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• 61. [Article] Patterns in responses of an amphibian assemblage to wetland restoration

  Wetland restoration success in attaining wildlife conservation goals can be confounded by the presence of multiple biological invaders. Wetland management activities typically target invasive plants, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Patterns in responses of an amphibian assemblage to wetland restoration Author: Rowe, Jennifer C. Wetland restoration success in attaining wildlife conservation goals can be confounded by the presence of multiple biological invaders. Wetland management activities typically target invasive plants, but bottom-up responses of higher trophic levels in novel communities are difficult to predict. We surveyed plant and amphibian assemblages at 26 sites enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) in the Willamette Valley, Oregon to determine the relative importance of plant management, non-native species presence, and surrounding landscape for amphibians across multiple life history stages. Explanatory variables negatively associated with native anuran counts included percent invasive plant cover, invasive bullfrog counts, non-native fish presence, and area of urban land cover. In addition, native anurans were positively associated with WRP site age, suggesting that the benefits of restored wetlands may increase over time. Although invasive plant management provided indirect benefits to native amphibians, the most effective way to enhance native amphibian populations may be through eliminating the strong top-down forces exerted by non-native vertebrates. We also explored the impact of restoration activities on predator/prey dynamics by analyzing bullfrog diet contents. We sampled vegetation and analyzed bullfrog diet contents from 10 WRP wetlands categorized by management intensity and hydrology to determine whether prey consumption patterns (abundance, richness, and % large prey), diet breadth, and dietary community (based on taxonomic and prey size composition) differed among wetlands categorized by management regime and hydroperiod. We found disparities in the diet breadth with respect to wetland categories, with bullfrogs consuming a disproportionate abundance of few prey orders at actively managed sites. Diet breadth could have been influenced by frequent applications of restoration treatments, as invertebrate species richness and abundance is often negatively linked to habitat disturbance. Dietary taxonomic composition also differed between wetland groups, but prey size composition did not. Instead, prey size was strongly influenced by site-level vegetation covariates; large-bodied prey consumption was positively associated with plant species richness. However, diet dry mass was highest in wetlands with high invasive plant cover, suggesting that other factors, such as foraging activity rates, should be considered to fully understand how bullfrogs meet energy demands in managed wetlands. Variation in native and invasive amphibian responses to wetland restoration efforts may provide important information on how habitat structure and composition influence trophic dynamics. Given that the outcomes of plant control on wildlife may not follow planned trajectories in invasive-dominated systems, this research addresses the need for a community approach to assessments of restoration success. Title: Patterns in responses of an amphibian assemblage to wetland restoration Author: Rowe, Jennifer C. Wetland restoration success in attaining wildlife conservation goals can be confounded by the presence of multiple biological invaders. Wetland management activities typically target invasive plants, but bottom-up responses of higher trophic levels in novel communities are difficult to predict. We surveyed plant and amphibian assemblages at 26 sites enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) in the Willamette Valley, Oregon to determine the relative importance of plant management, non-native species presence, and surrounding landscape for amphibians across multiple life history stages. Explanatory variables negatively associated with native anuran counts included percent invasive plant cover, invasive bullfrog counts, non-native fish presence, and area of urban land cover. In addition, native anurans were positively associated with WRP site age, suggesting that the benefits of restored wetlands may increase over time. Although invasive plant management provided indirect benefits to native amphibians, the most effective way to enhance native amphibian populations may be through eliminating the strong top-down forces exerted by non-native vertebrates. We also explored the impact of restoration activities on predator/prey dynamics by analyzing bullfrog diet contents. We sampled vegetation and analyzed bullfrog diet contents from 10 WRP wetlands categorized by management intensity and hydrology to determine whether prey consumption patterns (abundance, richness, and % large prey), diet breadth, and dietary community (based on taxonomic and prey size composition) differed among wetlands categorized by management regime and hydroperiod. We found disparities in the diet breadth with respect to wetland categories, with bullfrogs consuming a disproportionate abundance of few prey orders at actively managed sites. Diet breadth could have been influenced by frequent applications of restoration treatments, as invertebrate species richness and abundance is often negatively linked to habitat disturbance. Dietary taxonomic composition also differed between wetland groups, but prey size composition did not. Instead, prey size was strongly influenced by site-level vegetation covariates; large-bodied prey consumption was positively associated with plant species richness. However, diet dry mass was highest in wetlands with high invasive plant cover, suggesting that other factors, such as foraging activity rates, should be considered to fully understand how bullfrogs meet energy demands in managed wetlands. Variation in native and invasive amphibian responses to wetland restoration efforts may provide important information on how habitat structure and composition influence trophic dynamics. Given that the outcomes of plant control on wildlife may not follow planned trajectories in invasive-dominated systems, this research addresses the need for a community approach to assessments of restoration success. Close

• 62. [Article] Restoring the Columbia River Estuary : Chinook Salmon Recovery and Invasive Species Management

  As highlighted in this study, shallow-water habitats and the prey they provide are important for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary, but the spread of invasive species and large-scale changes ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Restoring the Columbia River Estuary : Chinook Salmon Recovery and Invasive Species Management Author: Klopfenstein, Rachael As highlighted in this study, shallow-water habitats and the prey they provide are important for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary, but the spread of invasive species and large-scale changes to the estuary influence how these habitats are utilized. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) (“PHAR” hereafter) is a highly invasive aquatic plant species that affects a number of emergent wetland habitats in the upper Columbia River estuary, and is of concern to those trying to restore important shallow-water habitats for juvenile salmon. The presence of PHAR undoubtedly reduces plant diversity, but this study seeked to elucidate how PHAR affects juvenile Chinook Salmon rearing success relative to natural emergent vegetation. The study further evaluated the importance of wetland-deriver prey to juveniles found in shallow-water habitats along a habitat gradient (i.e., back-water channel, confluence, and main stem). We conducted research at a floodplain wetland restoration site in the tidal-fluvial portion of the estuary, where a water control structure is used to manage water levels and the spread of PHAR. The goal of the research was to compare two microhabitats within the floodplain: areas dominated by PHAR and areas dominated by natural emergent vegetation. Using hatchery-raised juvenile Chinook salmon, we designed a series of feeding experiments in artificial enclosures to determine whether invasive PHAR and natural emergent vegetation provide similar foraging and growth opportunities for juvenile salmon. We further identified differences in physical and biological parameters of each habitat (e.g., temperature, dissolved oxygen, and invertebrate community) and examined feeding characteristics (e.g., diet composition and modeled growth rates) for juveniles through a stomach content analysis. Additionally, we conducted beach seining and diet analysis for fish collected along a habitat gradient and compared the diet composition and modeled growth rates between the sample areas. In the floodplain wetland, invertebrate prey compositions from the 2015-2016 (March- June) fallout and emergence traps were similar, but prey abundances and diversity varied seasonally. Across both years, for emergence traps, the average total density (per m²) of invertebrates in the natural vegetation and in PHAR was 154±18 m² and 225±34 m², respectively, and for the fallout traps was 664±95 m² and 662±64 m², respectively. Salmon diets were mostly similar, and a large proportion of diets in both habitats were made up of Copepoda/Cladocera (60-98% composition by biomass). Growth during the net pen experiment differed significantly between the two vegetation types (Kruskal-Wallis: p<0.001), with fish growing more in the natural emergent vegetation. In 2015, juveniles grew an average 6.4 mm FL in the natural emergent vegetation, compared to 4.7 mm FL in PHAR, and consumed fewer Copepoda/Cladocera and more Diptera over the 10 days. In 2016, juveniles grew an average 9.2 mm FL in the natural emergent vegetation compared to 7.6 mm FL in PHAR. In 2016, fish from both habitats consumed a higher abundance of Copepoda/Cladocera and grew more, despite poor water quality conditions at the site. Of the subyearlings (n=170) and yearlings (n=14) collected in habitats adjacent to the floodplain wetland, 48% were of known hatchery origin. Modeled potential growth rates for subyearlings were similar on average between February and May in the back channel, confluence, and main stem, ranging from 0.067–0.07 g/g/d, but the rates varied seasonally. Growth potential was higher in the back channel habitat earlier in the sampling season (February-March), as the modeled daily growth rates were 0.08 g/g/d compared to 0.06 g/g/d in the main stem. All fish collected prior to May were relatively small and unclipped, highlighting the seasonal benefits of shallow-water habitats to support a variety of life-history traits. When comparing modeled growth rates of the juveniles reared at the floodplain wetland compared to the in adjacent habitats, estimates from the floodplain wetland were higher across all months. Restoration of shallow-water habitats is important for the overall health of the estuary, but the effects of large-scale ecosystem changes (e.g., flow regulation and spread invasive species) on salmon recovery and estuary-management decisions are uncertain. For example, water control structures to limit the spread of PHAR also reduce fish access to floodplain habitats, and fewer high-flow events further limit fish access and may facilitate the spread of invasive species. PHAR has been shown to reduce overall plant diversity and, as observed in this study, may provide habitat that is less suitable to juvenile Chinook Salmon. The high density of important prey for salmon found at the site, regardless of the presence of PHAR, and high potential growth measured at the site, emphasize the importance of restoring shallow-water habitats that are accessible to juvenile Chinook Salmon in the upper estuary. Title: Restoring the Columbia River Estuary : Chinook Salmon Recovery and Invasive Species Management Author: Klopfenstein, Rachael As highlighted in this study, shallow-water habitats and the prey they provide are important for juvenile salmon in the Columbia River estuary, but the spread of invasive species and large-scale changes to the estuary influence how these habitats are utilized. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) (“PHAR” hereafter) is a highly invasive aquatic plant species that affects a number of emergent wetland habitats in the upper Columbia River estuary, and is of concern to those trying to restore important shallow-water habitats for juvenile salmon. The presence of PHAR undoubtedly reduces plant diversity, but this study seeked to elucidate how PHAR affects juvenile Chinook Salmon rearing success relative to natural emergent vegetation. The study further evaluated the importance of wetland-deriver prey to juveniles found in shallow-water habitats along a habitat gradient (i.e., back-water channel, confluence, and main stem). We conducted research at a floodplain wetland restoration site in the tidal-fluvial portion of the estuary, where a water control structure is used to manage water levels and the spread of PHAR. The goal of the research was to compare two microhabitats within the floodplain: areas dominated by PHAR and areas dominated by natural emergent vegetation. Using hatchery-raised juvenile Chinook salmon, we designed a series of feeding experiments in artificial enclosures to determine whether invasive PHAR and natural emergent vegetation provide similar foraging and growth opportunities for juvenile salmon. We further identified differences in physical and biological parameters of each habitat (e.g., temperature, dissolved oxygen, and invertebrate community) and examined feeding characteristics (e.g., diet composition and modeled growth rates) for juveniles through a stomach content analysis. Additionally, we conducted beach seining and diet analysis for fish collected along a habitat gradient and compared the diet composition and modeled growth rates between the sample areas. In the floodplain wetland, invertebrate prey compositions from the 2015-2016 (March- June) fallout and emergence traps were similar, but prey abundances and diversity varied seasonally. Across both years, for emergence traps, the average total density (per m²) of invertebrates in the natural vegetation and in PHAR was 154±18 m² and 225±34 m², respectively, and for the fallout traps was 664±95 m² and 662±64 m², respectively. Salmon diets were mostly similar, and a large proportion of diets in both habitats were made up of Copepoda/Cladocera (60-98% composition by biomass). Growth during the net pen experiment differed significantly between the two vegetation types (Kruskal-Wallis: p<0.001), with fish growing more in the natural emergent vegetation. In 2015, juveniles grew an average 6.4 mm FL in the natural emergent vegetation, compared to 4.7 mm FL in PHAR, and consumed fewer Copepoda/Cladocera and more Diptera over the 10 days. In 2016, juveniles grew an average 9.2 mm FL in the natural emergent vegetation compared to 7.6 mm FL in PHAR. In 2016, fish from both habitats consumed a higher abundance of Copepoda/Cladocera and grew more, despite poor water quality conditions at the site. Of the subyearlings (n=170) and yearlings (n=14) collected in habitats adjacent to the floodplain wetland, 48% were of known hatchery origin. Modeled potential growth rates for subyearlings were similar on average between February and May in the back channel, confluence, and main stem, ranging from 0.067–0.07 g/g/d, but the rates varied seasonally. Growth potential was higher in the back channel habitat earlier in the sampling season (February-March), as the modeled daily growth rates were 0.08 g/g/d compared to 0.06 g/g/d in the main stem. All fish collected prior to May were relatively small and unclipped, highlighting the seasonal benefits of shallow-water habitats to support a variety of life-history traits. When comparing modeled growth rates of the juveniles reared at the floodplain wetland compared to the in adjacent habitats, estimates from the floodplain wetland were higher across all months. Restoration of shallow-water habitats is important for the overall health of the estuary, but the effects of large-scale ecosystem changes (e.g., flow regulation and spread invasive species) on salmon recovery and estuary-management decisions are uncertain. For example, water control structures to limit the spread of PHAR also reduce fish access to floodplain habitats, and fewer high-flow events further limit fish access and may facilitate the spread of invasive species. PHAR has been shown to reduce overall plant diversity and, as observed in this study, may provide habitat that is less suitable to juvenile Chinook Salmon. The high density of important prey for salmon found at the site, regardless of the presence of PHAR, and high potential growth measured at the site, emphasize the importance of restoring shallow-water habitats that are accessible to juvenile Chinook Salmon in the upper estuary. Close

• 63. [Article] Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon

  Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources Title: Wet Meadow Plant Associations, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Harney County, Oregon Author: Christy, John A. Report by Portland State University's Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), part of the Oregon University System's Institute for Natural Resources Close

• 64. [Article] Quantifying physical habitat in wadeable streams : surface waters

  We describe concepts, rationale, and analytical procedures for characterizing physical habitat in wadeable streams based on raw data generated from methods similar or equal to those of Kaufmann and Robison ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Quantifying physical habitat in wadeable streams : surface waters Author: Robison, E. George, Seeliger, Curt, Levine, Paul, Peck, David V., Kaufmann, Phillip R. We describe concepts, rationale, and analytical procedures for characterizing physical habitat in wadeable streams based on raw data generated from methods similar or equal to those of Kaufmann and Robison (in PB99-139156). We provide guidance for calculating measures or indices of stream size and gradient, sinuosity, substrate size and stability, habitat complexity and cover, woody debris size and abundance, residual pool dimensions and frequency, riparian vegetation cover and structure, anthropogenic disturbances, and channel-riparian interaction. We evaluated sampling precision of field habitat survey methods employed by EMAP in several hundred streams in Oregon and the Mid-Atlantic region, comparing variance among streams ('signals') with variance between repeat stream visits (measurement 'noise'). The final measure of the utility of a habitat approach is whether it is useful for interpreting controls on biota or impacts of human activity. Title: Quantifying physical habitat in wadeable streams : surface waters Author: Robison, E. George, Seeliger, Curt, Levine, Paul, Peck, David V., Kaufmann, Phillip R. We describe concepts, rationale, and analytical procedures for characterizing physical habitat in wadeable streams based on raw data generated from methods similar or equal to those of Kaufmann and Robison (in PB99-139156). We provide guidance for calculating measures or indices of stream size and gradient, sinuosity, substrate size and stability, habitat complexity and cover, woody debris size and abundance, residual pool dimensions and frequency, riparian vegetation cover and structure, anthropogenic disturbances, and channel-riparian interaction. We evaluated sampling precision of field habitat survey methods employed by EMAP in several hundred streams in Oregon and the Mid-Atlantic region, comparing variance among streams ('signals') with variance between repeat stream visits (measurement 'noise'). The final measure of the utility of a habitat approach is whether it is useful for interpreting controls on biota or impacts of human activity. Close

• 65. [Article] Summary of information on aquatic biota and their habitats in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, through 1995

  This report reviews and summarizes available information on aquatic biological communities in the Willamette Basin through 1995. Specifically, the report describes (1) the distribution, abndance, and trends ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Summary of information on aquatic biota and their habitats in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, through 1995 Author: National Water-Quality Assessment Program (U.S.), Altman, Bob, Henson, Colleen M., Waite, Ian R., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Geological Survey (U.S.) This report reviews and summarizes available information on aquatic biological communities in the Willamette Basin through 1995. Specifically, the report describes (1) the distribution, abndance, and trends of three taxonomic groups--algae, macroinvertebrates, and fish--and, to a lesser degree, other selected semi-aquatic taxa (i.e., taxa frequenting but not living wholly in water), including amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals, (2) the types of aquatic and riparian habitat that support and influence aquatic communities and their biotic constituents, (3) the natural and human-associated impacts on that habitat and associated biological communities, amd (4) the levels of enviroinmental contaminants to which biological communities and specific biota are exposed. The information in this report is intended to aid in the identification of data gaps relative to taxa and geographic areas, and to stimulate collaboration and increase coordination in present and future ecological research in the Willamette Basin. Title: Summary of information on aquatic biota and their habitats in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, through 1995 Author: National Water-Quality Assessment Program (U.S.), Altman, Bob, Henson, Colleen M., Waite, Ian R., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Geological Survey (U.S.) This report reviews and summarizes available information on aquatic biological communities in the Willamette Basin through 1995. Specifically, the report describes (1) the distribution, abndance, and trends of three taxonomic groups--algae, macroinvertebrates, and fish--and, to a lesser degree, other selected semi-aquatic taxa (i.e., taxa frequenting but not living wholly in water), including amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals, (2) the types of aquatic and riparian habitat that support and influence aquatic communities and their biotic constituents, (3) the natural and human-associated impacts on that habitat and associated biological communities, amd (4) the levels of enviroinmental contaminants to which biological communities and specific biota are exposed. The information in this report is intended to aid in the identification of data gaps relative to taxa and geographic areas, and to stimulate collaboration and increase coordination in present and future ecological research in the Willamette Basin. Close

• 66. [Article] Trask River watershed analysis : final report, August 2003

  Recommendations are provided in this watershed analysis to identify actions and management decisions on the part of BLM that might improve watershed health in the Trask River watershed.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Trask River watershed analysis : final report, August 2003 Author: E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Sullivan, Timothy J., Snyder, Kai U., Oregon. Dept. of Forestry, Raymond, Richard B., Gilbert, Erin H., United States. Bureau of Land Management, Moore, Deian L. Recommendations are provided in this watershed analysis to identify actions and management decisions on the part of BLM that might improve watershed health in the Trask River watershed. Title: Trask River watershed analysis : final report, August 2003 Author: E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., Sullivan, Timothy J., Snyder, Kai U., Oregon. Dept. of Forestry, Raymond, Richard B., Gilbert, Erin H., United States. Bureau of Land Management, Moore, Deian L. Recommendations are provided in this watershed analysis to identify actions and management decisions on the part of BLM that might improve watershed health in the Trask River watershed. Close

• 67. [Article] Biological Opinion: Formal Section 7 Consultation on the Boulder, Donegam, Rumble/Irish and Upland Road-Related Restoration Projects, the Dumont Creek Instream and Riparian Restoration Project, and Renewal of the North Umpqua Watercraft Operations and Fishing Guide Permits, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon

  The Umpqua National Forest (UNF) submitted June 3, 1999, January 14, 2000, and April 14, 2000 letters requesting consultation for a number of proposed activities that were determined likely to adversely ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Biological Opinion: Formal Section 7 Consultation on the Boulder, Donegam, Rumble/Irish and Upland Road-Related Restoration Projects, the Dumont Creek Instream and Riparian Restoration Project, and Renewal of the North Umpqua Watercraft Operations and Fishing Guide Permits, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon Author: National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region The Umpqua National Forest (UNF) submitted June 3, 1999, January 14, 2000, and April 14, 2000 letters requesting consultation for a number of proposed activities that were determined likely to adversely affect Oregon Coast (OC) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Biological assessments (BAs) addressing the potential effects to these species accompanied the letters. The BAs describe the environmental baseline and effects of proposed actions on OC coho salmon and its critical habitat and this biological opinion (Opinion) analyzes the proposed actions described in the BAs. The proposed actions would have short-term adverse effects on OC coho salmon and its habitat, but are expected to provide long-term beneficial effects. The OC coho salmon evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) was listed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on August 10, 1998 (63 FR 42587). Critical habitat for this species was designated on February 16, 2000 (65 FR 7764). The UNF made the effects determinations in the BAs following procedures described in NMFS (1996). This document serves as NMFS's biological opinion for OC coho salmon. The objective of this Opinion is to determine whether the proposed actions are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of OC coho salmon or destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat for OC coho salmon. This consultation is undertaken pursuant to section 7(a)(2) of the ESA and its implementing regulations, 50 CFR Part 402. Title: Biological Opinion: Formal Section 7 Consultation on the Boulder, Donegam, Rumble/Irish and Upland Road-Related Restoration Projects, the Dumont Creek Instream and Riparian Restoration Project, and Renewal of the North Umpqua Watercraft Operations and Fishing Guide Permits, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon Author: National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region The Umpqua National Forest (UNF) submitted June 3, 1999, January 14, 2000, and April 14, 2000 letters requesting consultation for a number of proposed activities that were determined likely to adversely affect Oregon Coast (OC) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Biological assessments (BAs) addressing the potential effects to these species accompanied the letters. The BAs describe the environmental baseline and effects of proposed actions on OC coho salmon and its critical habitat and this biological opinion (Opinion) analyzes the proposed actions described in the BAs. The proposed actions would have short-term adverse effects on OC coho salmon and its habitat, but are expected to provide long-term beneficial effects. The OC coho salmon evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) was listed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on August 10, 1998 (63 FR 42587). Critical habitat for this species was designated on February 16, 2000 (65 FR 7764). The UNF made the effects determinations in the BAs following procedures described in NMFS (1996). This document serves as NMFS's biological opinion for OC coho salmon. The objective of this Opinion is to determine whether the proposed actions are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of OC coho salmon or destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat for OC coho salmon. This consultation is undertaken pursuant to section 7(a)(2) of the ESA and its implementing regulations, 50 CFR Part 402. Close

• 68. [Article] Monitoring design for riparian forests in the Pacific Northwest : research plan

  The goal of this project is to recommend a broadly-acceptale efficient and effective methodology for characterizing streamside riparian attributes in forested settings at the site grain for regional monitoring. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Monitoring design for riparian forests in the Pacific Northwest : research plan Author: Bollman, Mike, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory., Oregon State University, Stepp, Jennifer, United States. Environmental Protection Agency. ǂb Office of Research and Development, United States. Forest Service, Barker, Jerry R., Bradshaw, Gay, Ringold, Paul L., Cline, Steven Paul, Carson, Ward, Dynamac Corporation, Fiorella, Maria R. The goal of this project is to recommend a broadly-acceptale efficient and effective methodology for characterizing streamside riparian attributes in forested settings at the site grain for regional monitoring. The authors consider monitoring design in the context of three interacting constraints: ecological functions, capabilities of technologies, and user needs. The focus is on fine grained remote methods. Comparison between candidate selected monitoring systems provides for an initial formulation of a monitoring design. A series of evaluations of these initial formulations provides for an initial recommendation. With the state's interest in the status of coastal fishes, and the programmatic interest of EPA's Western Ecology Division, the areas selected for study are in the Oregon coastal province and the Willamette basin. Title: Monitoring design for riparian forests in the Pacific Northwest : research plan Author: Bollman, Mike, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory., Oregon State University, Stepp, Jennifer, United States. Environmental Protection Agency. ǂb Office of Research and Development, United States. Forest Service, Barker, Jerry R., Bradshaw, Gay, Ringold, Paul L., Cline, Steven Paul, Carson, Ward, Dynamac Corporation, Fiorella, Maria R. The goal of this project is to recommend a broadly-acceptale efficient and effective methodology for characterizing streamside riparian attributes in forested settings at the site grain for regional monitoring. The authors consider monitoring design in the context of three interacting constraints: ecological functions, capabilities of technologies, and user needs. The focus is on fine grained remote methods. Comparison between candidate selected monitoring systems provides for an initial formulation of a monitoring design. A series of evaluations of these initial formulations provides for an initial recommendation. With the state's interest in the status of coastal fishes, and the programmatic interest of EPA's Western Ecology Division, the areas selected for study are in the Oregon coastal province and the Willamette basin. Close

• 69. [Article] Effect of riparian areas on the ecological condition of small, perennial streams in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley : research plan, June 1997

  Little research has been directed toward determining the status and ecological role of riparian areas in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley, Oregon. A research project has been designed to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Effect of riparian areas on the ecological condition of small, perennial streams in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley : research plan, June 1997 Author: Moser, Thomas J., Schuft, Michael J., Wigington, P.J., Herlihy, Alan T., Van Sickle, John, Kaufmann, Phillip R., McAllister, Lynne S. Little research has been directed toward determining the status and ecological role of riparian areas in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley, Oregon. A research project has been designed to contribute to the development and evaluation of alternative future scenarios and to improve the basic understanding of the role of riparian areas on the ecological condition of small, perennial streams in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley. The objectives of the research are: (1) to quantify relationships between riparian attributes at varying spatial scales and stream ecological condition, and (2) to estimate the influence of selected riparian area-agricultural configurations on the indicators of stream ecological condition. To address these objectives, remotely-sensed imagery (aerial photography and thematic mapper satellite imagery) will be used to quantify land cover at multiple spatial scales (i.e., stream reach, stream network, watershed), from which riparian vegetation function, land use stressor, and stream network structure indicators (i.e., potential explanatory variables) are derived for 41 study watersheds. Title: Effect of riparian areas on the ecological condition of small, perennial streams in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley : research plan, June 1997 Author: Moser, Thomas J., Schuft, Michael J., Wigington, P.J., Herlihy, Alan T., Van Sickle, John, Kaufmann, Phillip R., McAllister, Lynne S. Little research has been directed toward determining the status and ecological role of riparian areas in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley, Oregon. A research project has been designed to contribute to the development and evaluation of alternative future scenarios and to improve the basic understanding of the role of riparian areas on the ecological condition of small, perennial streams in agricultural landscapes of the Willamette Valley. The objectives of the research are: (1) to quantify relationships between riparian attributes at varying spatial scales and stream ecological condition, and (2) to estimate the influence of selected riparian area-agricultural configurations on the indicators of stream ecological condition. To address these objectives, remotely-sensed imagery (aerial photography and thematic mapper satellite imagery) will be used to quantify land cover at multiple spatial scales (i.e., stream reach, stream network, watershed), from which riparian vegetation function, land use stressor, and stream network structure indicators (i.e., potential explanatory variables) are derived for 41 study watersheds. Close

• 70. [Article] Seasonal floodplain wetlands as fish habitat in Oregon and Washington

  To begin to understand freshwater seasonal floodplain fish communities in the context of human alteration of the physical system, species introductions and wetland restoration efforts, I studied fish assemblages ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Seasonal floodplain wetlands as fish habitat in Oregon and Washington Author: Baker, Cynthia F. To begin to understand freshwater seasonal floodplain fish communities in the context of human alteration of the physical system, species introductions and wetland restoration efforts, I studied fish assemblages in fifteen seasonal floodplain wetlands within four geographic regions (coastal, upper Columbia River estuary, Puget Sound and eastern Oregon/Washington) in the Pacific Northwest from November through June, 2001 to 2006. Temporal patterns of species richness and diversity in fish assemblages were examined within a hierarchical framework of spatial and temporal factors in the context of the dynamic and variable nature of floodplains. At broad regional scales, fish assemblages diverged along a regional climactic gradient from wet, cool coastal sites to drier sites further inland with greater seasonal temperature fluctuations. Even though wetlands provide a dynamic environment for fish, species richness and diversity at most sites were relatively stable over the winter and spring. Community stability may have been due, in part, to the predictable duration of wetland inundation during winter and spring, but also to the presence of species that fulfill life history requirements (spawning, rearing) in wetlands, and the presence of juvenile salmon throughout the winter and spring. Once fish entered wetlands, wholesale movement of species into and out of wetlands did not occur until summer desiccation. Comparison of fish species richness between each wetland and adjacent rivers revealed that only about 60% of species present in the rivers were found in wetlands, indicating floodplain wetlands were not compatible with the biological traits of almost half of the fish species present in adjacent rivers. Functional groups of species utilized wetlands at different times of year, during different developmental stages, for different durations, and movements into and out of wetlands were triggered mostly by changing water levels. Juvenile salmon movements were triggered by water level, temperature, barometric pressure and lunar phase. Juvenile salmon were present at every wetland site. No evidence was found to support that floodplain wetlands are a ‘predator trap’ for juvenile salmon. Further understanding of the ecological value of floodplain systems may be useful to guide efforts to restore these systems to dynamic, self-sustaining levels of ecosystem function. Title: Seasonal floodplain wetlands as fish habitat in Oregon and Washington Author: Baker, Cynthia F. To begin to understand freshwater seasonal floodplain fish communities in the context of human alteration of the physical system, species introductions and wetland restoration efforts, I studied fish assemblages in fifteen seasonal floodplain wetlands within four geographic regions (coastal, upper Columbia River estuary, Puget Sound and eastern Oregon/Washington) in the Pacific Northwest from November through June, 2001 to 2006. Temporal patterns of species richness and diversity in fish assemblages were examined within a hierarchical framework of spatial and temporal factors in the context of the dynamic and variable nature of floodplains. At broad regional scales, fish assemblages diverged along a regional climactic gradient from wet, cool coastal sites to drier sites further inland with greater seasonal temperature fluctuations. Even though wetlands provide a dynamic environment for fish, species richness and diversity at most sites were relatively stable over the winter and spring. Community stability may have been due, in part, to the predictable duration of wetland inundation during winter and spring, but also to the presence of species that fulfill life history requirements (spawning, rearing) in wetlands, and the presence of juvenile salmon throughout the winter and spring. Once fish entered wetlands, wholesale movement of species into and out of wetlands did not occur until summer desiccation. Comparison of fish species richness between each wetland and adjacent rivers revealed that only about 60% of species present in the rivers were found in wetlands, indicating floodplain wetlands were not compatible with the biological traits of almost half of the fish species present in adjacent rivers. Functional groups of species utilized wetlands at different times of year, during different developmental stages, for different durations, and movements into and out of wetlands were triggered mostly by changing water levels. Juvenile salmon movements were triggered by water level, temperature, barometric pressure and lunar phase. Juvenile salmon were present at every wetland site. No evidence was found to support that floodplain wetlands are a ‘predator trap’ for juvenile salmon. Further understanding of the ecological value of floodplain systems may be useful to guide efforts to restore these systems to dynamic, self-sustaining levels of ecosystem function. Close