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The Maumee River transports huge loads of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to Lake Erie. The increased concentrations of N and P are causing eutrophication of the lake, creating hypoxic zones, and contributing to phytoplankton blooms. It is hypothesized that the P loads are a major contributor to harmful algal blooms that occur in the western basin of Lake Erie, particularly in summer. The Maumee River has been identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a priority watershed where action needs to be taken to reduce nutrient loads. This study quantified rates of biogeochemical processes affecting downstream flux of N and P by 1) measuring indices of potential sediment P retention and 2) measuring...
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The Fox River transports elevated loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to Lake Michigan. The increased concentration of N and P causes eutrophication of the lake, creating hypoxic zones and damaging the lake ecosystem.To decrease loading, best management practices (BMPs) have been implemented in the uplands of the basin. Little work has been done, however, to reduce nutrient concentrations in the river. Rivers are capable of removing nutrients through biotic uptake and sediment burial and are able to remove N through denitrification. Identifying and managing these locations of increased nutrient cycling known as “hot spots” may be another mechanism for nutrient mitigation.Our objective was to identify hot spots of N...
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These data contain observation and null polygons for waterfowl aerial surveys of Lake Michigan collected through the years 2009-2014. Polygons were created adjacent to either side of the flight lines (transects). The right and left offset of the polygons from the flight path, was determined using the average altitude of the plane along the transect and the observation angle through the plane’s window. Observed birds were counted and identified by species. This count data was attributed to the polygon closest to the point along the transect where the observation occurred, and on the side of the plane in which the observation took place. The point data represent counts where each point represents a single species....
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A site in north eastern MI, Oscoda Township, has some of the highest recorded exposure in birds to perfluorinated substances (PFASs) in the U.S. Some egg and plasma concentrations at that location exceeded the lowest reproductive effect threshold established for two avian laboratory species. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there were reproductive effects or physiological responses in a model bird species, the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), associated with this extremely high exposure to PFASs. The lack of exposure above background to other contaminants at this site allowed for an assessment of PFAS effects without the complication that responses may be caused by other contaminants. A...
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Observations and subtle shifts of vegetation communities in western Lake Erie have USGS researchers concerned about the potential for Grass Carp to alter these vegetation communities. Broad-scale surveys of vegetation using remote sensing and GIS mapping, coupled with on-the-ground samples in key locations will permit assessment of the effect Grass Carp may have already had on aquatic vegetation communities and establish baseline conditions for assessing future effects. Existing aerial imagery was used with object-based image analysis to detect and map aquatic vegetation in the western basin of Lake Erie.
Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings were collected from 16 sites across the Great Lakes to quantify normal annual variation in total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) exposure and to validate the sample size choice in earlier work. A sample size of 5 eggs or 5 nestlings per site was adequate to quantify exposure to PCBs in tree swallows given the current exposure levels and variation. There was no difference in PCB exposure in 2 randomly selected sets of 5 eggs collected in the same year, but analyzed in different years. Additionally, there was only modest annual variation in exposure, with between 69% (nestlings) and 73% (eggs) of sites having no differences between years. There was a tendency,...
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High-resolution digital aerial imagery was collected on August 24, 2018, with an 80-megapixel Phase One iXU-R 180 natural color aerial camera co-mounted with a Phase One iXU-RS 160 achromatic aerial camera. Software co-registers the simultaneously collected images to create 4-band imagery that can be displayed in either true color (RGB) or color-infrared (CIR) format. The camera system is connected to the plane's positioning and orientation system and precise metadata was generated for each exposure. This imagery was intended to be used as a base layer for object-based image analysis (OBIA) to map aquatic vegetation in western Lake Erie as well as shallow areas along the shoreline of the eastern portion.
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Between 1900 and 1932, a copper (Cu) mine operated near Gay, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior, discharged approximately 22.8 million metric tons of waste material known as ‘stamp sands’ (SS) to a nearby beach. This pile of SS has migrated via wind and rain along the beaches in northern Grand Traverse Bay and into Buffalo Reef, an important spawning area for Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish. During their first summer, these newly spawned fish consume benthic invertebrates and zooplankton in nearby beach habitats. SS contain elevated concentrations of metals (especially Cu) that are toxic to many invertebrate taxa, and studies have observed very few benthic taxa in areas with very high SS. Here, we sampled...
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Tree swallow egg and nestling concentrations of total PCBs and accumulation rate (ug of total PCBs accumulated per day) from 10 sites across the US Great Lakes at sites with different dredging histories..
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We surveyed fixed-width transects to determine waterbird distribution and estimate relative density. Transects generally paralleled shorelines to maximize efficiency and safety. Fixed-width transects were spaced at 3.2 and 4.8 km intervals and extended up to 32 km offshore so as to include waters with depth up to 80 m. Transects were established using snapPLAN software (TRACK’AIR Aerial Survey Systems, The Netherlands). Surveys were flown at an average ground speed of about 220 km/h at an altitude of about 61-76 m above the water using a US Fish and Wildlife Service fix-winged aircraft (Partenavia P68 Observer 2). Two trained observers, one on each side of the plane, identified and tallied waterbirds within 200...
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Invasion of North American waters by Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis has resulted in declines in native North American Unionoida mussels. Dreissenid mussels biofoul unionid mussels in large numbers and interfere with unionid movement, acquisition of food and ability to open and close their shells. Initial expectations for the Great Lakes were that unionids would be extirpated where they co-occur with dreissenids, but recently adult and juvenile unionids have been found alive in several apparent refugia. These unionid populations may persist due to reduced dreissenid biofouling in these areas, and/or due to processes that remove biofoulers. For example, locations inaccessible to veligers may reduce...
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During 2010-2014, tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) reproductive success was monitored at 68 sites across all 5 Great Lakes, including 58 sites located within Great Lakes Areas of concern (AOCs) and 10 non-AOCs. Sample eggs were collected from tree swallow clutches and analyzed for contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin and furans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and 34 other organic compounds. Contaminant data were available for 360 of the 1249 clutches monitored. Markov chain multistate modeling was used to assess the importance of 5 ecological and 11 of the dominant contaminants in explaining the pattern of egg and nestling failure rates. Four of 5 ecological variables (female Age, Date...
The USGS developed the second in a series of informative spatial distribution datasets of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Lake Erie. The second dataset was developed by object-based image analysis of high-resolution imagery (US waters < 6 meters deep) collected during peak biomass in 2018 to allow assessments of changes in SAV distribution. Assessing SAV abundance may contribute to inform the long-term impacts of Grass Carp, Common Carp, eutrophication, wind fetch and sedimentation on vegetation communities throughout Lake Erie and the impact these stressors may have on other organisms in the ecosystem. These data may also help inform the deployment of toxic bait deployments targeting Grass Carp. Bait placement...
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Microcystins (MC) are a class of cyanotoxins produced by many cyanobacteria taxa. Although toxic to metazoans, the evolution of microcystin pre-dates the appearance of metazoans, and so MC did not originate as a toxin to potential metazoan grazers. One hypothesized functional role of microcystin is the management and acquisition of metals, several of which form complexes with MC intracellularly. Metals are often used to build enzymes within the cell that allow cyanobacteria to use non-preferred nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) sources, such as nitrate, urea and organic P. If trace metals are in low supply, primary producers may become limited because of their inability to access these non-preferred N and P forms....
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Implantable satellite transmitters (e.g., Model PTT-100, Microwave Telemetry, Inc) were incorporated into the study to provide fine-resolution location data for a sample of the adult male common loons fitted with geolocator tags in 2010 and 2011. Transmitters were implanted in the abdominal cavity following procedures developed by Korschgen et al. (1996). The satellite transmitters were programmed to transmit on a variable schedule based on the anticipated stage of migration during the loon’s annual cycle - 8 hours on:72 hours off during the breeding season, 8 hours on:24 hours off while migrating, 6 to 8 hours on:96 hours off on the wintering grounds, and 8 hours on:24 hours off during spring migration, and 8 hours...
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Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, nestlings were collected from 76 sites in the Great Lakes which included multiple sites at 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs) and 12 sites not listed as AOCs from 2010 to 2015. Livers were harvested and analyzed for 21 elements. Mercury concentrations differed among AOCs; however, all livers analyzed had concentrations well within background and generally comparable or lower than most sites outside of the Great Lakes. Mercury, the only element specifically identified in the designation of AOCs, does not seem to pose a threat to birds at any of the AOCs monitored. In contrast, selenium (Se) concentrations were elevated at sites on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan to levels that could...
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This dataset contains measurements of water chemistry taken from experimental incubation of sediment cores collected from the Fox and Duck rivermouths during the 2016 growing season. In addition, some characteristics of the sediment were recorded. This data can be used to generate estimates of nutrient change over time, due to flux of nutrients from the sediments. These flux estimates (or release rates) can be used to estimate total flux from sediments to the surface waters over the course of the 2016 growing season. This dataset is a subset of a larger effort to quantitatively estimate the effect of rivermouths on nutrient loading to Lake Michigan.
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The Maumee River transports huge loads of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to Lake Erie. The increased concentrations of N and P are causing eutrophication of the lake, creating hypoxic zones, and contributing to phytoplankton blooms. It is hypothesized that the P loads are a major contributor to harmful algal blooms that occur in the western basin of Lake Erie, particularly in summer. The Maumee River has been identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a priority watershed where action needs to be taken to reduce nutrient loads. This study quantified rates of biogeochemical processes affecting downstream flux of N and P by 1) measuring indices of potential sediment P retention and 2) measuring...
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Tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, were sampled across the Great Lakes basin in 2010-2015 to provide a system-wide assessment of current exposure to organic contaminants. These results provide information identified as critical by land managers and regulators to assess the ‘Bird or Animal Deformity or Reproductive Problems’ Beneficial Use Impairment. Eggs were collected from 69 sites across all five Great Lakes, including 27 Areas of Concern (AOCs), some with multiple sites, and ten sites not listed as an AOC. Concentrations of organic contaminants in eggs were quantified and compared to background and reproductive effect thresholds. Approximately one-third of the AOCs had geometric mean concentrations of total...
The exposure and effects of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were studied at eight locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin between 2007and 2011 using tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Concentrations of PFASs were quantified as were reproductive success endpoints. The sample egg method was used wherein an egg sample is collected, and the hatching success of the remaining eggs in the nest is assessed. The association between PFAS exposure and reproductive success was assessed by site comparisons, logistic regression analysis, and multistate modeling, a technique not previously used in this context. There was a negative association between concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in eggs and hatching success....


map background search result map search result map Spatial Variation in Biofouling of a Unionid Mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) Across the Western Basin of Lake Erie Data Birds as indicators of contaminants in the Great Lakes - Egg Contaminants Data Lake Erie, Western Basin Aquatic Vegetation data Lake Michigan 2011-13 aerial surveys common loon observations Lake Michigan 2010-11 selected common loon telemetry observations Reproductive success and contaminant associations in tree swallows (Tachnycineta bicolor) nesting in the U.S. and Binational Great Lakes' Areas of Concern data Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Project 49 Fox River Basin 2016 and 2017 Data Data from 92 sediment incubation experiments using sediments collected from the Fox and Duck rivermouths (adjacent to Green Bay, Lake Michigan) Perfluoroalkyl contaminant exposure in tree swallows nesting at Clarks Marsh, Oscoda, MI Dataset Lake Michigan Sea Duck Survey 2009-2014 2018 Eastern Lake Erie Shoreline 4-Band Mosaics and Orthophotos Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Nutrient cycling in riverbed sediment in the Maumee River Basin, 2019 and 2021 Data (ver. 2.0, March 2024) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Nutrient cycling in riverbed sediment in the Maumee River Basin, 2021 Data (ver. 2.0, March 2024) Response of natural phytoplankton communities from Green Bay (Lake Michigan) and Maumee Bay (Lake Erie) to laboratory manipulations of nutrient and trace metal availability during late summer 2018 Measurement of benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, stamp sands and metals from four beaches near Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior in 2021 Remedy effectiveness at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) sites Data from 92 sediment incubation experiments using sediments collected from the Fox and Duck rivermouths (adjacent to Green Bay, Lake Michigan) Perfluoroalkyl contaminant exposure in tree swallows nesting at Clarks Marsh, Oscoda, MI Dataset Measurement of benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, stamp sands and metals from four beaches near Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior in 2021 Lake Erie, Western Basin Aquatic Vegetation data Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Nutrient cycling in riverbed sediment in the Maumee River Basin, 2019 and 2021 Data (ver. 2.0, March 2024) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Nutrient cycling in riverbed sediment in the Maumee River Basin, 2021 Data (ver. 2.0, March 2024) Spatial Variation in Biofouling of a Unionid Mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) Across the Western Basin of Lake Erie Data Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Project 49 Fox River Basin 2016 and 2017 Data 2018 Eastern Lake Erie Shoreline 4-Band Mosaics and Orthophotos Response of natural phytoplankton communities from Green Bay (Lake Michigan) and Maumee Bay (Lake Erie) to laboratory manipulations of nutrient and trace metal availability during late summer 2018 Lake Michigan 2011-13 aerial surveys common loon observations Lake Michigan 2010-11 selected common loon telemetry observations Lake Michigan Sea Duck Survey 2009-2014 Birds as indicators of contaminants in the Great Lakes - Egg Contaminants Data Reproductive success and contaminant associations in tree swallows (Tachnycineta bicolor) nesting in the U.S. and Binational Great Lakes' Areas of Concern data Remedy effectiveness at Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) sites