Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Impact of Social Systems on Ecology and Hydrology in Urban-Rural Watersheds: Integration for Restoration
EPA Grant Number: R825792Title: Impact of Social Systems on Ecology and Hydrology in Urban-Rural Watersheds: Integration for Restoration
Investigators: Pickett, S.T.A. , Zipperer, W. C. , Grove, J. M. , Carerra, J. M. , Band, L. R. , Burch, W. R. , Pouyat, R. V. , Foresman, Timothy W.
Institution: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies , USDA , Yale University , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Current Institution: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies , USDA , University of Maryland - Baltimore County , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Yale University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: June 1, 1998 through May 31, 2001 (Extended to September 30, 2001)
Project Amount: $999,932
RFA: Water and Watersheds Research (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water
Objective:
The objectives of this research project were to: (1) build a novel physical-ecological watershed model by incorporating the heterogeneity of land cover types, vegetation, and ecosystem structure in metropolitan regions; (2) develop an integrated, social-ecological model by incorporating sociocultural patterns and processes into the new physical-ecological model of watershed hydrology developed under the first objective; and (3) determine community needs for useful data and develop a user-friendly watershed model by interacting with decisionmakers in the Baltimore, MD, region. Together, these three goals have improved the structure and utility of models aimed at understanding and predicting watershed function in highly heterogeneous and dynamic urban areas. Although the data and models are focused on the Baltimore metropolitan area, the approach can serve as a paradigm for urban areas elsewhere.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
We collected improved data on heterogeneity in urban and suburban soils, and in ecological structure of metropolitan areas. Our new soils maps have the fine resolution necessary to parameterize hydrological models that consider the spatial structure of slopes containing both built and natural components. Prior hydrological models focus on either built or natural components. Our model (RHESys), which accounts for spatial heterogeneity, performs better than the industry standard (HSPF) for the mixed, urban watersheds in the metropolitan area.
We have generated improved assessments of socioeconomic heterogeneity in Baltimore. In particular, we have integrated economic, structural, demographic, and organizational data from surveys and administrative records. This integration allows us to predict which neighborhoods and organizations can effectively adopt innovations aimed at improving water quality, and it identifies household characteristics and institutional features that result in contrasting environmental impacts. This information can help neighborhoods and regional bodies to better plan for and institute water quality mitigation. This knowledge is crucial because the improvements to water quality that can be made at the "end of the pipe" have been achieved.
In addition, our new measurements of social patch structure are capable of linking effectively with ecological patch pattern. The linkages are spatially explicit and express metropolitan heterogeneity more effectively than the standard. The Anderson Level III land cover classification is commonly used in and around urban areas.
Although the complete model is not yet ready, we have built an effective network of interactions with stakeholders and managers in the Baltimore region whose cooperation is required for success in generating a user-friendly model. We have conducted regular meetings with Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and state officials concerned with water quality and with planning and management that affect watershed function. These constituencies have been regular participants at our annual and quarterly project meetings held to discuss our research and plan for future data collection and synthesis. In addition, we held a multidisciplinary workshop to assess the state of knowledge and research needs concerning metropolitan Baltimore's water-related infrastructure.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Robert Costanza, another Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Grant Water and Watersheds Principal Investigator, we are conducting mediated modeling efforts, and are comparing model structure and performance with his Patuxent Landscape Model. We expect the user-friendly socioecological-physical watershed model to be completed under the aegis of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study Long-Term Ecological Research Project, which will continue certain aspects of the work begun under this Water and Watersheds project.
Journal Articles on this Report : 26 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 237 publications | 51 publications in selected types | All 29 journal articles |
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Band LE, Tague CL, Brun SE, Tenenbaum DE, Fernandes RA. Modelling watersheds as spatial object hierarchies: structure and dynamics. Transactions in GIS 2000;4(3):181-196. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Band LE, Tague CL, Groffman P, Belt K. Forest ecosystem processes at the watershed scale: hydrological and ecological controls of nitrogen export. Hydrological Processes 2001;15(10):2013-2028. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Belt KT, Gresens SE, Gwinn DC, Banks P, Tang JA. The effects of urban impervious watershed cover on benthic macroinvertebrate populations in streams with particular reference to disturbance from storm event frequency and magnitude. Bulletin of the North American Benthological Society 1998;16(l):208. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
not available |
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Boumans RM, Villa F, Costanza R, Voinov A, Voinov H, Maxwell T. Non-spatial calibrations of a general unit model for ecosystem simulations. Ecological Modelling 2001;146(1-3):17-32. |
R825792 (Final) R827169 (Final) |
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Brazel A, Selover N, Vose R, Heisler G. The tale of two climates-Baltimore and Phoenix urban LTER sites. Climate Research 2000;15(2):123-135. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Brun SE, Band LE. Simulating runoff behavior in an urbanizing watershed. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 2000;24(1):5-22. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Costanza R, Voinov A, Boumans R, Maxwell T, Villa F, Wainger L, Voinov H. Integrated ecological economic modeling of the Patuxent River watershed, Maryland. Ecological Monographs 2002;72(2):203-231. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) R824766 (1998) R824766 (Final) R827169 (Final) |
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Effland WR, Pouyat RV. The genesis, classification, and mapping of soils in urban areas. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):217-228. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Flores A, Pickett STA, Zipperer WC, Pouyat RV, Pirani R. Adopting a modern ecological view of the metropolitan landscape: the case of a greenspace system for the New York City region. Landscape and Urban Planning 1998;39(4):295-308. |
R825792 (Final) |
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Foresman TW, Pickett STA, Zipperer WC. Methods for spatial and temporal land use and land cover assessment for urban ecosystems and applications in the greater Baltimore-Chesapeake region. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):201-216. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Gresens SE, Belt KT, Gwinn DC, Banks P, Tang JA. Level of taxonomic resolution and the response of lotic invertebrate communities to increased watershed imperviousness. Bulletin of the North American Benthological Society 1999;16(l):215. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
not available |
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Grimm NB, Grove JM, Pickett STA, Redman CL. Integrated approaches to long-term studies of urban ecological systems. Bioscience 2000;50(7):571-584. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
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Grove JM, Burch Jr. WR. A social ecology approach and applications of urban ecosystem and landscape analyses: a case study of Baltimore, Maryland. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):259-275. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Nowak DJ, Pasek JE, Sequeira RA, Crane DE, Mastro VC. Potential effect of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on urban trees in the United States. Journal of Economic Entomology 2001;94(1):116-122. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Pasternack GB, Brush GS. Sedimentation cycles in a river-mouth tidal freshwater marsh. Estuaries and Coasts 1998;21(3):407-415. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML, Grove JM, Nilon CH, Pouyat RV, Zipperer WC, Costanza R. Urban ecological systems:linking terrestrial ecological, physical, and socioeconomic components of metropolitan areas. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 2001;32:127-157. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Pickett STA, Burch WR, Dalton SE, Foresman TW, Grove JM, Rowntree R. A conceptual framework for the study of human ecosystems in urban areas. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):185-199. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
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Pickett STA, Burch WR, Dalton SE, Foresman TW. Integrated urban ecosystem research. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):183-184. |
R825792 (Final) |
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Pickett STA, Burch Jr WR, Grove JM. Interdisciplinary research: maintaining the constructive impulse in a culture of criticism. Ecosystems 1999;2(4):302-307. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Pickett STA. The culture of synthesis: habits of mind in novel ecological integration. Oikos 1999;87(3):479-487. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) |
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Tague CL, Band LE. Evaluating explicit and implicit routing for watershed hydro-ecological models of forest hydrology at the small catchment scale. Hydrological Processes 2001;15(8):1415-1439. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Tague C, Band L. Simulating the impact of road construction and forest harvesting on hydrologic response. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 2001;26(2):135-151. |
R825792 (Final) |
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Thompson HC. Study finds adjacent land uses are key to predicting the number and type of exotic species in forest gaps (Maryland). Ecological Restoration 1999;17(3):159-160. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit |
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Villa F, Costanza R. Design of multi-paradigm integrating modelling tools for ecological research. Journal of Environmental Modeling and Software 2000;15(2):169-177. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Voinov A, Costanza R, Wainger L, Boumans R, Villa F, Maxwell T, Voinov H. Patuxent landscape model: integrated ecological economic modeling of a watershed. Environmental Modelling & Software 1999;14(5):473-491. |
R825792 (1999) R825792 (2000) R825792 (Final) R824766 (1998) R824766 (Final) R827169 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Zipperer WC, Sisinni M, Pouyat RV, Foresman TW. Urban tree cover: an ecological perspective. Urban Ecosystems 1997;1(4):229-246. |
R825792 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
water, soil watersheds, land, ecological effects, socioeconomic processes, nitrogen, discharge, ecosystem indicators, socioeconomic indicators, regionalization, scaling, habitat, patch dynamics, riparian, stream, restoration, neighborhood revitalization, community based, mediated modeling, stakeholder, survey, public good, socioeconomic, conservation, planning, infrastructure, hydrology, ecology, social science, ecological economics, soil science, modeling, geographic information systems, GIS, soil survey, surveys, nutrient loading, Mid-Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, MD, EPA Region 3, sustainable development., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Hydrology, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, Restoration, Ecological Risk Assessment, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, ecological effects, ecological exposure, rural watersheds, impact of social system, biodiversity, community involvement, watersheds, decision making, urban watersheds, restoration strategies, ecological recovery, aquatic ecosystems, social resistance, water quality, ecological impact, public policy, spatial analysis, ecosystem response , land use, watershed restorationRelevant Websites:
http://www.ecostudies.org/bes Exit
http://md.water.usgs.gov/BES/ Exit
http://www.parksandpeople.org Exit
http://md.water.usgs.gov/BES/architecture Exit
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.