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Reference Concepts in Ecosystem Restoration and Environmental Benefits Analysis: Principles and Practices Sarah J. Miller Research Ecologist, Fluvial Geomorphologist U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Laboratory Bruce A. Pruitt and Craig J. Fischenich, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Laboratory Chuck H. Theiling, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District Shawn B. Komlos, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Institute for Water Resources

31 July 2014 Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration

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Environmental Benefits Analysis Program References http://cw-environment.usace.army.mil/eba/index.cfm

Miller, S. J., B. A. Pruitt, C. H. Theiling, J. C. Fischenich, and S. B. Komlos. 2012. Reference concepts in ecosystem restoration and environmental benefits analysis (EBA): Principles and practices.” EMRRP Technical Notes Collection. ERDC TN-EMRRP-EBA-12. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. http://cw-environment.usace.army.mil/eba/, http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pdf/eba12.pdf Pruitt, B. A., S. J. Miller, C. H. Theiling, and J. C. Fischenich. 2012. The use of reference ecosystems as a basis for assessing restoration benefits. EMRRP Technical Notes Collection. ERDC TN-EMRRP-EBA-11. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. http://cw-environment.usace.army.mil/eba/, http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pdf/eba11.pdf

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Ecological Reference Basic Definition a conceptual, spatial, or temporal comparison a target, benchmark, standard, model, or template from which or to which a site, state, process, or

range of ecosystem biological integrity, structure, function, condition, or relative health are compared

Institutionally “reference” has commonly come to represent a high functioning condition or restoration target, though the functional definition is broader

First step in characterizing ecosystem reference condition is classification, from which condition indices have been developed for rapid asst.

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reference condition A reference condition is the set of attribute values or

quantifiable characteristics of the reference ecosystem. Physical, chemical, or biological parameters of

ecosystem structure or function can be represented by a single value or a distribution.

Wetlands

Coastal

River Basins

Stream Corridors

SAV

Sea Grass

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Reference Condition Types Applicable to Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration (modified from Stoddard et al. (2006)). Table from S.J. Miller, B.A. Pruitt, C.H. Theiling, J.C. Fischenich, and S.B. Komlos. 2012. Reference Concepts in Ecosystem Restoration and Environmental Benefits Analysis (EBA): Principles and Practices Historical Condition Pre-Agriculture (HCPA)

Prior to intensive agricultural activity, meaning, "…very low pressure, without the effects of major industrialization, urbanization and intensification of agriculture, and with only very minor modification of physicochemistry, hydromorphology and biology.” (Wallin et al. 2003)

Historical Condition Pre-Industrial (HCPI)

Prior to industrialization and urbanization in areas of influence to the ecosystem (DuFour and Piegay 2009)

Historical Condition Pre-Disturbance (HCPD)

Prior to major impact or specific alteration or disturbance in an ecosystem (DuFour and Piegay 2009)

Minimally Disturbed Condition (MDC)

A condition representing the absence of local human disturbance, while recognizing that minimal disturbance may be present due to human activities affecting regional / global processes (e.g., climate change, deposition of atmospheric contaminants below the threshold required to have measurable impact on an ecosystem, etc.).

Least Disturbed Condition (LDC)

A condition representing the least amount of human disturbance or alteration in the current landscape context. In other words, “the best of what is left.”

Best Attainable Condition (BAC)

The BAC represents a potential condition that could be achieved following the implementation of all available BMPs at a site. The BAC reflects a desired future condition given current constraints.

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Figure from Bruce A. Pruitt, Sarah J. Miller, Chuck H. Theiling, and J. Craig Fischenich. 2012. The Use of Reference Ecosystems as a Basis for Assessing Restoration Benefits

Future

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Part 2 – Reference Approaches

A reference approach is a set of assumptions and techniques for characterizing and applying reference ecosystems and reference conditions to practices associated with ecosystem restoration. The reference approach establishes how and

which data are collected and analyzed to represent selected reference conditions

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Reference Approach: Historical Reference Description Use a selected historical reference condition

within project area (can be applied as off-site analogous approach if conditions are met)

Applicable Reference Condition HCPI or HCPA, HCPD if a specific isolated event caused disturbance

Requirements / Assumptions Requires the right data type / resolution to set targets matched to objectives; if on-site, may not require classification

Benefits Opportunity to characterize adjustment of processes to known stressors, if stressors not in flux or pre-disturbance data are proximal, can represent target reference condition or MDC

Limitations Stressors may have changed, other parameters may be changing, constraints may eliminate historical reference from consideration as target reference condition

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Using Historical Reference Data to Calibrate Habitat Models

Case Study: Missouri River’s Cottonwood Management Plan (Omaha/Kansas City Districts) ► Reference conditions for the model based

upon GLO-based vegetative data and GIS representation of landuse conversions over time

► Data was normalized (scaled 0-1) and used to calibrate the model

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1

2 3

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

Relative Complexity of Supporting (Non-Forested/Shrub) Habitats(INTERSPERS)

Suita

bilit

y In

dex

(SI)

Overall Study Area

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Reference Approach: On-site Analogous Reference Description Use present, on-the-ground conditions within

project footprint to determine reference Applicable Reference Condition LDC most likely Requirements / Assumptions Requires enough on-site

information to determine degree of function and degradation and to set targets; may require consideration of broader watershed conditions

Benefits Low mobilization costs, parallel stressors, many parameters equal (e.g., hydrology)

Limitations May not represent target reference condition, may not represent range of condition, may not represent ecological trajectory

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Reference Approach: Off-site Analogous Reference Description Use present, on-the-ground, ecologically

representative conditions outside project footprint to determine reference

Applicable Reference Condition LDC most likely, MDC possible Requirements / Assumptions Requires enough information at

a suitable off-site location to determine degradation and set target, comparable class of system with parallel stressors, measurable P/C/B parameters

Benefits More likely to find reference that can help define target reference condition with parallel stressors, parameters

Limitations May not represent range of condition, may not represent target reference condition, more cost to locate and characterize another site, may not represent ecological trajectory

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Project Site Before

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Project Function Reference Function

Project Site After Reference Reach

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Reference Approach: Regional Index Description Use a range of existing reference sites to reflect a

continuum of conditions Applicable Reference Condition Any available Requirements / Assumptions Requires classification and

considerable data to characterize the range of the condition to evaluate degradation and set targets

Benefits Highly robust representative of full range of conditions, puts projects into context, best characterization of target reference condition, can speed overall assessment time and reduce cost for subsequent projects once developed

Limitations Requires sufficient data to develop index. This can take time and might be too costly for a single project

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Minnesota River Basin Fish IBI

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Reference Approach: Virtual (or constructed) Reference Description Use a combination of sources to represent target

reference condition for given physical setting, other constraints Applicable Reference Condition Any of HCPI, HCPA, HCPD,

MDC or LCD in combination with site or other data Requirements / Assumptions Typically requires data from

multiple sources, BPJ, and models Benefits Highly flexible if good information is available, high

resolution in defining target condition, best for use in settings with many constraints, costs can be low if existing models, BPJ, and collaborative processes are used

Limitations Highly dependent on good information, good interpretation/analysis of available information, can be quite reliant on models, and subject to notable debate, costs can be high if requiring new or extensive modeling

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Step 3: Calibration

Quality of The Fit

Model Verification

Reference Datasets

Fitted Values

Ecosystem Response

Models

Using Reference Data to Calibrate Habitat Models Case Study: Middle Rio Grande Bosque

Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study (Albuquerque District)

Reference conditions for the model ► Must be politically palatable and reasonable ► Must include a large number of sites from the

region ► Must represent important aspects of pre-historical

conditions ► May use minimal disturbance as the surrogate for

pre-historical conditions, given the difficulty of establishing pre-historical conditions

► Must be uniform across political boundaries and bureaucracies (e.g., Federal, State, and local).

30 sites were considered either reference standard (optimal) or sub-optimal and were chosen to represent the range of conditions existing within the reference domain

Data was normalized (scaled 0-1) and used to calibrate the model

Burks-Copes, K. A., and A. C. Webb. 2009. A Bosque Riparian Community Index Model for the Middle Rio Grande, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Model Documentation Draft Report. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory, Vicksburg, MS.

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Average Native Sedge Canopy for the Watershed + the Standard Deviation for the Average Value 35% + 40% = 75% SI = 1.0

Average Native Sedge Canopy for the Watershed = 35% SI = 0.75

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Critical Limitations How to Address Them Limitations of all the above reference approaches can be

addressed by ► continuing to compile organized regional reference datasets ► using intentional documentation and adaptive management ► improving the quality of tools and techniques for defining robust

reference condition databases and models

More refined characterization of range and quality of reference condition through a regional approach will enable better identification and description of functional thresholds for ecosystem restoration targets

Regional indices or reference indices that benefit multiple projects / programs if data collection is implemented at the project scale 19

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Thank You! Sarah J. Miller Research Ecologist, Fluvial Geomorphologist U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Laboratory sarah.j.miller@usace.army.mil 601-64-5247

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