Detergents and Stream Environments

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Feature photo:  Stream Bubbles along the Turquoise (Glade) Trail stream in Reston. Bubbles and soap films are made of a thin layer of water, sandwiched between two layers of soap molecules.

Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas

During your outdoor activities, you may have seen soap suds in a trail stream.  While there is some environmental concern about them, their science is interesting.

My first professional exposure to detergents was with my first career project in 1985, at an environmental closure of the General Aniline & Film (GAF) plant in Linden, NJ.  I had the task, among other things, of testing, classifying, and preparing various detergents and surfactants for proper disposal.  The company, founded in 1886, had its origins as the German IG Farben firm whose assets were seized as enemy property in 1941.  When I see suds in a stream, I always remember the project at GAF.

Detergents are used for many purposes, but they can easily get

Surface Tension at the Turquoise Trail stream in Reston. Detergents lower the surface tension of the water, making it hard for aquatic insects like water striders to float on the surface.  They can leave fish and other critters starved for air. Detergent binds up oxygen to form bubbles.

into freshwater ecosystems.  Detergents are organic compounds, which have both polar and non-polar characteristics. There are two kinds of detergents: phosphate detergents and surfactant detergents. Detergents that contain phosphates are caustic, and surfactant detergents are toxic. Surfactant detergents are used to enhance wetting, foaming, dispersing and emulsifying properties. Phosphate detergents are used to soften hard water and help suspend dirt in water. Detergents, including biodegradable ones, can be poisonous to aquatic life. They can destroy the external mucus layers that protect the fish from bacteria and parasites. Most fish will die when detergent concentrations approach 15 parts per million, and concentrations as low as 5 ppm will kill fish eggs. Surfactant detergents can affect the breeding ability of aquatic organisms. Detergents also lower the surface tension of the water, which impacts some aquatic life.  Phosphate detergents can lead to freshwater algal blooms that release toxins and deplete oxygen.

Soaps and detergents are made from long molecules that contain a head and a tail. The diagram below represents a surfactant molecule. The head of the molecule is attracted to water (hydrophilic) and the tail is attracted to grease and dirt (hydrophobic). When the detergent molecules meet grease on clothes, the tails are drawn into the grease but the heads still remain in the water. The attractive forces between the head groups and the water are so strong that the grease is lifted away. The blob of grease is now surrounded by detergent molecules and washed away. The detergent molecules also help to make the washing process more effective by reducing the surface tension of the water.

How Detergents Work (Snapshot excerpted by author from https://molview.org with a search on sodium o-dodecylbenzenesulfonate.) The long chain of the sodium o-dodecylbenzene-sulfonate molecule is “grease-loving” while the cyclic part is “water-loving.”

Emerging stream concerns include another type of foamy substance.  This is a group of manufactured compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS have broad uses in commercial products such as food packaging, nonstick coatings, and firefighting foam. Conventional wastewater treatment plants do not effectively remove PFAS. The PFAS concentration lifetime advisory is 70ng/L for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA).

In Fairfax County, the storm drainage system is separate from the sanitary sewer system. Storm drains convey stormwater runoff directly to local streams. Car wash water may contain oils, greases, detergents and other materials that pollute water and harm wildlife that live in streams. In Fairfax County, commercial car washes must be equipped with water recycling systems and discharged to the sanitary sewer system.  Individual residential car washing is exempt from this regulation. You can help by washing cars in an area away from storm drains. Use the minimum amount of detergent necessary, and use products that are biodegradable, phosphate-free, water-based, and pH neutral.

What About the Turtles?

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During construction projects in Northern Virginia that include deforestation, the sites are required to have perimeter erosion control measures, often black plastic silt fence, often reinforced with chain link. Most of the displaced wildlife can escape by climbing, jumping, or flying out, but what about the turtles? Eastern box turtles often get barricaded in where they exhaust themselves trying to escape, desiccate in the sun, or get eaten by roving predators.

Tanya Finch, a Virginia Master Naturalist with the Banshee Reeks chapter, started What About

Photo: Tanya Finch

the Turtles? (formerly Tanya’s Turtle Project) in 2021. They work with construction contractors to gain access to construction sites and have volunteers walk the perimeter in search of critters that need a helping hand. They work with A.E.R.O. Animal Rescue for any injured wildlife and K2C Wildlife for assistance with venomous snakes we may encounter. They give presentations to local community groups on their important work, and how everyone can get involved.

In 2024, they saved 177 creatures including multiple species of turtles, 2 species of snakes, and a great blue heron from construction sites. This is thanks to including aquatic turtles in our efforts, rather than just terrestrial box turtles. If you see new construction sites, please email Tanya at [email protected] the location so she can see about coordinating a site walk.

Interested in volunteering? Check out their website at https://www.whatabouttheturtles.org/.

Community Associations and Environmental Leadership

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Photo and article by Plant NOVA Natives

Community associations are familiar local institutions. They serve residents by enacting and enforcing community rules, managing any common areas, and enhancing the neighborhood’s quality of life. In addition, in recent years, a number of community associations in Northern Virginia have chosen to expand stewardship of their lands to the native flora and fauna inhabiting them. Those organizations who have reached this pivot point came to realize that the two seemingly unrelated goals of supporting ecosystem health and maintaining property values are in fact mutually reinforcing.

This is good news, as community associations are positioned to play a transformative role in ecosystem rejuvenation and health, acting on their common land and inspiring residents to do the same on theirs. Some local HOAs own very large swaths of natural spaces, including environmentally sensitive riparian borders that protect streams and rivers across our region. They therefore have the necessary control to make both small and big decisions that can determine the future of the birds and butterflies of Northern Virginia. As an example of a project that can make a big difference, seven HOAs participated last year in a mini-grant program for invasive plant removal, supplementing professional services with volunteer help to rescue their trees.

Whether your community association manages acres of common land or none at all, there are a number of ways to lead in the environmental stewardship space. The following ideas reflect what is actually being done in various community associations across Northern Virginia. Many of these projects require little or no budget.

  • Develop a natural landscaping policy for your common land.
  • Set voluntary standards for landscaping on residential properties and provide residents with resources to choose native plants. Approximately 300 species of Virginia native plants are available for sale, which provide plenty of choices, whether you are looking for a natural look or a conventional landscaping plan.
  • Use your newsletter or NextDoor.com to raise awareness.
  • Host presentations at community meetings on the benefits of invasive plant removals and native plant landscaping.
  • Develop a plan to control invasive plants on your own property.
  • To keep invasive plants from spreading back from adjacent land, encourage residents to remove invasives on their own properties and to volunteer to control invasives in your local park. Adopt the roadside right of way to combat invasives there. (VDOT has a relatively straightforward permitting process for this.)
  • Organize native tree plantings – see examples here.
  • Join an alliance for political action. Loudoun communities can engage with the Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance that currently represents 50 community associations and 210,000 residents in that county. Fairfax communities can engage with the Fairfax Invasive Removal Alliance that currently represents 40 community associations and 150,000 residents there.

For details about these ideas as well as many others, see the community association page on the Plant NOVA Natives website.

Community associations are reinventing themselves as we write this. As stand-alone organizations, their members can help draft and implement stewardship plans and monitor results. As alliance members, they can use their significant political clout to advocate for sustainable development and ecosystem protection. As trusted partners in the greater community, they can help reinstate the biodiversity of our region. As always, we thrive together.

The Phenomenon of Tree Suds

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Photo: Suds ring on exposed tree root.

Photos and article by FMN Stephen Tzikas

Recently I noticed my Hornbeam tree was oozing suds.  These bubbles appeared near the base of the tree while it was raining.

Foamy suds at tree base.

The chemical reactions occurring in a tree that “foams” is very similar to what occurs when creating soap.  A few factors can account for this.  Sometimes tree sap can be soap-like, and hence the bubbles.  In other cases, previously settled air pollutants and plant materials interact forming a soap. These air pollutants and other nearby contaminants, might be a mix of ingredients that include salts, chemicals, and acids.  When wetted with rain water, they can combine forming rudimentary soaps.

Yet other times the foam seems to ooze from a specific spot on the trunk.  This could be an indication of a bacterial disease called slime flux or foamy canker.  If a tree had been infected, the bacteria could break down the tree tissue forming alcohol and carbon dioxide.  As the carbon dioxide escapes, it forms bubbles.

Tree suds are not restricted to Hornbeam trees.  They can form on any tree if the conditions are right.  Often oak, hickory, and poplar trees exhibit suds more frequently because of their large diameters and deep bark ridges.  These suds are harmless.

 

Photo: Sheila Sund from Salem, Wooly Bear Caterpillar, United States, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Where Do Wildlife Go in Winter?

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Photo: Sheila Sund from Salem, Wooly Bear Caterpillar, United States, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Where Do Wildlife Go in Winter? article by Betsy Martin featured as a Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac article for Northern Virginia Bird Alliance.

The ancients puzzled over the disappearance and reappearance of birds. Aristotle thought they transformed into other species in winter, which explained why robins appeared just as redstarts disappeared in Greece. In the 16th century, Olaus Magnus theorized that swallows buried themselves in clay at the bottom of rivers in wintertime. In the 17th century, Charles Morton offered the most fantastic theory of all, that birds flew to the moon and back every year.

We know now that migration on earth accounts for the disappearance and reappearance of birds. But what about other creatures? Learning their whereabouts gives us the chance to help many of them overwinter and reappear in the spring. Keep reading here.

 

 

Let Dead Plant Material Lie

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Photo and article by Plant NOVA Natives

Our splendid native plants are going dormant for the winter and leaving behind their seed heads and dead stalks as a reminder of growing season glory. Many of us are inclined to perceive these remnants as unsightly “garden debris” that should be cut and cleared sooner rather than later. Better now than in the spring, right?

Wrong! Dead native plant material is integral to a healthy ecosystem. An essential support for the populations of pollinators and other animals upon which we all depend, nothing comes close to replacing its role in the health of a diverse ecosystem. Before trotting out the clippers and rakes, consider this:

Dead stalks: Many dead stalks of native plants contain hollow spaces that are like 5-star winter resorts for the insect world. We may frown at their appearance, but native bees, among others, are industriously and ingeniously taking advantage of them in surprising ways. Adorable little bees that are so tiny you may never have noticed them are laying eggs, hibernating, and otherwise snuggling down for the harsh winter in the stem shelter of the native plants we installed. Insects aren’t the only critters who profit. Dead plant material provides shelter and nesting resources for birds and many others.

Dead leaves: Butterflies can spend the winter in leaf litter as caterpillars and chrysalises. The Mourning Cloak, Question Mark, and Comma butterflies, for example, overwinter in dead leaves as adults after entering a dormant phase called “diapause.” Moth species such as Luna Moth and Isabella Tiger Moth also pupate in leaf litter. Salamanders, some turtles and other creatures find shelter there as well.

Seeds and berries: Seeds on flowerheads and winter berries are an important source of nourishment for both resident and migrating birds and are consumed throughout the fall and winter. Living or dead, native plant material has immense value for wildlife.

Living soil: Dead and decomposing plant material are valuable components of soil. Gardeners and landscapers spend considerable time and money on store-bought organic material to condition the clay soil often encountered in Northern Virginia. But the decomposing plant material already present helps build humus, a dark organic material comprised of approximately 60% carbon, 6% nitrogen, and small amounts of phosphorus and sulfur. Humus-rich soil encourages a proliferation of beneficial soil organisms and microorganisms. It also holds moisture and retains soil structure for better air and water circulation. The decomposition process creates very fertile ground indeed for native plant gardening.

Armed with this expanded understanding, it seems that the best fall cleanup strategy is to not have one: leave the stalks, stems and leaves alone and let them lie, right where they are, over the winter. A light cleanup or pruning in early spring to encourage new growth can be done with little or no harm to local wildlife. More information on garden and landscape maintenance can be found on the Plant NOVA Natives website.

We would be remiss not to include a word here about gardening aesthetics. We humans care about how things look. In daily life, surrounded by people, garden beauty and aesthetics will always be a consideration. Our definition of “garden beauty,” however, can certainly evolve. Are not waving seedheads more interesting than bare ground? And is it not beautiful that all kinds of animals need our pollinator gardens for more than just pollen? That our efforts not only attract pollinators but enable their very survival? That it takes just a bit of forbearance to advance and strengthen the biodiversity of the region?

Let’s pause the garden cleanup until spring, and then be gentle on the emerging life.

“Swanfall” by Tom Blackburn

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Photo: Tundra Swans, Randy Streufert, The Potomac Flier (The NVBA)

Tom Blackburn has written a beautiful article about the magnificent tundra swans. Between 200 and 400 of these migratory birds are spending the winter in the Great Marsh of Belmont Bay (Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge). “Swanfall” is the term used to describe the annual return of swans to their winter home.   Mr. Blackburn describes both the swans’ breeding behavior and their incredible migratory journey. He also provides the reader with some very helpful viewing tips. Please take a few minutes and read this very informative article.  

This article appeared in the Nov. 30, 2024, Edition of the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, The Potomac Flier.

Click here for additional information and details about the ranger guided walks to see the Tundra Swans offered by Mason Neck State Park.

13 Species Added to Virginia Invasive Plant Species List

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Photo: Nandina (Nandina domestica)

Press release and photos provided by Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation


Gardeners encouraged to plant alternatives to Italian arum, nandina and others

RICHMOND, VA, October 8, 2024 — Thirteen more species that pose a threat to the state’s ecosystems have been added to the Virginia Invasive Plant Species List.

The additions include Italian arum (Arum italicum), nandina (Nandina domesticum) and orange-eye butterfly-bush (Buddleja davidii).

Invasive plants are non-native species that cause harm or have the potential to cause harm to natural resources, economic activity or humans. Some have been introduced intentionally into a region where they did not evolve; others, accidentally.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has determined that the plants on the list, which now includes 103 species, threaten Virginia’s forests, marshes, wetlands and waterways. The list, which has no regulatory authority, is for educational purposes and is updated regularly. For the full list, go to: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/invsppdflist.

“DCR’s Natural Heritage Program has updated and provided this list for more than a decade, as a ‘know before you grow’ tool for citizens,” said Virginia Natural Heritage Program Director Jason Bulluck. “New invasive plant species are continuously arriving in Virginia, so it is important for landowners and land managers to stay aware of the threats, to prevent invasive species establishment and to be swift in recognizing and managing their spread. Anyone who has ever found themselves battling an invasive species infestation knows ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’”

Factors considered during assessment of potential additions to the list include the invasive characteristics of the species such as how readily seeds are dispersed through the landscape, whether Virginia has suitable habitat and if the species threatens natural resources. There are three ranks of invasiveness: high, medium or low.

Invasive plants cause problems because they proliferate and displace native plant species, reduce wildlife habitat and alter natural processes.

Two-horned trapa (Trapa bispinosa).

 

For instance, a new aquatic invasive plant with sharp, spiky fruit known as two-horned trapa (Trapa bispinosa) has been rapidly proliferating in freshwater ponds, lakes and slow-moving waterways in northern Virginia and elsewhere. It harms the ecosystem by forming mats that choke and cover waterbodies, shading out and competing with native submerged aquatic vegetation and reducing dissolved oxygen with its decayed roots and leaves. Infested waters lose boating, fishing, recreational and aesthetic value. Management is costly.

The state’s Invasive Species Working Group, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2009, is coordinating efforts to address invasive species and is updating its management plan.

DCR Stewardship Biologist Kevin Heffernan said that a cultivar (“cultivated variety”) is sometimes propagated to be sterile so that it won’t spread. However, in some cases like the Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana), the cultivar can cross with other cultivars or the original species, thereby reproducing and spreading to extents that are very difficult, expensive or even impossible to ever manage.

“We think of plants as being rooted where you plant them. But many species have reproductive means by which to travel far from the parent plants: seeds “hitchhiking” on people and animals, seeds catching a ride on the wind, or plant parts floating on water to a new habitat. Thus, species like tree-of-heaven, wavyleaf grass, two-horned trapa, and even butterfly-bush, can show up where you least expect to find them, places like local forest parks or natural area preserves,” he said.

“If you learn you have an invasive species in your yard or garden, whether or not you planted it there, we strongly encourage removal. There are many horticultural species that are not invasive. And, more and more, native plant species are available for a variety of settings. Often, the native species we plant in our yards benefit birds, butterflies and other pollinators, whose presence enriches our garden experience and increases ecological value.”

DCR provides a free, online Virginia Native Plant Finder tool to search for native species to plant instead of invasives. Go to https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/native-plants-finder.

To report a sighting of an invasive plant in Virginia, use the EDDMapS website or app, iNaturalist or visit: https://www.invasivespeciesva.org/report-sightings.

Added to Virginia Invasive Plant Species List 

Virginia Invasiveness Rank: High

  • Chinese tallow-tree (Triadica sebifera)
  • floating primrose-willow (Ludwigia peploides var. glabrescens)
  • Italian arum (Arum italicum)
  • ravenna-grass (Tripidium ravennae)
  • trifoliate orange (Citrus trifoliata)
  • two-horned trapa (Trapa bispinosa var. iinumai)

Virginia Invasiveness Rank: Medium

Incised fumewort (Corydalis incisa)

  • curled pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
  • fountain grass (Cenchrus purpurascens)
  • incised fumewort (Corydalis incisa)
  • leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia bealei)
  • sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora)

Virginia Invasiveness Rank: Low

  • nandina (Nandina domestica)
  • orange-eye butterfly-bush (Buddleja davidii)

Extension Master Naturalists Offer Forest Therapy Experiences to Help with Stress Relief

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Photo by Stacey Remick-Simkins

What’s shinrin-yoku, you might ask?

Christie Culliton has written a wonderfully informative article about the Japanese art of forest bathing – or taking in your natural surroundings using the five senses to help reduce stress levels.

Autumn is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the changing leaf colors and unplug with a shinrin-yoku experience in your local forest.

Virginia Cooperative Extension trains and supports 30 Virginia Master Naturalist chapters around the state who lead forest bathing experiences as one of their many volunteer programs, in addition to providing education, outreach, and service to benefit natural areas and natural resources in their communities.

Learn more through Extension’s publication about shinrin-yoku and stress reduction. Give yourself a five-minute forest therapy break with this video explaining more about shinrin-yoku.

Contact your local Master Naturalist Program to find out if forest bathing experiences are offered in your area.

 

Protect The Wildlife You Attract

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Photo and article: Plant NOVA Natives

Market demand for native plants in our region has clearly risen in the past ten years. This is a very positive trend, fueled by an increased awareness of the benefits that native plants offer. It is also a sheer delight to see wildlife respond to our efforts, enjoying the food and shelter that a healthier environment offers.

However, a word of caution is in order. Elements of the landscape may pose serious hazards to the very wildlife that we’ve attracted. Are we drawing them closer, only to have them harmed by an avoidable threat to their health and wellbeing? In some cases, the answer is clearly yes. Here are some suggestions for identifying and addressing some of the more common threats.

Cats: The biggest threat to birds is habitat loss, but the second biggest is domestic cats. When allowed outdoors, they devastate populations not only of birds – an estimated 2.4 billion are killed by cats every year in the United States alone – but also of other small critters such as frogs, voles, and lizards. Domestic cats are an introduced species that have no place in our landscape.

Window strikes: The American Bird Conservancy estimates that window collisions kill up to 1 billion birds each year. The victims are not limited to migratory species striking large glass buildings in cities. They include our local backyard birds as they fly back and forth. The American Bird Conservancy has tested some inexpensive deterrents and discusses them on their website. One featured example is “Feather Friendly ®, adhesive dots that make the glass more visible to birds. Note that whatever product you choose, it is better to apply it to the exterior of the window. Internally-installed products are less effective when reflections on the glass are strong.

Outdoor lighting: Bright outdoor lighting is a life-threatening hazard to birds that migrate at night, disorienting them and disrupting their sense of direction to the point of exhaustion and death. Outdoor lighting also devastates fireflies, moths, and other nocturnal animals. As much as possible, turn off outdoor lighting, especially during peak migration periods (March 1 to June 15 and August 15 to November 30). Before 11 pm, turn off any lighting that may be directed upward, or at least consider adding a down-shield. Swap out light bulbs for warm spectrum LED (3000 K or less) to make them less attractive to insects.

Mosquito spraying: It is impossible to spray for mosquitoes without killing other insects as well, including bees, butterflies, caterpillars, ladybugs, and dragonflies. The residual effects of the pesticide will last for weeks, yet the intended effect is rather short lived, as mosquitoes can fly up to 2 miles and quickly repopulate the treated areas. Several less harmful tactics can keep them at bay. Mosquitoes are weak fliers, so turn on an electric fan on your deck to blow them away. Use mosquito repellents such as DEET. Most importantly, search your property for places that accumulate water where mosquitoes can breed, such as buckets, toys, downspouts, or the saucers under plant pots.

Rat poison: Rat poison is designed to smell and taste good to mice and rats, but it can be just as appealing to other mammals as well. Even if placed inside, the poison can be carried outside by the mice and rats to where other wild animals can find it. But most cases of wildlife poisoning do not occur from direct consumption. Rather, poisoning occurs secondarily when a raptor eats a poisoned animal. The poison then accumulates in the raptor’s body, leading to the same kind of slow and agonizing death for the bird as it does for the mammal. More environmentally-friendly ways to keep rats and mice out of your home include sealing all entry points, securing food resources such as birdseed, pet food, and trash, making sure rodent nesting materials such as shredded paper or fabric are not available, or adding nest boxes for raptors to attract them to your yard. One barn owl can consume a thousand mice in a year, and that is a conservative estimate.

Nandina berries: Nandina is native to eastern Asia but has been a landscaping favorite across our region for a long time, mostly due to the profuse red berries it produces in late fall that persist through winter. Nandina berries, however, contain cyanide and other alkaloids that are deadly to birds when consumed in large volumes. There are many beautiful native substitutes for the invasive nandina, such as Winterberry and Red Chokeberry.

The Northern Virgina Bird Alliance website has more details on avoiding these and other human-made hazards.

As always, awareness is everything. When viewed more holistically, native plants are one piece in the larger puzzle of ecosystem restoration. Other factors complete the picture, including soil health, animals, favorable climate conditions, and fewer environmental risks, with each piece interdependent upon the other.