Progress 10/01/14 to 01/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) and the greater University of Michigan (UM): To faculty, staff, and students of UMBS and UM, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) (preliminary) results. Communications were through formal presentations (see presentations, #2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) and informal discussions. The purpose of these communications was, in part, to attract interest, expertise, and labor to the project, to aid in building capacity at UM for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research (project goal #3). Students are a specific target audience for the project, because research opportunities provide experiential learning opportunities while advancing the project towards its goals. At UMBS and UM, mechanisms are in place for recruiting students, including from diverse backgrounds and from groups underrepresented in science. From project beginning to end, a total of 27 undergraduate and graduate students (12 during year two of the project) contributed to the project, including 15 females, 12 males, and three underrepresented minorities. Great Lakes region science and management community: To academia, government, and industry, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project and (ii) (preliminary) results. Communications were through one manuscript (submitted to Geoderma for peer-review publication), one honor's thesis, formal presentations (see products #1, 5, 9, 10, 12, 18) and informal discussions. The purpose of these communications, beyond disseminating new knowledge, is to receive feedback from potential users of data for the design of future experiments (either at the plot scale or whole watershed scale) that test for effects of forest management practices on water quantity and quality. It is the intention that these discussions (i) ensure that future research conducted is relevant to management and policy and (ii) develop relationships that facilitate funding of future experiments. Changes/Problems:In the proposal, project goal #1 was to establish paired "small watershed studies", and we identified two adjacent candidate watersheds. The north watershed, now called Honeysuckle Creek watershed, was selected for study. The south watershed, with an unnamed tributary for Burt Lake, was ultimately not selected for study. While the uplands of this latter watershed are on UMBS property, the lowlands (east of W. Burt Lake Rd.) are private property and upon site reconnaissance it was discovered (i) hydric soils have been excavated and replaced by gravel for driveways and cottages foundations and (ii) hydrology is altered by culverts that channelize the stream and sump pumps that move water from saturated soils to Burt Lake. Because development of the south watershed could confound efforts to study effects of forest management practices on water quantity and quality, we decided to exclude this watershed from study and to concentrate our efforts on the Honeysuckle Creek watershed. This decision has allowed us to construct and deploy a more robust wireless sensor network for the Honeysuckle Creek watershed than would have been otherwise possible (with a constrained budget). Successful deployment and operation of the wireless sensor network will provide proof-of-concept for using this novel technology for "small watershed" studies. We are currently exploring, via GIS and site reconnaissance, other watersheds on UMBS property that may be appropriate sites, and will apply for further funding to expand our study design. The wireless sensor network has been constructed and deployed to Honeysuckle Creek watershed, however, there are problems with some of the data. Date and time stamps are not consistent among nodes, and there is a firmware problem with the temp/Rh sensors. It is the responsibility of co-PI to Kerkez to fix these problems, after which we will create a user-friendly web interface for visualizing and sharing data from the wireless sensor network. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The science activities for the project have provided experiential learning opportunities for students and stff at UMBS, UM, and other institutions. Students and staff were involved in all activities for project goals #1 and 2 described in the above sub-section and included (during year two): UROP - Katlyn Hogan, Lizy Michaelson, Elliot Nichols, Erin Rodewald REU - Carrie Beemon, Margaret Conley Other students - Matthew Bartos, (Ph.D.), Rich Fiorella (Ph.D.), Kevin Fries (Ph.D.), Katy Hofmeister (Ph.D.), Gabby Kitch (B.S.), Raleigh Ricart (Ph.D.) Staff - Shelly Hudson, Jim Le Moine, Jason Tallant, Renee Veresh, Tim Veverica How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Via formal presentations and informal discussions to/with target audiences, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) (preliminary) results. For further details, see sections on Target audience and Products. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
(1) Establish paired "small watershed" studies at the University of Michigan Biological Station for research and monitoring of hydrologic and chemical inputs, outputs, and net change. During year one of the study, we (i) selected one (not paired; see Changes/Problems) site for establishing a "small watershed" study, (ii) began to characterize hydrology and ecosystem components, and (iii) constructed and installed a wireless sensor network to thereafter continuously monitor hydrology. The site chosen was the Honeysuckle Creek watershed, a first-order watershed on a large interlobate moraine draining eastward into Burt Lake. The watershed is entirely on UMBS property and consists of (along a continuum from uplands to lowlands) of mesic deciduous forest, wet-mesic mixed deciduous-conifer forest, and mixed deciduous-conifer swamp forest. The topographical boundary of the watershed was delineated by GIS from a digital elevation model. To delineate the phreatic (groundwater) boundary of the watershed, we installed transects of piezometers (shallow monitoring wells) along N-S transects that allow us to measure depth to the water table. Honeysuckle Creek is a first-order stream with perennial reaches alternating with intermittent reaches in uplands; and continuous flow in time and space in lowlands. Parshall flumes were installed at three locations along the stream (in each of the above forest types) to measure stream discharge. To characterize ecosystem components we revisited permanent plots established by Pearsall, Barnes, and others in the 1980s and 1990s and created new N-S transects that spanned the W-E orientation of the watershed, to describe above- and belowground biomass, soils and parent material, and quantify chemical stocks therein. Finally, we constructed and deployed a wireless sensor network in Honeysuckle Creek watershed for continuously measuring climate, hydrology (discharge, water table depth or soil moisture, snow depth) and ecosystem function. The fundamental technology of the wireless sensor network is the NeoMote (Metronome Systems), a tiny, ultralow-power radio operated by a microcontroller and featuring analog and digital interfaces to which sensors can be connected. A NeoMote and its sensors are termed a "node", and nodes exchange information wirelessly with neighboring node, until a base station is reached that transmits data. In Honeysuckle Creek watershed, there are ten nodes. Seven nodes are "forest" nodes that are paired with permanent plots that represent the three major forest ecosystem types in the watershed. Three nodes are "stream" nodes that are strategically located along Honeysuckle Creek to monitor discharge and water quality associated with each of the three major ecosystem types in the watershed. During year two of the study: (i) We automated continuous measurements of hydrology (discharge, water table depth or soil moisture, snow depth) with sensors at nodes of the wireless sensor network and along N-S transects of piezometers. (ii) We applied for funding (NSF) with Valeriy Ivanov (Associate Professor, UM CEE) for a project that will characterize the water budget of Honeysuckle Creek watershed , with the use of PFLOTRAN. Because of the complexity of glacial deposits that overlay porous bedrock, we do not have estimates of (deep) water storage in the watershed. PFLOTRAN will allow for estimates of water storage through time, which we can test empirically with shallow and deep monitoring wells. (iii) We have not yet created a user-friendly web interface for visualizing and sharing data from the wireless sensor network (see Changes/Problems). (2) Use the calibrated watersheds for research for initial research on the movement of mercury from atmosphere to watershed to surface water, including interactions with carbon cycling. (i) In conjunction with the sampling of permanent plots and N-S transects (see above), we continued to quantify mercury and carbib stocks in above- and belowground biomass, soils and parent material. A manuscript (in review) has resulted from this work. (ii) We studied the movement of mercury from atmosphere to Honeysuckle Creek watershed to Burt Lake via measurement of (a) inputs from the atmosphere to the watershed and (b) outputs from the watershed to Burt Lake. Measurements of inputs included continuous analysis of mercury (in elemental, oxidized, and particulate forms) in ambient air at our AMNet site, weekly analysis of mercury in precipitation collected at our NADP MDN site, and seasonal analysis of mercury in litterfall. Measurements of outputs consisted of weekly analysis of streamwater collected at the mouth of Honeysuckle Creek. Ultimately, to close the budget, we also have to estimate the output of mercury to Burt Lake via non-channelized (groundwater) flow. We have repeated measurements of mercury concentrations in groundwater, but do not yet have reliable estimates of groundwater flow to Burt Lake. It is anticipated that one or more manuscripts will result from this research. (3) Build capacity at UM for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research. The activities described above to meet project goals #1 and 2 represent important steps towards building capacity for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research at UM. Towards project goal #3, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) (preliminary) results to UMBS and UM faculty, staff, and students, to attract interest, expertise, and labor to the project. We also communicated the (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project and (ii) (preliminary) results to the Great Lakes region science and management community to receive feedback to ensure that future research conducted is relevant to management and policy and to develop relationships that facilitate funding of future experiments. We also wrote and submitted five grant applications to support future experiments.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
18) Hofmeister, K., L. E. Nave, P. E. Drevnick, and M. T. Walter. Topographic wetness indices, soil moisture, and water table dynamics identify hydrologic flow paths in a forest wetland. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 12-16, 2016.
17) Nave, L. Physiographic factors control carbon distribution and biogeochemical cycling in a glaciated northern forest landscape. UM EEB Seminar, September 22, 2016.
16) Conley, M. Mercury and carbon storage and transport across the upland-wetland interface. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium, University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, August 18, 2016.
15) Beemon, C. Tree cores as an historical record of atmospheric mercury concentrations. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium, University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, August 18, 2016.
14) Michaelson, E., P. Drevnick, J. Le Moine, J. Tallant, K. Nadelhoffer, and L. Nave. Mercury distribution in soils of a temperate forested watershed. UM UROP Spring Symposium, April 19, 2016.
13) Drevnick, P. and L. Nave. Recent activities and upcoming opportunities on the Honeysuckle Creek Watershed Study. University of Michigan Biological Station Winter Research Meeting, February 19-20, 2016.
12) Donner, K. and P. E. Drevnick. Mercury in Michigan Lakes: Regional and Local Perspectives. Ice Breaker Seminar Series, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, Petoskey, MI, February 11, 2016.
11) Drevnick, P. E. Energy and materials exchange between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the UM Biological Station. Water @ Michigan, a workshop of the University of Michigan Water Center, Ann Arbor, MI, January 21, 2016.
10) Kitch, G., P. Drevnick, and P. C. Low. Mercury cycling in Honeysuckle Creek Watershed and Burt Lake, Northern Michigan. 2015 GSA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 1-4, 2015.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nave, L. E., P. E. Drevnick, K. A. Heckman, K. L. Hofmeister, T. J. Veverica, and C. S. Swanston. Soil hydrology, physical and chemical properties control carbon and mercury distribution in a postglacial lake-plain wetland. Submitted to Geoderma 02 December 2016.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Fitch, G. Terrestrial mercury cycling in Northern Michigan: Honeysuckle Creek watershed and Burt Lake. 2016. Honors Thesis, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA.
|
Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) and the greater University of Michigan (UM): To faculty, staff, and students of UMBS and UM, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) preliminary results. Communications were through formal presentations (see products, #2, 3, 4, 7, 8) and informal discussions. The purpose of these communications was, in part, to attract interest, expertise, and labor to the project, to aid in building capacity at UM for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research (project goal #3). Students are a specific target audience for the project, because research opportunities provide experiential learning opportunities while advancing the project towards its goals. At UMBS and UM, mechanisms are in place for recruiting students, including from diverse backgrounds and from groups underrepresented in science. During Oct. 1, 2014 - Sep. 30, 2015, a total of 18 undergraduate and graduate students contributed to the project, including ten females, eight males, and three underrepresented minorities. Great Lakes region science and management community: To academia, government, and industry, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project and (ii) preliminary results. Communications were through formal presentations (see products #1, 5, 9) and informal discussions. The purpose of these communications, beyond disseminating new knowledge, is to receive feedback from potential users of data for the design of future experiments (either at the plot scale or whole watershed scale) that test for effects of forest management practices on water quantity and quality. It is the intention that these discussions (i) ensure that future research conducted is relevant to management and policy and (ii) develop relationships that facilitate funding of future experiments. Changes/Problems:In the proposal, project goal #1 was to establish paired "small watershed studies", and we identified two adjacent candidate watersheds. The north watershed, now called Honeysuckle Creek watershed, was selected for study. The south watershed, with an unnamed tributary for Burt Lake, was ultimately not selected for study. While the uplands of this latter watershed are on UMBS property, the lowlands (east of W. Burt Lake Rd.) are private property and upon site reconnaissance it was discovered (i) hydric soils have been excavated and replaced by gravel for driveways and cottages foundations and (ii) hydrology is altered by culverts that channelize the stream and sump pumps that move water from saturated soils to Burt Lake. Because development of the south watershed could confound efforts to study effects of forest management practices on water quantity and quality, we decided to exclude this watershed from study and to concentrate our efforts on the Honeysuckle Creek watershed. This decision has allowed us to construct and deploy a more robust wireless sensor network for the Honeysuckle Creek watershed than would have been otherwise possible (with a constrained budget). Successful deployment and operation of the wireless sensor network will provide proof-of-concept for using this novel technology for "small watershed" studies. We are currently exploring, via GIS and site reconnaissance, other watersheds on UMBS property that may be appropriate sites, and will apply for further funding to expand our study design. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The science activities for the project have provided experiential learning opportunities for students at UMBS, UM, and other institutions. Students were involved in all activities for project goals #1 and 2 described in the above sub-section and included: UM UROP - Rebecca Cotton, Zach Fogel, Peter Hensoldt, Kate Hunt, Brendan Nee, Katie Peterson, Brooke Shaw, Hannah Smith, Kathryn Tovar, Davon Wheeler (all UM undergrads) NSF REU - Gabby Kitch (Washington and Lee University), Carl Thompson (University of Hawaii) Other students - Ho-Zhen Chen (M.Eng. student; UM CEE), Rich Fiorella (Ph.D. student, UM EES), Anna Harrison (Ph.D. student, UM SNRE), Katy Hofmeister (Ph.D. student, Cornell University), Lizy Michaelson (B.S. student, EES), Raleigh Ricart (Ph.D. student, Ohio State University) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Via formal presentations and informal discussions to/with target audiences, we communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) preliminary results. For further details, see sections on Target audience and Products. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?(1) Establish paired "small watershed" studies at the University of Michigan Biological Station for research and monitoring of hydrologic and chemical inputs, outputs, and net change. (i) With sensors at "stream" nodes of the wireless sensor network, automate the continuous measurement of discharge and general water quality. (ii) To fully characterize hydrology, we will need a water budget which will estimate change in water storage, and for this we have recruited Valeriy Ivanov (Associate Professor, UM CEE) to apply PFLOTRAN to Honeysuckle Creek watershed. (iii) Create a user-friendly web interface for visualizing and sharing data from the wireless sensor network. (2) Use the calibrated watersheds for research for initial research on the movement of mercury from atmosphere to watershed to surface water, including interactions with carbon cycling. We will study the movement of mercury from atmosphere to Honeysuckle Creek watershed to Burt Lake via measurement of (i) inputs from the atmosphere to the watershed and (ii) outputs from the watershed to Burt Lake. Measurements of inputs will include continuous analysis of mercury (in elemental, oxidized, and particulate forms) in ambient air at our AMNet site, weekly analysis of mercury in precipitation collected at our NADP MDN site, and seasonal analysis of mercury in litterfall. Measurements of outputs will consist of weekly analysis of streamwater collected at the mouth of Honeysuckle Creek. Ultimately, to close the budget, we will also have to estimate the output of mercury to Burt Lake via non-channelized (groundwater) flow. (3) Build capacity at UM for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research. We will continue to build capacity for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research by completing project goals #1 and 2, disseminating the results, and applying for grants to support future experiments.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
(1) Establish paired "small watershed" studies at the University of Michigan Biological Station for research and monitoring of hydrologic and chemical inputs, outputs, and net change. During Oct. 1, 2014 - Sep. 30, 2015, we (i) selected one (not paired; see Changes/Problems) site for establishing a "small watershed" study, (ii) began to characterize hydrology and ecosystem components, and (iii) constructed and installed a wireless sensor network to thereafter continuously monitor hydrology. The site chosen was the Honeysuckle Creek watershed, a first-order watershed on a large interlobate moraine draining eastward into Burt Lake. The watershed is entirely on UMBS property and consists of (along a continuum from uplands to lowlands) of mesic deciduous forest, wet-mesic mixed deciduous-conifer forest, and mixed deciduous-conifer swamp forest. The topographical boundary of the watershed was delineated by GIS from a digital elevation model. To delineate the phreatic (groundwater) boundary of the watershed, we installed transects of piezometers (shallow monitoring wells) along N-S transects that allow us to measure depth to the water table. Honeysuckle Creek is a first-order stream with perennial reaches alternating with intermittent reaches in uplands; and continuous flow in time and space in lowlands. Parshall flumes were installed at three locations along the stream (in each of the above forest types) to measure stream discharge. To characterize ecosystem components we revisited permanent plots established by Pearsall, Barnes, and others in the 1980s and 1990s and created new N-S transects that spanned the W-E orientation of the watershed, to describe above- and belowground biomass, soils and parent material, and quantify chemical stocks therein. Finally, we constructed and deployed a wireless sensor network in Honeysuckle Creek watershed for continuously measuring climate, hydrology (discharge, water table depth or soil moisture, snow depth) and ecosystem function. The fundamental technology of the wireless sensor network is the NeoMote (Metronome Systems), a tiny, ultralow-power radio operated by a microcontroller and featuring analog and digital interfaces to which sensors can be connected. A NeoMote and its sensors are termed a "node", and nodes exchange information wirelessly with neighboring node, until a base station is reached that transmits data. In Honeysuckle Creek watershed, there are ten nodes. Seven nodes are "forest" nodes that are paired with permanent plots that represent the three major forest ecosystem types in the watershed. Three nodes are "stream" nodes that are strategically located along Honeysuckle Creek to monitor discharge and water quality associated with each of the three major ecosystem types in the watershed. (2) Use the calibrated watersheds for research for initial research on the movement of mercury from atmosphere to watershed to surface water, including interactions with carbon cycling. In conjunction with the sampling of permanent plots and N-S transects (see above), we quantified Hg and C stocks in above- and belowground biomass, soils and parent material. (3) Build capacity at UM for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research. The activities described above to meet project goals #1 and 2 represent important steps towards building capacity for watershed-scale hydrochemistry research at UM. Towards project goal #3, we also communicated (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project, (ii) opportunities for involvement in science and education in the Honeysuckle Creek watershed and its instrumentation, and (iii) preliminary results to UMBS and UM faculty, staff, and students, to attract interest, expertise, and labor to the project. We also communicated the (i) the objectives, design, and expected outcomes of the project and (ii) preliminary results to the Great Lakes region science and management community to receive feedback to ensure that future research conducted is relevant to management and policy and to develop relationships that facilitate funding of future experiments. We also wrote and submitted two grant applications to support future experiments.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Publications thus far are limited to presentations, of which our project team produced nine during Oct. 1, 2014 - Sep. 30, 2015.
9) Drevnick, P. E. Watershed retention of atmospherically-deposited mercury in Michigan: Implications for recovery of lakes from mercury pollution. Mercury in the Midwest, a meeting sponsored by Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium, Indianapolis, IN, August 20-21, 2015.
8) Kitch, G. Mercury cycling in Honeysuckle Creek watershed: Legacy mercury in a changing climate. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium, University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, August 20, 2015.
7) Thompson, C. Distribution of anthropogenic mercury in a forested wetland. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium, University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, August 20, 2015.
6) Drevnick, P. E. Honeysuckle Creek watershed study. Training workshop in methods of belowground carbon inventory, University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, July 20, 2015.
5) Drevnick, P. E. Watershed retention of atmospherically-deposited mercury in Michigan: Implications for recovery of lakes from mercury pollution. Central Michigan University Biological Station, Beaver Island, MI, June 17, 2015.
4) Nee, B., L. Nave, P. Drevnick, J. Le Moine, and K. Nadelhoffer. Evaluating mercury in a forested watershed. University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP) Spring Symposium, Ann Arbor, MI, April 22, 2015.
3) Nave, L. New ecosystem and soil biogeochemistry research at UMBS. University of Michigan Biological Station Winter Research Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI, February 20-21, 2015.
2) Drevnick, P. E. Watershed research at the Biostation: Where is all the water? University of Michigan Biological Station Winter Research Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI, February 20-21, 2015.
1) Drevnick, P. E. Watershed retention of atmospherically-deposited mercury in Michigan: Implications for recovery of lakes from mercury pollution. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Lansing, MI, October 30, 2014.
|