W9 AM Biomonitoring
Wednesday, 16 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in 339-340

(BOW-1117-842275) Selecting Indicators for Wildlife Deformities and Effects of Bioaccumulative Compounds of Concern for Great Lakes NPS Units.

Bowerman, William¹, Route, Bill², ¹ Clemson University, Dept of Forestry & Natural Resources, Clemson, SC, USA² National Park Service, Great Lakes Network, Ashland, WI, USA

ABSTRACT- The nine Great Lakes Network National Park Service units are exposed to many number bioaccumulative compounds of concern. The effects of these compounds to wildlife reproduction and developmental deformities has clearly been established. We developed a monitoring design to determine trends of concentrations and effects to both reproduction and deformities using 8 sentinel species within these NPS units. We will describe the steps taken to identify species, compounds of concern, and validated impairment thresholds to both wildlife reproduction and developmental deformities in these species. Sampling design, sample sizes necessary to determine differences both temporally and spatially, and power analyses will also be described.

Key words: biomonitoring, developmental deformities, Great Lakes, wildlife reproduction