[MPWG] USGS National Database for data on Invertebrates, Fish, Water Quality, etc.

Sat Jun 5 08:40:41 CDT 2004

Good poimt Patricia!
I would take it further pointing out that all of nature functions as a 
whole. Since the Industrial revolution man has rapidly destroyed his eco 
system that sustains him by following that impaired paradigm which focuses 
on parts instead of the whole. Nature functions in wholes and the removal of 
any part sets off a chain of consequences we can not hope to understand. 
Linear science works great for building airplanes  as Allan Savory points 
out but we have always failed with narural systems.
Natural connections are imense. There are infinate examples we stumble on 
too each day. Just recently someone mentioned that it is thought the decline 
of the whipporwill has to do with spraying which has created a decline in 
the luna moth. I am sure it is more complex than that but I noticed luna 
moths on our house this spring and then started hearing the birds during the 
evening.
In the case of stilt grass we need to avoid knee jerk actions which tend to 
make problems worse.
The motiffe of this weed is not any different than other weeds we have 
encoutered.
It does not "invade" Plants take spaces when the space can no longer support 
what previously occupied that space. It is in disturbed areas which have not 
had appropriate animal impact in forty or fifty years. The soils are 
impaired and lacking biological activity. Large trees have been removed in 
some cases altering the light regime. However it is not in locations which 
truly have not been disturbed. Some such areas said to be undisturbed have 
been heavily overbrowsed by deer. Again this is not appropriate animal 
impact for our brittleness level.
Focusing on what we want in an area will be far more productive than 
focusing on getting rid of something. Afterall if you get rid of the weed 
something will replace it also. It is really very simple to understand but 
much more work needs to be done in testing decisons for actions to deal with 
such problems. Lands do not stay the same but are part of a greater whole 
with changing community dynamics all of the time like it or not.
Yes, benthic invertabrate are very important. We have dragon flies in our 
area that are yet identified by anyone. These creatures from the water are 
typically predetory. They eat insects in the woods. Birds do the same and 
are dependent on many species for their survival. Plants are inturn 
dependent on birds and fish for their survival perhaps in more ways than we 
understand. Major predatores which would impact the deer herd are keystone 
predatores which with their absence may cause the entire system to fail. We 
need to stop addressing symptoms and start looking at the root causes of our 
problems.
Of course we need more holistic policies which prevent problem species from 
getting here first but they are here and are telling us something about how 
we manage natural resources.           Fred Hays

>From: Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
>To: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>Subject: [MPWG] USGS National Database for data on Invertebrates, 
>Fish,Water Quality, etc. Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 15:10:05 -0400
>
>While the subject matter in this national database is not exactly about
>plants, we all know that water quality and healthy invertebrate ommunities
>are important parts of the plant equation.  It looks like an interesting
>database and may be a worthy of a "bookmark" for several of you.
>
>All the best,
>Patricia
>
>
>USGS Announces Online Access to Nationwide Invertebrate Community Data
>
>Invertebrate community data from 1,700 stream sites in more than 50 major
>river basins across the Nation can be downloaded from the NAWQA Data
>Warehouse at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/data. Data are from more than
>5,000 invertebrate community samples that were collected from 1993 through
>2002 by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.
>
>Invertebrate community samples document the presence of invertebrate taxa
>and their relative abundances within designated stream reaches. Data are
>added after quality-assurance reviews are completed, so if your geographic
>areas of interest are not represented, revisit the Data Warehouse
>periodically.
>
>The NAWQA Data Warehouse also provides online access to data on fish
>communities from more than 1,000 stream locations, as well as data from
>thousands of water-quality samples from about 6,400 stream sites and 7,000
>wells, and from streambed sediment and aquatic animal tissue. Water-quality
>samples are analyzed for pesticides, trace elements, volatile organic
>compounds, and nutrients; sediment and tissue samples are analyzed for
>organic compounds, such as DDT, and trace elements, such as mercury.
>
>For information on biological sampling protocols, refer to "Revised
>protocols for sampling algal, invertebrate, and fish communities as part of
>the National Water-Quality Assessment Program" at
>http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/protocols/OFR02-150/index.html.
>
>For questions regarding biological collection methods and taxonomy, contact
>Dr. Steve Moulton, smoulto at usgs.gov, 703-648-6874. Additional information
>about NAWQA ecological studies is available at
>http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/ecology.
>
>For questions regarding online data retrievals from the NAWQA Data
>Warehouse, contact gs.nawqa.data at usgs.gov or Mr. Sandy Williamson,
>253-428-3600, ext. 2683.
>
>We encourage you to share this information with your staff, colleagues, and
>memberships. Feel free to notify local, State, and regional stakeholders
>who may be interested in biological information.
>
>Thank you for your continued interest in USGS information and findings.
>
>
>
>
>
>Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
>Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
>Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
>US Fish & Wildlife Service
>4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
>Arlington, VA  22203
>703-358-1708 x1753
>FAX: 703-358-2276
>Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
>resources.
><www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>MPWG mailing list
>MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org
>
>To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to MPWG-request at lists.plantconservation.org 
>with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
>
>Disclaimer
>Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. 
>reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The 
>information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a 
>substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific 
>medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare information 
>that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by the 
>individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts do not 
>reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant Conservation 
>Alliance.

>From: Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
>To: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>Subject: [MPWG] USGS National Database for data on Invertebrates, 
>Fish,Water Quality, etc. Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 15:10:05 -0400
>
>While the subject matter in this national database is not exactly about
>plants, we all know that water quality and healthy invertebrate ommunities
>are important parts of the plant equation.  It looks like an interesting
>database and may be a worthy of a "bookmark" for several of you.
>
>All the best,
>Patricia
>
>
>USGS Announces Online Access to Nationwide Invertebrate Community Data
>
>Invertebrate community data from 1,700 stream sites in more than 50 major
>river basins across the Nation can be downloaded from the NAWQA Data
>Warehouse at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/data. Data are from more than
>5,000 invertebrate community samples that were collected from 1993 through
>2002 by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.
>
>Invertebrate community samples document the presence of invertebrate taxa
>and their relative abundances within designated stream reaches. Data are
>added after quality-assurance reviews are completed, so if your geographic
>areas of interest are not represented, revisit the Data Warehouse
>periodically.
>
>The NAWQA Data Warehouse also provides online access to data on fish
>communities from more than 1,000 stream locations, as well as data from
>thousands of water-quality samples from about 6,400 stream sites and 7,000
>wells, and from streambed sediment and aquatic animal tissue. Water-quality
>samples are analyzed for pesticides, trace elements, volatile organic
>compounds, and nutrients; sediment and tissue samples are analyzed for
>organic compounds, such as DDT, and trace elements, such as mercury.
>
>For information on biological sampling protocols, refer to "Revised
>protocols for sampling algal, invertebrate, and fish communities as part of
>the National Water-Quality Assessment Program" at
>http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/protocols/OFR02-150/index.html.
>
>For questions regarding biological collection methods and taxonomy, contact
>Dr. Steve Moulton, smoulto at usgs.gov, 703-648-6874. Additional information
>about NAWQA ecological studies is available at
>http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/ecology.
>
>For questions regarding online data retrievals from the NAWQA Data
>Warehouse, contact gs.nawqa.data at usgs.gov or Mr. Sandy Williamson,
>253-428-3600, ext. 2683.
>
>We encourage you to share this information with your staff, colleagues, and
>memberships. Feel free to notify local, State, and regional stakeholders
>who may be interested in biological information.
>
>Thank you for your continued interest in USGS information and findings.
>
>
>
>
>
>Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
>Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
>Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
>US Fish & Wildlife Service
>4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
>Arlington, VA  22203
>703-358-1708 x1753
>FAX: 703-358-2276
>Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
>resources.
><www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>MPWG mailing list
>MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org
>
>To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to MPWG-request at lists.plantconservation.org 
>with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
>
>Disclaimer
>Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. 
>reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The 
>information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a 
>substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific 
>medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare information 
>that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by the 
>individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts do not 
>reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant Conservation 
>Alliance.

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