Marine Biology Commons^™

A Full-Ocean-Depth Rated Modular Lander And Pressure-Retaining Sampler Capable Of Collecting Hadal-Endemic Microbes Under In Situ Conditions, Logan M. Peoples, Matthew Norenberg, David Price, Madeline Mcgoldrick, Mark Novotny, Alexander Bochdansky, Douglas H. Bartlett

OES Faculty Publications

The hadal zone remains one of the least studied environments because of its inaccessibility, in part because of hydrostatic pressures extending to 110 MPa. Few instruments are capable of sampling from such great depths. We have developed a full-ocean-depth-capable lander that can be fit with sampling packages for the collection of still images, video, motile megafauna, and hadal seawater. One payload includes a pressure-retaining sampler (PRS) able to maintain seawater samples under in situ pressure during recovery. We describe the technical specifications of the lander and the PRS and preliminary results from three deployments at depths in excess of 10,700 …

Patterns Of Diatom Diversity Correlate With Dissolved Trace Metal Concentrations And Longitudinal Position In The Notheast Pacific Coastal Offshore Transition Zone, P. Dreux Chappell, E. Virginia Armbrust, Katherine A. Barbeau, Randelle M. Bundy, Jagruti Vedamati, Bethany D. Jenkins

OES Faculty Publications

Diatoms are important primary producers in the northeast Pacific Ocean, with their productivity closely linked to pulses of trace elements in the western high nitrate, low chlorophyll (HNLC) region of the oceanographic time series transect 'Line P.' Recently, the coastal-HNLC transition zone of the Line P transect was identified as a hotspot of phytoplankton productivity, potentially controlled by a combination of trace element and macronutrient concentrations. Here we describe diatom community composition in the eastern Line P transect, including the coastal- HNLC transition zone, with a method using high-throughput sequencing of diatom 18S gene amplicons. We identified significant correlations between …

การศึกษาอนุกรมวิธานของปลานินและโรนัน (Rhinidae, Rhinobatidae และ Glaucostegidae) ในน่านน้ำไทย, อภิญญา หัสกุล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ปลาโรนินและโรนันเป็นปลากระดูกอ่อนในอันดับ Rhinopristiformes โดยในประเทศไทยพบจำนวน 4 วงศ์ ได้แก่ Pristidae (วงศ์ปลาฉนาก), Rhinidae (วงศ์ปลาโรนินและปลาโรนันจุดขาว), Rhinobatidae (วงศ์ปลาโรนันหัวใส), Glaucostegidae (วงศ์ปลาโรนันหัวใสยักษ์) และ Platyrhinidae (วงศ์ปลานันพัด) ปลาเหล่านี้เป็นสิ่งมีชีวิตประเภท K-selected species ซึ่งมีช่วงชีวิตยืนยาว เข้าสู่ช่วงวัยเจริญพันธุ์ช้าและให้ลูกจำนวนน้อยประกอบกับการถูกคุกคามจากการทำการประมงจึงทำให้ประชากรปลาโรนินและโรนันลดลงอย่างมาก การอนุรักษ์ปลาโรนินและโรนันจึงมีความจำเป็นต่อการรักษาสมดุลของสิ่งแวดล้อม ทั้งนี้การระบุชนิดพันธุ์ปลาได้อย่างแม่นยำนั้นเป็นอีกปัจจัยหนึ่งที่ช่วยในการเก็บข้อมูลได้อย่างถูกต้อง โดยการวัดลักษณะทางสัณฐานวิทยาเป็นวิธีที่ง่าย ต้นทุนต่ำ และแม่นยำที่สุดในการระบุลักษณะเฉพาะของชนิดพันธุ์ปลาโรนินและโรนัน อย่างไรก็ดี ข้อมูลลักษณะทางสัณฐานวิทยาที่ได้จากการวัดปลาโรนินและโรนันในไทยนั้นยังมีอยู่น้อยมาก งานวิจัยนี้จึงเป็นงานวิจัยที่ช่วยเติมเต็มข้อมูลดังกล่าว โดยงานวิจัยนี้ได้ศึกษาลักษณะทางสัณฐานวิทยาด้วยการวัดลักษณะภายนอกของปลาและนับกระดูกสันหลัง ในการศึกษานี้ทำการวัดลักษณะที่วัดได้ 80 ลักษณะ โดยข้อมูลที่ได้จากการวัดนั้นจะนำมาวิเคราะห์ด้วยวิธี Principle component analysis เพื่อใช้ในการดูการแยกกลุ่มของชนิดและทำการวิเคราะห์ Discriminant function analysis ในการจัดกลุ่มและทดสอบความแม่นยำในการจัดกลุ่มชนิดที่ได้จาก PCA ซึ่งผลที่ได้จากการวิเคราะห์พบว่าลักษณะที่วัดได้ 11 ลักษณะได้แก่ ความยาวของจะงอยปาก, ขนาดของตา, ขนาดของรูช่วยหายใจ (spiracle), ระยะห่างของรูจมูก (nasal), ความยาวของแผ่นปิดรูจมูก, ขนาดของครีบอกและครีบท้อง, ระยะห่างระหว่างครีบอกและครีบท้อง, ระยะตั้งแต่ปลายจะงอยปากจนถึงครีบหลังทั้งสอง, ระยะห่างระหว่างครีบหลังทั้งสองและขนาดของครีบหลังที่หนึ่ง มีความสำคัญต่อการจำแนกปลาโรนินและโรนัน

Assessing Freshwater Mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) Assemblages And Effects Of Eutrophication On Pyganodon Grandis In Lakes Of Eastern South Dakota, Katherine M. Wollman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globally, the family Unionidae is the most threatened group of freshwater fauna. South Dakota is well known for its agricultural production, leading to cultural eutrophication from enhanced fertilizers and sediments. This impact can alter species presence, age, growth and mortality. Objectives of this study were to 1) implement the first comprehensive lake survey of freshwater mussels in eastern South Dakota lakes and document distribution, occurrence and relative abundance, 2) evaluate relationships between age, growth and mortality of Pyganodon grandis and lake trophic state. Freshwater mussels were sampled in 2017 from 116 proportionally and randomly selected natural lakes and reservoir basins …

Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds: Reply, J. Marcus Drymon, K. Feldheim, A. M.V. Fournier, A. E. Jefferson, A. M. Kroetz, Sean P. Powers, E. A. Seubert

University Faculty and Staff Publications

In response to our recent paper (Drymon et al. 2019), Yosef (2019) questions the mechanism proposed to explain interactions between tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) and migratory songbirds, while offering an alternative mechanism based on a single observation. We appreciate the comments from Yosef and the opportunity to respond.

Tiger Sharks Eat Songbirds: Scavenging A Windfall Of Nutrients From The Sky, J. Marcus Drymon, K. Feldheim, A. M.V. Fournier, E. A. Seubert, A. E. Jefferson, A. M. Kroetz, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Techniques Used To Increase Recapture Rates Of Dwarf Seahorses (Hippocampus Zosterae) In Tampa Bay: Implications For Population Estimates And Movement Patterns, Heather D. Masonjones, Emily Rose, Michael C. Masonjones

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Mark-recapture techniques were used to estimate population size and movement patterns of the Dwarf Seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae, Syngnathidae), a species native to the Gulf of Mexico and under review by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, USA) for consideration under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Previous collection methods have failed to yield recapture rates high enough to use for population estimation, hypothesized to be a result of longer time durations between collections and large distances surveyed in previous studies. In this report, Dwarf Seahorses in Tampa Bay, Florida (USA) were sampled with a pushnet in a small, well-marked …

Size And Age Structure Of Introduced Populations Of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus Furcatus) In Two Kansas Reservoirs And Implications For Management, Ernesto Flores

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

ABSTRACT

The introduction of a new fish species into an aquatic ecosystem can bring about many challenges for fisheries managers. Questions might arise for the manager regarding the initial sportfish survival rate, grow rate, reproduction and recruitment, and what kind of impact will the introduction have on the already established populations found in the water body. A new population of fish is often protected using length limit regulations, allowing biologists to gain insight on whether the population will be self-sustaining or in need of periodic stockings. Age and growth information is used to understand population dynamics, estimate annual mortality and …

Comparisons Of Caribbean Spiny Lobster And Queen Conch Populations In Coastal Marine Reserves Of Belize Over 15 Years, Charles Acosta, Alyssa Frank, Kristafer Howard, Denice Robertson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Many coastal fisheries are increasingly reliant on marine protected areas (MPAs) as a fishery management strategy. However, the efficacy of any particular MPA depends on a complex suite of factors. This study investigates whether Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus and queen conch Lobatus gigas abundance, mean size, and fishery productivity changed in MPAs over 15 years of increasing effective enforcement. A before-after control-impact design was used to analyze differences between years in the same protected and fished sampling sites. Catch-per-unit-effort was higher for both species in protected than fished zones, but there were no significant changes between 2001 and 2016. …

Larsonia Pterophylla (Cnidaria, Pandeidae) Parasitic On Two Leptocephali: Paraconger Sp. (Congridae) And Callechelyini Gen. Sp. (Ophichthidae) In The Gulf Of Mexico, Matthew S. Woodstock, Charles Golightly, Danté Fenolio, Jon A. Moore

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Rapid Assessment Of Post-Hurricane Michael Impacts On A Population Of The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus In Seagrass Beds Of Eagle Harbor, Port Saint Joseph Bay, Florida, Roberta Challener, James B. Mcclintock, Raymond Czaja Jr., Christopher Pomory

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Nursery Methods To Strengthen Oysters For Aquaculture, Emily M. Combs, Benjamin A. Belgrad, Delbert L. Smee

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Adsorbed Chlordecone On Microplastics In Marine Sediments In Guadeloupe: A Preliminary Study, Fidji Sandre, Charlotte R. Dromard, Karyn Le Menach, Yolande Bouchon-Navaro, Sébastien Cordonnier, Nathalie Tapie, Hélène Budzinski, Claude Bouchon

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Plastic pollution in the oceans is recognized as a worldwide problem. Since the 1950s, the production of plastics has been increasing and the first reports of microplastics (particles < 500 μm) in the marine environment began to appear in the 1970s. These particles represent a growing environmental problem due to their dispersion in seawater and marine organisms. Additionally, microparticles in general can adsorb pollutants that will then become bioavailable to organisms by being desorbed during digestion, which could be an important pathway for the contamination of organisms. In Guadeloupe and Martinique, an organochlorine pesticide called “chlordecone” was used from 1972 to 1993 in banana plantations and this very persistent pollutant contaminates soils, rivers, and coastal marine areas and accumulates in marine foodwebs. To examine these issues, we had two goals: 1) to assess the contamination of marine sediments by microplastics surrounding Guadeloupe; and 2) to determine the ability of microplastics to adsorb chlordecone, as has been demonstrated for other organochlorine pollutants. To do so, marine sediments were collected in triplicate from 12 sites in coral reef environments around the island. Microplastics from each sample were then enumerated by size, color and shape under a binocular microscope. The results indicate that microplastics are found in all the studied sites and that their distribution could be linked to marine currents or proximity to areas of significant human activities (port activities, agglomeration, etc.). Finally, our preliminary results indicated that chlordecone could be adsorbed onto microplastics, with a concentration ranging from 0.00036—0.00173 µg/µg of microfilter.

Estimation And Comparison Of Epiphyte Loading On Holopelagic Sargassum Fluitans Collected In The North Atlantic Ocean And The Gulf Of Mexico, Sarah Shadle, Olivia Lestrade, Franziska Elmer, Frank Hernandez Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Signatures In Thermal Performance Of The Temperate Coral Astrangia Poculata, H. E. Aichelman, Richard C. Zimmerman, Daniel J. Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Variation in environmental characteristics and divergent selection pressures can drive adaptive differentiation across a species' range. Astrangia poculata is a temperate scleractinian coral that provides unique opportunities to understand the roles of phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary adaptation in coral physiological tolerance limits. A. poculata inhabits hard bottom ecosystems from the northwestern Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico and withstands an annual temperature range up to 20° C. Additionally, A. poculata is facultatively symbiotic and co-occurs in both symbiotic ("brown") and aposymbiotic ("white") states. Here, brown and white A. poculata were collected from Virginia (VA) and Rhode Island (RI), USA and …

Seasonal Spatial Segregation In Blue Sharks (Prionace Glauca) By Sex And Size Class In The Northeast Pacific Ocean, Sara M. Maxwell, Kylie L. Scales, Steven Bograd, Dana K. Briscoe, Heidi Dewar, Elliott L. Hazen, Rebecca L. Lewison, Heather Welch, Larry B. Crowder

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim: Animal tracking can provide unique insights into the ecology and conservation of marine species, such as the partitioning of habitat, including differences between life history stages or sexes, and can inform fisheries stock assessments, bycatch reduction and spatial management such as dynamic management.

Location: Northeast Pacific Ocean.

Methods: We used satellite tracking data from 47 blue sharks (Prionace glauca) from the Northeast Pacific to determine movements and home range along the west coast of North America, and sex–size class (immature females, mature males) specific habitat preferences using boosted regression trees. Using a suite of static and dynamic …

Sponges Structure Water-Column Characteristics In Shallow Tropical Coastal Ecosystems, Marla M. Valentine, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Sponges can have powerful effects on ecosystem processes in shallow tropical marine ecosystems. They drive benthic-pelagic coupling by filtering dissolved and particulate organic matter from the water column, alter water chemistry in association with their symbiotic microorganisms, and increase habitat structural complexity. Anthropogenic degradation of coastal waters is widespread and can reduce the density and diversity of foundation species such as sponges, potentially diminishing their contributions to ecosystem processes. We used a novel mesocosm design that minimized artifacts associated with traditional single-species and closed-system filtration experiments to examine the effects of water turnover and sponge biomass on water-column properties. Using …

Island Invasion: The Silent Crisis In Hawaii, Sophia Janssen

Pomona Senior Theses

Keeping out invasive species may, upon first review, seem like a trivial environmental cry from ecologists and deep environmentalists; a belated wish to return to an undeveloped world where nature was pristine. However invasive species create problems that impact all of us and can have far more severe consequences than changing a stunning landscape. These problems are heightened in islands like Hawaii, where the fragile ecosystems have developed over centuries of evolution and adaptation. The introduction of a disease-carrying mosquito can put the people of Hawaii at risk to many vector-born illnesses and create an epidemic, taking human life. The …

Parasitic Dinoflagellate Hematodinium Perezi Prevalence In Larval And Juvenile Blue Crabs Callinectes Sapidus From Coastal Bays Of Virginia, H. J. Small, J. P. Huchin-Mian, K. S. Reece, K. M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Mark J. Butler Iv, J. D. Shields

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi infects the American blue crab Callinectes sapidus and other decapods along the Eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of the USA. Large juvenile and adult blue crabs experience high mortality during seasonal outbreaks of H. perezi, but less is known about its presence in the early life history stages of this host. We determined the prevalence of H. perezi in megalopae and early benthic juvenile crabs from multiple locations along the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. The DNA of H. perezi was not detected in any megalopae collected from several locations within …

Editorial: Advances In The Biology And Conservation Of Marine Turtles, Sara M. Maxwell, Annette C. Broderick, Peter H. Dutton, Sabrina Fossette-Halot, Mariana M.P.B. Fuentes, Richard D. Reina

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

(First Paragraph) Marine turtles have been the subject of research over many decades, inspired by their unique life history and necessitated by their declining populations from a suite of human impacts including direct harvest, bycatch in marine fisheries, pollution, and climate change. Despite this, much about marine turtle biology has remained a mystery (Godley et al., 2008; Rees et al., 2016; Wildermann et al., 2018), but the rate of scientific discovery is increasing rapidly. As research techniques and conservation practices expand, the marine turtle research community has kept abreast of these developments and their application to marine turtles. In this …