Aquatic Ecosystems
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Item Emerging Pollutants: From College Campuses to Cayuga LakeAllen-Gill, Susan; Lozano, Jose (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2015)We investigated the concentrations of over 200 chemicals in the Ithaca water system, including many emerging pollutants of concern. 24-hr composite samples were collected 4 times from 5 different locations (raw drinking water, treated drinking water, wastewater influent, wastewater effluent, and Cayuga Lake). We detected many compounds at all points in the water system in varying concentrations. Pharmaceutical and personal care compounds detected most frequently and in the highest concentrations include caffeine, nicotine, metformin, atrazine, and carbamazepine. Microplastics were also detected in lake samples. Based on the influent data, there was no clear difference in concentrations when college students were in town. Ecological investigations suggest that caffeine can alter fish swimming behavior, but only at higher concentrations than those observed in Cayuga Lake. Pilot studies also suggest that small microplastics (5 μm diameter) may cause increased mortality in Daphnia magna.Item Historical and future changes in spawning phenologies of American Shad and Striped Bass in the Hudson River EstuaryNack, Christopher C.; Swaney, Dennis P.; Limburg, Karin E. (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2015)The Hudson River was once known as a nursery for large numbers of anadromous fishes including American Shad, Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis), and Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis). Currently, American Shad stocks in the Hudson River and along the Atlantic coast are at an all-time low, and there is concern that stocks may not recover naturally. In addition, Striped Bass stocks have recently been in decline, although these stocks are still considered to be in good condition. Because spawning timing and duration of several fish species are directly related to water temperatures, looking at long-term temperature data allows for an examination of trends in reproductive temporal scale. In this study, we investigate changes in spawning phenologies of American Shad and Striped Bass over time in order to determine if temperature changes can explain some of the recent declines in these species. A model is developed to predict future temperature changes in the Hudson River estuary in order to predict the likelihood of spawning failure of the signature fishes of the Hudson River.Item Population and DPS Origin of Subadult Atlantic Sturgeon in the Hudson RiverWirgin, Issac (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2015)At one time, Atlantic sturgeon supported a signature fishery in the Hudson River Estuary and identification of its migratory patterns is listed as a priority under Long Range Target 1 of the Actions Planned for 2010-2014 (Effectively Managing Migratory Fish). This study provided important new information that will be used by the NYSDEC and NOAA’s Office of Protected Resources to manage Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River ecosystem and coastwide. Atlantic sturgeon is federally listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) as five Distinct Population Segments (DPS), of which four were designated as “endangered” and one as “threatened.” The New York Bight DPS is comprised of the Hudson and Delaware River populations and is listed as “endangered.” Subadult Atlantic sturgeon are known to exit their natal estuaries to coastal waters and non-natal estuaries where they are vulnerable to distant anthropogenic threats. In fact, during the warmer months, the Hudson River hosts large numbers of subadults, but their population and DPS origin is largely unknown although Section 7 of the ESA demands that origin of individual specimens be determined. We used microsatellite DNA analysis at 11 loci and sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region to determine the DPS and population origin of 106 subadult Atlantic sturgeon collected in the lower tidal Hudson River estuary. We found that 101 of the 106 subadults assigned to the Hudson River with at least 95% and usually 100% probability. Of those 5 specimens that did not assign to the Hudson, 2 assigned to the James River, VA, 2 assigned to the Kennebec River, ME, and 1 assigned to the Saint John River, NB. Thus, four specimens assigned to DPS other than the New York Bight DPS and one to the Canadian Management Unit. This analysis will permit the quantification of the effects of anthropogenic threats in different locales or across seasons in the Hudson River Estuary on individual populations or DPS of Atlantic sturgeon and will serve as a model for similar population composition analysis for other estuaries coastwide.Item Oyster Pathogen Monitoring Using Third Generation SequencersSuter, Elizabeth (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2021)Oysters are globally recognized for their roles in improving water quality and building coastal habitat. However, due to overfishing and a long legacy of pollution, their populations in NY Harbor comprise less than 0.01% of their historical numbers (McCann 2019). In NY Harbor, the Billion Oyster Project (BOP) has restored small community oyster reefs at multiple locations, with variable success, which may be in part be due to shifting microbiomes under climate change and anthropogenic influence. In this project, we developed an oyster bacterial pathogen-monitoring tool that applies a novel generation of sequencing technologies to accurately identify bacterial pathogens at the species and subspecies level. The tool was developed specifically for use in monitoring of the eastern oyster in NY Harbor, but is modular and able to be implemented as a monitoring tool in other ecosystems or for other marine animal targets. In an initial proof-of-concept screening, we found over 1700 bacterial species across 10 NY Harbor oyster microbiomes. The most diverse microbiome contained a variety of probiotic and beneficial species while one of the least diverse seemed to be co-infected with several known marine bacterial pathogens.Item Pond Greenhouse Gas Budgets: Measuring emissions and carbon sequestration in experimental pondsHolgerson, Meredith; Ray, Nicholas (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2021)Aquatic ecosystems are important regulators of global greenhouse gas budgets, comprising roughly half of the world's methane (CH4) emissions. Inland waters remain the largest uncertainty in global CH4 budgets, which is in part due to the large but variable proportion of CH4 emitted from small waterbodies, or ponds. Here, we tackle two major questions related to pond GHG budgets: (1) what is the seasonal variability in pond CH4 emissions, and (2) can carbon sequestration offset CH4 emissions? We studied GHG emissions and carbon burial in a set of experimental ponds at Cornell University. Despite high rates of carbon sequestration in their sediments, we found that ponds were net emitters of GHGs due to high CH4 emissions. To reduce GHG emissions from human-made ponds, future research should focus on factors that reduce CH4 production or release. This WRI-funded project has catalyzed new research grants to focus on GHG emissions and carbon sequestration in ponds and wetlands around New York State.Item Culvert Model Program 2021Houston, Ben (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2021)This report details work done by GroundPoint Engineering on behalf of the New York Water Resources Institute at Cornell University under a 2021 Scope of Work which was subsequently extended at no cost into 2022. The work involved implementing the Cornell Culvert Model for the Hudson River Estuary Program, led by staff in the NYSDEC Region 3 office in New Paltz, NY. This scope is derived from the recent strategic planning document titled “Cornell Culvert Model Framework 2021.”Item Mid-Hudson Young Environmental Scientists (MH-YES) 2021 Program in Watershed EcologyBerkowitz, Alan; Alred, Ashley (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2021)The 2021 Mid-Hudson Young Environmental Scientists (MH-YES) Program took place in-person this year from July 26 to August 13 at sites in both Millbrook, NY at Cary Institute and in Poughkeepsie, NY along the Fall Kill Creek and at a Marist College laboratory. The 2021 MH-YES program team included four scientists, two high school science teachers, two undergraduate student mentors, and eight high school students. All students, scientists, and one high school teacher hailed from Dutchess County, and one high school teacher was from neighboring Ulster County. Over the course of the three-week program, students learn to develop and complete scientific research projects related to watershed ecology. The entire group collaboratively collected data on water and soil ecology, then they divided into two groups to plan and carry out studies with these data. The two studies were: Effects of Japanese knotweed on the riparian zone of the Fall Kill and Wappinger Creek and How stream proximity and urbanization affect soil nutrients. In addition to field and lab studies, the MH-YES participants engaged in several enrichment activities, including field trips to Norrie Point Environmental Center and Innisfree Garden. The students gave two final presentations: a virtual presentation to the Fall Kill Watershed Coalition and an outdoor in-person presentation to family and friends at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum.Item 2022 Annual Report: The Ecological Monitoring of Dam Removal Projects in the New York State Portion of the Great Lakes WatershedDietrich, Jeremy (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2022)This document reports on the 2022 barrier-removal monitoring results within the New York State (NYS) portion of the Great Lakes watershed and expands aquatic connectivity restoration efforts which began in the Hudson Valley region of NYS in 2016. During 2022, in-field monitoring sites included Black Creek at the Black Creek Dam in the Village of Mexico (Oswego County) and Little Salmon Dam on the Little Salmon River, also located in the Village of Mexico (Oswego County) [Figure 1]. During 2022, new monitoring locations were established at both sites and Year-1 pre-removal conditions were documented. The continuing goal of these projects is to evaluate the effectiveness dam removals have in restoring aquatic connectivity and improving biological and water quality metrics within their vicinity. Monitoring efforts allow project partners to understand the biological, habitat, and physical responses to dam removals and provide quantitative data to demonstrate stream improvement, while also setting realistic expectations for removal efforts in varying landscape context settings.Item 2022 Annual Report: The Ecological Monitoring of Dam Removal Projects in the Hudson River EstuaryDietrich, Jeremy (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2022)This document reports on the 2022 barrier-removal monitoring results within the Hudson River Estuary watershed and continues aquatic connectivity restoration efforts which began in 2016. During 2022, in-field monitoring sites included Quassaick Creek at the former Strooks Felt Dam in the City of Newburg (Orange County) and Mill Creek Dam on Mill Creek in the City of Rensselaer (Rensselaer County) [Figure 1]. During 2022, Year-2 post-removal effects were examined at Strooks Felt. The Strooks Felt dam was removed from Quassaick Creek in January of 2020. A new monitoring site was established on Mill Creek to document Year-1 pre-removal conditions at Mill Creek Dam. The Mill Creek site is unique in that, under current conditions, the lower reach below the dam is tidally influenced from the Hudson River mainstem. This results in tidal actions raising and lowering the water surface elevation within the reach between 40-50” during each tidal cycle. The continuing goal of these projects is to evaluate the effectiveness that dam removals have in restoring aquatic connectivity and improving biological and water quality metrics within their vicinity. Monitoring efforts allow project partners to understand the biological, habitat, and physical responses to dam removals and provide quantitative data to demonstrate stream improvement, while also setting realistic expectations for removal efforts in varying landscape context settings.Item Developing 350-year records of Nutrient Loading and Environmental Change in Skaneateles and Oneida Lakes, NY: Evaluating End-Member Lake Systems in Upstate NYBrannon, McKenzie; Scholz, Christopher; Driscoll, Charles; Chipman, Melissa (New York State Water Resources Institute, 2022)Skaneateles and Oneida lakes are both glacially-formed lake basins in Central New York State that are important regional water resources utilized for drinking water as well as recreation. Skaneateles Lake is the primary water source for the City of Syracuse, and Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York State and serves as a water source for several near-by communities. The mechanisms which carved these lake basins vary, resulting in different lake morphologies with significant differences in average depth, width, watershed area, and trophic status. Both have seen varying development within their watersheds. These differences make them unique study sites for comparing how local climate and watershed activities impact nutrient loading in lakes in the same temperate, deciduous zone. Sediment in both lakes archive environmental and climatic conditions during and since the last North American deglaciation (Muller & Calkin, 1993; Mullins & Hinchey, 1989). Short cores were collected in the summer of 2022 from both lakes which capture sediment deposited over the last few hundred years (Figures 1 & 2). In this study we use sediment cores to examine the record of changing environmental conditions through time in two end-member lakes and established a baseline record of sediment nutrients entering the lakes from the late 1600s to present.