Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the...

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Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference National Monitoring Conference May 7-11, 2006 May 7-11, 2006 Jonathan G. Kennen, NJWSC, West Jonathan G. Kennen, NJWSC, West Trenton, NJ Trenton, NJ Karen R. Murray NYWSC, Troy, NY Karen R. Murray NYWSC, Troy, NY Karen M. Beaulieu, CTWSC, East Karen M. Beaulieu, CTWSC, East Hartford, CT Hartford, CT

Transcript of Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the...

Page 1: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland

Streams in the Northeast, USA.

National Monitoring ConferenceNational Monitoring Conference

May 7-11, 2006May 7-11, 2006

Jonathan G. Kennen, NJWSC, West Trenton, NJJonathan G. Kennen, NJWSC, West Trenton, NJKaren R. Murray NYWSC, Troy, NYKaren R. Murray NYWSC, Troy, NY

Karen M. Beaulieu, CTWSC, East Hartford, CTKaren M. Beaulieu, CTWSC, East Hartford, CT

Page 2: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

There are many mechanisms by which hydrology impacts biota.

J. Kennen, NJWSC, West Trenton, NJJ. Kennen, NJWSC, West Trenton, NJ

HealthyWater

StressorsRequirements Sources

Excess Predators

High Turbidity

Sedimentation

Excess Nutrients

Altered Flows

Chemical Pollutants

High WaterTemperature

Physica

l H

abita

t

Excess Competitors

Few Competitors & Predators

Poor RiparianBuffers

Impervious Surfaces/

Stormwater

Point Sources

Use of Pesticides& Fertilizers

Historic Sediment

Reservoirs

Channel Erosion

Construction

Invasive SpeciesIntroductions

Food (Algae, Meiofauna)

InterstitialHabitat

Altered Food Webs

SubstrateSuitability

Refugia

(algal bloom)

RoadCrossings

(low

DO

)

Movement Barriers

Connections to Other Populations

Insuf. Woody Debris

Livestock & Poultry

Poor RiparianBuffers

Page 3: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Multiple stressors can have Multiple stressors can have additiveadditive and/or and/or synergisticsynergistic effects effects

+x–

?

Page 4: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Stream hydrology differs – can have Stream hydrology differs – can have linearlinear, , thresholdthreshold, or , or even a even a delayed delayed response to disturbanceresponse to disturbance

disturbancebio

tic in

teg

rity

?

disturbancebio

tic in

teg

rity

?

Page 5: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

“I asked you a question buddy, what’s the minimum flow we need to protect aquatic

species in this here Basin?”

Page 6: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

Describe relations with observed ecological patterns Describe relations with observed ecological patterns

Identify important environmental and hydrological Identify important environmental and hydrological

parameters parameters

Discern disturbance gradient from biotaDiscern disturbance gradient from biota

Use sound science to identify key variables water Use sound science to identify key variables water

managers can use to improve stream qualitymanagers can use to improve stream quality

Page 7: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Scope

-77 upland watersheds

-Range of urban intensity

-7 NAWQA study units

- 1993-2002

Page 8: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Quantitative invertebrate riffle samples

Gaging station co-located at or near

aquatic invertebrate sampling site

Hydrologic data needed for a minimum of

3 or more years

Quantitative invertebrate riffle samples

Gaging station co-located at or near

aquatic invertebrate sampling site

Hydrologic data needed for a minimum of

3 or more years

Quantitative invertebrate riffle samples

Gaging station co-located at or near

aquatic invertebrate sampling site

Hydrologic data needed for a minimum of

3 or more years

Data RequirementsData Requirements

Page 9: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Data CompilationData Compilation

GIS Data –“Roads Corrected” Land use /

cover, etc.

Hydrologic descriptors (Hydrological

Integrity Assessment Process –171 Variables)

Quantitative invertebrate (density –

numbers/m2)

Assemblage metrics and indices

Page 10: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

General Analytical ApproachGeneral Analytical Approach

Invertebrate Data

Ordination (NMDS)

Extract Axis Scores

Environmental Variables

PCA/Corr. [=data reduction]

Final Set of Variables

(Standardize, Transform, Assess Colliniarity)

(>527 vars.)

(76 vars.)

Multiple Linear Regression (MLR)(Axis Score = disturbance gradient)

(+/- 37 vars.)

Page 11: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Why use Ordination?Why use Ordination?

Reduces complexity of community data Reduces complexity of community data

while retaining structurewhile retaining structure

Derives environmental gradients based Derives environmental gradients based

on biotaon biota

Places sites with similar communities Places sites with similar communities

close together, those with dissimilar close together, those with dissimilar

communities far apartcommunities far apart

Page 12: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Disturbance Gradient ConceptDisturbance Gradient Concept

Natural Minimal

Moderate

Radical

Assem

bla

ge

Con

dit

ion

High EcosystemIntegrity

Poor

Very Good

Good

Fair

Excellent

Anthropogenic Disturbance

Very Poor

High Serious

Low EcosystemIntegrity

Page 13: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Distribution of Sites Coded by Relative Distribution of Sites Coded by Relative Position Along the Disturbance GradientPosition Along the Disturbance Gradient

Level of Disturbance

High

Moderate

Minimum

Very High

NE Ecoregions

Page 14: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Ordination Color Coded (high to low) by Ordination Color Coded (high to low) by Percent Riparian ForestPercent Riparian Forest

Disturbance Gradient

LowMediumHigh

% Rip. Forest

Page 15: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Relations with assemblage structure Relations with assemblage structure and functionand function

Strong relations with metrics further support

interpretation as a disturbance gradient.

0 10 20

EPTR

- 1

0

1

M

D

S

7

6

_

1

Richness of Sensitive EPT Taxa

Dis

t. G

rad

.

3 4 5 6

Ri chTOL

- 1

0

1

M

D

S

7

6

_

1

Dis

t. G

rad

.

Richness of Tolerant Taxa

Page 16: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Relations with Land Use & ConfigurationRelations with Land Use & Configuration

Relations show the extent of anthropogenic effects and help target attributes that may be useful from a LU planning perspective.- 1 0 1

MDS76_1

0

20

40

c

9

2

_

c

f

_

a

r

Decline in Core Forest

Dis

t. G

rad

.

- 1 0 1

MDS76_1

20

40

60

80

R

I

P

S

U

M

_

F

O

R

E

Decline in % Riparian Forest

Dis

t. G

rad

.

Page 17: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Relations with assemblage structureRelations with assemblage structure

Tolerant Tolerant species species increaseincrease

Sensitive Sensitive species species

decreasedecrease

Page 18: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Regression Model using Disturbance Regression Model using Disturbance Gradient as Response VariableGradient as Response Variable

Results of significant (p<0.05) MLR model –Results of significant (p<0.05) MLR model –disturbance gradient is response variabledisturbance gradient is response variable

Model r2 Partial r2 P-value Variable name

0.7875 0.4918 <0.0001 – Percent riparian forest 0.1093 <0.0001 – April low flows 0.0420 0.0048 + Road density 0.0315 0.0061 – Percent of forest in stream segment 0.0281 0.0162 + Percent of forest patches < 50 acres 0.0263 0.0162 + Distance to nearest road 0.0236 0.0131 – April maximum flows 0.0202 0.0161 + Annual 30d maximum flows 0.0144 0.0385 – Annual runoff

Page 19: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 50 100 150 200 250

R = 0.445

Example –Percent Riparian ForestExample –Percent Riparian Forest

Significant linear Significant linear relations observed –no relations observed –no defined inflection point.defined inflection point.

R = 0.575

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 20 40 60 80 100Percent Riparian Forest

EP

T R

ichn

ess

Percent Riparian Forest

EP

T R

ich

nes

s

% o

f O

mn

ivo

res

Variability of January Flow

Page 20: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Summary of FindingsSummary of Findings

1.1. Patterns in biota are highly related to stream Patterns in biota are highly related to stream degradation. degradation.

2.2. Environmental alterations are related to Environmental alterations are related to changes in the biotic integrity across a changes in the biotic integrity across a disturbance gradient. disturbance gradient.

3.3. Riparian forest areas lessen the effects of Riparian forest areas lessen the effects of human-induced landscape and hydrologic human-induced landscape and hydrologic alterations. alterations.

4.4. Intolerant taxa become less prevalent as Intolerant taxa become less prevalent as streams become more degraded.streams become more degraded.

Page 21: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Management ImplicationsManagement Implications

Relations between invertebrate Relations between invertebrate assemblage metrics and environmental assemblage metrics and environmental and flow attributes can be used to: and flow attributes can be used to: target levels of riparian coverage that are target levels of riparian coverage that are

protective of structural complexity and/or protective of structural complexity and/or meet designated aquatic life usemeet designated aquatic life use

or. . target portions of the flow regime or. . target portions of the flow regime that are protective of biological integritythat are protective of biological integrity

Page 22: Effects of Hydrologic and Environmental Factors on Ecological Conditions of Upland Streams in the Northeast, USA. National Monitoring Conference May 7-11,

Management ImplicationsManagement Implications