Marine Biology Commons^™

Microzooplankton Dynamics In Lower Chesapeake Bay And Its Major Tributaries, Gyung Soo Park

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study identified the temporal and spatial variability of microzooplankton density and biomass at 14 stations located within Chesapeake Bay and four rivers. Microzooplankton are defined as those heterotrophic organisms which range from 20 to 200 $\mu$m in size, and in this study were mainly composed of copepod nauplii, rotifers, and ciliates. Ciliates were the most abundant microzooplankton, comprising more than 90% of the total density, with copepod nauplii representing approximately 50% of the total microzooplankton biomass (carbon content). Rotifers contributed less than 5% for both density and biomass of the total microzooplankton.

Maximum ciliate abundance occurred from spring to …

Management Of The South Coast Purse Seine Fishery, J Fowler, K Donohue, R.C. J. Lenanton, M. Moran, D Gaughan

Fisheries Management Papers

This paper has presented a strategy for moving the management of the small pelagics fishery off the south coast to management of the whole fishery, which facilitates a more biologically sound and economically stable fishery.

A Pricing Policy For Fisheries Agencies, Management Committee Of Scfa, Standing Committee Of Fisheries And Aquaculture (Sfca), Department Of Primary Industries And Energy

Fisheries Management Papers

The intent of this paper is to inform members of Standing Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (SCFA) and the members of the Ministerial Council for Fisheries, Forestry and Aquaculture of the methods of fee setting that are currently applied by fisheries agencies in Australia, and alternative pricing policies for fisheries agencies.

Effects Of Ghost Crab (Ocypode Quadrata) Invasion On Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Nests At Hillsboro Beach, Florida, Terri S. Schmidt, Curtis M. Burney

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

No abstract provided.

Basin-Wide Zonal Wind Stress And Ocean Thermal Variations In The Equatorial Pacific Ocean, Y. J. Yang, T. Y. Tang, Robert H. Weisberg

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Wind data, obtained from the model results of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), for the equatorial Pacific Ocean from 1985 to 1992, were employed to study the basin-wide distributions for various constituents of zonal wind stress. Forcing the ocean by the individual constituent of zonal wind stress, the upper ocean thermal variation was investigated using a linear analytical ocean model. The interannual variation of zonal wind stress is largest in amplitude in the west-central part of the basin and is dominated by an eastwardly propagating wave. The upper layer thickness perturbation h shows an evolving eastward …

Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Broward County, Fl 1997 Report, Curtis M. Burney, William E. Margolis

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 …

Sidescan Sonar Image, Surficial Geologic Interpretation, And Bathymetry Of The Long Island Sound Sea Floor Off Hammonasset Beach State Park, Connecticut, Roman Zajac, Larry J. Poppe, Ralph S. Lewis, David C. Twichell, Mary L. Digiacomo-Cohen, Eric A. Schmuck, Kenneth F. Parolski

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Ongoing research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Long Island Sound, a major East Coast estuary surrounded by the most densely populated region of the United States, is building upon cooperative research with the State of Connecticut that was initiated in 1982. During the initial phase of this cooperative program, geologic framework studies in Long Island Sound were completed and results published (Lewis and Needell, 1987; Needell and others, 1987; Lewis and Stone, 1991). Emphasis of the present program in Long Island Sound is shifting from framework studies toward studies of the sediment distribution, processes that control this sediment …

Climate Records In Coral Skeletons, Peter K. Swart, Richard E. Dodge

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

No abstract provided.

Barium Chronologies From South Florida Reef Corals - Environmental Implications, D. Anderegg, Richard E. Dodge, Peter K. Swart, L. Fisher

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

Benthic algal blooms (e.g., Codium isthmocladum) have become increasingly common on reefs and hardgrounds of Southeast Florida. The contribution from possible responsible nutrient sources, including natural upwelling and local pollution, has not been quantified. In an attempt to differentiate each potential source, lattice-bound barium concentrations in the skeletons of two common Southeast Florida stony coral species (Montastraea faveolata and Solenastrea bournoni) were measured by isotope dilution inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP/MS). Specimens were collected offshore between 26˚01'-57'N at shallow (10m) and deep (20m) reefs. X-rays of skeletal slabs revealed annual density bands which guided annual and subannual …

Western Australian Fisheries - At A Glance (1997), Fisheries Department Of Western Australia

Fisheries Published Reports

Western Australia's fisheries are the envy of the world. The calibre of our research and management, and the skills of our fishermen, are recognised as second to none. We have pristine oceans and waterways from which we draw fish and fish products of the very best quality.

But while WA ranks as Australia's leading producer and exporter of fish and aquaculture products, we are not resting on our laurels. A major review of fisheries administration has cemented environmental and economic sustainability as the key management objectives, and industry now has greater scope for improving its competitiveness by pursuing new marketing …

Western Australian Fisheries - The Way Forward (1997), Western Australian Fisheries

Fisheries Published Reports

Western Australia's fisheries have a bright future.

The State has a pristine marine environment which is enjoyed by both commercial and recreational fishing interests, and the wider community.

There are over 600,000 Western Australians for whom recreational fishing is a favourite pastime and each year they contribute an estimated $500 million to the State's economy. As the popularity of recreational fishing continues to rise so does the sector's importance in overall management of our fisheries.

The commercial industry contributes about $1 billion annually, derived from a wide variety of fish stocks, the major ones being rock lobster, prawns, scallops, abalone …

Fall 1997, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Winter 1997, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Summer 1997, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Finfish Aquaculture In Western Australia, David Berry

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

David Berry surveys fish farming from Broome to Williams, on off shore reefs and in farm dams, for barramundi, silver perch and black bream, trout and tuna.

An Index To Assess The Sensitivity Of Gulf Of Mexico Species To Changes In Estuarine Salinity Regimes, John D. Christensen, Mark E. Monaco, Tony A. Lowery

Gulf and Caribbean Research

An index of biological sensitivity to changes in freshwater inflow was developed for 44 species in 22 Gulf of Mexico estuaries for adult and juvenile life stages of fishes and macroinvertebrates. The BioSalinity Index (BSI) provides an innovative approach to quantify estuary-specific sensitivity of organisms to changes in estuarine salinity regimes based upon our knowledge of species salinity habitat preferences, the availability of this preferred habitat, and the relative abundance and distribution of species in time and space. We found that a significant difference exists between adult and juvenile life stage sensitivity, with juveniles exhibiting a lower sensitivity to salinity …

Spatial And Temporal Changes In Subtidal Benthic Crustaceans Along A Coastal River-Estuarine Gradient In Mississippi, Mark S. Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic crustaceans were collected monthly between 24 August 1985 and 20 September 1986 from tidal freshwater (TFW), oligohaline (OH) and mesohaline (MH) sites in Old Fort Bayou, a black-water tidal river of the Biloxi Bay estuary, Mississippi. Salinity varied seasonally and spatially and was primarily related to variations in rainfall during this study. Reduced rainfall after October 1985 resulted in the upstream movement of saline water and a concommitant shift in benthic crustaceans upstream with this change in the physical-chemical environment. This shift is supported by a significant positive concordance of ranks between salinity and relative abundance of Gammarus sp. …

Spring 1997, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Observations Of Sea Turtles And Other Marine Life At The Explosive Removal Of Offshore Oil And Gas Structures In The Gulf Of Mexico, Gregg R. Gitschlag, Bryan A. Herczeg, Theresa R. Barcak

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Observers monitored the explosive removal of oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico to protect sea turtles and marine mammals from adverse impacts. More than 7,000 monitoring hours at 131 structure removals were conducted during 1993. Sixteen individual sea turtles were observed including 6 loggerheads, 1 Kemp's ridley, 1 green, and 8 unidentified sea turtles. Aerial surveys were approximately ten times more effective in observing sea turtles than day or night surface surveys.

Zooplankton Variability And Copepod Species Assemblages From A Tropical Coastal Lagoon, J.N. Alvarez-Cadena, L. Segura-Puertas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Results of monthly zooplankton sampling, carried out from December 1990 to November 1991, are compared from three localities in the Mexican Caribbean. Two stations, Bojórquez, and Cuenca Norte, represent partially enclosed areas of the Nichupté Lagoon System in the northeastern region of the Yucatán Peninsula; a third station was located in adjacent neritic waters. At the neritic station, temperature was lower, salinity was higher, and variations in the two parameters smaller as compared to the two lagoon stations. Zooplankton abundance ranged from 3585.5 org./m³ at the neritic station to 18,742.7 org./m³ at Cuenca Norte. Considering all animals collected, …

Butyltins In Crassostrea Virginica From Nine Reefs In Mississippi Sound, Thomas F. Lytle, Julia S. Lytle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Tributyltin (TBT), a very effective anti-foulant, has been banned from most marine paint uses since 1988 because of its reputed toxicity to nontarget organisms. Crassostrea virginica were collected from nine reefs in the Mississippi Sound in 1993 and analyzed for concentrations of butyltins: TBT, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT). TBT concentrations ranged from <2 to >20 ng(Sn)/g wet wt. Highest concentrations of butyltins were found at eastern Sound reefs near intense shipping and ship building activities with lowest concentrations found in the western Sound.

Benthic-Pelagic Coupling In Northern Gulf Of Mexico Estuaries: Do Benthos Feed Directly On Phytoplankton?, Gary R. Gaston, Carol M. Cleveland, Steven S. Brown, Chet F. Rakocinski

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Few of the dominant benthic taxa of the northern Gulf of Mexico feed directly on phytoplankton. Rather, most of them feed on near-bottom seston and detritus. This is in contrast to models for Chesapeake Bay and San Francisco Bay. We found that detritivores represented over 80% of the macrobenthic organisms and over 90% of the biomass in Gulf of Mexico estuaries. The paucity of benthos that consumed phytoplankton led us to hypothesize that macrobenthos in Gulf of Mexico estuaries had less effect on plankton communities than was documented in U.S. east coast and west coast estuaries, where benthic communities consumed …

Early Growth In Weight Of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys Kempii) In Captivity, Charles W. Caillouet Jr., Clark T. Fontaine, Theodore D. Williams, Sharon A. Manzella-Tirpak

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Growth in individual weight (w, kg) of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) in captivity was described for 15 year-classes (1978-1992) of turtles between ages (t) 0.17 to 1.22 yr, using In linear regression: Inw = lnc + dt^1/2, where Inc is the intercept and d is the slope (growth rate index). There was significant (P < 0.001) heterogeneity in d among year-classes, with slowest growth (d = 3.798) exhibited by the 1983 year-class and fastest growth (d = 6.929) by the 1985 year-class, but there was no significant trend in d (P = 0.307) over year-classes. The variance of residuals from regression, s²_reg, ranged from 0.2032 for the 1978 year-class to 0.0075 for the 1992 year-class, and showed a significant (P = 0.0001) logarithmic decrease over the year-classes. This decline in variation among individuals was probably due to a a …

Identification, Distribution, And Aspects Of The Biology Of Ten Anthuridean Isopod Species From The Shallow Continental Shelf Of The U.S. Gulf And East Coast, Brian Kensley

Gulf and Caribbean Research

With the aim of easing identification of continental shelf isopods, ten species of anthurideans, viz. Amakusanthura magnifica, Amakusanthura signata, Cyathura barbancki, Ptilanthura colpos, Ptilanthura tenuis, Hyssura bacescui, Kupellonura formosa, Neohyssura irpex, Xenanthura brevitelson, and Accalathura crenulata, are given brief diagnoses. A map showing the distribution of records, line figures illustrating diagnostic features, and a key to families, genera, and species are also provided.

Distribution And Abundance Of Chaetognatha On The Yucatan Shelf During May, 1986., Silvia Mille-Pagaza, Rocio Reyes-Martinez, M. Elena Sanchez-Salazar

Gulf and Caribbean Research

An analysis of chaetognath species distribution and abundance from the Yucatan Shelf during May 1986 is presented. Zooplankton samples and associated hydrographic data were collected at 21 stations off the northern and northwestern coasts of the peninsula. Density data were classified and analyzed by calculating the Euclidian distance. In addition, the Importance Value of the species was obtained. Highest abundance (1000 to 5000 orgs./100m³) occurred in the northern and northwestern zones off the peninsula, while species richness was higher at oceanic stations farther offshore. The most abundant and frequent species were Sagitta enflata and S. bipunctata. The …

Size And Weight Relationships For The Golden Crab, Chaceon Fenneri, And The Red Crab, Chaceon Quinquedens, From The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico, Christine Trigg, Harriet Perry

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Carapace length, carapace width, and weight relationships are discussed for the golden crab, Chaceon fenneri, and the red crab, Chaceon quinquedens, from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Males of both species were significantly larger than females in comparisons of means of all measured parameters. Relationships between carapace length and carapace width, carapace length and weight, and carapace width and weight were similar between Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico populations for both species.

Stomatopod Crustaceans From The Carolinas And Georgia, Southeastern United States, Raymond B. Manning, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Literature and specimen records are updated for stomatopod crustaceans known from the coasts of the Carolinas and Georgia. Gibbesia, new genus, is recognized for Squilla neglecta, and a new species, Neogonodactylus wennerae, is named for an offshore species of Neogonodactylus previously identified with the Caribbean shore species N. bredini. Fifteen species of stomatopods representing 12 genera are now known from the area: Bigelowina biminiensis (Bigelow), Cloridopsis dubia (Milne Edwards), Coronis scolopendra Latreille, Gibbesia neglecta (Gibbes), Heterosquilloides armata (Smith), Meiosquilla quadridens (Bigelow), Lysiosquilla scabricauda (Lamarck), Lysiosquillina glabriuscula (Lamarck), Nannosquilla carolinensis Manning, N. whitingi Camp & Manning, Neogonodactylus …

A Study Of Factors Influencing The Hatch Rate Of Penaeus Vannamei Eggs. Iii. Presence Of The Female After Spawning, John T. Ogle, Kathleen A. Beaugez

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A comparison was made of the hatch rate (percent hatch) of Penaeus vannamei eggs. The study was comprised of 100 spawns from mated Penaeus vannamei females. In,one treatment, 50 female shrimp were removed from the isolation spawning tanks after spawning occurred but prior to hatching of eggs, producing 49.7% mean hatch rate. In the other treatment, 50 female shrimp were left in the tanks until after the eggs had hatched, producing an average hatch rate of 35.0%. A significant difference in the hatch rates of eggs was observed between spawns with and without presence of the female at time of …

A Modeling Study Of The Effects Of Size- And Depth-Dependent Predation On Larval Survival, Margaret M. Dekshenieks, Eileen E. Hofmann, John M. Klinck, Eric N. Powell

CCPO Publications

The form of the predation pressure experienced by larval stages of marine invertebrates is largely unknown. However, it is believed that the type, timing and rate of larval predation are critical in determining recruitment to adult populations. In this study, a time and depth-dependent model of the growth and behavior of larvae of the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, was used to investigate the effects of different forms of size-and depth-dependent predation on larval survivorship. The simulated larval survival for a cohort experiencing size-dependent predation showed that the greatest percent of the cohort survived to competent settlement size when the …

Factors Affecting The Recruitment Of Juvenile Caribbean Spiny Lobsters Dwelling In Macroalgae, Mark J. Butler Iv, William F. Herrnkind, John H. Hunt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In south Florida, Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) settle and spend their first few months in macroalgae or seagrass. After a few months, these ''algal-phase'' juveniles emerge from vegetation and, as ''postalgal-phase'' juveniles, seek refuge in crevices, often dwelling in groups. The importance of crevice shelters in determining the abundance of postalgal-phase juvenile spiny lobsters has been studied but we know little about the processes affecting lobster distribution and survival during their cryptic algal-dwelling phase. We found that postlarval supply varied independently of changes in the structure of macroalgal settlement habitat. For this reason, postlarval supply alone can not reliably …