Download Use of fish functional traits for ecosystem restoration assessment

Use of Fish Functional Traits for Ecosystem
Restoration Assessment: A Focus on Biological
Impairment Due to Suspended Sediment
John S. Schwartz, PhD, PE
University of Tennessee
Knoxville
NCSU Stream Restoration Conference 2010
Stream Restoration in the Southeast: Connecting
Communities with Ecosystems
Raleigh, North Carolina
Stream Sediment/Siltation
Loss of biological
integrity due to
siltation in rivers and
streams is a major
cause of water
quality impairment
in the United States.
National Water Quality Inventory Report to Congress,
2002 Report Cycle; October 2007; EPA 841-R-07-001
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Establishing Links between Ecological Degradation
Response and Character of the Sediment Stressor

Conceptual
p
Framework to Establishing
g Links
Sediment
Stressor
Autecological
Relationship
Suspended Sediment
ConcentrationFrequency-duration;
Seasonal timing
-
Bedload Transport
Magnitude-Frequency;
Seasonal timing
- Spawning
- Habitat/Refugia
Bed Sediment
Bed Composition
Heterogeneity
- Feeding
- Spawning
- Habitat/Refugia
Species
Filter
Feeding
Spawning
Seeking Cover
Habitat/Refugia
species
pool
0 +0+++00 0+0+
Links
Study Objective
In order to address these analysis issues:
Study Objective: Evaluate whether a functional traits approach
using fish autecological data can effectively relate traits to
suspended sediment exposure metrics as stressor gradients.
Functional Traits Approach: Poff et al. (2006) suggests biotic guilds,
a group of species that exploit environmental resources in the same way ,
can better correlate with regional stressor and natural environmental
gradients, and be used as predictive indicators to biological impairment.
Frimpong and
Angermeier (2009):
Fish Traits Database
Andrew Simon, Lauren Klimetz | Co-authors for the Dakota project
USDA ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory
Environmental Monitoring & Assessment (2010) | DOI 10.1007/s10661-010-1741-8
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Methods: Study Design
Identify USGS Gauging
Stations with Flow/
Suspended Data
Co-locate Fish Collections
with USGS Gauging Stations
Compile Fish Data: Species
Presence/Absence per Site
Compute Suspended Sediment
Concentration Frequency,
Duration, and Dose during
Biologically-active
Biologically
active Months
Develop
Autecological
Attribute Data
M i for
Matrix
f
Species Present
Compile Occurrences of Functional
Traits (Autecological) Attributes
per Site by Species Present
BIOLINK
Statistical Correlation Analysis of
Concentration, Frequency, and
Duration; and Dose Levels with
Functional Traits Occurrence
Study Location
Northwestern
Great Plains
Ecoregion
(ER 43)
* 58 co-located fish sites with
USGS suspended sediment data
SW North Dakota
W South Dakota
SE Montana
NE Wyoming
1997-2006 Databases
• USEPA EMAP/REMAP
• NDDH, WQ Division
• USGS F&W Coop Unit at
SD State University
• MT Dept. FWP
* Only USGS sites in which channel stability condition
matched suspended sediment and fish collection periods
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Methods: Suspended Sediment Metrics
Suspended Sediment Concentration Frequency Distributions
Fish exposure months:
March through
g November
Additional analysis examined
differences among trait expression
between stable and unstable channels
Each site and concentration
percent exceedence has an
unique value (mg/L)
Methods: Suspended Sediment Metrics
Suspended Sediment Concentration Duration
Fish exposure months:
March through November
Each site, and a corresponding %
exceedence concentration was
used to compute the average
number of consecutive days that
concentration is exceeded.
The avg. no. of
consecutive days
11,317.7 mg/L is
exceeded
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Methods: Suspended Sediment Metrics
Suspended Sediment Dosage
Fish exposure months:
March through November
Each site, and a corresponding %
exceedence concentration, dosage
was computed by concentration
times duration (mg/L-day)
Concentration
11,317.7 mg/L x
1 day =
11,318 mg/L-day
Methods: Functional Traits
Functional Traits
Potential Stress from Excessive Suspended
Sediment
REARING HABITAT PREFERENCES
Excessive sedimentation of habitat types can
HABDW: Open deep waters, rivers
reduce quality. Fine sediments in riffle gravels
HABSW: Open shallow waters, rivers
can increase embeddedness.
HABPOOL: Pools, streams
HABRIF: Riffles, streams
FEEDING TROPHIC STRUCTURE
TRGEN: Generalist feeder
TRHERB: Herbivore
TROMN: Omnivore
TRINSE: Insectivore
TRPISC: Piscivore
Generalist feeders, herbivores, and omnivores
should be less susceptible to elevated suspended
sediment events than sight-feeding insectivores
and piscivores. Although, prolonged periods of
elevated suspended sediment levels may cause
impairment.
Information theory approach to ecology
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Methods: Functional Traits
Potential Stress from Excessive
Suspended Sediment
Functional Traits
SPAWNING BEHAVIOR GUILD
SPNGOW: Non
Non-guarder,
guarder, open water dispersion,
non-adhesive eggs
SPNGOA: Non-guarder, open water dispersion,
eggs adhere to rocks/plants
SPNGNS: Non-guarder, brood hiders, builds nests
SPADH: Guarder, no nest, adhere eggs to substrate
SPGHO: Guarder, nest builder, hides eggs in rock/
bed substrate crevices
SPGNE: Guarder, nest builder, no specialized
material
SPGNGR: Guarder, nest builder, use clean gravels
SPGNMD: Guarder, nest builder, use mud and/or
vegetation
Excessive suspended
p
sediment may
affect fish recruitment depending
on spawning behavior. For
example, fish that do not guard
eggs and disperse them into open
waters benefit from turbid waters.
Whereas, fish that guard their eggs
must see predators. Sedimentation
may affect fry emergence for fish
that build nests in clean gravels.
Total Number of Fish Functional Traits = 20
Methods: Functional Traits
Autecology Matrix developed from literature: Binary relations with Fish to Trait
References:
Coker et al. 2001;
Smith 1979; Holton
2003; Etnier &
Starnes 2001; Rahel
& Thel 2004.
Site x Functional Trait Expressed Matrix: Per site, fish presence/absence data used
Functional Traits Matrix: Occurrence of traits divided by species richness
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Correlation Analysis Results: Habitat
% Exceedence by
Concentration (mg/L)
Dosage (mg/L-day)
Significance level (p < 0.05)
SSC = Suspended Sediment
Concentration
SSC
(mg/L)
+
SSC
-
(mg/L)
Trait
Trait
Correlation Analysis Results: Feeding
% Exceedence by
Concentration (mg/L)
Significance level (p < 0.05)
SSC = Suspended Sediment
Concentration
SSC
(mg/L)
+
SSC
-
(mg/L)
Trait
Trait
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Correlation Analysis Results: Spawning
% Exceedence by
Concentration (mg/L)
Significance level (p < 0.05)
SSC = Suspended Sediment
Concentration
SSC
(mg/L)
+
SSC
-
(mg/L)
Trait
Trait
Summary of Results
3 Classes of Significant Corrections with Trait Occurrences and Suspended
Sediment Concentration (SSC) Exceedance Frequencies
1. Across a broad range of SSC 2. Upper range of SSC
frequencies 95% - 0.01%
frequencies 99% - 50%
3. Lower range of SSC
frequencies 25% - 0.01%
STRESSORS
HABPOOL  DrA  SSY 
HABSW  SSY 
TRPISC
TRGEN  SSY 
SPNGNS  DrA 
SPGNMD
TROMN  SSY 
SPGNGR  SSY 
SPGNE
BENEFACTORS
HABDW  DrA  SSY 
TRHERB  DrA  SSY 
SPNGOW  DrA  SSY 
Trait occurrences significantly different between stable and unstable channels (p < 0.1)
solidly-boxed
stable channels, and
dashed-boxed
unstable channels.
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Results:
Potential Biological Impairment Thresholds
►
Functional traits analysis was found to be useful in identifying potential
biological
g
impairment
p
thresholds due to elevated levels of suspended
p
sediment based on event concentration, frequency, and duration.
1) < 19 mg L-1 SSC or 1,500 mg L-1 d-1 dose at the 95% exceedance level relating to
HABPOOL, TRGEN, TROMN & SPGNGR traits;
2) < 1 mg L-1 SSC at the 99% exceedance level, < 24 mg L-1 at the 95% exceedance level,
and < 69 mg L-1 at the 90% exceedance level for watersheds greater than 10,0000 km2
and relatingg to HABSW;;
3) < 27 mg L-1 SSC, < 60 days for SSC ≥ 27 mg L-1 duration, and/or 1,340 mg L-1 d-1 dose
at the 90% exceedance level relating to SPNGNS; and
4) < 364 mg L-1 SSC or 2,100 mg L-1 d-1 dose at the 5% exceedance level relating to
TRPISC.
* Mean values of 58 sites for specified % exceedance
Ecosystem Restoration
Stream Restoration Implications:
HABPOOL: Pool habitat enhancement
in streams
HABSW: River side channels, backwater
area enhancement
SPGNGR: Construct stable gravel riffles
in smaller drainage area
basins
TRGEN, TROMN, TRPISC: Watershedscale erosion control BMPS
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Use of Functional Traits for Ecological Lift

Northbrook IL Stream Restoration Project
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
CONSTRUCTION 2001
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION
Use of Functional Traits for Ecological Lift

Northbrook IL Stream Restoration Project
Longitudinal Profile, Pre- & Post Construction
Elevation (m)
194.5
194.0
193.5
193.0
192.5
192.0
191.5
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Stream Distance (m)
1999
Species Richness:
2002
Pre-Construction = 7 species
Post-Construction = 13 species
Downstream 2002 = 4 species
Schwartz, Herricks. 2007. Evaluation of pool-riffle naturalization structures on habitat complexity and the fish community in an
urban Illinois stream. River Research & Applications 23: 451-466.
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Use of Functional Traits for Ecological Lift
Northbrook
IL St
Stream
ea
Restoration
Project
 Concept
Example
Ecological Lift =
53%

Occurrences
Before Restoration
Occurrences
After Restoration
Preferred Habitat Pool
5
9
Preferred Habitat Riffle
0
0
Spawning Behavior: Nest
Builders
4
8
Spawning Behavior: Non-Nest
Builders Dispersal
4
7
Spawning Behavior: Non-Nest
Builders l
1
4
Feeding Trophic Structure:
Generalists
1
2
Feeding Trophic Structure:
Herbivores
3
5
Feeding Trophic Structure:
Insectivores
4
7
Feeding Trophic Structure:
Piscivores
3
6
Silt Tolerant
Silt Intolerant
SUM
Ecological Lift
5
1
31
8
2
58
Functional Trait
53%
Acknowledgements
Study funded by the USEPA Region VIII, Ecosystems
Protection and Monitoring Program.
Fish Database Assistance
USEPA Region VIII – Kris Jensen,
Jensen Tom Johnson,
Johnson and Tina Laidlaw
ND Dept. of Health, WQ Division – Mike Ell and Joe Gross
SD USGS F&W Coop Unit – Dr. Charles Berry
Montana DEQ – Ann Harrie
Souris River near Sherwood
Sediment Data Analysis and Field Assessments
USDA ARS – Brian Bell, Danny Klimetz,
Mark Griffith, Wendy Dickenson
ND gage 05114000
Northbrook IL Project
Funded by the USEPA Watersheds Grant
Project Investigators: Edwin Herricks,
Herricks,
Bruce Rhodes, Marcelo Garcia,
Rebecca Wade
QUESTIONS ……
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