Healthy Bivalves = Healthy Watersheds · Healthy Bivalves = Healthy Watersheds: Rob Brumbaugh The...
Transcript of Healthy Bivalves = Healthy Watersheds · Healthy Bivalves = Healthy Watersheds: Rob Brumbaugh The...
Rebuilding Bivalve Biodiversity, Populations and Ecosystem Services as a Basis for Ecosystem Restoration
Danielle KreegerPartnership for the DE Estuary
Healthy Bivalves = Healthy Watersheds:
Rob BrumbaughThe Nature Conservancy
To be discussedThe Delaware Estuary Watershed
- orientation, bivalve species
- status and trends
To be discussed
Bivalve Natural Capital
- biodiversity
- biomass and ecoservices
- bioindicators
- commercial
- cultural-historical
The Delaware Estuary Watershed
- orientation, bivalve species
- status and trends
To be discussed
Bivalve Natural Capital
- biodiversity
- biomass and ecoservices
- bioindicators
- commercial
- cultural-historical
The Delaware Estuary Watershed
- orientation, bivalve species
- status and trends
Watershed Perspectives
- desired condition
- restoration for future steady states
- synergistic restoration/conservation
Extent of Climate Change
Ecosyste
m
Response
Abrupt Response
Threshold
Links & Processes
Things in Places
FunctionsNon-Tidal and
Tidal Linkages
To be discussed
Bivalve Natural Capital
- biodiversity
- biomass and ecoservices
- bioindicators
- commercial
- cultural-historical
The Delaware Estuary Watershed
- orientation, bivalve species
- status and trends
Watershed Perspectives
- desired condition
- restoration for future steady states
- synergistic restoration/conservation
Future Needs
Photo: Neves, VA Tech
The Watershed
13,611 Square Miles
Upper Watershed:undammed mainstemrecreational areawater supply for NYC
Tidal River:4th largest US urban centerworld’s largest freshwater portlong freshwater tidal reach
Lower Estuary:wetland dominatedwater fowl, finfish, shellfishhorseshoe crabs
Seat of the NationHistory as a “Working River”
1762 map showing Philadelphia on
the Delaware River
Slides adapted from Jonathan Sharp’s 2005
The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Non-Profit Organization,
Established 1996
One of the 28 EPA
National Estuary Programs
The only tri-state, multi-
region NEP
CCMP: Watershed-based,
coordination of outreach,
education, restoration and
science advancementAlong the shore of the Christina River
Wilmington, DE
Bivalves
Bivalves of the Delaware
DRBC
Crassostrea virginica
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
11 Other Species of Freshwater Unionid Mussels
Mya arenaria
Rangia cuneata
Corbicula fluminea
Mytilus edulis
Ensis directus
Mercenaria mercenaria
Bivalves of the Delaware
DRBC
Mya arenaria
Corbicula fluminea
Ensis directus
Leptodea ochracea
?
Freshwater
Tidal for 70
River Miles
Bivalves
Ortmann, A.E. 1919.A monograph of the naiades
of Pennsylvania. Part III:
Systematic account of the
genera and species. Memoirs
of the Carnegie Museum
8(1):
Freshwater Mussel
Status and Trends
•
http://www.newgarden.org/whiteclay.htm
Recent Loss of
Strophitusfrom White Clay?
Mussel Surveys
White Clay Big Elk
X2000
2008
2000
2008
Scientific Name Scientific Name DE NJ PA
ALASMIDONTA HETERODON DWARF WEDGEMUSSEL Endangered Endangered Critically Imperiled
ALASMIDONTA UNDULATA TRIANGLE FLOATER Extirpated ? Threatened Vulnerable
ALASMIDONTA VARICOSA BROOK FLOATER Endangered Endangered Imperiled
ANODONTA IMPLICATA ALEWIFE FLOATER Extremely Rare no data Extirpated ?
ELLIPTIO COMPLANATA EASTERN ELLIPTIO common common Secure
LAMPSILIS CARIOSA YELLOW LAMPMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Vulnerable
LAMPSILIS RADIATA EASTERN LAMPMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Imperiled
LASMIGONA SUBVIRIDIS GREEN FLOATER no data Endangered Imperiled
LEPTODEA OCHRACEA TIDEWATER MUCKET Endangered Threatened Extirpated ?
LIGUMIA NASUTA EASTERN PONDMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Critically Imperiled
MARGARITIFERA MARGARITIFERA EASTERN PEARLSHELL no data no data Imperiled
PYGANODON CATARACTA EASTERN FLOATER no data no data Vulnerable
STROPHITUS UNDULATUS SQUAWFOOT Extremely Rare Species of Concern Apparently Secure
State Conservation Status
Patchy, ImpairedExtirpated
Rare
Lower Delaware Watershed
Elliptio complanata Strophitus undulatus Alasmidonta heterodon
BivalvesOyster Trends
http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=25475
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Millio
ns
o
f P
ou
nd
s
1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Year
Oyster landings in Delaware Bay: 1880 - 1980s
Delaware Estuary Oyster Seed Beds
39.1
39.2
39.3
39.4
39.5
39.1
39.2
39.3
39.4
39.5
75.5 75.4 75.3 75.2 75.1
75.5 75.4 75.3 75.2 75.1
Round Island
Upper Arnolds
Arnolds
Upper Middle
Middle
Shell R ock
Ship John
Cohans ey
Nantux ent
Bennies
Bennies Sand
Vexton
Egg IslandLedge
New Beds
BeadonsHawk's Nes t
StrawberryHog Shoal
6.5 - 14.5 ppt
9.0 - 16.5 ppt
14 .0 - 20.0 pp t
17 .0 - 22.5
pp t
UPPER
UPPER CENTRAL
CENTRAL
LOWER
Sea Breeze
From Rutgers HSRL
www.livingclassrooms.org/lbo/dermo/oyster2.jpg
From DRBC
Oyster Disease, Salinity & Climate Change
From Rutgers HSRL
Salt Line Location
Rutgers: “A 2 parts per thousand increase in salinity over the seed beds may push the oysters past a point of no return”
Oyster Reef Revitalization
FMCS & NSA: Documenting the Decline
PopulationBiomass
Biodiversity
Bivalve
Natural Capital
Five Reasons Why We Value Them
1. Biodiversity
Species Loss:↓ Intrinsic Losses
↓ Niches Filled
↓ Human Health
2. Biomass (Populations)
Biomass Loss:↓ EcoServices
↓ Fish & Wildlife
↓ Human Health
CTUIR Freshwater Mussel Project
Ecosystem Engineers
CTUIR Freshwater Mussel Project
Ecosystem Engineers
Bivalve Ecological Services
1. Structure
Binding of Bottom
Bottom Turbulence
Habitat Complexity
2. Function
Suspended Particulates
Particulate N, P
Light
Sediment Enrichment
Dissolved Nutrients
Start
8 adult musselsNo mussels
Slide from Catherine Gatenby, USFWS
Clean Water
Later
8 adult musselsNo mussels
Slide from Catherine Gatenby, USFWS
Biofiltration Potential
0.30
0.50
0.70
0.90
1.10
1.30
1.50
Particle Sizes
Do
wn
str
eam
Rela
tive t
o
Up
str
eam
Co
ncen
trati
on
May
June
2-3 µm3-4 µm
10-15 µm
4-6 µm
6-10 µm
15-63 µm
Size Selection: seston particle sizes below a mussel
bed in the John Day River, OR (see CTUIR talks)
Pennate Diatoms
Phytoplankton
Heterotrophic Protists
Detritus Complex
Centric Diatoms
Bacteria
Natural Diets and Particle Type Selection
0
10
20
30
40
50
Mussel N Demands
Heterotrophic Protists
Benthic Microalgae
Nutritional Sources of N:
Bacteria
Phytoplankton
µg N h-1 [g DTW
]-1
Summer Fall WinterSpring
Pennate Diatoms
Phytoplankton
Heterotrophic Protists
Detritus Complex
Centric Diatoms
Bacteria
Water Quality & Grazing Impacts of Populations
Brandywine RiverStudied 2000 - present
Map from The Brandywine River Conservancy
Elliptio complanata
Photo by Kreeger
Study Area
Elliptio complanata
Photos by Kreeger
To Understand EcoServices, Need…
Physiology
PopulationSurveys
Ecology
Monitoring, Variability
Physiological Rates
Pseudofeces (Ps)
Clearance (C)
Ingestion (I)
Gametic(Tg)
Somatic(Ts)
Production (T)
Respiration (R)
Excretion (U)
Absorption (A)
Defecation (F)
C = I + Ps
I = F + U + R + T AE = [ U+R+T] / I x 100%
Physiology Measurements
e.g., Clearance Rate
In Lab In Field
Population Measurements
Abundance (# m-2, # mile-1)
Total Area (m2, river miles)
Size Class Structure
Body Size
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Water ColumnSediment
pN, pP, NH3, NO
3, PO
4
SPM, particle size, chl-a,
organic content,
organic content, chl-a, pN, pP
Mussel Population Abundance
•3 Sites (6 mile stretch)
•3 Habitats (riffle, tail-out, run/pool)
•3 Zones (left, middle, right bank)
•4 Quadrats (up, down, up, down)
•3 Transects (per habitat)
n=324
Spatial Heterogeneity
•Height:Weight Relationship
•Biomass = 0.669 g
LOG Hgt = [ 0.201 * (LOG Wgt) ] + 4.359
•Density =1.67 mussels m-2
•Size = 72.1 mm
•River Width = 33.1 m
•Per 100 m Reach: 5527 mussels
weighing 3.7 kg dry tissue
•Base Flow = 2.4 mg L-1 TSS and 200 cfs
•Clearance Rates (Field) = 3.4 L h-1 g DTW-1
= 301,800 L d-1 100 m-1
•Estimated Removal = 7.1 %
•TSS Upstream Inputs = 978 kg d-1 per 6 mile
•Bed Clearance = 0.724 kg d-1 100 m-1
= 69.5 kg d-1 per 6 mile study stretch
= 25.4 metric tons dry TSS per year
Mass Balance Estimate
• Brandywine River: 40,800 mussels/sq. mi
Elliptio complanata
• Upper Delaware River: 125,100 mussels/sq. miBased on data from Bill Lellis
• Assumptions: e.g., 25% of inhabitable area
• Total Elliptio in Basin (12,858 sq. mi):
= 4.3 Billion Elliptio
Basin-Wide Water Processing Potential
Elliptio complanata
4.3 Billion Elliptio
= 2.9 Million Kilos Dry Tissue Weight
= 9.8 Billion Liters per Hour
Susquehanna
Delaware Bay Oysters
Crassostrea virginica
Brandywine River, PA
Geukensia demissa
Delaware Estuary Marshes
Elliptio complanata
Brandywine River, PA
Geukensia demissaSalt Marshes
208,000 per hectare on average10.5 Billion GeukensiaClearance Rate = 5.1 L h-1 g-1(DK data)
11.7 Million Kilos Dry Tissue Weight
= 59.0 Billion Liters per Hour
Oysters on Seed Bed Reefs
2.0 Billion Crassostrea (Powell, 2003 data)
Mean size = 0.87 g dry tissue weight (DK data)
Clearance Rate = 6.5 L h-1 g-1(Newell et al 2005)
= 11.2 Billion Liters per Hour
Water Processing per Unit BiomassS
um
me
r C
lea
ran
ce R
ate
(L
h-1
g-1
)
2
3
4
5
6
7
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
Crassostrea virginica
Cle
ara
nce R
ate
(L
h-1
g-1
)
Mississippi Atlantic Pacific
Pound for Pound: Similar Ingestion
Ab
sort
pio
n E
ffic
ien
cy (m
ean
% ±
SE
)
Spring Summer
0
20
40
60
Margaratifera falcata
Gonidea sp.
Anodonta sp.
n=7
Fall
n=7
n=6
n=11
n=34
n=12
n=16
n=20
n=31
ns
AA
B
B
A A
Pound for Pound: Similar Digestion
CTUIR Project, Kreeger
Population AbundanceM
illi
on
s
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
Crassostrea virginica
Population-Level Water ProcessingB
illi
on
s o
f L
iters
per
Ho
ur
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
Crassostrea virginica
Restoration for Eco Services?
Slide adapted from R. Brumbaugh’s,
and Courtesy L. Coen, SCORE
South Carolina
Importance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
Other Services – Marsh Shoreline Stabilization
Delaware Estuary Spartina Marsh
Courtesy J. Gebert, ACOE
Courtesy D. Bushek, Rutgers
ShorelineErosion
Living Shorelines
3. Bioindicator Value
International Mussel Watch
Freshwater Caging Studies
Contaminant and Site-
Specific Testing, Monitoring
Tributary and Regional
BioassessmentDeployed Cages
4. Commercial ValueShellfisheries
Jewelry
Pearl Shell Industry
5. Cultural-Historical Native American UsesWaterman LifestyleEcotourism
Comparative
Summary of
Bivalve
Natural Capital
Oysters
Crassostrea
virginica
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Bivalves to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
Oysters
Crassostrea
virginica
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Ecological
Structural Habitat
biological hot spots
Prey
Biofiltration
top-down grazing, TSS removal, light)
Biogeochemistry
enrichment/turnover, benthic production
Shoreline Protection - nearshore reefs
Shoreline Stabilization - living edges
Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
Oysters
Crassostrea
virginica
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Ecological
Structural Habitat
biological hot spots, bottom-binding
Prey
Biofiltration
top-down grazing, TSS removal, light)
Biogeochemistry
enrichment/turnover, benthic production
Shoreline Protection - nearshore reefs
Shoreline Stabilization - living edges
Cultural-
Historical
Waterman Lifestyle, Ecotourism
Native American - dietary staple Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
Oysters
Crassostrea
virginica
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Ecological
Structural Habitat
biological hot spots, bottom-binding
Prey
Biofiltration
top-down grazing, TSS removal, light)
Biogeochemistry
enrichment/turnover, benthic production
Shoreline Protection - nearshore reefs
Shoreline Stabilization - living edges
Cultural-
Historical
Waterman Lifestyle, Ecotourism
Native American - jewelry, dietary staple
Bioindicator
Watershed Indicators
hallmark resource status/trends
Site-specific Bioassessment
NS&T, caged sentinels
Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
OystersMarsh
Mussels
Crassostrea
virginica
Geukensia
demissa
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Ecological
Structural Habitat
biological hot spots, bottom-binding
Prey
Biofiltration
top-down grazing, TSS removal, light)
Biogeochemistry
enrichment/turnover, benthic production
Shoreline Protection - nearshore reefs
Shoreline Stabilization - living edges
Cultural-
Historical
Waterman Lifestyle, Ecotourism
Native American - jewelry, dietary staple
Bioindicator
Watershed Indicators
hallmark resource status/trends
Site-specific Bioassessment
NS&T, caged sentinels
Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
OystersMarsh
Mussels
FW
Mussels
Crassostrea
virginica
Geukensia
demissa
Elliptio
complanata
Commercial Dockside Product + Secondary Value
Ecological
Structural Habitat
biological hot spots, bottom-binding
Prey
Biofiltration
top-down grazing, TSS removal, light)
Biogeochemistry
enrichment/turnover, benthic production
Shoreline Protection - nearshore reefs
Shoreline Stabilization - living edges
Cultural-
Historical
Waterman Lifestyle, Ecotourism
Native American - jewelry, dietary staple
Bioindicator
Watershed Indicators
hallmark resource status/trends
Site-specific Bioassessment
NS&T, caged sentinels
ConservationBiodiversity
fw mussels most critically impaired biota
Na
tura
l C
ap
ita
l V
alu
eImportance of Shellfish to the
Delaware Estuary Watershed
Watershed
Perspective
Others?
DRBC
Crassostrea virginica
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
12+ Other Species of Freshwater Unionid Mussels
Mya arenaria
Rangia cuneata
Corbicula fluminea
Mytilus edulis
Ensis directus
Mercenaria mercenaria
DRBC
Desired Watershed Condition:A diverse and robust assemblage of
native bivalve shellfish living in all
available tidal and non-tidal ecological
niches and providing maximum possible
natural capital goods and services.
Future Needs
to Reach this
Desired State
1. More Survey DataStill limited in many freshwater and marsh areas
Important for all conservation, restoration and management needs
2. Ecosystem RoleWatershed Mass Balance Studies
- How much population biomass is needed to make a
real difference for water quality?
0
200400
600800
1,0001,200
1,4001,600
1,8002,000
Millions of
Liters
Processed
1 2 4 6 8 10 15 30
Years After Planting
Series1
Estimate of
Water Filtration
by 10,000
juvenile Elliptio
2. Ecosystem RoleWatershed Mass Balance Studies
- How much population biomass is needed to make a
real difference for water quality?- Quantitative studies needed, with physiological
ecologists, hydrodynamics experts and
geomorphologists, modelers
Slide from R. Brumbaugh - adapted from: R. Dame, 1996. Ecology of Marine Bivalves: An Ecosystem Approach
Actual Water Processing and Water Quality Effects
Also Depend on Hydrologic Conditions
1 10 1,000 10,000
1
100
1,000
10,000
Residence Time (days)
Cle
ara
nc
e T
ime
(d
ays
)
Shellfish Affect
Water Quality
No Water
Quality Benefits
10
100
Residence Times
SF Bay: 11
Ches Bay: 22-45
Narragansett: 27
Delaware Bay: 97
2. Ecosystem Role
Watershed Mass Balance Studies- How much population biomass is needed
- Quantitative interdisciplinary studies
Linkages Between Bivalves and Other Biota- How much do macroinvertebrates, fish, benthic algae,
depend on bivalves?
e.g., Biodeposits
Pseudofeces (Ps)
Clearance (C)
Ingestion (I)
Gametic(Tg)
Somatic(Ts)
Production (T)
Respiration (R)
Excretion (U)
Absorption (A)
Defecation (F)
2. Ecosystem Role
Watershed Mass Balance Studies- How much population biomass is needed?
- Quantitative interdisciplinary studies
Linkages Between Bivalves and Other Biota- Linkages with macroinvertebrates, fish, benthic algae
Linkages Between Non-Tidal and Tidal Systems- Interception of pollutants in non-tidal waters
- Enhancement of diadromous fish (hosts) by reefs
System Linkages ?
DRBC
Crassostrea virginica
Elliptio complanata
Geukensia demissa
11 Other Species of Freshwater Unionid Mussels
Mya arenaria
Rangia cuneata
Corbicula fluminea
Mytilus edulis
Ensis directus
Mercenaria mercenaria
Chesapeake Quarterly Vol 6(2) 2007
The Other Filter Feeders:
Mussels, Clams, & More
A Few Good Filter Feeders
From Headwater to Bay
Clear Water through Clam
Culture?
3. Human Health LinksPathogen Removal
- bacteria and protist grazing and assimilation
Pennate Diatoms
Phytoplankton
Heterotrophic Protists
Detritus Complex
Centric Diatoms
Bacteria
Some Bivalves are Bacterivorous
3. Human Health LinksPathogen Removal
- bacteria and protist grazing and assimilation
- capacity for antimicrobial resistance transference
3. Human Health LinksPathogen Removal
- bacteria and protist grazing and assimilation- antimicrobial resistance transference
Model Organisms- for medical sciences (e.g. cancer research)
www.livingclassrooms.org/lbo/dermo/oyster2.jpg
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sci/shelldis/images/pmdoy5.jpg
3. Human Health LinksPathogen Removal
- bacteria and protist grazing and assimilation- antimicrobial resistance transference
Model Organisms- for medical sciences (e.g. cancer research)
TMDL applications- can reassembled bivalve communities help
managers address TMDL’s?
4. Restoration for
Future Steady StatesClimate Change
Natural Resource Responses
• Disruption – species or community effects
• Disconnects – de-coupled interactions
• Thresholds – non-linear bio responses
• Synergisms – climate effects + other changes
Temp
Salinity Sea Level Rise Storms
Species Range Shifts
Opportunistic Invasive Species
Organisms, Populations: Example: Hypoxia mortality
Species: Extinction is an Abrupt, irreversible Change
Thresholds (Non-linear Responses)
Slide adapted from Carlos Duarte
Extent of Climate Change
Ecosyste
m R
esponse
Abrupt Response
Threshold
• Non linear shifts in ecosystem status
• Tipping points or breaking points of the system
• Once breached, ”recovery” may be slow or unlikely
Sta
te in
dica
tor
Driver
Threshold Point NoReturn
Status 1
Status 2
path
Knowing where these tipping points are will be extremely
valuable to set policy targets (Climate-driven Thresholds)
and for determining who the survivors might be
Pressure
Ecological Thresholds
(Climate change)
Slide from Carlos Duarte
4. Restoration for
Future Steady States
Climate Change
+Watershed Change
Synergisms – Climate & Other Changes Together
“… The interaction between
climate change and habitat loss
might be disastrous. During
climate change, the habitat
threshold occurs sooner.
Similarly, species suffer more
from climate change in a
fragmented habitat.”
Not All Doom and Gloom? Can oysters be maintained until they might see more optimal conditions?
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 1 3 5 7
Year
Num
ber
per
Bush
el
Oyster Spat Mean Oyster Mean Spat
1758 Longer
Growing
Season
Intertidal Niche
Expansion?
To
day
2030
2060
Point of No Return
No Help
With Help
2 Recruitment
Events
Historical data from Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Laboratory
Oyster Reef Revitalization
“Smart” RestorationTargeted Restoration
- species that can self-sustain- sites that are suitable
Freshwater Mussel Recovery Program
see posters by Padeletti, Gray
•Need to Prioritize Streams for Restoration
•Reciprocal Transplantsand Condition Monitoring
Tagging Mussels
Reciprocal Transplants and Condition Monitoring
Cage Deployment
Matt Gray thesis research (Drexel)
Matt Gray thesis research (Drexel)
Important for Overwintering
Matt Gray thesis research (Drexel)
Important for Reproduction
Smart RestorationTargeted Restoration
- species that can self-sustain- sites that are suitable
Conservation-Minded Propagation- genetic studies - shell middens- develop uniform policies for when and how
to permit interbasin transfers
Re-circulating System “Bivalve Bunkbeds”
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS NFH
Fish Infestation
Propagation and Reintroduction
Cheyney Hatchery
Propagation and Reintroduction
Photos, R. Neves, VA Tech
2009 Goal: Propagated Juveniles (but Elliptio)
0
200400
600800
1,0001,200
1,4001,600
1,8002,000
Millions of
Liters
Processed
1 2 4 6 8 10 15 30
Years After Planting
Series1
Not including progeny
Set Goals Based on Eco Services
Future Needs recap
Survey Data
Ecosystem Role
Human Health Links
“Smart” Restoration for Future States
Conclusions• Both freshwater and marine bivalves provide
multiple goods and services
DRBC
• Bivalves represent excellent targets for
ecosystem-based management, conservationand restoration
• Both biodiversity and population biomass
of bivalves represent important naturalcapital in American watersheds
• Fresh and brackish water mussels can be
sufficiently abundant to affect water quality atleast as much as oysters
• Efforts to maintain and improve water
quality and ecological health would benefit from
a holistic approach to conserve and restorebivalves throughout whole basins.
- End -
www.DelawareEstuary.org