The scientist at Aqua-niche have completed hundreds of wetland delineations throughout the mid-Atlantic region on projects of all sizes from a few acres up to over 300 acres. Our scientists hold masters degrees in Biology and have taken many advanced courses specific to botany, wetlands, and ecosystem science. This academic training combined with years of experience allows us to accurately determine the boundaries of wetland communities and offer sound advice on how to minimize project impacts without compromising project goals. We can work with your own surveying crew or if you would like us to have it surveyed we can handle that as well.
Aquatic macro invertebrate studies are often used to determine and monitor water quality of a particular stream or entire watershed. Aqua-niche has been providing this service to our clients for over 17 years. One of our most noteable projects is an annual macro invertebrate study for one of our industrial clients that is currently in it's seventeenth year. This is done to monitor water quality in the streams running through property owned by the client and ensure they are not being degraded by the activities on the site. Aqua-niche has experience with many types of methodologies and metrics calculations that are neccessary to determine water quality. Our staff has the capability to complete a macro invertebrate study from start to finish including determing the most appropriate sampling sites, collecting and analyzing field data, and submitting the report to the neccessary agencies.
Because Aqua-niche has not only been designing habitat restoration projects for the past 17 years but building them as well we are able to incorporate the knowledge we have gained from years of on the ground experience into our designs. This combination of experience allows us to determine the best approach, foresee problems ahead of time and avoid them. This approach always results in a successful project that accomplishes the ecological and client goals and remain on budget. We are able to accomplish this for any type of habitat restoration project that may be needed including wetland mitigations, stream restorations, stream relocations, dam removals, shorline restorations, salt marsh restoration, and reforestation projects. Please see the Habitat Restoration and Projects link at the left to learn more details and see photos of some of the projects we have designed and built.
Aqua-niche has gained extensive experience performing threatened and endangered species surveys. These projects require site and species specific methodology to develop the best approach to determining if appropriate habitat exists and how and when to look for a specific species. Aqua-niche has completed evaluations for 49 different species of special concern. The table below list the species that Aqua-niche has completed evaluations for.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Status |
| Accipiter cooperii | Cooper's hawk | New Jersey State Endangered (S3/S4) |
| Alasmidonta heterodon | Dwarf wedge mussel | Maryland State Endangered(S1)
Federally Endangered
Highly Globally Rare (G1/G2) |
| Ambystoma laterale | Blue-spotted salamander | New Jersey State Endangered (S1) |
| Ambystoma tigrinum | Eastern tiger salamander | New Jersey State Endangered (S2)
Globally Vulnerable (G3) |
| Anemone canadensis | Canada anemone | New Jersey State Extirpated (SX) |
| Aplectrum hyemale | Puttyroot | Pennsylvania State Rank Vulnerable
Pennsylvania State Status Rare (S3/PR) |
| Arabis hirsuta | Western hairy rock cress | Pennsylvania State Endangered (S1) |
| Buteo lineatus | Red shouldered hawk | New Jersey State Endangered (S1/S3) |
| Calystegia spithamaea | Erect bindweed | New Jersey State Endangered (S1) |
| Carex polymorpha | Variable sedge | Pennsylvania State Endangered (S2)
Federal Status Under Review
Globally Vulnerable (G3) |
| Chasmanthium latifolium | Sea oats | Pennsylvania State Rank Critically Imperiled |
| Circus cyaneus | Northern harrier | New Jersey State Endangered |
| Cistothorous platensis | Sedge wren | New Jersey State Endangered (S3) |
| Clemnys insculpta | Wood Turtle | New Jersey State threatened (S3) |
| Clemnys muhlenbergi | Bog turtle | New Jersey State Threatened (S2)
Pennsylvania State Endangered (S2)
Federally threatened
Globally Vulnerable (G3) |
| Ellisia nyctelea | Water pod | Pennsylvania State threatened (S2) |
| Fimbristylis annua | Annual Fimbry | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled/Pennsylvania State Status Threatened (S2/PT) |
| Helonia bullata | Swamp pink | Maryland State Endagered (A2)
Federally Threatened |
| Hyla andersoni | Pine Barrens tree frog | New Jersey State Threatened (S3) |
| Juncus biflorus | Grass rush | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled (S2), State Status Tentatively Undetermined |
| Lonicera hirsuta | Hairy honeysuckle | Pennsylvania Status Tentatively Undetermined |
| Lygodium palmatum | Hartford fern | Pennsylvanina State Rare (S3) |
| Muhlenbergia capillaris | Long-awned smokegrass | New Jersey State Endangered |
| Nycticorax nycticorax | Black-crowned night heron | New Jersey State Threatened |
| Nycticorax violacea | Yellow-crowned night heron | New Jersey State Threatened |
| Paepaema Sp. 1 | Fly poison borer moth | No official status |
| Penstemon laevigatus | Smooth beard tongue | New Jersey State Endangered |
| Phermeranthus (Talinum) teretifolius | Round Leaved Fame-Flower | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled/Pennsylvania State Status Threatened (S2/PT) |
| Phlox pilosa | Downy phlox | New Jersey State Historical (SH) |
| Phyciodes batesii | Tawny crescent | Pennsylvania State Historical (SH) |
| Pituophis melanoleucus | Northern Pine Snake | New Jersey State Threatened (S3) |
| Podilymbus podiceps | Pied-billed grebe | New Jersey State Endangered |
| Pycnanthemum torrei | Torrey's mountain mint | New Jersey State Endangered (S1)
Globally Rare (G2) |
| Quercus shumardii | Shumard's Oak | Pennsylvania State Endangered (S1) |
| Ranunculus pusillus | Low spearwort | New Jersey State Imperiled (S2) |
| Rotala ramosior | Toothcup | Pennsylvania State Rare (S3) |
| Ruellia strepens | Limestone petunia | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled/Pennsylvania State Status Threatened (S2/PT) |
| Sanicula trifoliate | Large-fruited sanicle | New Jersey State Endangered (S1) |
| Scirpus ancistrochaetus | Northeastern bulrush | Pennsylvania State Endangered (S3)
Federally Endangered |
| Scutellaria serrata | Showy skullcap | Pennsylvania State Extirpated (S1) |
| Senecia anonymus | Appalachian groundsel | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled/Pennsylvania State Status Rare (S2/PR) |
| Speyeria idalia | Regal fritillary | Pennsylvania No Official Status
Federal Status under review
Globally Vulnerable (G3) |
| Strix varia | Barred owl | New jersey State Threatened (S3) |
| Stylosanthes biflora | Pencil flower | New Jersey State Rare (S3) |
| Symphyotrichum (Aster) depauperatum | Serpentine aster | Pennsylvania State Rank Imperiled/Pennsylvania State Status Threatened (S2/PT) |
| Synaptomys cooperi | Southern bog lemming | New Jersey State Undetermined |
| Tipularia discolor | Cranefly orchid | Pennsylvania State Rare (S1) |
| Tomanthera auriculata | Eared false-foxglove | Pennsylvania State Endangered (S1)
Federal Status under review
Globally Threatened (G2) |
| Triosteum angustifolium | Horse gentian | Pennsylvania State undetermined |
| Ephmeral (Vernal) Ponds | Amphibian breeding grounds | New Jersey State Habitat of Concern
Pennsylvania State Habitat of Concern |
Aqua-niche can offer expert service for any ecological consulting needs you may have, please feel free to contact us regarding any ecological work you may need from us. The following is a partial list of other services we can provide.
This is a specialized area of study that not all consulting companies are able to offer. Identifying bird species requires years of study and practice. In depth knowledge of habitat and life history are also required to do any type of work that directly involves bird species. Our lead scientist and owner Steve Goodyear completed his masters work studying bird ecology and wrote his thesis paper titled " Breeding Ecology Of Six Species of Colonial Nesting Wading Birds On Walker Marsh, Accomack County, Virginia" Mr. Goodyear has been studying birds professionaly and recreationally for over 25 years and has completed many bird studies including evaluations for threatened and endangered species of birds. The Black Crowned Night Heron seen above is one the the species Mr. Goodyear has searched for and located during one of his bird studies in New Jersey.
The conservation of amphibians and reptiles has become an area of increasing concern over the past years due to their declining numbers. For this reason it is important herpetological studies be done by professionals with a good understanding of their ecology and habitat requirements. Our scientists are well trained in the identification of reptiles and amphibians and recongnizing their habitat. An area of special concern regarding herps is vernal (ephemeral) pond conservation. Aqua-niche has located dozens of ephemeral ponds during our studies and documented amphibian breeding in them so the neccessary steps are taken to avoid impacts to these declining habitat areas. The photo above is a picture of a wood turtle that was photographed by an Aqua-niche scientist during one of our herpetological studies.
Vernal pond located by Aqua-niche scientist during one of our habitat evaluations
Salamanders identified and documented in the vernal pool shown above