Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Western Washington University

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1201 - 1230 of 2456

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Evaluating Methods To Obtain High Resolution Nearshore Bathymetry And Coastal Topography For Puget Sound, George M. Kaminsky, Amanda Hacking, Diana Mccandless, Heather Weiner Apr 2018

Evaluating Methods To Obtain High Resolution Nearshore Bathymetry And Coastal Topography For Puget Sound, George M. Kaminsky, Amanda Hacking, Diana Mccandless, Heather Weiner

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington State Department of Ecology Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program performed a coastal topographic and bathymetric survey of Port Gamble Bay between March 9 and March 28, 2014. Boat-based topographic lidar was collected along the shoreline of the bay and multibeam bathymetric sonar was collected throughout the bay to obtain a seamless topographic-bathymetric surface with complete coverage of Port Gamble Bay. The survey was performed with a R2Sonic 2022 multibeam echosounder, an Optech ILRIS-HD-ER mobile laser scanner, and an Applanix POS MV 320 v5 receiving real-time kinematic positioning corrections. The Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) …

Go to article

Using Ferry Monitoring Data To Explore The Importance Of Isotherms On The Winter Survival Of Northern Anchovy In Puget Sound, Suzan Pool, Christopher Krembs, Julia Bos, S. L. Albertson Apr 2018

Using Ferry Monitoring Data To Explore The Importance Of Isotherms On The Winter Survival Of Northern Anchovy In Puget Sound, Suzan Pool, Christopher Krembs, Julia Bos, S. L. Albertson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Salish Sea displays strong seasonality in water temperature which can impose physiological limits on temperature sensitive species. Puget Sound, in winter, relies on ocean water as a heat source whereas in summer, the gradient is reversed. The dynamic exchange of Puget Sound with coastal water dictates the spatial and temporal patterns of isotherms that are relevant to temperature sensitive species. Recent winters with increased water temperature may expand the range of certain species to be able to survive in Puget Sound over the winter. Northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) are pelagic spawners and survive in between 8 and 25 °C …

Go to article

Developing A Regional Protocol For Photo-Id Of Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena Phocoena, In The Salish Sea Through Transboundary Collaboration, Cindy Elliser, Anna Hall, Katrina Maciver, Marcus Wernicke Apr 2018

Developing A Regional Protocol For Photo-Id Of Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena Phocoena, In The Salish Sea Through Transboundary Collaboration, Cindy Elliser, Anna Hall, Katrina Maciver, Marcus Wernicke

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are one of the most common cetaceans in the Salish Sea. However little is known about this species’ regional and fine-scale habitat use patterns. Photo-identification (photo-ID) is a key tool that has long been used with other cetacean species in the Salish Sea (e.g. Orcinus orca) to understand ecological parameters including site fidelity, habitat use, ranging patterns, and group dynamics. This technique had not previously been applied to Salish Sea harbor porpoise research until 2014 when Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam) initiated a long-term photo-ID study of harbor porpoises off Fidalgo Island, WA. This demonstrated the viability …

Go to article

Southern Resident Killer Whales: From Captivity To Conservation, Colleen Weiler, Rob Lott, Erich Hoyt, Deborah Giles, Howard Garrett, Susan Berta, Rein Attemann, Giulia Good-Stefani, Francine Kershaw Apr 2018

Southern Resident Killer Whales: From Captivity To Conservation, Colleen Weiler, Rob Lott, Erich Hoyt, Deborah Giles, Howard Garrett, Susan Berta, Rein Attemann, Giulia Good-Stefani, Francine Kershaw

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The endangered Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) (SRKW) population remains the only killer whale population listed under the United States Endangered Species Act in U.S. waters since it was listed in 2005. In the 1960s and 70s, the population was reduced by approximately 40% following intensive efforts to capture individuals for a growing marine park captivity industry. The first Northwest killer whale census (1974) found just 70 remaining individuals in the SRKW community. This population has struggled to return to pre-capture numbers, and in the face of new threats including prey depletion, toxic contamination, and vessel effects, fewer than …

Go to article

Dissolved Cu Concentrations In The Strait Of Georgia: Trends, Speciation, And Accumulation By Local Calanoid Copepods, Bertha Iselle Flores Ruiz, Jack Anthony, Lori-Jon C. Waugh, Cheng Kuang, Roger Francois, Maria T. Maldonado Apr 2018

Dissolved Cu Concentrations In The Strait Of Georgia: Trends, Speciation, And Accumulation By Local Calanoid Copepods, Bertha Iselle Flores Ruiz, Jack Anthony, Lori-Jon C. Waugh, Cheng Kuang, Roger Francois, Maria T. Maldonado

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Most research on the effects of copper (Cu) on marine ecosystems has focused on benthic organisms and Cu concentrations in the sediments. In contrast, little is known about the effects of dissolved copper (dCu) in pelagic food webs. In most marine waters, more than 99.9% of dCu is bound to organic ligands. These ligands diminish dCu toxicity to aquatic organisms by lowering the concentrations of inorganic dCu, the most bioavailable species of Cu. For the past year, we have studied seasonal trends of dCu concentrations in the Strait of Georgia and have measured and characterized its speciation in seawater. Measurements …

Go to article

Building Resilience Of Coastal Fishing Communities To Harmful Algal Blooms, Kathleen M. Moore, Stephanie Moore, Stacia Dreyer, Edward Allison, Sunny Jardine, Terrie Klinger, Julia Ekstrom, Anna Varney, Karma C. Norman Apr 2018

Building Resilience Of Coastal Fishing Communities To Harmful Algal Blooms, Kathleen M. Moore, Stephanie Moore, Stacia Dreyer, Edward Allison, Sunny Jardine, Terrie Klinger, Julia Ekstrom, Anna Varney, Karma C. Norman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Starting in May 2015 a massive harmful algal bloom (HAB) of the toxigenic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia occurred along the North American west coast resulting in unsafe levels of domoic acid in seafood. Subsequent fisheries harvest closures were both the longest and the most geographically widespread on record. Fishery-dependent coastal communities were severely impacted, with a fisheries resource disaster declaration occurring for the 2015-16 season of the California Dungeness crab fishery. This research aims to assess the social, cultural and economic impacts of the 2015 HAB event across 17 fishing communities on the US west coast using primary survey data. The survey …

Go to article

How Did Large Scale Climate Anomalies Impact 2015 Phytoplankton Blooms In Puget Sound?, Juhi Lafuente, Christopher Krembs, S. L. Albertson, Allison Brownlee, Julia Bos, Laura Hermanson, Mya Keyzers Apr 2018

How Did Large Scale Climate Anomalies Impact 2015 Phytoplankton Blooms In Puget Sound?, Juhi Lafuente, Christopher Krembs, S. L. Albertson, Allison Brownlee, Julia Bos, Laura Hermanson, Mya Keyzers

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington State Department of Ecology has been routinely monitoring marine water quality throughout the Puget Sound since 1973. An established historic baseline from 1999 to 2008 allows us to examine how water quality varies year to year as a result of both natural and human influences. The recent large scale climate anomaly, the Blob, impacted this region when a mass of warm water entered Puget Sound in fall 2014. In conjunction with higher than normal air temperatures, patterns of estuarine circulation and stratification were regionally altered in Puget Sound. Changes to these physical patterns affect ecosystem functions starting at …

Go to article

Dye And Microbial Study In Response To Outbreak Of Norovirus-Like Illnesses From Consumption Of Shellfish From Hammersley Inlet, Washington, Mark Toy Apr 2018

Dye And Microbial Study In Response To Outbreak Of Norovirus-Like Illnesses From Consumption Of Shellfish From Hammersley Inlet, Washington, Mark Toy

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Hammersley Inlet Growing Area has experienced several clusters of norovirus-like illness in recent years. This presentation will describe a recent study to help evaluate how likely the Shelton WWTP is a potential source of viral loading to the growing area. A hydrographic dye study of the WWTP effluent was conducted by injecting dye at the WWTP at a continuous rate over a full tidal cycle (approximately 24 hours) to approximate steady state concentrations. Sampling of wastewater was also done to evaluate microbial removal across the treatment train. Sentinel shellfish cages are also deployed to measure bioaccumulation of microbial indicators. …

Go to article

Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, Sophia Johannessen Apr 2018

Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, Sophia Johannessen

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

A strong decline in phytoplankton productivity has been proposed as a principal cause of the decline in salmon survival in the Strait of Georgia over the last four decades. The best estimate of total annual primary productivity in the Strait in the 1970s was 280 gC m-2 yr-1 (Harrison et al., 1983). We tested whether or not primary productivity had declined since that time by calculating recent productivity from regional nitrogen budgets. We constructed the budgets using measurements (collected 2001-2011) of dissolved and particulate nitrogen and stable isotopes of nitrogen in seawater, river water, sinking particles, bottom sediments, atmospheric deposition, …

Go to article

Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, Lisa Ferrier Apr 2018

Development Of An Interactive Web Map To Visualize A Complex Dataset, Lisa Ferrier

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is steward to 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands. As part of its management responsibilities, DNR’s Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Program (SVMP) documents occurrences of seagrass throughout greater Puget Sound. Seagrasses are recognized globally as a sensitive indicator of water quality while providing productive, critical habitat utilized by many fish, bird and invertebrate species. The SVMP has been conducting seagrass surveys in Puget Sound, using underwater video, since 2000. Video is reviewed, classified for presence/absence, and ultimately used to characterize abundance, distribution and change in seagrass at local, regional, and sound-wide scales. …

Go to article

The Story So Far: An In Situ Pairing Of Chemical Oceanography And Physiology, Helen Gurney-Smith, Kayla Mohns, Caitlin Smith, Tamara Brown, Brenna Collicutt, Anne Haegert, Wiley Evans Apr 2018

The Story So Far: An In Situ Pairing Of Chemical Oceanography And Physiology, Helen Gurney-Smith, Kayla Mohns, Caitlin Smith, Tamara Brown, Brenna Collicutt, Anne Haegert, Wiley Evans

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Climate change is a pressing environmental concern, and understanding how abiotic variation contributes to population dynamics and persistence may ultimately predict the fates of species. Ocean acidification negatively impacts a range of species, including those using calcium carbonate for shell formation such as shellfish, which are important as ecosystem engineers and for food security. While much is known about carbonate chemistry and impacts of ocean acidification on the U.S. Pacific coast, there is limited regional information in British Columbia (BC), especially in socio-economically important coastal zones for aquaculture and migrating fisheries populations. Laboratory experimentation mimicking future climate scenarios provide valuable …

Go to article

Using Multivariate Statistical Tools To Evaluate Dioxin/Furan Congener Profiles And Inform Policy Decisions, Will Hafner, Jonathan Nuwer, Timothy Hammermeister, Peter Striplin, Chance Asher Apr 2018

Using Multivariate Statistical Tools To Evaluate Dioxin/Furan Congener Profiles And Inform Policy Decisions, Will Hafner, Jonathan Nuwer, Timothy Hammermeister, Peter Striplin, Chance Asher

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Multivariate statistical methods (collectively referred to as chemometrics) are a valuable means of reducing the variability and complexity of large data sets. When incorporated with data visualization tools such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS), the output of these chemometric methods can be presented in a manner that is both intuitive and more readily usable for informing policy decisions. We have used these chemometric methods and visualization tools to evaluate the distributions of, and contributions from, various dioxin/furan congener profiles in sediments at three embayments in Puget Sound. One of these embayments was Budd Inlet, which is located in the south …

Go to article

Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, Jeff Gaeckle, John Vavrinec, Kate Buenau, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Lara Aston, Ronald M. Thom, Jim Shannon Apr 2018

Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Restoration In Puget Sound: Restoration Tools, Successes And Challenges, Jeff Gaeckle, John Vavrinec, Kate Buenau, A. B. (Amy B.) Borde, Lara Aston, Ronald M. Thom, Jim Shannon

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs to track the health of Puget Sound and restoration of this critical nearshore habitat is part of the overall regional recovery strategy. Eelgrass restoration will provide a multitude of benefits, ranging from habitat for species to ameliorating the effects of climate change. Since 2013, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources has led regional evaluation of potential eelgrass restoration sites and transplanting in Washington State. Through collaborations we have developed and tested strategies to enhance transplant success and restore natural processes. We developed an eelgrass transplant suitability model to identify potential …

Go to article

Results From The Baynes Sound Environmental Intelligence Collaboration (Baseic), Wiley Evans, Darlene Winterburn, Katie Pocock, Carrie Weekes, Alex Hare Apr 2018

Results From The Baynes Sound Environmental Intelligence Collaboration (Baseic), Wiley Evans, Darlene Winterburn, Katie Pocock, Carrie Weekes, Alex Hare

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Baynes Sound, in the northern Salish Sea, hosts more than 50% of the BC shellfish aquaculture industry, with Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) as the dominant production species. The known vulnerability of this species to ocean acidification (OA)-driven changes in seawater chemistry – specifically through alteration in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral stability, combined with periodic production problems in Baynes Sound – have led to a growing concern regarding possible contemporaneous impacts of OA in spite of lacking environmental intelligence detailing baseline conditions. In order to build our understanding of current biogeochemical patterns in this key Salish Sea setting, the BC Shellfish …

Go to article

Plant Community And Nutrient Development Within Four Estuary Restoration Sites In Kitsap County, Washington, Shannon Call, Jenise M. Bauman Apr 2018

Plant Community And Nutrient Development Within Four Estuary Restoration Sites In Kitsap County, Washington, Shannon Call, Jenise M. Bauman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Estuaries affected by physical barriers, such as culverts, experience reduced hydrological inputs and reduced connectivity resulting in the loss of ecological processes. To address reduction in ecological connectedness, culverts at three sites were removed and replaced with bridges. An observational field study was conducted in Kitsap County, Washington of three sites where culverts were replaced with bridges three, eight, and 13 years ago. Data was collected at a reference site where the estuary contains a culvert. It is hypothesized that estuary restoration will recover plant species, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling homogeneity above and below the restoration site. However, the …

Go to article

Population Genetics Of Native Shellfish Aquaculture Species And Potential Genetic Risks Of Cultivation, Natalie Lowell, Lorenz Hauser, Brent Vadopalas Apr 2018

Population Genetics Of Native Shellfish Aquaculture Species And Potential Genetic Risks Of Cultivation, Natalie Lowell, Lorenz Hauser, Brent Vadopalas

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Native shellfish aquaculture has many benefits, but interbreeding of hatchery and wild populations may pose genetic risks to wild populations. The type and magnitude of these risks depends in part on the genetic population structure of native shellfish species. Early genetic studies on marine shellfish provided little evidence for such structure. However, recent population genetic studies provide higher resolution, make use of both neutral and non-neutral molecular markers, and suggest some marine shellfish can exhibit population structure and even local adaptation. Here, we present preliminary results on genetic differentiation among populations of Crassadoma gigantea (the purple-hinged rock scallop) and Parastichopus …

Go to article

Copper Accumulation From Antifouling Paints In Five Marinas On Puget Sound, William Hobbs, Melissa Mccall, Jennifer Lanksbury Apr 2018

Copper Accumulation From Antifouling Paints In Five Marinas On Puget Sound, William Hobbs, Melissa Mccall, Jennifer Lanksbury

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Marinas have been shown to contribute elevated levels of metals to marine waters, copper (Cu) in particular. The Cu comes primarily from antifouling paints which are designed to discourage biofouling (barnacles, mussels, and other organisms) of boat hulls. In 2011 the Washington State Legislature passed SSB5436 to phase out Cu in marine antifouling paints. This legislation states that new recreational vessels with Cu-containing bottom paint may not be sold in the state after January 1, 2018. This study provides baseline data for Cu in five marinas of different configuration and size within Puget Sound and assesses potential impacts to marine …

Go to article

A Modeling Study Of Storm Surge In The Salish Sea, Zhaoqing Yang, Taiping Wang, Ian Miller Apr 2018

A Modeling Study Of Storm Surge In The Salish Sea, Zhaoqing Yang, Taiping Wang, Ian Miller

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Pacific Northwest coasts are subject to the threat of coastal inundation as a result of storm surge. This snapshot presentation provides an overview of a modeling study of storm surge in the Salish Sea using a high resolution coastal hydrodynamic model. A series of historical storm surge events were identified based on non-tidal residual (NTR) water levels observed at Seattle tide gage. Model simulations corresponding to selected storm surge events were conducted. The Salish Sea storm surge model was validated with both observed tidal and NTR data at NOAA tide gauges in the Salish Sea. Sensitivity analysis on the …

Go to article

Factors That Affect The Vertical Distribution Of Olympia Oyster Larvae In Fidalgo Bay, Wa, Brooke Mcintyre, Shawn Arellano, Erika Mcphee-Shaw, Marco Hatch Apr 2018

Factors That Affect The Vertical Distribution Of Olympia Oyster Larvae In Fidalgo Bay, Wa, Brooke Mcintyre, Shawn Arellano, Erika Mcphee-Shaw, Marco Hatch

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Restoring viable, self-sustaining populations of the native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) in the Salish Sea is ecologically and socially valuable. Olympia oysters are sessile adults, so they rely entirely upon their free-swimming planktonic larvae for dispersal. Larval dispersal affects the size of local populations and connectivity between metapopulations, so understanding dispersal patterns can help managers prioritize habitat restoration efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of establishing a self-sustaining network of Olympia oyster populations throughout the Salish Sea. Olympia oyster larvae actively control their vertical position in the water column with swimming and sinking behaviors, which can affect which …

Go to article

If Historic Marine Pollution Ceases, Will The Natural Intertidal Community Return? How Exposure To And Release From Pollution Disturbance Shapes Rocky Intertidal Communities In The Salish Sea, Shannon Bard, Aaron Eger, Julia Baum Apr 2018

If Historic Marine Pollution Ceases, Will The Natural Intertidal Community Return? How Exposure To And Release From Pollution Disturbance Shapes Rocky Intertidal Communities In The Salish Sea, Shannon Bard, Aaron Eger, Julia Baum

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Marine ecosystems in the Salish Sea are subject to a variety of pollution-based disturbances that restructure the composition of the vegetative and animal communities. A prime historical example of this is the effluent discharged from pulp mills across the province, which have been shown to have substantial negative impacts on coastal biodiversity. However, as environmental regulations have become more stringently enforced and the economic drivers of pulp mills have slowed down, in some areas much of this pollution has abated. The diminishment and in some cases, elimination of such disturbances provides a unique opportunity to assess the recovery of communities …

Go to article

Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, Bart Christiaen, Pete Dowty, Lisa Ferrier, Jeff Gaeckle, Helen Berry Apr 2018

Regional Patterns In Seagrass Distribution, And Their Implications For Management In Greater Puget Sound, Bart Christiaen, Pete Dowty, Lisa Ferrier, Jeff Gaeckle, Helen Berry

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Seagrasses provide important ecosystem services, and are sensitive to a wide range of environmental stressors, making them effective indicators of habitat condition. In Washington State, eelgrass (Zostera marina) is one of 25 Vital Signs for the health of Puget Sound. Management targets associated with this Vital Sign are defined on a soundwide scale. However, greater Puget Sound is a geomorphologically diverse system with complex circulation patterns and environmental gradients in tidal range, salinity, water clarity, and temperature. Given the variability in seagrass habitat, it is likely that depending on the location, different environmental drivers control the distribution of eelgrass and …

Go to article

Sea Level Rise Guidance For Nearshore Habitat Restoration In Puget Sound, Harriet Morgan, Nicole Faghin, Jay Krienitz, Tish Conway-Cranos Apr 2018

Sea Level Rise Guidance For Nearshore Habitat Restoration In Puget Sound, Harriet Morgan, Nicole Faghin, Jay Krienitz, Tish Conway-Cranos

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Many agencies, organizations, and communities across Puget Sound are working to restore nearshore habitats from historic degradation to reestablish or maintain the functionality of these ecosystems. Sea level rise is expected to cause increased coastal flooding in low-lying areas and increased storm surge reach in coastal zones. There is widespread recognition that these new threats must be addressed in the siting, design, and maintenance of Puget Sound’s nearshore habitat restoration projects, especially given the limited resources available for restoration. In spite of this, existing information on sea level rise has not yet been synthesized in a way that facilitates incorporation …

Go to article

Lessons From Cumulative Effects Assessment And Management Initiatives On The North Pacific Coast Of British Columbia, Rebecca Martone, John Bones, Steve Diggon, Stuart Crawford, Maya Paul, Gord Mcgee Apr 2018

Lessons From Cumulative Effects Assessment And Management Initiatives On The North Pacific Coast Of British Columbia, Rebecca Martone, John Bones, Steve Diggon, Stuart Crawford, Maya Paul, Gord Mcgee

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) is a collaborative, government-to-government initiative between the Province of British Columbia and 17 member First Nations in an area that encompasses approximately 102,000 km2 along two-thirds of British Columbia’s coast. Between 2011 and 2016, the Partners worked together complete a set of comprehensive marine plans for four sub-regions and an accompanying Regional Action Framework (RAF) emphasizing ecosystem-based management (EBM) of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. MaPP sub-regional plans and the RAF inform decisions on the sustainable economic development and stewardship of the North Pacific Coast’s ecosystems by providing recommendations for key areas of marine …

Go to article

Seahurst Park Beach Restoration: Phase Ii, Beth Mccasland Apr 2018

Seahurst Park Beach Restoration: Phase Ii, Beth Mccasland

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the City of Burien completed construction and restoration of Seahurst Beach Park in 2014 with the objective to restore shoreline habitat and function. The project involved removal of approximately 1,200 linear feet of bulkhead, lawn terraces, and restoring a more natural pebbly beach habitat, reconnecting Puget Sound to the adjacent feeder bluffs. The project also restored mature riparian and wetland vegetation through plantings along the marine shoreline above mean higher high water. The $7.3 M construction project started in September 2013 and was completed in September 2014. The shoreline restoration project was …

Go to article

Sources Of Acidic Bottom Water In Bellingham Bay, Washington, David Shull Apr 2018

Sources Of Acidic Bottom Water In Bellingham Bay, Washington, David Shull

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Results of the first survey of acidification in Bellingham Bay demonstrate corrosive water in the center of the bay. Low levels of pH (7.5) and aragonite saturation state (0.5) were observed near the region of seasonal hypoxia. Measurements of the input of dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity from the Nooksack River, sediment flux, the Post Point WWTP, and deep water, along with measurements of respiration indicate that relatively high rates of respiration in the bay are largely responsible for the acidic water. Sediments are an important contribution to alkalinity. Model results suggest that acidification is seasonal and that water column …

Go to article

Survival Of Juvenile Cowichan River Chinook Throughout Their First Year Of Life: A Summary Of Pit Tag Returns Through Fall 2017, Kevin Pellett Apr 2018

Survival Of Juvenile Cowichan River Chinook Throughout Their First Year Of Life: A Summary Of Pit Tag Returns Through Fall 2017, Kevin Pellett

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The productivity of many Chinook stocks within the Salish Sea has declined dramatically since the 1990s while reductions in marine survival are evident. Researching the mechanisms which control early marine survival of this species has proven to be challenging despite significant efforts. Juveniles occupy a broad range of habitats in their first summer at sea and become increasingly difficulty to study over time. A novel approach using PIT tags to study the survival of juveniles captured throughout their first year of life has shed light on previously unanswered questions. Returning adults were scanned for tags in the river to estimate …

Go to article

Climate Change Adaptation Planning For Port Of Seattle Waterfront Properties, Joseph Gellings Apr 2018

Climate Change Adaptation Planning For Port Of Seattle Waterfront Properties, Joseph Gellings

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

As Seattle’s economy continues to evolve, its significance as a port city is undiminished. The container ports of Seattle and Tacoma recently entered into a joint management agreement and, together, they are the fourth largest container gateway in North America. At the same time, competition is fierce between the remaining rival ports and capital spending on the land-side cargo terminals is a key variable in this competition. This makes it critical that the Port understands what role climate change adaptation will play in the broader challenge of setting the level of public fund expenditures on terminal upgrade projects. The types …

Go to article

Marine Shoreline Armor In King County, 2005-2015, Alexis Henry, Kollin Higgins Apr 2018

Marine Shoreline Armor In King County, 2005-2015, Alexis Henry, Kollin Higgins

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Puget Sound marine shorelines provide Pacific salmon habitat for migration, juvenile rearing, feeding, and refuge. These shorelines are also used as the primary spawning habitat for Pacific sand lance and surf smelt, two forage fish species consumed by many higher level predators including Chinook salmon. Marine nearshore degradation from armoring (bulkheads, sea walls, etc.) and concurrent vegetation loss have detrimental impacts on the survival of salmon. Since the listing of wild Puget Sound Chinook salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999, local efforts have been made in the Puget Sound to improve salmon habitats and recover populations. …

Go to article

Which Factors Influence Manila Clam Survival On Lummi Nation Tidal Flats?, Andrés J. Quesada, Andrew Thurber, Misty Peacock, Rosa Hunter, Marco Hatch Apr 2018

Which Factors Influence Manila Clam Survival On Lummi Nation Tidal Flats?, Andrés J. Quesada, Andrew Thurber, Misty Peacock, Rosa Hunter, Marco Hatch

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Over recent decades, Manila clam populations have steadily declined on the tidal flats of the Lummi Reservation just outside of Bellingham, Washington. The loss of this important food source directly impacts tribal food security and sovereignty of the Lummi people. The Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Salish Sea Research Center has teamed up with Oregon State University to study what is causing the decline. With two NIFA grants, we are looking at two possible causes: altered sulfur cycling and changes in food supply. Hydrogen sulfide is a compound that is toxic to most animals. On tide flats, sulfide can become more …

Go to article

Lessons Learned: Tidal Marsh Restoration In A Dynamic Context Of Stress And Climate Change, Roger Nathan Fuller Apr 2018

Lessons Learned: Tidal Marsh Restoration In A Dynamic Context Of Stress And Climate Change, Roger Nathan Fuller

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In the Stillaguamish estuary, tidal wetlands have been receding for decades as a result of both natural and anthropogenic changes. Despite current restoration efforts, monitoring suggests that rising stress from climate change impacts on summer flows, legacy stresses from the levee system, and increased plant mortality from avian and insect herbivores may interact to accelerate the rate of marsh loss. Lessons learned from a 2012 restoration project should inform adaptive management and future restoration projects. Post-restoration monitoring has revealed a pattern of interacting stresses at both the site and system scales that affects marsh productivity and resilience to climate change. …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last