Marine Biology Commons^™

Assessment Of Western Rock Lobster Strategic Management Options. A Bio-Economic Evaluation Of Management Options For The West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery. Vol. 2, Economic Research Associates Pty Ltd

Fisheries Management Papers

Economic Research Associates (ERA) was commissioned to evaluate the relative ‘socio-economic’ benefits of alternative management Scenarios for the Western Rock Lobster Managed Fishery. This study is intended as input into industry’s consideration of the future management policy direction for the fishery.

Growth And Survivorship Of Scleractinian Coral Transplants And The Effectiveness Of Plugging Core Holes In Transplant Donor Colonies, Elizabeth Glynn Fahy, Richard E. Dodge, Daniel P. Fahy, T. Patrick Quinn, David S. Gilliam, Richard E. Spieler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Replicate scleractinian coral transplants were obtained from the species Meandrina meandrites and Montastrea cavernosa on a natural reef, off Dania Beach, Florida, using a hydraulic drill fitted with a 4 in. (~10 cm) core barrel. The transplants were fixed to Reef Ball™ substrates using an adhesive marine epoxy. Drill holes in the donor corals (core holes) were filled with concrete plugs. Control corals, of comparable size to both donor colonies and transplant corals, were monitored for comparison. Transplant corals, donor corals, and controls on the natural reef were monitored for growth and survivorship. Core holes were monitored for tissue regrowth …

Spatial Patterns In Arabian Gulf Coral Assemblages (Jebel Ali, Dubai, U.A.E.) In Response To Temperature-Forcing, Bernhard Riegl, Samuel J. Purkis, Kevin E. Kohler, Richard E. Dodge

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

We evaluated spatial and temporal patterns using maps from Ikonos satellite imagery in combination with 8 years of line transects and photosquares and the HadISST1 sea-surface temperature data set to explain why coral assemblages in the southern Arabian Gulf (Dubai) are impoverished and mostly do not build framework reefs. Analysis of archive sea surface temperature (SST) data confirms that the area is subjected to recurrent temperature anomalies. Frequencies of anomalies might suggest at least a partial link to the El Niño Southern Oscillation possibly via the Indian Ocean Zonal Mode. The dominant driver of local temperature was oscillations in the …

An Experimental Histopathological Rating Scale Of Sedimentation Stress In The Caribbean Coral Montastraea Cavernosa, Bernardo Vargas-Ángel, Bernhard Riegl, David S. Gilliam, Richard E. Dodge

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Colonies of Montastraea cavernosa were exposed to daily applications of approx. 200–225 mg cm– 2 sediments, during a four-week period, in order to investigate coral responses to increased sedimentation. Effects were assessed based on the histopathological condition of specimen tissues. Mild stress responses were noted as early as week one, including tissue swelling and polyp retraction, as well as changes in size and appearance of mucous secretory cells. As stress progressed, further inflammation of the mucous secretory cells was observed. Severe effects were observed in weeks 3 and 4, including atrophy of the outer epidermis, increased granularity and debris in …

Visual_Hea: Habitat Equivalency Analysis Software To Calculate Compensatory Restoration Following Natural Resource Injury, Kevin E. Kohler, Richard E. Dodge

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA) is a means to determine the amount of compensatory restoration required to provide services that are equivalent to the interim loss of natural resource services following an injury. HEA includes a discounting procedure to account for asset valuation in that the total asset value is equal to the discounted value of the future stream of all services from the natural resource or the compensatory resource. Discounting is used to include the relative valuation of loss and gain of ecological services of the resources over time. Visual_HEA is a computer program developed to calculate the amount of …

Coral Of Opportunity Survivorship And The Use Of Coral Nurseries In Coral Reef Restoration, Jamie A. Monty, David S. Gilliam, Kenneth Banks, David K. Stout, Richard E. Dodge

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Coral reef damage is unfortunately becoming a common occurrence off southeast Florida, U.S.A. Reattachment of the dislodged scleractinian corals usually initiates damage site restoration. Because mortality of dislodged colonies is typically high and natural recovery in southeast Florida is typically slow, transplantation of additional scleractinian corals into a damaged area has been used to accelerate reef recovery. Donor colonies available for transplantation have been grown in situ, grown in laboratories, and taken from nondamaged reef areas. An alternative source of donor colonies for transplantation into damaged sites is “corals of opportunity,” which we define as scleractinian corals that have been …

Implications Of Natural Variation Of Fish Assemblages To Coral Reef Management, Lance K. B. Jordan, Richard E. Spieler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

In order to evaluate the impact of a planned beach renourishment project we obtained baseline data on hardbottom coral reef fish assemblages adjacent to the beach. During the summers of 2001 and 2003 we conducted 92 and 89 visual transect-counts, respectively, each 30x2x1m. Fish were recorded by species, abundance, and size class. Fish exhibited a 62.8% decrease in abundance between the 2001 and 2003 surveys. Juvenile Haemulon spp. (<5cm total length, TL) alone decreased 72.8% in abundance and, due to their predominance, primarily drove the decrease seen for total abundance. The second most abundant species Halichoeres bivittatus, also primarily juveniles (<5cm TL), contributed 8% of the total abundance and also showed a significant decrease between the 2001 and 2003 surveys. Even after removal of the two most abundant taxa, total abundance remained significantly lower the second survey year, suggesting the possibility of a community-wide decrease in abundance. However, the decrease between years was mainly due to a decrease in juveniles. When fish less than 5cm TL were removed from the dataset, no significant difference in abundance between years was detected. Species richness also declined significantly with fewer species noted in 2003 and eight fewer total species between years. Nonetheless, multivariate examination of assemblage structure did not indicate a difference between years. These results have important implications for determining potential anthropogenic change in fish assemblages (e.g. caused by beach renourishment).

Differential Expression Of Immune Response Genes In Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus): An Indicator Of Ecosystem Health?, Lizabeth Bowen, Brian Aldridge, Kimberlee Beckmen, Tom Gelatt, Lorrie Rea, Kathy Burek, Ken Pitcher, Jeffrey L. Stott

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Characterization of the polygenic and polymorphic features of the Steller sea lion major histocompatibility complex (MHC) provides an ideal window for evaluating immunologic vigor of the population and identifying emergence of new genotypes that reflect ecosystem pressures. MHC genotyping can be used to measure the potential immunologic vigor of a population. However, since ecosystem-induced changes to MHC genotype can be slow to emerge, measurement of differential expression of these genes can potentially provide real-time evidence of immunologic perturbations. MHC DRB genes were cloned and sequenced using peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes derived from 10 Steller sea lions from southeast Alaska, Prince …

Sponges Of Navassa, Janie L. Wulff, Timothy D. Swain

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

This photographic guide was compiled from data collected during the 2004 NOAA survey of the coral reefs of Navassa and does not represent a comprehensive list of all Porifera in Navassa. Specifically missing are taxa that inhabit caves, overhangs, vertical walls; species that live in the interstices of the reef framework; and species found at depths greater than 50 meters. Specimens were identified by Janie Wulff and Timothy Swain of Florida State University using a combination of digital photography, field observations, and microscopic examination of siliceous spicules. Genera are organized into higher taxa according to Systema Porifera, Hooper & van …

Effects Associated With Dredging For Beach Renourishments On Reef Fish Communities Offshore Of Miami-Dade County, Florida:, Christian L. Avila

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Beach erosion is an ongoing problem in South Florida. Beach replenishment has been the primary means of maintaining these economically important beaches, and dredging offshore sand deposits, adjacent to reef tracts, has been the pervasive method since the 1970's. Over the past ten years, greater attention has been paid to potential impacts dredging can have on adjacent reef communities, which has led to increased monitoring efforts. With the increase in monitoring efforts, scope has expanded from a strict focus on the benthic community to include the fish communities. This study evaluates the effects of dredging on reef fish communities associated …

Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Broward County, Fl 2006 Report, Curtis M. Burney, Stefanie Ouellette

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

Since 1978, the Broward County Environmental Protection Department (BCEPD) has provided for the conservation of endangered and threatened sea turtle species within its area of responsibility. Broward County is within the normal nesting areas of three species of sea turtles: the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). The loggerhead is listed as a threatened species, while the green and leatherback are listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, 1973, and Chapter 370, F.S.

Since these statutes strictly forbid any disturbance …

Evaluating The Biogeochemical Cycle Of Selenium In San Francisco Bay Through Modeling, Shannon L. Meseck, Gregory A. Cutter

OES Faculty Publications

A biogeochemical model was developed to simulate salinity, total suspended material, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved selenium concentrations (selenite, selenate, and organic selenide), and particulate selenium concentrations (selenite + selenate, elemental selenium, and organic selenide) in the San Francisco Bay estuary. Model-generated estuarine profiles of total dissolved selenium reproduced observed estuarine profiles at a confidence interval of 91- 99% for 8 different years under various environmental conditions. The model accurately reproduced the observed dissolved speciation at confidence intervals of 81-98% for selenite, 72-91% for selenate, and 60-96% for organic selenide. For particulate selenium, model-simulated estuarine profiles duplicated the observed behavior of total …

Dynamics Of Carbon Allocation In A Deep-Water Population Of The Deciduous Kelp Pleurophycus Gardeneri (Laminariales), Clare M. Dominik, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Pleurophycus gardneri (Laminariales) is common in the low intertidal of the Northeast Pacific, but dominates many deep (30 to 40 m) rocky reefs in central California. Seasonal dynamics of productivity and resource allocation of a deep-water population of this deciduous, stipitate kelp were studied to understand how blade abscission affects the annual carbon budget. Patterns of growth, metabolism, and carbon storage and mobilization were measured monthly for 1 yr relative to in situ light and temperature, and used to model the annual carbon budget. The resulting carbon budget was used to determine if blade abscission effectively reduced respiratory demand during …

Red And Black Tides: Quantitative Analysis Of Water-Leaving Radiance And Perceived Color For Phytoplankton, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter, And Suspended Sediments, Heidi M. Dierssen, Raphael M. Kudela, John P. Ryan, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Using field measurements and quantitative modeling, we demonstrate that red coloration of the sea surface is not associated with any particular group of phytoplankton and is strongly dependent on the physiology of the human visual system. Red or brown surface waters can be produced by high concentrations of most types of algae, colored dissolved organic matter, or suspended sediment. Even though light reflected by red tides commonly peaks in the yellow spectral region (570–580 nm), human color perception requires consideration of the entire spectrum of light relative to receptors within the human eye. The color shift from green to red …

The Role Of Lipids During Embryonic Development Of The Euphausiids Euphausia Pacifica And Thysanoessa Spinifera, Se-Jong Ju, H. Rodger Harvey, Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez, William T. Peterson

OES Faculty Publications

To understand the role of lipids during early embryogenesis, major lipid classes together with individual fatty acid and sterol composition were determined in embryos from multiple developmental stages of the euphausiids Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera. Average lipid content in embryos of E. pacifica and T. spiniferafrom the earliest stage (multicell) were 4.45 and 3.69 µg embryo^-1,respectively. During development, the lipid content decreased at similar rates in the embryos of both species. In contrast to many crustacean eggs, phospholipids were the dominant lipid class in all embryonic stages, with decreasing concentrations seen during development. Individual …

Nitrogen Fixation And Release Of Fixed Nitrogen By Trichodesmium Spp. In The Gulf Of Mexico, Margaret R. Mulholland, Peter W. Bernhardt, Cynthia A. Heil, Deborah A. Bronk, Judith M. O'Neil

OES Faculty Publications

During a 3-yr study in the Gulf of Mexico, we measured dinitrogen (N₂) fixation and nitrogen (N) release by Trichodesmium and compared these rates with water column N demand and the estimated N necessary to support blooms of Karenia brevis, a toxic dinoflagellate that severely affects the West Florida shelf. Net and gross N₂ fixation rates were compared in simultaneous incubations using ¹⁵N₂ uptake and acetylene reduction, respectively. The difference between net and gross N₂ fixation is assumed to be an approximation of the rate of N release. Results demonstrate that Trichodesmium in …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 33 - Department Of Fisheries Community Survey 2005, Tara Baharthah

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A telephone survey of the Western Australian public was conducted to assess the level of success of programs implemented by the Department of Fisheries. The sample comprised of 700 interviews, 422 in the metropolitan area and 278 in regional areas throughout the State.

This community survey was used to determine the level of recall and awareness of the Department of Fisheries, the understanding and support of the community for the Department of Fisheries' management strategies and to examine key aspects of community participation in recreational fishing.

It is estimated that the overall participation rate for recreational fishing in Western Australia …

Winter 2006, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Ocean Warming And Freshening In The Northern Gulf Of Alaska, Thomas C. Royer, Chester E. Grosch

CCPO Publications

Water column temperatures on the shelf in the northern Gulf of Alaska have increased more than 0.8 degrees C and vertical density stratification has increased since 1970 near Seward, Alaska throughout the 250 m depth. This high latitude marine system has low water temperatures, high rates of precipitation, glacial melting, high wind speeds and high rates of biological productivity. A more than 300 km alongshore shift ( locally westward) of isotherms is suggested. The observations are consistent with a conceptual ocean-atmosphere circulation model that employs coastal freshwater discharge, glacial ablation and wind forcing. Positive regional feedback mechanisms accelerate the discharge …

The Influence Of Supplemental Feeding On The Movement Patterns Of The Southern Stingray, Dasyatis Americana, At Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Mark John Corcoran

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

There are currently over 300 sites in nearly 40 countries where a variety of marine animals are provided supplemental food by humans. The influence of this supplemental feeding on the behavior, physiology, growth, reproduction and movements of the animals involved is seldom known. Intentional supplemental feeding of the southern stingray, Dasyatis americana, has occurred at Stingray City (SC) and Stingray City Sandbar (SCS) at Grand Cayman since 1986. There are no specific regulations governing the feeding of D. americana at Grand Cayman, and neither the species nor the feeding sites are afforded any official protective status. This study investigated …

Effects Of Salinity Changes On The Photodegradation And Ultraviolet-Visible Absorbance Of Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Matter, E. C. Minor, J. Pothen, B. J. Dalzell, H. Abdulla, K. Mopper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We performed laboratory studies to determine the effects of salinity on the photodegradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia, an important source of terrestrial DOM to the lower Chesapeake Bay. Samples were created by mixing Great Dismal Swamp water (ionic strength approximate to 0 mol L^-1) with modified artificial seawater solutions of differing salinities while keeping the final dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration constant. These samples were then irradiated for 24 h in a light box providing ultraviolet (UV) light similar to that of natural sunlight. Light absorbance and DOC concentrations decreased after …

Transport Of Antarctic Krill (Euphausia Superba) Across The Scotia Sea. Part Ii: Krill Growth And Survival, Bettina A. Fach, Eileen E. Hofmann, Eugene J. Murphy

CCPO Publications

A time-dependent, size-structured, physiologically based krill growth model was used in conjunction with a circulation model to test the hypothesis that Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) populations at South Georgia are sustained by import of individuals from upstream regions. Surface phytoplankton concentrations along the simulated drifter trajectories were extracted from historical Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) measurements and sea ice biota concentrations were calculated from sea ice concentration and extent extracted along drifter trajectories from Special Sensor Microwave/ Imager measurements. As additional food sources, a time series of heterotrophic food was constructed from historical data, and time series of …

Vertical Distribution Of Decapod Larvae In The Entrance Of An Equatorward Facing Bay Of Central Chile: Implications For Transport, Beatriz Yannicelli, Leonardo R. Castro, Arnoldo Valle-Levinson, Larry Atkinson, Dante Figueroa

CCPO Publications

Two short biophysical surveys were carried out in order to assess how the decapod crustacean larvae vertical distribution and circulation patterns in an equatorward facing embayment (Gulf of Arauco, 37° S; 73° W) influenced larval transport into and out of the Gulf. The embayment is located at the upwelling area of south central Chile and features a deep (60 m) and a shallow (25 m) pathway of communication with the adjacent coastal ocean. Profiles of zooplankton, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and current velocity were measured during a 22-h period at the shallow entrance to the gulf. In addition, three zooplankton …

Automated Photo-Identification Of Cetaceans : An Integrated Software Solution, Daniel Griggs

Theses : Honours

This study investigates current techniques used for automated photo-identification of cetaceans (i.e. dolphins and whales). The primary focus constitutes various techniques that can be applied to identify and extract dorsal fins from digital photographs. A comprehensive analysis of these techniques demonstrates the most effective software solution. To further support this analysis, four prototypes are developed to demonstrate the effectiveness of each technique in a practical environment. The analysis bases its final conclusions on test results generated from these prototype software examples. Final conclusions provide recommendations for an effective, accurate, and practical software solution. This software solution allows dorsal fins to …

The Sedimentary Environment Below Earth’S Polar Ice Cap As A Microbial Habitat, David C. Smith, Stephanie Forschner-Dancause, David C. Rowley, Steven D'Hondt

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

University of Rhode Island faculty participated in drilling of the polar ice cap to study microbial diversity and adaptation to subsurface life under conditions that may mimic extraterrestrial subsurface conditions.

Study Of Metals In Leached Soils Of A Municipal Dumpsite In Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico: Preliminary Results, P. F. Rodríguez-Espinosa, D. Chazaro Mendoza, J. A. Montes De Oca, G. Sánchez Torres E., Alejandro Fierro-Cabo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Zapote dumpsite measures 420000 m 2 and is 28 years old; an estimated 2.5 millions tons of waste have accumulated on the site (household waste, clinical waste, commercial waste). The thickness of the waste is 3 to 9 meters. Since operations began, no control regulations have existed on the residues received. The Zapote dumpsite is located within a salt-marsh between a system of channels and river lagoons of brackish water, located in a tropical sedimentary environment in the urban zone of Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Recently, the Zapote has been closed and work is presently underway in its rehabilitation since …

Age Validation And Reproductive Biology Of Bluefish, Pomatomus Saltatrix, Along The East Coast Of United States, Eric Robillard

OES Theses and Dissertations

I describe a new preparation technique that increases readability of otoliths, along with criteria for the interpretation of otolith microstructure of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, collected from Florida to New York during 2001-2003 (n = 2652). I validated annulus formation in otoliths for ages 1 to 8 using marginal increment analysis and thus extended validation by four years to include the preponderance of age classes in the catch. Although otoliths are typically superior for ageing, bluefish are routinely aged with scales; thus a side-by-side comparison of otoliths versus scales is necessary before otoliths can supplant scales. When compared, precision …

Distribution Of Foraging Shearwaters Relative To Inner Front Of Se Bering Sea, J. Jahncke, K. O. Coyle, Stephan I. Zeeman, N. B. Kachel, G. L. Hunt Jr.

Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

We examined the hypothesis that short-tailed shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris aggregate to forage at the inner front of the SE Bering Sea because of enhanced production there. We tested this hypothesis by comparing primary production, the distribution of euphausiids and the distribution of shearwaters relative to the front during late spring and late summer/early fall of 1997, 1998 and 1999. We found enhanced primary production at the front and offshore of the front during summer but not during spring. Primary production varied between seasons and years. Major differences were related to anomalous conditions in 1997 and 1998. The density of euphausiids …

Detecting Submarine Groundwater Discharge With Synoptic Surveys Of Sediment Resistivity, Radium, And Salinity, John A. Breier, Crystaline F. Breier, Henrietta Edmonds

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

A synoptic geophysical and geochemical survey was used to investigate the occurrence and spatial distribution of submarine discharges of water to upper Nueces Bay, Texas. The 17 km survey incorporated continuous resistivity profiling; measurements of surface water salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen; and point measurements of dissolved Ra isotopes. The survey revealed areas of interleaving, vertical fingers of high and low conductivity extending up through 7 m of bay bottom sediments into the surface water, located within 100 m of surface salinity and dissolved Ra maxima along with peaks in water temperature and lows in dissolved oxygen. These results indicate …

Estimation Of Iron Solubility From Observations And A Global Aerosol Model, Chao Luo, N. M. Mahowald, N. Meskhidze, Y. Chen, R. L. Siefert, A. R. Baker, Anne M. Johansen

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Mineral aerosol deposition is the dominant source of iron to the open ocean. Soil iron is typically insoluble and understanding the atmospheric processes that convert insoluble iron to the more soluble forms observed over the oceans is crucial. In this paper, we model several proposed processes for the conversion of Fe(III) to Fe(II), and compare with cruise observations. The comparisons show that the model results in similar averaged magnitudes of iron solubility as measured during 8 cruises in 2001–2003. Comparisons show that results of cases including cloud, SO₂ and hematite processing are better than the other approaches used using …