SFS Annual Meeting

5/20/2019  |   11:00 - 11:15   |  151 DEF

MACROINVERTEBRATE AND FISH COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO WETLAND RESTORATION IN WESTERN KENTUCKY Wetlands improve the quality of our nation’s freshwater resources, and they support a diverse assemblage of plant and animal species. Each year, billions of dollars are spent on a variety of projects focused on restoring wetlands, including the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Our main objective for this study was to quantify macroinvertebrate and fish diversity on easements enrolled in WRP and in surrounding wetlands. Our study sites include restoration easements of various ages (0-15 years), agricultural fields prone to flooding as control sites, and mature bottomland forests, which represent pre-disturbance “reference” wetlands. Structures, such as levee breaks, ditch plugs, or shallow water areas have either been installed or removed on each easement to improve wetland hydrologic conditions. Stovepipe cores and multi-habitat dip-nets were used to collect macroinvertebrates at each site, while backpack electrofishing and throw-nets were used to collect fish. Preliminary results reveal that easements with a continuous hydroperiod and increased structural heterogeneity mimic reference wetlands in terms of both species richness and diversity. Understanding how these easements respond to restoration will provide opportunities for adaptive management in subsequent years.

Luke Zuklic (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Murray State University, lzuklic@murraystate.edu;


Michael Flinn (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Murray State University, mflinn@murraystate.edu;


Christy Soldo (Primary Presenter/Author), Murray State University, csoldo@murraystate.edu;


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5/20/2019  |   11:15 - 11:30   |  151 DEF

AN INVESTIGATION OF INTRASPECIFIC GENOTYPIC VARIATION OF BOLBOSCHOENUS MARITIMUS (ALKALI BULRUSH) Previous research suggests intraspecific variation of traits may be driving high functioning in species limited ecosystems. If genotypic differences influence functional traits, then this relationship could explain the high functioning of species-poor wetland systems. We examined trait variation within and among different genotypes of the wetland plant Bolboschoenus martimus. We collected rhizomes from wetlands in Montana, Arizona, and Utah and grew 5 genotypes from these various sites in a common garden experiment for 22 weeks. We measured above-ground and below-ground traits which include maximum vegetative height, stem density, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, number of inflorescences, above- and below-ground carbon to nitrogen ratio, number of new rhizomes, and biomass. We found trait variation among genotypes was dependent on the trait examined. Specifically, we found stem density and number of inflorescences were significantly different between genotypes. Our results document intraspecific variation is an important determinant of functional traits in B. martimus. Our results also suggest intraspecific diversity could be a major driver of high functioning in wetland ecosystems.

Audree Provard (Primary Presenter/Author), Utah State University, audreejoy.van@aggiemail.usu.edu;


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5/20/2019  |   11:30 - 11:45   |  151 DEF

IDENTIFYING MACROINVERTEBRATE METRICS TO INDICATE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION OF MICHIGAN'S PALUSTRINE WETLANDS Wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems. They provide vital hydrologic regulation and filtration services to freshwater resources, but are often degraded by anthropogenic impacts. Eutrophication is a persistent, growing problem that can reduce wetland functioning and alter the ecosystem services they provide. Macroinvertebrates are often used as indicators of environmental quality because they are directly impacted by the physical and chemical integrity of their environment. Biota like macroinvertebrates, can provide a more comprehensive picture of the effects of different stressors over time than water quality measures. Our goal was to identify specific families and groups of macroinvertebrates that could indicate high or low concentrations of phosphorus and/or nitrogen in a wetland. We collected chemical and physical habitat characteristics, macroinvertebrates, plant tissue nutrient concentrations, soil nutrients and land use/cover (LULC) from 17 marshes of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling and Pearson’s correlations to determine if macroinvertebrates aligned with particular nutrient levels. These macroinvertebrate indicators will provide managers a practical tool for evaluating the degree of eutrophication a palustrine wetland is experiencing.

Alexandra Mattingly (Primary Presenter/Author), Central Michigan University, matti3a@cmich.edu;


Donald Uzarski (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, uzars1dg@cmich.edu;


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5/20/2019  |   11:45 - 12:00   |  151 DEF

CARBON DIOXIDE EFFLUX FROM ALPINE POND SOILS VARIES WITH SOIL NUTRIENT CONTENT AND HYDROLOGY While inundated, small ponds (< 1000 m2 area) account for disproportionately large contributions of CO2 to the global carbon budget and also store carbon in anoxic soils. However, neither the rates of exposed pond soil CO2 efflux themselves nor the soil characteristics affecting those rates have been well studied, even though pond hydrology is shifting toward increasingly dry conditions in alpine and temperate zones. We analyzed soil CO2 efflux rates in dried soils of ponds of varying hydrology and soil characteristics at two locations near Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. Average CO2 efflux rates from exposed soils were 43 times higher than average water CO2 efflux rates. Linear mixed effects models and PCA analysis showed that in addition to soil moisture and temperature, total dissolved nitrogen, total organic carbon, and nitrate concentrations were significant predictors of efflux. Soil organic matter content increased with decreasing drying frequencies toward pond centers. We conclude that total pond CO2 efflux will increase as pond hydroperiods become increasingly temporary, causing soils to become increasingly exposed.

Steven Gougherty (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Boston University, steven.gougherty@gmail.com;


Brad Taylor (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), North Carolina State University Dept. of Applied Ecology; Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, bwtaylo3@ncsu.edu ;


Amanda DelVecchia (Primary Presenter/Author), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, amanda.delvecchia@unc.edu;
Amanda DelVecchia is an Assistant Professor and Voit Gilmore Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on how biotic and abiotic processes occurring at different scales interact to affect ecosystem structure and function. It centers on how biogeochemistry varies across the hydrologic and physical templates of freshwater ecosystems, and how this heterogeneity interacts with the biota present. Her research occurs across perennial and non-perennial, lentic (non-flowing) and lotic (flowing), above and belowground waters.

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5/20/2019  |   12:00 - 12:15   |  151 DEF

DEVELOPMENT OF A VEGETATION-BASED PREDICTIVE MODEL OF DENITRIFICATION POTENTIAL FOR INLAND WETLANDS OF MICHIGAN Wetlands are hotspots for various biogeochemical processes, including denitrification. Denitrification is an important ecosystem process, but it has proven difficult and expensive to measure. As such, more accessible and affordable methods for measuring denitrification potentials in wetlands are necessary. Wetland plants are known to play a significant role in regulating denitrification rates in wetlands through the quantity and quality of the carbon they provide through leaf litter and detritus. By analyzing the relationships between these factors and denitrifying gene abundance, a predictive model capable of estimating denitrification potential in wetlands can be constructed. Soil samples from palustrine marshes of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula were collected and analyzed for the abundance of two denitrification-relevant genes using qPCR to establish a gradient of denitrification potential. We then analyzed the relationships between plant-related variables and this gradient in order to develop a preliminary predictive model of denitrification potential. Further sampling and analysis will aid us in strengthening the model and assessing its predictive capabilities, allowing for it use in monitoring and conservation efforts.

Deric Learman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Central Michigan University, learman1dr@cmich.edu;


Donald Uzarski (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Central Michigan University, uzarsd1g@cmich.edu;


Jacob Dybiec (Primary Presenter/Author), Central Michigan University, dybie1jm@cmich.edu;


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5/20/2019  |   12:15 - 12:30   |  254 B

COMPARATIVE GENOMICS AND PROTEOMICS OF SILK ACROSS CADDISFLY SUBORDERS Caddisfly larvae (Insecta: Trichoptera) assemble a variety of underwater structures using a specialized bioadhesive underwater silk. This insect order is divided into two primary sub-orders, which can be distinguished by how their larvae use silk. Larvae of the suborder Annulipalpia construct stationary retreats, some with suspended capture nets, while larvae of the suborder Integripalpia construct small portable homes in the shape of a tube. With an aim toward identifying the molecular adaptations responsible for this natural bioadhesive, we use proteomics and genomics to compare the silk from a net spinning, fixed retreat making caddisfly genus, _Parapsyche_, to the silk of a tube casemaker genus, _Hesperophylax_.

Paul Frandsen (Primary Presenter/Author), Brigham Young University, paul_frandsen@byu.edu;


Russell Stewart (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Utah, russell.stewart@utah.edu;


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