Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
March 2013 Activity Highlights
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Topics covered in the March activity report.
Aquatic Ecosystem Health
Immediate-Release Fish Sedative
- The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is initiating the study, “Evaluation of a method to determine eugenol concentrations in the edible fillet tissue from fish.” AQUI-S® 20E (active ingredient, eugenol; AQUI-S New Zealand Ltd., Lower Hut, New Zealand) is being pursued for use in the United States as an immediate release sedative for use with aquatic organisms. Currently the sedative MS-222 requires a 21-day withdrawal period before fish can be released into the wild or sold at market. Among the data the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will review are data validating a determinative method that will determine primary residue (the marker residue) concentrations of AQUI-S® 20E in edible fillet tissue from fish exposed to AQUI-S® 20E. The method is critical for conducting studies of AQUI-S® 20E residues in edible fillet tissue. A method has been developed to determine eugenol concentrations in fish fillet tissue. Assuming eugenol will be the marker residue for AQUI-S® 20E, the method will be validated as the determinative method by developing data to assess accuracy, precision, sensitivity, linearity, robustness, selectivity, and analyte stability.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Asian Carp Spawning Traits: Phenotypic Plasticity
- Jon Amberg (UMESC) and colleagues from Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources published an article entitled, “Phenotypic plasticity in the spawning traits of bigheaded carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) in novel ecosystems” on February 5, 2013 in Freshwater Biology. Existing theories on spawning requirements (i.e. requiring changing hydrograph) have been largely anecdotal or speculative. Contrary to observations from their native ranges or other invaded river systems in North America, bigheaded carp spawned multiple times within a summer and this spawning activity occurred independent of changes in water levels in the Wabash River of Indiana. Findings provide direct evidence that bigheaded carp can spawn without changes in the hydrograph and this trait could facilitate invasion and establishment in a wider range of river conditions than previously envisioned. These findings could have significant management implications for the control of these invasive fishes.
Wisconsin Asian Carp Summit
- The River Alliance of Wisconsin held a 2013 Wisconsin Asian Carp Summit for state partners to discuss the status of Asian carp in the Mississippi River Basin and Wisconsin’s inland waters on March 15 at UMESC conference center in La Crosse, WI. The Alliance provided a forum for stakeholders to ask questions, express their concerns, and receive updates on Wisconsin DNR and Federal agency’s efforts and approaches to protect Wisconsin’s waters. Over 60 participants from NGOs, state and federal agencies, and Wisconsin congressional staffers attended. Center Director Mike Jawson, Mark Gaikowski, and Jon Amberg (UMESC) will provide USGS Asian carp research and monitoring science updates, and facility tours.
National Park Service
Natchez Trace Parkway
- Janis Ruhser (UMESC) created orthophotos and flightline mosaics for the Natchez Trace Parkway (NATR), from 12-inch/pixel, 4-band digital aerial photography, collected in 2011. These data were delivered to NATR staff as an initial product for National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring Program vegetation mapping project. UMESC's Resource Mapping and Spatial Analysis Team also plans to use the imagery to create a vegetation map.
News Media
Common Loons and Avian Botulism on the Great Lakes
Upper Mississippi River
Forest Restoration
- Eileen Kirsch, Nate DeJager (UMESC), and Randy Urich (USACE) traveled to the site of the Gore's Pool timber sale in Mississippi River navigation Pool 3 (Red Wing to Hastings, MN) on March 7, to assess forest conditions, plan a reed canary grass control experiment, and discuss bird monitoring in relation to vegetation. The Army Corps is looking at experimental designs to assess forest restoration in the face of invasive reed canary grass and implications on forest and wet meadow nesting birds.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Indiana Bat Population Risk of Extirpation from White-nose Syndrome
- Wayne Thogmartin (UMESC), Carol Sanders-Reed and Patrick McKann (IAP WorldServices), Jennifer Szymanski, Lori Pruitt, and Andrew King (USFWS),Michael Runge (PWRC), and Robin Russell (NWHC) published the results from a study determining risk of extirpation from white-nose syndrome (WNS) for populations of the endangered Indiana bat. WNS affects hibernating species of bats in their most sensitive life stage, adult winter survival, and as a result is capable of causing population extirpation and possibly species extinction. Based on model predictions Indiana bats are likely to persist for at least the next half-century, albeit at greatly reduced numbers, with projected declines of 86% by 2022. Whether the species becomes accustomed to the disease will determine the long-term fate of this species. The manuscript's abstract is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320713000207
- Thogmartin, W.E., C.A. Sanders-Reed, J.A. Szymanski, P.C. McKann, L. Pruitt, R.A. King, M.C. Runge, R.E. Russell. 2013. White-nose syndrome is likely to extirpate the endangered Indiana bat over large parts of its range. Biological Conservation. vol. 160. pp.162-172.
Acronyms
DNR – Department of Natural Resources
FDA – Food and Drug Administration
MS-222 – Tricaine methanesulfonate
NATR – Natchez Trace Parkway
NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations
NWHC – National Wildlife Health Center
NWR – National Wildlife Refuge
PWRC – Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
UMESC – Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
USACE – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USFWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WNS – White-nose Syndrome
URL: http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/outreach/highlights/2013_mar_umesc_highlights.html
Page Contact Information: Contacting the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Page Last Modified:
March 28, 2013
