Biological Datasets Robby Maxwell, LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries October 23, 2018 W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
The Biological Perspective, Why? • Often overlooked by engineers and planners, only to have negative consequences realized when too late • Ensure that alterations are necessary, and have as little negative ecological impact as possible • Ensure no harm to endangered species • Environmental, quality of life, and economic impacts • Economic: Commercial harvest, recreational use, tourism, create restoration needs, control invasive species • Avoid mistakes of the past with unintended consequences 2 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Unintended Consequences • Sedimentation • Lowers water quality • Lower fisheries production • Replaces important substrates • Impedes navigation and boat access False River 3 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Unintended Consequences • Loss of ecologically necessary flows • Magnitude, frequency, duration • Loss of critical habitat including substrates, stream complexity • Bank destabilization Poff et al. 1997 4 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Unintended Consequences • Promoting exotic invasives • Provide pathways • Provide habitat 5 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Unintended Consequences • Population declines/Community shifts • “Keeping common species common” Suttkus and Mettee 2009 6 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Datasets What, Where, Quality, and Data Gaps 7 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
State of LA Fisheries Data • What: Standardized Fisheries Data • Where: • LDWF Fisheries Database • DEQ Database • Data Quality: High. Georeferenced and usually tied to water quality data. • Going back decades • Often standardized, replicated • Game fish, some nongame datasets • Data Gaps: • Gear types • Focus of sampling (i.e. sport/commercial species, not full assemblage) • Historic standardization • Freshwater invertebrates. 8 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Other Fisheries Data • What: Fisheries Data • Where: • USGS https://aquatic.biodata.usgs.gov/ • Forest Service https://www.fs.fed.us/research/products/data/ • Museum collections http://www.fishnet2.net/ • MARIS (1991-2011, orphaned) https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/527d2cece4b0850ea0 51834e: LDEQ, LDWF, Fishnet2 • Universities i.e. LSU, Nicholls St., Southeastern • Data Quality: Variable • Georeferenced and often with metadata • Some standardization and replication • Updated at different intervals. • Data Gaps: Variable. Mussel and invertebrate data are lacking. 9 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Bird Surveys • Why Birds? Riparian and wetland dependent species. Migrant and resident. • What: Bird surveys, differing in focus and scope • Where: • USGS NA Breeding Bird Survey https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/ • Xmas Bird Counts https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird- count • Institute for Bird Population Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship https://www.birdpop.org/pages/maps.php • Data Quality: High, relatively good large datasets going back decades. 10 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) • What: Species identified as imperiled, at risk, or in need of further study to ensure their conservation • Where: • State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP, 2015) • Louisiana Natural Heritage Program (LNHP) • LDWF Fisheries and LNHP databases • Natureserve, and Fishnet2 (museum fish collections) • Data Quality: Variable. All listed at watershed and community-type levels. Some more specific geographic information down to collection points. Life history data is available depending on some species, including flow-ecology relationships and environmental responses. • SWAP updated every ten years. • LDWF Fisheries Data frequently updated • Data Gaps: Site specific data, life histories, flow ecology relationships/hypotheses. 11 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Threatened and Endangered Species • What: Federally T/E species, petitioned species • Where: USFWS database, LDWF LNHP database. Specific info highly protected, addressed case-by-case • Data Quality: Generally high but variable, species closely monitored and tracked. Generally well known life histories • Data Gaps: Lag in data exchange. Some life histories not well known 12 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Invasive Species • What: Exotic Invasive Species • Where: • LDWF fisheries and aquatic weed data • Aquatic Vegetation Control Plans http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing /aquatic-vegetation-control-plans • USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species https://nas.er.usgs.gov/ • Tulane LA’s Invasive Species Website http://is.cbr.tulane.edu/ • Data Quality: High, Need constant updates to cover expansions and introductions 13 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Fisheries Economic Impacts, Usage • What: Economic impacts of recreational and commercial hunting and fishing, fishing and hunting usage data • Where: • National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation (USFWS 2016) • LDWF Economic Reports http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing/economi c-reports • LDWF Creel Surveys • LDWF Self clearing permits, hunter check stations, HIP data (migratory birds, USFWS) • Data Quality: variable • Data Gaps: Local economic impacts, scenic streams, etc. 14 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Citizen Science • What: Citizen science-based monitoring. • Where: • eBird: https://ebird.org/home • iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/ • Odonata Central: https://www.odonatacentral.org/ • Journey North: https://journeynorth.org/ • NA Amphibian Monitoring Program (closed) https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/north- american-amphibian-monitoring-program?qt- science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects • LA Amphibian Monitoring Program • Data Quality: Improving with some very high. Checks are built in for quality assurance. Data used in publications and official monitoring. 15 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Life Histories, F-E Hypotheses, etc • What: Life history data and published literature showing responses of taxa to flow alteration, Fish and Invertebrate data, generally • Where: Various websites, institutions, and journals • Fish Traits (life history, tolerance, etc.; 2013): http://www.fishtraits.info/ • Instream Flow Council https://www.instreamflowcouncil.org/ • TNC ELOHA website https://www.conservationgateway.org/Conservation Practices/Freshwater/EnvironmentalFlows/Methods andTools/ELOHA/Pages/ecological-limits- hydrolo.aspx • GCPLCC Instream Flow Project http://southeastaquatics.net/resources/sifn- resources/documents/gcplcc-instream-flow- documents 16 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
Spatial Data Conservation Planning atlas via • GCPLCC https://gcplcc.databasin.org/showcase • GCPOLCC https://gcpolcc.databasin.org/galleries/51e6f22fc54 d428ca005f21bbe1b5302#expand=49765 • Habitat suitability and spawning habitat • TMDLs • Water Quality Priority Zones • Listed and impaired waters • Priority Watersheds • Chenier Plain land cover • Grassland decision support tool • Sea level rise and avian habitats • Mottled Duck habitat • SARP Conservation Focus Areas • Riparian Assessment Mottled Duck nesting • Etc. Land use/land cover 17 L O U I S I A N A W A T E R S H E D I N I T I A T I V E W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A N D R E S I L I E N C E
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