Creekside Center for Earth Observation Nitrogen Projects

Goal: Understand and mitigate impacts of atmospheric
nitrogen deposition on ecosystem function and biodiversity
conservation.

The Problem: Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition causes
widespread “chemical climate change” that profoundly
alters ecosystems and threatens native biodiversity by
nitrogen overdose.

A Conservation Success Story: The Creekside Center
for Earth Observation is an innovative leader in addressing
N deposition impacts on conservation. For example, the
Bay checkerspot butterfly occupies flower-filled, nutrient-
poor serpentine grasslands downwind of San Jose, CA.
Silicon Valley smog delivers 10-20 kg N/ha/yr to this habitat,
which allows exotic annual grasses to displace native
species. Grass invasions are being held in check by
moderate cattle grazing. Innovative mitigation for power
plants, freeway expansion, and urban development
promises to deliver permanent protection and management
of virtually the entire remaining ecosystem. The mitigation
involves land purchases and easements, management
endowments, ecological restoration, and habitat
conservation planning.

download nitrogen deposition conservation vision pdf

Creekside Center
for Earth Observation

Elements of Conservation:

Monitoring N deposition: provide technical assistance with design and implementation of monitoring
networks, and geographic information system (GIS) based analysis;
Impacts on biodiversity: assess ecosystem impacts of N enrichment (weed invasions, shifts in
species composition, etc.) and associated risk for loss of biodiversity;
Mitigation planning: work with agencies, industry, NGOs, and others to develop mitigation plans,
including land purchases and long-term adaptive management;
Mitigation implementation: initiate site-specific, science-based restoration (burning, mowing,
planting, etc.) and ongoing monitoring
Education and outreach: communicate with diverse audiences (public, landholders, resource
managers, decision makers, elected officials, etc.) through various media (press, field tours, web
sites, briefing papers, presentations, brochures, etc.)

Contacts

Stuart B. Weiss, PhD, CEO and Chief Scientist, Creekside
Center for Earth Observation, stu at creeksidescience.com
Paul M. Rich, PhD, Senior Scientist, Creekside Center for
Earth Observation, paul at creeksidescience.com

Key Literature

Fenn, M.E., J.S. Baron, et al. 2003. Ecological effects of
nitrogen deposition in the western United States. Bioscience 53:
404–420. pdf

Weiss, S.B. 2006. Impacts of nitrogen deposition on California
ecosystems and biodiversity, California Energy Commission
Report. pdf

Weiss, S.B. 1999. Cars, cows, and checkerspot butterflies:
nitrogen deposition and grassland management for a
threatened species. Conservation Biology 13:1476-1486. pdf

Weiss, S.B. 2002. Final report on NFWF grant for habitat
restoration at Edgewood Natural Preserve, San Mateo County,
CA. Creekside Center for Earth Observation Report, Menlo
Park, CA. pdf (part 1, 3.4 MB) pdf (part 2, 2.4 MB)

Smog in Silicon Valley contains nitrogen-rich
compounds that act as slow-release fertilizers
(photo by S. Weiss).

Overgrowth of native plants by non-native
grasses (left of fenceline) can be mitigated
by well-managed grazing (right of fenceline)
(photo by S. Weiss).

Community Multiscale Air Quality Model
(CMAQ) of the California Bay Area.
Vehicles, industry, and agriculture
contribute to N deposition.

Ogawa passive samplers monitor
pollutant concentrations at
Edgewood Natural Preserve (San
Mateo County, CA), where Highway
280 carries more than 100,000
vehicles daily (photo by S. Weiss).

Estimated N deposition at Edgewood and other
Bay Area sites. In a case of "drive-by extinction",
nitrogen pollution from cars on I-280 fertilized
invasive Italian ryegrass, which choked out the
Bay checkerspot butterfly's native food plants
and literally drove this threatened species
to local extinction (photo by S. Weiss).

Edgewood was mowed in May
2005, at a time of year when
most native forbs are
senescent but the invasive
Italian ryegrass was growing
and had not yet set seed
(photo by S. Weiss).

One year after mowing at Edgewood
(April 2006) unmowed areas (left side of
photograph) are far more heavily invaded
by grasses than mowed areas (right side
of photograph) (photo by S. Weiss).

"Butterflies Are Free Day" on April 5,
2007 celebrated reintroduction of the Bay
Checkerspot Butterfly to Edgewood
Preserve. Participants included
community members, government
officials, and press (photo by A.
Torregrosa).

Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition and Conservation:
"...the biggest global change nobody ever heard of..."

click image to see high resolution map