View
2
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project
Sean McNulty, M.Sc., Manager, Environment, Infrastructure SustainabilityVancouver Fraser Port Authority
James Rourke, M.Sc., RPBio, Senior BiologistHemmera
May 27, 2019
Coastal birds – western sandpiper and biofilm EIS Sections 11.0 and 15.0
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 2
• Summary of assessment conclusions, mitigation, and follow-up
• Assessment work
• Western sandpiper (WESA)
• Biofilm
• Freshwater and tidal exchange
• Biofilm quantity, quality, and WESA
• Conclusions
Overview – Coastal birds: western sandpiper (WESA)
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
With mitigation, the project is predicted to result in negligible adverse residual effects to western sandpiper (WESA)
• WESA are abundant and adapted to the variable environment at Roberts Bank
• Estuarine biofilm consumed by WESA is abundant, ubiquitous, and resilient
• High quality biofilm is present under freshwater and marine conditions at Roberts Bank
• There is, and will be, a surplus of food (including biofilm) for WESA and other shorebirds with the project in place
• Follow-up monitoring under an adaptive management approach will verify effects predictions
Assessment conclusions, mitigation, and follow-up
3
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Assessment work
4
• 20 studies conducted spanning six years
Robust, expert-led science underpins the assessment
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Existing Condition Studies (2012 - 2013)
• Biofilm: Annual Abundance and Variability, Physical Factors, Community Composition, Hyperspectral Mapping, Shear Stress, Regeneration
• Shorebirds: Migration distribution and abundance, Migratory Connectivity, WESA Genetics, WESA Diet, Overwintering Distribution and Abundance, Dunlin Genetics, Dunlin Regional Distribution, Agriculture Usage, Shorebird Foraging Opportunity
• Invertebrate: abundance, distribution and composition
Additional Studies (2016 - 2018)
• Biofilm Dynamics during Northward Migration (2016)
• WESA Selective Feeding of Biofilm Communities (2016)
• Biofilm Dynamics during Northward Migration (2017)
• Biofilm Dynamics during Northward Migration (2018)
Assessment work – study program breadth and depth
5
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Western sandpiper (WESA) at Roberts Bank
WESA is an abundant migratory shorebird
• One of the most abundant shorebird species in North America (3.5M)
• The Fraser River Estuary is one of several important migratory stopover sites
• Roberts Bank supports ~600,000 individuals during a typical northward migration
• ~17% of population utilize Roberts Bank annually during northward migration
6Drever et al. 2014, Andres et al. 2012
17%
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Shorebirds at Roberts Bank
Hemmera 2014 7
(Northward migration: 2012, 2013, 2014)
Distribution and abundance
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Prop
orti
on
of
En
erg
y
Req
uir
em
en
ts
Biofilm Invertebrates
Western sandpiper (WESA) at Roberts Bank
Kuwae et al. 2008, 2012, Jardine et al. 2012 8
WESA has a flexible diet comprised of biofilm and invertebrates, both of which are abundant
• Biofilm - 37-68% daily energy requirements at Roberts Bank
• Invertebrates - 32-63% of energy requirements
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 9
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
EIS Figure 11-3 Adapted from Decho et al. 2000
Nutrient-rich, estuarine biofilm is abundant and ubiquitous at Roberts Bank and present throughout the Fraser River Estuary
• Biofilm is an assemblage of micro-organisms primarily comprised of diatoms
Surface Layer Biofilm
Key Diatom Taxa
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
10
Biofilm and WESA are adapted to highly variable daily, seasonal, and inter-annual conditions
CEAR#1215, 1385 | EIS Section 6.5, 9.7
Fraser River discharge: inter-annual variation
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 11
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
Biofilm at Roberts Bank is adapted to extremely variable conditions including daily desiccation, inundation, and large fluctuations in salinity associated with tidal cycles
EIS Section 6.5, 9.7
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 12
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
Biofilm Dynamics Study Area (2016-2018)
EIS Section 6.5, 9.7
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
13
Abundant biofilm of similar taxonomic and fatty acid composition occurs across the salinity gradient at Roberts Bank
CEAR#934, 1215, 1385
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Biofilm quantity, quality, and WESA
14CEAR# 1385 (adapted from Figure 4-1)
(H, I) (Y, A, C)
Strata
(X, J)
- salinity +
High quality biofilm exists across the salinity gradient at Roberts Bank
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
WESA forage on estuarine biofilm and invertebrates across the salinity gradient at Roberts Bank
Biofilm at Roberts Bank
15
Figure 4-1 Shorebird Abundance and Foraging Use in the Fraser River Estuary during Migration Technical Data Report
Biofilm distributionWESA foraging distribution
Hemmera 2014 (WESA) | EIS Section 11, Figure 11-7 (Biofilm)
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
• Video link:
• https://youtu.be/phpi0gKk3fw
Freshwater and tidal exchange at Roberts Bank
16Adapted from EIS Appendix 9.5-A
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
There is, and will be, a surplus of food (including biofilm) for WESA and other shorebirds with the project in place
Daily Northward Migration Survey Results
Capacity of Biofilm for WESA w/Project
Biofilm quantity, quality, and WESA
17CWS; EIS Appendix 15-B [Shorebird Foraging Opportunity Model]
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
With mitigation, the project is predicted to result in negligible adverse residual effects to western sandpiper
• Western sandpiper are abundant and adapted to the variable environment at Roberts Bank
• Estuarine biofilm consumed by western sandpiper is abundant, ubiquitous, and resilient
• High quality biofilm is present under freshwater and marine conditions at Roberts Bank
• There is, and will be, a surplus of food (including biofilm) for western sandpiper and other shorebirds with the project in place
Conclusions
18
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
A follow-up monitoring under an adaptive management approach will verify effects predictions
• Verify predictions of salinity levels in the intertidal water column (Appendix C15, Updated Project Commitments)
• Verify effects on the capacity of the local assessment area to support WESA prey (Appendix C14, Updated Project Commitments)
• Abundance/density of biofilm (fatty acids, carbohydrates, chlorophyll a)
• Abundance/density of invertebrates (fatty acids, carbohydrates)
Conclusions
19CEAR# 1683
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority 20
Thank you
Recommended