Publications by Bill Dennison

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Catoctin Mountain Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment (Page 1)

Catoctin Mountain Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment

Thomas JE, Bell PS, Campbell JP, Costanzo SD, Dennison WC, Donaldson L, Lehman M, Loncosky R, and Nortrup M ·
6 February 2014

Catoctin Mountain Park provides a wealth of natural resource values, largely resulting from the maintenance of forest and wetland habitats. These resources were assessed using the Vital Signs framework. Overall, the natural resoures in Catoctin Mountain Park are in moderate condition but are under threat from surrounding land use, regionally poor air quality, and overpopulation of deer.

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Dancing with dugongs (Page 1)

Dancing with dugongs

Oliver PE and Dennison WC ·
6 February 2014

This book is for environmental managers. Physically, our environment gives us everything we need, but then there are things that we just 'want', so as our wants grow, the demands we place on our environment increase even more rapidly. As awareness of these environmental pressures grow, so too do the numbers of people working in environmental fields. People can burn out trying to balance their desire to protect the environment with a wide variety of demands. This book tells the story of Prof.

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Ohio River Basin report card workshop newsletter (Page 1)

Ohio River Basin report card workshop newsletter

Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Jane Thomas, Caroline Donovan, Brianne Walsh, Bill Nuttle ·
4 February 2014

The America's Watershed Initiative Report Card project continued with a regional workshop for the Ohio River Basin, held near Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 12–13, 2013. At the workshop, stakeholders and experts from social, economic, and environmental sectors identified easily understood and transparent ways to measure status and trends for the Ohio River Basin in relation to six broad goals.

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Oyster delta N-15 as a Bioindicator of Potential Wastewater and Poultry Farming Impacts and Degraded Water Quality in a Subestuary of Chesapeake Bay (Page 1)

Oyster delta N-15 as a Bioindicator of Potential Wastewater and Poultry Farming Impacts and Degraded Water Quality in a Subestuary of Chesapeake Bay

Fertig B, Carruthers TJB, and Dennison WC ·
2014

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 (delta N-15) were measured in oyster (Crassostrea virginica) tissues (muscle, gills, and mantle) during summer 2006 to summer 2008 to identify nitrogen sources in Monie Bay (a subestuary of Chesapeake Bay) receiving freshwater inputs from three tributary creeks. The creeks (estimated flushing times:

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Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin report card workshop newsletter (Page 1)

Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin report card workshop newsletter

Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Caroline Donovan, Tracey Saxby, Jane Thomas, Bill Nuttle ·
22 November 2013

The America's Watershed Initiative Report Card project began with a regional workshop for the Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin, held in Moline, Illinois on September 11–12, 2013. At the workshop, stakeholders and experts from social, economic, and environmental sectors identified easily understood and transparent ways to measure status and trends for the Upper Mississippi River Sub-Basin in relation to six broad goals.

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2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card (Page 1)

2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Alexandra Fries ·
3 July 2013

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. In 2012, the methods for the report card have changed to include five water quality indicators and two biotic indicators. In 2012, the overall grade for Chesapeake Bay is a 47%, a C. This means the Bay is in moderate health. Fisheries indicators as well as trajectories of reporting region health are also presented. For further details, visit the Report Card website .

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2012 Maryland Coastal Bays report card (Page 1)

2012 Maryland Coastal Bays report card

Jane Thomas, Bill Dennison ·
27 June 2013

The aim of this report card is to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of 2012 Coastal Bays health. Coastal Bays health is defined as the progress of four water quality indicators (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen) and two biotic indicators (seagrass, hard clams) toward scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals.

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