Population Change in the Hudson Valley Region

Transcription

1 Group 1 12 Population Change in the Hudson Valley Region Population in millions Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Year Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 1

2 Group 1 Scientists tested each animal group to see how many ticks on each animal were infected with Lyme disease. Of the ticks found on mice, close to 90% of the ticks were infected, while less than 10% of ticks on raccoons were infected. LoGuidiciet al, Group 1

3 Group Dutchess County Built Tax Parcels, courtesy of K. Menking& M.A. Cunningham, Vassar College. Built tax parcels refer to all the land th hat is used for buildings for which the county receives tax payments. The blue color is the built portions of the county. In years of low chipmunk amounts, tick numbers on mice were variable. But, in years of high chipmunk density, tick burdens on mice were always low. This suggests that when there are lots of alternative hosts (including chipmunks, rats, moles, voles) for the ticks, it reduced the rates of encounter between the ticks and the white-footed mice. White-footed mice are the most common and competent reservoir for the Lyme disease bacterium. Consequently, the more diverse the population of animals in the forest, the lower the rate of Lyme disease infected mice. Keesing, et al Group 1

4 Group 1 The Fishkill watershed is in the Hudson Valley. It drains most of Fishkill, East Fishkill, Beekman, Unionvale, Lagrange, parts of Beacon, Philipstown, and Wappinger. Source: K. Limburg Group 1 The Wappinger watershed is also in the Hudson Valley. It drains a large portion of DutchessCounty, including Wappinger, parts of the town of Poughkeepsie, Millbrook, Pleasant Valley, Stanfordville, and a few others. Source: K. Limburg

5 Seekeland Pace, Group 2 The Hudson River is home to the only anadromous member of the family Gadidae [tomcod]on the North American Atlantic Coast. A population of Atlantic tomcod is largely contained in the lower tidal portions of the river, surrounding bays of the lower estuary, and in the outer bay and coastal habitats. Historically, tomcod was reported as far south as Virginia (Bigelow and Schroeder 1953), but there are no recent reports of spawning in any drainage south of the Hudson River (Stewart and Auster1987). The fact that Hudson River tomcod are at the southernmost boundary of the species spawning distribution may foretell future reductions in its population with warming climate. -Daniels, R.A., K.E. Limburg, R.E. Schmidt, D.L. Strayer, and R.C. Chambers Changes in Fish Assemblages in the Tidal Hudson River, New York. American Fisheries Society Symposium, 45: Group 2 United States Historical Climatology Network Group 2

6 Population in millions Population Change in the Hudson Valley Region Year Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 2 metric tons/day Total Nitrogen in the Hudson River Year Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Nitrogen is a form of pollution that comes from sewage, animal wastes, and fertilizer runoff. Laws starting in 1972 helped reduce some of this pollution. Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 2

7 Average Annual Dissolved Oxygen From The Hudson River Average Annual Dissolved Oxygen from Beach Seine Surveys DO mg/l DO mg/l Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of the health of an aquatic ecosystem, because organisms need oxygen in order to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels can decline as a result of pollution, overuse by organisms (including decomposers), or stagnation of the water, among other causes. Data are annual averages from the Longitudinal River Survey and the Fall Juvenile Survey, 2005 Year Class Report, prepared by ASA Analysis & Communication for Dynegy Roseton L.L.C. Group 2 Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of the health of an aquatic ecosystem, because organisms need oxygen in order to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels can decline as a result of pollution, overuse by organisms (including decomposers), or stagnation of the water, among other causes. Data are annual averages from Beach Seine Survey, 2005 Year Class Report, prepared by ASA Analysis & Communication for Dynegy Roseton L.L.C. Group 2

8 Gibbs, J.P. and A.R. Breisch Climate Warming and Calling Phenologyof Frogs near Ithaca, New York, Conservation Biology, 15: Researchers James Gibbs and Alvin Breischlooked at six species, synthesizing information from three different studies to compare first-calling dates from and First calling dates are used often because it is easier to hear the amphibians than see them, and after they start calling, they start breeding. Therefore, calling tells us that reproduction is occurring. Group 2 Gibbs, J.P. and A.R. Breisch Climate Warming and Calling Phenologyof Frogs near Ithaca, New York, Conservation Biology, 15: Group 2

9 Upper Temperature Tolerance Limits for Common Hudson Estuary Fish Species Latin Name Upper tolerance limit, C Carp Cyprinus carpio Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus 23 Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax 21 Tomcod Microgadus tomcod (juveniles) Striped bass Morone saxatilis (yolk sac) 26 Seaby, R.M.H. and P.A. Henderson The Status of Fish Populations and the Ecology of the Hudson. Pisces Conservation Ltd. Group 2 Reduction in Juvenile Fish Populations from Cooling Water Intakes Spottail shiner Striped bass American shad Atlantic tomcod White perch Bay anchovy % Reduction % Reduction-industry estimate Cooling water intake pipes are used by electric power plants to cool down the equipment. Water is taken in from the Hudson River, and fish, especially juveniles and eggs, are killed in the process. There are two estimates, one that is higher, which assumes that no fish survive the process, and the second, lower estimate, which assumes that some percentage survive and return to the river with the discharged, heated water. NYSDEC 2007, New York State Water Quality Report for Group 2

10 Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) Size: Maximum length 12.5 inches. Feeding: Eats small crustaceans, worms, small molluscs, squid, and small larval fish (depends on age of fish). Lifecycle:Spawn in winter in shallow waters of estuaries or streams. Predators: Striped bass, other large predatory fish Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Size: 7-9 inches in length; 3 oz average weight Feeding: Zooplankton, invertebrates, small larval fish (depends on age of fish). Lifecycle: Spend summers in coastal waters; overwinter under the ice in estuaries. Spawn in the spring in small streams. Predators: Trout, yellow perch, walleye.

11 Strayer, D.L., N.F. Caraco, J.J. Cole, S. Findlay, and M. Pace Transformation of Freshwater Ecosystems by Bivalves. BioScience, 49: The red line shows when the zebra mussels arrived in the Hudson River. Group 3 Group 3 Data from: Strayer, D.L., M.L. Pace, N.F. Caraco, J.J. Cole, and S.E.G. Findlay Hydrology and Grazing Jointly Control a Large- River Food Web. Ecology, 89(1), The red line shows when the zebra mussels arrived in the Hudson River. Group 3 Strayer, D.L., N.F. Caraco, J.J. Cole, S. Findlay, and M. Pace Transformation of Freshwater Ecosystems by Bivalves. BioScience, 49: The red line shows when the zebra mussels arrived in the Hudson River. Group 3

12 Population in millions Population Change in the Hudson Valley Region Year Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 3 metric tons/day Total Nitrogen in the Hudson River Year Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Nitrogen is a form of pollution that comes from sewage, animal wastes, and fertilizer runoff. Laws starting in 1972 helped reduce some of this pollution. Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 3

13 Average Annual Dissolved Oxygen From The Hudson River Average Annual Dissolved Oxygen from Beach Seine Surveys DO mg/l DO mg/l Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of the health of an aquatic ecosystem, because organisms need oxygen in order to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels can decline as a result of pollution, overuse by organisms (including decomposers), or stagnation of the water, among other causes. Data are annual averages from the Longitudinal River Survey and the Fall Juvenile Survey, 2005 Year Class Report, prepared by ASA Analysis & Communication for Dynegy Roseton L.L.C. Group 3 Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of the health of an aquatic ecosystem, because organisms need oxygen in order to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels can decline as a result of pollution, overuse by organisms (including decomposers), or stagnation of the water, among other causes. Data are annual averages from Beach Seine Survey, 2005 Year Class Report, prepared by ASA Analysis & Communication for Dynegy Roseton L.L.C. Group 3

14 Seekel and Pace, Group 3 United States Historical Climatology Network Group 3

15 Aerial Map of Iona Island in 1991 Group 4 Notice the change in Phragmites australis, orcommon reed, which is an invasive species. It is light pink on the map. Slide courtesy of C. Nieder, NYS DEC.

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18 Density of plant stems (number of stems per square meter) at the four Hudson River marshes in From Wells, et al, Plant Species Iona Island Constitution Marsh Tivoli Bays Stockport Flats Common reed Cattail Purple loosestrife Wells, A.W., Nieder WC, Swift BL, O Connor KA, Weiss CA. (2008) Temporal changes in the breeding bird Green arrow community arum at four 0.7 Hudson River tidal marshes Journal of Coastal Research, : Broadleaf arrowhead River bulrush Group 4 Group 4 Wells, A.W., Nieder WC, Swift BL, O Connor KA, Weiss CA. (2008) Temporal changes in the breeding bird community at four Hudson River tidal marshes. Journal of Coastal Research, 55:

19 Group 4 Group 4 Data from the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas Data from the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas

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23 Group 5 Group 5 Confer, Kaaret, and Likens, Zoo-plankton diversity and biomass in recently acidified lakes. Copyright 1983 National Research Council of Canada. Group 5 Baker and Christensen, Effects of acidification on biological communities in aquatic eco-systems. Copyright 1991 Springer Science and Business Media. Munson, Driscoll, and Gherini, Phenomenologi-cal analysis of alsc chemistry data, in Baker et al., Adirondack Lakes Survey: An Interpretive Analysis of Fish Communities and Water Chemis-try, , 1990.

24 Average Annual Dissolved Oxygen From The Hudson River 9 12 Population Change in the Hudson Valley Region DO mg/l Population in millions Lower and Mid Hudson Data Upper Hudson Data Year Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of the health of an aquatic ecosystem, because organisms need oxygen in order to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels can decline as a result of pollution, overuse by organisms (including decomposers), or stagnation of the water, among other causes. Data from Brosnan, T.M, Stoddard, A., and L.J. Hetling Hudson River Sewage Inputs and Impacts: Past and Present in J. S. Levintonand J.R. Waldman (Eds.) The Hudson River Estuary; New York: Cambridge Press. Group 5 Data are annual averages from the Longitudinal River Survey and the Fall Juvenile Survey, 2005 Year Class Report, prepared by ASA Analysis & Communication for Dynegy Roseton L.L.C. Group 5

25 Group 5 Wet deposition data from the National Trends Network station at Huntington Forest. AND Aluminum speciation in Adirondack Lakes. NYS DEC Division of Air Resources Group 5 from Baker et al., Episodic acidification of small streams in the northeastern United States: Effects on fish populations, All graphs copyright 1996 Ecological Society of America via the Copyright Clearance Center.

26 Group 5 Group 5 Wet sulfate & nitrate deposition maps from Stoddard et al., Response of surface water chemistry to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, The measured ANC and the ph for the 1,469 lakes studied by the Adirondack Lakes Survey, from Munson, Driscoll, and Gherini, Phenomenologi-cal analysis of alsc chemistry data, in Baker et al., Adirondack Lakes Survey: An Interpretive Analysis of Fish Communities and Water Chemis-try, , 1990.

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