Life Sciences Commons^™

What Can We Learn From Confusing Olivella Columellaris And O. Semistriata, Two Key Species In Panamic Sandy Beach Ecosystems?, Alison Troost, Samantha Rupert, Ariel Cyrus, Frank Paladino, Benjamin Dattilo, Winfried Peters

Benjamin F. Dattilo

Filtering Efficiency And Feeding Mechanisms Of Daphnia Pulex On Microcystis Aeruginosa And Nannochloropsis, Elizabeth Orlowicz

Honors Theses and Capstones

The filtering and feeding rate of Daphnia pulex from the Old Durham Reservoir, Durham, NH, were measured to determine the feeding efficiency on different concentrations of non-toxic Nannochloropsis (Class Eustigmatophyceae) and toxigenic cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Direct observations of thoracic appendage beats and post-abdominal rejections were also measured at 5*10⁵ and 10⁶ cells mL^-1 concentrations of Nannochloropsis and M. aeruginosa to examine the feeding mechanisms of the D. pulex. In the presence of increasing Nannochloropsis concentrations, the filtering rates decreased and the feeding rates increased. When exposed to M. aeruginosa, both the filtering and feeding …

Increased Feeding And Nutrient Excretion Of Adult Antarctic Krill, Euphausia Superba, Exposed To Enhanced Carbon Dioxide (Co2), Gk Saba, O Schofield, Jj Torres, Eh Ombres, Deborah K. Steinberg

VIMS Articles

Ocean acidification has a wide-ranging potential for impacting the physiology and metabolism of zooplankton. Sufficiently elevated CO2 concentrations can alter internal acid-base balance, compromising homeostatic regulation and disrupting internal systems ranging from oxygen transport to ion balance. We assessed feeding and nutrient excretion rates in natural populations of the keystone species Euphausia superba (Antarctic krill) by conducting a CO2 perturbation experiment at ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 levels in January 2011 along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Under elevated CO2 conditions (similar to 672 ppm), ingestion rates of krill averaged 78 mu g C individual(-1) d(-1) and were 3.5 times …

The Impact Of Coastal Phytoplankton Blooms On Ocean-Atmosphere Thermal Energy Exchange: Evidence From A Two-Way Coupled Numerical Modeling System, Jason K. Jolliff, Travis A. Smith, Charlie N. Barron, Sergio Derada, Stephanie C. Anderson, Richard W. Gould, Robert A. Arnone

Faculty Publications

A set of sensitivity experiments are performed with a two-way coupled and nested ocean-atmosphere forecasting system in order to deconvolve how dense phytoplankton stocks in a coastal embayment may impact thermal energy exchange processes. Monterey Bay simulations parameterizing solar shortwave transparency in the surface ocean as an invariant oligotrophic oceanic water type estimate consistently colder sea surface temperature (SST) than simulations utilizing more realistic, spatially varying shortwave attenuation terms based on satellite estimates of surface algal pigment concentration. These SST differences lead to an similar to 88% increase in the cumulative turbulent thermal energy transfer from the ocean to the …

Restoring Oyster Reefs In Great Bay Estuary, Nh 2012 Annual Program Report, Ray Konisky, Raymond E. Grizzle, Krystin M. Ward, Kara Mcketon

PREP Reports & Publications

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in New Hampshire’s Great Bay Estuary has declined in the past decades, with local populations reduced due primarily to disease, excessive siltation, and past over-harvest. The loss of filtering oysters results in diminished ecological benefits for water quality, nitrogen control, and other services that healthy oyster populations provide. In support of management objectives to restore oyster populations, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) have combined for a fourth consecutive year of scaled-up methods to rebuild reefs and oyster populations. Since 2009, we have “planted” dried shell, primarily surf-clam …

Assimilating Altimetric Data Into A South China Sea Model, Chau-Ron Wu, Ping-Tung Shaw, Shenn-Yu Chao

Faculty Publications

Sea surface heights from the TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter are assimilated into a three-dimensional primitive equation model to derive the circulation in the South China Sea. With data assimilation the model resolves not only the basinwide circulation but also a dipole off Vietnam and a low/high feature near the Luzon Strait. Mesoscale features are missing in the simulation without data assimilation because of poor resolution in the wind field and inadequate knowledge of the transport through the Luzon Strait. Compared to the case without data assimilation, data assimilation reduces the root mean square error between the simulated and observed sea surface heights …

Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns And Predation Influence On Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon Spp., Haemulidae), Lance K.B. Jordan, Kenyon C. Lindeman, Richard E. Spieler

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf distributional patterns exhibited by newly settled stages of grunts (<2 cm total length), we examined: 1) depth-specific distributions of congeners at settlement among sites at 8 m, 12 m, and 21 m, and 2) depth-variable predation pressure on newly settled individuals (species pooled). Of the six species identified from collections of newly settled specimens (n = 2125), Haemulon aurolineatum (tomtate), H. flavolineatum (French grunt), and H. striatum (striped grunt) comprised 98% of the total abundance; with the first two species present at all sites. Prevalence of H. aurolineatum and H. flavolineatum decreased substantially from the 8-m site to the two deeper sites. In contrast, H. striatum was absent from the 8-m site and exhibited its highest frequency at the 21-m site. Comparison of newly settled grunt delta density for all species on caged (predator exclusion) and control artificial reefs at the shallowest site (8-m) revealed no difference, while the 12-m and 21-m sites exhibited significantly greater delta densities on the caged treatment. This result, along with significantly higher abundances of co-occurring piscivorous fishes at the deeper sites, indicated lower predation pressure at the 8-m site. This study suggests habitat-use patterns of newly settled stages of some coral reef fishes that undergo ontogenetic shifts are a function of depth-variable predation pressure while, for at least one deeper-water species, proximity to adult habitat appears to be an important factor affecting settlement distribution.

Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns And Predation Influence On Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon Spp., Haemulidae), Lance K. B. Jordan, Kenyon C. Lindeman, Richard E. Spieler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf distributional patterns exhibited by newly settled stages of grunts (<2 cm total length), we examined: 1) depth-specific distributions of congeners at settlement among sites at 8 m, 12 m, and 21 m, and 2) depth-variable predation pressure on newly settled individuals (species pooled). Of the six species identified from collections of newly settled specimens (n = 2125), Haemulon aurolineatum (tomtate), H. flavolineatum(French grunt), and H. striatum (striped grunt) comprised 98% of the total abundance; with the first two species present at all sites. Prevalence of H. aurolineatum and H. flavolineatumdecreased substantially from the 8-m site to the two deeper sites. In contrast, …

Transcriptional Response Of Two Core Photosystem Genes In Symbiodinium Spp. Exposed To Thermal Stress, Michael P. Mcginley, Matthew D. Aschaffenburg, Daniel D. Pettay, Robin T. Smith, Todd C. Lajeunesse, Mark E. Warner

Department of Biological Sciences

Mutualistic symbioses between scleractinian corals and endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) are the foundation of coral reef ecosystems. For many coral-algal symbioses, prolonged episodes of thermal stress damage the symbiont's photosynthetic capability, resulting in its expulsion from the host. Despite the link between photosynthetic competency and symbiont expulsion, little is known about the effect of thermal stress on the expression of photosystem genes in Symbiodinium. This study used real-time PCR to monitor the transcript abundance of two important photosynthetic reaction center genes, psbA(encoding the D1 protein of photosystem II) and psaA (encoding the P700 protein of photosystem I), …

Characterization Of Atlantic Cod Spawning Habitat And Behavior In Icelandic Coastal Waters, Timothy B. Grabowski, Kevin M. Boswell, Bruce J. Mcadam, R.J. David Wells, Guđrún Marteinsdóttir

Department of Biological Sciences

The physical habitat used during spawning may potentially be an important factor affecting reproductive output of broadcast spawning marine fishes, particularly for species with complex, substrate-oriented mating systems and behaviors, such as Atlantic cod Gadus morhua. We characterized the habitat use and behavior of spawning Atlantic cod at two locations off the coast of southwestern Iceland during a 2-d research cruise (15–16 April 2009). We simultaneously operated two different active hydroacoustic gear types, a split beam echosounder and a dual frequency imaging sonar (DIDSON), as well as a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). A total of five fish species were …

Final Environmental Data Report December 2012: Technical Support Document For The 2013 State Of Our Estuaries Report, Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership

PREP Reports & Publications

The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program, which is a joint local/state/federal program established under the Clean Water Act with the goal of protecting and enhancing nationally significant estuarine resources. PREP is funded by the EPA and is administered by the University of New Hampshire.

The following sections contain the most recent data for the indicators currently tracked by PREP.

Collaborative Research: Life Histories Of Species In The Genus Calanus In The North Atlantic And North Pacific Oceans And Responses To Climate Forcing, Jeffrey Runge, Andrew J. Pershing

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Species in the genus Calanus are predominant in the mesozooplankton of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. Their key role in marine food web interactions has been recognized in GLOBEC programs, both in the U.S. and internationally. Considerable knowledge of life history characteristics, including growth, reproduction, mortality, diapause behavior and demography has been acquired from both laboratory experiments and measurements at sea. This project reviews and synthesizes this knowledge and uses it to develop an Individual Based Life Cycle model for sibling species in two sympatric species pairs, C.marshallae and C. pacificus in the North Pacific Ocean and C. …

Population Dynamics Of The Sub-Arctic Copepod Calanus Finmarchicus In The Gulf Of Maine: Demography And Mortality Estimation, Cameron R. S. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Calanus finmarchicus is a widely distributed copepod species that dominants the zooplankton community in the Gulf of Maine. It is of particular interest in its role as a major food source for the endangered northern right whale and stocks of herring, mackerel and cod. More accurate coupled models to predict its distribution requires better life history models. However, due to the difficulty in estimating it, mortality is often used as a closure term in those models; the value is justified mathematically rather than ecologically. Instantaneous mortality is difficult to measure, but the Vertical Life Table method (VLT) has gained some …

An Analysis Of Human Disturbance To Rocky Intertidal Communities Of San Luis Obispo County, Grant Tyler Waltz

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

An Analysis Of Human Disturbance To Rocky Intertidal Communities Of San Luis Obispo County

Grant Tyler Waltz

The number of coastal areas open to public access in California and San Luis Obispo County is increasing due to the acquisition by California State Parks of land previously owned by private entities. For example, California State Parks acquired property from the Hearst Corporation in 2005, which included 18 miles of coastline. California State Parks is responsible for providing public access in these newly acquired areas and also for maintaining the health of the natural systems found on these properties. Part of …

Phenotypic Plasticity Of Oral Jaw Dentition In Archosargus Probatocephalus, Cynthia E. Worcester

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Phenotypic plasticity, the capacity of a single genotype to exhibit variable phenotypes in different environments, is common in many species. A sample of wild caught Archosargus probatocephalus, also known as sheepshead, from Florida was randomly divided into two treatment groups: one group was fed soft prey, Mercenaria sp. muscle tissue, and the other group was fed hard prey, Mercenaria sp. in the shell, for 365 days. It was hypothesized that the sheepshead fed hard prey would have a thicker tooth enamel layer containing more calcium, and therefore be stronger than the tooth enamel layer of those fed soft prey …

Modeling Of Oyster Larval Connectivity For Cbf In Support Of Noaa’S Community-Based Restoration Program & Restore America’S Estuaries Oyster And Reef Balls On Sanctuary Reefs In Md And Va - Phase Three, Mac Sisson, Jian Shen

Reports

1. The overarching goal of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) for this project has been to enhance the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population. In Virginia, CBF is working with partners to focus restoration efforts on the Lafayette River in order to bring the river’s biomass and reef substrate to a threshold level that will show a systemic response in terms of enhanced spatset. Portions of their grant have funded the hydrodynamic modeling of the Lafayette River recently performed and herein reported. 2. VIMS personnel have modified its existing three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the Lafayette/Elizabeth/James Rivers to conduct larval connectivity simulations. The …

Analysis Of Extracellular Proteins Expressed By Host, Crassostrea Virginica And Pathogen, Roseovarius Crassostreae In Roseovarius Oyster Disease, Erin Macro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roseovarius Oyster Disease (ROD) involves the colonization of the inner shell of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) by the marine alpha-proteobacterium Roseovarius crassostreae. The ensuing disease can result in upwards of 90% mortality in hatchery-raised juvenile (< 25 mm shell length) oysters. Symptoms of ROD include heavy, brown ring deposits of conchiolin on the surface of the shell, as well as uneven valve growth and shell curvature. Although the bacterium does not invade oyster tissue or digestive tract, fluorescent localization of an R. crassostreae biofilm on the inner shells of ROD-affected oysters, and toxic effects of R. crassotreae extracellular products on hemocytes and larval oysters suggest that a chemical warfare takes place between the R. crassostreae biofilm and the oyster host. In this thesis, I cultured R. crassostreae under laboratory conditions and analyzed the affects of physical growth condition, temperature, culture volume, and iron limitation on bacterial growth and bacterial extracellular protein (ECP) production. Culture growth rate increased with increasing temperature. Iron limitation resulted in slower growth but had no affect on maximum culture density. Iron limited cells produced a greater volume of ECPs, especially at low cell density. ECPs from liquid and solid-phase cultures were analyzed by LC-tandem mass spectrometry. The resulting protein sequences had high similarity to proteins in other bacterial species that act as virulence factors in other hosts, including metal transporters (2), proteases (2) and a surface-associated GroEL chaperonin. I also exposed live oysters to ECPs of live R. crassostreae cells by embedding a filter capsule into the oyster shell. I sampled extrapallial fluid from oysters pre-exposure and post-exposure and analyzed the relative expression of the oyster defense protein dominin in addition to the extent of brown shell deposition as a function of bacterial presence. The injury response due to capsule embedment masked any potential response by oysters to R. crassostreae ECPs.

Density And Diversity Of Penaeid Shrimp And Fish Species In Near-Shore Seagrass Beds Of Northern Biscayne Bay, Florida (Usa), Robin Cascioli

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass beds serve critical functions in coastal Florida ecosystems. The beds serve as nursery habitat for many juvenile reef fish species and provide protection for many types of benthic organisms found in Biscayne Bay. They help stabilize sediment that would otherwise increase turbidity around coral reefs, filter the water of contaminants, and help support an entire food web. Three species of seagrass were found at the study sites in northern Biscayne Bay: Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii, and Syringodium filiforme. This study focused on understanding the organism habitat interaction by determining the species diversity, seasonal densities, and the …

Marine Fungi Of U.S. Gulf Of Mexico Barrier Island Beaches: Biodiversity And Sampling Strategy, Allison Kathleen Walker

Dissertations

Marine fungi are an important but often overlooked component of marine ecosystems. Primarily saprotrophic, they are vital to coastal nutrient cycling processes and food webs. However, basic marine fungal distribution data are lacking in many parts of the world, as is knowledge of the sampling intensity required to characterize the biodiversity of these communities. The roles of substrate, season and latitude in shaping intertidal ascomycete community structure were examined for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and the role of sampling frequency on species richness estimates was also addressed. Best sampling practices were developed and 750 collections of beach detritus, sand …

Management Of Biological And Chemical Constituents For The Advancement Of Intensive, Minimal-Exchange, Biofloc-Based Shrimp (Litopenaeus Vannamei) Aquaculture, Andrew James Ray

Dissertations

Intensive, minimal-exchange, biofloc-based shrimp aquaculture systems may provide a sustainable alternative to traditional shrimp culture. Through a series of experiments, this document explores the effects of several key management strategies on water quality, isotopic distribution, and shrimp production.

An experiment evaluated the effects of managing suspended solids (biofloc) concentration at two levels. It was found that using a higher flow rate to larger settling chambers resulted in significantly lower biofloc and nitrate concentrations, and significantly improved shrimp growth rate. A second experiment compared systems with clear water and systems with biofloc. The filters in the clear water systems prevented biofloc …

Fluorescence And Size Characterization Of Dissolved Organic Matter In Riverine And Sea Waters In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Zhengzhen Zhou

Dissertations

Riverine export of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important component in marine carbon budget but the composition and phase partitioning are poorly quantified. Monthly water samples were collected from the lower Mississippi and Pearl rivers between January 2009 to August 2011 for DOM characterization using the fluorescence excitation emission matrix (FluoEEM) technique, coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), and flow field-flow fractionation technique. DOM in the Pearl River showed higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, temporal fluctuation, and aromaticity, reflecting instantaneous inputs of DOM from local soil and plant litter. In contrast, DOM in the Mississippi River exhibited lower …

Coral Thermal Tolerance: Tuning Gene Expression To Resist Thermal Stress, Anthony J. Bellatuono, Camila Granados-Cifuentes, David J. Miller, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty

Department of Biological Sciences

The acclimatization capacity of corals is a critical consideration in the persistence of coral reefs under stresses imposed by global climate change. The stress history of corals plays a role in subsequent response to heat stress, but the transcriptomic changes associated with these plastic changes have not been previously explored. In order to identify host transcriptomic changes associated with acquired thermal tolerance in the scleractinian coralAcropora millepora, corals preconditioned to a sub-lethal temperature of 3°C below bleaching threshold temperature were compared to both non-preconditioned corals and untreated controls using a cDNA microarray platform. After eight days of hyperthermal …

Predicting Coral Recruitment In Palau’S Complex Reef Archipelago, Yimnang Golbuu, Eric C. Wolanski, Jacques Wasai Idechong, Steven Victor, Adelle Lukes Isechal, Noelle Wenty Oldiais, David Idip, Robert H. Richmond, Robert Van Woesik

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Reproduction and recruitment are key processes that replenish marine populations. Here we use the Palau archipelago, in the western Pacific Ocean, as a case study to examine scales of connectivity and to determine whether an oceanographic model, incorporating the complex reef architecture, is a useful predictor of coral recruitment. We tested the hypothesis that the reefs with the highest retention also had the highest densities of juvenile coral density from 80 field sites. Field comparisons showed a significant correlation between the densities of juvenile Acropora colonies and total larval recruitment derived from the model (i.e., calculated as the sum of …

Global Trophic Position Comparison Of Two Dominant Mesopelagic Fish Families (Myctophidae, Stomiidae) Using Amino Acid Nitrogen Isotopic Analyses, C. Anela Choy, Peter C. Davison, Jeffrey C. Drazen, Adrian Flynn, Elizabeth J. Gier, Joel C. Hoffman, Jennifer P. Mcclain-Counts, Todd W. Miller, Brian N. Popp, Steve W. Ross, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The δ15N values of organisms are commonly used across diverse ecosystems to estimate trophic position and infer trophic connectivity. We undertook a novel cross-basin comparison of trophic position in two ecologically well-characterized and different groups of dominant mid-water fish consumers using amino acid nitrogen isotope compositions. We found that trophic positions estimated from the δ15N values of individual amino acids are nearly uniform within both families of these fishes across five global regions despite great variability in bulk tissue δ15N values. Regional differences in the δ15N values of phenylalanine confirmed that bulk tissue δ15N values reflect region-specific water mass biogeochemistry …

Patterns Of Life History And Habitat Use Of An Important Recreational Fishery Species, Spotfin Croaker, And Their Potential Fishery Implications, Jonathan Williams, Jeremy Claisse, Daniel Pondella, Lea Medeiros, Charles Valle, Michael Shane

Daniel Pondella

Spotfin croakers Roncador stearnsii, a prized recreational catch, were collected throughout the Southern California Bight, primarily as bycatch from a long-term, scientific gill-net collection effort. The maximum otolith-based age in the present study was 24 years—14 years greater than in a previous scale-based aging study. Multiple models were used to estimate mean length at age, including models that utilize larvae as well as juveniles and adults, and the model selection results suggest sexual dimorphism in growth patterns. The juvenile and adult catch per unit effort reflected a clear pattern of habitat selectivity, with fish strongly preferring soft-bottom habitats. Catches …

El Niño Periods Increase Growth Of Juvenile White Seabass (Atractoscion Nobilis) In The Southern California Bight, Jonathan Williams, Larry Allen, Mark Steele, Daniel Pondella

Daniel Pondella

Studies of the impact of El Niño periods on marine species have usually focused on negative, highly visible eVects, e.g., decreasing growth rates or increasing mortality due to a decline in primary productivity in typically nutrient rich upwelling zones; but positive effects related to elevated water temperature are also known. This study examined how the growth rate of juvenile white seabass, Atractoscion nobilis, responded to changes in ocean temperature in an El Niño period (1997–1998) in the northern portion of the Southern California Bight, USA. Growth rates of juvenile white seabass during their first 4 years of life were …

Life History, Ecology, And Long-Term Demographics Of Queenfish, Eric Miller, Jonathan Williams, Daniel Pondella, Kevin Herbinson

Daniel Pondella

Queenfish Seriphus politus were collected at coastal power plants from San Clemente to Ventura, California. Power functions best described relations between otolith length, width, or weight and either standard length (SL) or total body weight. The length–weight relationship was described by the following equation: weight 1⁄4 10􏰀5 3 SL3.09. Individuals were aged to 12 years by using sagittal otolith sections. Females grew at a significantly faster rate than males. Both sexes reached 50% maturity by 100 mm SL, or shortly after age 1. The total annual instantaneous mortality coefficient was estimated at 0.42. Catalina Harbor (on the windward side of …

New Record Of Pacific Sierra (Scomberomorus Sierra) With Notes On Previous California Records, Jonathan P. Williams, Daniel J. Pondella Ii, Brent M. Haggin, Larry G. Allen

Daniel Pondella

On 22 October 2006, a Pacific sierra (Scomberomorus sierra) was caught by gillnet near Mother’s Beach, Marina del Rey, Los Angeles County, California (33º58’50"N, 118º27’25"W) during sampling for juvenile white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis). This catch represents the northernmost record of Pacific sierra, and one of several specimens known from California.

Microbial Effects On The Production And Transformation Of Surfactants Within The Microlayer And Subsurface Waters In Application To Remote Sensing Techniques, Katie E. Vella

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The sea surface microlayer is a millimeter-scale interfacial layer between the atmosphere and the ocean. A number of studies have suggested that there is a unique ecosystem for marine bacteria in the sea surface microlayer, but little information exists on the microbial community composition of this ecosystem due to sampling complexities. In this work, we present an improved method to sample and compare the bacterial diversity of the sea surface microlayer with that of subsurface water at the same site. Bacterial samples were collected from the sea surface microlayer with a sampling method, which minimized sample contamination from the research …

Environews #1, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

Environews #1 is, hopefuly, the first of a series dealing with current issues of environmental concern. This issue discusses the possible role of climate change in the massive floods that followed hurricane sandy, depletion of the world's fish stocks, the possible role, bothe positive and negative, of aquaculture, and the trend to seek oil in increasingly environmentally dangerous venues.