Seagrass Ecosystems: A Career-Long Quest To Understand Their Inner Workings,
2019
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Seagrass Ecosystems: A Career-Long Quest To Understand Their Inner Workings, Kenneth L. Heck Jr
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Four decades of research findings associates on the ecology of seagrasses and their animal and plant associates are described here, along with some of the major changes and advances that have taken place in our understanding of the inner workings of these amazingly productive and diverse ecosystems. Of primary importance are shifts in the recognition of: 1) the importance of the nursery role of seagrasses and how it can be quantified; 2) the importance of direct herbivory in the trophic ecology of seagrass-dominated ecosystems; and 3) the primacy of consumer effects in determining the abundance of algal epiphytes that colonize …
Spatial Variability In Recruitment Of Chilipepper Rockfish (Sebastes Goodei) In The California Current System,
2019
Humboldt State University
Spatial Variability In Recruitment Of Chilipepper Rockfish (Sebastes Goodei) In The California Current System, Laura K. Solinger
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Properly describing variability in population dynamics (e.g., growth, fecundity, recruitment) is expected to improve management of important fisheries stocks (Maunder & Piner, 2014). As recruitment to most fish stocks is determined during early life history stages (Houde, 1997; Iles & Beverton, 2000), and early life history stages are influenced by oceanographic conditions (Bjorkstedt et al. 2002; Laidig, 2010), understanding how environmental stochasticity influences recruitment deviations has potential to improve estimates of stock productivity and how productivity might change over time to support more effective management. Chilipepper Rockfish (Sebastes goodei) are an important commercial species that is managed as …
Seaweed Community Structure Along Environmental Gradients In An Ocean-Dominated Estuary,
2019
Cal Poly Humboldt
Seaweed Community Structure Along Environmental Gradients In An Ocean-Dominated Estuary, Saskia A. Raether
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Macrophyte community structure in estuaries that have been modified by the addition of hard substrata are poorly documented, especially in relation to the physical and environmental gradients that shape them. Therefore, this study describes the summer macrophyte flora that occurs on hard and soft substrata throughout Humboldt Bay, CA and tests how the macrophyte communities correlate to measures of horizontal and vertical environmental gradients. The percent cover of macroalgae, vascular plants, cyanobacteria, lichens, diatom film, sessile invertebrates, and substratum types were quantified during the summers of 2017 and 2018 at eleven intertidal locations in the bay and outer coast. Horizontal …
Development Of A Biomarker Panel For Identifying Stressed Marine Mammals,
2019
University of the Pacific
Development Of A Biomarker Panel For Identifying Stressed Marine Mammals, Laura Pujade
University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations
Increasing anthropogenic disturbance in marine ecosystems such as fishing, oil-drilling, and noise pollution can have detrimental effects on the reproduction and survival of apex predators such as marine mammals. Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in increased circulating glucocorticoid (GCs) hormones, which alter expression of target genes encoding metabolic enzymes and other mediators of stress. Prolonged HPA axis stimulation may increase catabolism of nutrient stores and suppress immune and reproductive functions, impacting the fitness of marine mammals. GCs measurements are used to identify wild animals experiencing stress. However, these measurements may not be sensitive enough to distinguish between an …
Rapidly Expanding Nuclear Arsenals In Pakistan And India Portend Regional And Global Catastrophe,
2019
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Rapidly Expanding Nuclear Arsenals In Pakistan And India Portend Regional And Global Catastrophe, Owen B. Toon, Charles G. Bardeen, Alan Robock, Lili Xia, Hans Kristensen, Matthew Mckinzie, R. J. Peterson, Cheryl S. Harrison, Nicole S. Lovenduski, Richard P. Turco
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
Pakistan and India may have 400 to 500 nuclear weapons by 2025 with yields from tested 12- to 45-kt values to a few hundred kilotons. If India uses 100 strategic weapons to attack urban centers and Pakistan uses 150, fatalities could reach 50 to 125 million people, and nuclear-ignited fires could release 16 to 36 Tg of black carbon in smoke, depending on yield. The smoke will rise into the upper troposphere, be self-lofted into the stratosphere, and spread globally within weeks. Surface sunlight will decline by 20 to 35%, cooling the global surface by 2° to 5°C and reducing …
Sweet Potato: A Potentially Profitable Summer Crop For South Texas Organic Farmers To Enhance Soil Biological Activity And Nutrient Release,
2019
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Sweet Potato: A Potentially Profitable Summer Crop For South Texas Organic Farmers To Enhance Soil Biological Activity And Nutrient Release, Jahdiel Salazar, Josabeth Navarro, James Jihoon Kang, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
Past, Present, And Future Perspectives Of Environmental Dna (Edna) Metabarcoding: A Systematic Review In Methods, Monitoring, And Applications Of Global Edna,
2019
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Past, Present, And Future Perspectives Of Environmental Dna (Edna) Metabarcoding: A Systematic Review In Methods, Monitoring, And Applications Of Global Edna, Krista M. Ruppert, Richard J. Kline, Md. Saydur Rahman
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a novel method of assessing biodiversity wherein samples are taken from the environment via water, sediment or air from which DNA is extracted, and then amplified using general or universal primers in polymerase chain reaction and sequenced using next-generation sequencing to generate thousands to millions of reads. From this data, species presence can be determined, and overall biodiversity assessed. It is an interdisciplinary method that brings together traditional fieldbased ecology with in-depth molecular methods and advanced computational tools. As an emerging monitoring method, there are many pitfalls and roadblocks to be considered and avoided, but …
The Potential Use Of Seagrass Herbivory Patterns As An Indicator Of Herbivore Community Change After Tropical Marine Protected Area Establishment,
2019
Georgia Southern University
The Potential Use Of Seagrass Herbivory Patterns As An Indicator Of Herbivore Community Change After Tropical Marine Protected Area Establishment, John M. Carroll, Amber D. Stubler, Christopher M. Finelli, Bradley J. Peterson
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Throughout the Caribbean, fishing pressure has decreased the abundance of many species, including both large predators and larger-bodied herbivores. In an effort to reverse these trends and reduce harvest pressure on vulnerable fish populations, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established throughout the Caribbean. Yet, the effort to monitor fish communities, is variable, and there are MPAs where no monitoring program exists. It is possible that other metrics may be used to determine whether the impact of MPA establishment. By comparing two seagrass herbivory experiments, one pre- and one post-MPA establishment, we provide evidence that the MPA established in Discovery …
Variability In Microphytobenthos Biomass And Carbon Isotopic Values In Shallow Coastal Waters Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico,
2019
University of Rhode Island
Variability In Microphytobenthos Biomass And Carbon Isotopic Values In Shallow Coastal Waters Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Sharil N. Deleon, Jeffrey W. Krause, Ronald Baker
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Characteristics And Mechanisms Of Coastal Upwelling In The Gulf Of Thailand,
2019
Faculty of Science
Characteristics And Mechanisms Of Coastal Upwelling In The Gulf Of Thailand, Pacharamon Sripoonpan
Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)
The characteristics and mechanisms of coastal upwelling in the Gulf of Thailand was investigated through 2 approaches; 1) Ekman transport upwelling index (UIET) and sea surface temperature upwelling index (UISST), and 2) Hydrodynamics model DELFT3D-FLOW under the influences of tide, spatially varying wind, water temperature, salinity and river discharge. The UIET indicated favorable upwelling conditions along the west coast of the GoT mostly during northeast monsoon in January and 1st inter-monsoon in March, while the favorable upwelling condition indicated by UISST was found along the east coast during southwest monsoon in August and 2nd inter-monsoon in October. The model expressed …
The Effects Of Elevated Temperatures On Gumboot Chiton (Cryptochiton Stelleri) Grazing Performance And Thermoregulation Efficiency,
2019
Humboldt State University
The Effects Of Elevated Temperatures On Gumboot Chiton (Cryptochiton Stelleri) Grazing Performance And Thermoregulation Efficiency, Lily Clare Mcintire
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Rocky intertidal zones are some of the most thermally stressful environments on earth, where ectotherms deal with tidal fluctuations in air and water temperatures that can exceed thermal performance limits. However, not all intertidal ectotherms face the same exposure risk. On the northwest coast of the United States, summertime low tides occur during midday, exposing ectotherms to stressful temperatures. In contrast, cooler pre-dawn low tides in southern regions buffer ectotherms from thermal stress. Gumboot chitons (Cryptochiton stelleri) are a thermally sensitive intertidal grazer that range from southern California to Alaska, exposing them to a mosaic of thermal stress. …
Distribution Of Sea Star Wasting Disease Symptoms In Pisaster Ochraceus In The Rocky Intertidal Zone,
2019
Humboldt State University
Distribution Of Sea Star Wasting Disease Symptoms In Pisaster Ochraceus In The Rocky Intertidal Zone, Jana N. Litt
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Beginning in 2013, many species of sea stars (phylum Echinodermata) along the Pacific coast experienced severe mortality due to sea star wasting disease (SSWD). The ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, experienced one of the highest mortality rates during this outbreak. To test the hypothesis that the intertidal distribution of ochre sea stars influences the incidence and progression of SSWD symptoms, I documented the occurrence of symptoms and survivorship in adult and juvenile stars in the upper and lower portions of the mid-intertidal zone. I also chronicled the progression of SSWD symptoms among individually tagged adult stars to assess changes in …
Adult Atlantic Sturgeon Population Dynamics In The York River, Virginia,
2019
West Virginia University
Adult Atlantic Sturgeon Population Dynamics In The York River, Virginia, Jason E. Kahn
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Sturgeon first appear in the fossil record in the Triassic Period just over 200 million years ago and are among the most primitive of the bony fishes. Despite their large size and historic presence along the East Coast, Atlantic sturgeon were not targeted for their meat and caviar as a commercial fishery until 1880. By 1905 they had declined to less than one percent of their pre-fishing abundance but the fishery continued. Prior to 1980, there had been very little research on Atlantic sturgeon, primarily limited to documenting landing location and poundage, maximum longevity, or weight of eggs per fish. …
Synthesis Report: Defining Thresholds And Indicators Of Primary Producer Response To Dredging-Related Pressures: Report Of Theme 5 Prepared For The Dredging Science Node,
2019
Edith Cowan University
Synthesis Report: Defining Thresholds And Indicators Of Primary Producer Response To Dredging-Related Pressures: Report Of Theme 5 Prepared For The Dredging Science Node, Paul Lavery, Kathryn Mcmahon, John Statton, Mat Vanderklift, Simone Strydom, Gary Kendrick
Research outputs 2014 to 2021
Seagrasses form a small component of a diverse group of organisms termed ‘benthic primary producers’. Benthic primary producers are organisms that grow on the sea-bed that obtain some or all of their energy needs from photosynthesis. This includes animals such as scleractinian corals and some sponges that host microscopic intercellular algae, coralline and turf algae, and the larger seaweeds such as the kelps and sargassum. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, more closely related to land plants than seaweeds and algae. Seagrasses live mostly in soft sediments, and can be found from the shallow intertidal zone through to a depth of …
Dynamic Responses And Implications To Coastal Wetlands And The Surrounding Regions Under Sea Level Rise,
2018
University of South Carolina
Dynamic Responses And Implications To Coastal Wetlands And The Surrounding Regions Under Sea Level Rise, Karim Alizad, Scott C. Hagen, Stephen C. Medeiros, Matthew V. Bilskie, James T. Morris, Len Balthis, Christine A. Buckel
Faculty Publications
Two distinct microtidal estuarine systems were assessed to advance the understanding of the coastal dynamics of sea level rise in salt marshes. A coupled hydrodynamic-marsh model (Hydro-MEM) was applied to both a marine-dominated (Grand Bay, Mississippi) and a mixed fluvial/marine (Weeks Bay, Alabama) system to compute marsh productivity, marsh migration, and potential tidal inundation from the year 2000 to 2100 under four sea level rise scenarios. Characteristics of the estuaries such as geometry, sediment availability, and topography, were compared to understand their role in the dynamic response to sea level rise. The results show that the low sea level rise …
Meral Spot Total Reflectance Signals Weapon Performance In The Mantis Shrimp Neogonodactylus Oerstedii (Stomatopoda),
2018
Tufts University
Meral Spot Total Reflectance Signals Weapon Performance In The Mantis Shrimp Neogonodactylus Oerstedii (Stomatopoda), Amanda M. Franklin, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Casey R. Culligan, Eric D. Tytell
Engineering Faculty Articles and Research
During animal contests over resources, opponents often signal their fighting ability in an attempt to avoid escalating to physical attack. A reliable signal is beneficial to receivers because it allows them to avoid injuries from engaging in contests they are unlikely to win. However, a signaler could benefit from deceiving an opponent by signaling greater fighting ability or greater aggressive intent than the signaler possesses. Therefore, the reliability of agonistic signals has long intrigued researchers. We investigated whether a colored patch, the meral spot, signals weapon performance in the stomatopod Neogonodactylus oerstedii. During fights over possession of refuges, stomatopods can …
Living Shoreline Stabilization To Increase Resiliency At De Soto National Memorial,
2018
University of Central Florida
Living Shoreline Stabilization To Increase Resiliency At De Soto National Memorial, Linda Walters, Melinda Donnelly, Christian Pilato, Suzanne Connor
CEELAB Research Data
De Soto National Memorial (Bradenton, FL) is an important location where both Native Americans and De Soto's army of soldiers once lived. We have been working closely with the National Park Service and the University of Central Florida to understand how to best stabilize this shoreline using living shoreline techniques combined with long-term natural recruitment. Stabilizing De Soto's shoreline is essential to decrease erosion and shoreline loss to protect the Park's cultural and natural resources, especially the numerous historically significant shell middens. Through pre-restoration monitoring, we determined that high-energy boat wakes were limiting natural mangrove recruitment. Lack of retention of …
Legacy Habitat Suitability Of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) In Louisiana: A Prelude To Mississippi River Delta Freshwater Diversions,
2018
University of New Orleans
Legacy Habitat Suitability Of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea Virginica) In Louisiana: A Prelude To Mississippi River Delta Freshwater Diversions, Tasia Mv Denapolis
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
The Louisiana oyster industry is greatly impacted by freshwater and sediment diversions that are part of the effort to restore the state’s coastline. A habitat suitability index (HSI) proposes species-habitat relationships that can be instrumental in creating impact assessments and suitability predictions for management as new diversions are implemented. An oyster (Crassostrea virginica) HSI was developed using three variables crucial to oyster sustainability: average annual salinity, minimum monthly salinity, and average salinity during the spawning season. These Legacy HSI visualizations show annual fluctuations in the distribution of zones suitable for oyster cultivation prior to proposed diversions in Pontchartrain …
Antibiofilm Activities Of Extracts Of The Macroalga Halimeda Sp. From The Red Sea,
2018
Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Antibiofilm Activities Of Extracts Of The Macroalga Halimeda Sp. From The Red Sea, Alaa Aref Abdullah Gadhi, Mohsen M. O El-Sherbiny, Abdul Mohsin A Al-Sofyani, Mohammad Abdulaziz Ba-Akdah, Sathianeson Satheesh
Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan
Marine macroalgae generally keep their surface free from fouling organisms by their antifouling defence. Antifouling activity has been attributed to the production of secondary metabolites. In the present study, antifouling performance of the macroalga Halimeda sp., collected from the Red Sea coastal waters, was assessed using extracts prepared through various methods, including surface extraction, wet sample extraction and dried sample extraction. The solvents methanol and hexane were used to assess the effect of solvents on bioactivity. Results indicated that extracts of the macroalga inhibited growth and settlement of a biofilm-forming bacterial strain. Though the extracts prepared using different methods and …
Riding The Wave Of Microplastics In Bermuda,
2018
Salve Regina University
Riding The Wave Of Microplastics In Bermuda, Molly E. Riihiluoma
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
The presence of marine debris and microplastics in the Earth’s oceans are a global environmental issue. Bermuda’s location in the middle of the North Atlantic Gyre makes it the perfect case study for this work. As the crisis unfolds, Bermuda’s environment, economy, and population are at risk of witnessing firsthand the effects of plastic pollution. This paper relies on scholarly research as well as anecdotal evidence from retail stores and locals to compile information in order to provide necessary recommendations to benefit Bermuda’s ocean health. This research evaluates the pros and cons of policies which could mitigate the problem. Analysis …
