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October 29, 2009
Geodesy at the Water’s Edge: the Importance of Precise and Accurate Positioning in Coastal Observing Systems
Dr. Philippe Hensel (NOAA National Geodetic Survey, Silver Spring MD)
Synposis: Coastal habitats are increasingly vulnerable to global environmental change as a result of current and predicted increases in eustatic sea
level, the frequency and magnitude of coastal storms, changing climatic zones, invasive species, and the many pressure on coastal resources from increasing coastal populations.
The proper stewardship of these resources relies on the ability to accurately and precisely monitor spatially-explicit trends in geomorphology, hydrology, and biological communities
over time. Recently, the NOAA National Ocean Service--together with other Federal, State, and private partners—has invested in building infrastructure, models, and tools to
provide accurate positioning within coastal habitats in support of coastal research and management. The heart of the system is a stable, consistent, and accurate positional framework in
three dimensions based on updated vertical bench marks within coastal habitats, which include traditional geodetic marks, tidal marks, and Surface Elevation table (SET) marks. Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and high accuracy leveling surveys connect these local networks to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). Multiple observation systems, from
long-term tide gauges and the Continuously Operating Reference Systems (CORS) to short-term water level recorders and SET data, from LiDAR surveys to individual vegetation plots, are
all connected to the NSRS through the local positional framework. Connections to the NSRS enable data to be compared with a high degree of accuracy over both space and time. Data
fusion, linking ground-based observations to remote sensing (e.g., LiDAR surveys), is spawning new techniques and tools to enhance our ability to use remotely-sensed data to measure
coastal elevation and habitat change. This talk will highlight how geospatial infrastructure is serving as a foundation for connecting coastal environmental data sets, and how this
information can be used to advance science and management in the vulnerable coastal zone.
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POSTPONED, NEW DATE: May 6,2010.
Forest Certification: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (or What’s the Funny Sticker Doing on My Wood?)
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December 10, 2009
The South River, Legacy Sediments, and the Future of the Resource
Erik Michelsen, South River Federation
Synposis: Several years of data collected on the South River, anecdotal accounts, and field observations throughout the watershed point to one
inescapable conclusion: Legacy agricultural soils which washed off the land as forests were cleared throughout the region in the post-colonial period still remain in vast quantities in
both the stream valleys and near tidal portions of creeks, sediment that makes its way into tidewater both during base flow and particularly after rain events. In some cases, these
legacy sediments remain partially entrapped behind historic mill dams and, in others, they comprise over a meter of silt over top of a formerly vast stream and wetland complex that once
delivered virtually sediment-free flow to the river and provided an extensive nursery for freshwater-dependent fishes. These sediments and the nutrients bound to them constitute a
largely unacknowledged source of impairment to waterways like the South River throughout the Chesapeake watershed. This presentation will explore the historical impacts on a variety of
tributaries to the South River, regulatory hurdles to repairing these systems, and possible restoration solutions.
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January 14, 2010
Population Size Estimates and Ecological Services of Freshwater Mussels in the Upper Delaware River
William Lellis (USGS-Leetown Science Center, Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory, Wellsboro PA)
Synposis: A double-sampling study design was used to estimate species composition and population size of freshwater mussels in the upper Delaware River
(NY,PA, NJ). Survey data indicate that of nine species of mussels found, the eastern elliptio (Elliptio complanata) uniformly comprised 98% of the total population of approximately 2
million mussels (>10 mm long) per river mile. Energetic modeling indicates that this single species may provide significant ecosystem services during certain seasons and flow
conditions. For example, the river-wide population of eastern elliptio has the ability to filter 2-6 billion gallons of water and nearly 80 tons of sediment per day.
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January 27, 2010
Bioassessment and Research in Streams and Rivers at the "Top of the World"
Dr. Subodh Sharma (Kathmandu University, Nepal, and Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Towson University, Towson MD)
Synposis: This talk will focus on the biological monitoring and study of water resources in Nepal and the surrounding regions of Bhutan, India, Pakistan,
and Bangaldesh. Dr. Sharma has lead the development of bioassessment in the Himalayas, an area often referred to as the "Top of the World". He will describe the dynamics of Himalayan
rivers and discuss stressors on water bodies in this part of the world.
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February 18, 2010
Abundance and Ecology of Larval Atlantic Menhaden Ingressing into the Chesapeake Bay
Carlos Lozano, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
Synposis: Young-of-the-year (YOY) recruitment of Atlantic menhaden in Chespeake Bay declined since the 1980's and has presently stabilized at a low
level. This low level has raised concerns for coast-wide recruitment and contributes to "localized depletion" in the Bay. Reasons for the low recruitment are not yet understood, but a
decline in larval supply to the Bay is one hypothesis. The objective of my research was to evaluate larval ingress. Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted at the Bay mouth during
November to April in three spawning seasons (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08). Abundance of ingressing larvae varied four-fold among years. Otolith microstructure analysis showed that
ingressing larvae were hatched from September to March, and most arrived at the Bay mouth from December through February. Ocean-to-estuary transport periods ranged from 1-2 months.
Hatch-date distributions indicated a consistent supply of ingressing larvae with evidence of multiple cohorts. Mean larval growth rates were faster in 2007-08 and 2005-06 than in
2006-07. Larvae ingressing during February grew slower than in other months. Depth and horizontal distributions of larvae varied among days and time of day. Copepods (Acartia and
Centropages sp.) were the dominant prey in all years. Feeding incidence was highest in 2006-07 and lowest in 2007-08. We observed no relationship between the abundance of ingressing
larvae and YOY recruitment measured by the Maryland DNR seine survey. The YOY abundance index was relatively low in all three years, suggesting that factors in addition to larval supply
act to control YOY Atlantic menhaden recruitment.
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March 18, 2010
Title:To Be Announced
Bob Hilderbrand, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD
Synposis: To Be Announced
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April 2, 2010
Using Novel Modeling Techniques to Explore Unintended Consequences of Sediment and Nutrient Management for Marshes Facing Sea Level Rise
Dr. Lora Harris, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons MD
Synposis: To Be Announced
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April 15, 2010
Bird Conservation in Colombia: Fighting Wars on Many Fronts
Gwen Brewer, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis
Synposis: Colombia is incredibly rich in biological diversity, with almost one fifth of all bird species and an impressive list of orchids, amphibians,
and butterflies. Sadly, the mention of this South American country is more likely to conjure images of drug lords, kidnappings, and guerilla warfare. How do Colombian conservation
organizations face the challenge of working in a country plagued by violence, land conversion, and economic difficulties? This talk will discuss the innovative and successful strategies
of ProAves, a Colombian NGO, as well as provide an introduction to the fabulous natural riches of this increasingly accessible country.
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May 6, 2010
Forest Certification: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (or What’s the Funny Sticker Doing on My Wood?)
Jack Perdue, MD/DNR Forest Service
Synposis: The purpose of forest certification, sometimes know as "green certification", is to identify forestland that is managed to meet agreed-upon
standards and, sometimes, label products originating from those forests. The underlying goal of forest certification is to promote forest practices that are environmentally, socially,
and economically sustainable over the long term.
What many may not realize is that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has been involved with the two major certification systems for over six years. Currently, over 80,000
acres are certified through both the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forest Initiative programs.
- What does this mean to DNR, the resource managers, the public, and the resource?
- Why are there two systems and how do they differ?
- What have we learned as the result of our certification experience?
- Why forest management certification matters?
- And, what do the new funny labels on wood products really mean?
We will discuss forest certification plus how to build a better mouse trap at: Forest Certification: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
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May 20, 2010
Implementing the Maryland Healthy Air Act
John Sherwell, MD/DNR Resource Assessment Service
Synposis: To Be Announced
Previous Seminar Information
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October 15, 2009
66 Degrees North: 8 Days of Roaming Around Iceland
Ron Klauda, MD/DNR Resource Assessment Service
Synposis: Located in the north Atlantic just south of the Arctic Circle, many people think Iceland is covered by ice and snow much of the time, if not
year round.
When my wife Kathy and I drove about 1500 km on The Ring Road in early June, we saw snow-capped mountains, high valley glaciers, and a few patches of snow. But mostly, the place was
gloriously green. We experienced a diverse landscape of lush meadows grazed by sheep and horses, fields of wild flowers, miles of tundra, hot springs, geysers, lava fields, waterfalls,
glacial rivers, lakes, beaches, long-dormant volcanoes, and a couple that could erupt again anytime. We sampled a country with 52% of its land area uninhabited, and a population density
of only 7.5 people per square mile. We ate foods both familiar and new. And, we returned home filled with fond memories of a clean, efficient, modern northern European country, sparsely
populated with hardy and friendly people. Come along as we travel from Keflavik (Leifur Eiricksson Air Terminal is nearby) and Reykjavik (the Capital, population of 177,720) in the
southwestern corner to Vik i Myrdal (picturesque village of 297 situated between mountains, sea cliffs, and a black sand beach) along the south coast and then on north and east to
Akureyri (second largest city, population of 17,522) and Myvatn (the ‘midge lake’). I’ll also talk about Iceland’s economy, fisheries, invasive species problems,
their push toward sustainability, and teach you a few Icelandic words.
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September 24, 2009
Mystery of the Waters of the Galapagos – A Diving Experience
Michael Barbour, Tetra Tech
Synposis: The diversity of aquatic life around the Galapagos Islands is among the highest in the World, because five strong currents converge there bringing a
tremendous food source.
It is the mating grounds of the Scalloped Head Pacific Hammerhead Shark, a major feeding grounds of the Whale Shark, the only place where penquins (the Galapagos Penquin) can be found
on the Equator, and a place where marine iguanas share habitat with turtles, sea lions, and blue footed boobies. Waters around the Galapagos Islands are a diver's paradise, but not for
the faint-hearted or the novice. Dangers abound, but beauty prevails.
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May 28, 2009
Eelgrass Makes a Comeback in the Potomac River: A Review of DNR’s Large-Scale Zostera marina (eelgrass) Restoration Efforts in Maryland
Kathryn Busch, Tidewater Ecosystem Division, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis
Synposis: Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) serves a vital role in maintaining a healthy Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. As a result of systemic losses, SAV
restoration is an important component of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s (CBP) restoration efforts. In 2003, the CBP created the “Strategy to Accelerate the Protection and
Restoration of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Chesapeake Bay” to help achieve the goal of increasing SAV acreage in the Bay. As part of this strategy, large-scale eelgrass
restoration efforts were initiated in two Maryland rivers. Initial site selection was accomplished using GIS-based targeting models, test plantings, and habitat assessments. From 2003
to 2007, nearly 4 million seeds were dispersed over 26 acres in the Patuxent River and almost 9 million seeds over 40 acres in the Potomac River. Eelgrass seedling germination has been
consistent throughout the project. However, recruitment success varied dramatically between the two rivers. Restoration locations in the Patuxent experienced initial seedling
germination, but no long-term plant survival, possibly due to high turbidity and high summer water temperatures. Eelgrass within several restoration locations in the Potomac are
thriving and have expanded beyond initial seeding extents. Healthy eelgrass beds now cover about five acres of the Potomac for the first time in decades. Continued survival and
expansion of restored eelgrass beds in the Potomac support the future use of large-scale seeding methods to achieve SAV restoration.
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May 21,2009
Blowing Up the Myths about Mountaintop Removal Mining
J.W. Randolph, Appalachian Voices and Ross Geredien, MD DNR
Synopsis: Mountaintop removal mining is a devastating form of coal mining currently being practiced in Appalachia. Entire mountains are blasted apart to
get at the coal seams and the waste is dumped into river valleys. Over a million acres of Appalachia have been destroyed and over 1200 miles of streams have been buried and polluted
from mountaintop removal mining. Yet, burning the extracted coal is providing less than 5% of our annual electricity needs. Some of this coal is burned to generate electricity for
homes, schools, and businesses right here in Annapolis. This mining practice can and must change. With Appalachian coal reserves dwindling, intense interest in renewal energy sources
growing, and new leadership in Washington, there is hope on the horizon. In this talk, I will discuss what the people of Appalachia are doing to save their mountains, streams and
communities at this crucial time in history. Learn how you can join them by promoting the Clean Water Protection Act in Congress, or by spreading the word in your own communities. This
presentation is available as a 1.6 MB pdf file.
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May 12, 2009
Soil Planet: Designing the Smithsonian Exhibition Dig It! The Secrets of Soil
J. Patrick Megonigal, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater MD
Synopsis: There is an enormous gap in perceptions about the importance of soil resources between the general public and scientists, impeding the
discovery and adoption of new approaches to soil management. An ambitious attempt to educate the general public about soils opened in July 2008 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of
Natural History in Washington, DC. Dig It! The Secrets of Soil is a 460 square-meter exhibition that reveals the complex world of soil and how these hidden ecosystems support life on
earth. It was designed to explore the breadth of soil science, and to address the implications of human impacts on soil resources. The exhibit is rich in audiovisual and interactive
components. Testing suggests it is very successful at accomplishing the primary goal----people about the importance of understanding and conserving soil resources in forests, wetlands
and agricultural areas. Educators can find teaching resources based on the exhibit at www.forces.si.edu/soils. The exhibit will travel
across North America for four years after it closes on January 3, 2010.
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May 7, 2009
Nitrogen Transport and Transformation in the Otter Point Creek and Monie Bay NERR Watersheds
Michael J. Castellano (Penn State University, University Park, PA)
Synopsis: Transport of human-derived reactive nitrogen to surface and ground waters has increased eutrophication and polluted drinking water supplies.
Current concepts for the prevention of reactive nitrogen delivery to water resources focus on carbon-based stabilization mechanisms. However, hydrology also plays a critical role in the
transport and transformation of nitrogen. Working within forests and agroecosystems, I will compare carbon-based and hydrology-based mechanisms of ecosystem nitrogen removal and
retention. The importance of these mechanisms will be related to well-inventoried and easy-to-measure soil properties that offer outreach potential and management implications.
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April 29, 2009
The Historical and Paleoecological Record of Land Use and Estuarine Eutrophication: The Importance of Nitrogen
Dr. Grace S. Brush (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD)
Synposis: Today, chemically-synthesized nitrogen is recognized as a major cause of aquatic eutrophication and anoxia, resulting in “dead
zones” in many coastal regions of the world. Biological and geochemical profiles from sediment cores throughout the Chesapeake Bay show that in pre-colonial time nitrogen influxes
were very low, suggesting that biological nitrogen fixation was balanced by denitrification. During this time, the landscape consisted of a diversity of forests, coastal marshes,
floodplains and inland wetlands, many of which were created by beavers. Hence, there were many opportunities for denitrification. Estuarine conditions did not change much in early
post-colonial time when agriculture consisted of small farms separated by patches of forest. But, by the middle 19th century and continuing into the 20th century, more than
three-fourths of eastern North America was deforested, primarily for agriculture. Deforestation was accompanied by draining many of the wetlands to produce arable land. Thus, landscape
vegetation, hydrology and geochemistry were changed and areas for denitrification greatly decreased. At the same time, other sources of nitrogen fertilizers became available, including
guano, nitrate deposits and after World War I synthetic nitrogen. How can the coastal regions be restored? Returning the landscape to pre-colonial conditions is not an option. A
watershed approach is needed, which in addition to reducing nitrogen inputs, would include planting forest stands on appropriate soils throughout the watershed. In addition,
denitrification can be increased throughout the watershed by restoring wetlands where it is hydrologically feasible, as well as by using technologies such as retrofitting sewage waste
systems for denitrification. Efforts to remove nitrogen from the environment are expensive and are designed primarily for restoring the estuarine and coastal fishery. However, societal
needs have changed, so that coastal systems are valued for services, including aesthetics and recreation, as well as the provision of food. Hence, the future health of coastal regions
may depend on the willingness and ability of the public to pay for multi-goal management strategies directed toward many services. This presentation is available as a 3.6 MB pdf file.
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March 27, 2009
Hill of Grace
Raymond Morgan II, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, MD
Synposis: This seminar is based on Dr. Morgan’s sabbatical and zymurgical exploits in Australia and New Zealand in early 2008. He will discuss the effects of
urbanization on the Australian landscape in Victoria. Conservation of the unique fish biota associated with South Australia, as affected by water use issues and climate change in the
Murray River Basin, will also be described. Dr. Morgan will comment on his travels in New Zealand.
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February 19, 2009
CO2, Climate Change and Public Health: the Botanical Perspective
Lewis Ziska, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland
Synposis: The epidemiological implications with respect to climate change and public health (e.g., shifts in disease vectors) are beginning to be
acknowledged. Less recognized, however, are the potential links between climate, plant biology and public health. In addition to being affected by climate (e.g., temperature determines
plant range), carbon dioxide (CO2) represents the raw material needed for photosynthesis and its rapid increase in the atmosphere is expected to stimulate plant growth. There are a
number of means by which plant biology intersects with human health, including aero-biology (allergens, asthma), contact dermatitis (rashes), toxicology (poison ingestion), pharmacology
(plant-based analgesics), that are likely to be affected by the ongoing changes in CO2/climate. In this over-view, I will discuss current research efforts by USDA to address these
issues, current progress and future directions.This presentation is available as a 3.53 MB PowerPoint file.
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January 22, 2009
Using GIS to Target Forest Conservation and Restoration Needs: An Assessment of Charles County Forests.
Rob Feldt, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Synposis: Rob will discuss an analysis conducted by the Maryland DNR Forest Service to assess forest conservation and restoration potential in Charles County. This
assessment is intended to help county planners prepare for future growth by prioritizing forest conservation efforts and guiding forest restoration projects to augment current water
quality, open space, and wildlife habitat. He will explain what data layers were used and describe the scoring method and model outputs which paint unique pictures of Charles
County’s forests. The presentation is linked here as a 11MB PowerPoint file.
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December 10, 2008
A Latin Journey: Running up Mountains, Walking through Ruins and Swimming with Penguins
Sarah Widman, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Synposis: Sarah Widman, Fisheries Service, shares her experiences from a recent trip to Peru and Ecuador. See the Incan ruins in Cusco and Machu Picchu, the Andes
Mountains, and the Galapagos Islands. View underwater video of sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, and penguins. Learn about the interesting history of the Incas and the Galapagos
Islands.
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