Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons^™

Anaerobic Oxidation Of Methane And The Stoichiometry Of Remineralization Processes In Continental Margin Sediments, David J. Burdige, Tomoko Kamada

OES Faculty Publications

In many coastal and continental margin sediments, pore-water property-property plots yield values of r_c:s, the stoichiometric ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) produced to sulfate reduced, that are lower than the commonly assumed value of 2. Remineralization of organic matter more reduced than CH₂O can cause such observations, as can DIC loss due to authigenic carbonate precipitation. However, through studies of Santa Monica Basin sediments, we have observed that these observations could also be related to the occurrence of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in sediments. Specifically, using a reactive transport sediment model, we have shown …

Cascading Migrations And Implications For Vertical Fluxes In Pelagic Ecosystems, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Joel A. Quenette, Alexander B. Bochdansky

OES Faculty Publications

Diel vertical migration is widespread across diverse taxa in the world's lakes and seas, yet its biogeochemical consequences are still poorly understood. The biologically mediated vertical flux of material in the ocean (also known as the "biological pump") is a matter of major interest and concern, as it is thought to play an important role in regulating ocean carbon storage, and by extension, the global carbon cycle. Recent studies spanning multiple trophic levels from fish to dinoflagellates have led us to a concept of coupled vertical migrations that we refer to as "cascading migrations". That is, migrations that …

Draft Genome Sequence Of Strain Himb100, A Cultured Representative Of The Sar116 Clade Of Marine Alphaproteobacteria, Jana Grote, Cansu Bayindirli, Kristin Bergauer, Paula C. De Moraes, Huan Chen, Lindsay D'Ambrosio, Bethany Edwards, Beatriz Fernandez-Gomez, Mariam Hamisi, Dan Nguyen, Yoshimi M. Rii, Emily Saeck, Charles Schutte, Brittany Widner

OES Faculty Publications

Strain HIMB100 is a planktonic marine bacterium in the class Alphaproteobacteria. This strain is of interest because it is one of the first known isolates from a globally ubiquitous clade of marine bacteria known as SAR116 within the family Rhodospirillaceae. Here we describe preliminary features of the organism, together with the draft genome sequence and annotation. This is the second genome sequence of a member of the SAR116 clade. The 2,458,945 bp genome contains 2,334 protein-coding and 42 RNA gene

Characterization Of Heterogeneities And Domains In Aquatic And Sedimentary Organic Matter By 1 H Spin Diffusion: Potential For Elucidating The Formation Mechanisms, Jingdong Mao, Xiaoyan Cao

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Although the information on domains and heterogeneities of natural organic matter (NOM) can provide insights into its formation mechanisms, the appropriate solid-state NMR technique for measuring them is still lacking. The traditional technique requires mobility differences in NOM whereas NOM components are primarily rigid. We introduced a new ¹H spin diffusion technique, ¹H-¹³C two-dimensional heteronuclear correlation (2D HETCOR) NMR with ¹H spin diffusion, for characterization of domains and heterogeneities in aquatic and sedimentary organic matter. It was achieved by collecting a series of 2D HETCOR spectra with a variable mixing time, t_m', and …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of An Invasive Planktonic Predator On Pelagic Food Webs, Angela L. Strecker, Beatrix E. Beisner, Shelley E. Arnott, Andrew M. Paterson, Jennifer G. Winter, Ora E. Johannsson, Norman D. Yan

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The relative importance of top-down invader effects relative to environmental drivers was determined by sampling crustacean zooplankton, rotifer, and phytoplankton communities in a set of invaded and noninvaded reference lakes. The non-native invertebrate predator Bythotrephes had significant effects on zooplankton community size structure, rotifers, and phytoplankton taxonomic composition, but no significant effects on crustacean zooplankton taxonomic and functional group composition. Part of the variation in phytoplankton communities was explained by the presence of the invader. Because Bythotrephes is generally known to be a carnivore and to not consume phytoplankton, this effect is likely mediated by the zooplankton community’s response to …

Spring 2011, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Wetland Assessment Methods, Kerstin Green

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

After many decades of being considered useless and often destroyed wetlands have become valued for the many functions they provide. To make informed wetland management decisions biologists have to develop practical, rapid, and inexpensive ways to assess biological conditions and functions. Ideally these assessment methods have to measure more than one attribute of the wetland to represent the overall condition of the biological community. For this project I conducted field assessments at mitigation sites in Pembroke Pines, Florida, to see how the newest method used in the State of Florida, the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM), compared to the older …

State Of The River Report For The Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida: Water Quality, Fisheries, Aquatic Life, And Contaminants 2011, Environmental Protection Board, City Of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida, Jacksonville University

State of the River Report

No abstract provided.

Behavior Constrains The Dispersal Of Long-Lived Spiny Lobster Larvae, Mark J. Butler Iv, Claire B. Paris, Jason S. Goldstein, Hirokazu Matsuda, Robert K. Cowen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Behavior such as ontogenetic vertical migration (OVM) limits the transport of marine larvae with short pelagic larval durations (PLDs), but its effect on the supposed long-distance dispersal of larvae with long PLDs is unknown. We conducted laboratory tests of ontogenetic change in larval phototaxis and examined size-specific patterns of larval distribution in the plankton to characterize OVM in the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus during its long (6 mo) PLD. We then used a coupled biophysical model to explore the consequences of OVM and hydrodynamics on larval P. argus dispersal in the Caribbean Sea. Larvae reared in the laboratory were …

A Study To Minimize Or Eliminate Hardbottom And Reef Impacts From Anchoring Activities In Designated Anchorages At The Ports Of Miami And Palm Beach, Brian K. Walker

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Aggregations Of The Florida Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) In The Port Everglades And Intracoastal Regions Of Fort Lauderdale, Florida., Jaime M. Goldman

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is one of the most endangered marine mammals in United States waters. The Florida manatee is the only manatee that ranges into subtropical and temperate regions. During the winter months manatees adopt a “refuging strategy” where they aggregate at warm-water sources immediately following decreases in the ambient water temperature to below 20° C (68° F) in order to avoid cold stress syndrome (CSS). During the winter manatees aggregate in warm water refuges, including natural warm water springs and the effluent discharges of power plants.

The …

A Comprehensive Uncertainty Analysis And Method Of Geometric Calibration For A Circular Scanning Airborne Lidar, Michael Oliver Gonsalves

Dissertations

This dissertation describes an automated technique for ascertaining the values of the geometric calibration parameters of an airborne lidar. A least squares approach is employed that adjusts the point cloud to a single planar surface which could be either a narrow airport runway or a dynamic sea surface. Going beyond the customary three boresight angles, the proposed adjustment can determine up to eleven calibration parameters to a precision that renders a negligible contribution to the point cloud’s positional uncertainty.

Presently under development is the Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL), which, unlike most contemporary systems that use oscillating mirrors …

Distribution Of Zooplankton Densities Associated With The Florida Current And Subsurface, Amy Hirons, Jonathan Shenker, Alexander Soloviev

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

No abstract provided.

Caribbean Corals In Crisis: Record Thermal Stress, Bleaching, And Mortality In 2005, C. Mark Eakin, Jessica A. Morgan, Scott F. Heron, Tyler B. Smith, Gang Liu, Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, Bart J. Baca, Erich Bartels, Carolina Bastidas, Claude Bouchon, Marilyn Brandt, Andrew W. Bruckner, Lucy Bunkley-Williams, Andrew Cameron, Billy D. Causey, Mark Chiappone, Tyler R. L. Christensen, M. James C. Crabbe, Owen Day, Elena De La Guardia, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, Daniel Diresta, Diego L. Gil-Agudelo, David S. Gilliam, Robert N. Ginsburg, Shannon Gore, Hector M. Guzman, James C. Hendee, Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ellen Husain, Christopher F. G. Jeffrey, Ross J. Jones, Eric Jordan-Dahlgren, Les S. Kaufman, David I. Kline, Philip A. Kramer, Judith C. Lang, Diego Lirman, Jennie Mallela, Carrie Manfrino, Jean-Philippe Marechal, Ken Marks, Jennifer Mihaly, W. Jeff Miller, Erich M. Mueller, Erinn M. Muller, Carlos A. Orozco Toro, Hazel A. Oxenford, Daniel Ponce-Taylor, Norman Quinn, Kim B. Ritchie, Sebastian Rodriguez, Alberto Rodriguez Ramirez, Sandra Romano, Jameal F. Samhouri, Juan A. Sanchez, George P. Schmahl, Burton V. Shank, William J. Skirving, Sascha C. C. Steiner, Estrella Villamizar, Sheila M. Walsh, Cory Walter, Ernesto Weil, Ernest H. Williams, Kimberly Woody Roberson, Yusri Yusuf

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Background: The rising temperature of the world’s oceans has become a major threat to coral reefs globally as the severity and frequency of mass coral bleaching and mortality events increase. In 2005, high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean resulted in the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Satellite-based tools provided warnings for coral reef managers and scientists, guiding both the timing and location of researchers’ field observations as anomalously warm conditions developed and spread across the greater Caribbean region from June to October 2005. Field surveys of bleaching and mortality exceeded prior …

Development And Evaluation Of Methods For Surveying Fish Populations In Nearshore Waters, Philip Smith, Ian Burrett, David Bailey, Francis Neat, David Donnan, Katherine Dunlop, James Thorburn, Rosanna Milligan, Steve Bastiman, Jane Dodd

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

1. Nearshore areas provide critical habitat for a range of fish species targeted by commercial and recreational fisheries, both of which make an important contribution to local economies in rural areas. However, established trawl survey methods are not suited to many nearshore areas, owing to shallow depths, obstructions on the sea bed or vulnerable habitats, so there is a lack of information on fish abundance in these areas.
2. The aim of the present project was to develop and test survey methods applicable to Scottish inshore waters, focussing on baited underwater cameras, fish traps, systematic rod-and-line surveys and observations of fish bycatch …

Establishment Of An Acropora Cervicornis (Staghorn Coral) Nursery: An Evaluation Of Survivorship And Growth, Elizabeth Anne Larson

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is the first study to provide a detailed characterization of Acropora cervicornis transplants and donor colony survival on southeast Florida coral reefs. Since May 2006 this species has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. As populations continue to decline restoration efforts need to be evaluated to determine if there is an effort that could facilitate a population rebound. The overall goal of this project was to examine potential Acropora cervicornis restoration techniques along the entire Florida reef tract including Broward County, Miami Dade County, and Monroe County. For my thesis I used a …

Effects Of Bubbles And Sea Spray On Air–Sea Exchange In Hurricane Conditions, Alexander Soloviev, Roger Lukas

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The lower limit on the drag coefficient under hurricane force winds is determined by the break-up of the air–sea interface due to Kelvin–Helmholtz instability and formation of the two-phase transition layer consisting of sea spray and air bubbles. As a consequence, a regime of marginal stability develops. In this regime, the air–sea drag coefficient is determined by the turbulence characteristics of the two-phase transition layer. The upper limit on the drag coefficient is determined by the Charnock-type wave resistance. Most of the observational estimates of the drag coefficient obtained in hurricane conditions and in laboratory experiments appear to lie between …

Deep-Sea Fishes Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Results Of The 2009 Henry Bigelow Expedition, Tracey Sutton, April B. Cook, John K. Galbraith, M. Vecchione

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

As part of an ongoing study of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge biodiversity and ecology (CoML field project MAR-ECO), a detailed survey of the pelagic and demersal fishes in the region of the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (~ 600 n.m. south of Greenland) was conducted. A total of 17181 pelagic fishes (92 spp., 35 families) were sampled from 0-3000+ m, with the Myctophidae the most species-rich. The bristlemouth Cyclothone microdon was by far the dominant species in numbers (82% of total), while the sawtooth eel Serrivomer beani dominated biomass (27%). A total of 441 deep-demersal fishes (28 spp., 13 families) were sampled …

Distribution And Trophic Ecology Of Bathylagus Euryops (Teleostei: Microstomatidae) Along The Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Christopher J. Sweetman, Tracey Sutton

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

The assemblage structure and ecology of meso- and bathypelagic fishes are poorly known in general, particularly over mid-ocean ridges. In June 2004, the month-long MAR-ECO (Census of Marine Life) research expedition aboard the R/V G.O. Sars sampled the deep-pelagic fauna over the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge with the objective of quantitatively assessing the nekton associated with the ridge from Iceland to the Azores. A total of 115 discrete-depth trawl samples were taken from the surface to depths of 3000+ meters using two different double-warp midwater trawls, one of commercial fishing size (a large ‘Akra' trawl) and one of oceanographic research size …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharinus Plumbeus: A Minimally Invasive Method For Comparison Of Diet And Trophic Relationships Between Genders, Locations, And Age Classes, David Shiffman, Gorka Sancho, Bryan Frazier, John Kucklick, Dan Abel, Tracey Sutton, Kristene T. Parsons

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

The 2006 National Marine Fisheries Service SEDAR for large coastal sharks recommended the gathering of additional diet and trophic relationship data for the sandbar shark, Carcharinus plumbeus. No diet studies of any kind have been performed on South Carolina subpopulations of C. plumbeus, and stable isotope analysis has never been performed on this species. Muscle samples were taken from C. plumbeus caught by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shark surveys. The analysis of δ13C and δ 15N from this muscle tissue is ongoing and will be compared with prey …

Shark Assemblage Structure In The Chesapeake Bight, Kristene T. Parsons, Tracey Sutton, John A. Musick

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

The role and importance of the Chesapeake Bight region as essential fish habitat for several species of sharks is well represented in primary literature and US fisheries management plans. Diverse assemblages of shark taxa utilize the Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coasts at various stages throughout their lives. As top predators in most of the environments where they occur, sharks are key to maintaining healthy, diverse ecosystems. The estuarine waters of the Chesapeake Bay are exposed to extreme ranges in temperature and salinity, and consequently the environmental suitability of the Bay is spatially and temporally restricted to select taxa. By identifying …

Deep-Pelagic (0-3000 M) Fish Assemblage Structure Over The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Relative To The North Atlantic Subpolar Front, April B. Cook, Tracey Sutton, John K. Galbraith, M. Vecchione

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

Only a tiny fraction of the world's largest volume of living space, the ocean's mid-water region, has ever been sampled. It is one of the least understood areas on earth, so as part of the International Census of Marine Life field project, MAR-ECO, a discrete-depth trawling survey was conducted in 2009 aboard the NOAA ship Henry Bigelow to examine pelagic assemblage structure and distribution over the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The survey consisted of 11 stations divided into two transects, one northwest and one southeast of the CGFZ, which roughly coincides with the Subpolar Front. …

Microzooplankton Grazing And Productivity In The Central And Southern Sector Of The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Jennifer Putland, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Microzooplankton grazing was measured with the dilution method in the central and southern sectors of the Indian River Lagoon during summer 2006 and 2007. Microzooplankton actively grazed phytoplankton during all experiments. Grazing rates averaged (± SD) 0.956 ± 0.19 d^-1 and ranged from 0.54 to 1.36 d^-1. Phytoplankton carbon, measured by microscopy, averaged 314 ± 251 μg C L^-1 and ranged from 115 to 936 μg C L^-1. Microzooplankton ingestion rates averaged 303 ± 260 μg C L^-1d^-1 and ranged from 90 to 907 μg C L^-1d^-1. …

Biological And Physical Analysis Of Currents And Water Masses Off The Coast Of Southeast Florida, Stephanie Healey

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Biological and physical sampling of a 10km long, east-west transect was performed during 2007, off the coast of southeast Florida. Temperature and salinity measurements were recorded using a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor, and current direction and magnitude measurements were recorded using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). Zooplankton samples were collected, during the daytime, using a Tucker multiple net mid-water trawl, with 760μm mesh, at intended depths of ~25m and ~200m, at three stations along the transect. Laboratory analysis indicated that several currents and water masses influenced the density distribution of calanoid copepods and chaetognaths. During April and September 2007, a …

Occurrence, Density, And Distribution Of The Larvae Of Three Commercially Important Crab Species In The Florida Current Off The Southeast Coast Of Florida, U.S., Gabriela L. Wisniewski

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the temporal and spatial distribution and density of the larvae of Florida‘s commercially important crab species, the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, the golden crab, Chaceon fenneri, and the stone crab, Menippe mercenaria in the nearshore and offshore waters of Florida‘s southeast coast is minimal. Such data, however, can be crucial to our understanding of the population dynamics of these vital fishery species. To obtain baseline data of the occurrence and distribution of these species‘ larvae in the Florida Current, densities were obtained from zooplankton tows from an E-W transect northeast of Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida along …

Marine Bioinvasions And Climate Change, James T. Carlton, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Celia M. Smith, Jennifer E. Smith

National Invasive Species Council

BACKGROUND

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest cause of species endangerment and global biodiversity loss. Invasive species can cause severe and permanent damage to the ecosystems they invade. Consequences of invasion include competition with or predation upon native species, hybridization, carrying or supporting harmful pathogens and parasites that may affect wildlife and human health, disturbing ecosystem function through alteration of food webs and nutrient recycling rates, acting as ecosystem engineers and altering habitat structure, and degradation of the aesthetic quality of our natural resources. In many cases we may not fully know the native animals …

A Comparison Of Copepoda (Order: Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Poecilostomatoida) Density In The Florida Current Off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jessica L. Bostock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Copepods, minute crustaceans, are vital constituents of marine food web dynamics in tropical ecosystems. Ecologically, copepods provide the link between primary production and tertiary consumers. Changes in population structure and densities may impact ecosystem stability and production on small to large spatial scales. The present study examined the influence of the Florida Current on copepod population densities off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida due to limited data in the area. Samples were collected during February and July 2007 at two locations, Stations A and B. Station A, dependent on current dynamics, fluctuated between the most western boundary and the …

Upper Ocean Response To The Atmospheric Cold Pools Associated With The Madden-Julian Oscillation, Suyang Pei, Toshiaki Shinoda, Alexander Soloviev, Ren-Chieh Lien

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Atmospheric cold pools are frequently observed during the Madden‐Julian Oscillation events and play an important role in the development and organization of large‐scale convection. They are generally associated with heavy precipitation and strong winds, inducing large air‐sea fluxes and significant sea surface temperature (SST) fluctuations. This study provides a first detailed investigation of the upper ocean response to the strong cold pools associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation, based on the analysis of in situ data collected during the Dynamics of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) field campaign and one‐dimensional ocean model simulations validated by the data. During strong cold pools, SST …

Transplantation And Parrotfish Predation: A Study On Small Siderastrea Siderea Colonies Offshore Broward County, Fl Usa, Allison S. Brownlee

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

With increasing coastal development along southeastern Florida, nearshore coral reef communities are at an increased risk from anthropogenic impacts. Impact minimization and mitigation efforts associated with permitted coastal construction activities generally exclude nearshore small (< 10 cm diameter) Siderastrea siderea colonies from required coral transplantation due to an assumed high colony mortality associated with transplanting small stony corals. This study evaluated the efficacy of transplanting these small colonies by monitoring survival, growth, and zooxanthellae density post transplantation to an offshore reef area. Unexpected observations of parrotfish predation on the newly transplanted corals were made within the first 24 hours. Within 2 weeks, 94% …

Investigations Into The Application Of Single-Beam Acoustic Backscatter For Describing Shallow Water Marine Habitats, Greg Foster

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1

Producing thematic coral reef benthic habitat maps from single-beam acoustic backscatter has been hindered by uncertainties in interpreting the acoustic energy parameters E1 (~roughness) and E2 (~hardness), typically limiting such maps to sediment classification schemes. In this study acoustic interpretation was guided by high-resolution LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) bathymetry. Each acoustic record, acquired from a BioSonics DT-X echosounder and multiplexed 38 and 418 kHz transducers, was paired with a spatially-coincident value of a LIDAR-derived proxy for topographic complexity (Reef-Volume) and its membership to one of eight LIDAR-delineated benthic habitat classes. The discriminatory capabilities of the 38 and …