John Besser, PhD (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Survival and growth of rainbow trout and warm water fishes exposed to selected contaminants Survival and growth of rainbow trout and warm water fishes exposed to selected contaminants
Results of acute and chronic exposure of rainbow trout and warm water fish to metals and other toxicants.
Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and the cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and the cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia)
This dataset characterizes the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (~30 days post hatch) and cladocerans (
Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in natural waters as affected by hardness and dissolved organic matter Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in natural waters as affected by hardness and dissolved organic matter
Attributes regarding the influence of dissolved organic matter on chronic Al exposure and the effects on Ceriodaphnia dubia survival and reproduction.
Toxicity and chemistry data from an evaluation of metal-contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, 2013-2014 Toxicity and chemistry data from an evaluation of metal-contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, 2013-2014
This resource contains chemistry and toxicity data from sediment toxicity tests conducted by the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center with 66 sediment samples collected from in and around the Upper Columbia River in the fall of 2013. Toxicity testing was conducted from fall 2013 through summer 2014 with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, the midge Chironomus dilutus, and the mussel...
Acute sensitivity of the vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi (Anostraca; Branchinectidae), and surrogate species to ten chemicals-Data Acute sensitivity of the vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi (Anostraca; Branchinectidae), and surrogate species to ten chemicals-Data
The vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi, (Branchiopoda; Anostraca) and other fairy shrimp species have been listed as threatened or endangered under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). There is little information about the sensitivity of Branchinecta spp. to toxic effects of contaminants, making it difficult to determine whether they are adequately protected by...
Filter Total Items: 59
Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment
Standard laboratory sediment toxicity methods have been adapted for conducting toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels. However, studies looking at juvenile mussel burrowing behavior at the water-sediment interface are limited. Juvenile mussels burrow in sediment for the first 0 to 4 yr of life but also may inhabit the sediment-water interface. The objective of this study was to...
Authors
Nile E. Kemble, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, Jamie P. Hughes
Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants
Guidelines for developing water quality standards allow U.S. states to exclude toxicity data for the family Salmonidae (trout and salmon) when deriving guidelines for warm-water habitats. This practice reflects the belief that standards based on salmonid data may be overprotective of toxic effects on other fish taxa. In acute tests with six chemicals and eight fish species, the salmonid...
Authors
John M. Besser, Rebecca A. Dorman, Chris D. Ivey, Danielle M. Cleveland, Jeffery A. Steevens
Influence of remediation on sediment toxicity within the Grand Calumet River, Indiana, USA Influence of remediation on sediment toxicity within the Grand Calumet River, Indiana, USA
The Grand Calumet River (GCR), located in northern Indiana, is contaminated due to a wide range of historical industrial activities. This study was conducted to determine the influence of sediment remediation within the GCR on concentrations of chemical contaminants and toxicity to sediment-dwelling organisms. Between 2005 and 2016, sediments with high concentrations of metals and toxic...
Authors
Jeffery A. Steevens, John M. Besser, Rebecca A. Dorman, Daniel W. Sparks
Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and a Cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and a Cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia)
We conducted acute lethality tests with white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and Ceriodaphnia dubia exposed to copper and zinc at dissolved organic carbon concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 5.5 mg/L. Dissolved organic carbon had minimal effects on zinc toxicity but did have a protective effect on acute copper toxicity, which was equal to that predicted by the copper biotic ligand...
Authors
Chris D. Ivey, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, Michael Walther, Vanessa Melton
Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter
We conducted a series of 7‐d toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia in dilutions of low‐hardness natural waters, which contained dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations up to 10 mg/L. Stream waters were mixed with well water to achieve 2 target hardness levels (20 and 35 mg/L) and 4 DOC concentrations. Tests with aluminum (Al)‐spiked waters were conducted in a controlled CO2...
Authors
John M. Besser, Danielle M. Cleveland, Chris D. Ivey, Laura Blake
Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates
Sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, are contaminated with metals from smelting operations. We conducted short‐term and long‐term tests with the midge Chironomus dilutus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca and short‐term tests with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea with 54 sediments from the Upper Columbia River to characterize thresholds for toxicity of...
Authors
John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, James L. Kunz, William G. Brumbaugh, Christopher G. Ingersoll, Stephen E. Cox, Christopher A. Mebane, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Jesse A. Sinclair, Donald D. MacDonald
Science and Products
Survival and growth of rainbow trout and warm water fishes exposed to selected contaminants Survival and growth of rainbow trout and warm water fishes exposed to selected contaminants
Results of acute and chronic exposure of rainbow trout and warm water fish to metals and other toxicants.
Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and the cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and the cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia)
This dataset characterizes the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to white sturgeon (~30 days post hatch) and cladocerans (
Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in natural waters as affected by hardness and dissolved organic matter Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in natural waters as affected by hardness and dissolved organic matter
Attributes regarding the influence of dissolved organic matter on chronic Al exposure and the effects on Ceriodaphnia dubia survival and reproduction.
Toxicity and chemistry data from an evaluation of metal-contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, 2013-2014 Toxicity and chemistry data from an evaluation of metal-contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, 2013-2014
This resource contains chemistry and toxicity data from sediment toxicity tests conducted by the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center with 66 sediment samples collected from in and around the Upper Columbia River in the fall of 2013. Toxicity testing was conducted from fall 2013 through summer 2014 with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, the midge Chironomus dilutus, and the mussel...
Acute sensitivity of the vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi (Anostraca; Branchinectidae), and surrogate species to ten chemicals-Data Acute sensitivity of the vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi (Anostraca; Branchinectidae), and surrogate species to ten chemicals-Data
The vernal pool fairy shrimp, Branchinecta lynchi, (Branchiopoda; Anostraca) and other fairy shrimp species have been listed as threatened or endangered under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). There is little information about the sensitivity of Branchinecta spp. to toxic effects of contaminants, making it difficult to determine whether they are adequately protected by...
Filter Total Items: 59
Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment
Standard laboratory sediment toxicity methods have been adapted for conducting toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels. However, studies looking at juvenile mussel burrowing behavior at the water-sediment interface are limited. Juvenile mussels burrow in sediment for the first 0 to 4 yr of life but also may inhabit the sediment-water interface. The objective of this study was to...
Authors
Nile E. Kemble, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, Jamie P. Hughes
Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants
Guidelines for developing water quality standards allow U.S. states to exclude toxicity data for the family Salmonidae (trout and salmon) when deriving guidelines for warm-water habitats. This practice reflects the belief that standards based on salmonid data may be overprotective of toxic effects on other fish taxa. In acute tests with six chemicals and eight fish species, the salmonid...
Authors
John M. Besser, Rebecca A. Dorman, Chris D. Ivey, Danielle M. Cleveland, Jeffery A. Steevens
Influence of remediation on sediment toxicity within the Grand Calumet River, Indiana, USA Influence of remediation on sediment toxicity within the Grand Calumet River, Indiana, USA
The Grand Calumet River (GCR), located in northern Indiana, is contaminated due to a wide range of historical industrial activities. This study was conducted to determine the influence of sediment remediation within the GCR on concentrations of chemical contaminants and toxicity to sediment-dwelling organisms. Between 2005 and 2016, sediments with high concentrations of metals and toxic...
Authors
Jeffery A. Steevens, John M. Besser, Rebecca A. Dorman, Daniel W. Sparks
Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and a Cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Influence of dissolved organic carbon on the acute toxicity of copper and zinc to White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and a Cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia)
We conducted acute lethality tests with white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and Ceriodaphnia dubia exposed to copper and zinc at dissolved organic carbon concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 5.5 mg/L. Dissolved organic carbon had minimal effects on zinc toxicity but did have a protective effect on acute copper toxicity, which was equal to that predicted by the copper biotic ligand...
Authors
Chris D. Ivey, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, Michael Walther, Vanessa Melton
Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter
We conducted a series of 7‐d toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia in dilutions of low‐hardness natural waters, which contained dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations up to 10 mg/L. Stream waters were mixed with well water to achieve 2 target hardness levels (20 and 35 mg/L) and 4 DOC concentrations. Tests with aluminum (Al)‐spiked waters were conducted in a controlled CO2...
Authors
John M. Besser, Danielle M. Cleveland, Chris D. Ivey, Laura Blake
Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates
Sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, are contaminated with metals from smelting operations. We conducted short‐term and long‐term tests with the midge Chironomus dilutus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca and short‐term tests with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea with 54 sediments from the Upper Columbia River to characterize thresholds for toxicity of...
Authors
John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, James L. Kunz, William G. Brumbaugh, Christopher G. Ingersoll, Stephen E. Cox, Christopher A. Mebane, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Jesse A. Sinclair, Donald D. MacDonald