EcoRA of Pathogens in the Lake Champlain Water Basin
Rebecca Gloss
Alex Kliminsky
Marissa Patti
Advisor: Dr. Breck Bowden, PhD.
Problem Statement
Pathogens in the Lake Champlain Basin constitute a direct threat to the ecological integrity of the lake, as well as, human health related to the drinking water supplies that are drawn from the lake.
Goal/Purpose Statement
The purpose of this project is to assess the potential affects effects of pathogens on ecosystems and human populations within the Lake Champlain Basin. We will determine what pathogens exist in the basin, the sources each is derived from, the habitats each affects, and the pathways through which each travels. Risk values will be assigned to each source, habitat, and pathogen based on the relative hazard each imposes on ecosystem integrity and human health.
Justification
Pathogens are an increasing problem for the Lake Champlain Basin. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the lake bring about many adverse effects that threaten human health, outdoor recreation, local economies, wildlife populations, and whole ecosystems. Bacteria, including E. coli, girardia, and cryptosporidiosis, can cause infections in humans that limit the drinking water supplies drawn from the lake and make swimming unsafe. Cyanobacteria blooms are of high concern in Lake Champlain because they produce toxins that upset the lake ecology by removing dissolved oxygen from the water thus leading to fish kills. Cyanobacteria blooms also limit summertime swimming. Largemouth bass virus causes mortality in adult largemouth bass, a species important to recreational fishers, as well as, to some local economies. A decline in bass population also disrupts the lake ecosystem. By understanding the relative risk of various pathogens in the environment, the sources they are derived from, and the habitat they effect affect we can apply prescriptions to properly manage the Lake Champlain ecosystem. The integrity of Lake Champlain is integral to the welfare of people who utilize it.
Literature Review
High levels of Cyanobacteria in Missisquoi Bay may be contributed contributing to the feeding habits of White Perch. The Adults feed heavily on Daphnia when they comprise of over 50% of the zooplankton population. The absence of these as competitors to Cyanobacteria may help exacerbate Cyanobacteria blooms. This could be useful in selecting areas that are at higher risk for Cyanobacteria blooms based on white perch densities.
Couture, S,, & Watzin, M. (2008). Diet of invasive adult white perch (morone americana) and their effects on the zooplankton community in missisquoi bay, lake champlain. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 34(3), 485-494 .
Largemouth bass virus can kill adult bass but this usually happens under stressful situations and tends not to infect large portions of populations. Fish with this infection are safe to eat once cooked and it is transmitted through the water, eating contaminated prey, and fish to fish contact. This is useful in helping place an impact score on commercial fishing since largemouth bass is a popular angling fish and is the source of income for areas in the basin from fishing derbies.
Indiana Department of Natural Resource's, (2005). Largemouth bass virus
S. catascopium is an introduced fresh water snail from New England that is the alternate host of schistosome parasite. Muskellunge and northern pike lymphosarcoma is found in 20% of pike and muskellunge taken in 2002 and has a 1% survival rate. Largemouth bass virus is also found in the lake as of 2002 and has been known to cause die offs. This will be used in the possible impacts from the exotic species source and impact on the end points of commercial fishing and recreational use of the lake.
Marsden, J, & hauser, M. (2009). Exotic species in lake champlain . Journal of Great Lakes Research, 35(2), 250-265.
The E. coli concentrations in run off from hay land and crop plots that were treated with liquid manure were 63,200 per 100 ml and 92,100 per 100 ml respectively. There was a 99% decrease in E. coli in run off when manure was held for 60 days and over 99% in manure that was held for 90 days before application. There was also a 50% reduction in E. coli in run off from manure applied three days before it rained than application of manure one day before it rained. This relates to our study by helping quantify the effect of E. coli loading by factoring in use practices of the local area and the fact this study was held in Lake Champlain Basin in Northern Vermont.
Meals, D., & Braun, D. (2005). Demonstration of methods to reduce e. coli runoff from dairy manure application sites. Journal of Environmental Quality, 35(4), Retrieved from https://www.agronomy.org/publications/jeq/articles/35/4/1088 doi: 10.2134/jeq2005.0380
Proposed Effort
The bulk of this project will be a group effort to compile sufficient data on the pathogens found in the Lake Champlain Basin. Pathogens we will be studying are Giardia, E.Coli, Cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs), Cryptosporidiosis, and Escocid Lymphosarcoma. We will gather information on each of these pathogens from journals, past studies, experts, and VT Fish & Wildlife documents. When necessary, state and federal threshold values will be compared It will also be necessary to work closely with the Agriculture, Waste Water Treatment Plant, and Urban sources groups of the Lake Champlain Basin Regional Risk Assessment to share information related to pathogens.
For each pathogen we will address likely sources in the Lake Champlain Basin, pathogen history in the lake, life cycle of pathogen, transportation of the pathogen, the impacts on habitats and organisms, the impacts of pathogens on other stressors, and how pathogens affect the assessment endpoints. Specifically for CyanoHABs we will be looking at sources other than phosphorus loading.
Next we will characterize risk for each pathogen, giving highest ranking to those which adversely affect human health. One problem we will likely face is the lack of quantitative data on pathogens in the lake. This arises from the obscurity of testing results in Burlington.
Effort Assignment
The work will be divided equally between the group members as follows:
Alex will be in charge of researching CyanoHABs and the various cyanotoxins and their possible effects in the Lake Champlain Basin. Marissa will be in charge of researching Giardia and E.Coli focusing on sources and prevalence of past cases of sickness. Rebecca will focus on Cryptosporidiosis and Escocid Lymphosarcoma, working closely with those in the Recreation stressor group to determine how these pathogens will affect recreational activities. Finally all three group members will work together to determine rankings and risk characterization.