCERF 31:163-17'6,
doi: 10.1007/sl2237-007-9024-5 (2008).
Beedlow, Peter A., David T. Tingey, E. Henry Lee, Don-
ald L. Phillips, Christian P. Andersen, Ronald S.
Waschmann, and Mark G. Johnson. Sapwood mois-
ture in Douglas-fir boles and seasonal changes in soil
water. Can. J. For. Res. 37: 1263-1271 (2007).
Boese, Bruce L., Patrick J. Clinton, Danielee Dennis,
Robert C. Golden, and Bryan Kim. Digital image
analysis of Zostera Marina leaf injury. Aquatic Bot-
any 88:87-90 (2008).
Clark, Mark E., Brent J. Danielson, Mary V. Santelmann,
Joan Iverson Nassauer, Denis White, and Kathryn
Freemark Lindsay. "Impacts on Mammal Communi-
ties: A Spatially Explicit Model". In From the corn
belt to the gulf: societal and environmental implica-
tions of alternative agricultural futures, edited by Joan
Iverson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann, and Donald
Scavia. Resources for the Future Press, Washington,
D.C.,2007, Chapter 11,pp 115-138.
Compton, J.E., T.D. Hooker and S.S. Perakis. Nitrogen
distribution and d!5N in a 115-year white pine
chronosequence. Ecosystems 10: 1197-1208(2007).
-------
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Daly, Christopher, Jonathan W. Smith, Joseph L.
Smith, and Robert B. McKane. High-Resolution
Spatial Modeling of Daily Weather Elements for a
Catchment in the Oregon Cascade Mountains, United
States. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Clima-
tology, doi: 10.1175/JAM2548.1 (2007).
Debinski, Diane M., Mary V. Santelmann, Denis
White, Kathryn Freemark Lindsay, and Jean C. Sif-
neos. "Butterfly Responses." In From the corn belt
to the gulf: societal and environmental implications
of alternative agricultural futures, edited by Joan
Iverson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann, and Donald
Scavia. Resources for the Future Press, Washington,
D.C., 2007, Chapter 9, pp 102-107.
Eldridge, Peter M., and John W. Morse. Origins and
temporal scales of hypoxia on the Louisiana shelf:
Importance of benthic and sub-pycnocline water
metabolism. Marine Chemistry 108:159-171
(2008).
Faustini, John M. and Philip R. Kaufman. Adequacy of
visually classified particle count statistics from re-
gional stream habitat surveys. Journal of the
American Water Resources Association 43(5):
1293-1315(2007).
Fennessy, M. Siobhan, Amy D. Jacobs, and Mary E.
Kentula. An Evaluation of Rapid Methods for As-
sessing the Ecological Condition of Wetlands.
Wetlands 27(3): 543-560 (2007).
Frick, Walter E., Tarang Khangaonkar, Anne C. Sigleo,
and Zhaoqing Yang. Estuarine-ocean exchange in a
North pacific estuary: Comparison of steady state
and dynamic models. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf
Science 74: 1-11 (2007).
Harmon, M.E., Phillips, Donald L., Battles, J.J.,
Rassweiler, A., Hal, R.O., Lauenroth, W.K.
"Quantifying uncertainty in net primary production
measurements." Chapter 12 in Principles and Stan-
dards for Measuring Primary Production, edited
Fahey T.J. & Knapp, A.K Oxford University
Press, New York, 2007, 238-260.
Hobbie, E. A., Rygiewicz, Paul. T., Johnson, Mark. G.,
and Moldenke, A. R. 13C and 15N in microarthro-
pods reveal little response of Douglas-fir ecosys-
tems to climate change. Global Change Biology.
Vol. 13: 1386-1397 (2007).
Hogsett, William E., David T. Tingey, E. Henry Lee,
Peter A. Beedlow, Christian P. Andersen. An Ap-
proach for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Various
Ozone Air quality Standards for Protecting Trees.
Environmental Management, doi: 10.1007/s00267-
007-9057-3 (2008).
Kaufmann, Phillip R., Faustini, John M., Larsen, D.
Phillip., Shirazi, Mostafa. A Roughness-Corrected
Index of Relative Bed Stability for Regional Stream
Surveys. Geomorphology, doi: 10.10167
j.geomorph.2007.10.007 (2008).
Kentula, Mary E. 2007. Foreword: Monitoring Wet-
lands at the Watershed Scale. Wetlands 27(3): 412-
415 (2007).
Koch, N., Andersen, Christian P., Raidl, S., Agerer, R.,
Matyssek, R., and Grams, T. E. Temperature-
respiration relationships differ in mycorrhizal and
non-mycorrhizal root systems of Picea abies (L.)
Karst. Plant Biology. Vol. 9:545-549 (2007).
Lackey, Robert T. Scientists and Democracy [Review
of: The Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in
Policy and Politics. Roger A. Pielke, Jr., Cam-
bridge University Press, Cambridge, UK,
2007.] BioScience 58(4):359-360, (2008).
Leibowitz, Scott.G., P.James Wigington, Jr., M.C.
Rains, and D.M. Downing. Non-navigable streams
and adjacent wetlands: addressing science needs
following the Supreme Court's Rapanos decision.
Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 6, doi:
10.1890/070068(2008).
Lindsay, Kathryn Freemark, Mary V. Santelmann, Jean
C. Sifneos, Denis White, and David A. Kirk .
"Wildlife Habitat". In From the Com Belt to the
Gulf; Societal and Environmental Implications of
Alternative Agricultural Futures. Editors Joan
Everson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann, and Don-
ald Scavia. Resources for the Future, Washington,
D.C., 2007, 147-163.
Lomnicky, Gregg A., Thomas R. Whittier, Robert M.
Hughes, and David V. Peck. Distribution of nonna-
tive aquatic vertebrates in western U.S. streams and
rivers. North American Journal of Fisheries Man-
agement 27:1082-1093 (2007).
Magee, T.K., Paul L. Ringold, and Michael A. Boll-
man. Alien species importance in native vegetation
along wadeable streams, John Day River basin,
Oregon, USA. Plant Ecology, Jo/:10.1007/sll258-
007-9330-9 (2007).
Meador, Michael R., Thomas R. Whittier, Robert M.
Goldstein, Robert M. Hughes, and David V. Peck.
Evaluation of an Index of Biotic Integrity Approach
Used to Assess Biological Condition in Western
U.S. Streams and Rivers at Varying Spatial Scales.
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
137:13-22 (2008).
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Morse, John W., and Peter M. Eldridge. A non-steady
state diagenetic model for changes in sediment bio-
geochemistry in response to seasonally hypoxic/
anoxic conditions in the "dead zone" of the Louisi-
ana shelf. Marine Chemistry 106:239-255 (2007).
Morzillo, A.T., J. W. Hollister, M.E. Rocca, and M.E.
Baker, et al. A Young Scientist's Guide To Gainful
Employment: Recent Graduates' Experiences and
Successful Strategies. Bulletin of the Ecological
Society ofAmerica,89(2):l93-203 (2008).
Nagy, Laura, Anne Fairbrother, Matthew Etterson, and
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta. The Intersection of Inde-
pendent Lies: Increasing Realism in Ecological
Risk Assessment. Human and Ecological Risk As-
sessment 13: 355-369 (2007).
Newsome SD, Etnier MA, Gifford-Gonzalez D, Phillips
DL, van Tuinen M, Hadly EA, Costa DP, Kennett
DJ, Guilderson TP, Koch PL. The shifting baseline
of northern fur seal ecology in the northeast Pacific
Ocean. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences 104 (23): 9709-9714 (2007).
Newsome, Seth D., Carlos Martinez del Rio, Stuart
Bearhop, and Donald L. Phillips. A niche for iso-
topic ecology. Frontiers in Ecology and the Envi-
ronment 5: 429-436 (2007).
Olszyk, David, Thomas Pfleeger, E. Henry Lee, Connie
Burdick, George King, Milton Plocher and Jeffrey
Kern. Selecting and Evaluating Native Plants for
Region-Specific Phytotoxicity Testing. Integrated
Environmental Assessment and Management 4(1):
105-117(2008).
Paul, John F., Susan M. Cormier, Walter J. Berry,
Philip R. Kaufmann, Robert L. Spehar, Douglas J.
Norton, Robert E. Cantilli, Richard Stevens, Wil-
liam F. Swietlik, and Benjamin K. Jessup. Develop-
ing Water Quality Criteria for Suspended and Bed-
ded Sediments. Water Practice 2(1). Water Envi-
ronment Federation; doi: 10.2175/19331
7708X281433 (2008).
Peterson, Spencer A., David V. Peck, John Van Sickle,
and Robert M. Hughes. Mercury Concentration in
Frozen Whole-Fish Homogenates is Insensitive to
Holding Time. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 53:
411-417(2007).
Roelke, Daniel L., and Peter M. Eldridge. Mixing of
Supersaturated Assemblages and the Precipitous
Loss of Species. The American Naturalist 171 (2):
162-175 (2008).
Rosfjord, Catherine H., Katherine E. Webster, Jeffrey
S. Kahl, Stephen A. Norton, Ivan J. Fernandez, and
Alan T. Herlihy. Anthropogenically driven changes
in chloride complicate interpretation of base cation
trends in lakes recovering from acidic deposition.
Environ. Sci. Technol. 47:7688-7693 (2007).
Rustigian, Heather L., Mary V. Santelmann, and Nathan H.
Schumaker. "Amphibian Population Dynamics." In
From the Corn Belt to the Gulf; Societal and Environ-
mental Implications of Alternative Agricultural Futures
edited by Joan Everson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann,
and Donald Scavia. Resources for the Future, Washing-
ton, D.C., 2007, 108-114.
Santelmann, Mary V., Jean C. Sifneos, Denis White, and
Kathryn Freemark Lindsay. "Plant Diversity." In From
the Corn Belt to the Gulf; Societal and Environmental
Implications of Alternative Agricultural Futures edited
by Joan Everson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann, and
Donald Scavia. Resources for the Future, Washington,
D.C., 2007, 91-101.
Schwindt, Adam R., John W. Fournie, Dixon H. Landers,
Carl B. Schreck and Michael L. Kent. Mercury Concen-
trations in Salmonids from Western U.S. National Parks
and Relationships with Age and Macrophage Aggre-
gates. Environ Sci. Technol. 42:1365-1370. doi:
10.1021/es702337m(2008).
Shirazi, Mostafa A. and Minocher Reporter. A Diurnal Re-
flectance Model Using Grass: Surface-Substrate Interac-
tion and Inverse Solution. Agron. J. 99:1278-1287
(2007).
Tingey, David T., E. Henry Lee, James D. Lewis, Mark G.
Johnson, and Paul T. Rygiewicz. Do mesocosms influ-
ence photosynthesis and soil respiration? Environmental
and Experimental Botany 62: 36-44 (2008).
Tingey, David T., E. Henry Lee, Donald L. Phillips, Paul T.
Rygiewicz, Ronald S. Waschmann, Mark G. Johnson,
and David M. Olszyk. Elevated CO2 and temperature
alter net ecosystem C exchange in a young Douglas fir
mesocosm experiment. Plant, Cell and Environment 30:
1400-1410 (2007).
Usenko, Sascha, Dixon H. Landers, Peter G. Appleby, and
Staci L. Simonich. Current and Historical Deposition of
PBDEs, Pesticides, PCBs, and PAHs to Rocky Mountain
National Park. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41:7235-7241
(2007).
Van Sickle, J., David D. Huff, and C.P. Hawkins. Selecting
discriminant function models for predicting the expected
richness of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Freshwater Biol-
ogy 51,359-372(2006).
Van Sickle, John, and Colleen Burch Johnson. Parametric
distance weighting of landscape influence on streams.
Landscape Ecology doi: 10.1007/sl0980-008-9200-4
(2008).
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS
10
Van Sickle, John. An index of compositional dissimilar-
ity between observed and expected assemblages.
Journal of North American Benthological Society
27(2):227-235. doi: 10.1899/07-111-1 (2008).
Wardrop, Denice H., Mary E. Kentula, Susan F. Jensen,
Donald L. Stevens, Jr., Kristin C. Hychka, and
Robert P. Brooks. Assessment of Wetlands in the
Upper Juniata Watershed in Pennsylvania, USA
Using the Hydrogeomorphic Approach. Wetlands
27(3): 432-445 (2007).
Wardrop, Denice H., Mary E. Kentula, Donald L. Ste-
vens, Jr., Susan F. Jensen, and Robert P. Brooks.
Assessment of Wetland Condition: An Example
from the Upper Juniata. Wetlands 27(3) 416-431
(2007).
Whigham, Dennis F., Amy Deller Jacobs, Donald E.
Weller, Thomas E. Jordan, Mary E. Kentula, Susan
F. Jensen, and Donald L. Stevens, Jr. Combining
HGM and EMAP procedures to assess wetlands at
the watershed scale ~ status of flats and non-tidal
riverine wetlands in the Nanticoke River watershed,
Delaware and Maryland (USA). Wetlands 27(3):
462-478 (2007).
White, Denis, and A. Ross Kiester. Topology matters:
Network topology affects outcomes from commu-
nity ecology neutral models. Computers, Environ-
ment and Urban Systems 32: 165-171. doi: 10. 1016/
j .compenverbsys.2007.11.002 (2008).
Whittier, Thomas R., Paul L. Ringold, Alan T. Herlihy,
and Suzanne M. Pierson. A Calcium-based invasion
risk assessment for zebra and Quagga mussels
(Dreissena spp). Front Ecol Environ; 6,
doi: 10.1890/070073 (2008).
The Last Word:
Seeking Public Opinion on Rodenticides
Recently 9,000 questionnaires were sent to
households and businesses in California as part
of Dr. Anita Morzillo's "Rodenticide Use" sur-
vey. Morzillo is a cross-NHEERL post doctoral
researcher working on sustainability issues at the
Western Ecology Division; she has been work-
ing on the project since November 2005.
The survey was done in collaboration with the
National Park Service and California State
University/Stanislaus, and will help assess
public awareness of the potential effects of
rodenticide use on wildlife. The information
will benefit land managers by giving insight into
environmental decision-making by individuals.
below: Dr. Morzillo loads some of the surveys that were mailed
to households and businesses in a target area of California.
Scientists featured in this Research Update work at EPA's Western Ecology Division
(National Health & Environmental Effects Laboratory) unless otherwise noted.
For more information please contact editor Joan Hurley: hurley.ioan@epa.gov
The information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency. It has been subjected to review by the Na-
tional Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and approved for
publication. Approval does not signify that the contents reflect the views of the
Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
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