Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Living Dike – Pilot Project Phasetechnical Development From Multiple Multi-Discipline Walkabouts., John Readshaw, Gary Williams

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Living Dike – Pilot Project Phase Technical Development from multiple Multi-Discipline Walkabouts. Abstract Salish Sea Conference The Living Dike – Pilot Project Phase Technical Development from multiple Multi-Discipline Walkabouts. John Readshaw, P. Eng. SNC – Lavalin Inc. Gary Williams, RP Bio. G.L. Williams and Associates The Living Dike project, described in an earlier Salish Sea Conference presentation, has now moved into a seven year funded pilot project phase. As part of this phase, a series of walkabouts was undertaken at two of the intended pilot project sites to better understand the ecological services being provided by the existing saltmarsh …

An Investigation Of Water Obstructions And Related Weather Conditions For Nebraska Roadways, Logan Bundy

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Roadway resilience across the 10,000 miles of road and 3,500 bridges in Nebraska is critical to the economic success of production and logistics. In a state where historical flooding scenarios, such as the one in March 2019 that caused $150 million in damage, could potentially be increasing, it has become essential to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of high-frequency water obstruction areas on roadways. Using Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) historical water obstruction data from June 2016 through August 2021, statistical and spatial analyses were conducted to quantify the relationship between water obstructions and their associated meteorological conditions, and …

Climate Change Hope Scale: Factor Analysis In An Adult Sample, Gemma Ortega, Steven J. Glover, Jesse Tabaczynksi, Orei Z. Odents

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Willpower - how much individuals believe that set goals can be met. Waypower - the extent to which individuals can think of strategies for accomplishing those goals.

The Climate Change Hope Scale (CCHS; Li & Monroe, 2017) was designed to measure three aspects of hope: 1. Personal sphere willpower and waypower (WP) 2. Collective sphere willpower and waypower (CW) 3. Lack of willpower and waypower (LW).

A three-factor model fits the CCHS among adolescents. The purpose of our study was to determine if the three-factor model fits the CCHS in adults.

Evaluating Alternative Ebullition Models For Predicting Peatland Methane Emission And Its Pathways Via Data–Model Fusion, Shuang Ma, Lifen Jiang, Rachel M. Wilson, Jeff P. Chanton, Scott Bridgham, Shuli Niu, Colleen M. Iversen, Avni Malhotra, Jiang Jiang, Xingjie Lu, Yuanyuan Huang, Jason Keller, Xiaofeng Xu, Daniel M. Ricciuto, Paul J. Hanson, Yiqi Luo

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding the dynamics of peatland methane (CH4) emissions and quantifying sources of uncertainty in estimating peatland CH4 emissions are critical for mitigating climate change. The relative contributions of CH4 emission pathways through ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion, together with their different transport rates and vulnerability to oxidation, determine the quantity of CH4 to be oxidized before leaving the soil. Notwithstanding their importance, the relative contributions of the emission pathways are highly uncertain. In particular, the ebullition process is more uncertain and can lead to large uncertainties in modeled CH4 emissions. To improve model simulations of CH4 emission and its pathways, …

Killer Whale Microbiomes For Health Assessment, Linda Rhodes

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

All organisms are hosts for a universe of microbes ("microbiome"), and the relationship is overwhelmingly neutral or mutually beneficial. When we evaluate the health status of a free-ranging animal such as killer whales or salmon, it typically includes searching for pathogens. But this approach tends to generate many negative results unless there are signs to suggest a particular pathogen. An alternative approach is examining the associated microbiomes, which are coupled to the host's physiology and varies depending on location on the host. Although the opportunity to collect samples from Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) has always been limited, non-invasive samples …

Analysis Of Tidal Stage Impact On Harbor Seal Haul-Out Behavior In The Snohomish River Estuary Of The Salish Sea, Maddy Baird

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Harbor seals fill a critical role in the balance of the Salish Sea. They occupy the middle of the food chain where Bigg’s Killer Whales use them as a source of food, and they also compete with Resident Killer Whales for salmon. Prey availability is known to be a strong indicator of seal presence, however, there are many more subtle environmental influences on harbor seal presence as well. This study hones in on the harbor seals of the Snohomish River Estuary and how their haul-out habits might be influenced by the unique water circulation of the area. This study analyzed …

Unusual Open Water Grouping Behavior In Salish Sea Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina Richardii), Trevor Derie

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Most pinniped species are relatively solitary when in water, but some species, most notably the otariids, will form large groupings (referred to as rafts) in open water for thermoregulation or rest, as well as participating in group foraging behaviors. Alternatively, individuals of many species may concentrate in one area, forming foraging aggregations when prey are in high abundance. Open water grouping behavior that is distanced from haulout sites is less common in phocid species, and in particular has not been documented in the literature for harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii). In the Salish Sea, the inland waters of Washington, United …

Abnormal Salinity And Temperature Profiles: Conditions Of Plankton, Ayesha Toor

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Plankton species tend to have a set of conditions that make certain environments ideal for that species to thrive to its highest capability. By focusing on factors such as salinity and temperature, the health of an environment can be tracked based on the consistency of those numbers and its overall impact on marine species’. Plankton being an important part of underwater food chains, as they are commonly eaten amongst other marine species, makes the understanding of their ability to survive in certain circumstances crucial to sustaining a healthy underwater ecosystem. Presented is an accumulation of data taken from various sites …

Taking Stock Of Chinook Salmon Energy Densities Has Implications For Resident Killer Whales Meeting Their Energy Needs, Jacob E. Lerner, Brian P. V. Hunt

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) rely on large reserves of energy accumulated at sea to complete their journey upstream, mature reproductively, and spawn. In part due to these energy reserves, Chinook are the primary prey species for resident killer whales. However, energy density has been shown to vary significantly among Chinook populations, indicating that data on stock specific energy density are necessary to assess whether available prey can meet resident killer whale energy requirements. In this study, we sought to derive stock specific estimates of Southern British Columbia Chinook energy density. To begin, we evaluated a microwave energy meter as a …

European Green Crab (Carcinus Maenas) Predation In Puget Sound Estuaries, Mary Fisher

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

First detected in the Puget Sound, WA, in 2016, European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is a damaging invasive species outside of its native range in the northeastern Atlantic. There are substantial concerns around the species’ potential ecological impacts to the Salish Sea should it become established, including degradation of eelgrass and estuarine habitats and significant alteration of food webs. However, it can be difficult to assess the trophic impacts of introduced species in newly invaded areas, where populations are small or not yet fully established; in situ observations of crab predation are also complicated by the crab mastication process, which …

Effects Of Vessel Presence On Northern Resident Killer Whale Rubbing Behaviour, Varsha Rani

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The presence of vessels in the ocean has a significant impact on marine mammals, including highly cultural species such as northern resident killer whales (NRKWs). NRKW engage in beach rubbing, a unique social behaviour where individuals approach shallow pebble beaches to rub against the stones. During rubbing bouts, the whales are exposed and vulnerable to disturbance. To investigate the effects of vessel disturbance on this important cultural behaviour, the initiation of rubbing and rubbing bout length were examined in relation to vessel presence and proximity. In July and August, for years 2020 and 2021, data were collected from an elevated …

Characterization Of Northern Resident Killer Whale (Orcinus Orca) Call Types And Source Levels During Beach Rubbing, Madeleine Bouvier

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Robson Bight Michael Bigg Ecological Reserve (RBMBER) is located within the Northern Resident killer whale (NRKW) population’s critical habitat. A recognized social behaviour of the NRKW population is “beach rubbing”, where individuals will come into the shallows of particular beaches to rub their bodies on smooth pebbles. During beach rubbing, the whales are considered to be more sensitive to disturbance. The physical presence of vessels, as well as the noise from vessel engines has the potential to disturb NRKW and interfere with this sensitive behaviour. To reduce the likelihood of disturbance and protect this important cultural behaviour, recreational vessel …

Mapping Whale-Watching Effort Using Ais Data In The Salish Sea, Norma Serra-Sogas

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Commercial boat-based whale-watching is a very important touristic sector in the Salish Sea, taking thousands of people to view and experience up close the natural beauty and wildlife of the area. This sector provides economic benefits to local communities and opportunities for education and increase awareness for nature protection. The recent growth of whale-watching activities also can bring potential negative effects such as disturbances to wildlife. To achieve a sustainable commercial whale-watching sector, it is important to gain a good understanding of the footprint this activity has on the marine environment. For this, we assessed the spatio-temporal distribution of whale …

Foraging Strategy, Prey Preferences And Limited Competition Among Forage Fishes In The San Juan Islands; Implications For Chinook Recovery, Russel Barsh

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Previous research has shown that juvenile Chinook outmigrants prey preferentially on young-of-year Pacific herring and Pacific sand lance as they transit the San Juan Islands. The relative abundance of these two forage fishes and their proportional representation in the neritic diet of juvenile Chinook have varied since 2009 in ways that suggest that they respond to changing marine conditions in different ways, including relying seasonally on different zooplankton prey. In 2020 and 2021, co-occurring forage fishes (herring, sand lance, Pacific surf smelt, Northern Anchovy) and zooplankton were collected from a Lopez Island bay where juvenile Puget Sound Chinook annually congregate. …

Marine Habitat Use Patterns Of The Endangered Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus Marmoratus) In The Central-Southern Puget Sound, Bryce Poplawsky

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Marine habitat use patterns of the Endangered Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in the central-southern Puget Sound Seabirds face a number of threats including human disturbances, pollution, and climate change. Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) are particularly vulnerable to these impacts, as both terrestrial and marine environments are crucial for their survival. Listed as Endangered in Washington state and Threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service south of the US-Canada border, Marbled Murrelets are well-studied; however, relatively little is known about their distribution and marine habitat use patterns in the central and southern Puget Sound. We conducted shore and boat-based observations …

Holistic Approaches For Invasive Species Management: Exploring Biotic Resistance Of European Green Crab (Carcinus Maenas) Via River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) Diet, Bobbie Buzzell

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Establishment of the European green crab (Carcinus maenas) on the west coast United States has led to concerns regarding loss of eelgrass beds and influence on marine communities. To begin examining whether predators can potentially buffer green crab expansion, I studied river otter (Lontra canadensis) diet from scat remains and green crab abundance was estimated from removal trapping efforts. River otter scats on the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess rivers, Washington, USA, were collected during August-September 2018 and April-September 2019. Hard remains of prey were reported as percent frequency of occurrence, and green crab prey were compared to monthly catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE). Scats …

Seasonal Changes In Trophic Interactions In The Plankton Community In The Strait Of Georgia, Nicole Mcewan

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

As the base of the food web, plankton are key in energy transfer and influence the biomass and composition of organisms higher up in the food web. However, the diversity of plankton species, as well as their trophic processes and interactions are often over-simplified in food web models. Throughout a year, the plankton community varies greatly, further increasing the complexity of trophic flows. Here, we have used Ecopath to model the plankton food web in the Strait of Georgia in three seasons. The plankton community is represented in the models by ten mesozooplankton groups, two mixotrophic microzooplankton groups, one phytoplankton …

Vessel Drift And Rescue Tug Response Analysis For The Strait Of Juan De Fuca To The Southern Strait Of Georgia, Marta Green

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Protection against a catastrophic oil spill is among the highest environmental priorities for San Juan County. Positioning an emergency response towing vessel (ERTV), or rescue tug, to reduce the spill risk in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass has been identified by the Dept. of Ecology as a priority risk mitigation measure (Oct 2016) and is a recommendation of the Governor’s Southern Resident Orca Task Force (Nov 2019). The capability of an ERTV to respond quickly enough to prevent a disabled, drifting vessel from grounding has been questioned. San Juan County partnered with Nuka Research & Planning Group, LLC and UW’s …

Species Abundance And Conditions Of Plankton Blooms In Possession Sound, Maci Larsen

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can threaten the health and stability of an ecosystem. They occur when there is a significant increase in the abundance of toxin-producing phytoplankton. Paralytic shellfish toxins are just one example of how these massive blooms can be lethal to marine life and even humans if the poisoned shellfish are consumed. HABs are seen as a considerable threat to the ecosystem, but what about the non-HAB-forming plankton that make the waters of the Salish Sea their home? Plankton of many kinds do not require complex conditions for blooming to occur; it can be as simple as temperature …

Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force Recommendations: Moving Forward With Recovery, Tara Galuska

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force Recommendations: Moving forward with recovery The grace, beauty and iconic nature of Southern Resident killer whales resonate with all of us around the Salish Sea, yet their declines are alarming. These orcas face multiple complex threats: lack of food, primarily salmon, disturbance and noise from vessel traffic and toxic contaminants, in addition to climate change and a growing population. Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, signed Executive Order 18-02: Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery and Task Force in 2018. Through the executive order, state agencies were directed to implement immediate actions to benefit the whales. …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In The Biofilm Communities On Two Cultivated Kelp Species, Katherine Davis, Logan Zeinert, Allison Byrne, Joth Davis, Cosmo Roemer, Michael Wright, Laura Wegener Parfrey

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Kelp cultivation is gaining interest in the Salish Sea region for both commercial mariculture and habitat restoration applications. The selection of appropriate cultivation sites in coastal waters is essential for the establishment of restored kelp populations or successful mariculture harvests. Microbial communities which form biofilms on kelp surfaces are increasingly recognized as important links to metrics of kelp health. Yet there is little knowledge about the microbial communities associated with kelps produced in hatchery systems and how these communities change when the host is outplanted and grows at aquculture or restoration sites in coastal waters. Here, we characterized the microbial …

Before And After Sea Star Wasting Disease: Subtidal Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia Helianthoides) Observations In The Central Us Strait Of Juan De Fuca, Melissa Sanchez

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Between 2013 and 2015, a sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epidemic led to a large die-off affecting over 20 species of sea stars from Alaska to Baja California. The impacts of SSWD to intertidal populations have been well documented but we know much less about its impact on subtidal species, including the critically endangered sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides). We assessed sunflower star abundance using towed underwater imagery along 50 km of the central southern Strait of Juan de Fuca. Annual surveys were completed between 2010 and 2017 and again in 2020, allowing us to compare populations before and after the …

Determining The Prey Consumption, Preferences, And Potential For Dietary Overlap Between Invasive European Green Crab And Native Graceful Crab In The Salish Sea, Brett Howard

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The global success of the invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is due, in part, to its broad diet, with over 140 different genera consumed worldwide. However, very little of this information comes directly from populations in the Salish Sea and it is unclear the degree to which green crab select prey vs consuming what is readily available. Additionally, almost nothing is known about the diet of graceful crab (Metacarcinus gracilis), a common, co-occurring native species which may compete with green crabs. Although studies have hypothesized that graceful crabs may specialize on soft-bodied prey, this study is the first to …

Adult Chinook Salmon Diets Delineate Regions With Distinct Forage Assemblages In The Salish Sea, Wesley Greentree

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Forage fish are an important link between zooplankton and higher trophic levels, including marine mammals and economically valuable predatory fish. However, forage fish are often difficult to assess using traditional fishery-independent surveys, resulting in major data gaps for both commercially important and non-exploited species. In the Salish Sea, there are many data gaps about the distribution and regional importance of forage fish and other forage species (e.g., juvenile Gadiformes, euphausiids, crustacean larvae). We used the diet composition of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), a generalist predator, to examine the spatial structure of forage assemblages in the Canadian Salish Sea from …

Levels Of Dissolved Oxygen And Chlorophyll In Possession Sound In 2021, Daniela Torres

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the marine ecosystem is a factor that impacts not only the quality of the water but also the health of marine life. Low oxygen in the water can lead to hypoxic conditions, which is harmful and can result in fatality of marine organisms. The levels of DO can influence primary productivity and respiration. We use chlorophyll to help us reach an estimated amount of primary productivity that is in that specific area. This study took place in Possession Sound, WA, which has a rich biodiversity and a main freshwater source from the mouth of the Snohomish …

Ecosystem Impacts Of Moon Jelly (Aurelia Labiata) Aggregations In Puget Sound, Washington, Haila Schultz, Julie Keister, Correigh Greene, Kathryn Sobocinski, Rus Higley

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Over the past several decades, increased abundances of jellyfish have been reported globally. However, the role of jellyfish in marine food webs is not well understood. In Puget Sound, large aggregations of the moon jelly Aurelia labiata are seasonally abundant in protected embayments. These aggregations contain millions of individuals and can cover broad areas. Aurelia may compete with culturally, economically, and ecologically important fish for zooplankton prey and alter water column chemistry by releasing nitrogenous waste, but the extent of these interactions are still unknown. To address the question of how Aurelia aggregations affect zooplankton communities and water chemistry, we …

Projected Changes To The Hydroclimate In The Pacific Northwest And Implications For Coastal Hazards And Compound Flooding, Nathan Vanarendonk

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Future changes in the Pacific Northwest climate have implications for regional habitat restoration, flood hazard mitigation and community resilience. Modeling regional exposure to flooding requires capturing the interactions of extreme stream discharge, sea levels, and flood mitigation controls (e.g., dams, flood gates). Here, extreme statistics of stream flow are derived from ensemble hydroclimate forecasts throughout Puget Sound, provided by the Columbia River Climate Change study (CRCC, Chegwidden et al., 2017). Flow projections are examined from four hydrologic models (three Variable Infiltration Capacity models and one Precipitation Runoff Modeling System model) used in the CRCC, each forced by 10 different global …

A High-Resolution Tidal Hydrodynamic Model For Sequim Bay, Wa To Support Marine Renewable Energy Research, Taiping Wang

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Marine renewable energy (e.g., tidal current and wave energy) comprises resources that do not generate carbon emissions. Because of high energy potential, the Salish Sea and adjacent coastal waters have been identified among the top candidate sites in the U.S. for marine energy development. To better support a variety of marine energy related research and development activities, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory in Sequim, WA has been preparing Sequim Bay as a testbed for researchers to utilize its unique tidal and geographic setting for pilot-scale tidal energy, ocean technology, and environmental monitoring research. In this study, …

Improving Access To Ocean And Coastal Data: How The Northwest Association Of Networked Ocean Observing Systems Serves The Pacific Northwest, Rachel Wold

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), the regional association of U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS) for the United States Pacific Northwest, developed its NANOOS Visualization System (NVS - http://nvs.nanoos.org/) to provide users with a rich interface to access observations, forecasts, and satellite overlays from a wide range of ocean and coastal assets in a user-friendly format. NVS also offers tailored apps for specific user groups. Working with distributed partners, NANOOS has brought together data streams from academic, agencies (federal, state, local), tribes, industry, and NGOs and developed the data displays to suit a variety of …

Introducing A Different Kind Of “Blob” In The Pnw – The Snark!, Skip Albertson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Puget Sound experienced progressively saltier conditions from 2017 to 2019 compared to time-averaged seasonal norms from 1999-2018. Reduced freshwater inflow from rivers drove much of these salinity increases; however, we report on another process raising salinity on the landward end of Case Inlet. Like “Meddies” in the Mediterranean Sea, evaporation leads to the formation of hypersaline blobs of surface water, known as “snarks”. Extreme low tides in the summer expose mudflats to elevated temperatures, providing a pathway to evaporating more water. When denser, hypersaline water sinks on the landward side of an estuary, it can cause inverse-estuarine conditions and increase …