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Detecting climate change: a classification of bioindicators
to distinguish effects Britta G. Bierwagen1, Susan Julius1, Michael T. Barbour2, Jeroen Gerritsen2, Anna T. Hamilton2, and Michael Paul2
1Global Change Research Program, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research & Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency2Center for Ecological Sciences, Tetra Tech, Inc.
North American Benthological Society55th Annual Meeting
June 6, 2007Columbia, SC
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Biological indicators may be affected by climate change
Categorizing indicators according to climate sensitivity is one step in controlling for or
detecting climate change effects
Key Messages
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Outline
• A very brief overview of biocriteria• How climate change affects biological
indicators• Categories of indicators• Indicator classes• Next steps
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Biocriteria
• EPA biocriteria guidance documents exist for:• Rivers & Streams, Lakes, Wetlands, Estuaries &
Coastal Areas• Biocriteria guidance is under development for:
• Coral Reefs
• Targets define desired biological condition of waterbody• Assess ecosystem health• Element of water quality standards
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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State Biocriteria Program Goals
• Stressor identification• Monitor BMP effectiveness• TMDL assessment & monitoring• Status & trends in water quality & condition
• Baselines• Water quality standards
• Aquatic life uses determination
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Additional stressor on ecosystem• Affects both reference & non-reference sites• Current indicators may be confounded by
climate change effects on ecosystems• Biocriteria program management goals
• Difficult to establish goal if baseline is changing• Or goals may be impossible to meet
Climate Change & Biocriteria Programs
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Additional stressor on ecosystem• Affects both reference & non-reference sites• Current indicators may be confounded by
climate change effects on ecosystems• Biocriteria program management goals
• Difficult to establish goal if baseline is changing• Or goals may be impossible to meet
Climate Change & Biocriteria Programs
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Additional stressor on ecosystem• Affects both reference & non-reference sites• Current indicators may be confounded by
climate change effects on ecosystems• Biocriteria program management goals
• Difficult to establish goal if baseline is changing• Or goals may be impossible to meet
Climate Change & Biocriteria Programs
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Additional stressor on ecosystem• Affects both reference & non-reference sites• Current indicators may be confounded by
climate change effects on ecosystems• Biocriteria program management goals
• Difficult to establish goal if baseline is changing• Or goals may be impossible to meet
Climate Change & Biocriteria Programs
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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How do existing biological indicators respond to climate
change?
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Categories of Indicators
Insensitive to Climate Change
Sensitive to Climate Change
Sensitive to Climate Change
and Other Stressors
Indicator Warmwater fish Fish community composition
Salmon egg to fry survival
Response No change in majority of range
Cold- and coolwaterfish species decline, warmwater fish species increase
Decreased survival due to increased turbidity from sediment input due to increased precipitation and/or land use change
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Ecological events not cued to temperature• Species is tolerant of broad temperature
range• Tolerant of wide range of hydrologic
conditions• High flows or low flows• High variability in flow• Variation in salinity
What Defines Climate-Insensitive?
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Ecological events cued to temperature• Species exists in narrow temperature
range• Intolerant of certain hydrologic conditions
• High flows or low flows• Saltwater intrusion
What Defines Climate-Sensitive?
M.Wenger, USFWS
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Phenology (timing of emergence, reproduction, flowering, etc.)
• Number of reproductive periods• Vulnerable life stage to climate variable• Thermal tolerance• Hydrological tolerance
Climate-Sensitive Indicator Classes
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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Phenology
• Earlier emergence of stoneflies and mayflies with warmer temperatures
• Earlier trout spawning in warmer water
Examples of Sensitive Indicators
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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Longer growing season leads to an increase in the number of reproductive periods
• Increase in algal productivity• Additional reproductive periods of
amphipod species
Examples of Sensitive Indicators
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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Life stage vulnerable to climate variable
• Decrease in salmon egg to fry survival from increased turbidity from erosion
Examples of Sensitive Indicators
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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Thermal tolerance
• Increase in peak abundance of thermophilic copepod species
• Shift from cold- and coolwater to warmwater fish species
Examples of Sensitive Indicators
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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Hydrological tolerance
• Decline of drought intolerant mussel spp.• Decrease in autumn spawning salmonid
species• Decrease in salt intolerant wetland plants
Examples of Sensitive Indicators
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Evaluate and understand how current indicators respond to climate change regionally
• Evaluate novel indicators to detect climate change
Next Steps
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps
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• Evaluate and understand how current indicators respond to climate change regionally
• Evaluate novel indicators to detect climate change
Next Steps
Overview - Climate Change Effects - Categories of Indicators - Indicator Classes - Next Steps