5/19/2015  |   10:30 - 10:45   |  102C

EXPERIMENTAL FORESTRY RECLAMATION APPROACH PLOTS SHOW MARKED HYDROCHEMICAL IMPROVEMENT AFTER NINE GROWING SEASONS Surface mining for coal has contributed to aquatic ecosystem degradation throughout the Appalachian region, and around the world. Because standard reclamation techniques do not effectively mitigate these impairments, improved reclamation methods have been prioritized for development. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) has been shown to improve early forest growth on reclaimed mine soils; however, little is known about the effects of FRA reclamation on water quality downstream of mined areas. Research plots were established on a surface mine in eastern Kentucky to assess the impacts of FRA reclamation techniques on water quality. Water quality improved significantly over time after establishment. Electrical conductivity in 2013 was less than half of 2005 values. Sulfates and alkalinity also declined over time after establishment. Our data indicate that FRA reclaimed mine sites may significantly reduce water quality impairment associated with surface mining. Additional studies are required to directly assess water quality effects of FRA plantings at the watershed scale.

Kenton Sena (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Kentucky, kenton.sena@uky.edu;


Chris Barton (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Kentucky, barton@uky.edu;


Patrick Angel (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Office of Surface Mining, pangel@osmre.gov;


Carmen Agouridis (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Kentucky, carmen.agouridis@uky.edu;


Richard Warner (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Kentucky, richard.warner@uky.edu;

5/19/2015  |   10:45 - 11:00   |  102C

DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS OF ABRUPT RIPARIAN CHANGES IN STREAMS IN THE ATLANTIC RAINFOREST OF BRAZIL Deforestation due to agriculture creates a mosaic of riparian patches along stream corridors. This study hypothesizes that as streams traverse boundaries between these elements, canopy cover, flow and material transport interact to create longitudinal patterns in stream conditions below riparian transitions. We sampled four Atlantic Rainforest streams that traversed discrete forest and pasture riparian conditions. In two streams, we also conducted high intensity spatial sampling through a single forest-pasture transition. We used general linear models (landscape analysis) and nonlinear regression (intensive sampling sites) to quantify the penetration of upstream riparian patches into downstream reaches. We observed significant downstream effects of forest patches on downstream reaches at both tiers of spatial sampling (e.g. shading, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll a, autotrophic index and CPOM stocks). These results have implications for how streams change as they pass through different riparian conditions that characterize contemporary landscapes.

Rafael Feijó de Lima (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Montana, rfeijod@clemson.edu;


Eduardo F. Silva-Júnior (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, eduardobioadventure@gmail.com ;


Leonardo Kleba Lisboa (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, leokleba@yahoo.com;


Thomas Heatherly (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, heatherly1975@gmail.com;


Flavia Tromboni (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Nevada, Reno, ftromboni@unr.edu;


Eugenia Zandona (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, eugenia.zandona@gmail.com;


Timothy P. Moulton (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, moulton.timothy@gmail.com;


Steven Thomas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Alabama, sathomas16@ua.edu;

5/19/2015  |   11:00 - 11:15   |  102C

TESTING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BOTTOM UP FOOD WEB INFLUENCES: RIPARIAN HARVEST, INCREASED LIGHT, BUT LIMITED RESPONSES OF PRIMARY PRODUCERS AND MACROINVERTEBRATES When there are reductions in riparian cover, a general hypothesis is that increased light to the stream will lead to changes to standing stocks and community composition of lower trophic levels. In small mountain streams of the Trask River Watershed, coastal Oregon, we are studying effects of whole watershed forest harvest on stream food webs and instream habitat, chemistry and hydrology. Here we focus on direct responses of primary producers and macroinvertebrates to removal or reduction of riparian forests and increases in light and stream temperature. Though canopy gap fraction increased from 10% pre-harvest up to 30% after harvest and stream temperatures increased, standing stocks of epilithon and Chl a did not increase above background levels in harvested sites, nor did benthic organic matter. Macroinvertebrate biomass increased at only one site, and shifts in community composition or chironomid abundance did not occur. Uptake by other grazers, including tailed frogs, did not account for the limited responses. Over the next 2 yrs, we will continue to explore why these stream communities did not appear to respond to riparian changes.

Sherri Johnson (Primary Presenter/Author), U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, sherrijohnson@fs.fed.us;


Linda Ashkenas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oregon State University, linda.ashkenas@oregonstate.edu;


Judy Li (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oregon State University, judyli@comcast.net;


Alba Argerich (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Missouri, alba.argerich@oregonstate.edu;


Janel Sobota (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oregon State University, janel.banks@oregonstate.edu;

5/19/2015  |   11:15 - 11:30   |  102C

MULTIPLE INDICATOR ANALYSIS OF STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED The Delaware River Watershed Initiative is a collaborative program between land conservancies, watershed associations, researchers and other environmental non-profits involved in water resource conservation in the Delaware River Basin and Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer. In 2013 -2014 we used quantitative sampling approaches to characterize typical conditions in geographies within the basin and to provide baseline conditions at sites before implementation of restoration and preservation projects. A quantitative sampling approach is essential to showing small changes in these ecosystems over time in response to conservation actions. We analyzed fish, macroinvertebrate and algae assemblages in relation to in-stream habitat, riparian buffer condition and land use-land cover at different scales in order to develop metrics relating the ecosystem as a whole to multiple anthropogenic stressors. We present a subset of taxonomic and functional metrics from the three indicator groups that relate to regional stressors and perform better than any single indicator group on its own.

Stefanie Kroll (Primary Presenter/Author), Riverways Collaboration of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, stef.a.kroll@gmail.com;


Richard Horwitz (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, rjh78@drexel.edu;


David Keller (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, dhk44@drexel.edu;


Alison Minerovic (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, adm354@drexel.edu;


John Jackson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Stroud Water Research Center, jkjackson@stroudcenter.org;

5/19/2015  |   11:30 - 11:45   |  102C

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION IN STREAM SEDIMENT MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN AN URBAN COASTAL NORTHEASTERN WATERSHED Global change drivers such as land use land cover (LULC) change have major impacts on water quality in watersheds. Meanwhile, other regional and local factors can also influence water quality. The goal of this study was to assess sub-watershed LULC and other regional and local parameters influence on microbial functional group communities in the Neponset River Watershed, Massachusetts. The 5 major watershed LULC are forested, industrial, residential, wetlands, and golf courses. We hypothesized that there will be both temporal (seasonal) and spatial (LULC) differences in the microbial communities. Seasonally, sediments and other environmental variables were collected and analyzed at 14 stations. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMES) were used to characterize the microbial communities, and PCA was used to analyze the FAMES and environmental variables. While LULC appears to influence microbial communities, local environmental conditions, including physical habitat, also play a role in structuring microbial communities. These results help to show the link between microbial community structure, LULU, and other regional and local parameters and will aid in the efforts of encouraging best management practices in the watershed.

Nicole Henderson (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Massachusetts Boston, nicole.henderson001@umb.edu;


Alan Christian (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Massachusetts Boston, alan.christian@umb.edu;


Deirdre Burke (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Massachusetts, Boston, deirdrejburke74@gmail.com;

5/19/2015  |   11:45 - 12:00   |  102C

THE CONTRIBUTION OF FISH EXCRETION TO NUTRIENT CYCLING IN STREAMS ACROSS A LAND-USE GRADIENT Human-induced alterations to streams may alter the significance of animal excreta as a nutrient source in stream ecosystems. We quantified whole-stream nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, and fish excretion, in streams draining watersheds with contrasting land use. Background nutrient concentrations were related to land-use; ammonium (NH4+) was higher with urbanization and lower in streams draining forest, and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) decreased with agriculture. In contrast, fish abundance and diversity were positively related to benthic sediment size, but not to land use. Species classified as ‘intolerant’ were negatively correlated with urbanization, and positively correlated with agriculture and forested riparian-zone area; in addition, they also excreted significantly less NH4+ and SRP than ‘tolerant’ species. Three of the most abundant species (of 18 total) provided 86% of the total excretion across all streams. Relative to reach-scale nutrient uptake, fish excretion contributed 1-55% and 0-11% of areal NH4+ or SRP uptake, respectively, and contributions increased with fish density. Although land-use did not directly influence fish communities, these results show that human alterations to community traits such as pollution tolerance can influence stream ecosystem function.

Howard Barrons (Primary Presenter/Author), Oakland University, hjbarron@oakland.edu;


First Last (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, reisingera@gmail.com;


Jennifer L. Tank (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Notre Dame, tank.1@nd.edu;


Scott Tiegs (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oakland University, tiegs@oakland.edu;