Biogeochemistry at Regional Scales

Over the last thirty years or more, great strides have been made in improving our basic understanding of key biogeochemical cycles of the major elements (for example, C, S, Fe, etc.), as well as minor elements of concern (for example, Hg, Se, As, etc.). While many specific pathways and reaction mechanisms have been elucidated, our understanding of how these biogeochemical cycles function and interact with each other over variable temporal and spatial scales is much less robust, particularly at ecosystem and regional spatial scales. The overarching focus of this project will be to determine how and why biogeochemical cycles of major elements and other elements of concern vary at the ecosystem and regional scales, and how these biogeochemical cycles interact with one another. General approaches to achieving project objectives will include a) comparing and contrasting key biogeochemical pathways both within the sub habitats of a given ecosystem and among systems, b) fostering collaborations with other scientists on projects that are regional in scope, and c) exploring opportunities to link the field intensive approaches currently used with emerging remote monitoring technologies.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 2004-2009

Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Stewart, A.R., Fisher, N.S., Pickhardt, P., Mason, R.P., Heyes, A., and Winham-Myers, L., in press, Evaluation Of Mercury Transformations and Trophic Transfer in the San Francisco Bay/Delta: Identifying Critical Processes for the Ecosystem Restoration Program: Final Report for Project # ERP-02-P40 to the California Bay Delta Authority (CBDA), 40 p.

Yee, D., Collins, J., Grenier, L., Takekawa, J., Tsoa-Melcer, D., Woo., I., Schwarzbach, S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Windham, L., Krabbenhoft, D., Olund, S., and Evens, J., in press, Mercury and Methylmercury Processes in North San Francisco Bay Tidal Wetland Ecosystems. CALFED ERP-02D-P64 Annual Project Report (April 2007) to California Bay-Delta Authority (CBDA), 23 p.

Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Alpers, C.N, and Fleck, J.A., 2009, Mercury, methylmercury, and other constituents in sediment and water from seasonal and permanent wetlands in the Cache Creek Settling Basin and Yolo Bypass, Yolo County, California, 2005–06: U.S. Geological Survey, Open File Report 2009-1182, 69 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 6.1 MB)

Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Lutz, M.A., Brigham, M.E., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Aiken, G.R., Orem, W.H., and Hall, B.D., 2009, Mercury cycling in stream ecosystems. 2. Benthic methylmercury production and bed sediment—pore water partitioning: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 43, no. 8, p. 2726–2732. (on-line abstract or on-line article in pdf format, 229 KB, published by the American Chemical Society, not subject to U.S. copyright)

Ribeiro Guevara, S., Catán, S.P., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., 2009, Benthic methylmercury production in lacustrine ecosystems of Nahuel Huapi National Park, Patagonia, Argentina: Chemosphere, v. 77, no, 4, p. 471-477. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Windham-Myers, L., Marvin-Dipasquale, M., Krabbenhoft, D.P.,. Agee, J.L., Cox, M.H., Heredia-Middleton, P., Coates, C., and E. Kakouros, E., 2009, Experimental removal of wetland emergent vegetation leads to decreased methylmercury production in surface sediment: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 114, G00C05, doi:10.1029/2008JG000815. (on-line abstract or on-line publication in pdf format, 768 KB, published by the American Geophysical Union; not subject to U.S. copyright)

Alpers, C.N., Stewart, A.R., Saiki, M.K., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Topping, B.R., Rider, K.M., Gallanthine, S.K., Kester, C.A., Rye, R.O., Antweiler, R.C., and De Wild, J.F., 2008, Environmental factors affecting mercury in Camp Far West Reservoir, California, 2001–03: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5008, 358 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 3.16 MB)

Hall, B.D., Aiken, G.R., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Swarzenski, C.M., 2008, Wetlands as principal zones of methylmercury production in southern Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico region: Environmental Pollution v. 154, p. 124-134. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Lutz, M.A., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Aiken, G.R., Orem, W.H., Hall, B.D., DeWild, J.F., and Brigham, M.E., 2008, Total mercury, methylmercury, methylmercury production potential, and ancillary streambed-sediment and pore-water data for selected streams in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Florida, 2003–04: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 375, 24 p. (on-line abstract and to download zip file with appendixes or on-line report in pdf format, 1.28 MB)

Lutz, M.A., Brigham, M.E., and Marvin-DiPasquale, M., 2008, Procedures for collecting and processing streambed sediment and pore water for analysis of mercury as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program: U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2008-1279, 68 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 3 MB)

Schuster, P.F., Shanley, J.B., Marvin-Dipasquale, M., Reddy, M.M., Aiken, G.R., Roth, D.A., Taylor, H.E., Krabbenhoft, D.P., and DeWild, J.F., 2008, Mercury and organic carbon dynamics during runoff episodes from a northeastern USA watershed : Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 187, p. 89-108. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Shanley, J.B., Mast, A., Campbell, D.H., Aiken, G.R., Krabbenhoft, D.P., Hunt, R.J., Walker, J.F., Schuster, P.F., Chalmers, A., Aulenbach, B.T., Peters, N.E., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Clow, D.W., Shafer, M.M., 2008, Comparison of total mercury and methylmercury cycling at five sites using the small watershed approach: Environmental Pollution, v. 154, no. 1, p. 143-154. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Stewart, A.R., Saiki, M.K., Kuwabara, J.S., Alpers, C.N., Marvin DiPasquale, M., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2008, Influence of plankton mercury dynamics and trophic pathways on mercury concentrations of top predator fish of a mining-impacted reservoir: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 65, no.11, p. 2351-2366(16). (on-line abstract of journal article).

Gandhi, N., Bhavsar, S.P., Diamond, M.L., Kuwabara, J.S., Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2007, Development of a mercury speciation, fate and biotic uptake (BIOTRANSPEC) model: Application to Lahontan Reservoir (Nevada, USA): Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 26, p. 2,260-2,273. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Cox, M.H., 2007, Legacy mercury in Alviso Slough, South San Francisco Bay, California: Concentration, speciation and mobility: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report number 2007-1240, 98 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 9.7 MB)

Pérez Catán, S., Ribeiro Guevara, S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Magnavacca, C., Cohen, I.M., and Arribere, M., 2007, Methodological considerations regarding the use of inorganic ¹⁹⁷Hg(II) radiotracer to assess mercury methylation potential rates in lake sediment: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, v. 65, p. 987-997. (on-line abstract)

Alpers, C.N., Hunerlach, M.P., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Antweiler, R.C., Lasorsa, B.K., De Wild, J.F., and Snyder, N.P., 2006, Geochemical data for mercury, methylmercury, and other constitutents in sediments from Englebright Lake, California, 2002 : U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 151, 95 p. (on-line abstract or data report in pdf format, 11.6 MB - on-line only)

Brocher, T.M., Carr, M.D., Halsing, D.L., John, D.A., Langenheim, V.E., Mangan, M.T., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Takekawa, J.Y., and Tiedeman, C.R., 2006, USGS science in Menlo Park; a science strategy for the U. S. Geological Survey Menlo Park Science Center, 2005-2015: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1290, 42 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 4.5 MB)

Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Stewart, A.R., Fisher, N.S., Pickhardt, P., Mason, R.P., Heyes, A., and Winham-Meyer, L., 2005, Evaluation Of Mercury Transformations and Trophic Transfer in the San Francisco Bay/Delta: Identifying Critical Processes for the Ecosystem Restoration Program: Annual Report of Progress for Project # ERP-02-P40 to the California Bay Delta Authority (CBDA) Sacramento, California. (on-line only report in pdf format)

Yee, D., Collins, J., Grenier, L., Takekawa, J., Schwarzbach, S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Krabbenhoft, D., and Evens, J., 2005, Mercury and Methylmercury Processes in North San Francisco Bay Tidal Wetland Ecosystems: Annual Report of Progress for Project #ERP-02D-P64 to California Bay-Delta Authority (CBDA) Sacramento, California. (on-line only report in pdf format)

Hunerlach, M.P., Alpers, C.N., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., Taylor, H.E., and De Wild, J.F., 2004, Geochemistry of mercury and other trace elements in fluvial tailings upstream of Daguerre Point Dam, Yuba River, California, August 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5165. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 20,423 KB)

Snyder, N.P., Allen, J.R., Dare, C., Hampton, M.A., Schneider, G., Wooley, R.J., Alpers, C.N., and Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., 2004, Sediment grain-size and loss-on-ignition analyses from 2002 Englebright Lake coring and sampling campaigns: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1080, 46 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format - 1.6MB)

Stamenkovic, J., Gustin, M.S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Thomas, B.A., and Agee, J.L., 2004, Distribution of total and methyl mercury in sediments along Steamboat Creek (Nevada, USA): Science of The Total Environment, v. 322, no. 1-3, p. 167-177. (on-line abstract)

Topping, B.R., Kuwabara, J.S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Agee, J.L., Kieu, L.H., Flanders, J.R., Parchaso, F., Hager, S.W., Lopez, C.B., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2004, Sediment remobilization of mercury in south San Francisco Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5196, 27 p. + appendices. (on-line executive summary or on-line report in pdf format, 6.9 MB)

For bibliographic information prior to 2004, see the project, Microbial Biogeochemistry of Aquatic Environments

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
Mark Marvin-DiPasquale
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 480, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: mmarvin@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4442

For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies