Grantee Research Project Results
Development of Environmental Indicators of Condition,Integrity, and Sustainability in the Coastal Regions of the US Great Lakes Basin
EPA Grant Number: R828675Center: Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions
Center Director: Robinson, Allen
Title: Development of Environmental Indicators of Condition,Integrity, and Sustainability in the Coastal Regions of the US Great Lakes Basin
Investigators: Niemi, Gerald J. , Richards, Carl , Johnston, Carol A. , Kingston, John C. , Host, George E. , Swackhamer, Deborah L. , Hanowski, JoAnn M. , Regal, Ronald R. , Howe, Robert W. , Johnson, Lucinda , Axler, Richard
Current Investigators: Niemi, Gerald J. , Richards, Carl , Johnston, Carol A. , Zedler, Joy B. , Kingston, John C. , Reavie, Euan D. , Host, George E. , Stoermer, Eugene F. , Brady, Valerie J , Bedford, Barbara L. , Swackhamer, Deborah L. , Hanowski, JoAnn M. , Johansen, Jeffrey R. , Regal, Ronald R. , Sgro, Gerald V. , Howe, Robert W. , Smith, Charles , Ciborowski, Jan , Johnson, Lucinda , Simcik, Matthew , Axler, Richard , Hrabik, Thomas
Institution:
Current Institution: University of Minnesota - Duluth , University of Minnesota
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 11, 2001 through January 31, 2005 (Extended to January 9, 2006)
Project Amount: $6,000,000
RFA: Environmental Indicators in the Estuarine Environment Research Program (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Water , Aquatic Ecosystems
Approach:
We will test the indicators with a combination of existing data, a pilot study, and a more comprehensive field study in years 2 and 3 that are linked with stressors of the basin. Year 4 will be dedicated to analysis and recommendation of a suite of hierarchically structured indicators. Our research plan uses EPA's ecological risk assessment paradigm to: 1) illustrate the development of indicators, 2) test cause and effect between stressors and endpoints, and 3) provide essential linkages with EPA initiatives and programs. Indicators are divided into pressure (stressors) and state indicators (individual, population, community, and landscape-level endpoints or responses to the stressors). Major stressors include land use change, climate change, point and non-point discharges, exotic species, atmospheric deposition, and hydrological modifications. State indicators focus on biotic populations and communities (amphibian, bird, diatoms, fish, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic plants), land cover, and water quality (contaminants, nutrients). Field sampling will employ a random stratified design using ecological provinces, watersheds, shoreline reaches, and ecosystem types as the basis for stratification.
Expected Results:
Our goal is to identify the relationship between stressors and ecosystem response, which would allow predictions of stressor impacts to be made. These will allow us to recommend the most efficient, cost-effective, reliable, and understandable indicators to scientists and managers. These indicators will be easily visible, simple to monitor, and will allow managers to easily communicate the environmental condition of the Great Lakes nearshore and coastal areas to the general public. The Great Lakes Sea Grant network will provide support and communicate these results to the Great Lakes community.
Journal Articles: 58 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other center views: | All 279 publications | 67 publications in selected types | All 58 journal articles |
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Axler R, Henneck J, Kireta A, Sgro J, Kingston J. Surrogate water quality indicators for use in monitoring the Great Lakes coastal zone. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (in preparation, 2004). |
R828675C001 (2003) |
not available |
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Bhagat Y, Ciborowski JJ, Johnson LB, Uzarski DG, Burton TM, Timmermans ST, Cooper MJ. Testing a fish index of biotic integrity for responses to different stressors in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):224-235. |
R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Boers AM, Zedler JB. Stabilized water levels and Typha invasiveness. Wetlands 2009;28(3):676-685. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit |
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Bourdaghs M, Johnston CA, Regal RR. Properties and performance of the Floristic Quality Index in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Wetlands 2006;26(3):718-735. |
R828675C002 (Final) |
Exit |
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Bracey A, Kovalenko K, Niemi G, Giese E, Howe R, Grinde A. Effects of human land use on avian functional and taxonomic diversity within the upland coastal zone of the North American Great Lakes. AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGYY 2022;17(2):6. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Brady VJ, Ciborowski JJH, Johnson LB, Danz NP, Holland JD, Breneman DH, Gathman JP. Optimizing fishing time: one vs. two-night fyke net sets in Great Lakes coastal systems. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):236-244. |
R828675 (Final) R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Brazner JC, Danz NP, Niemi GJ, Regal RR, Trebitz AS, Howe RW, Hanowski JM, Johnson LB, Ciborowski JJH, Johnston CA, Reavie ED, Brady VJ, Sgro GV. Evaluation of geographic, geomorphic and human influences on Great Lakes wetland indicators:a multi-assemblage approach. Ecological Indicators 2007;7(3):610-635. |
R828675 (Final) R828675C001 (2004) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Cade BS, Noon BR. A gentle introduction to quantile regression for ecologists. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2003;1(8):412-420. |
R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit |
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Crane JL, Richards C, Breneman D, Lozano S, Schuldt JA. Evaluating methods for assessing sediment quality in a Great Lakes embayment. Aquatic Ecosystem Heath & Management 2005;8(3):323-349. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit |
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Danz NP, Regal RR, Niemi GJ, Brady VJ, Hollenhorst T, Johnson LB, Host GE, Hanowski JM, Johnston CA, Brown T, Kingston J, Kelly JR. Environmentally stratified sampling design for the development of Great Lakes environmental indicators. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2005;102(1-3):41-65. |
R828675C001 (2003) R828675C001 (2004) R828675C001 (Final) R828675C002 (2003) |
Exit Exit |
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Danz NP, Niemi GJ, Regal RR, Hollenhorst T, Johnson LB, Hanowski JM, Axler RP, Ciborowski JJH, Hrabik T, Brady VJ, Kelly JR, Morrice JA, Brazner JC, Howe RW, Johnston CA, Host GE. Integrated measures of anthropogenic stress in the U.S. Great Lakes Basin. Environmental Management 2007;39(5):631-647. |
R828675 (Final) R828675C001 (Final) |
Exit |
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Danz N, Reich P, Frelich L, Niemi G. Vegetation controls vary across space and spatial scale in a historic grassland-forest biome boundary. ECOGRAPHY 2011;34(3):402-414. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Frieswyk CB, Zedler JB. Vegetation change in Great Lakes coastal wetlands: deviation from the historical cycle. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(2):366-380. |
R828675 (Final) R828675C002 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Frieswyk CB, Johnston CA, Zedler JB. Identifying and characterizing dominant plants as an indicator of community condition. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2009;33(Suppl 3):125-135. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Ghioca-Robrecht DM, Johnston CA, Tulbure MG. Assessing the use of multiseason quickbird imagery for mapping invasive species in a Lake Erie coastal marsh. Wetlands 2009;28(4):1028-1039. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Grandmaison DD, Niemi GJ. Local and landscape influence on red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) nest success in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):292-304. |
R828675 (2004) R829641 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Grigorovich IA, Mills EL, Richards CB, Breneman D, Ciborowski JJH. European valve snail Valvata piscinalis (Müller) in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2005;31(2):135-143. |
R828675C003 (2004) R828675C003 (Final) R828777 (2003) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Grigorovich IA, Kang M, Ciborowski JJH. Colonization of the Laurentian Great Lakes by the amphipod Gammarus tigrinus, a native of the North American Atlantic coast. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2005;31(3):333-342. |
R828675C003 (2004) R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Hanowski J, Danz N, Howe R, Niemi G, Regal R. Consideration of geography and wetland geomorphic type in the development of Great Lakes coastal wetland bird indicators. EcoHealth 2007;4(2):194-205. |
R828675 (Final) R828675C004 (2004) |
Exit |
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Host GE, Schuldt J, Ciborowski JJH, Johnson LB, Hollenhorst T, Richards C. Use of GIS and remotely sensed data for a priori identification of reference areas for Great Lakes coastal ecosystems. International Journal of Remote Sensing 2005;26(23):5325-5342. |
R828675C003 (Final) R828777 (2003) |
Exit Exit |
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Howe RW, Regal RR, Niemi GJ, Danz NP, Hanowski JM. A probability-based indicator of ecological condition. Ecological Indicators 2007;7(4):793-806. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Johnston C, Zedler J, Tulbure M, Frieswyk C, Bedford B, Vaccaro L, Brady V. A unifying approach for evaluating the condition of wetland plant communities and identifying related stressors. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2009;19(7):1739-1757. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Johnston C, Zedler J, Tulbure M. Latitudinal gradient of floristic condition among Great Lakes coastal wetlands. JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH 2010;36(4):772-779. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Johnston CA, Meysembourg P. Comparison of the Wisconsin and National Wetlands Inventories. Wetlands 2002;22(2):386-405. |
R828675C002 (2002) R828675C002 (2003) R828675C002 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Johnston CA. Shrub species as indicators of wetland sedimentation. Wetlands 2003;23(4):911-920. |
R828675C002 (2003) |
not available |
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Johnston CA, Bedford BL, Bourdaghs M, Brown T, Frieswyk C, Tulbure M, Vaccaro L, Zedler JB. Plant species indicators of physical environment in Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):106-124. |
R828675C002 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Johnston CA, Watson T, Wolter PT. Sixty-three years of land alteration in Erie Township. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2009;33(Suppl 3):253-268. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Kang M, Ciborowski JJH, Johnson LB. The influence of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental suitability on the distribution of the nonindigenous amphipod, Echinogammarus ischnus, at Laurentian Great Lakes coastal margins. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):198-210. |
R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Kercher SM, Frieswyk CB, Zedler JB. Effects of sampling teams and estimation methods on the assessment of plant cover. Journal of Vegetation Science 2003;14(6):899-906. |
R828675C002 (2002) R828675C002 (2003) R828675C002 (2004) R828675C002 (Final) R828010 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Kovalenko K, Johnson L, Riseng C, Cooper M, Johnson K, Mason L, McKenna J, Sparks-Jackson B, Uzarski D. Great Lakes coastal fish habitat classification and assessment. JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH 2018;44(5):1100-1109. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Kovalenko K, Brady V, Ciborowski J, Host G, Johnson J. Macroinvertebrate and Fish Community Metrics:Confounding Effects and Consistency over Time. WETLANDS 2020;40(5):1107-1116. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Niemi GJ, McDonald ME. Application of ecological indicators. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 2004;35:89-111. |
R828675 (2004) R828675C001 (Final) |
Exit |
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Niemi GJ, Brady VJ, Brown TN, Ciborowski JJH, Danz NP, Ghioca DM, Hanowski JM, Hollenhorst TP, Howe RW, Johnson LB, Johnston CA, Reavie ED. Development of ecological indicators for the U.S. Great Lakes coastal region - a summary of applications in Lake Huron. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 2009;12(1):77-89. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Niemi G, Wardrop D, Brooks R, Anderson S, Brady V, Paerl H , Rakocinski C, Brouwer M, Levinson B, McDonald M. Rationale for a new generation of indicators for coastal waters. Environmental Health Perspectives 2004;112(9):979-986. |
R828675 (2004) R828675 (Final) R828677C001 (Final) R828684 (Final) R829458C003 (2003) R829458C008 (2003) R829458C008 (2004) |
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Olker J, Kovalenko K, Ciborowski J, Brady V, Johnson L. Watershed Land Use and Local Habitat:Implications for Habitat Assessment. WETLANDS 2016;36(2):311-321. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Panci H, Niemi G, Regal R, Tozer D, Gehring T, Howe R, Norment C. Influence of Local, Landscape, and Regional Variables on Sedge and Marsh Wren Occurrence in Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands. WETLANDS 2017;37(3):447-459. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Pengra BW, Johnston CA, Loveland TR. Mapping an invasive plant, Phragmites australis, in coastal wetlands using the EO-1 Hyperion hyperspectral sensor. Remote Sensing of Environment 2007;108(1):74-81. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Peterson AC, Miemi GJ. Evaluation of the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands in the Western Great Lakes: An Analysis Using Bird Communities. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(3):280-291 |
R828675C004 (2003) R828675C004 (2004) |
Exit Exit |
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Price SJ, Marks DR, Howe RW, Hanowski J, Niemi GJ. The importance of spatial scale for conservation and assessment of anuran populations in coastal wetlands of the western Great Lakes. Landscape Ecology 2005;20(4):441-454. |
R828675C004 (2003) R828675C004 (Final) |
not available |
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Ramstack JM, Fritz SC, Engstrom DR, Heiskary SA. The application of a diatom-based transfer function to evaluate regional water–quality trends in Minnesota since 1970. Journal of Paleolimnology 2003;29:79-94. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Reavie ED, Axler RP, Sgro GV, Danz NP, Kingston JC, Kireta AR, Brown TN, Hollenhorst TP, Ferguson MJ. Diatom-based weighted-averaging transfer functions for Great Lakes coastal water quality: relationships to watershed characteristics. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2006;32(2):321-347. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Reavie ED. A diatom-based water quality model for Great Lakes coastline. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2007;33(Suppl 3):86-92. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
Exit |
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Reavie ED, Kireta AR, Kingston JC, Sgro GV, Danz NP, Axler RP, Hollenhorst TP. Comparison of simple and multimetric diatom-based indices for Great Lakes coastline disturbance. Journal of Phycology 2008;44(3):787-802. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Reavie E, Smol J. Diatom-environmental relationships in 64 alkaline southeastern Ontario (Canada) lakes: a diatom-based model for water quality reconstructions. Journal of Paleolimnology 2001;25(1):25-42. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Reavie E, Juggins S. Exploration of sample size and diatom-based indicator performance in three North American phosphorus training sets. AQUATIC ECOLOGY 2011;45(4):529-538. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Reavie E. Asymmetric, biraphid diatoms from the Laurentian Great Lakes. PEERJ 2023;11:1-70 |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit |
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Ryves DB, McGowan S, Anderson NJ. Development and evaluation of a diatom-conductivity model from lakes in West Greenland. Freshwater Biology 2002;47:995-1014. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Seegert G. The development, use, and misuse of biocriteria with and emphasis on index of biotic integrity. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2001;3:51-58. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Sgro GV, Ketterer ME, Johansen JR. Ecology and assessment of the benthic diatom communities of four Lake Erie estuaries using Lange-Bertalot tolerance values. Hydrobiologia 2006;561(1):239-249. |
R828675C001 (2004) R828675C001 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Siver PA, Ricard R, Goodwin R, Giblin AE. Estimating historical in-lake alkalinity generation from sulfate reduction and its relationship to lake chemistry as inferred from algal microfossils. Journal of Paleolimnology 2003;29:179-197. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Tibby J. Development of a diatom–based model for inferring total phosphorus in southeastern Australian water storages. Journal of Paleolimnology 2004;31:23-36. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Trebitz AS, Brazner JC, Brady VJ, Axler R, Tanner DK. Turbidity tolerances of Great Lakes coastal wetland fishes. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 2007;27(2):619-633. |
R828675 (2004) |
Exit Exit |
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Tulbure M, Johnson C. Environmental Conditions Promoting Non-native Phragmites australis Expansion in Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands. WETLANDS 2011;30(3):577-587. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Uzarski DG, Burton TM, Cooper MJ, Ingram JW, Timmermans STA. Fish habitat use within and across wetland classes in coastal wetlands of the five Great Lakes: development of a fish-based index of biotic integrity. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2005;31(Suppl 1):171-187. |
R828675C003 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Vaccaro L, Bedford B, Johnston C. Litter Accumulation Promotes Dominance of Species of Cattails (Typha SPP.) in Lake Ontarior Wetlands. WETLANDS 2009;29(3):1036-1048. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Werner P, Smol JP. Diatom–environmental relationships and nutrient transfer functions from contrasting shallow and deep limestone lakes in Ontario, Canada. Hydrobiologia 2005;533:145-173. |
R828675C001 (Final) |
not available |
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Wolter PT, Johnston CA, Niemi GJ. Mapping submerged aquatic vegetation in the U.S. Great Lakes using Quickbird satellite data. International Journal of Remote Sensing 2005;26(23):5255-5274. |
R828675C004 (Final) |
not available |
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Wolter PT, Johnston CA, Niemi GJ. Land use land cover change in the U.S. Great Lakes basin 1992 to 2001. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2009;32(3):607-628. |
R828675 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
Great Lakes, monitoring, indicators, risk assessment, stressor, ecological effects, animal, plant, diatoms, toxics., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Geographic Area, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Nutrients, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, climate change, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecological Risk Assessment, Great Lakes, Ecological Indicators, coastal ecosystem, diatoms, ecological condition, aquatic ecosystem, hydrological stability, nutrient supply, nutrient transport, environmental monitoring, ecosystem assessment, hierarchically structured indicators, wetland vegetation, human activities, environmental stressor, hydrological, coastal environments, environmental consequences, hydrologic models, ecological assessment, ecosystem indicators, estuarine ecosystems, nutrient stress, aquatic ecosystems, toxic environmental contaminants, atmospheric pollutant loads, ecosystem impacts, environmental stressors, water quality, ecosystem stress, ecological response, climate variabilityProgress and Final Reports:
Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828675C001 Great Lakes Diatom and Water Quality Indicators
R828675C002 Vegetative Indicators of Condition, Integrity, and Sustainability of Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
R828675C003 Testing Indicators of Coastal Ecosystem Integrity Using Fish and Macroinvertebrates
R828675C004 Development and Assessment of Environmental Indicators Based on Birds and Amphibians in the Great Lakes Basin
R828675C005 Development and Evaluation of Chemical Indicators for Monitoring Ecological Risk
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.