Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Marine Contaminants Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Sitka National Historical Park D. Schirokauer/NPS NPS Photo/B. Moynahan Justification Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Source: cenvironment.blogspot.com Global and local sources of pollution NPS Photo Justification Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Adapted fromColder, polar regions Temperate regions Hotter, equatorial regions Earth Less volatile compounds More volatile compounds NPS Considerations Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Ecosystems susceptible to contaminant threats C. Sergeant Source: gulfofmaine.org Organism integrates contaminants and is reflective of park conditions Results comparable with existing benchmarks (from Schirokauer and Moynahan 2010) Minimally invasive sampling approach NPS photo/B. Moynahan Sources of marine contamination Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Heavy metals mostly a byproduct of fossil fuel and waste burning, mining and ore processing, chemical production, and agriculture Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline and other derived products Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are human-produced organic substances such as DDT and PCBs D.D.T: Powerful insecticide, harmless to humans Objectives Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Monitor the current status and long-term trends of marine contaminants through sampling bay mussels in conformance with NOAA Mussel Watch protocols Maintain a regularly updated contaminant profile for selected reference sites NPS photo/B. Moynahan Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009 GLBA KLGO SITK Logistics and Budget Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program 35 g wet weight per site, per analysis NPS photo 65 samples collected and analyzed in 2007 and and 2011: 6 sites re-sampled for temporal variability (2 staff can complete field work 1-2 days GLBA; 1 hr SITK & KLGO) NPS photo/B. Moynahan $196K for effort (tech assistance, field sampling, lab testing, etc.) Future field and lab work covered by SEAN (approx. $2K per sample) What were learning Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program SEAN nearshore environments are very clean Mercury Generally very low Highest at Crescent Harbor in Sitka Total PAH Generally very low or undetectable Bartlett Cove fuel dock POPs Below detection at nearly all sites Far below safe seafood thresholds What were learning Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Valuable baseline conditions: Imagine if Prince William Sound had this information before Exxon-Valdez Observed pollution likely local Some capacity to detect small events What were learning Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Future efforts Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Full integration with NOAA Mussel Watch Biennial sampling at ~7 sites Exploring potential partnerships Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Program Delivery 2011 results will be integrated into new assessment by UAS partner David Tallmon Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program May 6, NPS photo/B. Moynahan