New
Jersey Periphyton Bioassessment Development Projects
Trophic Diatom Inference Models and Index Development for New Jersey
Wadeable Streams
(2000
- 2005)
The Academy
of Natural Sciences (ANS) located
in Philadelphia, PA entered into
a contract with the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection
(NJ DEP) for the purpose of developing
algal indicators of stream and
river eutrophication. These indicators
would be used to assess relationships
between extant water quality criteria
(e.g., phosphorus and nitrogen
concentrations) and overt signs
of eutrophication. They could
potentially be applied in a regulatory
context as secondary criteria
for identifying nutrient impairment.
These indicators should be based
on an understanding of algal dynamics
in New Jersey streams, and be
able to distinguish between situations
where nutrient concentrations
are high due to natural environmental
conditions and those that result
from anthropogenic influences.
Protocols are needed that describe
procedures for sample collection
and processing, analysis and presentation
of data, and interpretation of
results.
Below
you will find the final and summary reports from the study as well as
the protocols.