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2007 Georgia Basin Puget Sound Research Conference
Abstracts and Panel Descriptions
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Chair: Duane Fagergren
Relationships between Benthic Invertebrates, Sediment Quality,
and Dissolved Oxygen Levels in Hood Canal, WA
Reconstructing the Historical Response of Benthic Communities to
Hypoxia in Hood Canal, WA
Population-Level Impacts of Low Dissolved Oxygen on Hood Canal
Demersal and Benthic Biota
Acoustic Assessment of Biotic Response to Hypoxia in Hood Canal
A History of Severe Hypoxia on the Outer Coasts of Oregon and
Washington
History of Hypoxia Recorded in Sediments of Hood Canal, Puget
Sound
Chair: Dave Nysewander
Field-Feeding Behaviour of Wintering Waterfowl on the Fraser
River Delta
Seasonal Habitat Requirements of Surf and White-Winged Scoters
Estimating Black Oystercatcher Breeding Populations With New
Methods In and Near the San Juan Islands, Washington State, May and June 2006
Importance of Coastal Field Habitats for Great Blue Heron and
Associated Wildlife
Western Grebe Population Declines in the Strait of Georgia B.C.
and Puget Sound WA: Patterns and Possible Reasons.
On and Off-Shore Drivers of Historic Population Trend in Marbled
Murrelets
Chair: Doug Myers
Historical Changes to Estuaries, Spits, and Associated Tidal
Wetland Habitats in the Hood Canal and Strait of Juan De Fuca Regions of
Washington State
Remembering our Roots: A Possible Connection Between Loss of Ecological
Memory, Alien Invasions and Ecological Restoration
Juvenile Dungeness Crab Habitat Study: Obtaining Best Available
Science through Partnerships & High-Endurance Volunteer Power
Location, Location, Location: Intertidal Diversity Gradients in
Puget Sound
A Conservation Strategy for Tarboo-Dabob Bay, Washington
Marine Nearshore Habitat Priorities in the Green-Duwamish
Watershed in Central Puget Sound
Chair: Peter Schwarzhoff
A Critical Load is
the highest deposition rate that will not cause chemical changes leading to
long-term harmful effects in the most sensitive ecosystems. The indicators and
potential endpoints for effects vary with the intent and the sensitivity of
receptors. This session will present aspects of critical load and deposition
modelling and effects underway in the Georgia Basin at present.
Panel Members:
• Patrick Shaw
• Shaun Watmough
• Alyse Mongeon
• Elizabeth
Waddell
• Paul Arp
Introduction to the Critical Load Concept
Weathering Rates and Steady-State Critical Loads for Forest
Plots in the Georgia Basin
Establishing Critical Loads for Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition
in NW Washington
Framework for High-Resolution Modeling and Mapping of Criticial
S and Loads and Exceedance
Chair: Peter Ross
Environmental Biomarkers using Mussels.
Current-Use Pesticides and Salmon Neurophysiology: Implications
for Salmon in British Columbia
Contaminants and Associated Transcriptional Responses in Fish
from Remote High Elevation Lakes of Western Washington, USA
Improved Flatfish Health Following Remediation of a
PAH-Contaminated Site in Eagle Harbor, Washington
Contaminants in Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp): the
importance of fish biology in assessing sources from the Pacific Ocean versus
regional sources from coastal waters of Puget Sound and the Georgia
Chair: Mary Knackstedt
Developing a Comprehensive Surface Water Education Plan for a
Rural County
Boating Clean and Green on Georgia Strait
Nature Matters — A CityÕs Commitment to Environmental
Stewardship
The Power of Watershed Education Networks
Successes of the Swinomish Environmental Education Program:
Video Series
Chair: Skip Albertson
Interim Results from the Budd Inlet, Capitol Lake, and Deschutes
River Dissolved Oxygen and Nutrient Study
Circulation and Residual Flow in the South Basin of Puget Sound
Dissolved Oxygen Variability in Puget Sound, Washington, as
Diagnosed from a Box Model Tracer
Chair: Linda Lyshall
Spatial Subsidy of Drift Kelp Sustains Deep Subtidal Red
Urchins: Implications for the Management Of an Exploited Species
Octopuses (Enteroctopus dofleini) Need Cues for Learning
Diet of Harbor Seals in the San Juan Island Archipelago
Status of Pinnipeds in the Georgia Basin Puget Sound Region
Chair: Stephen W. Gajewski
This is a special
technical session designed to look at where we have come in the science and
technology community in realizing the goal of fully integrated systems models
and tools that comprehend meteorology, watershed, groundwater, and
estuarine/marine systems. The technical session will be led off by technical
briefings on the Òstate-of-the-artÓ for a number of subjects, followed by a
panel that explores the need for and the challenges of systems integration.
Panel Members:
• Andrea Copping, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Dave Somers, Snohomish County Council
• Tim Smith, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Randy Shuman, King County, Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• Jacques White, The Nature Conservancy
• Lance Vail, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Tarang Khangaonkar , Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Maria Calvi, Tulalip Tribes
Chair: Peter Schwarzhoff
A Critical Load is
the highest deposition rate that will not cause chemical changes leading to
long-term harmful effects in the most sensitive ecosystems. The indicators and
potential endpoints for effects vary with the intent and the sensitivity of
receptors. This session will present aspects of critical load and deposition
modelling and effects underway in the Georgia Basin at present.
Panel Members:
• Julian Aherne,
Trent University
• Anliang Zhong,
University of British Columbia
• Robert Hudson,
British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range
• Gordon Weetman,
University of British Columbia
Modelling the Impacts of Acid Deposition on Apline Lakes
Chaining The FORECAST and MAGIC Models to Estimate Critical
Loads of Nitrogen for Forest Ecosystems in the Georgia Basin
The Extreme Response of Streamflow and Nitrate Concentrations to
Partial Logging at Flume Creek, Sunshine Coast, BC.
The Relevance of the Experience with Forest Nitrogen
Fertilization to Critical N Loads
Chair: Sandie OÕNeill
Thirty years of Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics in Puget
Sound: will they ever go away?
Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales at Risk in The
Georgia Basin -- Puget Sound: Emerging Contaminant Concerns
Management of Threats to Fish and Wildlife from PBTs
PCBs in The Biota: The Importance of Understanding the Biotic
Balance in Estimating Loadings to Puget Sound and the Georgia Basin
Toxic Chemical Contaminants and Puget Sound
Chair: Greg Ambrozic
Learning from the BC Coastal Environment 2006 Project, Part I:
Consulting with Audiences and Experts
More than Meets the Eye: Community Participation in
Environmental Stewardship
Paddling Away the Gunk
GreenShores: A Proactive Initiative for Sustainable Coastal
Development
Chair: Rob Knight
This session will
feature a live demonstration of web mapping applications on the CMN (Community
Mapping Network), featuring 3 interactive atlases to generate audience
questions and participation: Southern Gulf Islands Atlas (with streaming
shoreline videos); Georgia Basin Habitat Atlas (with oodles of GIS data from
agencies and NGOs); Invasive Specie Atlas (with Spartina sp. mapping, drift
card tracking & on-line data entry).
The CMN is working
to bridge the information gaps in resource data by engaging citizens groups and
concerned agency staff in BC and Washington. The CMN is an NGO dedicated to
sharing a wealth of natural resource information and maps with communities,
locally and internationally. CMN integrates data from many sources and makes it
accessible through a user-friendly web mapping system, providing a unique set
of tools to explore and promote awareness of natural resource features. Using a
network of distributed servers, CMN offers Internet access to comprehensive
base mapping, aerial imagery and local information, working closely with other
NGOs and local governments.
The panel will
review and discuss community based web mapping projects in the Georgia Basin -
Puget Sound region. The panelists will provide perspectives and comments on
audience questions during demonstrations, drawing on their experiences and
backgrounds. The CMN has several relevant applications in the GBPS region that
will provide a catalyst for the discussions.
Panel Members:
• Kathleen Moore
• Don Chamberlain
• Rob Knight,
Community Mapping Network
Chair: Jay Davis
Impact of Waterfowl Grazing on Successive Cuts of Perennial
Forage Fields
Spring Usage Patterns of Surf Scoters in the Greater Puget Sound
and Strait of Georgia 2004-2006, Documented Through VHF and Satellite
Telemetry.
Biofilm Feeding in Western Sandpipers
Monitoring Coastal Birds in the Georgia Basin: The BC Coastal
Waterbird Survey
Marine Bird Abundance Changes in NW Washington: How Much Decline
and Why?
One Rare Bird: One Rare Woman: One Common Problem
Chair: Fred A. Goetz
You may have asked
yourself, where are fishing going in such a hurry? They always seem to be
moving or migrating from one place to another, from freshwater to saltwater,
from Puget Sound to the Ocean. You also might ask yourself, once they get to
their destination what are they going to do – have dinner or go to a
party? Scientists have been interested in fish movements for decades, they may
not ask questions quite in the way we might think of it, but the study of and
knowledge of the movements of all manner of fish including salmon, trout and
marine fishes of Puget Sound, is essential to our ability to protect and
conserve these fish and their habitats. Recently new technologies have been
developed that may help scientists answer some of these questions. These tools
are opening an exciting new world of estuary and marine research using
biotelemetry - measurement (telemetry) of biologically relevant data using
transmitters and receivers - a research approach that has been evolving locally
(Puget Sound), regionally (Salish Sea) and at an international scale. In this
workshop we will present some of the latest biotelemetry research on the
migration and habitat use of salmon and trout in the rivers, estuaries and
marine waters of the Puget Sound and the Straits. This work is a result of a
scientific collaboration of over 20 different organizations sharing equipment,
staff, and information to make a Puget Sound-wide monitoring network.
Panel Members:
• Fred Goetz, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
• Russell Ladley,
Puyallup Tribe of Indians
• Ed Connor,
Seattle City Light
• Reg
Reisenbichler, U.S. Geological Survey
• Anna Kagley,
NOAA Fisheries / National Marine Fisheries Service
• Scott Steltzner,
Squaxin Island Tribe
• Michael
Melnychuk, University
of British Columbia
Pre and Post Spawning Migration of Adult Bull Trout (Salvelinus
Confluentus) in the White River, Washington
Migratory Behavior of Bull Trout in the Skagit River Watershed
Habitat Use and Timing by Bull Trout in Marine Waters of
Northern Puget Sound, Washington State.
A Summary of Acoustic Tagging Programs for Migratory and
Resident Chinook Salmon in Puget Sound
Results From a Regionaly Scaled Acoustic Network Used Track Multiple Species in South Puget
Sound: 2004-2006.
High Mortality or Extended Residency of Coho Smolts in the Strait
Of Georgia? Confounding Factors in Estimating Early Ocean Survival with
Acoustic Tagging
Movement and Behavior of Steelhead Smolts in the Puget Sound
Chair: Curtis D. Tanner
The Puget Sound
Nearshore Partnership (aka PSNERP) has developed methods for detecting changes
in the physical structure of nearshore ecosystems. Conceptual models help us
understand the human stressors that drive these changes, and how nearshore
ecosystem processes have likely been altered. Results of change analysis are
being used to identify restoration needs and develop projects that restore
nearshore ecosystem processes. We are also employing analytical approaches to
estimate future conditions of the Puget Sound nearshore with and without
large-scale ecosystem restoration. Change analysis, strategic needs assessment,
and future condition methods have been piloted in the central Puget Sound
region (WRIA 9). As we scale up these methods to Sound-wide analysis, we are
also working to inform and support on-going restoration efforts. Program
technical guidance was used in evaluating and selecting projects for implementation
through the $2.5M Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program. In addition to
support for nine project proposals, the Nearshore Partnership funded project
ÒenhancementsÓ that supplement monitoring and education components to
capitalize on learning opportunities inherent in the projects.
We have responded
to the need for improved guidance for restoration project monitoring programs
by development of monitoring principles. This session will discuss these early
results of the Nearshore Partnership.
Panelists:
• Curtis Tanner,
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife/USFWS
• Si Simenstad,
University of Washington
• Doug Myers,
Puget Sound Action Team
• Randy Carman,
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
• Tom Mumford,
Washington Dept. of Natural Resources
• Bernie Hargrave,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Chair: John Elliott
Contaminate Residues in Demersal Fish, Invetebrates, and
Deployed Mussels in Selected Areas Of The Puget Sound, WA
PCB Cycling in the Lower Duwamish Waterway
Current Levels of Pbdes and Other Contaminants in Juvenile
Chinook Salmon From Puget Sound
Persistent Organic Pollutants in Harbor And DallÕs Porpoises
From the Inland Waters of Washington and British Columbia: High Levels in Urban
Porpoises
Body Condition and Tissue Concentrations of Butyltins and Other
Metals in Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) Wintering on the South Coast of
British Columbia, Canada
PBDEs and HBCD Flame Retardants in Eggs of Osprey and
Double-crested Cormorants from Washington and Oregon, 2002-2004
Chair: Gord Hanson
Partnerships in our Bear Tours and our Conservation Fee
Exporting Successful Partnerships in the Georgia Basin Puget Sound
Region to Other Coastal Areas Under Pressure
Learning from the BC Coastal Environment 2006 Project
Part II: Information Gaps, Project Management
Victoria Sewage: a Solution Through Science and Partnerships
Partnerships and Collaboration DonÕt End at Planning for
Ecosystem Restoration
Squamish Perspective on Partnerships
The session will begin by briefly recognizing those students who
presented exceptional technical papers and posters. Students will be evaluated
during the course of the conference.
The closing plenary will feature rapporteursÕ summaries that will seek
to provide an overview of the conference and attempt to set the proceedings in
a wider context relevant to the Georgia Basin Puget Sound bioregion. The
session will conclude with a traditional First Nations closing.