The Allouez Bay wetland complex is an Area of Special Natural Resource Interest located in the St. Louis River Estuary. A crucial habitat for native plants and wildlife, these high-quality wetlands are being degraded by non-native species, including invasive cattail (Typha angustifolia and Typha x glauca). The Allouez Bay Marsh Bird Habitat Restoration project aims to manage invasive cattails to protect diverse wetland plant communities and enhance hemi-marsh habitat for marsh birds and other wildlife as part of the first phase of the Restoration Vision for Allouez Bay. Funding for this project was provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. In collaboration with the Audubon Great Lakes and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, GEI provided restoration design documentation and permit preparation in advance of project implementation. The Allouez Bay Marsh Bird Habitat Restoration Team’s plan included the diversification of native vegetation, mechanical control of non-native cattail, and the creation of a hemi-marsh habitat by excavation of dense cattail stands. The inclusion of hemi-marsh habitat increases wetland interspersion and creates greater habitat diversity within the wetlands. Restoration of the marsh wetlands provides important habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife, and promotes resilient ecosystems throughout the St. Louis watershed. . Cutting of cattail below the water surface began in late summer of 2024 and hemi-marsh creation excavation is planned for late fall or early winter of 2024. Construction will be accompanied by seeding and planting of vegetation native to Allouez Bay, followed by rigorous vegetation and avian monitoring, which will document effects of restoration and advise the need for follow-up restoration actions. This poster will present an overview of the design concepts and progress of restoration.
The poster board will be an analysis of Cattaraugus Creek inputs to Lake Erie at the mouth of the tributary on the Seneca Nation. The Cattaraugus Creek inputs studied include: the Peter Cooper Site, the West Valley Demonstration Project along with others. As a few of these sites have undergone remediation efforts, analysis will be done on what was released prior to remediation and what has been done since to limit contamination. Along with this analysis there will be a brief overview of the possible health effects of said contaminantes that have been released and possible routes of human exposure. These routes of exposure will be centered on the uses of the creek by the people of the Seneca Nation. Uses of the creek include food source, medicinal, and cultural. The conclusion of the study will show a need for further sampling and monitoring of the water of the Cattaraugus Creek due to the number of inputs and potential contamination. The mouth of the Creek into Lake Erie is of interest as many of the inputs settle there. Lake Erie provides fresh water for thousands of people and sediment built up at the mouth of the Cattaraugus could pose a threat. Further analysis is needed to understand what exactly has been and is currently being released down the Cattaraugus.
The project enhanced an existing wetland in a post-industrial landscape on the shore of Lake Erie south of Buffalo through expanding the wetland, reducing invasive species, and planting native vegetation. The wetland was expanded by excavation, regrading, and adding another connection to Blasdell Creek by installing a culvert under a trail creating an oxbow shaped wetland. This enhanced wetland will increase native vegetation and wildlife habitat and had second objective to improve water quality by reducing bacteria levels in the water before it enters Lake Erie. Native vegetation, wetland birds, frogs, and water quality will be monitored at the site.
The City of Toledo participated in the NOAA-funded urban heat mapping campaign in 2023. This campaign was a collaborative community engagement partnership between the University of Toledo climate researchers, local governmental climate adaptation practitioners, not-for-profit organizations, businesses, and residents. This presentation will discuss how the climate adaptation practitioners are threading urban heat campaign across departments and the need to amplify the effect of urban heat islands as part of climate change adaptation awareness. It is well documented that the burden of excess in a community is not equally shared. Low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods are more vulnerable to the impacts of urban heat. Also well-established is the impact of increasing urban tree canopy on reducing the impacts of urban heat. To address heat island effects, the city aims to increase urban tree canopy to cool city neighborhoods using nature-based solutions. In 2023, the City of Toledo was awarded $6,098,294 in USDA Forest Service grants that will increase urban tree canopy by planting 10,000 trees in five years. This grant will also include a community awareness and engagement component of the many benefits of urban trees including reducing urban heat effects, reducing flooding, increasing water infiltration, reducing erosion, improving water quality and human health. While there are community awareness programs on the impacts of flooding on coastal communities and ecosystems, the impact of excess heat awareness on public health and as a surface runoff pollutant is sparse. An increase in temperature in aquatic ecosystems due to warm stormwater runoff can be particularly stressful and even fatal to aquatic life.
Healthy Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide essential habitat for diverse native fishes, in addition to serving as a refuge for zooplankton and other invertebrates that are the base of the food web. However, ecosystem services provided by these wetlands have been degraded by cultural eutrophication as well as altered hydrology, which has facilitated colonization by invasive Typha species. Typha is known to alter biogeochemical processes and native species structure through the formation of dense mats that block access to occupiable habitat and create hypoxic and anoxic conditions for aquatic species. To combat this expansion and prevent future blockages from forming, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, in partnership with the EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, excavated channels and potholes in Braddock Bay to create more accessible habitat. Similar initiatives were later taken to replicate this course of action at Buck and Cranberry Pond sites.
The goal of our research was to compare water quality, trophic state, and zooplankton abundance and composition in restored versus reference habitats in each of these 3 wetlands. In June and July of 2024, we used standardized protocols to sample water chemistry (e.g., temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, pH, oxidative-reductive potential, chlorophyll a, total nitrogen and phosphorus) and zooplankton. We sampled 8-10 sites per wetland, with sites classified as “reference”; “restored” channels; “potholes”; and “open water”. We also deployed dissolved oxygen dataloggers to monitor fluctuations in concentrations over a 3-day period in restored, reference, and pothole sites at each wetland. In general, dissolved oxygen concentrations were highest in restored versus reference habitats across all 3 wetlands. We also observed lower mean total phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations in restored channels at Braddock Bay, relative to concentrations observed in Braddock Bay reference sites as well as for the other 2 wetlands. Preliminary results suggest restored channels play an important role in maintaining water quality and overall ecosystem health. Future analysis will compare zooplankton abundance and composition patterns across sites for each of the 3 wetlands.
Great Lakes coastal wetlands yield a multitude of productive corridors for wildlife; however, these crucial habitats have been subject to degradation over many years. Degradation in the form of non-native cattail intrusion has diminished spawning habitat connectivity for fish. Restoration of habitat connectivity in the form of channeling has been implemented in many of these wetlands. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of habitat restoration on growth, condition, and presence/absence of three young of the year native fish species: Northern Pike (Esox lucius), Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides). Three to four restored wetland habitats within Braddock Bay, Cranberry Pond, and Buck Pond and three to four reference sites within these wetlands were sampled using passive gears during two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) from June to October. Water quality (temperature and dissolved oxygen) and nutrients (total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a) were also analyzed to help explain potential differences within wetland (restored vs reference) and among restored wetlands. Preliminary results will be presented to show the impacts of restoration on these three native fish species.
To assess the nutrient removal function of wetland restoration, enhancement, and creation projects being implemented as part of the H2Ohio Initiative, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has established an independent monitoring program implemented by teams from six Ohio universities. The H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program takes advantage of a unique opportunity to investigate nutrient cycling in diverse wetland projects under a unified framework. We are developing tools for nutrient budgeting and indicators of wetland nutrient function using a tiered sampling approach. Indices of soil and water nutrient status and wetland hydrology are measured in all monitored wetland projects, while we collect more intensive, high-resolution data for comprehensive nutrient budgeting in selected, representative “Focal Projects.” This tiered approach balances evaluation of broad, state-wide restoration program trends and robust, mechanistic understanding to inform management. The H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program has now produced baseline data from monitoring surface water nutrient concentrations, soil nutrient status, and basic hydrology in approximately 30 projects, including 6 coastal reconnection projects. A centralized data management system ensures data quality, long term storage, accessibility, and shareability in accordance with open science best practices. This talk will provide an overview of the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program’s approach, preliminary results, and future plans to leverage monitoring for improved management of coastal wetlands for nutrient retention and removal.
The Genesee River in Rochester NY is a historically productive Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) spawning tributary of Lake Ontario. Lake Sturgeon have been absent since at least 1930 and in 2000 the local population was classified as extirpated. The lower Genesee River and nearby Lake Ontario waters are part of the EPA Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC). One de-listing criterion for the AOC is that “Lake Sturgeon of all life stages inhabit the Genesee River or when the physical and biological habitat is suitable for Lake Sturgeon”. A multiagency collaborative research project was initiated in 1999 to test restoration actions focused on returning Lake Sturgeon to the river. A Lake Sturgeon habitat suitability model, using multi-year habitat sampling, rated the river habitat as again suitable for juveniles and adults (1999-2002). In 2003-2004, hatchery reared juvenile Lake Sturgeon were introduced into the study area, with further releases 2013-2023. River persistence and biological characteristics of the restoration population were assessed each year. Mark-recapture analysis and acoustic telemetry provided estimates of both first year and longer-term habitat use of the Genesee River, and migration patterns between the Genesee River and other nearshore and tributary habitats in Lake Ontario. Catch rates for juvenile fish in the Genesee River
Nutrient limitation in phytoplankton has been a primary area of research in marine and aquatic sciences for decades. Phytoplankton play a large role in nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and determining oxygen concentrations in wetlands, as well as serving as an important food source for zooplankton and, in turn, larval fish. However, the factors that contribute to wetland phytoplankton growth, such as nutrient concentrations, are often overlooked. Here, we look at long-term nutrients in Old Woman Creek, a 0.6 km^2 flow through wetland on the southern shore of Lake Erie in Huron, OH. Water quality monitoring at Old Woman Creek dates back to 1980 and presents a unique opportunity to examine temporal patterns in nutrient limitation status in wetland phytoplankton. Using long-term nutrient data, we examine both seasonal and historical trends in the nitrogen to phosphorus ratio (N:P) to determine how nutrient limitation may be changing over time. Additionally, in 2023 we performed bimonthly nutrient debt experiments to complement our long-term analyses. We spiked in situ containers with phosphate, ammonium, and phosphate + ammonium to determine which nutrient was deficient in the phytoplankton community. While wetland phytoplankton appear to be phosphorus deficient most of the time, nitrogen deficiency often persists throughout the summer and seems to occur more frequently in Old Woman Creek than in lakes. While unsuitable for determining true nutrient limitation, our long-term analyses and in situ experiments present a compelling assessment of nutrient deficiency in wetland phytoplankton, suggesting that nitrogen may be more important in wetlands than was previously thought. A better understanding of which nutrient limits phytoplankton growth in wetlands, and when, will inform nutrient management on the landscape to ensure that management strategies achieve their intended goals.
Volunteer community scientists in Green Bay, Wisconsin are working collaboratively with the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin to impact conservation management and develop stewardship for future wetland, forest, and grassland restoration. Our bird monitoring effort is a partnership between the Oneida Nation, Northeastern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, and Audubon Great Lakes. Our team has organized 100+ volunteers who have recorded >200 bird species at multiple Oneida restoration sites, including grassland, forest, and wetland habitats. On our poster, we will feature common and rare bird species detected during our surveys, providing both English and Oneida common names. The project helps develop a strong relationship by building a cultural exchange between the Oneida Nation and non-Tribal local birders, who are also learning about the Oneida’s rich culture, history, and language while out in the field. We will highlight our key outreach and community engagement activities, which include an annual community day at a key restoration site, bird outings with the community and Oneida Tribal Elders, tabling at the Oneida Farmer’s Market, and volunteering at Tsyunhehkw^ Farm.
The ALUS program plays a crucial role in improving water quality in the Great Lakes region by engaging farmers in implementing nature-based solutions on their land. This poster will share insights about the ALUS National program, highlighting its community-delivered approach to engaging partners and empowering farmers to address environmental concerns while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Also of focus will be an exemplary project that has harnessed the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in intercepting agricultural runoff, slowing soil erosion, and supporting biodiversity. This example, which sits atop Lake Erie's bluffs, demonstrates the potential of ALUS and farmer-led initiatives in creating effective, sustainable solutions for water quality and ecosystem health in the Great Lakes region. By combining agricultural expertise with environmental stewardship, ALUS is fostering a new paradigm in land management that benefits both farmers and the broader ecosystem.
Diked coastal wetlands along the Great Lakes have stable water levels between management actions; however, internal nutrient processing can vary across a wetland and lead to net nutrient release or retention associated with shifts in hydrology via management. Determining the direction and rate of nutrient exchange at the sediment-water interface of a diked coastal wetland can indicate the potential for nutrient release upon a shift in management actions. Long established methods for measuring nutrient exchange at the sediment-water interface often involve the incubation of intact sediment cores, but isolating sediment from the surrounding ecosystem could lead to inaccurate estimates of nutrient exchange occurring in the field. We asked how nutrient exchange varies at the sediment-water interface across vegetation patches of a diked Lake Erie wetland? And, how in situ and ex situ methods of measuring nutrient exchange compare? Our objectives were to estimate ecosystem nutrient exchange rates across the wetland based on area weighted means from each vegetation patch and to better explain differences associated with methods. We measured sediment-water nutrient flux (mg/m2/d) using intact sediment core incubations (ex situ) and stacked-resin bag core deployments (in situ) across five distinct vegetation patches in a diked wetland on the southwest coast of Lake Erie. In intact sediment cores, soluble reactive phosphorus fluxes range from -10.6–11.1, nitrate fluxes range from -2.9–4.2, and ammonium fluxes range from -3.9–151.8 (negative fluxes indicate net transfer from surface waters to sediments). Nutrient exchange rates are generally higher in magnitude from intact core incubations than stacked-resin bags, which could be attributed to the discrepancy of the temporal scale captured by the two methods (3 vs 10 days, respectively) or by confounding variables occurring in situ which are excluded ex situ. Understanding how sediment-surface water nutrient exchange varies spatially and temporally can guide management decisions in Great Lakes coastal wetlands, but also must be measured at a scale relevant to land managers.
Recent research has revealed that foreshore beach sands, can act as reservoirs for toxic concentrations of the cyanotoxin microcystin, commonly produced during harmful algal bloom (HAB) events. Foreshore sands, situated on coastal shorelines, are constantly rewetted by waves and therefore subject to a continuous input of algae during bloom events. This phenomenon poses significant human health and beach management challenges, especially for children who are more likely to come into contact with contaminated water and sand. Our study focused on three Ohio beaches: Maumee Bay State Park Beach in Oregon, Lakeview Beach in Lorain, and Huntington Beach in Bay Village. Using indirect, competitive ELISA to measure microcystin concentrations, we found that about 8% water samples had levels above the EPA no-contact threshold for recreational waters. The highest microcystin concentrations were most frequently observed at Maumee Bay State Park Beach in Oregon.
To investigate the persistence of microcystin in foreshore sands, we conducted laboratory studies using autoclaved and non-autoclaved sand microcosms spiked with Microcystin. The sandy microcosms were incubated at 10% moisture and 30°C or 0% moisture and 10 °C for 49 days, and samples were periodically analyzed using Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay (ELISA). Results indicated that microcystin concentrations decreased by 46% in autoclaved treatments and by 100% in non-autoclaved treatments, with rapid, total degradation occurring between 21 and 28 days in non-autoclaved sands. This persistence suggests that microcystin can remain in the foreshore sands long after visible algae have disappeared, posing a lingering risk for beachgoers.
To understand the potential for human exposure to microcystin through skin contact during recreational beach activity, we employed vertical static diffusion cells (Franz Cells) with pig skin as a surrogate for human skin. We tested microcystin permeation under various conditions: unaltered skin, skin with abrasions, and skin treated with sunscreen, suntan accelerators, and aloe vera, which are representative of skin conditions of beachgoers. Our findings showed that skin condition and treatments significantly influence microcystin absorption rates, highlighting the potential health risks associated with recreational beach exposure during HAB events.
These findings highlight the importance of considering foreshore sands as a potential vector for cyanotoxin exposure in humans, necessitating better beach management practices, public health advisories to protect vulnerable populations, and the need for coastal resilience. Further research into the persistence, occurrence, and exposure pathways in humans of microcystin is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies to mitigate the risks associated with HABs in coastal and beach environments.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a persistent and escalating environmental challenge in the Western Lake Erie Basin, impacting water quality, public health, and local economies. This presentation will explore the multifaceted nature of HABs, delving into their causes, consequences, and efforts to mitigate their occurrence. The owners of Concentrated Animal Factory Operations present the most formidable challenge to HABs alleviation.
Regulation of Lake Ontario water levels since the 1960s has been associated with an increase in cover of hybrid cattail (Typha x glauca) in the lake’s coastal wetlands. These wetlands have been negatively impacted by the growth of this clonal dominant as it has displaced native graminoids in the biodiverse wet meadow zone. To address this issue around Lake Ontario, previous efforts to restore the wet meadow zone have focused on managing cattail and updating the lake regulation plan. However, the effects of these methods on invasive species such as reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and abundant native grasses such as Canada bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) have not been fully studied. In 2023, we conducted vegetation sampling in eight wetlands around southern and eastern Lake Ontario and the Upper St. Lawrence River to determine how previous cattail management has impacted the wet meadow zone following recent changes to the water regulation plan. Four of these wetlands have had chemical and mechanical cattail treatments implemented at the wet meadow – cattail interface between 2010-2018, while the remaining four wetlands have not been treated. Wetland sites were paired based on hydrogeomorphic type and wetland size. Results from 2023 suggest that restored sites had lower percent cover of Typha at higher elevations, but greater cover at lower elevations compared to unrestored sites. Calamagrostis cover was more prevalent in the middle elevations in the restored sites compared to the unrestored sites, while Phalaris trends varied greatly by site. The 2024 survey results will be added to examine changes over time. Results of this research should be considered by restoration practitioners when restoring wet meadow habitats and planning for potential impacts to non-target species and overall ecosystem functioning.
Wild rice (Zizania aquatica and Z. palustris) once grew commonly in lakeshore wetlands and along slow flowing waterways in the area we now call upstate NY. As a highly nutritious annual grass, wild rice provided food for waterfowl and for Indigenous human communities alike. Many wild rice stands have been lost to shoreline development, pollution, dredging, stream channelization and other factors. However, wild rice still occurs sporadically in NYS, for example along the Eastern shore of Lake Ontario in protected bays and inlets. The purpose of this project is to learn more about the historic and current distribution of wild rice in waterways in Onondaga Nation aboriginal territory, including Lake Ontario shoreline and the Oswego River watershed. Specifically, we seek to answer these questions, within the area outlined by the 2005 Onondaga Land Rights Action:
- Where did wild rice occur historically? - Where does it grow now? -Where could it be and what restoration would be required?
The project is in its early stages. We will present data we have so far in response to these three questions, and welcome feedback.
