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 Maine Department of Environmental Protection
 Biological Monitoring Program
 Stream Algae Report

Site Information
Name: Passagassawakeag River - Station 431 Sampled by: Biomonitoring Unit
Town: Belfast Method: Periphytometer
Biomonitoring Basin Penobscot And Downeast Sample ID: SA-431-2000P (30)
Sample Date: 2000-07-13 Taxonomist: Michigan State University
Location: Below Keene Farm - Back Road Behind Usda Office On Rte 137
Sample comments:
Latitude: 44.43786932
Longitude: -69.07505298

Three figures from left to right: On the far left, an outline of the state of Maine with the site location marked in blue. In the middle, a satellite image view of the area of the site, with waterbodies marked in blue, and the site marked in red, with a scale bar and north arrow. On the right, a downstream image of the sample site.

Model Results and Variable Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 90th and/or 10th percentile of reference site values.

Statutory Class = B
Final Determination =
Attains Class =
Reason =
Model Result =
Prob. Class A =
Prob. Class B =
Prob. Class C =
Prob. NA =

Boxplots of stream algae model metrics, including range of values from all samples, from reference sites, and this specific sample. Stream algae model metrics are in a table below.

Additional Variable Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 90th and/or 10th percentile of reference site values.

Boxplots of additional stream algae metrics, including range of values from all samples, from reference sites, and this specific sample. Additional stream algae metrics are in a table below.

Model Variables Table
Variable Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference range lower limit Reference range upper limit Reference range description
Salt-tolerant diatom percent abundance 2.61 0.90 0.00 9.15 0.00 1.08 <90th percentile
Nutrient-tolerant diatom richness 10.00 8.00 3.00 17.00 0.00 8.00 <90th percentile
Intermediate diatom richness 24.00 19.00 11.00 28.80 9.00 25.30 10th to 90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 10.81 18.75 3.70 42.27 22.12 72.41 >10th percentile
Motile diatom percent abundance 12.01 8.49 1.55 31.56 0.00 11.59 <90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent abundance 2.00 1.19 0.00 17.43 0.00 1.05 <90th percentile
Additional Variables Table
Variable Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference range lower limit Reference range upper limit Reference range description
Tolerance Index (all algae) 42.28 42.67 37.09 49.07 0.00 42.34 <90th percentile
Nitrogen Index (all algae) 42.95 38.64 26.81 51.56 0.00 35.58 <90th percentile
Phosphorus Index (all algae) 69.43 58.62 38.59 76.56 0.00 53.06 <90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 4.00 6.00 1.00 14.00 5.00 23.00 >10th percentile
Intolerant algae richness 13.79 6.25 0.00 16.00 0.00 7.14 <90th percentile
Salt-tolerant diatom percent richness 71.88 89.95 61.14 98.30 45.42 97.96 10th to 90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent richness 24.32 16.67 0.00 41.38 0.00 14.29 <90th percentile
Nutrient- tolerant diatom percent abundance 28.64 42.06 7.59 84.31 0.00 48.33 <90th percentile
Stream Characteristics and Water Chemistry Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 10th to 90th percentile of reference site values

Wetted width = 5 m
Depth = 45 cm
Water velocity = 60 cm/s
Riffle = 20 %
Run = 70 %
Pool = 10 %
Bedrock = 5 %
Boulder = 10 %
Cobble = 35 %
Gravel = 25 %
Sand = 25 %
Silt = 0 %
Clay = 0 %
Boxplots of stream water chemistry. Values are in a table below.
Water Chemistry Table
Parameter Sample Date Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference 10th percentile Reference 90th percentile Units
Specific Conductance 2000-07-13 310 88.55 25.00 492.00 15.41 67.31 Microsiemens Per Centimeter
Nitrate + Nitrite As Nitrogen 2000-07-13 0.08 0.08 0.02 0.61 0.01 0.09 Milligrams Per Liter
Orthophosphate As Phosphorus 2000-07-13 6 2.00 1.00 11.00 1.00 3.00 Micrograms Per Liter
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen 2000-07-13 0.4 0.40 0.20 0.60 0.10 0.50 Milligrams Per Liter
Total Phosphorus 2000-07-13 30 18.00 7.00 48.00 4.00 18.00 Micrograms Per Liter
Viewing Bucket
Viewing Bucket Table
Cover type Percent cover Cover group
Filament >1cm Long 5.40 Nuisance algae
Sand / Mud 33.33 Not algae
Mat Not Visible 13.02 Thin algal layer
Mat Incomplete 39.68 Thin algal layer
Mat <1mm Thick 8.57 Thin algal layer

Barplot of viewing bucket substrate cover types, available in table on the right.

Land Use
Land Cover Data Source: MELCD 2004
Watershed Area (sq km): 88.6
Impervious Cover %: 3
Land Use Table
Cover Type Percent Category
Highly Urban 0.16 Developed
Urban 0.28 Developed
Residential 3.02 Developed
Water 2.70 Natural
Wetland 7.83 Natural
Forest 74.93 Natural
Grass 7.59 Agriculture
Cleared 0.33 Agriculture
Tilled 3.26 Agriculture

Barplots of landcover data from watershed upstream of sample location. Percentages are available in a table on the right

Site Information
Name: Passagassawakeag River - Station 431 Sampled by: Biomonitoring Unit
Town: Belfast Method: Periphytometer
Biomonitoring Basin Penobscot And Downeast Sample ID: SA-431-2000P (30)
Sample Date: 2000-07-13 Taxonomist: Michigan State University
Taxa List (See key at end of report)

 Tolerance values color coding: Blue for sensitive, <32.20. Purple for intermediate, >=32.20 and <60. Red for tolerant, >=60.

Name Group RA RB Oxy Sap Sal Tr Mot GF Tol TN TP
Merismopedia tenuissima Cyanobacteria 0.246 0.002 47.6
Fragilaria gracilis Pennate Diatom 0.207 0.234 1 1 2 2 N V 30.6 18 22
Cocconeis lineata Pennate Diatom 0.080 0.092 3 2 2 5 N P 51.5 62 82
Achnanthidium minutissimum Pennate Diatom 0.061 0.012 1 2 2 7 N P 41.2
Scenedesmus ecornis Colonial Green 0.046 0.007 39.9 23 69
Rossithidium linearis Pennate Diatom 0.044 0.014 V P 32 24 56
Phormidium granulatum Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.042 0.002 42.6 26
Ankistrodesmus falcatus Colonial Green 0.040 0.004 45.7 58 75
Nitzschia palea var. debilis Pennate Diatom 0.030 0.009 1 1 1 H P 53.4 47 79
Encyonema silesiacum Pennate Diatom 0.027 0.030 3 3 2 7 V S 46.9 43 69
Oedogonium Filamentous Green 0.025 0.011 37.6 27 47
Scenedesmus acuminatus Colonial Green 0.023 0.002 44
Stauridium tetras Colonial Green 0.023 0.001 35.2
Ulnaria ulna Pennate Diatom 0.015 0.273 3 4 2 N E 34.2 17 21
Gloeocapsa aeruginosa Cyanobacteria 0.012 0.002 NA
Nitzschia frustulum Pennate Diatom 0.009 0.002 3 2 3 5 H P 50.4 53 88
Gomphonema clavatum Pennate Diatom 0.009 0.025 1 1 1 4 N S 43.6
Cymbella tumida Pennate Diatom 0.009 0.136 1 1 2 4 V S 57.8 48 78
Melosira varians Centric Diatom 0.007 0.029 3 3 2 5 N U 67 67 89
Navicula germainii Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.020 M P NA 51 85
Tabellaria flocculosa Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.016 1 2 1 3 N U 18.8 17 32
Eolimna minima Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.001 4 4 2 5 M P 57 64 88
Nitzschia lacuum Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.004 1 1 2 3 H P 64
Cocconeis placentula Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.006 3 2 2 5 N P NA 30 82
Navicula cryptocephala Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.003 3 3 2 7 M P 56.3 55 80
Karayevia laterostrata Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.002 1 1 1 1 V P 59 58 84
Nitzschia perminuta Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.001 1 1 2 2 H P 56.7 53 76
Achnanthidium deflexum Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.001 1 2 3 N P 43.5 40 52
Navicula escambia Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.004 1 2 3 5 M P 67.3 42 93
Nitzschia acicularis Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.001 4 3 2 5 H P NA 19 85
Geissleria decussis Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.002 1 2 4 M P 44.5 40 80
Hippodonta capitata Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.002 3 3 2 4 M P 66.8 61 89
Planothidium frequentissimum Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.001 3 4 2 V P 65.1 69 92
Nitzschia dissipata Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.003 2 2 2 4 H P 60.9 48 75
Cosmarium blytii Desmid 0.002 0.026 NA 18 15
Mougeotia 5-75m Filamentous Green 0.002 0.017 26.9 10 12
Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.002 3 2 2 5 N P 58.2 45 81
Achnanthidium affine Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.001 1 2 N P 64.7 67
Psammothidium subatomoides Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 1 1 1 2 V P 42.4 20 35
Cyclotella meneghiniana Centric Diatom 0.001 0.000 5 4 3 5 N U 72.6 55 73
Navicula notha Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.001 M P 37.4 20 34
Navicula erifuga Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.002 3 5 M P 66.5

Taxa List Key
Column Name Description
RA Relative Abundance number of cells (density of cells per square centimeter) in a sample / total abundance of all taxa
RB Relative Biovolume Volume of a taxon’s cells in a sample / volume of all algae cells in a sample
Oxy van Dam Oxygen tolerance 1=100% DO saturation, 2=>75% DO saturation, 3=>50% DO saturation, 4=>30% DO saturation, 5=<30% DO saturation
Sap van Dam Saprobic value Saprobic values relate to the amount of organic pollution, biological oxygen demand, and DO concentrations. Values range from 1 (intolerant of organic pollution) to 5 (highly tolerant of organic pollution)
Sal van Dam Salinity value 1=freshwater (<100 mg/L chloride) , 2=fresh-brackish (<500 mg/L), 3=brackish-freshwater (500-1000 mg/L), 4=brackish (1000-5000 mg/L)
Tr van Dam Trophic value 1=oligotraphentic, 2=oligo-mesotraphentic, 3=mesotraphentic, 4=meso-eutraphentic, 5=eutraphentic, 6=hypereutraphentic, 7=indifferent to trophic state
Mot Motility of Diatoms Motility (capability of movement in water or on substrates) based on genus (Wang et al. 2005): N= not motile, M = motile , H = highly motile, V=variable within genus
GF Growth Forms E= erect, P=prostrate, S=stalked, U=unattached, V=variable (based on communication with R. Jan Stevenson)
Tol Tolerance value Tolerance to a combination of watershed disturbance, conductivity, and nutrient enrichment (based on Maine data). Value range from 1=most senstive to 100=most tolerant.
TN TN value Preference for total nitrogen (TN) based on Maine data. Values range from 1=low TN concentrations to 100=high TN concentrations.
TP TP value Preference for total phosphorus (TP) based on Maine data. Values range from 1=low TP concentrations to 100=high TP concentrations.