Marine Biology Commons^™

Fisheries Research Report No. 183 - Development Of A Long-Term Program To Monitor Coastal Communities Within The Swan Region, Lynda M. Bellchambers

Fisheries Research Reports

Marine benthic communities along the metropolitan coast of Western Australia are varied and unique. The southward flowing Leeuwin Current brings warm water and tropical recruits whilst the cooler counter current, the Capes Current, brings the temperate recruits. The result is a mosaic of tropical species intermingled with the dominant temperate species. These areas sustain varied fish and invertebrate communities making this coast a highly desirable location for recreational and commercial use. Management strategies are in place that attempt to maintain the sustainability of this area including various fishery restrictions and the implementation of areas zoned as sanctuary zones (no-take). However, …

Grace-Based Estimates Of Terrestrial Freshwater Discharge From Basin To Continental Scales, Tajdarul H. Syed, James S. Famiglietti, Don Chambers

Marine Science Faculty Publications

In this study, new estimates of monthly freshwater discharge from continents, drainage regions, and global land for the period of 2003–05 are presented. The method uses observed terrestrial water storage change estimates from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and reanalysis-based atmospheric moisture divergence and precipitable water tendency in a coupled land–atmosphere water mass balance. The estimates of freshwater discharge are analyzed within the context of global climate and compared with previously published estimates. Annual cycles of observed streamflow exhibit stronger correlations with the computed discharge compared to those with precipitation minus evapotranspiration (P − E) in …

Fisheries Occasional Publication 61 - Proposed Quota Settings For The West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery, Department Of Fisheries, Wa

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The former Minister for Fisheries asked the Rock Lobster Industry Advisory Committee (RLIAC) to provide him with a business case for a quota management system (QMS) in the West Coast Rock Lobster Managed Fishery, following renewed interest from industry for the introduction of a QMS. The business case consists of two components:

1. a management paper that describes the proposed quota management settings; and

2. an interactive spreadsheet financial model for licensees to explore the impact of the proposed management settings on their business. A RLIAC Working Group was established by RLIAC to develop the proposed QMS settings. Most of …

Seasonal Variation Of Ectosymbiotic Ciliates On Farmed And Wild Shrimps From Coastal Yucatan, Mexico, Norma A. López-Téllez, Victor M. Vidal-Martínez, Robin M. Overstreet

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

High levels of ciliate infestation can affect respiration, feed intake, and locomotion in farmed shrimps in the tropics. Information on seasonal variation of the infestation parameters of ciliates is scarce, but it would be useful for determining the suitability of preventive measures or therapeutic treatment if necessary. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and mean intensity of infestation (MII) of ciliates on wild native shrimps Penaeus (Farfantepenaeus) brasiliensis and P. (Farfantepenaeus) duorarum and farm-cultured juvenile shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei over an annual cycle and to determine whether an association existed among physicochemical factors …

Prep Coastal Watershed Land Protection Transaction Grants 2008 Funding Round, Derek Sowers

PREP Reports & Publications

In 2008, fourteen projects received PREP funds to support transaction costs associated with permanent land conservation projects in the New Hampshire coastal watershed. A maximum of $3,000 was granted to each project, with a single organization eligible to receive up to three separate awards. Funds were granted to eight different organizations, all of which were land trusts or town Conservation Commissions. Projects were completed in nine different towns, with the total acreage of land permanently protected reported at 984 acres. Nine of the fourteen projects were located in priority Conservation Focus Areas identified in The Land Conservation Plan for New …

Eelgrass Mapping Great Bay Estuary For 1981, Frederick T. Short

PREP Reports & Publications

The methods for this project followed the procedures specified in the approved QA Project Plan (Short and Trowbridge, 2003). Eelgrass meadow polygons for 1981 were mapped from USDA black-and-white aerial photographs, on file at the Strafford County and Rockingham County (NH) offices. The photographs were scanned and analyzed digitally after “rubber sheeting” the images to fit the Great Bay Estuary base map. The 1981 photographs were not ortho-photographs and some distortion across each photograph was evident. To minimize this effect, multiple photographs for each area were used to geo-reference actual locations on the eelgrass distribution map. Some areas of the …

Video-Based Mapping Of Oyster Bottom In The Upper Piscataqua River, Sturgeon Creek, And Spruce Creek, Raymond E. Grizzle, Krystin M. Ward

PREP Reports & Publications

Towed, underwater videography was used to map and characterize the extent of oyster bottom in the upper Piscataqua River, Sturgeon Creek, and Spruce Creek. Georeferenced video imagery was obtained on five different days in summer and fall 2008. Significant shell bottom (with live oysters in most areas) was found only in the upper Piscataqua River in two areas: (1) the general location of the previously mapped (2003) upper Piscataqua River reef, and (2) in the Piscataqua River at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. The Sturgeon Creek reef was classified into low and high density shell which covered a total area …

Testing Of Great Bay Oysters For Two Protozoan Pathogens, Douglas E. Grout

PREP Reports & Publications

Two protozoan pathogens, Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) and Perkinsus marinus (Dermo) are known to be present in Great Bay oysters. With funds provided by the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP), the Marine Fisheries Division of New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, (NHF&G) continues to assess the presence and intensity of both disease conditions in oysters from the major beds within the Great Bay estuarine system. Histological examination of Great Bay oysters has also revealed other endoparasites.

Conservation Easement Stewardship And Monitoring And Assessment Of Newfields Conservation Lands, Ellen Snyder

PREP Reports & Publications

Ibis Wildlife Consulting worked with the Newfields Conservation Commission to ensure that the town meets sound easement stewardship practices. Project components involved preparing monitoring plans for seven conservation easements, completing two easement baseline documentation reports, completing an inventory of existing conservation lands in town, and completing an annual easement monitoring report for five conservation easements.

Biology And Conservation Of Horseshoe Crabs, John T. Tanacredi, Mark L. Bottom, David R. Smith

School of Marine and Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

We dedicate this book to Drs. Carl N. Shuster, Jr. and Koichi Sekiguchi for their life-long contributions to the biology and conservation of the magnificent horseshoe crab.

Determining The Distribution Of Antibiotic Resistant And Fecal Indicator Bacteria In The Ohio River, Caitlin Nicole Swecker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Ohio River extends 981 miles from Pittsburgh, PA to Cairo, Ill providing drinking water to over three million people, a natural habitat for aquatic life, a public recreation resource, a major transportation route, and a source of water for industry. The Guyandotte River is a highly impacted tributary emptying into the Ohio River in Huntington, WV. The objectives of this study were to determine if sediment load is correlated to the number of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and determine if a single surface sample is a sufficient representative measurement of ARB populations in a large river. In 2007, subsurface …

Developing A Monitoring Protocol For The Monkey River Watershed, Belize, Central America, Sean Elliott Collins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study of tropical aquatic systems has been limited. Research in developing countries can be challenging due to inadequate resources and cultural variety. Generally, efforts are concentrated on developing and maintaining economic stability rather than ecological sustainability. The aim of this project was to preliminarily develop and utilize a rapid bioassessment protocol (RBP) for the Monkey River watershed in Belize by determining which metrics best described overall stream health. Like biomonitoring protocols already established for temperate systems, a regional tropical aquatic watershed monitoring program should provide information including stream and watershed health. These protocols score systems on a variety of …

Application Of Remote Sensing To Examine Changes In Bird Communities Over A Gradient Of Urbanization, John E. Northeimer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Interest in urban ecology and the impact of urbanization on natural resources has increased over the last decade. Studies have related degradation of water quality and loss of biodiversity to increased urbanization. Avian species comprise an important part of the urban ecology. Surveys of bird populations can provide insight into the effects of urbanization on species composition, diversity, and distribution. A search of available literature revealed no published comprehensive avian surveys completed during the breeding season within the city of Huntington, West Virginia. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial characterization of land bird populations during the …

The Influence Of Habitat And Fishing On Reef Fish Assemblages In Cuba, Gaspar Gonzalez-Sanson, Consuelo Aguilar, Ivet Hernandez, Yureidy Cabrera, R. Allen Curry

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The abundance of selected fish species was estimated using the stationary visual census technique in the northwestern region of the Cuban shelf. A total of 26,809 individuals of 32 species were counted in 1,172 stationary point censuses made at 10 reef sites along the coast. We found that the abundance patterns were most probably the consequence of the presence/absence of mangroves and seagrass beds in adjacent lagoon areas. A second factor influencing the spatial variation appeared to be overfishing on an east-west gradient, with lower abundances of commercially targeted species near Havana City in the east.

Abundance And Distribution Of Two Species Of Squilla (Crustacea: Stomatopoda: Squillidae) In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Jennifer L. Wortham

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Stomatopods (mantis shrimps) are predatory benthic crustaceans. Mantis shrimp in the genus Squilla are frequent bycatch animals unintentionally collected in conjunction with the shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Their carcasses are discarded instead of being retained for human consumption, fish meal, or other protein-based food products. The size, depth, salinity, and temperature distributions of these species, as well as their abundance based on gender, were examined to gain biological information that would be necessary if a fishery were to develop in the GOM. I collected samples (n = 2,854) of Squilla empusa and Squilla chydaea in the …

Seagrass Loss In Belize: Studies Of Turtlegrass (Thalassia Testudinum) Habitat Using Remote Sensing And Ground-Truth Data, Gary R. Gaston, Cole Easson, Greg Easson, Justin Janaskie, M.A. Ballas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Spatial and temporal change in turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) habitat of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve (SWCMR) in Belize were analyzed using satellite images backed up with ground-truth data. We had two pri-mary objectives. First, we wanted to determine areal expanse of seagrass across a large area (~12 km by 3 km) of the SWCMR, and address its change over time. We used paired satellite images taken during 2001 and 2005 to determine coverage by seagrass and measure temporal variables. These analyses recorded an overall seagrass loss of 1.8% (52.3 ha) during the 4 yr period. Secondly, we …

Determining Salinity-Tolerance Of Giant Salvinia Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Patrick D. Biber

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Salvinia molesta Mitchell, a floating invasive aquatic plant, is one of the top 10 worst invasive aquatic weeds in the world. It was discovered in the lower Pascagoula River in 2005 and evidence suggests that this non-native species is spreading along the northern Gulf of Mexico. These plants exhibit rapid growth and nutrient uptake rates, allowing them to out compete other plants in similar habitats. Distributional observations suggest that non-native S. molesta is able to survive in salinities of up to 7 ppt in the lower Pascagoula River. The response of S. molesta to three salinity levels (0, 5, 10 …

First Records Of The Seagrass Parasite Plasmodiophora Diplantherae From The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Allison K. Walker, Jinx Campbell

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Plasmodiophora diplantherae is known to occur throughout the pantropical distribution of its host, the seagrass genus Halodule. However, records in the subtropical region are limited to Tampa Bay, FL where it was detected once during an examination of herbar-ium specimens of H. beaudettei collected in December 1951 (den Hartog 1965) and to Fort Pierce, FL where it was collected once infecting H. wrightii (Braselton and Short 1985). This communication represents the first report of this parasite from Mississippi and Louisiana in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

A Comparison Of Fish Populations In Shallow Coastal Lagoons With Contrasting Shoalgrass (Halodule Wrightii) Cover In The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Just Cebrian, Glenn A. Miller, Jason P. Stutes, Adrienne L. Stutes, Mairi E. Miller, Kate L. Sheehan

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A number of studies have examined the effects of reduced seagrass cover on local fish populations (e.g., Heck et al. 1989, Ferrell and Bell 1991, Hughes et al. 2002 and more), but few of those studies have focused on shoalgrass (e.g., Tolan et al. 1997, Rydene and Matheson 2003). We present a preliminary comparison of fish populations in three shallow coastal lagoons in the northcentral GOM that have varying levels of shoalgrass cover. Namely, we compare (1) abundances of individual species and the entire fish population, (2) fish population diversity, and (3) length-frequency distributions of the most abundant species.

Age Estimates Of Two Large Misty Grouper, Epinephelus Mystacinus (Serranidae) From Bermuda With A Comparison Of The Age Of Tropical Groupers In The Western Atlantic, Brian E. Luckhurst, John M. Dean

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Misty grouper are known to attain at least 54 kg and 115 cm total length (TL) (Heemstra and Randall 1993) although a maximum size of 160 cm TL is reported (Appeldoorn et al. 1987, cited in www.FishBase.com). Recently, two specimens (152 and 157 mm TL) were landed by commercial fisherman from the edge of the Bermuda platform, providing documentation of the maximum size which may be attained by this species. There are no age and growth studies on misty grouper (Heemstra and Randall 1993; www.FishBase.com). Therefore, the age data presented here, although not validated, represent the first estimates of maximum …

Macrofauna Associate With Ungrounded Prop Roots Of Rhizophora Mangle In Veracruz And Quintana Roo, Mexico, Kathryn D. Tunnell, Kim Withers

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The prop roots of the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) provide a solid substrate for diverse assemblages of marine organisms in areas typically characterized by soft bottoms (Bingham 1992, Farnsworth and Ellison 1996). Macrobenthic communities of mangroves have received little attention compared with other components of the ecosystem, largely due to sampling difficulties (Lee 2008). Mangrove root epifauna are likely used by predatory fish, especially juveniles. Thus, these organisms have the potential of being important links between mangroves and adjacent ecosystems. The fauna associated with red mangrove prop roots along Mexican Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and Caribbean shorelines has …

Effects Of A Large Fishing Closure On Benthic Communities In The Western Gulf Of Maine: Recovery From The Effects Of Gillnets And Otter Trawls, Raymond E. Grizzle, Larry G. Ward, Larry A. Mayer, Mashkoor A. Malik, Andrew B. Cooper, Holly A. Abeels, Jennifer K. Greene, Melissa A. Brodeur, Andrew A. Rosenberg

Biological Sciences

The recovery of benthic communities inside the western Gulf of Maine fishing closure area was evaluated by comparing invertebrate assemblages at sites inside and outside of the closure four to six years after the closure was established. The major restriction imposed by the closure was a year-round prohibition of bottom gillnets and otter trawls. A total of 163 seafloor sites (similar to half inside and half outside the closure) within a 515-km(2) study area were sampled with some combination of Shipek grab, Wildco box corer, or underwater video. Bottom types ranged from mud (silt and clay) to boulders, and the …

Analysis Of Hyperspectral Imagery For Macroalgae And Eelgrass Mapping, Sandown Conservation Commission

PREP Reports & Publications

No abstract provided.

Hampton-Seabrook Estuary Habitat Restoration Compendium, Alyson L. Eberhardt, David M. Burdick

PREP Reports & Publications

The goal of this report is to identify restoration opportunities within the watershed derived from data on habitat change. Many other factors exist that are important in the identification and selection of restoration projects, including water quality and non-point source pollution, water withdrawal, harbor maintenance, recreational impacts, human history, and socioeconomic factors, among others. Although information regarding these factors is not explicitly included in this analysis, these factors must be considered and addressed as they may limit the potential for success in specific restoration efforts

Morphological Characteristics Of Early Life History Stages Of The Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun, From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico With A Comparison Of Studies From The Atlantic Seaboard, Kenneth Stuck, Harriet Perry, Darcie Graham, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Zoeae, megalopae, and early crab stages of Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 were described from the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). Observations during this study were based on larvae reared in the laboratory through the early crab stages and on megalopae and early crab stages collected in the wild. Gulf of Mexico data are compared with similar information for the southeast Atlantic coast of the United States. Size and setation of C. sapidus larvae reared from nGOM stocks were different than those in published descriptions of larvae reared from Atlantic populations. Seasonal differences in size were noted in both reared and …

Note On The Natural And Cultural History Of Hurricane Balls, Joyce M. Shaw

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Hurricane balls are natural phenomena of tropical storms and hurricane winds and waves and are found along the shoreline. Gunter Library at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) is home to a small collection of hurricane balls which were found along the shore lines of barrier islands and marsh beaches by GCRL staff over the years. Hurricane balls come in many sizes, and large balls can be slightly larger than a standard basketball of 24.8 cm diameter (USA Basketball 2001). Large balls in the Gunter Library collection range from 34.5 cm diameter (from 1969 Hurricane Camille) to 53.5 cm diameter …

Bringing Home The Trash: Do Differences In Foraging Lead To Increased Plastic Ingestion In Laysan Albatrosses?, L C. Young, C Vanderlip, D C. Duffy, V Afanasyev, Scott A. Shaffer

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

When searching for prey, animals should maximize energetic gain, while minimizing energy expenditure by altering their movements relative to prey availability. However, with increasing amounts of marine debris, what once may have been ‘optimal’ foraging strategies for top marine predators, are leading to sub-optimal diets comprised in large part of plastic. Indeed, the highly vagile Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) which forages throughout the North Pacific, are well known for their tendency to ingest plastic. Here we examine whether Laysan albatrosses nesting on Kure Atoll and Oahu Island, 2,150 km apart, experience different levels of plastic ingestion. Twenty two geolocators were …

A Citizen's Guide To Protecting Greenland's Water Resources, Prep & Greenland Conservation Commission, Greenland Conservation Commission

PREP Reports & Publications

No abstract provided.

An Afternoon In Mosquito Lagoon, Suzie Caffery, Diahn Escue

CEELAB Children's Books

Oysters in Mosquito Lagoon serve many important functions. They filter the water, are consumed by a variety of predators (including humans) and create habitat for over 100 species. Sadly, Mosquito Lagoon's oysters are in trouble. This story describes some of the amazing animals that live in or around Mosquito Lagoon's oyster reefs. Information on how everyone can help protect Mosquito Lagoon oysters is also explained.

Typhlichthys Subterraneus, Aldemaro Romero Jr.

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.