IAN eNewsletter Articles - Integration and Application Network

Course in communicating science effectively

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:36:42 -0400

The Integration and Application Network is conducting a three-day course in communicating science effectively. The course is being held in Cambridge, Maryland, 7-9 May, 2013. The hands-on approach means that participants come away from the course with the technical skills to effectively communicate scientific information in a variety of communication products. Further details and online registration are available on the course website.

In a second report card, the Oil Spill Commission gives Congress a D+.

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:36:42 -0400

The Oil Spill Commission Action, which is an outgrowth of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, has released a second report card entitled Assessing Progress: Three Years Later. The Administration, Congress, and the Oil Industry are graded on what they have and have not done to improve the safety of offshore exploration and drilling as outlined in the preceeding April 2012 report, Assessing Progress: Implementing the Recommendations of the National Oil Spill Commission. IAN science communication staff participated in the production of both reports.

Climate Change Impact newsletters

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:36:42 -0400

These two newsletters, published in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, provide guidance for dealing with climate change. Changes in Maryland's climate will likely have far-reaching impacts, most notably those associated with rising sea level, increasing temperatures, and changes in precipitation patterns. In order to protect local citizens from public health and safety risks and to protect public and private investments, communities should begin to plan for the impacts of climate change. Communities are encouraged to designate Climate Change Impact Areas at the local level and to develop strategies to avoid or reduce impacts. Policies can also be developed that address one or more specific climate-related impacts. These two newsletters are in a series of newsletters on Climate Change Impact Areas, with several more coming out this summer.

Participatory Approaches for the Planning and Development of Marine Protected Areas

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:36:42 -0400

This report was created through the WWF/NOAA Capacity Building Partnership within the MedPAN South Project. The participatory engagement of stakeholders is perhaps the most important component of the planning and development of a Marine Protected Area. Meaningful engagement depends on the ability of practitioners to build a healthy, lasting, and trustful relationship with stakeholders, including local communities. The approaches described in this guidebook are intended to help practitioners navigate this process.

Special issue of Water Research & Education

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:36:42 -0400

A special issue on Water Education for Sustainability in Higher Education in the Journal for Contemporary Water Research & Education was just published, an outcome of a workshop in Brisbane, Australia, organized by the International WaterCentre. The issue is dedicated to Dr. Peter Oliver, an educator who passed away last November, and includes two papers co-authored by Peter and Bill Dennison on immersive education and popular education.

Course in communicating science effectively

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:26 -0400

Old Woman Creek and Pipe Creek Report Cards

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:26 -0400

The aim of these two report cards is to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of the watershed health for Old Woman Creek and Pipe Creek in 2012. Old Woman Creek, on the south-central shore of Lake Erie, is one of Ohio's few remaining examples of a natural estuary and is designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve and an Ohio State Nature Preserve. Pipe Creek is a small tributary to Sandusky Bay on the south-central shore of Lake Erie to the west of Old Woman Creek. Old Woman Creek and Pipe Creek watershed health is defined as the progress of three water quality indicators (nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus, and turbidity) toward scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals. These three indicators are combined into one overarching Health Index, which is presented as the report card score. Detailed methods and results are available from the Firelands Coastal Tributaries Watershed Program. The overall score for Old Woman Creek was a C in 2012, and for Pipe Creek was a C- in 2012.

USAUS-H2O virtual environmental partnership officially launched

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:26 -0400

The intent of the USAUS-H2O program is to educate and inform responsible stewardship of water resources between U.S. and Australian student teams through an interactive-virtual partnership. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State as part of the Global Connections and Exchange Program. It was officially launched on World Water Day, 22 March 2013 in Canberra, Australia by Peter Garrett, the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood, and Youth, and the U.S. Ambassador, Jeffrey Bleich. The program relies heavily on virtual tools to share data, photos, and stories regarding the water cycle and guides student from the 16 schools through a series of modules. It will be fun to watch as it gets populated with student data, photos, and videos and finally their collaborative H₂O Stories pages.

Seagrass synthesis project

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:26 -0400

Bill Dennison participated in a project entitled "Australian seagrass habitats: Condition and threats" as part of the Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis (ACEAS). The workshop was held at the Moreton Bay Research Station on Stradbroke Island, near Brisbane, Australia in March 2013. Synthesis papers on seagrass resilience are the goal of this working group which involves both seagrass researchers and resource managers. ACEAS, like the U.S. based synthesis centers, for example, National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) and National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), bring small, diverse and focused groups of scientists together for immersive sessions to develop synthetic products.

Welcome to Megean Garvin

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:26 -0400

Megean joins IAN as part of the UMCES and MSDE partnership. She is providing science education support for the MADE CLEAR project. She will coordinate the K-12 work group, which provides teacher professional development opportunities that promote climate science integration into curricula. Prior to joining UMCES, she completed her doctoral degree in Science Education Curriculum and Instruction from UMD, College Park. Her research focused on how curriculum development teams worked to infuse technology into science curricula. She also earned a M.S. degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. degree in Education from Towson University. When she's not working with educators and climate scientists, Megean enjoys time with her husband, Jon, two active children, and two dogs. She also competes in sprint triathlons.

Chesapeake Bay Report Card Photo Contest

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0500

Do you have great photos from around the Bay? We want to see them! Your photo could be on the cover of the 2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card. Submit your photos from 2012 by March 15th and you could win $250, and have your photo on the cover of the report card

An economic analysis of climate change adaptation options in Lami Town, Fiji

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0500

The narrow coastal area of Lami Town, Fiji, is surrounded by steep hills with three rivers flowing to the ocean, making it highly susceptible to flooding and erosion. This technical report provides greater detail of the cost–benefit assessment of four adaptation scenarios to reduce Lami Town's vulnerability to flooding and erosion, both of which are projected to increase due to climate change. These four adaptation scenarios represent the spectrum of ecosystem-based and engineering-based adaptation options. This report compares the cost–benefit of each adaptation scenario in relation to the effectiveness at avoiding damages, provides key recommendations, and a step-by-step process for decision-making.

Science communication course for the MEES Environmental Management students

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0500

A one-day science communication course was conducted at the UMCES Annapolis office as part of the MEES Spring Semester Science for Environmental Management course being taught by Don Boesch and Bill Dennison. The course was attended by 12 PhD and Master's students within the MEES program and focused on conceptual diagrams and PowerPoint presentation skills, as well as a walking tour of downtown Annapolis.

Oyster deltaN-15 as a bioindicator of potential wastewater and poultry farming impacts and degraded water quality in a subestuary of Chesapeake Bay

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0500

Anthropogenic nitrogen contributes to water quality degradation but it is difficult to distinguish sources once they are mixed in coastal ecosystems. Natural abundances of stable nitrogen isotopes were measured in oyster tissues to identify nitrogen sources in Monie Bay which receives freshwater inputs from three tributary creeks. The creeks vary in size and potential nitrogen sources: septic systems, poultry operations, crop fertilizer, and wetlands/forest. Oyster tissue deltaN-15 values indicated a mixture of human and animal sources. Conservatively estimated, poultry in the Monie Bay watershed generated an amount of nitrogen equivalent to that generated by 263% of the human population. Estuaries commonly receive nutrients from both inside and outside their watersheds, and oyster deltaN-15 values elucidated this process locally.

Farewell to Katie Foreman and welcome to Christina Lyerly

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:38:51 -0500

Katie Foreman worked for UMCES at the Chesapeake Bay Program for five years as the Non-tidal Water Quality Analyst. She developed the Chesapeake Watershed Stream Health Index which is an overall assessment of benthic health. In addition, she coordinated the non-tidal workgroup, worked on many reports, including the annual Bay Barometer, and participated in many workshops and conferences. We are sad to see Katie leave, but she has a wonderful new opportunity with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. We wish Katie all the best! Christina Lyerly joins UMCES to jointly support IAN and the Chesapeake Bay Program office. She will assist in co-authoring a Lessons Learned brochure, detailing the results of best management practices implemented in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Christina recently completed an MPP—Environmental Policy and an MS—Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology at the University of Maryland. She gained experience with Chesapeake Bay water quality issues while working at the World Resources Institute and participating in the DNR's Stream Waders program. Sailing with her family inspired her love of the Bay, and she is excited to help improve its health. In addition to sailing, you will also find her skiing the slopes, hiking, and kayaking in western MD and WV.

IAN's social media presence

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:19:49 -0500

IAN is having a social media frenzy! We have fully embraced social media, and are now active on facebook, twitter, pinterest, youtube, and our IAN blog. Check out our facebook likes and check-ins, our media tweets, our pinterest photos and diagrams, and our youtube seminar videos. Bill Dennison has started his own twitter account, and he and Bill Nuttle will be blogging together on the IAN website. Feel free to post your pictures and articles on our facebook page. Tweet us if you see a cool Chesapeake Bay photo or infographic. Or just share your thoughts with us on science communication. We're excited to connect with you virtually as well as in person!

The 2nd Annual Chesapeake Bay Report Card Photo Contest

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:19:49 -0500

Do you have great photos from around the Bay? We want to see them! Your photo could be on the cover of the 2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card. Last year was memorable for the hot, dry summer, Hurricane Sandy late in the year, and, of course, your experiences on and around the Bay. Submit your photos from 2012 weather events, water quality monitoring, or that monster fish that you caught, by March 15th and you could win $250, your photo on the cover of the report card, inclusion in the 2014 IAN calendar, and have your framed photo hang in the UMCES Annapolis Office. Like us on Facebook and watch as we share the winners and runners up from last year.

Assateague Island is Changing

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:19:49 -0500

The natural geomorphological processes on Assateague Island, a Mid-Atlantic barrier island, are being exacerbated by increased storm intensity and sea-level rise, impacting the habitats and wildlife. The National Park Service Assateague Island National Seashore management is taking steps to ensure the sustainability of the park and the visitor experience. This brochure was developed for the US National Park Service as an educational tool to explain these processes and the steps the park is taking; 'promoting resilience', 'being energy smart', and 'being climate ready'.

Red Tides of the West Florida Shelf: Science and Management

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:19:49 -0500

Karenia brevis is a toxic dinoflagellate that blooms almost annually off the west coast of Florida. This newsletter and supporting fact sheet highlight the results of the NOAA ECOHAB: Karenia nutrient dynamics in the eastern Gulf of Mexico project; a five year, multi-institutional research program designed to utilize scientific expertise in a collaborative laboratory, field, and modeling program. The study aimed to identify the diverse interannual physical, chemical, and biological conditions that are responsible for K. brevis blooms on the west Florida shelf, with a specific aim of identifying and quantifying nutrient sources supporting K. brevis blooms.

Elucidating terrestrial nutrient sources to Chincoteague Bay

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:19:49 -0500

A paper on the nutrient sources for Chincoteague Bay was published in the journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, co-authored by various present and former IAN, Horn Point Laboratory, and Maryland Coastal Bays scientists. The paper revealed increasing terrestrial nutrient loadings to Chincoteague Bay, which helps explain the water quality degradation that had been noted in the IAN Press book Shifting Sands: Environmental and cultural change in Maryland's Coastal Bays. In short, Chincoteague Bay is becoming more like the eutrophied Delaware Inland Bays to the north and less like the relatively unimpacted Virginia seaside bays to the south.

Happy 2013 from everyone at IAN