Sasha Bozimowski, M.S. Biology Institute for Great Lakes Research Central Michigan University

Sasha Bozimowski, M.S. Biology Institute for Great Lakes Research Central Michigan University

The Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program GLRI- GLNPO RFP for $10M to monitor coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes using GLCWC protocols established in 2009 Awarded to Central Michigan University in 2010 2015: Received another $10M to continue years 6-10 Every 5 years sample ~1039 Coastal Wetlands

The Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program

Measuring Ecosystem Health Chemical/Physical (Uzarski et al. 2008) Invertebrates (Uzarski et al. 2004) Fish (Uzarski et al. 2005) Plants (Albert 2008) Birds (Grabas et al. 2008) Amphibians (Timmermans et al. 2008) Landscape (Bourgeau-Chavez et al. 2008) Gordon Craig (pbase.com)

The Traditional Chemical/Physical Approach It can fail to detect: Human induced habitat alteration Introduction of exotic species Episodic events such as spills and effluent discharge What if a 55 gal drum of pollutant was dumped? Diluted, or washed away In the case of litigation, must show pollutant is having an impact Biota are integrators of overall habitat and water quality They need both good habitat and water quality to persist Biota integrate time organisms present when toxicants/alterations occur Community maintains a scar IBIs developed to detect the scar

Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) Alternative to traditional chemical/physical measures Use biological community to measure ecosystem disturbance Specific types of disturbance target specific aspects of the community

Plug Data into Previously Developed IBIs Individual wetlands/aquatic habitats do not experience disturbance uniformly Hydrology Gradient from terrestrial to true aquatic

Plug Data into Previously Developed IBIs Certain communities indicate disturbance at different scales Plants = coarse scale

Plug Data into Previously Developed IBIs Certain communities indicate disturbance at different scales Plants = coarse scale Invertebrates = local scale

Plug Data into Previously Developed IBIs Certain communities indicate disturbance at different scales Plants = coarse scale Invertebrates = local scale Fish = intermediate scale

Macroinvertebrates as Local Indicators Community structure related to chemical/physical/biological drivers Benthic substrate (MacKenzie et al. 2004; Cooper et al. 2007) Invasive plants (Kulesza et al. 2008; Holomuzki and Klarer 2010) Habitat fragmentation (Uzarski et al. 2009; Cooper et al. 2012) Water quality and surrounding land use (King and Brazner 1999; Schneider and Sager 2007; Kovalenko et al. 2014; Schock et al. 2014) Limited dispersal capability when immature Flightless Localized to sites or small areas Multiple functional groups Based upon available carbon sources Habitat dependent

Macroinvertebrates as Local Indicators Certain species are considered tolerant vs. intolerant A broad sampling range of degraded to near pristine sites with similar hydrology is necessary to determine those taxa (aka metrics)

Common Insect Orders

Common Insect Orders Coleoptera: Beetles Larvae: Incredibly diverse! Have distinct sclerotized heads with complete mouthparts and two- or three-segmented antennae Adults: heavily sclerotized, compact bodies Elytra and antennae with >11 segments Dineutus spp. Georissus spp.

Common Insect Orders Diptera: True Flies Larvae: Lack jointed legs May have a complete, fully exposed head OR a reduced, retracted head Thorax and abdomen are soft and flexible Prolegs, creeping welts, suctorial discs Bezzia spp. Anopheles spp. Chrysops spp.

Common Insect Orders Ephemeroptera: Mayflies Nymphs: Developing wing pads often found on meta- or meso-thorax Each thoracic segment (3) bears a pair of legs 10 segmented abdomen with dorsal or ventral gills 3 caudal filaments Caenis spp. Hexagenia spp. Centroptilum spp. Siphlonuridae (Family)

Common Insect Orders Hemiptera: True Bugs (Heteroptera) One-segmented tarsi in nymphs, two-segmented in adults Generally head, thorax, and abdomen well defined Rostrum Antennae anywhere from 3-5 segmented, conspicuous in semi-aquatic but hidden in true aquatic species Abdomens show spiracles and genitalia Mesovelia spp. Callicorixa spp. Ranatra spp. Neoplea spp.

Common Insect Orders Odonata: Dragon- and Damselflies Nymphs: Labium or lower lip, prementum Dragonflies have shorter abdomen, Damselflies have long slender abdomens Epiprocts and cerci in Dragonflies vs. caudal lamellae (or gills) in Damselflies Amphiagrion spp. Gomphus spp. Libellula spp.

Common Insect Orders Plecoptera: Stoneflies Nymphs and Adults very similar, both primitive insect morphologies Mouthparts are primitive, and have two types: herbivorous or carnivorous Gill placement various around body Two cerci of multiple segments Wings half-grown in nymphs Perlesta spp.

Common Insect Orders Trichoptera: Caddisflies Larvae Case making, retreat-making, or pupal cocoons Sclerotized heads with three distinct subdivisions Thorax divided into pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum, each with one pair of legs and may or may not be sclerotized 10 segmented abdomen with anal prolegs, sometimes anal claws Can have gills or no gills along abdomen

Other Common Orders Gastropoda and Bivalvia: Snails and Clams Physa spp. Sphaerium spp. Pisidium spp. Valvata spp. Lymnaea spp. Musculium spp.

Other Common Orders Amphipoda, Isopoda, and Decapoda (Crustaceans) Decapods generally predators Amphipods and Isopods are generalists Gammarus spp. Caecidotea spp. Orconectes spp.