Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephen T. Nelson, Schuyler Robinson, Kevin Rey, Leeza Brown, Norm Jones, Stephanie N. Dawrs, Ravleen Virdi, Grant J. Norton, L. Elaine Epperson, Nabeeh A. Hasan, Edward D. Chan, Michael Strong, Jennifer R. Honda
Summary: This study investigates the possible pathways for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) to infect individuals in Hawaii, suggesting that NTM may attach to particles such as Fe-oxides/hydroxides and be transported through groundwater into domestic water supplies. It highlights the importance of understanding the geological and hydrological factors that contribute to NTM infections in Hawaii.
Article
Environmental Sciences
K. L. Korbel, H. Rutlidge, G. C. Hose, S. M. Eberhard, M. S. Andersen
Summary: The exchange between groundwater, hyporheic zone waters, and surface waters is crucial for water quality, quantity, and ecological health. Microbial communities in intermittent creeks were found to be sensitive indicators of fine-scale hydrologic changes and the importance of GW-SW exchange.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Ryan M. Fitzpatrick, David W. Longrie, Ryan J. Friebertshauser, H. Paul Foutz
Summary: The design of fish passage structures is a tradeoff between construction area, slope, and costs. The Longrie-Fecteau fish passage structure, with its modularity and low slope, allows small-bodied fishes to successfully ascend. Evaluation of its effectiveness in Fountain Creek, Colorado documented successful passage of four native fish species, primarily at night. The structure has a 3% entrance efficiency, but once fish enter, they ascend quickly with a median time of 19 minutes.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Maelle Fresne, Phil Jordan, Karen Daly, Owen Fenton, Per-Erik Mellander
Summary: The study found that fine P dominated streams during baseflow conditions, while shallow groundwater in TA was mostly dominated by fine P and in TG by PP, possibly due to colloidal Fe-P complexes. During high flow events, TG shallow groundwater was dominated by PP, while a smaller flow event facilitated delivery of P via deeper baseflow pathways. Limited medium-sized colloidal P presence was observed, with a large presence of fine P potentially contributing to elevated P concentrations. Further research is needed on the factors controlling colloidal P presence, as well as the extent and speciation of P fractions in the hillslope to stream continuum.
Article
Engineering, Civil
C. T. Green, K. M. Ransom, B. T. Nolan, L. Liao, T. Harter
Summary: The travel time or age of groundwater affects catchment responses to hydrologic changes, geochemical reactions, and time lags between management actions and responses at down-gradient streams and wells. Machine learning was used to predict ages in wells across a large region around the Great Lakes Basin, showing a broad distribution of ages among wells with a median of 32.9 years for the Basin.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jared R. Ellenor, Peter A. Cott, Heidi K. Swanson
Summary: The study addressed knowledge gaps on suitable stream attributes for rearing young-of-year Arctic grayling, finding that lake area and land classification data are key predictors of occupancy. Results suggest that occupancy reflects the reliability of stream connectivity, providing guidance for conservation and mitigation plans.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joshuah S. Perkin, Isabel F. Papraniku, W. Keith Gibbs, David J. Hoeinghaus, Donald M. Walker
Summary: Metacommunity ecology provides a framework for understanding linkages between environmental heterogeneity, spatial processes, and local communities, with a growing interest in the temporal dynamics of multi-taxa metacommunities. Studies on aquatic metacommunities have increased over time, with intermittent streams being a commonly studied ecosystem. Analytical methods such as variation partitioning and beta diversity components are commonly used, indicating a shift in focus towards understanding metacommunity structure dynamics.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-WATER
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Omar. I. I. Abdul-Aziz, Aron. K. K. Gebreslase
Summary: Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key indicator of freshwater stream water quality and ecosystem health. A study investigated the relationship between DO and dominant environmental drivers in freshwater streams across the United States. Water temperature and pH were found to be the main factors influencing DO concentrations. Climate factors had a stronger impact on DO than biogeochemical and hydro-atmospheric exchange factors.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Iain D. Phillips, Glen McMaster, Douglas P. Chivers, Michelle F. Bowman
Summary: Access to surface water resources in the Northern Great Plains is hindered by availability and quality concerns, and the establishment of ecosystem health objectives remains inadequate. A predictive multivariate model using the reference condition approach was developed to provide guidance for ecosystem health assessment. Through data collection and analysis on benthic communities and abiotic variables at reference and test sites, this model enables comparison of unknown site conditions to reference site groups, and evaluates the impact of various metrics on condition assessment. The results highlight the importance of incorporating beetle and amphipod fauna in addition to traditional metrics. This model serves as an effective tool for evaluating biotic condition, prioritizing river management strategies, and assessing the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
Article
Ecology
Erin Nguyen, Joshuah S. Perkin, Ryan Smith, Kevin B. Mayes, Joe Trungale
Summary: The study analyzed historical fish occurrence and flow data from different gage locations in the Great Plains region, finding that various flow indices have predictive value for the presence of imperiled fish species. Additionally, gage location was identified as an important factor influencing the flow-ecology relationships.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Daniel M. Saftner, Steven N. Bacon, Monica M. Arienzo, Erika Robtoy, Karen Schlauch, Iva Neveux, Joseph J. Grzymski, Michele Carbone
Summary: Chronic exposure to high levels of arsenic in drinking water is a global health concern, particularly in the western Great Basin region. A logistic regression model was developed to predict the probability of elevated arsenic in alluvial aquifers and assess the geologic hazard level for domestic well populations. The model showed a high probability of elevated arsenic in untreated well water for a significant portion of the domestic well users in northern Nevada, northeastern California, and western Utah.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Trevor A. Starks, Drew A. Wallace, Matthew S. Pallett, Anthony W. Rodger
Summary: Although non-game fishes are often at risk, funding for their conservation is usually inadequate compared to game species. Therefore, it is important to develop methodologies to accurately identify imperilled species and allocate resources efficiently.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Qiang Li, Yuhan Zhang, Ling Chu, Yunzhi Yan
Summary: Based on fish data from 25 first-order streams within an important tributary of the Yangtze River, the study found that low-head dams facilitate the invasion of native-invasive fish to headwater streams in regions where native fish species are completely dominant.
Article
Ecology
Matthew J. Rinella, Lauren M. Porensky, Susan E. Bellows, Jeanne M. Knox, Emily P. Metier
Summary: Pollinator insects are declining due to the conversion of grasslands to cropland, which is prevalent in the Great Plains. Seeding efforts to benefit pollinators in the Great Plains have had unclear success. Factors such as high grass seed rates and weed densities have been found to reduce forb cover, while certain post-emergence herbicides may benefit seeded forbs. Managers have also wasted money on low seed rates and non-establishing species. It is recommended to seed certain high establishment probability species at high rates and implement effective weed control measures.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lluis Gomez-Gener, Andre R. Siebers, Maria Isabel Arce, Shai Arnon, Susana Bernal, Rossano Bolpagni, Thibault Datry, Giulia Gionchetta, Hans-Peter Grossart, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Vivien Pohl, Ute Risse-Buhl, Oleksandra Shumilova, Ourania Tzoraki, Daniel von Schiller, Alexander Weigand, Gabriele Weigelhofer, Dominik Zak, Annamaria Zoppini
Summary: Surface-groundwater interactions in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams have significant impacts on biogeochemical processes, but further research is needed to understand the specific differences in various hydrological states.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)