Source: OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to
LANDSCAPE PERSPECTIVES ON STREAM ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
MCINTIRE-STENNIS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0217860
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
OHO00041-MS
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2009
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2014
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Sullivan, M.
Recipient Organization
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
1680 MADISON AVENUE
WOOSTER,OH 44691
Performing Department
School of Natural Resources
Non Technical Summary
Riverine corridors represent complex ecosystems that can harbor considerable biodiversity, yet globally, these and other freshwater ecosystems are deteriorating at an alarming rate, largely because of dramatic habitat degradation. Worldwide, human activities have exposed stream and river systems to stress through various landuse practices (e.g., timber harvest, agriculture, urbanization, etc.) and habitat fragmentation. Numerous studies have shown that landscape alterations lead to increased peak flows and other changes in hydrologic regimes. These and other stressors have led to significant impacts on riverine biota. Particularly well-documented are the effects on aquatic macroinvertebrate and fish communities. In fact, 34% of all fish species, and 60% of riverine species, are now classified as rare or extinct in the U.S., and a holistic view of ecosystems has been cited as a leading cause in the current fisheries crisis. Food web structure and the flow of energy among systems is particularly vulnerable due to the close habitat coupling between streams and their adjacent terrestrial environments. Large-scale (i.e., landscape-level) influences on river ecosystems are receiving increasing attention. Over the last decade, multiple investigators have researched the impacts of watershed land use on various nutrient and water chemistry parameters. In recent years, suburban sprawl and forest fragmentation have emerged as factors with strong potential to affect freshwater ecosystems. Agriculture is yet another important factor affecting our stream and river resources. Agricultural practices have been identified as crucial nonpoint sources of sediment, nutrients, fecal bacteria and pesticides. Riparian forests have also been shown to be important to stream ecosystems as regulators of hydrologic fluxes and in-stream physical structure. Streams lacking riparian buffers tend to have increased nutrient and sediment loading. Interactions among riparian vegetation, geomorphology, and hydrology create the diversity of in-stream habitat conditions needed to sustain healthy aquatic communities. The need to investigate stream, river, and other aquatic ecosystems from a landscape perspective with a focus on both structure and process is critical. As human activity continues to place watersheds under increasing levels of stress, the need for targeted management actions and conservation efforts based on a clear, landscape-level understanding of ecological function and impairment becomes crucial. This work will involve laboratory work and fieldwork, combining traditional and emerging approaches and methods to help answer questions vital to the protection, conservation, and management of our rivers and their resources. Among other factors, the project will directly address ecosystem services, biodiversity, fisheries, and and ecosystem health.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1350899107075%
1360899107025%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife; 136 - Conservation of Biological Diversity;

Subject Of Investigation
0899 - Wildlife and natural fisheries, general/other;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
A more complete understanding of stream and river ecosystems cannot ignore connectivity with their watershed and essential exchanges of nutrients, energy, organisms, and other matter that occur within a watershed. In fact, the principles and approaches of landscape ecology have begun to be applied to riverine ecosystems. It can be argued that it is time to take land out of landscape ecology, i.e., landscape ecology has important insights to offer the study of stream and river ecosystems. Evidence in support of this viewpoint has come in the form of many researchers adopting a riverscape perspective to the heterogeneity of stream and river corridors. Conducting watershed research to improve understandings of ecosystem condition and the production of ecological services associated with anthropogenic stressors is critical. Stressors of interest include, but are not limited to, changes in nutrient loading, habitat alterations, contaminants, climate change, and changing watershed and riparian attributes (e.g., changes and loss of forest cover). Given the systemic effects of watershed-level impairments, recognizing the myriad watershed connections from a landscape perspective is crucial in maintaining biodiversity, healthy fisheries, ecosystem services, and overall ecosystem resiliency. A more holistic understanding of aquatic ecosystems will encourage ecosystem-level conservation and management strategies that promote functional, process-based approaches to long-term watershed stewardship. Additionally, improving current understanding of complex aquatic ecosystems and their links to the terrestrial landscape will be crucial in making predictions for the outcomes of management alternatives. My research plan focuses on the investigating: 1) stream-riparian food webs, with a focus on understanding aquatic-terrestrial energy exchanges and transfers of energy from aquatic to forested and other terrestrial habitats; 2) relevant and timely questions relating to fisheries management in Ohio, with a focus on fish community ecology, habitat assessments, and indicator species; 3) relationships between land cover, land use, and land-use change; and aquatic ecosystem function and health; and 4) ecosystem (ecological) services in aquatic ecosystems at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Outcomes include further advances in the science of integrated watershed ecology; additional applications of remote sensing and lidar in watersheds; development of models that link landscape characteristics, riparian zones, in-stream habitat, and biota, and that target ecological thresholds; and science-based approaches to the management and conservation of fisheries and riverine resources.
Project Methods
I will use a variety of methods to address my research questions. Methods will be used as appropriate for the needs of a specific objective. I will use a combination of field and laboratory methods, computer modeling, GIS and remote sensing applications, and statistical approaches: Stable isotope analysis is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in ecological studies. Together with gut-content analysis, stable isotope analysis enables characterizing fish and bird diet and tracing the origin of food sources, focusing on aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial/upland origins. Current watershed models are successfully being used to simulate hydrological processes, water quality, sediment transport, and other watershed functions. Two popular watershed-scale hydrologic and water quality simulation models are the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Hydrological Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF). Remote sensing is the science of obtaining information without being in direct contact with it. Remote sensing of the environment offers unique capabilities of spatial analysis and modeling of natural resources and the environment from regional to local scales. In conjunction with geographic information system (GIS) technology, remote sensing has powerful applications in watersheds. Laser altimetry, commonly known as light detection and ranging (LiDAR), is remote sensing technology that provides data relating to the three-dimensional habitat structure of both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The unprecedented level of detail and its potential to replace labor- and time-intensive field surveys make lidar of great interest. Because I will be investigating a variety of questions in my research plan, sampling locations will be located in streams and rivers in multiple watersheds throughout the state, as well as in select lakes and reservoirs. Streams will range from small headwater streams, to larger rivers such as the Cuyahoga, Mahoning, Sandusky and Maumee Rivers in the North; the Little Miami, Greater Miami, Muskingum, Hocking, Scioto, and Olentangy in the South, as well as the Ohio. Additionally, I plan to conduct fieldwork in other geographic regions including New England, the Northwest, and Puerto Rico. Some of my research questions may also involve international efforts. As part of my work, I will be sampling fish and other aquatic vertebrates, aquatic macroinvertebrates, as well as entire food webs. I will also be working extensively with waterbirds and riparian birds. In addition to the remote sensing and GIS-derived data for riparian zones, specific projects will likely require field inventories of vegetation as well. Where necessary stream physical habitat and water quality and chemistry measurements will be taken, following standard protocols.

Progress 06/01/09 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Efforts include graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching, development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences served by the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Environment and Natural Resources, from the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSU that were enrolled in Taxonomy and Behavior of Aquatic Invertebrates (23 students), Methods in Aquatic Ecology (21 students), Conservation and Management of Aquatic Populations (21 students), and Watershed Hydrology (17 students), 2- Graduate students (11) who are part of Dr. Sullivan's laboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (45) whom the principal investigators mentor as part of advising responsibilities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources, and 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to the Buckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which Dr. Sullivan serves as co-advisor). Changes/Problems: The only major change is that, because Objective 4 (investigating ecosystem/ecological services in aquatic ecosystems at multiple temporal and spatial scales) is embedded within Objectives 1-3, I have removed this as a major stand-alone objective. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Professional development activities included conference attendance and participation by a number of graduate students in Dr. Sullivan's laboratory (Freshwater Science, Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The importance of this work as well as partial findings were the focus of a science-based, hands-on "Day in the River" with St. Joseph's 7th and 8th grade STEM camp students from Columbus, Ohio, held at The Ohio State University's Shiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park in June 2014. Additionally, project components and findings have been integrated into multiple community and professional tours given at the Shiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A number of major activities were completed, including analyzing data and modeling food-web data at 12 river-riparian reaches in the Scioto-Olentangy River system (Objective 1), completing fish community surveys related to dam removal (Objective 2), and publishing research investigating impacts of land use across multiple spatial scales on linked fish-mussel assemblages in Darby Creek, OH (Objective 3). In addition to a change in knowledge for Objective 3 (reported in 2013 annual report), we have also shed light on the strong role human disurbances play in rivers by disrupting natural patterns in fish assemblages along the longitudinal course of the river system. Overall, the strong influences of non-randomly distributed human disturbances such as dams and urbanization appeared to govern fish diversity and assemblage composition. For objective 1, we have shown that changes in land use and land cover have strong effects on the ecologicaly and biogeochemical connections between rivers and their adjacent riparian zones. For example, we present evidence that riparian landscape composition can have pronounced effects on reciprocal fluxes of invertebrates in river-riparian systems, which have consequences for river fisheries, river-riparian biodiversity, and food webs. For Objective 2, our results suggest that dam removal acts as a pulse disturbance with quantitative short-term impacts on fish assemblages. Fish responses to dam removal likely operate along a temporal trajectory wherein short-term responses will be critical in shaping longer-term responses. More detailed changes in knowledge will be available upon publication of findings.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2014 Citation: Bey, C. and S.M.P. Sullivan. In Press. Associations between stream hydrogeomorphology and codependent mussel-fish assemblages: evidence from an Ohio, USA river system. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Goss, C.W., P.C. Goebel, and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2014. Shifts along agricultural-forest transitions of two streams in central Ohio, USA. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment 197:106-117.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Rowse, L., A.D. Rodewald, and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2014. Pathways and consequences of contaminant flux to Acadian Flycatchers (Empidonax virescens) in urbanizing landscapes of Ohio, USA. Science of the Total Environment 485-486: 461-467.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Dorobek, A.C., *Kautza, A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Short-term consequences of lowhead dam removal for river fish assemblages in an urban landscape. Oral. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Kautza, A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Shifts in fish-centered food webs along an urban-rural gradient in a Midwest US river system. Oral. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Rieck, L.O. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Short-term geomorphic change exerts strong effects on fish assemblage diversity and composition in small urban streams. Oral. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jackson, B.K. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Two decades of wildfire in Yosemite: patterns in aquatic-terrestrial food-web connectivity. Oral. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Kautza, A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Reciprocal river-riparian invertebrate fluxes along an urban-rural gradient. Oral. 3rd Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Rieck, L.O. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Urban-induced stream geomorphic adjustment alters aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblage density and composition. Oral. 3rd Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology, May 2014. Portland, OR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Dorobek, A.C., *A. Kautza, and S.M.P. Sullivan. Consequences of lowhead dam removal for river fish assemblages in an urban landscape: initial evidence. Poster. Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership Annual Meeting, Feb. 2014, OSU 4-H Center, Columbus, OH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Rieck, L.O. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Urban-induced geomorphic adjustment alters fish assemblage composition. Poster. Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Meeting, Feb. 2014. Columbus, OH.


Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Effortsinclude graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching,development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences servedby the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School ofNatural Resources, from the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSUthat were enrolled in Stream Ecology and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (73 total), 2- Graduate students (11) who are part of mylaboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (~20) whom I mentor as part of my advising responsibilitieswithin the School of Environment and Natural Resources, and 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to theBuckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which I serve as co-advisor). Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Professional development activities included conference attendance and participation by a number of graduate students in my laboratory (Freshwater Science, Society for Ecological Restoration, Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? I particapted on a public panel on dam removal in April, 2013 (Columbus, OH). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A number of major activities were completed, including completing food-web data collection at 12 river-riparian reaches in the Scioto-Olentangy River system (Objective 1), completing pre-dam removal surveys on fish communities (Objective 2), and completing research investigating impacts of land-use across multiple spatial scales on linked fish-mussel assemblages in Darby Creek, OH (Objective 3). A change in knowledge has now been accomplished for Objective 3. We found thatcollectively, environmental, spatial, and fish datasets explained significant variation observed in mussel assemblage structure. Thus, although fish have been shown to be strong predictors of mussel assemblages, in certain environmental contexts spatial and environmental factors at both fine and broad scales may be stronger determinants of mussel assemblage structure. These results are currently being prepared for publication. We anticipate using this information to inform conservation actions in this protected watershed. Accoplishments from other objectives will be reported in the final report (2014).

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Sullivan, S.M.P. 2013. Stream food web d13C and geomorphology tightly coupled in mountain drainages of northern Idaho. Freshwater Science 32: 606-621.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Meyer, L.A., and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2013. Bright lights, big city: influences of ecological light pollution on reciprocal stream-riparian invertebrate fluxes. Ecological Applications 23: 1322-1330.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Alberts, J.M., Sullivan, S.M.P. and *A. Kautza. 2013. Riparian swallows as integrators of landscape change in a multiuse river system: implications for aquatic-to-terrestrial transfers of contaminants. Science of the Total Environment 463-464: 42-50.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Meyer, L.A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Artificial night lighting alters urban riparian arthropod communities. Oral. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Rieck, L.O. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Urban-induced geomorphic adjustment alters stream fish diversity and abundance. Oral. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Tagwireyi, P. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Riverine landscape patches influence trophic dynamics of riparian ants and spiders. Poster. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Goss, C.W., P.C. Goebel, and S.M.P. Sullivan. Transitions in land cover, ecological thresholds, and restoration of stream ecosystems in agricultural landscapes. Oral. 5th Midwest-Great Lakes Society for Ecological Restoration Chapter Meeting 2013. Wooster, OH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Kautza, A.R. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Influences of land cover on reciprocal aquatic-terrestrial invertebrate fluxes: implications for biodiversity and riparian restoration in a multi-use river system. Oral. 5th Midwest-Great Lakes Society for Ecological Restoration Chapter Meeting 2013. Wooster, OH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Meyer, L.A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Influences of ecological light pollution on stream-riparian diversity: implications for restoration. Oral. 5th Midwest-Great Lakes Society for Ecological Restoration Chapter Meeting 2013. Wooster, OH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Goss, C.W., P.C. Goebel, and S.M.P. Sullivan. Aquatic-terrestrial linkages in remnant forest patches: implications for conservation and restoration of headwater streams in agricultural landscapes. Oral. RegioResources 21 Conference - A cross-disciplinary dialogue on sustainable development of regional resources, 2013. Catania, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Rowse, L.M., A.D. Rodewald, and S.M.P. Sullivan. Oral. Reproductive consquences of mercury to Acadian Flycathers (Empidonax virescens) in urbanizing landscapes of Ohio, USA. Joint Meeting of the American Ornithological Union and Cooper Ornithological Society 2013. Chicago, IL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Goss, C.W., P.C. Goebel, and S.M.P. Sullivan. Transitions in land cover lead to ecological thresholds in stream ecosystems. Oral. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Jackson, B.K. and S.M.P. Sullivan. The role of wildfire in shaping structure and function of linked aquatic-terrestrial food webs in Yosemite National Park, CA, USA. Oral. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Kautza A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. Influences of riparian land cover on reciprocal aquatic-terrestrial invertebrate fluxes in a large multi-use river system. Oral. Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2013. Jacksonville, FL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Rieck, L.O., and S.M.P. Sullivan. Ecological-geomorphic linkages in urban streams: implications for restoration. Oral. 5th Midwest-Great Lakes Society for Ecological Restoration Chapter Meeting 2013. Wooster, OH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Midwest-Great Lakes Society for Ecological Restoration Meeting: Ecological Restoration and Sustainability  Partners for the Future. April 2013. Evaluating Linked Geomorphic-ecological Responses to Dam Removal." (with K. Jaeger).


Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: To address Objective 1, I continued research examining riverine food webs. I have completed three seasons of fieldwork at sites along the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers (OH), representing a gradient of urban to rural landscapes. At each site, coordinated surveys of fish, birds, invertebrates, amphibians, and autotrophs have been conducted. Tissue samples from all taxa are being examined to trace aquatic-terrestrial energy flows and movement of nutrients via stable isotope analysis. Detailed habitat surveys have also conducted at each site. An additional component of this project addresses aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant pathways (heavy metals), using aquatic emergent insects, riparian spiders, ants, and swallows as endpoint measures. I also completed a project relating to the effects of ecological light pollution on urban streams. To address Objectives 2 and 3, I am working in the Darby River basin investigating how environmental factors at different spatial scales influence stream darter and mussel assemblages and in the Scioto Basin investigating landscape influences on riverine landscape patch dynamics. Additionally, I am working on a project in which we are propagating rare darter species for reintroduction into Ohio streams. All of the above projects relate to Objective 4. Teaching activities include teaching upper-level undergrad/grad classes Stream Ecology (spring) and Taxonomy and Behavior of Aquatic Invertebrates (autumn), as well as numerous independent studies. I advised and mentored ~25 undergrads and 14 grad students in 2011. Products related to my objectives have primarily been curriculum development and implementation. I have participated in the implementation of an updated curriculum for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. I developed a new class in aquatic invertebrate taxonomy and have continued to modify Stream Ecology to accommodate additional students. Additional products include serving on graduate committees of multiple graduate students, collaborative activities related to teaching and research with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio EPA, and developing international collaborations with colleagues in Lithuania and Argentina. I had two MS students and 1 MENR student graduate in August 2012. Events include multiple conferences, including annual meetings of the OH Fish and Wildlife Management Association, Society for Freshwater Science, EcoSummit, and the Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership, where I and/or my students presented scientific talks. I provided logistical support including student assistance and equipment for a Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Workshop (OSU Watershed Extension) held in May. My lab also participated in University recruitment events by providing a natural history of streams demonstration (April and May). We also gave a fish and macroinvertebrate survey methods demonstration for OSU FABE hydrology students in November. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Mazeika Sullivan is the PI on the project. He is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. PI Sullivan is the lead on all aspects of the project, and is responsible for field and laboratory research activities, teaching, mentoring and advising both undergraduates and graduates, serving on graduate theses and dissertation committees, organizing lab participation in outreach activities such as workshops and demonstrations, and in disseminating information. Graduate students receiving stipends in 2012 include Adam Kautza (PhD), Lars Meyers (MS), Jeremy Alberts (MS), Leslie Rieck (PhD), Breezy Jackson (PhD), Kristi Harraman (MS), Kristen Shearer (MS), Alexander Masheter (MS) and Chuck Goss (PhD). The research of all of these students relates to stream/river ecology and/or fisheries science. Adam Kautza has been part of the lab since the outset of the project and has conducted significant fieldwork related to Objectives 1 and 2, and represented the lab in both the macroinvertebrate and fish ID workshops. He is now continuing on as a Ph.D. student his research primarily addresses parts of all four objectives. Lars Meyer joined PI Sullivan's lab in September 2009 and worked on field research primarily related to Objective 2 until his graduate in August, 2012. He now works as a research assistant. Jeremy Alberts began in the lab in July 2010 and graduated in August 2012, and worked on contaminant transfers (Objective 1). Leslie Rieck and Breezy Jackson joined the lab in the fall of 2010 - their research addresses Objectives 1, 2 and 3. Kristi Harraman joined the lab in the summer of 2010 and her work propagating darters addresses Objective 2. Clarissa Bey joined the lab in 2011 and her work also addresses Objective 2 as well as Objective 3. Chuck Goss also joined the lab in 2011 and his research addresses Objectives 1 and 4. Kristen Shearer and Alexander Masheter joined the lab in the fall of 2012 and their research addresses Objectives 1, 3, and 4. Paradzayi Tagwireyi is a Fulbright Scholar from Zimbabwe and has been a collaborator on the project, joining the lab as a PhD student in September and working on research related to Objective 3. Training opportunities include scientific training for the above-mentioned graduate students as well as a number of undergraduate students who have gained laboratory and field skills through participation in project activities, including many students from the Buckeye Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. TARGET AUDIENCES: Efforts have been discussed in the previous section and include graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching, development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences served by the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Natural Resources, from the college of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSU that were enrolled in Stream Ecology and Taxonomy and Behavior of Aquatic Invertebrates (63 total), 2- Graduate students (14) who are part of my laboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (~25) whom I mentor as part of my advising responsibilities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources, 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to the Buckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which I serve as advisor), 5- Elementary students from various area schools who participated in the Macroinvertebrate Workshop, and 6- High school students that participated in University recruitment events related to natural history demonstrations of stream and river ecosystems. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Summary: Ecosystem-level conservation and management strategies of river-riparian ecosystems will promote functional, process-based approaches to long-term sustainability of watersheds and the host of ecosystem services associated with these critical ecosystems. Situation: Streams, rivers, and their watershed landscapes are repositories of biodiversity and provide a suite of critical ecological, social, and economic services. However, globally-common stressors such as land-use change (e.g., urbanization, conversion of forest to agriculture, etc.) are increasingly threatening the ecological integrity of these ecosystems, and in turn, their capacity to provision ecosystem services. Response: OARDC/OSU scientists are conducting research to understand the ecological connections between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and how land-use change influences river-riparian ecosystems in order to develop conservation strategies and protect biodiversity, fisheries, and other key ecosystem services. Impact: Results from this research are increasingly pointing to the need to address river and riparian systems as linked ecosystems, spurring the development of research and assessment methodologies that incorporate full riverscapes and riverine landscapes, as well as the larger catchment context. Information learned from this research is being used to refine stream and river habitat (towards the development of stratified assessment protocols based on stream size and valley type) and geomorphic assessment protocols (e.g., separate protocols for urban vs forested systems) for Ohio streams and to target the spatial scale(s) at which land-use change most influences riverine biota and ecosystems. Through publications, relationships with the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and other organizations; and teaching and outreach activities, these research efforts will lead to increased conservation of fisheries and river-riparian ecosystems.

Publications

  • Kautza, A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2012. Using a process-based watershed-scale model for enhancing field-based stream assessments and predicting stream fish assemblages. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 22: 511-525.
  • Cianfrani, C.M., Sullivan, S.M.P., Hession, C.W., and M.C. Watzin. 2012. A multitaxonomic approach to understanding local- versus watershed-scale influences on stream biota in the Lake Champlain Basin, Vermont. River Research and Applications 28: 973-988.
  • Kautza, A. and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2012. Relative effects of local- and landscape-scale environmental factors on stream fish assemblages: evidence from Ohio and Idaho, USA. Fundamental and Applied Limnology 180: 249-258.
  • Jackson, B.J., Sullivan, S.M.P., and Malison, R. 2012. Wildfire severity mediates fluxes of plant material and terrestrial invertebrates to mountain streams. Forest Ecology and Management 278: 27-34.
  • Sullivan, S.M.P. and A.D. Rodewald. 2012. In a state of flux: the energetic pathways that move contaminants from aquatic to terrestrial environments (Invited). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry / SETAC 31: 1-9.


Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: To address Objective 1, I continued research examining riverine food webs. I have completed two seasons of fieldwork at sites along the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers (OH), representing a gradient of urban to rural landscapes. At each site, coordinated surveys of fish, birds, invertebrates, amphibians, and autotrophs have been conducted. Tissue samples from all taxa will be used to trace aquatic-terrestrial energy flows and movement of nutrients via stable isotope analysis. Detailed habitat surveys were also conducted at each site. An additional component of this project addresses aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant pathways (heavy metals), using aquatic emergent insects, riparian spiders, ants, and swallows as endpoint measures. I also continued a project related to the effects of ecological light pollution on urban streams. To address Objectives 2 and 3, I completed a project investigating how (1) environmental factors at different spatial scales influence stream fish assemblages, and (2) stream sedimentation affects structural and functional components of stream fishes. I also started a new project in which I am considering how land-use change to urbanization influences stream geomorphology and, in turn, fish assemblages and functional aspects of stream ecosystems (e.g., carbon transfer). Additionally, I am working on a project in which we are propagating rare darter species for reintroduction into Ohio streams. All of the above projects relate to Objective 4. Teaching activities include teaching upper-level undergrad/grad classes Stream Ecology (spring) and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (autumn), as well as numerous independent studies. I advised and mentored 25-35 undergrads and 11 grad students in 2011. Products related to my objectives have primarily been curriculum development and implementation. I have developed an updated curriculum for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. I continue to revise our current Methods in Aquatic Ecology class to emphasize field and laboratory methods and experimental design, and have modified Stream Ecology to accommodate additional students. Additional products include serving on graduate committees of multiple graduated students, collaborative activities related to teaching and research with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio EPA, and developing international collaborations with colleagues in Lithuania and Argentina. I also had one MS student graduate in June 2011. Events include multiple conferences, including annual meetings of the OH Fish and Wildlife Management Association, AFS, ASLO, and the Ohio Biodiversity Conservation Partnership, where I and/or my students presented scientific talks. I also gave invited talks to OSU EEOB and at a special Riverscape Symposium at AFS. I provided logistical support including student assistance and equipment for a Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Workshop (OSU Watershed Extension) held in May. My lab also conducted a fish and macroinvertebrate survey methods demonstration for OSU FABE hydrology students in November. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Mazeika Sullivan is the PI on the project. He is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the The Ohio State University. PI Sullivan is the lead on all aspects of the project, and is responsible for field and laboratory research activities, teaching, mentoring and advising both undergraduates and graduates, serving on graduate theses and dissertation committees, organizing lab participation in outreach activities such as workshops and demonstrations, and in disseminating information. Graduate students receiving stipends include Adam Kautza (PhD), Lars Meyers (MS), Jeremy Alberts (MS), Leslie Rieck (PhD), Breezy Jackson (PhD), and Kristi Harraman (MS). The research of all of these students relates to stream/river ecology and fisheries science. Adam Kautza has been part of the lab since the outset of the project and has conducted significant fieldwork related to Objectives 1 and 2, and represented the lab in both the macroinvertebrate and fish ID workshops. Lars Meyer joined PI Sullivan's lab in September, 2009 and has been working on field research primarily related to Objective 2. Jeremy Alberts began in the lab in July 2010, and has been working on contaminant transfers (Objective 1). Leslie Rieck and Breezy Jackson joined the lab in the fall of 2010 - their research addresses Objectives 1 and 3. Kristi Harraman joined the lab in the summer of 2010 and her work propagating darters addresses Objective 2. Paradzayi Tagwireyi is a Fulbright Scholar from Zimbabwe and has been a collaborator on the project, joining the lab as a PhD student in September and working on research related to Objective 3. Training opportunities include scientific training for the above-mentioned graduate students as well as a number of undergraduate students who have gained laboratory and field skills through participation in project activities, including many students from the Buckeye Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. TARGET AUDIENCES: Efforts have been discussed in the previous section and include graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching, development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences served by the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Natural Resources, from the college of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSU that were enrolled in Stream Ecology and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (50 total), 2- Graduate students (11) who are part of my laboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (~30) whom I mentor as part of my advising responsibilities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources, 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to the Buckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which I serve as advisor), 5- Elementary students from various area schools who participated in the Macroinvertebrate Workshop. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Work from the past year has brought about changes in knowledge, particularly related to methods and techniques, improved skills, and knowledge that will be incorporated into publications. Results from my research are increasingly pointing to the need to modify stream habitat assessments to address linked aquatic-terrestrial systems, spurring the development of an assessment methodology that incorporates full riverscapes. Additionally, I have been refining methodology based on the Ohio Qualitative Habitat Evaluations Index (QHEI) towards the development of stratified assessment protocols based on stream size and valley type. I have also been developing geomorphic assessment protocols for Ohio streams, as well as specific geomorphic protocols for urban systems. I have continued to improve my skills in identifying fish, aquatic insects, birds and plants unique to the region. I have also improved skills related to ecosystem modeling, particularly related to the use and interpretation of structural equation modeling (SEM), which contributed to a publication in a top ecological journal. I have also been involved in several statistical consulting sessions to improve my statistical skills (e.g., GLMs, program R). I have continued to improve skills related to the development and use of class websites, online learning management systems (e.g., Carmen), and statistical programs for use in the classroom. I have started to apply these new techniques and skills in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom, representing important changes of actions for both myself and my students. I have shared some aspects of new assessment protocols and statistical approaches with colleagues and in seminars, representing a potential change in action by participants. I have continued to develop productive relationships with ODNR and OEPA and have developed interactive laboratories for my classes with these colleagues. Through a grant from ODNR, I have begun to improve and equip a Wet Lab, which will be dedicated to field and laboratory research related to aquatic ecosystems, thereby beginning the first steps in a change in condition. Over the course of the year, I have continued to generate some important fundamental knowledge that will be included in future publications: 1. Demonstrated the landscape characteristics strongly influence the dynamics of aquatic-energy transfers of carbon, nitrogen, and contaminants. 2. Illustrated that human-induced activities can reshape macroecological environment-fish relationships. 3. Collected preliminary evidence that indicates that urban light pollution may significantly influence patterns of stream-riparian biodiversity.

Publications

  • Sullivan, S.M.P. and K.T. Vierling. 2011 (In press). Exploring spatially-explicit environmental linkages in mountain watersheds with the American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus). Ecography.


Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: To address Objective 1, I continued research examining riverine food webs. I have completed one season of fieldwork at sites along the Scioto River (OH), representing a gradient of urban to rural landscapes. At each site, coordinated surveys of fish, birds, invertebrates, amphibians, and autotrophs have been conducted. Tissue samples from all taxa will be used to trace aquatic-terrestrial energy flows and movement of nutrients via stable isotope analysis. Detailed habitat surveys were also conducted at each site. An additional component of this project addresses aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant pathways (mercury, atrazine, and dieldrin), using aquatic emergent insects, riparian spiders, ants, and swallows as endpoint measures. I also started a project related to the effects of ecological light pollution on urban streams (within the Columbus, OH metropolitan area). To address Objectives 2 and 3, I have focused on exploring how 1) environmental factors at different spatial scales influence stream fish assemblages, and 2) stream sedimentation affects structural and functional components of stream fishes. Progress to date includes completion of fish and habitat surveys at stream reaches representing a range of land uses from urban to forested, distributed across thirteen counties in southern and central OH. Using a GIS, landscape metrics relative to land use and land cover have been generated. At the regional level, climatic and precipitation data have been collected for all study sites. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is being used to quantify the impact of land management practices on these streams. All of the above projects relate to Objective 4. Teaching activities include teaching upper-level undergrad/grad classes Stream Ecology (spring) and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (autumn), as well as numerous independent studies. I advised and mentored 24 undergrads and 10 grad students in 2010. Products related to my objectives have primarily been curriculum development and implementation. I have developed an updated curriculum for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. I continue to revise our current Methods in Aquatic Ecology class to emphasize field and laboratory methods and experimental design. Additional products include serving on graduate committees of multiple graduated students, collaborative activities related to teaching and research with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio EPA, and new international collaborations with colleagues in Lithuania and Argentina. Events include multiple conferences, including annual meetings of the OH Fish and Wildlife Management Association, AFS, ESA, and Societas Linguistica Europaea, where I and/or my students presented scientific talks. I also attended the annual meeting of the Ohio AFS, and gave invited talks to Ohio EPA and to the Vilnius Ecological Institute, Lithuania. I provided logistical support including student assistance and equipment for a Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Workshop (OSU Watershed Extension) held in May. My lab also conducted a fish and macroinvertebrate survey methods demonstration for OSU FABE hydrology students in November. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Mazeika Sullivan is the PI on the project. He is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the The Ohio State University. PI Sullivan is the lead on all aspects of the project, and is responsible for field and laboratory research activities, teaching, mentoring and advising both undergraduates and graduates, serving on graduate theses and dissertation committees, organizing lab participation in outreach activities such as workshops and demonstrations, and in disseminating information. Graduate students receiving stipends include Adam Kautza (MS), Lars Meyers (MS), Jeremy Alberts (MS), Kristi Harraman (MS), Leslie Rieck (PhD), and Breeanne Jackson (PhD). Graduate research of all these students relates to fisheries and/or aquatic sciences. Adam Kautza has been part of the lab since the outset of the project and has conducted significant fieldwork related to Objectives 1 and 2, and represented the lab in both the macroinvertebrate and fish ID workshops. Lars Meyer joined PI Sullivan's lab in September 2009 and has been working on field research primarily related to Objective 1. Paradzayi Tagwireyi is a Fulbright Scholar from Zimbabwe and has also been collaborating on the project, joining the lab in September and working on research related to Objectives 3 and 4. Kristi Harraman joined the lab in June, and her research relates to Objective 2. Jeremy Alberts, Leslie Rieck, and Breeanne Jackson began in September, and are working on research pertaining to Objectives 1 and 3. Training opportunities include scientific training for the above mentioned graduate students as well as a number of undergraduate students who have gained laboratory and field skills through participation in project activities, including many students from the Buckeye Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. TARGET AUDIENCES: Efforts have been discussed in the previous section and include graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching, development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences served by the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Natural Resources, from the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSU that were enrolled in Stream Ecology and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (44 total), 2- Graduate students (10) who are part of my laboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (24) whom I mentor as part of my advising responsibilities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources, 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to the Buckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which I serve as advisor), 5- Aquatic/environmental professionals (both national and international) that were audiences at scientific meetings, 6- Elementary students from various area schools who participated in the Macroinvertebrate Workshop. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Work from the past year has brought about changes in knowledge, particularly related to methods and techniques, improved skills, and knowledge that will be incorporated into publications, presentations, education, and outreach. I have continued refining the development of assessment methodology that incorporates riparian zones as part of stream ecosystems. Additionally, I have been developing biologically-linked stream geomorphic assessment protocols for use in urban systems, based on field research conducted in the Columbus Metropolitan Area. In time, I anticipate that these urban protocols will be refined and made available to urban planners and watershed groups. Over the course of the last year, I have honed my skills in identifying fish, birds, and invertebrates unique to the region. My work on larger river systems has also spurred a number of new methodological advances related to surveys and collections of organisms in rivers. I have also improved skills related to ecosystem modeling, particularly related to the use and interpretation of structural equation modeling (SEM), the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), and Isosource Mixing Models (for stable isotope analysis). In the classroom, I have continued to develop skills related to the development and use of class websites and online learning management systems (e.g., Carmen). I have started to apply all of these new techniques and skills in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom, representing important changes of actions for both me and those in my laboratory. I have shared components of the new assessment protocols and analytical techniques with colleagues and students, representing a potential change in action by participants. Over the course of the year, I have generated some important fundamental knowledge that will be included in future publications and presentations: 1. Demonstrated that riverine food webs significantly differ between urban and rural landscapes. 2. Illustrated that broad-scale environmental factors (at the regional and landscape scales) can be more influential than local-scale environmental factors on stream fish assemblages. 3: Preliminary evidence suggests that urban light may heavily influence stream biodiversity and function.

Publications

  • Cianfrani, C.M., Sullivan, S.M.P., Hession, C.W., and M.C. Watzin. 2010. A multitaxonomic approach to understanding local- versus watershed-scale influences on stream biota in the Lake Champlain Basin, Vermont. River Research and Applications. DOI:10.1002/rra.1470
  • Sullivan, S.M.P. and B. Joseph. 2010. Learning from the Past: An Ecolinguistic Approach to Reconstructing and Predicting Biocomplexity in Lithuanian Watersheds. Societas Linguistica Europaea 43rd Annual Meeting Book of Abstracts, Vilnius, Lithuania (p. 1-233).


Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: To address Objective 1, I began research examining riverine food webs. To date, 9 river sites along the Scioto River (OH) have been selected, representing a gradient of urban to rural landscapes. Preliminary field surveys have been conducted, state and federal permitting obtained, and ACUC protocols submitted and approved. A project on smaller streams was also started, using greenhouse-like structure to experimentally control the flow of energy between stream and riparian zones. To address Objectives 2 and 3, I have focused on exploring how environmental factors at different spatial scales influence stream fish assemblages. Progress to date includes site selection of stream reaches representing a range of land uses from urban to forested, distributed across thirteen counties in southern and central OH. At each stream reach, fish assemblages have been surveyed and geomorphic, in-stream habitat, and riparian measurement and assessments completed. For Objective 4, I traveled to South Africa and Botswana in February to begin collaborative research, where I conducted fieldwork relating to environmental quality of riverine wetlands and avian influenza prevalence and distribution in waterbirds. Additionally, a Zimbabwean Fulbright student began as a PhD student in my lab, investigating role of fish in mediating transmission of malaria and West Nile Virus. Teaching activities include teaching an upper-level undergraduate/graduate class, Stream Ecology, during the 2009 Spring Quarter (enrollment 23). I also taught upper-level undergrad/grad class, Methods in Aquatic Ecology, during the 2009 Fall Quarter (enrollment 21). I have advised and mentored 13 undergrads in 2009. Products related to my objectives have primarily been curriculum development and implementation. I proposed and developed a new course, Stream Ecology - an upper-level undergrad/grad class that filled a critical curricular gap relating to the ecology, management, and conservation of running water ecosystems. I revised our current Methods in Aquatic Ecology class to emphasize field and laboratory methods and experimental design, as well as statistical analysis and interpretation. Additional curricular activities include developing a new Fisheries Science curriculum that reflects a broader and more integrative approach. Additional products include serving on graduate committee of Sara Kallio (FABE, graduated 12/09, MS), collaborative activities related to teaching with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, and new international collaborations with colleagues in SA and Zimbabwe. Events include workshop participation as an expert in the OSU - Gahanna Lincoln High School Curriculum Infusion Workshop (Sept. 11) designed to address knowledge gaps and infuse curriculum related to watershed health. I provided logistical support including student assistance and equipment for Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Workshop (OSU Watershed Extension) held at Clear Creek Metro Park, June 3rd. 7 students participated in the workshop, learning to identify macroinvertebrates to the family level. My lab also participated in a fish ID demonstration for 3/4 graders at Alum Creek through Franklin County SWCD on June 26th. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Mazeika Sullivan is the PI on the project. He is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the The Ohio State University. PI Sullivan is the lead on all aspects of the project, and is responsible for field and laboratory research activities, teaching, mentoring and advising both undergraduates and graduates, serving on graduate theses and dissertation committees, organizing lab participation in outreach activities such as workshops and demonstrations, and in disseminating information. Graduate students receiving stipends include Adam Kautza and Lars Meyers. Both of these students are MS students whose graduate research relates to stream/river ecology and fisheries science. Adam Kautza has been part of the lab since the outset of the project and has conducted significant fieldwork related to Objectives 1 and 2, and represented the lab in both the macroinvertebrate and fish ID workshops. Adam Kautza also attended a SWAT training workshop at Texas A&M University. Lars Meyer joined PI Sullivan's lab in September, 2009 and has been working on field research primarily related to Objective 2. Paradzayi Tagwireyi is a Fulbright Scholar from Zimbabwe and has been a collaborator on the project, joining the lab as a PhD student in September and working on research related to Objective 3. Dr. Graeme Cumming from the University Of Cape Town, South Africa has been a collaborator on the project, hosting PI Sullivan in southern Africa and guiding preliminary research in the region related to Objective 4. Training opportunities include scientific training for the above mentioned graduate students as well as a number of undergraduate students who have gained laboratory and field skills through participation in project activities, including many students from the Buckeye Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. TARGET AUDIENCES: Efforts have been discussed in the previous section and include graduate student instruction and training, undergraduate mentoring and teaching, development of curriculum, and various outreach activities including workshops and demonstrations. Target audiences served by the project through these activities include the following: 1- Undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Natural Resources, from the college of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences and from other colleges within OSU that were enrolled in Stream Ecology and Methods in Aquatic Ecology (44 total), 2- Graduate students (4) who are part of my laboratory and research program, 3- Undergraduate students (13) whom I mentor as part of my advising responsibilities within the School of Environment and Natural Resources, 4- Undergraduate and graduate students who belong to the Buckeye Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (for which I serve as advisor), 5- Secondary school teachers from Gahanna-Lincoln High School who participated in the Watershed Curriculum Infusion Workshop (~10), 6- Elementary students from various area schools who participated in the Macroinvertebrate Workshop (7), and 7- Gifted and talented 3-6 graders from Westerville Elementary Schools students who participated in the Fish Demonstration. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Work from the past year has brought about changes in knowledge, particularly related to methods and techniques, improved skills, and knowledge that will be incorporated into publications. As an integral part of my research, I use stream and river assessments to help characterize ecosystem habitat quality. Currently, the majority of these assessments are based on in-stream (aquatic) characteristics related to habitat heterogeneity. However, results from my research are increasingly pointing to linked aquatic-terrestrial systems, spurring the development of assessment methodology that incorporates riparian zones as a linked mechanistic component. Additionally, I have been refining methodology based on the Ohio Qualitative Habitat Evaluations Index (QHEI) in the development of stratified assessment protocols based on stream size and valley type. I have also been developing geomorphic assessment protocols for Ohio streams and rivers. Having recently moved to Ohio, I have improved my skills in identifying fish unique to the region. I have also improved skills related to ecosystem modeling, particularly related to the use and interpretation of structural equation modeling (SEM). In the class, I have improved skills related to the development and use of class websites and online learning management systems (e.g., Carmen). I was able to send one of my graduate students to a training workshop to learn the basic operations of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modeling software (Feb. 23-24, Texas A&M University). He has since used this training to educate my entire lab as well as in classroom activities. I have started to apply both these new techniques and skills in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom, representing important changes of actions for both me and those in my laboratory. I have shared some aspects of new assessment protocols with colleagues and in workshops, representing a potential change in action by participants. For example, I presented stream assessment methodology at a secondary teacher watershed training workshop in which I participated. Over the course of the year, I have generated some important fundamental knowledge that will be included in future publications: 1. Demonstrated the landscape characteristics strongly influence the dynamics of aquatic-energy transfers. 2. Illustrated that human-induced activities can reshape macroecological environment-fish relationships. 3. Preliminary evidence suggests that riverine biodiversity shifts in a predictable way from urban to rural landscapes.

Publications

  • Sullivan, S.M.P. and M.C. Watzin. 2009. Towards a functional understanding of the role of sediment aggradation on stream fish condition. River Research and Applications. DOI: 10.1002/rra.1336.
  • Sullivan, S.M.P. and K.T. Vierling. 2009. Experimental and ecological implications of evening bird surveys in stream-riparian ecosystems. Environmental Management 44: 789-799.
  • Jackson, B.J., and S.M.P. Sullivan. 2009. Influence of wildfire severity on riparian plant community heterogeneity in an Idaho, USA wilderness. Forest Ecology and Management. 259(1): 24-32.
  • Cianfrani, C.M., S.M.P. Sullivan, W.C. Hession, and M.C. Watzin. 2009. Mixed stream channel morphologies: implications for fish community diversity. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 19(2): 147-156.
  • Sullivan, S.M.P, and M.C. Watzin. 2009. Stream-floodplain connectivity and fish assemblage diversity in the Champlain Valley, VT. Journal of Fish Biology 74(7): 1394-1418.