Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2022, 09:00 – 16:30 – PRESENTATIONS

09:00 Welcome, AMAAB Business, Announcements
Jenna Krug & Brian Henning, NJDEP - 2022 AMAAB President & Co-Chair/Jeopardy Host (jenna.krug@dep.nj.gov; brian.henning@dep.nj.gov)

09:10 Potentially Toxigenic (PTOX) Cyanobacteria Observed in New Jersey During Multi-species Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Events
Leah Anne Gibala-Smith, NJDEP, Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring (leah.gibala-smith@dep.nj.gov)

09:30 Investigating the Effects of Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms on the Vulnerability to Shell Disease of Northern Red-bellied Turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) in New Jersey
Meiyin Wu, New Jersey Center for Water Science & Technology, Montclair State University(wum@montclair.edu)

09:50 Assessing Harmful Algal Blooms at a Recreational Lake in Northern New Jersey Using Satellite Imagery
David Hsu, New Jersey Center for Water Science & Technology, Montclair State University (hsut@mail.montclair.edu)

10:10 Assessment of Digital Imaging Flow Cytometry in its Application of Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring
Melissa Mazzaro, New Jersey Center for Water Science & Technology, Montclair State University (mazzarom@montclair.edu)

10:30 - 10:50 BREAK 20 minutes – JEOPARDY Round 1

10:50 Freshwater Probabilistic Monitoring Reporting Advances and Programmatic Integration at VDEQ – 40 min
Emma Jones, VADEQ (emma.jones@deq.virginia.gov)

11:30 Stream Fish Life History Strategies Explained by Environmental Stability 
Nathaniel Hitt, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (nhitt@usgs.gov)

11:50 Using Environmental DNA for Surveillance and Monitoring of Aquatic Invasive Species
Julie Lockwood, Rutgers University (julie.lockwood@rutgers.edu)

12:10 – 13:10 LUNCH 1 HOUR

13:10 Creating Native vs Non-Native Fish Status in Virginia by HUC 8
Brett Stern and Royce Steiner, VADEQ (royce.steiner@deq.virginia.gov; brett.stern@deq.virginia.gov)

13:30 Spatial and Temporal Analyses of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Smallmouth Bass Plasma from Sites in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Vicki Blazer, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (vblazer@usgs.gov)

13:50 Aquatic Life Use Assessments Using a Thermal Fish Index – 60 min
Tim Wertz and Matt Shank, PADEP (twertz@pa.gov; mattheshan@pa.gov)

14:50 – 15:10 BREAK 20 minutes – JEOPARDY Round 2

15:10 Making an Alphabet Soup of RBPs and SDMs: Using Multiple Tools to Inform Unionid Mussel Restoration
Selina Cheng, Maryland DNR (selina.cheng@maryland.gov)

15:20 Evaluating the Hydrology, Water-Quality, and Ecological Communities of Two Restored Urban-Suburban Streams in Northern Virginia
Brendan Foster, USGS VA/WV Water Science Center (bfoster@usgs.gov)

15:30 10 Years of Continuous Instream Monitoring in Susquehanna River Basin - StoryMap and Data Dashboard
Luanne Steffy, Susquehanna River Basin Commission (lsteffy@srbc.net)

15:40 Karst Terrain Promotes Thermal Resiliency in Headwater Streams
Karmann Kessler, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (kkessler@usgs.gov)

15:50 Developing a Chesapeake Bay Watershed-Wide View of Biological Status & Trends
Kevin Krause, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (kkrause@usgs.gov)

16:00 Comparing Salt Dilution and Acoustic Doppler Methods for Measuring Discharge in Remote Headwater Streams
Karli Rogers, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (kmrogers@usgs.gov)

16:10 Announcements/Business-Elections/Adjourn

DAY 2: March 31, 2022, 09:00 – 12:00 – WORKSHOPS

1. Trichoptera Identification
Facilitator: Andy Rasmussen (andrew.rasmussen@famu.edu) & Alex Orfinger (alexander1.orfinger@famu.edu), Florida A&M University
We will present a half-day online workshop on the taxonomic identification of larval Trichoptera (caddisflies). Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and contribute to the discussion. The instructors will cover a wide range of topics including: Classification, Morphology and Identification, Taxonomic Resources, Identification of Polycentropodidae (Trumpet-Net Caddisflies), and Molecular Identification.

2. Stressor Identification Using CADDIS
Facilitator: Kate Schofield, USEPA Integrated Environmental Assessment Branch, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (schofield.kate@epa.gov)
Thousands of waterbodies in the United States are listed as biologically impaired; for many of these waterbodies the cause of impairment is reported as “unknown.” Before appropriate management actions can be developed and implemented, the causes of these impairments must be identified. CADDIS—the Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System—is an online application designed to help users conduct these causal assessments. CADDIS provides a strength of evidence-based framework for stressor identification, along with information and tools (e.g., stressor summaries, analytical tools and examples, case studies) that can assist in identifying likely causes of biological impairment in streams and rivers. This workshop will provide an overview of CADDIS, including the Stressor Identification process and the supporting information and tools available on the CADDIS website. It will draw from regionally relevant examples to illustrate how CADDIS has been used and end with discussion of how future development of CADDIS can better address your key stressor identification needs. Go to epa.gov/caddis to learn more about Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS).

3. Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): Identification Using eDNA and Overview of a Statewide HABs Response Strategy
Facilitator: Christopher Main, DNREC (christopher.main@delaware.gov); Vic Poretti (victor.poretti@dep.nj.gov), Robert Schuster (robert.schuster@dep.nj.gov), Leah Gibala-Smith (leah.gibala-smith@dep.nj.gov), and Deidre Supple (deidre.supple@dep.nj.gov), NJDEP
Dr. Christopher Main from Delaware DNREC will cover the identification of HABs using eDNA while Bob Schuster and Vic Poretti will present details of NJDEP’s marine and freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Response Strategies. Understanding freshwater Harmful Cyanobacteria Algal Blooms (HABs), their risks to human health, how to respond and monitor HABs, and proper response actions to protect human health during recreational activities. The session will include NJDEP’s monitoring, analysis, and communication protocols as well as advanced technology being piloted. Email Jenna Krug at jenna.krug@dep.nj.gov with any questions.

4. An Introduction to Rendering Reports Using R
Facilitator: Lou Reynolds, USEPA (reynolds.louis@epa.gov)
This workshop will introduce the capabilities of R for publishing reports as html, pdf, and Word documents. The integration of data wrangling, analysis, visualization, and presentation is an important aspect of reproducible research. Written reports are an important, and many times, required way to present data. We will cover the basics and some more intermediate aspects of going from R code to documents – so it is helpful if you are familiar and comfortable with R. If you are already proficient and comfortable producing reports in R, this is not the course for you. It is important to have R, and R Studio, already installed on your computer. Questions about the course are welcome.