FY 2007 Status and Accomplishments

National Wetlands Research Center

Annual Center Director Report

(October 2007)

 

Department of the Interior

U. S. Geological Survey

 

I. Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and Other Strategic Goals

Ø      Resource protection (improve the health of watersheds and landscapes and marine resources that are DOI-managed and influenced lands and waters in a manner consistent with obligations regarding the allocation and use of water.

Ø      Sustain biological communities on DOI-managed and influenced lands and waters in a manner consistent with obligations regarding the allocation and use of water.

 

A. Center Accomplishments

 

Biological Information Management and Delivery

 

Project 83439KV: Science Information and Technology

 

Part of the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey is to disseminate its scientific information so that decision makers and the public can make informed decisions and choices. The USGS National Wetlands Research Center accomplishes this mission through support functions of information science (library), publishing, education and outreach, and information technology and management, as well as specific applications such as the National Biological Information Infrastructure, the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act task force, and the Data and Information Management System. Products include the NWRC Web site, publications in USGS series and peer-reviewed journals, and information products such as kiosks and CD-ROMs. In particular there has been a host of products about the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, emerging new technology, and the needs of USGS in a changing coastal landscape. Information partners range from the Department of the Interior agencies to State agencies to universities and nongovernment organizations such as Ducks Unlimited. Some of this work in the past has been funded by Biological Informatics. Many of these activities are also funded through the Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Program.

 

Accomplishments: Include completing the USGS Circular, Science and the Storms: USGS Response to the Hurricanes of 2005; producing educational CD-ROMs and kiosks; winning product awards from the National Association of Government Communicators; reaching more than 72,000 people about wetlands; developing node of the National Biological Information Infrastructure; writing metadata for the Gulf of Mexico Alliance and NWRC maps; developing and producing technology to assist biologists in the field; and developing the Data and Information Management System for Gulf Coast research.

 

Task 6. Metadata, NBII, and Spatial Database Transfer

 

Accomplishments:

·         Spatial Data and Metadata Server hardware and software was upgraded

·         New Katrina and Rita Hurricane information was added.

·         Generated 50 metadata records for the Tampa Bay Study, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, New Orleans East Land Bridge, and other NWRC projects

·         Provided metadata and data transfer/dissemination to NWRC and external organizations, especially with habitat and seagrass data and information

·         Assisted with the metadata requirements of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Habitat ID group.

 

Project 83439KV Science Information and Information Technology

 

Task 8. NBII Central Southwest/Gulf Coast Information Node

 

Accomplishments:

·         Located resources to keep NBII the one-stop gateway for vetted information. Searches focus on USGS science priorities. Cataloging resources and digital images are base activities.

·         Updated and expanded content on Gulf Hurricanes, collating topical information provided by multiple agencies and resources. Categories include the relationship between hurricanes and climate, data resources, economic impact, environmental impact, flooding and storm surge, health and safety, land loss, maps and images, and response and recovery. A special section focuses on hurricanes that have had a significant impact on the Gulf.

·         Worked with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to implement the US Ocean Action Plan in the GoM. Team leads are members of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Environmental Education Network, on the GOMAEEN steering committee, and participate on the Alliance Federal Workgroup. Leveraging NBII's portal technology and resource catalog, we are developing an environmental ed clearinghouse for locating information provided by multiple agencies and resources. Focus categories include water quality, wetland and coastal restoration, Gulf habitat identification and characterization, and information on nutrient inputs.

·         Expanded the Regional Themes section with content on focal species. Site links to 126 species profiles. Species indigenous to the region will stay on CSWGCIN with the remaining reports on the FAR node.

·         Sites in development include Energy and the Environment and a section on Animals and Plants of the Region.

 

Task 9. Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ecosystems: An Integrated Database and Information Management System (DIMS)

 

Accomplishments:

·         Information developed by this project is being used in the USGS Director’s GMIS demonstration project.

·         Effort was closed out in FY07 and information has been transfer to other efforts.

·         A new “Data” section of the Web site provides more detailed information on data sets collected by task. The pages highlight discoveries and accomplishments from each task. Metadata records were generated for each data set. Web pages were created to provide information on each data sets. Links to download the data were added to each Web page, including links to related data sets or products.

·         A new capability was developed for the digital library which improved the accessibility of products. A series of related products (such as a map series or series of Open-File Reports) can be found via a single link. This improved out ability to connect the Web site with products in the digital library. The entire 2005 Open-File Report series was made available via the digital library using a single link. Numerous new products were added to the Tampa Bay digital library, including 12 new data sets, 12 metadata records, and 7 new documents.

·         The Tampa Bay Water Atlas is now online and continues to be improved with new data and greater information. All Tampa Bay products from the DIMS digital library were incorporated into the Atlas to increase availability to more users. In addition, links to library products and Gulfsci Web pages have been included as important informational resources.

·         A WETMAAP workshop was held in St. Petersburg to train eight teachers about mapping wetlands and how to use the DIMS for data and information. The group focused on Weedon Island, where several Tampa Bay Study scientists have focused research efforts

Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Program

 

Goal 1 Terrestrial, Freshwater, and Marine Ecosystems: Develop indexes of ecosystem sensitivity to change and vulnerability to potential stressors, and tools to predict ecosystem responses to environmental change

 

Goal 3 Terrestrial, Freshwater, and Marine Ecosystems: Model factors controlling ecosystem patterns at various scales and develop decision support information with management options

 

Goal 5 Terrestrial, Freshwater, and Marine Ecosystems: Quantify and understand factors influencing patterns of temporary and spatial variability in key ecosystem components

 

Project 83439HE: Restoration Techniques for Damaged or Degraded Ecosystems: Central U.S. River and Stream Ecosystems—Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast Ecosystems

 

Task 7. Survival, Invasion and Species Composition in Older Oak Plantations in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley and the Coastal Zone of Louisiana

 

Accomplishments: Previous results from a long-term investigation of the response of Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge’s greentree reservoir to water level management by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that the bottomland hardwood forest system was deteriorating. After water control adjustments were made in 2005-2006, continuing study of the ecosystem by NWRC scientists indicates that the greentree reservoir continues to degrade in quality. This preliminary finding reaffirms the notion that greentree reservoirs, such as Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, may require many years, even decades, to reach a state of healthy forest condition following corrective hydrological management measures.

 

Reference: Keeland, B.D., 2007, Effects of flooding on tree survival and growth in a greentree reservoir. Presented to the manager and staff of Felsenthal NWR, September 21, 2007, Refuge Headquarters, Crossett, Ark.

 

Project 83439HC: Forest and Marsh Ecology, Restoration, and Management

 

Task. 4. Wetland Forest Regeneration Dynamics and Productivity in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

 

Accomplishments: Scientists have long believed that functional patterns across the distributional gradient of a widespread ecosystem such as baldcypress were linear, with lower levels of function in the northern latitudes and highest levels of function in the southern latitudes. This research has found instead that functional patterns for baldcypress systems tend to be curvilinear, i.e., with highest levels of function in the middle of the range (e.g., Arkansas), and lower levels of function to the north and south (Illinois and Louisiana, respectfully). This curvilinear pattern was found in above- and below-ground production and soil organic matter, suggesting that the present climate is optimal for baldcypress in the center of its range.

Reference: Middleton, B.A., 2007, Regeneration potential of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps and climate change, Plant Ecology (in review).

 

Task 7. Evaluate Effects of Prescribed Burn and Other Management Tools on Coastal Prairie Community Dynamics and Restoration

 

Accomplishments: Evaluating the Role of Diversity in Ecosystem Services – Theoretical ecological studies have proposed that ecosystem services are strongly dependent on diverse ecosystems. Associated with this claim has been a call to base ecosystem restoration on maximizing such ecosystem services as primary production. There has been a great deal of scientific interest in this topic during the past 10 years and also a great deal of controversy. Of perhaps greatest importance has been an attempt by some to overturn existing principles of conservation and restoration, which view biological diversity as inherently valuable, with a new paradigm that considers the maintenance of maximum ecosystem production as the ultimate currency of ecological value. In this new paradigm, ecosystem diversity is only important if it contributes to ecosystem function. Since most rare and subdominant species do not contribute significantly to ecosystem services, this new paradigm is considered by some to represent a dangerous shift in perspective. Empirical studies have failed to resolve the importance of diversity in controlling ecosystem productivity, despite many claims that the linkage has been established. One cause for the lack of resolution has been the prevailing ANOVA experimental framework, which seeks to establish whether individual processes are operating, but does not address the more relevant question of the relative importance of multiple processes. In our work we have used a global database of productivity and diversity from grasslands around the world and employed structural equation modeling to isolate and estimate the importance of multiple processes controlling diversity and productivity. Results from this work have been compelling, showing that productivity in natural grasslands is not demonstrably affected by species diversity. These results support the previously-dominant paradigm in which productivity is seen to be controlled only by the dominant species. This finding has important implications for conservation applications.

 

Reference: Grace, J.B., Anderson, T.M., Smith, M., Seabloom, E., Andelman, S., Meche, G., Weiher, E., Allain, L.K., Jutila, H., Sankaran, M., Knops, J., Ritchie, M.E. and Willig, M.R., 2007, Does species diversity limit productivity in natural grassland communities: Ecology Letters, v. 10, p. 680-689.

 

Task 7. Evaluate Effects of Prescribed Burn and Other Management Tools on Coastal Prairie Community Dynamics and Restoration

Accomplishments: Potential Effects of Global Nitrogen Deposition on Terrestrial Biodiversity – One of the major components of global change is the widespread deposition of reactive nitrogen driven in substantial part by human activities. While the adverse effects of aquatic eutrophication have long been recognized, the potential global impacts of terrestrial eutrophication have only recently been widely discussed. In this study, we worked with a team of scientists to utilize experimental data from the National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network to evaluate this issue. The evaluation of structural equation models indicated that increases in nitrogen inputs to terrestrial ecosystems does indeed lead to substantial losses in plant diversity. Unexpectedly, the greatest contributor to species loss turns out to be traceable to the potential for soils to be acidified by the added nitrogen. Losses of species resulting from increases in biomass production (through competitive exclusion) appear to be of secondary importance, though this mechanism was hypothesized to be the dominant one. Recognition of the role of soil acidification in nitrogen effects should help to focus further management efforts on the most susceptible regions.

Structural equation model results for analysis of diversity loss in association with nitrogen addition.

Reference: Clark, C., Cleland, E., Fargione, J.E., Gough, L., Gross, K.L., Pennings, S.C., Suding, K.N. and Grace, J.B., 2007, Environmental and plant community determinants of species loss following nitrogen enrichment, Ecology Letters, v.10, p. 596-607.

 

Task 7. Evaluate Effects of Prescribed Burn and Other Management Tools on Coastal Prairie Community Dynamics and Restoration

Accomplishments: Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Fire and Nonnative Plants – The Central Grasslands is a report that synthesizes scientific information regarding wildland fire and nonnative invasive plant species for the purpose of providing land managers with the information they need for management decisions pertinent to the interaction between fire and invasive species. Included are sections that identify the nonnative invasive species currently of greatest concern in major bioregions of the United States. The volume also describes emerging fire-invasive issues in each bioregion and throughout the nation. The role of NWRC in this large national collaborative venture was to contribute a chapter covering the Central Grasslands of the United States.

Prescribed fire conducted in conjunction with USFWS Texas Mid-Coast Complex personnel. Photograph by Jim Grace.

Reference: Grace, J.B. and Zouhar, K., in press, Fire and nonnative invasive plants in the central bioregion, in Zouhar, K., Smith, J.K., Sutherland, S., and Brooks, M.L., eds., Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Fire and Nonnative Invasive Plants, Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42, v. 6, Ogden, Utah, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

 

Task 7. Evaluate Effects of Prescribed Burn and Other Management Tools on Coastal Prairie Community Dynamics and Restoration

 

Accomplishments: Effects of Prescribed Fire on Birds of Concern in Coastal Tallgrass Prairie – The coastal prairie of Texas and Louisiana constitutes the southernmost lobe of the tallgrass prairie biome. Over 99% of this ecosystem has been destroyed or badly degraded by human activities, making it one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Currently the U.S. Department of the Interior, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages much of the remaining tracts of coastal tallgrass prairie. Of key concern has been the question of how fire management impacts the suite of grassland-dependent birds that occupy these systems. Of special interest in this study was the LeConte’s Sparrow, which is globally rare, but locally abundant at the Texas Mid-Coast Wildlife Refuge Complex. This work, supported initially by a project funded through the USGS – USFWS Science Support Program and conducted in collaboration with Louisiana State University, examined the use of remnant prairies burned within the past 1, 2, or 3 years. It was found that different species of birds were associated with different parts of the burn-recovery cycle. LeConte sparrows were most common in fields burned within the past 1 to 2 years. Structural equation models showed that fire effects could be explained via their influences on vegetation structure. These results provide valuable information that can be used to aid management programs for this at-risk ecosystem and avian species.

 

Reference: Baldwin, H.Q., Grace, J.B., Barrow, W., Rohwer, F.C., 2007, Association of overwintering grassland birds with time since burn and vegetation characteristics in coastal tallgrass prairie, Wilson Journal of Ornithology, v. 119, p. 189-197.

LeConte’s Sparrow. Photograph by Keith Ramos.

 

Task 7. Evaluate Effects of Prescribed Burn and Other Management Tools on Coastal Prairie Community Dynamics and Restoration

 

Accomplishments: Coastal Prairie Restoration Information System (CPR) – Less than 0.1% of Louisiana’s coastal prairie vegetation remains in a relatively undisturbed condition. Originally extending over as much as 1 million hectares of land, Louisiana’s coastal prairie is a hybrid of coastal wetlands and tall grass prairie. Over 550 plant species have been identified in Louisiana’s coastal prairies to date. Efforts to conserve and restore this endangered ecosystem are limited by the ability of workers to identify, and access knowledge about, this diverse group of plants. The Coastal Prairie Restoration Information System (CPR) is a software program that allows users to query and view data about native coastal prairie and non-native species stored in a Microsoft Access database. A variety of data are provided for each of 650 species including scientific, common and family names, authors, synonyms; plant characteristics such as origin, bloom color, bloom date, life span, height, growth form, seed size, and photosynthetic pathway; a range map and color photograph; text fields including a description, wildlife use, culture, natural history, and a list of references; wetland indicator categories and coefficients and floral quality values for each species. Selecting names or characters from dropdown menus allows users to search the database for particular prairie plant species. Additional funding was provided by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Biology Department, Center for Environmental and Ecological Technology (CEET), and the National Science Foundation. This product serves as an important reference document for restorationists and researchers and is being distributed to numerous federal clients and nongovernment organizations including, but not limited to, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Resource Conservation Service, universities, schools, The Nature Conservancy, Native Plant and Coastal Prairie Conservation organizations, and private citizens with conservation interests. CPR is available on CD and as a downloadable link at the USGS website.

Database interface screen with photo of plant, map showing species distribution, and numerous data fields. Queries can be made based on any field or combination of fields.

Reference: Allain, L., 2007, Coastal prairie restoration information system: version 1 (Louisiana): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 256, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/256/

 

Task 9. Extent and Community Structure of Atlantic White Cedar Stands Along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coasts

 

Accomplishments: A major contribution to our knowledge about Atlantic white cedar forest communities was made through a study focusing on plant species composition and hurricane damage to such a community along the gulf coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. Findings confirm Atlantic white cedar forest communities to be a minor, but unique, component of the greater gulf coast forest system. Such communities were found to be restricted to sandy soils, especially on natural levees of rivers and sloping landscapes between more upland pine systems and the more aquatic coastal swamps and wetlands. The Atlantic white cedar community was further found to be highly vulnerable to impacts from tropical storms and hurricanes. Without protection and management, this rare component of the diversity of the greater gulf coast forest system will eventually disappear.

 

References: McCoy, J.W., and Keeland, B.D., 2007, Species composition and hurricane damage in an Atlantic white cedar stand near the Mississippi/Alabama border, Proceedings of the Ecology and Management of Atlantic White Cedar Conference, June 6-8, 2006, Atlantic City, N.J.

 

Keeland, B.D., and McCoy, J.W., 2007, Plant community composition of a tidally influenced, remnant Atlantic white cedar stand in Mississippi in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K., eds., Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Wetlands of the Southeastern United States: Springer, The Netherlands, p. 89-111.

 

Project 3213B7F: USGS Global Climate Change Program

 

Task 10. Forest Dieback and Carbon Relations of Coastal Forests of the Southern Forests of the Southeast Under Changing Climate: Effects of Drought Severity, Hurricanes, Sea-level Rise and Coastal Management

 

Accomplishments: A science team of Federal and academic ecologists led by NWRC completed a benchmark synthesis project, supported by field investigations, that provides the first organized and definitive ecological description of land-margin forest along the south Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Information generated and organized through this effort will serve as a significantly important record for researchers, natural resource managers, and other groups seeking to understand the complex dynamics of this unique ecosystem which is undergoing decline due to land-use changes, hurricanes, and other coastal impacts.

 

Reference: Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., 2007, Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States: Springer, The Netherlands, 503 p.

 

Task 12. Predicting the Persistence of Coastal Wetlands to Global Change Effects

 

Accomplishments: The long-term function and persistence of coastal wetlands is threatened by ongoing global climate change and associated increases in sea levels, which threaten coastal plant communities through both inundation and saltwater intrusion. However, elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels could partly offset effects of sea-level rise, by stimulating wetland productivity, particularly productivity of belowground roots and organic matter, which could result in wetland soil elevations rising as fast as or even faster than sea level increases. To examine these different effects of climate change on coastal wetlands, a series of controlled CO₂ greenhouse studies were used, along with new multivariate modeling techniques (specifically, structural equation modeling), to determine the direct and indirect effects of increased atmospheric CO₂ on wetland responses to elevated flooding and salinity levels. Results demonstrated that elevated atmospheric CO₂, by enhancing rates of belowground productivity, may enhance the ability of coastal wetlands to maintain surface elevations and thereby offset adverse effects of stressors associated with sea-level rise.  These initial results clearly indicate that future modeling projections of effects of rising sea levels on coastal wetlands need to incorporate the direct effects of elevated CO₂ on wetland productivity, which may offset some or all of the adverse effects of sea-level rise on these important coastal ecosystems. Partners include USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Smithsonian Institution, University of Alabama, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mesocosm experiments are quantifying under controlled conditions how biological processes influence vertical movement in the root zone of brackish marshes (left) and how these processes are altered by elevated atmospheric CO₂. Elevated CO₂ enhanced production of some plant species (C₃) under salinity and flooding conditions associated with sea-level rise and resulted in faster expansion of the root zone compared to ambient CO₂ conditions (graph to right).

 

Reference: Cherry, J.A., McKee, K.L., and Grace, J.B., Elevated atmospheric CO₂ enhances the ability of coastal wetlands to maintain surface elevations and offset adverse effects of stressors associated with sea-level rise: Submitted to Journal of Ecology.

 

Project 83438O6: Science for the Conservation of Coastal and Marine Systems, Coral Reefs, and Benthic Ecosystems: Central Region

 

Task 7. Biogenic Accretion Through Surface Root Production in Coastal Wetlands and Implications for Elevation Change Relative to Sea-Level Rise

 

Accomplishments: The long-term persistence and function of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes depends upon maintenance of soil elevations within the intertidal habitat as sea level changes with ongoing climate change. This study, with support from NSF’s Biocomplexity in the Environment Program, examined rates and processes of peat formation by mangroves of the Caribbean Region to better understand biological controls on soil accretion and elevation change. This work focused on oceanic mangrove islands, which are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to sea-level rise due to their low-lying position and sediment-deficient setting. The findings showed that these islands keep pace with rising sea levels primarily through subsurface accumulation of refractory mangrove roots. Radiocarbon-dated peat cores showed that some of these systems have survived for 7,000 to 8,000 years through gradual accumulation of root matter, in some cases producing peat deposits over 10 meters in thickness. Modern measurements of elevation change showed that mangrove areas with low root input are sinking, whereas those with high inputs are gaining elevation. Without root and other organic matter inputs, submergence of these tidal forests is inevitable. These findings have clear relevance for models attempting to predict effects of future sea-level rise on coastal ecosystems as well as for conservation and management of biogenic ecosystems. Partners include USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and Smithsonian Institution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oceanic mangrove islands in the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef system, Belize (above, photo by I.C. Feller). Modern rates of soil elevation change (measured with Surface Elevation Tables) were linked to accumulation and slow decay of mangrove roots as well as to geological rates of peat accretion over the Holocene (~8,000 years), demonstrating how such systems self-adjust to changing sea-level (right).

 

Reference: McKee, K.L., Cahoon, D.R., and Feller, I.C., 2007, Caribbean mangroves adjust to rising sea level through biotic controls on change in soil elevation: Global Ecology and Biogeography, v. 16, p. 545-556.

 

Task 8. Biocomplexity: Microbial and Nutrient Controls on Mangrove Ecosystems

 

Accomplishments: Plant communities along tropical and sub-tropical coastlines are often affected by natural and human disturbances, but little is known about factors influencing recovery. We focused research on mangrove forests, which are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, to examine how facilitation by herbaceous vegetation might improve forest restoration after disturbance. This study, funded by National Science Foundation’s Biocomplexity in the Environment Program specifically investigated if recovery of mangrove forests in harsh environments can be improved by nurse plants and if the beneficial effects are species-specific. Mangrove recruitment in a clear-cut forest in Belize was accelerated by the presence of Sesuvium portulacastrum (succulent forb) and Distichlis spicata (grass), two coastal species common throughout the Caribbean Region. This study indicates that beneficial species might be selected based on features that provide multiple positive effects on mangrove recruitment and that species comparisons may be improved using standardized effects. These findings are not only relevant to the coastal environments found in the Caribbean Region, but the assessment methods may be useful for developing site-specific information to restore disturbed mangrove forests worldwide, especially given the large pool of mangrove associates (> 45 genera) available for screening. Active work on this project was closed out in FY07 and information has been transferred to another task. NWRC partners with the Smithsonian Institution for this task.

A clear-cut mangrove forest in Belize (A), 10 years later with herbaceous patches colonizing the area (B), and red mangrove seedlings growing in patches of Distichlis spicata (C) and Sesuvium portulacastrum (D).

Reference: McKee, K.L., Rooth, J.E., and Feller, I.C., 2007, Mangrove recruitment after forest disturbance is facilitated by herbaceous species in the Caribbean: Ecological Applications, v. 17, no. 6, p. 1678-1693.

 

Project 3210APN: Fish and Wildlife Service Science Support Program

 

Task 8.6. Effects of Prescribed Burning on Marsh Elevation Change and the Risk of Wetland Loss

 

Accomplishments: Burning is a common management practice for coastal marshes, but little is known about how it affects organic matter contributions to soil formation and maintenance of soil elevations relative to sea level. Although physical processes of sedimentation, erosion, and shallow subsidence influence marsh elevation, biotic processes such as production and decomposition of organic matter can affect soil volume in marshes, contributing to elevation change. Thus, any factor that alters organic matter inputs or losses may affect the ability of the marsh to maintain elevation relative to sea-level. This project seeks to better understand how prescribed burning affects marsh elevation change and the risk of wetland loss in the Texas Chenier Plain National Wildlife Refuge Complex. NWRC partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in this

Photographs of McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge during and after a prescribed burn of experimental plots in a brackish marsh (photo credits: Ches Vervaeke and Tommy McGinnis).

Reference: McKee, K.L., T. McGinnis, and W. Cochran. How does prescribed burning alter soil elevation dynamics in brackish marshes?

 

8343902: Lake and Wetland Ecosystems: Ecology, Status and Trends, and Management Techniques in the Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast Ecosystems

 

Accomplishments: The goal of this study is to develop indices of ecosystem sensitivity to change and vulnerability to potential stressors, and to develop tools to predict ecosystem responses to environmental change by analyzing critical physical and biological processes influencing structure and function of lake and wetland communities and ecosystems. Physical perturbation such as drought and hurricanes are looked at to find methods of restoration where warranted. The relevance of this study is that the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast ecosystems are ecologically and economically important yet fragile. State and DOI agencies are part of the external organizational relationship of these projects.

 

Task 9. Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Project for FY2000 Contaminants Monitoring

 

Accomplishments: The diversion of freshwater from the Mississippi River is intended to mitigate saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico, and to lessen the concomitant loss of wetland areas. The Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion structure, south of New Orleans, was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 2001. Prior to and following it becoming fully functional, biomonitoring projects are being conducted to evaluate long-term environmental impacts of this structure. In addition to the freshwater inflow, nutrients, increased sediments, and water-borne and sediment-bound compounds will also flow into the Barataria Basin. The purpose of this prediversion biomonitoring study was to evaluate concentrations of selected contaminants and their potential impacts for eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), representative freshwater fish, and bivalves. Samples were obtained from the Mississippi River in the downstream marsh areas. The data showed that generally fish and bivalve samples from the Mississippi River contained higher levels of organic compounds (e.g., PAH and OC) and some inorganics (e.g. Vn, Cr, Fe) than did the downstream areas. Levels of contaminants in fish species varied due to life histories. Moreover, reproductive success of eagles in the marsh areas does not currently appear impacted. Results of post-diversion biomonitoring will be compared with the results presented in a Scientific Information Report, and if necessary, changes in water flow volume may be considered by USACE and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Active work on this project was closed out in FY07 and information has been transferred to another task.

 

Reference: Jenkins, J.A., Bourgeois, E.B., and Jeske, C.W., in press, Davis Pond Freshwater Prediversion Biomonitoring Study: Freshwater Fisheries and Eagles, USGS Scientific Investigations Report.

Project 83439NO: Inventory and Monitoring of Species and Habitats with Special Emphasis on DOI Lands in the Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast Ecosystems

 

The goal of this task is to quantify and understand factors influencing patterns of temporal and spatial variability in key ecosystem components by: (1) collecting and interpreting biologically relevant data of landscape and habitat structure using multiple spatially explicit and temporary sales to allow quantification of distribution patterns undergoing change; (2) to develop spatial analysis technologies and field research data collection techniques to inventory and monitor biological resources such as species and associated habitats; and (3) to provide training and technology transfer on inventorying and monitoring technologies and techniques to DOI agencies and partners and land managers who have legal mandates and legislative authorities over millions of acres in the and Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast ecosystems.

 

Task 1. Remote Sensing as an Integrated Approach to Monitoring Vulnerabilities and Predicting Changes

 

Accomplishments:

·         Continued development of remote sensing mapping techniques and models to support resource management, policy, enforcement and public information.

 

Task 3. Advanced Electronic Technologies Applied to Natural Resources Management and Research

 

Accomplishments:

·        Created new comprehensive DVD with all educational information on one DVD for Teachers / Educators.

·        Creation of new large scale CWPPRA display for all conferences.

·        Creation of wetland educational posters for RAE conference as well as one of the main sponsors of RAE conference.

·        The staff also updated the “Explore Coastal Louisiana with Boudreaux and Marie” educational CD to include the Americas WETLAND campaign and new wetland loss information.

·        The spatial data catalog system has been modified and updated for efficiency.

·        Partner with Louisiana Department of Natural Resources on biological data management and visualization tasks.

·        Supported and maintained coastal Louisiana informational computer kiosks that are displayed at Louisiana’s visitor centers and national environmental conferences

·        Developed tools and technologies for multiple CD-ROMs focused on wetland loss and restoration for a variety of grade levels and the general public.

·        Improved techniques to develop a single-user interface that can access data merged from SQL and Oracles databases, HTML pages, ESRI’s SDE layers, and Internet Mapping Servers.

·        Collected post- Hurricane Katrina imagery and provided assistance to DOI land managers and other Federal and State officials.

·        Continue to assist with the collection and dissemination of Costal Louisiana restoration assessment of multiple projects.

·        Provided fly over video footage of the gulf coast from past hurricanes to compare with hurricane Katrina land loss.

·        Maintained and supported SAB data website and users.

·        Served as USGS representative on the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Restoration and Conservation Task Force Programmatic Assessment Working Group.

·        Supported and maintained LaCoast website to provide the general public as well as the project managers with real time information about restoration projects.

 

Project 83439OH: Spatial Analysis: Biological Characterization of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast Landscapes

 

The objective of this study is to model factors controlling ecosystem patterns at various scales and develop decision support systems which integrate this information with management options to provide assistance and expertise to other scientists and natural resource managers, especially DOI agencies.

 

Task 1. Biological and Spatial Analysis Support for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (Breaux Bill) Planning Activities

 

Accomplishments:

·         Provided basic maps of 20 selected nominee projects.

·         Provided wetland value assessment restoration project screening assessments for 10 candidate restoration projects and 4 nominee projects in 2007.

·         Updated the comprehensive restoration project polygon data base consisting of over 190+ projects to include new restoration projects approved in the fall of 2006.

·         Provided updated approved coastal Louisiana restoration project poster, including LCA priority projects for Task Force members.

·         Completed map production for new approved project fact sheets and updated project fact sheets.

·         Continued using high resolution historic aerial photography for assessing proposed restoration project shoreline retreat rates.

·         Published Open-File Report documenting coast-wide direct impacts from the hurricanes.

·         Completed a report documenting coast-wide changes caused by the 2005 hurricanes for publication in a special USGS Hurricane Circular.

·         Published a data series to support the Circular report with 80+ supporting figures.

 

Task 2. Ecological and Spatial Analysis Research for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Monitoring

 

Accomplishments:

·         NWRC has acquired Fall 2006 high resolution, color infrared aerial photography for the following 7 projects in coastal Louisiana: Caernarvon Diversion Outfall Management (BS-03a), Delta Management/Building at Fort St. Philip (BS-10/11), East Mud Lake (CS-20), Bayou Sauvage Phase I (PO-16), Bayou Sauvage Phase II (PO-18), Oaks/Avery Canal Hydrologic Restoration (TV-13a), and Raccoon Island (TE-29).

·         NWRC produced seamless orthorectified mosaics for the seven (BS-03a, BS-10/11, CS-20, PO-16, PO-18, TV-13a, and TE-29) 2006 CWPPRA projects. These rectified mosaics were classified into a land-water classification to identify land gain and land loss with each project. One project, CS-20 (East Mud Lake), was photointerpreted into Wetland and Upland habitats. For each project, maps displaying land-water and habitat (CS-20) results were produced and delivered to Federal and State partners. Digital data were also loaded onto LaCoast.gov Website for downloading and viewing.

·         NWRC participated on the development of a peer-reviewed monitoring plan on Timbalier Island Marsh/Dune Restoration (TE-40). NWRC participated in the completion of 65 operation, maintenance and monitoring reports with Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. They can be found at http://sonris.com/direct.asp?path=/sundown/cart_prod/cart_bms_avail_documents_f

·         NWRC developed an internet-based interactive graphing tool to graph vegetation data collected under the CWPPRA monitoring program.

 

Task 6. Gulf of Mexico Program (EPA) Environmental Assessment Project

 

Accomplishments:

·         Produced 25 working maps and products for use by Gulf of Mexico Program Office

·         Draft of Gulf of Mexico Seagrass Status and Trends Chapters for the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida completed and sent to approving official.

·         Project ended in FY07 and new USGS/EPA project started under CRW01.

 

Task 7. Geographic Information and Technical Support for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

 

Accomplishments:

·         Provided key support functions to partners. The cooperative relationship between Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and the USGS NWRC, based on our common interest in coastal restoration, continued to strengthen over the last year.

·         Provided critical GIS support to 80+ LDNR employees, including technical support, database development, software customization, and basic software training.

·         Produced 250+ maps for Coastal Wetland Restoration activities on a request basis.

·         Provided recommendations to LDNR for complex GIS analyses related to the management of Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) data collection.

·         Played an integral role in the development and implementation of custom spatial data sets, databases, and scripts related to CRMS, CWPPRA, Louisiana Coastal Area, and other coastal restoration projects.

 

Task 9. Advanced Photo Acquisition, Mapping and Surveying Techniques and Methods Assessment

 

Accomplishments:

·         NWRC produced over 1,400 frames of photography and provided over 100 copies of wetland, seagrass, and upland maps to client agencies and individuals.

·         Produced a total of 55 new habitat maps for research and monitoring projects, 24 maps as cartographic hard copy products and 31 maps as digital on-screen products.

·         Conducted 10 WETMAAP (Wetland Education Through Maps And Aerial Photography) workshops for 172 teachers in Louisiana, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, Virginia, and Costa Rica.

·         Presented 7 poster presentations to scientific organization and at one Louisiana state meeting. We produced a total of 24 posters as products, and gave 6 oral presentations at national, regional, and state meetings.

·         Reviewed 8 scientific articles for academic publication and developed 6 covers for the Journal of Geography as the Technical Editor.

·         Were the Executive Secretary for the International Geographical Honor Society and served this year as the Chair for the Louisiana Governor's Environmental Education Commission.

·         Provided 9 training workshops covering GIS, GPS, wetland photointerpretation, remote sensing, National Wetlands Inventory Classification System, Wetland Forest Trees, 130 participants from various state, federal, and local agencies and universities, companies or individuals.

·         Completed 2 projects on U. S. Fish and Wildlife refuges and on 2 National Park Service units and one on tribal lands. Our projects were located in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Montana, Texas, and Arkansas.

·         Provided technical consultations for the Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Parks Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, and to other disciplines within USGS.

·         Provided educational opportunities for children from lower elementary to graduate research students.

·         Copied and scanned aerial photography for NASA Ames Research Center, California, and have supported through consultation and have participated with NASA in the organization of the International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment in San Jose, Costa Rica.

·         Co-organized a UAV conference with 120 national and international participants, and co-directed the 23rd Louisiana Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop with 180 attendees.

·         Served on the FGDC Wetlands Subcommittee and on the Wetlands Mapping Standard working group.

·         Images were acquired from National Technical Means data was undergoing evaluation for Hurricanes Rita and Katrina impacts, Brown Marsh effects, and shoreline delineation. Our personnel have visited twelve states and one foreign country in fulfillment of our mission.

·         Co-authors and compilers of the “Gulf of Mexico Seagrass Status and Trends Report.”

 

Task 12. Develop Advanced Spatial Analysis Technologies and GIS Support for National Coastal Assessment

 

Accomplishments:

Collaborated with EPA on their third coastal condition report on the Nation's estuaries to be published in 2007 (National Coastal Condition Report III).

 

Task 14. Coastwide Reference Monitoring Systems (CRMS) for the Assessment of Wetland Restoration

 

Accomplishments:

·         The NWRC completed land/water analysis has been completed on 355 CRMS sites with 143 maps finalized.

·         The NWRC has completed post-hurricane land/water analysis and completed multi-temporal analysis.

·         The NWRC has been working with Louisiana DNR to support QA/QC of the CRMS station establishment and data collection by LDNR contractor (CES).  Preliminary site visits at 348 stations and site construction of 221 stations have been QC'd and approved.

·         The NWRC completed the "on-the-fly" data graphics package for graphing vegetation data collected under the CRMS program. This program is Web-based and will allow users to select station, parameter, and data collection period. It is expanded to include soil variables in FY08.

·         NWRC provided training on field sampling techniques and QA/QC to La. Dept. of Natural Resources personnel and contract personnel working on the CRMS program.

·         Expanded CRMS website under www.LaCoast.gov to support easier access to data and information products.

 

Project 8343CMX: Second Hurricane Katrina Supplemental – Ongoing Environmental Assessments of Wetland Impacts

 

Task 5.  Report production Report Production for USGS Circular Documenting Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts

 

Accomplishments:  NWRC coordinated all reviews from the approving officials in two regions and among four disciplines and worked with the Lafayette Publishing Service Center to communicate editorial concerns to authors. The NWRC managing editor also worked with the publishing group to coordinate production of the volume. The report was sent to the Government Printing Office at the end of the fiscal year.

 

Reference: Farris, G.S., Smith, G.J., Crane, M. P., Demas, C.R., Robbins, L.L., and Lavoie, D.L., eds., 2007, Science and the storms: the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1306, 283 p.

 

Task 16. Second Katrina Supplemental - Regeneration and Forest Composition: Regeneration and Future Forest

 

Accomplishments:

·         Image data were found, catalogued, and collected covering the lower Pearl River Delta, Jean Lafitte National Park, and Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge.

·         Image data included before and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. All image sources were calibrated, georectified, and entered into a spatially extensive common database.

·         Image data includes Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper, ASTER, MODIS, RadarSAT, and photographic. Analyses will now be conducted on damage extent, severity, and changes in gap presence and sizes resulting from hurricane impacts.

·         Set up studies to observe regeneration dynamics in baldcypress swamps in various levels of salinity intrusion and canopy openness at Cat Island, Jean LaFitte National Park, and Pearl River NWR.

·         Elevation studies initiated at Jean LaFitte National Park to look at the effects of dredge spoil application as a surrogate for hurricane sediment deposition on the function of swamps decreasing in elevation.

Project 8343CRW: Restoration and Assessment of Gulf Coast Ecosystems

 

Task 1. Collaborator on USEPA's Development of National Strategy to Characterize Conditions of Coastal Wetlands

 

Accomplishments:

·         Finalized and created sampling design to be used for the Gulf of Mexico Pilot Program. (Major items decided: a consensus on coastal wetland types to be sampled (6 codes from NWI S&T); underlying dataset used to delineate potential coastal wetland sample population (NWI S&T); Rapid site assessment methodologies; Intensive site sample metrics and methodologies.)

·         Utilized GIS technologies to create random sample locations that will be used in the design; basemaps for each sampling site as needed. Initiated field sampling of sites, target is approximately 25 sites by end of September.

 

Reference: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Geological Survey, 2007, Environmental conditions in northern Gulf of Mexico coastal waters following Hurricane Katrina, EPA/600/R-07/063: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, Fla.

 

Task 2. Biological and Spatial Analysis Support for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (Breaux Bill) Planning Activities.

 

Accomplishments:

·         Provided basic maps of 20 selected nominee projects.

·         Provided wetland value assessment restoration project screening assessments for 10 candidate restoration projects and 4 nominee projects in 2007.

·         Updated the comprehensive restoration project polygon data base consisting of over 190+ projects to include new restoration projects approved in the fall of 2006.

·         Provided updated approved coastal Louisiana restoration project poster, including LCA priority projects for Task Force members.

·         Completed map production for new approved project fact sheets and updated project fact sheets as needed.

·         Continued using high resolution historic aerial photography for assessing proposed restoration project shoreline retreat rates.

·         Published Open-File Report documenting coast-wide direct impacts from the hurricanes. Completed a report documenting coast-wide changes caused by the 2005 hurricanes for publication in a special USGS Hurricane Circular. Published a data series to support the Circular report with 80+ supporting figures.

 

Task 3. Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Ecosystem Restoration Science Support for Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration (LaCPR) Program

 

Accomplishments:

·         USGS played a significant role in providing geospatial data that supported the development of the draft LACPR Congressional report which is due in April 2008.

Project 8343CVM: Science and Technology to Support Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Efforts

 

Task 1. Characterizing the Immediate and Long-term Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to Support Resource Management Decision-making

 

Accomplishments:

·         All data collection and analysis are complete. Preparing manuscript describing the results.

·         Collected and analyzed data from all 15 pairs of sites through March 2007. Data collection will be completed in 1st quarter of FY08.

·         All land/water analyses describing hurricane impacts were completed and published (Barras 2006).

·         Coastwide vegetation surveys have been completed and new vegetative type database for coastal Louisiana is under construction.

·         All normalized difference vegetation index and enhanced vegetation index analyses have been completed and poster is in press. Manuscript describing results is in preparation.

 

Task 2. Developing Conceptual Ecological Models of the Northern Gulf Coast

 

Accomplishments:

·         Participated in the UMCES-IAN workshop and developed the conceptual model newsletter "Restore vs. Retreat: Securing ecosystem services provided by coastal Louisiana."

·         Participated in meetings with CAMNet and S&T Office to support development of Adaptive Management Implementation Program, and developed adaptive management language for inclusion in State's CPRA Master Plan.

 

Task 3. GIS Support and Product Development for the Environmental Assessments to be Accomplished by the Baton Rouge F.R.O. Under Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers MIPR

 

Accomplishments:

·         The NWRC obtained and classified over 12 Landsat satellite scenes of the Atchafalaya Basin and developed land-water classifications representing water area under leaf off conditions for various river stages. Some limited areas of infilling were identified and the linkage between water area and elevation surfaces from various elevation sources was explored (LIDR, DEM, Shuttle Imaging Radar).

·         A large number of water quality, water level data sets were integrated within the GIS for assessing water area and water level correlations.

 

Project 83439KV: Science Information and Information Technology

 

Task 5. CWPPRA, Outreach Education - Homepage/Website

 

Accomplishments:

·         Chaired multi-agency Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Task Force’s Public Outreach committee, responsible for all outreach including chairman, outreach coordinator, educational coordinator, graphic layout, and educational assistant.

·         Reprinted 2 CD-ROMs, “Explore Coastal Louisiana with Boudreaux and Marie” and “Thibodeaux’s Treasure – Louisiana Coastal Wetlands.”

·         Distributed 3 “America's WETLAND” kiosk/CD to support the nationwide campaign for coastal Louisiana.

·         Created a Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act screen saver.

·         Reprinted “Turning the Tide,” which previously won a National Association of Government Communicators Blue Pencil Award of Excellence.

·         Produced 225+ news flashes, conducted 20+ teacher workshops, produced 17 fact sheets, attended 16 conferences, exhibited 20+ times at international, national, State, and local events, and conducted a dedication in June.

·         Continued design work on new Coastal Louisiana Children’s Museum exhibit with partners.

·         Began design work on new educational DVD and supplementary educational information DVD with BTNEP.

 

Project 83439KV: Science Information and Information Technology

 

Task3. Education and outreach

 

Accomplishments: In FY07 NWRC accomplished the following in outreach and education.

 

Contributed articles/information for:

·         Soundwaves (4)

·         Press releases and advisories (2)

·         Weekly Highlights (weekly)

·         USGS in the News (10)

·         Media contacts/interviews (55+)

·         Stories in print/on TV about NWRC (25+)

·         Science Pics (3)

 

Community participation:  programs, speakers, exhibits:

·         Planned programs with the Civic Club, Lafayette Consolidated Government., National League of Cities, Le Centre International (tours for Mayor and officials from Lafayette’s sister city of Poitiers, France and French film crew from TV5 Monde), Community Advisory Committee (BTNEP mini-grant program)

·         Baton Rouge Earth Day

·         Acadiana Migratory Bird Day; partnering with National Park Service, Nature Station, and Bayou Vermilion District for activities

·         Coordinated visits for international visitor, Mr. He, a Chinese scientist visiting the U. S. as part of the U. S. State Department's Visitor Leadership Program.  Mr. He found the NWRC Website and requested to visit NWRC to learn about Louisiana’s wetlands

 

Arts in the community:

·         NWRC participated with local art gallery to provide information & images of barrier islands and restoration work to complement an exhibition of artwork & photographs of Louisiana wetlands

·         Worked with Ballet Acadiana on "The Wetlands Experience," a dance project to teach audiences especially young people about the importance of Louisiana’s wetlands. NWRC provided wetlands education materials and letters of support for Ballet Acadiana’s grant applications.

 

Education

Conducted tours and science programs at NWRC for:

·         K-12 public, private, and home-schooled students including special ed. students and children from local shelters

·         University classes from ULL, Southern University, Michigan Tech University, Dickson College

·         Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts (including one Eagle Scout project ), 4-H clubs

·         Interested citizens and tourists

 

Programs off-site:

K-12 public and private school classrooms

·         Career Connections, 3000 10th graders

·         "Shadow-a-Scientist" 15 students

 

Teacher workshops:

·         ULL College of Education’s Field Experience for “Science Methods” graduate level class

 

Provided information on wetlands, NWRC, regional fieldtrip sites, answered miscellaneous inquiries from public (phone, email, mail) 100+ requests

 

Attended USGS Communications Conference, June 2007; 3 staff members gave presentations, one plenary on Katrina Response and one Central Region Group on "Dare to Be Different: Extreme Props for Media or Kids."

 

Statistics:

·         Citizens touring NWRC = 2500

·         Students reached with programs, exhibits, outside NWRC = 7000

·         Members of the public reached through broadcast of 6 TV stories = 360,000 (estimate)

·         Conference Room Users = 5500

 

Wildlife: Terrestrial and Endangered Resources Program

 

Project 83439HB: Application of Landscape and Population Ecology to Avian Species in the Gulf Coast and Southeastern U.S.

 

Objective is to assess habitat quality and quantity for migratory birds, an important Trust Resource for the Department of the Interior, especially in the Gulf of Mexico region where habitat alterations and fragmentation are occurring.

 

Task 1. Avian Migration Ecology in the Gulf Coast Region

 

Accomplishments:

·         Ash, protein, percent water, gross energy, mineral composition, and gross energy values were obtained on additional fruit and insect species.

·         Methodology for "cost" estimates was refined to be the multiple of monthly availability * amount of fruit produced * plant distribution* fruit distribution.

·         For some species, samples were collected to estimate total fruit production/plant when literature estimates are not available.

·         Estimates “bird use” days in various habitats are being developed to assess food resource abundance.

·         Performed follow-up surveys of wading bird and seabird colonies post-Hurricanes Rita and Katrina

·         Assisted with collection of avian influenza samples with the Louisiana department of Wildlife and Fisheries

 

Accomplishments: Include aerial surveys of wading birds in southeast Louisiana and the completion of 8 years of bird habitat counts at 41 counts.

 

Project 83439HC: Forest and Marsh Ecology, Restoration, and Management

 

Task 10. Radar Restoration Ecology: Science Support for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture

 

Accomplishments: NWRC scientists, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Southern Mississippi, completed development and of algorithms and programming code critical for estimating bird densities from radar data. This revolutionary approach is being used to analyze data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s WSR-88D radar network. When “proof of concept” studies are completed, this technical breakthrough is expected to allow radar ornithologists to filter insects from radar image data and develop high quality bird density metrics.

 

Supporting Documents: Computer program/insect filter

 

Other Funding

 

Library (funded by the Regional Geospatial Information Office)

 

The USGS National Wetlands Research Center accomplished the following in fiscal year 2007; some accomplishments are also listed under E-Government in this report.

 

Accomplishments:

·         Worked with USGS and USFWS to facilitate access to pubs chosen for FWS-USGS Climate Change Forum-Anchorage, Alaska.

·         Digitized 126-report series: "Species Profiles: Life histories...coastal fishes and invertebrates"; updated Web pages.

·         Reworked bibliographic cites on Digital Collection page and hyperlinked full titles to increase access.

·         Ran reports and provided data to USGS BRD personnel on impact factors for project analyzing which journals BRD authors select to publish articles and their impact.

·         Set up links to online Federal and state tax documents from the Library site.

·         Established repository to archive electronic copies of publications authored by NWRC staff.

·         Began work on the Delta Research and Global Observation Network (DRAGON). Project will collate information on global river deltas to compare major systems.

·         Helped U.S. Senator Landrieu's office obtain a map in the desired format as a visual aid for Senate hearing on WRDA, the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

·         Prepared items for exhibit on Threatened and Endangered Species hosted by Dupre Library on the University of Louisiana campus.

B.  Summary of NWRC Productivity FY07

 

Biological Information Management and Delivery

 

Haydel, J., and Thibodeaux, C., 2007, Tired of searching endlessly for coastal wetlands resources? The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Biological Information Infrastructure can help: Challenges of Natural Resource Economics and Policy: 2^nd National Forum on Socioeconomic Research in Coastal Systems, New Orleans, May 20-23, 2007, p. 27.

 

Invasive Species Program

 

Ackleh, A.S., Allen, L.J.S., and Carter, J., 2007, Establishing a beachhead: a stochastic population model with an allee effect applied to species invasion: Theoretical Population Biology, v. 71, no. 3, p. 290-300.

 

Merino, S., Carter, J., and Thibodeaux, G., 2007, Testing tail-mounted transmitters with Myocastor coypus (Nutria): Southeastern Naturalist, v. 6, no.1, p. 159-164.

 

Westbrooks, R., and Manning, S., 2007, 2007 update on development of a National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for invasive plants in the United States of America [abs.], 9th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions, September 17-21 2007, Perth, Western Australia.

 

Westbrooks, R., Shellman, D., and Canson, J., 2007, The Caddo Lake Giant Salvinia Task Force - A Community Based Effort for Early Detection and Rapid Response to Giant Salvinia on Caddo Lake, Louisiana and Texas [abs.], The 47th Annual Meeting of the Weed Science Society of America, San Antonio, TX, February 4 2007-February 8 2007.

 

Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Program

 

Allain, L., 2007, Coastal prairie restoration information system: version 1 (Louisiana): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 256, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/256/.

 

Anderson, T.M., Metzger, K.L., and McNaughton, S.J., 2007, Multi-scale analysis of plant species richness in Serengeti grasslands: Journal of Biogeography, v. 34, no. 2, p. 313-323.

 

Anderson, T.M., Ritchie, M.E., Mayemba, E., Eby, S., Grace, J.B., and McNaughton, S.J., 2007, Forage nutritive quality in the Serengeti ecosystem: the roles of fire and herbivory: The American Naturalist, v. 170, no. 3, p. 343-357.

 

Barras, J.A., 2007, Before and after Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans: A perilous future map): National Geographic Magazine, v. 212, no. 2, p. 57, available at http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0708/feature1/.

 

Barras, J.A., 2007, Satellite images and aerial photographs of the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on coastal Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 281, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/281.

 

Barrow, W.C., Jr., Fontenot, B., Barrow, M.H., DeMay, R., and Muth, D., 2006, Vanishing before our eyes: Louisiana cheniere woods and the birds that depend on them: Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, 25 p.

 

Carter, J., and Biagas, J., 2007, Prioritizing bottomland hardwood forest sites for protection and augmentation: Natural Areas Journal, v. 27, no. 1, p. 72-82.

 

Clark, C.M., Cleland, E.E., Collins, S.L., Fargione, J.E., Gough, L., Gross, K.L., Pennings, S.C., Suding, K.N., and Grace, J.B., 2007, Environmental and plant community determinants of species loss following nitrogen enrichment: Ecology Letters, v. 10, no. 7, p. 596-607.

 

Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., 2007, Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, 505 p.

 

Conner, W.H., Hackney, C.T., Krauss, K.W., and Day, J.W., Jr., 2007, Tidal freshwater forested wetlands: future research needs and an overview of restoration, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 461-488.

 

Conner, W.H., Krauss, K.W., and Doyle, T.W., 2007, Ecology of tidal freshwater forests in coastal deltaic Louisiana and northeastern South Carolina, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 223-253.

 

Day, R.H., Williams, T.M., and Swarzenski, C.M., 2007, Hydrology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the southeastern United States, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 29-63.

 

Doyle, T.W., Conner, W.H., Ratard, M., and Inabinette, L.W., 2007, Assessing the impact of tidal flooding and salinity on long-term growth of baldcypress under changing climate and riverflow, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 411-445.

 

Doyle, T.W., O'Neil, C.P., Melder, M.P.V., From, A.S., and Palta, M.M., 2007, Tidal freshwater swamps of the southeastern United States: effects of land use, hurricanes, sea-level rise, and climate change, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 1-28.

 

Farris, G.S., 2007, USGS team receives Service to America medal: Sound Waves, v. 11, no. 89, p. 15-16, available at http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2006/11/awards.html.

 

Farris, Gaye, 2007, USGS wins eight National Association of Government Communicators’ Awards: People, Land and Water, available at http://www.peoplelandandwater.gov/usgs/usgs_04-26-07_usgs-wins-eight.cfm.

 

Farris, G.S., Smith, G.J., Crane, M.P., Demas, C.R., Robbins, L.L., and Lavoie, D.L., eds., 2007, Science and the storms—the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1306, 283 p.

 

Faulkner, S.P., Chambers, J.L., Conner, W.H., Keim, R.F., Day, J.W., Gardiner, E.S., Hughes, M.S., King, S.L., McLeod, K.W., Miller, C.A., Nyman, J.A., and Shaffer, G.P., 2007, Conservation and use of coastal wetland forests in Louisiana, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 447-460.

 

Feller, I.C., Lovelock, C.E., and McKee, K.L., 2007, Nutrient addition differentially affects ecological processes of Avicennia germinans in nitrogen versus phosphorus limited mangrove ecosystems: Ecosystems, v. 10, no. 3, p. 347-359.

 

Goodbred, S.L., Leiker, T.J., Patino, R., Jenkins, J.A., Denslow, N.D., Orsak, E., and Rosen, M.R., 2007, Organic chemical concentrations and reproductive biomarkers in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from two areas in Lake Mead, Nevada, May 1999–May 2000: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 286, 18 p.

 

Grace, J.B., and Bollen, K.A., 2006, The interface between theory and data in structural equation models, USGS Open-File Report 2006-1363, 33 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1363/pdf/OF06-1363_508.pdf and http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1363/.

 

Grace, J.B., Anderson, T.M., Smith, M.D., Seabloom, E., Andelman, S.J., Meche, G., Weiher, E., Allain, L.K., Jutila, H., Sankaran, M., Knops, J., Ritchie, M., and Willig, M.R., 2007, Does species diversity limit productivity in natural grassland communities?: Ecology Letters, v. 10, no. 8, p. 680-689.

 

Grace, J.B., Safford, H.D., and Harrison, S., 2006, Large-scale causes of variation in the serpentine vegetation of California: Plant and Soil, v. 293, n. 1-2, p. 121-132.

 

Handley, L.R., Altsman, D., and DeMay, R., eds., 2007, Seagrass status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1940-2002: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5287, 267 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2006/5287/.

 

Harrison, S., and Grace, J.B., 2007, Biogeographic affinity helps explain productivity-richness relationships at regional and local scales: American Naturalist, v. 170, p. S5-S15.

 

Jenkins, J.A., and Draugelis-Dale, R.O., 2006, Bioindicators from mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) sampled from the Imperial Valley in southern California, USGS Open-File Report 2006-1307, 48 p.

 

Keeland, B.D. and McCoy, J.W., 2007, Plant community composition of a tidally influenced, remnant Atlantic white cedar stand in Mississippi, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 89-111.

 

Krauss, K.W., 2007, Physiological ecology and ecohydrology of coastal forested wetlands: USGS FS 2007-3018, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3018/.

 

Krauss, K.W., Chambers, J.L., and Creech, D., 2007, Selection for salt tolerance in tidal freshwater swamp species: advances using baldcypress as a model for restoration, in Conner, W.H., Doyle, T.W., and Krauss, K.W., eds., Ecology of tidal freshwater forested wetlands of the Southeastern United States: The Netherlands, Springer, p. 385-410.

 

Krauss, K.W., Keeland, B.D., Allen, J.A., Ewel, K.C., and Johnson, D.J., 2006, Effects of season, rainfall, and hydrogeomorphic setting on mangrove tree growth in Micronesia: Biotropica, v. 39, no. 2, p. 161-170.

 

Krauss, K.W., Young, P.J., Chambers, J.L., Doyle, T.W., and Twilley, R.R., 2007, Sap flow characteristics of neotropical mangroves in flooded and drained soils: Tree Physiology, v. 27, no. 5, p. 775-783.

 

Larson, D.L., Grace, J.B., Rabie, P.A., and Andersen, P., 2007, Short-term disruption of a leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) biocontrol program following herbicide application: Biological Control, v. 40, no. 1, p. 1-8.

 

Laughlin, D.C., Abella, S.R., Covington, W.W., and Grace, J.B., 2007, Species richness and soil properties in Pinus ponderosa forests: a structural equation modeling analysis: Journal of Vegetation Science, v. 18, no. 2, p. 231-242.

 

McKee, K.L., Cahoon, D.L., and Feller, I.C., 2007, Caribbean mangroves adjust to rising sea level through biotic controls on change in soil elevation: Global Ecology and Biogeography, v. 16, no. 5, p. 545-556.

 

McKee, K.L., Mendelssohn, I.A. and Materne, M.D., 2006, Salt marsh dieback in coastal Louisiana: survey of plant and soil conditions in Barataria and Terrebonne basins, June 2000-September 2001, USGS Open-File Report 2006-1167, 71 p., available at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20062267.

 

McKee, K.L., Rooth, J.E., and Feller, I.C., 2007, Mangrove recruitment after forest disturbance is facilitated by herbaceous species in the Caribbean: Ecological Applications, v. 17, no. 6, p. 1678-1693.

 

Middleton, B.A., Holsten, B., and van Diggelen, R., 2006, Biodiversity management of fens and fen meadows by grazing, cutting and burning: Applied Vegetation Science, v. 9, no. 2, p. 307-316.

 

Middleton, B.A., van Diggelen, R., and Jensen, K., 2006, Seed dispersal in fens: Applied Vegetation Science, v. 9, no. 2, p. 279-284.

 

Nettle, D., Grace, J.B., Choisy, M., Cornell, H.V., Guegan, J-F., and Hochberg, M.E., 2007, Cultural diversity, economic development and societal instability: PLoS One, v. 2, no. 9, p. e929.

 

Nicholls, R.J., Wong, P.P., Burkett, V.R., Codignotto, J.O., Hay, J.E., McLean, R.F., Ragoonaden, S., and Woodroffe, C.D., 2007, Coastal systems and low-lying areas, Climate Change 2007 in Parry, M.L., Canziani, O.F., Palutikof, J.P., van der Linden, P.J., and Hanson, C.E., eds., Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, p. 315-356.

 

Owens, A.B., Proffitt, C.E., and Grace, J.B., 2007, Prescribed fire and cutting as tools for reducing woody plant succession in a created salt marsh: Wetlands Ecology and Management, v. 15, no. 5, p. 405-416.

 

Pham, L., Boudreaux, S., Karhbet, S., Price, B., Ackleh, A.S., Carter, J., and Pal, N., 2007, Population estimates of Hyla cinerea (Schneider) (green tree frog) in an urban environment: Southeastern Naturalist, v. 6, no. 2, p. 203-216.

 

Tiersch, T.R., Yang, H., Jenkins, J.A., and Dong, Q., 2007, Sperm cryopreservation in fish and shellfish, in Roldan, E.R.S., and Gomendio, M., eds., Spermatology, Society of Reproduction and Fertility Supplement 65: Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, p. 493-508.

 

U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center, and Wilen, Bill, 2007, Landscape change processes on the deltaic gulf coast, in Council on Environmental Quality (U.S.), Conserving America's Wetlands 2007: Three years of progress implementing the President's goal: Washington, D.C., Executive Office of the President, Council on Environmental Quality, p. Executive Summary, 2, 53.

 

Ullah, S., and Faulkner, S.P., 2006, Denitrification potential of different land-use types in an agricultural watershed, lower Mississippi valley: Ecological Engineering, v. 28, no. 2, p. 131-140.

 

van Diggelen, R., Middleton, B.A., Bakker, J., Grootjans, A., and Wassen, M., 2006, Fens and floodplains of the temperate zone: present status, threats, conservation and restoration: Applied Vegetation Science, v. 9, no. 2, p. 157-162.

 

Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Program Maps

 

2007-12-0003  New Orleans East Land Bridge TM5 - 2004

2007-12-0004  New Orleans East Land Bridge TM5 - Oct 25 2005

2007-12-0005  New Orleans East Land Bridge TM5 - 2006

2007-12-0006  New Orleans East Land Bridge Land/Water Classification - 2004

2007-12-0007  New Orleans East Land Bridge Land/Water Classification - 2005

2007-12-0008  New Orleans East Land Bridge LIDAR

 

Wildlife: Terrestrial and Endangered Resources Program

 

Baldwin, H.Q., Grace, J.B., Barrow, W.C., Jr., and Rohwer, F.C., 2007, Habitat relationships of birds overwintering in a managed coastal prairie: The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, v. 119, no. 2, p. 189-197.

 

Barrow, W.C., Jr., Johnson Randall, L.A., Woodrey, M.S., Cox, J., Ruelas, E.I., Riley, C.M., Hamilton, R.B., and Everly, C., 2006, Coastal forests of the Gulf of Mexico: a description and some thoughts on their conservation, in Ralph, C.J., and Rich, T.D., eds., Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference, 2002 March 20-24, Asilomar, Calif., v. 1, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-191: Albany, Calif., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, p. 450-464.

 

Carter, J., 2006, LAMP Louisiana Amphibian Monitoring Program Audio/Data CD 2007: Lafayette, LA, U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center.

 

Drake, D.L., Altig, R., Grace, J.B., and Walls, S.C., 2007, Occurrence of oral deformities in larval anurans: Copeia, v. 2007, no. 2, p. 449-458.

 

Jeske, C.W., Wilson, S., Chadwick, P.C., and Barrow, W., 2006, Shorebird habitat availability assessment of agricultural fields using a digital aerial video system, , in Ralph, C.J., and Rich, T.D., eds., Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference, 2002 March 20-24, Asilomar, Calif., v. 2, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-191: Albany, Calif., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, p. 854-859.

 

Muths, E., Gallant, A.L., Campbell Grant, E.H., Battaglin, W.A., Green, D.E., Staiger, J.S., Walls, S.C., Gunzburger, M.S., and Kearney, R.F., 2006, The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI): 5-Year Report: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5224, 77 p., available at http://armi.usgs.gov/ARMI_5-Year_Report.pdf.

 

Other

 

Broussard, L., 2007, Welcome to the National Wetlands Research Center Library: Successful research begins @ your library: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3033, 2 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3033/.

 

Broussard, L., 2007, Welcome to the National Wetlands Research Center Library: Not just another library—A special library: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3028, 2 p., http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3028/.

 

Carter, J., 2006, Wetlands ecosystems in Asia: function and management [book review]: Ecological Engineering, v. 28, p. 382-383.

 

Carter, J., 2007, The Integration of Ecological Values in a Minerals Assessment in southeastern Madagascar [abs.], 2007 Society of Wetland Scientists International Conference: Water, Wetlands, and Wildlife--Resolving Conflicts and Restoring Habitat, June 10-15, 2007 Sacramento, Calif.

 

Michot, T. C., Woodin, M. C., Adair, S. E., and others, 2006, Diurnal time-activity budgets of redheads (Aythya americana) wintering in seagrass beds and coastal ponds in Louisiana and Texas [abs.]: Limonology and Aquatic Birds: Abstracts and Selected Papers from the Fourth Conference of the Societas Internationalis Limnologiae (SIL) aquatic birds working group, p. 74.

 

Woodin, M. C., and Michot, T. C., 2006, Foraging behavior of redheads (Aythya americana) wintering in Texas and Louisiana [abs.]: Limonology and Aquatic Birds: Abstracts and Selected Papers from the Fourth Conference of the Societas Internationalis Limnologiae (SIL) aquatic birds working group, p. 75.

 

Reimbursables

 

Barras, J.A., 2006, Mississippi River Delta Basin (Front cover map): The Earth Observer, v. 18, no. 6. p. 1.

 

Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration (CLEAR) Program, 2006, Reducing Flood Damage in Coastal Louisiana: Communities, Culture and Commerce, CLEAR Newsletter, no. 1, 4 p., available at http://www.clear.lsu.edu/clear/web-content/Web_items/1-LA_Flood_Protection_Newsletter.pdf.

 

Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration (CLEAR) Program, 2006, Enhancing Landscape Integrity in Coastal Louisiana: Water, Sediment and Ecosystems, CLEAR Newsletter, no. 2, 4 p., available at http://www.clear.lsu.edu/clear/web-content/Web_items/2-Delta_Landscape.pdf.

 

Coastal Louisiana Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration (CLEAR) Program, 2007, Restore vs. Retreat: Securing Ecosystem Services Provided by Coastal Louisiana, CLEAR Newsletter, no. 3, 4 p., available at http://www.clear.lsu.edu/clear/web-content/Web_items/3-Ecosystem_Services.pdf.

 

Steyer, G.D., Twilley, R.R., and Raynie, R.C., 2006, An integrated monitoring approach using multiple reference sites to assess sustainable restoration in coastal Louisiana, in Aguirre-Bravo, C., and others, eds., Monitoring Science and Technology Symposium: Unifying Knowledge for Sustainability in the Western Hemisphere, 2004 September 20-24: Denver, Colo., U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Proceedings RMRS-P-42CD, p. 326-333, available at http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p042.html.

 

Tyler, D., Zawada, D.G., Nayegandi, A., Brock, J.C., Crane, M.P., Yates, K.K., and Smith, K.E.L., 2007, Topobathymetric data for Tampa Bay, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1051, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1051/.

 

Reimbursable Maps

 

2007-05-0001  NDBC C-MAN Buoy Data - Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Region

2007-02-0008  Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11) 2005 Land-Water Analysis

2007-12-0002  2005 DOQQ Mosaic

2007-16-0001  South Shore of the Pen Shoreline Protection and Marsh Creation (BA-41) - Fact Sheet

2007-16-0002  Dedicated Dredging On Barataria Basin Landbridge (BA-36) Fact Sheet

2007-12-0010  TM5 - Oct 09 2005

2007-02-0009  Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11) 2000 and 2005 Photomosaics and Land-Water Analyses

2007-02-0084  2005 Chandeleur Islands Doublecut Site Land Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0085  2005 Chandeleur Islands Tripletail Site Land Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0086  2005 Chandeleur Islands Little Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0087  2005 Chandeleur Islands Redfish Point Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0088  2005 Chandeleur Islands Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0089  2005 Chandeleur Islands Bent Mangrove Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0090  2005 Chandeleur Islands Renee Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0091  2005 Chandeleur Islands Monkey Bayou N site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0092  2005 Chandeleur Islands Spool Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0093  2005 Chandeleur Islands Southernmost Site Land-Water Analysis (PO-27)

2007-02-0104  Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31) 2005 Land-Water Analysis and Photomosaic

2007-02-0105  Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31) 2005 Land-Water Analysis map

2007-02-0108  Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration (CS-27) 2004 Land-Water Analysis and Photomosaic map

2007-02-0113t GIWW-Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization (CS-30) 2005 Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0114  GIWW-Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization (CS-30) 2005 Photomosaic and Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0131  Fritchie Marsh Restoration (PO-06) 2004 Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0132t Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration (CS-27) 2004 Project and Reference Area Image Mosaic

2007-02-0133  Cheniere Au Tigre Sediment Trapping Demonstration (TV-16) 2005 Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0134  Cheniere Au Tigre Sediment Trapping Demonstration (TV-16) 2005 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0135  Grand-White Lakes Landbridge Protection (ME-19) 2004 Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0136  Grand-White Lakes Landbridge Protection (ME-19) 2004 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0137  Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31) 2005 Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0138  Holly Beach Sand Management (CS-31) 2005 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0139  GIWW-Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization (CS-30) 2005 Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0140  GIWW-Perry Ridge West Bank Stabilization (CS-30) 2005 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0141  Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11) 2005 Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0142  Humble Canal Hydrologic Restoration (ME-11) 2005 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0144  Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration (CS-27) 2004 Project and Reference Area Land-Water Analysis Data

2007-02-0145  Fritchie Marsh Restoration (PO-06) 2004 Project and Reference Area Land-Water Analyses Data

2007-02-0146  Fritchie Marsh Restoration (PO-06) 2004 Project and Reference Area Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0147  Raccoon Island Breakwaters Demonstration (TE-29) 2003 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0148  Raccoon Island Breakwaters Demonstration (TE-29) 2004 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0149  Raccoon Island Breakwaters Demonstration (TE-29) 2005 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0150  Raccoon Island Breakwaters Demonstration (TE-29) 2006 Photomosaic Image

2007-02-0152  PO-27 2005 Double Cut Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0153  PO-27 2005 Triple Tail Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0154  PO-27 2005 Little Teddy Bear Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0155  PO-27 2005 Redfish Point Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0156  PO-27 2005 Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Data

2007-02-0157  PO-27 2005 Bent Magrove Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0158  PO-27 2005 Renee Site Land-Water Data

2007-02-0159  PO-27 2005 Monkey Bayou N Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0160  PO-27 2005 Spool Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0161  PO-27 2005 Southernmost Site Land-Water data

2007-02-0162  PO-27 2005 Double Cut Site Mosaic

2007-02-0163  PO-27-2005 Tripletail Site Mosaic

2007-02-0164  PO-27 2005 Little Teddy Bear Site Mosaic

2007-02-0165  PO-27 2005 Redfish Point Site Mosaic

2007-02-0166  PO-27 2005 Teddy Bear Site Mosaic

2007-02-0167  PO-27 2005 Bent Mangrove Site Mosaic

2007-02-0168  PO-27 2005 Renee Site Mosaic

2007-02-0169  PO-27 2005 Monkey Bayou North Site Mosaic

2007-02-0170  PO-27 2005 Spool Site Mosaic

2007-02-0171  PO-27 2005 Southernmost Site Mosaic

2007-02-0173  PO-27 2000 Bent Mangrove Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0174  PO-27 2000 Double Cut Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0175  PO-27 2000 Little Teddy Bear Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0176  PO-27 2000 Monkey Bayou North Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0177  PO-27 2000 Redfish Point Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0178  PO-27 2000 Renee Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0179  PO-27 2000 Southernmost Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0180  PO-27 2000 Spool Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0181  PO-27 2000 Teddy Bear Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0182  PO-27 2000 Tripletail Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0183  PO-27 2000 Bent Mangrove Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0184  PO-27 2000 Double Cut Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0185  PO-27 2000 Little Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0186  PO-27 2000 Monkey Bayou North Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0187  PO-27 2000 Redfish Point Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0188  PO-27 2000 Renee Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0189  PO-27 2000 Southernmost Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0190  PO-27 2000 Spool Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0191  PO-27 2000 Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0192  PO-27 2000 Tripletail Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0193  PO-27 2003 Bent Mangrove Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0194  PO-27 2003 Double Cut Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0195  PO-27 2003 Little Teddy Bear Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0196  PO-27 2003 Monkey Bayou North Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0197  PO-27 2003 Redfish Point Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0198  PO-27 2003 Renee Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0199  PO-27 2003 Southernmost Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0200  PO-27 2003 Spool Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0201  PO-27 2003 Teddy Bear Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0202  PO-27 2003 Tripletail Site Photomosaic

2007-02-0203  PO-27 2003 Bent Mangrove Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0204  PO-27 2003 Double Cut Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0205  PO-27 2003 Little Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0206  PO-27 2003 Monkey Bayou North Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0207  PO-27 2003 Redfish Point Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0208  PO-27 2003 Renee Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0209  PO-27 2003 Southernmost Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0210  PO-27 2003 Spool Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0211  PO-27 2003 Teddy Bear Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-02-0212  PO-27 2003 Tripletail Site Land-Water Analysis

2007-15-0001  Tampa Bay Surface: Dissolved Oxygen - Jan 2004

2007-15-0002  Tampa Bay Surface pH - Jan 2004

2007-15-0003  Tampa Bay Surface Salinity - Jan 2004

2007-15-0004  Tampa Bay Surface Temperature - Jan 2004

2007-15-0005  Tampa Bay Surface Dissolved Oxygen - March 2004

2007-15-0006  Tampa Bay Surface pH - March 2004

2007-15-0007  Tampa Bay Surface Salinity - March 2004

2007-15-0008  Tampa Bay Surface Temperature - March 2004

2007-15-0009  Tampa Bay Surface Dissolved Oxygen - May 2004

2007-15-0010  Tampa Bay Surface pH - May 2004

2007-15-0011  Tampa Bay Surface Salinity - May 2004

2007-15-0012  Tampa Bay Surface Temperature - May 2004

2007-15-0013  Tampa Bay Surface Dissolved Oxygen - Jan 2005

2007-15-0014  Tampa Bay Surface pH - Jan 2005

2007-15-0015  Tampa Bay Surface Salinity - Jan 2005

2007-15-0016  Tampa Bay Surface Temperature - Jan 2005

2007-15-0017  Tampa Bay Surface Dissolved Oxygen - March 2005

2007-15-0018  Tampa Bay Surface pH - March 2005

2007-15-0019  Tampa Bay Surface Salinity - March 2005

2007-15-0020  Tampa Bay Surface Temperature - March 2005

2007-02-0213  TV-14 2004 project area land-water data

2007-02-0214  TV-14 2004 reference area land-water data

 

Staff appointments, committee assignments

 

Beth Middleton	Secretary General -Society of Wetlands Scientists (International)	2004-2008
Beth Middleton	Fulbright Senior Specialist Candidate	2006-2011
Beth Middleton	USGS National Science Strategy Team	2006-2007
Beth Middleton	Society of Ecological Restoration India Advisory Board	2003-2006
Beth Middleton	Emiquon Advisory Board for the Illinois River, Nature Conservancy	2001-2006
Rebecca Howard	Board Member - Society of Wetlands Scientist (International)	2007-2009
Ken Krauss	Executive Board Member-Society of Wetlands Scientist - South Central Chapter	2005-2007
Wylie Barrow	Recovery Team Member - Ivory-Billed Woodpecker	2005-2006
Bob Keeland	Treasurer - Coastal Plain Chapter-Society of Ecological Restoration	2005-2007
Jacoby Carter	Society of Wetland Scientists, Chair of the Human Diversity Committee	2005-2006
Jacoby Carter	Ecological Society of America, Chair of the International Affairs Section	2005-2006
Jill Jenkins	Current President of the LA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society	2006-2008
Jill Jenkins	Chair, Grant Committee, St. George Parish, Baton Rouge, LA	2005-Present
Karen McKee	Editor, SWS Research Brief, Society of Wetlands Scientists	2007-Present
Karen McKee	Smithsonian Research Associate	2007-Present
Karen McKee	Review Panelist, EPA U.S. Climate Change Science Program	2007-Present
Karen McKee	Reviewe Panelist, DOE National Institute for Climate Change	2007-Present
Randy Westbrooks	USGS Representative, National Biological Control Technical Advisory Group (Chaired by USDA APHIS).	1998-Present
Randy Westbrooks	USGS Representative, Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds	1990-Present
Randy Westbrooks	Member, Weed Alert Committee, Weed Society of America	1986-Present
Randy Westbrooks	USGS Liaison, Weed Science Society of America	1998-Present
Randy Westbrooks	Chair, International Early Detection and Rapid Response Working Group, World Conservation Union, Invasive Species Specialist Group	2005-Present
Susan Walls	American Society of Ichthylogists and Herpetologists, Member of the Editorial Board for Copeia	1999 –Present
Susan Walls	American Society of Ichthylogists and Herpetologists, Member of the Board of Governors	1997-Present
Susan Walls	American Society of Ichthylogist and Herpetologists, ASIH History of the Society Committee	2005-Present
Susan Walls	Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC), Elected as Chair of the National Research Working Group	2006
Larry Handley	Executive Secretary, Gamma Theta Upsilon, The International Geographical Honor Society	2005-2010
Larry Handley	National Director, American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing	2004-2010
Larry Handley	Chair, Bylaws Committee, American Society of Photogrammetry and Rmote Sensing	2005-2008
Larry Handley	Executive Committee, American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing	2005-2010
Larry Handley	Executive Planning Board, Finance Committee, National Council for Geographic Education	2004-2007
Larry Handley	Bylaws Committee, Association of American Geographers	2005-2006
Larry Handley	Technical Editor, The Journal of Geography, National Council for Geographic Education	2004-2010
Larry Handley	Governor's Louisiana Environmental Education Commission	1998-2009
Larry Handley	Chair, Governor's Louisiana Environmental Education Commission	2006
Larry Handley	Treasurer, Louisiana Environmental Education Association	2006-2009
Larry Handley	Co-organizer, Annual Louisiana Remote Sensing and GIS Conference	1994-Present
Larry Handley	Recovery Team – Ivory-billed Woodpecker	2005-2008
Larry Handley	USFWS Region 4 Strategic Habitat Conservation Implementation Team	2007-2008
Larry Handley	FGDC Wetlands Subcommittee	2004-Present
Larry Handley	FGDC Wetlands Mapping Standard Task Force	2006-Present
Larry Handley	USGS Land Remote Sensing Advisory Panel	1998-Present
Larry Handley	USGS Global Fiducials Development and Validation Team	2002-Present
Larry Handley	Gulf Alliance Habitata Identification and Characterization Team	1998-Present
Larry Handley	Gulf Alliance Watershed Prioritization Team	2007
Elijah Ramsey	Associate Editor, Journal of Coastal Research	2005-2006
Elijah Ramsey	Associate Editor, Wetlands	2005-2006
Elijah Ramsey	Associate Editor, Wetlands Ecology and Management	2005-2006
Elijah Ramsey	Trustee, Coastal Education and Research Foundation	2005-2006
Elijah Ramsey	American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)	2006-2007
Elijah Ramsey	Adjunct Professor Geography and Anthropology Department, Lousisana University	2003-2007
Elijah Ramsey	Geostationary Operations Environmental Satellite (GOES) Assistant Manager for USGS BRD	2005-2007
Greg Steyer	Louisiana Coastal Ecosystems Science Coordinator	2006-Present
Greg Steyer	USGS Representative, Louisiana coastal Area (LCA) Science Coordination Team	2005-Present
Greg Steyer	USGS Representative, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Science and Technology Working Group	2004-2006
Greg Steyer	Co-chairman, Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (SWPPRA) Monitoring Workgroup	1990-Present
Greg Steyer	Co-chairman, Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Technical Advisory Group	1994-Present
Gaye Farris	Gulf of Mexico Alliance Educational Steering Committee	2006-2007
Gaye Farris	Publishing Issues Groups	2000-2007
Gaye Farris	Board of Directors, National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC)	1999-2007
Dolores Richardson	Level IA Contracting Officer/Federal Acquisition Institute Certification	2007

 

6.  Invited speakers to Center

 

Dr. Alison Specht (Southern Cross University, Australia) 12/5/06

Dr. JoAnn Holloway (USGS, Denver) 9/12/07

Dr. Hardin Waddle (USGS, Gainesville) 6/21/07

Dr. Paul Barnes (Loyola University, LA) 5/15/07

Dr. Charles Van Riper III (USGS Sonoran Desert Research Center) 4/12/07

Dr. Amanda Demopoulos (Scripps Institute, CA) 1/12/07

Central Region Diversity Council members Phadrea Ponds and Mary Wadding presented a 4-hour Championing Diversity training session for 28 managers/supervisors.

 

Invited speakers from Center

 

Burkett, V.R., 2007, Climate change and coastal ecosystems: potential impacts and adaptation strategies, George Wright Society Biennial Conference, St. Paul, Minn.

 

Burkett, V.R., 2007, Climate change at House Science and Technology Hearing before the House Committee on Science and Technology about the findings in the report developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II Report, Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptations and Vulnerability, St. Paul, Minn.

 

Burkett, V.R., 2007, Climate change at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Science and Technology about the findings in the coastal chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II Report, Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptations and Vulnerability, St. Paul, Minn.

 

Burkett, V.R., 2007, Highlights of the IPCC Working Group I and II reports to the Directorate of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arlington, Va.

 

Burkett, V.R., 2007, Climate Change 2007: Overview for North American Wildlife Managers, Keynote Address on Climate Change: 2007 Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Meeting, Louisville, Ky.

 

Carter, J., 2007, Nutria Research Program: history in the United States, and study of the invasive nutria in an urban setting, Lions Club of Lafayette, La..

 

Conner, W.H., Krauss, K.W., and Doyle, T.W., 2006, Climate change implications for tidal freshwater swamp forests in South Carolina and Louisiana, Southeastern Estuarine Research Society Meeting, Savannah, Ga .

 

Doyle, T.W., 2006, USGS Ecosystem Modeling Program for the gulf basin, Northern Gulf of Mexico meeting, University of New Orleans Lindy Boggs Conference Center.

 

Doyle, T.W., 2006, Physiological and function ecology of tidal freshwater swamps and mangrove ecosystems, Northern Gulf of Mexico meeting, University of New Orleans Lindy Boggs Conference Center.

 

Doyle, T.W., 2006, Assisted with airboat tours of Jean Lafitte NHHP and Davis Pond Diversion, Chris Swarzenski and David Muth, gave the Deputy Secretary, Lynn Skarlett, Hardy Pearce, Tim Petty, and Sue Haseltine in transit briefing on modeling hurricane distribution and dynamics on coastal ecosystems.

 

Doyle, T.W., 2007, Sea-level rise under climate change: implications for coastal Louisiana restoration planning and priorities, Climate Change panel, LCA Science Board, University of New Orleans.

 

Farris, G.S., 2007, Responding to the media during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, USGS Communication Conference, Baltimore, Md.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2006, Restoration of water quality functions in riparian forests of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, EPA Hypoxia Task Force, Sources, Transport, and Fate of Nutrients in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River Basins, Minneapolis, Minn.

 

Faulkner, S.P., and Richardson, W., 2006, Nitrogen removal processes in wetland and aquatic ecosystems of the Mississippi River basin, Synthesis and Integration. Restore America's Estuaries National Conference, New Orleans, La.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, Ecosystem restoration in the Lower Mississippi Valley: science and resource management challenges, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, Restoring water quality functions in forested wetlands of the Lower Mississippi Valley, National Water Quality Monitoring Council, Lafayette, La.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, Carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in natural and restored forested wetlands in the Lower Mississippi Valley, Ducks Unlimited, Inc., climate change workshop, Memphis, Tenn.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, Carbon sequestration in coastal wetland forests, 5th Annual Gulf Forest Soils Tour, Hammond, La.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, Carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in forests of the Lower Mississippi Valley, Forest Soils Trace Gas Flux Workshop, McGill University, Montreal, Calif.

 

Faulkner, S., Barrow, W., Keeland, B., and Walls, S., 2007, Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) for wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Meeting, Tampa, Fla.

 

Faulkner, S.P., 2007, MUSIC and the Lower Mississippi Valley: integrated landscape science, MUSIC Workshop, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

 

Grace, J.B., 2007, Experimental ecology: is it time for a new paradigm?, University of Nevada, Reno, Nev.

 

Grace, J.B., 2007, Experimental studies of natural systems: is it time for a new paradigm? University of Groningen, The Netherlands, Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

 

Grace, J.B., 2007, Experimental ecology: is it time for a new paradigm? Virginia Tech University, Department of Biological Sciences.

 

Grace, J.B., 2006, Theories of Local Diversity: What do the Data Say? University of California at Davis, Department of Evolution and Ecology.

 

Grace, J.B., 2007, Getting started with structural equation modeling, Ecological Society of America’s Annual Meeting, Training Sessions and Workshops, San Jose, Calif.

 

Grace, J.B., 2007, Getting started with structural equation modeling” at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, Training Sessions and Workshops.

 

Grace, J.B., 2006, Introduction to structural equation modeling, University of California at Davis, Calif., Training Sessions and Workshops.

 

Handley, L., 2007, ASPRS hot topics session on unmanned airborne vehicles, Tampa, Fla.

 

Handley, L., 2007, ASPRS lessons learned on geospatial response to hurricanes, Sioux Falls, S.D.

 

Handley, L., 2007, Vegetative mapping, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Tex.

 

Handley, L., 2007, WETMAAP in Costa Rica, International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment, San Jose, Costa Rica.

 

Howard, R.J., 2007, Wetland restoration in Louisiana: importance of genetic diversity within plant communities, Loyola University Biology Department seminar series, New Orleans, La.

 

Jenkins, J.A., Eilts, B.E., Draugelis-Dale, R.O., and Goodbred, S.L., 2007, Tests for assessing sperm quality: biomarkers for reproductive effects in a wide diversity of fish species from several streams throughout the U.S., American Fisheries Society 137^th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, Special symposium on the Endocrine Disrupting Compounds – Monitoring Effects http://fisheries.org/abs2007/pdf/p1465.pdf

 

Krauss, K.W., 2007, Scaling physiological processes and modeling landscape migration of mangroves, EcoSummit 2007, Beijing, China.

 

Krauss, K.W., 2007, An overview of salt tolerance improvement in coastal forests of the Southeastern United States, Nanjing Botanical Gardens (Academic Institution), Nanjing, China.

 

Krauss, K.W., 2006, Tidal freshwater swamps in the southeastern United States: eco-physiological control of soil and leaf gas exchange, Texas State University, San Marcos, Tex.

 

Middleton, B.A., Reed, D., and Rasmussen, J., 2007, Natural Hazards IV - storm effects on coastal and upstream wetlands and implications for management: importance of disturbance regimes in wetland systems, upstream and coastal. Special symposium for the Army Corps of Engineers at the Association for State Wetland Managers, Williamsburg, Va.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Soil organic matter in Taxodium distichum swamps along a latitudinal gradient, Society of Wetland Scientists, Sacramento, Calif.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Opening address at the Society of Wetland Scientists meeting, European Chapter, Trebon, Czech Republic.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, International collaborative and volunteer research on Lythrum salicaria in Europe and North America, Society of Wetland Scientists, European Chapter, Trebon, Czech Republic.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Global citizen, local volunteer, George Wright Society, Minneapolis, Minn.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2006, Cache River Initiative: Importance of flood pulsing in river restoration, The Nature Conservancy, Shawnee College, Ullin, Ill.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2006, Coastal research, Gulf Coast Initiative, New Orleans, La.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Hurricanes as a natural disturbance, Louisiana State University Society of Wetland Scientists Student Association.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Opening address at the Society of Wetland Scientists meeting, European Chapter, Trebon, Czech Republic.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and the function and distribution of baldcypress swamps in North America, USGS Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colo.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and the function and distribution of baldcypress swamps in North America, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and the function and distribution of baldcypress swamps in North America, Forest and Forestry Products Institute, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and the function and distribution of baldcypress swamps in North America, Forest and Forestry Products Institute, Tsukuba, Japan.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Volunteer program for the study of latitudinal variation in height of Lythrum salicaria in Eurasia vs. North America, Tennessee Valley Authority: 2007 Southeastern Wetlands Data Users Workshop, Knoxville Tenn.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and the function and distribution of baldcypress swamps in North America. North American Carbon Program, Colorado Springs, Colo. (poster)

 

Middleton, B.A., Hines, R., and Foster, K., 2007, Baldcypress forest structure and support of wildlife in the White River National Wildlife Refuge, Ark., Society of Wetland Scientists, Sacramento, Calif. (poster)

 

Middleton, B.A. - Edwards, K., Middleton, B., and Kvet, J., 2007, Latitudinal study of Eurasian and North American populations of Lythrum salicaria L. Ecological Society of America, San Diego, Calif. (poster)

 

Middleton, B.A. - Edwards, K., Kvet, J., and Middleton, B., 2007, Environmental effects on the growth of Eurasian and North American plants of Lythrum salicaria L. Society of Wetland Scientists, Trebon, Czech Republic.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Climate change and function of Taxodium distichum swamps in the western part of the region, Big Thicket National Park Conference, Beaumont, Tex.

 

Middleton, B.A. - Leblebici, S., Akanil., N.A., Bocuk, H., Ture, C., and Middleton, B., 2007, Effects of boron on the seed germination characteristics of Lythrum salicaria and Epilobium hirsutum, Society of Wetland Scientists, European Chapter, Trebon, Czech Republic.

 

Middleton, B.A. - Tachida, H., Kusumi, J., and Middleton, B., 2007, Multilocus patterns of nucleotide polymorphism and historical population structure in Taxodium distichum, Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, June 24-28, Halifax, Canada.

 

Middleton, B.A. - Anderson, K., Middleton, B., and Walters, N., 2007, Dredge sediment additions to subsiding baldcypress swamps in southern Louisiana: a collaborative effort? National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, Kansas City, Miss. (poster)

 

Smith, G., 2007, Keynote speaker at the International Wetland Training Course for Southeast Asia, held May 2007 in Can Tho, Viet Nam.

 

Smith, G., 2007, Speaker at the USGS National Communications Conference in June 2007 in Baltimore, Md., giving a management perspective in communicating internally and externally about Hurricane Katrina.

 

Smith, G., 2007, Biological Impacts of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Implications for Restoring Resilience to the Gulf Coast, Big Thicket Science Conference, Beaumont, Tex., http://www.bigthicketsc.org.

 

Steyer, G.D., Raynie, R.C., and Johnston, J.B., 2007, Integrating wetland and water monitoring in coastal Louisiana for improved restoration planning, assessment, and adaptive decision-making, 2nd National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) Kansas City, Mo.

 

Steyer, G.D., Perez, B.C., and Piazza, S., 2006, Effects of hurricanes on marshes under hydrologic management, Third National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration, Foraging the National Imperative, New Orleans, La.

 

Steyer, G.D., and Wilson, S., 2006, Hurricanes in the gulf, 2005: USGS science for integrating the recovery and restoration of the gulf coast, White House Fellows, New Orleans, La.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Keynote address on the development of a national early detection and rapid response system for invasive plants in the United States, International Conference on Invasive Plants: 9^th International Conference on the Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions, Perth, Australia.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2006, Invasive species coming to Alaska - update on development of the National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States, Alaska Committee for Noxious and Invasive Plant Management, Annual Conference, Anchorage, Alaska.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2006, Invasive species coming to North Carolina - overview of the Southeastern North Carolina Invasive Plant Task Force as a model for interagency partnering to addressing new invasive plants in North Carolina, North Carolina State Parks System – Annual Superintendents Meeting, Winston-Salem, N.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2006, New Strategies for preventing the establishment and spread of exotic invasive plants on private lands through early detection and rapid response, South Mississippi Resource Conservation and Development Invasive Species Symposium, Gautier, Miss.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Overview of early detection and rapid response – the preferred management strategy for preventing the establishment and spread of new invasive plants on public and private lands, U.S. National Arboretum Invasive Species Workshop, Washington, D.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., Canson, J., and Shellman, D., 2007, Community-based approaches for early detection and rapid response to giant salvinia on Caddo Lake, La., and Tex., Weed Science Society of America abstracts.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Update on listing of beach vitex as a Federal noxious weed, Carolinas Beach Vitex Task Force, Annual Symposium, Georgetown, S.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Progress in development of the National EDRR System for Invasive Plants, Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council, Annual Conference, Athens, Ga.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Role of consulting foresters in development of the National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States, South Carolina Association of Consulting Foresters, Annual Conference, Columbia, S.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Invasive species coming to America – new strategies for weed prevention through early detection and rapid response, South Carolina and North Carolina Native Plant Societies, Annual Bi-State Conference, Rock Hill, S.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Role of Utah land managers and county weed supervisors in development of the National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States via training video, Utah Weed Control Association, Weed Management School, Provo, Utah.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Role of State EDRR Coordinating Committees in development of the National EDRR System for Invasive Plants in the United States, South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council, Annual Conference, Congaree National Park, Columbia, S.C.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Role of North Dakota land managers and county weed supervisors in development of the National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States, First Annual Northern Plains Weed Control Symposium, North Dakota Weed Control Association, Washburn, N.D.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Invasive species coming to America - update on the National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, Annual Conference, Philadelphia, Penn.

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Role of State EDRR Coordinating Committees in development of the National EDRR System for Invasive Plants in the United States, North Carolina Exotic Pest, Annual Conference, Raleigh, N.C. (via EDRR Training Video).

 

Westbrooks, R., 2007, Invasive species coming to America – update on the National EDRR System for Invasive Plants, 9^th Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions Conference, Perth, Western Australia.

 

7.  Mentoring

 

Linda Broussard worked with the Louisiana State University School of Library and Information Science to mentor a female graduate student in library science. Prepared a formal work plan for a field experience in special libraries and information centers and met with the student from January through April for a total of 120 hours. Course requirements involved two components: experience in operational procedures and completion of a project. To meet the project requirement, we developed two USGS series Fact Sheets: one for internal users and one for the library’s external users. The student successfully completed the course, graduated May 18, and was hired by the Lafayette Public Library.

 

Karen L. McKee, official mentor (USGS Mentoring Program) .

 

Randy G. Westbrooks, USGS NWRC, Whiteville, North Carolina.  2006-2007 Student Internships (Environmental Science Technology Program, Southeastern Community College, Whiteville, N.C.):

 

Leslie Holland participated in the USGS Mentoring Program as a mentor

 

B.  Training Courses

1.  Scientific - 3

2.  Technical - 11

3.  HR – 0

 

C.  Awards

1.  Center - 108

2.  USGS - 2

Gregory J. Smith received the award “Scientist Communicator of the Year” from the USGS Communications Office.

 

Sheryl Carriere was recognized for her support and assistance with fiscal year end acquisitions made for the Arkansas Water Science Center.

 

3.  External – 2

Helen Whiffen was recognized for her progressive contributions to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its Joint Venture partners through the provision of leadership and technical expertise in the field of Information Technology

 

Jill A. Jenkins, American Fisheries Society, Education Section, Service award for 2006-2007 

III.  Citizen-Centered E-Government

 

A.  IT, IM, IR accomplishments

1.  NWRC Projects:

Designed new network backbone for NWRC. Wrote justification for networking hardware, worked with Denver on acquisition of equipment. Backbone speed increased from 2GB to 20GB.

 

Completed project folders for Scientific Data Management System (SDMS).

 

Designed new tape backup system to increase backup storage capacity and speed.

 

Specified, purchased, and configured new print server for NWRC.

 

Installed BlueZone 3270 emulation software on Admin systems per National Business Center requirements.

 

Upgraded Symantec Anti-virus server version to 10 for NWRC and USFWS.

 

Set up computer room with necessary power (coordinated with maintenance) and network connectivity for additional rack and servers bought by SAB.

 

2.  USGS-Specific Support:

Completed AD migration on August 17. Many manual changes were necessary because the NetIQ software USGS is using did not migrate permissions and group memberships correctly.

 

Responded to USGS data call concerning DOI Enterprise RAS. Provided local RAS configuration document to USGS.

 

3.  Assistance to other Agencies:

Provide technical assistance to USFWS office, including server management, hardware support, patch management, and application support.

 

4.  External committees, responsibilities:

Central Region Active Directory Team

Command Center System Administrator

IT Purchase Approval

Lotus Local Mail Administrator (LLMA)

Lotus Administrative Officer (LAO)

Security Point of Contact (SPOC) for NWRC subnets

USGS Certified Active Directory Organizational Unit Administrator

 

B.  IT security accomplishments

 

USGS AD (Active Directory) migration project. Completed and returned 53-page location questionnaire to USGS. Made required changes to NWRC active directory structure and systems. Completed AD migration on August 17.

 

Maintained OS patches on NWRC and FWS systems monthly for USGS. Responded to USGS vulnerability scan issues, making changes to systems when necessary and providing evidence of false positives.

 

Created new photoID badge layouts to coincide with the DOI/USGS definition of employee’s government association (i.e. Guest Researcher, Cooperator/Partner, Visitor, Contractor, Employee, etc.). Upgraded the CCure800 Badging system from Version 5.2.x to 9.0.x.

 

C.  E-government and information technology accomplishments

 

1.  Digitized 126-report series: "Species Profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates" and updated associated Web pages allowing users to browse by species, report number, author, or search a database.

 

2.  Revised and relinked all bibliographic citations on the NWRC Library Digital Collection Web page. The original page consisted of citations accompanied by the word “text” which was hyperlinked. The updated page hyperlinks the work’s full title. Search engine spiders now crawl both the citation and follow the link to the actual document, increasing access to USGS science.

 

3.  The NWRC Library has traditionally provided print income tax forms. Because the government is moving to electronic forms, we added a section on accessing online Federal and state tax documents from the Library's main Web page.

VII.  4-Cs Philosophy—Building Collaboration and Partnerships

 

Building collaboration and partnerships with customers, partners, stakeholders

 

A.  Selected Workshops

James B. Grace conducted a structured decision analysis process for the land bird group of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture.

 

James B. Grace taught a day-long workshop on structural equation modeling for researchers at University of California-Davis.

 

Grace, J.B., Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, taught day-long workshop on "Getting Started with Structural Equation Modeling" for researchers in San Jose, Calif., August 5.

 

Karen L. McKee hosted and co-organized speakers for a national planning meeting of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council -- March 20-22, 2007; NWRC, Lafayette, LA; 30 participants.

 

USGS National Wetlands Research Center director Greg Smith and USGS scientist Carroll Cordes discussed a joint pre-hurricane planning meeting on April 19 at a stakeholders meeting hosted by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Clear Lake Ecological Services Field Office in Webster, Tex.

 

USGS National Wetlands Research Center Director Gregory Smith went to Vietnam (May 12- May 23) to meet with co-project leaders there to design and implement a science information system for the major coastal deltas of the world. Smith will work with Vietnamese scientists to construct models of coastal deltaic processes as part of the USGS post-hurricane research effort.

 

On May 24, the USGS National Wetlands Research Center hosted a workshop on the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Attending were representatives from the Central Regional Office, the Louisiana Water Science Center, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

On June 6, the USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hosted a one-day workshop on coastal hurricane response. The conference included lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and listening sessions on the post-storm needs of natural resource managers and how to better integrate science operations with existing human-assistance operations.

 

Middleton, B.A., 2007, Volunteer program for the study of latitudinal variation in height of Lythrum salicaria in Eurasia vs. North America. Tennessee Valley Authority: 2007 Southeastern Wetlands Data Users Workshop, Knoxville, Tenn.

 

USGS scientists participated in the inaugural "State of Coastal Ecosystem Research in Texas (SCERT)" meeting on the campus of Texas A&M University in Galveston, July 16-17, organized by USGS and Texas A&M University-Galveston for researchers and managers from Federal, State, university and private agencies (1) to share information about research interests and ongoing studies of near-shore marine ecosystems along the Texas coast, (2) to discuss furture research collaborations and (3) to get input on the future research direction of the USGS Gulf Coast Field Station at Corpus Christi, Tex.

 

In collaboration with Texas A&M Univesity, NWRC (WEB Branch Chief Jack Waide organized a meeting of research scientists and State and Federal resource managers interested in the “State of Coastal Ecosystem Research in Texas (SCERT).” Attended by nearly 50 researchers and managers from State and Federal agencies and universities across the Texas coast, the meeting focused on assessing major research accomplishments and themes motivated by concerns with management and conservation of near-shore coastal ecosystems and resources. Participants shared information about research interests and ongoing projects, discussed opportunities for expanded collaboration on research and with coastal managers, and provided advice to NWRC on future directions of its research program at the Gulf Coast Field Station in Corpus Christi. Attendees agreed top continue future annual meetings of SCERT, and are exploring possibilities of meeting in conjunction with the ongoing Texas Bays and Estuaries meeting organized by the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.

 

On July 19, USGS NWRC staff and Galveston County's (Tex.) Office of Emergency Management staff met on hurricane preparedness and viewed NWRC's capabilities for emergency response using spatial analysis technologies such as the evaluation of land use, recovery and restoration and the development of maps and imagery of critical infrastructure for first-responder assessments.

 

On July 25, NWRC staff along with Gulf Coast Joint Venture staff held a coordination workshop to gain a better mutual understanding of the priorities, capabilities, and visions to facilitate development of a shared vision for future NWRC/GCJV interactions in furtherance of Strategic Habitat Conservation for birds in the Gulf Coast region.

 

On July 18, multiple stakeholders and citizens shared information and discussed research ideas on water management units, invasive plant species, and black bears of the Atchafalaya Basin at the Living Resources/Environment Committee meeting of the Atchafalaya Basin Program sponsored by the La. Department of Natural Resources. Meeting was in Baton Rouge at the La. Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries.

 

B.  New science directions—how Center has broadened its base during FY07

 

The National Wetlands Research Center expanded its science to include expanded international work and hurricane and disaster response in Texas and other States.

 

Jacoby Carter of NWRC initiated three modeling efforts with Duong Van Ni of Cantho University, Cantho City, Vietnam. He worked with Dr. Ni on fire behavior models based on the management of water levels and the development of a fire behavior model for Tram Chim National Park.

 

Because Hurricanes Katrina and Rita created an urgent effort to evaluate, redesign, and construct new flood and hurricane protection systems in the Mississippi River Delta, NWRC realized a critical need to share information and data from deltas around the world and to develop models that guide and inform decisions, management, and policy related tol deltas and large river systems. To facilitate data and information sharing, NWRC has begun development of the Delta Research and Global Observation Network (DRAGON) and has begun a community of practice through planning a 2008 international meeting of scientists representing deltas in the United States, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

 

The NWRC participated in several regional and state meetings for increased coordination of hurricane and disaster response, including in particular the use of the Hurricane Response Vehicle, NWRC mobile laboratory with spatial analysis capabilities.

 

C.  Progress and accomplishments in major collaborative ventures and partnerships

 

ULL Library.  At the invitation of Dupre Library on the University of Louisiana campus, the NWRC library prepared an exhibit on Threatened and Endangered Species (June and July 2007). This is the second year in a row that the NWRC Library has been asked to create displays for the Dupre Library.

 

Louisiana Native Plant Initiative.  In April 2004 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by McNeese State University, USGS National Wetlands Research Center, Coastal Plain Conservancy and Natural Resources Conservation Service creating the Louisiana Native Plant Initiative (LNPI). The goal of the LNPI is to collect, preserve, increase, and study native grasses and forbs from Louisiana ecosystems, conserving a vanishing natural resource and providing an essential step in the development of a native plant seed industry that will supply plant materials for restoration, revegetation, and roadside plantings, with special focus on the endangered coastal prairie and long-leaf pine ecosystems in Louisiana. Since its initial formation, additional partners have joined the LNPI such as The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana, Nichols State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. USGS-NWRC (scientist Larry Allain) serves as a founding member of the executive committee and chairs the plant materials subcommittee. Through this role NWRC provides essential scientific knowledge and guidance to planning and management efforts, conducts research to fill information gaps, and helps identify critical research needs. In 4 years, the Louisiana Native Plant Initiative has developed 45 extensive plant collections from across the state, 15 species in initial evaluation, 5 breeder blocks and 3 plant species being increased for release. Commercially available sources of locally adapted plant materials are essential for ecologically sound restoration and conservation and will provide substantial economic benefits for Louisiana.

Kansas blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya), a common wildflower in Louisiana’s Coastal Prairie, is a top tier candidate for seed increase by the LNPI.

USGS Centers.  NWRC scientist Karen McKee initiated partnerships with scientists at the Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies/St. Petersburg, Fla. (Carole McIvor, Ellen Raabe, Peter Swarzenski, and John Brock) and at the Florida Integrated Science Center/Gainesville, Fla. (Amanda Demopolous) to conduct joint research on global change issues and the Northern Gulf of Mexico initiative.

 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  NWRC scientist Karen McKee maintained partnerships with refuge biologists (Jim Stockie, McFaddin NWR) to examine fire effects on marsh.  Other partnerships with biologists (M. Jamieson, Fire Management Officer and S. Grace, Fire Ecologist Southeast Louisiana Refuges; Tony Wilder, Fire Management Officer, Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR) have sought funding to examine management issues of concern to FWS refuges.

 

National Park Service.  NWRC scientist Karen McKee maintained partnership with Nancy Walters, biologist at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, to examine disturbance and nutrient effects on semi-attached freshwater marshes.

 

In her ongoing studies of coastal wetland and mangrove ecosystems, NWRC scientist Karen McKee has maintained and expanded collaborative partnerships with numerous scientists and institutions in the United States and internationally which are contributing to the productivity of her research program, including:

·       Smithsonian Institution - McKee maintained long-term partnership with I.C. Feller, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center through on-going projects and joint submissions for external funding.  Partnership with P. Megonigal (SERC) was continued through joint funding from the USGS Global Change program. In addition, a new partnership with M. Toscano and I. Macintyre, geologists with the Smithsonian Institution, was initiated though submission of joint proposals.

·       Universities - McKee maintained long-term partnerships with colleagues at Louisiana State University (I.A. Mendelssohn), University of Georgia (S. Joye), Florida Atlantic University (Dr. C.E. Proffitt), and University of Louisiana-Lafayette (M.W. Hester) through joint submissions for funding and/or shared graduate students. New partnerships with B. Fry (LSU) and B. Horton (U. of Pennsylvania) were fostered through joint proposal preparations.

·       Foreign Institutions - McKee maintained long-standing partnerships with colleagues in Australia (C. Lovelock, University of Queensland; M. Ball, Australian National University) and New Zealand (B. Sorrell and A. Swales, National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research) through joint funding submissions, preparation of joint publications, and joint field trips.

 

SageSTEP Project (supported by Joint Fire Sciences Program).  Jim Grace, NWRC, has joined with a large team of scientists and managers working on fire management for the Great Basin as part of the SageSTEP Project. The SageSTEP project is a region-wide experiment spanning the sage steppe ecosystem in the Great Basin from Oregon to Utah, and is designed to evaluate methods of sagebrush steppe restoration in relation to wildfire and invasive species such as cheatgrass. Grace’s role is to lead the research efforts associated with data analysis and modeling, especially involving applications of structural equation models. More information about this project can be found at www.sagestep.org.

 

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.  Jim Grace, NWRC, has developed and is maintaining an productive working association with projects developed by the National Science Foundation-funded NCEAS program (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis). NCEAS plays a critical role in the national synthesis of ecological data to address significant scientific and conservation issues. Grace has represented the USGS in co-teaching multi-campus courses, leading specific synthesis efforts, and participating in other synthesis efforts. Additional information regarding NCEAS can be found at http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/.

 

Collaboration with International Scientist.  Gregorio Toral Jimenez of Seville, Spain, completed a 6-week international pre-doctoral position at the NWRC under the direction of NWRC scientist Tommy Michot. At the NWRC, Mr. Toral contributed to an ongoing research project led by Michot on waterfowl food availability in Louisiana agricultural fields, a study that will complement a similar study by Toral Jimenez that is ongoing in Spain.

 

FWS Joint Venture (JV) projects.  Several NWRC scientists serve on and contribute to the work of FWS JV working groups, including the Gulf Coast JV (GCJV) MERT waterfowl working group (T. Michot), the GCJV landbird group (W. Barrow), the wading/shorebird (C. Jeske), and the Lower Mississippi Valley JV waterfowl working group (T. Michot, C. Jeske). NWRC scientist Michot attended and participated in the annual meeting of the GCJV MERT Waterfowl Working Group on Matagorda Island, Texas, in January 2007. Various issues were discussed relative to habitat management for waterfowl and other birds along the gulf coast.

 

FWS Ivory Billed Woodpecker (IBWO) Conservation Planning.  NWRC scientist Tommy Michot and co-workers attended an IBWO coordination meeting in Atlanta and made presentations to FWS partners and various agencies from throughout the southeastern United States.

 

Interagency Science Team (IST) for Fire Program Analysis (FPA).  The NWRC provides the DOI co-lead (WEB Branch Chief Jack Waide) for the interagency (DOI and U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] Forest Service [USFS]) IST that is supporting development of the FPA system at Boise, Idaho. Of national interest to Congress, OMB, and senior fire managers in DOI and USDA, FPA is being designed to provide a more rational and rigorous basis for fire planning and budgeting across the five federal fire and land management agencies (USFS, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs) and their State and local partners. Over the past year the IST has recommended an improved architecture for the FPA modeling and decision support software system, provided ongoing technical support and assistance to the FPA development team, and provided technical advice and briefings for senior managers in DOI, USDA, and USFS. Work is progressing from prototyping the FPA system modules to development of the complete FPA system by June 2008.

 

D.  Examples of customer satisfaction

 

Sheryl Carriere, NWRC Purchasing Agent, provides the WRD Baton Rouge and WRD Little Rock Science Centers with Contracting Officer acquisition services each fiscal year. In FY2007, Sheryl also provided purchasing services for Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) and saved CERC $11k. Sheryl was also able to accommodate the Central Regional Office of Acquisition and Grants by taking ten additional outside requisitions and getting them all awarded by FY2007 year-end. Last but not least, Sheryl was also able to help out the newly formed South Central regional office by procuring items for their new office. Sheryl received the following recognition: STAR awards from AWSC, Denver Office of Acquisitions and Grants, NWRC Facilities Manager, NWRC Spatial Analysis Branch, and a gift certificate from CERC.

VIII.  Other Management Objectives

 

A.  Integrated science—identify activities and accomplishments

 

The NWRC has initiated a planning effort to integrate science along the Mississippi River. Part of this initiative is working with the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center and the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center as well as The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National Audubon Society. Plans include possibly arranging for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the USGS and TNC’s Great Rivers Partnership.