Henriette Jager - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Henriette Jager

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2018

Ecological Modelling, 2014

The thread posed to Pacific salmon by competing water demands is a great concern to regulators of... more The thread posed to Pacific salmon by competing water demands is a great concern to regulators of the hydropower industry. Finding the balance between fish resource and economic objectives depends on our ability to quantify flow effects on salmon production. Because field experiments are impractical, simulation models are needed to predict the effects of minimum flows on chinook salmon during their freshwater residence. We have developed a model to simulate the survival and development of eggs and alevins in redds and the growth, survival, and movement of juvenile chinook in response to local stream conditions (flow, temperature, chinook and predator density). Model results suggest that smolt production during dry years can be increased by raising spring minimum flows.

Environmental Management, 2007

Ecological Modelling, 1997

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 1999

Spatial distribution of contaminants in the sediments and biota of a large reservoir ecosystem we... more Spatial distribution of contaminants in the sediments and biota of a large reservoir ecosystem were related to a variety of biological responses in fish populations and communities to determine possible relationships between contaminant loading in the environment and fish health. Much of the contaminant inventory in the Clinch River/Watts Bar Reservoir (CR/WBR) system has originated from three U.S. Department of Energy facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation, which borders this system in its upper reaches. Fish sampled from areas of the CR/WBR system with the highest levels of contaminants in the sediments and biota, primarily mercury and PCBs, had the most dramatic bioindicator responses. The major changes observed were induction of detoxification enzymes, organ dysfunction, increased frequency of histopathological lesions, impaired reproduction, and reduced fish community integrity. Mercury, the dominant contaminant, displayed a decreasing concentration gradient from the upper reaches of Poplar Creek to the lower Clinch River, which was consistent with a downstream gradient in several of the biological responses. A multivariate analysis using all of the individual fish health responses at each site in a discriminant analysis procedure also revealed a downstream gradient in integrated fish health. In Poplar Creek where contaminant concentrations were the highest, statistical correlations were observed between individual bioindicator responses such as contaminant exposure indicators, organ dysfunction, histopathological damage, and reproductive impairment. Relationships between contaminant loading and fish community indices such as species richness and relative abundance, however, were more difficult to establish in Poplar Creek because of the possible dominating influence of food and habitat availability on fish community dynamics. Using a suite of bioindicators that encompass a range of levels of biological organization and response-sensitivity scales improves the probability of identifying cause (contaminant) and effect (biological response) and helps in distinguishing between natural and anthropogenic sources of stress in aquatic ecosystems.

In order to mitigate the environmental effects of hydropower development and operation, the Feder... more In order to mitigate the environmental effects of hydropower development and operation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires environmental compliance by private owners of hydropower facilities. The environmental issues considered are usually within the vicinity of hydropower facilities because many, if not all, are a direct result of dam construction or operation. “On-site” mitigation techniques typically include fish passage, flow and water quality improvement, habitat enhancement, and recreation improvements. We question whether more environmental benefits could be achieved outside the project boundary (“off-site”). Off-site benefits include the above listed mitigations, but also land acquisition, wetland mitigation, and riparian restoration. Determining optimal win-win scenarios between energy and the environment requires identifying the most cost-effective route to increase energy production while also identifying environmental improvements with the highest benefit/...

Environmental Management, 2011

Military landscapes represent a mixture of undisturbed natural ecosystems, developed areas, and l... more Military landscapes represent a mixture of undisturbed natural ecosystems, developed areas, and lands that support different types and intensities of military training. Research to understand water-quality influences of military landscapes usually involves intensive sampling in a few watersheds. In this study, we developed a survey design of accessible headwater watersheds intended to improve our ability to distinguish land-water relationships in general, and training influences, in particular, on Fort Stewart, GA. We sampled and analyzed water from watershed outlets. We successfully developed correlative models for total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon (OC), and organic nitrogen (ON), which dominated in this blackwater ecosystem. TSS tended to be greater in samples after rainfall and during the growing season, and models that included %Wetland suggested a "build-and-flush" relationship. We also detected a positive association between TSS and tank-training, which suggests a need to intercept sediment-laden runoff from training areas. Models for OC showed a negative association with %Grassland. TN and ON both showed negative associations with %Grassland, %Wetland, and %Forest. Unexpected positive associations were observed between OC and equipment-training activity and between ON and %Bare ground + Roads. Future studies that combine our survey-based approach with more intensive monitoring of the timing and intensity of training would be needed to better understand the mechanisms for these empirical relationships involving military training. Looking beyond local effects on Fort Stewart streams, we explore questions about how exports of OC and nitrogen from coastal military installations ultimately influence estuaries downstream.

The global recognition of the importance of natural flow regimes to sustain the ecological integr... more The global recognition of the importance of natural flow regimes to sustain the ecological integrity of river systems has led to increased societal pressure on the hydropower industry to change plant operations to improve downstream aquatic ecosystems. However, a complete reinstatement of natural flow regimes is often unrealistic when balancing water needs for ecosystems, energy production , and other human uses. Thus, stakeholders must identify a prioritized subset of flow prescriptions that meet ecological objectives in light of realistic constraints. Yet, isolating aspects of flow regimes to restore downstream of hydropower facilities is among the greatest challenges of environmental flow science due, in part, to the sheer volume of available environmental flow tools in conjunction with complex negotiation-based regulatory procedures. Herein, we propose an organizational framework that structures information and existing flow paradigms into a staged process that assists stakeholders in implementing environmental flows for hydropower facilities. The framework identifies areas where regulations fall short of the needed scientific process, and provide suggestions for stakeholders to ameliorate those situations through advanced preparation. We highlight the strengths of existing flow paradigms in their application to hydropower settings and suggest when and where tools are most applicable. Our suggested framework increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the e-flow implementation process by rapidly establishing a knowledge base and decreasing uncertainty so more time can be devoted to filling knowledge gaps. Lastly, the framework provides the structure for a coordinated research agenda to further the science of environmental flows related to hydropower environments.