Grantee Research Project Results
1999 Progress Report: Social and Ecological Transferability of Integrated Ecological Assessment Models
EPA Grant Number: R825757Title: Social and Ecological Transferability of Integrated Ecological Assessment Models
Investigators: Deegan, Linda A. , Kremer, James , Webler, Thomas
Institution: Marine Biological Laboratory , University of Connecticut , Social and Environmental Research Institute
Current Institution: Marine Biological Laboratory , Social and Environmental Research Institute , University of Connecticut , Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: June 1, 1998 through May 31, 2001
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 1998 through May 31, 1999
Project Amount: $850,575
RFA: Water and Watersheds Research (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water
Objective:
The objectives of this research project are to: (1) create an empirically based numerical simulation model of broad generality that links land use patterns and nitrogen loading to ecologically important and socially relevant endpoints of water quality and fish diversity and abundance; (2) measure estuarine fish habitat and community structure throughout a range of estuaries in southeastern New England, and develop empirical relationships of fish abundance, diversity, and habitat quality; and (3) investigate perceptions of ecological models and modeling science by town planners, with the objective of determining the best and most efficient way to encourage scientifically aware decisions at the local level of land use debate.Progress Summary:
Analysis of 1999's fish and fish habitat (benthic macrophyte) samples has been completed, and the analysis of water column nutrient and chlorophyll samples is nearing completion. A tutorial web site was created (http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/Research/Clue/) that takes the viewer on "a trip through time" in a coastal watershed.Some useful model runs have been completed; however, a number of significant issues remain to be resolved before the model can be used in a management application, or to explore some of the specific tasks originally proposed in this research. Modeling light extinction in the water column is fundamental to modeling phytoplankton production, macroalgal production, and eelgrass habitat. It appears that a more complete functional description of water column optics will be essential for successful simulations of these shallow coastal systems.
An investigation of perceptions regarding ecological modelers and modeling has yielded the following: (1) two new survey instruments were designed and pre-tested; (2) approximately 15 modeling professionals were interviewed and given a survey; (3) approximately 145 town officials were mailed a survey; (4) all interviews were transcribed; (5) coding is 75 percent complete at the end of Year 2; and (6) surveys are still being gathered at the end of Year 2.
Future Activities:
Refinement of the model continues actively, and it is expected that the model will be applied to sites other than Waquoit Bay during the upcoming year. For sites where fine-grid hydrodynamic simulations are not available, the most promising approach is a box model using salinity distributions. We plan to compare this approach to the Waquoit Bay model and to evaluate its potential usefulness for other sites. The tutorial web page will be linked to the changing land use and estuaries (CLUE) model to allow the user to "experiment" with different scenarios of land use to observe effects on nitrogen loading and estuarine water and habitat quality. Several manuscripts are being prepared for peer-reviewed journals.Interviews will be coded and analyzed using a qualitative data analysis package. A narrative explanation will be constructed on how modeling and extension service professionals define good models and how they perceive the needs and expectations of local town officials who might use these models in town-based planning and environmental regulation. Two case studies of collaborative environmental decisionmaking processes will be conducted in New England that involve integrating the use of an ecosystem assessment model with a deliberative process.
Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 67 publications | 20 publications in selected types | All 12 journal articles |
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Brawley JW, Collins GN, Kremer JN, Sham CH , Valiela I. A time-dependent model of nitrogen loading to estuaries from coastal watersheds. Journal of Environmental Quality 2000;29(5):1448-1461. |
R825757 (1999) R825757 (Final) |
not available |
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Collins G, Kremer JN, Valiela I. Assessing uncertainty in estimates of nitrogen loading to estuaries for research, planning, and risk assessment. Environmental Management 2000; 25(6):635-645. |
R825757 (1999) R825757 (Final) |
Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
interdisciplinary, heuristic, process-based, collaboration., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Water, Watersheds, Monitoring/Modeling, Social Science, Hydrology, Water & Watershed, Ecology and Ecosystems, coastal watershed, integrated assessment, data collection, water quality, ecological transferability, ecological models, nitrogen inputs, social transferability, integrated ecological assessment model, public policy, ecology assessment models, ecological risk, aquatic ecosystems, community-based research, social science research, nutrient transport model, fish, model-based analysisRelevant Websites:
http://www.mbl.edu/html/ECOSYSTEMS/Research/research.html
http://www.vm.uconn.edu/~wwwcoast
http://www.antiochne.edu/directories/esphd/TWebler.html
http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/Research/Clue/
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.