Research Needs
Workshop Series 4
Watershed-based nutrients and nearshore ecosystem behaviour
Lake Erie Land and Water - Clarifying the Agriculture -
Eutrophication Linkage
LEMN Research Needs Workshop 4.4
Tuesday March 23, 2010 - Stoneridge Inn, London, ON
Sponsored by the Ontario Great Lakes Program of
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
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Presentations- Morning Pamela Joosse: Introduction (Part 1) Jan Ciborowski: Introduction (Part 2)
Presentations- Lunch Tirupati Bolisetti: Non-point source pollution loading from watersheds (Essex County, ON) Pradeep Goel: Stream water quality monitoring in agricultural wetlands Merrin Macrae and Mike English: Overview of research interests Laura Weintraub: Watershed modeling to suport agricultural management of sediment and nutrient export from the Blanchard River Watershed T.Q. Zhang: Nutrient management research at GPCRC, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
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Purpose Statement Aquatic researchers have a series of explanations for the behaviour of nutrients that enter Lake Erie; for example the links between nutrients, Dreissenid mussels, and harmful algal blooms. We also know that nutrients arrive in the lake via storm events. However, we lack an in-depth understanding of the key types and the regulators of nutrients and the transformations they undergo on the landscape. We will look to workshop participants’ expertise to help us determine the relative importance of different agricultural practices and the effectiveness of management practices in regulating nutrient loads. A key task of the workshop will be for participants to generate flow charts that summarize their understanding of the key sources and links; and identify the most important research needs. The resulting information will be integrated into a lakewide 'conceptual map' that adds the roles of land-based activities to our picture of the eutrophication process in Lake Erie. We hope that the research needs can result in future opportunities for collaborative projects. The findings will also be especially useful for informing the Canadian and US teams negotiating revisions to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
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Background Recent
manifestations of eutrophication in Lake Erie have become increasingly
prevalent, despite evidence that total phosphorus loadings are at or
near target levels that previously were deemed adequate to prevent
appearance of nuisance algae, hazardous algal blooms and other
manifestations. Findings of various task groups and symposia suggest
that changes in the form rather than just the quantity of phosphorus may
be responsible. Possible causes and ultimate endpoints were summarized by participants in a series of flow charts (fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) designed to graphically represent understanding and uncertainties about the processes. Agricultural activities appeared to be a key external driver of the reappearance of eutrophication, and likely play an especially important in the Lake Erie ecosystem. Furthermore, practices related to agriculture are likely more amenable to 'no regrets' management actions than other possible causes of the eutrophication issue. This
workshop will further develop our understanding of the causes and
consequences of the reappearance of eutrophication emphasizing the role
of agricultural activities in Lake Erie. The goal is to develop a
detailed fuzzy cognitive map that focuses on the agriculture-related,
land-based pathways and variables that have the potential to influence
eutrophication in Lake Erie. Workshop Plans/Tasks - Review key concepts and links between agriculture and Lake Erie eutrophication as developed in 2 previous workshops; - Refine existing fuzzy conceptual maps to reflect complexity and assess understanding of the agricultural processes; - Compile consensus-based composite map reflecting best available knowledge of agricultural & soil science; - Assess
evidence for key pathways and their responsiveness to implementation of
‘no regrets’ management actions to mitigate agricultural influences on
eutrophication in Lake Erie. Logistics Date: Tuesday March 23 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (organizing conference call one week prior) Location: Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre London, ON. http://www.stoneridgeinn.comParticipants: Agronomists, rural economists, soil scientists, hydrologists, aquatic ecologists More Information: Please indicate provisional interest in attending by e-mailing Jan Ciborowski or Jeffrey Reutter Travel: limited funds are available to defray travel costs of those who need assistance; contact Jan Ciborowski Registration: by e-mail. Space is limited. Please reply promptly so that we may confirm your participation or contact others who may otherwise be unable to attend.
Joshua Martin or
Jessica Cuthbert Organizing Committee:
Don't forget to check out the webpage for the upcoming 6th Biennial Conference of the Lake Erie Millennium Network, April 27-29th, 2010, at the University of Windsor! |
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Supplementary Materials Consensual Map: summary of characteristics
IJC Final Report on Eutrophication
IJC
Workshop FCM
Further reading: The following are papers which provide additional information on the significant potentiating effects of surfactants in glyphosates and other pollutants. Surfactants can potentiate the effects of many heavy metals, pathogens and almost certainly change the mix of microbial species and 'predators' (e.g. ciliates, flagellates, rotifers, amoebae, etc.) available. Thus they have the potential to affect the entire food web.
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