University of New England
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
University of California, Davis (emerita)
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Western Washington University
Old Dominion University
University of Bristol
Bard College
University of Maine
Wildfires Enhance Phytoplankton Production In Tropical Oceans,
2022
Edith Cowan University
Wildfires Enhance Phytoplankton Production In Tropical Oceans, Dongyan Liu, Chongran Zhou, John K. Keesing, Oscar Serrano, Axel Werner, Yin Fang, Yingjun Chen, Pere Masque, Janine Kinloch, Aleksey Sadekov, Yan Du
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Wildfire magnitude and frequency have greatly escalated on a global scale. Wildfire products rich in biogenic elements can enter the ocean through atmospheric and river inputs, but their contribution to marine phytoplankton production is poorly understood. Here, using geochemical paleo-reconstructions, a century-long relationship between wildfire magnitude and marine phytoplankton production is established in a fire-prone region of Kimberley coast, Australia. A positive correlation is identified between wildfire and phytoplankton production on a decadal scale. The importance of wildfire on marine phytoplankton production is statistically higher than that of tropical cyclones and rainfall, when strong El Niño Southern Oscillation coincides with ...
Length-Based Risk Analysis Of Management Options For The Southern Florida Usa Multispecies Coral Reef Fish Fishery,
2022
University of Miami
Length-Based Risk Analysis Of Management Options For The Southern Florida Usa Multispecies Coral Reef Fish Fishery, Jerald Ault, Steven G. Smith, Matthew W. Johnson, Laura Jay W. Grove, James A. Bohnsack, Gerard T. Dinardo, Caroline Mclaughlin, Nelson M. Ehrhardt, Vanessa Mcdonough, Michael P. Seki, Steven Miller, Jiangang Luo, Jeremiah Blondeau, Michael P. Crosby, Glenn Simpson, Mark E. Monaco, Clayton G. Pollock, Michael W. Feeley, Alejandro Acosta
Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
Exploitation impacts and management options for 15 coral reef fish species central to the commercial and recreational fisheries of the southern Florida USA coral reef ecosystem were evaluated using a length-based risk analysis (LBRA) framework. Population abundance-at-length composition data were obtained from several regional federal-state sampling programs. These and updated life history demographic data were integrated into a length-based numerical cohort model to generate LBRA fishery sustainability metrics from a probabilistic perspective. Three of five groupers, eight of eight snappers, and two of two grunts were below the 40% spawning potential ratio (SPR) stock sustainability minimum; ten of these stocks ...
Comparing Two Non-Invasive Methods For Assessing Marine Mammal Genetic Diversity: Environmental Dna Vs. Fecal Dna,
2022
University of Maine - Main
Comparing Two Non-Invasive Methods For Assessing Marine Mammal Genetic Diversity: Environmental Dna Vs. Fecal Dna, Sydney Jackson
Honors College
As technology and science progresses, the methodology behind observing, monitoring, and sampling marine mammals advances as well. One such technique is environmental DNA or eDNA, which entails extracting organismal DNA from water samples without ever handling or disturbing the organism. It is a cost-efficient and non-invasive method that can be utilized in the sampling of seal haulout sites as is its purpose for this research. Another method, using the DNA analysis of seal fecal samples, is a less invasive method that can also be utilized to monitor and assess marine mammals. Through collecting both fecal and water samples from gray ...
A Biological Condition Gradient For Coral Reefs In The Us Caribbean Territories: Part I. Coral Narrative Rules,
2022
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A Biological Condition Gradient For Coral Reefs In The Us Caribbean Territories: Part I. Coral Narrative Rules, Deborah Santavy, Susan K. Jackson, Benjamin Jessup, Jeroen Gerritsen, Caroline Rogers, William S. Fisher, Ernesto Weil, Alina Szmant, David Cuevas-Miranda, Brian Walker, Christopher Jeffrey, Patricia Bradley, David Ballantine, Loretta Roberson, Hector Ruiz-Torres, Brandi Todd, Tyler Smith, Randy Clark, Ernesto Diaz, Jorge Bauzá-Ortega, Christina Horstmann, Sandy Raimondo
Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
As coral reef condition and sustainability continue to decline worldwide, losses of critical habitat and their ecosystem services have generated an urgency to understand and communicate reef response to management actions, environmental contamination, and natural disasters. Increasingly, coral reef protection and restoration programs emphasize the need for robust assessment tools for protecting high-quality waters and establishing conservation goals. Of equal importance is the need to communicate assessment results to stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the public so that environmental consequences of decisions are understood. The Biological Condition (BCG) model provides a structure to evaluate the condition of a coral reef in increments ...
Characterizing Gray Snapper (Lutjanus Griseus) Life History In The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico: Age And Growth, Mortality, And Reproduction,
2022
University of South Alabama
Characterizing Gray Snapper (Lutjanus Griseus) Life History In The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico: Age And Growth, Mortality, And Reproduction, Edward Kim
Theses and Dissertations
Gray Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) constitute a significant recreational fishery and minor commercial fishery throughout the Gulf of Mexico, and review of the recent assessment determined that the stock is overfished and has been undergoing overfishing. The absence of regional baseline data in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico, combined with projections of range expansion and subsequent population growth due to climatic warming, highlight the need for the present investigation into the age and growth, mortality, and reproduction of this species in Alabama and Mississippi. Sex-specific growth curves constructed using the von Bertalanffy growth function demonstrated a significantly greater mean asymptotic length ...
Coastal Sediment Response To The Diel Oxygen Cycle,
2022
University of South Alabama
Coastal Sediment Response To The Diel Oxygen Cycle, Kara Gadeken
Theses and Dissertations
Shallow coastal sediments are sites of intense respiration and organic matter breakdown. Macroinfauna bioturbate and bioirrigate sediments which supplies microbes with oxygen and newly deposited organic material from surface sediments, facilitating microbial remineralization of organic matter. These processes depend heavily on the concentration of dissolved oxygen in overlying water. Shallow water oxygen patterns often follow a diel cycle as dissolved oxygen decreases at night due to respiration and then increases during the day with photosynthesis, creating recurring suboxic conditions that are potentially stressful to organisms. Sediment oxygen flux is known to depend on ambient dissolved oxygen concentration, but behavioral responses ...
Site Fidelity Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Using Elemental Analyses And Photo-Identification,
2022
University of South Alabama
Site Fidelity Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Using Elemental Analyses And Photo-Identification, Lauren R. Clance
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this study was to determine if bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Alabama waters acquire location-specific elemental signatures indicative of site fidelity. I measured trace metal concentrations (Chapter II) and stable isotope ratios (Chapter III) in skin from free-ranging dolphins remotely biopsied in Mobile Bay, the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and eastern Mississippi Sound (EMSS). Elemental findings were corroborated with photo-identification data. I found that dolphins acquired some location-specific elements indicative of site fidelity, with the greatest differences at geographic extremes, particularly relative to salinity. For trace metals, highest concentrations were found in winter, consistent with higher ...
Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Barbatus F. Smith; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Preference For Cover Crop Seeds In South Texas,
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Barbatus F. Smith; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Preference For Cover Crop Seeds In South Texas, Lilly Victoria Elliott-Vidaurri, Daniella Rivera, Adrian Noval, Robin A. Choudhury, Hannah J. Penn
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Harvester ants often selectively forage seeds, causing these ants to be viewed as pests in agricultural areas where they may forage on crop seeds. While little research has been done on harvester ant preferences for cover crop seeds, grower observations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) suggest that ants may remove these seeds before germination. We examined red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus F. Smith) preferences for cover crop seeds (fescue, oat, sunn hemp, radish, vetch, and wheatgrass) and the effects of a commonly used bacterial seed inoculant. We evaluated relative preferences using seed depots presented to colonies with no ...
Pre-Growth Environmental Stresses Affect Foodborne Pathogens Response To Subsequent Chemical Treatments,
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Pre-Growth Environmental Stresses Affect Foodborne Pathogens Response To Subsequent Chemical Treatments, Amandeep Singh, Veerachandra K. Yemmireddy
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes are known to survive under different environmental stresses with an effect on their physiological properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different environmental stresses on the foodborne pathogens response to subsequent chemical treatments. Three types of pathogens Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes were subjected to different environmental stresses: (i) Desiccation (ii) high salt (iii) low pH, and (iv) temperatures (14, 23, and 37 °C) during their growth. The cells harvested at their early stationary growth phase were subsequently subjected to ...
Movement Patterns Of The Shovelnose Guitarfish (Pseudobatos Productus) And California Bat Ray (Myliobatis Californica) In The Southern California Bight,
2022
University of San Diego
Movement Patterns Of The Shovelnose Guitarfish (Pseudobatos Productus) And California Bat Ray (Myliobatis Californica) In The Southern California Bight, Annabel Gong
Theses
While the movement patterns of large elasmobranch species have been studied extensively, those of smaller, mesopredatory species remain understudied. The shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus) and the California bat ray (Myliobatis californica) are among the least studied elasmobranchs in the Southern California Bight. This study quantified the broad- and fine-scale movement patterns of these species using passive acoustic telemetry. Twelve guitarfish were surgically implanted with coded acoustic transmitters at a known aggregation site off La Jolla (San Diego County), California, USA and tracked for 849.5 days each, on average. Six bat rays were also implanted here and tracked for 1143 ...
Development And Validation Of An Edna Protocol For Monitoring Endemic Asian Spiny Frogs In The Himalayan Region Of Pakistan,
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Development And Validation Of An Edna Protocol For Monitoring Endemic Asian Spiny Frogs In The Himalayan Region Of Pakistan, Muhammad Saeed, Muhammad Rais, Ayesha Akram, Maggie R. Williams, Kenneth F. Kellner, Syed A. Hashsham, Drew R. Davis
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Wildlife monitoring programs are instrumental for the assessment of species, habitat status, and for the management of factors affecting them. This is particularly important for species found in freshwater ecosystems, such as amphibians, as they have higher estimated extinction rates than terrestrial species. We developed and validated two species-specific environmental DNA (eDNA) protocols and applied them in the field to detect the Hazara Torrent Frog (Allopaa hazarensis) and Murree Hills Frog (Nanorana vicina). Additionally, we compared eDNA surveys with visual encounter surveys and estimated site occupancy. eDNA surveys resulted in higher occurrence probabilities for both A. hazarensis and N. vicina ...
Development And Assessment Of An Environmental Dna (Edna) Assay For A Cryptic Siren (Amphibia: Sirenidae),
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Development And Assessment Of An Environmental Dna (Edna) Assay For A Cryptic Siren (Amphibia: Sirenidae), Krista M. Ruppert, Drew R. Davis, Md Saydur Rahman, Richard J. Kline
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Environmental DNA (eDNA) assays have become a major aspect of surveys for aquatic organisms in the past decade. These methods are highly sensitive, making them well-suited for monitoring rare and cryptic species. Current efforts to study the Rio Grande Siren in southern Texas have been hampered due to the cryptic nature of these aquatic salamanders. Arid conditions further add to the difficulty in studying this species, as many water bodies they inhabit are ephemeral, sometimes constraining sampling efforts to a short window after heavy rain. Additionally, sirens are known to cease activity and reside underground when ponds begin to dry ...
Characterization Of Particulate Matter Species In An Area Impacted By Aggregate And Limestone Mining North Of San Antonio, Tx, Usa,
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Characterization Of Particulate Matter Species In An Area Impacted By Aggregate And Limestone Mining North Of San Antonio, Tx, Usa, Amit U. Raysoni, Esmeralda Mendez, August Luna, Joe Collins
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Aggregate and limestone mining in San Antonio's Bexar and Comal counties in Texas, USA, has caused considerable health concerns as of late. Aggregate mining actions can result in localized air quality issues in any neighborhood. Furthermore, heavy truck traffic, hauling, and transportation of the mined material contribute to pollution. In this research, PM species were sampled at four locations north of the San Antonio city limits. The data were collected using a TSI Air Quality Sampler that sampled PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and relative humidity. Continuous data with 1 min averages were recorded ...
The Influence Of Particle Concentration And Bulk Characteristics On Polarized Oceanographic Lidar Measurements,
2022
Old Dominion University
The Influence Of Particle Concentration And Bulk Characteristics On Polarized Oceanographic Lidar Measurements, Brian L. Collister, Richard C. Zimmerman, Charles I. Sukenik, William M. Balch, Victoria J. Hill
OES Faculty Publications
Oceanographic lidar measurements of the linear depolarization ratio, δ, contain information on the bulk characteristics of marine particles that could improve our ability to study ocean biogeochemistry. However, a scarcity of information on the polarized light-scattering properties of marine particles and the lack of a framework for separating single and multiple scattering effects on δ have hindered the development of polarization-based retrievals of bulk particle properties. To address these knowledge gaps, we made single scattering measurements of δ for several compositionally and morphologically distinct marine particle assemblages. We then used a bio-optical model to explore the influence of multiple scattering ...
Centering Community Voices In Mining Governance,
2022
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Centering Community Voices In Mining Governance, Anna Erwin, Zhao Ma, Emma Patricia Salas O'Brien, Jonathan Bauchet, Nelly Ramirez Calderon, Eliseo Zeballos Zeballos, Glenn Roberto Arce Larrea, Ruxandra Popovici, Laura Zanotti, Chelsea A. Silva
Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Peru has shifted away from centralized mining management to governance among government, companies, and communities. Various mechanisms facilitate community participation, including the mining canon, dialogues, and corporate social responsibility programs. Even with these laws and mechanisms, mining pollution and conflicts continue. In this study, we ask: how do communities perceive and participate in mining governance? And what are some alternative ways, driven by community priorities, to address governance in mining contexts? We collected 53 semi-structured with agricultural actors in two Peruvian districts with mining activity and analyzed those perspectives through the lens of community-centered governance. Our analyses revealed how centering ...
Comparative Toxicity Of Hydrocarbons For Evaluation Of Lysmata Boggessi As An Experimental Proxy For Deep-Water Column Micronekton,
2022
Nova Southeastern University
Comparative Toxicity Of Hydrocarbons For Evaluation Of Lysmata Boggessi As An Experimental Proxy For Deep-Water Column Micronekton, Dorothy-Ellen A. Renegar, Nicholas Turner, Gopal Bera, Eileen G. Whitemiller, Bernhard Riegl, Jose Sericano, Anthony H. Knap
Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
The potential impacts of sub-surface hydrocarbon plumes to deep-water column micronekton are an important consideration in a more complete understanding of ecosystem effects resulting from deep-sea oil spills. However, evaluating toxicity in these organisms presents multiple challenges, and the use of a shallow-water proxy species allows comparison and validation of experimental results. This study thus examined the suitability of the peppermint shrimp, Lysmata boggessi, as an experimental proxy for ecologically important deep-sea zooplankton/micronekton in hydrocarbon toxicity assays. This crustacean species occurs in shallow coastal marine environments throughout the western Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, is similar in size ...
[Opinion Piece] Comparison Of Recent Survey Techniques For Estimating Benthic Cover On Caribbean Mesophotic Reefs,
2022
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
[Opinion Piece] Comparison Of Recent Survey Techniques For Estimating Benthic Cover On Caribbean Mesophotic Reefs, Joseph R. Pawlik, Roy A. Armstrong, Stephanie Farrington, John Reed, Sara Rivero-Calle, Hanumant Singh, Brian Walker, Jason White
Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
Highly divergent estimates of benthic cover of sponges have been reported for Caribbean mesophotic reefs (90-100 m) based on quadrat point-intercept data collection using 2 methods: visual surveys conducted in situ by technical divers, and analyses of photographs taken by unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). The second method has been criticized for potential errors from image distortion caused by variable camera angle relative to the substratum, but without a broader comparison of both methods. We find that studies that have used the UUV-based method are advantageous for a number of reasons, most importantly: (1) access to the full mesophotic zone, (2 ...
Analysis Of The Magnetic Signature Of Surface Waves Measured In A Laboratory Experiment,
2022
Nova Southeastern University
Analysis Of The Magnetic Signature Of Surface Waves Measured In A Laboratory Experiment, John Kluge, Alex Soloviev, Cayla W. Dean, Geoffrey K. Morrison, Brian K. Haus
Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles
A magnetic signature is created by secondary magnetic field fluctuations caused by the phenomenon of seawater moving in Earth’s magnetic field. A laboratory experiment was conducted at the SUrge STructure Atmosphere INteraction (SUSTAIN) facility to measure the magnetic signature of surface waves using a differential method: a pair of magnetometers, separated horizontally by one-half wavelength, were placed at several locations on the outer tank walls. This technique significantly reduced the extraneous magnetic distortions that were detected simultaneously by both sensors and additionally doubled the magnetic signal of surface waves. Accelerometer measurements and local gradients were used to identify magnetic ...
A General Pattern Of Trade-Offs Between Ecosystem Resistance And Resilience To Tropical Cyclones,
2022
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
A General Pattern Of Trade-Offs Between Ecosystem Resistance And Resilience To Tropical Cyclones, Christopher J. Patrick, John S. Kominoski, (...), Enie Hensel, Marc J. S. Hense, Bradley A. Strickland, (..), A. K. Hardison, Sean Kinard, Et Al
VIMS Articles
Tropical cyclones drive coastal ecosystem dynamics, and their frequency, intensity, and spatial distribution are pre-dicted to shift with climate change. Patterns of resistance and resilience were synthesized for 4138 ecosystem time series from n = 26 storms occurring between 1985 and 2018 in the Northern Hemisphere to predict how coastal ecosystems will respond to future disturbance regimes. Data were grouped by ecosystems (fresh water, salt water, terrestrial, and wetland) and response categories (biogeochemistry, hydrography, mobile biota, sedentary fauna, and vascular plants). We observed a repeated pattern of trade-offs between resistance and resilience across analyses. These patterns are likely the outcomes of ...
The Risk Of Multiple Anthropogenic And Climate Change Threats Must Be Considered For Continental Scale Conservation And Management Of Seagrass Habitat,
2022
Edith Cowan University
The Risk Of Multiple Anthropogenic And Climate Change Threats Must Be Considered For Continental Scale Conservation And Management Of Seagrass Habitat, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kieryn Kilminster, Robert Canto, Chris Roelfsema, Mitchell Lyons, Gary A. Kendrick, Michelle Waycott, James Udy
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Globally marine-terrestrial interfaces are highly impacted due to a range of human pressures. Seagrass habitats exist in the shallow marine waters of this interface, have significant values and are impacted by a range of pressures. Cumulative risk analysis is widely used to identify risk from multiple threats and assist in prioritizing management actions. This study conducted a cumulative risk analysis of seagrass habitat associated with the Australian continent to support management actions. We developed a spatially explicit risk model based on a database of threats to coastal aquatic habitat in Australia, spanning 35,000 km of coastline. Risk hotspots were ...
