1. OMSAP Public Meeting September 1999 Ecological Interactions in Massachusetts Bay A guide to how the MWRA Harbor and Outfall Monitoring Program evaluates the ecological system in Massachusetts Bay Carlton D. Hunt, Ph.D. Battelle

2. OMSAP Public Meeting September 1999 Why show ecological interactions? n Concern that discharge in Massachusetts Bay does not adversely disrupt the specific ecological compartments or linkages n Monitoring focus is on measuring compartments that can be repeatedly sampled and measured quantitatively n Parameters of major interest are those that ecologically important respond early to perturbation indicate longer-term response provide explanatory information n Context of these compartments and monitoring are best shown through a ecological diagram n Thresholds are the key pulse points that indicate a response is potentially unacceptable

3. Inflow Outflow Light Concerns Ecological Nutrients Contaminants Organic Material Food Chain Community Structure Living Resources Human Health Contaminants Bacteria Viruses Bioaccumulation SEDIMENT Mammals Infauna Piscivorous Fish Zooplankton Phytoplankton Planktivorous Fish Epibenthos Demersal Fish Regeneration Detritus Particulate Microbes Dissolved WATER COLUMN Sources Rivers Boundary Nonpoint Effluents Exchange Gas Exchange N 2, | O 2, CO 2 N, P, Si, O 2, CO 2 Microbes ATMOSPHERE

4. Inflow Outflow Light Concerns Ecological Nutrients Contaminants Organic Material Food Chain Community Structure Living Resources Human Health Contaminants Bacteria Viruses Bioaccumulation SEDIMENT Mammals Infauna Piscivorous Fish Zooplankton Phytoplankton Planktivorous Fish Epibenthos Demersal Fish Regeneration Detritus Particulate Microbes Dissolved WATER COLUMN Sources Rivers Boundary Nonpoint Effluents Exchange Gas Exchange N 2, | O 2, CO 2 ATMOSPHERE N, P, Si, O 2, CO 2 Microbes

5. Inflow Outflow Light Concerns Ecological Nutrients Contaminants Organic Material Food Chain Community Structure Living Resources Human Health Contaminants Bacteria Viruses Bioaccumulation SEDIMENT ATMOSPHERE Mammals Infauna Piscivorous Fish Zooplankton Phytoplankton Planktivorous Fish Epibenthos Demersal Fish Regeneration Detritus Particulate Microbes Dissolved WATER COLUMN Sources Rivers Boundary Nonpoint Effluents Exchange Gas Exchange N 2, | O 2, CO 2 N, P, Si, O 2, CO 2 Microbes

6. Inflow Outflow Light Concerns Ecological Nutrients Contaminants Organic Material Food Chain Community Structure Living Resources Human Health Contaminants Bacteria Viruses Bioaccumulation SEDIMENT Mammals Infauna Piscivorous Fish Zooplankton Phytoplankton Planktivorous Fish Epibenthos Demersal Fish Regeneration Detritus Particulate Microbes Dissolved WATER COLUMN Sources Rivers Boundary Nonpoint Effluents Exchange Gas Exchange N 2, | O 2, CO 2 Microbes ATMOSPHERE N, P, Si, O 2, CO 2