Design and methods of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA), 2014

Journey, Celeste A.; Metre, Peter C. Van; Bell, Amanda H.; Garrett, Jessica D.; Button, Daniel T.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Qi, Sharon L.; Bradley, Paul M.

doi:10.3133/ofr20151095

Cited by 21 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…States in the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (Journey et al, 2015). The goal of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment F I G U R E 1 Map of 71 study sites within the Piedmont ecoregion of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA) study area.…”

Section: Assessment Project Assessed Stream Quality Across the Piedmomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Project assessed stream quality across the Piedmont and southern Appalachian Mountains of the south-eastern United States in the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (Journey et al, 2015). The goal of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment F I G U R E 1 Map of 71 study sites within the Piedmont ecoregion of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA) study area.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The present study focused on the SESQA sites located within the Piedmont Level III ecoregion (McMahon et al, 2001). Urbanization is one of the most important anthropogenic factors affecting water quality in the region (Journey et al, 2015;O'Driscoll, Clinton, Jefferson, Manda, & McMillan, 2010). The targeted design of the SESQA used land-use data to identify and select 71 sites that reflected the range in the amount of urbanization in the study area.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the south‐eastern United States and the relative importance of water‐quality stressors

Meador

2019

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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A total of 71 stream sites representing a gradient of urban land use were sampled across the Piedmont of the south‐eastern United States in 2014. Fish data collected (observed) at each site were compared to an expected community based on georeferenced historical (~1950 ‐ ~1990) species occurrence records for stream segments (1:100,000 scale) containing the sampled stream sites. Loss of expected fish species (per cent of fish species expected to occur but not observed) and homogenization (difference in Jaccard's similarity of the fish community among sites observed and expected) were determined. On average, there was a 13.2% increase in the similarity of fish communities across sites, demonstrating evidence of community homogenization. Occurrence of Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus), Green Sunfish (L. cyanellus) and Bluegill (L. macrochirus) increased more than 50% over time (between observed and expected). Species loss increased significantly with urbanization, whereas homogenization was not related to urbanization. Random forest analysis indicated that herbicides, insecticides and centrarchid species richness were significant predictors of species loss. Of these, generalized additive model regression indicated that herbicides represented the most parsimonious model based on a single predictor. Stream base flow, elevation and total nitrogen were significant predictors of homogenization. Generalized additive model regression indicated that decreased stream base flow was the single most important factor associated with increased homogenization. Chemical contaminants and associated ecosystem alteration and changes in streamflow may represent important regional influences on changes in fish communities in urban streams in the south‐eastern United States.

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Section: Assessment Project Assessed Stream Quality Across the Piedmomentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Historical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the south‐eastern United States and the relative importance of water‐quality stressors

Meador

2019

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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“…In addition, five sites were chosen to represent high agricultural influence, based on proximity to large poultry operations. Reference sites were located primarily in areas with minimal watershed disturbance (Journey et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regional surveys of rivers by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) are designed to evaluate the effects of these stressors on aquatic organisms, including diatoms. The Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA) study characterized watershed and water quality parameters, with the goal of determining the factors that have the greatest potential to alter biotic condition across the region (Journey et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A diatom voucher flora from selected southeast rivers (USA)

et al. 2017

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This flora is intended to serve as an image voucher for samples analyzed for the U.S. Geological Survey Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA). The SESQA study included measurement of watershed and water quality parameters to determine the factors that have the greatest potential to alter biotic condition. Algal samples were collected at 108 sites in 2014, from streams representing gradients in chemical and physical alteration across the southeast region. More than 375 taxa were identified during analysis for species composition and abundance. This manuscript documents the flora with light micrographs of specimens representative of their morphologic range. We define "voucher flora" as images of specimens and the names applied to those specimens for a given project. Taxonomic vouchers from federal programs have generally not been made public, yet they are a salient element of a well-documented species dataset, particularly for long-term studies. This study is part of a broader effort to improve and encourage taxonomic consistency in federal, state and local programs by accessible identification resources and inter-lab comparisons.

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Spatial and temporal variation in microcystin occurrence in wadeable streams in the southeastern United States

Loftin

Clark

Journey

et al. 2016

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Despite historical observations of potential microcystin-producing cyanobacteria (including Leptolyngbya, Phormidium, Pseudoanabaena, and Anabaena species) in 74% of headwater streams in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina (USA) from 1993 to 2011, fluvial cyanotoxin occurrence has not been systematically assessed in the southeastern United States. To begin to address this data gap, a spatial reconnaissance of fluvial microcystin concentrations was conducted in 75 wadeable streams in the Piedmont region (southeastern USA) during June 2014. Microcystins were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (limit = 0.10 µg/L) in 39% of the streams with mean, median, and maximum detected concentrations of 0.29 µg/L, 0.11 µg/L, and 3.2 µg/L, respectively. Significant (α = 0.05) correlations were observed between June 2014 microcystin concentrations and stream flow, total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratio, and water temperature; but each of these factors explained 38% or less of the variability in fluvial microcystins across the region. Temporal microcystin variability was assessed monthly through October 2014 in 5 of the streams where microcystins were observed in June and in 1 reference location; microcystins were repeatedly detected in all but the reference stream. Although microcystin concentrations in the present study did not exceed World Health Organization recreational guidance thresholds, their widespread occurrence demonstrates the need for further investigation of possible in-stream environmental health effects as well as potential impacts on downstream lakes and reservoirs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2281-2287. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

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Design and methods of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA), 2014

Cited by 21 publications

References 43 publications

Historical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the south‐eastern United States and the relative importance of water‐quality stressors

Historical changes in fish communities in urban streams of the south‐eastern United States and the relative importance of water‐quality stressors

A diatom voucher flora from selected southeast rivers (USA)

Spatial and temporal variation in microcystin occurrence in wadeable streams in the southeastern United States

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