Browsing by Author "Procopio, Nicholas A."

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Developing a Watershed-scale Baseline for Tidal Wetlands
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2020-12) Procopio, Nicholas A.; Hazen, Robert; Weinstein, Michael P.; Wu, Meiyin; Yu, Danlin
    Tidal wetlands are critical habitat for the maintenance of secondary production of nekton. This study addresses two key factors: the specific structural and functional traits of coastal wetlands that make them conducive to supporting the secondary production of nekton and how individual components of the marsh are inter-connected to form a functional whole. Structural characteristics of relatively undisturbed tidal wetlands have been determined by meta-analysis from more than 500 papers and in-situ measurements and remote sensing of New Jersey wetland sites. Meta-analysis (Hedges’ d values and 95% confidence intervals) has shown that restored sites compare favorably with undisturbed sites in catch per unit effort (CPUE) for forage and predatory species but the average size of nekton captured at Phragmites-dominated sites was generally smaller than those of comparable species at reference sites. In-situ ecological data collected within the Wading River Complex show that quadrats along Transects A and B, situated in the upper part of the estuary and reflecting lower saline conditions, were dominated by Phragmites australis, Spartina cynosuroides, and Typha augustifolia. The quadrats along the lower Transect C in more saline conditions were dominated by Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens. Water level readings from two transects on a single day showed that the marsh may flood up to 4.75 inches and flood stage over the marsh can last upwards of 7 hours. High resolution satellite images for a 20 km2 area of the Wading River Complex were used to determine the landscape composition of the area and model future trends. Remote sensing analysis by a Grey System Series coupled system dynamic simulative model has shown in a 2019 to 2033 simulation that an increase in Phragmites australis will pose a severe threat to local fauna and flora. We present an underlying framework for restoration success criteria that optimize secondary production and connectivity to adjacent habitats including the open waters of the estuary.
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    The effect of streamflow reductions on aquatic habitat availability and fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages in coastal plain streams
    (New Lisbon, N.J.: Pinelands Commission, 7/2/1905) New Jersey. Pinelands Commission; Procopio, Nicholas A.
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    Identification of Perfluorinated Carboxylic Acids (PFCAs) in the Metedeconk River Watershed: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Environmental Health, 2016-02) Karl, Robert; Maggio, Joseph; Rouse, John; Louis, Judy; Lippincott, Lee; Atherholt, Tom; Procopio, Nicholas A.; Goodrow, Sandra M.
    In a 2009 statewide study of perfluoroalkyl compound (PFC) occurrence in public water supplies conducted by NJDEP, the concentration of the PFC compound perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was higher in a drinking water intake along the South Branch Metedeconk River in Ocean County than in the other raw surface water sources tested. The Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority (BTMUA), which relies on the Metedeconk River as its primary source of water supply, subsequently initiated a PFC source track down study in collaboration with the NJDEP Division of Science, Research, and Environmental Health. The data collected from a series of sampling events show that low levels of various PFCs are present in the study area and likely originate from a number of sources. However, BTMUA documented a localized area of high-level PFC contamination along the South Branch Metedeconk River in Lakewood Township. A groundwater contamination plume emanating from an industrial park on the south side of the river is suspected to be the principle source of PFCs observed in the Metedeconk River and the BTMUA intake samples. Groundwater PFOA levels were found to be as high as 70,000 ng/L in this area. While various PFCs were detected in water samples throughout the study area, and particularly in groundwater samples, PFOA is the primary contaminant of concern with respect to South Branch Metedeconk River water quality and the BTMUA water supply.
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    Identification of Perfluoroalkyl Compounds (PFCs) in the Metedeconk River Watershed
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Science, 2015-04) Karl, Robert; Maggio, Joseph; Rouse, John; Louis, Judy; Lippincott, R. Lee; Atherholt, Thomas B.; Procopio, Nicholas A.; Goodrow, Sandra M.
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    New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, 2020-06-30) New Jersey. Department of Environmental Protection; Hill, Rebecca; Rutkowski, Megan M.; Lester, Lori A.; Genievich, Heather; Procopio, Nicholas A.
    DEP's first scientific report on climate change summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the effects of climate change on New Jersey’s environment to inform state and local decision-makers as they seek to understand and respond to the impacts of climate change. This report identifies and presents the best available science and existing data regarding the current and anticipated environmental effects of climate change globally, nationally, and regionally.
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    Reconnaissance of Surface Water Estrogenicity and the Prevalence of Intersex in Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) Inhabiting New Jersey: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2020-07) Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Smalling, Kelly R.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Braham, Ryan P.; Sanders, Lakyn R.; Boetsma, Anna; Procopio, Nicholas A.; Goodrow, Sandra; Buchanan, Gary A.; Millemann, Daniel R.; Ruppel, Bruce; Vile, John; Henning, Brian; Abatemarco, John
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    A Review of Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Occurrence in New Jersey Surface Water and Groundwater: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2020-09) Millemann, Daniel R.; Genievich, Heather; Reilly, Ed; Rush, Anne; Goodrow, Sandra; Procopio, Nicholas A.
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    Water Quality Trends in Nutrients in New Jersey Streams, Water Years 1971-2016
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Division of Science and Research, 2020-04-21) Lester, Lori A.; Kunz, Chris; Lager, Leigh; Procopio, Nicholas A.
    The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP’s) Division of Science and Research (DSR) and Bureau of Freshwater & Biological Monitoring (BFBM) collaborated on this study to update a previous report by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on the trends of water quality parameters measured at stations on streams in New Jersey from water years 1971-2011. This report updates the trends valuated for nutrients with five years of additional data (2012-2016). Trend tests were performed on nitrate plus nitrite as nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus at 28 water quality stations. Although the previous report also performed trend analyses on 28 stations, four stations differ between the original report and this update. In this report, water quality trends were assessed at four new stations and four other stations were not assessed because they have been discontinued. Two different statistical methods were utilized to identify trends: Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) and Seasonal Kendall (SK) tests.