Trash Talk: The Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Seabirds In Narragansett Bay,
2018
Salve Regina University
Trash Talk: The Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Seabirds In Narragansett Bay, Erin A. O'Neill
Pell Scholars and Senior Theses
Plastic pollution in the ocean is a global concern with more than 8 million tons of plastic dumped into our oceans every year. This policy paper assesses plastic pollution in Narragansett Bay and the negative implications it holds on local seabird populations. Also, essential background information on plastic production and throwaway culture is provided. Moreover, the biological significance of seabirds is described, highlighting the vital role such populations play in local ecosystems such as Narragansett Bay. This paper contributes research to the global issue of plastic pollution by observing declining native wildlife life populations, such as seabirds, on a local …
Along-Shelf Connectivity And Circumpolar Gene Flow In Antarctic Silverfish (Pleuragramma Antarctica),
2018
Old Dominion University
Along-Shelf Connectivity And Circumpolar Gene Flow In Antarctic Silverfish (Pleuragramma Antarctica), Jilda Alicia Caccavo, Chiara Papetti, Maj Wetjen, Rainer Knust, Julian R. Ashford, Lorenzo Zane
OES Faculty Publications
The Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) is a critically important forage species with a circumpolar distribution and is unique among other notothenioid species for its wholly pelagic life cycle. Previous studies have provided mixed evidence of population structure over regional and circumpolar scales. The aim of the present study was to test the recent population hypothesis for Antarctic silverfish, which emphasizes the interplay between life history and hydrography in shaping connectivity. A total of 1067 individuals were collected over 25 years from different locations on a circumpolar scale. Samples were genotyped at fifteen microsatellites to assess population differentiation and …
Lighting A Path To Biofouling Prevention: Investigating The Effect Of Ultraviolet Light On Biofouling,
2018
Florida Institute of Technology
Lighting A Path To Biofouling Prevention: Investigating The Effect Of Ultraviolet Light On Biofouling, Cierra Rose Braga
Theses and Dissertations
Ultraviolet light (UV) is considered an environmentally friendly antifouling method because it disrupts biological growth without the release of harmful toxins. The application of UV for the marine shipping industry is a relatively new concept, and there still remains many unknowns before it can be fully implemented. This research investigated several aspects of applying UVC for the control of fouling. A novel method of using embedded UV LEDs within a silicone coating for fouling control proved to be very effective at preventing fouling. The research also investigated the effect of using an external UVC light treatment to control fouling on …
Late Quaternary Evolution And Stratigraphic Framework Influence On Coastal Systems Along The North-Central Gulf Of Mexico, Usa,
2018
University of Southern Mississippi
Late Quaternary Evolution And Stratigraphic Framework Influence On Coastal Systems Along The North-Central Gulf Of Mexico, Usa, Robert Hollis
Master's Theses
Coastal systems in the Gulf of Mexico are threatened to reduced sediment supply, storm impacts and relative sea level rise (RSLR). The geologic record can provide insights of geomorphic threshold crossings (formation, progradation, transgression, destruction) to these forcing mechanisms to predict future barrier evolution to climate change. The stratigraphic framework and antecedent topography directly influence coastal evolution over geologic timescales. This study synthesizes ~2100km of geophysical data, 700+ sediment cores, and 63 radiocarbon dates to regionally map two sequence boundaries, multiple ravinement surfaces and fourteen depositional facies. One marine isotope stage (MIS) 6 valley’s fill provided up to 300 x10 …
Dynamics Of Prochlorococcus Diversity And Photoacclimation During Short-Term Shifts In Water Column Stratification At Station Aloha,
2018
Portland State University
Dynamics Of Prochlorococcus Diversity And Photoacclimation During Short-Term Shifts In Water Column Stratification At Station Aloha, Anne W. Thompson, Ger Van Den Engh, Nathan A. Ahlgren, Kathleen Kouba, Samantha Ward, Samuel T. Wilson, David M. Karl
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
The cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is the dominant phototroph in surface waters of the vast oligotrophic oceans, the foundation of marine food webs, and an important component of global biogeochemical cycles. The prominence of Prochlorococcus across the environmental gradients of the open ocean is attributed to its extensive genetic diversity and flexible chlorophyll physiology, enabling light capture over a wide range of intensities. What remains unknown is the balance between temporal dynamics of genetic diversity and chlorophyll physiology in the ability of Prochlorococcus to respond to a variety of short (approximately 1 day) and longer (months to year) changes in the environment. …
Evolution Of 21st Century Sea Level Rise Projections,
2018
Rowan University
Evolution Of 21st Century Sea Level Rise Projections, Andra J. Garner, Jeremy L. Weiss, Adam Parris, Robert E. Kopp, Radley M. Horton, Jonathan T, Overpeck, Benjamin P. Horton
School of Earth & Environment Departmental Research
The modern era of scientific global‐mean sea level rise (SLR) projections began in the early 1980s. In subsequent decades, understanding of driving processes has improved, and new methodologies have been developed. Nonetheless, despite more than 70 studies, future SLR remains deeply uncertain. To facilitate understanding of the historical development of SLR projections and contextualize current projections, we have compiled a comprehensive database of 21st century global SLR projections. Although central estimates of 21st century global‐mean SLR have been relatively consistent, the range of projected SLR has varied greatly over time. Among studies providing multiple estimates, the range of upper projections …
Flux Of Particulate Elements In The North Atlantic Ocean Constrained By Multiple Radionuclides,
2018
School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi Stennis Space Center, MS
Flux Of Particulate Elements In The North Atlantic Ocean Constrained By Multiple Radionuclides, Christopher T. Hayes, Erin E. Black, Robert F. Anderson, Mark Baskaran, Ken O. Buesseler, Matthew A. Charette, Hai Cheng, J. Kirk Cochran, R. Lawrence Edwards, Patrick Fitzgerald, Phoebe J. Lam, Yanbin Lu, Stephanie O. Morris, Daniel C. Ohnemus, Frank J. Pavia, Gillian Stewart, Yi Tang
Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications
Sinking particles strongly regulate the distribution of reactive chemical substances in the ocean, including particulate organic carbon and other elements (e.g., P, Cd, Mn, Cu, Co, Fe, Al, and 232Th). Yet, the sinking fluxes of trace elements have not been well described in the global ocean. The U.S. GEOTRACES campaign in the North Atlantic (GA03) offers the first data set in which the sinking flux of carbon and trace elements can be derived using four different radionuclide pairs (238U:234Th ;210Pb:210Po; 228Ra:228Th; and 234U:230Th) at stations co-located with sediment trap fluxes for comparison. Particulate organic carbon, particulate P, and particulate Cd …
Impacts Of Pacific Ssts On Atmospheric Circulations Leading To California Winter Precipitation Variability: A Diagnostic Modeling,
2018
APEC Climate Center
Impacts Of Pacific Ssts On Atmospheric Circulations Leading To California Winter Precipitation Variability: A Diagnostic Modeling, Boksoon Myoung, Sang-Wook Yeh, Jinwon Kim, Menas Kafatos
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
One of the primary meteorological causes of the winter precipitation deficits and droughts in California (CA) is anomalous developments and maintenance of upper-tropospheric ridges over the northeastern Pacific. In order to understand and find the key factors controlling the winter precipitation variability in CA, the present study examines two dominant atmospheric modes of the 500 hPa geopotential height in the Northern Hemisphere using an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) and their associated large-scale circulation patterns for the last 41 winters (1974/75–2014/15). Explaining 17.5% of variability, the second mode (EOF2) shows strong anti-cyclonic circulations in the North Pacific and cyclonic circulations in …
Evaluation Of Spatial Generalization Characteristics Of A Robust Classifier As Applied To Coral Reef Habitats In Remote Islands Of The Pacific Ocean,
2018
Chapman University
Evaluation Of Spatial Generalization Characteristics Of A Robust Classifier As Applied To Coral Reef Habitats In Remote Islands Of The Pacific Ocean, Justin J. Gapper, Hesham El-Askary, Erik J. Linstead, Thomas Piechota
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
This study was an evaluation of the spectral signature generalization properties of coral across four remote Pacific Ocean reefs. The sites under consideration have not been the subject of previous studies for coral classification using remote sensing data. Previous research regarding using remote sensing to identify reefs has been limited to in-situ assessment, with some researchers also performing temporal analysis of a selected area of interest. This study expanded the previous in-situ analyses by evaluating the ability of a basic predictor, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), trained on Depth Invariant Indices calculated from the spectral signature of coral in one location …
A Deep Eastern Equatorial Pacific Thermocline During The Last Glacial Maximum,
2018
Old Dominion University
A Deep Eastern Equatorial Pacific Thermocline During The Last Glacial Maximum, H. L. Ford, C. L. Mcchesney, J. E. Hertzberg, J. F. Mcmanus
OES Faculty Publications
The mean state and variability of the tropical Pacificis influenced by the depth of the thermocline. During the Last Glacial Maximum (~21,000 years ago), the zonal sea surface temperature gradient across the equatorial Pacific was reduced and productivity was generally lower than modern. To understand the thermocline depth’s role in determining the Last Glacial Maximum tropical mean state, we reconstruct the upper ocean δ18O profile from multiple species of planktic foraminifera. We synthesize existing records of surface and subsurface dwelling foraminifera to reconstruct the vertical δ18O gradient throughout the eastern equatorial Pacific. We find the thermocline …
Ground-Truthing Social Vulnerability Indices Of Alaska Fishing Communities,
2018
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle
Ground-Truthing Social Vulnerability Indices Of Alaska Fishing Communities, Anna Lavoie, Kim Sparks, Stephen Kasperski, Amber Himes-Cornell, Kristin Hoelting, Conor Maguire
All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences
Community vulnerability is increasingly evaluated through quantitative social indices, typically developed using secondary data sources rather than primary data collection. It is necessary to understand the validity of these indices if they will be used to inform policy and decision making. This paper presents a ground-truthing effort to validate quantitative indices that characterize the well-being of Alaska fishing communities. We utilized ethnographic data collected from 13 representative communities and a capital assets framework to ground-truth the indices, in which qualitative ranks of vulnerability were compared against quantitative indices. The majority (73.8%) of ranks were in complete or moderate agreement and …
Eddy Flux Measurements Of Sulfur Dioxide Deposition To The Sea Surface,
2018
University of California, Irvine
Eddy Flux Measurements Of Sulfur Dioxide Deposition To The Sea Surface, Jack G. Porter, Warren J. De Bruyn, Eric S. Saltzman
Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research
Deposition to the sea surface is a major atmospheric loss pathway for many important trace gases, such as sulfur dioxide (SO2). The air–sea transfer of SO2 is controlled entirely on the atmospheric side of the air–sea interface due to high effective solubility and other physical– chemical properties. There have been few direct field measurements of such fluxes due to the challenges associated with making fast-response measurements of highly soluble trace gases at very low ambient levels. In this study, we report direct eddy covariance air–sea flux measurements of SO2, sensible heat, water vapor, and momentum. The measurements were made over …
Tidal-, Wind-, And Buoyancy-Driven Dynamics In The Barataria Estuary And Its Impact On Estuarine-Shelf Exchange Processes,
2018
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Tidal-, Wind-, And Buoyancy-Driven Dynamics In The Barataria Estuary And Its Impact On Estuarine-Shelf Exchange Processes, Linlin Cui
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
A three-dimensional, high-resolution, Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) was used to study the dynamics of Barataria Estuary located in the Southeastern Louisiana. Three numerical experiments with different discharge scenarios, including the actual discharge (average ~ 160 m3 s-1) from the Davis Pond Diversion (DPD) over three months from April to June 2010, no discharge (NO), and the proposed Mid-Barataria Diversion (MBD) with a constant discharge of 850 m3 s-1, were conducted to investigate the impacts of river diversions on salinity gradients and residence times in the estuary. The three-month average salinity indicated that surface …
The Influence Of Habitat Preference On Longitudinal Population Composition And Distribution Of Groupers (Serranidae) In Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar Tanzania,
2018
SIT Study Abroad
The Influence Of Habitat Preference On Longitudinal Population Composition And Distribution Of Groupers (Serranidae) In Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar Tanzania, Caroline Daley
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
A survey of six common grouper (Serranidae) species was conducted on both the western protected and eastern unprotected reefs around Chumbe Island. Species, estimated maturity, and fundamental niche and general habitat preference was extrapolated based on observed realized niche and qualified according to substrate, depth, slope position, and general reef region. Abundance, biomass density, and biodiversity of Serranid populations were compared among locations on the reef with habitat preference in mind in order to best assess how habitat influences population composition, distribution, and health. The results of this study provide depth to previous research on the protected reef and indicate …
Characterizing Diatom Biofilms And Their Influence On The Sand Biogeochemistry Of High Energy Beaches,
2018
Coastal Carolina University
Characterizing Diatom Biofilms And Their Influence On The Sand Biogeochemistry Of High Energy Beaches, Logan C. Jarrell
Honors Theses
High energy beaches are among the most dynamic ecological settings on Earth. Compared to mudflats, diatoms of high energy beaches have been more neglected in the literature, particularly true of the intertidal biofilms that form and dissipate with nutrient cycling and light intensity over the tidal cycle. Although short lived, the productivity of these biofilms may be critical to the organic-poor sand. Through sediment coring and subsequent analyses of the uppermost sand of three suspected biofilm stations—non-runnel, runnel crest, and runnel trough—along with seemingly bare sand as a control, this study sought to verify the presence of diatom biofilms and …
Correlations Between Reef Health And Vertical Zonation On Ushongo Village Reef And Fungu Zinga Reef,
2018
SIT Study Abroad
Correlations Between Reef Health And Vertical Zonation On Ushongo Village Reef And Fungu Zinga Reef, Daniel Gates
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
While the existence of vertical zonation on coral reefs is well-known, the driving mechanisms and the influence each has is not clear. This study seeks to investigate the influence of reef health on vertical zonation. Reef health is used as a potential factor since it is essentially a broad description of reef diversity. Therefore, a healthy reef which is very diverse is likely to have more and different interspecies interactions than an unhealthy one. This project investigates whether these altered interactions results in different depth distributions of various coral types, categorized broadly by colony shape. Reef health did not seem …
Habitat Preferences Of Blue Marlin (Makaira Nigricans) And Black Marlin (Istiompax Indica) In The Eastern Pacific Ocean,
2018
University of San Diego
Habitat Preferences Of Blue Marlin (Makaira Nigricans) And Black Marlin (Istiompax Indica) In The Eastern Pacific Ocean, Nima Farchadi, Michael G. Hinton, Andrew R. Thompson, Zhi-Yong Yin
Theses
Overexploitation and climate change can reduce the abundance and shift the spatial distribution of marine species. Determining the habitat suitability of a mobile pelagic species, such as Makaira nigricans (BUM) and Istiompax indica (BLM), can help describe their spatiotemporal distribution patterns over a broad spatial scale, which is a crucial need for fisheries management. Using 14 years (1997-2010) of Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) catch data from purse-seine vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO), we modeled the dynamic habitat suitability of BUM and BLM in response to environmental variables within the EPO using a species distribution model (MaxEnt) with …
Sea Squad,
2018
Goldsmiths, University of London
Sea Squad, Liam Geary Baulch
The Goose
The Sea Squad is a band of cheerleaders against climate change. Taking action as a team in formation, they gather momentum, inviting all people to cheer with them, mimicking the infinitely expandable nature of the seas' molecular structure. The work was developed and performed as a bilingual project at Est-Nord-Est in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec, Canada, and has since been performed and exhibited internationally. The following poems are some of the chants that Sea Squad use to get a crowd cheering together against climate change.
Reconstruction Of Sea Level Around The Korean Peninsula Using Cyclostationary Empirical Orthogonal Functions,
2018
Old Dominion University
Reconstruction Of Sea Level Around The Korean Peninsula Using Cyclostationary Empirical Orthogonal Functions, Se-Hyeon Cheon, Benjamin D. Hamlington, Kyung-Duck Suh
OES Faculty Publications
Since the advent of the modern satellite altimeter era, the understanding of the sea level has increased dramatically. The satellite altimeter record, however, dates back only to the 1990s. The tide gauge record, on the other hand, extends through the 20th century but with poor spatial coverage when compared to the satellites. Many studies have been conducted to create a dataset with the spatial coverage of the satellite datasets and the temporal length of the tide gauge records by finding novel ways to combine the satellite data and tide gauge data in what is known as sea level reconstruction. However, …
The Effects Of Density Gradients On The Distribution And Behavior Of Copepods,
2018
University of San Diego
The Effects Of Density Gradients On The Distribution And Behavior Of Copepods, Connor Cayson
Theses
Observations of fine-scale behavioral dynamics of zooplankton may shed insight into much larger-scale ecosystem patterns and phenomena. Some zooplankton, such as copepods, are known to aggregate near density gradients; however, it is not clear the extent to which density gradients alone affect copepod distribution and behavior, since these gradients are often associated with phytoplankton layers. In this study, we investigated the behavior of Calanus pacificus in response to salinity gradients through laboratory experiments observed with high-resolution video and analyzed using computational techniques. Image data were collected using two cameras recording continuously for a duration of 30 minutes or more, allowing …
