Oceanography Commons^™

Degradable Plastics And Their Potential To Affect Solid Waste Systems, Krista L. Thyberg, David J. Tonjes

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Plastic waste forms a substantial part of municipal solid waste and has caused environmental concerns, particularly due to chemical contamination of the environment and effects from persistent litter. Plastics also complicate waste management processes, such as by having poor recovery rates through recycling, and causing contamination in composting operations. One potential means to address some of these challenges is through degradable plastics which, unlike conventional plastics, are designed to decompose at an accelerated rate in specific environments. Degradable plastics aim to address the end-of-life of plastic products and are intended to reduce the environmental impacts associated with their use and …

2014 Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Station Tide Prediction Calendars, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science, David A. Evans

Miscellaneous

These calendars are produced monthly using David Evans' Tidecal.

2014 Gloucester Point Station Tide Prediction Calendars, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science, David A. Evans

Miscellaneous

These calendars are produced monthly using David Evans' Tidecal.

Spring 2014, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Fall 2014, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Ship Noise To Assess The Impact Of Coastal Developments On Marine Mammals, Nathan D. Merchant, Enrico Pirotta, Tim R. Barton, Paul M. Thompson

Biology - All Scholarship

The potential impacts of underwater noise on marine mammals are widely recognised, but uncertainty over variability in baseline noise levels often constrains efforts to manage these impacts. This paper characterises natural and anthropogenic contributors to underwater noise at two sites in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation, an important marine mammal habitat that may be exposed to increased shipping activity from proposed offshore energy developments. We aimed to establish a pre-develop- ment baseline, and to develop ship noise monitoring methods using Automatic Identification System (AIS) and time-lapse video to record trends in noise levels and shipping activity. Our results …

Diuron From Maui Sugarcane Field Runoff Is Potentially Harmful To Local Coral Reefs, Thomas C. Royer, Patricia A. Tester, Thomas N. Stewart

CCPO Publications

In a grassroots effort to identify stressors influencing the health of Maui’s coral reefs, samples for the pre- and post-emergent herbicide, Diuron, were taken in July–August 2013, prior to, during, and after the passage of Tropical Storm Flossie on the south central coast of Maui, Hawaii. Diuron is routinely used on sugarcane fields adjacent to Hawaiian coastal waters and is a component of the anti-fouling paint used on small boats. It inhibits photosynthesis of terrestrial plants at concentrations as low as 0.1 parts per billion and can be lethal to endosymbiotic dinoflagellates in corals at concentrations less than 3 parts …

The Roles Of Dispersal And Predation In Determining The Seedling Recruitment Patterns Of A Zostera Marina System, Stephen R. Manley

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Seed dispersal and seed predation are two important processes in the early life history of plants. The interaction between these two processes influences the population recruitment from a parent plant. These mechanisms have been studied extensively in terrestrial plants and have resulted in various models to describe plant recruitment (e.g. Janzen-Connell, Hubbell, McCanny). However, seed dispersal and predation may also influence the population recruitment of marine angiosperms, such as Zostera marina (eelgrass). The objectives of this study were to determine: 1.) the patterns of seed dispersal as a function of distance from the seed source, 2.) the predation pressure on …

Quantification Of Nursery Habitats For Blue Crabs In Chesapeake Bay, Gina M. Ralph

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The blue crab is an iconic species in Chesapeake Bay, supporting important commercial and recreational fisheries and functioning as a critical link in the food web. Structurally complex habitats are often cited as nurseries for the blue crab, and other commercially important fish and crustacean species, by providing enhanced growth and survival for juveniles. I quantified the value of shallow habitats as nurseries for blue crabs through field studies and a demographic model. In Chapter 2, I utilized a two-year juvenile survey in vegetated habitats of the lower Bay to examine the effect of habitat complexity on the density of …

Studies Of Mortality Estimation, Amy Y. Then

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Instantaneous total mortality rate Z can be partitioned into two components: fishing, F, and natural mortality, M. A number of data-poor methods have been developed to estimate Z, F, and M, and these methods tend to rely on fairly restrictive assumptions as well as on data types that are easy to obtain, e.g., length or other life history information. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to contribute to the advancement of methods for estimating these important and influential stock parameters. The relevant issues and the gaps in knowledge pertaining to these data-poor methods are outlined in the Introduction chapter …

Effects Of Predation Upon The Long-Spined Sea Urchin Diadema Antillarum By The Spotted Spiny Lobster Panulirus Guttatus, Meredith D. Kintzing, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Sea urchins, important herbivores in marine ecosystems, are strongly impacted by both the direct and indirect effects of predation, and the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum is no exception. Once abundant on Caribbean coral reefs, D. antillarum populations were decimated by disease in the early 1980s, and only where their natural predators have been over-fished has D. antillarum recovery been observed. Spiny lobsters (Palinuridae) are predators of sea urchins, and although there are several species of spiny lobster in the Caribbean, only the spotted spiny lobster Panulirus guttatus is restricted to coral reefs where D. antillarum dwells. We investigated the …

Editorial-The 5th International Workshop On Modeling The Ocean (Iwmo 2013), Jarle Berntsen, Lie-Yauw Oey, Tal Ezer, Richard Greatbatch, Huijie Xue, Yasumasa Miyazawa

CCPO Publications

The 5th International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean (IWMO http://www.uib.no/en/IWMO2013/-58927/iwmo2013-bergen-norway) was held in June 17–20, in Bergen, Norway. The historic city of Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and a center for oceanic research. The workshop was hosted by the University of Bergen and also sponsored by the Research Council of Norway. Approximately 80 researchers worldwide participated in the workshop. Professor Mellor, Princeton University, gave the keynote lecture.

Lack Of Equivalence In The Elemental And Stable Isotope Chemistry Within The Sagittal Otolith Pair Of The Summer Flounder, Paralichthys Dentatus, Antranik Kajajian, Jason J. Schaffler, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

In fish that are not bilaterally symmetrical, the left and right sagittae are often not symmetrical, exhibiting divergent growth patterns and mass, and may have differences in chemical composition. We investigated this in the asymmetrical summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus, collected from different nursery habitats along the US east coast. Significant differences were detected in otolith mass, δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, Li:Ca, Mg:Ca, and Sr:Ca, and overall chemical signatures. These results refute the hypothesis of left-right equivalence that is prevalent for bilaterally symmetrical fishes. We tested whether a specific side was better suited for classification. The best models …

The Impact Of Multiple Nursery Areas On The Population Structure Of Atlantic Menhaden, Brevooria Tyrannus, Kristen A. Anstead

OES Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the population structure and patterns of connectivity in marine fishes is essential when making predictions about a species' resiliency and persistence in an increasingly changing environment. The Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus is a clupeid that plays a critical role in the marine food web and supports one of the largest fisheries on the US East Coast. In addition to a decrease in overall numbers and spawning stock biomass, recruitment levels have remained low since the 1990s. Menhaden use numerous estuaries along the Atlantic coast for juvenile development before recruiting to the adult population and the contribution of each of …

Molecular Characterization And Photochemical Transformation Of Dissolved Organic Matter From Land To Ocean, Hongmei Chen

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Molecular characterization and photochemical transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in both rivers and the ocean is the main research focus of this dissertation. Chemical characterization of DOM is hampered by the limited application of advanced techniques to desalt, concentrate, isolate and then molecularly characterize DOM. An affordable, commercially available mini-electrodialysis (mini-ED) system has been evaluated and recommended for the efficient desalting of small volume samples of seawater prior to analysis by electrospray Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FTICR-MS).

A high-recovery technique of DOM isolation – reverse osmosis coupled with electrodialysis (RO/ED) – was used to isolate …

Weekly Gridded Aquarius L-Band Radiometer/Scatterometer Observations And Salinity Retrievals Over The Polar Regions - Part 2: Initial Product Analysis, L. Brucker, Emmanuel P. Dinnat, L. S. Koenig

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Following the development and availability of Aquarius weekly polar-gridded products, this study presents the spatial and temporal radiometer and scatterometer observations at L band (frequency similar to 1.4 GHz) over the cryosphere including the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, sea ice in both hemispheres, and over sub-Arctic land for monitoring the soil freeze/thaw state. We provide multiple examples of scientific applications for the L-band data over the cryosphere. For example, we show that over the Greenland Ice Sheet, the unusual 2012 melt event lead to an L-band brightness temperature (TB) sustained decrease of similar to 5K at horizontal polarization. Over …

Weekly Gridded Aquarius L-Band Radiometer/Scatterometer Observations And Salinity Retrievals Over The Polar Regions - Part 1: Product Description, L. Brucker, Emmanuel P. Dinnat, L. S. Koenig

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Passive and active observations at L band (frequency similar to 1.4 GHz) from the Aquarius/SAC-D mission offer new capabilities to study the polar regions. Due to the lack of polar-gridded products, however, applications over the cryosphere have been limited. We present three weekly polar-gridded products of Aquarius data to improve our understanding of L-band observations of ice sheets, sea ice, permafrost, and the polar oceans. Additionally, these products intend to facilitate access to L-band data, and can be used to assist in algorithm developments. Aquarius data at latitudes higher than 50 degrees are averaged and gridded into weekly products of …

Model Behavior And Sensitivity In An Application Of The Cohesive Bed Component Of The Community Sediment Transport Modeling System For The York River Estuary, Va, Usa, Kelsey A. Fall, Courtney K. Harris, Carl T. Friedrichs, J. Paul Rineheimer, Christopher R. Sherwood

VIMS Articles

The Community Sediment Transport Modeling System (CSTMS) cohesive bed sub-model that accounts for erosion, deposition, consolidation, and swelling was implemented in a three-dimensional domain to represent the York River estuary, Virginia. The objectives of this paper are to (1) describe the application of the three-dimensional hydrodynamic York Cohesive Bed Model, (2) compare calculations to observations, and (3) investigate sensitivities of the cohesive bed sub-model to user-defined parameters. Model results for summer 2007 showed good agreement with tidal-phase averaged estimates of sediment concentration, bed stress, and current velocity derived from Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) field measurements. An important step in implementing …

A Hydrodynamic And Sediment Transport Model For The Waipaoa Shelf, New Zealand: Sensitivity Of Fluxes To Spatially-Varying Erodibility And Model Nesting, Julia M. Moriarty, Courtney K. Harris, Mark G. Hadfield

VIMS Articles

Numerical models can complement observations in investigations of marine sediment transport and depositional processes. A coupled hydrodynamic and sediment transport model was implemented for the Waipaoa River continental shelf offshore of the North Island of New Zealand, to complement a 13-month field campaign that collected seabed and hydrodynamic measurements. This paper described the formulations used within the model, and analyzed the sensitivity of sediment flux estimates to model nesting and seabed erodibility. Calculations were based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System—Community Sediment Transport Modeling System (ROMS-CSTMS), a primitive equation model using a finite difference solution to the equations for momentum …

A Comparative Study Of Sea Level Reconstruction Techniques Using 20 Years Of Satellite Altimetry Data, M. W. Strassburg, B. D. Hamlington, R. R. Leben, K.-Y. Kim

CCPO Publications

Sea level reconstructions extend spatially dense data sets, such as those from satellite altimetry, by decomposing the data set into basis functions and fitting those functions to in situ tide gauge measurements with a longer temporal record. We compare and evaluate two methods for reconstructing sea level through an idealized study. The compared sea level reconstruction methods differ in the technique for calculating basis functions, i.e., empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) versus cyclostationary EOFs (CSEOFs). Reconstructions are created using Archiving, Validation, and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic (AVISO) satellite altimetry data and synthetic tide gauges. Synthetic tide gauge records are simulated using …