Ecology and Biology

NJ WSC and Leetown Science Center scientists in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were tasked with characterizing endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass from New Jersey.

Mercury accumulates in biological tissue through complex reactions (bioaccumulation). Bacteria convert environmental inorganic mercury into methyl mercury (Me-Hg). This Me-Hg form is more toxic and more difficult to remove from bacterial systems than inorganic mercury. As humans consume fish, the Me-Hg in the fish is also consumed. Neurotoxicity is the most important health concern with mercury...

Biological impairment is but an indicator that some type of anthropogenic process has occurred resulting in aquatic assemblage degradation. The purpose of this proposal is to establish an applicable TMDL approach to address aquatic life impairments associated with stormwater runoff and hydrologic alteration for streams in New Jersey with the goal of improving river systems by reducing the impact...

Various questions arise on whether or not realistic stream restoration goals can be established with our current understanding of watershed indicators and major controlling factors of aquatic ecosystem health. State-of-the-art statistical, GIS, and hydrologic modeling approaches at multiple levels of data stratification will be extensively used to evaluate the AMNET assessment methodology...

The Delaware River drainage basin encompasses more than 12,700 mi2 (square miles) and includes parts of Pennsylvania (6,465 mi2), New Jersey (2,969 mi2), New York (2,363 mi2), and Delaware (968 mi2). The study-unit area includes the entire drainage basin, except for 770 mi2 of the Coastal Plain in the State of Delaware and the tidal portions of the Delaware Estuary. About 7.2 million people live...