Session Lead: Qian Zhang (UMCES/EPA Chesapeake Bay Program)

Co-Lead(s): Isabella Bertani, Kaylyn S. Gootman, John Clune

Session Format: Oral Presentations

Session Description: 

Restoration of complex aquatic ecosystems such as Chesapeake Bay requires continued, coordinated efforts from the science and resource management communities. These efforts often include development of novel analysis approaches to gain new insights from monitoring data and science communication approaches to communicate these results to inform management. This session aims to highlight water-quality patterns and trends along the land-river-estuary continuum, with a focus on empirical and mechanistic approaches that link different types of data and models to help understand how various drivers have triggered such responses. We welcome applications of novel statistical and mechanistic tools to understand watershed and estuarine responses to land changes and management actions. In addition, we seek contributions that highlight science communication approaches designed to transform these monitoring and model-based findings into actionable information for the management community. This is Part II of two connected sessions organized by the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Integrated Trends Analysis Team.

Presentations (abstracts):

  1. Gary Shenk, Qian Zhang, Gopal Bhatt, Isabella Bertani: The Chesapeake Bay TMDL indicator: Integrating monitoring and modeling information to assess progress toward nutrient reduction goals
  2. Olivia Devereux, Helen Golimowski: Explaining Changes in Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads Using Land Management Practice Data and How These Data Can Indicate Where Practices Could Be Targeted in the Future
  3. Keota Silaphone: An assessment of cover crop nitrogen efficiencies in the United States Coastal Plain Province, 1980 – 2022
  4. Isabella Bertani, Gopal Bhatt, Lewis Linker: Characterizing streamflow and constituent loads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through parsimonious Bayesian modeling
  5. Qian Zhang, Joel T. Bostic, Robert D. Sabo: Regional patterns and drivers of total nitrogen and total phosphorus trends in the Chesapeake Bay watershed: Insights from machine learning approaches and management implications
  6. Sam Miller, James Webber: Evaluating nitrogen concentration – discharge patterns from agricultural Chesapeake Bay watersheds to inform management actions
  7. Shuyu Y Chang, Qian Zhang, Nandita B Basu, Kimberly J Van Meter: Past trajectories and future horizons of water quality in the Chesapeake Bay reservoir system
  8. Sabrina Mehzabin, Kurt Stephenson, Daniel Fuka, Zachary Easton: Environmental and management impacts of legacy nitrogen remediation using bioreactors
  9. Natalie Schmer, Hilary Dozier, John Clune, Lisa Carper, Matthew Conlon, Joseph Duris, Matthew Gyves: Science communication tools of surrogate regression modeling designed to meet stakeholder needs
  10. Kaylyn Gootman, Breck Sullivan, Alex Gunnerson: CBP Tributary Summaries: Communication tool on water quality changes to inform management decisions
  11. Joseph Tamborski, Margaret Mulholland: Nutrient loading via submarine groundwater discharge to the lower tributaries of Chesapeake Bay
  12. Michael Mallonee, Rikke Jepsen: Biological stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
  13. David Secor: Advancing complex science and natural history in advocating for Maryland’s only sturgeon population
  14. Pierre St-Laurent, M.A.M. Friedrichs: An Atlas for Physical/Biogeochemical Conditions in the Chesapeake Bay
  15. Rebecca Murphy, August Goldfischer, Jon Harcum, Elgin Perry, Breck Sullivan, Peter Tango: Spatial-temporal interpolation tool for dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay