UW International Collaboration
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Seattle Participants
Students:
Tessa Francis
Vivek Shandas
April Mills
Jessica Graybill
Josh Newell
Kara Whittaker
Faculty:
Marina Alberti
Jeff Hepinstall
John Marzluff
Eric Shulenberger
Tessa Francis
The Role of Coarse Woody Debris in Lakeshore Dynamics (Abstract of talk)
Background and Significance
Coarse woody debris (CWD) inputs to lakes are substantial, yet to date
there has been little research on their function in lake habitats. However,
CWD can persist in lakes for up to 1000 years and therefore can accumulate
on lakeshores over long periods of time. In this study, we asked what
is the distribution of CWD on lakes in the Pacific Northwest, and how
is this distribution influenced by human development. We also asked how
does CWD affect the benthic habitat in lakes.
Methodology
We surveyed 16 lakes in western Washington State, USA, and southern British
Columbia, Canada selected to span the gradient of human residential development
of lakeshores in this area. Three of the lakes are located at the University
of British Columbia and did not have any human residential development.
The level of residential development on each lake was quantified as the
number of houses or industrial developments per kilometer of shoreline.
At each lake, we sampled 4-8 300-m2 plots. In each plot, we counted all
CWD greater than 10 cm in diameter, occurring at the 0.5 m depth contour.
On each plot we measured the forest basal area, considering riparian trees
greater than 1 m tall and 10 cm in diameter. We also collected the top
5 cm of sediments at each sample plot.
All surface sediments were dried at 105 ?C until they reached a constant
temperature and then weighed, to provide dry weight. Samples were then
combusted for at least 4 hours at 550 ?C to give ash free dry weight.
The percentage of organic matter in sediment samples was quantified as:
% organic matter = (dry weight – ash free dry weight)/dry weight.
Results
Both riparian forest density and coarse woody debris density declined
as human lakeshore development increased (Figures 1 and 2). At levels
of development greater than approximately 30 houses per km, very low densities
of forest or woody debris were found. In addition, lakeshore development
was associated with a decline in the amount of organic matter in surface
sediments on these lakes (Figure 3). As with riparian forest and woody
debris, at levels of development greater than 30 houses per km, we saw
virtual absence of organic matter.
Summary and Significance
Recent ecological research in stream ecosystems has highlighted the importance
of coarse woody debris inputs from riparian areas in stream function.
Coarse woody debris provides substrate and structural complexity that
influences the benthic environment. It is well known in lake ecosystems
that habitat complexity can have a variety of impacts on predator-prey
interactions, benthic invertebrate densities and fish growth. This study
demonstrated that lakeshore development is influencing the distribution
of woody debris and sediment organics. Future work will focus on the causes
and consequences of the patterns we see here.
Curriculum Vitae
Tessa Brook Francis
Department of Biology
University of Washington
Box 351800
Seattle, WA 98195-1800
Personal Data
Birthdate: August 3, 1971; Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
email address: tessa@u.washington.edu
website: http://students.washington.edu/tessa
Education
Currently enrolled in Ph.D., Biology (2002- present)
Advisor: Daniel E. Schindler
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
B.S., Wildlife Science/Forestry – Honors (June 2002)
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
B.A., Political Science – Honors (May 1992)
University of California, Berkeley, CA
Professional Organizations
Member American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, 2002-present
Member Ecological Society of America, 2002-present
Talks and Presentations
1) Consequences of lakeshore development for littoral habitats in the
Pacific Northwest. Washington Lake Protection Association annual meeting
(invited), April 2003.
2) Consequences of lakeshore development for littoral habitats in the
Pacific Northwest. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (invited),
February 2003.
3) Flying insects disperse salmon nutrients into streamside forests. Mary
Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium, June 2002.
Bibliography
1. Schindler, D.E., M.D. Scheuerell, J.W. Moore, S.M. Gende, T.B. Francis
and W.J.Palen. 2003. Pacific salmon and the ecology of coastal ecosystems.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1(1): 31-37.
2. Francis, T.B. and D.E. Schindler. Consequences of lakeshore development
for littoral habitats in the Pacific Northwest (in preparation).
3. Francis, T.B. and D.E. Schindler. Dispersal of salmon-derived nutrients
into riparian forest by emerging aquatic invertebrates in southwest Alaska
(in preparation).
Josh Newell
Policy Efforts to Contain Urban Sprawl and Ecological Effects (Abstract
of talk)
To study the effects of growth management efforts on urban fringe areas in Washington State’s Puget Sound region, we conducted an exploratory study to document and quantify transformations in land cover and land use from 1974 to 1998 in a 474-km2 study area east of Seattle. We digitized, then classified geo-referenced aerial photographs (orthophotos) to compare patch patterns (clustered vs. dispersed vegetation, remnant vs. planted vegetation, size), development type (single family housing, multi-family housing, commercial) and percent vegetative cover between the 1974 and 1998 images. We also calculated changes in interior (core) habitat and amount of edge. Suburban and exurban landscapes increased dramatically between 1974 – 1998 at the expense of rural and wildland areas. Settled lands became more contiguous while rural and wildland areas became more fragmented. Interior habitat in wildland areas decreased by 41%. Vegetative cover within single-family housing developments was largely dispersed and highly fragmented, and no interior habitat remained within these developments. Single-family housing was the primary cause of land conversion. In 24 years increased settlement transformed a majority of rural land (61%) and a substantial amount of exurban land (22%) into a suburban landscape. Moreover, light settlement of natural forest lands (exurban development) also increased substantially (by 193%, primarily by transforming 17% of wildland and 18% of rural lands). Growth management efforts are focused on increasing the density of housing within established urban areas defined by urban growth boundaries, while limiting densities outside these boundaries. Our study demonstrated that densification occurred within urban growth boundaries, but that sprawling low-density housing in rural and wildland areas constituted 72% of land developed in the study area. The study also revealed that policies to reduce the density of settlement outside of urban centers, in part for to protect the ecological systems, may in fact have unintended environmental consequences. Zoning regulations, including urban growth boundaries, may in fact be encouraging the pattern they were designed to combat: sprawl. This has implications for urban areas considering growth management strategies.
Josh Newell is a Ph. D student in the Department of Geography, University of Washington. In addition to work on Urban ecology, he focuses his research effort on land-use issues in the Russian Far East.
Josh Newell
newell@u.washington.edu
Tel: 206-527-7061
Kara Whittaker
The effects of urbanization on the dynamics of native songbird populations
Kara Whittaker, Jack DeLap, Dave Oleyar, John Marzluff
University of Washington, College of Forest Resources
Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195
karaayn@u.washington.edu
Focus: Juvenile Dispersal
Dispersal: Radio-tracking (beginning 2003)
• Does juvenile leave natal forest patch?
• If juvenile leaves natal forest patch, where does it go?
• Document movements within & between forest and urban habitats
• What are dispersal corridors and dispersal barriers for each species?
Dispersal: Recapture/Resighting
• Banding records, 1998-2002 (adults & juveniles)
• 234 recaptured/ 2454 caught (9.5%)
• No movements between sites
• Costs & benefits of staying in natal patch versus moving through
hostile urban matrix?
Vivek Shandas
Below is a brief description of my areas of interest, research questions, and methodology. This research aims to fulfill the PhD dissertation requirement in the Urban Design and Planning program at the University of Washington.
The listing of several species of salmon as endangered or threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the Seattle metropolitan area (the only federal listing in a major metropolitan area) has brought together urban planners with fisheries biologists, politicians, engineers, and other professionals to identify management options for recovery. While scientific information has been a major impetus for promulgating regulations associated to riparian areas in the Seattle metropolitan area (SMA), numerous obstacles prevent the specified application of the guidelines. With the majority of land in the SMA along stream sides belonging to private single-family residents, attempts to mandate larger streamside buffers or mitigative technologies on existing developments will, inevitably, lead to considerable public outcry. guidelines for managing urban riparian areas must include scientific information about the condition of the stream, actions for mitigating land use impacts, and information regarding the characteristics of streamside residents.
The overall objective of this study is to consider site-specific characteristics
of both the physical and social attributes for managing urban riparian
areas. To this end, I aim to integrate two types of information: (1) biophysical,
consisting of the physical and biological conditions in and around the
stream; and (2) socio-preferential, comprising select behavioral and preferential
characteristics of streamside residents. The specific method for assessing
in-stream condition is the benthic index of biological integrity (B-IBI),
a multimetric index based on attributes of the benthic invertebrate community
(Fore et al., 1996; Kerans and Karr, 1994; Kleindl, 1995). In-stream biologic
condition will be complemented by other physical attributes around the
stream, including, condition of riparian vegetation in and around the
local riparian zone, and landscape level influences that potentially impact
the site. Socio-preferential data consist of the streamside resident’s
description of landscaping activities, aesthetic preference of vegetation
around streams, and attitude toward riparian regulation. Together the
biophysical component provides information about the local status of a
stream, and the socio-preferential, an avenue for incorporating socially-acceptable
mitigative measures.
One primary question, and three sub-questions emerge as the focus of this
study. The primary question of this research is, what management strategies
are available for planners to involve private property owners in meeting
the regions ecological goals? To inform the primary question, I ask the
following sub-questions:
(1) What obstacles exist for implementing riparian buffer regulations
in urban areas?
(2) Do preferences of streamside residents regarding the spatial arrangement
of vegetation in the local riparian zone influence the B-IBI?
(3) How do metrics of B-IBI respond to modification of the local riparian
vegetation in streams?
For an integrated study of this kind, I propose a case-study approach where in-depth examinations of several local riparian areas provide the information necessary for developing alternative urban riparian management strategies. Focusing on the SMA, I expect to identify all second and third order streams containing predominately single-family residence developments built between 1985 and 2000. The socio-demographic characteristics are broken down into three variables, namely, economic class (e.g. low-middle, middle, middle-high, and high), amount of streamside exposure (e.g. low, medium, high), and extent of neighborhood watershed planning programs (e.g. education & outreach, neighborhood stewardship activities, watershed councils). To control for basins with alterations in the flow regime, I use an eight-class 2000 Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM ) image and county land use maps to identify basins that have similar amounts and configuration of impervious area. Using watersheds with comparable impervious surface characteristics, I distinguish the amount of riparian vegetation, historical B-IBI data, and water quality records to identify potential biological sampling sites. I categorize sites that have a range in widths of riparian vegetation, and water quality characteristics, and identify specific areas that are accessible for in-stream surveys.
While behavior of streamside residents has been identified as a better
predictor of aquatic condition than resident attitudes or opinions (Anderson,
1996), I posit that behavior combined with visual preference (Kaplan,
1989, 1998), adds predictive capability beyond any single measure alone.
I draw on these studies to conduct a preference analysis using mailed
questionnaires, interviews, and on-site visits with several streamside
residents. Mailed surveys will be sent to all streamside residents in
the selected watersheds, and interviews with on-site visits will be conducted
with residents willing to engage in this study. To assess local aquatic
condition within each of the selected local sites, I use the B-IBI. For
biomonitoring I refer to the necessary literature in sampling equipment
and procedures (Barbour et al., 1996; Cuffney et al., 1993), sample location
and seasonality (Kerans et al., 1992, Kerans and Karr, 1994), and laboratory
procedures and taxonomic level of effort (Klemm et al., 1990).
Three main comparisons will be made using non-parametric procedures: (1)
tests of difference between independent groups (e.g. those with a high
aversion to regulation versus aesthetic preference, those living in a
watershed with high a amount/connected impervious surface versus those
living in watersheds with low amount/connected impervious surface); (2)
tests of difference in the dependent variable (e.g. in the same watershed,
B-IBI score to condition of riparian vegetation, B-IBI score to streamside
resident behavior/preference, B-IBI score to riparian vegetation and streamside
resident behavior/preference), and (3) test of relationship between dependent
variables (e.g. across watersheds, B-IBI scores in watersheds with strong
support of watershed regulation to those with little or no support for
regulations, B-IBI score in watersheds with high behavioral/preference
scores to those with low behavioral/preference scores). The aim of this
research is to contribute to the field of urban ecology through the development
of an integrated study for application to urban planning.
Vivek Shandas has a Bachelors degree (B.S) in biology (minor sociology), teaching credential for life sciences, and Master’s degrees (M.S) in both Economics and Environmental Policy. Vivek has professional experience in the public school system as a 6th grade teacher, and at a state-level environmental regulating agency. His dissertation aims to integrate social and biophysical features of a watershed to address the question, what management strategies are available for planners to involve private property owners in meeting the regions ecological goals? In Vivek’s spare time he enjoys outdoor low-equipment activities, yoga, and involvement in local social service agencies.
Dr Marina Alberti
Associate Professor, Urban Design and Planning
Marina Alberti is Associate professor of Urban and Environmental Planning
in the Department of Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington.
She teaches courses in Urban Ecology, Environmental Impact Management,
Geographic Information Systems, and Group Dynamic and Conflict resolution.
Her research interests are in the impacts of alternative urban development
patterns on ecosystem dynamics. She is currently directing a NSF funded
research project aimed to study how changes in land use alter the biophysical
structure and affect ecosystem dynamics in the Puget Sound region. She
is also developing a simulation model that integrates urban development
and ecological dynamics to predict the impact of urban growth in this
region. Her research also focuses on measures of urban environmental performance
that can be used to monitor progress and inform policy-making. She is
especially interested in advanced interdisciplinary approaches to urban
ecological problems.
malberti@u.washington.edu, http://faculty.washington.edu/malberti/
Dr Jeffrey Hepinstall
Research Associate Faculty, Urban Ecology
Jeff Hepinstall is a Research Associate Faculty (Post-doc) in the Urban
Ecology program through the College of Forest Resources and the Department
of Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington. He teaches
courses in Urban Ecology, Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in Urban
Ecology and Natural Resources, Wildlife Habitat Analysis. His research
interests include modeling land cover change and predicting land cover
and land use change into the future in the Puget Sound region, modeling
wildlife species habitat, and understanding how humans and wildlife can
coexist in habitats that are highly modified by human activities. He is
working with Dr. Alberti to develop a simulation model that integrates
urban development and ecological dynamics to predict the impact of urban
growth on biodiversity.
jahwash@u.washington.edu
Dr John Marzluff
Associate Professor, Ecosystem Sciences
Dr. Marzluff’s graduate and initial post-doctoral research focused
on the social behavior and ecology of jays and ravens. He was especially
interested in communication, social organization and foraging behavior.
Much of this work was summarized in a book with Russ Balda, The Pinyon
Jay (1992, Academic Press). His behavioral ecology research won several
student awards, and one paper was awarded the H.R. Painton Award for the
outstanding paper published in The Condor during the past four years (1989).
Dr. Marzluff’s undergraduate degree is in Wildlife Biology and
he has maintained a keen interest in conservation interests ever since
graduating in 1980. His recent post-doctoral research has centered on
bird conservation. He has published widely on experimental design and
the methods needed to quantitatively assess wildlife responses to human
activities. His areas of interest with respect to wildlife management
include raptor management, management of pest species and assessment of
nest predation. He has led studies on the effects of military training
on falcons and eagles in southwestern Idaho, the effects of timber harvest,
recreation and forest fragmentation on goshawks and marbled murrelets
in western Washington and Oregon, and conservation strategies for Pacific
Island corvids. His current research includes long-term studies of the
effects of urbanization on songbirds in the Seattle area, responses of
nest predators and songbirds to settlement, recreation, and forest fragmentation
on the Olympic Peninsula, and endangered species conservation. His research
in Washington and Oregon is cooperatively funded by state, federal and
private forest management agencies and companies.
Dr. Marzluff has authored over 50 scientific papers on various aspects
of bird behavior and wildlife management. He is a member of the board
of editors for Bird Behavior. He has edited Avian Conservation: Research
and Management that includes 40 chapters detailing research approaches
to conserve avian biodiversity throughout the world (1998, Island Press),
Avian Conservation and Ecology in an Urbanizing World (2001, Kluwer Academic
Publishers) and Radiotelemetry and Animal Populations (2001, Academic
Press). He is currently leader of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s
Recovery Team for the critically endangered Mariana Crow. He recently
served the National Academy of Science as an advisor for the team to assess
the scientific bases for the recovery of the Mariana Crow. He is an Elected
Member of the American Ornithologist's Union (1993) and currently serves
as Councilor of the AOU.
corvid@u.washington.edu
http://www.cfr.washington.edu/People/Faculty/Marzluff/
Eric Shulenberger, PhD, JD
Biological Oceanographer, Attorney
Former Director, Multidisciplinary Research Development
ericshul@u.washington.edu
Eric Shulenberger, the former ldirector of UW's Multidisciplinary Research
Development, has a diverse background. He spent his entire career assembling
complex, wildly multidisciplinary groups to do complicated research and
enjoys the process very much. He:
• was a 100% soft-money scientist for 12 years (Antarctic pelagic
ecology)
• has twice been a federal program manager (Office of Naval Research's
Biological and Chemical Oceanography programs)
• has written RFPs (Requests for Proposals), worked closely with
NOAA and NSF (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National
Science Foundation), and read well over ten thousand proposals
• is a member of the California Bar, with background in environmental
and patent law
• loves to teach complex science (ecology, oceanography) to students
with no scientific background
• has helped establish and run small high-tech businesses
• has been an electronics technician and a few other things
• speaks many disciplinary jargons, and translates effectively among
them
BA, MA 1971, mammalian physiology, biology, U. Kansas
PhD 1976, Scripps Inst. Oceanography, UCSD, Biological Oceanography
JD (law) 1988, Univ. of San Diego (Calif. & Federal bar member)