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Articles 1 - 18 of 18
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Effects Of Salinity On Eastern Oysters: Locating Lower-Salinity Tolerant Populations And Defining Resource Zones Suitable To Restoration, Fisheries, And Aquaculture., Lauren Swam
LSU Master's Theses
Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) provide valuable ecosystem services and support a productive commercial industry in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Declining abundance from water quality changes and other factors drives development of management and restoration strategies focused on a comprehensive, metapopulation approach. Identifying oyster resource zones based on water quality combined with selective breeding of oysters adapted to specific conditions provides strategies to support aquaculture development and ensure resilient oyster populations and high production. Using 2015-2019 satellite-derived continuous salinity and temperature data for coastal Louisiana, this work created maps defining oyster resource zones supportive of (1) broodstock sanctuary …
Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira And Microbial Source Tracking Of Fecal Pollution In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Taylor I. Chapman
Molecular Detection Of Pathogenic Leptospira And Microbial Source Tracking Of Fecal Pollution In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Taylor I. Chapman
Biology Theses
Leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic Leptospira, is endemic to tropical regions. Leptospira is released into the environment through the secretion of urine from animals, making it easily transmissible through water sources. The estuarian environment surrounding the area of San Juan, Puerto Rico and its high density of urban development creates ideal conditions for transmission of Leptospirosis. The goal of this study was to determine the presence of Leptospira in these surface waters and use Microbial Source Tracking (MST) to identify the possible source of pathogenic Leptospira. Eighty-seven water samples were collected during the dry (44) and wet (43) seasons. …
Connectivity: Insights From The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network, David M. Iwaniec, Michael Gooseff, Katharine Suding, David Samuel Johnson, Daniel C. Reed, Debra Peters, Byron Adams, John E. Barrett, Brandon Bestelmeyer, Max C.N. Castorani, Elizabeth M. Cook, Melissa J. Davidson, Peter F. Groffman, Niall Hanan, Laura Huenneke, Pieter T.J. Johnson, Diane Mcknight, Robert J. Miller, Gregory Okin, Daniel Preston, Andrew Rassweiler, Chris Ray, Osvaldo Sala, Robert L. Schooley, Timothy Seastedt, Marko Spasojevic, Enrique R. Vivoni
Connectivity: Insights From The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network, David M. Iwaniec, Michael Gooseff, Katharine Suding, David Samuel Johnson, Daniel C. Reed, Debra Peters, Byron Adams, John E. Barrett, Brandon Bestelmeyer, Max C.N. Castorani, Elizabeth M. Cook, Melissa J. Davidson, Peter F. Groffman, Niall Hanan, Laura Huenneke, Pieter T.J. Johnson, Diane Mcknight, Robert J. Miller, Gregory Okin, Daniel Preston, Andrew Rassweiler, Chris Ray, Osvaldo Sala, Robert L. Schooley, Timothy Seastedt, Marko Spasojevic, Enrique R. Vivoni
Sustainable Futures Lab Publications
Ecosystems across the United States are changing in complex and surprising ways. Ongoing demand for critical ecosystem services requires an understanding of the populations and communities in these ecosystems in the future. This paper represents a synthesis effort of the U.S. National Science Foundation-funded Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network addressing the core research area of “populations and communities.” The objective of this effort was to show the importance of long-term data collection and experiments for addressing the hardest questions in scientific ecology that have significant implications for environmental policy and management. Each LTER site developed at least one compelling case …
Vignette 01: The Salish Sea Estuary System, Bert Webber
Vignette 01: The Salish Sea Estuary System, Bert Webber
Institute Publications
The Salish Sea is an estuarine ecosystem. Freshwater from land drainages mixes with the waters of the Pacific Ocean and results in water with a measurable, although sometimes small amount of freshwater. The Salish Sea is among the preeminent estuaries of North America. Estuarine circulation and flow are central to the high biological productivity in the Salish Sea.
Vignette 03: Birds Of The Salish Sea, Rob Butler
Vignette 03: Birds Of The Salish Sea, Rob Butler
Institute Publications
The significance of the Salish Sea comes into focus when we look at the diversity and abundance of its birds and mammals, some of which are globally, continentally, and nationally important. Of particular importance is the diversity and abundance of species on the Fraser River Delta. There are more species of birds on the delta than any comparable area in Canada, and nearly half of all 550 species of birds reported for British Columbia have been seen on the delta. Despite all that has been learned about marine birds and mammals, large areas of the Salish Sea in Canada have …
Vignette 12: The Blob, Nicholas Bond
Vignette 12: The Blob, Nicholas Bond
Institute Publications
A marine heat wave of unprecedented severity, areal extent and duration occurred in the Northeast Pacific Ocean during 2014-2016. This event, known as the “Blob,” had a wide variety of far- ranging effects on physical, chemical, and biological ocean properties. Because the Blob was such a massive perturbation, it represents an attractively large signal for inquiry in the Salish Sea. It represents a dress rehearsal for typical conditions in future decades due to global climate change.
Vignette 07: Stormwater Effluent Exerts A Key Pressure On The Salish Sea, Emily Howe
Vignette 07: Stormwater Effluent Exerts A Key Pressure On The Salish Sea, Emily Howe
Institute Publications
One of the primary terrestrial pressures on the Salish Sea estuarine and marine environment is urban stormwater runoff. When rainfall runs across hard, impervious surfaces, rather than soaking into the soil, it picks up and delivers toxic contaminants directly to nearby streams, rivers, and eventually the Salish Sea. In fact, for most toxic substances, surface runoff is the largest contributing source of loading to Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the Salish Sea’s relationship with stormwater effluent is no outlier; stormwater is the fastest growing cause of surface water impairment in the United States as urbanization transitions forested and other natural landscapes to …
State Of The Salish Sea: Executive Summary, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
State Of The Salish Sea: Executive Summary, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Institute Publications
This report synthesizes information on past, current, and emerging stressors within the Salish Sea estuarine ecosystem. The Salish Sea is a complex waterbody shared by Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations, Canada, and the United States. It is defined by multiple freshwater inputs and marine water from the Pacific Ocean that mix in two primary basins, Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. Human impacts are multifaceted and extensive within the Salish Sea, with a regional population of almost 9 million people. Population growth has driven urbanization and development, which in turn has triggered structural changes to the landscape and …
Vignette 20: Fraser River Estuary In Need Of Urgent Intensive Care, Laura Kehoe, Tara G. Martin
Vignette 20: Fraser River Estuary In Need Of Urgent Intensive Care, Laura Kehoe, Tara G. Martin
Institute Publications
The Fraser River is the lifeline of the Salish Sea, influencing its stratification, circulation, and primary productivity. If we do not take strong action to conserve the Fraser River estuary, two-thirds of the species at risk in this region are predicted to have a less than 50% chance of survival. Many of the region's most iconic species could disappear. Conservation action combined with environmental governance is a pathway for a brighter future for the Fraser River and other highly contested regions.
Vignette 18: Bellingham Bay, Legacy Contamination Under Repair, Olivia Klein
Vignette 18: Bellingham Bay, Legacy Contamination Under Repair, Olivia Klein
Institute Publications
Bellingham Bay, home to twelve designated hazardous waste cleanup sites, illustrates the harm of past practices as well as the effectiveness of cleanup efforts. Since 2000, the Bellingham Bay cleanup has focused on the removal of contaminated sediment and soils introduced from a wide variety of sources, including construction and other industrial and municipal activities. Bellingham Bay cleanup is managed by the Washington State Department of Ecology (under the authority of Washington State’s Model Toxic Control Act) in coordination with a multi- agency Bellingham Bay Action Team.
Section 1: Introduction, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Section 1: Introduction, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Institute Publications
Section 1 is an introduction to the report and the Salish Sea as a whole. The introduction provides an overview of the Salish Sea, the concept of "ecosystem health," and a roadmap to the rest of the report.
Vignette 17: Salish Sea Jellyfish, Correigh Greene
Vignette 17: Salish Sea Jellyfish, Correigh Greene
Institute Publications
The Salish Sea is home to a diverse community of gelatinous zooplankton (or "jellies"). In their adult forms, jellies comprise a relatively large proportion of biomass in the Salish Sea. Questions regarding jellyfish abundance and climate variation in the Salish Sea have been difficult to address, in part because of a lack of consistent monitoring. Research presented in this vignette suggests that jellyfish are sensitive to climate signals like marine water temperatures, but do not appear to be systematically increasing in abundance over time. Due to advances in modeling, we may gain a better perspective on the roles jellies play …
Section 2: Context, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Section 2: Context, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Institute Publications
Section 2 sets a foundation for understanding the Salish Sea ecosystem by describing its fundamental biophysical processes and structure, including estuarine circulation, ecological productivity, and an overview of several important biogenic habitats.
The State Of The Salish Sea, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
The State Of The Salish Sea, Kathryn L. Sobocinski
Institute Publications
This report synthesizes information on past, current, and emerging stressors within the Salish Sea estuarine ecosystem. The Salish Sea is a complex waterbody shared by Coast Salish Tribes and First Nations, Canada, and the United States. It is defined by multiple freshwater inputs and marine water from the Pacific Ocean that mix in two primary basins, Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. Human impacts are multifaceted and extensive within the Salish Sea, with a regional population of almost 9 million people. Population growth has driven urbanization and development, which in turn has triggered structural changes to the landscape and …
Estimating The Denitrification Rate In Hood Canal Using Water Circulation, Spencer Johnson
Estimating The Denitrification Rate In Hood Canal Using Water Circulation, Spencer Johnson
WWU Honors College Senior Projects
Hood Canal is a long, fjordal estuarine inlet. Because of a sill near its mouth, Hood Canal experiences regular low oxygen in its bottom water; recently, dissolved oxygen has been even lower than usual, leading to fish kills and other ecosystem damage. Anthropogenic nutrients, particularly nitrogen, may be the cause, so it is important to quantify the components of the nitrogen cycle, like denitrification. To my knowledge, there is only one estimate of denitrification from Hood Canal in the literature. This study sought to supplement that data with an independent estimate of denitrification using water circulation along with N2 concentrations …
Progress On Research Regarding Ecology And Biodiversity Of Coastal Fisheries And Nektonic Species And Their Habitats Within Coastal Landscapes, Mark S. Peterson, Michael J. Andres
Progress On Research Regarding Ecology And Biodiversity Of Coastal Fisheries And Nektonic Species And Their Habitats Within Coastal Landscapes, Mark S. Peterson, Michael J. Andres
Faculty Publications
This paper aims to highlight the new research and significant advances in our understanding of links between coastal habitat quality/quantity/diversity and the diversity of fisheries species and other mobile aquatic species (hereafter nekton) that use them within coastal landscapes. This topic is quite diverse owing to the myriad of habitat types found in coastal marine waters and the va-riety of life history strategies fisheries species and nekton use in these environments. Thus, we focus our mini-review on five selective but relevant topics, habitat templates, essential fish habitat, habitat mosaics/habitat connectivity, transitory/ephemeral habitat, and the emerging/maturing approaches to the study of …
Swimming Against The Flow: Environmental Dna Can Detect Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus Leucas) Across A Dynamic Deltaic Interface, James Marcus Drymon, Katherine E. Schweiss, Emily A. Seubert, Ryan N. Lehman, Toby S. Daly-Engel, Mariah Pfleger, Nicole M. Phillips
Swimming Against The Flow: Environmental Dna Can Detect Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus Leucas) Across A Dynamic Deltaic Interface, James Marcus Drymon, Katherine E. Schweiss, Emily A. Seubert, Ryan N. Lehman, Toby S. Daly-Engel, Mariah Pfleger, Nicole M. Phillips
Faculty Publications
© 2020 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Human activities in coastal areas are accelerating ecosystem changes at an unprecedented pace, resulting in habitat loss, hydrological modifications, and predatory species declines. Understanding how these changes potentially cascade across marine and freshwater ecosystems requires knowing how mobile euryhaline species link these seemingly disparate systems. As upper trophic level predators, bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) play a crucial role in marine and freshwater ecosystem health. Telemetry studies in Mobile Bay, Alabama, suggest that bull sharks extensively use the northern portions of the bay, an estuarine–freshwater interface known …
Water Clarity At The River-Estuary Transition Zone: A Comparative Study Of The James, Mattaponi, And Pamunkey Sub-Estuaries, Rachel Henderson
Water Clarity At The River-Estuary Transition Zone: A Comparative Study Of The James, Mattaponi, And Pamunkey Sub-Estuaries, Rachel Henderson
Theses and Dissertations
Water clarity is a key parameter for monitoring water quality and often used to assess habitat suitability for submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Light attenuation, a measure of water clarity, is impacted by colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and by suspended particulates which include living and non-living components. We anticipated that the relative importance of these factors in regulating light attenuation would vary among the upper portions of three sub-estuaries differing in morphometry, hydrology, and degree of human influence. The James is characterized by eutrophic conditions and high algal abundance, whereas the Mattaponi and Pamunkey exhibit lower phytoplankton production. The Mattaponi …