Benthic Ecological Assessment

for the Great Lakes (BEAGL)

Andrew R. Hannes1, Isabel Porto-Hannes2

1 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo, NY, USA2State University of New York at Buffalo, NY, USA

What are Benthic Habitats?

Schindler & Scheuerell 2002

What is BEAGL?

• Rapid, in situ, quantitative habitat assessment methodology for freshwater benthic areas

• Adapted from the Benthic Ecological Assessment for Marginal Reefs (BEAMR) (Lybolt et al. 2009)

• Visually based, non-consumptive assessment technique

• Structured and consistent approach

Why BEAGL?

• Benthic habitat information is needed to make responsible management decisions▫ Great Lakes restoration projects

▫ Wind farm development in the Great Lakes

• In general, there is a lack of in situ data characterizing the benthic habitats of the Great Lakes

BEAGL vs Other Benthic Methods

• BEAGL is a in situ data collection methodology utilizing SCUBA technology

• Rapid assessment

• Photographic and video documentation

• BEAGL is limited to visibility conditions > 2ft

BEAGL Methodology

0 M 3 M 6 M 9 M 12 M 15 M

1 M

1 M

30 M18 M 21 M 24 M 27 M

• Quadrat/transect based methodology

Makowski et al 2009

BEAGL Datasheet

Macrophyte spp. (%)

Burrowing mussel sp. (ct)

Fish sp. (ct) % Cover

Max Relief (cm)

Max Sed Depth (cm)

Benthic Abiotic/Biotic %Cover

Bedrock

Boulder

Cobble

Gravel

Shell

Sand

Silt/Mud

Detritus

Woody debris

Total = 100%

Macrophytes

Periphyton

Dreissenids

Burrowing mussels (ct)

other-…

Quad Label: Sample Name or #

13

20

10

15

10

20

25

10

25

10

Lyn 10

Clado 10

Valli 5

Unionid 2

Rd Gobies, drum, Shiners???

9M

20

100

Macrophyte: Ceratophyllum, Cladophora, Elodea, Lyngbia, Myriophyllum, Potamogeton, Stuckenia,Vallisnaria, Zosterella…

Mussel: Zebra, Quagga, Unionid, Sphaeriid, Corbicula...

Others: Annelid, Bryozoan, Hydroid, Insects, Leeches, Snails, Sponge…

1hydroid

1%

10%

BEAGL Quadrat

Makowski et al 2009

Data Analysis

• Parametric stats

▫ t-tests, ANOVA’s, regression…

• Nonparametric stats▫ PRIMER version 6.0 - MDS, SIMPER, ANOSIM…

Preliminary Data

LAKE ERIE

CanadaBuffalo

Windmill Pt

Adam’s Pt West

Adam’s Pt East

Squaw Island

NFTA Slip

Nia

ga

ra R

ive

r

NFTA Slip

- Fine silt with some woody debris. Sparse macrophyte cover along the periphery of the slip (Eleoda canadensis, Potamogeton diversifolius, Vallisneria americana)

Squaw Island

- Fine silts and sands with some woody debris. Sparse macrophyte cover along the shoreline of the pond (Ceratophyllum demersum)

Adam’s Point West

- Mix of bed rock, boulder, cobble and gravel. Macrophytespecies:Vallisneria americana, Potamogeton crispus, P. diversifolius, P. zosteriformus, Myriophyllum sibiricum, Ruppia maritima, Callitriche sp.

- Live and spent Dreissenid shells present

Adam’s Point East

- Sand substrate with abundant macrophyte cover (Cladophoraglomerata, Myriophyllum sibiricum, Potamagetondiversifolius, P. pectinatus, P. richardsonii, Vallisneriaamericana)

- Dresseinids spent shells

Windmill Point

- Bedrock, boulder and cobble substrate covered with Cladophora glomerata

- Live Dreissenids present

Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

Adam's Pt East

Location

Adam's Pt West

Windmill Pt

Squaw IslandNFTA Slip

2D Stress: 0.12

Preliminary results

Abiotic/Biotic

Global R = 0.778

Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

2D Stress: 0.1

Adam's Pt East

Location

Adam's Pt West

Windmill Pt

Squaw IslandNFTA Slip

Preliminary results

Hannes & Floyd 2009

Conclusion

• BEAGL has the sensitivity to detect differences between littoral benthic habitat types

• BEAGL can be a useful tool for assessing existing benthic habitat conditions and for monitoring benthic habitat changes over time

AcknowledgementsUSACE - Buffalo District Dive Team

USACE - Buffalo District Environmental Analysis Team

USACE - Leadership Development Program

Dr. Matt Lybolt for development of Benthic Ecological Assessment for Marginal Reefs (BEAMR)

Captain Lance Hannes for support in the field

Similarity (%)

Resemblance: S17 Bray Curtis similarity

NFTA Slip_3

NFTA Slip_6NFTA Slip_0Squaw Island_6Squaw Island_0

Squaw Island_3NFTA Slip_9NFTA Slip_12NFTA Slip_15NFTA Slip_18NFTA Slip_21NFTA Slip_24NFTA Slip_27Squaw Island_9Squaw Island_12Squaw Island_15Squaw Island_27Adam's Pt West_2.5Adam's Pt West_12.5Adam's Pt West_17.5Adam's Pt West_5Adam's Pt West_27.5Adam's Pt West_7.5Adam's Pt West_22.5Adam's Pt West_20

Adam's Pt West_0Adam's Pt West_10Adam's Pt West_15Adam's Pt West_25

Adam's Pt West_30Squaw Island_24Squaw Island_18Squaw Island_21

Adam's Pt East_15Adam's Pt East_0Adam's Pt East_6Adam's Pt East_18

Adam's Pt East_21Adam's Pt East_12Adam's Pt East_24Adam's Pt East_9

Adam's Pt East_27Windmill Pt_3Windmill Pt_24Windmill Pt_15

Windmill Pt_6Windmill Pt_18Adam's Pt East_3Windmill Pt_12Windmill Pt_27Windmill Pt_0Windmill Pt_9Windmill Pt_21

100806040200

Preliminary results