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Marine Biology

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William & Mary

2016

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Influence Of A Suite Of Environmentally Relevant Conditions On Pbt Leaching From, And Sorption To, Marine Microplastic Debris, Robert C. Hale, Da Chen Dec 2016

Influence Of A Suite Of Environmentally Relevant Conditions On Pbt Leaching From, And Sorption To, Marine Microplastic Debris, Robert C. Hale, Da Chen

Reports

Synthetic polymers (plastics) enter marine environments from terrestrial and marine-based sources. The manner of release, the plastic’s composition/properties and ambient marine conditions determine debris fate and its impacts on living resources. It was long assumed that all plastics were persistent and inert, possessing negligible potential for chemical impacts. However, in reality, commercial polymers exhibit a range of potentials for interactions. Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals are lipophilic and may concentrate from ambient waters by orders of magnitude on polymer surfaces (Teuten et al., 2007). The type of polymer affects the degree of PBT sorption. Indeed, plastics have been found …


Accelerating Tropicalization And The Transformation Of Temperate Seagrass Meadows, Glenn A. Hyndes, Kenneth L. Heck Jr., Et Al, R J. Orth Nov 2016

Accelerating Tropicalization And The Transformation Of Temperate Seagrass Meadows, Glenn A. Hyndes, Kenneth L. Heck Jr., Et Al, R J. Orth

VIMS Articles

Climate-driven changes are altering production and functioning of biotic assemblages in terrestrial and aquatic environments. In temperate coastal waters, rising sea temperatures, warm water anomalies and poleward shifts in the distribution of tropical herbivores have had a detrimental effect on algal forests. We develop generalized scenarios of this form of tropicalization and its potential effects on the structure and functioning of globally significant and threatened seagrass ecosystems, through poleward shifts in tropical seagrasses and herbivores. Initially, we expect tropical herbivorous fishes to establish in temperate seagrass meadows, followed later by megafauna. Tropical seagrasses are likely to establish later, delayed by …


Population Size And Survival Rates Of Blue Catfish In Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, Mary C. Fabrizio, Troy D. Tuckey, Robert J. Latour, Gary C. White, Alicia J. Norris, Mary Groves Nov 2016

Population Size And Survival Rates Of Blue Catfish In Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, Mary C. Fabrizio, Troy D. Tuckey, Robert J. Latour, Gary C. White, Alicia J. Norris, Mary Groves

Reports

This report comprises two studies conducted from 2012 to 2015 to estimate population size, survival rates, and movements of invasive blue catfish in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. The first study of population-size and survival was conducted in the James River, VA (Population Size and Survival Rates of Invasive Blue Catfish in Tidal Waters of the James River Subestuary). The second study on movement and survival of blue catfish was conducted in the Potomac River, the natural boundary between Maryland and Virginia (Movement Patterns and Survival Rate of Blue Catfish in a Non-Native Habitat Estimated with a Tagging Study). The Executive Summary …


Testing Raised Foot Lines In Virginia's Striped Bass Fishery: A Gear Based Method Of Reducing Sturgeon Interactions In Anchored Gillnets, Thomas J. Murray Nov 2016

Testing Raised Foot Lines In Virginia's Striped Bass Fishery: A Gear Based Method Of Reducing Sturgeon Interactions In Anchored Gillnets, Thomas J. Murray

Reports

Working with commercial fishermen and scientists, the project evaluated the efficacy of altering net designs to achieve reductions in incidental contacts with protected species while maintaining harvest efficiency. In addition project participants assisted in the transfer of the new gear technology to industry as a gear-based method to reduce sturgeon interactions in gillnets targeting striped bass. The intent was to raise the effective fishing depth (webbing) of anchored gillnets interactions with protected Atlantic sturgeon while not impacting direct harvest of striped bass, the target species. The gear was shown to not impact Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) of the directed …


Calibration Of Vims Research Vessel Catch Data To Ensure Continuity Of Recruitment Indices For The Chesapeake Bay Region, Mary C. Fabrizio, Troy D. Tuckey Nov 2016

Calibration Of Vims Research Vessel Catch Data To Ensure Continuity Of Recruitment Indices For The Chesapeake Bay Region, Mary C. Fabrizio, Troy D. Tuckey

Reports

The VIMS Juvenile Fish Trawl Survey, which has been in operation since 1955, has undergone considerable changes to the sampling gear, location of sampling sites, and the methodology used to select sampling sites. Recently, a new vessel, the R/V Tidewater, replaced the R/V Fish Hawk, which had been in service for 25 years. In addition to the change in vessel, a new net was used; this net design is more robust to deployment methods and performs more consistently under varying environmental conditions. Therefore, a calibration study was conducted whereby the two research vessels with different nets fished in the same …


Assessing Ecological And Economic Effects Of Derelict Fishing Gear: A Guiding Framework, Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Kirk J. Havens, H. Ward Slacum Jr., Donna Marie Bilkovic, Danielle Zaveta, Andrew M. Scheld, Sean Willard, John D. Evans Oct 2016

Assessing Ecological And Economic Effects Of Derelict Fishing Gear: A Guiding Framework, Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Kirk J. Havens, H. Ward Slacum Jr., Donna Marie Bilkovic, Danielle Zaveta, Andrew M. Scheld, Sean Willard, John D. Evans

Reports

Developing standardized protocols to assess the ecological and socio-economic effects of marine debris – especially, derelict fishing gear – is critical for the protection of natural resources and for evaluating policies and programs designed to reduce and remove debris. This document outlines a Derelict Fishing Gear Assessment Framework to guide the development and implementation of derelict gear assessment, management and mitigation. The framework draws from techniques and protocols developed to assess derelict crab traps effects in the Chesapeake Bay and on past derelict gear assessments either conducted by or known to the framework authors. However, this framework is generalized and …


Ecological And Economic Effects Of Derelict Fishing Gear In The Chesapeake Bay 2015/2016 Final Assessment Report, Donna M. Bilkovic, H. Ward Slacum Jr., Kirk J. Havens, Danielle Zaveta, Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Andrew M. Scheld, David Stanhope, Kory Angstadt, John D. Evans Oct 2016

Ecological And Economic Effects Of Derelict Fishing Gear In The Chesapeake Bay 2015/2016 Final Assessment Report, Donna M. Bilkovic, H. Ward Slacum Jr., Kirk J. Havens, Danielle Zaveta, Christopher F.G. Jeffrey, Andrew M. Scheld, David Stanhope, Kory Angstadt, John D. Evans

Reports

Derelict fishing gear represents a major challenge to marine resource management: whether through deliberate abandonment or through accidental loss, derelict traps in particular have significant negative effects both economic (e.g., reduced fishery harvest from ghost fishing and gear competition that leads to the reduced efficiency of active gear) and ecological (e.g., degraded habitats and marine food webs and crab and bycatch mortality). Throughout the Chesapeake Bay, commercial harvest of hard-shelled blue crabs is a major fishing activity: every year sees the deployment of several hundred thousand blue crab traps (known locally as crab “pots”) across the Bay, of which an …


Simulations Of The Effect Of Sample Size On The Maximum Observed Age In A Fish Population, John M. Hoenig Oct 2016

Simulations Of The Effect Of Sample Size On The Maximum Observed Age In A Fish Population, John M. Hoenig

Reports

No abstract provided.


Separating Oil From Water: Suspension-Feeding Goldfish Ingest Liquid Vegetable Oil, Kristin Edwards, Gary Rice, S. Laurie Sanderson Sep 2016

Separating Oil From Water: Suspension-Feeding Goldfish Ingest Liquid Vegetable Oil, Kristin Edwards, Gary Rice, S. Laurie Sanderson

Arts & Sciences Articles

We show that goldfish (Carassius auratus) voluntarily ingest liquid canola oil at the surface of the water and can swallow significant quantities of oil. The ability of fish to separate floating oil from water has not been tested previously, and the mechanisms used to retain oil in the form of suspended droplets, globules, or a surface film are unknown. Chromatograms of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) prepared from gut samples confirmed that goldfish were able to obtain a substantial proportion of their daily lipid intake from canola oil at the surface of laboratory aquaria. Quantification of goldfish suspension-feeding, …


Microbial Nitrogen Processing In Hard Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria) Aquaculture Sediments: The Relative Importance Of Denitrification And Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction To Ammonium (Dnra), Ae Murphy, Iris C. Anderson, Ar Smyth, Bk Song, Mark Luckenbach Sep 2016

Microbial Nitrogen Processing In Hard Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria) Aquaculture Sediments: The Relative Importance Of Denitrification And Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction To Ammonium (Dnra), Ae Murphy, Iris C. Anderson, Ar Smyth, Bk Song, Mark Luckenbach

VIMS Articles

As bivalve aquaculture expands worldwide, an understanding of its role in nutrient cycling is necessary to ensure ecological sustainability and determine the potential of using bivalves for nutrient mitigation. Whereas several studies, primarily of epifaunal bivalves, have assessed denitrification, few have considered nutrient regeneration processes such as dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), which competes with denitrification for nitrate and results in nitrogen retention rather than loss. This study compares sediment nitrogen cycling including mineralization, DNRA, and denitrification within U.S. clam aquaculture sediments to nearby uncultivated sediments, seasonally. Clam aquaculture significantly increased sediment ammonium and phosphate effluxes relative to uncultivated …


Estimating Relative Juvenile Abundance Of Ecologically Important Finfish In The Virginia Portion Of Chesapeake Bay (1 June 2015 - 31 May 2016) : 2016 Annual Report, Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio Sep 2016

Estimating Relative Juvenile Abundance Of Ecologically Important Finfish In The Virginia Portion Of Chesapeake Bay (1 June 2015 - 31 May 2016) : 2016 Annual Report, Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Trawl Survey provides crucial data to state, regional, and national fisheries management agencies, including the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the Mid‐Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The MAFMC recognizes the juvenile trawl survey as one of the key predictors of Summer Flounder recruitment. Annual indices of juvenile abundance have been generated from trawl survey data for species of key recreational, ecological, and commercial importance in the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay. These include Spot, Atlantic Croaker, Weakfish, Summer Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Scup, Striped Bass, …


Tracking A Marine Ecotourism Star: Movements Of The Short Ocean Sunfish Mola Ramsayi In Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia, Tierney Thys, John P. Ryan, Kevin C. Weng, Mark Erdmann, Joeharnani Tresnati Aug 2016

Tracking A Marine Ecotourism Star: Movements Of The Short Ocean Sunfish Mola Ramsayi In Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia, Tierney Thys, John P. Ryan, Kevin C. Weng, Mark Erdmann, Joeharnani Tresnati

VIMS Articles

Ocean sunfishes, Molidae, comprise the world’s heaviest bony fishes. They include the short mola, Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), an important tourist draw at Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, Bali, where SCUBA divers can observe ectoparasite-laden individuals being cleaned by smaller reef fishes. Despite widespread appeal, little is known about these fishes relative to regional oceanography. We present the first behavioral information for this species anywhere in the world. Satellite tag data indicate a wide thermal range (10–27.5°C) with depth occupation mostly (95%) in the upper 250 m and habitat preference near the bottom of the warm surface layer. One tag …


The Demographic Consequences Of Growing Older And Bigger In Oyster Populations, Jl Moore, Rom Lipcius, B Puckettt, Sj Schrieber Aug 2016

The Demographic Consequences Of Growing Older And Bigger In Oyster Populations, Jl Moore, Rom Lipcius, B Puckettt, Sj Schrieber

VIMS Articles

Structured population models, particularly size-or age-structured, have a long history of informing conservation and natural resource management. While size is often easier to measure than age and is the focus of many management strategies, age-structure can have important effects on population dynamics that are not captured in size-only models. However, relatively few studies have included the simultaneous effects of both age-and size-structure. To better understand how population structure, particularly that of age and size, impacts restoration and management decisions, we developed and compared a size-structured integral projection model (IPM) and an age-and size-structured IPM, using a population of Crassostrea gigas …


Integrated Assessment Of Oyster Reef Ecosystem Services: Macrofauna Utilization Of Restored Oyster Reefs, M. Lisa Kellogg, Kennedy T. Paynter, Paige G. Ross, Jennifer C. Dreyer, Cate Turner, Manisha Pant, Alan Birch, Edward Smith May 2016

Integrated Assessment Of Oyster Reef Ecosystem Services: Macrofauna Utilization Of Restored Oyster Reefs, M. Lisa Kellogg, Kennedy T. Paynter, Paige G. Ross, Jennifer C. Dreyer, Cate Turner, Manisha Pant, Alan Birch, Edward Smith

Reports

Within the Harris Creek Oyster Sanctuary in the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay, we evaluated relationships between basic oyster reef characteristics and the abundance and biomass of macrofauna. The eight sites selected for these studies included five restored oyster reef sites and three sites suitable for restoration that had not been restored. These sites encompassed a range of oyster biomass density and were spread throughout the sanctuary area. At each site one month prior to each of four sampling periods, divers filled four wire mesh baskets (0.1m2 surface area x 15 cm depth) with material from the site and embedded …


Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2015, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham May 2016

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2015, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2015, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program has maintained a 20-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a cooperative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).


Integrated Assessment Of Oyster Reef Ecosystem Services: Fish And Crustacean Utilization And Trophic Linkages, M. Lisa Kellogg, Paige G. Ross, Mark Luckenbach, Jennifer C. Dreyer, Manisha Pant, Alan Birch, Sean Fate, Edward Smith, Kennedy Paynter Mar 2016

Integrated Assessment Of Oyster Reef Ecosystem Services: Fish And Crustacean Utilization And Trophic Linkages, M. Lisa Kellogg, Paige G. Ross, Mark Luckenbach, Jennifer C. Dreyer, Manisha Pant, Alan Birch, Sean Fate, Edward Smith, Kennedy Paynter

Reports

Using a regression design that encompassed the continuum of oyster reef biomass density in Harris Creek, MD, from unrestored reefs to those restored reefs with the greatest oyster biomass, we examined finfish and crustacean utilization of these habitats. Of the eight sites studied, three had not been subject to any restoration activities and five had been planted in 2012 with juvenile oysters set on oyster shell. All sites were sampled in April, June, August, and October 2015. During each sampling period, we assessed abundance, total length and biomass of finfish and examined gut contents to assess the diets of selected …


Nitrogen Sources And Net Growth Efficiency Of Zooplankton In Three Amazon River Plume Food Webs, Natalie Loick-Wilde, Sarah C. Weber, Brandon J. Condon, Douglas G. Capone, Victoria J. Coles, Patricia M. Medeiros, Deborah K. Steinberg, Joseph P. Montoya Mar 2016

Nitrogen Sources And Net Growth Efficiency Of Zooplankton In Three Amazon River Plume Food Webs, Natalie Loick-Wilde, Sarah C. Weber, Brandon J. Condon, Douglas G. Capone, Victoria J. Coles, Patricia M. Medeiros, Deborah K. Steinberg, Joseph P. Montoya

VIMS Articles

The plasticity of nitrogen specific net growth efficiency (NGE) in marine mesozooplankton is currently unresolved, with discordant lines of evidence suggesting that NGE is constant, or that it varies with nitrogen source, food availability, and food quality in marine ecosystems. Specifically, the fate of nitrogen from nitrogen fixation is poorly known. We use 15N : 14N ratios in plankton in combination with hydrological data, nutrient profiles, and nitrogen fixation rate measurements to investigate the relationship between new nitrogen sources and the nitrogen specific NGE in three plankton communities along the outer Amazon River plume. The NGE of small …


2015 Annual Awards, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science Jan 2016

2015 Annual Awards, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science

Miscellaneous

The Annual Awards ceremony is an occasion in which new employees and volunteers are introduced, employee service is recognized and student and faculty awards are presented.


Dissolved Organic Carbon Fluxes In The Middle Atlantic Bight: An Integrated Approach Based On Satellite Data And Ocean Model Products, Antonio Mannino, Sergio R. Signorini, Michael Novak, John Wilkin, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Raymond G. Najjar Jan 2016

Dissolved Organic Carbon Fluxes In The Middle Atlantic Bight: An Integrated Approach Based On Satellite Data And Ocean Model Products, Antonio Mannino, Sergio R. Signorini, Michael Novak, John Wilkin, Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs, Raymond G. Najjar

VIMS Articles

Continental margins play an important role in global carbon cycle, accounting for 15-21% of the global marine primary production. Since carbon fluxes across continental margins from land to the open ocean are not well constrained, we undertook a study to develop satellite algorithms to retrieve dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and combined these satellite data with physical circulation model products to quantify the shelf boundary fluxes of DOC for the U.S. Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB). Satellite DOC was computed through seasonal relationships of DOC with colored dissolved organic matter absorption coefficients, which were derived from an extensive set of in situ …


Foundation Species Identity And Trophic Complexity Affect Experimental Seagrass Communities, Althea F. P. Moore, J. Emmett Duffy Jan 2016

Foundation Species Identity And Trophic Complexity Affect Experimental Seagrass Communities, Althea F. P. Moore, J. Emmett Duffy

VIMS Articles

The abundance and species composition of marine foundation species is changing due to range expansion or contraction, with potentially important ecosystem-level consequences. In Chesapeake Bay, USA, warming is likely to favor the more heat and stress-tolerant Ruppia maritima (widgeongrass) over Zostera marina (eelgrass). Because of the key role of seagrasses in providing habitat and trophic support, it is important to determine whether the more stress-tolerant seagrass provides similar ecological functions to the species it may replace. We addressed how trophic control differs between communities associated with the 2 seagrass species in a mesocosm experiment. Grazing of epiphytic algae can benefit …


Seasonal Shifts In The Movement And Distribution Of Green Sea Turtles Chelonia Mydas In Response To Anthropogenically Altered Water Temperatures, Daniel P. Crear, Daniel D. Lawson, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Et Al Jan 2016

Seasonal Shifts In The Movement And Distribution Of Green Sea Turtles Chelonia Mydas In Response To Anthropogenically Altered Water Temperatures, Daniel P. Crear, Daniel D. Lawson, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Anthropogenically altered water temperatures (AAWT) have the potential to affect the movement and distribution of marine ectothermic species. Green sea turtles (GSTs) Chelonia mydas are an ectothermic species observed inhabiting 2 sites with AAWT at the northern point of their geographical range in the eastern Pacific. An acoustic receiver array was deployed with temperature loggers at the San Gabriel River, Long Beach, CA, where 2 power plants discharge warm water into the river, and at the 7th St. Basin, Seal Beach, CA, a dredged shallow basin with warmer water compared to surrounding coastal habitats during the summer months. Juvenile GSTs …


Vertical Movements Of Shortfin Mako Sharks Isurus Oxyrinchus In The Western North Atlantic Ocean Are Strongly Influenced By Temperature, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Anthony D. Wood, Kevin C. Weng, Et Al Jan 2016

Vertical Movements Of Shortfin Mako Sharks Isurus Oxyrinchus In The Western North Atlantic Ocean Are Strongly Influenced By Temperature, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Anthony D. Wood, Kevin C. Weng, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Although shortfin mako sharks Isurus oxyrinchus are regularly encountered in pelagic fisheries, limited information is available on their vertical distribution and is primarily restricted to cooler areas of their geographic range. We investigated the vertical movements of mako sharks across differing temperature regimes within the western North Atlantic by tagging 8 individuals with pop-up satellite archival tags off the northeastern United States and the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Depth and temperature records across 587 d showed vertical movements strongly associated with ocean temperature. Temperatures150 m compared to only 1% in the coldest water columns. The sharks showed diel diving behavior, with …


Out Of The Tower And Into The Classroom Or How Classroom Partnerships Give Marine Science Grad Students An Edge, Carol Hopper Brill Jan 2016

Out Of The Tower And Into The Classroom Or How Classroom Partnerships Give Marine Science Grad Students An Edge, Carol Hopper Brill

VIMS Articles

Ocean science graduate students face a challenge. They must prepare for two careers: research scientist and communication specialist. Successful researchers have to be creative, innovative, and competitive within their disciplines in order to promote their work and build collaborations among their peers. But, the higher stakes surrounding current environmental concerns, shifting public perceptions of science, and growing emphasis on broader impacts mean that scientists also have to be effective communicators, able to explain the value of their research to a wide audience. How do we effectively give graduate students an edge in preparing for this dual role?


Critical Assessment And Ramifications Of A Purported Marine Trophic Cascade, R. Dean Grubbs, John K. Carleson, Jason G. Romine, Tobey H. Curtis, W. David Mcelroy, Camilla T. Candless, Charles F. Cotton, John A. Musick Jan 2016

Critical Assessment And Ramifications Of A Purported Marine Trophic Cascade, R. Dean Grubbs, John K. Carleson, Jason G. Romine, Tobey H. Curtis, W. David Mcelroy, Camilla T. Candless, Charles F. Cotton, John A. Musick

VIMS Articles

When identifying potential trophic cascades, it is important to clearly establish the trophic linkages between predators and prey with respect to temporal abundance, demographics, distribution, and diet. In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the depletion of large coastal sharks was thought to trigger a trophic cascade whereby predation release resulted in increased cownose ray abundance, which then caused increased predation on and subsequent collapse of commercial bivalve stocks. These claims were used to justify the development of a predator-control fishery for cownose rays, the “Save the Bay, Eat a Ray” fishery, to reduce predation on commercial bivalves. A reexamination of data …


Experimental Assessment Of Lionfish Removals To Mitigate Reef Fish Community Shifts On Northern Gulf Of Mexico Artificial Reefs, Kristen A. Dahl, William F. Patterson, Richard A. Snyder Jan 2016

Experimental Assessment Of Lionfish Removals To Mitigate Reef Fish Community Shifts On Northern Gulf Of Mexico Artificial Reefs, Kristen A. Dahl, William F. Patterson, Richard A. Snyder

VIMS Articles

Substantial declines in reef fishes were observed at northern Gulf of Mexico artificial reef sites between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012, a period that bracketed the appearance of invasive lionfish in this ecosystem. Small demersal reef fishes, the predominant prey of lionfish in other systems, displayed the greatest declines. However, a confounding factor during this time was the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) in summer 2010. In some areas, targeted lionfish removals have been demonstrated to mitigate negative effects on native fishes. Therefore, we conducted a 2 yr experiment to examine the effectiveness and ecological benefits of targeted lionfish removals at artificial …


Embryonic Development And A Quantitative Model Of Programmed Dna Elimination In Mesocyclops Edax (S. A. ) (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Mk Clower, As Holub, Rt Smith, Ga Wyngaard Jan 2016

Embryonic Development And A Quantitative Model Of Programmed Dna Elimination In Mesocyclops Edax (S. A. ) (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Mk Clower, As Holub, Rt Smith, Ga Wyngaard

VIMS Articles

The highly programmed fragmentation of chromosomes and elimination of large amounts of nuclear DNA from the presomatic cell lineages (i.e., chromatin diminution), occurs in the embryos of the freshwater zooplankton Mesocyclops edax (S. A. Forbes, 1891) (Crustacea: Copepoda). The somatic genome is reorganized and reduced to a size five times smaller even though the germline genome remains intact. We present the first comprehensive, quantitative model of DNA content throughout embryogenesis in a copepod that possesses embryonic DNA elimination. We used densitometric image analysis to measure the DNA content of polar bodies, germline and somatic nuclei, and excised DNA “droplets.” …


Prediction Of The Export And Fate Of Global Ocean Net Primary Production: The Exports Science Plan, Da Siegel, Ko Buesseler, Et Al, Deborah K. Steinberg Jan 2016

Prediction Of The Export And Fate Of Global Ocean Net Primary Production: The Exports Science Plan, Da Siegel, Ko Buesseler, Et Al, Deborah K. Steinberg

VIMS Articles

Ocean ecosystems play a critical role in the Earth's carbon cycle and the quantification of their impacts for both present conditions and for predictions into the future remains one of the greatest challenges in oceanography. The goal of the EXport Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) Science Plan is to develop a predictive understanding of the export and fate of global ocean net primary production (NPP) and its implications for present and future climates. The achievement of this goal requires a quantification of the mechanisms that control the export of carbon from the euphotic zone as well as …


A Carbon Budget For The Amundsen Sea Polynya, Antarctica: Estimating Net Community Production And Export In A Highly Productive Polar Ecosystem, Pl Yager, Rm Sherrell, Et Al, Rachel E. Sipler, Et Al Jan 2016

A Carbon Budget For The Amundsen Sea Polynya, Antarctica: Estimating Net Community Production And Export In A Highly Productive Polar Ecosystem, Pl Yager, Rm Sherrell, Et Al, Rachel E. Sipler, Et Al

VIMS Articles

Polynyas, or recurring areas of seasonally open water surrounded by sea ice, are foci for energy and material transfer between the atmosphere and the polar ocean. They are also climate sensitive, with both sea ice extent and glacial melt influencing their productivity. The Amundsen Sea Polynya (ASP) is the greenest polynya in the Southern Ocean, with summertime chlorophyll a concentrations exceeding 20 μg L−1. During the Amundsen Sea Polynya International Research Expedition (ASPIRE) in austral summer 2010–11, we aimed to determine the fate of this high algal productivity. We collected water column profiles for total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and …


Faunal Communities Are Invariant To Fragmentation In Experimental Seagrass Landscapes, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Scott R. Marion, Alfonso V. Lombana, R J. Orth Jan 2016

Faunal Communities Are Invariant To Fragmentation In Experimental Seagrass Landscapes, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Scott R. Marion, Alfonso V. Lombana, R J. Orth

VIMS Articles

Human-driven habitat fragmentation is cited as one of the most pressing threats facing many coastal ecosystems today. Many experiments have explored the consequences of fragmentation on fauna in one foundational habitat, seagrass beds, but have either surveyed along a gradient of existing patchiness, used artificial materials to mimic a natural bed, or sampled over short timescales. Here, we describe faunal responses to constructed fragmented landscapes varying from 4-400 m(2) in two transplant garden experiments incorporating live eelgrass (Zostera marina L.). In experiments replicated within two subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay, USA across multiple seasons and non-consecutive years, we comprehensively censused …


Optimal Hurricane Overwash Thickness For Maximizing Marsh Resilience To Sea Level Rise, David C. Walters, Matthew L. Kirwan Jan 2016

Optimal Hurricane Overwash Thickness For Maximizing Marsh Resilience To Sea Level Rise, David C. Walters, Matthew L. Kirwan

VIMS Articles

The interplay between storms and sea level rise, and between ecology and sediment transport governs the behavior of rapidly evolving coastal ecosystems such as marshes and barrier islands. Sediment deposition during hurricanes is thought to increase the resilience of salt marshes to sea level rise by increasing soil elevation and vegetation productivity. We use mesocosms to simulate burial of Spartina alterniflora during hurricane-induced overwash events of various thickness (0-60 cm), and find that adventitious root growth within the overwash sediment layer increases total biomass by up to 120%. In contrast to most previous work illustrating a simple positive relationship between …