You have entered the website of the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI) at the University of Guam. We are currently six faculty and five staff and our mission is to seek solutions through research, teaching and outreach programs, to issues and problems associated with the location, production, distribution and management of freshwater resources in Guam, the CNMI and the FSM.
Hand-clearing of a forested ecosystem in southern Guam had significant effects on some aspects of the limnology of the river flowing through the perturbed area compared to that of the upstream control area. Significant differences in soil temperatures, maximum and minimum air temperatures, water temperatures, conductivity, pH, hardness, and total phosphorous and orthophosphate concentrations between the control and experimental area were found, with no significant differences in nitrate concentrations and turbidity between stations.
Mean maximum air and water temperatures of the experimental area were 1.4 º C less than that of the control area. The mean minimum water temperature of the experimental area was 2.0 º C greater than the control area. The mean soil temperature at 0.3 m depth of the experimental area was 0.7 º C greater than that of the control area. Mean conductivity and hardness values of the experimental area were 11.0 μmhos/cm and 9.0 mg/L less than those of the control area, respectively. The pH of the water for the experimental area was 0.22 pH units greater than that of the control area. Mean total phosphorous concentration of the experimental area was 8.15 μg/L less than that of the control area. The mean orthophosphate concentration of the experimental area was 1.64 μg/L less than the control area. Nitrates and phosphates appeared to be leached to the river in pulses with the onset of precipitation.
