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The Lobster Bulletin, Fall 2009, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Fall 2009 issue include:

• Lobster Council of Canada Has Great Potential
• Lobster Institute Events of Interest
• 2010 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting
• Research Report: Lobster Health Coalition Makes Progress on Baseline Health Data
• Research Report: LFA 33/34 Lobster Moult Timing & Quality Monitoring Project Update
• Fisheries On-Line Forum Launched

The Lobster Bulletin, Summer 2009, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Summer 2009 issue include:

• Development of Best Management Practices to Reduce or Eliminate Stress on Lobsters
• Mariner Beverages, USA Wine West Unveil New Wine to Benefit the Lobster Institute
• Lobster Institute Presents First Rising Star Award to Lobster Gram, Inc.
• Best Management Practices to Reduce or Eliminate Stress from Hauling & Handling of Lobsters …

Temporal Shifts In Demography And Life History Of An Anadromous Alewife Population In Connecticut, Justin P. Davis, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Populations of anadromous alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are declining throughout much of their range, particularly in southern New England where fishery moratoriums have recently been instituted in three states. The alewife run at Bride Brook, a coastal stream in East Lyme, Connecticut, was studied from 2003-06 to assess shifts in demography and life history. Annual censuses of abundance, along with sampling for size, age, and spawning history structure were conducted. These data were compared to similar data in 1966-67 at this site. Recent alewife runs at Bride Brook featured lower abundance and younger, smaller fish that were less likely to be …

The Lobster Bulletin, Spring 2009, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Spring 2009 issue include:

• Canadian Officials May Consider Ban of Floating Rope
• Sustainability Labeling & Traceability Trigger Much Discussion at Lobster Institute's 2009 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting
• Research Report: FSRS Lobster Recruitment Index
• Research Report: American Lobster Stock Assessment 2009
• The Lobster Institute presents Lobster College 2009

Effects Of The Pathogenic Water Mold Saprolegnia Ferax On Survival Of Amphibian Larvae, John M. Romansic, Kristin A. Diez, Elise M. Higashi, James E. Johnson, Andrew R. Blaustein

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Infectious diseases are a significant threat to worldwide biodiversity. Amphibian declines, a significant part of current biodiversity losses, are in many cases associated with infectious disease. Water molds are one group of pathogens affecting amphibians on a worldwide basis. Although water molds have been studied extensively for their effects on host embryos, little information is available about how they affect post-embryonic amphibians. We tested the effects of one species of water mold, Saprolegnia ferax, in a comparative study of larvae of 4 amphibian species: Pseudacris regilla (Pacific treefrog), Rana cascadae (Cascades frog), Ambystoma macrodactylum (long-toed salamander), and R. aurora (red-legged …

Holyoke Dam, Connecticut River, 2009, Brett Towler

Fish Passage Data Archive

Holyoke Dam

Connecticut River

Massachusetts

Year data collected: 2009

Evaluation Of Pre-Spawning Movements Of Anadromous Alewives In The Ipswich River Using Radiotelemetry, Holly J. Frank

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Conserving and restoring anadromous fish populations is an important research and management priority. For conservation to be effective, researchers must understand the behavior of the fish they seek to restore. Telemetry has allowed researchers to understand the upstream migrations of these fish in freshwater, how migration patterns vary, and if there is a relationship between behavior and environmental variables. In the northeastern United States, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), one of two species collectively referred to as river herring, has historically been an important component of coastal rivers. However, populations of these fish have experienced recent declines, and a commonly used method …

The Amphipod Orchomenella Pinguis — A Potential Bioindicator For Contamination In The Arctic, Lis Bach, Valery E. Forbes, Ingela Dahllöf

Valery Forbes Publications

Indigenous organisms can be used as bioindicators for effects of contaminants, but no such bioindicator has been established for Arctic areas. Orchomenella pinguis is a benthic amphipod, ubiquitous in the Arctic and can be found in high numbers. We collected O. pinguis at sites with different contamination levels. Population characteristics (body length distribution, average dry weight and amphipod organic content) were related to sediment contaminant concentrations, in order to identify suitable endpoints for using this species as a bioindicator. We show that O. pinguis was prevalent in both clean and contaminated areas, easy to sample and that its population characteristics …

The Lobster Bulletin, Winter 2009, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Winter 2009 issue include:

• Lobster Institute to Host 2009 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting, March 27-28
• Lobster Health Coalition Takes Shape
• 2008 Friends of the Lobster Institute
• Research Report: Lobster Enhancement Efforts Discussed
• Study on Economic Impact of Joint Canadian/U.S. Marketing of Lobster on Tap
• Research Report: Lobster Science Presentations Available Online

Characterization Of 24 Microsatellite Loci In Delta Smelt, Hypomesus Transpacificus, And Their Cross-Species Amplification In Two Other Smelt Species Of The Osmeridae Family, Kathleen M. Fisch, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Melinda R. Baerwald, John K. Pedroia, Bernie May

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

We characterized 24 polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci for delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) endemic to the San Francisco Bay Estuary, California, USA. Screening of samples (n = 30) yielded two to 26 alleles per locus with observed levels of heterozygosity ranging from 0.17 to 1.0. Only one locus deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, suggesting these individuals originate from a single panmictic population. Linkage disequilibrium was found in two pairs of loci after excluding the locus out of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Twenty-two primer pairs cross-amplified in wakasagi smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis), and 15 primer pairs cross-amplified in longfin smelt ( …

Estimating Predation On Declining River Herring: Tag-Recapture Study Of Striped Bass In The Connecticut River, Eric T. Schultz, Justin P. Davis, Jason Vokoun

EEB Articles

Populations of anadromous alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring Alosa aestivalis, collectively referred to as river herring, have declined in the Connecticut River. A hypothesis for why river herring have declined is that predation pressures have increased associated with recent increases in abundance of striped bass Morone saxatilis. Information on striped bass abundance, size structure, and consumption rates are required to test this hypothesis. This study was designed to provide estimates of striped bass population size in the Connecticut River during the spring migration season, via an intensive mark-recapture exercise and either an open or robust mark-recapture model. …

Assessment Of River Herring And Striped Bass In The Connecticut River: Abundance, Population Structure, And Predator/Prey Interactions, Justin P. Davis, Eric T. Schultz, Jason Vokoun

EEB Articles

Populations of anadromous alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring A. aestivalis, collectively referred to as river herring, have declined in the Connecticut River. An explanatory hypothesis for these declines is that predation pressures have increased as a result of recent increases in abundance of sympatric striped bass Morone saxatilis. We sampled river herring and striped bass from the stretch of the Connecticut River between Wethersfield, CT and Holyoke, MA during the vernal migration seasons of 2005-2008. The objectives of the sampling program were to assess abundance, temporal/spatial distribution, and population structure of both river herring and striped bass, …

The Natural History Of Cave-Associated Populations Of Eurycea L. Longicauda With Notes On Sympatric Amphibian Species, Kevin Wayne Saunders

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to collect data on the natural history of the Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea l. longicauda) in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. The objectives of this research included characterization of epigean and hypogean habitat for this species, recording distances moved by individuals in populations associated with caves, and collection of data on courtship, oviposition, and larval development. The primary study site was Carter Caves State Park in Olive Hill, Kentucky. This area was visited from October 2007 to December 2008. Salamanders were photographed for identification based on unique pattern aberrancies and distances were measured between the …

Distribution And Status Of The Northern Leopard Frog, Rana Pipiens, In West Virginia, Amanda Nicole Spriggs

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens, is listed as a species of concern by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Because this species is uncommon in West Virginia, information is needed to understand its distribution and conservation needs. I surveyed 14 historic R. pipiens locations and 70 Wildlife Management Areas throughout West Virginia beginning in March 2008. Rana pipiens was found in four locations; Greenbottom Wildlife Management Area was confirmed through both auditory and visual surveys and the rest were confirmed through visual observations. Besides Greenbottom Wildlife Management Area, all other sites were confirmed by the presence of a …

A Reconnaissance Of The Intersex Condition In Micropterus Dolomieu Of The Upper Ohio River Basin As An Indicator Of Anthropogenic Endocrine Disruptors, Christopher Barry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The intersex condition has been used as a marker of endocrine disruption in West Virginia. Fifty-two male smallmouth bass from 6 basins on the upper Ohio River were examined for the presence and severity of intersex. Vitellogenin (VTG) RNA levels were quantified as marker of estrogenic contaminants. A significant increase in intersex (p=0.02), ranging from 83.3% to 100%, corresponds with higher population densities and agricultural land (p=0.003). At reference sites, smallmouth bass had intersex frequencies of 16.7% to 33.3%. Vitellogenin results were significantly lower (p< 0.001) at impacted sites, consistent with previously reported results in female fish. VTG levels in males were not significantly different. Increased intersex occurrence in males and lowered VTG expression in females have shown that agricultural chemicals and common residential wastewater constituents are likely targets for exploring the relationship between individual EDCs and intersex. There may be a natural background level of the intersex condition.

Distribution Of Woodland Salamanders Of The Valley And Ridge In West Virginia, H. Reid Downer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two terrestrial woodland salamanders of the genus Plethodon, P. punctatus and P. virginia, are endemic to the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in West Virginia and Virginia and occupy limited geographic ranges. Two common and widespread species, P. cylindraceus and P. cinereus, also inhabit this region. To evaluate the distribution and habitat of these terrestrial salamanders I surveyed wooded ridges and slopes throughout the geographic range of the two endemic species by conducting daytime cover object searches and nocturnal visual encounter surveys. From March through November 2008, I recorded the presence of 321 woodland salamanders at 91 sites. I used …

Thirty-Seven Additional Microsatellite Loci In The Pacific Lion-Paw Scallop (Nodipecten Subnodosus) And Cross-Amplification In Other Pectinids, Jessica Lynn Petersen, Ana M. Ibarra, Bernie May

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

We characterized 37 new microsatellite markers in the Pacific lion-paw scallop (Nodipecten subnodosus) and tested for cross-amplification in four other species. Genetic diversity was estimated using 24 individuals from the Lagoon Ojo de Liebre, B.C.S., Mexico. Allelic richness varied from 5 to 27 alleles per locus and the average expected heterozygosity was 0.76. Ten loci exhibited significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium likely due to the presence of null alleles. Sixteen of these markers cross-amplified in closely related N. nodosus, while little or no amplification was observed in three Argopecten species.

Letter From The Dean, Lalit Verma

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Peptide Hydrolysis And The Uptake Of Dipeptides By Phytoplankton, Margaret R. Mulholland, Cindy Lee

OES Faculty Publications

Rates of peptide hydrolysis (using the fluorescent substrate, lucifer yellow anhydride-labeled tetra-alanine) and dipeptide uptake (using dually labeled, ¹⁵N and ¹³C, dialanine) were measured in phytoplankton cultures and in natural populations during algal blooms dominated by one or two taxa. During most sampling events, both peptide hydrolysis and dipeptide uptake were greatest in the size fraction containing the dominant phytoplankter, suggesting that phytoplankton contribute substantially to or may even dominate observed extracellular peptide hydrolysis and dipeptide uptake in the environment. These are the first data suggesting that dipeptides may be taken up directly by phytoplankton and this may …

Patterns Of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Postlarval Recruitment In The Carribbean: A Crtr Project, Mark J. Butler Iv, Angela M. Mojica, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Marines Millet, Paul Sanchez-Navarro, Miguel A. Maldonado, Juan Posada, Bladimir Rodriguez, Carlos M. Rivas, Adrian Oviedo, Marcio Arrone, Martha Prada, Nick Bach, Nilda Jimenez, Maria Del Carmen Garcia-Rivas, Kirah Forman, Donald C. Behringer Jr., Thomas Matthews, Claire Paris, Robert Cowen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As part of the Coral Reef Targeted Research (CRTR) Program, a partnership between the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank, our research team examined the recruitment patterns of Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) postlarvae among regions in the Caribbean, with a particular focus on Mesoamerica. Our goal was to collect comparable information on postlarval supply among regions and to provide data to test predictions of connectivity generated from a coupled biophysical oceanographic model of lobster larval dispersal. Here we present the results of the postlarval recruitment monitoring program. We monitored the catch of postlarvae on Witham-style collectors …