Marine Biology Commons^™

The Late Quaternary Rio Grande Delta—A Distinctive, Underappreciated Geologic System, Thomas E. Ewing, Juan L. Gonzalez

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The delta of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo in southernmost Texas and northern Tamaulipas is one of the major deltas of North America. Over 600,000 people live on the Holocene delta and river plain, and a million more on its Pleistocene ancestors, yet geo-logic knowledge is limited. Combining available geologic information with global satellite photography gives a balanced view of an important delta. The Holocene delta begins at a point west of San Benito, Texas, forming a classic eastward-opening delta. Over half of the delta lies south of the present Rio Grande drainage. The delta passes westward into a floodplain that …

Multiple Sensory Modalities Used By Squid In Successful Predator Evasion Throughout Ontogeny, Carly A. York, Ian K. Bartol, Paul S. Kruger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Squid rely on multiple sensory systems for predator detection. In this study we examine the role of two sensory systems, the lateral line analogue and vision, in successful predator evasion throughout ontogeny. Squid Doryteuthis pealeii and Lolliguncula brevis were recorded using high-speed videography in the presence of natural predators under light and dark conditions with their lateral line analogue intact or ablated via a pharmacological technique. Paralarval squid showed reduced escape responses when ablated; however, no differences were found between light and dark conditions in non-ablated paralarvae, as was previously shown in juveniles and adults, indicating that the lateral line …

Long-Term Site Fidelity Of Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis Pectinata) From Different Mothers, Gregg R. Poulakis, Philip W. Stevens, Amy A. Timmers, Christopher J. Stafford, Demian D.F. Chapman, Kevin Andrew Feldheim, Michelle Ra Nae Heupel, Caitlin Curtis

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Understanding how endangered species use nursery habitats is vital for recovery planning. Research on the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) has shown that areas of estuarine nurseries, called hotspots, are used consistently. The objectives of our study were 1) to determine whether 10 young-of-the-year smalltooth sawfish in an artificial, non-main-stem portion (i.e., a seawall canal system) of a hotspot were descended from one or different mothers and 2) to document long-term habitat use by these individuals. At least 4 mothers contributed to the group, which comprised siblings, half-siblings, and unrelated individuals. Young sawfish exhibited site fidelity to their capture location, spending …

Characterization, Development And Multiplexing Of Microsatellite Markers In Three Commercially Exploited Reef Fish And Their Application For Stock Identification, Laura Taillebois, Christine Dudgeon, Safia Maher, David Crook, Thor Saunders, Diane P. Barton, Jonathan A. Taylor, David J. Welch, Stephen J. Newman, Michael J. Travers, Richard J. Saunders, Jennifer Ovenden

Fisheries Research Articles

Thirty-four microsatellite loci were isolated from three reef fish species; golden snapper Lutjanus johnii, blackspotted croaker Protonibea diacanthus and grass emperor Lethrinus laticaudis using a next generation sequencing approach. Both IonTorrent single reads and Illumina MiSeq paired-end reads were used, with the latter demonstrating a higher quality of reads than the IonTorrent. From the 1–1.5 million raw reads per species, we successfully obtained 10–13 polymorphic loci for each species, which satisfied stringent design criteria. We developed multiplex panels for the amplification of the golden snapper and the blackspotted croaker loci, as well as post-amplification pooling panels for the grass …

Insulin-Like Growth Factor Pathway Described In Austrofundulus Limnaeus Diapause And Escape Embryos, Steven Cody Woll

Dissertations and Theses

Development in the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus can follow two distinct developmental trajectories. Typical development includes the entrance of embryos into a state of metabolic and developmental arrest termed diapause. Alternately, embryos can escape diapause and develop directly without pause. These two trajectories are characterized by differences in the rate and timing of developmental, morphological, and physiological traits. Insulin and Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling (IIS) is known to regulate entrance into diapause in a variety of invertebrates. In this thesis I explore the possible role of IGFs in the regulation of development and diapause in embryos of A. limnaeus …

Settlement Of Larval Spotted Sand Bass (Paralabrax Maculatofasciatus) Within Mission Bay, San Diego Ca In Relation To Environmental Conditions, Anthony J. Basilio

Theses

Monitoring the number of larvae that have recently settled and how this varies in relation to environmental conditions provides insight into future population strength, which is a fundamental goal of marine ecology as well as fisheries management. This research focused on characterizing the settlement patterns of spotted sand bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus), a recreationally important species that utilizes bays and estuaries as nursery habitat. To quantify P. maculatofasciatus settlement patterns, three larval collectors were installed near the mouth of Mission Bay, San Diego CA, and retrieved weekly from June – October of 2012 – 2015. Larvae were counted, and …

Zooplankton Biomass On The West Florida Shelf, July 2010 – August 2014, Kendra L. Daly

C-IMAGE data

Zooplankton have high temporal and spatial variability. Therefore, they need to be assessed before oil impact and regularly thereafter, to interpret what changes are causally related to oil spills. We surveyed plankton using bongo net tows and the USF SIPPER imaging system to evaluate the variation in plankton abundance on the west Florida shelf and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Seasonal CTD, chlorophyll, nutrient, and zooplankton abundance data from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and the west Florida shelf. Developed new algorithms for data mining SIPPER (Shadow Imaging Particle Profiler and Evaluation Recorder) camera particle imaging data.

Pah Analysis: Bile Pah Metabolite Concentrations In Longline Captured Fish, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, 2011, Steven Murawski

C-IMAGE data

The data contained in this spreadsheet represent bile PAH metabilote determinations from selected species collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGM) during longline sampling. The data were analyzed at the Nortwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), using methods described in “Murawski et al. 2014. Prevalence of skin lesions and PAH concentrations in Gulf of Mexico Fishes, Post-Deepwater Horizon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (DOI:10.1080/00028487.2014.911205)”.

Pah Analysis: Muscle And Liver Pah Concentrations In Longline Captured Fish, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, 2011-2013, Steven Murawski

C-IMAGE data

The data contained in the two spreadsheets in this dataset represent biliary PAH metabolite concentrations from selected species collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) during longline sampling. The 2011 data were analyzed at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC). All data from 2012 on were analyzed at Mote Marine Laboratory (MML). Sample collection and methods are described in Snyder et al. 2015, PAH-exposure in Gulf of Mexico Demersal Fishes, Post-Deepwater Horizon. Environmental Science and Technology, DOI 10.1021/acs.est.5b01870.

Ctd And Other Environmental Data For The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico And West Florida Shelf: June 2012 – August 2014, Kendra L. Daly

C-IMAGE data

This dataset contains seasonal and interannual CTD data collected from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and the west Florida shelf. The contents of the dataset are an assessment of the seasonal and interannual changes in distributions of temperature, salinity, density, oxygen, chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence, turbidity, and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Discrete Chlorophyll Data For The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico And West Florida Shelf: June 2012 – August 2014, Kendra L. Daly

C-IMAGE data

This dataset contains seasonal and interannual discrete chlorophyll data collected from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and the west Florida shelf. The contents of the dataset are an assessment of the seasonal and interannual changes in distributions of chlorophyll after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Lesion Data From Fish Collected Off Terrebonne Bay, La To The Dry Tortugas, Fl, 2011-2014, Steven Murawski

C-IMAGE data

This data set represents collections taken by demersal longline fishing gears in the northern Gulf of Mexico and West Florida Shelf. They include station location information, standardized fish catch data (numbers, weights, sex, length), PAH contamination levels determined from sub-samples, and photographs of fishes with unusual external skin conditions that were observed in longline cruises undertaken between 2011 and 2014. The 2012-2014 data were collected during GoMRI/C-IMAGE sponsored cruises. Data from 2011 are included because they are the subject of two papers published with data from them: Murawski, S.A., W. T. Hogarth, E.B. Peebles, L. Barbieri. 2014. Prevalence of External …

Pah Analysis: Red Snapper Bile Pah Metabolite Concentrations, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, 2012, Steven Murawski

C-IMAGE data

The data contained in this spreadsheet represent bile PAH metabilote determinations from selected species collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGM) during longline sampling. The data were analyzed at the Nortwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), using methods described in “Murawski et al. 2014. Prevalence of skin lesions and PAH concentrations in Gulf of Mexico Fishes, Post-Deepwater Horizon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (DOI:10.1080/00028487.2014.911205)”.

Toxicity And Mutagenicity Of The Gulf Of Mexico Waters During And After The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, July 2010 To August 2012, Jonelle Basso

C-IMAGE data

The dataset is representative of 13 research cruises spanning from July 2010 to August 2012. Five cruises set to observe the West Florida shelf, while eight cruises were employed to assess the impact of the BP Oil spill on impacted North Florida shelf sites. West Florida Shelf samples sites (10 sampling sites total) comprised of Southern Transect (ST) line (stations ST03, ST06, ST12, ST18 and ST24), and the Northern Transect (NT) (stations NT31, NT25, NT19, NT13, and NT07). NE Gulf of Mexico sites included 16 sampling sites; DHS01, DSH07-10, Deepwater Horizon (DWH) station, FT1, PCB01-06, PCB11-12, and PCB14. Also included …

Improving Spatial Prioritisation For Remote Marine Regions: Optimising Biodiversity Conservation And Sustainable Development Trade-Offs, Cordelai H. Moore, Ben T. Radford, Hugh P. Possingham, Andrew Heyward, Romola R. Stewart, Matthew E. Watts, Jim Prescott, Stephen J. Newman, Euan S. Harvey, Rebecca Fisher, Clay W. Bryce, Ryan J. Lowe, Oliver Berry, Alexis Espinosa- Gayosso, Errol Sporer, Thor Saunders

Fisheries Research Articles

Creating large conservation zones in remote areas, with less intense stakeholder overlap and limited environmental information, requires periodic review to ensure zonation mitigates primary threats and fill gaps in representation, while achieving conservation targets. Follow-up reviews can utilise improved methods and data, potentially identifying new planning options yielding a desirable balance between stakeholder interests. This research explored a marine zoning system in north-west Australia–a biodiverse area with poorly documented biota. Although remote, it is economically significant (i.e. petroleum extraction and fishing). Stakeholder engagement was used to source the best available biodiversity and socio-economic data and advanced spatial analyses produced 765 …

Eelgrass Distribution In The Great Bay Estuary For 2014, Frederick T. Short

PREP Reports & Publications

See also: "Eelgrass/Macroalgae Discussion Primer for TAC Activities 2016-2017" http://scholars.unh.edu/prep/355

Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) is an essential habitat for the Great Bay Estuary (GBE) because it is the basis of an estuarine food web that supports many of the recreationally, commercially and ecologically important species in the estuary and beyond. Eelgrass provides food for ducks, geese and swans, as well as food, nursery habitat, and shelter for juvenile fish and shellfish. Eelgrass filters estuarine waters and improves water clarity, removing both nutrients and suspended sediments from the water column; its roots and rhizomes bind and hold sediments in place, thereby …

How Did The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Impact Deep-Sea Ecosystems?, Charles R. Fisher, Paul A. Montagna, Tracey T. Sutton

C-IMAGE Publications

Approximately 90% of the volume of the Gulf of Mexico is contained in water deeper than 200 m, a region where the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout had more impact on ecosystems than any previous oil spill. The remoteness and relative inaccessibility of the deep sea makes documenting even acute impacts to the animals that live in this realm difficult. This article reviews Natural Resource Damage Assessment studies and follow-up work funded as part of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative that targeted deepwater pelagic and benthic fauna. Oil was incorporated into the pelagic food web, and a reduction in planktonic …

Responses Of Microbial Communities To Hydrocarbon Exposures, Samantha B. Joye, Sara Kleindienst, Jack A. Gilbert, Kim M. Handley, Pamela Weisenhorn, Will A. Overholt, Joel E. Kostka

C-IMAGE Publications

The responses of microbial communities to hydrocarbon exposures are complex and variable, driven to a large extent by the nature of hydrocarbon infusion, local environmental conditions, and factors that regulate microbial physiology (e.g., substrate and nutrient availability). Although present at low abundance in the ocean, hydrocarbon-degrading seed populations are widely distributed, and they respond rapidly to hydrocarbon inputs at natural and anthropogenic sources. Microbiomes from environments impacted by hydrocarbon discharge may appear similar at a higher taxonomic rank (e.g., genus level) but diverge at increasing phylogenetic resolution (e.g., sub-OTU [operational taxonomic unit] levels). Such subtle changes are detectable by computational …

Sediment Core Extrusion Method At Millimeter Resolution Using A Calibrated, Threaded-Rod, Patrick Schwing, Isabel C. Romero, Rebekka A Larson, Bryan J. O'Malley, Erika E Fridrik, Ethan Goddard, Gregg R Brooks, David Hastings, Brad Rosenheim, David Hollander, Guy Grant, Jim Mulhollan

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Aquatic sediment core subsampling is commonly performed at cm or half-cm resolution. Depending on the sedimentation rate and depositional environment, this resolution provides records at the annual to decadal scale, at best. An extrusion method, using a calibrated, threaded-rod is presented here, which allows for millimeter-scale subsampling of aquatic sediment cores of varying diameters. Millimeter scale subsampling allows for sub-annual to monthly analysis of the sedimentary record, an order of magnitude higher than typical sampling schemes. The extruder consists of a 2 m aluminum frame and base, two core tube clamps, a threaded-rod, and a 1 m piston. The sediment …

Low Florida Coral Calcification Rates In The Plio-Pleistocene, Thomas C. Brachert, Markus Reuter, Stefan Kruger, James S. Klaus, Kevin P. Helmle, Janice M. Lough

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

In geological outcrops and drill cores from reef frameworks, the skeletons of scleractinian corals are usually leached and more or less completely transformed into sparry calcite because the highly porous skeletons formed of metastable aragonite (CaCO3) undergo rapid diagenetic alteration. Upon alteration, ghost structures of the distinct annual growth bands often allow for reconstructions of annual extension ( =  growth) rates, but information on skeletal density needed for reconstructions of calcification rates is invariably lost. This report presents the bulk density, extension rates and calcification rates of fossil reef corals which underwent minor diagenetic alteration only. The corals derive from …

Unprecedented Disease-Related Coral Mortality In Southeastern Florida, William F. Precht, Brooke Erin Gintert, Martha L. Robbart, Ryan Fura, Robert Van Woesik

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Anomalously high water temperatures, associated with climate change, are increasing the global prevalence of coral bleaching, coral diseases, and coral-mortality events. Coral bleaching and disease outbreaks are often inter-related phenomena, since many coral diseases are a consequence of opportunistic pathogens that further compromise thermally stressed colonies. Yet, most coral diseases have low prevalence (<5%), and are not considered contagious. By contrast, we document the impact of an extremely high-prevalence outbreak (61%) of white-plague disease at 14 sites off southeastern Florida. White-plague disease was observed near Virginia Key, Florida, in September 2014, and after 12 months had spread 100 km north and 30 km south. The disease outbreak directly followed a high temperature coral-bleaching event and affected at least 13 coral species. Eusmilia fastigiata, Meandrina meandrites, and Dichocoenia stokesi were the most heavily impacted coral species, and were reduced to <3% of their initial population densities. A number of other coral species, including Colpophyllia natans, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Diploria labyrinthiformis, and Orbicella annularis were reduced to <25% of their initial densities. The high prevalence of disease, the number of susceptible species, and the high mortality of corals affected suggests this disease outbreak is arguably one of the most lethal ever recorded on a contemporary coral reef.

Fish Communities Associated With Cold-Water Corals Vary With Depth And Substratum Type, Rosanna Milligan, Gemma Spence, J. Murray Roberts, David M. Bailey

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Understanding the processes that drive the distribution patterns of organisms and the scales over which these processes operate are vital when considering the effective management of species with high commercial or conservation value. In the deep sea, the importance of scleractinian cold-water corals (CWCs) to fish has been the focus of several studies but their role remains unclear. We propose this may be due to the confounding effects of multiple drivers operating over multiple spatial scales. The aims of this study were to investigate the role of CWCs in shaping fish community structure and individual species-habitat associations across four spatial …

How Do Oil, Gas, And Water Interact Near A Subsea Blowout?, Scott A. Socolofsky, E. Eric Adams, Claire B. Paris-Limouzy, Di Yang

C-IMAGE Publications

Oil and gas from a subsea blowout shatter into droplets and bubbles that rise through the water column, entraining ambient seawater and forming a plume. Local density stratification and currents eventually arrest this rising plume, and the entrained water, enriched with dissolved hydrocarbons and some of the smaller oil droplets, forms one or more subsurface intrusion layers. Beyond the plume and intrusion layer(s), droplets and bubbles advect and diffuse by local currents and dissolve and biodegrade as they rise to the surface, where they are transported by wind and waves. These processes occur over a wide range of length scales …

Methods Of Oil Detection In Response To The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Helen K. White, Robyn N. Conmy, Ian R. Macdonald, Christopher M. Reddy

C-IMAGE Publications

Detecting oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill presented unique challenges due to the spatial and temporal extent of the spill and the subsequent dilution of oil in the environment. Over time, physical, chemical, and biological processes altered the composition of the oil, further complicating its detection. Reservoir fluid, containing gas and oil, released from the Macondo well was detected in surface and subsurface environments. Oil monitoring during and after the spill required a variety of technologies, including nimble adaptation of techniques developed for non-oil-related applications. The oil detection technologies employed varied in sensitivity, …

Chemical Composition Of Macondo And Other Crude Oils And Compositional Alterations During Oil Spills, Edward B. Overton, Terry L. Wade, Jagoš R. Radović, Buffy M. Meyer, M. Scott Miles, Stephen R. Larter

C-IMAGE Publications

Crude oils are some of the most complex and diverse organic mixtures found in nature. They contain thousands of different compounds belonging to several compound classes, with the main ones being hydrocarbons and their heteroatom (N, S, and O)-containing analogs, called non-hydrocarbons. In general, all crude oils contain the same types of chemical structures, but these compounds can be in highly variable proportions in crude oils drawn from different reservoir conditions and locations. Both the types of compounds and their respective quantities change rapidly once the crude oil is spilled into the environment, making the circumstances associated with every spill …

Weathering Of Oil Spilled In The Marine Environment, Matthew A. Tarr, Phoebe Zito, Edward B. Overton, Gregory M. Olson, Puspa L. Adhikari, Christopher M. Reddy

C-IMAGE Publications

Crude oil is a complex mixture of many thousands of mostly hydrocarbon and nitrogen-, sulfur-, and oxygen-containing compounds with molecular weights ranging from below 70 Da to well over 2,000 Da. When this complex mixture enters the environment from spills, ruptures, blowouts, or seeps, it undergoes a continuous series of compositional changes that result from a process known as weathering. Spills of petroleum involving human activity generally result in more rapid input of crude oil or refined products (diesel, gasoline, heavy fuel oil, and diluted bitumens) to the marine system than do natural processes and urban runoffs. The primary physicochemical …

Guideline For Stakeholder Engagement On Aquatic Resource Management-Related Processes, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Community Structure And Production Of The Macrobenthos On Four Artificial Reefs In The Mississippi Sound In Relation To Substrate And Profile Type, Patrick Daniel Gillam

Master's Theses

In recent years, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has made a concerted effort to enhance its coastal fishery resources by creating artificial reefs. Through this effort, 73 nearshore reefs have been created across the MS coast. Different substrate types used to construct MS artificial reefs include oyster shell and cement rubble. Two types of reef architecture used include high profile breakwater and low profile submerged structures. This study compared the benthic biota associated with oyster shell and cement rubble substrates among four artificial reefs representing high and low profile structures in summer 2011. Colonized benthic biota were quantified …

Growth And Reproduction Of Southern Flounder (Paralichthys Lethostigma) In The North-Central Gulf Of Mexico, Morgan Marie Corey

Master's Theses

Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma is the most commonly harvested flatfish in the north-central Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and supports a major inshore recreational fishery, yet knowledge of the species’ life history is greatly limited. The objective of this research was to describe the growth and reproduction of Southern Flounder in the Mississippi stock. Fish were collected during September 2014 to March 2016 using primarily recreational fishing techniques. Otoliths (n = 313) were sectioned to estimate age, and multiple length-at-age models were fit to total length (TL, mm) and age estimate (y) data. Gonadal tissue samples (n = 221) …

The Effect Of Auditory Stimulation On Sleep Disruption In West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris), Natalija Lace

Dissertations

Florida manatees inhabit waterways where motorized boats are common. Although manatee mortalities resulting from boat strikes are well documented, the effect of boat noise on some manatee behaviors, including rest, has not been investigated. This study focuses on rest behavior and used a playback experiment with four manatees at the Lowry Park Zoo in Florida. We tested their responses to playback stimuli of either boat noise, silence, or manatee calls. A playback trial was initiated when the focal animal showed behavioral characteristics of rest.

Results showed that rest was interrupted in response to the playback of boat noise for each …