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Articles 3421 - 3450 of 7415

Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

Calice Distribution, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Calice Distribution, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Branching Dichotomous (Forking) Or Irregular Only, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Branching Dichotomous (Forking) Or Irregular Only, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Plumose/Pinnate/Fan Colony Branches Only (Pinnules), Charles Messing Jan 2016

Plumose/Pinnate/Fan Colony Branches Only (Pinnules), Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Elasmobranchii: A Survey Study On The Impact Of Our Everyday Choices In Marine Environments, Zoe Davis Jan 2016

Elasmobranchii: A Survey Study On The Impact Of Our Everyday Choices In Marine Environments, Zoe Davis

Biology Honors Papers

Oceans cover two‐thirds of our total planet surface area, ignoring the significance of depth, and even so, humans affect and change the ocean daily. This change is not often intentional or conscious, but rather is usually indirect. The hypothesis that humans do not consider how their actions affect the ocean unless they are educated on the subject matter and/or live within 25 miles of a coastline was examined through two survey studies. The purpose was to observe actions that affected the ocean and see if there were any trends with participants knowing which actions were positive for the ocean or …


Zootaxa: Guide To The Parasites Of Fishes Of Canada Part V: Nematoda, Hisao P. Arai, John W. Smith Jan 2016

Zootaxa: Guide To The Parasites Of Fishes Of Canada Part V: Nematoda, Hisao P. Arai, John W. Smith

Biology Faculty Publications

Keys are provided for the identification of the nematode species known to be parasites of Canadian fishes. The nematodes are described and illustrated, with a note of the site(s) they occupy in named fish host(s) and their geographical distribution. Parasite records are given by author and date, full details of which can be found in a bibliography of over 800 references. Diagnoses and keys for 22 Families, 47 genera and 88 species of nematodes are also given, together with a glossary of terms, a host-parasite list, and indices to both nematode parasites and hosts


Marine Ecoregion And Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Affect Recruitment And Population Structure Of A Salt Marsh Snail, Steven C. Pennings, Scott Zengel, Jacob Oehrig, Merryl Alber, T. Dale Bishop, Donald R. Deis, Donna Devlin, A. Randall Hughes, John J. Hutchens, Jr., Whitney M. Kiehn, Caroline R. Mcfarlin, Clay L. Montague, Sean P. Powers, C. Edward Proffitt, Nicholle Rutherford, Camille L. Stagg, Keith Walters Jan 2016

Marine Ecoregion And Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Affect Recruitment And Population Structure Of A Salt Marsh Snail, Steven C. Pennings, Scott Zengel, Jacob Oehrig, Merryl Alber, T. Dale Bishop, Donald R. Deis, Donna Devlin, A. Randall Hughes, John J. Hutchens, Jr., Whitney M. Kiehn, Caroline R. Mcfarlin, Clay L. Montague, Sean P. Powers, C. Edward Proffitt, Nicholle Rutherford, Camille L. Stagg, Keith Walters

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Marine species with planktonic larvae often have high spatial and temporal variation in recruitment that leads to subsequent variation in the ecology of benthic adults. Using a combination of published and unpublished data, we compared the population structure of the salt marsh snail, Littoraria irrorata, between the South Atlantic Bight and the Gulf Coast of the United States to infer geographic differences in recruitment and to test the hypothesis that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to widespread recruitment failure of L. irrorata in Louisiana in 2010. Size-frequency distributions in both ecoregions were bimodal, with troughs in the distributions consistent …


The High Cost Of Reproduction In Sea Otters Necessitates Unique Physiological Adaptations, Nicole Thometz, T. L. Kendall, B. P. Richter, T. M. Williams Jan 2016

The High Cost Of Reproduction In Sea Otters Necessitates Unique Physiological Adaptations, Nicole Thometz, T. L. Kendall, B. P. Richter, T. M. Williams

Biology Faculty Publications

Resting Superimposed on inherently high basal metabolic demands, the additional energetic requirements of reproduction can push female sea otters beyond physiological limits. Indeed, the resulting energy imbalance contributes to disproportionately high rates of mortality at the end of lactation in this species. To examine and quantify metabolic changes associated with reproduction, we measured the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of a female sea otter across gestation, lactation and non-reproductive periods. Concurrently, measurements were made on a non-breeding control female. Our results suggest that RMR declines during gestation. Conversely, RMR increases during lactation, reaches a peak at 3–4 months postpartum, and remains …


Long-Term, High Frequency In Situ Measurements Of Intertidal Mussel Bed Temperatures Using Biomimetic Sensors, Brian Helmuth, Francis Choi, Allison Matzelle, Jessica Torossian, Scott Morello, K.A.S. Mislan, Lauren Yamane, Denise Strickland, P. Szathmary, Sarah Gilman, Alyson Tockstein, Thomas Hilbish, Michael Burrows, Anne Marie Power, Elizabeth Gosling, Nova Mieszkowska, Christopher Harley, Michael Nishizaki, Emily Carrington, Bruce Menge, Laura Petes, Melissa Foley, Angela Johnson, Megan Poole, Mae Noble, Erin Richmond, Matt Robart, Jonathan Robinson, Jerod Sapp, Jackie Sones, Bernardo Broitman, Mark Denny, Katharine Mach, Luke P. Miller, Michael O'Donnell, Philip Ross, Gretchen Hofmann, Mackenzie Zippay, Carol Blanchette, J. Macfarlan, Eugenio Carpizo-Ituarte, Benjamin Ruttenberg, Carlos Peña Mejía, Christopher Mcquaid, Justin Lathlean, Cristián Monaco, Katy Nicastro, Gerardo Zardi Jan 2016

Long-Term, High Frequency In Situ Measurements Of Intertidal Mussel Bed Temperatures Using Biomimetic Sensors, Brian Helmuth, Francis Choi, Allison Matzelle, Jessica Torossian, Scott Morello, K.A.S. Mislan, Lauren Yamane, Denise Strickland, P. Szathmary, Sarah Gilman, Alyson Tockstein, Thomas Hilbish, Michael Burrows, Anne Marie Power, Elizabeth Gosling, Nova Mieszkowska, Christopher Harley, Michael Nishizaki, Emily Carrington, Bruce Menge, Laura Petes, Melissa Foley, Angela Johnson, Megan Poole, Mae Noble, Erin Richmond, Matt Robart, Jonathan Robinson, Jerod Sapp, Jackie Sones, Bernardo Broitman, Mark Denny, Katharine Mach, Luke P. Miller, Michael O'Donnell, Philip Ross, Gretchen Hofmann, Mackenzie Zippay, Carol Blanchette, J. Macfarlan, Eugenio Carpizo-Ituarte, Benjamin Ruttenberg, Carlos Peña Mejía, Christopher Mcquaid, Justin Lathlean, Cristián Monaco, Katy Nicastro, Gerardo Zardi

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

At a proximal level, the physiological impacts of global climate change on ectothermic organisms are manifest as changes in body temperatures. Especially for plants and animals exposed to direct solar radiation, body temperatures can be substantially different from air temperatures. We deployed biomimetic sensors that approximate the thermal characteristics of intertidal mussels at 71 sites worldwide, from 1998-present. Loggers recorded temperatures at 10–30 min intervals nearly continuously at multiple intertidal elevations. Comparisons against direct measurements of mussel tissue temperature indicated errors of ~2.0–2.5 °C, during daily fluctuations that often exceeded 15°–20 °C. Geographic patterns in thermal stress based on biomimetic …


Exposing Artemia Salina To Chattonella Subsalsa: A General Toxicity Test, Nicholas Picha Jan 2016

Exposing Artemia Salina To Chattonella Subsalsa: A General Toxicity Test, Nicholas Picha

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

The raphidophyte Chattonella subsalsa has been reported to cause harmful algal blooms in every major ocean. In South Carolina, C. subsalsa blooms have been observed in brackish stormwater detention ponds as well as estuarine waters neighboring urbanized areas. Blooms frequently cause fish kills although the fish kill mechanism of C. subsalsa is currently unknown. In many harmful species, the lethality of algal cells is thought to correspond with algal growth phase. Algal growth is known to progress through five distinct phases; lag, early exponential, late exponential, stationary, and decline. In nature, harmful algal blooms commonly occur in the late exponential …


Vision And Bioluminescence In The Deep-Sea Benthos, Tamara M. Frank, Sonke Johnsen, Heather D. Bracken-Grissom, Charles Messing, Edith A. Widder Jan 2016

Vision And Bioluminescence In The Deep-Sea Benthos, Tamara M. Frank, Sonke Johnsen, Heather D. Bracken-Grissom, Charles Messing, Edith A. Widder

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

During a NOAA-OER funded research cruise, novel collecting techniques were used to collect live, deep-sea benthic animals for studies of bioluminescence and vision. True color images and emission spectra of bioluminescence were obtained from a number of species, including the spiral octocoral Iridogorgia sp., the sea fan Chrysogorgia sp., the sea pen Umbellula sp., and the caridean shrimp Heterocarpusoryx. Electrophysiological studies were conducted on 3 species of decapod crustaceans collected with methods that limited light damage to their photoreceptors. The caridean shrimp, Bathypalaemonella, collected from 1920m, was always found in association with the bioluminescent spiral octocoral Iridogorgia. While …


Axis, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Axis, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Colony Form, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Colony Form, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Branch Tips, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Branch Tips, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Aperture Shape, Charles Messing Jan 2016

Aperture Shape, Charles Messing

Character and Character State Guides

No abstract provided.


Determining Factors That Influence Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina Alterniflora Loisel) Transplant Success In Community-Based Living Shoreline Projects, Steven A. Carrion Jan 2016

Determining Factors That Influence Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina Alterniflora Loisel) Transplant Success In Community-Based Living Shoreline Projects, Steven A. Carrion

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Efforts to mitigate shoreline erosion through living shoreline methods along the USA Atlantic seaboard have often incorporated the cultivation and transplantation of smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora. Assessments of these transplants at several sites in the Indian River Lagoon have shown that survival is variable after a year (survival: 10-93%). Lower survival has been attributed to environmental variables such as dislodgement by wave energy, and transplant shock due to salinity changes from cultivation to estuarine conditions. To improve living shoreline projects, we examined the effects of cultivation salinity (0 ppt, 15ppt) on transplantation success, and the success of anchoring plants …


A Novel Approach Reveals High Zooplankton Standing Stock Deep In The Sea, Alexander Vereshchaka, Galina Abyzova, Anastasia Lunina, Eteri Musaeva, Tracey Sutton Jan 2016

A Novel Approach Reveals High Zooplankton Standing Stock Deep In The Sea, Alexander Vereshchaka, Galina Abyzova, Anastasia Lunina, Eteri Musaeva, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

In a changing ocean there is a critical need to understand global biogeochemical cycling, particularly regarding carbon. We have made strides in understanding upper ocean dynamics, but the deep ocean interior (> 1000 m) is still largely unknown, despite representing the overwhelming majority of Earth's biosphere. Here we present a method for estimating deep-pelagic zooplankton biomass on an ocean-basin scale. We have made several new discoveries about the Atlantic, which likely apply to the world ocean. First, multivariate analysis showed that depth and Chl were the basic factors affecting the wet biomass of the main plankton groups. Wet biomass of …


Sex On The Reef: Observations Of Coral Spawning In Dry Tortugas National Park, Karen L. Neely, Tracy A. Ziegler Jan 2016

Sex On The Reef: Observations Of Coral Spawning In Dry Tortugas National Park, Karen L. Neely, Tracy A. Ziegler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

In Florida’s remote Dry Tortugas National Park, coral reefs are an important management priority. Reproduction of coral species is difficult to monitor, however, and the reproductive potential of coral colonies at the park has been a matter of concern for several years. Two threatened species, elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus), were targeted for observation during their predicted annual spawning event in August 2014. Over a three-night period, both species were observed releasing gametes in near synchrony with observations at other sites in the Florida Keys. That these organisms are capable of being …


Model Suggests Potential For Porites Coral Population Recovery After Removal Of Anthropogenic Disturbance (Luhuitou, Hainan, South China Sea), Meixia Zhao, Bernhard Riegl, Kefu Yu, Qi Shi, Qiaomin Zhang, Guohui Liu, Hongqiang Yang, Hongquiang Yan Jan 2016

Model Suggests Potential For Porites Coral Population Recovery After Removal Of Anthropogenic Disturbance (Luhuitou, Hainan, South China Sea), Meixia Zhao, Bernhard Riegl, Kefu Yu, Qi Shi, Qiaomin Zhang, Guohui Liu, Hongqiang Yang, Hongquiang Yan

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Population models are important for resource management and can inform about potential trajectories useful for planning purposes, even with incomplete monitoring data. From size frequency data on Luhuitou fringing reef, Hainan, South China Sea, a matrix population model of massive corals (Porites lutea) was developed and trajectories over 100 years under no disturbance and random disturbances were projected. The model reflects a largely open population of Porites lutea, with low local recruitment and preponderance of imported recruitment. Under no further disturbance, the population of Porites lutea will grow and its size structure will change from predominance of …


How The Bending Kinematics Of Swimming Lampreys Build Negative Pressure Fields For Suction Thrust, Brad J. Gemmell, Stephanie M. Fogerson, John H. Costello, Jennifer R. Morgan, John O. Dabiri, Sean P. Colin Jan 2016

How The Bending Kinematics Of Swimming Lampreys Build Negative Pressure Fields For Suction Thrust, Brad J. Gemmell, Stephanie M. Fogerson, John H. Costello, Jennifer R. Morgan, John O. Dabiri, Sean P. Colin

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Swimming animals commonly bend their bodies to generate thrust. For undulating animals such as eels and lampreys, their bodies bend in the form of waves that travel from head to tail. These kinematics accelerate the flow of adjacent fluids, which alters the pressure field in a manner that generates thrust. We used a comparative approach to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationships in this process by quantifying the hydrodynamic effects of body kinematics at the body-fluid interface of the lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, during steady-state swimming. We compared the kinematics and hydrodynamics of healthy control lampreys to lampreys whose spinal cord had been …


Isolation And Characterization Of Microbial Community Associated With Diadumene Lineata, The Orange-Striped Sea Anemone, Tiffany Lin, Andrew Weir Jan 2016

Isolation And Characterization Of Microbial Community Associated With Diadumene Lineata, The Orange-Striped Sea Anemone, Tiffany Lin, Andrew Weir

Student and Faculty Research Days

The orange-striped sea anemone, Diadumene lineata, is a marine invertebrate that can be found in the Northern Hemisphere. Distribution of Diadumene lineata ranges from Japan to the Gulf of Argentina. This invasive anemone originated from the Pacific Coast of Asia and serves as a host for a diverse microbial community including a photosynthetic alga. The epiphytic bacteria adhere to the outer surface as well as to the gastrovascular cavity of the host. The microbial community associated with Diadumene lineata is relatively unknown. This study attempted to isolate and identify bacteria commonly associated with this invasive marine invertebrate. Diadumene lineata was …


Underwater Explosion Energy Dissipation Near Waterborne Infrastructure, Paul R. Smith Jan 2016

Underwater Explosion Energy Dissipation Near Waterborne Infrastructure, Paul R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Underwater explosions pose a significant threat to waterborne infrastructure though destructive pressure waves that can travel significant distances through the water. However, the use of bubble screens can attenuate the peak pressure and energy flux created by explosions to safe levels. This study investigates the prediction of pressure wave characteristics based on accumulated data, the damage potential of underwater explosions based on applied loads and effective material strength, and the bubble screen parameters required to prevent damage. The results were compiled to form a procedure for the design and implementation of a bubble screen the protection of waterborne infrastructure.


Island Building In The South China Sea: Detection Of Turbidity Plumes And Artificial Islands Using Landsat And Modis Data, Brian B. Barnes, Chuanmin Hu Jan 2016

Island Building In The South China Sea: Detection Of Turbidity Plumes And Artificial Islands Using Landsat And Modis Data, Brian B. Barnes, Chuanmin Hu

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The South China Sea is currently in a state of intense geopolitical conflict, with six countries claiming sovereignty over some or all of the area. Recently, several countries have carried out island building projects in the Spratly Islands, converting portions of coral reefs into artificial islands. Aerial photography and high resolution satellites can capture snapshots of this construction, but such data are lacking in temporal resolution and spatial scope. In contrast, lower resolution satellite sensors with regular repeat sampling allow for more rigorous assessment and monitoring of changes to the reefs and surrounding areas. Using Landsat-8 data at ≥15-m resolution, …


Linking Oceanographic Modeling And Benthic Mapping With Habitat Suitability Models For Pink Shrimp On The West Florida Shelf, Peter J. Rubec, Jesse Lewis, David Reed, Christi Santi, Robert H. Weisberg, Lianyuan Zheng, Chris Jenkins, Charles F. Ashbaugh, Curt Lashley, Salvatore Versaggi Jan 2016

Linking Oceanographic Modeling And Benthic Mapping With Habitat Suitability Models For Pink Shrimp On The West Florida Shelf, Peter J. Rubec, Jesse Lewis, David Reed, Christi Santi, Robert H. Weisberg, Lianyuan Zheng, Chris Jenkins, Charles F. Ashbaugh, Curt Lashley, Salvatore Versaggi

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Research was undertaken to model and map the spatial distributions and abundances of pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus duorarum on the West Florida Shelf (WFS) using habitat suitability modeling (HSM). Data loggers and electronic logbook systems on three shrimp boats were used to gather catch and effort data along with bottom temperature, salinity, and depth data at the fishing locations. Vessel monitoring system (VMS) data supplied by the fishing company helped delineate areas with high fishing activity. For the vessels participating in this study, significantly higher mean catch per unit effort (CPUE) of pink shrimp was realized on the WFS during June–September …


Recent Change - North Sea, Thomas Wahl Jan 2016

Recent Change - North Sea, Thomas Wahl

Marine Science Faculty Publications

This chapter discusses past and ongoing change in the following physical variables within the North Sea: temperature, salinity and stratification; currents and circulation; mean sea level; and extreme sea levels. Also considered are carbon dioxide; pH and nutrients; oxygen; suspended particulate matter and turbidity; coastal erosion, sedimentation and morphology; and sea ice. The distinctive character of the Wadden Sea is addressed, with a particular focus on nutrients and sediments. This chapter covers the past 200 years and focuses on the historical development of evidence (measurements, process understanding and models), the form, duration and accuracy of the evidence available, and what …


Refinement Of The Critical Angle Calculation For The Contrast Reversal Of Oil Slicks Under Sunglint, Yingcheng Lu, Shaojie Sun, Minwei Zhang, Brock Murch, Chuanmin Hu Jan 2016

Refinement Of The Critical Angle Calculation For The Contrast Reversal Of Oil Slicks Under Sunglint, Yingcheng Lu, Shaojie Sun, Minwei Zhang, Brock Murch, Chuanmin Hu

C-IMAGE Publications

It has long been observed that oil slicks under sunglint can reverse their optical contrast against nearby oil‐free seawater. Such a phenomenon has been described through both empirical statistical analysis of the sunglint strength and modeled theoretically using a critical angle concept. The critical angle, in this model, is the angle at which the image pixels show no or negligible contrast between oiled and nonoiled seawater. Pixels away from this critical angle show either positive or negative contrast from the oil‐free pixels. Although this concept has been fully demonstrated in the published literature, its calculation needs to be further refined …


Gulf Of Mexico Low-Frequency Ocean Soundscape Impacted By Airguns, Sean M. Wiggins, Jesse M. Hall, Bruce J. Thayre, John A. Hildebrand Jan 2016

Gulf Of Mexico Low-Frequency Ocean Soundscape Impacted By Airguns, Sean M. Wiggins, Jesse M. Hall, Bruce J. Thayre, John A. Hildebrand

C-IMAGE Publications

The ocean soundscape of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) has not been well-studied, although it is an important habitat for marine mammals, including sperm and beaked whales, many dolphin species, and a potentially endangered baleen whale species. The GOM is also home to high levels of hydrocarbon exploration and extraction, heavily used commercial shipping ports, and significant fishery industry activity, all of which are known contributors to oceanic noise. From 2010–2013, the soundscape of three deep and two shallow water sites in the GOM were monitored over 10 – 1000 Hz. Average sound pressure spectrum levels were high, > 90 dB …


How Did The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Impact Deep-Sea Ecosystems?, Charles R. Fisher, Paul A. Montagna, Tracey Sutton Jan 2016

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


Recent Increases In Arctic Freshwater Flux Affects Labrador Sea Convection And Atlantic Overturning Circulation, Qian Yang, Tim Dixon, Paul G. Myers, Jennifer Bonin, Don Chambers, M.R. Van Den Broeke, Mads H. Ribergaard, John Mortensen Jan 2016

Recent Increases In Arctic Freshwater Flux Affects Labrador Sea Convection And Atlantic Overturning Circulation, Qian Yang, Tim Dixon, Paul G. Myers, Jennifer Bonin, Don Chambers, M.R. Van Den Broeke, Mads H. Ribergaard, John Mortensen

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is an important component of ocean thermohaline circulation. Melting of Greenland’s ice sheet is freshening the North Atlantic; however, whether the augmented freshwater flux is disrupting the AMOC is unclear. Dense Labrador Sea Water (LSW), formed by winter cooling of saline North Atlantic water and subsequent convection, is a key component of the deep southward return flow of the AMOC. Although LSW formation recently decreased, it also reached historically high values in the mid-1990s, making the connection to the freshwater flux unclear. Here we derive a new estimate of the recent freshwater flux from …


Sun Glint Requirement For The Remote Detection Of Surface Oil Films, Shaojie Sun, Chuanmin Hu Jan 2016

Sun Glint Requirement For The Remote Detection Of Surface Oil Films, Shaojie Sun, Chuanmin Hu

C-IMAGE Publications

Natural oil slicks in the western Gulf of Mexico are used to determine the sun glint threshold required for optical remote sensing of oil films. The threshold is determined using the same‐day image pairs collected by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra (MODIST), MODIS Aqua (MODISA), and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) (N  = 2297 images) over the same oil slick locations where at least one of the sensors captures the oil slicks. For each sensor, statistics of sun glint strengths, represented by the normalized glint reflectance (L GN, sr−1), when oil slicks can and cannot be …


Dragon Kings Of The Deep Sea: Marine Particles Deviate Markedly From The Common Number-Size Spectrum, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Melissa A. Clouse, Gerhard J. Herndl Jan 2016

Dragon Kings Of The Deep Sea: Marine Particles Deviate Markedly From The Common Number-Size Spectrum, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Melissa A. Clouse, Gerhard J. Herndl

OES Faculty Publications

Particles are the major vector for the transfer of carbon from the upper ocean to the deep sea. However, little is known about their abundance, composition and role at depths greater than 2000 m. We present the first number-size spectrum of bathy-and abyssopelagic particles to a depth of 5500 m based on surveys performed with a custom-made holographic microscope. The particle spectrum was unusual in that particles of several millimetres in length were almost 100 times more abundant than expected from the number spectrum of smaller particles, thereby meeting the definition of "dragon kings." Marine snow particles overwhelmingly contributed to …