Chinook habitat restoration decision support tool- Identifying chinook salmon habitat restoration effectiveness based on temperature, flow, and bioenergetics models

Stream restoration projects focus on improving habitat for Pacific Salmonids in watersheds throughout the Pacific Northwest. Currently, few comprehensive tools are available for managers to mechanistically predict the improved fish growth that comes with restoration actions, such as riparian acquisitions, riparian planting or levee setbacks. Therefore, managers need tools that can predict salmonid growth potential given different decision scenarios. One approach to address the Puget Sound Partnership’s regional chinook recovery goals would be a linked stream temperature, flow, and fish bioenergetics model that predict chinook growth benefits of different remediation strategies. Considered strategies will include changes to riparian habitat and instream flows. Increasingly, it is recognized that riparian restoration also benefits salmonids through the increased terrestrial food supply. Such a modeling tool, or model-ensemble, would provide at least a two-tiered application. Screening-level predictions of stream temperatures and chinook growth might be based on currently available input data, i.e., widespread estimates from SNTemp and NHD+ model outputs, and reported food availability and diets. A second, more specific model-ensemble output based on segment specific data, much of it currently available, would require a few, relatively minor site-specific values, namely widths, depths, substrate and invertebrate drift. The effectiveness of the decision support modeling tool could be demonstrated at a handful of sites across a range of land uses and watershed sizes with currently available data. This tool would allow managers the ability to predict and compare chinook growth for current and future conditions from different remediation decisions along a specified river reach. Additionally, conducting a sensitivity analysis with the tool, or model-ensemble, will identify essential information needs for more detailed, and improved, site-specific estimates of chinook growth. Such a tool could scale up to generate region-wide maps of potential chinook growth as more Salish Sea-wide temperature, flow, habitat and drift data becomes available

Influence of urbanization on the health of juvenile salmonids in Pacific Northwest perennial streams

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017-08Increasing population and urbanization leads to stress in freshwater systems from a variety of anthropogenic influences including structural changes to habitat, temperature effects from increased runoff and reduced canopy cover, flow changes, and an increased presence of toxicants both from point- and non-point sources. Physical and chemical changes affect the biota within these urban streams at varying scales ranging from individual organisms to populations and communities creating complex interactions that present challenges for characterizing and monitoring the impact on species utilizing these freshwater habitats. Salmonids, specifically cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), extensively utilize small stream habitats influenced by this changing urban landscape. This study used a comprehensive fish health assessment concurrent with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment in 2015. This study quantified impacts from disease in juvenile coho and cutthroat salmon, impacts to coho salmon growth within the context of environmental and ecological influences, and identified physiological responses in coho salmon from pollution. First, we used the previously established Geode fish health index to assess the extent that fish were diseased in these streams. Fish had elevated levels of disease in four moderately urbanized streams and had moderate disease levels in reference streams. Next, we used a bioenergetics growth modeling approach to assess the environmental factors affecting juvenile coho growth. For urban streams, we show mixed effects, whereby urban streams tended to be warmer, have earlier emergence dates and stronger early season growth. However, we also show that larger fish are under increased stress through lower growth efficiencies, especially later in the summer, when compared to fish from other streams. Finally, we related in stream contamination to physiological response in coho. We identified 52 stress genes of interest using next-generation sequencing (RNAseq) and designed a custom nanoString probe set for expression analysis using the nCounter platform. Multivariate methods were used to relate water and sediment contaminant concentrations to gene expression levels. Results indicate that elevated levels of PAHs, PCBs, and pesticides significantly correlated with increased expression of genes involved in detoxification of organic contaminants. This study presents the first time a probe-based multiplexed nanoString assay was successfully used to assess salmonids and provides an economical and comprehensive assessment tool to evaluate the exposure and physiological response of salmonids to in-stream contaminants. Together these assessments provide valuable monitoring tools to determine the relative impacts of disease, near-term environmental conditions, and contaminants to growth and physiological stress in salmonids

An assessment of wadable streams across an urban gradient in Western Washington; characterization of multiple stressors and juvenile salmonid condition.

During the spring and summer of 2015, the US Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Assessment Program conducted a regional assessment of water and habitat quality by evaluating 53 wadable streams in Western Washington, as well as another 35 in the Willamette Valley (http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2015/3020/). The objective of the study was to identify and quantify multiple stressors acting on instream communities, and salmonids specifically, across watersheds that represent a gradient of urban development intensity. Numerous physical and chemical measures characterized instream stressors in the 10 weeks prior to the mid-June collection of biological endpoints. These included weekly water chemistry sampling for nutrients, major ions, and current-use pesticides, and less frequent sampling for mercury, organic waste indicators, and pharmaceuticals. A one-time characterization of contaminants in sediments and paired toxicity testing via standard toxicity tests with those sediments was also conducted. Biological condition is assessed through identification and enumeration of algal, invertebrate and fish communities at all sites. At 15 of these sites, a more detailed fish health assessment was conducted on juvenile Coho salmon and Cutthroat trout. As one part of this assessment, a ‘Juvenile Salmonid Scorecard’ was piloted aiming to more quantitatively link feral juvenile salmonid condition to instream stressors. Specifically, metrics of fish health include: size-at-age-per-degree-day, average growth-rate-per-degree-day, energy content, field necropsy scoring, and assessment of differential expression of biomarker genes of toxicant exposure. While some laboratory analyses are presently ongoing, observations at the fish health sites indicate the prevalence and severity of parasite infection was occasionally severe, and accumulated temperature degree-days at urban sites prior to the June sampling date was two or three times that of ‘reference’ streams. An overview of these and other available data will be presented

Presence of microplastics in Salish Sea Nearshore sediments

Plastic pollution is a well-recognized issue afflicting water bodies worldwide. Recently, there is an increased focus on understanding the fate and distribution of microplastics, synthetic polymers less than 5 mm in diameter. These small plastics pose a potential danger to biota through ingestion and as a possible vector for contaminant transfer. Currently, we know little about the distribution of microplastics in sediments in the Salish Sea. Additionally, methods to efficiently and reproducibly quantify plastics in sediments need improvement. The US Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology and Washington State Department of Natural Resources, sampled 26 nearshore sediment locations in the fall of 2016 as part of the Regional Stormwater Monitoring Program. USGS analyzed microplastics in the samples, and results indicate the widespread presence of microplastics in marine sediments. Densities ranged from 2-65 pieces per 100 grams of sediment, and plastic fibers were 270% more abundant than other plastic material. Additionally, we found that small fibers, between 355 and 1000 µm, were 300% more abundant. This talk focuses on these results with consideration of how sediment drift relates to microplastic occurrence, steps taken to improve reproducible microplastic laboratory methods, and future directions for microplastic research in the Salish Sea

Microplastics in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, USA: Occurrence and biological uptake.

Microplastics are an environmental contaminant of growing concern, but there is a lack of information about microplastic distribution, persistence, availability, and biological uptake in freshwater systems. This is especially true for large river systems like the Colorado River that spans multiple states through mostly rural and agricultural land use. This study characterized the quantity and morphology of microplastics in different environmental compartments in two large reservoirs along the Colorado River: Lakes Mead and Mohave, within Lake Mead National Recreation Area. To assess microplastic occurrence, surface water and surficial sediment were sampled at a total of nine locations. Sampling locations targeted different sub-basins with varying levels of anthropogenic impact. Las Vegas Wash, a tributary which delivers treated wastewater to Lake Mead, was also sampled. A sediment core (33 cm long, representing approximately 19 years) was extracted from Las Vegas Bay to assess changes in microplastic deposition over time. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis), and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were sampled at a subset of locations to assess biological uptake of microplastics. Microplastic concentrations were 0.44-9.7 particles/cubic meter at the water surface and 87.5-1,010 particles/kilogram dry weight (kg dw) at the sediment surface. Sediment core concentrations were 220-2,040 particles/kg dw, with no clear increasing or decreasing trend over time. Shellfish microplastic concentrations ranged from 2.7-105 particles/organism, and fish concentrations ranged from 0-19 particles/organism. Fibers were the most abundant particle type found in all sample types. Although sample numbers are small, microplastic concentrations appear to be higher in areas of greater anthropogenic impact. Results from this study improve our understanding of the occurrence and biological uptake of microplastics in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and help fill existing knowledge gaps on microplastics in freshwater environments in the southwestern U.S

Incidence of severe critical events in paediatric anaesthesia (APRICOT): a prospective multicentre observational study in 261 hospitals in Europe

Background Little is known about the incidence of severe critical events in children undergoing general anaesthesia in Europe. We aimed to identify the incidence, nature, and outcome of severe critical events in children undergoing anaesthesia, and the associated potential risk factors. Methods The APRICOT study was a prospective observational multicentre cohort study of children from birth to 15 years of age undergoing elective or urgent anaesthesia for diagnostic or surgical procedures. Children were eligible for inclusion during a 2-week period determined prospectively by each centre. There were 261 participating centres across 33 European countries. The primary endpoint was the occurence of perioperative severe critical events requiring immediate intervention. A severe critical event was defined as the occurrence of respiratory, cardiac, allergic, or neurological complications requiring immediate intervention and that led (or could have led) to major disability or death. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01878760. Findings Between April 1, 2014, and Jan 31, 2015, 31â127 anaesthetic procedures in 30â874 children with a mean age of 6·35 years (SD 4·50) were included. The incidence of perioperative severe critical events was 5·2% (95% CI 5·0â5·5) with an incidence of respiratory critical events of 3·1% (2·9â3·3). Cardiovascular instability occurred in 1·9% (1·7â2·1), with an immediate poor outcome in 5·4% (3·7â7·5) of these cases. The all-cause 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 10 in 10â000. This was independent of type of anaesthesia. Age (relative risk 0·88, 95% CI 0·86â0·90; p<0·0001), medical history, and physical condition (1·60, 1·40â1·82; p<0·0001) were the major risk factors for a serious critical event. Multivariate analysis revealed evidence for the beneficial effect of years of experience of the most senior anaesthesia team member (0·99, 0·981â0·997; p<0·0048 for respiratory critical events, and 0·98, 0·97â0·99; p=0·0039 for cardiovascular critical events), rather than the type of health institution or providers. Interpretation This study highlights a relatively high rate of severe critical events during the anaesthesia management of children for surgical or diagnostic procedures in Europe, and a large variability in the practice of paediatric anaesthesia. These findings are substantial enough to warrant attention from national, regional, and specialist societies to target education of anaesthesiologists and their teams and implement strategies for quality improvement in paediatric anaesthesia. Funding European Society of Anaesthesiology