Life Sciences Commons^™

Comparative Accumulation And Effects Of Microplastics And Microplastic-Associated Pcb-153 In The White Hard Clam (Meretrix Lyrata) And Giant River Prawn (Macrobrachium Rosenbergii) Following Chronic Exposure, Bao-Son Trinh, Lien Thi Le, Loc Minh Tran, Gunther Rosen, Robert C. Hale

VIMS Articles

Global environmental abundance of microplastics (MPs) is increasing. MPs may sorb hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), accumulate in and cause deleterious effects on exposed organisms. This study investigated and compared the accumulation and effects of MPs and MP-associated PCB in the two indigenous aquatic organisms in Viet Nam, the white hard clams, Meretrix lyrata, and the giant river prawns, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The test organisms were exposed to either polyethylene microbeads (PEMBs), waterborne polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB-153), or PEMB-associated PCB-153 (PEMB-PCB) over 28 days. Organismal MP accumulation, survival, and weight gain were examined at various sampling intervals. In general, MP …

Ecological Monitoring Program At Vims Esl: Annual Report 2023, Paige G. Ross, Richard A. Snyder

Reports

An Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP) has been established at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Eastern Shore Laboratory (VIMS ESL) for the coastal environment near the Wachapreague lab. The goals of the initiative are to 1) provide status and trends information to scientists who study and regulators who manage Virginia’s marine resources, 2) provide a scientific context for short-term research and grant proposals 3) provide pedagogical enrichment for educators to use in their classes, and 4) build capacity in staff expertise and training of interns and students at VIMS ESL.

The program formalizes and standardizes data collection for a long-term …

Dietary Shifts And The Need For Increased Sustainability Approaches In The Global Aquaculture Seafood System, Darien D. Mizuta

VIMS Articles

Recent shifts in the global dietary preferences have indicated the fast-growing choice for plant-based, or meat-reduced diets. Among the motivations for such choices, which are increasingly advocated by nations and environmental institutions, is the major concern with global environmental sustainability and impacts of food production systems. Incontestably, the animal food source industry is extremely diverse, and seafood production through the aquaculture value chain remains unfamiliar to key stakeholders possibly leading to an uncomprehensive view and often biased perception of the farming industry within the environmental context. Accordingly, I discuss the importance of seafood production systems, such as the fastest seafood …

The Status Of Virginia'a Public Oyster Resource 2023, Melissa Southworth, Roger L. Mann

Reports

No abstract provided.

From Rain Drops To Rivers: Unraveling Aridification's Influence On Coastal Stream Ecosystem Dynamics, Sean Kelly Kinard

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This dissertation addresses the escalating threat of aridification to global freshwater ecosystems due to anthropogenic climate change, focusing on South-Central Texas, USA, using a space-for-time approach along a precipitation gradient from semi-arid to sub-humid. Over the 2017-2020 survey period, I integrated community, stable isotope, climate, and hydrologic data.In Chapter 2, my initial assessment of fish and invertebrate communities along the precipitation gradient unveiled compositional shifts and other nuanced responses. Positive correlations between fish diversity and rainfall, coupled with unexpected invertebrate diversity patterns, underscored the role of water quality in shaping fish assemblages. Drier conditions imposed abiotic filters, reducing diversity and …

Evaluation Of Striped Bass Stocks In Virginia: Monitoring And Tagging Studies, 2023 Progress Report, Robert J. Latour, Christopher F. Bonzek, Gina M. Ralph, James Gartland

Reports

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 December 2022 through 30 November 2023. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2023 spring spawning run and estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for striped bass in Virginia, and along the eastern seaboard.

Mapping The Tidal Marshes Of Coastal Virginia: A Hierarchical Transfer Learning Approach, Zhonghui Lv, Karinna Nunez, Ethan Brewer, Daniel Runfola

Arts & Sciences Articles

Coastal wetlands, especially tidal marshes, play a crucial role in supporting ecosystems and slowing shoreline erosion. Accurate and cost-effective identification and classification of various marsh types, such as high and low marshes, are important for effective coastal management and conservation endeavors. However, mapping tidal marshes is challenging due to heterogeneous coastal vegetation and dynamic tidal influences. In this study, we employ a deep learning segmentation model to automate the identification and classification of tidal marsh communities in coastal Virginia, USA, using seasonal, publicly available satellite and aerial images. This study leverages the combined capabilities of Sentinel-2 and National Agriculture Imagery …

The Helicobacter Pylori Methylome Is Acid-Responsive Due To Regulation By The Two-Component System Arsrs And The Type I Dna Methyltransferase Hsdm1 (Hp0463), Elise H. Zimmerman, Erin L. Ramsey, Katherine E. Hunter, Sarah M. Villadelgado, Celeste M. Phillips, Ryan T. Shipman, Mark H. Forsyth

Arts & Sciences Articles

In addition to its role in genome protection, DNA methylation can regulate gene expression. In this study, we characterized the impact of acidity, phase variation, and the ArsRS TCS on the expression of the Type I m6A DNA methyltransferase HsdM1 (HP0463) of Helicobacter pylori 26695 and their subsequent effects on the methylome. Transcription of hsdM1 increases at least fourfold in the absence of the sensory histidine kinase ArsS, the major acid-sensing protein of H. pylori. hsdM1 exists in the phase-variable operon hsdR1-hsdM1. Phase-locking hsdR1 (HP0464), the restriction endonuclease gene, has significant impacts on the transcription of hsdM1. To determine the …

Aquaculture Governance: Five Engagement Arenas For Sustainability Transformation, Darien D. Mizuta, Stefan Partelow

VIMS Articles

A greater focus on governance is needed to facilitate effective and substantive progress toward sustainability transformations in the aquaculture sector. Concerted governance efforts can help move the sector beyond fragmented technical questions associated with intensification and expansion, social and environmental impacts, and toward system-based approaches that address interconnected sustainability issues. Through a review and expert-elicitation process, we identify five engagement arenas to advance a governance agenda for aquaculture sustainability transformation: (1) setting sustainability transformation goals, (2) cross-sectoral linkages, (3) land–water–sea connectivity, (4) knowledge and innovation, and (5) value chains. We then outline the roles different actors and modes of …

Seasonal Trends In Lysogeny In An Appalachian Oak-Hickory Forest Soil, Melaina L. Jacoby, Graham D. Hogg, Madelein R. Assaad, Kurt E. Williamson

Arts & Sciences Articles

Since 1989, investigations into viral ecology have revealed how bacteriophages can influence microbial dynamics within ecosystems at global scales. Most of the information we know about temperate phages, which can integrate themselves into the host genome and remain dormant via a process called lysogeny, has come from research in aquatic ecosystems. Soil environments remain under-studied, and more research is necessary to fully understand the range of impacts phage infections have on the soil bacteria they infect. The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy of different prophage-inducing agents and to elucidate potential temporal trends in lysogeny within a …

Host Defense Peptide Piscidin And Yeast-Derived Glycolipid Exhibit Synergistic Antimicrobial Action Through Concerted Interactions With Membranes, Fei Liu, Alexander I. Greenwood, Yawei Xiong, Et Al., Myriam L. Cotten

Arts & Sciences Articles

Developing new antimicrobials as alternatives to conventional antibiotics has become an urgent race to eradicate drug-resistant bacteria and to save human lives. Conventionally, antimicrobial molecules are studied independently even though they can be cosecreted in vivo. In this research, we investigate two classes of naturally derived antimicrobials: sophorolipid (SL) esters as modified yeast-derived glycolipid biosurfactants that feature high biocompatibility and low production cost; piscidins, which are host defense peptides (HDPs) from fish. While HDPs such as piscidins target the membrane of pathogens, and thus result in low incidence of resistance, SLs are not well understood on a mechanistic level. Here, …

Design And Redesign Of A Bottom Trawl Survey In Chesapeake Bay, Usa, Robert J. Latour, James Gartland, Christopher F. Bonzek

VIMS Articles

Fisheries-independent surveys that reliably sample a broad size range of exploited and ecologically important species provide valuable data in support of fisheries management and ecosystem science. The operational consistency of surveys over time and space is fundamental to the interpretation of data in the contexts of population dynamics processes, community interactions, policy impacts, and environmental forcing. However, the need to maintain historic sampling protocols over extended time periods limits the utilization of new technologies that could lead to improved data collection. Survey vessel replacements also become inevitable as the maturity of sampling programs becomes multidecadal. This case study describes the …

Final Report An Assessment Of Sea Scallop Abundance And Distribution In The Nantucket Lightship Closed Area, Sally Roman, David Rudders

Reports

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of rotational area management has aided in the sustainability of the resource. Since 2003 with the adoption of Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP), rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based on scallop abundance and observed length distributions. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings are attributed to areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, …

Final Report An Assessment Of Sea Scallop Abundance And Distribution In The Georges Bank Access Areas And Surrounds, Sally Roman, David Rudders

Reports

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of rotational area management has aided in the sustainability of the resource. Since 2003 with the adoption of Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP), rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based on scallop abundance and observed length distributions. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings are attributed to areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, …

Final Report In Situ High-Definition Camera Monitoring To Evaluate Catch Efficiency And Performance Of A Survey Dredge, Sally Roman, Christopher Rillahan, David Rudders, Pingguo He

Reports

For the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, the concepts of space and time have emerged as the basis of an effective management tool. The strategy of rotational access area management has gained support as a method to conserve and enhance the scallop resource. In the last decade, rotational area management has provided a mechanism to protect juvenile scallops from fishing mortality by closing areas based on scallop abundance and age distribution. Approximately half of the sea scallop industry’s current annual landings come from areas under this rotational harvest strategy. While this represents a management success, it also highlights the extent to …

2024 Yellowtail Flounder Research Track Assessment Working Paper: Yellowtail Flounder Estimates From The Vims Industry-Based Scallop Dredge Surveys, Sally Roman, David Rudders

Reports

The U.S. Atlantic sea scallop fishery is supported by an extensive research program, referred to as a Research Set-aside (RSA) program. The RSA program administers a competitive grants program through the allocation of a portion of the annual fishery quota to fund sea scallop research. A high priority of this program has traditionally been to fund fishery-independent surveys that employ different gears types including commercial dredges, a standardized sea scallop survey dredge, and cameras to assess the sea scallop resource across the species range in U.S. waters. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) has been funded through this program …

Aggression In And Out Of The Surrounding Space, Marissa Incer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social isolation is a type of punishment used to address misbehavior in individuals, such as children with time-outs and prisoners in solitary confinement. It was thought to be an effective method for teaching good behavior or alleviating tense situations. However, this type of punishment may worsen the punished individual’s aggression depending on the environment of isolation. The current study was divided into two experiments. In the first experiment, participants were isolated in a small (2x2 feet) or large (6x6 feet) space to observe if the space alone affected their aggression. In the second experiment, a frustration-inducing task was given to …

The Effects Of Loss Of Orexin Neurons On Attention, Alejandra Eceizabarrena Sainz

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Attention is the ability to process stimuli in the environment and select relevant cues amongst distractors. It is a crucial aspect of the nervous system that engages multiple brain circuits. Neurons that release the neuropeptide orexin are implicated in attention. These neurons originate in the lateral hypothalamus and send projections widely throughout the brain. Evidence suggests orexins modulate attentional mechanisms through interactions with ascending neuromodulatory systems such as the basal forebrain. Experiments manipulating orexin receptors have found a subsequent effect on attention-demanding tasks, with infusions of orexin A enhancing attention in the presence of distractors. In contrast, the blockade of …

Fecal Pellet Production By North Atlantic Zooplankton, Michael Gibson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fecal pellet carbon (FPC) production by zooplankton is a significant component of the ocean’s biological carbon pump: the suite of biological processes that mediate export of carbon to the deep ocean, ultimately leading to the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the ocean. In this study, mesozooplankton (zooplankton 0.2 mm to ~2 cm) were collected from the epipelagic zone in the temperate North Atlantic Ocean during day and night in May 2021. Zooplankton were live separated into five size fractions and incubated on board ship in natural surface seawater to measure fecal pellet production rate of the mixed mesozooplankton community. …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2022, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2022, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program (VGFTP) has maintained a 27-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a cooperative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (VSFT) under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-(VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of William & Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).

The main goal of the program is to train and maintain an experienced group of anglers who volunteer their time to properly tag and release fishes. Data on tagged and recaptured fish are summarized in annual reports and are accessible on VIMS …

The Status Of Virginia’S Public Oyster Resource 2022, Melissa Southworth, Roger L. Mann

Reports

No abstract provided.

Temporal Variability Of Microbial Response To Crude Oil Exposure In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Melissa L. Brock, Rachel Richardson, Melissa Ederington-Hagy, Lisa Nigro, Richard A. Snyder, Wade H. Jeffrey

VIMS Articles

Oil spills are common occurrences in the United States and can result in extensive ecological damage. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest accidental spill recorded. Many studies were performed in deep water habitats to understand the microbial response to the released crude oil. However, much less is known about how planktonic coastal communities respond to oil spills and whether that response might vary over the course of the year. Understanding this temporal variability would lend additional insight into how coastal Florida habitats may have responded to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To …

Evaluation Of Striped Bass Stocks In Virginia: Monitoring And Tagging Studies, 2022 Progress Report, Robert J. Latour, Christopher F. Bonzek, James Gartland

Reports

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 December 2020 through 30 November 2021. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2021 spring spawning run and estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for striped bass in Virginia, and along the eastern seaboard.

Spatiotemporal Patterns In The Ecological Community Of The Nearshore Mid-Atlantic Bight, James Gartland, Sarah K. Gaichas, Robert J. Latour

VIMS Articles

Recognition of the need for a more holistic, ecosystem approach to the assessment and management of living marine resources has renewed interest in quantitative community eco logy and fueled efforts to develop ecosystem metrics to gain insight into system status. This investigation utilized 12 years (2008 to 2019) of fisheries-independent bottom trawl survey data to quantify and synthesize the spatiotemporal patterns of species assemblages inhabiting the nearshore Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB). Assemblages were delineated by ecomorphotype (EMT), and all species collected by the survey were allocated among 9 EMTs: demersal fishes; pelagic fishes; flatfishes; skates; rays; dogfishes; other sharks; cephalopods; and …

Detection Of Toxins And Harmful Algal Bloom Cells In Shellfish Hatcheries And Efforts Toward Removal, Marta P. Sanderson, Karen Hudson, Lauren Gregg, Amanda Chesler-Poole, Ja M. Small, Kimberly S. Reece, Ryan Carnegie, Juliette L. Smith

VIMS Articles

As the start of the supply chain for the aquaculture industry, hatcheries are a crucial component in the success of oyster and northern quahog (hard clam) aquaculture on the East Coast of the US. Intermittent failures in hatchery production slow industry growth and reduce profits. To begin investigations into the possible role of algal toxins in hatchery production failure, post-treatment hatchery water from one research and four commercial hatcheries in lower Chesapeake Bay, USA, was sampled for (1) toxin presence and (2) harmful algal bloom (HAB) cell enumeration. Overall, seven toxin classes, likely produced by six different HAB species, were …

Campus Map Virginia Institute Of Marine Science, William & Mary Gloucester Point February 2023, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science

Miscellaneous

No abstract provided.

Hard-Bottom Habitats Support Commercially Important Fish Species: A Systematic Review For The North Atlantic Ocean And Baltic Sea, Hugo Flávio, Rochelle D. Seitz, David Eggleston, Jon C. Svendsen, Josianne Støttrup

VIMS Articles

Hard-bottom habitats span a range of natural substrates (e.g., boulders, cobble) and artificial habitats (e.g., the base of wind turbines, oil platforms). These hard-bottom habitats can provide a variety of ecosystem services, ranging from the enhancement of fish biomass and production to providing erosion control. Management decisions regarding the construction or fate of hard-bottom habitats require information on the ecological functions of these habitats, particularly for species targeted in ecosystem-based fisheries management. This study provides a systematic review of the relationships of various hard-bottom habitats to individual commercially harvested species that are managed jointly across the Atlantic by the International …

From Field To Shore: Policy Improvements To Better Protect Ecosystem And Human Health From Poultry Wastes In Virginia, Rachael A. King

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Commercial poultry production is a large industry with economic importance in Virginia. However, mismanagement of manures and wastes generated from the poultry industry can be a serious threat to ecosystem and human health. Primarily, there is a concern about nutrient pollution related to runoff and infiltration of poultry wastes. High nutrient loading can cause groundwater contamination, eutrophication, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Additional concerns include metals, antibiotics, and pesticides that can be found in poultry wastes. To determine existing threats to ecosystem and human health from the poultry industry, Virginia policies regulating the industry are reviewed and their strengths and …

Place-Based Estuary Science Education At Machicomoco State Park, Anna Caputo

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Project description:

This experiential estuary science field trip program was initially created as a master's capstone project by Anna Caputo in partnership with Machicomoco State Park, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (CBNERR). The ultimate goal of the project is to strengthen community estuarine literacy in the local area by teaching students who will be future marine scientists, community leaders, watermen, and environmentally conscious citizens. The program is designed to highlight the coastal habitats at the state park, the issues those habitats are facing, and how science and monitoring efforts done …

Comparing Low Salinity Transcriptomic Profiles Among Hard Clam, Mercenaria Mercenaria, Lines, Leslie Speight Youtsey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The hard clam is an important ecological and economic resource along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. In Virginia alone, farm gate sales were estimated at $38.8 million in 2018 and $57.8 million in 2021, making Virginia the largest producer of hard clams in the U.S. This industry is primarily limited to higher salinity habitats on the seaside of the Eastern Shore of Virginia and lower Chesapeake Bay. Although the hard clam can be found in lower salinity habitats, they do not grow or survive at rates that are practical for productive aquaculture. Even in areas of higher salinity, hard clams are …