Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists

2012 Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists Workshop

Cacapon State Park

Berkeley Springs, WV

March 29-30, 2012

2012 Meeting Dates and Letter from the AMAAB President

The 2012 Annual Meeting and Workshop for the Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists (AMAAB) will be held March 29-30, 2012 at Cacapon State Park near Berkeley Springs, WV.   We are planning a full day of presentations on Thursday.   Mini workshops will be held on Friday morning.  The host for this year's workshop is the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

The procedures for offering presentations have not changed from previous years and can be found in the AMAAB website’s “Call for Presentations” section.

Pre-registration for 2012 AMAAB Workshop should be sent by email to [email protected],  be sure to  reference "[your last name] AMAAB  2012" in the subject line.   Please include your contact information (name, address, telephone number).    You can also call me, Jim Cummins, at 301-274-8106, to register or if you have any questions. 

The registration fee is $50 which includes an evening social on Thursday, March 29th.   Payments are typically made onsite at the meeting and 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 will take place on:

Wednesday, March 28th -- 7:00-8:30pm

Thursday, March 29th -- 8:00-9:00am

Paying in advance is not required but is encouraged, please mail the registration form with your payment check(s) to:

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

Attn: Jim Cummins

Suite PE-08

51 Monroe Street

Rockville, MD  20850

Cash or checks will be accepted at onsite registration.  If your address has changed, 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 Thursday morning (coffee, Danish, juice). For those desiring a full breakfast, the restaurant will open Thursday and Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m.

Again this year we will be raffling off a variety of goodies and holding a silent auction.  This has been a big success each year.    So bring a little extra cash, you may win and all helps support the meeting!

We are working on putting together photo galleries of past meetings. If you have any digital photos from the 2011 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.

 

 

2012 AMAAB President

Pre-Workshop Activities: On Wednesday, March 28, 2012, we will be proctoring three for: Eastern EPT, Chironomidae, and General Arthropods East. These tests can be taken from 12 – 3 or from 3:30 – 7:30. It is possible that you could take two tests. Registration and instructions for the tests are handled by SFS, see their website: http://www.nabstcp.com/NABSTCPHome/UpcomingTests Go to test #95. SFS pre-registration and payment in advance are SFS requirements. Contact Jennifer Barborak for more information ([email protected])

7:00 - 8:30 PM Early registration: Wednesday March 28, 2012           Make checks payable to “AMAAB.”

DAY 1 AGENDA: THURSDAY, March 29, 2012 Washington/Fairfax Room

7:30 - 9:00 Registration (Continental Breakfast)

8:30 Welcome, AMAAB Business, New Board Members

8:40 Long-term impacts downstream of valley fills in headwater streams of the Central Appalachians: preliminary results
Greg Pond, USEPA

9:05 A Virtual Stream Sampler, part of a suite of watershed lessons at the online Potomac Highlands Watershed eSchool
Neil Gilles, Cacapon Institute

9:30 Conceptual Framework for Urban TMDLs
Mark Southerland, Versar, Inc.

9:55 - 10:10 15 Minute Break

10:10 PADEP Continuous Instream Monitoring
Dustin Shull, PA DEP

10:35 Things Are Seldom What They Seem: A Legislative Approach: Myth or Reality in Protecting Our Precious Resource of Karst Terrain
Judith Buchino, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.

11:00 Validation of Virginia's Coastal Plain Macroinvertebrate Index
Mary R. Dail and Richard D. Miller, VA DEQ

11:25 Maryland's Efforts to develop State Water Quality Standards for Chloride
Adam Rettig, MD DE

11:50 Lowered expectations… how shifting baselines influence reference condition determination and the identification of intact watersheds in Maryland
Scott Stranko, MD DNR

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch (Buffet at the Cacapon Inn is available – please note on pre-registration, pay at registration)

1:15 Freshwater mussel distributions and habitat associations within the Susquehanna River basin in Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Meyer ([email protected]) and Mary Walsh, PA Nat. Heritage Program/Western PA Conservancy

1:40 Use of stable isotope analysis in determining aquatic food webs
Sean Collins, US EPA/University of Cincinnati

2:05 Selenium bioaccumulation related to stream fish richness, abundance, and biomass
Than Hitt, USGS

2:30 Ohio River Basin Aquatic Habitat Assessment Using Landscape-scale Predictor Variables
Jeff Thomas, ORSANCO

2:55 West Virginia Watershed Assessment Pilot Project
Ruth Thorton, The Nature Conservancy of WV

3:20 - 3:35 15 minute Break

3:35 Some causes and consequences of stream flow alteration in the Potomac River basin
Claire Buchanan, The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

4:00 Interactions of Stressors in Virginia Streams
Larry D. Willis, VA DEQ

4:25 Investigating Potential Impacts Of Surface Water Withdrawals On Biological Communities Of The Susquehanna River Basin
Matt Shank, Susquehanna River Basin Commission

4:50 Closing Remarks, Door Prizes (DE beach house, lodging at Cacapon, framed art, more!), Adjourn



Thursday Evening Program

5:30 - 6:30 Ostenaco - a trail hike through history. Doug Wood, WV biologist and living history presenter, will be leading interested participants on a fascinating interpretive hike while in the role of Ostenaco ( c. 1703 – 1780) who was a well known and respected Cherokee, a great orator and a leading figure in diplomacy with British colonial authorities. The Cacapon State Park area could be a dangerous place in the 1700s, especially during the French and Indian War. This is an excellent way to learn more about the human and natural histories of the region, how to read animal and human signs on the landscape, and exercise your imagination. This program is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council.


6:30 till tired: Social - Downstairs conference room.

Posters

On display all day Thursday. Poster presenters are encouraged to move their posters to the evening social event and re-display in the Clubroom.

System metabolism (productivity/respiration) in the Kanawha River basin
Sean Collins, US EPA, University of Cincinnati ([email protected])

Water Resources Assessment, Old Colchester Park, Fairfax County, Virginia
Beth Franks, VERSAR, Inc. ([email protected])

Testicular Oocytes in Largemouth Bass on Delmarva
Lance Yonkos, University of Maryland – Wye Research and Education Center ([email protected])

Didymo Response to Near-Record Flows in Gunpowder Falls, Maryland
Katherine Laycock, Ron Klauda, MD Dept. Nat. Res, Annapolis, MD ([email protected])

Agencies confirm NOAA's Remote Sensing of the 2011 Potomac River Harmful Algae Bloom
Pat Brady, MD Dept of Env., Baltimore, MD ([email protected])

A Different Perspective: A Multivariate Analysis Approach for Biomonitoring Data Collected in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland
Megan Crunkleton, KCI, Inc., Sparks, MD ([email protected])

Comparative Analysis of Semi-Quantitative Macroinvertebrate Sampling Methodologies
Brianna Hutchison, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Harrisburg, PA [email protected])

Determining the Effect of Natural River Obstruction Removal on the Macroinvertebrate Community of the Shenango River – Progress as of March 29, 2012
Nya Aron, Wallace and Pancher, Hermitage, PA [email protected])

Distribution and Abundance of the State-Threatened Comely Shiner (Notropis amoenus) In the NW Branch, Anacostia River
Sean Sipple, Coastal Resources, Inc., Annapolis, MD [email protected])

Assessments of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Fish from U.S. Lakes and Urban Rivers
Blaine Snyder, Tetra Tech, Owings Mills, MD [email protected])

Increasing Biological Monitoring Capabilities using Probabilistic Monitoring Strategies
Jason R. Hill, VA Dept. of Env. Qual, Roanoke, VA ([email protected])

Monitoring effectiveness of watershed restoration projects in Montgomery County, MD
Dave Griffin, for Montgomery County, MD, Department of Environmental Protection ([email protected])

1. The R program and language for statistical computing: a Refresher workshop with excursions into numerical and graphical analyses of multivariate ecological datasets
Facilitator: George T. Merovich, Jr. , West Virginia University ([email protected])
R is an open-source computing environment for data analysis. Besides being freely available by download from http://www.r-project.org, it is very popular in the ecological fields because of its power and flexibility for modeling and graphical analysis. R uses an object-oriented environment from a command line interface. Built-in functions are widely supported by documentation and abundant help features. Numerous customized packages submitted by statistical gurus make R extremely extendable to specialized tasks.
In this workshop, we will briefly review the basics of the R environment. After an update of recent advances in R, we will spend the bulk of our time applying various statistical, classification, and ordination techniques to the numerical and graphical analysis of complex ecological datasets. Discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on activities will cover principle component analysis, non-metric multi-dimensional scaling, classification and regression trees, cluster analysis, non-parametric manova, analysis of similarity, publication quality graphics, etc., as time allows. A basic understanding of the R environment is assumed. To participate in hands-on activities, bring a laptop with wireless capabilities. Practice data sets will be supplied, but feel free to bring your own data as well. Participants should bring a laptop.
(Limit: 25 Participants)

2. Identification and Taxonomy of Aquatic Dipterans

Facilitator: Dr. Greg Courtney, Iowa State University ([email protected])
This short course on the phylogeny, morphology, and identification of aquatic dipterans will include the identification of live and preserved material covering some 30 families. Participants will need their own microscopes and light sources (suggest an extension cord), alcohol, forceps, and watch glass/Petri dishes. A copy of the latest Merritt and Cummins might be useful. A CD will be supplied to each participant dealing with aquatic diptera including materials covered in and beyond the class.
(Limit: 20 Participants)

3. Principles and Techniques of Electrofishing
Facilitator: Alan Temple, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ([email protected])
Electrofishing is a common technique for sampling fish populations in North America. High catchability with low variance results in data better able to inform management decisions. Part of the recipe for collecting higher quality data is recognizing important fish catching attributes of electrical waveforms, determining electrical output capabilities of your gear, improving electrode design, and maintaining equipment that is safe to operate. A classroom briefing will include an overview of waveform attributes (shape, voltage, amperage, duty cycle), control features of backpack/boat control boxes, electrode resistance and implications for electrode design, and safety notes. The field component will include in-water evaluation of participant’s electrofishing units (electrical outputs and electrode resistance/design) as well as boat safety inspections.
(Limit: To be determined)
Special Note: This workshop requires preregistration and everyone attending must note which equipment they plan to bring for evaluation when they sign up for the workshop.

4. Identification of Native and Non-native Vascular Aquatic Plants 
Facilitator: Dr. Tim Block, University of Pennsylvania ([email protected])
This workshop will focus on the accurate identification of native and non-native vascular plant species commonly found in aquatic systems. Particular attention will be paid to those detailed features necessary to distinguish the major groups of aquatic plants (e.g. pondweeds, water-milfoils, bladderworts, etc). We will also focus on the differences between common non-native invasive species and their native look-alikes. Preserved material will be available for hands-on examination. A hand lens or magnifying glass may be helpful.
(Limit: 20 Participants)
SPECIAL NOTE: State participants in the EPA's National Lakes Assessment Protocol Training, which immediately precedes the AMAAB meeting, will have first choice in this workshop. Therefore, be sure to state your 2nd, 3rd and 4th choices for workshops.

5. Stream Sedimentation: Physical Habitat Metrics: Measurement, Calculation and Interpretation
Facilitator: Larry Willis, Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality [email protected])
This workshop will introduce participants to the measurement of a variety of measures of sedimentation with a focus on Relative Bed Stability and other metrics used in the National Rivers and Streams Survey. The introduction will focus on uses of the data. An abbreviated field method will be presented with a trip outside to demonstrate the field methods, if weather permits. The remainder of the session will focus on the calculation of important metrics including riparian disturbance and Relative Bed Stability in both wadeable streams and boatable rivers. 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. Conservation, Ecology and Identification of Mid-Atlantic Crayfishes
Facilitators: Zachary Loughman, Ph.D., West Liberty University ([email protected]);
Thomas Jones, Ph.D. Marshall University ([email protected])
There are more than 350 species of crayfish in North America with around ½ currently threatened with population decline or extinction. This workshop will review crayfish biology, distribution, and ecology specific to the Mid-Atlantic region. Focus will be placed on the major anatomical characteristics used to differentiate crayfish species and key concept associated with their taxonomy. Special attention will be made to learn how to differentiate between non-native and native species 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)