Biomonitoring Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program 1997 Columbia River Basin Activities

Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division
Publication_Date: 2003
Title:
Biomonitoring Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program 1997 Columbia River Basin Activities
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place:
USGS-Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC); Columbia, MO USA
Publisher: USGS/BRD-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm
Description:
Abstract:
The Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program is designed to identify and understand the effects of environmental contaminants on biological resources, particularly those resources under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior (DOI). BEST provides sound scientific information to be used proactively to prevent or limit contaminant-related effects on biological resources. The primary goals of BEST are to: (1) determine the status and trends of environmental contaminants and their effects on biological resources, (2) identify, assess and predict the effects of contaminants on ecosystems and biological populations, and (3) provide summary information in a timely manner to managers and the public for guiding conservation efforts. To address these goals, BEST will use different approaches, involving a combination of field biomonitoring methods and information assessment tools, for examining contaminant issues at the national, regional, and local levels. Fish, primarily common carp (Cyprinus carpio), largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), were sampled from a total of 16 stations (11 former NCBP stations, 5 NAWQA sites, in the Columbia River drainage by FWS, USGS and NBS personnel during September 1997 - April 1998. Together, the array of sites, analyses, and assays will provide a synoptic overview of the current distribution of a wide variety of contaminants and their effects on fish in much of the Columbia River drainage, in addition to evaluating the feasibility and performance of using new methods together in a testing battery.
Purpose:
The objectives of this BEST Columbia River system project are: 1. To document the distribution of contaminants in the Columbia River system and determine the potential of these contaminants to affect aquatic organisms. The selection of former NCBP sites will allow the study to draw on the extensive historic database on organochlorine chemicals and metals, and will also update that data base, which has not been sampled since 1986. 2. To test the logistical feasibility of implementing an investigation incorporating multiple lines of evidence on a large geographic scale through partnerships with other agencies. This study was designed to be implemented as a partnership between NBS and other agencies, most notably FWS and, to a lesser extent, USGS. Although the methods employed are well founded scientifically, they have not been used together as a battery outside the BEST Program. This study will continue to test the logistics of this approach. 3. To evaluate compatibility with the NASQAN program of the US Geological Survey. Elements of the NASQAN progam are complimentary to the BEST program. 4. To further quantitatively evaluate the performance of indicators selected for use in aquatic habitats by the BEST program. The precision of some indicators has not been well characterized.
Supplemental_Information: DATA: www.cerc.usgs.gov/data/best/search/
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19970927
Ending_Date: 19980402
Currentness_Reference:
Stations sampled during fall of 1997 and spring of 1998, however data is continually generated and analyzed.
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: as needed
Spatial_Domain:
Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Columbia River Basin
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -123.0705
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -114.19159
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 48.97269
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.79339
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: BEST Program
Theme_Keyword: Columbia River Basin
Theme_Keyword: contaminants
Theme_Keyword: biomonitoring
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Columbia River
Place_Keyword: Snake River
Place_Keyword: United States
Place_Keyword: USA
Stratum:
Stratum_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Stratum_Keyword: n/a
Temporal:
Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Temporal_Keyword: n/a
Taxonomy:
Taxonomic_Keywords:
168160: LMBS-Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Taxonomic_Keywords:
168159: SMBS-Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui)
Taxonomic_Keywords: 163344: CARP-Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Taxonomic_Keywords:
163896: CSUK-Largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus)
Taxonomic_Keywords:
163523: NSQW-Northern squawfish, i.e. pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis)
Taxonomic_Keywords: 168508: WLYE-Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum)
Taxonomic_Keywords: 161989: RBTT-Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Taxonomic_Keywords:
163894: LNSK-Longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus)
Taxonomic_Coverage:
Specific_Taxonomic_Information:
Kingdom: Animalia
Division-Phylum: Phylum-Chordata, Subphylum-Vertebrata
Class:
Superclass-Osteichthyes, Class-Actinopterygii, Infraclass-Teleostei
General_Taxonomic_Coverage: ITIS Classification System: www.itis.usda.gov
Access_Constraints: restricted
Use_Constraints: restricted
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jo Ellen Hinck
Contact_Organization: Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4200 New Haven Road
City: Columbia
State_or_Province: Missouri
Postal_Code: 65201
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 573-876-1808
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 573-876-1896
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jhinck@usgs.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday
Data_Set_Credit:
USGS/BRD-Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
Native_Data_Set_Environment: MS Excel 2000
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
Schmitt CJ, VS Blazer, GM Dethloff, DE Tillitt, TS Gross, WL Bryant, LR DeWesse, SB Smith, RW Goede, TM Bartish, and TJ Kubiak
Publication_Date: 19990930
Title:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Field Proceedures for Assessing the Exposure of Fish to Environmental Contaminants. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Columbia, (MO): Information and Technology Report USGS/BRD-1999--0007. iv + 35pp. + appendices.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Columbia, Missouri
Publisher: USGS/BRD-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ and GM Dethloff
Publication_Date: 20000300
Title:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Selected methods for monitoring chemical contaminants and their effects in aquatic ecosystems. US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Columbia (MO): Information and Technology Report USGS/BRD--0005. 81 pp.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Columbia, Missouri
Publisher: USGS/BRD-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ, JL Zajicek, TW May, and DF Cowman
Publication_Date: 19991030
Title:
National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program: Concentrations of organochlorine chemical residues and elemental contaminants in US freshwater fish, 1976-1986. Rev. Environ, Contam. Toxicol. 162:43-104.
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/data/ncbp/ncbp.html
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ and CM Bunck
Publication_Date: 1995
Title:
Persistant Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife. Our Living Resources: a report to the nation on the distirbution, abundance, and health of US plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Washington, DC
Publisher:
US Department of the Interior, Biological Resources Didision-USGS (formarly NBS). 530 pp.
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/data/ncbp/ncbp.html
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Tillitt D, G Ankley, and J Giesy
Publication_Date: 1989
Title:
fish-eating water bird eggs from the Great Lakes. Marine Environmental Research 28(1-4):505-8.
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ (ed.)
Publication_Date: 20020600
Title:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Mississippi River Basin. U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR 2002-0004. Columbia, MO. 217 p.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: USGS-CERC
Publisher: USGS-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm#1

Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
Analyses of composite fish samples for organochlorine chemical residues and elemental contaminants were performed by contract laboratories managed by the Patuxent Analytical Control Facility (PACF) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Precision and accuracy of contract laboratory results were confirmed through analyses of procedural blanks, duplicate samples, test recoveries of spiked materials, and reference material analyses. The identities of organochlorine residues were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in about 10% of the samples. Oversight was provided by the PACF. Round-robin tests among PACF and contract analytical labs were also part of the quality control. Based on the quality assurance program, PACF determined that the results of the contract laboratory analyses were acceptable. In keeping with past NCBP practice (Schmitt 1999), analytical results were not adjusted to reflect spike recoveries or moisture loss during storage. EROD assays and analyses of composites fish extracts for TCDD-Eq with the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay (Tillitt et al. 1989) were performed at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC), Columbia, MO. Details of the laboratory methods including Q/A and Q/C measures are described in Schmitt 2002.
Logical_Consistency_Report: n/a
Completeness_Report: n/a
Lineage:
Methodology:
Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description: see online linkage URL in citation information.
Methodology_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ (ed.)
Publication_Date: 20020600
Title:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Mississippi River Basin. U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR 2002-0004. Columbia, MO. 217 p.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: USGS-CERC
Publisher: USGS-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm#1
Methodology_Type: Lab
Methodology_Description:
See online linkage URL in the citation information.
Methodology_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Schmitt CJ (ed.)
Publication_Date: 20020600
Title:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Mississippi River Basin. U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR 2002-0004. Columbia, MO. 217 p.
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: USGS-CERC
Publisher: USGS-CERC
Online_Linkage: http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm#1
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Depending on the nature of the response variable (i.e., biomarker), we used three different statistical methods to compare stations and groups of stations. For continuous variables (EROD activity, GSI, etc.) we used ANOVA to compare biomarker responses among stations within a region. The significance of additional explanatory variables (e.g., age, weight, and stage) was also investigated. The actual terms included in a model for testing depended on the biomarker being analyzed. Lacking a larger, more complete dataset, modeling of these additional explanatory terms and their interactions could only be carried out on subsets of the data. This approach implicitly assumes that what we found for subsets of the data also held for the entire dataset. Compliance with distributional and other assumptions was evaluated by examining residual plots as well as with formal tests when possible. Data were log (base 10) or rank-transformed as necessary when standard ANOVA assumptions were not met. For variables measured on composite samples (i.e., concentrations of organochlorine and elemental contaminants and H4IIE bioassay results) Log-transformed concentrations were combined with historical NCBP collections and analyzed with a one-way model in which stations, collection years, and taxa were treatments. Selected pair-wise comparisons of least-square treatment means representing 1997 concentrations contrasted against previous years within each station-taxon combination were the conducted using Fischer's protected LSD. For small numbers of censored values (<15%), we substituted half the nominal detection limit. For highly censored variables (i.e., most of the organochlorine chemical residues), no formal statistical tests of significance were conducted.
Process_Date: 2003
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jo Ellen Hinck
Contact_Organization: Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4200 New Haven Road
City: Columbia
State_or_Province: Missouri
Postal_Code: 65201
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 573-876-1808
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 573-876-1896
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jhinck@usgs.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Indirect_Spatial_Reference:
The NCBP sites in the Columbia River Basin (CRB), which were parts of the original riverine NCBP network, were selected because they represent key points (i.e., confluences of major tributaries, impoundments) in the Columbia River basin.

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
RESIDUES: Chemicals measured by GC/ECD (ppm, wet-weight): o,p'-DDD; o,p'-DDE; o,p'-DDT; p,p'-DDD; p,p'-DDE; p,p'-DDT; a-BHC (alpha BHC); g-BHC (gamma BHC); b-BHC (beta BHC); d-BHC (delta BHC); a-Chlor (cis-Chlordane); g-Chlor (trans-Chlordane); cis-Nona (cis-Nonachlor); trans-Nona (trans-Nonachlor); Oxychlor (oxychlordane); Hepox (heptachlor epoxide); Dieldrin; Endrin; Mirex; Toxaphene; HCB (hexachlorobenzene); and Total PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). TCDD-eq (H4IIE bioassay). Metals measured by ICPES (ppm) converted from dry-weight to wet-weight using the % inorganic moisture value: Al (aluminum); B (boron); Ba (barium); Be (beryllium); Cd (cadmium); Cr (chromium); Cu (copper); Fe (iron); Mg (magnesium); Mn (manganese); Mo (molybdenum); Ni (nickel); V (vanadium); and Z (zinc). Metals measured by AA (ppm), converted from dry-weight to wet-weight using the % inorganic moisture value: As (arsenic); Hg (mercury); Pb (lead); and Se (selenium). FISH HEALTH: Station; FishID; Composite (ID); LabSex (histologically determined gender); InterSex; Length (Total length in mm); Weight (bwt: body weight in grams); Species (4-letter species code); Taxa; Age (scale or spine analysis); Ext Lesion (score based on external health examination); GWT (gonad weight to the 0.1 g); LIVWT (liver weight to the 0.1 g); SPLWT (spleen weight to the 0.002 g); EROD; Lysozyme; Macrophage aggregate variables: MeanArea, MA MM (density), Tisocc (% tissue occupied); Stage; % Atresia; VTG (vitellogenin); Health Indices: HSI (hepatosomatic index = livwt/(bwt-gwt)); GSI (gonadosomatic index = gwt/bwt); SSI (splenosomatic index = splwt/(bwt-gwt)); CF (condition factor = (bwt x 10^5)/length^3); and HAI (health assessment index).
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Mississippi River Basin. U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR 2002-0004. Columbia, MO. 217 p.

Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jo Ellen Hinck
Contact_Organization: Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4200 New Haven Road
City: Columbia
State_or_Province: Missouri
Postal_Code: 65201
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 573-876-1808
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 573-876-1896
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jhinck@usgs.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday
Distribution_Liability:
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from a U.S. Geological Survey server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.
Standard_Order_Process:
Non-digital_Form: hardcopy
Fees: None
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: EXCEL
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: http://www.best.usgs.gov/

Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20030403
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Anne Donahue
Contact_Organization: Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 4200 New Haven Road
City: Columbia
State_or_Province: Missouri
Postal_Code: 65201
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 573-441-2958
Metadata_Standard_Name:
NBII Content Standard For National Biological Information Infrastructure Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: December 1995 (Metamaker version 2.30)

Generated by mp on Fri Apr 11 09:46:18 2003