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• 41. [Article] EWEB’s Vision: Payments for Ecosystem Services through a Voluntary Incentives Program; An Innovative, Incentive-Based Approach for Preserving Water Quality in the McKenzie River Watershed

  EWEB envisions the development of an investment mechanism that makes payments for ecosystem services (PES) as a way to maintain and improve water quality within the McKenzie River Watershed, Eugene’s sole ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: EWEB’s Vision: Payments for Ecosystem Services through a Voluntary Incentives Program; An Innovative, Incentive-Based Approach for Preserving Water Quality in the McKenzie River Watershed Author: Lurie, Sue, Toth, Nancy, Morgenstern, Karl, Duncan, Sally, Fishler, Hillary, Bennett, Drew EWEB envisions the development of an investment mechanism that makes payments for ecosystem services (PES) as a way to maintain and improve water quality within the McKenzie River Watershed, Eugene’s sole source of drinking water. The public name for this concept is the Voluntary Incentives Program. Under the envisioned Voluntary Incentives Program (VIP), EWEB will provide annual dividend payments to landowners for the valuable services their properties provide including water filtration and purification. These dividends recognize the value of the natural capital provided by these lands and their downstream benefits to the residents of Eugene. A fund with sustainable financing will be established to support the dividend payments and the infrastructure necessary to operate the Voluntary Incentives Program. Financing will come from a variety of sources but could be initially endowed through existing water funds (under existing rate structure) or another utility funding mechanism. Additional possible financing sources other than EWEB include corporations, a voter approved bond measure, development impact fees, and state and federal mitigation programs. EWEB will establish a stewardship boundary identifying riparian forests and floodplains that are eligible to enroll in the VIP. Participation is open to private landowners, local governments, and non-profit organizations that own land within the designated boundary. Based on EWEB’s preliminary analysis, an estimated 6,500 acres of riparian and floodplain areas along the McKenzie and major tributaries are eligible to enroll. Land within the stewardship boundary will need to meet a threshold in order to receive payments. This threshold will be determined by adapting existing riparian forest and wetland habitat standards and definitions from NRCS, USFS, Defenders of Wildlife and other entities to establish the criteria for participation in the VIP. Appropriate infrastructure is essential to implement and run the incentives program: critical tasks include managing the fund, making payments to VIP participants, assessing the quality of land enrolled, negotiating agreements, monitoring properties and verifying compliance, and educating and communicating with the community. The VIP will rely upon a coalition of existing organizations, which will form a watershed investment district (WID), to provide this critical infrastructure, without which successful implementation of the VIP is highly unlikely. Title: EWEB’s Vision: Payments for Ecosystem Services through a Voluntary Incentives Program; An Innovative, Incentive-Based Approach for Preserving Water Quality in the McKenzie River Watershed Author: Lurie, Sue, Toth, Nancy, Morgenstern, Karl, Duncan, Sally, Fishler, Hillary, Bennett, Drew EWEB envisions the development of an investment mechanism that makes payments for ecosystem services (PES) as a way to maintain and improve water quality within the McKenzie River Watershed, Eugene’s sole source of drinking water. The public name for this concept is the Voluntary Incentives Program. Under the envisioned Voluntary Incentives Program (VIP), EWEB will provide annual dividend payments to landowners for the valuable services their properties provide including water filtration and purification. These dividends recognize the value of the natural capital provided by these lands and their downstream benefits to the residents of Eugene. A fund with sustainable financing will be established to support the dividend payments and the infrastructure necessary to operate the Voluntary Incentives Program. Financing will come from a variety of sources but could be initially endowed through existing water funds (under existing rate structure) or another utility funding mechanism. Additional possible financing sources other than EWEB include corporations, a voter approved bond measure, development impact fees, and state and federal mitigation programs. EWEB will establish a stewardship boundary identifying riparian forests and floodplains that are eligible to enroll in the VIP. Participation is open to private landowners, local governments, and non-profit organizations that own land within the designated boundary. Based on EWEB’s preliminary analysis, an estimated 6,500 acres of riparian and floodplain areas along the McKenzie and major tributaries are eligible to enroll. Land within the stewardship boundary will need to meet a threshold in order to receive payments. This threshold will be determined by adapting existing riparian forest and wetland habitat standards and definitions from NRCS, USFS, Defenders of Wildlife and other entities to establish the criteria for participation in the VIP. Appropriate infrastructure is essential to implement and run the incentives program: critical tasks include managing the fund, making payments to VIP participants, assessing the quality of land enrolled, negotiating agreements, monitoring properties and verifying compliance, and educating and communicating with the community. The VIP will rely upon a coalition of existing organizations, which will form a watershed investment district (WID), to provide this critical infrastructure, without which successful implementation of the VIP is highly unlikely. Close

• 42. [Article] Understanding natural wetlands

  Published January 1991. Reviewed December 2014. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extensi...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Understanding natural wetlands Author: Moore, James A. (James Allan), 1939-, Oregon State University. Extension Service, Smith, Dawn Published January 1991. Reviewed December 2014. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Title: Understanding natural wetlands Author: Moore, James A. (James Allan), 1939-, Oregon State University. Extension Service, Smith, Dawn Published January 1991. Reviewed December 2014. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Close

• 43. [Article] Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon

  The structure and components of riparian areas influence the rate, amount, and timing of water, nutrients, organic debris, and inorganic materials that enter streams and rivers. The energy of floodwaters ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon Author: Institute for Natural Resources, Kovalchik, Bernard L., Kerr, Marie Jeannette James, 1968-, Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Crowe, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Ann), 1963- The structure and components of riparian areas influence the rate, amount, and timing of water, nutrients, organic debris, and inorganic materials that enter streams and rivers. The energy of floodwaters and their ultimate volume, timing and erosive power is influenced by the soils, vegetation and geomorphology of fluvial surfaces within valley bottoms. Decades of intensive use of riparian areas and other wetlands in central and eastern Oregon have caused substantial degradation of their ecological structure, composition and function. Rehabilitation, restoration and monitoring of wetland ecosystems is currently a high priority for many land management agencies and landowners. In order to improve conditions in these habitats, an understanding of wetland ecosystems is necessary. Title: Riparian and wetland vegetation of central and eastern Oregon Author: Institute for Natural Resources, Kovalchik, Bernard L., Kerr, Marie Jeannette James, 1968-, Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Crowe, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Ann), 1963- The structure and components of riparian areas influence the rate, amount, and timing of water, nutrients, organic debris, and inorganic materials that enter streams and rivers. The energy of floodwaters and their ultimate volume, timing and erosive power is influenced by the soils, vegetation and geomorphology of fluvial surfaces within valley bottoms. Decades of intensive use of riparian areas and other wetlands in central and eastern Oregon have caused substantial degradation of their ecological structure, composition and function. Rehabilitation, restoration and monitoring of wetland ecosystems is currently a high priority for many land management agencies and landowners. In order to improve conditions in these habitats, an understanding of wetland ecosystems is necessary. Close

• 44. [Article] Texture analysis riparian coniferous forest ADAR imagery to identify potential ecological indicators for monitoring

  The Airborne Data Acquisition and Registration (ADAR) remote sensing system captured one-meter resolution imagery of 25 different riparian sites in drift Creek Basin of coastal northwestern Oregon, USA. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Texture analysis riparian coniferous forest ADAR imagery to identify potential ecological indicators for monitoring Author: Fiorella, M., Barker, Jerry R., Ringold, P.L., Bradshaw, Gay, Bollman, Mike The Airborne Data Acquisition and Registration (ADAR) remote sensing system captured one-meter resolution imagery of 25 different riparian sites in drift Creek Basin of coastal northwestern Oregon, USA. The multispectral, digital data characterized riparian areas with the intent to develop ecological indicators for long-term monitoring. Title: Texture analysis riparian coniferous forest ADAR imagery to identify potential ecological indicators for monitoring Author: Fiorella, M., Barker, Jerry R., Ringold, P.L., Bradshaw, Gay, Bollman, Mike The Airborne Data Acquisition and Registration (ADAR) remote sensing system captured one-meter resolution imagery of 25 different riparian sites in drift Creek Basin of coastal northwestern Oregon, USA. The multispectral, digital data characterized riparian areas with the intent to develop ecological indicators for long-term monitoring. Close

• 45. [Article] Biological opinion: Canby Ferry shoreside improvements project, Mountain Road, Clackamas County

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Biological opinion: Canby Ferry shoreside improvements project, Mountain Road, Clackamas County Author: U.S. Federal Highway Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region Title: Biological opinion: Canby Ferry shoreside improvements project, Mountain Road, Clackamas County Author: U.S. Federal Highway Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region Close

• 46. [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

• 47. [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

• 48. [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

• 49. [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

• 50. [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