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Services
Freshwater Bioassessment & Monitoring
Habitat Assessment
Fisheries Research & Surveys
Limiting Factors Analysis
Applied Freshwater Ecological Research
Bio-Statistical Analysis
Field Research Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
Macroinvertebrate Sample Processing & Identification
CE offers laboratory processing of freshwater macroinvertebrate samples collected from most regions in North America. CE’s president, Dr. Cole, is one of the most highly certified taxonomists in the country, holding 5 taxonomic certifications from the Society for Freshwater Science. Dr. Cole’s past and present clients requiring these services include universities; local, state, and federal agencies, watershed groups and other non-profit organizations, environmental and engineering firms, the energy industry, conservation districts, and native American tribal natural resource departments.
Freshwater Bioassessment & Monitoring
CE provides services in the design, implementation, and execution in bioassessment and biomonitoring studies. Clients in need of these services typically include local governments and municipalities who have monitoring requirements for permit compliance. Watershed groups also routinely use these services to assist with state or local government efforts in assessing biological integrity of surface waters. Dr. Cole is experienced with biomonitoring field and laboratory protocols currently in use by many Pacific Northwest and northeast US state agencies, and routinely uses these protocols. Dr. Cole has been performing biological assessment and monitoring work for several clients for more than a decade.
Habitat Assessment
CE offers aquatic habitat assessment of freshwaters to assist with informing potential causes biological impairment, identifying opportunities for restoration, and assessing impacts from natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Dr. Cole is experienced with the application of US EPA habitat assessment methods developed for both wadeable and non-wadeable rivers, and has also modified existing protocols and developed new methods to suit specific project needs. Dr. Cole recently completed an assessment of river habitat conditions in the South River of western Massachusetts using EPA’s wadeable streams habitat protocols to help inform restoration planning efforts and identify factors limiting wild trout populations in the river.
Freshwater Fisheries Research & Surveys
CE performs fish population and community assessment services for a variety of applications, including ecological/resource condition assessments, restoration effectiveness monitoring, and impact assessments. As an example, Dr. Cole recently completed assessments of fish communities throughout the South River in western Massachusetts to identify factors potentially limiting wild trout populations and to assist with developing restoration strategies for the river and its watershed.
Limiting Factors Analysis
CE provides limiting factors analysis for identifying environmental/habitat conditions that are limiting to native fish populations and aquatic communities. Existing information is typically supplemented with new field data to develop more complete ecological condition matrices and reference condition criteria. Limiting factors analysis is typically used to assist with the development and prioritization of restoration strategies for target aquatic species within a particular geographic area.
Applied Freshwater Ecological Research
CE offers applied research in freshwater ecology for a wide variety of applications. Recent examples of Dr. Cole’s work include assessing biodiversity in Deerfield River watershed headwater streams, examining effects of managed flows on macroinvertebrate communities of the Deerfield River, and assessing recovery of macroinvertebrate communities in the Westfield River watershed following TS Irene.
Bio-Statistical Analysis
CE offers bio-statistical analysis services for clients who are engaged in their own research, but are in need of statistical analysis support. Dr. Cole has formal training and experience in the use of univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses using both parametric and non-parametric techniques, and is familiar with numerous statistical software packages.
Field Research Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
CE provides research design, implementation, and evaluation services. CE highly recommends the identification of an appropriate study (experimental and sampling) design and attendant statistical analyses prior to the conduct of any ecological research. Dr. Cole is experienced with many experimental designs and statistical approaches for ecological research and mointoring, and can provide the necessary guidance for developing a study design that will meet project needs. This early phase is critical to the success of any ecological research project, if even “just” monitoring or assessment work aimed at detecting trends or changes over time. Too often, sampling effort is insufficient to detect trends or changes of the anticipated or desired size. Early planning will allow for exercises such as a priori power analyses to help determine the necessary effort before starting the project. Dr. Cole has assisted clients with developing appropriate study designs and has also performed reviews and evaluations of existing ecological monitoring programs to determine whether they were on the right track to meet their stated objectives. Examples include a recent evaluation of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Benewah Creek watershed restoration monitoring program, and the development of a ten-year monitoring program for five watersheds in western Oregon.
