2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment diatom species data and corresponding site information.

The National Rivers and Stream Assessment 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 diatom datasets and associated site information. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Riato, L., J. Stoddard, A. Herlihy, and K. Blocksom. Reduced count size can provide a robust and more efficient diatom assessment of environmental conditions. Journal of Applied Ecology. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, USA, 61(9): 2308-2320, (2024).

Data is from National Aquatic Resource Surveys. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Riato, L., R. Hill, A. Herlihy, D. Peck, P. Kaufmann, J. Stoddard, and S. Paulsen. Genus-level, trait-based multimetric diatom indices for assessing the ecological condition of river and stream across the conterminous United States.. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 141: 109131, (2022).

Data is from National Aquatic Resource Surveys. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Riato, L., R. Hill, A. Herlihy, D. Peck, P. Kaufmann, J. Stoddard, and S. Paulsen. Genus-level, trait-based multimetric diatom indices for assessing the ecological condition of river and stream across the conterminous United States.. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 141: 109131, (2022).

ABSTRACT Diatom data have been collected in large-scale biological assessments in the United States, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA). However, the effectiveness of diatoms as indicators may suffer if inconsistent taxon identifications across different analysts obscure the relationships between assemblage composition and environmental variables. To reduce these inconsistencies, we harmonized the 2008-2009 NRSA data from nine analysts by updating names to current synonyms and by statistically identifying taxa with high analyst signal (taxa with more variation in relative abundance explained by the analyst factor, relative to environmental variables). We then screened a subset of samples with QA/QC data and combined taxa with mismatching identifications by the primary and secondary analysts. When these combined “slash groups” did not reduce analyst signal, we elevated taxa to the genus level or omitted taxa in difficult species complexes. We examined the variability explained by analyst in the original and revised datasets. Further, we examined how revising the datasets to reduce analyst signal can reduce inconsistency, thereby uncovering the variation in assemblage composition explained by total phosphorus (TP), an environmental variable of high priority for water managers. To produce a revised dataset with the greatest taxonomic consistency, we ultimately made 124 slash groups, omitted 7 taxa in the small naviculoid (e.g., Sellaphora atomoides) species complex, and elevated Nitzschia, Diploneis, and Tryblionella taxa to the genus level. Relative to the original dataset, the revised dataset had more overlap among samples grouped by analyst in ordination space, less variation explained by the analyst factor, and more than double the variation in assemblage composition explained by TP. Elevating all taxa to the genus level did not eliminate analyst signal completely, and analyst remained the most important predictor for the genera Sellaphora, Mayamaea, and Psammodictyon, indicating that these taxa present the greatest obstacle to consistent identification in this dataset. Although our process did not completely remove the analyst signal, this work clarifies the extent of the problem and provides a method to minimize analyst signal. Resolution of these taxonomic issues makes large datasets such as the NRSA more suitable for the development of diatom-based water quality indicators. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Lee, S., I. Bishop, S. Spaulding, R. Mitchell, and L. Yuan. Taxonomic harmonization may reveal a stronger association between diatom assemblages and total phosphorus in large datasets.. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 102: 166-174, (2019). NOTE: This dataset has been removed from public access due to revocation. Please refer inquiries regarding this dataset to the listed contact person.

ABSTRACT Diatom data have been collected in large-scale biological assessments in the United States, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA). However, the effectiveness of diatoms as indicators may suffer if inconsistent taxon identifications across different analysts obscure the relationships between assemblage composition and environmental variables. To reduce these inconsistencies, we harmonized the 2008-2009 NRSA data from nine analysts by updating names to current synonyms and by statistically identifying taxa with high analyst signal (taxa with more variation in relative abundance explained by the analyst factor, relative to environmental variables). We then screened a subset of samples with QA/QC data and combined taxa with mismatching identifications by the primary and secondary analysts. When these combined “slash groups” did not reduce analyst signal, we elevated taxa to the genus level or omitted taxa in difficult species complexes. We examined the variability explained by analyst in the original and revised datasets. Further, we examined how revising the datasets to reduce analyst signal can reduce inconsistency, thereby uncovering the variation in assemblage composition explained by total phosphorus (TP), an environmental variable of high priority for water managers. To produce a revised dataset with the greatest taxonomic consistency, we ultimately made 124 slash groups, omitted 7 taxa in the small naviculoid (e.g., Sellaphora atomoides) species complex, and elevated Nitzschia, Diploneis, and Tryblionella taxa to the genus level. Relative to the original dataset, the revised dataset had more overlap among samples grouped by analyst in ordination space, less variation explained by the analyst factor, and more than double the variation in assemblage composition explained by TP. Elevating all taxa to the genus level did not eliminate analyst signal completely, and analyst remained the most important predictor for the genera Sellaphora, Mayamaea, and Psammodictyon, indicating that these taxa present the greatest obstacle to consistent identification in this dataset. Although our process did not completely remove the analyst signal, this work clarifies the extent of the problem and provides a method to minimize analyst signal. Resolution of these taxonomic issues makes large datasets such as the NRSA more suitable for the development of diatom-based water quality indicators. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Lee, S., I. Bishop, S. Spaulding, R. Mitchell, and L. Yuan. Taxonomic harmonization may reveal a stronger association between diatom assemblages and total phosphorus in large datasets.. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 102: 166-174, (2019). NOTE: This dataset has been removed from public access due to revocation. Please refer inquiries regarding this dataset to the listed contact person.

The National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) is a statistical survey of the condition of wetlands in the conterminous United States. It is designed to provide information on the extent of wetlands that support healthy biological condition, estimate how widespread major stressors are that impact wetland quality, and provide insight into the ecological integrity of wetlands nationwide. This dataset is an archived (zipped) file comprised of chemical, physical and biological files used in developing the NWCA 2011 report. Sampling was conducted in the spring and summer of 2011 at approximately 1,000 sites in the conterminous U.S. Sites were selected using a statistical survey (probabilistic) design. The files include site information, vegetation characteristics, soil properties and chemistry, hydrology sources and disturbances, physical habitat, landscape metrics, algal toxins (microcystin), and water chemistry. Users are encouraged to visit the NARS data webpage for updates to data files and data from other surveys. https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/data-national-aquatic-resource-surveys. Citation for the NWCA 2011 archived data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Aquatic Resource Surveys. National Wetland Condition Assessment 2011 Report. Archived Data. (INSERT data and metadata files used). Available from U.S. EPA web page: https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/national-wetland-condition-assessment-2011-results. DOI: 10.23719/1531015 EPA encourages users who are publishing subsets of the data (say as part of a journal article publication) to include the above citation. EPA also encourages users of the data to include the following acknowledgement: “The National Wetland Condition Assessment 2011 data were a result of the collective efforts of dedicated field crews, laboratory staff, data management and quality control staff, analysts and many others from EPA, states, tribes, federal agencies, universities, and other organizations. Please contact nars-hq@epa.gov with any questions.” Additional information: NWCA is part of the National Aquatic Resource Surveys, an EPA/State/Tribal partnership. The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) are statistical surveys designed to assess the status of and changes in quality of the nation’s coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Using sample sites selected at random, these surveys provide a snapshot of the overall condition of the nation’s water. Because the surveys use standardized field and lab methods, we can compare results from different parts of the country and between years. Citation information for this dataset can be found in Data.gov's References section.

The Geomorphic Wetlands dataset describes the wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain representing two main aspects, physical classification and environmental evaluation. The data set is updated quarterly. If information regarding this data is required please contact DBCA: Principal Coordinator Wetlands: 9219 8714 Formally Geomorphic Wetlands, Swan Coastal Plain (DPAW-017)

The National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) is a statistical survey of the condition of wetlands in the conterminous United States. It is designed to provide information on the extent of wetlands that support healthy biological condition, estimate how widespread major stressors are that impact wetland quality, and provide insight into the ecological integrity of wetlands nationwide. This dataset is an archived (zipped) file comprised of chemical, physical and biological files used in developing the NWCA 2016 report. Sampling was conducted in the spring and summer of 2016 at approximately 1,000 sites in the conterminous U.S. Sites were selected using a statistical survey (probabilistic) design. The files include site information, vegetation characteristics, soil properties and chemistry, hydrology sources and disturbances, physical habitat, landscape metrics, algal toxins (microcystin), and water chemistry. Users are encouraged to visit the NARS data webpage for updates to data files and data from other surveys. https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/data-national-aquatic-resource-surveys. Citation for the NWCA 2016 archived data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Aquatic Resource Surveys. National Wetland Condition Assessment 2016 Report. Archived Data. (INSERT data and metadata files used). Available from U.S. EPA web page: https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/reports-and-data-national-wetland-condition-assessment-2016. DOI: 10.23719/1531014 EPA encourages users who are publishing subsets of the data (say as part of a journal article publication) to include the above citation. EPA also encourages users of the data to include the following acknowledgement: “The National Wetland Condition Assessment 2016 data were a result of the collective efforts of dedicated field crews, laboratory staff, data management and quality control staff, analysts and many others from EPA, states, tribes, federal agencies, universities, and other organizations. Please contact nars-hq@epa.gov with any questions.” Additional information: NWCA is part of the National Aquatic Resource Surveys, an EPA/State/Tribal partnership. The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) are statistical surveys designed to assess the status of and changes in quality of the nation’s coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Using sample sites selected at random, these surveys provide a snapshot of the overall condition of the nation’s water. Because the surveys use standardized field and lab methods, we can compare results from different parts of the country and between years. Citation information for this dataset can be found in Data.gov's References section.