Citizen Scientists Study Mercury in Dragonfly Larvae from National - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Citizen Scientists Study Mercury in Dragonfly Larvae from National Parks

Colleen Flanagan, Ecologist, National Park Service – Air Resources

• Dr. Sarah Nelson, Associate Professor, University of Maine

National Association of Interpretation November 9, 2013

Collaborators: Collin Eagles-Smith, David Krabbenhoft – U.S. Geological Survey; Celia Chen – Dartmouth College; Roger Haro – Univ. of Wisconsin LaCrosse; Hannah Webber – Schoodic Institute; Teachers, students, park staff, citizen scientists

The Dragonfly

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Citizen Scientists

National Parks

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Mercury

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Hg – An Airborne Pollutant

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Top 100 Mercury-Emitting Power Plants and Proximity to Class I National Parks

Mapping Mercury Sensitivity

Some ecosystems are more sensitive to mercury because certain environmental conditions are needed to convert mercury to the toxic methylmercury (MeHg). Abundant wetlands, low pH, high dissolved

• rganic matter, and high sulfate are conducive to producing MeHg.

MeHg = pH + SO4

2- + DOC + wetland %

Why Mercury?

 Persistent  Bioaccumulative  Toxic

Fish and other biota in national parks contain levels

• f mercury above human and

wildlife health thresholds.

Why Dragonfly Larvae?

 Long-lived  Widespread  Predatory  Important prey species  Relatively easy to

collect

 Biosentinels: Indicate

ecosystem health

 Mercury in dragonfly

larvae correlated to mercury in fish & water

(Haro et al. 2013)

Methods

1.

Solicit Interest

2.

Parks selected according to:

 Willingness to

participate

 Potential mercury risk  Geographic location  Existing connection

with citizen scientists, including Research Learning Centers

3.

Sampling gear & shipping provided

4.

ACTION!

a.

Collect

 Dragonfly larvae  Water Samples

b.

Identify to family

c.

Measure length

d.

Send samples to UMaine for analysis, QA/QC

Rocky Mountain National Park

• # parks

25

• # sites sampled

70

• # citizen scientists

>300

• # volunteer hours

~1,000

• # dragonfly larvae collected

521

• # coolers shipped

30

• # pounds dry ice used

100

• # mm of biggest dragonfly larva

48

• # cups coffee consumed in the lab

35

Study…by the #’s

2012 Data: Park-by-Park



Mercury concentrations in dragonfly larvae are greatest at parks in the Eastern U.S. than the Western U.S.



Median mercury (mean +/- SD) in larvae was 125 +/- 77 ppb, dw.

2012 Data: Site-by-Site



Site differences within a park reveal that dragonfly larvae can describe fine-scale differences in Hg risk.



Median Hg highest at Lily Lake, Turner River, and Great Pond.

Hear ye, Hear ye

 Facebook

 Six-Legged Scouts in

the National Parks

 “Like” us!

 Webpage  Call for Interest  Webinars  Videos

 Sampling demo  Tutorial on

identification to family

 Podcast by Great

Smoky Mtns NP

Interpretive Opportunities

 Develop programs with park rangers, e.g.,

 Standards-based lessons  Teacher-Peer workshops and materials  Menu of education offerings  Some parks have already developed great activities!

 Foster continued engagement with data  Sign up! Participate! We need more parks!  Align with Bioblitz and Biodiversity Discovery

activities in the national parks

 Improve ability to identify samples, possibly

through an App

 Connect with USGS Community for Data

Integration (CDI) Citizen Science Group

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

i.e., how you can get involved

Clean Hands, Dirty Hands

“A Fun Activity to Demonstrate Proper Sample Handling Techniques

• r

How Swedish Fish Can Contribute to Citizen Science”

Contributor: Andrea Blakesley, Denali NP&P

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Take Home Messages

Front Back

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

COMMUNICATING SCIENCE

"Through interpretation, understanding, through understanding, appreciation, through appreciation, protection."

• Freeman Tilden

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE

Merging science and education to preserve and protect areas of national significance.

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Win, Win

 Citizen scientists-

 Gain new

perspectives

 Practice civic skills  Utilize parks as

• utdoor

laboratories

 NPS-

 Foster teachable

moments

 Save project dollars

 Further supported

by A Call to Action

 Connecting People

to Parks

 Advancing the

Education Mission

National Park Service Air Resources Division

Project Webpage http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/Studies/air_toxics/dragonfly/index.cfm

• Dr. Sarah Nelson

sarah.j.nelson@maine.edu Colleen Flanagan colleen_flanagan@nps.gov

University of Maine Mitchell Center