Endangered Species and GIS by Gregory Zimmerman

 

Advanced GIS Term Project

 

 

 

 

Introduction:

 

Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires that all projects that receive federal money avoid or mitigate impacts to federally listed species.  Subsequently, detailed environmental studies are often required to characterize the biological resources at a project site so that construction alternatives can be evaluated.  In the specific case of native freshwater mussels, a high level of sampling effort is required to allow precise population estimates (Smith et al., 2001) because many of the federally listed species are extremely rare.  This project will explain how GIS was used during the course of one such project in northwestern Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).  All GIS work, report writing, and freshwater mussel taxonomy for this project was performed by the author working under Skelly and Loy Consultants, Inc. and EnviroScience, Inc.  All information contained in this report is the property of the PennDOT.  The bridge alignments shown are for display purposes only and do not reflect final alternatives.

 

 

Project Background

 


Skelly and Loy, Inc., EnviroScience, Inc., and sub-consultant Marion Hill Associates, Inc. worked in PennDOT District 10-0 to provide biological services for the State Route 68 bridge replacement project near East Brady, Armstrong, and Clarion Counties, Pennsylvania.  The purpose of this survey was to determine the distribution and estimate the populations of federally endangered freshwater mussel species known to exist within a potential impact area.  This survey was initiated in response to recommendations by the USFWS under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and under recommendations by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.


 

Fieldwork was performed during September 14-15, 18-22, and 25-29, 2000.  The United States Geological Survey-Biological Resources Division sampling protocol was used to survey a 58,201.0 m2 (626,470.3 ft2) area on the Allegheny River that included four potential Pennsylvania Department of Transportation bridge alignment locations in East Brady, PA.

 

Because of the statistical requirements of the sampling protocol, over 1,400 systematic quadrat samples were required for this project, with each sample having a specific location on the river bottom.    Each 0.25 sq. m sample had to be excavated underwater (15 ft average depth) by scuba divers or hardhat divers and then sorted on the surface.  During this process each sample was given a unique ID number so that samples would have spatial reference.

 

The primary impact area was divided into 72 lanes containing a total of 481 cells of 11 x 11 m (36.1 x 36.1 ft) using weighted lines anchored to the stream bottom.  Within each of these cells, three 0.25 m2 quadrat samples of the substrate were excavated from the river bottom for freshwater mussels.  Three pairs of random numbers were generated and used as coordinates for the three quadrats, respectively, and the pattern was then repeated throughout each of the 481 cells.

 

Task 1: Field GPS

 

A “cell” system covering the survey area was created in ArcView 3.2 and transferred to a GPS.  We used ESRI ArcPad 5.0.1 software loaded onto a Compaq Aero 2100 with a differential TrimbleŇ GPS in conjunction with a laser rangefinder and transit to set up the cell system in the field.   Custom user forms for the GPS were created using the ArcView Dialog Designer specifically for this project.   The GPS was used on the workboats to set lines and to position the dive barge platform.


 

 

Task 2: Data Collection

 


Scuba divers and hardhat divers collected samples on the river bottom while samples were sorted on the dive barge and enumerated on waterproof datasheets.  Data was then transferred to Microsoft Excel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 


Task 3:  Data to GPS

 


Back in the office, files were organized into Excel and specific data sub-sets.  Data included sample ID, number, species, and length of mussels from each quadrat, and sediment depth.  The databases were linked to ArcGIS 3.2 using the ODBC Data Source Administrator in Windows, and the link to Excel file option in ArcView.


Base aerial mapping was purchased from USGS and brought into ArcView.  Using the GPS data as reference, the 1,443 quadrat samples were created in AutoCAD 2000 and brought into ArcInfo as a shapefile.  The shapefile attributes were then given a unique ID in ArcInfo corresponding to each quadrat ID, brought into ArcView, and linked to the database.


 

Task 4:  Analyzing the Data

 

Data was analyzed using statistical analysis as well as ArcView and ArcView Spatial Analyst (also ArcView 3d Analyst for the purposes this research project).  Mussel concentrations for each species, including two federally endangered species, were mapped.   Below is a map of the total number of native mussels collected within each quadrat.  Note: There are very few mussels on the north side of the river due to sedimentation from Sugar Creek located just upstream.

 

 

 


Spatial analyst was then used to interpolate areas of relatively high mussel concentration and provide a secondary method of mussel density calculation.  A report was issued to PennDOT identifying areas of significant mussel concentrations to avoid.  Also included in the report were statistical estimates of mussel population densities for each species, and for each alignment.  Statistical analysis was performed by Eric Romaniszyn and the author.


Below:  Interpolated concentrations of the invasive/exotic Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea).

 

 


Task 5:  Changing Projections

 

Unfortunately, in order to analyze engineering alignments with the GIS as designs were changed, the projection of much of the data had to be converted to the units of the design firm’s CAD system.  This involved a painstaking process of warping the base mapping using ground control points and the ImageWarp extension for ArcView, a well as and warping exported shape files using AutoCAD.  The resulting shapefiles aligned very well with the CAD files and the image files aligned adequately enough for the purposes of data display.

 

 

Task 6:  3d Analyst

3D Analyst was used to modify some of the project data into a 3d environment.  The 2d quadrat shapefile was projected into 3D Analyst using the various fields in the attribute table.  CAD files were converted to shape files to illustrate the various possible alignment alternatives.  Below: Distribution of the Asian clam in the project area as viewed in 3d Analyst.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

GIS Project Conclusions:

 

A GIS can allow biologists to interact with engineers when evaluating environmental impacts from transportation projects.  Biological information can be viewed and analyzed using GIS and then exported to formats engineers and designers are familiar with.  The development of GIS maps from CAD drawings ensures that the locations of biological resources are accounted for during the design phase of these projects rather than after final design.  This project synthesized many concepts, including GPS, data form creation, data collection, spatial analysis, map design, statistics, and 3D display.  The synthesis of these elements in a GIS can be a very useful tool for environmental managers. 

 

 Biological Conclusions:

 


            The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and fourteen species of unionid mussels were detected during this survey, including the federally endangered northern riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana (=biloba)) and the clubshell (Pleurobema clava).  Federally endangered species were the only species of concern detected during this survey.  In total, 13 northern riffleshell and 2 clubshell were found.   It is estimated, with 95% confidence, that between 1,089 and 4,038 northern riffleshell and between 121 and 857 clubshell exist within the 58,201.0 m2 survey area.  Data were entered into a GIS for spatial analysis and compared to the current bridge alignment.  The northern riffleshell was found to have a relatively even distribution mid-river while the clubshell was only detected along the left descending (southeast) bank within an area of significant mussel concentration.  The right descending (northwest) bank was found to be devoid of mussels due to the influence of Sugar Creek, which enters the Allegheny River in the upstream portion of the survey area. 

 

 

federally listed northern riffleshell                        

 

 


unlisted round pigtoe

 

 

 

 

6.0   REFERENCES

 

Cummings, K.S. and Mayer, C.A.,   1992,  Field Guide to Freshwater Mussels of the Midwest, Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 5. 194 pp.

 

EnviroScience Incorporated 1999.  ‘Mussel Translocation Report, Allegheny River Mile 107.5, S.R. 3008, Venango County, Kennerdell, Pennsylvania’, report prepared for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, EnviroScience, Inc., Cuyahoga Falls, 79 pp.

 

G.T. Watters.  1995.  A Guide to the Freshwater Mussels of Ohio, revised 3rd ed.   U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  122 pp.

 

Parmalee, P.W. and Bogan, A.E., 1998.  The Freshwater Mussels of Tennessee, First Edition.  The University of Tennessee Press.  328 pp.

 

Turgeon, D.D., A.E. Bogan, E.V. Coan, W.K. Emerson, W.G. Lyons, W.L. Pratt, C.F. E. Roper, A. Scheltema, F.G. Thompson, and J.D. Williams.  1988.  Common and Scientific Names of Aquatic Invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks.  American Fisheries Society Special Publication 16.

 

United States Geological Survey.  1999.  Draft Freshwater Mussel Survey Protocol to Determine Presence of Federally Listed Species and Estimate Mussel Density, Biological Resources Division, Leetown Science Center, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Kearneysville, WV. 12 pp.

 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  1994.  Clubshell (Pleurobema clava) and Northern

Riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana) Recovery Plan.  Hadley, Massachusetts.  68 pp.