Ecosystems We Study: Freshwater Systems Active
Managing the world’s freshwater ecosystems including lakes, rivers, and springs, and the water they supply to meet environmental and societal needs in a changing climate is one of the biggest challenges for the 21st century.
Fresh waters are one of the most valuable and threatened resources worldwide. They supply critical services to society and harbor many of the world’s most imperiled species. From seasonal pools to the Great Lakes, freshwater systems play many important roles in the environment such as water purification, providing water for vegetation, and flood prevention. As habitat, wetlands support more than fish, amphibians, and waterfowl. Wetlands provide critical resources for species ranging from moose to bats, and beavers to butterflies.
Oftentimes there is no stark boundary between aquatic and terrestrial systems, and animals, nutrients, and even pollution move freely between them. Rivers also connect the terrestrial landscapes to offshore marine systems. USGS scientists conduct research on the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems; efficacy of various management, conservation, and restoration practices, and how the uses of aquatic ecosystems affect the watershed and its biodiversity.
Freshwater Research
Hydroscape Ecology
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS freshwater research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS freshwater data is available from the button below.
Ecological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS) Multibeam Bathymetry, Hillshades, and Sidescan Image Mosaics; River Velocity and Bed Composition Mapping for Hidden Falls
Geomorphic and ecological effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on coastal Louisiana marsh communities
Ecological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS freshwater research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS freshwater publications is available from the button below.
Extent of sedge-grass meadow in a Lake Michigan drowned river mouth wetland dictated by topography and lake level
Interlaboratory comparison of three sediment bioaccumulation tests
Microbial source tracking and evaluation of best management practices for restoring degraded beaches of Lake Michigan
Keeping an eye on water quality from the sky
Functional wetland loss drives emerging risks to waterbird migration networks
Biomass allocation of tidal freshwater marsh species in response to natural and manipulated hydroperiod in coastal deltaic floodplains
Applied citizen science in freshwater research
Identifying factors that affect mountain lake sensitivity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across multiple scales
Aquatic vegetation dynamics in the Upper Mississippi River over 2 decades spanning vegetation recovery
A science agenda to inform natural resource management decisions in an era of ecological transformation
Riverscape approaches in practice: Perspectives and applications
Expanding freshwater biologger studies to view fish as environmental sensing platforms
- Overview
Managing the world’s freshwater ecosystems including lakes, rivers, and springs, and the water they supply to meet environmental and societal needs in a changing climate is one of the biggest challenges for the 21st century.
Fresh waters are one of the most valuable and threatened resources worldwide. They supply critical services to society and harbor many of the world’s most imperiled species. From seasonal pools to the Great Lakes, freshwater systems play many important roles in the environment such as water purification, providing water for vegetation, and flood prevention. As habitat, wetlands support more than fish, amphibians, and waterfowl. Wetlands provide critical resources for species ranging from moose to bats, and beavers to butterflies.
Oftentimes there is no stark boundary between aquatic and terrestrial systems, and animals, nutrients, and even pollution move freely between them. Rivers also connect the terrestrial landscapes to offshore marine systems. USGS scientists conduct research on the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems; efficacy of various management, conservation, and restoration practices, and how the uses of aquatic ecosystems affect the watershed and its biodiversity.
Freshwater ResearchFilter Total Items: 13Hydroscape Ecology
The interdisciplinary team of hydroscape ecology develops and advances a broad, landscape-scale perspective of ecological flows for aquatic ecosystems. A hydrologic landscape, hydroscape, is an environmental theater, where hydrologic, geomorphologic, biogeochemical, biological, and anthropogenic processes play to provide ecological services to the society. The construction of water control... - Data
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS freshwater research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS freshwater data is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 16Ecological modeling output for the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir 2020
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative approaches to restore the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The models of particular interest to the South Florida Water Management District for planning for the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator, (2) Florida apple snail (native) population model (EverSnail), (3)Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS) Multibeam Bathymetry, Hillshades, and Sidescan Image Mosaics; River Velocity and Bed Composition Mapping for Hidden Falls
The National Park Service's (NPS) Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS) and the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (SACN) have established high value habitat corridors for threatened and endangered native mussels, including the Winged Mapleleaf and Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussel. Underwater sonar, a hydroacoustic remote sensing technology, is a valuable tool for mapping physical habitatGeomorphic and ecological effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on coastal Louisiana marsh communities
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall in 2005, subjecting the coastal marsh communities of Louisiana to various degrees of exposure. We collected data after the storms at 30 sites within fresh (12), brackish/intermediate (12), and saline (6) marshes to document the effects of saltwater storm surge and sedimentation on marsh community dynamics. The 30 sites were comprised of 15 pairs. Most pairEcological modeling output for the Combined Operational Plan, Round 1 in the Greater Everglades, 2018-2019
Ecological models facilitate evaluation and assessment of alternative plans for restoring the Greater Everglades ecosystem. Modeling outputs were used in evaluations of alternative water control plans to be performed by the Combined Operational Plan (COP). The models used were: (1) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Marl Prairie Indicator in conjunction with (2) Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Helper, (3) Flor - Publications
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS freshwater research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS freshwater publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 81Extent of sedge-grass meadow in a Lake Michigan drowned river mouth wetland dictated by topography and lake level
Water-level fluctuations are critical in maintaining diversity of plant communities in Great Lakes wetlands. Sedge-grass meadows are especially sensitive to such fluctuations. We conducted vegetation sampling in a sedge-grass dominated Lake Michigan drowned river mouth wetland in 1995, 2002, and 2010 following high lake levels in 1986 and 1997. We also conducted photointerpretation studies in 16 yAuthorsDouglas A. Wilcox, John A Bateman, Kurt P. Kowalski, James E Meeker, Nicole DunnInterlaboratory comparison of three sediment bioaccumulation tests
Standard bioaccumulation tests are commonly conducted using Macoma nasuta (clam), and Alitta virens (polychaete) for marine tests, and Lumbriculus variegatus (an oligochaete) for freshwater tests. Because the interlaboratory variability associated with these tests is unknown, four experienced laboratories conducted standard 28-day bioaccumulation tests with the above species using sediments contamAuthorsGuilherme R. Lotufo, James M. Biedenbach, J. Daniel Farrar, Michael K. Chanov, Brian W. Hester, Charles R. Warbritton, Jeffery Steevens, Jenifer M. Netchaev, Anthony J. Bednar, David W. MooreMicrobial source tracking and evaluation of best management practices for restoring degraded beaches of Lake Michigan
Attempts to mitigate shoreline microbial contamination require a thorough understanding of pollutant sources, which often requires multiple years of data collection (e.g., point/nonpoint) and the interacting factors that influence water quality. Because restoration efforts can alter shoreline or beach morphology, revisiting source inputs is often necessary. Microbial source tracking (MST) using soAuthorsMeredith B. Nevers, Paul M. Buszka, Muruleedhara Byappanahalli, Travis Cole, Steven R. Corsi, P. Ryan Jackson, Julie L. Kinzelman, Cindy H Nakatsu, Mantha S. PhanikumarKeeping an eye on water quality from the sky
You can learn a lot about rivers, lakes, estuaries, and oceans by looking down at them from the sky. Scientists use a technique called remote sensing to measure the amount of light or heat energy reflected and emitted from the Earth. Sensors can be on satellites or mounted on airplanes, helicopters, or drones. Scientists use this information to map the quality of water in the San Francisco Bay-DelAuthorsFrancine H. Mejia, Christian E. Torgersen, Cédric G FichotFunctional wetland loss drives emerging risks to waterbird migration networks
Migratory waterbirds (i.e., shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl) rely on a diffuse continental network of wetland habitats to support annual life cycle needs. Emerging threats of climate and land-use change raise new concerns over the sustainability of these habitat networks as water scarcity triggers cascading ecological effects impacting wetland habitat availability. Here we use important waAuthorsJ Patrick Donnelly, Johnnie N Moore, Michael L. Casazza, Shea P CoonsBiomass allocation of tidal freshwater marsh species in response to natural and manipulated hydroperiod in coastal deltaic floodplains
Deltaic floodplains are highly vulnerable to relative sea level rise (RSLR) depending on the sediment supply from river channels that provides elevation capital as adaptation mechanism. In river channels where levees have restricted sediment supply to coastal deltaic floodplains, river sediment diversions have been proposed as a restoration strategy to increase elevation allowing for marshes to esAuthorsAndre S. Rovai, Robert R. Twilley, Alexandra Christiensen, Annabeth McCall, Daniel J. Jensen, Gregg Snedden, James T. Morris, John A. CavellApplied citizen science in freshwater research
Worldwide, scientists are increasingly collaborating with the general public. Citizen science methods are readily applicable to freshwater research, monitoring, and education. In addition to providing cost-effective data on spatial and temporal scales that are otherwise unattainable, citizen science provides unique opportunities for engagement with local communities and stakeholders in resource maAuthorsAnya N. Metcalfe, Theodore A. Kennedy, Gabriella A. Mendez, Jeffrey D. MuehlbauerIdentifying factors that affect mountain lake sensitivity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across multiple scales
Increased nitrogen (N) deposition rates over the past century have affected both North American and European mountain lake ecosystems. Ecological sensitivity of mountain lakes to N deposition varies, however, because chemical and biological responses are modulated by local watershed and lake properties. We evaluated predictors of mountain lake sensitivity to atmospheric N deposition across North AAuthorsBenjamin Burpee, Jasmine Saros, Leora Nanus, Jill S. Baron, Janice Brahney, Kyle Christianson, Taylor Gantz, Andi Heard, Beth Hundey, Karin Koinig, Jiří Kopáček, Katrina Moser, Koren Nydick, Isabella A. Oleksy, Steven Sadro, Ruben Sommaruga, Rolf Vinebrooke, Jason WilliamsAquatic vegetation dynamics in the Upper Mississippi River over 2 decades spanning vegetation recovery
Macrophytes have recovered in rivers across the world, but long-term data and studies are lacking regarding community assembly and diversity changes coincident with macrophyte recovery. We investigated patterns of aquatic vegetation species composition and diversity in thousands of sites in the Upper Mississippi River, USA, spanning 21 y of monitoring and a period of vegetation recovery. We analyzAuthorsKristen L. Bouska, Danelle M. Larson, Deanne C. Drake, Eric M. Lund, Alicia M. Carhart, Kyle R. BalesA science agenda to inform natural resource management decisions in an era of ecological transformation
Earth is experiencing widespread ecological transformation in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems that is attributable to directional environmental changes, especially intensifying climate change. To better steward ecosystems facing unprecedented and lasting change, a new management paradigm is forming, supported by a decision-oriented framework that presents three distinct management cAuthorsShelley Crausbay, Helen Sofaer, Amanda E. Cravens, Brian C. Chaffin, Katherine R. Clifford, John E. Gross, Corrine N. Knapp, David J Lawrence, Dawn Magness, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, Gregor W. Schuurman, Camille S. Stevens-RumannRiverscape approaches in practice: Perspectives and applications
Landscape perspectives in riverine ecology have been undertaken increasingly in the last 30 years, leading aquatic ecologists to develop a diverse set of approaches for conceptualizing, mapping and understanding ‘riverscapes’. Spatiotemporally explicit perspectives of rivers and their biota nested within the socio-ecological landscape now provide guiding principles and approaches in inland fisheriAuthorsChristian E. Torgersen, Céline Le Pichon, Aimee H. Fullerton, Stephen J. Dugdale, Jeffrey J. Duda, Floriane Giovannini, Évelyne Tales, Jérôme Belliard, Paulo Branco, Normand E. Bergeron, Mathieu L. Roy, Diego Tonolla, Nicolas Lamouroux, Hervé Capra, Colden V. BaxterExpanding freshwater biologger studies to view fish as environmental sensing platforms
While recording fish habitat use by electronic sensors, biologgers can also be viewed as autonomous environmental monitoring systems with the organism as a vehicle. This dual perspective has provided novel results from marine ecosystems, but has not been applied to freshwater ecosystems. To understand limitations in fresh water, we evaluated miniature depth and temperature recorders as aquatic monAuthorsRichard Kraus, Helen Bontrager, Chris Vandergoot, Matthew Faust