Tuesday, May 19, 2015
15:30 - 17:00

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15:30 - 15:45: / 102C SEEKING CLARITY: HOW A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP INTENDS TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN A HISTORICALLY HYPEREUTROPHIC LAKE

5/19/2015  |   15:30 - 15:45   |  102C

SEEKING CLARITY: HOW A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP INTENDS TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN A HISTORICALLY HYPEREUTROPHIC LAKE Project Clarity is a large-scale watershed remediation collaboration aimed at dramatically improving water quality in Lake Macatawa, a hypereutrophic lake located in western Michigan (USA). The project involves a multi-faceted, holistic approach that includes wetland restoration, in-stream remediation, Best Management Practices (BMPs), community education, and long-term sustainability. This major endeavor, which will take an estimated 10 years and $12 million to complete, is being undertaken by a partnership between government entities, non-profits, universities, private-sector consultants, and stakeholders. An endowment fund established by private donors ensures the long-term capacity of the project to provide the monitoring, education, and improvements necessary to achieve the water quality goals for Lake Macatawa. Preliminary (pre-restoration) monitoring data from wetland restoration sites and Lake Macatawa confirm 1) the need for sediment and phosphorus reduction in the watershed, 2) year-round hypereutrophic conditions in the lake, and 3) the overall poor ecological health of the system. Once watershed remediation is complete, the project is expected to have many economic, social, and ecological benefits – while achieving the ultimate goal of improved water quality in Lake Macatawa.

Mary Ogdahl (Primary Presenter/Author), AWRI-Grand Valley State University, ogdahlm@gvsu.edu;


Alan Steinman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Annis Water Resources Institute-Grand Valley State University, steinmaa@gvsu.edu;


Maggie Weinert (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), AWRI-Grand Valley State University, weinemag@gvsu.edu;


15:45 - 16:00: / 102C AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION INTERACT TO AFFECT DRIVERS OF LEAF DECOMPOSITION

5/19/2015  |   15:45 - 16:00   |  102C

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION INTERACT TO AFFECT DRIVERS OF LEAF DECOMPOSITION Agriculture and resource extraction can interact to alter in-stream characteristics that change drivers of leaf decomposition. Forest clearing and associated sediment and nutrient runoff can degrade habitat that reduces shredder diversity and biomass, and increases microbial activity. Leaf decomposition was quantified in streams draining three land alteration levels, mostly forested (low), mostly pasture (intermediate), and mostly pasture with natural gas (NG) activity (high), using three sets of six mesh bags in each of nine streams. We predicted decomposition would be fastest in intermediately altered streams from increased microbial activity and shredder redundancy maintaining leaf consumption. Decomposition rates (kdd-1) were 40% faster in streams draining mostly forested versus both pasture and pasture-NG dominated catchments from greater shredder activity and no difference in microbial activity. Shredder biomass positively correlated with less in-stream coarse substrate, while nitrate strongly correlated with NG activity. Low shredder diversity across all land use and undetectable effects of nitrate on microbial activity resulted in unexpected decomposition rates.

Steven Polaskey (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Central Arkansas, sjpolaskey@gmail.com;


Sally Entrekin (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Virginia Tech, sallye@vt.edu;


16:00 - 16:15: / 102C AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES IN TROPICAL HIGHLY BIODIVERSE STREAMS OF THE ECUADORIAN CHOCO

5/19/2015  |   16:00 - 16:15   |  102C

AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES IN TROPICAL HIGHLY BIODIVERSE STREAMS OF THE ECUADORIAN CHOCO The consequences of urban and agricultural land uses in Ecuador at ecosystem level are not fully studied. There is a strong conflict between the conservation of highly diverse ecosystems and economically important productive areas. The current agricultural practices involve extensive use of pesticides, which effects on the ecosystem are not yet understood in tropical streams. To understand the effect of widespread used pesticides in tropical rivers of Ecuador, we studied streams in three different land uses: Pristine montane rainforest, organic farms that included forest patches, and Palmito (Euterpe edulis) harvested lands (with extensive use of Endosulfan used as insecticide, and Glyphosate a herbicide). We studied three streams at each land use. We took quantitative and qualitative macroinvertebrate samples, periphyton quantitative samples, measure sediment, physic-chemical variables and quantified the presence of pesticides used in Palmito farmlands. Our results show a direct relationship between the decline of certain macroinvertebrate groups (e.g. Anacroneuria, Leptonema and Campylocia) and the use of pesticides. Furthermore we found that the diversity losses in the streams crossing organic farms are negligible at macroinvertebrate and periphyton level.

Andres Morabowen (Primary Presenter/Author), 1._Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Quito, Ecuador. 2._Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y el Cambio Climático, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Av. Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador 170103., andresmorabowen@gmail.com;


Blanca Rios-Touma (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), 1_.Universidad de las Américas- Quito, Ecuador. Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Agropecuarias. Ingeniería Ambiental. Unidad de Biotecnología y Medio Ambiente -BIOMA-Campus Queri, Calle José Queri y Av. Granados. Edificio #8, PB. Quito, Ecuador., briostouma@gmail.com;


16:15 - 16:30: / 102C NUTRIENT FRACTIONATION AND STREAM FLOW FROM AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS IN RELATION TO LANDUSE

5/19/2015  |   16:15 - 16:30   |  102C

NUTRIENT FRACTIONATION AND STREAM FLOW FROM AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS IN RELATION TO LANDUSE Temporal and spatial trends in phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fractions were examined in 10 sub-watersheds of the Red River Valley, Manitoba, Canada, to identify critical factors affecting nutrient export in relation to human activity. Discharge showed a strong seasonal pattern of high discharge during snowmelt, low discharge with rainfall-induced peaks during summer and fall, and low or no discharge during winter. Dissolved P and N showed highest concentrations and loads during snowmelt for all three sampling years (2010, 2013, and 2014), with the exception of occasional summer peaks associated with rain events and wastewater lagoon discharge. Streamwater concentrations of dissolved P and N were significantly correlated (p<0.05) with % agricultural land cover and the proportion of land to which fertilizer was applied. Additionally, partial least squares regression analysis indicated that the critical water quality factors affecting water chemistry were land use and hydrology. Our research identified critical drivers of stream-water dissolved nutrients, providing the foundation for modeling nutrient losses and developing effective land use practices to minimize export of bioavailable nutrients

Kim J. Rattan (Primary Presenter/Author), Environment Canada , kim.rattan@ec.gc.ca;


Patricia A. Chambers (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington Ontario, Canada, L7R 4A6, patricia.chambers@canada.ca;


Joseph M. Culp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment Canada & Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunwsick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, jculp@unb.ca;


Adam G. Yates (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Western University & Canadian Rivers Institute, adam.yates@uwo.ca;


16:30 - 16:45: / 102C DRIVERS OF ALGAL BIOMASS AND PRODUCTIVITY IN INTENSIVELY MANAGED AGRICULTURAL LAKES

5/19/2015  |   16:30 - 16:45   |  102C

DRIVERS OF ALGAL BIOMASS AND PRODUCTIVITY IN INTENSIVELY MANAGED AGRICULTURAL LAKES Shallow, turbid oxbow lakes in northwest Mississippi are frequently manipulated for irrigation water sources, and hence experience depth fluctuations independent of seasonal rainfall. These lakes show large swings in dissolved oxygen (DO) and often turn hypoxic. Factors controlling primary productivity (and DO), such as light and temperature, typically correlate with lake depth. We collected phytoplankton and periphyton from deep and shallow sites seasonally in three oxbow lakes in northwest Mississippi. Additional phytoplankton and periphyton samples were incubated in different light and temperature regimes to explore the individual importance of these factors in regulating microbial metabolism. Both periphyton and phytoplankton biomass were more affected by season than water depth. Despite measurable algal biomass, periphyton respiration rates resulted in a net loss of DO. Under experimental light and temperature manipulations, phytoplankton biomass and productivity generally increased under high temperatures, but again experienced a strong seasonal effect. Periphyton biomass and productivity did not show strong responses to temperature. These data suggest water depth per se does not drive algal biomass and productivity; therefore, other factors may be more important for managers to consider.

Kate Henderson (Primary Presenter/Author), Montana State University, kahenderson121@gmail.com;


Justin Murdock (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tennessee Technological University, jnmurdock@tntech.edu;


Richard Lizotte, Jr. (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Sedimentation Lab , richard.lizotte@ars.usda.gov ;


Martin Locke (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), USDA-ARS, martin.locke@ars.usda.gov ;


16:45 - 17:00: / 102C NUTRIENT AND SEDIMENT RUNOFF FROM AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS: INSIGHTS FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

5/19/2015  |   16:45 - 17:00   |  102C

NUTRIENT AND SEDIMENT RUNOFF FROM AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS: INSIGHTS FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES From 2011 through 2014, ten streams in southeast Indiana were routinely sampled across all hydrologic conditions to examine the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to reduce nutrient loading to streams. The watersheds were 60% or more cultivated crops. No effect of the practices could be detected in the nutrient data, however the data revealed characteristics about the runoff that could improve the design of effective agricultural BMPs. Turbidity ranged from <5 NTU to >1000 NTU across hydrologic extremes and there was a strong correlation between turbidity and total phosphorus. On average, nitrate-N was 97% of DIN across all flow conditions and maximum nitrate-N concentrations were >15 mg/L. Maximum nitrate concentrations occurred at intermediate discharge, whereas maximum phosphorus occurred during storm flows. As discharge increased, the molar ratio of DIN:SRP declined. The input of nitrate and phosphorus occurred under different hydrologic conditions and by different mechanisms, suggesting multiple BMPs are required to reduce loading of both nutrients. Controlling soil erosion could be effective at reducing phosphorus inputs, but the mobility of the nitrate ion presents challenges for BMP designs.

Todd V. Royer (Primary Presenter/Author), Indiana University Bloomington, troyer@iu.edu;


Jessica Fulgoni (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Missouri Department of Conservation, jessica.Fulgoni@mdc.mo.gov;


Andrew Madison (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Indiana University, andmadis@umail.iu.edu;


Sirese Jacobson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Indiana University, ssjacobs@umail.iu.edu;