Workshop Description
Watersheds are complex systems that provide important ecosystem services to diverse human and wildlife communities. The economic and societal importance of freshwater ecosystems—and their vulnerability to human stressors—is exemplified in streams that drain developed watersheds. Human and natural disturbance regimes alter stream processing of energy, carbon, nutrients, and contaminants. Measures of stream metabolism is a powerful method for assessing how stream ecosystems are responding to both opportunities and stressors unique to each watershed. In this workshop we will convene brainstorming sessions to set the foundation for a co-written review paper focused on stream metabolism in human-impacted watersheds, especially those with increased urban land-use (“urban streams”). Meeting participants will be welcome as co-authors. We aim to (a) identify unique energetic opportunities and stressors associated with urban streams, (b) common challenges and pitfalls associated with measuring metabolism in these systems, (c) key research gaps in our community’s understanding of energetics (metabolism) in urban streams, and, finally, (d) identify examples/opportunities for metabolism measures to advance watershed and ecosystem science, support management of these socioecological systems, and inform relevant water policies. We encourage a wide range of participants from those who generate estimates of metabolism (e.g., empirical field studies to process-based models) to current and aspiring “end users” of these estimates (e.g., ecologists to resource managers and policymakers).
Workshop Leaders
Jonny Behrens (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
behrensjr@ornl.gov
Erin Hotchkiss (Virgina Tech)
ehotchkiss@vt.edu
Natalie Griffiths (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
griffithsna@ornl.gov
Workshop Description
This workshop will bring SUSE participants together to develop questions and resources to better understand (and develop solutions to) the issue of urban trash that is visible to the naked eye and moves through waterways in complex forms and timescales. We will focus on the following 3 concepts:
a. Sources, transport, retention, and the biological and geomorphological consequences of macro-trash in urban streams
b. Effects of trash on the cultural value and human experience of urban streams, and
c. Review and analysis of global policy governing macro-trash in urban catchments, relative effectiveness, opportunities, and challenges.
Participant Information
If participants have a laptop, it may be helpful to bring it. An anticipated outcome of this workshop is a collaboratively-written review paper on this topic. There will be time for lunch.
Workshop Leaders
Megan Fork (West Chester University)
MFork@wcupa.edu
Mateo Scoggins (River Network)
mateo.scoggins@gmail.com
Mateo@river.works
Eugènia Martí Roca (Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes)
eugenia@ceab.csic.es
Frank Akamagwuna (University of Alabama)
fcakamagwuna@ua.edu
Workshop Description
Lotic and lentic urban waterbodies – through interactions and interlinked functions – can provide multiple ecosystem services if properly managed. However, as the objectives of urban watershed management have grown over time from a singular focus on flood mitigation to a diverse range of goals (e.g., water quality, recreation, flow regime, biodiversity), so have the challenges associated with achieving multiple endpoints in complex networks. Due to space, design, funding, or ecological limitations it is questionable if certain co-benefits can be compatible within the same space. For example, a system designed to retain pollutants may cause disservices that directly impact wildlife (e.g., metal toxicity, disease or parasite burden); the installation of poorly-designed inline treatment wetlands may negatively impact biota adapted to lotic systems; and systems designed with the intent to capture greenhouse gases (likely with large amounts of vegetation) may be less useful for fishing or boating. While networks of constructed and remnant natural waterbodies may be viewed as novel ecosystems with no historic point of comparison, through a different lens they might be a return to historical morphology and function. This too raises important questions about how or if those historical baselines can be identified and whether they should always be the goal. Targeted studies can address these challenges, and this workshop will lay out a research agenda for understanding ecosystem service tradeoffs in urban waterbodies to maximize net benefits.
Workshop Leaders
Andrew Mehring (University of Louisville)
andrew.mehring@louisville.edu
Krissy Hopkins (USGS)
khopkins@usgs.gov
Location: The synthesis component of this workshop will take place at PRCC.
Workshop Description
This is a field-based workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the standardized sampling methods that have been used for long-term studies of the fauna of an urban stream in Puerto Rico.
On the workshop day, participants will travel to the El Señorial long-term study site, where they will learn and practice fish and macroinvertebrate field sampling techniques, and collect data that will contribute to long-term ecological studies of the fauna of the Río Piedras watershed in Puerto Rico. Participants will sample fishes with triple-pass backpack electrofishing and will sample macroinvertebrates with cores and surber samplers.
The main objective and product of the synthesis day will be to build a network of long-term studies of urban fauna. First the results and products of the long-term studies from the Río Piedras will be examined and discussed. Next, participants will be invited to share their own results from similar studies that they have participated in or are aware of from other ecological contexts. Participants who would like to initiate new studies will be invited to share their ideas and propose sampling designs that are compatible with other studies that have been highlighted. Finally, a listserv or other means for communication of this network will be built and plans will be made to share results that could lead to synthesis products, like a publication.
Workshop Leaders
Vamery Gonzalez-Hernandez (North Carolina State University)
vgonzal5@ncsu.edu
Augustin Engman (University of Tennessee)
aengman@utk.edu
Location: The synthesis component of this workshop will take place at PRCC.
Workshop Description
This workshop will produce a policy-community interface guide/approach for multi-benefit river projects, using the Rio Piedras as a case study with presentations and discussion from USACE and Alianza Rio Piedras staff. The main workshop will be a tour of the watershed with four stops to meet with community groups and USACE. On the synthesis day we will have invited members of each of the visited communities and will split the workshop participants into four smaller groups, each of who will focus their discussion on the lessons learned and community priorities/experiences from each stop. These can then be synthesized.
Participant Information
Vans will provide transportation for all participants. Workshop leaders will reach out to participants with additional detailed information.
Schedule for the day is as follows:
8.00 AM - Meet at Puerto Rico Convention Centre
8:30 AM - Depart
Stop 1: YoSoy Caimito
Stop 2: Guarda Rió
Stop 3: Residentes Reparto Metropolitano
1.00 PM - 2.00 PM Lunch Stop
Stop 4: Army corps stop by the channelized section
4.00 PM - Arrive back to Puerto Rico Convention Centre
Workshop Leaders
Rebeca de Jesus (Louisiana State University)
rdejesuscrespo1@lsu.edu
Elli Papangelakis (McMaster University)
papangee@mcmaster.ca
Brian Murphy (River Network)
brian@river.works
Venue space remains available until 4:00 PM, for continued workshop synthesis, if required by any workshop groups