The 2010 Workshop for the Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists (AMAAB) is scheduled for March 31 - April 1, 2010 at Cacapon State Park near Berkeley Springs, WV. We are planning a full day of presentations on Wednesday. Mini workshops will be held on Thursday morning. The host for this year's workshop is the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
The procedures for offering presentations have not changed from previous years and will be explained in the call for presentations.
This year, pre-registration for 2010 AMAAB Workshop should be sent to West Virginia as the host State. You may contact me by email at [email protected], by phone at (304) 926-0499 ext. 1051 or by fax at (304) 926-9496 ATTN: Janice Smithson. Please send your contact information (name, address, telephone number and email address), and reference the "Biologists' Workshop 2010" in the subject line when responding. There will be a registration fee of $50 that includes an evening social on Wednesday, March 31. Payment may be made by cash or personal and agency checks made payable to AMAAB. We regret that we will not be able to accept credit cards.
Onsite Registration: Tuesday, March 30 -- 7:00-8:00pm Wednesday, March 31 -- 8:00am-all day
Cash or checks will be accepted upon registration onsite. Please leave one of your business cards at the registration table so we can update our mailing list. It is important that we get an updated email address from members because we have made the transition to conducting all business by email and website postings instead of by traditional paper mailings.
There will be a continental breakfast offered on Wednesday morning (coffee, Danish, juice). For those desiring a full breakfast, the restaurant will open Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30 a.m.
The costs to AMAAB to conduct this meeting have been increasing each year. This year, instead of raising the cost of registration, we will be raffling off or holding silent auctions for a variety of goodies. Some of the items we are working on are WV state park freebies, a framed photo of aquatic organisms, and gift baskets. So bring a little extra cash, just in case you wish to participate!
We are working on putting together photo galleries of past meetings. If you have any digital photos from the 2009 meeting (or any other year) you would like to share, please send them to Katherine Laycock ([email protected]).
Check back periodically for updates. We look forward to seeing you at the workshop.
Best regards,
Janice E. Smithson West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Wildlife Biologist - Division of Water and Waste Management
7:00 � 8:30 PM Early registration: Tuesday, March 30, 2010
DAY 1 AGENDA: WEDNESDAY, March 31, 2010 Washington/Fairfax Room
5:00-6:00 An 18th Century Landscape Ramble, (outside stroll, weather permitting), Doug Wood, WV DEP
6:00-8:00 Social � Downstairs conference room
7:00-8:00 Poster Session - Morgan Room
Posters
On display all day Wednesday
Effects of Land Use in Riparian Buffers and Catchments on Indices of Biotic Integrity Luke Roberson, Maryland Department of Natural Resources ([email protected])
Visualization and Analysis Tools for Probabilistic Survey Data Wayne S. Davis, US Environmental Protection Agency ([email protected])
Distribution and Abundance of Seasonal Pools in Maryland Mark Southerland, Versar, Inc. ([email protected])
Rock Snot Revisited: An Update on the Presence of Didymo in Maryland Katherine Laycock, Maryland Department of Natural Resources ([email protected])
Pattern of Shield Darter, Percina peltata, Distribution in the Eastern Piedmont of Maryland, USA Patrick Ciccotto, Maryland Department of Natural Resources ([email protected])
Determinant Factors of Freshwater Mussel Distribution in Maryland Matt Ashton, Maryland Department of Natural Resources ([email protected])
Habitat and Landscape Variable Associations of Freshwater Mussel Communities in the Susquehanna River Sub-basins Mary C. Walsh, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program ([email protected])
Vernal Pool Success Scot Aitkenhead and Kate Estler, McCormick Taylor, Inc. and Coastal Resources Inc. ([email protected])
The Dynamics and Habitat Preference of Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) at Fraser Preserve, Fairfax County, Virginia Sean Sipple, Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. ([email protected])
Survey of Mercury and Other Contaminants in Fish from Virginia Dwight Flammia, VA Department of Health ([email protected]) and Frank Borsuk, US Environmental Protection Agency
Maryland Fish Tissue Advisories John Hill, Maryland Department of the Environment ([email protected])
Pennsylvania�s Fish Consumption Advisory Program Overview Thomas Barron, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ([email protected])
Survey of Mercury and Other Contaminants in Fish from West Virginia Janice Smithson, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ([email protected])
VENDORS:
ARM Group, Inc.
Earth Vector Systems
DAY 2 AGENDA: THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2010 - Workshops Fish Kill Investigations: An Evaluation of Cause and Assessment 8:00 - 12:00 Fairfax Room Jim Hedrick ([email protected]) and Janet Clayton ([email protected]) Fish Identification Workshop: Module 7 � Taxonomy and Identification of the Minnows (Cyprinidae) 8:00 - 12:00 Downstairs Conference Room Aaron Henning ([email protected]), Dan Cincotta ([email protected]), Rick Spear ([email protected]), and Frank Borsuk ([email protected]) Crayfish Identification 8:00 - 12:00 Club Room (downstairs) Tom Jones ([email protected]) and Casey Swecker ([email protected]) Introduction to R Language and Environment for Statistical Computing in the Aquatic Sciences 8:00 - 12:00 "Fireplace Room" (to the right as you enter the main entrance to the lodge) George T. Merovich ([email protected]) Stream Sedimentation: Measuring and Calculating Relative Bed Stability for TMDLs and State Surveys 8:00 - 12:00 Morgan Room and outdoors Larry Willis ([email protected]) Identification and Taxonomy of Larval Caddisflies (Trichoptera) 8:00 - 12:00 Washington Conference Room Mike Floyd ([email protected])
2010 AMAAB Workshops CacaponState Park Berkeley Springs, WV April 1, 2010
1. Fish Kill Investigations: An Evaluation of Cause and Assessment Facilitators: Jim Hedrick ([email protected]) and Janet Clayton ([email protected]), WV Dept. of Natural Resources This workshop is intended to equip field personnel with the knowledge and tools to accurately respond and evaluate fish and mussel kills. Participants will be addressing specific agency responsibility and chain of command required to accurately and appropriately report and evaluate a fish or mussel kill. We will be looking at key characteristics that will assist in determining cause, extent, monetary value, and recovery of a fishery impacted by a kill. Participants will also learn readiness preparation and the essential field tools that may be needed. (Limit: 25 Participants)
2. Fish Identification Workshop: Module 7 � Taxonomy and Identification of the Minnows (Cyprinidae) Facilitators: Aaron Henning ([email protected]), Penn State University; Dan Cincotta ([email protected]), WV Dept. of Natural Resources; Rick Spear ([email protected]), PA Dept. of Environmental Protection; and Frank Borsuk ([email protected]), US Environmental Protection Agency-Wheeling. This is the seventh workshop of a series that will focus on the identification of the freshwater fishes of the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Module 7 workshop will focus on the identification of the fishes in the Family Cyprinidae (focused on Notropis). We will break participants out into major drainages within the Mid-Atlantic. The workshop will be a hands-on identification exercise with supplemental PowerPoint presentations. (Limit: 30 Participants)
3. CRAYFISH IDENTIFICATION Facilitators: Tom Jones ([email protected]), Marshall University; Casey Swecker ([email protected]), Environmental Solutions & Innovations, Inc. There are more than 350 species of crayfish in North America with around � currently threatened with population decline or extinction. This workshop will review crayfish biology, distribution, and ecology. Focus will be placed on the major anatomical characteristics used to differentiate crayfish species in the Mid-Atlantic region. Special attention will be made to learn how to differentiate between non-native species and native fauna and discuss the history and potential future for crayfishes in the in the Mid-Atlantic region. Identification keys will be provided and attendees will have the opportunity to key out live and preserved specimens of regional crayfish species. (Limit: 20 Participants)
4. Introduction to R Language and Environment for Statistical Computing in the Aquatic Sciences Facilitator: George T. Merovich ([email protected]), WV University R is an open-source programming language and environment for statistical computing. It is available for download from http://www.r-project.org). R is becoming very popular in the ecological fields due to its power and flexibility for data analysis, modeling, and graphics. R uses an object-oriented environment from a command line interface. Built-in functions for statistical analysis are supported by documentation and help features. Numerous customized packages submitted by statistical gurus make R extremely extendable to specialized tasks. In this workshop, we will introduce the beginner to R and the wealth of help resources available for R users. After becoming familiar with the R environment, we will demonstrate the flexibility of R for classical and more modern statistical procedures and modeling ecological data. We will demonstrate basic statistical techniques and graphics using base and special-purpose packages. If time allows, we may also demonstrate more advanced data modeling procedures such as model selection using AIC, and ordination and classification techniques for ecological datasets. A basic understanding of statistical analysis is assumed, but no prior knowledge of R is required. Participants should bring a laptop with wireless capabilities to actively participate in installing and using R, and acquiring customized packages. (Limit: 40 Participants)
5. Stream Sedimentation: Measuring and Calculating Relative Bed Stability for TMDLs and State Surveys Facilitator: Larry Willis [email protected]), Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality This workshop will introduce participants to the measurement of a variety of measures of sedimentation with a focus on relative Bed Stability. The introduction will focus on uses of the data and how it has been used in Virginia. An abbreviated field method will be presented with a trip outside to demonstrate the abbreviated field method, if weather permits. The remainder of the session will focus on the calculation of Relative Bed Stability and using a variety of spreadsheets and an Access database. Participants will receive a CD with all of the calculators and databases used in the class. Participants should bring apparel suitable for the outdoor component of the course. (Limit: To be determined)
6. Identification and Taxonomy of Larval Caddisflies (Trichoptera) Facilitator: Mike Floyd [email protected]) The workshop will consist primarily of a Powerpoint presentation summarizing general biological and taxonomic information on the order, concentrating on those families/genera/species that occur in the Mid-Atlantic region. After the presentation (1-2 hours), time will be provided for examination of specimens. Voucher specimens will be provided for examination and participants are encouraged to bring their �problem� specimens. Each participant will receive a notebook or CD which will include the Powerpoint presentation and a list of important taxonomic references, distributional information, etc. Participants should bring their own scopes, lighting system, extension cords and power strips. (Limit 20 Participants)