Citizen Science Data

CITIZEN SCIENCE DATA

In order to understand complex ecological problems, you need large amounts of data that is consistently collected over a long period of time.

ORCA scientists and community members are working together to gather data needed to optimize conservation efforts.

Explore Pollution Mapping Data

Pollution Mapping Citizen Science Project

This project involves on-going comprehensive monitoring of specific sites within the Indian River Lagoon. During each quarterly monitoring event, citizen scientists measure basic water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and alkalinity), measure muck depth, and collect both water and sediment samples to be brought back to the Center for Citizen Science for analyses. Once at the lab, citizen scientists composite and prepare samples for particle analysis, as well as measure nutrient concentrations (ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and phosphate) in both water column and pore water samples. Additional analyses of these samples include relative toxicity, glyphosate, and atrazine.

110 CITIZEN SCIENTISTS

30 PROJECT SITES

The data below was collected between 2019 and 2024, and will be periodically updated. If you’d like to see additional data, please e-mail your request to mweiss@teamorca.org.

PHOSPHATE SEASONAL WATER COLUMN — Phosphorus is one of the primary nutrients used for plant growth, making it an essential nutrient in aquatic ecosystems. An unbalanced amount of phosphorous in aquatic environments can lead to harmful algal blooms and, consequently, a reduction in water quality. This graph shows the water column phosphate concentration for 25 sites with seasonal data for 2023. Water column phosphate for August 2023 was significantly higher than all other sampling periods (February, May, and November, p<0.001) using a Repeated Measures ANOVA with a Tukey post-hoc test. This box and whisker plot shows the distribution of water column phosphate concentration for 2023 (x= mean, ── = median). A cyclic pattern seems to be emerging with water column phosphate increasing from February to August and decreasing from August to February. More years of data will need to be analyzed to determine if this cyclical pattern is recurring throughout time or shifts based on other environmental conditions.

GLYPHOSATE WATER COLUMN — Glyphosate is an herbicide commonly used to kill weeds and grasses. Glyphosate is a toxicant of concern as it may persist in the environment through bioaccumulation in the food chain and adsorption into soils and sediments, which can lead to negative health effects [6]. Its potential negative health effects and current limited information make it essential to monitor glyphosate in the environment. This figure shows water column glyphosate concentrations for 30 sites over time. The y-axis on the left corresponds to those sites with solid lines while the y-axis on the right corresponds to those sites with dotted lines. There is no legend identifying individual sites as we wanted to focus the reader's attention on the overall trend throughout all the sites. Lines that seem cut off are sites that started being monitored at that time, hence there is no previous data. Glyphosate concentrations significantly increased from February to May in 2022 and 2023 (Friedman test with paired Wilcoxon signed rank test; 2022: p = 0.003; 2023: p = 0.007). In 2022, glyphosate concentrations dramatically decreased from May to August; however, in 2023, the glyphosate concentration continues to increase more gradually from May to August, peaking in August for most sites. In 2024, we did not see a significant increase from February to May (p ≥ 0.05), however we did see a statistically significant increase from May to August in 2024 (p = 0.007). Differences between months could be from a variety of factors including rainfall, temperature affecting how it's broken down, and differences in usage and application! We speculate that the increase in glyphosate, starting in February 2022 and 2023, is due to many people applying glyphosate before the wet season begins as a preventative measure against weed growth. It seems to be that the application of glyphosate was delayed in 2024. We are looking forward to continuing to measure glyphosate to see if the pattern of change is more similar to the initial year (2022) or more similar to the current data (2024).

RELATIVE TOXICITY BY SHORELINE TYPE — Shorelines can vary from hardened to natural. Florida's shores have been altered by humans in many areas for aesthetics or to create a view of the water. In many cases, this involves hardening the shoreline by introducing bulkheads or seawalls that are intended to prevent erosion. However, hardened shorelines often reduce habitat for aquatic organisms, do not prevent erosion, and provide little to no buffer for pollutants entering the waterway. In contrast, natural shorelines which are made up of native and Florida-friendly plants provide nursery habitat and settlement sites for aquatic organisms, dissipate wave energy to better prevent erosion and serve as a chemical and physical obstacle for pollutants, sequestering nutrients from lawn runoff from storms or irrigation. As a result, hardened shorelines are often associated with worse water quality compared to living shorelines. ORCA uses a unique bioassay of bioluminescent bacteria to determine the relative toxicity of sediment samples, which can be related to multiple pollutants bound in the sediment. We categorized each Pollution Mapping Citizen Science sampling site as having a bulkhead, combination, or natural shoreline. Combination shorelines fall in between hardened and natural shorelines and feature a combination of characteristics of both (i.e. Rip-rap, mangroves, seawall, etc.). One of our sites was classified as just rip-rap. Utilizing only sites that had at least 4 cycles (1 year) of data, we compared the average relative toxicity per site between shoreline types. The bulkhead sites had elevated relative toxicity levels compared to both combination and natural shorelines, but this was not significant between any of the shoreline types (Kruskal Wallis, Dunn post-hoc test; p > 0.05). It is important to note that the sites that we sample are chosen based on concern of pollution and are likely to have higher overall relative toxicity compared to other locations in the Indian River Lagoon. These results highlight the importance of living and buffered shorelines in Florida. For more information on this, please look into our Land to Sea Citizen Science Project.

Lead can affect every organ in the human body, especially the nervous system [1]. In aquatic ecosystems, lead can affect the physiological and biochemical functions of organisms [2]. This box and whisker plot shows the distribution of lead concentration in sediments each year at 25 sites that have been monitored for at least two years (x= mean, ── = median). These sediment samples are collected once annually in November. Lead sediment concentration was not significantly different between years (paired samples t-tests: 2021 and 2022, p=0.690; 2022 and 2023, p=0.505). These data suggest that lead levels in sediment are not changing over time in the Indian River Lagoon. Only sites 1-16 were used for the 2021-2022 comparison and only sites 1-25 were used for the 2022-2023 comparison based on data availability in both years. Sites 26, 27, and 28 were excluded from the statistical analysis of the graph above as they only had one measurement.

Copper in aquatic ecosystems has been shown to be toxic to fish and invertebrates. Two main sources of copper in the environment are antifouling paints used on boats and chromated copper arsenate treated timbers [3]. Like lead, there was not a significant change in copper concentrations in sediments across 16 sites from 2021 to 2022 (paired samples t-test, p=0.759) and across 25 sites from 2022 to 2023 (paired samples t-test, p=967), suggesting no ongoing inputs of copper at these sites. This graph does not include sites added after the November 2022 sampling.

PM graphs Spring 2024 (3) — Mercury is a potent neurological poison in fish, wildlife, and humans with atmospheric deposition acting as the primary source to most aquatic ecosystems [4]. This graph shows the concentrations of mercury in sediments at 25 sites that have at least two years of data. Unlike lead and copper, mercury sediment concentrations increased significantly between annual collection events in 2021 and 2022 (paired samples t-test, p<0.001). While this increase in mercury is concerning, there was no significant change in mercury concentration between 2022 and 2023 (paired samples t-test, p=0.313). These data strengthen the importance of longitudinal monitoring and the importance of projects such as the Pollution Mapping Citizen Science project.

Lead concentration in sediments at all 28 sites for November 2023 in comparison to the threshold effect level (TEL-orange line) and probable effect level (PEL-red line). The TEL is the upper limit of the minimal effects range to aquatic organisms [5]. The PEL is the lower limit of the immediate hazard effect range to aquatic organisms [5]. The Shepard Park I and De La Bahia sites in Martin County are the only sites that exceeded the TEL (30.2 mg/kg) for lead, while no sites exceeded the PEL (112 mg/kg).

Copper concentration in sediments at all 28 sites for November 2023 in comparison to the threshold effect level (TEL-orange line) and probable effect level (PEL-red line). The TEL is the upper limit of the minimal effects range to aquatic organisms [5]. The PEL is the lower limit of the immediate hazard effect range to aquatic organisms [5]. Three sites meet the TEL and twelve sites exceed the TEL (18.7mg/kg) for copper, while two sites exceed the PEL (108 mg/kg) which indicates serious environmental concern to aquatic life.

Mercury concentration in sediments at all 28 sites for November 2023 in comparison to the threshold effect level (TEL-orange line) and probable effect level (PEL-red line). The TEL is the upper limit of the minimal effects range to aquatic organisms [5]. The PEL is the lower limit of the immediate hazard effect range to aquatic organisms [5]. Three sites located in Martin County exceeded the TEL (0.13 mg/kg) for mercury, while no sites exceeded the PEL (0.7mg/kg).

PM Data posting aug 2023 — As part of our November 2022 Pollution Mapping Citizen Science seasonal monitoring, sediment and water samples from 25 locations in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) watershed were collected. Samples were analyzed by the University of Florida for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or ‘forever chemicals.’ PFAS is a large and complex class of synthetic chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil and have been used in a wide variety of consumer products since the 1940s, including stain and water repellents used in textile manufacturing, paper products, food packaging and cookware. These chemicals have also been used in various industrial processes, including the formulation of fire suppressant foams used at firefighting training facilities, airports, chemical plants and military installations.[9] ORCA is interested in further investigating PFAS in the IRL because scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful effects on human and animal health.[10] Results revealed measurable concentrations of PFAS in all sampling locations. PFAS diversity ranged between 7 to 13 PFAS in sediment samples and 5 to 9 PFAS in surface water samples. Overall, PFAS concentrations in sediment samples were between 1 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than those in surface water samples.

PM Data posting aug 2023 (1) — As part of our November 2022 Pollution Mapping Citizen Science seasonal monitoring, sediment and water samples from 25 locations in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) watershed were collected. Samples were analyzed by the University of Florida for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or ‘forever chemicals.’ PFAS is a large and complex class of synthetic chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil and have been used in a wide variety of consumer products since the 1940s, including stain and water repellents used in textile manufacturing, paper products, food packaging and cookware. These chemicals have also been used in various industrial processes, including the formulation of fire suppressant foams used at firefighting training facilities, airports, chemical plants and military installations.[9] ORCA is interested in further investigating PFAS in the IRL because scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful effects on human and animal health.[10] Results revealed measurable concentrations of PFAS in all sampling locations. PFAS diversity ranged between 7 to 13 PFAS in sediment samples and 5 to 9 PFAS in surface water samples. Overall, PFAS concentrations in sediment samples were between 1 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than those in surface water samples.

References: [1] Wani, A. L., Ara, A., & Usmani, J. A. (2015). Lead toxicity: A Review. Interdisciplinary Toxicology, 8(2), 55–64.; [2] Lee, J.-W., Choi, H., Hwang, U.-K., Kang, J.-C., Kang, Y. J., Kim, K. I., & Kim, J.-H. ; (2019). Toxic effects of lead exposure on bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and immune responses in fish: A Review. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 68, 101–108; [3] Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. [4] Mercury contamination of aquatic environments. Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Environments | U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). [5] MacDonald, D. D. (1994). Approach to the Assessment of Sediment quality in Florida Coastal Waters. Development and Evaluation of Sediment Quality Assessment Guidelines, 1, 1–140; [6] Myers, J.P., Antoniou, M.N., Blumberg, B. et al. Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and risks associated with exposures: a consensus statement. Environ Health 15, 19 (2016); [7] Hand, J. (2004). Typical water quality values for Florida’s lakes, streams, and estuaries. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 101; [8] Protecting Florida’s springs. Florida Department of Environmental Protection; [9] Florida Department of Environmental Protection PFAS Dynamic Plan; [10] EPA.gov

Explore Fish Monitoring Data

One Health Fish Monitoring Citizen Science Project

This project tests for toxins and toxicants in fish from the Indian River Lagoon and connecting waterways. Current analyses in this project include: heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium), cyanotoxins (microcystin and saxitoxin), microplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Additional analyses coming soon include: pharmaceuticals, controlled substances and parasites. See preliminary data below.

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FISH PROCESSED

This data below was collected between 2019 and 2024, and will be periodically updated. If you’d like to see additional data, please e-mail your request to fish@teamorca.org.

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (2) — Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide in agricultural and residential areas alike to control the growth of weeds. The incorporation of glyphosate into this project allows us to better understand the impact this herbicide has on the lagoon system and the extent it is accumulating through the marine food web. Glyphosate has been detected in 99% of the fish analyzed to date (n=503; mean = 0.24 ppb 士 0.01). The graph above shows average glyphosate concentrations in fish tissue across five counties (Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin). A one-way ANOVA was used to compare the effect of county on glyphosate concentration, which showed that Brevard County fish have significantly higher glyphosate concentrations compared to fish from St. Lucie and Martin Counties (p < 0.05). ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) is a statistical method used to analyze the differences between the means of two or more groups or treatments.

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (4) — Glyphosate has been detected in 99% of the fish analyzed for glyphosate to date (n= 503; mean = 0.24 ppb 土 0.01). The graph above shows glyphosate concentrations in fish tissue in 11 different species that have been identified via ORCA’s fisher surveys as being commonly consumed in the IRL and have at least a sample size of 10 data points. A one-way ANOVA was used to compare the effect of species on glyphosate concentration, which showed Black Drum have significantly higher (p < 0.05) glyphosate concentrations compared to Hardhead Catfish and Spotted Seatrout have significantly higher concentrations of glyphosate compared to Hardhead Catfish and Black Crappie.

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (1) — Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water, and food, however, at high concentrations mercury is a major health concern. The heavy metal affects the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Fish absorb mercury through their gills as they swim and through their digestive tracts as they eat. Mercury has been detected in 99% of the fish analyzed to date (n=1,242). The graph above shows average mercury concentrations in tissue across five counties (Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin). All average mercury concentrations exceed the EPA/FDEP guideline for women of child-bearing age and children but Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, and St. Lucie values fall below the joint EPA, FDA, FDOH guideline for the general population. At this time, average mercury concentrations in Martin County exceed the joint advisory guideline for the general population.

OHFM graphs March 2024 (7) — PFAS analysis for 31 compounds was performed on 111 fish tissue samples (fillet) by Dr. John Bowden at University of Florida using a Thermo Scientific Vanquish ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a TSQ Quantis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS, Thermo Scientific, San Jose, CA, USA). Specimens chosen for PFAS analysis were representative of fish caught in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin Counties, as well as different species (n=10) identified as being commonly consumed by humans via ORCA angler surveys. Detection frequency for the PFAS were PFNA (9%), PFUdA (41%), PFDoDA (79%), PFTrDA (82%), and PFTeDA (35%). The PFAS with the highest concentration was PFOS, with one individual having a concentration of 67 ng/g of fish. Overall, PFOS was detected in approximately 84% of the samples, with approximately 60% of the samples producing a concentration. The sum of PFAS levels reached 70 ng/g or 70 ppb. Fish caught in Brevard had the highest PFAS burden compared to other counties and crevalle jack, hardhead catfish, and ladyfish had the highest PFAS levels, by average. Interestingly, there were 32 where although several PFAS were detected, the concentrations fell below the level of quantification(<LOQ). There were four fish (Pompano) that had no PFAS detected at all.

OHFM graphs March 2024 (4) — PFAS analysis for 31 compounds was performed on 111 fish tissue samples (fillet) by Dr. John Bowden at University of Florida using a Thermo Scientific Vanquish ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a TSQ Quantis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS, Thermo Scientific, San Jose, CA, USA). Specimens chosen for PFAS analysis were representative of fish caught in the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin Counties, as well as different species (n=10) identified as being commonly consumed by humans via ORCA angler surveys. Detection frequency for the PFAS were PFNA (9%), PFUdA (41%), PFDoDA (79%), PFTrDA (82%), and PFTeDA (35%). The PFAS with the highest concentration was PFOS, with one individual having a concentration of 67 ng/g of fish. Overall, PFOS was detected in approximately 84% of the samples, with approximately 60% of the samples producing a concentration. The sum of PFAS levels reached 70 ng/g or 70 ppb. Fish caught in Brevard had the highest PFAS burden compared to other counties and crevalle jack, hardhead catfish, and ladyfish had the highest PFAS levels, by average. Interestingly, there were 32 where although several PFAS were detected, the concentrations fell below the level of quantification(<LOQ). There were four fish (Pompano) that had no PFAS detected at all.

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (5) — Microplastics and the toxins associated with their exposure and ingestion are of concern to ecological health. As part of this project, citizen scientists and ORCA staff enumerated the number of microplastics present per fish fillet/tissue and stomach. Sixty percent of all fish tissue samples (n=540) showed a presence of microplastics (range 0-14). Seventy-one percent of fish stomachs (n=428) showed a presence of microplastics (range 0-69).

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (10) — We also categorize the microplastics by type/shape and color. At this time, 74% of microplastics identified in fish tissue samples (fillet) (n=540) were fibers followed by 16% fragments. Most microplastic fibers are derived from synthetic clothing, textiles, ropes, and tarps while fragments are derived from sturdy plastics and bottles.

OHFM graphs FALL 2024 (11) — When categorizing microplastics by color, blue and black represent the predominant colors in fish tissue samples (fillet) (63%).

Dive into Team ORCA’s Citizen Science blog to read about the importance of data collection, why we monitor, the significance of citizen science and more!