Climate change effects on Upper Kobuk River aquatic ecosystems, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Developing a Conceptual Model.DOC

Climate change effects on Upper Kobuk River aquatic ecosystems, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve: Developing a Conceptual Model Proposal date: June 2008 Principal investigators: Jeffrey F Mount Professor, Geology Director, Center for Watershed Sciences University of California Shields Avenue Davis Ca 95616 Tel: 530-754-9388 Fax: 530-752-0951 mount@geology.ucdavis.edu Peter B Moyle Professor, Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology Associate Director, Center for Watershed Sciences University of California Shields Avenue Davis Ca 95616 Tel: 530-752-6355 Fax: 530-752-4154 pbmoyle@ucdavis.edu Abstract: We propose to develop and assess a conceptual model for the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems of the Upper Kobuk River, Alaska, with an emphasis on foodwebs A field assessment of the model will be performed as the final project for an interdisciplinary class of UC Davis graduate students Field study of the Kobuk River will take place from August 11 -23 and will begin at the outlet of Walker Lake and end at the town of Kobuk The trip will involve 10 students, two professors and two guides During class meetings in April, May, and early June, a conceptual model of the Upper Kobuk/Walker Lake aquatic ecosystems will be developed based on the literature The model will focus on the likely responses of aquatic food webs to changes in habitat associated with climate-driven shifts in runoff, temperature, nutrient cycling, and geomorphology During field study the basic premises of the model will be evaluated and, where appropriate, tested on the river Two days will be spent sampling water quality, plankton and fish on Walker Lake Within the reach of river from Walker Lake to Kobuk a minimum of 20 sites will be surveyed over the course of 10 days Based on a stratified sampling approach within three river segments, approximately 10 of the sites will be along the mainstem of the river and 10 of the sites will be at tributary/mainstem confluences Each sample site will be georeferenced and mapped to record type and distribution of habitats and geomorphic conditions We will use rapid bioassessment procedures to sample water quality, fishes and aquatic invertebrates (where feasible) to determine basic species composition in representative shallow water areas Based on the conceptual model developed by the students, the final report submitted to NPS will evaluate how climateinduced changes in physical habitat are likely to be reflected in foodweb changes in the Upper Kobuk River and Walker Lake All survey data will be made available through the course website In addition, we will work closely with NPS biologists to coordinate sampling locations and protocols to support on-going park research IIa Overview: Ecogeomorphology course The University of California, Davis Departments of Geology and Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology annually sponsor a field course in Ecogeomorphology The goal of the course is to bring together students from diverse backgrounds in hydrology, geology, aquatic ecology and fish biology, and to involve them in interdisciplinary study of riverine ecosystems This is one of the few courses that provide direct training in working with specialists from other disciplines—something that all of our students have to when they leave our university The course is structured around an issue in watershed and riverine management The students spend ten weeks in class studying this issue, collaborating on the preparation of reports, and publishing their work on the web At the end of the course, the students visit a selected watershed that is impacted by the issue examined during the course This visit, unlike most field trips, involves data collection and analysis by designated multidisciplinary field teams The data collected can range from simple, empirical observations about riparian and aquatic ecology to more rigorous, systematic field surveys, including geomorphic surveys and habitat maps At the end of the field work, the students are required to prepare a synthesis document that places their observations within the context of the management issue that is studied In previous years (and under a different name), the course has examined the importance of dynamic habitats in glacially-influenced rivers (Copper River, Alaska study), the influence of land use practices on salmonid rearing habitat (Scott River, California study), the importance of tributary-mainstem interaction on habitat heterogeneity and associated biodiversity (Skeena River, British Columbia study), river restoration through pulse flows (Colorado River study), and impacts of dams on native fish habitat (Green River/Dinosaur National Monument study) The web-published results of these studies and a more complete description of the course can be seen at: http://www.geology.ucdavis.edu/~shlemoncourse/ IIb Overview: proposal background This year’s Ecogeomorphology course is focusing on the effects of climate change on an Arctic river, through development and testing of a conceptual model The premise is that there are predictable changes in river systems in response to climate change, based on expected changes in amount and timing of flow and changes in nutrient dynamics The Kobuk River, as a relatively undisturbed Arctic system, offers an ideal venue for empirical field studies to examine and predict climate change effects The course instructors/leaders have broad experience in studying river processes and their effects on fish and other biota, as shown in Mount (1995) and Moyle (2002) and attached resumes A Statement of issue Climate change is having a more powerful influence on Arctic ecosystems than on any other ecosystems in the world Arctic river systems and their biota are going to be increasingly affected by major changes in the flow regime, especially timing of peak flows, increase in flows, extent of high flows, changes in water quality and nutrient dynamics, and changes in riparian and aquatic community structure and composition Arctic rivers, with their likely strong response to warming, are a good place to start to develop predictive models of climate change impacts These relatively undisturbed rivers are also ideal for training students to design research programs and to develop conceptual models that can be used to predict biotic and physical system responses to climate change B Literature summary An important function of ecogeomorphology course is to have the students develop a comprehensive background literature survey Students will assemble an exhaustive bibliography of relevant papers, including published and unpublished, or “grey” literature This survey, which will be made available to the NPS upon completion and will be posted on the course website; it will also form the basis of the conceptual model developed this spring The literature summary below is therefore only meant to show major issues and sources of information, rather than being exhaustive The literature on Arctic freshwater systems and how they will be affected by climate change is summarized in a series of excellent symposium papers in Ambios (see introduction by Wrona et al 2006) and in the Journal of Geophysical Research (see Vorosmarty et al 2008) A basic conclusion from the Ambios symposium is that climate change effects are hard to predict because of the “poor understanding of Arctic freshwater systems and their basic interrelationships with climate and other environmental variables, and partly due to a paucity of long-term freshwater monitoring sites and integrated hydrological research programs in the Arctic (Wrona et al.2006, p 326)” Likewise, Vorosmarty et al.(2008) conclude: “Our understanding of the drivers and responses to change, while substantially improved by the last decade of Arctic water cycle research, still requires much work (p.5).” Concern over Arctic rivers has increased greatly in recent years with the realization that (1) climate change is already having dramatic effects on Arctic ecosystems (Smol and Douglas 2007) and (2) Arctic flow regimes are likely to be the most altered in the world, with flows greatly increased by melting permafrost and other changes (Palmer et al 2008) The Kobuk River watershed is one of the largest in northwest Alaska (31, 028 km2) and the river has an annual average flow of 438 m3 sec (Brabetts 2001) The Upper Kobuk River, including the portions within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, is also one of the most pristine in Alaska, if not the world, forming an ideal site to distinguish the effects of climate change from other anthropogenic influences Most rivers show a high degree of disturbance so observing one with minimal change from human use is an unusual opportunity (Poff et al 1997; Poole 2002; Postel and Richter 2003) Within the Park the river has a broad array of habitats typical of Arctic rivers, ranging from deep headwater lakes to steep-gradient bedrock rivers to highly sinuous, meandering alluvial rivers with broad permafrost floodplains The lack of significant glaciers within the watershed increases ease of study, because clearer water may make underwater observation possible Flows in the Kobuk River are high in summer and low in winter The summer river is apparently also comparatively warm (14-16°C) and productive, so is an attractive rearing area for fish, which move downstream from headwater lakes, upstream from the ocean, or laterally from floodplain lakes The fish fauna contains about 16 documented species (out of 22 possible), although only about 13 are encountered on a regular basis (Table 1) Most of the species but especially the coregonids, have been little studied in Arctic rivers although some basic biological information is available (Morrow 1980, Mecklenburg et al 2002, and references therein) Many of the species are also found in Arctic Siberia Name Chum salmon Scientific name Oncorhynchus keta Arctic char/Dolly varden Lake trout Arctic grayling Inconnu (sheefish) Least cisco Broad whitefish Salvelinus alpinus/ S malma Salvelinus namycush Thymallus arcticus Stenodus leucichthys Coregonus sardinella Coregonus nasus Humpback whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis Prosopium cylindraceum Esox lucius Catostomus catostomus Lota lota Cottus cognatus Dallia pectoralis Pungitius pungitius Round whitefish Northern pike Long-nosed sucker Burbot Slimy sculpin Alaska blackfish Nine-spine stickleback notes Pink, coho, and Chinook and sockeye also present on occasion Both species may be part of a char complex Table Common fishes of the Kobuk River Over 22 species could potentially occur in the river, so this represents a minimal list for the upper watershed (Mecklenburg et al 2002; C Zimmerman, USGS, Anchorage, pers comm.) Pond smelt (Hypomesus olidus) rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and Bering cisco all occur in the lower watershed but are unlikely to be found at sampling sites above Kobuk Village King salmon (O tshawytscha) as well as other Pacific salmon are present annually but in extremely low numbers Individuals appear to be strays (Jim Menard, ADFG, Kotzebue, pers comm.) The conceptual models will be developed using a format a number of us are familiar with, developed for California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta An example of a model for a Kobuk foodweb is presented in Figure 1, which was developed by John Durand, one of the graduate students enrolled in the course The model is very preliminary but provides some idea of what we plan to develop Figure Preliminary conceptual model of Kobuk River foodweb, to demonstrate the kind of model we will produce Each box will contain a submodel of interactions Explanations of the arrows follow the circled numbers, as indicatedbelow Explanations for drivers (arrows) in food web model for Kobuk River This is a very preliminary model, for demonstration, based on more detailed models developed for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Information on the Kobuk River is from Brabetts (2001), inferred from studies of other arctic systems (Wrona et al 2006; Vorosmarty et al 2008), and from the principal investigator’s knowledge of river ecosystems 1.11 Turbidity to Primary Production Changes in water clarity can impact the rate of primary production in aquatic plants, or emergence in shallow water vegetation Under conditions of stratification, high turbidity may inhibit periphyton production Warming trends may increase the amount of carbon inputs through changes in decomposition, runoff and cycling rates, affecting turbidity 1.12 Residence Time to Nutrients etc Residence time of water in backwaters, floodplain ponds, pools, and other geomorphic features affects ability of plants to utilize nutrients and carbon, as well as the population abundance of benthic organisms 1.13 Temperature to Organic Carbon/Nutrients Temperature may affect rate at which organic carbon and nutrients are cycled through the ecosystem Increased temperatures may result in release of carbon and nutrients that have been locked in storage due to freezing or terrestrial sequestration 1.21 Nutrients to Primary Production Nutrient availability may be a key controlling factor on primary production rates 1.31 Primary Production to Benthic Invertebrates Aquatic insects are largely responsible for converting periphyton, leaf litter, and riparian vegetation to available biomass for higher trophic organisms 1.32 Benthic production to Drift Drifting aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates are a major source of energy transfer (food) converting periphyton and terrestrial organic matter (e.g., leaves) to available biomass for higher trophic level organisms 1.41 Organic Carbon to Microbial Organisms Organic carbon may be utilized by a variety of unicellular organisms from bacteria to ciliates This alternate foodweb is driven not be primary production but by sediment release or organic cycling Organic carbon based foodwebs tend to be many-tiered, more reticulate and less productive for higher trophic level organisms 1.51 Microbial Organisms to Benthic Invertebrates Aquatic insects may use microbial organisms; usage may increase with increased sediment inputs Organismal shifts may occur if primary production is suppressed and organic carbon is increased by large influxes of sediments 1.61 Benthic Invertebrates to Fish Aquatic insects form and important component of diet for many stream fishes 1.62 Benthic Invertebrates to Mammals Aquatic insects form and important component of diet for many mammals 1.63 Benthic Invertebrates to Fish Aquatic insects form and important component of diet for many birds 1.71 Drift to Fish Many fish species rely on drift as a major source of food 1.81 Fish to Mammals Fish may form a critical part of the diets of large mammals, particularly bears 1.82 Fish to Birds Fish may form a critical part of the diets of birds 1.91 Consumers to Nutrients Waste from consumers is directed back into the nutrient cycle via direct aquatic inputs, or from terrestrial inputs which are transported to the aquatic environment through runoff Nutrient pools are subject to changes in temperature which may affect metabolic rates (both for uptake and release), and to changes in both terrestrial and aquatic residence time (influenced largely by runoff) Atmospheric may have a large impact as well, especially in low nitrogen ecosystems In addition, spawning chum salmon may be a major source of nutrients for the system C Scope of Study The field portion of the study will take place August 11-23 from the mouth of Walker Lake to the town of Kobuk (Figure 2) Approximately two thirds of the sampling will be within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve The remainder of the sampling will be west of the Park above Kobuk In order to maximize observable downstream changes in habitats and foodwebs, we will traverse the river by raft We intend to spend at least one and one-half days sampling the lake to gain a better understanding of a major source of water, nutrients, and fish Upon leaving Walker Lake, we will focus our sampling efforts within the three river segments shown in Figure Using a stratified sampling approach, we will stop at approximately 10 locations on the mainstem to sample fish, invertebrates, and water quality, plus an additional 10 sites on tributaries to sample invertebrates and water quality The locations will be divided among the three major geomorphic reaches of the Kobuk: the canyon reach, upper Nazuruk reach, and lower Nazuruk reach (Figure 2) Sampling site locations will be vetted with Park biologists in order to maximize their contribution to on-going Park studies At each of these locations we will: 1) prepare a geomorphic/habitat map using standard surveying techniques; 2) characterize water quality and flow conditions within each habitat; and 3) sample invertebrates and, where possible, fish All study sites will be geospatially located using GPS (Trimble XM) Information collected at each site will be documented in field notes and data sheets and incorporated into a class GIS During the entire traverse from Walker Lake to Kobuk we will use a Hydrolab to continuously record water temperature, turbidity, clarity, conductivity, and pH Figure Map of study reaches of Kobuk River D Intended use of results This study is primarily for the purpose of training beginning graduate students to work in interdisciplinary teams to determine the potential effects of climate change The results, however, will be posted on a website, so will be available as background material for others to use, and will contribute to the basic background on the ecology of the Kobuk River Because our sites will be geospatially located (i.e., our data will be posted and linked to each site on a GIS-based map), the information could form the basis for repeated samplings in the future Our intention is also to publish a formal, peer-reviewed paper on the conceptual model of climate change effects in an Arctic River III Objectives Our objective is to make inferences about the impact of climate change on an Arctic River ecosystem, using conceptual models as the framework for analysis As part of the refinement of this model, our field studies will document faunal diversity and composition changes due to: distance and declining influence from Walker Lake, downstream increase in tributary influence with distance from the lake, downstream changes in habitat with overall decline in gradient, and localized habitat heterogeneity associated with tributary/mainstem interactions The focus of the conceptual model development will be on food web dynamics (and the physical influences on food webs) in order to make firstorder predictions about the impact of climate change IV Methods A Study Area The area of study is shown in Figure We have broken our study up into one lake study site (mouth of Walker Lake) and 20 sites within three river segments, based on general geomorphic and hydrologic conditions Within each of the three river segments, we propose to conduct surveys at six to seven sites, divided equally between mainstem sites that exhibit representative habitat conditions and tributary confluences The precise locations of proposed sampling locations will depend on access (landing) points along the river and distance from previous area B Procedures An important element of this class is to practice low-impact camping and research The Ecogeomorphology course has a long tradition in this regard, including experience working in remote settings (e.g Copper River, Skeena River) as well as in National Parks (e.g.,Wrangell-St Elias, Grand Canyon, Dinosaur National Monument) We recognize that we are a large group (14 total) and that special care must be taken to minimize our impacts on the land, wildlife and other park visitors To that end, our research practice will be to move camp every day, select gravel bar or bare point bar sites where possible for camping, confine our activity to the river and riparian corridor, and to leave no trace Additionally, all of our field protocols involve non-destructive sampling methods that minimize impact on the habitats and wildlife we are studying Our trip leader is Dennis Johnson, an expert on Leave No Trace camping with experience on many remote rivers, including leading our trips down the Copper River and Skeena River (B.C.) Mr Johnson is the Director Emeritus of UC Davis Outdoor Adventures, where Leave No Trace camping principals are an integral part of the student training curriculum We will seek additional input from NPS on the unique challenges of the Kobuk environment before we start the trip At each river survey site, the following procedures will be followed All of the information collected will be used to constrain or inform a conceptual model like the one shown in Figure  Development of a geomorphic/habitat map This georeferenced map will be used to locate all invertebrate and fish sampling sites and to characterize physical habitat conditions The map will be constructed using a combination laser rangefinder and tape Where feasible, topographic and channel cross sections will be surveyed using standard techniques Where riparian plants are to be surveyed, we will establish 50-100m transects using standard survey techniques All transects and sampling points will be located using GPS No permanent benchmarks or monuments will be established and no site excavations will occur  Small fish will be collected using a 10 x 1.2m beach seine, with a 1x1x1 m bag, and mm mesh and a 3.2 x 1.2m seine with mm mesh All fish collected will be removed from the net immediately and placed alive in buckets of water Fish in the buckets will be identified, measured (fork length) and returned to the water If more than 25 individuals of any species are collected, only the first 25 will be measured if fish appear to be stressed At each site a minimum of two seine hauls will be made with the 10 m bag seine and the area covered by each haul determined Basic sampling and recording procedures follow Overton et al (1997) and Moyle et al      (2003) Species will be identified using keys and information in Mecklenberg et al (2002) and Morrow (1980) Where identification is questionable, photographs will be taken for possible later confirmation of tentative identification Large predatory fish will be sampled using hook-and-line, following legal sportfishing regulations, identified, and measured Efforts will be made to geolocate all catches Samples of both large and small fish will have stomach contents determined using a simple gastric lavage, consisting of a squirt bottle and small aquarium net into which the gut contents are flushed with one or two quick squirts of water We have found this procedure works well for field determination of diets because it is rapid and does little harm to the fish Where feasible, aquatic invertebrates will be sampled using kick nets in riffles or by sweeping shallow areas with a dip net All invertebrate samples will be sorted and identified to family in the field; EPT indices, species richness, and other measures will be determined from the data, using rapid bioassessment procedures (Harrington and Borne 2000) For kick net samples, a minimum of three will be taken at each site Invertebrates will be kept alive during sorting (in pans and ice cube trays) and returned to the water after counting All sampling sites will be characterized based on their water quality conditions At each fish or invertebrate sampling location, depth, substrate (using Wolman counts in coarse sediment sites) and water quality (secchi depth, conductivity, pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen) will be measured This information will be integrated with the longitudinal water quality survey to be measured using the Hydrolab In addition, at selected sites we will conduct more detailed water quality assessments in order to evaluate the influence that nutrient dynamics may play in driving primary productivity Grab samples of water will be taken in triplicate and analyzed using a hand held colorimeter We will measure concentrations of the following water quality constituents in Walker Lake and the Kobuk River Constituent Reactive Phosphorus Nitrate Silica Boron Iron Copper Calcium Manganese  Method HACH Phosver Chromotropic Acid Method Silicomolybdate Method Azomethine-H Method HACH Ferrover Bicinchoninate Hardness Periodite Oxidation Tests for P, N, Si, Fe and Mn will give an indication of micronutrient concentrations and existing nutrient limitations in the system Tests for B, Cu, Si, Ca and Fe will give some clues as to the existing populations of plankton species and the potential for invasion by other plankton species in the system All birds and mammals observed in the sample site region will be identified and rough abundance scored (1 = just one sighting; = common, seen on most days, usually in small numbers; = abundant; observed daily, in numbers and are intermediate values.) C Collections We will not keep any specimens of the species captured or observed, with the possible exception of a few aquatic invertebrates retained for verification of identification All organisms will be returned alive to the river D Analysis The data collected will be summarized and compared graphically Where merited, simple statistical tests (t-test, chi square, non-parametric ranking tests etc.) will be used to compare results between sites However, most analyses will be empirical, with the students developing a narrative that describes and assesses trends in observations and data All analyses and data will be posted on our website and copies will be sent to appropriate NPS staff The conceptual model will be supported by verbal descriptions of the linkages and how they were derived E Schedule The students will prepare for the sampling by reading and reporting on relevant literature during regular class meetings between April and June 15 They will also be trained in this period with the basic sampling techniques to be used, although most are already experienced The field schedule is as follows:  Depart from Bettles, arrive near the mouth of Walker Lake on August 11th using BRA float planes  Depart Walker Lake using four rafts (two oarframe, two paddle boat) on August 13th  Sample the three river segments shown in Figure (roughly equal time in each segment) during the period August 13th-21st  Depart Kobuk Airport on the afternoon of August 22nd for Fairbanks on Wright Air Upon return to UC Davis on August 24th, students will complete final reports and data analysis and post on the web All aspects of the class, including submission of the peerreviewed manuscript summarizing the conceptual model, are to be completed by December 1, 2008 At that time, all reports will be submitted to NPS and posted on the class website F Budget The approximate budget for this trip is $35,000, which includes transportation for all students, staff and guides, rental of equipment, food, and servicing of analytical equipment This course is funded entirely by the University of California, Davis, Roy Shlemon Chair in Applied Geosciences (held my Mount) and is offered at no cost to the students V Products A Reports The principal outcome of the studies will be written up as formal reports that will be posted on our website (see IIa) Reports from previous research/teaching trips are reported on the website as well Hardcopies will be provided to NPS on request B Collections No specimens will be collected for preservation C Data and other materials We expect to produce maps of each study site showing prominent geomorphic and biological features, as well as photographs documenting each site These will be posted on the website Data will also be posted on the website, with geospatial links to a map The GIS reports will be developed by Dr JoshuaViers, Information Center for the Environment, UC Davis Copies of raw data sheets will be available on request VI Literature Cited Brabets, T 2001 Hydrologic data and proposed water quality monitoring network for the Kobuk River Basin, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, and Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska U.S Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigation Report 01-4141, 29 pp Harrington, J and M Born 2000 Measuring the health of California streams and rivers Sustainable Land Stewardship International Institute, Sacramento CA Mecklenburg, CW, TA Mecklenburg, and LK Thorsteinson 2002 Fishes of Alaska American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD Morrow, JE 1980 The freshwater fishes of Alaska Alaska Northwest Publishing Co., Anchorage Mount, JF 1995 California rivers and streams: the conflict between fluvial processes and land use University of California Press, Berkeley Moyle, PB 2002 Inland Fishes of California University of California Press,Berkeley Moyle, PB., PK Crain, K Whitener, and JF Mount 2003 Alien fishes in natural streams: fish distribution, assemblage structure, and conservation in the Cosumnes River, California, USA Env Biol Fish.67:277-288 Overton, C., SP Wollrab, BC Roberts, and MA Radko 1997 Fish and fish habitat standard inventory procedures handbook USFS Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report INT-GTR-346:73 pp Poff NL and others 1997 The natural flow regime: a paradigm for river conservation and restoration Bioscience 47:769-784 Poole, GC 2002 Fluvial landscape ecology: addressing uniqueness with the river discontinuum Freshwater Biology 47:641-660 Postel, S and B Richter 2003 Rivers for life: managing water for people and nature Island Press, Washington DC Smol, JP and MSV Douglas 2007 From controversy to consensus: making the case for recent climate change in the Arctic using lake sediments Front Ecol Environ 5:466-474 Vorosmarty, C., L Hinzman, and J Pundsack 2008 Introduction to special section on changes to the Arctic freshwater system: identification, attribution, and impacts at local and global scales J Geophysical Research 113 (GO1S91):1-5 Wrona, FJ And five others 2006 Climate impacts on Arctic freshwater ecosystems and fisheries: background,rationale, and approach of the Arctic Climate Change Impact Assessment (ACIA) Ambios 35: 326-336 VII Qualifications Resumes of Mount and Moyle, the principal investigators, are attached VIII Supporting documentation A Safety The highest priority for this trip is safety Along with at least three guides with Wilderness First Aid or Emergency Medical Technician training, the trip has an appointed Safety Officer (following UC Davis protocols) The Safety Officer, Dennis Johnson, who will also be the head guide for the trip, has extensive experience on Alaskan wilderness rivers and will develop guidelines for field safety and prepare evacuation and emergency response protocols In addition, the Safety Officer will take on the role of instructing students in how to work in bear country and how to handle all wild animal confrontations No firearms will be brought on this trip However, bear spray will be provided for all research teams In order to reduce conflicts, research teams will consist of a minimum of five individuals Along with required wilderness first aid kits, the trip will carry a satellite phone for emergencies Strict adherence to all guidelines to maintain minimal environmental impact will be enforced at all times B Access to study sites Float planes will be used to ferry trip participants and equipment to Walker Lake on August 11th A charter flight will return the class to Fairbanks from Kobuk on August 22nd We will use whitewater rafts (both oar and paddle boats) to access all field sites As outlined above, we will camp on gravel bars and point bars to minimize impacts We expect to have 14 people in our party, including 10 students, two faculty, and two guides Two graduate students are part-time professional guides C Equipment Sampling equipment is minimal, as described in the methods For sampling fish we will use two small seines and dipnets Kicknets will be used for sampling invertebrates There will be no stationary samplers Water quality sampling will be conducted with a Hydrolab D Chemical use No hazardous chemicals will be employed E Ground disturbance No significant ground disturbance will occur All substrate studies will be conducted using Wollman pebble counts of surface materials F Animal welfare Our sampling methods have been approved by the UCD IACUC committee (Protocol #10717) The committee can be reached at IACUC-staff@ucdavis.edu G NPS assistance None is requested H Wilderness minimum requirement protocols We will follow all regulations and guidelines of the National Park Service for working in the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve We recognize that we are a group that is larger than viewed as optimal by NPS for this region As noted earlier in this permit, the course has a long tradition of working in remote settings and promoting low-impact camping and research that leaves little to no trace We have worked extensively and without conflict in National Parks and Monuments before and anticipate no difficulty in meeting the objectives of the Park and Preserve to minimize impacts JEFFREY F MOUNT Center for Watershed Sciences Department of Geology University of California, Davis, CA 95616 Phone: (530)752-7092 FAX: (530)752-0951 Email: mount@geology.ucdavis.edu Education 1980, Ph.D (Earth Science) University of California, Santa Cruz 1978, M.S ( Earth Science) University of California, Santa Cruz 1976, BA (Geosciences) University of California, Santa Barbara Appointments 1998-present: Director, Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis 1996-2000, Chair, Department of Geology, University of California, Davis 1993-present: Professor, Department of Geology, University of California, Davis 1986 -1993: Associate Professor, Department of Geology, University of California, Davis 1980-1986: Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, University of California, Davis Relevant Publications Hammersmark, C., Rains, M, and Mount, J., 2007, Quantifying the Hydrological Effects of Stream Restoration in a Montane Meadow, Northern California, USA: River Research and Applications, in press Moyle, P.B, and Mount, J.F., 2007, Homogenous rivers, homogenous faunas: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v 104, p 5711-5712 Lund, J., Hanak, E., Fleenor, W., Howitt, R., Mount, J., Moyle, P., 2007, Envisioning Futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, CA., 324 pp Ahearn, D, Viers, J, Mount, J.F., Dahlgren, R., 2006, Priming the productivity pump: flood pulse driven trends in algal biomass across a restored floodplain: Freshwater Biology, v 51, p 11417-1433 Booth, E., Mount, J.F., and Viers, J., 2006, Hydrologic variability of the Cosumnes River Floodplain: San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, v 4, issue 2, article Yarnell, S., Mount, J.F., and Larsen, E., 2006, The influence of relative sediment supply on riverine habitat heterogeneity: Geomorphology, v 80, p 310-324 Florsheim, J.L., Mount, J.F., and Constantine, C.R., 2005, A geomorphic monitoring and adaptive assessment framework to assess the effect of lowland floodplain river restoration on channel-floodplain sediment continuity, River Research and Applications, v 21, p 123 Mount, J.F., and Twiss, R.H., 2005, Subsidence, sea-level rise and seismicity in the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta: San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, v 3, issue 1, article Rains, M.C., Mount, J.F., and Larsen, E.W., 2005, Simulated changes in shallow groundwater and vegetation distributions under different reservoir operations scenarios Ecological Applications, v 14, p 192-207 Lewis W M., R M Adams, E B Cowling, E S Helfman, C D Howard, R J Huggett, N E Langston, J F Mount, P B Moyle, T J Newcomb, M L Pace, and J B Ruhl., 2004, Scientific Evaluation of Biological Opinions on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin: National Academy Press, Washington, D.C 397 pp Weissmann, G S., Zhang, Y., Fogg, G E., and Mount, J F., 2004, Influence of incisedvalley fill deposits on the hydrogeology of a stream-dominated alluvial fan, in Bridge, J.S., and Hyndman, D.W., eds., Aquifer Characterization: SEPM Special Publication 80, p 15-28 Constantine, C R., J F Mount, and J L Florsheim, 2003, The effects of longitudinal differences in gravel mobility on the downstream-fining pattern in the Cosumnes River, California Journal of Geology, v 111, p 233-241 Suchanek, T.H., et al., 2003, Evaluating and managing a multiply stressed ecosystem at Clear Lake, California: a holistic approach, in Rapport, D.J, W.L Lasley, De.E Rolston, N Ole Nielsen, C.O Qualset, and A.B Damania, Managing for Healthy Ecosystems, Lewis Publishers, New York, p 1239-1272 Florsheim, J.L., and Mount, J.F., 2003, Changes in lowland floodplain sedimentation process, pre-disturbance to post-rehabilitation: Cosumnes River, California, Geomorpology, v 56, p.305-323 Mount, J.F., Florsheim, J.L., and Trowbridge, W.B., 2002, Restoration of dynamic floodplain topography and riparian vegetation establishment through engineered levee breaching: IAHS Publication 276, p 85-91 Florsheim, J.L., and Mount, J.F., 2002, Restoration of floodplain topography by sand splay complex formation in response to intentional levee breaches, Lower Cosumnes River, California: Geomorphology, v 44, p 67-94 Synergistic Activities 2007 Science Advisor, Governor’s Delta Vision Task Force 2006-present, Chair, CALFED Bay-Delta Authority Independent Science Board 2001-present, holder of the UC Davis Shlemon Chair in Applied Geosciences 2003-2006, co-holder of the President’s Chair in Undergraduate Education 2001-2005, Member, California State Reclamation Board 2001-2002, Member, US Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Advisory Board Honors 2006 Harriett Wieder Award for Leadership in Pursuit of Southern California’s Water Future 2005 UC Davis Distinguished Public Service Award 17 PETER B MOYLE Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology And Center for Watershed Science University of California, Davis Shields Avenue, Davis Ca 95616 pbmoyle@ucdavis.edu 530-752-6355, fax: 530-752-4154 Web site: http://wfcb.ucdavis.edu/www/Faculty/Peter/petermoyle 1964 1966 1969 1969 - 1972 1972 – present 1982 - 1987 2002-present EDUCATION University of Minnesota B.A Cornell University M.S University of Minnesota Ph.D - Zoology Conservation Zoology UNIVERSITY POSITIONS Assistant Professor, Biology, California State University, Fresno, CA Assistant to Full Professor, University of California, Davis, California Chair, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Biology, University of California, Davis, California Associate Director, Center for Integrated Watershed Science and Management UCD PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES/ORGANIZATIONS American Fisheries Society (national & local chapters); American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; Ecological Society of America; Desert Fishes Council; Society for Conservation Biology; AAAS; AIBS AWARDS Award of Excellence, Western Division, American Fisheries Society (1991); Haig-Brown Award, California Trout (1993); Distinguished Fellow, Gilbert Ichthyological Society (1993); Fellow, California Academy of Sciences (1993); Bay Education Award, Bay Institute (1994); Public Service Award, UCD (1995); Outstanding Educator Award, American Fisheries Society (1995, with J J Cech); Streamkeeper Award, Putah Creek Council (1997); Distinguished Ecologist, Colorado State University (2001); Outstanding Mentor Award, UCD (2003); President’s Chair in Undergraduate Education, UCD (20032005, with J Mount) American Fisheries Society National Award of Excellence (2007) SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES Editorial Boards Environmental Biology of Fishes and Biological Conservation, and UC Publications in Zoology Editorial Committee, University of California Press Expert testimony: Bay/Delta Hearings, State Water Resources Control Board; Congressional hearings, etc Head, Delta Native Fishes Recovery Team (1993-1995); Member, Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Team (1994-1996); Member, Independent Science Board, 18 CALFED Ecosystem Restoration Program; Vice President, The Natural Heritage Institute; Fisheries Consultant, City and County of San Francisco Member, National Research Council Committee on Endangered Fishes in the Klamath Basin (2002-2003) TEACHING Teach basic courses in fish biology, wildlife conservation, fisheries, watershed ecology, and nature/culture Co-authored (with J Cech) widely used ichthyology text (5th edition, 2003) and co-edited (with C Schreck) American Fisheries Society handbook on techniques for working with fish Active in Graduate Group in Ecology Steering Committee, Nature and Culture Program SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Author or co-author of over 160 peer-reviewed publications, including five books Moyle, P B and P J Randall 1998 Evaluating the biotic integrity of watersheds in the Sierra Nevada, California Conservation Biology 12: 1318-1326 Yoshiyama, R M., E R Gerstung, F W Fisher, and P B Moyle 2000 Chinook salmon in California’s Central Valley: an assessment Fisheries (Bethesda) 25(2):6-20 Marchetti, M P and P B Moyle 2001 Effects of flow regime and habitat structure on fish assemblages in a regulated California stream Ecological Applications 11: 530-539 Yoshiyama, R M., E R Gerstung, F W Fisher, and P B Moyle 2001 Historical and present distribution of chinook salmon in the Central Valley Pages 71-176 in R Brown, ed Contributions to the biology of Central Valley salmonids CDFG Fish Bulletin 179 Moyle, P B 2002 Inland Fishes of California Revised and Expanded Berkeley: University of California Press 502 pp Matern, S A., P B Moyle, and L C Pierce 2002 Native and alien fishes in a California estuarine marsh: twenty-one years of changing assemblages Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 131:797-816 Marchetti, M P., P B Moyle, and R Levine 2004 Alien fishes in California watersheds: characteristics of successful and failed invaders Ecological Applications 14:587-596 Moyle, P.B., R D Baxter, T Sommer, T C Foin, and S A Matern 2004 Biology and population dynamics of Sacramento Splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) in the San Francisco Estuary: a review San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science [online serial] 2(2):1-47 Hogan, Z S., P B Moyle, B May, M J Vander Zander, and I G Baird 2004 The imperiled giants of the Mekong American Scientist 92: 228-237 Moyle P.B and J A Israel 2005 Untested assumptions: effectiveness of screening diversions for conservation of fish populations Fisheries 30 (5):20-28 Ribeiro, F., P K Crain, and P B Moyle 2004 Variation in condition factor and growth in young-of-year fishes in floodplain and riverine habitats of the Cosumnes River, California Hydrobiologia 527:77-84 Moyle, P.B and M P Marchetti 2006 Predicting invasion success: freshwater fishes in California as a model Bioscience 56:515-524 Merz, J F and P B Moyle 2006 Salmon, wildlife and wine: Marine derived nutrients in human-dominated ecosystems of central California Ecological Applications 16: 999-1009 Moyle, P B and J F Mount 2007 Homogenized rivers, homogenized faunas Proceedings, National Academy of Sciences 104: 5711-5712 Lund, J., E Hanak., W Fleenor, W., R Howitt, J Mount, and P Moyle 2007 Envisioning futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of California 284 pp Moyle P.B., Crain P.K., and Whitener K 2007 Patterns in the use of a restored California floodplain by native and alien fishes San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science 5(3):1-27 http://repositories.cdlib.org/jmie/sfews/vol5/iss3/art1 ... Brabets, T 2001 Hydrologic data and proposed water quality monitoring network for the Kobuk River Basin, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, and Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska... regulations and guidelines of the National Park Service for working in the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve We recognize that we are a group that is larger than viewed as optimal... (GO1S91):1-5 Wrona, FJ And five others 2006 Climate impacts on Arctic freshwater ecosystems and fisheries: background,rationale, and approach of the Arctic Climate Change Impact Assessment (ACIA) Ambios