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STREAMS TO RIVERS: THE NEXT GENERATION OF ECOSYSTEM MONITORING
Citation:
Flotemersch, J E., K Fritz, K A. Blocksom, P. Nolan, AND M. Passmore. STREAMS TO RIVERS: THE NEXT GENERATION OF ECOSYSTEM MONITORING. Presented at Science Forum 2003, Washington, DC, May 5-7, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this research is to develop methods and indicators that are useful for evaluating the condition of aquatic communities, for assessing the restoration of aquatic communities in response to mitigation and best management practices, and for determining the exposure of aquatic communities to different classes of stressors (i.e., pesticides, sedimentation, habitat alteration).
Description:
The historical focus in aquatic ecosystems has been on sampling methods oriented toward surveys of wadeable streams or smaller rivers. However, to fully assess the condition of the nations waters, methods are needed for systems above and below this scale. Biological communities change with stream size, as does habitat type and quality. This creates a need for assessors to have available clear and consistent methods for measuring community health that are specifically designed for these ecosystems. Through the Office of Research and Development's Regional Methods Initiative (RMI) program, NERL is currently engaged in collaborative research efforts with Regional Scientists to develop methods for the assessment of aquatic ecosystems for which standardized methods are lacking. The two major areas of focus are intermittent streams and large rivers, which together comprise > 60% of the total stream miles in the United States. NERL and Regional partnerships are delivering the next-generation of critically needed environmental monitoring tools. Cost effective methods that maximize the investment to result ratio, yet are logistically feasible, and with a scientific foundation that is defensible.