Linking Ecological Thresholds, Policy, and Management

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Linking Ecological Thresholds, Policy, and
Management

• R. Jan Stevenson1
• Michael J. Wiley2 Catherine Riseng2
• 1Michigan State University
• East Lansing, Michigan, USA
• 2The University of Michigan
• Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

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Overarching Water Quality Policies

• Clean Water Act (US law, enforced by EPA )
• Protects multiple uses of waters
• Historic Use Goals
• Navigation, Drinking Water Supply
• Ecological Use (two levels)
• Physical, Chemical, and Biological Integrity
• Natural balance of flora and fauna as well as
• Physical and chemical conditions that support the
  natural balance of flora and fauna
• Support of Fish, Shellfish, and Wildlife
• Lesser goal, protecting most biodiversity and
  productivity
• Very similar to goals of EU Water Framework
  Directive

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Scientific Questions
Human Activities
CHA
CHA
HA
HA
Contaminants Habitat Alterations
EC
EC
Ecological Condition
CHA
CHA
Where, ecological condition biodiversity.
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Overarching Quality Water Policies

• Clean Water Act (US law, enforced by EPA )
• Protects multiple uses of waters
• Historic Use Goals
• Navigation, Drinking Water Supply
• Ecological Use (two levels)
• Physical, Chemical, and Biological Integrity
• Natural balance of flora and fauna as well as
• Physical and chemical conditions that support the
  natural balance of flora and fauna
• Support of Fish, Shellfish, and Wildlife
• Lesser goal, protecting most biodiversity and
  productivity
• Very similar to goals of EU Water Framework
  Directive
• Ecosystem Services (US EPA)

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Ecosystem Services
Human Activities
Human Well Being
Regulating Services

• Security
• Materials for life
• Health
• Social Relations
• Freedom

Contaminants Habitat Alterations
Supporting Services
Ecosystem Valuation
Ecosystem Goods Services
Provisioning Cultural Goods Services
Where, ecological condition is an element of
aesthetics/morality and maybe regulatory services
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Ecosystem Services
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Scientific Questions Integrating Social
Natural Sciences
Coupled Human and Natural Systems
-
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Scientific Questions Integrating Social
Natural Sciences
Optimizing Coupled Human and Natural Systems
-
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Overarching Quality Water Policies

• Clean Water Act
• Protects multiple uses of waters
• Historic Use Goals
• Navigation, Drinking Water Supply
• Ecological Use (two levels)
• Physical, Chemical, and Biological Integrity
  Ecological Integrity
• Support of Fish, Shellfish, and Wildlife
• Very similar to goals of EU Water Framework
  Directive
• Ecosystem Services (US EPA)
• Issues related to emphasizing tradeoffs with
  historic use goals
• Ecological Services ? f(Ecological Integrity)
• Challenge Existing Policy Framework

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Application of Policy Scientific Concepts

• Water Quality Criteria
• Clean Water Action Plan (USEPA)
• Nutrient Criteria
• Tiered Aquatic Life Uses (USEPA guidelines)
• Multiple management options for waters
• Risk Assessment Stressor Response Relationships
  (USEPA guidelines)
• Ecosystem Services (UN Millennium Assessment)
• Coupled Human and Natural Systems (US National
  Science Foundation(NSF))
• Ecological Thresholds

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Thresholds
Altered State
Threshold
Near-Natural State

• Many relationships are non-linear
• Thresholds, tipping points, break-points
• Alternative stable states
• Challenging to quantify
• must refine spatial and temporal scales of
  observation
• large sample size

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Thresholds Nutrient Criteria
0
High
Nutrients (e.g. PO4 or NO3, µg/L)

• Many relationships are non-linear
• Thresholds, tipping points, break-points
• Alternative stable states
• Facilitate policy management decisions

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Couplings and Thresholds
Nutrient Criteria Management Goals
0
High
Nutrients (e.g. PO4 or NO3, µg/L)

• Many relationships are non-linear
• Thresholds, tipping points, break-points
• Alternative stable states
• Facilitate policy management decisions

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Nutrient Pollution A Global Issue(a good CHANS
example affects algae)
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Threshold Responses Are CommonEverglades
PO4 Gradient
Natural State
The Everglades Florida
Floating Calcareous Algae
Distance from Point Source (km)
Distance from Point Source (km)
(Stevenson et al. 1998)
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Filamentous Algal Blooms in Streams(Stevenson et
al. unpublished data)
EPA Stakeholder Environmental Approved Criteria
Cladophora
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Cyanobacteria in Lakes f(TP)
Downing et al. 2001, CJFAS
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Thresholds in Pubic Reaction
Figure 1.3. Public perception of desirability of
streams for recreational use based on amount of
algae in stream. The graph shows percent of
people indicating condition is desirable in
photographs of streams with different algal
densities. The pictures are representative
pictures from a website posting the graph
(http//www.umt.edu/watershedclinic/algaesurveypix
.htm). Work cited from Suplee, M. draft.
Statistical Survey Analysis Report Algal
Perception Survey. Report to Montana Department
of Environmental Protection.
Suplee et al. 2008
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Case Study Nutrient Criteria for Michigan
Streams

• Map of Michigan

• Sample hundreds of streams
• Measure
• Natural features
• Nutrient Concentrations
• Fish Biomass
• Fish Biodiversity
• Invertebrate Biodiversity
• Algal Biodiversity
• Develop Stressor-Response Relationships

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Fish Responses to TP
Total Phosphorus (µg/L)
Total Phosphorus (µg/L)
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Attributes f(Total Phosphorus)Algae and
Invertebrates Thresholds
Similarity to Reference Condition (1.0 is perfect
similarity)
Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Benthic Diatoms
Total Phosphorus (µg/L)
Total Phosphorus (µg/L)
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Tradeoffs Among Uses Criteria
Algal Blooms
Anoxia
1.0
1.0
Fish
(Aquatic Biodiversity ( ), Fisheries
Production ( )
Valued Ecological Attributes
0.5
0.5
Algae Inverts
0.0
0.0
100
10
30
40
0.0
Nutrient Condition (TP µg/L )
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Tradeoffs Among Uses Criteria(Aquatic and
Terrestrial)
Algal Blooms
Anoxia
1.0
1.0
Fish
(Aquatic Biodiversity ( ), Fisheries
Production ( ), Agricultural Production
( ))
Valued Ecological Attributes
0.5
0.5
Algae Inverts
0.0
0.0
100
10
30
40
0.0
?
Nutrient Condition (TP µg/L )
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Management Conclusions
New Management Plan Tiered Uses
Old Management Plan
Good (10 µg/L)
Fair (30 µg/L)
Poor
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Thank You

• Acknowledgements
• United States Environmental Protection Agency
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
• Sylvia Heaton, Scott Rollins