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GLERL Updates 2004 Archive |
Links in the archive are not updated - many may be broken over time. URLs which are not linked are no longer valid (retained as historical).
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December 15, 2004Contents 1) The Future of Open-Water Observation Technology for Great
Lakes Research A Nov 30-Dec 3 workshop was held in Ann Arbor as a first major step toward forming an integrated, open-lake, research-based observing system in the Great Lakes. The workshop was co-sponsored by NOAA and the IJC's Council of Great Lakes Research Managers. The Council has a specific charge to coordinate research in the Great Lakes. The purpose of the workshop was to 1) examine the state of the art in open water sensor technology and techniques for collecting and transmitting data, 2) assess the research needs in the Great Lakes that require such spatial and temporal sampling technologies and 3) discuss how such a system can be developed and operated amongst key research managers in the Great Lakes. Some of the key questions being addressed are: * What are the fundamental scientific questions that require
such an integrated observing system to answer? 2) Web Content Design and Evaluation
NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Speaker suggestions for the 2005 seminar series welcome. We would particularly like to focus on issues relating to Great Lakes and Human Health and issues relating to Lake Erie. Recent seminar videos in the archive - http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/pastseminars.html * "An Examination of Winds and Waves on Lake Superior Associated with the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975" Speaker:Dr. David Schwab, Physical Limnologist, GLERL Coming soon - * December 16 - Dr. David Reid, GLERL "Modelling of Ballast
Water Flow Dynamics in Ballast Tanks During BAllast Water Exchange"
This seminar will be taped. 3) GLERL in the News - Lake Michigan Salmon On the surface, Lake Michigan remains one of the world's biggest and wildest bodies of freshwater and one of its most popular fishing destinations. But under water, it is largely a man-made production. Lake Michigan has been engineered into a system focused on producing a maximum amount of sport fish, most of which are not native to its waters. About 13 million exotic salmon and trout are planted yearly, creating what retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fishery chief Lee Kernen calls a "sportsman's paradise." But today, it is a paradise imperiled. This year the salmon were biting on just about anything, and commercial fisherman Dennis Hickey says he knows why: They are starving. Salmon stomachs are normally packed with alewives. This year, Hickey says, the lake's biggest fish are swimming on empty. Preliminary numbers from an alewife survey this fall back up what Hickey has been seeing on his cutting board. The lake's population has dropped from 25% to 50% in just the past year. Theories for the decline include overstocking of salmon and trout, and natural alewife population fluctuations. Most ominous, there is mounting evidence that the lake could be on the brink of "ecosystem shock," a food chain collapse caused by a non-stop invasion of foreign species. Salmon might be something of a sentinel for the lake; if the king of the food chain is in trouble, the rest of the kingdom probably is, too. "If something is happening to salmon, it has probably gone way past the point that you ever wanted it to get to," says Steve Pothoven, a biologist with the University of Michigan. "But that's where people begin to notice it." Excerpt from "Hungry salmon downsizing as food disappears"
by Jeff Alexander in Muskegon Chronicle - Tuesday, December 14,
2004 Lake Michigan salmon are shrinking and the phenomenon may be linked to zebra mussels. Call it the Caspian Sea diet. Imported to the Great Lakes from Eastern Europe's Caspian Sea in the ballast water of freighters, zebra mussels have spent the past two decades wreaking havoc on tiny creatures at the base of the lakes' food chain. The results of those changes are now becoming evident in Lake Michigan alewife and chinook salmon, which are smaller and weigh less than in the past. The alewife population in Lake Huron has crashed and is dropping
like a rock in Lake Michigan, scientists say. That's bad news for
salmon, which feast almost exclusively on alewives. "I wouldn't
sell my salmon boat yet, but I'd be concerned," said Steve
Pothoven, a research associate at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's Lake Michigan Field Station in Muskegon. Pothoven
said salmon are not growing as large as in years past because there
are fewer alewife in Lake Michigan and the alewife are skinnier.
Zebra mussels are at least partially responsible for the changes;
the fingernail-sized mollusks have been linked to the decline of
diporeia in Lake Michigan, tiny shrimp-like creatures that alewife
eat. It's possible that alewife could stage a comeback in Lake Michigan, but changes caused by zebra mussels will make that more difficult than in the past. Pothoven said the scarcity of diporeia has resulted in Lake Michigan alewife losing 10 percent of their body fat. The amount of body fat is an indicator of fish health; fat fish are healthier than skinny ones. "Ultimately, the lake will be less productive over the long haul. I think we'll see fewer top predators, salmon and lake trout," Pothoven said. Chuck Pistis, a Michigan Sea Grant agent based in Grand Haven,
said anglers are concerned about the shrinking size of Lake Michigan
salmon. But he said the alewife population has rebounded in the
past from steep population declines. Charter boat captains reported
catching large numbers of salmon this year, but they were smaller
than in the past, Pistis said. "I worked three tournaments
this year and we hardly saw any fish over 20 pounds," he said.
"But the catch rates were fantastic." 4) Sediment resuspension may be underestimated by current models One of the impoortant issues for tracing the fate of particle-associated materials such as contaminants is the ability to follow and trace particles in the lakes. These particle-associated materials play an important role in ecosystem functioning and status. This work by Nathan Hawley, Barry Lescht, and David Schwab examined the ability of the current wave model to predict the resuspension of sediments. In over 80% of the cases the bottom stresses calculated from both observations and the wave model agree as to whether resuspension occurs. However, 70% of this agreement was for cases where resuspension would not occur and 6% of the cases are where both the model and observations predict resuspension. The bottom stresses calculated from the model were usually lower than those calculated from observations. Thus resuspension estimates based on the wave model parameters will under-predict that expected based on observed waves. 5) Magnitude and origin of PCB and DDT compounds resuspended
in southern Lake Michigan Some of the most important particle-associated contaminants in the Great Lakes are the persistent organic contaminants such as polyclorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. These particle-associated contaminants are thought to contribute significantly to the overall load to the lakes during resuspension events. The work of Keri Hornbuckle, Gretchen Smith, Sondra Miller, Brian Eadie, and Margaret Lansing shows during intense resuspension events, as often occur in the spring in the Great Lakes, the sediments on the bottom of Lake Michigan share the same chemical signal as the suspended and settling sediments in the water column above or nearby. The sediments in shallow waters show a signature that is enriched in lower molecular weight PCB cogeners while the deeper lake sediments are more enriched in the heavier PCB cogeners and DDT. The reason for the difference was thought to be due in part to particle sorting that occurs as sediment particles are moved due to the circulation of the waters in the lake. The heavier particles should not be transported as far as those that are smaller and lighter in weight. Thus, differential distribution of the compounds because of differences in the composition of the particles may accoun for the different distribution between shallow and deep bay sediments. Thus the resuspension process will contribute to the redistribution of contaminants within the lake and becomes an important process for predicting the fate of contaminants within the lakes. 6) Histological Characteristics of Abnormal Protrusions ('tumors')
on copepods from Lake Michigan Some time back, a phenomenon was observed that excited the public with the finding of growths (maybe neoplasia) on zooplankton. Subsequently, the problem was thought to be fully the result of parasites. This study by Gretchen Mssick, Hank Vanderploeg, Joann Cavaletto, and Suzanne Tyler expanded the work and was able to identify ellobiopsid parasites caused the protrusions observed on zooplankton in about 3% of the cases. Necrotic tissue was present in 58% of the protrusions and 40% contained what appeared to be herniated host tissue. This histology is not consistent with parasites as the causative agent. Fixation and collection of artifacts have been ruled out. Thus the source of the problem remains unidentified and efforts to determine the cause continue.
7) Great Lakes Bathymetry Project Status 8) New Reprints - climate, groundwater, episodic events, ice,
waves, PCBs, copepods, food web, alewives Croley, TE II. Spatially distributed model of interacting surface and groundwater storages. Proceedings, World Water amd Environmental Resources Congress, Salt Lake City, UT, June 27-July 1, 2004. Environmental Water REsources Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers, Washington, DC, 10pp. 2004. /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040020.pdf Kerfoot, WC, JW Budd, BJ Eadie, HA Vanderploeg, and M Agy. Winter storms: sequential sediment traps record Daphnia ephippial production, resuspension, and sediment interactions. Limnology and Oceanography 49 (4, part 3): 1365-1481 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040018.pdf Leshkevich, GA and SV Ngheim. Recent anomalies in Great Lakes ice cover based on statistical analysis and observation. Proceedings, 2004 IEEE Intrernational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), Anchorage, AK, September 20-24, 2004, 1pp. (2004) http://ww.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/fulltext/2004/20040022.pdf. Liu, P.C., and A.V. Babanin. Using wavelet spectrum analysis to resolve breaking events in the wind wave time series. Annales Geophysicae 22:3335-3345 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040024.pdf Lofgren, B.M. A model for simulation of the climate and hydrology of the Great Lakes basin. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:D18108, 20 pp. (2004). McCarty, HB, J Schofield, K Miller, RN Brent, PL VanHoof, and BJ Eadie. Results of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study: Polychlorinated biphenyls and trans-nonachlor data report. EPA 905 R-01-011, US EPA GLNPO, Chicago, IL, 300pp. (2004) /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040021.pdf. Messick, GA, HA Vanderploeg, JF Cavaletto, and SS Tyler. Histological characteristics of abnormal protrusions on copepods from lake Michigan, USA. Zoological Studies 43(2)314-322 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040019.pdf. Peacor, SD, and EE Werner. How dependent are species-pair interaction
strengths on other species in the food web? Ecology 85(10) 2754-2763
(2004). Pothoven, SA and HA Vanderploeg. Diet and prey selection of alewives in Lake Michigan: Seasonal, depth, and interannual patterns. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 133:1068-1077 (2004). 9) NCRAIS News NCRAIS is staffing up! Dr. Doran Mason has been appointed as NCRAIS' Southeast/Gulf of Mexico Regional Coordinator and Dr. Rochelle Sturtevant has been appointed as the Great Lakes Regional Coordinator and (national) Outreach Coordinator. We are both looking forward to these new roles. Partnership opportunities are also on the rise. Center Director Dr. Dave Reid has been invited to join the new National Sea Grant AIS Theme Team. In the short term, we hope this new association will help to strengthen Sea Grant's role in NOAA AIS research and in development of an outreach strategy for NCRAIS. The NCRAIS staff has also been invited to join regular conference calls of the SGNIS (Sea Grant Nonindigenous Invasive Species web site) management team. NCRAIS hosted a NOAA Aquatic Invasive Species Research Strategic Planning Workshop in Charleston September 7-10. The workshop was attended by 21 NOAA staff representing most line offices with significant AIS research responsibilities including NMFS, NOS, OAR, Sea Grant, the National Estuarine Research Reserves and Marine Sanctuaries. Workshop discussions are being synthesized by breakout session chairs into a draft strategic AIS research plan that should be ready for circulation to NOAA staff late this winter. NCRAIS researcher David Raikow presented a paper on Resting Eggs
and Biocides at the 13th International Conference on AIS in Ennis,
Ireland. Treatment of ballast residuals with biocides has been
proposed as a possible control method but the potential effectiveness
of this method for treating resting eggs is not understood. Dave
reported that SeaKleen, a commercial product consisting of Menadione,
was toxic to resting eggs (at concentrations higher than that for
adult invertebrates) though restings eggs with protective structures
were more resistant. SeaKleen retained its toxicity over short
time periods in the dark but degraded quickly in sunlight. Dave
is also attending the Data Exchange Conference in Detroit presenting
an overview of the Great Lakes ANS Database project. 10) NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health
(CEGLHH) News The NOAA CEGLHH is directed by Dr. Stephen Brandt and has 24 principal
investigators and 11 federal and university partners. The primary
role of the new center is to use multidisciplinary research to
develop technology for predicting the formation of toxic algal
blooms, beach closings, and water quality in the Great Lakes basin.
The goal of the Center is to use GLERL's broad scientific expertise
to significantly reduce threats to human health through ecological
forecasting, which uses scientific understanding and models of
climate, weather, circulation patterns, hydrology, land use, and
biology to predict the location and severity of toxins in the water,
beach closures, and water quality conditions. Such information
will allow Great Lakes managers and users to rapidly respond to
changes in lake condition and The center is partnering with other research institutions, universities and federal agencies and will include training programs for Great Lakes managers, publications, and public-access websites drawing from the research activities. The work of the new center will also link to research and coastal uses through the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network (extension and education). On September 7th and 8th, the principal investigators gathered
at GLERL for the first all-PI meeting to discuss the research and
outreach activities of the center. Center scientists presented
detailed backgrounds of their expertise and recent research covering
topics such as "Assessing Human Health Risks from Microbials"
(Dr. Joan Rose), "Transport of Pathogens in Surface Water
and Ground Water: Integrating Modeling and Observations" (Dr.
Phanikumar Mantha), and "The USe of Satellite Imagery in the
Detection and Monitoring of Microcystis Blooms (Shelly Tomlinson).
The PIs discussed how best to address user needs and focus outreach
activities. Plans were made for bi-annual meetings and new research
directions and partnerships. For more information, see the Center's
new website at
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November 15, 2004Contents 1. GLERL Annual Proposal Review GLERL is gearing up for the annual proposal review. Sea Grant staff are welcome to attend the 2-day proposal review presentations on December 6&7 at GLERL. Contact Rochelle Sturtevant <rochelle.sturtevant@noaa.gov> if you are interested in attending all or a portion of the review. Draft proposals are due Wednesday and will be posted on-line asap... (along with progress reports on 2004 and continuing projects). Web address: http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/biz/mgt/prop/cy05/ Sea Grant staff are welcome to provide comments directly to the GLERL PI's between now and November 30 (or go through Rochelle for contact info). Please also let me know if there are particular projects in which you are interested from an outreach/extension/education perspective (i.e., send you updates on progress, explore outreach opportunities, arrange for a presentation by a PI at a local event, etc.). 2. New Reprints - food webs Peacor, S.D., and E.E. Werner. How dependent are species-pair
interaction strengths on other species in the food web? Ecology
85(10):2754-2763 (2004). Pothoven, S.A., and H.A. Vanderploeg. Diet and prey selection of alewives in Lake Michigan: Seasonal, depth, and interannual patterns. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 133:1068-1077 (2004). 3. NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL New video's available in the archive <http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/pastseminars.html>... * "The Northwest Fisheries Science Center and NOAA's West
Coast Center for Oceans and Human Health" Dr. Usha Varanasi,
Director, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA. Upcoming seminars... http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/ * November 18 (10:30am) "An Examination of Winds and Waves
on Lake Superior Associated with the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
on November 10, 1975" Dr. David Schwab, Physical Limnologist,
GLERL 4. Staff News From CILER... Tom Johengen will be stepping down as CILER Director (effective Jan 1) in order to concentrate more fully on research in the School of Natural Resources and Environment. SNRE has named Don Scavia (MI Sea Grant Director) as the Interim CILER Director until a search can be launched for a new permanent Director. Don will immediately begin working with CILER, and he and Tom will work together closely on transitional issues and in preparing for CILER's upcoming formal review in March. 5. And from Thunder Bay... The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve has signed a 20 year lease with Alpena Marc L.L.C., for the development of a new Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. This center will be housed at the former Fletcher Paper Mill facility in Alpena, Michigan. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has committed an initial $2.5 million investment to renovate the historic 20,000 square foot building. When completed, the facility will include exhibits specific to the maritime history of Thunder Bay, as well as the historic resources found within and around the sanctuary. Other areas of the center will include: an auditorium to view films and live footage from shipwrecks, an archaeological conservation laboratory, education resource room, research facilities, and administrative space. The sanctuary offices will reside in the new facility by Summer 2005. Contact: matt.stout@noaa.gov
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October 18, 2004Contents 1. GLERL Annual Proposal Review 2. Workshop - The Future of Open Water Observation Technology
for Great Lakes Research 3. Great Lakes Beach Conference 2004 The Great Lakes Beach Association was founded in 2001 to bring together beach managers, scientists, agencies, officials and private groups to exchange information and improve recreational water quality. The annual meeting is an important means of achieving this goal. This year's conference is hosted by Cuyahoga County Board of Health. 4. GLERL in the News -Toxic algae blooming in area lakes; scientists
blame zebra mussels Scientists who recently tested algae scum on Muskegon Lake found elevated concentrations of microcystins. When ingested via drinking tainted water, the naturally occurring poisons can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fever, rashes, throat irritation and, in extreme cases, liver damage and cancer. "I don't want to scare people, but the levels of microcystins we found are significant. These are very high concentrations and are on the same order of magnitude as the highest concentrations of microcystins ever reported," said Gary Fahnenstiel, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Lake Michigan Field Station NOAA's in Muskegon. The concentration of microcystins in algae scum floating in the middle of Muskegon Lake was four times higher than the highest levels found in Lake Erie in 2000. The Muskegon Lake samples represented the "worst-case scenario," Fahnenstiel said, because they were taken from algae scum floating on the lake. But the Bear Lake sample was taken in an area with no scum on the water -- the blue-green algae looked more like pollen in the water. The 238 parts per billion of microcystins found in the Muskegon Lake algae bloom "does represent a health risk -- mostly to accidental ingestion by pets or swimmers," said Wayne Carmichael, a professor of biological sciences at Wright State University. Carmichael is one of the world's leading experts on microcystins. The World Health Organization's maximum exposure guideline for microcystins in recreational waters is 20 parts per billion, Carmichael said. The other samples taken here found: 96 parts per billion of microcystins in a boat basin at the Lake Michigan Field Station, near the Muskegon Lake channel; 41 ppb near the Harbour Towne beach; and 20 ppb in the middle of Bear Lake. Fahnenstiel, one of the world's leading experts on algae, said people should avoid swimming, wading, windsurfing, canoeing or water-skiing in areas of lakes with blue-green algal blooms. Dogs also should avoid those waters. Although few people are out on area lakes now, Fahnenstiel said it would be wise in the future to avoid going in water where blue-green algae is present. Wind and waves will disperse the surface scum, but the algae usually slips below the surface and returns when the water is calm. "As a scientist and boater who spends time on Muskegon Lake -- my kids swim and tube in the lake -- I would not go in the water when these blooms are present," Fahnenstiel said. Rick Rediske, a professor of water resources at Grand Valley State University and chairman of the Muskegon Lake Public Advisory Council, said he would limit activities in any lake with a blue-green algal bloom: "I would boat in it but I wouldn't swim in it," he said. There is no evidence that microcystins have affected fish or humans here, but no studies have been conducted. Although blue-green algae has poisoned drinking water supplies in other countries, Fahnenstiel said it is unlikely microcystins will foul Lake Michigan, a source of drinking water for much of Muskegon, Ottawa and Kent counties. Wave action in the lake is usually too intense to allow blue-green algal blooms to form, and the local drinking water intakes are deep enough to avoid the harmful algae, which floats to the water's surface. A 2000 study performed by NOAA scientists in Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie warned that microcystins, which don't break down quickly in the environment, could move up the food chain, from invertebrates to fish and, ultimately, to people who eat the tainted fish. Blue-green algal blooms have long been common in lakes with high levels of phosphorous, such as Spring Lake. Zebra mussels are now causing the blooms in lakes with low phosphorous levels, according to scientific studies. A Michigan State University study published earlier this year concluded that blue-green algal blooms could occur in any lake where zebra mussels are present. More than 100 Michigan lakes are infested with zebra mussels, according to state data. "These algae blooms are not likely to go away," Fahnenstiel said. "Our experience in the Great Lakes has been that once these blooms appear, they occur every year. If you have zebra mussels in your lake, you'd better be looking out for these algal blooms." Sarah Holden, a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality aquatic biologist, said the state has not been monitoring for microcystins in lakes. "I think it is a relatively uncommon thing that is starting to become more frequent," Holden said. "We're trying to get a handle on it, figure out the best way to find lakes with problems, figure out what the health concerns are for people and how to get the word out." Microcystin contamination has never been documented in area lakes until now because no one ever tested for the toxins. Although blue-green algae has been a problem in other parts of the world for more than a century, it has only emerged as an issue in the United States in recent years, according to several scientists. "There could be lakes out there, such as Spring Lake, that could be very high (for microcystins). We just haven't sampled them," Fahnenstiel said. Spring Lake, one of West Michigan's most popular and intensely studied lakes, is notorious for massive blue-green algal blooms. Scientists from Grand Valley State University have thoroughly studied those blooms and phosphorous pollution in Spring Lake, but did not test for toxic microcystins in the algae, said Alan Steinman, director of GVSU's Annis Water Resources Institute. He said the test is difficult and costly to perform. Microcystin contamination has been a problem for more than 100 years in other countries. There have been numerous cases of people, dogs and livestock becoming ill after drinking or wading in water laced with microcystins. In Brazil, more than 60 kidney patients died after drinking water laced with microcystins passed through their dialysis machines. People have become ill and some dogs have died recently in Vermont after falling into blue-green algae on picturesque Lake Champlain. Soldiers in Great Britain were sickened after canoeing through a blue-green algal bloom, and a Wisconsin boy died last year after falling into an agricultural pond contaminated with microcystins, Fahnenstiel said. 5. NOAA 2004 Distinguished Career Award Recipients 6. Science Branch Chief 7. New Reprints - water levels, groundwater, storms, ice, mass
balance, copepod 'tumors' Croley, T.E. II. Spatially distributed model of interacting surface and groundwater storages. Proceedings, World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, Salt Lake City, UT, June 27-July 1, 2004. Environmental Water Resources Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers, Washington, DC, 10 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040020.pdf Kerfoot, W.C., J.W. Budd, B.J. Eadie, H.A. Vanderploeg, and M. Agy. Winter storms: sequential sediment traps record Daphnia ephippial production, resuspension, and sediment interactions. Limnology and Oceanography 49(4, part 2): 1365-1481 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040018.pdf Leshkevich, G.A., and S.V.Nghiem. Recent anomalies in Great Lakes
ice cover based on statistical analysis and observation. Proceedings,
2004 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium
(IGARSS), Anchorage, AK, September 20-24, 2004, 1 pp. (2004). McCarty, H.B., J. Schofield, K. Miller, R.N. Brent, P.L. VanHoof,
and B.J. Eadie. Results of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study:
Polychloroinated Biphenyls and trans-nonachlor data report. EPA
905 R-01-011, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, Chicago,
IL, 300 pp. (2004). Messick, G.A., H.A. Vanderploeg, J.F. Cavaletto, and S.S. Tyler. Histological characteristics of abnormal protrusions on copepods from Lake Michigan, USA. Zoological Studies 43(2):314-322 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040019.pdf 8. Job Posting - Information Technology Specialist
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September 20, 2004Contents: _________________________________________________________________________ The oceans and Great Lakes are inextricably linked to human health in both coastal and inland areas. Despite this critical bond, very little is known about the relationships between the oceans and human health. The new NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative is designed to address this issue by bringing together expertise within NOAA and building external partnerships with ocean and human health experts from both the public and private sectors, including academia. Although the OHHI will look at all aspects of this issue - from human impacts on the health of the oceans and Great Lakes to how, in turn, these bodies of water affect human health - the primary focus will be on the latter and on the development of information useful for decision makers. The initiative is comprised of a suite of complementary internal and external competitive programs. As part of the OHHI, NOAA established a trio of research centers in Seattle, Wash.; Charleston, S.C.; and Ann Arbor, Mich. Building on NOAA's broad strengths, the goal of the NOAA OHHI is to support an ecosystem approach to better understand and predict ocean-related human health impacts. This research, and related activities, will help NOAA and its partners better address many of the challenges decision-makers face in the areas of public health and natural resource management. The initiative will also evaluate the health benefits and risks of seafood and promote the discovery of pharmaceuticals and bioactive agents from the sea to benefit human health. A broad array of interrelated research topics will be addressed through this initiative, including marine toxins and pathogens, chemical pollutants, water quality, beach safety, seafood quality, sentinel species (and other indicators of environmental health) and the discovery of pharmaceuticals and bioagents. Not only will the program enhance NOAA's knowledge in these areas, but it will also strengthen existing (as well as foster new) partnerships both within NOAA and related academic, public and private sector entities. "By increasing our understanding of the linkages between oceans
and human health, the NOAA OHHI supports two of NOAA's primary
mission goals - to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal
and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management and to understand
climate variability and change to enhance society's ability to
plan and respond," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher,
Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and
NOAA administrator. The oceans are a life-sustaining resource that demands proper stewardship to take full advantage of the benefits and guard against the human health threats they pose. The NOAA OHHI is prepared to take on this challenge. As the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (2004) stated in its preliminary report, "significant investment must be put into developing a coordinated national research effort to better understand the links between the oceans and human health."
The NOAA OHHI and its trio of centers will work closely with the four recently established National Science Foundation/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Centers of Excellence in Oceans and Human Health, to ensure a comprehensive and compatible federal approach to oceans and human health research. NOAA Ocean and Human Health Centers * NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Wash.: This center uses a broad-based ecosystem approach and state-of-the-art biotechnology, models and environmental assessments to investigate the sources, transport and fate (e.g., distribution and persistence) of harmful pathogens, biotoxins and toxic chemicals in seafood (fish and shellfish) under changing ocean conditions (e.g., El Niño) and human/land use activities. By examining these aspects, NOAA will be able to develop early warning systems to better predict where outbreaks may occur (for example) and methods to reduce or eliminate these harmful agents from seafood (such as through molecular or specific seafood preparation techniques). The center will also use marine mammals and fish as sentinel species to understand and evaluate potential risks to humans who are exposed to a similar suite of pathogens, biotoxins and toxic chemicals. The research at this center will provide the information needed to make sound decisions about the risks and benefits of seafood consumption and to support natural resource and human health managers in forecasting and reducing threats to human health. Key partners include the University of Washington, the Marine Mammal Center, Oregon State University, Institute for Systems Biology, Washington State University, University of California, Davis and the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Usha Varanasi, Ph.D., director of the NWFSC, is the center's director. * NOAA Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, S.C.: This center addresses fundamental questions about the quality and safety of coastal waters and the seafood they produce. To accomplish its objectives, center scientists will develop new methods, approaches and tools to: evaluate the health responses of marine organisms to multiple stressors, and identify and characterize chemical and microbial threats to marine ecosystems and human health. The center will also establish three core research areas: applied marine genomics, chemical contaminants and source tracking of marine pathogens. HML will conduct a field program in shallow tidal creeks and estuaries to determine the reliability of the new methods and tools for application by national and regional monitoring and assessment programs. The HML will complement its research activities with education and outreach activities that train the next generation of scientists and teachers. HML is operated in partnership with NOAA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina. Each partner brings unique expertise to the HML and all of the partners have critical roles in the center. Fred Holland, Ph.D., director of HML, is be the center's director. * Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich.: This center uses multidisciplinary research to develop technology for predicting the formation, location and severity of toxic algal blooms, beach closings and water quality in the Great Lakes basin. The goal of the center is to use GLERL's broad scientific expertise to significantly reduce threats to human health through ecological forecasting. This effort will utilize the lab's high tech modeling capabilities, as well as advanced scientific understanding of climate, weather, hydrologic, land use and biological processes. In addition to modeling, the center's research includes laboratory work and field experimentation. The center will also develop a strong outreach and education program for public and user communities to raise awareness of Great Lakes human health issues. Key partners include Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Florida Institute of Oceanography, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geologic Survey and the NOAA Beaufort Laboratory. Stephen Brandt, Ph.D., director of GLERL, will be the center's director. "The unique combination of these three centers allows NOAA to focus an unparalleled combination of basic, applied and biomedical research expertise - including risk assessment and forecasting - on questions of paramount importance to maintaining the health of our coasts and the humans that live there," said Juli Trtanj, NOAA OHHI program director. Human interaction with the oceans is central to NOAA's ecosystem-based approach to management of the nation's living marine resources and the habitats on which they depend. The NOAA OHHI will bring NOAA's understanding and assessment full circle since it will both evaluate human impact on the oceans, as well as the the impact of the oceans on human health. Understanding the relationship between the oceans and human health is a challenging interdisciplinary field of study, but it is increasingly clear that it is in the nation's best interest to provide federal support and coordination of this research effort. As a result, NOAA will continue to advance its research and collaborative partnerships in this area to shed light on some of the complex relationships between oceans and human health and to provide useful information to policy and decision makers addressing this issue. 2. GLERL in the News: Lab aims to forecast Great Lakes water
woes A new federal center based at Ann Arbor's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory will someday forecast Great Lakes beach closings, potentially hazardous algae blooms and unsafe drinking water quality, much like meteorologists can forecast rain. 3. New Reprints: Sediments, Benthos, Climate, Ice, Remote Sensing Hawley, N. A comparison of suspended sediment concentrations measured by acoustic and optical sensors. Journal of Great Lakes Research 30(2):301-309 (2004). Lozano, S.J., and T.F. Nalepa. Disruption of the benthic community in Lake Ontario. In: State of Lake Ontario (SOLO) - Past, Present, and Future. M. Munawar (Ed.). Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society, pp. 305-322 (2003). Rohli, R.V., S.A. Hsu, B.M. Lofgren, and M.R. Binkley. Bowen ratio estimates over Lake Erie. Journal of Great Lakes Research 30(2):241-251 (2004). ASSEL, R.A., S. Drobot, and T.E. Croley II. Improving 30-day Great Lakes ice cover outlooks. Journal of Hydrometeorology 5(4):713-717 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040016.pdf Bergmann, T., G.L. Fahnenstiel, S. Lohrenz, D. Millie, and O. Schofield. Impacts of a recurrent resuspension event and variable phytoplankton community composition on remote sensing reflectance. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C10S15, 12 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040014.pdf Chen, C., L. Wang, R. Ji, J.W. Budd, D.J. Schwab, D.Beletsky, G.L. Fahnenstiel, H. Vanderploeg, B.J. Eadie, and J. Cotner. Impacts of suspended sediment on the ecosystem in Lake Michigan: A comparison between the 1998 and 1999 plume events. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C10S05 18 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040012.pdf Chen, C., L. Wang, J. Qi, H. Liu, J.W. Budd, D.J. Schwab, D. Beletsky, H.A. Vanderploeg, B.J. Eadie, T.H. Johengen, J. Cotner, and P.J. Lavrentyev. A modeling study of benthic detritus flux's impacts on heterotrophic processes in Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C10S11, 13 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040013.pdf Hawley, N., B.M. Lesht, and D.J. Schwab. A comparison of observer and modeled surface waves in southern Lake Michigan and the implications for models of sediment resuspension. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C10S03, 11 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040015.pdf 4. New Fact Sheet: Climate Change and Lake Levels Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. Lake level modeling under climate change. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 2 pp. brochure (2004). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures/climatemodeling/climatemodeling.pdf
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August 18, 2004NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health A new federal center for research on water-related human health issues in the Great Lakes has been established in Michigan. The NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health will be based at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Stephen Brandt, Director of GLERL, will be the Center's director. The primary role of the new NOAA Center will be to use multidisciplinary research to develop technology for predicting the formation of toxic algal blooms, beach closings, and water quality in the Great Lakes basin. The goal of the Center is to use GLERL's broad scientific expertise to significantly reduce threats to human health through ecological forecasting, which uses scientific understanding and models of climate, weather, circulation patterns, hydrology, land use, and biology to predict the location and severity of toxins in the water, beach closures, and water quality conditions. Such information will allow Great Lakes managers and users to rapidly respond to changes in lake conditions and warn the public of potential health risks in a timely manner. The information ultimately will aid coastal decision-makers in long-term planning to minimize human health hazards. The Center will partner with other research institutions, universities and federal agencies, and will include training programs for Great Lakes managers, publications, and public-access websites drawing from the research activities. The work of the new Center will also link research and coastal uses through the Great Lakes Sea Grant Extension Program through education and outreach. Dr. Brandt will provide greater detail in his remarks at the Network
meeting in Put-In-Bay.
New Reprints Kukkonen, J.V.K., P.F. Landrum, S. Mitra, D.C. Gossiaux, J. Gunnarsson,
and D. Weston. The role of desorption for describing the bioavailability
of select PCH and PCB congeners for seven laboratory-spiked sediments.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(8):1842-1851 (2004). |
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July 20, 2004New Scientific Publications LIU, P.C., and U.F. Pinho. Freak waves - more frequent than rare! Analles Geophysicae 22:1839-1842 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040008.pdf Millie, D.F., G.L. FAHNENSTIEL, S.E. Lohrenz, H.J. Carrick, T.H. JOHENGEN, and O.M.E. Schofield. Physical-biological coupling in southern Lake Michigan: Influence of episodic sediment resuspension on phytoplankton. Aquatic Ecology 37:393-408 (2003). RAIKOW, D.F. Food web interactions between larval bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and exotic zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61(3):497-504 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040009.pdf Zhulidov, A.V., D.F. Pavlov, T.F. NALEPA, G.H. Scherbina, D.A. Zhulidov, and T.Y. Gurtovaya. Relative distributions of Dreissena bugensis and Dreissena polymorpha in the lower Don River System, Russia. International Review of Hydrobiology 89(3):326-333 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040010.pdf Brandt Receives IAGLR 2004 Anderson-Everett Award |
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June 23, 2004Apologies - I missed a few items in the last GLERL Update... 1) Recent GLERL Projects receiving outside funding... 2) GLERL Summer Fellows 3) Position announcement: Physical-Biological Modeler This is a federal term position at the GS-12 level with a salary of $62,590 for candidates with no prior federal service. The initial appointment will be for 2 years with the possibility of extension to 4 years. The position will remain open until 09/30/2004. Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis starting 6/12/2004 and a selection may be made before the closing date. This position is posted on the U.S. Department of Commerce website: www.jobs.doc.gov as vacancy number C-ERL-04006.SLW in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration bureau. U.S. citizenship is required. Candidates are required to submit applications online. Further information can be obtained from David.Schwab@noaa.gov <mailto:David.Schwab@noaa.gov>.
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June 17, 2004NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Coming next... Thursday, June 17 at 10:30am and... Tuesday, June 29 -10:30 am Compartments in food webs are subgroups of taxa that have many
strong interactions with other compartment members; there are few
weak interactions between compartments. Compartmentalization increases
stability in theoretical food webs, thus it is necessary to understand
compartmentalization in empirical food webs and its role as a stabilizing
feature in food-web structure. A method from social networking
science was used to identify compartments in five established food
webs. Three of the five were significantly compartmentalized (a
= 0.05). A graphical representation of the food web provided an
intuitive understanding of the compartmental structure. This approach
was then applied to the food web of southeastern Lake Michigan
to determine changes the food-web structure after zebra mussels
and Bythotrephes invaded. Data from GLERL, EPA, GLSC, and the Cook
Power Plant study were the primary sources of information for constructing
the food web. Additional changes in the structure were estimated
by calculating the effectiveness of the interactions between taxa
and the effectiveness of taxa within the food web and its compartments.
These indices help to determine if a few taxa dominate the food
web structure. New Journal Reprints ASSEL, R.A., S. Drobot, and T.E. CROLEY II. Improving monthly Great Lakes ice cover outlooks. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-129. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, 22 pp. (2004). ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-129. HAWLEY, N. Response of the benthic nepheloid layer to near-inertial internal waves in southern Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C04007 14 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040007.pdf Hornbuckle, K.C., G.L. Smith, S.M. Miller, B.J. EADIE, and M.B. LANSING. Magnitude and origin of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) compounds resuspended in southern Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C05017 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040006.pdf LANDRUM, P.F., J.A. Steevens, D.C. GOSSIAUX, M. McELROY, S. ROBINSON, L. Begnoche, S. Chernyak, and J. Hickey. Time-dependent lethal body residues for the toxicity of pentachlorobenzene to Hyalella azteca. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(5):1335-1343 (2004). Raikow, D.F., O. Sarnelle, A.E. Wilson, and S.K. Hamilton. 2004. Dominance of the noxious cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa in low-nutrient lakes is associated with exotic zebra mussels. Limnology and Oceanography 49: 482-487. Raikow, D.F. 2004. Food web interactions between larval bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) and exotic zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61: 497-504.. Roy, D., G.D. Hafner, and S.B. BRANDT. Estimating fish production potentials using a temporally explicit model. Ecological Modeling 173:241-257 (2004). |
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May 14, 2004NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Next Up... May 20, 10:30 am Although the history of biological invasions in the Great Lakes extends back nearly 200 years, the study and management of invasions is much younger. Biological invasions were first truly recognized and studied in the 1950's when the impact of the Sea Lamprey became too large to ignore and the search for an effective lampricide began. Decimation of the top food web trophic levels by Sea Lamprey released another invader, the Alewife, from predation pressure. Large die-offs of Alewife prompted the creation of a sport fishery using other nonindigenous species. But it took the discovery of the zebra mussel in the 1980's to push biological invasions in the Great Lakes, and indeed invasion biology as a whole, into the spotlight. Scientific efforts concerning invasions accelerated. The first real legislation concerning aquatic biological invasions passed. The public finally realized the importance of biological invasion as an environmental issue. Today invasion biology and management in the Great Lakes is a thriving concern with many new avenues of research including prediction, prevention, early detection, rapid response, parameter quantification, and international cooperation. New scientific methods and discoveries, however, are only just barely keeping up with new invasions, showing that biological invasion in the Great Lakes is a juggernaut with no end in sight. New Reprints ASSEL, R.A. Lake Erie ice cover climatology - basin averaged ice cover: winters 1898-2002. NOAA Technical Memorandum GLERL-128. NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 15 pp. (2004). ftp://ftp.glerl.noaa.gov/publications/tech_reports/glerl-128 Messick, G.A., R.M. Overstreet, T.F. NALEPA, and S. Tyler. Prevalence of parasites in amphipods, Diporeia spp. From Lakes Michigan and Huron, USA. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 59:159-170 (2004). Gardner, W.S., P.J. Lavrentyev, J.F. CAVALETTO, M.J. McCarthy, B.J. EADIE, T.H. JOHENGEN, and J.B. Cotner. Distribution and dynamics of nitrogen and microbial plankton in southern Lake Michigan during spring transition 1999-2000. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C03007 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040005.pdf
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April 16, 2004Contents: 1) New Publications Krause, AE, KA Frank, DM Mason, RE Ulanowicz, and WW Taylor. Compartments revealed in food-web structure. Nature 426:282-285 (2003). /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030014.pdf Thayer, GW, TA McTigue, RJ Bellmer, FM Burrows, DH Merkey, AD Nickens, SJ Lozano, PF Gayaldo, PJ, Palmateer, and PT Pint. Science-based restoration monitoring of coastal habitats. Volume One: A framework for monitoring plans under the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000 (Public Law 160-457). NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Decision Analysis Series No. 23, Volume 1. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring, MD. 116 pp. (2003) /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030013.pdf Reid, DF. NOAA Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species. NOAA. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 2pp. (2003) http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures Vanderploeg, HA. Ecological forecasting of impacts of ponto-caspian species in the Great Lakes: Describing, understanding, and predicting a system in transition. In Ecological Forecasting: New Tools for Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Management. NOAA Technical Mmorandum NOS NCCOS 1. N. Valette-Silver and D. Scavia (eds.) pp. 81-84 (2003) /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030015.pdf As-Salek, JA, DJ Schwab. High-frequency water level fluctuations in Lake Michigan. Journal of Waterway, Port, and Ocean Engineering 45-53 (2004). Holcombe, TL, LA Taylor, DF Reid, JS Warren, PA Vincent, and CE Herdendorf. Revised Lake Erie postglacial lake level history based on new detailed bathymetry. Journal of Great Lakes Research 29(4)681-704 (2003). Bailey, SA, IC Duggan, CDA VanOverdijk, TH Johengen, DF Reid, and HJ MacIsaac. Salinity tolerance of diapausing eggs of freshwater zooplankton. Freshwater Biology 49:286-295 (2004) /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040003.pdf Hwang, H, SW Fisher, K Kim, and PF Landrum. Comparison of the toxicity using body residues of DDE and select PCB congeners to the midge, Chironomus riparius, in partial life-cycle tests. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 46:32-42 (2004). Lofgren, BM. Global warming effects on Great Lakes water: more precipitation but less water? Proceedings, 18th Conference on Hydrology, 8th Annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society, Seattle, WA, January 11-15, 2004, 3pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040002.pdf Rao, YR, MJ McCormick, and CR Murthy. Circulation during winter and northerly storm events in southern Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 109: C01010 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040001.pdf 2) Post-Doc Opportunity - Please pass along to any interested students you may know. NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI has an opening for a National Research Council (NRC) postdoctoral scientist in aquatic ecology, geochemistry, or physical limnology. Emphasis is on integrated and interdisciplinary science in Lake Erie with potential focus areas on fisheries and food webs, invasive species, physical-biological coupling, hydrology, and biogeochemical cycling and fluxes. Candidates will develop a research proposal in collaboration with a GLERL scientist (Research Advisor). Proposals involving integrated and interdisciplinary science on Lake Erie are encouraged. It is expected that the candidate will work as part of a larger research team coordinated through the GLERL Research Advisor. Applicants for the postdoctoral research associate position should have a recent Ph.D. in Biology, Ecology, Fisheries, Physical Sciences or related fields. The NRC appointment is for 1 year with a second year extension funded by GLERL, assuming satisfactory performance. Proposals are due to the NRC on or before May 1, 2004. Information on the application procedure and deadline can be obtained from the NRC web site: http://www4.nationalacademies.org/pga/rap.nsf or by email at rap@nas.edu. Specific details on the research should be directed to Dr.Doran Mason (Doran.Mason@noaa.gov, 734-741-2148). Additional detail on GLERL research can be found at www.glerl.noaa.gov/. 3) NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Just posted: "Great Lakes Coastal Observation Systems and Microsensor
Development" Abstract: Portable wireless observation buoys based on the IEEE 802.11b standard are being developed to provide real-time chemical, biological, and physical measurements. Integrated circuit based micro-sensors are being developed in collaboration with Sensicore, Inc. that are capable measuring pH, conductivity, chloride, ammonium, and dissolved oxygen in a single low-cost package. Video archive available: PowerPoint: "Recent Investigations into the use of Body Residues as a Dose Metric" Speaker: Dr. Peter Landrum, Aquatic Toxicologist, GLERL Abstract: Traditional aquatic toxicology uses the concentration
of contaminants in the external media as the dose in toxicity studies.
However, factors that limit the bioavailability of contaminants
or the presence of multiple sources for exposure complicate the
interpretation of the exposure-response relationship. Because the
toxicity of contaminants actually takes place because of contaminant
concentrations at a receptor, substituting the body residue as
the dose metric should allow clearer interpretation of toxicity
with out interferences. This presentation will focus on the factors
that influence the use of body residues and the utility of using
body residues to for toxicity assessment. Specifically the role
of damage repair that drives the temporal nature of the body residue
dose response relationship, the impact of biotransformation and
implications for the use of body residues as a dose metric and
interpretation of mixture toxicity with body residues will be presented. Coming up next: May 6, 10:30 am May 18, 10:30 am Watch http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/ for abstracts and the full seminar schedule. May 20, 10:30 am Speaker: Dr. Doran Mason, Fish Ecologist, GLERL
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March 12, 2004GLERL in the News - Scientists study Great Lakes ice cover:
Show link between El Niño and the lake region If Great Lakes ice cover and mild winter trends continue, future scientists may look back to the 1990s as having predicted lower ice levels in the 21st Century. A recent Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) study, published in Climatic Change, uses historical ice charts from the U.S. and Canada to see how much of the Great Lakes' surface area is covered by ice each winter. "At this point, we certainly have had a trend of below average ice covers," said Raymond Assel, one of the study's authors and a physical scientist at GLERL. A continuing pattern of lower ice cover could have impacts on the region's economy and aquatic system, the study suggests. According to GLERL, reduced Great Lakes ice cover could result in greater winter mortality of whitefish eggs. Other effects listed in the study include longer shipping seasons, decreased cargo capacity, reduced winter recreation and transportation activities, reduced wetland habitat, and increased evaporation and phosphorus content. On average, Lake Superior's annual maximum ice cover is between 46 and 89 percent. Highest annual maximum ice covers were in 1963, 1994, 1979 and 1996. The lowest were in 1998, 1987, 1999 and 1983. "The average annual maximum ice cover (27 percent) for the four winters 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 is the lowest four-year average on record," according to the study. During that same period of time all the other Great Lakes, except Lake Ontario, also had record low ice cover averages. "These results are noteworthy as they may be a harbinger of global warming in the Great Lakes," according to information from the GLERL Web site. However, last year's winter showed above average ice cover on the Great Lakes - lakes Superior, Huron and Erie all had ice covers greater than 90 percent in March 2003. This year may be similar to last year, though Assel says it's still too early to tell. It's also too early to know whether scientists are dealing with cycles of Great Lakes ice cover, or if ice cover patterns are indicative of global warming, Assel said. "I don't think we have enough data to tell, yet," Assel said. "Because you have so much variability you really have to look at a long-term average." Assel and his colleagues have found a relationship between extremely strong El Nino years and below average ice cover. During El Nino years, the polar jet stream is north of the continental U.S., making it easier for warm air to stick around during the winter months. Around six or seven El Nino weather cycles have occurred in the past 50 years, Assel said. In 1983 and 1998 the cycles were extreme and warm, corresponding with warmer winter temperatures and below average ice cover on the Great Lakes. "They tend to go hand in hand," Assel said. Little or no effect on Great Lakes ice is seen in those El Nino years where the cycle is average or milder than average. Last year a satellite photo of Lake Superior showed the lake about 90 percent frozen over at the beginning of March. Assel doubts that the surface area of the Great Lakes as a whole is ever 100 percent covered with ice. Even ice covered, the lakes are changing with ice ridges, pressure cracks and rifts that often cause open water to form, Assel said. "I really hesitate to say whether it ever freezes over completely," he said. NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Upcoming seminars: Tuesday, March 16 at 10:30 am Thursday, March 18 at10:30 am Thursday, April 8 at10:30 am Tuesday, April 13 at 10:30 am Thursday, April 15 at 10:30 am Abstracts and more advance schedule available at: http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/news/seminars/ New Reprints Bailey, S.A., I.C. Duggan, C.D.A. VanOverdijk, T.H. Johengen, D.F. Reid, and H.J. MacIsaac. Salinity tolerance of diapausing eggs of freshwater zooplankton. Freshwater Biology 49:286-295 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040003.pdf Hwang, H., S.W. Fisher, K. Kim, and P.F. LANDRUM. Comparison of the toxicity using body residues of DDE and select PCB congeners to the midge, Chironomus riparius, in partial-life cycle tests. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 46:32-42 (2004). LOFGREN, B.M. Global warming effects on Great Lakes water: more precipitation but less water? Proceedings, 18th Conference on Hydrology, 8th Annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society, Seattle, WA, January 11-15, 2004, 3 pp. (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040002.pdf Rao, Y.R., M.J. McCORMICK, and C.R. Murthy. Circulation during winter and northerly storm events in southern Lake Michigan. Journal of Geophysical Research 109:C01010 (2004). /pubs/fulltext/2004/20040001.pdf Climate Change: A special forward from Phil Keillor based on
discussions with Brent Lofgren. Some of us have been hearing about lake levels forecast to rise 6 inches and about new climate models that indicate possibly higher future lake levels rather than the much lower lake levels predicted from previous models. The basis for statements about a 6 inches rise in lake levels is most likely the Corps of Engineers February 2004 Monthly Bulletin of Lake Levels for the Great Lakes in which the most likely mid-July 2004 level on lakes Michigan and Huron is forecast to reach 8 inches above chart datum (plus or minus 8-9 inches). That "most likely" water level elevation is six inches higher than last year's lake level in mid-July. Typically, the water level on these lakes peaks in mid-July. For Lake Superior, the Corps of Engineers forecasts a most-likely mid-July water level of 4 inches above chart datum: 2 inches above last year's water level at the same time. Typically, the water level on Superior peaks between mid-August and mid-September. These rolling six month forecasts of lake levels do not yet provide an indication that the current period of low lake levels is over. Be wary of helping journalists link information about forecasts of higher water level with statements that experts' opinions about the effects of climate change on Great Lakes water levels have changed. There are separate time scales involved. Here's an example of how mistaken impressions can be drawn from scientists who are researching climate change and lake levels. Business North published an article by Don Jacobson in their February 2004 issue titled: "Research on Great Lakes levels does about-face". Jacobson interviewed Brent Lofgren and Raymond Assel of NOAA-GLERL and others. A sub-heading is titled "The now discredited scenario" (referring to a Great Lakes study in 2000 at NOAA-GLERL that was part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, Volume 28, No. 4, 2002). I don't think that the eye-catching title and sub-heading are supported by the text of the article. It's premature to speak about "discredited scenarios"
and an "about-face" in climate change research here in
the Great Lakes Basin. I suggest that we advise people that the
latest research suggests that interactions between the atmosphere
and the Great Lakes in a global warming scenario seem likely to
lead to future lake levels that are not If you want to know why I offer this advice, or are interested in more information on this subject, following is my update on Brent Lofgren's present climate change research at NOAA-GLERL; based on his response by email on 2/18/04 to my earlier query. Brent is presently pursuing a two-pronged approach to the climate change/lake level modeling because the global atmospheric circulation models and NOAA-GLERL's new CHARM model of regional climate change have shortcomings. One prong of Lofgren's research is off-line hydrologic modeling of Great Lakes Basin runoff and lake evaporation based on results from general atmospheric circulation models from other institutions. The hydrologic modeling uses results from the general global atmospheric circulation models to generate prospective, future lake levels. The results from these efforts generally show future drops in lake levels, except when the British HadCM2 model is used. The HadCM2 model results show future lake levels like those of the historic past, or somewhat higher. Lofgren is trying to incorporate an expectation (somewhat controversial) that a larger share of precipitation will come in the form of very heavy precipitation events that are expected to increase runoff into the lakes. The second prong of Lofgren's research is his use of a regional-scale climate model(CHARM). CHARM uses input from the general, global, atmospheric circulation models of other institutions and provides a "full coupling between the atmosphere and the lakes and land within the basin". Output from CHARM is in terms of net basin supplies of water - not in terms of lake levels. The CHARM output generally shows increases in net basin supplies. (Net basin supplies are the surplus or deficit amounts of water in a lake when all the inputs and outputs have been accounted for.) Modeling with CHARM is for a minimum time horizon beginning with the year 2030. Lofgren plans to submit a paper on CHARM (version 1) for peer-review within a couple of months. I wouldn't expect to see publication until 2005. One reason for the present apparent disparity in modeling results is that among the global models, only the HadCM2 model recognizes the Great Lakes as part of the global scene, albeit a very crude representation of the lakes with no feedback to the atmosphere. The other global models don't have the lakes represented. Another reason for this present difference in results between
the two prongs of Lofgren's research is that CHARM modeling suggests
that the surface-atmospheric interaction inhibits lake water evaporation
by moistening the atmospheric boundary layer in response to warmer
surface water. CHARM modeling also recycles some of the water evaporated
from the lakes back into precipitation within the basin. These
model capabilities are intended to modestly mimic nature in the
Basin and lead to higher net basin supplies than do the global
models that exclude such Brent is attempting to improve CHARM modeling to overcome a pair of problems: excessive cloudiness in the model and warm biases during the winter that lead to simulating almost no ice in the base case of the recent past: 1984-1993 (different than the historic situation). Obviously, modeling of global warming effects on the Great Lakes can't lead to predictions of less than no ice cover! Results from an improved CHARM model are expected to be available in a little more than two years. Brent expects that the improvements will moderate some of the predicted changes resulting from use of the present CHARM model. The current thinking of climate change researchers is that global warming will bring an increase in storm frequency. Brent has not carefully looked over changes in storm frequency in CHARM modeling results and therefore such changes (along with changes in storm intensity) remain uninvestigated at this time. -- Phil Keillor |
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February 11, 2004Contents Please pass along information on the available fellowships,
assistantship, and field course to interested students!
1. Summer Field Course - Great Lakes Oceanography 2. 2004 Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowships We seek to fill seventeen (17), full time, three-month positions. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled in the 2003-2004 academic year. Preference will be given to current undergraduate students or undergraduate students who received their degree during the 2003-04 academic year, although applications from graduate students will receive consideration. The starting date will be between May 15 and June 15, 2004. Successful applicants will receive a stipend of $5,000 for the three-month fellowship. The fellow will be expected to provide a written project report at the completion of the work. University credit for the experience may be arranged either through the University of Michigan or through your home institution. Details for obtaining university credit will be provided with acceptance letters. All fellows will be guest students of the University of Michigan. Each fellow will gain experience by working at an environmental research laboratory under the mentorship of a scientist or professional. Most fellows will be located at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan but there are several opportunities located elsewhere. The location of each position is noted in the individual job description. Summer fellowships are available in a broad range of fields, GIS operator, data analyst, computer programmer, biochemist, benthic invertebrate biologist, aquatic ecologist, aquatic biologist, food web modeler, remote sensing technician, bathymetry cartographer, electronics engineer, maritime historian and communications and outreach specialist. A description of each of the available fellowships and information about GLERL may be found on the GLERL web site at http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pr/ssfp/. Information about CILER may be found on the CILER web site at http://www.ciler.org. Applications must be received by March 1, 2004. Successful candidates will be notified by April 1, 2004. Application packages must contain a resume, transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable), one academic letter of recommendation, and a cover letter specifically stating which opportunity (ies) you are interested in. Submit all documentation to: Ms. Sarah Mark For specific questions about each opportunity, contact the mentor. Their email address is provided with the opportunity description. The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Fellowship Descriptions 1. Aquatic Biologist - Mentor: Thomas Nalepa Thomas.Nalepa@noaa.gov, 2. Communications and Outreach Specialist - Mentor: Michael Quigley Michael.Quigley@noaa.gov 3. Aquatic Ecologist - Mentor: Scott Peacor Scott.Peacor@noaa.gov 4. Aquatic Biologist or Ecologist - Mentors: Hank Vanderploeg henry.vanderploeg@noaa.gov and
Radka Pichlova radka.pichlova@noaa.gov 5. GIS Operator - Mentor: Tom Croley Tom.Croley@noaa.gov 6. Computer Programmer - Mentor: Tom Croley Tom.Croley@noaa.gov 7. Food Web Modeler - Mentor: Scott Peacor Scott.Peacor@noaa.gov 8. Remote Sensing Technician - Mentor: George Leshkevich george.leshkevich@noaa.gov 9. Aquatic Ecologist - Mentor: Stuart.Ludsin@noaa.gov 10. Aquatic Biologist or Ecologist - Mentor: David Reid David.Reid@noaa.gov 11. Bathymetry Cartographer - Mentor: David Reid david.reid@noaa.gov 12. Data Analyst - Mentor: Nathan Hawley Nathan.Hawley@noaa.gov 13. Data Analyst - Mentor: Stephen Lozano Stephen.Lozano@noaa.gov 14. Electronics Engineer - Mentor: Guy Meadows, NAME, University
of Michigan gmeadows@engin.umich.edu 15. Electronics Engineer - Mentor: Harvey Bootsma, University
Wisconsin-Milwaukee hbootsma@uwm.edu 16. Electronics, Mechanical, or Environmental Engineer - Mentor:
Steve Ruberg Steve.Ruberg@noaa.gov 17. Maritime Historian/Archaeologist - Mentor Jefferson Gray jeff.gray@noaa.gov 3. Graduate Research Assistantship Seeking a Master's degree student to help develop otolith (calcium-carbonate concretions of the inner ear) microchemistry as a tool for identifying the natal origins of Great Lakes sea lamprey, an exotic nuisance (fish) species that parasitizes large-bodied fishes. Otoliths and statoliths (the calcium-phosphate equivalents in sea lamprey) incorporate trace elements from the surrounding water as they grow. Therefore, their micro-elemental chemistry can serve as a permanent record of the environment experienced by individual fish. Specifically, the student would work on one or more of the following project objectives: 1. Determine whether statolith micro-chemical "signatures"
differ among sea lamprey larvae produced in different Lake Huron
tributaries. Ultimately, this research would be used to help fisheries management agencies develop cost-effective control strategies for sea lamprey in both lakes Huron and Champlain. Qualifications: This position is available at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, but the student would be co-advised by Drs. Brian Fryer (geochemist at U of Windsor), J. Ellen Marsden (ecologist at U of Vermont), and Stuart Ludsin (ecologist at NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory). Opportunity exists to do field work in both lakes Huron and Champlain (where a parallel study is being conducted); however, most time will be spent learning and refining state-of-the-art statolith processing and analysis (laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) techniques. A background in fisheries ecology and/or geochemistry is preferred, but not required. Salary: Graduate Research Associate funding exists for two years; however, the student also would have an opportunity to serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, if desired. Start Date: Spring, summer, or autumn 2004. Application review will begin on February 20, and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Contact: For additional information, contact Brian Fryer (bfryer@uwindsor.ca; 519-253-3000 ext. 3750), J. Ellen Marsden (jmarsden@uvm.edu; 802-6560684), or Stuart Ludsin (stuart.ludsin@noaa.gov; 734-741-2355). Interested students should mail, email, or FAX a cover letter, CV, contact information for three references, and copies of transcripts to: Stuart Ludsin, NOAA-GLERL, 2205 Commonwealth Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103, Email: stuart.ludsin@noaa.gov, FAX: 734-741-2055. In the cover letter, please briefly describe your background, indicate whether your interests orient more toward fisheries ecology or geochemistry, and let us know when you could start. 4. New Reprints Bronte, C.R., M.P. Ebener, D.R. Schreiner, D.S. DeVault, M.M. Petzold, D.A. Jensen, C. Richards, and S.J. LOZANO. Fish community change in Lake Superior, 1970-2000. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 60:1552-1574 (2003). /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030016.pdf LANDRUM, P.F., M. Leppanen, S.D. ROBINSON, D.C. GOSSIAUX, G.A. Burton, M. Greenberg, J.V.K. Kukkonen, B.J. EADIE, and M.B. LANSING. Comparing behavioral chronic endpoints to evaluate the response of Lumbriculus variegatus to 3,4,3',4'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl sediment exposures. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(1):187-194 (2004). LANDRUM, P.F., M. Leppanen, S.D. ROBINSON, D.C. GOSSIAUX, G.A. Burton, M. Greenerg, J.V.K. Kukkonen, B.J. EADIE, and M.B. LANSING. Effect of 3,4,3',4'-Tetrachlorobiphenyl on the reworking behavior of Lumbriculus variegatus exposed to contaminated sediment. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(1):178-186 (2004). PICHLOVA, R. and Z. Brandl. Predatory impact of Leptodora kindtii on zooplankton community in the Slapy Reservoir. Hydrobiologia 504:177-184 (2003). SANO, L.L., R.A. Moll, A.M. Krueger, and P.F. LANDRUM. Assessing the potential efficacy of glutaraldehyde for biocide treatment of un-ballasted transoceanic vessels. Journal of Great Lakes Research 29(4):545-557 (2003). 5. NOAA Great Lakes Seminar Series at GLERL Date: Thursday, February 19, 2004 GLERL adapted their Large Basin Runoff Model from its lumped-parameter definition for an entire watershed to a two dimensional representation of the flow cells comprising the watershed. GLERL modified the LBRM to allow cell inflow from upstream by considering only flows be-tween adjacent cell surfaces but not their subsurface zones. They also organized watershed cell calculations and implemented spatial flow routing. They now take model parameters for each cell proportional to spatial variations observed in the field (in permeability, surface slope, land use and cover, and flow roughness) and calibrate to find the spatial mean parameter values. GLERL and Western Michigan University developed spatial databases for the Kalamazoo River watershed and the Maumee River watershed, for use with the distributed model. After experi-menting with modeling alternatives and behavior, they applied the model to both watersheds to produce animations of spatial outputs, mapped over the watershed. These include daily air tem-perature, precipitation, snow pack, upper soil zone moisture, lower soil zone moisture, ground-water moisture, evapotranspiration, surface moisture storage, and runoff for every cell compris-ing the watershed. GLERL considered several methods to spatially estimate meteorology and depicted their spatial appearance. The animations help to clarify the hydrological processes un-derway in the continuous simulation of the watershed. Extensions of the distributed-parameter model include the addition of lateral cell flows between adjacent subsurface zones (soil zones and groundwater zone), spatial variation schemes for additional model parameters, land cover/land use experiments, application to other watersheds, and the addition of conservative tracer concentrations. For more information, contact: Dr. David Reid, NOAA/GLERL, 734-741-2019 david.reid@noaa.gov |
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January 16, 2004New Reprints Krause, A.E., K.A. Frank, D.M. MASON, R.E. Ulanowicz, and W.W. Taylor. Compartments revealed in food-web structure. Nature 426:282-285 (2003). /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030014.pdf Thayer, G.W., T.A. McTigue, R.J. Bellmer, F.M. Burrows, D.H. MERKEY, A.D. Nickens, S.J. LOZANO, P.F. Gayaldo, P.J. Palmateer, and P.T. Pint. Science-based restoration monitoring of coastal habitats. Volume One: A framework for monitoring plans under the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000 (Public Law 160-457). NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Decision Analysis Series No. 23, Volume 1. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring, MD, 116 pp. (2003). /pubs/fulltext/2003/20030013.pdf REID, D. F. NOAA National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species. NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI, 2 pp. (2003). http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures VANDERPLOEG, H.A. Ecological forecasting of impacts of ponto-caspian
species in the Great Lakes: Describing, understanding, and predicting
a system in transition. In Ecological Forecasting: New Tools for
Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Management. NOAA Technical Memorandum
NOS NCCOS 1. |
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