Sunday, May 22, 2016
13:30 - 15:00

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13:30 - 13:45: / 314 CURRENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON THE EVALUATION, DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF BENTHIC MULTIMETRIC INDICES FOR NEOTROPICAL SAVANNA STREAMS

5/22/2016  |   13:30 - 13:45   |  314

CURRENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON THE EVALUATION, DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF BENTHIC MULTIMETRIC INDICES FOR NEOTROPICAL SAVANNA STREAMS Two of the greatest challenges associated with the development of biotic multimetric indices (MMIs) is assessing their transferability to places outside their area of development and their required sampling effort. We evaluated a benthic MMI developed for the Nova Ponte hydrological unit (neotropical savanna, Brazil) to assess the discrimination of its metrics (EPT richness, % Odonata, % predators, and ASPT) in streams in different hydrological units of the Brazilian savanna. We performed a one-way analysis of variance to quantify differences among least-disturbed, intermediate, and most-disturbed sites. The site disturbance classification was based on a local riparian disturbance index. Of the 4 metrics in the Nova Ponte MMI, only EPT richness significantly discriminated least- from most-disturbed sites (F2,188=7.4;p<.001). For EPT richness, small differences in discrimination were observed when counting a fixed number of 500 individuals (F2,188=8.3;p<.001), 300 individuals (F2,188=8.5;p<.001), or 100 individuals (F2,188=7.8;p<.001). We recommend additional metrics for assessing neotropical savanna streams and a lower count protocol to reduce sampling effort costs.

Deborah Silva (Primary Presenter/Author), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, deborah.ufmg@gmail.com;


Robert Hughes ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Amnis Opes Institute, hughes.bob@amnisopes.com;


Alan Herlihy ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, alan.herlihy@oregonstate.edu;


Marcos Callisto ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, callistom@ufmg.br ;


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13:45 - 14:00: / 314 ADVERSE EFFECTS OF URBAN CENTERS ON THE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARO, THIMPHU, AND PUNA TSANG RIVERS IN BHUTAN

5/22/2016  |   13:45 - 14:00   |  314

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF URBAN CENTERS ON THE PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARO, THIMPHU, AND PUNA TSANG RIVERS IN BHUTAN In November 2015, we sampled stream and river reaches upstream, within, and downstream of urban areas in the Paro, Thimphu, and Puna Tsang watersheds, Bhutan. The sampling period was after the monsoon season and so the flow in streams and rivers was declining and approaching base flow. Water quality was evaluated using the presence and abundance of macroinvertebrate taxa and bacteria (E.coli., total coliform) in conjunction with levels of temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, and nutrients (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphorus). Stream and river reaches within and downstream of urban centers typically had higher levels of turbidity, nutrients, and bacteria and lower diversity and abundance of pollution sensitive macroinvertebrates relative to upstream reaches. Although elevated levels of E.coli upstream of urban areas were rare, total coliform counts were often elevated (possibly due to livestock). The most pollution sensitive insect group (Plecoptera) disappeared completely within and immediately downstream of large urban centers (Paro River, Thimphu River) and were uncommon downstream of smaller urban centers (Puna Tsang River), most likely due to inputs of human waste and industrial effluents.

Bernard Sweeney (Primary Presenter/Author), Stroud Water Research Center, sweeney@stroudcenter.org;


Anthony Aufdenkampe ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), LimnoTech, aaufdenkampe@limno.com;


Beth Fisher ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Minnesota, fisherba@umn.edu;


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14:00 - 14:15: / 314 SEASON EFFECTS ON A MACROINVERTEBRATE INTEGRITY INDEX (MII) DEVELOPED FOR STREAMS OF PUERTO RICO

5/22/2016  |   14:00 - 14:15   |  314

SEASON EFFECTS ON A MACROINVERTEBRATE INTEGRITY INDEX (MII) DEVELOPED FOR STREAMS OF PUERTO RICO Few examples of studies from the neotropics exist in the documented literature on the effects season change has on the composition of benthic macroinvertebrates; this information is particularly limited for Puerto Rico. Bioassessment programs in temperate North America target specific index periods to avoid variability known to occur with seasonal recruitment cycles of invertebrates. To obtain this information, sampling was conducted in 2012 at six reference stream sites during three discrete season periods, spring (March-April), summer (June-August), and fall (October-December). Results of the study showed an increasing trend in MII scores from spring to fall, although individual sites had changes that varied differently with season. In this study, variation of the MII scores across seasons in this study is within the range seen from samples collected over shorter time periods. Conclusions on season dynamics of Puerto Rico stream macroinvertebrate communities should be viewed cautiously because of the limited number of sites sampled in this study. It is recommended the MII index period be expanded, however, sampling should still be avoided during seasonal periods of intense rainfall.

James Kurtenbach (Primary Presenter/Author), USEPA Region 2, kurtenbach.james@epa.gov;


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14:15 - 14:30: / 314 DATA QUALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MISSISSIPPI-BENTHIC INDEX OF STREAM QUALITY

5/22/2016  |   14:15 - 14:30   |  314

DATA QUALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MISSISSIPPI-BENTHIC INDEX OF STREAM QUALITY The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) uses a multimetric index to describe and summarize characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages for objective and defensible determinations of stream degradation. Among other applications, the Mississippi-Benthic Index of Stream Quality (M-BISQ) supports decision-making related to listing or de-listing streams in need of pollutant reduction under the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) program. Over 15 years, the agency has assessed over 2,000 streams statewide, using consistent application of field, laboratory, and data analysis protocols within a quality control framework that helps partition and identify potential error sources, and formulate and implement necessary corrective actions. A series of quantitative and qualitative measures characterizes performance of field sampling, sorting, subsampling, taxonomic identification, and site assessment. Field sampling precision is characterized by quantifying the difference between results from adjacent reaches for a randomly-selected ten percent of primary locations; sorting bias by independent re-checks of sort residue for missed specimens; taxonomic precision by quantifying differences in sample-based identification results from independent laboratories or taxonomists. Following index calibration, discrimination efficiency is used to characterize accuracy in detecting stream degradation.

James Stribling (Primary Presenter/Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., james.stribling@tetratech.com;
James Stribling is an aquatic biologist in Tetra Tech's Center for Ecological Sciences, Owings Mills, Maryland. He has led taxonomic quality control analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates and zooplankton for the National Aquatic Resources Surveys since 2004.

Benjamin Jessup ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., benjamin.jessup;


Erik Leppo ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., erik.leppo@tetratech.com;


Valerie Alley ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Valerie_Alley@deq.state.ms.us;


Alice Dossett ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Alice_Dossett@deq.state.ms.us;


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14:30 - 14:45: / 314 RECALIBRATION AND TESTING OF THE MISSISSIPPI-BENTHIC INDEX OF STREAM QUALITY

5/22/2016  |   14:30 - 14:45   |  314

RECALIBRATION AND TESTING OF THE MISSISSIPPI-BENTHIC INDEX OF STREAM QUALITY The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) uses a benthic macroinvertebrate multimetric index to assess stream degradation relative to least-disturbed streams throughout the state. The initial calibration of the M-BISQ in 2002 was based on data from 455 non-tidal streams throughout the state, excluding the Alluvial Plain. The index was recalibrated to improve index sensitivity to current disturbance conditions, using additional data collected from 786 streams through 2012. Evaluation of candidate metrics and index compilations entailed defining criteria for the stressor gradient (least-disturbed and most-disturbed streams), defining bioregional site classes, generating performance statistics in R code for over 1.8M index options, and filtering the options to those with sensitivity to stressors (discrimination efficiency [DE]), a variety of metric categories, and ease of calculation. Site classification included four bioregions: South Bluff, West, East, and Southeast. DE ranged from 82 to 91% depending on site class. Site class-specific index formulations included 18 different metrics, seven of which were common to at least two bioregions. All analyses used data of known quality, enhancing defensibility of index calibration and testing, and final site assessments.

Benjamin Jessup (Primary Presenter/Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., benjamin.jessup@tetratech.com;


James Stribling ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., james.stribling@tetratech.com;


Valerie Alley ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Valerie_Alley@deq.state.ms.us;


Erik Leppo ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Tetra Tech, Inc., erik.leppo@tetratech.com;


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