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Articles 151 - 180 of 1722

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Effects Of Seawater Exchange On Water Chemistry Among Coastal Lakes With Intermittent Connections To The Sea, A. Challen Hyman, Dana Bigham Stephens Oct 2020

Effects Of Seawater Exchange On Water Chemistry Among Coastal Lakes With Intermittent Connections To The Sea, A. Challen Hyman, Dana Bigham Stephens

VIMS Articles

Intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons (ICOLLs) are a dynamic class of coastal waterbodies with the unique feature of intermittently connecting to the sea. Understanding the functioning and potential threats of these globally rare systems is important to their preservation and protection. Coastal dune lakes of northwest Florida are one example of an understudied group of ICOLLs which connect with the Gulf of Mexico for brief periods of time. Using a 17-year, monthly water chemistry dataset, we analyzed long-term patterns in water chemistry among 16 coastal dune lakes. Using salinity as a proxy for frequency of seawater inflows, principal …


Identifying Important Juvenile Dusky Shark Habitat In The Northwest Atlantic Ocean Using Acoustic Telemetry And Spatial Modeling, Charles W. Bangley, Tobey H. Curtis, David H. Secor, Robert J. Latour, Matthew B. Ogburn Oct 2020

Identifying Important Juvenile Dusky Shark Habitat In The Northwest Atlantic Ocean Using Acoustic Telemetry And Spatial Modeling, Charles W. Bangley, Tobey H. Curtis, David H. Secor, Robert J. Latour, Matthew B. Ogburn

VIMS Articles

Highly mobile species can be challenging for fisheries management and conservation due to large home ranges combined with dependence on discrete habitat areas where they can be easily targeted or vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances. Management of the Dusky Shark Carcharhinus obscurus in the northwest Atlantic Ocean has been particularly challenging due to the species' inherent vulnerability to overfishing and poorly understood habitat associations. To better understand habitat associations and seasonal distributions, we combined telemetry and remotely sensed environmental data to spatially model juvenile Dusky Shark presence probability in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. To accomplish this, 22 juvenile Dusky Sharks (107-220 …


Trace Metal Availability Affects Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Microbial Functional Group Abundance In Freshwater Wetland Sediments, George Giannopoulos, Katherine R. Hartop, Bonnie L. Brown, Bongkeun Song, Lars Elsgaard, Rima B. Franklin Sep 2020

Trace Metal Availability Affects Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Microbial Functional Group Abundance In Freshwater Wetland Sediments, George Giannopoulos, Katherine R. Hartop, Bonnie L. Brown, Bongkeun Song, Lars Elsgaard, Rima B. Franklin

VIMS Articles

We investigated the effects of trace metal additions on microbial nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycling using freshwater wetland sediment microcosms amended with micromolar concentrations of copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), and all combinations thereof. In addition to monitoring inorganic N transformations (NO3, NO2, N2O, NH4+) and carbon mineralization (CO2, CH4), we tracked changes in functional gene abundance associated with denitrification (nirS, nirK, nosZ), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA; nrfA), and methanogenesis (mcrA). With regards to …


The Effect Of Fertilization On Biomass And Metabolism In North Carolina Salt Marshes: Modulated By Location-Specific Factors, K. M. Czapla, I. C. Anderson, C. A. Currin Sep 2020

The Effect Of Fertilization On Biomass And Metabolism In North Carolina Salt Marshes: Modulated By Location-Specific Factors, K. M. Czapla, I. C. Anderson, C. A. Currin

VIMS Articles

The resilience of salt marshes to sea level rise depends on vertical accretion through belowground biomass production and sediment deposition to maintain elevation above sea level. Increased nitrogen (N) availability from anthropogenic sources may stimulate aboveground biomass production and sediment deposition and, thus, accretion; however, increased N may also negatively impact marsh accretion by decreasing belowground biomass and increasing net CO2 emissions. A study was conducted in Spartina alterniflora‐dominated salt marshes in North Carolina, USA, to determine how responses to fertilization vary across locations with different physical and chemical characteristics. Pore water residence time, inundation time, and proximity …


Spillover Of Sea Scallops From Rotational Closures In The Mid-Atlantic Bight (United States), Deborah R. Hart, Daphne M. Munroe, Joseph C. Caracappa, Dale Haidvogel, Burton V. Shank, David Rudders, Et Al Sep 2020

Spillover Of Sea Scallops From Rotational Closures In The Mid-Atlantic Bight (United States), Deborah R. Hart, Daphne M. Munroe, Joseph C. Caracappa, Dale Haidvogel, Burton V. Shank, David Rudders, Et Al

VIMS Articles

We examined evidence for larval spillover (increased recruitment outside the closures) of Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus) due to rotational closures in the Mid-Atlantic Bight using a 40-year fisheries survey time series and a larval transport model. Since the first closure of the Hudson Canyon South (HCS) area in 1998, mean recruitment in the two areas directly down-current from this closure, Elephant Trunk (ET) and Delmarva (DMV), increased significantly by factors of about 7 and 2, respectively. Stock–recruit plots indicate that low biomasses in HCS were associated with reduced mean recruitment in ET and DMV. Simulations indicate that …


Net Ecosystem Carbon Balance In A North Carolina, Usa, Salt Marsh, K. M. Czapla, Iris C. Anderson, C. A. Currin Sep 2020

Net Ecosystem Carbon Balance In A North Carolina, Usa, Salt Marsh, K. M. Czapla, Iris C. Anderson, C. A. Currin

VIMS Articles

Salt marshes have among the highest carbon (C) burial rates of any ecosystem and often rely on C accumulation to gain elevation and persist in locations with accelerating sea level rise. Net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB), the accumulation or loss of C resulting from vertical CO2 and CH4 gas fluxes, lateral C fluxes, and sediment C inputs, varies across salt marshes; thus, extrapolation of NECB to an entire marsh is challenging. Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) inputs to salt marshes impact NECB by influencing each component of NECB, but differences in the impacts of fertilization between edge and interior marsh must be …


Dihydrodinophysistoxin-1 Produced By Dinophysis Norvegica In The Gulf Of Maine, Usa And Its Accumulation In Shellfish, Jonathan R. Deeds, Whitney L. Stutts, Mary Dawn Celiz, Jill Macleod, Amy E. Hamilton, Bryant J. Lewis, David W. Miller, Kohl Kanwit, Juliette L. Smith, Et Al Aug 2020

Dihydrodinophysistoxin-1 Produced By Dinophysis Norvegica In The Gulf Of Maine, Usa And Its Accumulation In Shellfish, Jonathan R. Deeds, Whitney L. Stutts, Mary Dawn Celiz, Jill Macleod, Amy E. Hamilton, Bryant J. Lewis, David W. Miller, Kohl Kanwit, Juliette L. Smith, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Dihydrodinophysistoxin-1 (dihydro-DTX1, (M-H)m/z 819.5), described previously from a marine sponge but never identified as to its biological source or described in shellfish, was detected in multiple species of commercial shellfish collected from the central coast of the Gulf of Maine, USA in 2016 and in 2018 during blooms of the dinoflagellate Dinophysis norvegica. Toxin screening by protein phosphatase inhibition (PPIA) first detected the presence of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning-like bioactivity; however, confirmatory analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) failed to detect okadaic acid (OA, (M-H)m/z 803.5), dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1, (M-H)m/z 817.5), or dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX2, (M-H) …


Improving Production Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica Through Coordination Of Genetic Improvement Programs, Research, And Technology Transfer Activities, Standish K. Allen Jr., Caird Rexroad Iii, Robert Rheault Aug 2020

Improving Production Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica Through Coordination Of Genetic Improvement Programs, Research, And Technology Transfer Activities, Standish K. Allen Jr., Caird Rexroad Iii, Robert Rheault

VIMS Articles

The East Coast Shellfish Growers Association has been actively advocating for continued improvement of breeding infrastructure to support a vibrant and ecologically crucial industry. This white paper acknowledges these efforts and is meant to serve as a paradigm for oyster breeding on the East Coast. The vision is relatively straightforward; however, its execution—like most things—will be fraught with detail and inertia. Yet describing simply the idea without articulating some detail and potential roadblocks would be misleading. Instead, we present a picture of a breeding paradigm as it might play out across the entire range of a species. At this particular …


Evaluating Movements Of Opakapaka (Pristipomoides Filamentosus) Relative To A Restricted Fishing Area By Using Acoustic Telemetry And A Depth-Constrained Estimator Of Linear Home Ranges, Stephen R. Scherrer, Kevin C. Weng Jul 2020

Evaluating Movements Of Opakapaka (Pristipomoides Filamentosus) Relative To A Restricted Fishing Area By Using Acoustic Telemetry And A Depth-Constrained Estimator Of Linear Home Ranges, Stephen R. Scherrer, Kevin C. Weng

VIMS Articles

Networks of no-take fishery reserves have emerged as a tool for managing deepwater fish species. In Hawaii and elsewhere, such areas are used to manage deepwater snapper species. However, little is known regarding the movements of these species relative to protected areas. We used passive acoustic telemetry to track crimson jobfish (Pristipomoides filamentosus), also known as opakapaka, in one of Hawaii’s bottomfish restricted fishing areas to understand the size required for a reserve to protect this species. From January 2017 through January 2018, 179 fish were tagged. Only 10 fish were classified as alive on the basis of movements indicated …


Preliminary Assessment Of Microbial Community Structure Of Wind-Tidal Flats In The Laguna Madre, Texas, Usa, I-Shuo Huang, Lee J. Pinnell, Jeffrey W. Turner, Et Al Jul 2020

Preliminary Assessment Of Microbial Community Structure Of Wind-Tidal Flats In The Laguna Madre, Texas, Usa, I-Shuo Huang, Lee J. Pinnell, Jeffrey W. Turner, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Aside from two samples collected nearly 50 years ago, little is known about the microbial composition of wind tidal flats in the hypersaline Laguna Madre, Texas. These mats account for ~42% of the lagoon’s area. These microbial communities were sampled at four locations that historically had mats in the Laguna Madre, including Laguna Madre Field Station (LMFS), Nighthawk Bay (NH), and two locations in Kenedy Ranch (KRN and KRS). Amplicon sequencing of 16S genes determined the presence of 51 prokaryotic phyla dominated by Bacteroidota, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Desulfobacteria, Firmicutes, Halobacteria, and Proteobacteria. The microbial community structure of NH and KR is …


Relative Impacts Of Global Changes And Regional Watershed Changes On The Inorganic Carbon Balance Of The Chesapeake Bay, Pierre St-Laurent, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Raymond G. Najjar, Elizabeth Shadwick, Hanquin Tian, Yuanzhi Yao Jul 2020

Relative Impacts Of Global Changes And Regional Watershed Changes On The Inorganic Carbon Balance Of The Chesapeake Bay, Pierre St-Laurent, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Raymond G. Najjar, Elizabeth Shadwick, Hanquin Tian, Yuanzhi Yao

VIMS Articles

The Chesapeake Bay is a large coastal-plain estuary that has experienced considerable anthropogenic changeover the past century. At the regional scale, land-use change has doubled the nutrient input from rivers and led to an increase in riverine carbon and alkalinity. The bay has also experienced global changes, including the rise of atmospheric temperature and CO2. Here we seek to understand the relative impact of these changes on the inorganic carbon balance of the bay between the early 1900s and the early 2000s. We use a linked land–estuarine–ocean modeling system that includes both inorganic and organic carbon and nitrogen cycling. Sensitivity …


Linking Antarctic Krill Larval Supply And Recruitment Along The Antarctic Peninsula, John A. Conroy, Christian S . Reiss, Miram R . Gleiber, Deborah K. Steinberg Jul 2020

Linking Antarctic Krill Larval Supply And Recruitment Along The Antarctic Peninsula, John A. Conroy, Christian S . Reiss, Miram R . Gleiber, Deborah K. Steinberg

VIMS Articles

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) larval production and overwinter survival drive recruitment variability, which in turn determines abundance trends. The Antarctic Peninsula has been described as a recruitment hot spot and as a potentially important source region for larval and juvenile krill dispersal. However, there has been no analysis to spatially resolve regional-scale krill population dynamics across life stages. We assessed spatiotemporal patterns in krill demography using two decades of austral summer data collected along the North and West Antarctic Peninsula since 1993. We identified persistent spatial segregation in the summer distribution of euphausiid larvae (E. superba plus …


A Multi-Scale Approach For Simulating Tidal Marsh Evolution, Karinna Nunez, Yinglong J. Zhang, Julie Herman, W. G. Reay, Carl Hershner Jun 2020

A Multi-Scale Approach For Simulating Tidal Marsh Evolution, Karinna Nunez, Yinglong J. Zhang, Julie Herman, W. G. Reay, Carl Hershner

VIMS Articles

This study presents a new approach to modeling marsh evolution. The Tidal Marsh Model (TMM) has been developed as a module within the SCHISM (Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydroscience Integrated System Model) framework. Some unique features of the TMM are dynamic rates, cross-scale simulations, and incorporation of anthropogenic stressors, which allow it to overcome many limitations that current marsh models possess. To evaluate model performance, the TMM was applied in Carter Creek and Taskinas Creek within the York River system (Virginia, USA). We assessed model outputs against field observations focusing on two main aspects: marsh boundary evolution and distribution of marsh sediments. …


Ecological Associations Of Littoraria Irrorata With Spartina Cynosuroides And Spartina Alterniflora, Caroline Mackenzie Failon, Serina Sebilian Wittyngham, David S. Johnson Jun 2020

Ecological Associations Of Littoraria Irrorata With Spartina Cynosuroides And Spartina Alterniflora, Caroline Mackenzie Failon, Serina Sebilian Wittyngham, David S. Johnson

VIMS Articles

It is well-documented that marsh periwinkles (Littoraria irrorata) consume and inhabit smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), but their interactions with big cordgrass (Spartina cynosuroides) remain unknown. Plant communities in mesohaline marshes will change as sea-level rise shifts species from salt-intolerant (e.g., S. cynosuroides) plants to salt-tolerant (e.g., S. alterniflora) ones. Therefore, understanding how L. irrorata interacts with different habitats provides insight into this species’ generalist nature and allows us to predict the potential impacts of changing plant communities on L. irrorata. We show, for the first time, that L. irrorata inhabits, climbs, …


Single-Use Plastics And Covid-19: Scientific Evidence And Environmental Regulations, Robert C. Hale, Bk Song Jun 2020

Single-Use Plastics And Covid-19: Scientific Evidence And Environmental Regulations, Robert C. Hale, Bk Song

VIMS Articles

Waste plastics are a serious and growing environmental problem. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled, with most discarded in landfills, incinerated, or simply abandoned.1 Single-use plastics constitute about half of plastic waste. While most plastics are used and initially disposed of on land, much eventually enters aquatic ecosystems.2 Wildlife mortalities result from encounters (e.g., ingestion and entanglement) with large debris, including plastic bags. Such bags are excluded from many recycling programs, as they can entangle machinery. Most plastics do not readily biodegrade in the environment. However, they can be embrittled by UV exposure and fragment into microplastics (mm) and …


Are Predator−Prey Model Predictions Supported By Empirical Data? Evidence For A Storm-Driven Shift Toan Alternative Stable State In A Crab−Clam System, Cassandra N. Glaspie, Rochelle D. Seitz, Romuald N. Lipcius Jun 2020

Are Predator−Prey Model Predictions Supported By Empirical Data? Evidence For A Storm-Driven Shift Toan Alternative Stable State In A Crab−Clam System, Cassandra N. Glaspie, Rochelle D. Seitz, Romuald N. Lipcius

VIMS Articles

A dynamic systems approach can predict steady states in predator−prey interactions,but there are very few examples of predictions from predator−prey models conforming to empirical data. Here, we examined the evidence for the low-density steady state predicted by a Lotka-Volterra model of a crab−clam predator−prey system using data from long-term monitoring, and data from a previously published field survey and field predation experiment. Changepoint analysis of time series data indicate that a shift to low density occurred for the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria in 1972, the year of Tropical Storm Agnes. A possible mechanism for the shift is that Agnes altered …


Zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration During Antarctic Summer, John A. Conroy, Deborah K. Steinberg, Patrica S. Thibodeau, Oscar Schofield Jun 2020

Zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration During Antarctic Summer, John A. Conroy, Deborah K. Steinberg, Patrica S. Thibodeau, Oscar Schofield

VIMS Articles

Zooplankton diel vertical migration (DVM) during summer in the polar oceans is presumed to be dampened due to near continuous daylight. We analyzed zooplankton diel vertical distribution patterns in a wide range of taxa along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) to assess if DVM occurs, and if so, what environmental controls modulate DVM in the austral summer. Zooplankton were collected during January and February in paired day-night, depth-stratified tows through the mesopelagic zone along the WAP from 2009-2017, as well as in day and night epipelagic net tows from 1993-2017. The copepod Metridia gerlachei, salp Salpa thompsoni, pteropod …


Current And Future Remote Sensing Of Harmful Algal Blooms In The Chesapeake Bay To Support The Shellfish Industry, Jl Wolny, Mc Tomlinson, S Schollaert Uz, Ta Egerton, Jr Mckay, A Meredith, Ks Reece, Gp Scott, Rp Stumpf May 2020

Current And Future Remote Sensing Of Harmful Algal Blooms In The Chesapeake Bay To Support The Shellfish Industry, Jl Wolny, Mc Tomlinson, S Schollaert Uz, Ta Egerton, Jr Mckay, A Meredith, Ks Reece, Gp Scott, Rp Stumpf

VIMS Articles

Harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in the Chesapeake Bay can negatively impact fish, shellfish, and human health via the production of toxins and the degradation of water quality. Due to the deleterious effects of HAB species on economically and environmentally important resources, such as oyster reef systems, Bay area resource managers are seeking ways to monitor HABs and water quality at large spatial and fine temporal scales. The use of satellite ocean color imagery has proven to be a beneficial tool for resource management in other locations around the world where high-biomass, nearly monospecific HABs occur. However, remotely monitoring HABs …


Impacts Of Water Clarity Variability On Temperature And Biogeochemistry In The Chesapeake Bay, Grace E. Kim, Pierre St-Laurent, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Antionio Mannino May 2020

Impacts Of Water Clarity Variability On Temperature And Biogeochemistry In The Chesapeake Bay, Grace E. Kim, Pierre St-Laurent, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Antionio Mannino

VIMS Articles

Estuarine water clarity depends on the concentrations of aquatic constituents, such as colored dissolved organic matter, phytoplankton, inorganic suspended solids, and detritus, which are influenced by variations in riverine inputs. These constituents directly affect temperature because when water is opaque, sunlight heats a shallower layer of the water compared to when it is clear. Despite the importance of accurately predicting temperature variability, many numerical modeling studies do not adequately account for this key process. In this study, we quantify the effect of water clarity on heating by comparing two simulations of a hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model of the Chesapeake Bay for the …


A Screening Tool For The Direct Analysis Of Marine And Freshwater Phycotoxins In Organic Spatt Extracts From The Chesapeake Bay, Michelle D. Onofiro, Claude R. Mallette, Allen R. Place, Juliette L. Smith May 2020

A Screening Tool For The Direct Analysis Of Marine And Freshwater Phycotoxins In Organic Spatt Extracts From The Chesapeake Bay, Michelle D. Onofiro, Claude R. Mallette, Allen R. Place, Juliette L. Smith

VIMS Articles

Many detection methods for phycotoxins, bioactive compounds produced by harmful algae, focus on one compound or a class of related compounds. Multiple harmful algal species often co-occur in the environment, however, emphasizing the need to analyze for the presence of multiple groups of marine and freshwater phycotoxins in environmental samples, e.g., extracts from solid phase adsorption toxin tracking (SPATT). Two methods were developed to screen for 13 phycotoxins (microcystin-RR, -LR, -YR, azaspiracid-1, -2, karlotoxin 3, goniodomin A, brevetoxin-2, yessotoxin, pectenotoxin-2, dinophysistoxin-1, -2, and okadaic acid) in organic SPATT extracts using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) equipped with a trapping …


Providential Tides: The Double Low Water Of Narragansett Bay, D. G. Bowers, J. M. Brubaker May 2020

Providential Tides: The Double Low Water Of Narragansett Bay, D. G. Bowers, J. M. Brubaker

VIMS Articles

We investigate a mechanism for producing double-lows and double-highs in the semi-diurnal tide by selective amplification of higher harmonics in a resonant gulf. A double low water is observed at Providence, RI, near the head of Narragansett Bay on days when there is a flattening of the low water tidal curve at Newport, at the mouth of the bay. The flattening is caused by an unusually large quarter-diurnal component to the tide at Newport. The quarter diurnal component has the right phase (a maximum close to the time of the minimum in the semi-diurnal tide) to produce a prolonged flattening …


Fish Biodiversity Patterns Of A Mesophotic-To-Subphotic Artificial Reef Complex And Comparisons With Natural Substrates, St Jones, Jm Asher, Rc Boland, Bk Kanenaka, Kevin C. Weng Apr 2020

Fish Biodiversity Patterns Of A Mesophotic-To-Subphotic Artificial Reef Complex And Comparisons With Natural Substrates, St Jones, Jm Asher, Rc Boland, Bk Kanenaka, Kevin C. Weng

VIMS Articles

Artificial reefs act as high-rugosity habitats and are often deployed to enhance fishing; however, the effects of man-made features on fish communities can be unpredictable and are poorly understood in deeper waters. In this study, we used a submersible to describe a deep-water artificial reef complex (93-245 m) off of Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, USA, and evaluated possible conservation and/or fisheries-related contributions. Sixty-eight species were recorded, with larger features supporting greater diversity of species. Species composition changed strongly with depth and a faunal break was detected from 113-137 m. While the features supported diverse fish communities, they were not similar …


Comparing Statistical Analyses To Estimate Thresholds In Ecotoxicology, Marcos Krull Apr 2020

Comparing Statistical Analyses To Estimate Thresholds In Ecotoxicology, Marcos Krull

VIMS Articles

Different methods are used in ecotoxicology to estimate thresholds in survival data. This paper uses Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the accuracy of three methods (maximum likelihood (MLE) and Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimates (Bayesian) of the no-effect concentration (NEC) model and Piecewise regression) in estimating true and apparent thresholds in survival experiments with datasets having different slopes, background mortalities, and experimental designs. Datasets were generated with models that include a threshold parameter (NEC) or not (log-logistic). Accuracy was estimated using root-mean square errors (RMSEs), and RMSE ratios were used to estimate the relative improvement in accuracy by each design …


Bycatch In A Commercial Lobster Fishery: Effects On Two Benthic Predators, Sea Raven And Longhorn Sculpin, Brooke N. Anderson, Amelia M. Weissman, Brett Sweezey, John Mandelman, David Rudders, James A. Sulikowski Apr 2020

Bycatch In A Commercial Lobster Fishery: Effects On Two Benthic Predators, Sea Raven And Longhorn Sculpin, Brooke N. Anderson, Amelia M. Weissman, Brett Sweezey, John Mandelman, David Rudders, James A. Sulikowski

VIMS Articles

Studying the species‐specific responses to fishing capture is critical for effective management and conservation of bycatch species given that acute stress incurred from capture and handling may ultimately lead to mortality. While species of low commercial value are often overlooked, having accurate information on the effects of capture on all species is necessary for ecosystem‐based management. Sea Raven (SR) Hemitripterus americanus and Longhorn Sculpin (LHS) Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus are routinely captured in the commercial American lobster Homarus americanus fishery in the Gulf of Maine, and they are discarded due to low commercial value. Despite a lack of economic value, these predatory …


In The Face Of Climate Change And Exhaustive Exercise: The Physiological Response Of An Important Recreational Fish Species, Daniel P. Crear, Richard Brill, Lauren M.L. Averilla, Sara C. Meakem, Kevin C. Weng Mar 2020

In The Face Of Climate Change And Exhaustive Exercise: The Physiological Response Of An Important Recreational Fish Species, Daniel P. Crear, Richard Brill, Lauren M.L. Averilla, Sara C. Meakem, Kevin C. Weng

VIMS Articles

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) support recreational fisheries along the US mid- and south-Atlantic states and have been recently subjected to increased fishing effort, primarily during their spawning season in coastal habitats where increasing temperatures and expanding hypoxic zones are occurring due to climate change. We therefore undertook a study to quantify the physiological abilities of cobia to withstand increases in temperature and hypoxia, including their ability to recover from exhaustive exercise. Respirometry was conducted on cobia from Chesapeake Bay to determine aerobic scope, critical oxygen saturation, ventilation volume and the time to recover from exhaustive exercise under temperature and …


Barriers To Eastern Oyster Aquaculture Expansion In Virginia, Jennifer Beckensteiner, David M. Kaplan, Andrew M. Scheld Mar 2020

Barriers To Eastern Oyster Aquaculture Expansion In Virginia, Jennifer Beckensteiner, David M. Kaplan, Andrew M. Scheld

VIMS Articles

The eastern oyster once provided major societal and ecosystem benefits, but these benefits have been threatened in recent decades by large declines in oyster harvests. In many areas, recovery of oyster aquaculture faces significant societal opposition and spatial constraints limiting its ability to meet expectations regarding future food needs and provision of ecosystem services. In Virginia, oyster aquaculture has begun to expand, concurrent with an increase in subaqueous leased areas (over 130,000 acres of grounds are currently leased). Though private leases must in theory be used for oyster production, in practice, they can be held for other reasons, such as …


The Role Of Sexual Reproduction In The Maintenance Of Established Zostera Marina Meadows, Andrew J. Johnson, R J. Orth, Ken Moore Mar 2020

The Role Of Sexual Reproduction In The Maintenance Of Established Zostera Marina Meadows, Andrew J. Johnson, R J. Orth, Ken Moore

VIMS Articles

For clonal plants, the role of sexual reproduction in the maintenance of populations can vary widely. Some species are dependent on repeated seedling recruitment. For other species, interactions between adults and seedlings within existing populations can affect seedling survival and limit sexual reproduction in existing populations. Genetic studies of seagrass populations increasingly suggest sexual reproduction is important for the resilience and stability of their populations, but as of yet little observational data support these findings. Because seagrass populations provide important ecosystem services and are threatened with increasing anthropogenic impacts, understanding their reliance on sexual reproduction is evolutionarily and ecologically important. …


Positive Ecological Interactions And The Success Of Seagrass Restoration, Stephanie R. Valdez, Y. Stacy Zhang, Tjisse Van Der Heide, Mathew A. Vanderklift, Flavia Tarquinio, R J. Orth, Brian R. Silliman Feb 2020

Positive Ecological Interactions And The Success Of Seagrass Restoration, Stephanie R. Valdez, Y. Stacy Zhang, Tjisse Van Der Heide, Mathew A. Vanderklift, Flavia Tarquinio, R J. Orth, Brian R. Silliman

VIMS Articles

Seagrasses provide multiple ecosystem services including nursery habitat, improved water quality, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. However, seagrasses are in crisis as global coverage is declining at an accelerating rate. With increased focus on ecological restoration as a conservation strategy, methods that enhance restoration success need to be explored. Decades of work in coastal plant ecosystems, including seagrasses, has shown that positive species relationships and feedbacks are critical for ecosystem stability, expansion, and recovery from disturbance. We reviewed the restoration literature on seagrasses and found few studies have tested for the beneficial effects of including positive species interactions in seagrass …


Acute And Long-Term Manganese Exposure And Subsequent Accumulation In Relation To Idiopathic Blindness In The American Lobster, Homarus Americanus, Addison T. Ochs, Jeffrey D. Shields, Gary W. Rice, Michael A. Unger Feb 2020

Acute And Long-Term Manganese Exposure And Subsequent Accumulation In Relation To Idiopathic Blindness In The American Lobster, Homarus Americanus, Addison T. Ochs, Jeffrey D. Shields, Gary W. Rice, Michael A. Unger

VIMS Articles

Manganese (Mn) is a hypoxic reactive metal commonly found in marine sediments. Under hypoxic conditions the metal becomes fully reduced to Mn2+ and is biologically available to the benthic community for uptake. Mn is also a potent neurotoxin and it may play a role in the etiology of idiopathic blindness that has been observed in American lobsters. An acute exposure study was designed to expose American lobster, Homarus americanus, to 0, 20, 80, 150, and 300 mg L−1 (ppm) for 96 hs to explore disparities in Mn accumulation among several tissues: optic nerve, brain, hepatopancreas, muscle, hemolymph, …


Worker Exposure To Flame Retardants In Manufacturing, Construction And Service Industries, C. Fairfield Estill, J. Slone, A. Mayer, I-C Chen, Mark J. La Guardia Feb 2020

Worker Exposure To Flame Retardants In Manufacturing, Construction And Service Industries, C. Fairfield Estill, J. Slone, A. Mayer, I-C Chen, Mark J. La Guardia

VIMS Articles

Workers in several industries are occupationally exposed to flame retardants. This study characterizes flame retardant exposure for nine industries through air and hand wipe measures for 105 workers. Specifically, we analyzed 24 analytes from three chemical classes: organophosphate flame retardants (OFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and non-PBDE brominated flame retardants (NPBFRs). The industries were: carpet installation, chemical manufacturing, foam manufacturing, electronic scrap, gymnastics, rigid board installation, nail salons, roofing, and spray polyurethane foam. Workers wore personal air samplers for two entire workdays and provided hand wipe samples before and after the second work day. Bulk products were also analyzed. The …