Analyzing Stream Condition Using EMAP Algae Data

1
Analyzing Stream Condition Using EMAP Algae Data

• By Nick Paretti
• ARIZONA PHYCOLOGY
• ECOL 475

2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
(EMAP)

• The EMAP Western Pilot Study requires a
  representative sample of biotic assemblages along
  with physical and chemical measures across 12
  western states
• The sampling consists of the five following
  components water chemistry, physical habitat,
  periphyton assemblage, benthic macroinvertebrate
  assemblage, and aquatic vertebrate assemblage.
• The data will be used to generate state and
  regional scale assessments of the condition of
  ecological resources in the western United
  States, and to identify stressors associated with
  the degradation of these resources.

3
Questions to Answer

• EPA
• What proportion of stream and river miles in the
  western U.S. are in acceptable (or poor)
  biological condition?
• What is the relative importance of potential
  stressors (habitat modification, sedimentation,
  nutrients, temperature, grazing, timber harvest,
  etc.) in streams and rivers across the West?
• This project
• Use a random subset of data (n168)
• Statistical analyses Oneway ANOVA and simple
  regression
• Determine if algae can be used as an indicator of
  stream condition

4
Cladophora

• Chlorophyte (Green Algae)
• Chlorophylls a and b Xanthans and Carotenoids
• Filamentous
• Habitat for Macroinvertebrate
• Fish cover for young
• Food source

5
Microcystis

• Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
• Unicellular clusters
• Nitrogen fixation
• Chlorophyll a and phycobilins
• Indicator of eutrophication
• Lacking a membrane-bounded nucleus
• Wide range of temperatures

6
EMAP Protocol

• Randomly selected Site
• Reach 40 X channel width
• 11 transects
• Canopy cover
• Densiometer
• Six measurements are obtained at each
  cross-section transect
• Measurements in four directions at mid-channel
  and one at each bank
• Water body character
• Assign a rating of 1 (highly disturbed) to 5
  (pristine) based on your
• 5. Beautiful, could not be any nicer.
• 4. Very minor aesthetic problems excellent for
  swimming, boating, enjoyment.
• 3. Enjoyment impaired.
• 2. Level of enjoyment substantially reduced.
• 1. Enjoyment nearly impossible.

7
Canopy Cover

• Riparian canopy cover
• Stream temperatures
• Shading / Light penetration
• Inputs of coarse and fine particulate organic
  material
• Organic inputs are food for stream organisms

8
Relation of Canopy

• Negative Relationship
• Less light
• Less photosynthesis
• Less primary productivity

R-square .04 F-ratio lt.0001 N168
9
Dominant Land Use

• Algal biomass as an indicator of nutrient
  enrichment
• Problems related to excessive nutrient enrichment
  
• Eutrophication
• Algal blooms
• Depletion of Oxygen
• Suburban/ town
• Human activities, fertilizer application, burning
  of fossil fuels
• Range
• Animal Waste
• Agriculture
• Eutrophic
• Fertilizers
• Forested streams
• Oligotrophic
• Leaf litter

10
Dominant Land Use
Prob gt F 0.0686
Prob gt F 0.0024

• Oneway ANOVA
• Analyzing percent algae
• The Forest dominated stream is statistically
  different than Range and Suburban/town
• Statistically level 5 of Pristine is different
  than level 1
• Trends

11
Nutrients

• Water Chemistry
• Inconclusive evidence comparing percent algae to
  Nutrient concentrations
• Selected chemicals
• NO3, DOC, DIC, NH4, total phosphorus, total
  nitrogen (dissolved inorganic and organic
  nitrogen and articulate organic and inorganic
  nitrogen, minus N2 gas)
• The forest dominated stream is statistically
  different than the agriculture dominated stream

12
Nutrients
13
Stream Order

• Increased Velocity
• Increased Volume
• Increased Inputs
• Organic Matter
• Human Influences
• Fertilizers
• Nutrient Load
• More Algae
• Blooms
• Analyzing percent algae
• A first order stream is statistically different
  than a seventh order stream
• Trends

14
Stream Order
Prob gt F 0.0119
15
Conclusions

• Algae as a biological indicator
• Identify algae
• Identify stressors associated with the
  degradation of stream habitat
• Canopy Cover
• Dominant Land use
• Aesthetic appeal
• Nutrients
• Stream Order
• Interpret the data and apply it to vertebrate
  communities and restoration
• Produce unbiased estimates of the ecological
  condition of surface waters across a large
  geographic area (or areas) of the West