Utilizing Benthic Utilizing Benthic Mapping, Biotelemetry, and 3 ...
Utilizing Benthic Mapping, Biotelemetry, and 33-D GIS to Assess Sturgeon Habitat in the Delaware y River and Bay Bartholomew D. Wilson P.G.(1) John A. Madsen (2) Dewayne Fox (3) Phillip Simpson (3) Michael Rhode (1) 1 1. 2. 3.
Delaware Coastal Program, Program Division of Soil and Water, Water DNREC, DNREC Dover, Dover Delaware 19901 University of Delaware, Department of Geological Sciences, Newark, Delaware 19711 Delaware State University, Aquatic Sciences Department, Dover, De 19901
Delaware River & Bay • 755.2 sq. miles • 380.6 (DE) • 374.6 ((NJ))
Area Mapped pp as of 2008 • 42% Bay and River • 315 sq. miles • 65% DE • 245 sq. miles
Technologies for Benthic Mapping • RoxAnn Seabed Classification System • Chirp Sub Sub--bottom Profiler • Field Verification – Ponar sediment grab samples – Vibra Vibra--coring – Push Push--coring
Existing Needs for Benthic Data • Identify Important Locations for Marine Protection Areas • Identification of Sand Resources for Beach Replenishment • Sediment Dynamic of Delaware River andd Bay B • Identify Essential Fish Habitat – Mapping shellfish beds and habitat – ID preferred sedimentary environments
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)) • Anadromous • Range – St. S L Lawrence River, Ri Canada C d to St. Johns River, FL • Long lived – Large (4.3m and 350 kg) – 60 years • Late Late--maturing – Males 1010-12 years – Females 1313-20 years
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)) • Spawning Requirements – Hard substrate with high flow rate – Fresh water • Benthic Feeder • Subterminal mouth • Barbels • Worms Worms,, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks
Anthropogenic Effects •Block migration routes •Restrict spawning p g habitat •Unsuitable conditions for eggs •Limit food •Saltwater/ Saltwater/Saltline Saltline Migration •Reduce suitable •Main channel deepening nurseryy habitat areas •Freshwater withdrawal •Sea level rise
Chirp SubSub-bottom Profile
Southward Dipping S di Sediment t Layers L Interpreted as Upper C t Cretaceous Sediments S di t
Cretaceous Outcroppings in Delaware River
Outcroppings are not constrained to the deepest p pparts of the channels
Juvenile Habitat Utilization • Characterize habitat use during g period p of estuarine residency • Estuarine/marine residency – Growth • Gillnet – Vemco tags y arrayy • Telemetry
Active Tracking • Methods M th d – Weekly monitoring of riverine section – May May--October (2005 (2005-2007) – Listen at 1 km intervals
2007 Juvenile Atlantic sturgeon 2007
160
35
140
30
river k kilometer
120
25
100 20 80 15 60 10
40
5
20 0 19-Mar 19 M
0 18 A 18-Apr
18 M 18-May
17 J 17-Jun
17 J l 17-Jul
Date
16 A 16-Aug
15 S 15-Sep
15 O t 15-Oct
14 N 14-Nov
Temperature ((degrees Celsius)
Polychaete bloom
• Immigration and g patterns p emigration • Movement driven by prey resources? – Polychaete or “mud” worms (ESC 1993) • Johnson et al. 1997 • Haley 1998
100
Number off Relocatio ons
Expected 80
Observed
60
40
20
0 Clayey Silt
Silt, w ith Clay Sand/Silt, w ith Clay
Sand
Sediment Classification
Gravel
Rock
Future Needs • Detailed analysis of movement – Annual/Seasonal/Diel – X. Y, and Z
• Feeding Analysis – Stomach lavage (?) – DEBI
• By integrating this information we may be able to start to understand their movements and how it correlates with critical habitat
Partners in Mapping The Delaware Bay and River • • • •
• • • • •
University of Delaware Geosciences Department Delaware Fisheries Delaware Shoreline and Waterway Division Delaware State University – Living Marine Resource Cooperative Science Center (NOAA (NOAA--LMRCSC) – NOAA Anadromous Fish Conservation Act Funding – PA State Wildlife Grant Program Partnership for the Delaware Estuary New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (Coastal Management Office) New Jersey Shellfish Bureau Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) RARE Project Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under award numbers NA17OR1243, NA04NOS419003, NA04NOS4190034, NA03NOS4200133, a nd NA04NOS4200072.
Delaware Coastal Program, Program Division of Soil and Water, Water DNREC, DNREC Dover, Dover Delaware 19901 University of Delaware, Department of Geological Sciences, Newark, Delaware 19711 Delaware State University, Aquatic Sciences Department, Dover, De 19901
Delaware River & Bay • 755.2 sq. miles • 380.6 (DE) • 374.6 ((NJ))
Area Mapped pp as of 2008 • 42% Bay and River • 315 sq. miles • 65% DE • 245 sq. miles
Technologies for Benthic Mapping • RoxAnn Seabed Classification System • Chirp Sub Sub--bottom Profiler • Field Verification – Ponar sediment grab samples – Vibra Vibra--coring – Push Push--coring
Existing Needs for Benthic Data • Identify Important Locations for Marine Protection Areas • Identification of Sand Resources for Beach Replenishment • Sediment Dynamic of Delaware River andd Bay B • Identify Essential Fish Habitat – Mapping shellfish beds and habitat – ID preferred sedimentary environments
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)) • Anadromous • Range – St. S L Lawrence River, Ri Canada C d to St. Johns River, FL • Long lived – Large (4.3m and 350 kg) – 60 years • Late Late--maturing – Males 1010-12 years – Females 1313-20 years
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)) • Spawning Requirements – Hard substrate with high flow rate – Fresh water • Benthic Feeder • Subterminal mouth • Barbels • Worms Worms,, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks
Anthropogenic Effects •Block migration routes •Restrict spawning p g habitat •Unsuitable conditions for eggs •Limit food •Saltwater/ Saltwater/Saltline Saltline Migration •Reduce suitable •Main channel deepening nurseryy habitat areas •Freshwater withdrawal •Sea level rise
Chirp SubSub-bottom Profile
Southward Dipping S di Sediment t Layers L Interpreted as Upper C t Cretaceous Sediments S di t
Cretaceous Outcroppings in Delaware River
Outcroppings are not constrained to the deepest p pparts of the channels
Juvenile Habitat Utilization • Characterize habitat use during g period p of estuarine residency • Estuarine/marine residency – Growth • Gillnet – Vemco tags y arrayy • Telemetry
Active Tracking • Methods M th d – Weekly monitoring of riverine section – May May--October (2005 (2005-2007) – Listen at 1 km intervals
2007 Juvenile Atlantic sturgeon 2007
160
35
140
30
river k kilometer
120
25
100 20 80 15 60 10
40
5
20 0 19-Mar 19 M
0 18 A 18-Apr
18 M 18-May
17 J 17-Jun
17 J l 17-Jul
Date
16 A 16-Aug
15 S 15-Sep
15 O t 15-Oct
14 N 14-Nov
Temperature ((degrees Celsius)
Polychaete bloom
• Immigration and g patterns p emigration • Movement driven by prey resources? – Polychaete or “mud” worms (ESC 1993) • Johnson et al. 1997 • Haley 1998
100
Number off Relocatio ons
Expected 80
Observed
60
40
20
0 Clayey Silt
Silt, w ith Clay Sand/Silt, w ith Clay
Sand
Sediment Classification
Gravel
Rock
Future Needs • Detailed analysis of movement – Annual/Seasonal/Diel – X. Y, and Z
• Feeding Analysis – Stomach lavage (?) – DEBI
• By integrating this information we may be able to start to understand their movements and how it correlates with critical habitat
Partners in Mapping The Delaware Bay and River • • • •
• • • • •
University of Delaware Geosciences Department Delaware Fisheries Delaware Shoreline and Waterway Division Delaware State University – Living Marine Resource Cooperative Science Center (NOAA (NOAA--LMRCSC) – NOAA Anadromous Fish Conservation Act Funding – PA State Wildlife Grant Program Partnership for the Delaware Estuary New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (Coastal Management Office) New Jersey Shellfish Bureau Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) RARE Project Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under award numbers NA17OR1243, NA04NOS419003, NA04NOS4190034, NA03NOS4200133, a nd NA04NOS4200072.
