A new study conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, has revealed complex impacts of management practices on stream ecosystems in Maryland. The research, recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management, explores how strategies intended to curtail nutrient and sediment pollution might be affecting stream life, particularly fish and benthic macroinvertebrates.
The study focuses on a variety of management practices including riparian forest buffers, cover crops, bioretention, and septic system denitrification. By integrating these practices with data from the Maryland Biological Stream Survey, the research team aimed to uncover unintended consequences on aquatic communities.
Kelly Maloney, a USGS research ecologist and co-author of the study, emphasized the novelty and necessity of their research. “That’s why we did our paper,” Maloney said. “We realized no one connected the dots, at least at this scale. And we need more and more data to answer this question.”
The findings indicate that the effectiveness of management practices can vary significantly based on the existing health of the stream. In streams with poorer health, management practices generally showed beneficial effects, particularly for species sensitive to sedimentation. Conversely, in healthier streams, these practices sometimes led to an increase in dissolved materials, which could harm aquatic life.
The study did not target specific streams but utilized broad data sets and modeling techniques to establish likely cause-and-effect relationships. This approach, similar to methods used in epidemiology, helps in drawing significant conclusions from extensive data.
Sean Emmons, lead author and USGS research ecologist, highlighted the importance of the Maryland Biological Stream Survey data in their research. “We knew that the Maryland MBSS data was a powerful and extensive dataset we could use to answer this question,” Emmons stated. “So I think partnering with the Maryland MBSS team was a natural progression.”
Emmons also noted the need for further research to more precisely link specific management practices to their impacts on stream biology. The study underscores the importance of considering these ecological dynamics when designing management strategies to enhance overall stream health.
For more detailed findings and insights from this study, the USGS Science Summary is available here.
