Issue 63 - August 2020

Slightly smaller-than-average 2020 ‘dead zone’ predicted for the Chesapeake Bay

By U-Michigan

a coloured map of Chesapeake Bay — A map of Chesapeake Bay with colors indicating water depth. The inset map highlights the Susquehanna River watershed, which is the primary freshwater and nutrient source to the main stem of Chesapeake Bay. Sources: Satellite map from Google Earth and bathymetry from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Researchers from the University of Michigan, the Chesapeake Bay Program and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are forecasting a slightly smaller-than-average Chesapeake Bay “dead zone” this year, due to reduced rainfall and less nutrient-rich runoff flowing into the bay from the watershed this spring.

The bay’s hypoxic (low oxygen) and anoxic (no oxygen) zones are caused by excess nutrient pollution, primarily from agriculture and wastewater. The excess nutrients stimulate an overgrowth of algae, which then sink and decompose in the water. The resulting low oxygen levels are insufficient to support most marine life and habitats in near-bottom waters, threatening the bay’s crabs, oysters and other fisheries.

This year’s Chesapeake Bay hypoxic volume, known as a dead zone, is expected to be 9% lower than the average measured over the past 34 years. The volume of water with no oxygen is predicted to be 4% lower than the average, the researchers announced today.

“Each year, the forecasts are reported to be bigger or smaller than some long-term average, when in fact the long-term average is not the goal,” said University of Michigan aquatic ecologist Don Scavia, professor emeritus at the School for Environment and Sustainability. “This year’s forecast calls for a dead zone that is still larger than that implied by the targets set under the Chesapeake Bay load agreement.”

Although different types of nutrients contribute to the annual Chesapeake Bay dead zone, it is nitrogen—which enters the bay from January through May—that is a key driver in how hypoxic conditions can vary from year to year.

a Figure presenting the hypoxia extent and ecosystem effects in Chesapeake Bay — _{This conceptual diagram of hypoxia extent and ecosystem effects in Chesapeake Bay illustrates how hypoxia is driven by eutrophication and physical forcing while affecting sediment biogeochemistry and living resources. Nutrient runoff from the land leads to a surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water column. Excess nutrients enhance phytoplankton production, which increase vertical carbon flux and associated bottom-water respiration. Advection and wind forcing generate turbulence and altered circulation that can result in elevated mixing of oxygen into deeper waters. Low dissolved oxygen below the pycnocline makes deeper waters unsuitable for many species in the Chesapeake Bay, leading to a habitat squeeze in the water column, where many species are forced to migrate upward (Schlenger et al. 2013). Anoxia also suffocates benthic communities, reducing bioturbation and contributing to a positive feedback loop in which nutrients recycled from organic matter are efficiently released back to the water column (NH4+ and PO43–) and oxygen- consuming solutes (sulfide, methane) are generated by anaerobic reactions to further enhance anoxia in sediments and the water column. Symbols courtesy of the IAN symbol library (http://ian.umces.edu/symbols).}

In spring 2020, Chesapeake Bay received levels of nitrogen pollution that were 17% below the long-term average. The nitrogen loads included 111 million pounds recorded at nine river-input monitoring stations, along with 7.3 million pounds from treated wastewater.

“The hypoxic forecast is a critical component to tracking the progress of our Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Dissolved oxygen levels are a key indicator of bay health, as sufficient oxygen is needed to support our iconic Chesapeake species such as oysters, crabs and finfish,” said Bruce Michael, director of the Resource Assessment Service at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

“The forecast brings attention to our continued need to implement our nutrient reduction strategies. We look forward to working with our Bay Program partners to monitor and report on hypoxic levels throughout the summer.”

Jeremy Testa of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science said the annual forecasts “continue to help scientists understand what controls long-term changes in hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay, improving our ability to predict them and to identify actions to mitigate them.”

_{A map of bottom water oxygen concentrations in the Chesapeake Bay for two contrasting years, including July 2011 (near-record high hypoxic volume) and July 2014 (near-record low hypoxic volume). The colours corresponding to the oxygen-concentration thresholds used in forecast models are indicated. Abbreviations: L, litres; mg, milligrams.}

Since 2007, a model developed by University of Michigan researchers has been used to forecast the volume of summer hypoxia for the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay by using the amount of nitrogen pollution flowing into the bay from the Susquehanna River during the previous January through May. A companion model from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science forecasts summer volumes of oxygen-free water.

Scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, in collaboration with Anchor QEA, produce daily real-time estimates of hypoxia volume that are already showing substantially less hypoxia in 2020 than in recent years.

Funding for the models came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Data used in the models are provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Chesapeake Bay Program.

In 2020, the hypoxia model was updated, refined and later transferred to the Chesapeake Bay Program through a collaborative effort led by modelers at the University of Michigan, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Chesapeake Bay Program.

The enhanced model now provides hypoxia projections for an average July, average summer and the total annual average hypoxia volume, based on the measure of nitrogen pollution and river flow captured at the nine U.S. Geological Survey river input monitoring stations, through partnerships with Maryland and Virginia.

Together these stations—which are located on the Appomattox, Choptank, James, Mattaponi, Pamunkey, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock and Susquehanna rivers—reflect nitrogen loads flowing into the bay from 78% of its 64,000-square-mile watershed. The load estimates also include point sources such as wastewater treatment plants that enter the rivers downstream of the monitoring stations.

“We are excited to see our research forecast model transferred into operations at the Chesapeake Bay Program, ensuring its continuity, updates and refinements,” said Michigan’s Scavia.

Throughout the year, researchers measure oxygen and nutrient levels as part of the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program, a bay-wide cooperative effort involving watershed jurisdictions, several federal agencies, 10 academic institutions and more than 30 scientists.

Among these institutions, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality conduct eight to 10 cruises between May and October—depending on weather conditions—to track summer hypoxia conditions in the bay.

Results from each monitoring cruise can be accessed on the Eyes on the Bay website for the Maryland portion of the bay and the VECOS website for the Virginia portion. Estimates of river flow and nutrients entering the bay can be accessed on the U.S. Geological Survey website.

A bay-wide assessment of the 2020 dead zone will be available in the fall.

Pollution-reducing practices used in backyards, in cities and on farms can reduce the flow of nutrients into waterways. Management actions taken to decrease loads from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants may immediately show detectable pollution changes, but there is often a lag in measuring their impact on improving water quality and the health of the bay.

Weather conditions also play a role in the size and duration of the annual dead zone. Heavy rainfall can lead to strong river flows entering the bay, which carries along with increased amounts of nutrient pollution. Hot temperatures and weak winds provide the ideal conditions for the dead zone to grow larger and last longer, as occurred in 2019.

Don Scavia’s hypoxia forecast page

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Issue 63 - August 2020

After Years at Sea, Hawaiian Petrel Arrives Safely Home

a baby bird in the borrow on the island in Hawaii — _{Hawaiian petrel chick in its old burrow on the mountain. Photo credit: Andre Rainekauai}

Return to Kīlauea National Wildlife Refuge marks a key milestone in an effort to save endangered seabirds

a photo of a seabird on an island in Hawaii at night time — _{This trail camera photo captured the moment when a young Hawaiian Petrel, the first of 87 birds to have fledged from the site several years ago, returned to Nihoku. Conservation partners hope that this and other petrels will use the artificial nest boxes (such as the one on the left in this photo) to start a thriving new colony inside the predator-proof fencing at Nihoku. Photo by Nihoku Ecosystem Restoration Project}

An historic effort to save the endangered Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), or ʻUaʻu, has reached a critical milestone after years of anxious waiting by project partners: The first of 87 birds translocated as chicks and fledged from the protected haven of Nihoku at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge has returned after several years at sea. The sighting of this individual, via trail camera footage, is an early sign that this and other young birds that fledged from Nihoku between 2015 and 2019 successfully imprinted on the site and now may start returning to breed, just as conservationists had anticipated. Project partners hope that additional individuals will be lured in by the use of “social attraction” — with the species’ calls played over a sound system — and that they will make use of artificial nest boxes installed within the protective fencing. The ultimate goal is to establish a thriving, new colony safe from predators.

After chicks leave the nest burrow, Hawaiian Petrels and many other seabirds typically spend several years foraging on the high seas as they mature to breeding age, then return to breed at the site where they fledged. This returning Hawaiian Petrel appears to have done just that. It was spotted during an early July review of trail camera footage periodically checked by project partners; the bird’s visit to Nihoku occurred on May 30. The presence of leg bands on the bird confirm a high probability that this is one of the birds translocated to Nihoku four or five years ago.

a man is reaching his arm into a barrow to grab a chick — Hawaiian petrel being carefully removed from its burrow

two men is walking in a forest on the island in Hawaii — Hawaiian petrel being carefully removed from its burrow

“We are thrilled to learn of this bird’s return,” said Dr. Lindsay Young, Executive Director of Pacific Rim Conservation. “This is an indication that our efforts in the translocation project to bring chicks to imprint on the site is bearing fruit, providing the right cues that lead birds to this safe haven. The ultimate goal is to establish a thriving breeding colony of Hawaiian Petrels within the fully enclosed fenced area, to protect the breeding birds from invasive predators. This petrel marks the first critical step toward achieving that outcome.”

The Nihoku Ecosystem Restoration Project is a multi-partner effort involving Pacific Rim Conservation (PRC); the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP), a Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) project administered by the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit); the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and American Bird Conservancy (ABC).

two person are getting Hawaiian bird ready to weigh before sitting it free. — Getting ready to weigh a Hawaiian petrel chick.

two hand are holding a bird in a blue towel. — Getting ready to weigh a Hawaiian petrel chick.

The project is part of a larger, island-wide effort to restore populations of the Hawaiian Petrel and another threatened and culturally important species, Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli), or ʻAʻo. As was done in this project, translocating birds to protected habitats, from locations where they are vulnerable to threats such as invasive predators, is one important approach that is being implemented to help recover declining populations of Hawaiian seabirds. Other tactics include control of invasive predators, habitat management, fencing, reducing power line collisions, and fostering awareness within the island community on the issue of light attraction’s fatal effects on seabirds. Both petrels and shearwaters can become disoriented by light during their fledging flights and thus are highly vulnerable to collisions.

a man is putting a bird in a human-made nest to protect it from predator in Hawaii — _{After a newells shearwater chick was placed in its new home the lid was placed on their burrow. Photo credit: Jen Waipausfws}

Dr. André Raine, project leader for the KESRP team, monitors seven nesting areas in Kauaʻi’s remote mountains and says there have been major population declines in the two species, with the Hawaiian Petrel declining by 78 percent and Newell’s Shearwater by 94 percent between 1993 and 2013.

Over the last five years, the KESRP team has located and monitored ʻUʻau and ʻAʻo burrows in the mountains, then transported vulnerable chicks via helicopter to Nihoku just before the critical stage when they become imprinted on the new site to which they will later return to nest. The translocated chicks are fed by Pacific Rim Conservation’s animal care team, which provides feeding, care, and monitoring of the chicks until they fledge from the site and head out to sea.

Since 2015, the team has successfully fledged 87 Hawaiian Petrels and 67 Newell’s Shearwaters from Nihoku. The ultimate proof that the project is successful will be the presence of breeding pairs at the site — a milestone that the project partners are eagerly awaiting.

“After so many years of hard work in the mountains and at Nihoku by everyone in this project, it is hard to put into words exactly how exhilarating it is to see this special bird appear on camera at the site,” said Dr. Raine. “I literally jumped out of my seat and yelled with excitement when I saw the image for the first time, startling everyone around me! Considering all of the threats this species faces on Kauaʻi, their future on the island will only be assured if we use every conservation tool in our arsenal, including creative techniques like the translocation and social attraction project at Nihoku.”

a group of people are building birds' nest on a mountain hill in Hawaii — Many people working together to get the chicks placed in their new burrows.

a fence made to protect baby bird on the island in Hawaii — Many people working together to get the chicks placed in their new burrows.

“We are thrilled to reach such a momentous occasion in this ongoing important recovery project,” said Heather Abbey Tonneson, Refuge Manager for the Kaua‘i National Wildlife Refuge Complex. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners on this project to help our endangered seabird populations soar toward recovery.”

“This is a huge step forward, and more confirmation that Hawaiian birds can be saved with effort and creativity,” said ABC President Mike Parr. “It’s been a long wait to see the first petrel return to the protected habitat, but the science said it would. A new nest and chick would be an even bigger cause for celebration. That’s what we hope will be next.”

_{Photo credit: Lindsay Youngpacific Rim Conservation}

“The return of the first translocated Hawaiian Petrel to the Nihoku site at Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is an incredibly important milestone for this partnership,” said Jeff Trandahl, Executive Director and CEO of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a long-time supporter of this project. “This sighting also provides initial evidence that the protected location is attractive to returning translocated petrels and shearwaters, and hopefully will ultimately result in nesting and the establishment of the first fully protected coastal colony for these species in Hawai‘i.”

ABC and the partners are extremely grateful to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for helping to launch the translocation project in 2012, and for supporting the project every year since. We also deeply appreciate the long-term support of this project by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Lynn and Stuart White, the Martin Foundation, and Marge Duncan. The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative provided critical support for predator control in collaboration with DOFAW at montane nesting areas within the Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve and the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) at Upper Limahuli Preserve. NTBG also undertook vegetation restoration at Nihoku, and the Kaua‘i DOFAW Natural Area Reserve team also provided on-the-ground support.

a group of people in the mountain on the island — Photo credit: Lindsay

About the Partners:

American Bird Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. Find us on abcbirds.org, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ABCbirds).

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 5,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $6.1 billion. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1985 to preserve and enhance seabird nesting colonies and in 1988 was expanded to include Nihoku (Crater Hill) and Mōkōlea Point. To learn more about the refuge, please visit www.fws.gov/kilaueapoint. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov.

Pacific Rim Conservation (PRC) is an independent organization dedicated to studying and conserving the biota of the Pacific region. PRC provides biological research and management services to government agencies, non-profit organizations, landowners, and a variety of other groups throughout the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific region. PRC’s goal is to maintain and restore native species and ecosystems through habitat protection and management, threat control, public education, and scientific research to develop and improve conservation methods.

The Kauaʻi Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP) is a Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife project, administered through the Pacific Studies Cooperative Unit of the University of Hawaiʻi. Formed in 2006, the project focuses primarily on the three endangered seabirds found on the island of Kauaʻi -Newell’s Shearwater, Hawaiian Petrel and Band-rumped Storm-petrel. KESRP’s work involves identifying the breeding distribution of these rare and enigmatic seabirds, monitoring their breeding colonies, undertaking research projects to better understand their life histories and the various threats which they face, and working with partner projects and organizations to ensure their long-term conservation. For more information visit http://kauaiseabirdproject.org/ and the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project Facebook page.

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Issue 63 - August 2020

SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – August 2020 – Issue 63

SEVENSEAS Marine Conservation & Travel Magazine August 2020 Cover

Parks, Peaks, and Prairies Bicycle Route Connects Yellowstone with Minneapolis

Adventure Cycling Association’s newest route was always going to be memorable – the 1,374-mile Parks, Peaks, and Prairies Bicycle Route (PPP) brings the organization’s total cycling route network to 50,000 miles — but 2020 has tacked on another, unexpected layer. Read mor e…

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Breeding grounds swell with record cuttlefish numbers

Breading ground swell with record cuttlefish banner

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Glenelg to host South Australia’s second major shellfish reef

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First Nations Announce Over $25 Million in New Renewable Energy Investments to Decarbonize Their Coastal Communities

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After Years at Sea, Hawaiian Petrel Arrives Safely Home

An historic effort to save the endangered Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), or ʻUaʻu, has reached a critical milestone after years of anxious waiting by project partners. Read more…

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Slightly smaller-than-average 2020 ‘dead zone’ predicted for the Chesapeake Bay

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Bubbling methane emissions caused by ice-free days in Arctic lakes

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The FREE Weekly Conservation Post and Jobs List

Signing up for the free Weekly Newsletter & Jobs List will get you a round-up of upcoming events, webinars, meetings, reports, funding opportunities, photos of the week, and recent postings to the jobs list.

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Issue 63 - August 2020

Bubbling methane emissions caused by ice-free days in Arctic lakes

By Cheryl Pierce & Steve Tally

a lake in the arctic — _{Scientists at Purdue University have found that the amount of methane being released by Arctic lakes is increasing and by the end of the century may rise to as much as 60% of the methane released due to melting in the region. The research was conducted in Finland, including in Lake Saimaa, shown here. (Purdue University photo/ Qianlai Zhuang)}

Globally, lakes are responsible for nearly one-third of biogenic methane emissions, but new research predicts that this level could increase to nearly 60% by the end of the century due to global warming. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps 32 times more heat than carbon dioxide.

Purdue University professor Qianlai Zhuang and graduate student Mingyang Guo of Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences studied Arctic lakes in Finland, where roughly 10% of the country is covered by freshwater lakes.

Their findings in this lake-dense region will help researchers adequately quantify methane emissions from the entire Arctic lakes system. The research was published in a recent issue of the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Organic matter in the bottom of Arctic lakes decomposes, thanks to microbes, and this process produces methane. Enough methane can be bubbled to the surface that it can even be ignited to form 10-foot flames, as University of Fairbanks professor Katey Walter Anthony demonstrated in a 2010 YouTube video.

Zhuang said there are steps that can be taken to slow the increasing emission rate.

“Based on our study, the increase of lake methane emission is mainly due to the warming climate and reduction of ice-on days,” he said. “By reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the climate warming, the Arctic lakes will have longer ice-on days and lower methane production rate, thus slowing down lake methane emissions.

“Also, reducing organic matter flow to lakes in some ways would mitigate the emissions by reducing the microbial activities, leading to lower methane emissions.”

According to Guo, analysis was conducted using a lake biogeochemistry model developed in the team’s laboratory at Purdue.

“The study took advantage of a relatively large observation dataset collected by Finnish scientists,” he said.

This research was supported by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.