The Evergreen basin and the role of the Silver Creek fault in the San Andreas fault system, San Francisco Bay region, California

Science.gov (United States)

Jachens, Robert C.; Wentworth, Carl M.; Graymer, Russell W.; Williams, Robert; Ponce, David A.; Mankinen, Edward A.; Stephenson, William J.; Langenheim, Victoria

2017-01-01

The Evergreen basin is a 40-km-long, 8-km-wide Cenozoic sedimentary basin that lies mostly concealed beneath the northeastern margin of the Santa Clara Valley near the south end of San Francisco Bay (California, USA). The basin is bounded on the northeast by the strike-slip Hayward fault and an approximately parallel subsurface fault that is structurally overlain by a set of west-verging reverse-oblique faults which form the present-day southeastward extension of the Hayward fault. It is bounded on the southwest by the Silver Creek fault, a largely dormant or abandoned fault that splays from the active southern Calaveras fault. We propose that the Evergreen basin formed as a strike-slip pull-apart basin in the right step from the Silver Creek fault to the Hayward fault during a time when the Silver Creek fault served as a segment of the main route by which slip was transferred from the central California San Andreas fault to the Hayward and other East Bay faults. The dimensions and shape of the Evergreen basin, together with palinspastic reconstructions of geologic and geophysical features surrounding it, suggest that during its lifetime, the Silver Creek fault transferred a significant portion of the ∼100 km of total offset accommodated by the Hayward fault, and of the 175 km of total San Andreas system offset thought to have been accommodated by the entire East Bay fault system. As shown previously, at ca. 1.5–2.5 Ma the Hayward-Calaveras connection changed from a right-step, releasing regime to a left-step, restraining regime, with the consequent effective abandonment of the Silver Creek fault. This reorganization was, perhaps, preceded by development of the previously proposed basin-bisecting Mount Misery fault, a fault that directly linked the southern end of the Hayward fault with the southern Calaveras fault during extinction of pull-apart activity. Historic seismicity indicates that slip below a depth of 5 km is mostly transferred from the Calaveras

A New Small Drifter for Shallow Water Basins: Application to the Study of Surface Currents in the Muggia Bay (Italy

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Carmelo Nasello

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A new small drifter prototype for measuring current immediately below the free surface in a water basin is proposed in this paper. The drifter dimensions make it useful for shallow water applications. The drifter transmits its GPS location via GSM phone network. The drifter was used to study the trajectory of the surface current in the Muggia bay, the latter containing the industrial harbor of the city of Trieste (Italy. The analysis has been carried out under a wide variety of wind conditions. As regards the behavior of the drifter, the analysis has shown that it is well suited to detect the water current since its motion is marginally affected by the wind. The study has allowed detecting the main features of the surface circulation within the Muggia bay under different meteorological conditions. Also, the study has shown that the trajectory of the surface current within the bay is weakly affected by the Coriolis force.

Studies on endangered and rare non-commercial fish species recorded in the Pomeranian Bay (southern Baltic Sea) in 2010-2013

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Więcaszek, Beata; Sobecka, Ewa; Keszka, Sławomir; Stepanowska, Katarzyna; Dudko, Stanisław; Biernaczyk, Marcin; Wrzecionkowski, Konrad

2015-12-01

This paper presents the results of studies on endangered and rare non-commercial fish species ( Spinachia spinachia, Nerophis ophidion, Syngnathus typhle, Agonus cataphractus, Pholis gunnellus, Enchelyopus cimbrius, Cyclopterus lumpus) and one lamprey species ( Lampetra fluviatilis), recorded as bycatch during monitoring surveys in 2010-2013 in the Pomeranian Bay. Two species were observed for the first time in the Pomeranian Bay: A. cataphractus and E. cimbrius. Descriptions of parasite fauna are provided for C. lumpus and E. cimbrius, which were infected with four pathogenic species from Neomonada, Digenea, Nematoda, and Acanthocephala. Almost all parasite species were new in the hosts examined.

Territorial analysis of the micro-basin and bay of the Cacaluta River, Santa María Huatulco, Oaxaca

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Verónica Rosalía Gómez Rojo

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This work is an integrated analysis if the following: the physical and bio-geographic elements, the chronological history of the population’s place, types of land ownership, its uses that are parts of the micro-basin and bay of the Cacaluta River, Santa Maria Huatulco, Oaxaca. The 55% of the study zone, falls within the boundaries of the Huatulco National Park and the remaining along the river basin adjacent to the park. This entire region harbors high biodiversity and is made up of scenic landscapes, where different interests come into play which dispute the use of the natural resources and the appropriation of lands. Among the analysis techniques employed analysis in this investigation are map-like diagrams known as choremes, which demonstrates the relationship of the above mentioned aspects of the study.

Distribution and behavior of major and trace elements in Tokyo Bay, Mutsu Bay and Funka Bay marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honda, Teruyuki; Kimura, Ken-ichiro

2003-01-01

Fourteen major and trace elements in marine sediment core samples collected from the coasts along eastern Japan, i.e. Tokyo Bay (II) (the recess), Tokyo Bay (IV) (the mouth), Mutsu Bay and Funka Bay and the Northwest Pacific basin as a comparative subject were determined by the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The sedimentation rates and sedimentary ages were calculated for the coastal sediment cores by the 210 Pb method. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: (1) Lanthanoid abundance patterns suggested that the major origin of the sediments was terrigenous material. La*/Lu* and Ce*/La* ratios revealed that the sediments from Tokyo Bay (II) and Mutsu Bay more directly reflected the contribution from river than those of other regions. In addition, the Th/Sc ratio indicated that the coastal sediments mainly originated in the materials from the volcanic island-arcs, Japanese islands, whereas those from the Northwest Pacific mainly from the continent. (2) The correlation between the Ce/U and Th/U ratios with high correlation coefficients of 0.920 to 0.991 indicated that all the sediments from Tokyo Bay (II) and Funka Bay were in reducing conditions while at least the upper sediments from Tokyo Bay (IV) and Mutsu Bay were in oxidizing conditions. (3) It became quite obvious that the sedimentation mechanism and the sedimentation environment at Tokyo Bay (II) was different from those at Tokyo Bay (IV), since the sedimentation rate at Tokyo Bay (II) was approximately twice as large as that at Tokyo Bay (IV). The sedimentary age of the 5th layer (8∼10 cm in depth) from Funka Bay was calculated at approximately 1940∼50, which agreed with the time, 1943∼45 when Showa-shinzan was formed by the eruption of the Usu volcano. (author)

Two new species of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Iguaçu basin, southern Brazil

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Leonardo F. S. Ingenito

Full Text Available Rineloricaria langei and R. maacki, new species, are described from upper and middle regions of the rio Iguaçu basin, a left bank tributary of the rio Paraná basin, southern Brazil. Rineloricaria langei has narrow body and is similar to R. quadrensis, which is found in coastal rivers of Rio Grande do Sul State and is distinguishable by several morphometric characters. Rineloricaria maacki is distinguishable from all other congeners by the shape and extension of the naked area of the ventral region of pectoral girdle and other morphological characters. The presence of a naked region on the abdominal surface is shared with other species from the rio Paraná and rio Uruguay basins and coastal drainages from southeastern and southern Brazil. This may indicate a close phylogenetic relationship among these species. Similarities between the two new species and species from the aforementioned drainages also suggest close biogeographic relationship between the Paraná basin and other Brazilian coastal Atlantic drainages throughout the rio Iguaçu basin.

Filamentous fungal population and species diversity from the continental slope of Bay of Bengal, India

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Das, Surajit; Lyla, Parameswari Somasundharan; Khan, Syed Ajmal

2009-03-01

Filamentous fungal diversity from the sediments of the continental slope of Bay of Bengal was studied. Sediment samples were collected during two voyages in 2004 and 2005. Filamentous fungal population from both the cruises showed a range of 5.17-59.51 CFU/g and 3.47-29.68 CFU/g, respectively. Totally 16 fungal genera were recorded from both the cruises. Aspergillus was found to be the dominant genus and the overall percentage occurrence was as follows: Deuteromycotina 74%, Ascomycotina 17%, Basidiomycotina 4% and non-sporulating 5%. Diversity indices were calculated and during both the cruises species richness ( d) varied from 0.912 to 3.622 and 1.443 to 4.588; evenness ( J') varied from 0.9183 to 1.000 and 0.8322 to 1.000 and Shannon-Wiener index ( H' log 2) varied from 0.9183 to 1.000 and 1.000 to 3.690. The higher diversity was found in Divipoint transect (northern Bay of Bengal). 95% confidence interval and ellipse showed that the stations were well lying within the funnel. Cluster analysis and MDS grouped the northern transects which showed higher diversity. BVSTEP resulted in isolation of 23 species which were most influential in the marine filamentous fungal diversity of the continental slope of Bay of Bengal. Thus, a lower population range and higher diversity of marine filamentous marine fungi in the sediments of the continental slope of Bay of Bengal was recorded.

The Kara Bogaz Gol Bay, Lake Issyk Kul and Aral Sea sediments as archives of climate change in the Aral-Caspian catchment basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferronsky, V.I.; Brezgunov, V.S.; Vlasova, L.S.; Karpychev, Y.A.; Polyakov, V.A.; Bobkov, A.F.; Romanovsky, V.V.; Johnson, T.; Ricketts, D.; Rasmussen, K.

2002-01-01

A 5-m long core of bottom sediments from the Kara Bogaz Gol Bay of the Caspian Sea, 4- m and 2-m cores from the Issyk Kul Lake of the Thian Shan Mountains, and a 4-m core from the Aral Sea were examined for evidence of climatic and environmental changes in the catchment basin of the Central Asia Region. The distribution of 18 O and 13 C in the bulk carbonates, 2 H in the pore water, radiocarbon age, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in the lake water, abundance of CaCO 3 , MgCO 3 , and the basic salt ions of Na + , K + , Cl - , SO 4 2- in the cores were measured. The isotope and hydrogeochemical data of the Kara Bogaz Gol Bay sediments prove a historical scenario for the basin which suggests that fresh water has been discharged to the Caspian Sea during the Bay's humid episode across the Central Asia Region (∼ 9 Ka BP). Isotope and geochemical evidence indicate that the sedimentation of the upper core segment has taken place during the last ∼2.2 Ka BP in the environment of sea water recharged from the Central Caspian Basin. The period of between 4.3 and 6 Ka BP, which relates to the core depth interval of between 170 cm and 260 cm, demonstrates the most dramatic change in the sedimentation rate in the Issyk Kul Lake. It means that active melting of the mountain glaciers and warming of climate has happened just in this period. The swamp plant peat layers at depths of 230 cm and 130 cm indicate that during 3.5-3.7 Ka BP and 1.6-1.8 Ka BP the Aral Sea dried and broke up into a number of lakes and swamps. Sediment cores taken from the bottom of the Kara Bogaz Gol Bay, Lake Issyk Kul and Aral Sea show periodic rise and fall in water levels during the last ∼10 000 years. Two peat layers within the sediment core of the Aral Sea and dated at 1.6-1.8 Ka BP and 3.5-3.7 Ka BP demonstrate that this reservoir also periodically dried. (author)

Evaluating nonindigenous species management in a Bayesian networks derived relative risk framework for Padilla Bay, WA, USA.

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Herring, Carlie E; Stinson, Jonah; Landis, Wayne G

2015-10-01

Many coastal regions are encountering issues with the spread of nonindigenous species (NIS). In this study, we conducted a regional risk assessment using a Bayesian network relative risk model (BN-RRM) to analyze multiple vectors of NIS introductions to Padilla Bay, Washington, a National Estuarine Research Reserve. We had 3 objectives in this study. The 1st objective was to determine whether the BN-RRM could be used to calculate risk from NIS introductions for Padilla Bay. Our 2nd objective was to determine which regions and endpoints were at greatest risk from NIS introductions. Our 3rd objective was to incorporate a management option into the model and predict endpoint risk if it were to be implemented. Eradication can occur at different stages of NIS invasions, such as the elimination of these species before being introduced to the habitat or removal of the species after settlement. We incorporated the ballast water treatment management scenario into the model, observed the risk to the endpoints, and compared this risk with the initial risk estimates. The model results indicated that the southern portion of the bay was at greatest risk because of NIS. Changes in community composition, Dungeness crab, and eelgrass were the endpoints most at risk from NIS introductions. The currents node, which controls the exposure of NIS to the bay from the surrounding marine environment, was the parameter that had the greatest influence on risk. The ballast water management scenario displayed an approximate 1% reduction in risk in this Padilla Bay case study. The models we developed provide an adaptable template for decision makers interested in managing NIS in other coastal regions and large bodies of water. © 2015 SETAC.

Geoid and gravity anomaly data of conjugate regions of Bay of Bengal and Enderby Basin: New constraints on breakup and early spreading history between India and Antarctica

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Krishna, K.S.; Michael, L.; Bhattacharyya, R.; Majumdar, T.J.

the anomalies. Since the magnetic anomalies in the western Enderby Basin have lower amplitude, Gaina et al. (2007) could not identify the anomalies with confidence and found difficulty to correlate the spreading history with that of the central and eastern... Geoid and gravity anomaly data of conjugate regions of Bay of Bengal and Enderby Basin – new constraints on breakup and early spreading history between India and Antarctica K.S. Krishna*, Laju Michael National Institute of Oceanography, Council...

Holocene depocenter migration and sediment accumulation in Delaware Bay: A submerging marginal marine sedimentary basin

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Fletcher, C. H.; Knebel, H.J.; Kraft, J.C.

1992-01-01

The Holocene transgression of the Delaware Bay estuary and adjacent Atlantic coast results from the combined effect of regional crustal subsidence and eustasy. Together, the estuary and ocean coast constitute a small sedimentary basin whose principal depocenter has migrated with the transgression. A millenial time series of isopach and paleogeographic reconstructions for the migrating depocenter outlines the basin-wide pattern of sediment distribution and accumulation. Upland sediments entering the basin through the estuarine turbidity maximum accumulate in tidal wetland or open water sedimentary environments. Wind-wave activity at the edge of the tidal wetlands erodes the aggraded Holocene section and builds migrating washover barriers. Along the Atlantic and estuary coasts of Delaware, the area of the upland environment decreases from 2.0 billion m2 to 730 million m2 during the transgression. The area of the tidal wetland environment increases from 140 million to 270 million m2, and due to the widening of the estuary the area of open water increases from 190 million to 1.21 billion m2. Gross uncorrected rates of sediment accumulation for the tidal wetlands decrease from 0.64 mm/yr at 6 ka to 0.48 mm/yr at 1 ka. In the open water environments uncorrected rates decrease from 0.50 mm/yr to 0.04 mm/yr over the same period. We also present data on total sediment volumes within the tidal wetland and open water environments at specific intervals during the Holocene. 

New insights into the distribution and evolution of the Cenozoic Tan-Lu Fault Zone in the Liaohe sub-basin of the Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China

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Huang, Lei; Liu, Chi-yang; Xu, Chang-gui; Wu, Kui; Wang, Guang-yuan; Jia, Nan

2018-01-01

As the largest strike-slip fault system in eastern China, the northeast-trending Tan-Lu Fault Zone (TLFZ) is a significant tectonic element contributing to the Mesozoic-Cenozoic regional geologic evolution of eastern Asia, as well as to the formation of ore deposits and oilfields. Because of the paucity of data, its distribution and evolutionary history in the offshore Liaohe sub-basin of the northern Bohai Bay Basin (BBB) are still poorly understood. Investigations of the strike-slip fault system in the western portion of the offshore Liaohe sub-basin via new seismic data provide us with new insights into the characteristics of the Cenozoic TLFZ. Results of this study show that Cenozoic dextral strike-slip faults occurred near the center of the Liaoxi graben in the offshore Liaohe sub-basin; these strike-slip faults connect with their counterparts to the north, the western part of the onshore Liaohe sub-basin, and have similar characteristics to those in other areas of the BBB in terms of kinematics, evolutionary history, and distribution; consequently, these faults are considered as the western branch of the TLFZ. All strike-slip faults within the Liaoxi graben merge at depth with a central subvertical basement fault induced by the reactivation of a pre-existing strike-slip basement fault, the pre-Cenozoic TLFZ. Data suggest that the TLFZ across the whole Liaohe sub-basin comprises two branches and that the Cenozoic distribution of this system was inherited from the pre-Cenozoic TLFZ. This characteristic distribution might be possessed by the whole TLFZ, thus the new understandings about the distribution and evolutionary model of the TLFZ in this study can be inferred in many research fields along the whole fault zone, such as regional geology, ore deposits, petroleum exploration and earthquake hazard.

Benthic harpacticoid copepods of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Lin; Li, Xinzheng

2017-09-01

The species richness of benthic harpacticoid copepod fauna in Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, on the southern coast of Shandong Peninsula, has not been comprehensively studied. We present a preliminary inventory of species for this region based on material found in nine sediment samples collected from 2011 to 2012. Our list includes 15 species belonging to 15 genera in 9 families, the most speciose family was the Miraciidae Dana, 1846 (seven species); all other families were represented by single species only. Sediment characteristics and depth are determined to be important environmental determinants of harpacticoid distribution in this region. We briefly detail the known distributions of species and provide a key to facilitate their identification. Both harpacticoid species richness and the species/genus ratio in Jiaozhou Bay are lower than in Bohai Gulf and Gwangyang Bay. The poor knowledge of the distribution of benthic harpacticoids, in addition to low sampling effort in Jiaozhou Bay, likely contribute to low species richness.

Preliminary bathymetry of Blackstone Bay and Neoglacial changes of Blackstone Glaciers, Alaska

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Post, Austin

1980-01-01

Preliminary bathymetry (at 1:20,000 scale) and scientific studies of Blackstone Bay Alaska, by the Research Vessel Growler in 1978 disclose that the head of the bay consists of two basins separated by Willard Island and a submarine ridge. Both basins are closed on the north by terminal-moraine bars where Blackstone Glacier and its tributaries terminated as recently as about A.D. 1350; a carbon-14 date of 580 years before present on Badger Point, and old trees farther up the bay, disclose that the glaciers retreated to two narrow inlets at the head of the bay before 1400. The inlets were still glacier-covered until at least 1909. Glaciers in both inlets have continued to retreat; at present they terminate at the head of tidewater, where they discharge small icebergs. Only relatively thin sediments have accumulated in the eastern basin south of the terminal-moraine bar, and most of the bottom is hard and irregular as disclosed by soundings and profiles. The northern part of Blackstone Bay is very deep; at more than 1,100 feet below sea level a large, level accumulation of sediment is present which is presumably as much as 1,000 feet deep and has been accumulating since late Pleistocene glaciers retreated. (USGS)

Mathematical Modeling of Fate and Transport of Aqueous Species in Stormflow Entering Infiltration Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Massoudieh, A.; Sengor, S. S.; Meyer, S.; Ginn, T. R.

2004-12-01

The State of California is evaluating the role of passive stormwater detention facilities for the purpose of attenuating potential dissolved and suspended chemical species that may originate in roadway runoff of rainfall. The engineering design of such infiltration basins requires tools to quantify their performance as recipients of stormwater runoff from roadways, and as filters of aqueous chemical species. For this purpose a one-dimensional unsaturated flow and transport model is developed to estimate the efficiency of storm-water infiltration basins in treating roadway generated metallic and organic pollutants. Kinematic wave approximation is used along with van Genuchten water retention model to simulate water percolation thorough the infiltration basin. For metals a Langmuir type nonlinear competitive sorption isotherm is used for transport of chemicals and a kinetic reversible linear sorption model is considered for organics. The model is applied to known roadway born metallic contaminations such as copper, zinc, lead, chromium, nickel and cadmium, as well as organic species such as diazinon, diuron, ghlyphosate and pyrene, for several representative soil and precipitation condition for California within a period of five years. Representative soil parameters and precipitation patterns are extracted from frequency distributions extracted from a recent study. In addition sensitivity analysis has been done to evaluate the effect of soil property values on the performance of infiltration basins. The results can be used to evaluate the performance of infiltration basins in improving the water quality as well as being used in providing guidelines in design and maintenance of infiltration basins.

Tidal power dams in the Bay of Fundy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsun, W. van

1998-01-01

The challenges of harnessing tidal power and the construction of dams and tidal power plants in a tidal-ocean environment such as the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick are discussed. In the 1966-1988 series of studies, three sites were chosen at the Bay of Fundy as being the most promising, namely (1) site B9 in Minas Basin at the entrance to Cobequid Bay, (2) site A8 at the narrow neck beyond the entrance to Cumberland Basin, and (3) site A6 at the entrance to Shepody Bay. All the sites are located at the head of the Bay of Fundy because that is where the maximum tidal ranges are found and a basin's tidal energy potential is proportional to the square of its tidal range. Site B9 was determined to have the greatest tidal power potential but no plant has ever been built because reports have stated that a solid conventional tidal power barrage at site B9 would increase the tidal range at Boston by as much as 30 cm. Rather than abandoning the site for this reason, an installation consisting of a series of piers from shore to shore with hydraulic turbines mounted in the spaces between piers, was suggested. A simple mathematical model has been developed for determining the operation of this tidal fence. The cost of energy, generated by the tidal fence at site B9 was also calculated. Further studies are suggested to determine the exact environmental effect of the tidal fence on the tidal regime. If environmental problems persist, machines with larger discharge capabilities could be considered to reduce the interference of the fence with natural tidal movements. 9 refs., 6 figs

Distribution, feeding and ecomorphology of four species of Auchenipteridae (Teleostei: Siluriformes in Eastern Amazonia, Brazil

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Tiago M. S. Freitas

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Fish exhibit morphological, physiological and behavioral specializations which enable them to display different ways to explore the environments and resources. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify how four Auchenipteridae species differ in the distribution, feeding habits and morphological traits: Auchenipterichthys longimanus (Günther, 1864, Auchenipterus nuchalis (Spix & Agassiz, 1829, Tatia intermedia (Steindachner, 1877 and Trachelyopterus galeatus (Linnaeus, 1766. This study was conducted in rivers and bays of the Anapú Basin, Pará State (Brazil, where these species are abundant. Specimens were collected using gillnets, and after caught the stomachs were removed for the contents analyzes. Eighteen morphometric measurements from ten adult specimens of each species were taken, combined into fifteen ecomorphological attributes. The species distribution showed that A. longimanus was restricted to rivers, while the others were exclusively caught in the bays. All four species had their diet composed of allochthonous insects, but A. longimanus also exhibited a great frugivorous habit. The most important ecomorphological attributes were relative to the consumption of larger food items (for A. longimanus and T. galeatus and to the longer swimming capacity (for A. longimanus and T. intermedia. These morphological differences and the trophic diversity presented in this study highlighted some important information about how ecomorphological similar species behave and share resources, which may play a significant role on the coexistence of these species in the Anapú Basin.

Growth and elemental content of two tree species growing on abandoned coal fly ash basins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, C.L.; Adriano, D.C.

1991-01-01

Differences in aboveground tissue concentrations of trace elements were assessed for sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) growing on two abandoned coal fly ash basins and a control soil. The wet basin (pH = 5.58) had originally received precipitator ash in an ash-water slurry, while the dry basin (pH = 8.26) had received both precipitator and bottom ash in dry form. In general, trees from the wet basin exhibited elevated trace element concentrations in comparison to the controls, while the dry basin trees exhibited reduced concentrations. On eof the most striking differenced in elemental concentrations among the ash basin and control trees was observed for Mn, with the control trees exhibiting concentrations orders of magnitude greater than the ash basin trees. Differences in foliar trace element concentrations among the sites can generally be explained by differences in substrate trace element concentrations and/or substrate pH. While trees from the wet ash basin generally had the highest trace element concentrations, these trees also attained the greatest height and diameter growth, suggesting that the elevated trace element concentrations in the wet basin substrate are not limiting the establishment of these two species. The greater height and diameter growth of the wet basin trees is presumably a result of the greater water-holding capacity of the substrate on this site. Differences in growth and tissue concentrations between sweetgum and sycamore highlight the importance of using more than one species when assessing metal toxicity or deficiency on a given substrate

A Glance at Bohai Bay Oil Province

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Gao Shoubai

1995-01-01

@@ Chinese oil industry keeps on developing in 1994. The oil production of Bohai Bay Oil Province located in East China also keeps on growing. Geologically,the total area of Bohai Bay Basin is about 200 000 km2 and the main structural units are: Liaohe Depression, Huanghua Depression,Jizhong Depression, Linqing Depression, Jiyang Depression, Changwei Depression, Bozhong Depression,Chengning Uplift and Cangjing Uplift (see figure 1). Area of the main structural units is listed in following:

Fishes of the Taquari-Antas river basin (Patos Lagoon basin, southern Brazil

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FG. Becker

Full Text Available The aquatic habitats of the Taquari-Antas river basin (in the Patos Lagoon basin, southern Brazil are under marked environmental transformation because of river damming for hydropower production. In order to provide an information baseline on the fish fauna of the Taquari-Antas basin, we provide a comprehensive survey of fish species based on primary and secondary data. We found 5,299 valid records of fish species in the basin, representing 119 species and 519 sampling sites. There are 13 non-native species, six of which are native to other Neotropical river basins. About 24% of the total native species are still lacking a taxonomic description at the species level. Three native long-distance migratory species were recorded (Leporinus obtusidens, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis, as well as two potential mid-distance migrators (Parapimelodus nigribarbis and Pimelodus pintado. Although there is only one officially endangered species in the basin (S. brasiliensis, restricted range species (21.7% of total species should be considered in conservation efforts.

Revision of Gymnotus (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae) from the Upper Madeira Basin of Bolivia and Peru, with descriptions of two new species.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Jack M; Correa-roldÁn, Vanessa; Ortega, HernÁn; Crampton, William G R; Albert, James S

2018-04-20

Banded Knifefishes (Gymnotus, Gymnotidae) comprise the most species-rich genus of Neotropical electric fishes, with 41 species currently described from throughout the humid Neotropics, from Mexico to Argentina. Despite substantial alpha-taxonomic work in recent years, the diversity of Gymnotus in some regions remains poorly understood. Here we describe the Gymnotus fauna of the Upper Madeira basin of Bolivia and Peru from examination of more than 240 adult specimens. Species are delimited and described using body proportions (traditional morphometrics), fin-ray, squamation and laterosensory-pore counts (meristics), quantitative shape differences (geometric morphometrics), osteological traits, and color patterns. Comparisons of standardized linear measures as well as multivariate statistical methods validate the presence in the Upper Madeira basin of three previously described species, two with wide-spread geographic distributions throughout Greater Amazonia (G. carapo and G. coropinae), and one (G. chaviro) endemic to southwestern Amazonia. We also diagnose and describe two new species that are endemic to the Upper Madeira basin: G. eyra n. sp., morphologically most similar to G. mamiraua from lowland Amazonia, and G. riberalta n. sp., morphologically most similar to G. pantanal from the Paraguay-Paraná basin. The five Gymnotus species from the Upper Madeira basin are not monophyletic, each species being more closely related to a different species from another region; i.e. the Gymnotus species from the Upper Madeira represents a polyphyletic assemblage. These descriptions to 43 the number of valid Gymnotus species.

The initiation and tectonic regimes of the Cenozoic extension in the Bohai Bay Basin, North China revealed by numerical modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lu; Qiu, Nansheng

2017-06-01

In this study the dynamic aspects of the Cenozoic extension in the Bohai Bay Basin are considered in the context of initial thickness of the crust and lithosphere, tectonic force, strain rate and thermal rheology, which are directly or indirectly estimated from a pure shear extensional model. It is accordingly reasonable to expect that, in the Bohai Bay Basin, the thickness variation could be present prior to the initiation of extension. The extensional deformation is localized by a thickness variation of the crust and lithosphere and the heterogeneity of the initial thickness plays an important role in rifting dynamics. The onset of rifting requires a critical tectonic force (initial tectonic force) to be applied, which then immediately begins to decay gradually. Rifting will only occur when the total effective buoyancy force of the subducting slab reaches a critical level, after a certain amount of subduction taking place. The magnitude of the tectonic force decreases with time in the early phase of rifting, which indicates the weakening due to the increase in geothermal gradient. In order to deform the continental lithosphere within the currently accepted maximum magnitude of the force derived from subducted slab roll-back, the following conditions should be satisfied: (1) the thickness of the continental lithosphere is significantly thin and less than 125 km and (2) the lithosphere has a wet and hot rheology, which provides implications for rheological layering in continental lithosphere. Our results are strongly supported by the ;crème brûlée; model, in which the lower crust and mantle are relatively ductile.

Helminth communities of four commercially important fish species from Chetumal Bay, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Macedo, M L; Vidal-Martínez, V M; González-Solís, D; Caballero, P I

2007-03-01

The relative importance of ecology and evolution as factors determining species richness and composition of the helminth communities of fish is a matter of current debate. Theoretical studies use host-parasite lists, but these do not include studies on a temporal or spatial scale. Local environmental conditions and host biological characteristics are shown to influence helminth species richness and composition in four fish species (Eugerres plumieri, Hexanematichthys assimilis, Oligoplites saurus, and Scomberomorus maculatus) in Chetumal Bay, Mexico. With the exception of H. assimilis, the helminth communities had not been previously studied and possible associations between environmental and host biological characteristics as factors determining helminth species richness and composition using redundancy analysis (RDA) are described. Thirty-four helminth species are identified, with the highest number of species (19 total (mean = 6.3 +/- 2.1)) and the lowest (9 (4.0 +/- 1.0)) occurring in H. assimilis and S. maculatus, respectively. The larval nematodes Contracaecum sp. and Pseudoterranova sp. were not only the helminth species shared by all four host species but also were the most prevalent and abundant. Statistical associations between helminth community parameters and local ecological variables such as host habitat use, feeding habits, mobility, and time of residence in coastal lagoons are identified. Phylogeny is important because it clearly separates all four host species by their specialist parasites, although specific habitat and feeding habits also significantly influence the differentiation between the four fish species.

A new species of Hisonotus (Siluriformes, Loricariidae from rio São Francisco basin, Brazil

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Fábio Roxo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available A new species of Hisonotus is described from the rio São Francisco basin. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by having (1 a unique coloration pattern of caudal fin with one black spot extending from its origin to the ventral lobe and two dark spots at the end of the lobe’s rays; (2 odontodes forming longitudinally aligned rows on head and trunk; (3 a functional V-shaped spinelet; (4 a single rostral plate at the tip of the snout; (5 by lacking contrasting dark geometric spots on the anterodorsal region of the body; (6 a lower caudal-peduncle depth; and (7 lower counts of the lateral median plates and (8 higher premaxillary and dentary teeth. The new species is the second described species of the genus Hisonotus in the rio São Francisco basin. It was found inhabiting the marginal vegetation of the rio São Francisco and three of its tributary, rio das Velhas, rio Paraopeba and rio Formoso.

Air Pollution Over the Ganges Basin and Northwest Bay of Bengal in the Early Postmonsoon Season Based on NASA MERRAero Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kishcha, Pavel; Da Silva, Arlindo M.; Starobinets, Boris; Alpert, Pinhas

2014-01-01

The MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero) has been recently developed at NASA's Global Modeling Assimilation Office. This reanalysis is based on a version of the Goddard Earth Observing System-5 (GEOS-5) model radiatively coupled with Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport aerosols, and it includes assimilation of bias-corrected aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on both Terra and Aqua satellites. In October over the period 2002-2009, MERRAero showed that AOT was lower over the east of the Ganges basin than over the northwest of the Ganges basin: this was despite the fact that the east of the Ganges basin should have produced higher anthropogenic aerosol emissions because of higher population density, increased industrial output, and transportation. This is evidence that higher aerosol emissions do not always correspond to higher AOT over the areas where the effects of meteorological factors on AOT dominate those of aerosol emissions. MODIS AOT assimilation was essential for correcting modeled AOT mainly over the northwest of the Ganges basin, where AOT increments were maximal. Over the east of the Ganges basin and northwest Bay of Bengal (BoB), AOT increments were low and MODIS AOT assimilation did not contribute significantly to modeled AOT. Our analysis showed that increasing AOT trends over northwest BoB (exceeding those over the east of the Ganges basin) were reproduced by GEOS-5, not because of MODIS AOT assimilation butmainly because of the model capability of reproducing meteorological factors contributing to AOT trends. Moreover, vertically integrated aerosol mass flux was sensitive to wind convergence causing aerosol accumulation over northwest BoB.

New species of the genus Sinularia (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) from Nha Trang Bay, South China Sea, Vietnam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dautova, T.N.; Ofwegen, van L.P.; Savinkin, O.V.

2010-01-01

A total of eight Sinularia species is described and depicted, all from Nha Trang Bay, Vietnam (South China Sea). Six are new to science: S. capricornis, S. multiflora, S. pumila, S. sarmentosa, S. torta, and S. uva. Two other ones represent just new records for Vietnam: S. rigida (Dana, 1846) and S.

Oilfield geothermal exploitation in China-A case study from the Liaohe oilfield in Bohai Bay Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shejiao; Yao, Yanhua; Fan, Xianli; Yan, Jiahong

2017-04-01

The clean geothermal energy can play a huge role in solving the problem of severe smog in China as it can replace large coal-fired heating in winter. Chinese government has paid close attention on the development and utilization of geothermal energy. In the "13th Five-Year" plan, the geothermal development is included into the national plan for the first time. China is very rich in the medium and low-temperature geothermal resources, ranking first in the geothermal direct use in the world for a long time. The geothermal resources are mainly concentrated in sedimentary basins, especially in petroliferous basins distributed in North China (in North China, heating is needed in winter). These basins are usually close to the large- and medium-sized cities. Therefore, tapping oilfield geothermal energy have attracted a great attention in the last few years as the watercut achieved above 90% in most oilfields and significant progress has been made. In this paper, taking the Liaohe Oilfield in the Bohai Bay Basin as an example, we discussed the distribution and potential of the geothermal resources, discussed how to use the existed technology to harness geothermal energy more effectively, and forecasted the development prospect of the oilfield geothermal energy. By using the volumetric method, we calculated the geothermal resources of the Guantao Formation, Dongying Formation, Shahejie Formation and basement rock in the Liaohe depression. We tested the geothermal energy utilization efficiency in different conditions by applying different pump technologies and utilizing geothermal energy in different depth, such as shallow geothermal energy (0-200m), middle-deep depth geothermal energy (200-4000m), and oilfield sewage heat produced with oil production. For the heat pump systems, we tested the conventional heat pump system, high-temperature heat pump system, super high-temperature heat pump system, and gas heat pump system. Finally, based on the analysis of national policy

Sediment Dwelling Benthos as Indicator Species for Pollution Monitoring of Mamala Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 1993-1994 (NODC Accession 9900121)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A multifaceted study of the sediment dwelling benthos was conducted in Mamala Bay to identify suitable species as indicators of sewage enrichment. There are five...

Monitoring species richness and abundance of shorebirds in the western Great Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Warnock, Nils; Haig, Susan M.; Oring, Lewis W.

1998-01-01

Broad-scale avian surveys have been attempted within North America with mixed results. Arid regions, such as the Great Basin, are often poorly sampled because of the vastness of the region, inaccessibility of sites, and few ornithologists. In addition, extreme variability in wetland habitat conditions present special problems for conducting censuses of species inhabiting these areas. We examined these issues in assessing multi-scale shorebird (order: Charadriiformes) censuses conducted in the western Great Basin from 1992-1997. On ground surveys, we recorded 31 species of shorebirds, but were unable to accurately estimate population size. Conversely, on aerial surveys we were able to estimate regional abundance of some shorebirds, but were unable to determine species diversity. Aerial surveys of three large alkali lakes in Oregon (Goose, Summer, and Abert Lakes) revealed > 300,000 shorebirds in one year of this study, of which 67% were American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and 30% phalaropes (Phalaropus spp.). These lakes clearly meet Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network guidelines for designation as important shorebird sites. Based upon simulations of our monitoring effort and the magnitude and variation of numbers of American Avocets, detection of S-10% negative declines in populations of these birds would take a minimum of 7-23 years of comparable effort. We conclude that a combination of ground and aerial surveys must be conducted at multiple sites and years and over a large region to obtain an accurate picture of the diversity, abundance, and trends of shorebirds in the western Great Basin.

Scardinius knezevici Bianco & Kottelat, 2005 and Alburnus scoranza Bonaparte, 1845: New species of ichthyofauna of Serbia and the Danube basin

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Simić V.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Research into the ichthyofauna of the Vlasina Lake reservoir in south Serbia, which is part of the Danube basin, was carried out in 1993, 40 years after its formation. The results of the research reveal the presence of several species of fish belonging to the Adriatic and Aegean basin, such as Alburnus albidus, Rutilus basak, Scardinius graecus and Pachychilon macedonicus. These findings are of great importance from the aspect of conservation, because the species Scardinius graecus and Alburnus albidus are on the European list of endangered fish species. In the latest study of the Vlasina Lake reservoir ichthyofauna (70 years after its formation, the above-mentioned species were not found. However, the presence of naturalized populations of two species from the Adriatic basin were confirmed: Scardinius knezevici and Alburnus scoranza. These findings represent the first known areal expansion of these species, which are new to the ichthyofauna of Serbia, from the Adriatic into the Danube (Black Sea basin.[Acknowledgments. The present work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia (Projects No. 43002 and 173025.

Nontarget approach for environmental monitoring by GC × GC-HRTOFMS in the Tokyo Bay basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zushi, Yasuyuki; Hashimoto, Shunji; Tanabe, Kiyoshi

2016-08-01

In this study, we developed an approach for sequential nontarget and target screening for the rapid and efficient analysis of multiple samples as an environmental monitoring using a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatograph coupled to a high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC × GC-HRTOFMS). A key feature of the approach was the construction of an accurate mass spectral database learned from the sample via nontarget screening. To enhance the detection power in the nontarget screening, a global spectral deconvolution procedure based on non-negative matrix factorization was applied. The approach was applied to the monitoring of rivers in the Tokyo Bay basin. The majority of the compounds detected by the nontarget screening were alkyl chain-based compounds (55%). In the quantitative target screening based on the output from the nontarget screening, particularly high levels of organophosphorus flame retardants (median concentrations of 31, 116 and 141 ng l(-1) for TDCPP, TCIPP and TBEP, respectively) were observed among the target compounds. Flame retardants used for household furniture and building materials were detected in river basins where buildings and arterial traffic were dominated. The developed GC × GC-HRTOFMS approach was efficient and effective for environmental monitoring and provided valuable new information on various aspects of monitoring in the context of environmental management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship of land use to water quality in the Chesapeake Bay region. [water sampling and photomapping river basins

Science.gov (United States)

Correll, D. L.

1978-01-01

Both the proportions of the various land use categories present on each watershed and the specific management practices in use in each category affect the quality of runoff waters, and the water quality of the Bay. Several permanent and portable stations on various Maryland Rivers collect volume-integrated water samples. All samples are analyzed for a series of nutrient, particulate, bacterial, herbicide, and heavy metal parameters. Each basin is mapped with respect to land use by the analysis of low-elevation aerial photos. Analyses are verified and adjusted by ground truth surveys. Data are processed and stored in the Smithsonian Institution data bank. Land use categories being investigated include forests/old fields, pastureland, row crops, residential areas, upland swamps, and tidal marshes.

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Coxon, T M; Odhiambo, B K; Giancarlo, L C

2016-10-15

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight (210)Pb and (137)Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments. Copyright © 2016

The fish fauna of Anambra river basin, Nigeria: species abundance and morphometry

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Gregory Ejikeme Odo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The fish yields of most Nigeria inland waters are generally on the decline for causes that may range from inadequate management of the fisheries to degradation of the water bodies. Sustainable exploitation requires knowledge of the ichthyofaunal composition in the water bodies. We did a survey of fish species in Anambra river basin for 22 months. Fish samples were collected using four different gears -hook and line of size 13, caste nets, gill nets, and cages of mesh sizes of 50mm, 75mm, and 100mm each. We recorded 52 fish species belonging to 17 families: 171, 236, and 169 individuals at Ogurugu, Otuocha, and Nsugbe stations respectively. Two families, Characidae, 19.5 %, and Mochokidae, 11.8%, constituted the dominant fish families in the river. The dominant fish species were Citherinus citherius, 9.02%, and Alestes nurse, 7.1%. Other fish species with significant abundance were Synodontis clarias 6.9%, Macrolepidotus curvier 5.7%, Labeo coubie 5.4%, Distichodus rostrtus 4.9%, and Schilbe mystus 4.5%. The meristic features of the two most abundant fish species caught are as follows: Citharinus citharius dorsal fins 20, anal fins 30, caudal fins 21, pectoral fins, 9 and 8 ventral fins, and Alestes nurse 10 dorsal fins, 14 anal fins, 31 caudal fins, 7 pectoral fins and 6 ventral fins. The morphometric features of the two most abundant fish species are Citharinus citharius total length 300mm, standard length 231mm, head length 69mm, body length 101mm, body girth 176 mm, body weight 900mg. Alestes nurse total length 200, standard length 140mm, head length 60mm, body length 80mm, body girth120mm, body weight 400mg. The most abundant animal utilizing the basin was Ardea cinerea(D3 with 22.2% occurrence (D4 and this was followed by Caprini with 13.51%, and Varanus niloticus, 10.04%. The least abundant animals utilizing basin were Chephalophus rufilatus, and Erythrocebus patas, with 0.58% each of occurrence. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2: 177-186. Epub

Responses of upland herpetofauna to the restoration of Carolina Bays and thinning of forested Bay Margins.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ledvina, Joseph A.

2008-05-01

Research on the effects of wetland restoration on reptiles and amphibians is becoming more common, but almost all of these studies have observed the colonization of recently disturbed habitats that were completely dry at the time of restoration. In a similar manner, investigations herpetofaunal responses to forest management have focused on clearcuts, and less intensive stand manipulations are not as well studied. To evaluate community and population responses of reptiles and amphibians to hydrology restoration and canopy removal in the interior of previously degraded Carolina bays, I monitored herpetofauna in the uplands adjacent to six historically degraded Carolina bays at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina for four years after restoration. To evaluate the effects of forest thinning on upland herpetofauna, forests were thinned in the margins of three of these bays. I used repeated measures ANOVA to compare species richness and diversity and the abundance of selected species and guilds between these bays and with those at three reference bays that were not historically drained and three control bays that remained degraded. I also used Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) to look for community-level patterns based treatments.

Storm-driven sediment transport in Massachusetts Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, J.C.; Butman, B.; Dalyander, P.S.

2008-01-01

Massachusetts Bay is a semi-enclosed embayment in the western Gulf of Maine about 50 km wide and 100 km long. Bottom sediment resuspension is controlled predominately by storm-induced surface waves and transport by the tidal- and wind-driven circulation. Because the Bay is open to the northeast, winds from the northeast ('Northeasters') generate the largest surface waves and are thus the most effective in resuspending sediments. The three-dimensional oceanographic circulation model Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is used to explore the resuspension, transport, and deposition of sediment caused by Northeasters. The model transports multiple sediment classes and tracks the evolution of a multilevel sediment bed. The surficial sediment characteristics of the bed are coupled to one of several bottom-boundary layer modules that calculate enhanced bottom roughness due to wave-current interaction. The wave field is calculated from the model Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN). Two idealized simulations were carried out to explore the effects of Northeasters on the transport and fate of sediments. In one simulation, an initially spatially uniform bed of mixed sediments exposed to a series of Northeasters evolved to a pattern similar to the existing surficial sediment distribution. A second set of simulations explored sediment-transport pathways caused by storms with winds from the northeast quadrant by simulating release of sediment at selected locations. Storms with winds from the north cause transport southward along the western shore of Massachusetts Bay, while storms with winds from the east and southeast drive northerly nearshore flow. The simulations show that Northeasters can effectively transport sediments from Boston Harbor and the area offshore of the harbor to the southeast into Cape Cod Bay and offshore into Stellwagen Basin. This transport pattern is consistent with Boston Harbor as the source of silver found in the surficial sediments of Cape Cod Bay and

Bay of Bengal Process Studies (BOBPS) Final Report

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrasannaKumar, S.; Sardessai, S.; Ramaiah, N.; Bhosle, N.B.; Ramaswamy, V.; Ramesh, R.; Sharada, M.K.; Sarin, M.M.; Sarupria, J.S.; Muraleedharan, U.

E, and 4 were along western boundary - were covered. In all 35 parameters were measured. Several new insights are emerging out of the BOBPS data analysis. We now understand why Bay of Bengal is a biologically low productive basin. This is largely due...

Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with dieback and canker disease of bay laurel in northern California with the description of Dothiorella californica sp. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Daniel P; Peduto Hand, Francesca; Gubler, W Douglas; Trouillas, Florent P

2017-04-01

Members of the Botryosphaeriaceae are cosmopolitan fungi that may exist as seemingly innocuous endophytes or as destructive pathogens of numerous woody hosts, including fruit and nut crops, urban ornamental trees and shrubs, and forest trees. Surveys of bay laurel in northern California have revealed symptoms of dieback and branch canker of unknown aetiology. The goals of this study were to identify and clarify the species of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with these symptoms and to confirm their pathogenicity. To understand the role of members of the Botryosphaeriaceae in the dieback and canker disease of bay laurel, 23 isolates were isolated from symptomatic wood. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS, translation elongation factor 1-α, and beta-tubulin revealed three species: Botryosphaeria dothidea, Neofusicoccum nonquaesitum, and the newly described and typified species Dothiorella californica sp. nov. When select isolates were inoculated to 2- to 3-year-old branches of Umbellularia californica in a natural forest, both B. dothidea and N. nonquaesitum were pathogenic with N. nonquaesitum producing the largest lesions at 12- and 18-months post inoculation, respectively, while Do. californica did not cause wood lesions significantly greater than the mock-inoculated controls. This study represents the first attempt to identify and test the pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with dieback and canker disease of bay laurel in a northern California forest. Copyright © 2016 British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.

Genetic structure of lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis, populations in the northern main basin of Lake Huron

Science.gov (United States)

Stott, Wendylee; Ebener, Mark P.; Mohr, Lloyd; Schaeffer, Jeff; Roseman, Edward F.; Harford, William J.; Johnson, James E.; Fietsch, Cherie-Lee

2012-01-01

Genetic analysis of spawning lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) from six sites in the main basin of Lake Huron was conducted to determine population structure. Samples from fisheryindependent assessment surveys in the northwest main basin were analyzed to determine the relative contributions of lake whitefish genetic populations. Genetic population structure was identified using data from seven microsatellite DNA loci. One population was identified at Manitoulin Island, one to two were observed in the east-central main basin (Fishing Island and Douglas Point), and one to two populations were found in the northwest (Thunder Bay and Duncan Bay). The genetic identity of collections from Duncan Bay and Thunder Bay was not consistent among methods used to analyze population structure. Low genetic distances suggested that they comprised one population, but genic differences indicated that they may constitute separate populations. Simulated data indicated that the genetic origins of samples from a mixed-fishery could be accurately identified, but accuracy could be improved by incorporating additional microsatellite loci. Mixture analysis and individual assignment tests performed on mixed-stock samples collected from the western main basin suggested that genetic populations from the east-central main basin contributed less than those from the western main basin and that the proportional contribution of each baseline population was similar in each assessment sample. Analysis of additional microsatellite DNA loci may be useful to help improve the precision of the estimates, thus increasing our ability to manage and protect this valuable resource.

HYPHESSOBRYCON NATAGAIMA (CHARACIFORMES: CHARACIDAE A NEW SPECIES FROM COLOMBIA, WITH A KEY TO THE MAGDALENA BASIN HYPHESSOBRYCON SPECIES

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CARLOS A. GARCÍA-ALZATE

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A new species, Hyphessobrycon natagaima, is described from the upper Magdalena River Basin in Colombia. It differs from all other species of Hyphessobrycon with a dark lateral stripe inhabiting the Magdalena River Basin: H. poecilioides, H. proteus and H. ocasoensis, by having eight to twelve pored lateral-line scales (vs. 14-26; four scales between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin insertions (vs. five or six; one tooth on the maxilla (vs. zero in H. poecilioides, and two to five in H. proteus; except H. ocasoensis, with one, a dark, interrupted, lateral stripe that is not in contact with the caudal peduncle spot (vs. absence of caudal spot in H. poecilioides, lateral stripe continued that is in contact with the caudal peduncle spot in H. ocasoensis. It has a rhomboid shaped caudal-peduncle spot that continues on to middle caudal-fin rays (vs. absence of caudal peduncle spot in H. poecilioides and caudal peduncle spot round and not continued on to middle caudal-fin rays in H. ocasoensis; and presence of hooks on all fins in mature males (vs. males with hooks on anal, pelvic and pectoral fins. Hyphessobrycon natagaima differs from H. ocasoensis, in addition to the above characters, by having four scale rows between the lateral line and the anal-fin origin (vs. six; three or four scale rows between the lateral line and the pelvic-fin insertions (vs. six; ten or eleven predorsal scales (vs. nine; i,9,i dorsal-fin rays (vs. ii,8,i; 18-20 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 21-22 and eleven branched pectoral-fin rays (vs. twelve. A key for the identification of Hyphessobrycon species present in the Magdalena River Basin is provided.

A Tidally Averaged Sediment-Transport Model for San Francisco Bay, California

Science.gov (United States)

Lionberger, Megan A.; Schoellhamer, David H.

2009-01-01

simulated net sedimentation in the four basins that comprise San Francisco Bay was correct, the simulations incorrectly eroded shallows while channels deposited because model surface-layer boxes span both shallows and channels, and neglect lateral variability of suspended-sediment concentration. Validation with recent (1983-2005) net sedimentation in South San Francisco Bay was poor, perhaps owing to poorly quantified sediment supply, and to invasive species that altered erosion and deposition processes. This demonstrates that deterministically predicting future sedimentation is difficult in this or any estuary for which boundary conditions are not stationary. The model would best be used as a tool for developing past and present sediment budgets, and for creating scenarios of future sedimentation that are compared to one another rather than considered a deterministic prediction.

The impact of land abandonment on species richness and abundance in the Mediterranean Basin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plieninger, Tobias; Hui, Cang; Gaertner, Mirijam

2014-01-01

species richness and abundance in agroforestry, arable land, pastures, and permanent crops of the Mediterranean Basin. In particular, we investigated (1) which taxonomic groups (arthropods, birds, lichen, vascular plants) are more affected by land abandonment; (2) at which spatial and temporal scales.......0001) plant and animal species richness and abundance overall, though results were heterogeneous, with differences in effect size between taxa, spatial-temporal scales, land uses, landforms, and climate. In conclusion, there is no "one-size-fits-all" conservation approach that applies to the diverse contexts......Land abandonment is common in the Mediterranean Basin, a global biodiversity hotspot, but little is known about its impacts on biodiversity. To upscale existing case-study insights to the Pan-Mediterranean level, we conducted a metaanalysis of the effects of land abandonment on plant and animal...

Sedimentological characteristics and depositional processes of sediment gravity flows in rift basins: The Palaeogene Dongying and Shahejie formations, Bohai Bay Basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lei; Chen, Hongde; Zhong, Yijiang; Wang, Jun; Xu, Changgui; Chen, Anqing; Du, Xiaofeng

2017-10-01

Sediment gravity flow deposits are common, particularly in sandy formations, but their origin has been a matter of debate and there is no consensus about the classification of such deposits. However, sediment gravity flow sandstones are economically important and have the potential to meet a growing demand in oil and gas exploration, so there is a drive to better understand them. This study focuses on sediment gravity flow deposits identified from well cores in Palaeogene deposits from the Liaodong Bay Depression in Bohai Bay Basin, China. We classify the sediment gravity flow deposits into eight lithofacies using lithological characteristics, grain size, and sedimentary structures, and interpret the associated depositional processes. Based on the scale, spatial distribution, and contact relationships of sediment gravity flow deposits, we defined six types of lithofacies associations (LAs) that reflect transformation processes and depositional morphology: LA1 (unconfined proximal breccia deposits), LA2 (confined channel deposits), LA3 (braided-channel lobe deposits), LA4 (unconfined lobe deposits), LA5 (distal sheet deposits), and LA6 (non-channelized sheet deposits). Finally, we established three depositional models that reflect the sedimentological characteristics and depositional processes of sediment gravity flow deposits: (1) slope-apron gravel-rich depositional model, which involves cohesive debris flows deposited as LA1 and dilute turbidity currents deposited as LA5; (2) non-channelized surge-like turbidity current depositional model, which mainly comprises sandy slumping, suspended load dominated turbidity currents, and dilute turbidity currents deposited as LA5 and LA6; and (3) channelized subaqueous-fan depositional model, which consists of non-cohesive bedload dominated turbidity currents, suspended load dominated turbidity currents, and dilute turbidity currents deposited as LA2-LA5, originating from sustained extrabasinal turbidity currents

Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the San Francisco Bay groundwater basins, 2007—California GAMA Priority Basin Project

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Mary C.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 620-square-mile (1,600-square-kilometer) San Francisco Bay study unit was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The study unit is located in the Southern Coast Ranges of California, in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties. The GAMA Priority Basin Project is being conducted by the California State Water Resources Control Board in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The GAMA San Francisco Bay study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater within the primary aquifer system, as well as a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout the State. The assessment is based on water-quality and ancillary data collected by the USGS from 79 wells in 2007 and is supplemented with water-quality data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database. The primary aquifer system is defined by the depth interval of the wells listed in the CDPH database for the San Francisco Bay study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallower or deeper water-bearing zones may differ from that in the primary aquifer system; shallower groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. The first component of this study, the status of the current quality of the groundwater resource, was assessed by using data from samples analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, and naturally occurring inorganic constituents, such as major ions and trace elements. Water- quality data from the CDPH database also were incorporated for this assessment. This status assessment is intended to characterize the quality of groundwater resources within the primary aquifer system of the San Francisco Bay study unit, not the treated drinking water delivered to consumers by water

Ecology of selected marine communities in Glacier Bay: Zooplankton, forage fish, seabirds and marine mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Robards, Martin D.; Drew, Gary S.; Piatt, John F.; Anson, Jennifer Marie; Abookire, Alisa A.; Bodkin, James L.; Hooge, Philip N.; Speckman, Suzann G.

2003-01-01

We studied oceanography (including primary production), secondary production, small schooling fish (SSF), and marine bird and mammal predators in Glacier Bay during 1999 and 2000. Results from these field efforts were combined with a review of current literature relating to the Glacier Bay environment. Since the conceptual model developed by Hale and Wright (1979) ‘changes and cycles’ continue to be the underlying theme of the Glacier Bay ecosystem. We found marked seasonality in many of the parameters that we investigated over the two years of research, and here we provide a comprehensive description of the distribution and relative abundance of a wide array of marine biota. Glacier Bay is a tidally mixed estuary that leads into basins, which stratify in summer, with the upper arms behaving as traditional estuaries. The Bay is characterized by renewal and mixing events throughout the year, and markedly higher primary production than in many neighboring southeast Alaska fjords (Hooge and Hooge, 2002). Zooplankton diversity and abundance within the upper 50 meters of the water column in Glacier Bay is similar to communities seen throughout the Gulf of Alaska. Zooplankton in the lower regions of Glacier Bay peak in abundance in late May or early June, as observed at Auke Bay and in the Gulf of Alaska. The key distinction between the lower Bay and other estuaries in the Gulf of Alaska is that a second smaller peak in densities occurs in August. The upper Bay behaved uniformly in temporal trends, peaking in July. Densities had begun to decline in August, but were still more than twice those observed in that region in May. The highest density of zooplankton observed was 17,870 organisms/m3 in Tarr Inlet during July. Trends in zooplankton community abundance and diversity within the lower Bay were distinct from upper-Glacier Bay trends. Whereas the lower Bay is strongly influenced by Gulf of Alaska processes, local processes are the strongest influence in the upper-Bay

The Holocene history of Nares Strait: Transition from glacial bay to Arctic-Atlantic throughflow

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Anne E.; Sheldon, Christina; Cronin, Thomas M.; Francus, Pierre; Stoner, Joseph; Andrews, John

2011-01-01

Retreat of glacier ice from Nares Strait and other straits in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago after the end of the last Ice Age initiated an important connection between the Arctic and the North Atlantic Oceans, allowing development of modern ocean circulation in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea. As low-salinity, nutrient-rich Arctic Water began to enter Baffin Bay, it contributed to the Baffin and Labrador currents flowing southward. This enhanced freshwater inflow must have influenced the sea ice regime and likely is responsible for poor calcium carbonate preservation that characterizes the Baffin Island margin today. Sedimentologic and paleoceanographic data from radiocarbon-dated core HLY03-05GC, Hall Basin, northern Nares Strait, document the timing and paleoenvironments surrounding the retreat of waning ice sheets from Nares Strait and opening of this connection between the Arctic Ocean and Baffin Bay. Hall Basin was deglaciated soon before 10,300 cal BP (calibrated years before present) and records ice-distal sedimentation in a glacial bay facing the Arctic Ocean until about 9,000 cal BP. Atlantic Water was present in Hall Basin during deglaciation, suggesting that it may have promoted ice retreat. A transitional unit with high ice-rafted debris content records the opening of Nares Strait at approximately 9,000 cal BP. High productivity in Hall Basin between 9,000 and 6,000 cal BP reflects reduced sea ice cover and duration as well as throughflow of nutrient-rich Pacific Water. The later Holocene is poorly resolved in the core, but slow sedimentation rates and heavier carbon isotope values support an interpretation of increased sea ice cover and decreased productivity during the Neoglacial period.

Propagation of Tsunami-like Surface Long Waves in the Bays of a Variable Depth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.Yu. Bazykina

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Within the framework of the nonlinear long wave theory the regularities of solitary long wave propagation in the semi-closed bays of model and real geometry are numerically studied. In the present article the zones of wave amplification in the bay are found. The first one is located near the wave running-up on the beach (in front of the bay entrance and the other one – in the middle part of the sea basin. Wave propagation in these zones is accompanied both by significant rise and considerable fall of the sea level. Narrowing of the bay entrance and increase of the entering wave length result in decrease of the sea level maximum rises and falls. The Feodosiya Gulf in the Black Sea is considered as a real basin. In general the dynamics of the waves in the gulf is similar to wave dynamics in the model bay. Four zones of the strongest wave amplification in the Feodosiya Gulf are revealed in the article. The sea level maximum rises and extreme falls which tend to grow with decrease of the entering wave length are observed in these zones. The distance traveled by the wave before the collapse (due to non-linear effects, was found to reduce with decreasing wavelength of the entrance to the bay (gulf.

K West Basin canister survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitner, A.L.

1998-01-01

A survey was conducted of the K West Basin to determine the distribution of canister types that contain the irradiated N Reactor fuel. An underwater camera was used to conduct the survey during June 1998, and the results were recorded on videotape. A full row-by-row survey of the entire basin was performed, with the distinction between aluminum and stainless steel Mark 1 canisters made by the presence or absence of steel rings on the canister trunions (aluminum canisters have the steel rings). The results of the survey are presented in tables and figures. Grid maps of the three bays show the canister lid ID number and the canister type in each location that contained fuel. The following abbreviations are used in the grid maps for canister type designation: IA = Mark 1 aluminum, IS = Mark 1 stainless steel, and 2 = Mark 2 stainless steel. An overall summary of the canister distribution survey is presented in Table 1. The total number of canisters found to contain fuel was 3842, with 20% being Mark 1 Al, 25% being Mark 1 SS, and 55% being Mark 2 SS. The aluminum canisters were predominantly located in the East and West bays of the basin

Monitoring of bird abundance and distribution at McKinley Bay and Hutchison Bay, Northwest Territories, 1981 to 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cornish, B J; Dickson, D L

1994-04-01

McKinley Bay has been identified as a preferred site for a harbor to support oil and gas production in the Beaufort Sea. As the bay is a molting area for several species of diving duck, a study was initiated to monitor the effect of harbor development on birds using the bay. Baseline information on the natural annual fluctuations in the number of birds were collected for nine years at McKinley Bay and eight years at neighboring Hutchinson Bay, an area chosen as the control. The final report of the predevelopment phase of the monitoring study is presented, including results of the 1993 surveys and a summary of results of all years of surveys. There were significantly more diving ducks in McKinley Bay in early August 1990 to 1993, on average, than from 1981 to 1985. No statistically significant change in total diving ducks was noted at Hutchinson Bay. Numbers of species of divers varied substantially between years at the two bays but not to the same degree. Significantly more Pacific loons, red-throated loons, and northern pintails were recorded in the 1990-1993 surveys at McKinley Bay than in earlier surveys. Potential explanations for the large between-year fluctuations in diving duck numbers are discussed. The variations may be due to bird responses to changes in the physical environment or related to the limitations of the aerial survey techniques used. Because of the large natural fluctuations in numbers of molting diving ducks using these bays in early August, it will be difficult to detect future impacts of industrial disturbance, even when sources of survey bias are minimized. It is concluded that aerial surveys of molting diving ducks in the two bays are unsuitable for monitoring the effects of industrial development. 41 refs., 7 figs., 23 tabs.

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coxon, T.M.; Odhiambo, B.K.; Giancarlo, L.C.

2016-01-01

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight "2"1"0Pb and "1"3"7Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments. - Highlights: �

The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coxon, T.M. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 (United States); Odhiambo, B.K., E-mail: bkisila@umw.edu [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 (United States); Giancarlo, L.C. [Department of Chemistry, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (United States)

2016-10-15

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight {sup 210}Pb and {sup 137}Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments

Towards a sustainable future in Hudson Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okrainetz, G.

1991-01-01

To date, ca $40-50 billion has been invested in or committed to hydroelectric development on the rivers feeding Hudson Bay. In addition, billions more have been invested in land uses such as forestry and mining within the Hudson Bay drainage basin. However, there has never been a study of the possible impacts on Hudson Bay resulting from this activity. Neither has there been any federal environmental assessment on any of the economic developments that affect Hudson Bay. To fill this gap in knowledge, the Hudson Bay Program was established. The program will not conduct scientific field research but will rather scan the published literature and consult with leading experts in an effort to identify biophysical factors that are likely to be significantly affected by the cumulative influence of hydroelectric and other developments within and outside the region. An annotated bibliography on Hudson Bay has been completed and used to prepare a science overview paper, which will be circulated for comment, revised, and used as the basis for a workshop on cumulative effects in Hudson Bay. Papers will then be commissioned for a second workshop to be held in fall 1993. A unique feature of the program is its integration of traditional ecological knowledge among the Inuit and Cree communities around Hudson Bay with the scientific approach to cumulative impact assessment. One goal of the program is to help these communities bring forward their knowledge in such a way that it can be integrated into the cumulative effects assessment

A massive invasion of fish species after eliminating a natural barrier in the upper rio Paraná basin

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Horácio Ferreira Júlio Júnior

Full Text Available Based on long-term studies in the upper rio Paraná basin, in addition to a broad review of literature and other information, we were able to identify 33 species of native fishes in the lower rio Paraná basin that successfully colonized the upper rio Paraná after Itaipu impoundment, that flooded the natural geographic barrier constituted by the Sete Quedas Falls. These species belong to six Orders, encompassing two of Myliobatiformes, six of Characiformes, 17 of Siluriformes, six of Gymnotiformes, one of Perciformes, and one of Pleuronectiformes. Extensive remarks regarding each species, including their influence upon the native assemblage, in addition to comments on other non-indigenous species, are also provided. We conclude that, in spite of its widespread neglected by environmental impact studies, massive invasion of species is a real possibility when natural barriers are suppressed by reservoirs.

Sediment transport of streams tributary to San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bays, California, 1909-66

Science.gov (United States)

Porterfield, George

1980-01-01

A review of historical sedimentation data is presented, results of sediment-data collection for water years 1957-59 are summarized, and long-term sediment-discharge estimates from a preliminary report are updated. Comparison of results based on 3 years of data to those for the 10 water years, 1957-66, provides an indication of the adequacy of the data obtained during the short period to define the long-term relation between sediment transport and streamflow. During 1909-66, sediment was transported to the entire San Francisco Bay system at an average rate of 8.6 million cubic yards per year. The Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins provided about 83% of the sediment inflow to the system annually during 1957-66 and 86% during 1909-66. About 98% of this inflow was measured or estimated at sediment measuring sites. Measured sediment inflow directly to the bays comprised only about 40% of the total discharged by basins directly tributary to the bays. About 90% of the total sediment discharge to the delta and the bays in the San Francisco Bay system thus was determined on the basis of systematic measurements. (USGS)

The geology and hydrocarbon possibilities of the Triassic-Jurassic Fundy Basin, eastern Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wade, J.A.; Fensome, R.A. [Geological Survey of Canada, Dartmouth, NS (Canada). Atlantic Geoscience Centre; Brown, D.E. [Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, Halifax, NS (Canada)

1997-09-01

The development of the Mesozoic sedimentary basins beneath the waters of the eastern coast of North America was discussed. These basins have been linked to the rifting of the central part of Pangaea during Mid and Late Triassic time that ended in the formation of a series of grabens extending from Florida to The Grand Banks of Newfoundland, one of them being the Bay of Fundy Basin which is about 16,500 square kilometres in size. Onshore and offshore geologic mapping and seismic interpretations have shown their age range to be from the Mid Triassic Anisian or Ladinian to Mid Jurassic. Up to 12 km of Mesozoic rocks were deposited in the basin with up to 9 km still present. The depositional history of the area was described. The two areas with greatest hydrocarbon potential are the Bay of Fundy and the Chignecto subbasins.

Lacustrine basin evolution and coal accumulation of the Middle Jurassic in the Saishiteng coalfield, northern Qaidam Basin, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Li

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Based on an extensive borehole survey of the Middle Jurassic coal-bearing sequences in the Saishiteng coalfield, northern Qaidam Basin (NQB, a total of 20 rock types and 5 sedimentary facies were identified, including braided river, meandering river, braided delta, meandering river delta, and lacustrine facies. The distribution of rock types and sedimentary facies contributed to the reconstruction of three periods' sedimentary facies maps of the Middle Jurassic in the Saishiteng coalfield, namely, the Dameigou age, the early Shimengou age and the late Shimengou age. That also provided the basis for the development of a three-stage depositional model of the Middle Jurassic in the NQB, indicating the lacustrine basin of the NQB in the Dameigou age and early Shimengou age were corresponding to an overfill basin, and that in the late Shimengou age was related to a balanced-fill basin. The analysis of the stability and structure of coal seams based on sedimentary facies maps showed that the preferred coal-forming facies in the Saishiteng coalfield were inter-delta bay and interdistributary bay of lower delta plain in the Dameigou age. In particular, the swamps that developed on the subaqueous palaeohigh favored the development of thick coal seams. Thus, minable coal seams may also be found along the Pingtai palaeohigh in the western part of the Saishiteng coalfield.

Trophodynamics and diet overlap of small pelagic fish species in the Bay of Biscay

KAUST Repository

Bachiller, E

2015-08-27

Small pelagic fish are the link between planktonic production and higher trophic levels. Competition for resources may play a role in the population dynamics of species, some of them probably standing out from the others due to greater feeding success. It is therefore important to understand the trophic niche of species overlapping both spatially and temporally. In this study, we have investigated the diet, prey preference, trophic niche breadth and diet overlap of the 8 major small pelagic species (anchovy, sardine, sprat, Atlantic and Mediterranean horse mackerel, bogue, Atlantic mackerel and Atlantic chub mackerel) inhabiting the Bay of Biscay. Results indicate that all fish feed mainly on calanoid copepods, incorporating larger prey like euphausiids and decapods to complete their diet. Differences in ingested prey diversity seem to be more limited by the available zooplankton at sea than by a specific diet preference by fish species, resulting in an overall high diet overlap, especially within clupeids but also between clupeids and other (larger) predator species. Consumption estimations for different prey groups could therefore determine whether such a large diet overlap between small pelagic fish, together with spatial co-occurrence, results in competition or enhances the effects of intraguild predation, which is important in terms of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

Trophodynamics and diet overlap of small pelagic fish species in the Bay of Biscay

KAUST Repository

Bachiller, E; Irigoien, Xabier

2015-01-01

Small pelagic fish are the link between planktonic production and higher trophic levels. Competition for resources may play a role in the population dynamics of species, some of them probably standing out from the others due to greater feeding success. It is therefore important to understand the trophic niche of species overlapping both spatially and temporally. In this study, we have investigated the diet, prey preference, trophic niche breadth and diet overlap of the 8 major small pelagic species (anchovy, sardine, sprat, Atlantic and Mediterranean horse mackerel, bogue, Atlantic mackerel and Atlantic chub mackerel) inhabiting the Bay of Biscay. Results indicate that all fish feed mainly on calanoid copepods, incorporating larger prey like euphausiids and decapods to complete their diet. Differences in ingested prey diversity seem to be more limited by the available zooplankton at sea than by a specific diet preference by fish species, resulting in an overall high diet overlap, especially within clupeids but also between clupeids and other (larger) predator species. Consumption estimations for different prey groups could therefore determine whether such a large diet overlap between small pelagic fish, together with spatial co-occurrence, results in competition or enhances the effects of intraguild predation, which is important in terms of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

Bioinvasion in a Brazilian bay: filling gaps in the knowledge of southwestern Atlantic biota.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara L Ignacio

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Biological invasions are a major cause of global species change. Nevertheless, knowledge about the distribution and ecology of introduced species is regionally biased, and many gaps in knowledge exist for most developing countries.To study the zoobenthos on the hard substratum of the Ilha Grande Bay, a survey was conducted on both natural and artificial substrata at three depths and seven sites. The species recorded were classified as native, cryptogenic or introduced. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the prevalence of introduced species in these communities and to compare the distribution of species on natural and artificial substrata of this bay to identify possible discrepancies in habitat use. Of the 61 species, 25 were cryptogenic, 10 were introduced and 26 were native. Similar numbers of introduced species were found on both natural and artificial substrata, though the community composition was significantly different between them. We also compared the species composition of the Ilha Grande Bay survey to other inventories taken around the world. The highest similarities were found between the Ilha Grande Bay inventory and the Atlantic coastal region (Tampa Bay, USA and the Gulf of Mexico, American Samoa and Pearl Harbor (USA inventories.This study presents the first published comprehensive list of hard substratum sessile marine invertebrate species in a Brazilian bay. The high percentage of cryptogenic species reveals gaps in both zoological records and information on introduced species for the Brazilian coast. The introduced species successfully colonized different sites in the Ilha Grande Bay, including both natural and artificial substrata. In addition, we find that artificial structures may not be good surrogates for natural rocky shores and may represent an ecological threat. Comparisons with other inventories suggest a history of broad-scale invasion, though more evidence is needed to support this conclusion.

Spatio-temporal distribution of the dominant Diatom and Dinoflagellate species in the Bay of Tunis (SW Mediterranean Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. DALY YAHIA-KEFI

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Microphytoplankton composition and its relationships with hydrology and nutrient distributions were investigated over 24 months (December 1993 - November 1995 in the Bay of Tunis ( SW Mediterranean Sea. A new index, the ‘Specific Preference Index’ (SPI obtained by computing the median value of each parameter weighed by the numerical value of each species density was developed. Using this index, the relationships between each species and temperature, salinity and major nutrients were analysed. The distribution of chlorophyll a did not show a clear correlation with microplankton abundance suggesting that other factors contribute to chlorophyll concentration, such as smaller phytoplankton size fractions or detritus. The winter-spring diatom blooms did not show a regular pattern during both years. High nutrient inputs in late summer, associated with mild meteorological conditions, contributed to the development of a large diatom bloom in autumn 1995 where significant silicate depletion was witnessed. Generally, diatoms were more stenotherm than dinoflagellates in the Bay, whereas dinoflagellates were more stenohaline than diatoms. The statistical analyses showed that the two species, Bellerochea horologicalis , and Lithodesmioides polymorpha, var., tunisiense, appeared in a wide range of environmental conditions. An excess of phosphateversus nitrate appeared to be associated with red tides of, Gymnodinium spp, whereas Peridinium quinquecorne, showed the opposite. Phosphate concentrations appear to be crucial in this coastal environment, where diatom blooms are often limited by low silicate availability.

Plant diversity and biomass of Marudu bay mangroves in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanum, F.; Kudus, K.A.; Saari, N.S

2012-01-01

The mangroves of Marudu Bay in the state of Sabah is situated at the tip of Borneo Island, and at the southern limit of the Coral Triangle whose waters hold the highest diversity of corals, fish, molluscks, crustaceans and marine plant species in the world. The ecosystem shows a deterioration due to unsustainable fishing, pollution and encroachment, and these are impacting the Marudu Bay coastal communities economically. Fishing is the major economic activity here. Realising the importance of conserving the mangroves to uplift the socio-economic livelihood of the coastal community, a resource inventory of the mangroves and its productivity study were carried out. A total of 16 plant species in 12 genera and 9 families were identified. It was also found that 0.7 ha is capable of capturing all the species in the mangrove forest. The mangrove forests of Marudu Bay are dominated by Rhizopora apiculata and R. mucronata. The highest Importance Value index (IVI) was given by Rhizophora mucronata. Total Above Ground Biomass (TAGB) for 1-ha of mangrove forest in Marudu Bay was estimated to be 98.4 t/ha. It was found in other parallel studies that the mangroves of Marudu Bay are productive ecosystems that provide valuable habitats, nurseries and spawning grounds for various commercially important species of fish and invertebrates such as shrimp besides many species of wildlife. The mangroves at Marudu Bay are not only aesthetically attractive but provide opportunities for ecotourism activities that can be undertaken by the local community inhabiting the area to uplift their meagre income, These activities include mangrove cruising, recreational fishing, educational tourism and mangrove honey production, amongst others. This way, the degradation of the mangrove in Marudu Bay can be halted and reversed. (author)

Temporal and basin-specific population trends of quagga mussels on soft sediment of a multi-basin reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

Caldwell, Timothy J; Rosen, Michael R.; Chandra, Sudeep; Acharya, Kumud; Caires, Andrea M; Davis, Clinton J.; Thaw, Melissa; Webster, Daniel M.

2015-01-01

Invasive quagga (Dreissena bugnesis) and zebra (Dreissena ploymorpha) mussels have rapidly spread throughout North America. Understanding the relationships between environmental variables and quagga mussels during the early stages of invasion will help management strategies and allow researchers to predict patterns of future invasions. Quagga mussels were detected in Lake Mead, NV/AZ in 2007, we monitored early invasion dynamics in 3 basins (Boulder Basin, Las Vegas Bay, Overton Arm) bi-annually from 2008-2011. Mean quagga density increased over time during the first year of monitoring and stabilized for the subsequent two years at the whole-lake scale (8 to 132 individuals·m-2, geometric mean), in Boulder Basin (73 to 875 individuals·m-2), and in Overton Arm(2 to 126 individuals·m-2). In Las Vegas Bay, quagga mussel density was low (9 to 44 individuals·m-2), which was correlated with high sediment metal concentrations and warmer (> 30°C) water temperatures associated with that basin. Carbon content in the sediment increased with depth in Lake Mead and during some sampling periods quagga density was also positively correlated with depth, but more research is required to determine the significance of this interaction. Laboratory growth experiments suggested that food quantity may limit quagga growth in Boulder Basin, indicating an opportunity for population expansion in this basin if primary productivity were to increase, but was not the case in Overton Arm. Overall quagga mussel density in Lake Mead is highly variable and patchy, suggesting that temperature, sediment size, and sediment metal concentrations, and sediment carbon content all contribute to mussel distribution patterns. Quagga mussel density in the soft sediment of Lake Mead expanded during initial colonization, and began to stabilize approximately 3 years after the initial invasion.

Composition and temporal patterns of larval fish communities in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipe Ribeiro

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Comparing larval fish assemblages in different estuaries provides insights about the coastal distribution of larval populations, larval transport, and adult spawning locations (Ribeiro et al. 2015. We simultaneously compared the larval fish assemblages entering two Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB estuaries (Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay, USA through weekly sampling from 2007 to 2009. In total, 43 taxa (32 families and 36 taxa (24 families were collected in Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, respectively. Mean taxonomic diversity, mean richness, and evenness were generally lower in Delaware Bay. Communities of both bays were dominated by Anchoa spp., Gobiosoma spp., Micropogonias undulatus, and Brevoortia tyrannus; Paralichthys spp. was more abundant in Delaware Bay and Microgobius thalassinus was more abundant in Chesapeake Bay. Inter-annual variation in the larval fish communities was low at both sites, with a relatively consistent composition across years, but strong seasonal (intra-annual variation in species composition occurred in both bays. Two groups were identified in Chesapeake Bay: a ‘winter’ group dominated by shelf-spawned species (e.g. M. undulatus and a ‘summer’ group comprising obligate estuarine species and coastal species (e.g. Gobiosoma spp. and Cynoscion regalis, respectively. In Delaware Bay, 4 groups were identified: a ‘summer’ group of mainly obligate estuarine fishes (e.g. Menidia sp. being replaced by a ‘fall’ group (e.g. Ctenogobius boleosoma and Gobionellus oceanicus; ‘winter’ and ‘spring’ groups were dominated by shelf-spawned (e.g. M. undulatus and Paralichthys spp. and obligate estuarine species (e.g. Leiostomus xanthurus and Pseudopleuronectes americanus, respectively. This study demonstrates that inexpensive and simultaneous sampling in different estuaries provides important insights into the variability in community structure of fish assemblages at large spatial scales.

Risk assessment of alien species found in and around the oyster basins of Yerseke

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Foekema, E.M.; Cuperus, J.; Weide, van der B.E.

2014-01-01

On behalf of the Office of Research and Risk Assessments (BuRO) of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safey Authority (NVWA), IMARES conducted a species inventory in the Oyster basins in Yerseke and the surrounding area in the Eastern Scheldt, known to be subject to shellfish related

A reevaluation of the late quaternary sedimentation in todos os Santos Bay (BA, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GUILHERME C. LESSA

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Todos os Santos Bay is a large ( 1000 km², structurally controlled tidal bay in northeast Brazil. Three main drainage basins debouch into the bay, providing a mean freshwater discharge of 200 m³/s (prior to 1985, or less than 1% of the spring tidal discharge through the bay mouth. Based on the result of several sedimentological studies performed in the 1970's, five surface sedimentary facies were identified inside the bay, namely i transgressive siliciclastic marine sand facies; ii transgressive bay sand-mud facies; iii a transgressive carbonate marine sand facies; iv regressive bay-mud facies, and v regressive fluvial sand facies. The spatial distribution of these facies would follow, somewhat closely, the hydrodynamic-energy distribution inside the bay. Seismic profiles along the bay bottom indicate the existence of several paleochannels, 5-10 m deep, blanketed at least by three different sedimentary units. The topmost sedimentary unit, 5-20 m thick, appears to be associated with the regressive bay-mud facies, and assuming that it was laid down within the last 5000 years, sedimentation rates for the central and northeastern part of the bay would average at 2,4 mm/y.

Species-specific accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in birds of prey from the Chesapeake Bay region, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Da, E-mail: chen@vims.ed [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Hale, Robert C. [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Watts, Bryan D. [Center for Conservation Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (United States); La Guardia, Mark J.; Harvey, Ellen [Department of Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062 (United States); Mojica, Elizabeth K. [Center for Conservation Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (United States)

2010-05-15

Compared to organochlorines, little is known about polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination of birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S. This study examined and compared PBDE contamination in eggs of osprey, double-crested cormorant, brown pelican and peregrine falcon from this area. Several legacy persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs and DDE were also investigated. The level of urbanization of the landscape appeared to influence the level of PBDE exposure. PBDE congener distribution patterns varied between piscivorous and terrestrial-feeding birds. This suggests individual congeners may be subject to differences in bioaccumulation, biomagnification or metabolism in the aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Biomagnification of PBDEs was studied in the Bay aquatic food chains for the first time. A biomagnification factor of 25.1 was estimated for SIGMAPBDEs for the fish - osprey egg food chain. Hazard quotients, applied as a preliminary evaluation, indicated that PBDEs may pose a moderate hazard to ospreys and peregrine falcons through impairment of reproductive performance. - Birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) exhibited species-specific PBDE accumulation patterns.

Species-specific accumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in birds of prey from the Chesapeake Bay region, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Da; Hale, Robert C.; Watts, Bryan D.; La Guardia, Mark J.; Harvey, Ellen; Mojica, Elizabeth K.

2010-01-01

Compared to organochlorines, little is known about polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contamination of birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S. This study examined and compared PBDE contamination in eggs of osprey, double-crested cormorant, brown pelican and peregrine falcon from this area. Several legacy persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs and DDE were also investigated. The level of urbanization of the landscape appeared to influence the level of PBDE exposure. PBDE congener distribution patterns varied between piscivorous and terrestrial-feeding birds. This suggests individual congeners may be subject to differences in bioaccumulation, biomagnification or metabolism in the aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Biomagnification of PBDEs was studied in the Bay aquatic food chains for the first time. A biomagnification factor of 25.1 was estimated for ΣPBDEs for the fish - osprey egg food chain. Hazard quotients, applied as a preliminary evaluation, indicated that PBDEs may pose a moderate hazard to ospreys and peregrine falcons through impairment of reproductive performance. - Birds of prey breeding in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) exhibited species-specific PBDE accumulation patterns.

Metal concentrations in demersal fish species from Santa Maria Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico (Pacific coast).

Science.gov (United States)

Jonathan, M P; Aurioles-Gamboa, David; Villegas, Lorena Elizabeth Campos; Bohórquez-Herrera, Jimena; Hernández-Camacho, Claudia J; Sujitha, S B

2015-10-15

Concentrations of 11 trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Hg) in 40 fish species from Santa Maria Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico, the strategically important area for marine mammals and organisms were analyzed. Based on their concentrations the ranking of metals Fe>Zn>Ni>Cr>Mn>Pb>Cu>Co>As>Cd>Hg suggests that organism size, metabolism and feeding habits are correlated with metal concentrations. Local geological formations affect the concentrations of different metals in the aquatic environment and are subsequently transferred to fishes. The correlation analysis suggests that metabolism and nurturing habits impact the concentration of metals. Concentrations of Fe and Mn appear to be influenced by scavenging and absorption processes, which vary by species. The considerable variability in the metal concentrations obtained in different species underscores the importance of regular monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrative taxonomy supports new candidate fish species in a poorly studied neotropical region: the Jequitinhonha River Basin.

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Pugedo, Marina Lages; de Andrade Neto, Francisco Ricardo; Pessali, Tiago Casarim; Birindelli, José Luís Olivan; Carvalho, Daniel Cardoso

2016-06-01

Molecular identification through DNA barcoding has been proposed as a way to standardize a global biodiversity identification system using a partial sequence of the mitochondrial COI gene. We applied an integrative approach using DNA barcoding and traditional morphology-based bioassessment to identify fish from a neotropical region possessing low taxonomic knowledge: the Jequitinhonha River Basin (Southeastern Brazil). The Jequitinhonha River Basin (JRB) has a high rate of endemism and is considered an area of high priority for fish conservation, with estimates indicating the presence of around 110 native and non-indigenous species. DNA barcodes were obtained from 260 individuals belonging to 52 species distributed among 35 genera, 21 families and 6 orders, including threatened and rare species such as Rhamdia jequitinhonha and Steindachneridion amblyurum. The mean Kimura two-parameter genetic distances within species, genera and families were: 0.44, 12.16 and 20.58 %, respectively. Mean intraspecific genetic variation ranged from 0 to 11.43 %, and high values (>2 %) were recovered for five species. Species with a deep intraspecific distance, possibly flagging overlooked taxa, were detected within the genus Pimelodella. Fifteen species, only identified to the genus level, had unique BINs, with a nearest neighbor distance over 2 % and therefore, potential new candidate species supported by DNA barcoding. The integrative taxonomy approach using DNA barcoding and traditional taxonomy may be a remedy to taxonomy impediment, accelerating species identification by flagging potential new candidate species and to adequately conserve the megadiverse neotropical ichthyofauna.

Material Exchange and Migration between Pore Fluids and Sandstones during Diagenetic Processes in Rift Basins: A Case Study Based on Analysis of Diagenetic Products in Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China

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W. Meng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The exchange and migration of basin materials that are carried by pore fluids are the essence of diagenesis, which can alter physical properties of clastic rocks as well as control formation and distribution of favorable reservoirs of petroliferous basins. Diagenetic products and pore fluids, resulting from migration and exchange of basin materials, can be used to deduce those processes. In this study, 300 core samples from 46 wells were collected for preparation of casting thin sections, SEM, BSE, EDS, inclusion analysis, and isotope analysis in Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China. Combined with geochemical characteristics of pore fluids and geological background of the study area, the source and exchange mechanisms of materials in the pore fluids of rift basins were discussed. It was revealed that the material exchange of pore fluids could be divided into five stages. The first stage was the evaporation concentration stage during which mainly Ca2+, Mg2+, and CO32- precipitated as high-Mg calcites. Then came the shale compaction stage, when mainly Ca2+ and CO32- from shale compaction water precipitated as calcites. The third stage was the carboxylic acid dissolution stage featured by predominant dissolution of plagioclases, during which Ca2+ and Na+ entered pore fluids, and Si and Al also entered pore fluids and then migrated as clathrates, ultimately precipitating as kaolinites. The fourth stage was the organic CO2 stage, mainly characterized by the kaolinization of K-feldspar as well as dissolution of metamorphic lithic fragments and carbon cements. During this stage, K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, HCO3-, and CO32- entered pore fluids. The fifth stage was the alkaline fluid stage, during which the cementation of ferro-carbonates and ankerites as well as illitization or chloritization of kaolinites prevailed, leading to the precipitation of K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and CO32- from pore fluids.

A new species of Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae from the rio Uruguai basin, southern Brazil

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Juliano Ferrer

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT A new species of Ituglanis associated to the grasslands of the Pampa biome is described from the rio Uruguai basin, southern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the low number of ribs and by a unique color pattern composed of an outer layer with scattered round black blotches equivalent in size to the eye circumference over a reddish brown background on the lateral surface of the body. We provide the genetic sequences of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome c Oxydase subunit I (COI for three of the paratypes and discuss aspects about the recent discovery of the new species.

REPTILE SPECIES COMPOSITION IN THE MIDDLE GURGUÉIA AND COMPARISON WITH INVENTORIES IN THE EASTERN PARNAÍBA RIVER BASIN, STATE OF PIAUÍ, BRAZIL

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CLÁUDIA RENATA MADELLA-AURICCHIO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The reptile diversity of the Middle Gurguéia River Basin in southern Piauí, Brazil, is little known. The rapid expansion of agriculture in the region is converting the Cerrado and Caatinga into large farming areas, which threatens biodiversity and hastens its loss. In this study, 68 specimens of reptiles from a university collection were examined, comprising 29 species: ten lizards, one amphisbaenian, 15 snakes, two turtles and one crocodilian. They were collected from five locations in the Middle Gurguéia Basin, a region not previously evaluated for reptiles. The most abundant species is a member of Tropidurus. Comparison with eight other areas in the eastern Parnaíba Basin indicated that the diversity of reptiles in the Middle Gurguéia is similar to that in other Caatinga-Cerrado ecotone areas. The reptile assemblage in the eastern Parnaíba Basin comprises 100 species of reptiles: 39 lizards, five amphisbaenians, 50 snakes, four chelonians and two crocodilians. This study expanded the known distributions of some reptiles and recorded the first occurrence of Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel, 1837 for Piauí. A cluster analysis showed that the reptile composition concords with the habitat where species were found, i.e. Cerrado, Caatinga or ecotone. Studies that associate habitat structure with each species are essential to propose efficient strategies for reptile management and conservation for the entire Parnaíba River Basin, mostly in areas that are not yet protected.

Toxic phytoplankton in San Francisco Bay

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Rodgers, Kristine M.; Garrison, David L.; Cloern, James E.

1996-01-01

The Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) was conceived and designed to document the changing distribution and effects of trace substances in San Francisco Bay, with focus on toxic contaminants that have become enriched by human inputs. However, coastal ecosystems like San Francisco Bay also have potential sources of naturally-produced toxic substances that can disrupt food webs and, under extreme circumstances, become threats to public health. The most prevalent source of natural toxins is from blooms of algal species that can synthesize metabolites that are toxic to invertebrates or vertebrates. Although San Francisco Bay is nutrient-rich, it has so far apparently been immune from the epidemic of harmful algal blooms in the world’s nutrient-enriched coastal waters. This absence of acute harmful blooms does not imply that San Francisco Bay has unique features that preclude toxic blooms. No sampling program has been implemented to document the occurrence of toxin-producing algae in San Francisco Bay, so it is difficult to judge the likelihood of such events in the future. This issue is directly relevant to the goals of RMP because harmful species of phytoplankton have the potential to disrupt ecosystem processes that support animal populations, cause severe illness or death in humans, and confound the outcomes of toxicity bioassays such as those included in the RMP. Our purpose here is to utilize existing data on the phytoplankton community of San Francisco Bay to provide a provisional statement about the occurrence, distribution, and potential threats of harmful algae in this Estuary.

ALIEN SPECIES IMPORTANTANCE IN NATIVE VEGETATION ALONG WADEABLE STREAMS, JOHN DAY RIVER BASIN, OREGON, USA

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We evaluated the importance of alien species in existing vegetation along wadeable streams of a large, topographically diverse river basin in eastern Oregon, USA; sampling 165 plots (30 × 30 m) across 29 randomly selected 1-km stream reaches. Plots represented eight streamside co...

The tectonic origin of the Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Talwani, M.; Desa, M.; Ismaiel, M.; Krishna, K.S.

direction for the Indian plate.  4. The 85°E Ridge was initially evolved as a fracture zone, and subsequently associated with volcanism.   5. The oceanic crust of the Western Basin of the Bay of Bengal is older than the crust of the Eastern Basin and Bangla... it a northern extension of the 86°E fracture zone, while Sar et al. [2009] suggested it could have a continental origin. Gibbons et al. [2013] inferred that the 85°E Ridge and the Kerguelen Fracture Zone formed as conjugate flanks of a 'leaky...

Optical ages indicate the southwestern margin of the Green Bay Lobe in Wisconsin, USA, was at its maximum extent until about 18,500 years ago

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Attig, J.W.; Hanson, P.R.; Rawling, J.E.; Young, A.R.; Carson, E.C.

2011-01-01

Samples for optical dating were collected to estimate the time of sediment deposition in small ice-marginal lakes in the Baraboo Hills of Wisconsin. These lakes formed high in the Baraboo Hills when drainage was blocked by the Green Bay Lobe when it was at or very near its maximum extent. Therefore, these optical ages provide control for the timing of the thinning and recession of the Green Bay Lobe from its maximum position. Sediment that accumulated in four small ice-marginal lakes was sampled and dated. Difficulties with field sampling and estimating dose rates made the interpretation of optical ages derived from samples from two of the lake basins problematic. Samples from the other two lake basins-South Bluff and Feltz basins-responded well during laboratory analysis and showed reasonably good agreement between the multiple ages produced at each site. These ages averaged 18.2. ka (n= 6) and 18.6. ka (n= 6), respectively. The optical ages from these two lake basins where we could carefully select sediment samples provide firm evidence that the Green Bay Lobe stood at or very near its maximum extent until about 18.5. ka.The persistence of ice-marginal lakes in these basins high in the Baraboo Hills indicates that the ice of the Green Bay Lobe had not experienced significant thinning near its margin prior to about 18.5. ka. These ages are the first to directly constrain the timing of the maximum extent of the Green Bay Lobe and the onset of deglaciation in the area for which the Wisconsin Glaciation was named. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Macroecology, paleoecology, and ecological integrity of terrestrial species and communities of the interior Columbia basin and northern portions of the Klamath and Great Basins.

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Bruce G. Marcot; L.K. Croft; J.F. Lehmkuhl; R.H. Naney; C.G. Niwa; W.R. Owen; R.E. Sandquist

1998-01-01

This report present information on biogeography and broad-scale ecology (macroecology) of selected fungi, lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates of the interior Columbia River basin and adjacent areas. Rareplants include many endemics associated with local conditions. Potential plant and invertebrate bioindicators are identified. Species...

Wind-Driven Waves in Tampa Bay, Florida

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Gilbert, S. A.; Meyers, S. D.; Luther, M. E.

2002-12-01

Turbidity and nutrient flux due to sediment resuspension by waves and currents are important factors controlling water quality in Tampa Bay. During December 2001 and January 2002, four Sea Bird Electronics SeaGauge wave and tide recorders were deployed in Tampa Bay in each major bay segment. Since May 2002, a SeaGauge has been continuously deployed at a site in middle Tampa Bay as a component of the Bay Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE). Initial results for the summer 2002 data indicate that significant wave height is linearly dependent on wind speed and direction over a range of 1 to 12 m/s. The data were divided into four groups according to wind direction. Wave height dependence on wind speed was examined for each group. Both northeasterly and southwesterly winds force significant wave heights that are about 30% larger than those for northwesterly and southeasterly winds. This difference is explained by variations in fetch due to basin shape. Comparisons are made between these observations and the results of a SWAN-based model of Tampa Bay. The SWAN wave model is coupled to a three-dimensional circulation model and computes wave spectra at each model grid cell under observed wind conditions and modeled water velocity. When SWAN is run without dissipation, the model results are generally similar in wave period but about 25%-50% higher in significant wave height than the observations. The impact of various dissipation mechanisms such as bottom drag and whitecapping on the wave state is being investigated. Preliminary analyses on winter data give similar results.

Estimation and Simulation of Inter-station Green's Functions in the Beppu-Bay Area, Oita Prefecture, Southwest Japan: the Effect of Sedimentary Basin

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Hayashida, T.; Yoshimi, M.; Komatsu, M.; Takenaka, H.

2017-12-01

Continuous long-term observations of ambient noise (microseisms) were performed from August 2014 to February 2017 in the Beppu-Bay area, Oita prefecture, to investigate S-wave velocity structure of deep sedimentary basin (Hayashida et al., 2015SSJ; Yoshimi and Hayashida, 2017WCEE). The observation array consists of 12 broadband stations with an average spacing of 12 km. We applied the seismic interferometry technique to the ambient noise data and derived nine-component ambient noise cross-correlation functions (Z-R, Z-T, Z-Z, R-R, R-T, R-Z, T-R, T-T, and T-Z components) between 66 pairs of stations (distance of 6.4 km to 65.2 km). We assumed the stacked cross-correlation functions as "observed Green's functions" between two stations and estimated group velocities of Rayleigh and Love waves in the frequency between 0.2 and 0.5 Hz (Hayashida et al., 2017AGU-JpGU). Theoretical Green's functions for all stations pairs were also calculated using the finite difference method (HOT-FDM, Nakamura et al., 2012BSSA), with an existing three-dimensional basin structure model (J-SHIS V2) with land and seafloor topography and a seawater layer (Okunaka et al., 2016JpGU) and a newly constructed basin structure model of the target area (Yoshimi et al., 2017AGU). The comparisons between observed and simulated Green's functions generally show good agreements in the frequency range between 0.2 and 0.5 Hz. On the other hand, both observed and simulated Green's functions for some station pairs whose traverse lines run across the deeper part of the sedimentary basin (> 2000 m) show prominent later phases that might be generated and propagated inside the basin. This indicates that the understanding of the phase generation and propagation processes can be a key factor to validate the basin structure model and we investigated the characteristics of the later phases, such as its particle motions and arrival times, using observed and simulated Green's functions in detail. Acknowledgements

Trace elements in muscle of three fish species from Todos os Santos Bay, Bahia State, Brazil.

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de Santana, Carolina Oliveira; de Jesus, Taíse Bomfim; de Aguiar, William Moura; de Jesus Sant'anna Franca-Rocha, Washington; Soares, Carlos Alberto Caroso

2017-03-01

In this study, an analysis was performed on the concentrations of the trace elements Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in muscle of two carnivorous and one planktivorous fish species collected at Todos os Santos Bay (BTS). The accumulation order of the trace elements in Lutjanus analis was Al >Zn >Fe >Cr >Ba >Ni. In Cetengraulis edentulus, the order was Al >Fe >Zn >Cr >Ni >Mn >As. In the species Diapterus rhombeus, the order was Al >Fe >Zn >Cr >Ni >Mn >Cd. To determine the risk related to the consumption of fish, toxicity guidelines were used as standard references. It was observed that the species C. edentulus contained concentrations of As exceeding WHO limits, but these concentrations were acceptable according to the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) guidelines. Cd levels were found only in D. rhombeus and in low concentrations according to the determinations of WHO and ANVISA. Pb levels were not detected in any of the three fish species. The analyzed elements did not differ statistically according to the species and feeding habits. The results point to possible risks of human contamination by As related to the consumption of the fish species C. edentulus from the BTS.

Trace and major elements in geological samples from Itingusssu River Basin, Sepetiba Bay - Rio de Janeiro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araripe, D.R.; Favaro, D.I.T.

2011-01-01

The Itingussu drainage basin is situated at 22 deg 44' - 22 deg 55' SL and 44 deg 53' - 43 deg 55' WL, in Coroa-Grande district, Sepetiba Bay, southwest of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Its total area is less than 10 km 2 and includes a waterfall with three drop offs. The study area is located in a granitic pre-Cambrian embasement, discharging in a mangrove forest fringe. This work attempts to investigate the influence of lithology types in the elemental composition of soil of region and sediments of related mangrove. Instrumental neutron activation analysis and subsequent gamma-ray spectrometry were used. This technique enabled the measurement of at least twenty-one chemical elements. The more representative soil samples were enriched with U and Th. Multivariate Statistical Analysis showed that the soil and sediments formed in this area have been influenced by the leucocratic rocks, enriched with LREE and Th. The factorial analysis enables the identification of five factors of influence in the ordination of elements: presence of iron minerals (biotite); presence of allanite; marine influence in the sediment; differentiated kinetic of transport and diagenesis. (author)

Organochlorine contaminants in seven species of Arctic seabirds from northern Baffin Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckman, Andrea H.; Norstrom, Ross J.; Hobson, Keith A.; Karnovsky, Nina J.; Duffe, Jason; Fisk, Aaron T.

2004-01-01

Organochlorine contaminants (OCs) were determined in liver and fat of seven species of seabirds (Alle alle, Uria lomvia, Cepphus grylle, Rissa tridactyla, Pagophila eburnea, Larus hyperboreus, and Fulmaris glacialis) collected in May/June 1998 from the Northwater Polynya in northern Baffin Bay. OC concentrations ranged over an order of magnitude between seabird species and OC groups, with PCBs having the highest concentrations followed by DDT, chlordane, HCH and ClBz. Positive relationships between δ 15 N (estimator of trophic level) and OC concentrations (lipid basis) were found for all OC groups, showing that trophic position and biomagnification significantly influence OC concentrations in Arctic seabirds. Concentrations of a number of OCs in particular species (e.g., HCH in P. eburnean) were lower than expected based on δ 15 N and was attributed to biotransformation. P. eburnea and F. glacialis, which scavenge, and R. tridactyla, which migrate from the south, were consistently above the δ 15 N-OC regression providing evidence that these variables can elevate OC concentrations. Stable isotope measurements in muscle may not be suitable for identifying past scavenging events by seabirds. OC relative proportions were related to trophic position and phylogeny, showing that OC biotransformation varies between seabird groups. Trophic level, migration, scavenging and biotransformation all play important roles in the OCs found in Arctic seabirds. - Concentrations of organochlorides in high Arctic seabirds are influenced by trophic level, migration, scavenging and biotransformation

REVISION AND RE-DOCUMENTATION OF M. AIROLDI'S SPECIES OF ARCHAEOLITHOTHAMNIUM FROM THE TERTIARY PIEDMONT BASIN (NW ITALY

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GRAZIA VANNUCCI

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Airoldi (1930, 1932 described twenty-three fossil Corallinales (Rhodophyta from the Oligocene of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy, containing thirteen new species. In this paper Archaeolithothamnium praeerithraeum Airoldi 1932 and Archaeolithothamnium statiellense Airoldi 1932 are re-documented and re-described. The features observable in the sporangial compartments allowed to attribute both species to the genus Sporolithon. 

Simulation of climate change in San Francisco Bay Basins, California: Case studies in the Russian River Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Flint, Lorraine E.; Flint, Alan L.

2012-01-01

relationship between soil moisture storage and evapotranspiration pressures, climatic water deficit integrates the effects of increasing temperature and varying precipitation on basin conditions. At the fine-scale used for these analyses, this variable is an effective indicator of the areas in the landscape that are the most resilient or vulnerable to projected changes. These analyses have shown that regardless of the direction of precipitation change, climatic water deficit is projected to increase, which implies greater water demand to maintain current agricultural resources or land cover. Fine-scale modeling provides a spatially distributed view of locations in the landscape that could prove to be resilient to climatic changes in contrast to locations where vegetation is currently living on the edge of its present-day bioclimatic distribution and, therefore, is more likely to perish or shift to other dominant species under future warming. This type of modeling and the associated analyses provide a useful means for greater understanding of water and land resources, which can lead to better resource management and planning.

Gradient Analysis and Classification of Carolina Bay Vegetation: A Framework for Bay Wetlands Conservation and Restoration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diane De Steven,Ph.D.; Maureen Tone,PhD.

1997-10-01

This report address four project objectives: (1) Gradient model of Carolina bay vegetation on the SRS--The authors use ordination analyses to identify environmental and landscape factors that are correlated with vegetation composition. Significant factors can provide a framework for site-based conservation of existing diversity, and they may also be useful site predictors for potential vegetation in bay restorations. (2) Regional analysis of Carolina bay vegetation diversity--They expand the ordination analyses to assess the degree to which SRS bays encompass the range of vegetation diversity found in the regional landscape of South Carolina's western Upper Coastal Plain. Such comparisons can indicate floristic status relative to regional potentials and identify missing species or community elements that might be re-introduced or restored. (3) Classification of vegetation communities in Upper Coastal Plain bays--They use cluster analysis to identify plant community-types at the regional scale, and explore how this classification may be functional with respect to significant environmental and landscape factors. An environmentally-based classification at the whole-bay level can provide a system of templates for managing bays as individual units and for restoring bays to desired plant communities. (4) Qualitative model for bay vegetation dynamics--They analyze present-day vegetation in relation to historic land uses and disturbances. The distinctive history of SRS bays provides the possibility of assessing pathways of post-disturbance succession. They attempt to develop a coarse-scale model of vegetation shifts in response to changing site factors; such qualitative models can provide a basis for suggesting management interventions that may be needed to maintain desired vegetation in protected or restored bays.

Influence of basin-scale and mesoscale physical processes on biological productivity in the Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon

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Muraleedharan, K. R.; Jasmine, P.; Achuthankutty, C. T.; Revichandran, C.; Dinesh Kumar, P. K.; Anand, P.; Rejomon, G.

2007-03-01

Physical forcing plays a major role in determining biological processes in the ocean across the full spectrum of spatial and temporal scales. Variability of biological production in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) based on basin-scale and mesoscale physical processes is presented using hydrographic data collected during the peak summer monsoon in July-August, 2003. Three different and spatially varying physical processes were identified in the upper 300 m: (I) anticyclonic warm gyre offshore in the southern Bay; (II) a cyclonic eddy in the northern Bay; and (III) an upwelling region adjacent to the southern coast. In the warm gyre (>28.8 °C), the low salinity (33.5) surface waters contained low concentrations of nutrients. These warm surface waters extended below the euphotic zone, which resulted in an oligotrophic environment with low surface chlorophyll a (0.12 mg m -3), low surface primary production (2.55 mg C m -3 day -1) and low zooplankton biovolume (0.14 ml m -3). In the cyclonic eddy, the elevated isopycnals raised the nutricline upto the surface (NO 3-N > 8.2 μM, PO 4-P > 0.8 μM, SiO 4-Si > 3.5 μM). Despite the system being highly eutrophic, response in the biological activity was low. In the upwelling zone, although the nutrient concentrations were lower compared to the cyclonic eddy, the surface phytoplankton biomass and production were high (Chl a - 0.25 mg m -3, PP - 9.23 mg C m -3 day -1), and mesozooplankton biovolume (1.12 ml m -3) was rich. Normally in oligotrophic, open ocean ecosystems, primary production is based on ‘regenerated’ nutrients, but during episodic events like eddies the ‘production’ switches over to ‘new production’. The switching over from ‘regenerated production’ to ‘new production’ in the open ocean (cyclonic eddy) and establishment of a new phytoplankton community will take longer than in the coastal system (upwelling). Despite the functioning of a cyclonic eddy and upwelling being divergent (transporting of

Integrative taxonomy detects cryptic and overlooked fish species in a neotropical river basin.

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Gomes, Laís Carvalho; Pessali, Tiago Casarim; Sales, Naiara Guimarães; Pompeu, Paulo Santos; Carvalho, Daniel Cardoso

2015-10-01

The great freshwater fish diversity found in the neotropical region makes management and conservation actions challenging. Due to shortage of taxonomists and insufficient infrastructure to deal with such great biodiversity (i.e. taxonomic impediment), proposed remedies to accelerate species identification and descriptions include techniques that combine DNA-based identification and concise morphological description. The building of a DNA barcode reference database correlating meristic and genetic data was developed for 75 % of the Mucuri River basin's freshwater fish. We obtained a total of 141 DNA barcode sequences from 37 species belonging to 30 genera, 19 families, and 5 orders. Genetic distances within species, genera, and families were 0.74, 9.5, and 18.86 %, respectively. All species could be clearly identified by the DNA barcodes. Divergences between meristic morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes revealed two cryptic species among the Cyphocharax gilbert and Astyanax gr. bimaculatus specimens, and helped to identify two overlooked species within the Gymnotus and Astyanax taxa. Therefore, using a simplified model of neotropical biodiversity, we tested the efficiency of an integrative taxonomy approach for species discovery, identification of cryptic diversity, and accelerating biodiversity descriptions.

Volcanisme, activité anthropique et circulation des masses océaniques : leur influence respective sur la distribution des populations d'ostracodes dans la baie de Kagoshima (île de Kyushu, Japon)Impact of volcanism, human activities, and water mass circulation on the distribution of ostracod populations in Kagoshima Bay (Kyushu Island, southern Japan)

Science.gov (United States)

Bodergat, Anne-Marie; Oki, Kimihiko; Ishizaki, Kunihiro; Rio, Michel

2002-11-01

The distribution of ostracod populations in Kagoshima Bay (Japan) is analysed with reference to different environmental parameters. The bay is an area of volcanic activity of Sakurajima volcano under the influence of the Kuroshio Current. Most of the Head environment is occupied by an acidic water mass. Numbers of individual and species decrease from the Mouth of the bay towards the Basin and Head environments. In this latter, acidic water mass has a drastic effect on ostracod populations, whereas volcanic ashes and domestic inputs are not hostile. Ostracod distribution is influenced by the quality and structure of water masses. To cite this article: A.-M. Bodergat et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1053-1059.

Chesapeake Bay impact structure: A blast from the past

Science.gov (United States)

Powars, David S.; Edwards, Lucy E.; Gohn, Gregory S.; Horton, J. Wright

2015-10-28

About 35 million years ago, a 2-mile-wide meteorite smashed into Earth in what is now the lower Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. The oceanic impact vaporized, melted, fractured, and displaced rocks and sediments and sent billions of tons of water, sediments, and rocks into the air. Glassy particles of solidified melt rock rained down as far away as Texas and the Caribbean. Large tsunamis affected most of the North Atlantic basin. The resulting impact structure is more than 53 miles wide and has a 23-mile-wide, filled central crater surrounded by collapsed sediments. Now buried by hundreds of feet of younger sediments, the Chesapeake Bay impact structure is among the 20 largest known impact structures on Earth.

Subsidence transition during the post-rift stage of the Dongpu Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, NE China: A new geodynamic model

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Han; Wang, Xin-Wen; Yan, Dan-Ping; Qiu, Liang

2018-06-01

The Dongpu Sag, located in the Bohai Bay Basin, NE China, is a Cenozoic continental rift basin. The post-rift evolution of the Dongpu Sag is associated with the development of petroleum reservoirs and has implications for Neogene-Quaternary basin evolution along the eastern margin of Eurasia. To determine the nature and origin of post-rift subsidence in the Dongpu Sag, we apply backstripping, modified strain-rate inversion, and revised finite extension modelling techniques, using data from 14 real and synthetic wells that are intersected by three seismic lines. Our results reveal discrepancies by subsidence based on backstripping of well data (the observed subsidence) minus that predicted by modified strain-rate inversion and revised finite extension modelling (the predicted subsidence). During the Miocene, the observed subsidence was smaller than the predicted subsidence, leaving negative discrepancies referred to here as "insufficient subsidence" ranging from -343 to -96 m. In contrast, during the Pliocene-Quaternary the observed subsidence was greater than the predicted subsidence by +123 to +407 m, which left positive discrepancies referred to as "over-sufficient subsidence". Therefore, we infer a transition from insufficient to over-sufficient subsidence during the post-rift stage. Normal faulting that started at ca. 5.3 Ma is estimated to have produced only ∼20% of the over-sufficient subsidence. Therefore, the remaining over-sufficient subsidence, as well as the preceding insufficient subsidence and the transition between the two, were likely controlled by lithosphere processes. We propose a new tectonic model in which variations in the conditions (e.g. rate, direction, and angle) associated with subduction of the Pacific plate resulted in a change of heat flow decreasing from a linear to a curvilinear pattern, leading to a transition from insufficient to over-sufficient subsidence.

The structure and stratigraphy of the sedimentary succession in the Swedish sector of the Baltic Basin: New insights from vintage 2D marine seismic data

Science.gov (United States)

Sopher, Daniel; Erlström, Mikael; Bell, Nicholas; Juhlin, Christopher

2016-04-01

We present five interpreted regional seismic profiles, describing the full sedimentary sequence across the Swedish sector of the Baltic Sea. The data for the study are part of an extensive and largely unpublished 2D seismic dataset acquired between 1970 and 1990 by the Swedish Oil Prospecting Company (OPAB). The Baltic Basin is an intracratonic basin located in northern Europe. Most of the Swedish sector of the basin constitutes the NW flank of a broad synclinal depression, the Baltic Basin. In the SW of the Swedish sector lies the Hanö Bay Basin, formed by subsidence associated with inversion of the Tornquist Zone during the Late Cretaceous. The geological history presented here is broadly consistent with previously published works. We observe an area between the Hanö Bay and the Baltic Basin where the Palaeozoic strata has been affected by transpression and subsequent inversion, associated with the Tornquist Zone during the late Carboniferous-Early Permian and Late Cretaceous, respectively. We propose that the Christiansø High was a structural low during the Late Jurassic, which was later inverted in the Late Cretaceous. We suggest that a fan shaped feature in the seismic data, adjacent to the Christiansø Fault within the Hanö Bay Basin, represents rapidly deposited, coarse-grained sediments eroded from the inverted Christiansø High during the Late Cretaceous. We identify a number of faults within the deeper part of the Baltic Basin, which we also interpret to be transpressional in nature, formed during the Caledonian Orogeny in the Late Silurian-Early Devonian. East of Gotland a number of sedimentary structures consisting of Silurian carbonate reefs and Ordovician carbonate mounds, as well as a large Quaternary glacial feature are observed. Finally, we use the seismic interpretation to infer the structural and stratigraphic history of the Baltic and Hanö Bay basins within the Swedish sector.

Patterns of specificity and diversity in species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994 (Cestoda: Phyllobothriidae) in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, with the description of four new species.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutmore, Scott C; Bennett, Michael B; Miller, Terrence L; Cribb, Thomas H

2017-11-01

A survey of tapeworms of galeomorph sharks from Moreton Bay (Queensland, Australia) identified a complex of species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994 infecting 11 carcharhiniform and two orectolobiform species. Combined morphological and multi-locus molecular analyses (based on the 28S nuclear ribosomal RNA and partial mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 genes) revealed the presence of 12 species of Paraorygmatobothrium; four species (Paraorygmatobothrium christopheri n. sp., P. harti n. sp., P. sinclairtaylori n. sp. and P. ullmanni n. sp.) are considered to be new to science and are formally described, four represent known species, and four lack sufficient morphological data to allow definitive identification. In contrast to previous records for the genus, four of the species found in this study exhibited low host specificity [P. orectolobi (Butler, 1987) Ruhnke, 2011, P. sinclairtaylori, P. ullmanni and Paraorygmatobothrium sp. 3], three stenoxenic species were each found in two closely-related sharks (P. orectolobi, P. ullmanni and Paraorygmatobothrium sp. 3) and one euryxenic species was found in five species from two shark families (P. sinclairtaylori). One species was found to exhibit mild morphologically plasticity (P. orectolobi), with size range being associated with different shark species. Conversely, collections of almost morphologically indistinguishable specimens from single shark species were found to represent multiple species of Paraorygmatobothrium. The findings of this study indicate that the description of species of this genus on the basis of morphological data alone is problematic and that the inclusion of multi-locus molecular data is essential for future work on Paraorygmatobothrium. Host specificity, morphology and phylogenetic relatedness of species of Paraorygmatobothrium are explored.

The Carolina Bay Restoration Project - Final Report 2000-2006.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, Christopher

2007-12-15

A Wetlands Mitigation Bank was established at SRS in 1997 as a compensatory alternative for unavoidable wetland losses. Prior to restoration activities, 16 sites included in the project were surveyed for the SRS Site Use system to serve as a protective covenant. Pre-restoration monitoring ended in Fall 2000, and post restoration monitoring began in the Winter/Spring of 2001. The total interior harvest in the 16 bays after harvesting the trees was 19.6 ha. The margins in the opencanopy, pine savanna margin treatments were thinned. Margins containing areas with immature forested stands (bay 5184 and portions of bay 5011) were thinned using a mechanical shredder in November 2001. Over 126 hectares were included in the study areas (interior + margin). Planting of two tree species and the transplanting of wetland grass species was successful. From field surveys, it was estimated that approximately 2700 Nyssa sylvatica and 1900 Taxodium distichum seedlings were planted in the eight forested bays resulting in an average planting density of ≈ 490 stems ha-1. One hundred seedlings of each species per bay (where available) were marked to evaluate survivability and growth. Wetland grass species were transplanted from donor sites on SRS to plots that ranged in size from 100 – 300 m2, depending on wetland size. On 0.75 and 0.6 meter centers, respectively, 2198 plugs of Panicum hemitomon and 3021 plugs Leersia hexandra were transplanted. New shoots originating from the stumps were treated with a foliar herbicide (Garlon® 4) during the summer of 2001 using backpack sprayers. Preliminary information from 2000-2004 regarding the hydrologic, vegetation and faunal response to restoration is presented in this status report.

Evaluation of thermal, chemical, and mechanical seed scarification methods for 4 Great Basin lupine species

Science.gov (United States)

Covy D. Jones; Mikel R. Stevens; Von D. Jolley; Bryan G. Hopkins; Scott L. Jensen; Dave Turner; Jason M. Stettler

2016-01-01

Seeds of most Great Basin lupine (Lupinus spp. [Fabaceae]) species are physically dormant and thus, difficult to establish in uniform stands in seed production fields. We designed this study to examine 5 seed scarification techniques, each with 11 levels of application (including a non-scarified control), to reduce the physical seed dormancy of longspur lupine...

Systematic revision of the Potamotrygon motoro (Müller & Henle, 1841 species complex in the Paraná-Paraguay basin, with description of two new ocellated species (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygonidae

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Thiago Silva Loboda

Full Text Available A systematic revision of the Potamotrygon motoro (Müller & Henle, 1841 species complex in the Paraná-Paraguay basin based on morphological characters was undertaken. Morphological systems analyzed include external morphology, coloration, dermal denticles, and spines, canals of the ventral lateral-line system, and skeletal components. Potamotrygon motoro is widely distributed in the Paraná-Paraguay basin and some of its diagnostic characters are: ocelli present on dorsal disc tricolored, well-defined and evenly distributed, with diameter similar or greater than eye-length; ventral coloration with relatively large whitish central region, with gray or brown area predominant on outer ventral disc margins; dermal denticles well-developed and star-shaped over central disc; labial grooves absent; monognathic heterodonty present in upper and lower jaws of adults. Potamotrygon pauckei Castex, 1963 and Potamotrygon labradori Castex, Maciel & Achenbach, 1963, are synonymized with P. motoro; Potamotrygon alba Castex, 1963, is a nomen dubium in accordance with previous authors. Additionally, two new ocellated species of Potamotrygon from the Paraná-Paraguay basin are described: Potamotrygon pantanensis, sp. nov. and Potamotrygon amandae, sp. nov. These are described and compared with P. motoro and other congeners. Potamotrygon pantanensis, sp. nov. is described from the northern Pantanal region; Potamotrygon amandae, sp. nov. is widespread in the Paraná-Paraguay basin.

Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in eight mollusc species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Veerasingam, S; Venkatachalapathy, R; Sudhakar, S; Raja, P; Rajeswari, V

2011-01-01

Eight mollusc species and sediment samples collected from three different stations along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India were analysed for the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons to elucidate the status of the petroleum residues in mollusc meant for human consumption. The concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments along Tamilnadu coast varied from 5.04-25.5 microg/g dw (dry weight). High concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment of Uppanar estuary (25.5 +/- 1.45 microg/g dw) was perhaps land and marine based anthropogenic sources of this region. The petroleum hydrocarbon residues in eight mollusc species collected from Uppanar, Vellar and Coleroon estuaries varied between 2.44-6.04 microg/g ww (wet weight). Although the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment of the Uppanar region was markedly higher than the background, the petroleum hydrocarbon residues in mollusc collected from Uppanar estuary did not suggest bioaccumulation. The results signified that industrial growth has affected the aquatic environments and regular monitoring will help to adopt stringent pollution control measures for better management of the aquatic region.

Patterns of alien plant invasion across coastal bay areas in southern China

Science.gov (United States)

Hai Ren; Qinfeng Guo; Hong Liu; Jing Li; Qianmei Zhang; Hualin Xu; Fanghong Xu

2014-01-01

An understanding of the ways in which levels of invasions by alien species are correlated with environmental factors is helpful to manage the negative impacts of these invasive species. Two tropical coastal areas in South China, Shenzhen Bay and Leizhou Bay, are national nature reserves, but they are threatened by invasive plants. Here, we investigated the level of...

Macrofaunal recolonization of copper-contaminated sediments in San Diego Bay.

Science.gov (United States)

Neira, Carlos; Mendoza, Guillermo; Porrachia, Magali; Stransky, Chris; Levin, Lisa A

2015-12-30

Effects of Cu-loading on macrofaunal recolonization were examined in Shelter Island Yacht Basin (San Diego Bay, California). Sediments with high and low Cu levels were defaunated and Cu-spiked, translocated, and then placed back into the environment. These demonstrated that the alteration observed in benthic communities associated with Cu contamination occurs during initial recolonization. After a 3-month exposure to sediments with varying Cu levels, two primary colonizing communities were identified: (1) a "mouth assemblage" resembling adjacent background fauna associated with low-Cu levels that was more diverse and predominantly dominated by surface- and subsurface-deposit feeders, burrowers, and tube builders, and (2) a "head assemblage" resembling adjacent background fauna associated with high-Cu concentrations, with few dominant species and an increasing importance of carnivores and mobile epifauna. Cu loading can cause reduced biodiversity and lower structural complexity that may last several months if high concentrations persist, with a direct effect on community functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of El Niño and Indian Ocean Dipole on sea level variability in the Bay of Bengal

Science.gov (United States)

Sreenivas, P.; Gnanaseelan, C.; Prasad, K. V. S. R.

2012-01-01

Zonally oscillating seasonal equatorial winds generate pairs of upwelling and downwelling Kelvin waves in the Equatorial Indian Ocean, which then advance in to the coastal Bay of Bengal. The first (second) equatorial upwelling Kelvin wave has its origin in the western (eastern) basin, whereas the downwelling Kelvin waves originate in the central basin. The observed interannual variability of these Kelvin waves is highly governed by the associated zonal wind changes in the central and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean during the anomalous years. The second downwelling (upwelling) Kelvin wave is absent (weak) during El Niño (La Niña) years, whereas the second upwelling Kelvin wave strengthened during El Niño years both in the equatorial Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The large scale off equatorial Rossby waves occasionally feedback the equatorial Kelvin waves, which then strengthen the Bay of Bengal coastal Kelvin waves. The coastal Kelvin waves and the associated radiated Rossby waves from east play a dominant role in the mesoscale eddy generation in Bay of Bengal. The analysis of cyclogenesis characteristics in the bay over the past 65 years revealed that the active (suppressed) phases of cyclogenesis are coinciding with the downwelling (upwelling) planetary waves which influence the cyclone heat potential by altering the thermocline depth.

Diurnal variation in rates of calcification and carbonate sediment dissolution in Florida Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, K.K.; Halley, R.B.

2006-01-01

Water quality and circulation in Florida Bay (a shallow, subtropical estuary in south Florida) are highly dependent upon the development and evolution of carbonate mud banks distributed throughout the Bay. Predicting the effect of natural and anthropogenic perturbations on carbonate sedimentation requires an understanding of annual, seasonal, and daily variations in the biogenic and inorganic processes affecting carbonate sediment precipitation and dissolution. In this study, net calcification rates were measured over diurnal cycles on 27 d during summer and winter from 1999 to 2003 on mud banks and four representative substrate types located within basins between mud banks. Substrate types that were measured in basins include seagrass beds of sparse and intermediate density Thalassia sp., mud bottom, and hard bottom communities. Changes in total alkalinity were used as a proxy for calcification and dissolution. On 22 d (81%), diurnal variation in rates of net calcification was observed. The highest rates of net carbonate sediment production (or lowest rates of net dissolution) generally occurred during daylight hours and ranged from 2.900 to -0.410 g CaCO3 m-2 d-1. The lowest rates of carbonate sediment production (or net sediment dissolution) occurred at night and ranged from 0.210 to -1.900 g CaCO3 m -2 night-1. During typical diurnal cycles, dissolution during the night consumed an average of 29% of sediment produced during the day on banks and 68% of sediment produced during the day in basins. Net sediment dissolution also occurred during daylight, but only when there was total cloud cover, high turbidity, or hypersalinity. Diurnal variation in calcification and dissolution in surface waters and surface sediments of Florida Bay is linked to cycling of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and respiration. Estimation of long-term sediment accumulation rates from diurnal rates of carbonate sediment production measured in this study indicates an overall average

Cumulative impacts of hydroelectric development on the fresh water balance in Hudson Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anctil, F.; Couture, R.

1994-01-01

A study is presented of the impacts of hydroelectric development on the surface water layer of Hudson Bay, including James Bay and the Foxe Basin. These impacts are directly related to the modifications in the fresh water balance of Hudson Bay and originate from the management of hydroelectric complexes. The fresh water balance is determined by identifying, at different scales, the modifications caused by each complex. The main inputs are the freezing and thawing of the ice cover, runoff water, and mass exchange at the air-water interface. Three spatial scales were used to obtain the resolution required to document the cumulative effects of fresh water balance modifications on the water surface layer, one each for Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, and the Labrador Sea. Finally, the addition of the proposed Great Whale hydroelectric complex is examined from the available information and forecasts. 18 refs,. 6 figs., 1 tab

The mangrove as a temporary habitat for fish: the Eucinostomus Species at Guaratuba Bay, Brazil (25º 52'S;48º 39'W)

OpenAIRE

Chaves,Paulo de Tarso C.; Otto,Gislaine

1999-01-01

Several coastal fish use the estuarine habitat during a part of their life cycle. These sites are considered good for the reproductive activity, as well as for the growth of larvae and juveniles. Concerning the Gerreidae, however, many studies reveal that most species leave the estuaries to reproduce at sea. At Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil, this family is represented by three genera and five species, which make an important fraction of the local assemblage. The present study investigated th...

Bird surveys at McKinley Bay and Hutchinson Bay, Northwest Territories, in 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cornish, B J; Dickson, D L; Dickson, H L

1991-03-01

Monitoring surveys of bird abundance and distribution were conducted in 1990 at McKinley Bay in the Northwest Territories, the site of a winter harbour for drillships and the proposed location for a major year-round support base for oil and gas exploration. Primary objectives of the survey were to determine whether diving duck numbers had changed since the initial phase of the study from 1981-1985, and to provide additional baseline data on natural annual fluctuations in diving duck numbers. Three aerial surveys at each bay were carried out using techniques identical to those in previous years. On 5 August 1990, when survey conditions were considered best of the three surveys, more than twice as many diving ducks were found in McKinley Bay and Hutchinson Bay than on average during the five years of 1981-1985. Old squaw and scooters comprised ca 90% of the diving ducks observed, and both species showed significant increases in numbers. The increase in abundance of diving ducks was likely unrelated to industrial activity in the area since a similar increase occurred in the control area, Hutchinson Bay. Many factors, including both environmental factors such as those affecting nesting success and timing of the moult, and factors related to the survey methods, could be involved in causing the large fluctuations observed. 9 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs.

Bird surveys at McKinley Bay and Hutchinson Bay, Northwest Territories, in 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornish, B.J.; Dickson, D.L.; Dickson, H.L.

1991-01-01

Monitoring surveys of bird abundance and distribution were conducted in 1990 at McKinley Bay in the Northwest Territories, the site of a winter harbour for drillships and the proposed location for a major year-round support base for oil and gas exploration. Primary objectives of the survey were to determine whether diving duck numbers had changed since the initial phase of the study from 1981-1985, and to provide additional baseline data on natural annual fluctuations in diving duck numbers. Three aerial surveys at each bay were carried out using techniques identical to those in previous years. On 5 August 1990, when survey conditions were considered best of the three surveys, more than twice as many diving ducks were found in McKinley Bay and Hutchinson Bay than on average during the five years of 1981-1985. Old squaw and scooters comprised ca 90% of the diving ducks observed, and both species showed significant increases in numbers. The increase in abundance of diving ducks was likely unrelated to industrial activity in the area since a similar increase occurred in the control area, Hutchinson Bay. Many factors, including both environmental factors such as those affecting nesting success and timing of the moult, and factors related to the survey methods, could be involved in causing the large fluctuations observed. 9 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs

Closure plan for the M-Area settling basin and vicinity at the Savannah River Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colven, W.P.; Pickett, J.B.

1985-07-01

The areas addressed in this closure plan include a process sewer line, surface impoundment (settling basin), overflow ditch, seepage area, and a Carolina Bay known as Lost Lake. Since it is proposed that the basin and vicinity be closed with the hazardous wastes placed and stabilized in the basin, it will be closed pursuant to regulations for closing a hazardous waste landfill. No free liquids will remain in the impoundment after closure is completed

Indigenous fish species in the modern ichthyofauna of the Balkhash basin

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Nadir Shamilevich Mamilov

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Indigenous fish fauna of the Balkhash basin was mostly formed in the postglacial period and consists of 10 species from Cyprinidae family, 5 from Balitoridae, and 1 from Percidae. More than 20 alien fish species were introduced here during XXth century that led to eradication of indigenous fishes from the Balkhash Lake and the Ili River. Our investigations of the fish fauna during last 25 years revealed permanent shortage of living area of indigenous fishes. Nowadays fish communities from only indigenous fish species exist in some remote and isolated water bodies. Areas of all indigenous fish species are become disconnected. Reduction of habitats goes relatively slow for naked osman Gymnodiptychus dybowskii (Kessler, 1874, spotted thicklip loach Triplophysa strauchii (Kessler, 1874, and gray loach Triplophysa dorsalis (Kessler, 1872. Drastic reductions of areas were revealed for Ili marinka Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis Herzenstein 1889, Balkhash marinka Schizothorax argentatus Kessler 1874, Severtsov’s loach Triplophysa sewerzowii (G.Nikolskii, 1938, Seven River’s minnow Phoxinus brachyurus Berg 1912, Balkhsh minnow Rhynchocypris poljakowii Kessler 1879, and Balkhash perch Perca schrenkii Kessler 1874. Marinkas, osmans and perch often become victims of overfishing and poaching of local people. In that region water resources usually are used by wasteful way and loaded with pollutants. Many indigenous fish species are able to bear relatively high level of environment pollution. Hence, the main threats for indigenous fishes are introductions of trout and sander, habitats lose and unstable hydrological regimen.

Presence and abundance of non-native plant species associated with recent energy development in the Williston Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Todd M.

2015-01-01

The Williston Basin, located in the Northern Great Plains, is experiencing rapid energy development with North Dakota and Montana being the epicenter of current and projected development in the USA. The average single-bore well pad is 5 acres with an estimated 58,485 wells in North Dakota alone. This landscape-level disturbance may provide a pathway for the establishment of non-native plants. To evaluate potential influences of energy development on the presence and abundance of non-native species, vegetation surveys were conducted at 30 oil well sites (14 ten-year-old and 16 five-year-old wells) and 14 control sites in native prairie environments across the Williston Basin. Non-native species richness and cover were recorded in four quadrats, located at equal distances, along four transects for a total of 16 quadrats per site. Non-natives were recorded at all 44 sites and ranged from 5 to 13 species, 7 to 15 species, and 2 to 8 species at the 10-year, 5-year, and control sites, respectively. Respective non-native cover ranged from 1 to 69, 16 to 76, and 2 to 82 %. Total, forb, and graminoid non-native species richness and non-native forb cover were significantly greater at oil well sites compared to control sites. At oil well sites, non-native species richness and forb cover were significantly greater adjacent to the well pads and decreased with distance to values similar to control sites. Finally, non-native species whose presence and/or abundance were significantly greater at oil well sites relative to control sites were identified to aid management efforts.

Chesapeake Bay under stress

Science.gov (United States)

According to extensive data obtained over its 13,000 km of shoreline, the Chesapeake Bay has been suffering a major, indeed unprecedented, reduction in submerged vegetation. Chesapeake Bay is alone in experiencing decline in submerged vegetation. Other estuary systems on the east coast of the United States are not so affected. These alarming results were obtained by the synthesis of the findings of numerous individual groups in addition to large consortium projects on the Chesapeake done over the past decade. R. J. Orth and R. A. Moore of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science pointed to the problem of the severe decline of submerged grasses on the Bay and along its tributaries. In a recent report, Orth and Moore note: “The decline, which began in the 1960's and accelerated in the 1970's, has affected all species in all areas. Many major river systems are now totally devoid of any rooted vegetation” (Science, 222, 51-53, 1983).

Biodiversity inventories and conservation of the marine fishes of Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The effective management and conservation of biodiversity is predicated on clearly defined conservation targets. Species number is frequently used as a metric for conservation prioritization and monitoring changes in ecosystem health. We conducted a series of synoptic surveys focusing on the fishes of the Bootless Bay region of Papua New Guinea to generate a checklist of fishes of the region. Bootless Bay lies directly south of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and experiences the highest human population density of any marine area in the country. Our checklist will set a baseline against which future environmental changes can be tracked. Results We generated a checklist of 488 fish species in 72 families found in Bootless Bay during a two-week sampling effort. Using incident-based methods of species estimation, we extrapolate there to be approximately 940 fish species in Bootless Bay, one of the lowest reported numbers in Papua New Guinea. Conclusions Our data suggest that the Bootless Bay ecosystem of Papua New Guinea, while diverse in absolute terms, has lower fish biodiversity compared to other shallow marine areas within the country. These differences in faunal diversity are most likely a combination of unequal sampling effort as well as biophysical factors within Bootless Bay compounded by historical and/or contemporary anthropogenic disturbances. PMID:22849436

Biodiversity inventories and conservation of the marine fishes of Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea

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Drew Joshua A

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The effective management and conservation of biodiversity is predicated on clearly defined conservation targets. Species number is frequently used as a metric for conservation prioritization and monitoring changes in ecosystem health. We conducted a series of synoptic surveys focusing on the fishes of the Bootless Bay region of Papua New Guinea to generate a checklist of fishes of the region. Bootless Bay lies directly south of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and experiences the highest human population density of any marine area in the country. Our checklist will set a baseline against which future environmental changes can be tracked. Results We generated a checklist of 488 fish species in 72 families found in Bootless Bay during a two-week sampling effort. Using incident-based methods of species estimation, we extrapolate there to be approximately 940 fish species in Bootless Bay, one of the lowest reported numbers in Papua New Guinea. Conclusions Our data suggest that the Bootless Bay ecosystem of Papua New Guinea, while diverse in absolute terms, has lower fish biodiversity compared to other shallow marine areas within the country. These differences in faunal diversity are most likely a combination of unequal sampling effort as well as biophysical factors within Bootless Bay compounded by historical and/or contemporary anthropogenic disturbances.

Mangrove root communities in Jobos Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, P.M.

1975-01-01

Based on the presence and absence of species, at least two major types of mangrove root communities exist in Jobos Bay. One community, occurring mainly along the Aguirre Ship Channel, is composed of species characteristic of coastal waters. Another occurring in Jobos Bay and in mangrove channels in the vinicity of Mar Negro Lagoon is characterized by embayment species. Water mass is the best single parameter which correlates with the different communities. In general, subtidal species are more susceptible to elevated temperatures than intertidal species and consequently will be the first affected. Because most of the predators and competitors are subtidal, the predation and competition which limit populations may be cut back. The effect will first be seen in increased populations of barnacles, because they are severely limited by predation and competition but are physiologically quite tolerant. The intertidal species should flourish (on a relative basis) and their vertical distributions should be extended downward. These effects are only primary. Many species which would do best in thermally altered situations are colonizing or fugitive species. It is unknown whether such an assemblage could persist with continued recruitment and growth of new individuals. The dominance of these colonizing or fugitive species may be only temporary, however, because blue-green algae are tolerant of elevated temperatures and have a negative effect on barnacle recruitment and growth. Consequently, blue-green algae may eventually dominate thermally affected mangrove roots

Curimata punctata, a new uniquely pigmented species of curimatid from the Marowijne river basin of Surinam and French Guiana (Pisces, Characiformes)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vari, Richard P.; Nijssen, Han

1986-01-01

A new species of curimatid characiform, Curimata punctata, from the Marowijne River basin of Surinam and French Guiana is described and illustrated. The distinctive pattern of three to six dark midlateral spots on the body distinguishes the species from all other members of the family.

Discharge, water-quality characteristics, and nutrient loads from McKay Bay, Delaney Creek, and East Bay, Tampa, Florida, 1991-1993

Science.gov (United States)

Stoker, Y.E.; Levesque, V.A.; Fritz, E.M.

1996-01-01

Bay, -437 to 3,780 cubic feet per second. Water quality in McKay Bay, Delaney Creek, and East Bay varies vertically, areally, and seasonally. Specific conductance and concentrations of phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen were greater near the bottom than near the surface at the head and mouth of East Bay. Concentrations of total nitrogen and ammonia plus organic nitrogen generally were greater at the head of East Bay than at the mouth, indicating that McKay Bay is the primary source of nitrogen to East Bay. Concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus, orthophosphorus, and suspended solids and values of turbidity and specific conductance generally were greater at the mouth of East Bay than at the head. The greatest concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were measured in Delaney Creek. In East Bay and McKay Bay, the greatest concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia plus organic nitrogen occurred in summer, whereas turbidity, specific conductance, and concentrations of suspended solids were greater in winter. The greatest daily mean loads from McKay Bay and East Bay occurred in late June 1992 and April and May 1993 and coincided with periods of daily mean discharge greater than about 2,000 cubic feet per second. Although concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were greater in Delaney Creek than in McKay Bay and East Bay, loads were minimal because of minimal discharges from Delaney Creek. Monthly loads of total nitrogen ranged from about 20 tons to about 83 tons at McKay Bay; from about 1 ton to 4.2 tons at Delaney Creek; and from about 17 tons to 76 tons at the mouth of East Bay. Monthly loads of phosphorus ranged from about 11 tons to about 45 tons at McKay Bay; from about 0.62 ton to 2.6 tons at Delaney Creek; and from about 10 tons to about 45 tons at the mouth of East Bay. The results of this study indicate that nitrogen and phosphorus loads from the basin draining directly to East Bay (excluding loads from the McKa

76 FR 9709 - Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-22

... Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary AGENCY... the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay Delta Estuary) in California. EPA is... programs to address recent significant declines in multiple aquatic species in the Bay Delta Estuary. EPA...

Bloom dynamics of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae in two coastal bays (NW Mediterranean Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Quijano-Scheggia

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The spatial and temporal variations in the composition of Pseudo-nitzschia during bloom events from August 2005 to February 2006 were characterised in two bays of the NW Mediterranean Sea (Alfacs and Fangar Bay by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The study provides detailed records of the Pseudo-nitzschia community at the species level and describes its relationship with both the surrounding environmental conditions and biotic factors such as the accompanying phytoplankton community. The size distributions of several species of Pseudo-nitzschia were monitored during the bloom events. These measurements may serve as indicators of the physiological status of the cells. The species observed in the two bays were Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha, P. delicatissima, P. fraudulenta, P. multistriata, and P. pungens. In Alfacs Bay, a mixed species bloom of P. calliantha and P. delicatissima began in late August 2005 and lasted 11 weeks. In Fangar Bay, the Pseudo-nitzschia bloom was limited to the period from early August to late September 2005 and comprised P. calliantha and P. delicatissima. Commonly, the proliferation of Pseudo-nitzschia was mono-specific or was accompanied by other diatoms. Two objectively defined groups were identified by the statistical analysis in Alfacs bay; the first was made up only of winter samples and the second of summer and autumn samples. The first group was defined by a high concentration of NO3¯ and low concentrations of NH4+, conditions associated with a high abundance of P. delicatissima and a low abundance of P. calliantha. The second group expressed the opposite characteristics. A succession of different blooming species of Pseudo-nitzschia lasting months in Alfacs Bay is described.

Vanadium levels in marine organisms of Onagawa Bay in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukushima, M.; Suzuki, H.; Saito, K.; Chatt, A.

2009-01-01

Vanadium in marine organisms from Onagawa Bay in Miyagi, Japan, was determined by an instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method using anticoincidence gamma-ray spectrometry at the Dalhousie University SLOWPOKE-2 Reactor (DUSR) facility in Canada. Seaweeds, cultivated oysters, plankton, and four different species of sea squirt were collected from Onagawa Bay during 2005-2008. Vanadium levels around 20 μg g -1 (dry weight) were found in Japanese tangle and hijiki seaweeds. One species of sea squirt (Ciona savignyi) contained 160-500 ppm of V and it was highest among the four species of sea squirts studied. Protein-bound V species were separated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and the element determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). (author)

Internal structure of the 85°E ridge, Bay of Bengal: Evidence for multiphase volcanism

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ismaiel, M.; Krishna, K.S.; Srinivas, K.; Mishra, J.; Saha, D.

fragments 3 of Elan Bank and part of the present Kerguelen Plateau (Talwani et al., 2016). As a result, age of the oceanic floor in the Western Basin of the Bay of Bengal is older than the other parts. In southeastern quarter of the Bay of Bengal... interpreted as carbonate bank (Gopala Rao et al., 1997; Karuppuswamy, 2013), therefore, we too conjecture the lens shaped reflection free zone identified on our profiles as a carbonate bank, and this may have formed when the defunct volcanic structure...

Ecophysiology of a Mangrove Forest in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

ARIEL E. LUGO; ERNESTO MEDINA; ELVIRA CUEVAs; CINTR& #211; GILBERTO N; EDDIE N. LABOY NIEVES; SCH& #196; YARA EFFER NOVELLI

2007-01-01

We studied gas exchange, leaf dimensions, litter production, leaf and litterfall chemistry, nutrient flux to the forest floor, retranslocation rates, and nutrient use efficiency of mangroves in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico. The fringe forest had a salinity gradient from the ocean (35‰) to a salt flat (100‰) and a basin (about 80‰). Red (Rhizophora mangle), white (...

Ecological environment changes in Daya Bay, China, from 1982 to 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Youshao [Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Environmental Dynamics, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301 (China)], E-mail: yswang@scsio.ac.cn; Lou Zhiping; Sun Cuici [Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Environmental Dynamics, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301 (China); Sun Song [Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071 (China)

2008-11-15

Data collected from 12 marine monitoring stations in Daya Bay from 1982 to 2004 reveal a substantial change in the ecological environment of this region. The average N/P ratio increased from 1.377 in 1985 to 49.09 in 2004. Algal species changed from 159 species of 46 genera in 1982 to 126 species of 44 genera in 2004. Major zooplankton species went from 46 species in 1983 to 36 species in 2004. The annual mean biomass of benthic animals was recorded at 123.10 g m{sup -2} in 1982 and 126.68 g m{sup -2} in 2004. Mean biomass and species of benthic animals near nuclear power plants ranged from 317.9 g m{sup -2} in 1991 to 45.24 g m{sup -2} in 2004 and from 250 species in 1991 to 177 species in 2004. A total of 12-19 species of hermatypic corals and 13 species of mangrove plants were observed in Daya Bay from 1984 to 2002.

Ecological environment changes in Daya Bay, China, from 1982 to 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Youshao; Lou Zhiping; Sun Cuici; Sun Song

2008-01-01

Data collected from 12 marine monitoring stations in Daya Bay from 1982 to 2004 reveal a substantial change in the ecological environment of this region. The average N/P ratio increased from 1.377 in 1985 to 49.09 in 2004. Algal species changed from 159 species of 46 genera in 1982 to 126 species of 44 genera in 2004. Major zooplankton species went from 46 species in 1983 to 36 species in 2004. The annual mean biomass of benthic animals was recorded at 123.10 g m -2 in 1982 and 126.68 g m -2 in 2004. Mean biomass and species of benthic animals near nuclear power plants ranged from 317.9 g m -2 in 1991 to 45.24 g m -2 in 2004 and from 250 species in 1991 to 177 species in 2004. A total of 12-19 species of hermatypic corals and 13 species of mangrove plants were observed in Daya Bay from 1984 to 2002

Ecological environment changes in Daya Bay, China, from 1982 to 2004.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, You-Shao; Lou, Zhi-Ping; Sun, Cui-Ci; Sun, Song

2008-11-01

Data collected from 12 marine monitoring stations in Daya Bay from 1982 to 2004 reveal a substantial change in the ecological environment of this region. The average N/P ratio increased from 1.377 in 1985 to 49.09 in 2004. Algal species changed from 159 species of 46 genera in 1982 to 126 species of 44 genera in 2004. Major zooplankton species went from 46 species in 1983 to 36 species in 2004. The annual mean biomass of benthic animals was recorded at 123.10 g m(-2) in 1982 and 126.68 g m(-2) in 2004. Mean biomass and species of benthic animals near nuclear power plants ranged from 317.9 g m(-2) in 1991 to 45.24 g m(-2) in 2004 and from 250 species in 1991 to 177 species in 2004. A total of 12-19 species of hermatypic corals and 13 species of mangrove plants were observed in Daya Bay from 1984 to 2002.

Sediment Characterization in St. Alban's Bay, VT

Science.gov (United States)

Nethercutt, S.; Manley, T.; Manley, P.

2017-12-01

St. Alban's Bay within Lake Champlain is plagued with harmful algal blooms. With future intensification due to climate change, a multidisciplinary program (BREE-Basin Resilience to Extreme Events) was initiated in 2016. In order to assess the mobilization of harmful nutrients from sediment resuspension events and riverine input, 74 sediment samples were collected in a grid fashion throughout St. Alban's Bay. Sediments were deflocculated and analyzed using a LA920 Horiba laser scattering particle size distribution analyzer to define the frequency of sediment sizes from clay to sand. Gridded surfaces of mean sortable silt percentage, silt percentage, sand percentage, and clay percentage were used to represent the sediment distribution of the region. A plot of diameter versus frequency showed the bimodal nature of some of the sediments, with one peak at about 10 microns diameter (silt) and the second at about 525 microns diameter (sand). The data showed an extremely low percentage of clay relative to that of sand and silt. The highest frequencies of sortable silt, which represents the most easily mobilized particle size, are found in the deepest areas of the bay, suggesting that these regions are where dominant bottom flow occurs. The high occurrence of sortable silt in the St. Alban's Bay does suggest that sediment mobilization, and therefore nutrient mobilization has the potential to occur. These data combined with high-resolution multibeam and hydrodynamic data will allow for future models of water flow and remobilization studies in the future.

Oligosarcus jacuiensis (Characiformes: Characidae, a new species from the Uruguay and Jacuí River basins, southern Brazil

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Naércio Aquino Menezes

Full Text Available The new species herein described, collected in the Jacuí and Uruguay River basins, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, can be distinguished from the already known species of the genus, but Oligosarcus jenynsii, O. perdido, O. acutirostris, O. solitarius and O. hepsetus, by the number of perforated lateral line scales. It shares with the first two species the absence of a premaxillary foramen, present in the last three species and differs from O. jenynsii by having a smaller orbital diameter and the tip of the pectoral fin failing to reach the pelvic-fin origin, and from O. perdido by the presence of more horizontal scale rows around the caudal peduncle.

[Mercury concentration of fish in Tokyo Bay and the surrounding sea area].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, R; Kashima, Y; Matsui, M; Okabe, T; Doi, R

2001-07-01

Total mercury in the muscles of three fish species was analyzed in fish caught in Tokyo Bay and the surrounding sea areas, Sagami Bay and Choshi. Tokyo Bay is a semi-closed sea area surrounded by Tokyo, Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures. Sagami Bay and Choshi are open to the Pacific Ocean. A total of 412 fish consisting of northern whiting (Sillago japonica), flatfish (Limanda yokohamae) and sardine (Sardinops melanosticta) were caught in these areas over a 6 months period from November 1998 to April 1999. Total mercury concentration ranged from 0.008-0.092 microgram/g (wet wt.) in northern whiting, 0.006-0.065 microgram/g in flatfish and 0.001-0.045 microgram/g in sardine. All concentrations were below the restriction limit of fish mercury in Japan, 0.4 microgram/g of total mercury concentration. A significant correlation was found between mercury concentrations and body length or body weight in northern whiting and flatfish, irrespective of the sea area. A correlation was also found between mercury concentration in fish and their feeding habits: among the 3 species caught in the same area, crustacean feeding northern whiting had the highest, polychaete feeding flatfish moderate, and plankton feeding sardine had the lowest mercury concentration. In a comparison of mercury concentration in the same species caught in different sea areas, a higher concentration was noted in fish caught in the semi-closed sea area of Tokyo Bay, than in fish caught in the open sea areas of Sagami Bay and Choshi. This difference was most marked in fish caught at the bottom of Tokyo Bay and we considered that the mercury concentration of seawater and sediment in these areas was the cause of mercury accumulation in fish. These findings suggest that improved water quality control and environmental monitoring is necessary in semi-closed sea areas such as Tokyo Bay.

Contaminant exposure of birds nesting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Custer, Thomas W; Dummer, Paul M; Custer, Christine M; Franson, J Christian; Jones, Michael

2014-08-01

In earlier studies, elevated concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) were reported in double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eggs and tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs and nestlings collected from lower Green Bay (WI, USA) in 1994 and 1995 and black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) eggs collected in 1991. Comparable samples collected in 2010 and 2011 indicated that concentrations of PCBs were 35%, 62%, 70%, and 88% lower than in the early 1990s in tree swallow eggs, tree swallow nestlings, double-crested cormorant eggs, and black-crowned night-heron eggs, respectively; concentrations of DDE were 47%, 43%, 51%, and 80% lower, respectively. These declines are consistent with regional contaminant trends in other species. Concentrations of PCBs were higher in herring gull (Larus argentatus) than in black-crowned night-heron eggs collected from Green Bay in 2010; PCB concentrations in double-crested cormorant and tree swallow eggs were intermediate. The estimated toxicity of the PCB mixture in eggs of the insectivorous tree swallow was the equal to or greater than toxicity in the 3 piscivorous bird species. A multivariate analysis indicated that the composition percentage of lower-numbered PCB congeners was greater in eggs of the insectivorous tree swallow than in eggs of the 3 piscivorous species nesting in Green Bay. Dioxin and furan concentrations and the toxicity of these chemicals were also higher in tree swallows than these other waterbird species nesting in Green Bay. Published 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phytoplankton growth, dissipation, and succession in estuarine environments. [Chesapeake Bay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seliger, H H

1976-01-01

Two major advances in a study of phytoplankton ecology in the Chesapeake Bay are reported. The annual subsurface transport of a dinoflagellate species (Prorocentrum mariae labouriae) from the mouth of the bay a distance northward of 120 nautical miles to the region of the Bay Bridge was followed. Prorocentrum is a major seasonal dinoflagellate in the Chespeake Bay and annually has been reported to form mahogany tides, dense reddish-brown patches, in the northern bay beginning in late spring and continuing through the summer. Subsequent to this annual appearance the Prorocentrum spread southward and into the western tributary estuaries. The physiological behavioral characteristics of the Prorocentrum were correlated with the physical water movements in the bay. A phytoplankton cage technique for the measurement in situ of the growth rates of natural mixed populations is described. (CH)

On four species of echinorhynchid acanthocephalans from marine fish in Halong Bay, Vietnam, including the description of three new species and a key to the species of Gorgorhynchus.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Omar M; Van Ha, Nguyen

2011-09-01

Four species of echinorhynchid acanthocephalans were collected from marine fish off Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, in the spring of 2009. Acanthocephalus halongensis n. sp. (Echinorhynchidae) from the redtail scad, Decapterus kurroides Bleeker 1855 (Carangidae), has a unique proboscis armature with a spiniform basal hook with lateral root and an incomplete receptacle wall posteriorly. Gorgorhynchus tonkinensis n. sp. (Rhadinorhynchidae) also from D. kurroides, has long, slender, winding lemnisci, many epidermal nuclei, and a narrow anterior trunk with a shoulder armed with 20 circles of tightly packed spines, the posterior four circles of which have abruptly larger spines than those in the anterior circles. Neorhadinorhynchus atypicalis n. sp. (Cavisomidae) from the rabbitfish, Siganus fuscescens (Houttuyn 1782) (Siganidae), has the largest number of proboscis hooks per row, testes wider than long, and four clustered cement glands. Micracanthorhynchica kuwaitensis Amin and Sey 1996 (Rhadinorhynchidae) from the spottail needlefish Strongylura strongylura (van Hasselt 1823) (Belonidae) was similar to specimens originally described from the Arabian Gulf off the Kuwaiti coast. These acanthocephalans were collected in small numbers but stood out as uniquely and considerably different from their closest relatives to warrant their reporting. All species of acanthocephalans and their host and geographic distribution are described, and a key to the species of Gorgorhynchus is provided.

Two new species of Euptychia Hübner, 1818 from the upper Amazon basin (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae).

Science.gov (United States)

Neild, Andrew F E; Nakahara, Shinichi; Zacca, Thamara; Fratello, Steven; Lamas, Gerardo; Le Crom, Jean-François; Dolibaina, Diego R; Dias, Fernando M S; Casagrande, Mirna M; Mielke, Olaf H H; Espeland, Marianne

2015-01-01

Two new species of Euptychia Hübner, 1818 are described from the upper Amazon basin: Euptychia attenboroughi Neild, Nakahara, Fratello & Le Crom, sp. n. (type locality: Amazonas, Venezuela), and Euptychia sophiae Zacca, Nakahara, Dolibaina & Dias, sp. n. (type locality: Acre, Brazil). Their unusual facies prompted molecular and phylogenetic analyses of one of the species resulting in support for their classification in monophyletic Euptychia. Diagnostic characters for the two species are presented based on wing morphology, wing pattern, presence of androconial patches on the hindwing, and genitalia. Our results indicate that the projection of the tegumen above the uncus, previously considered a synapomorphy for Euptychia, is not shared by all species in the genus. The adults and their genitalia are documented, and distribution data and a map are provided.

Leap frog in slow motion: Divergent responses of tree species and life stages to climatic warming in Great Basin subalpine forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Smithers, Brian V; North, Malcolm P; Millar, Constance I; Latimer, Andrew M

2018-02-01

In response to climate warming, subalpine treelines are expected to move up in elevation since treelines are generally controlled by growing season temperature. Where treeline is advancing, dispersal differences and early life stage environmental tolerances are likely to affect how species expand their ranges. Species with an establishment advantage will colonize newly available habitat first, potentially excluding species that have slower establishment rates. Using a network of plots across five mountain ranges, we described patterns of upslope elevational range shift for the two dominant Great Basin subalpine species, limber pine and Great Basin bristlecone pine. We found that the Great Basin treeline for these species is expanding upslope with a mean vertical elevation shift of 19.1 m since 1950, which is lower than what we might expect based on temperature increases alone. The largest advances were on limber pine-dominated granitic soils, on west aspects, and at lower latitudes. Bristlecone pine juveniles establishing above treeline share some environmental associations with bristlecone adults. Limber pine above-treeline juveniles, in contrast, are prevalent across environmental conditions and share few environmental associations with limber pine adults. Strikingly, limber pine is establishing above treeline throughout the region without regard to site characteristic such as soil type, slope, aspect, or soil texture. Although limber pine is often rare at treeline where it coexists with bristlecone pine, limber pine juveniles dominate above treeline even on calcareous soils that are core bristlecone pine habitat. Limber pine is successfully "leap-frogging" over bristlecone pine, probably because of its strong dispersal advantage and broader tolerances for establishment. This early-stage dominance indicates the potential for the species composition of treeline to change in response to climate change. More broadly, it shows how species differences in dispersal

The Carolina Bay Restoration Project - Status Report II 2000-2004.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, Christopher

2006-07-13

A Wetlands Mitigation Bank was established at SRS in 1997 as a compensatory alternative for unavoidable wetland losses. Prior to restoration activities, 16 sites included in the project were surveyed for the SRS Site Use system to serve as a protective covenant. Pre-restoration monitoring ended in Fall 2000, and post restoration monitoring began in the Winter/Spring of 2001. The total interior harvest in the 16 bays after harvesting the trees was 19.6 ha. The margins in the opencanopy, pine savanna margin treatments were thinned. Margins containing areas with immature forested stands (bay 5184 and portions of bay 5011) were thinned using a mechanical shredder in November 2001. Over 126 hectares were included in the study areas (interior + margin). Planting of two tree species and the transplanting of wetland grass species was successful. From field surveys, it was estimated that approximately 2700 Nyssa sylvatica and 1900 Taxodium distichum seedlings were planted in the eight forested bays resulting in an average planting density of ≈ 490 stems ha-1. One hundred seedlings of each species per bay (where available) were marked to evaluate survivability and growth. Wetland grass species were transplanted from donor sites on SRS to plots that ranged in size from 100 – 300 m2, depending on wetland size. On 0.75 and 0.6 meter centers, respectively, 2198 plugs of Panicum hemitomon and 3021 plugs Leersia hexandra were transplanted. New shoots originating from the stumps were treated with a foliar herbicide (Garlon® 4) during the summer of 2001 using backpack sprayers. Preliminary information from 2000-2004 regarding the hydrologic, vegetation and faunal response to restoration is presented in this status report. Post restoration monitoring will continue through 2005. A final report to the Mitigation Bank Review Team will be submitted in mid-2006.

Bay of Fundy

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

The highest tides on Earth occur in the Minas Basin, the eastern extremity of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada, where the tide range can reach 16 meters when the various factors affecting the tides are in phase. The primary cause of the immense tides of Fundy is a resonance of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine system. The system is effectively bounded at this outer end by the edge of the continental shelf with its approximately 40:1 increase in depth. The system has a natural period of approximately 13 hours, which is close to the 12h25m period of the dominant lunar tide of the Atlantic Ocean. Like a father pushing his daughter on a swing, the gentle Atlantic tidal pulse pushes the waters of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine basin at nearly the optimum frequency to cause a large to-and-fro oscillation. The greatest slosh occurs at the head (northeast end) of the system. The high tide image (top) was acquired April 20, 2001, and the low tide image (bottom) was acquired September 30, 2002. The images cover an area of 16.5 by 21 km, and are centered near 64 degrees west longitude and 45.5 degrees north latitude. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying

msBayes: Pipeline for testing comparative phylogeographic histories using hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation

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Takebayashi Naoki

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although testing for simultaneous divergence (vicariance across different population-pairs that span the same barrier to gene flow is of central importance to evolutionary biology, researchers often equate the gene tree and population/species tree thereby ignoring stochastic coalescent variance in their conclusions of temporal incongruence. In contrast to other available phylogeographic software packages, msBayes is the only one that analyses data from multiple species/population pairs under a hierarchical model. Results msBayes employs approximate Bayesian computation (ABC under a hierarchical coalescent model to test for simultaneous divergence (TSD in multiple co-distributed population-pairs. Simultaneous isolation is tested by estimating three hyper-parameters that characterize the degree of variability in divergence times across co-distributed population pairs while allowing for variation in various within population-pair demographic parameters (sub-parameters that can affect the coalescent. msBayes is a software package consisting of several C and R programs that are run with a Perl "front-end". Conclusion The method reasonably distinguishes simultaneous isolation from temporal incongruence in the divergence of co-distributed population pairs, even with sparse sampling of individuals. Because the estimate step is decoupled from the simulation step, one can rapidly evaluate different ABC acceptance/rejection conditions and the choice of summary statistics. Given the complex and idiosyncratic nature of testing multi-species biogeographic hypotheses, we envision msBayes as a powerful and flexible tool for tackling a wide array of difficult research questions that use population genetic data from multiple co-distributed species. The msBayes pipeline is available for download at http://msbayes.sourceforge.net/ under an open source license (GNU Public License. The msBayes pipeline is comprised of several C and R programs that

Introduced and cryptogenic species and their management in Paranaguá Bay, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Somaio Neves

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to identify the introduced and cryptogenic species in encrusting and associated communities of hard substrates in Paranaguá Bay, Brazil, and to attempt to determine which of these species could negatively affect the local community to suggest management strategies for these species. At least four introduced species were found - a large number in comparison with other port surveys. These were the hydrozoan Garveia franciscana Torrey, 1902, the polychaete Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1902, the barnacles Amphibalanus reticulatus (Utinoni, 1967 and Striatobalanus amaryllis Darwin, 1854, all with potentially harmful impacts. Of the 33 cryptogenic species, four were also listed in the literature as causing negative effects. We propose the following management practices: periodic cleaning of all underwater structures, population monitoring of invasive species and potential substrates, an information database of potential sources of introduction.Espécies marinhas exóticas (= não-nativas podem afetar drasticamente as comunidades das regiões em que são introduzidas. Prever quais espécies possuem maiores chances de causar impactos negativos é extremamente importante. Neste estudo, identificamos espécies introduzidas e criptogênicas entre as espécies incrustantes e associadas das comunidades que ocorrem nos substratos consolidados da marina do Iate Clube de Paranaguá. Com base em literatura, verificamos quais destas espécies são capazes de afetar negativamente a comunidade local e sugerimos recomendações para seu manejo adequado. Quatro espécies introduzidas foram identificadas, o que é uma cifra elevada quando comparada a outros levantamentos de biotas portuárias: o hidrozoário Garveia franciscana Torrey, 1902, o poliqueta Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1902, e as cracas Amphibalanus reticulatus (Utinoni, 1967 e Striatobalanus amaryllis Darwin, 1854, todas com efeitos negativos já registrados em outros locais. Entre as 33

Ecosystem under pressure: ballast water discharge into Galveston Bay, Texas (USA) from 2005 to 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, Jamie L; Windham, Rachel; Brinkmeyer, Robin; Quigg, Antonietta

2012-04-01

Ballast water exchange processes facilitate the dispersal and unnatural geographic expansion of phytoplankton, including harmful algal bloom species. From 2005 to 2010, over 45,000 vessels (≈ 8000 annually) travelled across Galveston Bay (Texas, USA) to the deep-water ports of Houston (10th largest in the world), Texas City and Galveston. These vessels (primarily tankers and bulkers) discharged ≈ 1.2 × 10(8) metrictons of ballast water; equivalent to ≈ 3.4% of the total volume of the Bay. Over half of the ballast water discharged had a coastwise origin, 96% being from US waters. Galveston Bay has fewer non-indigenous species but receives a higher volume of ballast water discharge, relative to the highly invaded Chesapeake and San Francisco Bays. Given the magnitude of shipping traffic, the role of Galveston Bay, both as a recipient and donor region of non-indigenous phytoplankton species is discussed here in terms of the invasibility risk to this system by way of ballast water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Holistic assessment of Chwaka Bay's multi-gear fishery - Using a trophic modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Rehren, Jennifer; Wolff, Matthias; Jiddawi, Narriman

2018-04-01

East African coastal communities highly depend on marine resources for not just income but also protein supply. The multi-species, multi-gear nature of East African fisheries makes this type of fishery particularly difficult to manage, as there is a trade-off between maximizing total catch from all gears and species and minimizing overfishing of target species and the disintegration of the ecosystem. The use and spatio-temporal overlap of multiple gears in Chwaka Bay (Zanzibar) has led to severe conflicts between fishermen. There is a general concern of overfishing in the bay because of the widespread use of small mesh sizes and destructive gears such as dragnets and spear guns. We constructed an Ecopath food web model to describe the current trophic flow structure and fishing pattern of the bay. Based on this model, we explored the impact of different gears on the ecosystem and the fishing community in order to give advice for gear based management in the bay. Results indicate that Chwaka bay is a productive, shallow water system, with biomass concentrations around the first and second trophic level. The system is greatly bottom-up driven and dominated by primary producers and invertebrates. The trophic and network indicators as well as the community energetics characterize Chwaka Bay as relatively mature. Traps and dragnets have the strongest impact on the ecosystem and on the catches obtained by other gears. Both gears potentially destabilize the ecosystem by reducing the biomass of top-down controlling key species (including important herbivores of macroalgae). The dragnet fishery is the least profitable, but provides most jobs for the fishing community. Thus, a complete ban of dragnets in the bay would require the provision of alternative livelihoods. Due to the low resource biomass of fish in the bay and the indication of a loss of structural control of certain fish groups, Chwaka Bay does not seem to provide scope for further expansion of the fishery

Chrysobrycon yoliae, a new species of stevardiin (Characiformes: Characidae from the Ucayali basin, Peru

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James Anyelo Vanegas-Ríos

Full Text Available Chrysobrycon yoliae, new species, is described from a drainage flowing into the río Yucamia basin, río Ucayali basin, Peru. Chrysobrycon yoliaeis readily distinguished from its congeners by the anterior tip of pelvic bone situated anterior to the fifth rib (vs. situated posterior to the fifth rib, the presence of 20-26 dentary teeth (vs. 11-19, and the possession of a terminal lateral-line tube between caudal-fin rays 10 and 11 (vs. the absence of this tube, except in C. eliasi. The new species differs from C. eliasiand C. myersiby the presence of teeth on third pharyngobranchial (vs. the absence of teeth on this bone and also differs from C. eliasiby the dorsal-fin origin situated at vertical through anal-fin rays 5 to 7 (vs. located at vertical through anal-fin rays 8 to 10, the posterior extent of the ventral process of quadrate reaching the vertical through posterior margin of symplectic (vs. not reaching the vertical through posterior margin of symplectic, the dorsal-fin to adipose-fin length 26.8-28.8% SL (vs. 23.9-26.8% SL, and the body depth at dorsal-fin origin 34.4-42.2% SL (vs. 24.1-34.5% SL. A key for the identification of Chrysobryconspecies is provided.

Accumulation patterns of lipophilic organic contaminants in surface sediments and in economic important mussel and fish species from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwiyitno; Dsikowitzky, Larissa; Nordhaus, Inga; Andarwulan, Nuri; Irianto, Hari Eko; Lioe, Hanifah Nuryani; Ariyani, Farida; Kleinertz, Sonja

2016-01-01

Non-target screening analyses were conducted in order to identify a wide range of organic contaminants in sediment and animal tissue samples from Jakarta Bay. High concentrations of di-iso-propylnaphthalenes (DIPNs), linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in all samples, whereas phenylmethoxynaphthalene (PMN), DDT and DDT metabolites (DDX) were detected at lower concentrations. In order to evaluate the uptake and accumulation by economic important mussel (Perna viridis) and fish species, contaminant patterns of DIPNs, LABs and PAHs in different compartments were compared. Different patterns of these contaminant groups were found in sediment and animal tissue samples, suggesting compound-specific accumulation and metabolism processes. Significantly higher concentrations of these three contaminant groups in mussel tissue as compared to fish tissue from Jakarta Bay were found. Because P. viridis is an important aquaculture species in Asia, this result is relevant for food safety. - Highlights: • Analyses of surface sediment and animal tissue samples from a tropical coastal system • Non-target screening enabled identification of a wide range of organic contaminants. • Comparison of contaminant patterns in surface sediments and animal tissue samples • Results illustrate compound-specific accumulation and metabolism processes. • Higher concentrations of all contaminants in mussel tissue as compared to fish tissue

A new species of Bryconops (Teleostei: Characidae from the rio Madeira basin, Northern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana M. Wingert

Full Text Available A new species of Bryconops is described from a tributary to the rio Madeira in the Amazon basin, State of Rondônia, Brazil. Bryconops piracolina belongs to the subgenus Bryconops by having no teeth or rarely one tooth in the maxilla, and a naked area on cheek between the second and third infraorbitals. The new species is distinguished from all species of this subgenus by the presence of a large black blotch on dorsal-fin base. Furthermore, it is distinguished from all congeners, except B. inpai, by possessing the adipose fin entirely black. It differs from B. inpai by the lack of humeral spots. It further differs from all species of the subgenus Bryconops, except B. caudomaculatus, by having the last scales of the longitudinal series of scales that bears the lateral line series not pored beyond the end of the hypural plate, and differs from B. caudomaculatus by the smaller number of pored lateral line scales (31-36, mean 34.6, vs. 37-43, mean = 40.6, respectively.

REVISION AND RE-DOCUMENTATION OF M. AIROLDI’S SPECIES OF MESOPHYLLUM FROM THE TERTIARY PIEDMONT BASIN (NW ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DANIELA BASSO

1998-03-01

Full Text Available Airoldi (1930, 1932 described twenty-three fossil Corallinales (Rhodophyta from the Oligocene of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy, including thirteen new species. In this paper Mesophyllum fructiferum Airoldi 1932 and Mesophyllum obsitum Airoldi 1932 are re-documented and re-described. The presence of cell fusions, multiporate conceptacles and a ventral core of cell filaments passing from coaxial to non-coaxial confirm that both species belong to the genus Mesophyllum.   SHORT NOTES  

Mercury pollution in sediments, benthic organisms and inshore fishes of Haifa Bay, Israel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hornung, H; Krumgalz, B S; Cohen, Y

1984-01-01

Total mercury concentrations were determined in surficial sediments, eleven species of benthic organisms and six species of fish from Haifa Bay, Israel. The results show that essentially all of the shallow water zone of the Bay receives anthropogenic mercury. A mercury-cell chlor-alkali plant was identified as the source of pollution. Surficial sediments in vicinity of the plant, containing up to 0.99 micro-g Hg/g dry weight, were up to 157 times enriched in mercury relative to an unpolluted area. Mercury levels in the benthic organisms reflected the levels in the sediments. Maximal concentrations reaching 38.7 and 18.2 micro-g Hg/g dry weight were found in the carnivorous gastropod mollusks Arcularia circumcinta and Arcularia gibbosula, respectively. In all fish species, specimens caught in Haifa Bay had higher mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue than specimens caught south of the Bay. A maximal value of 1.66 micro-g Hg/g wet weight was recorded in Diplodus sargus. 17 references, 3 figures, 3 tables.

Riverine organic matter composition and fluxes to Hudson Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzyk, Z. Z. A.; Macdonald, R. W.; Goni, M. A.; Godin, P.; Stern, G. A.

2016-12-01

With warming in northern regions, many changes including permafrost degradation, vegetation alteration, and wildfire incidence will impact the carbon cycle. Organic carbon (OC) carried by river runoff to northern oceans has the potential to provide integrated evidence of these impacts. Here, concentrations of dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) OC are used to estimate terrestrial OC transport in 17 major rivers draining varied vegetative and permafrost conditions into Hudson Bay and compositional data (lignin and 14C) to infer OC sources. Hudson Bay lies just south of the Arctic Circle in Canada and is surrounded by a large drainage basin (3.9 × 106 km2) dominated by permafrost. Analysis of POC and DOC in the 17 rivers indicates that DOC dominates the total OC load. The southern rivers dominate. The Nelson and Churchill Rivers to the southwest are particularly important suppliers of OC partly because of large drainage basins but also perhaps because of impacts by hydroelectric development, as suggested by a 14C age of DOC in the Churchill River of 2800 years. Higher DOC and POC concentrations in the southern rivers, which have substantive areas only partially covered by permafrost, compared to northern rivers draining areas with complete permafrost cover, implies that warming - and hence permafrost thawing - will lead to progressively higher DOC and POC loads for these rivers. Lignin composition in the organic matter (S/V and C/V ratios) reveals mixed sources of OC consistent with the dominant vegetation in the river basins. This vegetation is organized by latitude with southern regions below the tree line enriched by woody gymnosperm sources (boreal forest) and northern regions enriched with organic matter from non-woody angiosperms (flowering shrubs, tundra). Acid/Aldehyde composition together with Δ14C data for selected DOC samples suggest that most of the lignin has undergone oxidative degradation, particularly the DOC component. However, high Δ14C ages

A new species of Astyanax (Characiformes: Characidae) from Dolina Água Milagrosa, Rio Paraguai basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

da Graça, W J; Oliveira, C A M; Lima, F C T; da Silva, H P; Fernandes, I M

2017-10-01

A new species of Astyanax is described from the upper Rio Paraguai basin, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by having the body intensely yellowish in life (v. silvery, reddish or lightly yellow) and by morphometric and meristics traits. Astyanax dolinae n. sp. cannot be assigned to any of the Astyanax species complex currently recognized for the genus. It is only known from the Dolina Água Milagrosa, a karstic sinkhole lake, entirely fed by groundwater, surrounded by Cerrado, the savannah-like vegetation of central South America. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Site Safety and Food Affect Movements of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla Migrating Through the Upper Bay of Fundy

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Ashley J. Sprague

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The upper Bay of Fundy is a critical stopover site for Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla during their fall migration. However, little is known about factors that influence selection of feeding and roosting sites by these birds, or the extent to which birds move between different sites during their time in the region. Using radio-telemetry, we studied movement patterns, examined habitat use, and tested hypotheses associated with factors influencing foraging and roost-site selection. Movements of radio-tagged sandpipers were tracked in the upper Bay of Fundy in August 2004 and 2005. In 2004, sandpipers from the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia and Chignecto Bay, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, were tracked, and in 2005, sandpipers were tracked only in Chignecto Bay. Sandpipers were highly mobile in both the Minas Basin 2004 and Chignecto Bay 2005, making daily movements of up to 20 km between foraging and roosting sites, although very little movement was detected in Chignecto Bay in 2004. Migrating sandpipers appeared to select foraging sites based on relative safety, as measured by distance to cover, provided that these sites offered an adequate food supply. Similarly, roosting sandpipers preferred sites that were far from nearby trees that might offer cover to predators. This preference for safe sites became more apparent later in their stay in the Bay of Fundy, when birds were heavier and, therefore, possibly more vulnerable to predation. Semipalmated Sandpipers appear to be flexible during their time in the upper Bay of Fundy, displaying year-to-year and site-to-site variability in movement and mudflat usage. Therefore, multiple, synchronized population counts should be conducted at known roost sites in order to more accurately estimate Semipalmated Sandpiper abundance in this region. Furthermore, in a highly dynamic system where food can be variable, landscape features such as distance to cover may be important factors to consider when

Hypoxia in Korean Coastal Waters: A Case Study of the Natural Jinhae Bay and Artificial Shihwa Bay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiyoung Lee

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Several coastal regions in Korea have suffered from hypoxia since the 1970s. We present the first review of Korean coastal hypoxia, focusing on its spatiotemporal variation, controlling factors, and effects on marine ecosystems. The review considers the two hotspots of the natural Jinhae Bay (JB and artificial Shihwa Bay (SB, which are referred to as “Korean dead zones.” The hypoxia in the JB is attributed to eutrophication due to domestic and land-used waste input and thermal stratification based on the naturally sluggish water circulation, whereas the hypoxia in the SB is due to eutrophication resulting from domestic, land-used, and industrial waste input and haline stratification as a consequence of the artificially created water stagnation. The bottom-water hypoxia and stratification has led to an imbalance in nitrogen:phosphorus ratio between surface and bottom waters. Hypoxia has also created undesirable benthic community changes in the both bays: (1 mass mortality of large species and recolonization with elevated abundances of opportunists in JB, and (2 decrease of the number of species, abundance, and diversity of benthic communities in SB. Therefore, it behooves us to pay attention to these environmental changes. This review will be helpful in determining the direction of future studies of Korean coastal hypoxia.

A survey of cardinalfish (Apogonidae) of Antsiranana Bay, northern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The cardinalfish of Antsiranana Bay, northern Madagascar, were surveyed over an 11 month period by underwater census employing a simple search pattern using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Over this period 15 species were observed including one species not previously recorded in Madagascar, ...

Some geodynamic aspects of the Krishna-Godavari Basin, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Murthy, K.S.R.; Subrahmanyam, A.S.; Lakshminarayana, S.; Chandrasekhar, D.V.; Rao, T.C.S.

in the Nizampatnam bay in the southern part of the basin. The Pranhita Godavari Gondwana graben formed due to this split, pull apart and the subsequent downwarping of the eastern continental margin, appears to be much deeper and wider in the offshore. The NE...., 1993). The Pranhita Godavari Gondwana graben, a pull-apart basin formed during the early Cretaceous period, is controlled by two faulted cross trends, viz, the Chintalapudi Cross Trend (CCT) and the newly inferred Yanam Cross trend (Fig. 4). Earlier...

Basin-scale seasonal changes in marine free-living bacterioplankton community in the Ofunato Bay

KAUST Repository

Reza, Md. Shaheed

2018-04-26

The Ofunato Bay in the northeastern Pacific Ocean area of Japan possesses the highest biodiversity of marine organisms in the world and has attracted much attention due to its economic and environmental importance. We report here a shotgun metagenomic analysis of the year-round variation in free-living bacterioplankton collected across the entire length of the bay. Phylogenetic differences among spring, summer, autumn and winter bacterioplankton suggested that members of Proteobacteria tended to decrease at high water temperatures and increase at low temperatures. It was revealed that Candidatus Pelagibacter varied seasonally, reaching as much as 60% of all sequences at the genus level in the surface waters during winter. This increase was more evident in the deeper waters, where they reached up to 75%. The relative abundance of Planktomarina also rose during winter and fell during summer. A significant component of the winter bacterioplankton community was Archaea (mainly represented by Nitrosopumilus), as their relative abundance was very low during spring and summer but high during winter. In contrast, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria appeared to be higher in abundance during high-temperature periods. It was also revealed that Bacteroidetes constituted a significant component of the summer bacterioplankton community, being the second largest bacterial phylum detected in the Ofunato Bay. Its members, notably Polaribacter and Flavobacterium, were found to be high in abundance during spring and summer, particularly in the surface waters. Principal component analysis and hierarchal clustering analyses showed that the bacterial communities in the Ofunato Bay changed seasonally, likely caused by the levels of organic matter, which would be deeply mixed with surface runoff in the winter.

Distribution of perfluoroalkyl compounds in Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Beškoski, Vladimir P; Yamamoto, Katsuya; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Okamura, Hideo; Hayashi, Mitsuru; Nakano, Takeshi; Matsumura, Chisato; Fukushi, Keiichi; Wada, Shinpei; Inui, Hideyuki

2017-03-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) including perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were analyzed in sediment samples taken from Ajifu Waterway in Osaka city, from Osaka Bay, and from Kagoshima Bay, as well as in fifteen seawater samples collected from Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan. In all sediment samples, only PFCAs were detected, and the highest concentration was determined in Ajifu Waterway, where ΣPFAA was 58990 ng kg -1 dry weight. The total concentrations of PFAAs in sea water samples ranged between the limit of quantification and 53.4 ng L -1 , and perfluorohexanoic acid was the most prevalent and had the highest concentration of 37 ng L -1 . The changes in the patterns and concentrations of PFAAs in Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan indicate that the PFAAs in surface waters are influenced by sources from Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, mainly the Yodo River basin, and the dilution effect which naturally occurs during their transport to the Pacific Ocean. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemostratigraphy of Late Cretaceous deltaic and marine sedimentary rocks from high northern palaeolatitudes in the Nuussuaq Basin, West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lenniger, Marc; Pedersen, Gunver Krarup; Bjerrum, Christian J.

The Nuussuaq Basin in the Baffin Bay area in West Greenland formed as a result of the opening of the Labrador Sea in Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic times. The first rifting and the development of the Nuussuaq Basin took place during the Early Cretaceous and was followed by a second rifting phase...

Fishes of the White River basin, Indiana

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Charles G.; Lydy, Michael J.; Frey, Jeffrey W.

1996-01-01

Since 1875, researchers have reported 158 species of fish belonging to 25 families in the White River Basin. Of these species, 6 have not been reported since 1900 and 10 have not been reported since 1943. Since the 1820's, fish communities in the White River Basin have been affected by the alteration of stream habitat, overfishing, the introduction of non-native species, agriculture, and urbanization. Erosion resulting from conversion of forest land to cropland in the 1800's led to siltation of streambeds and resulted in the loss of some silt-sensitive species. In the early 1900's, the water quality of the White River was seriously degraded for 100 miles by untreated sewage from the City of Indianapolis. During the last 25 years, water quality in the basin has improved because of efforts to control water pollution. Fish communities in the basin have responded favorably to the improved water quality.

Mapping Oyster Reef Habitats in Mobile Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Bolte, Danielle

2011-01-01

Oyster reefs around the world are declining rapidly, and although they haven t received as much attention as coral reefs, they are just as important to their local ecosystems and economies. Oyster reefs provide habitats for many species of fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans, as well as the next generations of oysters. Oysters are also harvested from many of these reefs and are an important segment of many local economies, including that of Mobile Bay, where oysters rank in the top five commercial marine species both by landed weight and by dollar value. Although the remaining Mobile Bay oyster reefs are some of the least degraded in the world, projected climate change could have dramatic effects on the health of these important ecosystems. The viability of oyster reefs depends on water depth and temperature, appropriate pH and salinity levels, and the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Projected increases in sea level, changes in precipitation and runoff patterns, and changes in pH resulting from increases in the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans could all affect the viability of oyster reefs in the future. Human activities such as dredging and unsustainable harvesting practices are also adversely impacting the oyster reefs. Fortunately, several projects are already under way to help rebuild or support existing or previously existing oyster reefs. The success of these projects will depend on the local effects of climate change on the current and potential habitats and man s ability to recognize and halt unsustainable harvesting practices. As the extent and health of the reefs changes, it will have impacts on the Mobile Bay ecosystem and economy, changing the resources available to the people who live there and to the rest of the country, since Mobile Bay is an important national source of seafood. This project identified potential climate change impacts on the oyster reefs of Mobile Bay, including the possible addition of newly viable

Mesozooplankton community in the Bay of Bengal (India): Spatial variability during the summer monsoon

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Fernandes, V.; Ramaiah, N.

Bay had higher mesozooplankton biomass, copepod species richness and diversity than in the Western Bay. Although zooplankton biomass and densities were greater at the eddy stations, correlation between zooplankton and chl a was not statistically...

Reconciling uncertain costs and benefits in bayes nets for invasive species management

Science.gov (United States)

Burgman, M.A.; Wintle, B.A.; Thompson, C.A.; Moilanen, A.; Runge, M.C.; Ben-Haim, Y.

2010-01-01

Bayes nets are used increasingly to characterize environmental systems and formalize probabilistic reasoning to support decision making. These networks treat probabilities as exact quantities. Sensitivity analysis can be used to evaluate the importance of assumptions and parameter estimates. Here, we outline an application of info-gap theory to Bayes nets that evaluates the sensitivity of decisions to possibly large errors in the underlying probability estimates and utilities. We apply it to an example of management and eradication of Red Imported Fire Ants in Southern Queensland, Australia and show how changes in management decisions can be justified when uncertainty is considered. ?? 2009 Society for Risk Analysis.

[Species composition and distribution patterns of ichthyoplankton within and outside artificial reefs in Qingshan Bay, Qingdao, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Shu Xin; Gao, Dong Kui; Zhang, Xiu Mei; Li, Wen Tao; Zhang, Pei Dong

2017-06-18

To assess the fish attraction and shelter effects of the artificial reefs in Qingshan Bay of Qingdao, the species composition and distribution patterns of ichthyoplankton in artificial reefs were investigated using vertical and horizontal tows in 2014 and 2015. In total, 7306 fish eggs and 52 fish larvae, belonging to 4 orders, 9 families, 11 genera and 12 species, were collected during 7 cruises in spring, summer and autumn of 2014. In 2015, 10373 eggs and 159 fish larvae, belonging to 6 orders, 11 families, 14 genera and 15 species, were collected in the same period as in 2014. Perciformes were the majority for both fish eggs and larvae collected during the two surveys, followed by Pleuronectiformes. Among fish eggs, Sillago japonica and Cynoglossus joyneri were the most dominant species. Among fish larvae, S. japonica exhibited the highest dominance but was not the dominant species. The high dominant species in both fish eggs and larvae appeared alternately in diffe-rent seasons. The Margalef richness index (R), Shannon diversity index (H) and Pielou evenness index (J) of ichthyoplankton community were low during the spring, summer, and autumn, showing an instable community structure of ichthyoplankton. The average trophic level of adult fish corresponding to the ichthyoplankton collected in the two years were 3.71 and 3.78, respectively, and both belonged to low carnivorous fish of third trophic level. All the species were either warm-tempe-rate species or warm-water species, which was coincident with the warm-temperate zone characteristic. Comprehensive analysis showed that the biodiversity of the ichthyoplankton community within the artificial reef areas was higher than that outside the artificial reef areas, which might be linked to flow velocity, flow field characteristics, or spatial heterogeneity of artificial reef areas.

Chemical composition of hot spring waters in the Oita river basins, Oita prefecture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawano, Tamio

1988-01-30

The source of the water from Oita River comes from the Kuju and Yubu-Tsurumi Volcanos, pouring into Beppu Bay. Its drainage area is 646 km/sup 2/ with a total length of 55 km. Hot springs are exist throughout most of the basin of the main and branches of Oita River. The chemical components of the hot springs in the Ota River basin -Yufuin, Yunotaira, Nagayu, Shonai/Hazama, and Oita City - have been analyzed. The equivalent of magnesium exceeds that of calcium in the carbonate springs of the above. Ca+Mg has positive correlations with HCO/sub 3/ in these carbonate springs. The water from these springs flows into the rivers and pours into Beppu Bay. The flow rate and chemical component concentration were measured at Fudai bridge. The concentration of chemical components having an average flow rate (30 ton/sec) were calculated. (4 figs, 7 tabs, 10 refs)

Groundwater quality in the North San Francisco Bay shallow aquifer, California

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, George L.; Fram, Miranda S.

2018-02-23

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The North San Francisco Bay Shallow Aquifer constitutes one of the study units being evaluated.

Contrasting PCB bioaccumulation patterns among Lake Huron lake trout reflect basin-specific ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Paterson, Gordon; Ryder, Mark; Drouillard, Ken G; Haffner, G Douglas

2016-01-01

This study collected multiple age classes of lake trout from Lake Huron's Main Basin, Georgian Bay, and North Channel regions to compare and contrast top predator polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) bioaccumulation patterns in separate compartments of the same ecosystem. Sum PCB concentrations were highest for Main Basin (260 ± 24.9 ng g(-1) wet wt) fish, followed by Georgian Bay (74.6 ± 16.2 ng g(-1) ) and North Channel (42.0 ± 3.3 ng g(-1)) fish. Discriminant functions analysis of lake trout PCB profiles and stable carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) isotope values clearly distinguished fish by location, indicating high degrees of basin fidelity throughout their lifetimes in addition to highly contrasting PCB bioaccumulation profiles. These unique profiles were not attributable to significant differences in lake trout lipid contents (p = 0.856) or trophic position (δ(15)N; p = 0.334), with rainbow smelt representing the primary prey across the basins. Furthermore, significant differences were observed among the basins for the relationships between PCB biomagnification factors and hydrophobicity. An empirical model for predicting PCB biomagnification in Lake Huron lake trout indicated that basin-specific population growth rates and prey abundances were significant for explaining these contrasting patterns of PCB bioaccumulation. The results of the present study are fundamental for understanding the role of ecology in legacy persistent organic pollutant (POP) bioaccumulation. Specifically, ecosystem characteristics such as prey abundances, foraging ecology, and ultimately consumer growth can regulate the variability of legacy POP bioaccumulation as observed within and among a wide range of freshwater ecosystems. © 2015 SETAC.

Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran

OpenAIRE

Teimori,Azad; Esmaeili,Hamid; Gholami,Zeinab; Zarei,Neda; Reichenbacher,Bettina

2012-01-01

A new species of tooth-carp, Aphanius arakensis sp. n., is described from the Namak Lake basin in Iran. The new species is distinguished by the congeners distributed in Iran by the following combination of characters: 10–12 anal fin rays, 28–32 lateral line scales, 10–13 caudal peduncle scales, 8–10 gill rakers, 12–19, commonly 15–16, clearly defined flank bars in males, a more prominent pigmentation along the flank added by relatively big blotches in the m...

Reconstruction of North American drainage basins and river discharge since the Last Glacial Maximum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. D. Wickert

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Over the last glacial cycle, ice sheets and the resultant glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA rearranged river systems. As these riverine threads that tied the ice sheets to the sea were stretched, severed, and restructured, they also shrank and swelled with the pulse of meltwater inputs and time-varying drainage basin areas, and sometimes delivered enough meltwater to the oceans in the right places to influence global climate. Here I present a general method to compute past river flow paths, drainage basin geometries, and river discharges, by combining models of past ice sheets, glacial isostatic adjustment, and climate. The result is a time series of synthetic paleohydrographs and drainage basin maps from the Last Glacial Maximum to present for nine major drainage basins – the Mississippi, Rio Grande, Colorado, Columbia, Mackenzie, Hudson Bay, Saint Lawrence, Hudson, and Susquehanna/Chesapeake Bay. These are based on five published reconstructions of the North American ice sheets. I compare these maps with drainage reconstructions and discharge histories based on a review of observational evidence, including river deposits and terraces, isotopic records, mineral provenance markers, glacial moraine histories, and evidence of ice stream and tunnel valley flow directions. The sharp boundaries of the reconstructed past drainage basins complement the flexurally smoothed GIA signal that is more often used to validate ice-sheet reconstructions, and provide a complementary framework to reduce nonuniqueness in model reconstructions of the North American ice-sheet complex.

Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Teimori, Azad; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Gholami, Zeinab; Zarei, Neda; Reichenbacher, Bettina

2012-01-01

A new species of tooth-carp, Aphanius arakensissp. n., is described from the Namak Lake basin in Iran. The new species is distinguished by the congeners distributed in Iran by the following combination of characters: 10-12 anal fin rays, 28-32 lateral line scales, 10-13 caudal peduncle scales, 8-10 gill rakers, 12-19, commonly 15-16, clearly defined flank bars in males, a more prominent pigmentation along the flank added by relatively big blotches in the middle and posterior flank segments in females, a short but high antirostrum of the otolith that has a wide excisura, and a ventral rim with some small, drop-like processes, and 19 molecular apomorphies (17 transitions, two transversions) in the cytochrome b gene. It was suggested based on the phylogenetic analysis that the new species is sister to Aphanius sophiae from the Kor River and that Aphanius farsicus from the Maharlu Lake basin is sister to Aphanius arakensis plus Aphanius sophiae. A noticeable feature of the Aphanius diversity in Iran is the conservatism of the external morphology as well as morphometric and meristic characters, while distinctive differences are present in genetic characters, otolith morphology, and male color pattern. Transformation of the latter was probably driven by sexual selection.

A survey of cardinalfish (Apogonidae) of Antsira- nana Bay, northern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

were observed including one species not previously recorded in Madagascar ... against existing records. Overall the ... tions include oceanic currents, temperature, depth, disturbance .... mentation as a result of terrestrial activities occurs within the bay ... of particularly abundant species in samples (Clarke and Gorley. 2006).

Germination sensitivity to water stress in four shrubby species across the Mediterranean Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamorro, D; Luna, B; Ourcival, J-M; Kavgacı, A; Sirca, C; Mouillot, F; Arianoutsou, M; Moreno, J M

2017-01-01

Mediterranean shrublands are generally water-limited and fire-driven ecosystems. Seed-based post-fire regeneration may be affected by varying rainfall patterns, depending on species sensitivity to germinate under water stress. In our study, we considered the germination response to water stress in four species from several sites across the Mediterranean Basin. Seeds of species with a hard coat (Cistus monspeliensis, C. salviifolius, Cistaceae, Calicotome villosa, Fabaceae) or soft coat (Erica arborea, Ericaceae), which were exposed or not to a heat shock and smoke (fire cues), were made to germinate under water stress. Final germination percentage, germination speed and viability of seeds were recorded. Germination was modelled using hydrotime analysis and correlated to the water balance characteristics of seed provenance. Water stress was found to decrease final germination in the three hard-seeded species, as well as reduce germination speed. Moreover, an interaction between fire cues and water stress was found, whereby fire cues increased sensitivity to water stress. Seed viability after germination under water stress also declined in two hard-seeded species. Conversely, E. arborea showed little sensitivity to water stress, independent of fire cues. Germination responses varied among populations of all species, and hydrotime parameters were not correlated to site water balance, except in E. arborea when not exposed to fire cues. In conclusion, the species studied differed in germination sensitivity to water stress; furthermore, fire cues increased this sensitivity in the three hard-seeded species, but not in E. arborea. Moreover, populations within species consistently differed among themselves, but these differences could only be related to the provenance locality in E. arborea in seeds not exposed to fire cues. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, and adjacent highland areas, California

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, Carmen

2018-05-30

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The shallow aquifers of the groundwater basins around Monterey Bay, the Salinas Valley, and the highlands adjacent to the Salinas Valley constitute one of the study units.

Origin of ash in the Central Indian Ocean Basin and its implication for the volume estimate of the 74,000 year BP Youngest Toba eruption

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Pattan, J.N.; Pearce, N.J.G.; Banakar, V.K.; Parthiban, G.

.86) 4.22 (0 .33) ? 4.94 N 91 274 72 53 16 1, Central Indian Ocean Basin 7 (present study); 2, YTT from Sum a tra, Malaysia, Bay of Bengal and India 10 ; 3, YTT from the Indian subcont i- nent 15 ; 4, YTT from....4 7.5 6.6 5.9 6.9 6.9 5.1 5.8 6.5 1, Central Indian Ocean Basin (pr esent study, n = 8); 2, YTT from Sumatra, Malaysia, ODP site 758, Bay of Bengal and India 10 ( n...

Status of macrobenthic community of Manifa-Tanajib Bay System of Saudi Arabia based on a once-off sampling event

KAUST Repository

Joydas, Thadickal Viswanathan

2011-06-01

Shallow water bays located in the western Arabian Gulf experience harsh environmental conditions. Some of these bays, including Manifa-Tanajib Bay System (MTBS), were also exposed to the 1991 oil pollution event. This study investigates the status of the macrobenthos in MTBS during 2006. This bay system is characterized by very shallow inner bays with elevated salinity and temperature compared to the rest of the bay area. As a result mainly of the hyper salinity, the inner bay communities are distinct from the outer bay communities. Overall, fairly high species richness with several rare species was observed. High Shannon-Wiener diversity values and ABC plots indicated the healthy status of the polychaete communities, while BOPA index indicated slightly polluted status in 20% of the stations. The oil sensitive amphipods were not completely re-colonized in 20% of the stations, even after 15. years of recovery from the 1991 oil spill. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

The atmospheric branch of the hydrological cycle over the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra river basins

Science.gov (United States)

Sorí, Rogert; Nieto, Raquel; Drumond, Anita; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M.; Gimeno, Luis

2017-12-01

The atmospheric branch of the hydrological cycle over the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra river basins (IRB, GRB, and BRB respectively) in the South Asian region was investigated. The 3-dimensional model FLEXPART v9.0 was utilized. An important advantage of this model is that it permits the computation of the freshwater budget on air parcel trajectories both backward and forward in time from 0.1 to 1000 hPa in the atmospheric vertical column. The analysis was conducted for the westerly precipitation regime (WPR) (November-April) and the monsoonal precipitation regime (MPR) (May-October) in the period from 1981 to 2015. The main terrestrial and oceanic climatological moisture sources for the IRB, GRB, and BRB and their contribution to precipitation over the basins were identified. For the three basins, the most important moisture sources for precipitation are (i) in the continental regions, the land masses to the west of the basins (in this case called western Asia), the Indian region (IR), and the basin itself, and (ii) from the ocean, the utmost sources being the Indian Ocean (IO) and the Bay of Bengal (BB), and it is remarkable that despite the amount of moisture reaching the Indus and Ganges basins from land sources, the moisture supply from the IO seems to be first associated with the rapid increase or decrease in precipitation over the sources in the MPR. The technique of the composites was used to analyse how the moisture uptake values spatially vary from the sources (the budget of evaporation minus precipitation (E - P) was computed in a backward experiment from the basins) but during the pre-onset and pre-demise dates of the monsoonal rainfall over each basin; this confirmed that over the last days of the monsoon at the basins, the moisture uptake areas decrease in the IO. The Indian region, the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the basins themselves are the main sources of moisture responsible for negative (positive) anomalies of moisture contribution to

Heme oxygenase-1 mediates BAY 11-7085 induced ferroptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ling-Chu; Chiang, Shih-Kai; Chen, Shuen-Ei; Yu, Yung-Luen; Chou, Ruey-Hwang; Chang, Wei-Chao

2018-03-01

Ferroptosis is a form of oxidative cell death and has become a chemotherapeutic target for cancer treatment. BAY 11-7085 (BAY), which is a well-known IκBα inhibitor, suppressed viability in cancer cells via induction of ferroptotic death in an NF-κB-independent manner. Reactive oxygen species scavenging, relief of lipid peroxidation, replenishment of glutathione and thiol-containing agents, as well as iron chelation, rescued BAY-induced cell death. BAY upregulated a variety of Nrf2 target genes related to redox regulation, particularly heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Studies with specific inhibitors and shRNA interventions suggested that the hierarchy of induction is Nrf2-SLC7A11-HO-1. SLC7A11 inhibition by erastin, sulfasalazine, or shRNA interference sensitizes BAY-induced cell death. Overexperession of SLC7A11 attenuated BAY-inhibited cell viability. The ferroptotic process induced by hHO-1 overexpression further indicated that HO-1 is a key mediator of BAY-induced ferroptosis that operates through cellular redox regulation and iron accumulation. BAY causes compartmentalization of HO-1 into the nucleus and mitochondrion, and followed mitochondrial dysfunctions, leading to lysosome targeting for mitophagy. In this study, we first discovered that BAY induced ferroptosis via Nrf2-SLC7A11-HO-1 pathway and HO-1 is a key mediator by responding to the cellular redox status. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of seagrass on shell layers and Florida Bay mudbanks

Science.gov (United States)

Prager, E.J.; Halley, R.B.

1999-01-01

Aerial photography indicates that sometime since the early 1970's, an emergent ridge of shell debris developed on a mudbank north of Calusa Key in Florida Bay. Coarse shell deposits on and within the Bay's shallow mudbanks are believed to be the product of transport during major storm events and subsequent winnowing. However, shell material from the ridge contains nuclear bomb 14C, supporting formation within the past 30 years and the last major hurricanes to influence Florida Bay were Donna and Betsy (1960 and 1965). Results from this study suggest that the Calusa ridge and other coarse shell deposits in Florida Bay can result from, 1) periodic seagrass mortality and wave-induced transport during frequent winter cold fronts and/or 2) mollusc blooms and subsequent burial. A survey of bottom types indicates that dense to intermediate beds of seagrass, mainly Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass), occur within the shallow basins of western Florida Bay and along the margins of Bay mudbanks. Wave measurements and modeling indicate that Thalassia along mudbank margins can reduce incoming wave-energy by over 80%. Seagrass beds also host particularly dense populations of molluscs from periodic 'blooms' and are believed to be the major source of coarse sediments in the Bay. Thus, if bank-edge seagrass dies, sediments, including shell debris, become exposed and subject to greatly increased wave energy. Modeling indicates that winds typical of winter cold fronts in South Florida can produce near-bottom velocities and shear stress at a grass-free bank edge which are sufficient to transport coarse carbonate grains. Shell layers found at depth in mudbank cores can also be explained by previous episodes of sediment accretion over mollusc-rich seagrass beds or grass bed mortality at the edge of a mudbank and shell transport during cold front passage. The latter implies that mortality of marginal seagrass beds has occurred throughout the history of Florida Bay and that the

Klamath River Basin water-quality data

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Cassandra D.; Rounds, Stewart A.; Orzol, Leonard L.; Sobieszczyk, Steven

2018-05-29

The Klamath River Basin stretches from the mountains and inland basins of south-central Oregon and northern California to the Pacific Ocean, spanning multiple climatic regions and encompassing a variety of ecosystems. Water quantity and water quality are important topics in the basin, because water is a critical resource for farming and municipal use, power generation, and for the support of wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, and endangered species. Upper Klamath Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Oregon (112 square miles) and is known for its seasonal algal blooms. The Klamath River has dams for hydropower and the upper basin requires irrigation water to support agriculture and grazing. Multiple species of endangered fish inhabit the rivers and lakes, and the marshes are key stops on the Pacific flyway for migrating birds. For these and other reasons, the water resources in this basin have been studied and monitored to support their management distribution.

A new species of Moenkhausia Eigenmann (Characiformes: Characidae from the rio Xingu basin, Brazil

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Manoela M. F. Marinho

Full Text Available A new species of Moenkhausia from the upper rio Xingu basin is described. Moenkhausia eurystaenia is distinguished from all congeners, except M. heikoi and M. phaeonota, by the presence of a dark, broad longitudinal stripe from the opercle to the end of caudal peduncle. The new species is distinguished from M. heikoi mainly by having 18-21 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 24-26 and the absence of a round blotch at the end of the caudal peduncle (vs. present. Moenkhausia eurystaenia can be distinguished from M. phaeonota mainly by the anterior portion of longitudinal band darker at horizontal septum (vs. darker below horizontal septum, the deep dark pigmentation along horizontal septum extending anteriorly up to humeral region (vs. extending up to vertical through pelvic-fin origin, number of vertebrae 34 (vs. 36-37, and others additional measurements.

Concentration of heavy metals in benthic algae from Ribera Bay, Angra dos Reis, R.J. State, Brazil, suggesting monitor species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guimaraes, J.R.D.; Lacerda, L.D. de; Teixeira, V.L.; Faculdade de Biologia e Psicologia Maria Thereza, Niteroi

1982-01-01

Concentrations of Cu, Cr, Cd, Zn, Mn, Co, Pb and Ni were determined in benthic algae of Bay of Ribeira, Angra dos Reis, SE Brazilian coast. The results showed that these elements are concentrate under different degrees depending on the algae species considered: Galaxaura marginata and Caulerpa racemosa presented the highest concentrations (ppm) for Cu (5,2), Cd (1,5), Mn (91,5), Co (6,2) and Ni (8,0) and Cr (7,9) and Pb (21,9) respectively. These algae are then suggested as potential monitor species for these metals in tropical coastal waters. The estimated bioaccumulation factors varied from 10 2 for Ni to 10 5 for Pb, falling within the range reported in the literature, with the exception of Cd, which was found to be two orders of magnitude greater. (Author) [pt

Marine magnetic studies over a lost wellhead in Palk Bay, Cauvery Basin, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramana, M.V.; Subrahmanyam, V.; Sarma, K.V.L.N.S.; Seshavataram, B.T.V.

Close grid marine magnetic surveys in the vicinity of a drill well site PH 9-1 in Palk Bay revealed that the area is characterized by smooth magnetic field except for a local anomaly caused by a lost wellhead. The smooth magnetic field is attributed...

Environmental Status of the Lake Michigan Region Volume 11. Natural Areas of the Lake Michigan Drainage Basin and Endangered or Threatened Plant and Animal Species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stearns, Forest [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Lindsley, Diane [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

1977-09-01

The accelerating encroachment of human activity on the natural landscape has made many citizens appreciate the need to save representative biotic communities before urbanization and technologically induced change eliminate such communities. Active programs in natural-area preservation a.re now in progress in the four basin states; these programs have strong public support and legislative mandate. Local, state, and federal agencies and private individuals have taken an active interest in protecting select areas as samples of the biotic communities and natural features of the Basin. Most natural areas described in this report have been dedicated or reserved in some fashion. Other areas are being added by the basin states each year. The maintenance of natural communities is closely linked to the preservation of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals which would cease to survive as isolated populations. Under federal regulations, certain plants and animals are listed as endange~ ed or threatened in the Basin. As individual state lists are prepared and investigations proceed, it is probable that many more threatened species will be found.

Assessment of the invasive status of newly recorded cactus species in the central Tugela River basin

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Michael D. Cheek

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Current distribution information on cacti in the Tugela River basin in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is scant. Accordingly, surveys in this region substantially improve our understanding of regional invasions by this succulent group. The identification of new or extended invasions requires (reassessments of their invasion status and consideration of possible management interventions. Objectives: To identify and collect cacti either not previously recorded or poorly known in the central Tugela River basin, and to assess their invasion status. Method: A 40 km section of tertiary road was travelled through the topocadastral square 2830 CC, from the R74 main road northward across the Bloukrans River towards the Tugela River. Herbarium specimens were collected to vouch for new instances of naturalisation of cacti, the colony sizes of which were estimated and invasion stages determined. An applicable weed risk assessment model was used to determine the threat status of one cactus species not previously evaluated for South Africa. Based on the South African Plant Invaders Atlas database records and field observations, management recommendations were suggested for six cacti species. Results: The first naturalised population of Opuntia microdasys in KwaZulu-Natal was detected, as was the first confirmed South African record of Echinopsis oxygona. Four populations of Peniocereus serpentinus were also found, ranging in size from several square metres to 0.4 ha. Echinopsis oxygona generated a score that falls into the reject category of the risk assessment model used. Conclusion: It is recommended that E. oxygona be added to the Species Under Surveillance for Possible Eradication or Containment Targeting list to investigate whether this species requires formal legal listing and the development of a specific eradication plan. Immediate action from local authorities is recommended for the manual removal of P. serpentinus and O. microdasys

33 CFR 100.124 - Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York. 100.124 Section 100.124 Navigation and Navigable... NAVIGABLE WATERS § 100.124 Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York...

Core evidence of paleoseismic events in Paleogene deposits of the Shulu Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin, east China, and their petroleum geologic significance

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Lijing; Jiang, Zaixing; Liu, Hui; Kong, Xiangxin; Li, Haipeng; Jiang, Xiaolong

2015-10-01

The Shulu Sag, located in the southwestern corner of the Jizhong Depression, Bohai Bay Basin of east China, is a NE-SW trending, elongate Cenozoic half-graben basin. The lowermost part of the third member of the Shahejie Formation in this basin is characterized by continental rudstone and calcilutite to calcisiltite facies. Based on core observation and regional geologic analysis, seismites are recognized in these lacustrine deposits, which include soft-sediment deformation structures (sedimentary dikes, hydraulic shattering, diapir structures, convolute lamination, load-flame structures, ball-and-pillow structures, loop bedding, and subsidence structures), synsedimentary faults, and seismoturbidites. In addition, mixed-source rudstones, consisting of the Paleozoic carbonate clasts and in situ calcilutite clasts in the lowermost submember of Shahejie 3, appear in the seismites, suggesting an earthquake origin. A complete representative vertical sequence in the lowermost part of the third member found in well ST1H located in the central part of the Shulu Sag shows, from the base to the top: underlying undeformed layers, synsedimentary faults, liquefied carbonate rocks, allogenetic seismoturbidites, and overlying undeformed layers. Seismites are widely distributed around this well and there are multiple sets of stacked seismites separated by undeformed sediment. The nearby NW-trending Taijiazhuang fault whose fault growth index is from 1.1 to 1.8 and the NNE-trending Xinhe fault with a fault growth index of 1.3-1.9 may be the source of the instability to create the seismites. These deformed sedimentary layers are favorable for the accumulation of oil and gas; for example, sedimentary dikes can cut through many layers and serve as conduits for fluid migration. Sedimentary faults and fractures induced by earthquakes can act as oil and gas migration channels or store petroleum products as well. Seismoturbidites and mixed-source rudstones are excellent reservoirs due to

New or little-known species of Chaetocladius s. str. Kieffer, 1911 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) from the Amur River basin (Russian Far East).

Science.gov (United States)

Makarchenko, Eugenyi A; Makarchenko, Marina A; Semenchenko, Alexander A

2017-03-27

Chironomids of the subgenus Chaetocladius s. str. from the Amur River basin are revised using both morphological characters and molecular data. Three new species, C. egorych sp. nov., C. lopatinskiy sp. nov. and C. yavorskayae sp. nov., are described and figured. The pupa of C. fedotkin is described for the first time. Adult males of C. ligni and C. piger, little-known in the Far East, are redescribed and annotated, and key to males of the Chaetocladius s. str. from the Amur River basin is provided. A reference 658 bp barcode sequence from a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI) was used as a tool for species delimitation. Comparisons with corresponding regions of COI between 5 species in the subgenus produced K2P genetic distances of 8.3-12.6%, values well associated with interspecific variation. Molecular data were also used for the reconstruction of the phylogenetic relationships within the subgenus Chaetocladius s. str.

Spatial and seasonal patterns of ichthyoplankton assemblages in the Haizhou Bay and its adjacent waters of China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zengguang; Ye, Zhenjiang; Wan, Rong

2015-12-01

Surveys were conducted in five voyages in Haizhou Bay and its adjacent coastal area from March to December 2011 during full moon spring tides. The ichthyoplankton assemblages and the environmental factors that affect their spatial and seasonal patterns were determined. Totally 35 and 12 fish egg and larvae taxa were identified, respectively. Over the past several decades, the egg and larval species composition has significantly changed in Haizhou Bay and its adjacent waters, most likely corresponding with the alteration of fishery resources, which are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities and climate change. The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index identified four assemblages: near-shore bay assemblage, middle bay assemblage and two closely related assemblages (near-shore/middle bay assemblage and middle/edge of bay assemblage). The primary species of each assemblage principally reflected the spawning strategies of adult fish. The near-shore bay assemblage generally occurred in near-shore bay, with depths measuring ichthyoplankton in each assemblage were determined by interactions between biological behavioral traits and oceanographic features, particularly the variation of local conditions within the constraint of a general reproductive strategy. The results of Spearman's rank correlation analysis indicated that both fish egg and larval abundance were positively correlated with depth, which is critical to the oceanographic features in Haizhou Bay.

A GIS FOR THE ANTARCTIC SPECIALLY MANAGED AREA OF ADMIRALTY BAY,KING GEORGE ISLAND,ANTARCTICA

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

ABSTRACT　A GIS is proposed as a tool for the managing plan for the Antarctic specially managed area (ASMA) in Admiralty Bay.The ASMA comprises the area considered to be within the glacial drainage basin of the bay.Furthermore,it includes part of SSSI No.8 adjacent to the area but outside of the glacial drainage basin.Three stations and six refuges are located in the area.Using a SPOT satellite image map,the limits of the ASMA are marked and its area is re_calculated.It consists of 362 km2,including 186 km2 island ice field and small cirque glaciers and 32 km2 ice_free field.The rest comprises water of the bay and a small adjacent area (8 km2) of the Bransfield Strait. The ASMA_GIS will consists of 12 data layers ranging from the physiographic settings to the biological and administrative features.All data will be implemented into Arc/Info GIS according to the cartographic guidelines of the SCAR WG_GGI.First,five plans of information will be realised using a topographic database compiled from various sources and data from the revised bathymetric chart published by the Brazilian Navy Hydrographic Survey and also including: 1) Limits of the ASMA and protected areas;2) Glaciological features (e.g.drainage basin limits) and 3) Human presence (e.g.stations and historical sites).These basic GIS layers will be operational in early 2001.Then,additional data on the remaining layers (e.g.hydrology,geology and geomorphology) will be included from published sources. The ASMA_GIS will form an important database for environmental monitoring and studies surveying temporal changes of features such as glacier front positions or bird breading sites.

Description of a new species of Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae from Serra dos Carajás, rio Tocantins basin

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Wolmar B. Wosiacki

Full Text Available A new species of Ituglanis is described from the rio Tocantins basin, State of Pará, Brazil. Ituglanis ina, new species, is distinguished from its congeners by the presence of a dark vertical bar over the base of the caudal-fin rays (vs. no bars over caudal-fin base; and by the presence of a middle trunk line of tiny neuromasts extending along the flank until the vertical through the dorsal fin, or near the caudal-fin base (vs. no middle trunk line of tiny neuromasts. Ituglanis ina can be further distinguished by a combination of characters related to color pattern and morphology. Comments on the relationship between Ituglanis species are presented.

Holocene evolution of Apalachicola Bay, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Osterman, L.E.; Twichell, D.C.; Poore, R.Z.

2009-01-01

A program of geophysical mapping and vibracoring was conducted to better understand the geologic evolution of Apalachicola Bay. Analyses of the geophysical data and sediment cores along with age control provided by 34 AMS 14C dates on marine shells and wood reveal the following history. As sea level rose in the early Holocene, fluvial deposits filled the Apalachicola River paleochannel, which extended southward under the central part of the bay and seaward across the continental shelf. Sediments to either side of the paleochannel contain abundant wood fragments, with dates documenting that those areas were forested at 8,000 14C years b.p. As sea level continued to rise, spits formed of headland prodelta deposits. Between ???6,400 and ???2,500 14C years b.p., an Apalachicola prodelta prograded and receded several times across the inner shelf that underlies the western part of the bay. An eastern deltaic lobe was active for a shorter time, between ???5,800 and 5,100 14C years b.p. Estuarine benthic foraminiferal assemblages occurred in the western bay as early as 6,400 14C years b.p., and indicate that there was some physical barrier to open-ocean circulation and shelf species established by that time. It is considered that shoals formed in the region of the present barrier islands as the rising sea flooded an interstream divide. Estuarine conditions were established very early in the post-glacial flooding of the bay. ?? 2009 US Government.

Investigation of XBT and XCTD biases in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal with implications for climate studies

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Boyer, T.; Gopalakrishna, V.V.; Reseghetti, F.; Naik, A.; Suneel, V.; Ravichandran, M.; Ali, N.P.M.; Rafeeq, M.M.M.; Chico, R.A.

XCTD, basin-specific FREs are possible for the Bay of Bengal, but not for the Arabian Sea. The XCTD FRE velocity coefficients are significantly higher than the XCTD manufacturers’ FRE coefficient or those from previous tests, possibly resulting from...

Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran

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Azad Teimori

2012-08-01

Full Text Available A new species of tooth-carp, Aphanius arakensis sp. n., is described from the Namak Lake basin in Iran. The new species is distinguished by the congeners distributed in Iran by the following combination of characters: 10–12 anal fin rays, 28–32 lateral line scales, 10–13 caudal peduncle scales, 8–10 gill rakers, 12–19, commonly 15–16, clearly defined flank bars in males, a more prominent pigmentation along the flank added by relatively big blotches in the middle and posterior flank segments in females, a short but high antirostrum of the otolith that has a wide excisura, and a ventral rim with some small, drop-like processes, and 19 molecular apomorphies (17 transitions, two transversions in the cytochrome b gene. It was suggested based on the phylogenetic analysis that the new species is sister to A. sophiae from the Kor River and that A. farsicus from the Maharlu Lake basin is sister to A. arakensis plus A. sophiae. A noticeable feature of the Aphanius diversity in Iran is the conservatism of the external morphology as well as morphometric and meristic characters, while distinctive differences are present in genetic characters, otolith morphology, and male color pattern. Transformation of the latter was probably driven by sexual selection.

Mixing regime of the residual water basins of the Aral Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Izhitskiy, Alexander; Zavialov, Peter; Kirillin, Georgiy

2017-04-01

The Aral Sea, a terminal salt lake in western Central Asia situated at the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, was ranked as the fourth largest inland water body in the mid-20th century. However, in the early 1960s, the lake's volume started to decrease rapidly due to severe changes in the Aral's water balance. Thus, the present-day Aral Sea can be considered as a system of separate water bodies with a common origin but very different physical, chemical and biological features. Our previous studies showed that the Large Aral Sea and Lake Tshchebas transformed into hyperhaline water bodies, while the Small Aral Sea was a brackish basin with rather similar to the pre-desiccation environment. On the other hand, the Small Aral Sea and Lake Tshchebas exhibited a mixed vertical structure, whereas the Western Large Aral Sea (especially the Chernyshev Bay) was strongly stratified. The presented study is focused on the seasonal mixing regimes of the residual basins. Isolation of deep waters from the atmosphere together with low rates of photosynthesis produce deep anoxia observed in the Chernyshev Bay and in the Large Aral. The high amount of organic matter provides a rich source of nutrients for anoxic microorganisms favoring methanogenesis in the bottom layer of the basins. In the Small Aral, the water column remains well-oxygenated down to the bottom throughout most of the year and development of anoxia is unlikely. The mixing regimes of the recently formed residual lakes of the former Aral Sea will provide manifold effect on the ongoing development of the aquatic system in the following decades. The study is based on a field data collected during two surveys of Shirshov Institute of Oceanology to the Aral Sea, which took place in October, 2015 and June, 2016. In situ measurements including CTD profiling and water sampling were carried out in the northern extremity of the western Large Aral (the Chernyshev Bay), in Lake Tshchebas, and in the Small Aral Sea

Sustainable development in the Hudson Bay/James Bay bioregion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

An overview is presented of projects planned for the James Bay/Hudson Bay region, and the expected environmental impacts of these projects. The watershed of James Bay and Hudson Bay covers well over one third of Canada, from southern Alberta to central Ontario to Baffin Island, as well as parts of north Dakota and Minnesota in the U.S.A. Hydroelectric power developments that change the timing and rate of flow of fresh water may cause changes in the nature and duration of ice cover, habitats of marine mammals, fish and migratory birds, currents into and out of Hudson Bay/James Bay, seasonal and annual loads of sediments and nutrients to marine ecosystems, and anadromous fish populations. Hydroelectric projects are proposed for the region by Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. In January 1992, the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (CARC), the Environmental Committee of Sanikuluaq, and the Rawson Academy of Arctic Science will launch the Hudson Bay/James Bay Bioregion Program, an independent initiative to apply an ecosystem approach to the region. Two main objectives are to provide a comprehensive assessment of the cumulative impacts of human activities on the marine and freshwater ecosystems of the Hudson Bay/James Bay bioregion, and to foster sustainable development by examining and proposing cooperative processes for decision making among governments, developers, aboriginal peoples and other stakeholders. 1 fig

Tometes camunani (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae, a new species of phytophagous fish from the Guiana Shield, rio Trombetas basin, Brazil

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Marcelo C. Andrade

Full Text Available A new species of Serrasalmidae, Tometes camunani, is described from the upper drainages of the rio Trombetas basin, Pará State, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by having neurocranium with a slight concavity at the level of the frontal bone (vs. concavity absent, dorsal profile of neurocranium straight. It can be further distinguished from its congeners by having teeth with central cusp taller and acute (vs. central cusp shorter and with rounded edge in T. trilobatus, a terminal mouth (vs. upturned mouth in T. lebaili, and 12-26 prepelvic spines (vs. 0-9 in T. makue. The new species is strictly rheophilic like other species of Tometes, and occurs exclusively in the rapids of shield rivers, complex and fragile biotopes that are threatened by anthropogenic activities. An identification key to the species of the Myleus group is provided

Measuring Macrobenthos Biodiversity at Oyster Aquaculture Sites in the Delaware Inland Bays

Science.gov (United States)

Fuoco, M. J.; Ozbay, G.

2016-12-01

The Delaware Inland Bays consists of three shallow coastal bays located in the southern portion of Delaware. Anthropogenic activities have led to the degradation of water quality, because the bays are surrounded by highly developed areas and have low flushing rates. This results in loss of biodiversity and abundance of organisms. Ongoing degradation of the bays has led to a dramatic decline in local oyster populations since the late 1800s. Oysters are keystone species, which provide habitats for organisms and help to improve water quality. This study aims to find if the introduction of oyster aquaculture improves local biodiversity and abundance of macrobenthos. The study was conducted in Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay. Aquaculture gear was placed at one location in each of the bays and 24 sediment core samples were taken once a month. From these core samples all worms were fixed and stained in a 10% Formalin Rose Bengal solution and preserved in 70% Ethanol for later identification. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of oyster tissue will also be performed to assess the health of the bay. The goals of this research are to better understand the role of oyster aquaculture in restoring the viability and health of the Delaware Inland Bays.

Species diversity and distribution of freshwater crabs (Decapoda: Pseudothelphusidae inhabiting the basin of the Rio Grande de Térraba, Pacific slope of Costa Rica

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Luis Rólier Lara

2013-09-01

Full Text Available During the last decades, knowledge on biodiversity of freshwater decapods has increased considerably; however, information about ecology of these crustaceans is scarce. Currently, the freshwater decapod fauna of Costa Rica is comprised by representatives of three families (Caridea: Palaemonidae and Atyidae; Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae. The present study aims to describe the species diversity and distribution of freshwater crabs inhabiting the basin of the Rio Grande de Térraba, Pacific slope of Costa Rica, where the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE plans to implement one of the largest damming projects in the region. Samples were collected in 39 locations at an altitude ranging from 20 to 1,225 m. Sampling was carried out during several months in 2007, 2009 and 2010. We collected a total of 661 crabs, comprising eight species of Pseudothelphusidae of three genera, representing 53% of the 15 pseudothelphusid crab species currently recorded from Costa Rica. The most common species was Ptychophallus paraxanthusi followed by P. tristani. Freshwater crabs were more frequently encountered in the middle-low region of the basin (between 311 and 600 m and less frequently in the medium-high basin (between 601 and 1,225 m. Ptychophallus paraxanthusi showed the widest distribution and was collected in altitudes ranging from 20 to 700 m. The Rio Grande de Térraba region can be considered as a relatively small, but highly diverse system. Therefore, any alteration of the basin of Rio Grande de Térraba, and especially the possible construction of a hydroelectric power plant, needs to be carefully analyzed to mitigate the damaging effects of this project on the freshwater crabs. More ecological information about freshwater crabs from Costa Rica and the Central American region are needed to reach a first reasonable overview on the ecological role of these decapods in freshwater systems.

Waterbird nest monitoring program in San Francisco Bay (2005-10)

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, Joshua T.; Herzog, Mark P.

2012-01-01

Historically, Forster’s Terns (Sterna forsteri), American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana), and Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) were uncommon residents of San Francisco Bay, California (Grinnell and others, 1918; Grinnell and Wythe, 1927; Sibley, 1952). Presently, however, avocets and stilts are the two most abundant breeding shorebirds in San Francisco Bay (Stenzel and others, 2002; Rintoul and others, 2003). More than 4,000 avocets and 1,000 stilts, roughly 20 percent of their San Francisco Bay wintering populations, breed within the estuary, making San Francisco Bay the largest breeding area for these species on the Pacific Coast (Stenzel and others, 2002; Rintoul and others, 2003). Forster’s Terns were first observed breeding in the San Francisco Bay in 1948 (110 nests); they had increased to over 4000 individuals by the 1980s (Sibley, 1952; Gill, 1977; Harvey and others, 1992; Carter and others, 1990) and were estimated at 2000–3000 for 1998–2002; (Strong and others, 2004).It is hypothesized that the relatively large size of the current waterbird breeding populations is a result of the creation of artificial salt evaporation ponds from the 1930s through the 1950s (Gill, 1977; Goals Project, 1999). Until recently, these salt ponds and associated islands used by waterbirds for nesting have been managed relatively similarly and have supported large breeding waterbird populations. Recently, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project has implemented plans to convert 50–90 percent of the 15,000 acres of salt ponds in the South San Francisco Bay back to tidal marsh habitat. Therefore, there is concern that the Restoration Project, while benefiting other native species, could negatively influence local breeding populations of waterbirds that are reliant on salt pond habitats for both breeding and foraging. A primary goal of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is to maintain current breeding waterbird populations (South Bay Salt Pond Long

Emendation and new species of Hapalorhynchus Stunkard, 1922 (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) from musk turtles (Kinosternidae: Sternotherus) in Alabama and Florida rivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Jackson R; Halanych, Kenneth M; Arias, Cova R; Folt, Brian; Goessling, Jeffrey M; Bullard, Stephen A

2017-12-01

Hapalorhynchus Stunkard, 1922 is emended based on morphological study of existing museum specimens (type and voucher specimens) and newly-collected specimens infecting musk turtles (Testudines: Kinosternidae: Sternotherus spp.) from rivers in Alabama and Florida (USA). Hapalorhynchus conecuhensis n. sp. is described from an innominate musk turtle, Sternotherus cf. minor, (type host) from Blue Spring (31°5'27.64″N, 86°30'53.21″W; Pensacola Bay Basin, Alabama) and the loggerhead musk turtle, Sternotherus minor (Agassiz, 1857) from the Wacissa River (30°20'24.73″N, 83°59'27.56″W; Apalachee Bay Basin, Florida). It differs from congeners by lacking a body constriction at level of the ventral sucker, paired anterior caeca, and a transverse ovary as well as by having a small ventral sucker, proportionally short posterior caeca, nearly equally-sized anterior and posterior testes, a small cirrus sac, and a uterus extending dorsal to the ovary and the anterior testis. Specimens of Hapalorhynchus reelfooti Byrd, 1939 infected loggerhead musk turtles, stripe-necked musk turtles (Sternotherus peltifer Smith and Glass, 1947), Eastern musk turtles (Sternotherus odoratus [Latreille in Sonnini and Latreille, 1801]), and S. cf. minor. Those of Hapalorhynchus cf. stunkardi infected S. minor and S. odoratus. Sternothorus minor, S. peltifer, and S. cf. minor plus S. minor and S. odoratus are new host records for H. reelfooti and H. cf. stunkardi, respectively. This is the first report of an infected musk turtle from the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers (Mobile-Tensaw River Basin), Pensacola Bay Basin, or Apalachee Bay Basin. Sequence analysis of the large subunit rDNA (28S) showed a strongly-supported clade for Hapalorhynchus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of stable isotopes to the assessment of pollution loading from various sources in the Pampanga River system into the Manila Bay, Philippines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The study focuses on the Pampanga River Basin as prototype for the other watersheds of Manila Bay. The pollution of the Bay is associated to loading from agriculture, industry and services sectors but with no direct evidence, hence the origins of pollution have to be identified for area-based resource management actions. The multiple stable isotopes were used and applied in identifying and tracing through spectral signature the origin of nutrient loading

Two new species of nematodes (Nematoda) from highly mineralized rivers of Lake El'ton basin, Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gusakov, Vladimir A; Gagarin, Vladimir G

2016-09-05

Two new nematode species, Mesodorylaimus rivalis sp. n. and Allodiplogaster media sp. n., from the highly mineralized rivers of the El'ton Lake basin (Russia) are described and illustrated from numerous mature females and males. Mesodorylaimus rivalis sp. n. is similar to M. vulvapapillatus Bagaturia & Eliava, 1966, but differs from it in the longer body, shorter spicules and longer female prerectum. Allodiplogaster media sp. n. resembles A. lupata (Shoshin, 1989) Kanzaki, Ragsdale & Giblin-Davis, 2014 and A. mordax (Shoshin, 1989) Kanzaki, Ragsdale & Giblin-Davis, 2014, but differs from the first species in having a shorter pharynx, shorter outer labial setae, longer spicules and different ratio between anterior and posterior pharynx sections, and from A. mordax in the thinner body, shorter pharynx and longer spicules.

Two new species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Teleostei: Loricariidae from the upper rio Paraná basin, Central Brazil

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Cláudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available Two new species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Teleostei: Loricariidae from the rio Paranaíba and rio Grande basins, both in the upper rio Paraná basin, central Brazil, are described herein. One of them is distinguished from all congeners, except H. albopunctatus, by having the pectoral-fin spine length equal to or smaller than the pelvic-fin spine. From H. albopunctatus, it is distinguished by having round dark spots (vs. pale on body and fins. The second species is distinguished from all congeners, except H. multidens and H. ternetzi, by having more than 115 teeth (vs. less than 109 per ramus on dentary and premaxilla. It is distinguished most readily from H. ternetzi by having teeth with two symmetrical (vs. asymmetrical cusps. It is distinguished from H. multidens by having round dark spots (vs. pale over body and fins.

Intrusion of the Bay of Bengal water into the Arabian Sea during winter monsoon and associated chemical and biological response

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrasannaKumar, S.; Narvekar, J.; Kumar, A.; Shaji, C.; Anand, P.; Sabu, P.; Rijomon, G.; Josia, J.; Jayaraj, K.A.; Radhika, A.; Nair, K.K.C.

off. The hydrological imbalance thus created on an annual scale will have to be balanced by the inter-basin exchange. In winter this happens through the intrusion of Bay of Bengal waters into the Arabian Sea, when the southward flowing East India...

Bat response to carolina bays and wetland restoration in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzel, Jennifer M.; Michael A. Menzel; John C. Kilgo; W. Mark Ford; ; John W. Edwards.

2005-09-01

Abstract: Bat activity in the southeastern United States is concentrated over riparian areas and wetland habitats. The restoration and creation of wetlands for mitigation purposes is becoming common in the Southeast. Understanding the effects of these restoration efforts on wetland flora and fauna is thus becoming increasingly important. Because bats (Order: Chiroptera) consist of many species that are of conservation concern and are commonly associated with wetland and riparian habitats in the Southeast (making them a good general indicator for the condition of wetland habitats), we monitored bat activity over restored and reference Carolina bays surrounded by pine savanna (Pinus spp.) or mixed pine-hardwood habitat types at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. In order to determine how wetland restoration efforts affected the bat community, we monitored bat activity above drained Carolina bays pre- and post-restoration. Our results indicate that bat activity was greater over reference (i.e., undrained) than drained bays prior to the restorative efforts. One year following combined hydrologic and vegetation treatment, however, bat activity was generally greater over restored than reference bays. Bat activity was also greater over both reference and restored bays than in random, forested interior locations. We found significantly more bat activity after restoration than prior to restoration for all but one species in the treatment bays, suggesting that Carolina bay restoration can have almost immediate positive impacts on bat activity.

Arrival and expansion of the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio in Padilla Bay, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

McGann, Mary; Grossman, Eric E.; Takesue, Renee K.; Penttila, Dan; Walsh, John P.; Corbett, Reide

2012-01-01

Trochammina hadai Uchio, a benthic foraminifera native to Japanese estuaries, was first identified as an invasive in 1995 in San Francisco Bay and later in 16 other west coast estuaries. To investigate the timing of the arrival and expansion of this invasive species in Padilla Bay, Washington, we analyzed the distribution of foraminifera in two surface samples collected in 1971, in nine surface samples collected by Scott in 1972–1973, as well as in two cores (Padilla Flats 3 and Padilla V1/V2) obtained in 2004. Trochanimina hadai, originally identified as the native Trochammina pacifica Cushman in several early foraminiferal studies, dominates the assemblage of most of the surface samples. In the Padilla V1/V2 and Padilla Flats 3 cores, the species' abundance follows a pattern of absence, first appearance, rapid expansion commonly seen shortly after the arrival of a successful biological invasion, setback, and second expansion. Using Q-mode cluster analysis, pre-expansion and expansion assemblages were identified. Pb-210 dating of these cores proved unsuccessful. However, based on T. hadai's first appearance occurring stratigraphically well above sedimentological changes in the cores that reflect deposition of sediments in the bay due to previous diversions of the Skagit River, and its dominance in the early 1970s surface samples, we conclude that the species arrived in Padilla Bay somewhere between the late 1800s and 1971. Trochammina hadai may have been introduced into the bay in the 1930s when oyster culturing began there or, at a minimum, ten years prior to its appearance in San Francisco Bay.

Seabird colonies in the Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boertmann, David; Huffeldt, Nicholas Per

This report describes the results of a survey for breeding and colonial seabirds in a hitherto un-surveyed area of Northwest Greenland - the Melville Bay. The results shall be included as background data for oil spill sensitivity mapping, preparation of environmental impact assessments of petroleum...... activities in Baffin Bay and for the regulation (by the Greenland government) of petroleum activities. The survey showed, that compared to other coasts of West Greenland, the Melville Bay holds only few breeding colonies and low numbers of breeding seabirds. The most widespread and numerous species...... is the black guillemot followed by the glaucous gull. However, one colony is of national significance – Sabine Øer, with high numbers of breeding Arctic terns and Sabine’s gulls. Other noteworthy observations were puffins on Thom Ø and many new Iceland gull colonies that extended the known northern breeding...

Two new species of the Hypostomus cochliodon group (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Negro basin in Brazil

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Pedro Hollanda Carvalho

Full Text Available Two new species of Hypostomus are described from the middle and upper rio Negro in Brazil. They are assigned to the Hypostomus cochliodon group (sensu Armbruster, 2003 by possessing few spoon-shaped teeth, and dentary angle averaging less than 80º. Hypostomus kopeyaka is described from the rio Tiquié, a tributary of the rio Uaupés, upper rio Negro basin, presents a unique color pattern among the Hypostomus species belonging to the Hypostomus cochliodon group, consisting of conspicuously horizontally elongated, closely-set black spots over the entire dorsal and lateral surfaces of the body. Hypostomus weberi is described from the middle rio Negro and can be distinguished from all remaining Hypostomus species belonging to the Hypostomus cochliodon group by possessing a unique color pattern consisting in large, rounded, widelyspaced black spots over body and fins.

Thecamoebians: occurrence and distribution in Iguape Bay/BTS – Bahia, Brazil

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Cláudia Ferreira da Cruz

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The Iguape Bay (12º00’ – 13º00’S and 38º30’ – 39º30’ is an estuary located at the mouth of the Paraguaçu River, inside Todos os Santos Bay (BTS, in Bahia, Brazil. It is 30km downstream from the Pedra do Cavalo Dam, which is the second largest dam in Brazil. The water in Iguape Bay is influenced by ocean tides originating from the BTS and the discharge of the Paraguaçu River. The effects of the currents as well as the variation in the outflow from the Pedra do Cavalo Dam have intensified the natural stress of this paralic environment. The main goal of this study was to investigate the distribution of Thecamoeba species present in the bottom sediments of Iguape Bay, in order to produce data that can be used to interpret the processes operating in this ecologically complex environment. The density of the living and dead species of Thecamoeba was determined by the volume of sediment collected, and the diversity index, constancy, evenness and richness of Thecamoeba were calculated. Sedimentological analyses were also performed in order to classify sediment types in the selected profiles.

Diversity, distribution, and morphological deformities among living Foraminifera in hypersaline Salwa Bay, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Olalekan Amao, Abduljamiu; Kaminski, Michael

2016-04-01

The Arabian Gulf is considered a naturally stressed environment due to extremes of salinity and summer temperatures. Anthropogenic influences such as rapid urbanisation projects, maritime transport, and large numbers of desalination plants and oil-related activities compounds the problem. Foraminifera are known to be resilient under such stressful conditions. The purpose of our study is to document the foraminiferal diversity and abundance in the hypersaline Salwa Bay area, near the Saudi Arabian-Qatar Border. We expect the foraminiferal fauna in Salwa Bay to be adapted to extremes in salinity, and we wish to document any species that might be endemic or uniquely adapted to the area. Shannon-Wiener index, relative abundance, species richness, and the percentage of morphological deformities were determined for samples collected from the bay. Salwa Bay is the most saline extension of the Arabian Gulf with high salinity, water temperature and evaporation rate, which is attributed to slow flushing rates, coral reef barriers and higher residency time of the water. Environmental parameters measured at the time of collection were depth (10-110 cm), salinity (52.6-53.0) total dissolved solids (48.8-49.4 g/l), and temperature (27-27.6°C). The foraminiferal assemblages in Salwa Bay are dominated by porcelaneous foraminifera, which include Peneroplis pertusus, Peneroplis planatus, Coscinospira hemprichii and Coscinospira acicularis. The most common species across the sampled transect is Peneroplis pertusus. Hyaline species were also found, but agglutinated foraminifera are absent. Diversity in Salwa Bay is lower compared with localities that have "normal" salinity, and many of the foraminifera display conspicuous morphological deformities. Approximately 55% of the assemblage exhibits mild to severe deformities such as fusion of two adults or double tests, protuberance on the spiral side, abnormal arrangement of the chambers, abnormal shape of the proloculus and modification

Flux of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment from the Susquehanna River Basin to the Chesapeake Bay during Tropical Storm Lee, September 2011, as an indicator of the effects of reservoir sedimentation on water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsch, Robert M.

2012-01-01

Concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment are measured at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage at Conowingo Dam at the downstream end of the Susquehanna River Basin in Maryland, where the river flows into the Chesapeake Bay. During the period September 7-15, 2011, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee, concentrations of these three constituents were among the highest ever measured at this site. These measurements indicate that sediment-storage processes behind the three dams on the lower Susquehanna River are evolving. In particular, they indicate that scouring of sediment (and the nitrogen and phosphorus attached to that sediment) may be increasing with time. Trends in flow-normalized fluxes at the Susquehanna River at Conowingo, Maryland, streamgage during 1996-2011 indicate a 3.2-percent decrease in total nitrogen, but a 55-percent increase in total phosphorus and a 97-percent increase in suspended sediment. These large increases in the flux of phosphorus and sediment from the Susquehanna River to the Chesapeake Bay have occurred despite reductions in the fluxes of these constituents from the Susquehanna River watershed upstream from the reservoirs. Although the Tropical Storm Lee flood event contributed about 1.8 percent of the total streamflow from the Susquehanna River to the Chesapeake Bay over the past decade (water years 2002-11), it contributed about 5 percent of the nitrogen, 22 percent of the phosphorus, and 39 percent of the suspended sediment during the same period. These results highlight the importance of brief high-flow events in releasing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment derived from the Susquehanna River watershed and stored in the Conowingo Reservoir to the Chesapeake Bay.

Transitioning a Chesapeake Bay Ecological Prediction System to Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, C.; Green, D. S.; Eco Forecasters

2011-12-01

Ecological prediction of the impacts of physical, chemical, biological, and human-induced change on ecosystems and their components, encompass a wide range of space and time scales, and subject matter. They vary from predicting the occurrence and/or transport of certain species, such harmful algal blooms, or biogeochemical constituents, such as dissolved oxygen concentrations, to large-scale ecosystem responses and higher trophic levels. The timescales of ecological prediction, including guidance and forecasts, range from nowcasts and short-term forecasts (days), to intraseasonal and interannual outlooks (weeks to months), to decadal and century projections in climate change scenarios. The spatial scales range from small coastal inlets to basin and global scale biogeochemical and ecological forecasts. The types of models that have been used include conceptual, empirical, mechanistic, and hybrid approaches. This presentation will identify the challenges and progress toward transitioning experimental model-based ecological prediction into operational guidance and forecasting. Recent efforts are targeting integration of regional ocean, hydrodynamic and hydrological models and leveraging weather and water service infrastructure to enable the prototyping of an operational ecological forecast capability for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. A path finder demonstration predicts the probability of encountering sea nettles (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), a stinging jellyfish. These jellyfish can negatively impact safety and economic activities in the bay and an impact-based forecast that predicts where and when this biotic nuisance occurs may help management effects. The issuance of bay-wide nowcasts and three-day forecasts of sea nettle probability are generated daily by forcing an empirical habitat model (that predicts the probability of sea nettles) with real-time and 3-day forecasts of sea-surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS). In the first demonstration

Preponderance of a few diatom species among the highly diverse microphytoplankton assemblages in the Bay of Bengal

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Paul, J.T.; Ramaiah, N.; Gauns, M.; Fernandes, V.

The microphytoplankton assemblages were studied from water samples collected at eight discrete depths in the top 120 m at five central [open ocean] and four western [shelf/slope region] locations in the Bay of Bengal. The Bay is a low...

Humic Substances from Manila Bay and Bolinao Bay Sediments

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Elma Llaguno

1997-12-01

Full Text Available The C,H,N composition of sedimentary humic acids (HA extracted from three sites in Manila Bay and six sites in Bolinao Bay yielded H/C atomic ratios of 1.1-1.4 and N/C atomic ratios of 0.09 - 0.16. The Manila Bay HA's had lower H/C and N/C ratios compared to those from Bolinao Bay. The IR spectra showed prominent aliphatic C-H and amide I and II bands. Manila Bay HA's also had less diverse molecular composition based on the GC-MS analysis of the CuO and alkaline permanganate oxidation products of the humic acids.

California bay laurel susceptibility to Phythophthora ramorum depends upon season, leaf age, and fungal load

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Johnston; Nathan Rank; Michael Cohen; Ross Meentemeyer

2010-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum can produce spores on dozens of native California plant species, but the most important vector for infection of oak (Quercus) is California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica). Presence of bay laurel is associated with increased infection of oaks and it is the most common tree...

Mute swans and their Chesapeake Bay habitats: proceedings of a symposium

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, M.C.

2004-01-01

The symposium 'Mute Swans and their Chesapeake Bay Habitats,' held on June 7, 2001, provided a forum for biologists and managers to share research findings and management ideas concerning the exotic and invasive mute swan (Cygnus olar). This species has been increasing in population size and is considered by many to be a problem in regard to natural food resources in the Bay that are used by native waterfowl during the winter months. Other persons, however, feel that resource managers are attempting to create a problem to justify more killing of waterfowl by hunters. Some persons also believe that managers should focus on the larger issues causing the decline of native food resources, such as the unabated human population increase in the Bay watershed and in the immediate coastal areas of the Bay. The symposium, sponsored by the Wildfowl Trust of North America and the U.S. Geological Survey, provided the atmosphere for presentation of mute swan data and opinions in a collegial setting where discussion was welcomed and was often informative and enthusiastic. An interesting historic review of the swan in regard to the history of mankind was presented, followed by a discussion on the positive and negative effects of invasive species. Biologists from different parts of the continent discussed the population status of the species in several states in the east and in the Great Lakes area. Data on the food habits of this species were presented in regard to submerged aquatic vegetation, and an interesting discussion on the role that the food habits of Canada geese in regard to native vegetation was presented. Findings and recommendations of the Mute Swan Task Force were presented. Finally, a representative of the Friends of Animals gave a thought-provoking presentation in defense of the mute swan. The presentations, in general, provided the necessary information and recommendations to allow managers to proceed with management of this controversial species with new and

Gravity survey of groundwater characterization at Labuan Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Handayani, L.; Wardhana, D. D.; Hartanto, P.; Delinom, R.; Sudaryanto; Bakti, H.; Lubis, RF

2018-02-01

Labuan groundwater basin currently has an abundance of water. As a deltaic area of Lada Bay, groundwater supply comes from local precipitation and also from recharge region in mountain ranges surrounding. However, Labuan has been experiencing a fast economic development with high population and tourism industry growth. Such progress would lead to the increase of water consumption. A comprehensive groundwater management should be prepared for possible future problems. Therefore, a groundwater investigation is a necessary step towards that purpose. Gravity method was applied to identify the regional condition of the basement. The assessment of deep buried basin and basement relationship using gravity data is a challenge in groundwater investigation, but previous studies had indicated the efficiency of the method to obtain basic information and can be used as a foundation for more advanced studies.

Geomorphic change in Dingzi Bay, East China since the 1950s: impacts of human activity and fluvial input

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Qing; Wang, Qing; Liu, Yalong

2017-06-01

This study examines the geomorphic evolution of Dingzi Bay, East China in response to human activity and variations in fluvial input since the 1950s. The analysis is based on data from multiple mathematical methods, along with information obtained from Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System and Global Position System technology. The results show that the annual runoff and sediment load discharged into Dingzi Bay display significant decreasing trends overall, and marked downward steps were observed in 1966 and 1980. Around 60%-80% of the decline is attributed to decreasing precipitation in the Wulong River Basin. The landform types in Dingzi Bay have changed significantly since the 1950s, especially over the period between 1981 and 1995. Large areas of tidal flats, swamp, salt fields, and paddy fields have been reclaimed, and aquaculture ponds have been constructed. Consequently, the patterns of erosion and deposition in the bay have changed substantially. Despite a reduction in sediment input of 65.68% after 1966, low rates of sediment deposition continued in the bay. However, deposition rates changed significantly after 1981 owing to large-scale development in the bay, with a net depositional area approximately 10 times larger than that during 1961-1981. This geomorphic evolution stabilized following the termination of large-scale human activity in the bay after 1995. Overall, Dingzi Bay has shown a tendency towards silting-up during 1952-2010, with the bay head migrating seaward, the number of channels in the tidal creek system decreasing, and the tidal inlet becoming narrower and shorter. In conclusion, largescale development and human activity in Dingzi Bay have controlled the geomorphic evolution of the bay since the 1950s.

Estimating cyclopoid copepod species richness and geographical distribution (Crustacea across a large hydrographical basin: comparing between samples from water column (plankton and macrophyte stands

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Gilmar Perbiche-Neves

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Species richness and geographical distribution of Cyclopoida freshwater copepods were analyzed along the "La Plata" River basin. Ninety-six samples were taken from 24 sampling sites, twelve sites for zooplankton in open waters and twelve sites for zooplankton within macrophyte stands, including reservoirs and lotic stretches. There were, on average, three species per sample in the plankton compared to five per sample in macrophytes. Six species were exclusive to the plankton, 10 to macrophyte stands, and 17 were common to both. Only one species was found in similar proportions in plankton and macrophytes, while five species were widely found in plankton, and thirteen in macrophytes. The distinction between species from open water zooplankton and macrophytes was supported by nonmetric multidimensional analysis. There was no distinct pattern of endemicity within the basin, and double sampling contributes to this result. This lack of sub-regional faunal differentiation is in accordance with other studies that have shown that cyclopoids generally have wide geographical distribution in the Neotropics and that some species there are cosmopolitan. This contrasts with other freshwater copepods such as Calanoida and some Harpacticoida. We conclude that sampling plankton and macrophytes together provided a more accurate estimate of the richness and geographical distribution of these organisms than sampling in either one of those zones alone.

Multivariate Analysis of Water Quality and Benthic Macrophyte Communities in Florida Bay, USA Reveals Hurricane Effects and Susceptibility to Seagrass Die-Off

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Amanda M. Cole

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Seagrass communities, dominated by Thalassia testudinum, form the principal benthic ecosystem within Florida Bay, Florida USA. The bay has had several large-scale seagrass die-offs in recent decades associated with drought and hypersaline conditions. In addition, three category-5 hurricanes passed in close proximity to the bay during the fall of 2005. This study investigated temporal and spatial trends in macrophyte abundance and water quality from 2006 to 2013 at 15 permanent transect sites, which were co-located with long-term water quality stations. Relationships, by year and by transect location (basin, between antecedent water quality (mean, minimum and maximum for a 6-month period and benthic macrophyte communities were examined using multivariate analyses. Total phosphorus, salinity, pH, turbidity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, DIN to phosphate ratio (DIN:PO4-3, chlorophyll a, and dissolved oxygen correlated with temporal and spatial variations in the macrophyte communities. Temporal analysis (MDS and LINKTREE indicated that the fall 2005 hurricanes affected both water quality and macrophyte communities for approximately a 2-year period. Spatial analysis revealed that five basins, which subsequently exhibited a major seagrass die-off during summer 2015, significantly differed from the other ten basins in macrophyte community structure and water quality more than 2 years before this die-off event. High total phosphorus, high pH, low DIN, and low DIN:PO4-3, in combination with deep sediments and high seagrass cover were characteristic of sites that subsequently exhibited severe die-off. Our results indicate basins with more mixed seagrass communities and higher macroalgae abundance are less susceptible to die-off, which is consistent with the management goals of promoting more heterogeneous benthic macrophyte communities.

Ecosystem studies, endangered species survey - Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas, Paradox Basin, Utah

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-04-01

This report is published as a product of the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program. The objective of this program is the development of terminal waste storage facilities in deep stable geologic formations for high-level nuclear wastes, including spent fuel elements from commercial power reactors and transuranic nuclear waste for which the federal government is responsible. This report is part of the location and site characterization phase and contains threatened and endangered species information for the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas of the Paradox Region. The threatened and endangered species information was obtained through site surveys designed and implemented by area experts. The site surveys were performed during the period late summer 1981 - spring 1982 in the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge Study Areas. No threatened or endangered species were identified in either Lavender or Davis canyons. Additional studies at the borehole locations in Beef Basin did identify the nearest occurrence of a species proposed for endangered status (Astragalus monumentalis, a monument milkvetch, member of the legume family). The species was identified approximately 160 to 300 m (500 to 1000 ft) from a hydro testing drill site. Consequently, construction and operation activity should not cause any adverse impacts. This report will be used to satisfy Section 7 requirements of the Endangered Species Act (PL 93-205 as amended) and to allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to verify that no protected species are subject to disturbance as the result of project activities occurring in the Gibson Dome and Elk Ridge study areas

A new species of Microglanis(Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae from the upper rio Tocantins basin, Goiás State, Central Brazil

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Oscar Akio Shibatta

Full Text Available A new species of Microglanis is described from the upper rio Tocantins basin, Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil. This species is distinguished from the others by presenting a unique color pattern, consisting of round spots in the flank between the larger dark brown blotches. Moreover, it can be distinguished by the combination of the following features: caudal fin emarginate, the upper lobe slightly larger than the lower, lateral line relatively long, reaching vertical through posterior margin of the pelvic fin, and light stripe on supra-occipital region absent or very narrow and with irregular shape.

Correlation and Fishers’ Perception in Selected Sites in Laguna de Bay, Luzon Island, Philippines

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Arthur J. Lagbas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available White goby (Glossogobius giuris Hamilton 1822 is an omnivorous, native fish species which can be found in Laguna de Bay and its tributaries, and in other bodies of water in the Philippines. Deteriorating water quality, unsustainable fishing practices, aquaculture and predation by introduced invasive species are threatening the population of white goby and other native fish species in Laguna de Bay. This study was conducted to correlate select physico-chemical parameters of lake water and zooplankton abundance, and to assess white goby population based on fishers’ perception. Water samples were collected in three sites in June, September and December 2014. Twenty one zooplankton species belonging to 12 families were identified. The most abundant and frequently encountered zooplankton species is Eurytemora affinis Poppe 1880. Zooplanktons were most abundant in June and lowest in September. Key informant interviews with local fishers revealed that white goby population was abundant in April to August while catch report showed that fish catch is abundant in June and least during December. The fish abundance in April to June could be attributed to high productivity especially in summer season. The fishers perceived that the population of white goby was declining mainly due to water pollution, aquaculture, and predation by invasive alien species. A multi-stakeholder sustainable watershed management should be adapted to improve the water quality and extinction of native fish species in Laguna de Bay.

A new species of Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the upper rio Paraná basin, Southern Brazil

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Fernando C. Jerep

Full Text Available A new species of Hypostomus with large and spaced light roundish spots is described from the upper rio Paraná basin. Hypostomus multidens new species is distinguished from all remaining congeners with light spots on a darker background by two independent characters: the presence of teeth with two symmetrical cusps, and a high tooth number in each dentary (122267, mean 196.8 and premaxilla (115-260, mean 190.8.

Net-zooplankton abundance and biomass from Annaba Bay (SW Mediterranean Sea under estuarine influences

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M. OUNISSI

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Zooplankton samples were collected in Annaba Bay (Algeria from January 2009-March 2011 at three coastal sites differently affected by estuarine plumes and external currents. Aim of this survey was to analyze zooplankton composition, abundance and biomass and compare the results with previous studies to reveal possible populations and environmental changes. The mean zooplankton abundance varied between 1,200-6,000 ind. m-3 and biomass 6.70-25.70 mg DW m-3, according to the site. Copepods constituted the main fraction of zooplankton community, and Oithona similis and Paracalanus indicus successively dominated during autumn-winter and spring-summer. The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans was one of the major zooplankton components, and developed high numbers during February-April, becoming common in neritic and coastal regions. The singularity of the zooplankton from Annaba Bay is the prevalence of P. indicus throughout the entire bay and the decrease in Acartia discaudata and A. clausi (with respect to previous years, possibly replaced by A. negligens. Additionally, Oithona nana abundance markedly decreased with the large development of O. similis. Annaba Bay also differs from other similar Mediterranean coastal areas by the large development of Centropages ponticus populations during the warm period. Among the identified copepod species, the alien species Pseudodiaptomus australiensis and P. arabicus are reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea. The occurrence of copepodid V stages of P. australiensis suggests that this species survives and reproduces in Annaba Bay, but so far without developing an abundant population.

The levels of certain heavy metals in marine organisms from Aguada Bay (Goa)

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Singbal, S.Y.S.; George, M.D.; Topgi, R.S.; Noronha, R.J.

The levels of manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and mercury have been measured in marine organisms from Aguada Bay which is one of the major fishing zones in Goa, India. The concentration of metals varied from species to species...

Spatial variation of phytoplankton community structure in Daya Bay, China.

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Jiang, Zhao-Yu; Wang, You-Shao; Cheng, Hao; Zhang, Jian-Dong; Fei, Jiao

2015-10-01

Daya Bay is one of the largest and most important gulfs in the southern coast of China, in the northern part of the South China Sea. The phylogenetic diversity and spatial distribution of phytoplankton from the Daya Bay surface water and the relationship with the in situ water environment were investigated by the clone library of the large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) gene. The dominant species of phytoplankton were diatoms and eustigmatophytes, which accounted for 81.9 % of all the clones of the rbcL genes. Prymnesiophytes were widely spread and wide varieties lived in Daya Bay, whereas the quantity was limited. The community structure of phytoplankton was shaped by pH and salinity and the concentration of silicate, phosphorus and nitrite. The phytoplankton biomass was significantly positively affected by phosphorus and nitrite but negatively by salinity and pH. Therefore, the phytoplankton distribution and biomass from Daya Bay were doubly affected by anthropic activities and natural factors.

Cooperation and the Endangered Species Act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, S.C.

1991-01-01

Passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973 set the stage for some of the nations most polemic environmental battles. One of these is in the Colorado River Basin which is home to four native and rare fish species. Acrimonious confrontation has characterized the consultations under the ESA regarding these fish species. In 1983, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that no new water depletions such as for hydropower plants, from the Upper Colorado River Basin would be allowed. This created no small stir among basin states and water developers and a negotiated solution was sought. The result was the Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This paper reports that models of political negotiation indicate conceptually, that the Recovery Program with its decisions made by unanimity of consensus, its open process and sharing of information, its shared budget and users fees, is a vehicle of political compromise and cooperation

A new species of the Hypostomus cochliodongroup (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Aripuanã basin in Brazil

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Cláudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available A new species of Hypostomus, H. dardanelos, is described from the rio Aripuanã basin, a southern tributary to the rio Madeira, in northern Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The new species is assigned to the Hypostomus cochliodon group by the possession of few teeth, spoon-shaped teeth, angle between dentaries usually less than 80°, and by the absence of a notch between hyomandibular and the metapterygoid. The new species can be diagnosed from its congeners by its unique color pattern of yellowish-brown ground color covered by well-defined dark spots of relatively equal size, evenly spaced and moderately set along the dorsal region of the body and fins, except on the ventrolateral region of the caudal peduncle and proximal region of anal and caudal fins, which are devoid of spots. The new species is further diagnosed by having teeth with very small lateral cusp, fused to the mesial one and almost imperceptible; by the absence of medial buccal papillae, and by nuptial odontodes all along the body (odontodes more pronounced in some few larger specimens.

The environmental aspects of a tidal power project in the upper reaches of the Bay Fundy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gordon, D.C.; Longhurst, A.R.

1979-02-01

A recommendation for pre-investment design studies for a tidal power development in the Cumberland Basin region of the Bay of Fundy has been made by the Bay of Fundy Tidal Power Review Board and is backed by Canadian provincial and federal governments. A brief history of regional tidal power proposals is presented, and procedures for determining the environmental impacts of the project are outlined. Possible environmental consequences of tidal power development can be hypothesized, but the existing environmental data base is sparse. Investigations are presently being expanded by university and governmental scientists, and specific impact assessment studies will be commissioned if the project is authorized to proceed. (1 map, 11 references)

Present status of grouper fisheries at waters of Kotania Bay, Western Seram District Maluku Province

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Huliselan, N. V.; Wawo, M.; Tuapattinaja, M. A.; Sahetapy, D.

2017-10-01

Study on present status of groupers fishes at waters of Kotania Bay was conducted from 2016 to 2017. Survey and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method were used to collect and examine data and information concerning species potential and utilization of these species. The result shows that there are 35 species of grouper fishes inhabit Kotania Bay waters. From six genera recorded, Epinephelus found to have more varieties species richness compared to other five genera. In general, main habitat of adult grouper is coral reef, whilst mangrove and seagrass are habitat for nursery and grow out. The potency of the Epinephelus, Cephalopholis and Plectropomus genus tend to decrease started in 2000 up to 2017. At the same period, the production of these genera was also declined. Species potency and production declined was attributable to habitat (coral reef) degradation and high fishing intensity as a result of high market demand. Hand line, bottom long line and trap net are general fishing gear used in harvesting of theses fishes. Fishing activities took place all year round except for bottom long line which only lasted from June to October (East monsoon). Spatial fishing ground distribution is predominantly at coral reef ecosystem of Kotania Bay.

Variations in water clarity and bottom albedo in Florida Bay from 1985 to 1997

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Stumpf, R.P.; Frayer, M.L.; Durako, M.J.; Brock, J.C.

1999-01-01

Following extensive seagrass die-offs of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Florida Bay reportedly had significant declines in water clarity due to turbidity and algal blooms. Scant information exists on the extent of the decline, as this bay was not investigated for water quality concerns before the die-offs and limited areas were sampled after the primary die-off. We use imagery from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) to examine water clarity in Florida Bay for the period 1985 to 1997. The AVHRR provides data on nominal water reflectance and estimated fight attenuation, which are used here to describe turbidity conditions in the bay on a seasonal basis. In situ observations on changes in seagrass abundance within the bay, combined with the satellite data, provide additional insights into losses of seagrass. The imagery shows an extensive region to the west of Florida Bay having increased reflectance and fight attenuation in both winter and summer beginning in winter of 1988. These increases are consistent with a change from dense seagrass to sparse or negligible cover. Approximately 200 km2 of these offshore seagrasses may have been lost during the primary die-off (1988 through 1991), significantly more than in the bay. The imagery shows the distribution and timing of increased turbidity that followed the die-offs in the northwestern regions of the bay, exemplified in Rankin Lake and Johnson Key Basin, and indicates that about 200 km2 of dense seagrass may have been lost or severely degraded within the bay from the start of the die-off. The decline in water clarity has continued in the northwestern bay since 1991. The area west of the Everglades National Park boundaries has shown decreases in both winter turbidity and summer reflectances, suggestive of partial seagrass recovery. Areas of low reflectance associated with a major Syringodium filiforme seagrass meadow north of Marathon (Vaca Key, in the Florida Keys) appear to have expanded westward

Eutrophication influence on phytoplankton community composition in three bays on the eastern Adriatic coast

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Mia Bužančić

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This study shows the influence of eutrophication pressure on the phytoplankton community structure, abundance and biodiversity in the investigated bays with different hydromorphological features. Šibenik Bay is a highly stratified estuary of the karstic river Krka; Kaštela Bay is a semi-enclosed coastal bay, which is influenced by the relatively small river Jadro; and Mali Ston Bay is located at the Neretva River estuary, the largest river on the eastern part of the Adriatic Sea. All of the areas are affected by urban pressure, which is reflected in the trophic status of the waters. The greatest anthropogenic influence was found in Kaštela Bay while the lowest influence was found in Mali Ston Bay. In this study, the highest biomass concentration and maximum abundance of phytoplankton were recorded at the stations under the strongest anthropogenic influence. Those stations show a dominance of abundance compared to the biomass and a dominance of opportunistic species, which is reflected in the lower biodiversity of phytoplankton community. Diatoms were the most represented group of the phytoplankton community in all three bays, followed by the dinoflagellates. Diatoms that were highlighted as significant for the difference between the bays were Skeletonema marinoi in Šibenik Bay, Leptocylindrus minimus in Kaštela Bay and the genus Chaetoceros spp. in Mali Ston Bay. Dinoflagellates were more abundant at the stations under the strongest anthropogenic influence, and most significant were Prorocentrum triestinum in Kaštela Bay and Gymnodinium spp. in Šibenik Bay and Mali Ston Bay.

RNA sequencing supports distinct reactive oxygen species-mediated pathways of apoptosis by high and low size mass fractions of Bay leaf (Lauris nobilis) in HT-29 cells.

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Rodd, Annabelle L; Ververis, Katherine; Sayakkarage, Dheeshana; Khan, Abdul W; Rafehi, Haloom; Ziemann, Mark; Loveridge, Shanon J; Lazarus, Ross; Kerr, Caroline; Lockett, Trevor; El-Osta, Assam; Karagiannis, Tom C; Bennett, Louise E

2015-08-01

Anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of Bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) in mammalian cancer and HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells have been previously attributed to effects of polyphenolic and essential oil chemical species. Recently, we demonstrated differentiated growth-regulating effects of high (HFBL) versus low molecular mass (LFBL) aqueous fractions of bay leaf and now confirm by comparative effects on gene expression, that HFBL and LFBL suppress HT-29 growth by distinct mechanisms. Induction of intra-cellular lesions including DNA strand breakage by extra-cellular HFBL, invoked the hypothesis that iron-mediated reactive oxygen species with capacity to penetrate cell membrane, were responsible for HFBL-mediated effects, supported by equivalent effects of HFBL in combination with γ radiation. Activities of HFBL and LFBL were interpreted to reflect differentiated responses to iron-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS), occurring either outside or inside cells. In the presence of LFBL, apoptotic death was relatively delayed compared with HFBL. ROS production by LFBL mediated p53-dependent apoptosis and recovery was suppressed by promoting G1/S phase arrest and failure of cellular tight junctions. In comparison, intra-cellular anti-oxidant protection exerted by LFBL was absent for extra-cellular HFBL (likely polysaccharide-rich), which potentiated more rapid apoptosis by producing DNA double strand breaks. Differentiated effects on expression of genes regulating ROS defense and chromatic condensation by LFBL versus HFBL, were observed. The results support ferrous iron in cell culture systems and potentially in vivo, can invoke different extra-cellular versus intra-cellular ROS-mediated chemistries, that may be regulated by exogenous, including dietary species.

Short- and long-term modulation of the lutein epoxide and violaxanthin cycles in two species of the Lauraceae: sweet bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) and avocado (Persea americana Mill.).

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Esteban, R; Jiménez, M S; Morales, D; Jiménez, E T; Hormaetxe, K; Becerril, J M; Osmond, B; García-Plazaola, J I

2008-05-01

Short- and long-term responses of the violaxanthin (V) and lutein epoxide (Lx) cycles were studied in two species of Lauraceae: sweet bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) and avocado (Persea americana L.). The Lx content exceeded the V content in shade leaves of both species. Both Lx and V were de-epoxidised on illumination, but only V was fully restored by epoxidation in low light. Violaxanthin was preferentially de-epoxidised in low light in L. nobilis. This suggests that Lx accumulates with leaf ageing, partly because its conversion to lutein is limited in shade. After exposure to strong light, shade leaves of avocado readjusted the total pools of alpha- and beta-xanthophyll cycles by de novo synthesis of antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein. This occurred in parallel with a sustained depression of F(v)/F(m). In Persea indica, a closely related but low Lx species, F(v)/F(m) recovered faster after a similar light treatment, suggesting the involvement of the Lx cycle in sustained energy dissipation. Furthermore, the seasonal correlation between non-reversible Lx and V photoconversions and pre-dawn F(v)/F(m) in sun leaves of sweet bay supported the conclusion that the Lx cycle is involved in a slowly reversible downregulation of photosynthesis analogous to the V cycle.

A middle Pleistocene eastern Mediterranean fish refuge: the Tsampika Bay (Rhodes, Greece)

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Agiadi, K.; Koskeridou, E.; Moissette, P.; Lopez-Otalvaro, G. E.; Quillévéré, F.; Cornée, J. J.

2012-04-01

Extensive sampling of the Tsampika marly diatomites reveals the presence of at least three very important fish species, Bregmaceros sp., Sygnathus acus and Spratteloides sp.. Previous records of Bregmaceros sp. in the Mediterranean have suggested that this characteristic Pliocene warm-water circumglobal pelagic fish disappeared from the Mediterranean basin due to the climatic deterioration, after the Gelasian age1,2,3,4. The Tsampika fish-bearing deposits, mainly marly diatomites, are younger than 268 Ka, based on the occurrence of Emiliania huxleyi. Consequently, this is so far the youngest record of Bregmaceros sp. in the Mediterranean, suggesting that typical Pliocene fish may have found refuge in selected localities, such as Tsampika Bay, at least until the Ionian. Evidence for its presence in the Mediterranean basin today is ambiguous. Isolated records of Bregmaceros atlanticus place it in the Sicily Strait5, and off the Israeli and south Turkish coasts6. Although it appears more likely that Bregmaceros atlanticus has been introduced to the modern Mediterranean from the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal, the possibility that it is part of a small population native to the Mediterranean can not be excluded based on present-day data6. Indeed the late Pleistocene Mediterranean fish record is obsolete, due to the lack of appropriate sampling on this subject. Furthermore, the majority of Pleistocene Bregmaceros samples pertain to otoliths, which cannot be unambiguously identified on the species level. As a result, the present findings pose the considerable possibility that the Pleistocene Bregmaceros records belong to two species, B. albyi, the well known post-Messinian Mediterranean fish, and B. atlanticus, which may have invaded the Mediterranean Sea from Gibraltar along with several other warm-water taxa during recurring interglacial periods. The specific identification of the Tsampika fish will undoubtedly shed light to this possibility, and enhance our knowledge

DNA barcode of Parodontidae species from the La Plata river basin - applying new data to clarify taxonomic problems

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Elisangela Bellafronte

Full Text Available In the past years, DNA barcoding has emerged as a quick, accurate and efficient tool to identify species. Considering the difficulty in identifying some Parodontidae species from the La Plata basin and the absence of molecular data for the group, we aimed to test the effectiveness of DNA barcoding and discuss the importance of using different approaches to solve taxonomic problems. Eight species were analyzed with partial sequences of Cytochrome c oxidase I. The mean intraspecific K2P genetic distance was 0.04% compared to 4.2% for mean interspecific K2P genetic distance. The analyses of distance showed two pairs of species with K2P genetic divergence lower than 2%, but enough to separate these species. Apareiodon sp. and A. ibitiensis, considered as the same species by some authors, showed 4.2% genetic divergence, reinforcing their are different species. Samples of A. affinis from the Uruguay and Paraguay rivers presented 0.3% genetic divergence, indicating a close relationship between them. However, these samples diverged 6.1% from the samples of the upper Paraná River, indicating that the latter represents a potentially new species. The results showed the effectiveness of the DNA barcoding method in identifying the analyzed species, which, together with the morphological and cytogenetic available data, help species identification.

Seasonal variation of assemblage and feeding guild structure of fish species in a boreal tidal basin

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Kellnreitner, Florian; Pockberger, Moritz; Asmus, Harald

2012-08-01

Species composition, abundance, feeding relationships and guild structure of the fish assemblage in the Sylt-Rømø bight, a tidal basin in the northern Wadden Sea, were investigated to show seasonal differences and the importance of functional groups in this area. The tidal flats and in shallow subtidal areas were sampled using a beach seine and a bottom trawl net was used for deeper subtidal areas and tidal gullies. Species richness of fish was highest in summer where 26 species were caught, while the lowest richness was recorded in winter (17 species). Clear differences in species richness and abundance were found between shallow areas and deeper parts of the bight. Clupea harengus and Ammodytes tobianus were the most abundant species in deeper areas, while Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutus dominated shallower waters. Gut contents of 27 fish species were identified and the guild structure analyzed by UPGMA clustering of niche overlaps. Calanoid copepods (19.9%), Crangon crangon (18.2%) and mysid shrimps (8.4%) were the most abundant prey items of all fish species combined. Seven feeding guilds were present in the fall and winter, and eight and six in spring and summer, respectively. Fish feeding on calanoid copepods and C. crangon were present year round, whereas the occurrence of other guilds varied between seasons. Species composition of prey changed through seasons and, for some fish species, even the feeding mode itself varied with season. Most noticeable, 11 fish species changed guilds between seasons. We found a convergence in summer towards abundant prey items, whereas in winter diet overlap was lower. This is the first investigation of guild structure of almost all fish species present in a Wadden Sea area, and shows that consideration of seasonal differences is essential when determining feeding relationships of fish in temperate areas.

A new pale-spotted species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Tocantins and rio Xingu basins in central Brazil

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Cláudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available A new species of the genus Hypostomus Lacépède (Siluriformes, Loricariidae from rio Tocantins and rio Xingu basins in central Brazil, is described. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of pale blotches over a darker background on head, body and fins, and conspicuous keels on head, predorsal region and lateral plates. Comments on the pale-spotted species of Hypostomus are provided.

Relationships between precipitation and surface water chemistry in three Carolina bays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monegue, R.L.; Jagoe, C.H.

1995-01-01

Carolina Bays are shallow freshwater wetlands, the only naturally occurring lentic systems on the southeastern coastal plain. Bays are breeding sites for many amphibian species, but data on precipitation/surface water relationships and long-term chemical trends are lacking. Such data are essential to interpret major fluctuations in amphibian populations. Surface water and bulk precipitation were sampled bi-weekly for over two years at three bays along a 25 km transect on the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Precipitation chemistry was similar at all sites; average pH was 4.56, and the major ions were H + (30.8 % of total), and SO 4 (50.3% of total). H + was positively correlated with SO 4 , suggesting the importance of anthropogenic acids to precipitation chemistry. All three bays, Rainbow Bay (RB), Thunder Bay (TB), and Ellenton Bay (EB), contained soft (specific conductivity 5--90 microS/cm), acidic water (pH 4.0--5.9) with DOM from 4--40 mg/L. The major cation for RB, TB, and EB, respectively, was: Mg (30.8 % of total); Na (27% of total); and Ca (34.2% of total). DOM was the major anion for all bays, and SO 4 represented 13 to 28 % of total anions. H + was not correlated to DOM or SO, in RB; H + was positively correlated to DOM and SO 4 in TB, and negatively correlated to DOM and SO 4 in EB. Different biogeochemical processes probably control pH and other chemical variables in each bay. While surface water H + was not directly correlated with precipitation H + , NO 3 , or SO 4 , precipitation and shallow groundwater are dominant water sources for these bays. Atmospheric inputs of anthropogenic acids and other chemicals are important factors influencing bay chemistry

Raptors of the Izdrevaya River Basin, Russia

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Elvira G. Nikolenko

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article compiles the results of episodic visits of the aurhoes to the basin of the Izdrevaya river during 2012–2016. The main goals of those visits were: to figure out the species composition of nesting fauna of birds of prey, estabishing the manner of nesting pairs’ distribution and designing a system of nestboxes for different species of birds of prey and owls. 8 species of Falconiformes are present in the Izdrevaya river basin, 4 of which are nesting, and 3 species of Strigiformes, 2 of which are nesting. The Black Kite (Milvus migrans has maximum density in the Izdrevaya river basin – 51.83 ind./100km2 (n=93. The Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo is the second in number after the Black Kite, its density being 8.88 ind/100km2 of the total area. The Ural Owl (Strix uralensis, encountered only on two territories in 2012, inhabited 4 nestboxes in 2013 as the result of biotechnical measures taken, and its number increased to 8 pairs successfully breeding in the nextboxes in 2016. Main negative factors for birds of prey in the Izdrevaya river basin were established: electrocution on power lines, illegal logging, illegal construction of dams and the construction of waste-sorting plant with a range of solid municipal waste.

A new spiny species of Hypostomus Lacépède (Loricariidae: Hypostominae from thermal waters, upper rio Paraná basin, central Brazil

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Fernanda O. Martins

Full Text Available A new species of Hypostomus is described from the rio Quente, rio Paranaíba drainage, in the upper rio Paraná basin in central Brazil. The rio Quente is a peculiar small and shallow fast water stream with water temperatures around 34ºC. The new species is distinguished from all congeners by having the five lateral series of plates with hypertrophied odontodes not aligned in rows and more conspicuous on flanks of caudal peduncle of the larger specimens. The new species is only known from the rio Quente.

Water quality in South San Francisco Bay, California: current condition and potential issues for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.

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Grenier, J Letitia; Davis, Jay A

2010-01-01

The SBSPRP is an extensive tidal wetland restoration project that is underway at the margin of South San Francisco Bay, California. The Project, which aims to restore former salt ponds to tidal marsh and manage other ponds for water bird support, is taking place in the context of a highly urbanized watershed and an Estuary already impacted by chemical contaminants. There is an intimate relationship between water quality in the watershed, the Bay, and the transitional wetland areas where the Project is located. The Project seeks to restore habitat for endangered and endemic species and to provide recreational opportunities for people. Therefore, water quality and bioaccumulation of contaminants in fish and wildlife is an important concern for the success of the Project. Mercury, PCBs, and PBDEs are the persistent contaminants of greatest concern in the region. All of these contaminants are present at elevated concentrations both in the abiotic environment and in wildlife. Dioxins, pyrethroids, PAHs, and selenium are also problematic. Organochlorine insecticides have historically impacted the Bay, and they remain above thresholds for concern in a small proportion of samples. Emerging contaminants, such as PFCs and non-PBDE flame retardants, are also an important water quality issue. Beyond chemical pollutants, other concerns for water quality in South San Francisco Bay exist, and include biological constituents, especially invasive species, and chemical attributes, such as dissolved oxygen and salinity. Future changes, both from within the Project and from the Bay and watershed, are likely to influence water quality in the region. Project actions to restore wetlands could worsen, improve, or not affect the already impaired water quality in South Bay. Accelerated erosion of buried sediment as a consequence of Project restoration actions is a potentially serious regional threat to South Bay water and sediment quality. Furthermore, the planned restoration of salt ponds

Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in ten commercial fish species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.

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Veerasingam, S; Venkatachalapathy, R; Raja, P; Sudhakar, S; Rajeswari, V; Asanulla, R Mohamed; Mohan, R; Sutharsan, P

2011-05-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in ten commercial fish species and water samples in three estuaries along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India. Fish and water samples collected from Tamilnadu coast, India, were extracted and analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) spectroscopy. The petroleum hydrocarbon concentration (PHC) in coastal waters and fish species varied between 2.28 and 14.02 μg/l and 0.52 and 2.05 μg/g, respectively. The highest PHC concentration was obtained in Uppanar estuarine waters (14.02 ± 0.83) and the lowest was observed in Vellar estuarine waters (2.28 ± 0.25). Among the ten fish species, Sardinella longiceps have high PHC concentration from all the locations. This study suggests that S. longiceps can be used as a good biological indicator for petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in water. The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in coastal waters along Tamilnadu coast is markedly higher than that in the background, but there is no evidence for its increase in fish of this region. From a public health point, petroleum hydrocarbon residue levels in all fish samples analyzed in this study are considerably lower than the hazardous levels. At present, as Tamilnadu coastal area is in a rapid development stage of new harbour, chemical industries, power plants, oil exploration and other large-scale industries, further assessment of petroleum hydrocarbons and the various hydrodynamic conditions acting in the region are to be studied in detail and continuous pollution monitoring studies should be conducted for improving the aquatic environment. The results will also be useful for pollution monitoring program along the coastal region and also to check the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Apparent characteristics and taxonomic study of macroalgae in Pattani Bay

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Naruemol Pianthumdee

2007-07-01

Full Text Available 2A survey on macroalgae in Pattani Bay was carried out to build up a database resource for the management of algae in the area. From February 2004 to March 2005, samples of macroalgae from 10 sites were randomly collected monthly. Macroalgae were found at 4 sites in the north of the bay, namely Laem Tachi, Lighthouse, Ban Bu Di and Ban Ta Lo Samilae; 3 sites in the east, namely Ban Da To, the Yaring River Mouth and Ban Bang Pu and only one site in the south at Ban Tanyong Lu Lo. Twelve species of 3 divisions of macroalgae were detected. They were Division Cyanophyta, Lyngbya majuscula (Dillwyn Harvey ex Gomont; Division Chlorophyta; Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus, U. pertusa Kjellman and U. reticulata Forsskal, Rhizoclonium riparium (Roth Harvey, R. tortuosum Kutzing, Chaetomorpha crassa (C. Agardh Kutzing and Cladophora sp.; and Division Rhodophyta, namely Gracilaria tenuistipitata Chang et Xia, G. fisheri (Xia et Abbott Abbott, Zhang et Xia, Hypnea spinella (C. Agardh Kutzing and Acanthophora spicifera (Vahl B∅rgesen. Among them, four species were new recordings at Pattani Bay: Lyngbya majuscula, Rhizoclonium riparium, R. tortuosum and Acanthophora spicifera. Most of these seaweeds were found at the east sites in the dry season from February to September 2004 and from January to March 2005. Only a few species could be found in the wet season from November to December 2004.

DISTRIBUTIONAND DIVERSITY OF MACRO ALGAE COMMUNITIES IN THE AMBON BAY

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Christina Litaay

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Water conditions affected by natural and anthropogenic parameters such as sedimentation and solid waste disposal can influence the growth and distribution of macro algae. Sustainable management efforts can reduce damage on the Gulf coast of Ambon due to human activities and land clearing. This study was conducted in October 2008 using the transect method with 3 replicates in five locations i.e., Tantui, Air Salobar, Hative Besar, Halong, and Lateri. The interior and exterior waters of Ambon Bay contained different habitat conditions due to  sedimentation processes. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and diversity of macro algae communities in the Ambon Bay. The results found 21 species of macro- algae consisting of 10 species of Rhodhophyceae, 6 species of Chlorophyceae, and 5 species of Phaeophyceae. The highest density value of seaweed in Tantui was 389.0 g/m² of Chlorophyceae of Halimeda genus. In Air Salobar and Halong, the highest density value was Rhodophyceae of Gracilaria genus of 172.0 g/m² and 155.0 g/m², respectively. For the other genus in the Tantui and Lateri regions were dominated by Ulva at 92.10 gr/m2 and Padina of 20.0 gr/m2, respectively. The highest dominance of macro algae in the Hative Besar was found Chlorophyceae of Halimeda genus of 2.93 %, in the Air Salobar of Phaeophyceae of Turbinaria genus of 1.43 %. The difference values in density and the dominance of macro algae indicated an influence of habitat and environment due to seasons, sediment, and solid waste disposal to the diversity of macro algae. Keywords: Diversity, macro algae, Ambon Bay.

Distribution and size of the mojarra Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier) (Actinopterygii, Gerreidae) in a Southeastern Brazilian bay

OpenAIRE

Costa,Marcus Rodrigues da; Albieri,Rafael Jardim; Neves,Leonardo Mitrano; Santos,Alex Braz Lacone; Araujo,Francisco Gerson

2012-01-01

Diapterus rhombeus is one of the most abundant fish species in the Sepetiba bay, which is a 520 km² semi-closed coastal area in Southeastern Brazil. The size and distribution of this species have been described in order to assess the use of the area as a rearing ground in both spatial and temporal (seasonal) dimensions. A fish sampling program was conducted monthly by using an otter trawl between October 1998 and September 1999, in three bay zones (outer, middle and inner), defined according ...

Interannual variation in the composition of the assemblages of medusae and ctenophores in St. Helena Bay, Southern Benguela Ecosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuelle Buecher

2000-12-01

Full Text Available The assemblages of medusae and ctenophores were examined from samples collected each winter from St Helena Bay, over the 10-year period 1988-1997. A total of 50 hydromedusae, 1 scyphozoan and 2 ctenophore species were identified from 243 samples. Although the data set is characterised by great interannual variability, two main assemblages could be identified each year. These were characterised by either holoplanktonic medusae (e.g. Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma or meroplanktonic medusae (e.g. Mitrocomella millardae, Chrysaora hysoscella and ctenophores (e.g. Pleurobrachia pileus. The holoplanktonic medusae were typical of samples at the southern edge of the Bay, and were positively associated with both depth and temperature. Their abundances tended to increase during warm years (1992, 1993 and 1997 as warm surface water flooded the Bay. The meroplanktonic medusae and ctenophores were typical of samples collected within the Bay, and the density of species tended to be negatively correlated with temperature and depth. In spite of the eurythermal nature of the meroplanktonic species, they were more common during cold years (1990 and 1995. This paper represents the first Bay-wide, interannual study of any zooplankton group, and contributes important base line information on the structure of regional pelagic assemblages.

Sea surface temperatures and seagrass mortality in Florida Bay: Spatial and temporal patterns discerned from MODIS and AVHRR data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlson, Daniel Frazier; Yarbro, Laura; Scolaro, Sheila

2018-01-01

spatial coverage to include the entire Florida Bay ecosystem and to extend the record length to include the 1987-91 die-off event. 1 km MODIS SST show that shallow mudbanks were consistently warmer (by up to 6degC) than nearby deeper basins. While water depth is likely the primary driver of spatial...

A comparative study on the heavy metals distribution in sediment profiles from Ribeira and Sepetiba Bays, RJ - Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Franciane; Tadeu Lopes, Ricardo

2008-01-01

A set of sediment cores was sampled at Sepetiba bay and Ribeira bay, in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Sedimentation rates were determined by geochronological evaluation of sediments by Pb-210. In Ribeira Bay, the sedimentation rate increases from the sampling point RB1 (0.15 cm y -1 ), in the inner part of the bay, towards the sampling point RB4, close to its entrance (0.34 cm y -1 ). For Sepetiba Bay, two well-defined sedimentation rates were observed, a lower value of 0.3 cm y -1 for the period before the 1960s, and a more recent rate of 0.75 cm y -1 . These measurements are consistent to the construction of the Santa Cecilia impoundment in 1955, which brings water from the Paraiba do Sul Basin into the Guandu River, increasing the river flow from 20 m 3 s -1 to 160 m 3 s -1 . The metal concentrations were determined by ICP-MS. It could be seen that the reliability of Ribeira bay as a reference database for metal concentrations in the neighboring Sepetiba Bay is valid for a specific set of elements, such as K, Ti, Mn, Zn, Ga, Rb and Sr, but not for V, Cr and Cd. Applying to the mean elemental concentration, of the upper contaminated 45 cm sediment layer, and to the elemental concentration of the deepest analysed sediment layer a normalization to iron, a double ratio was calculated and it was concluded that the Sepetiba Bay sediments are, particularly, contaminated with Cr, may be, from a leather tanning plant existing in this region and Cd and Zn from the former Inga Metais. The overall results can be used to confirm the reliability of the utilization of Ribeira bay as a reference database to the evaluation of metal pollution profile of Sepetiba bay, by an intercomparison methodology. (author)

Literature and information related to the natural resources of the North Aleutian Basin of Alaska.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stull, E.A.; Hlohowskyj, I.; LaGory, K. E.; Environmental Science Division

2008-01-31

The North Aleutian Basin Planning Area of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is a large geographic area with significant natural resources. The Basin includes most of the southeastern part of the Bering Sea Outer Continental Shelf, including all of Bristol Bay. The area supports important habitat for a wide variety of species and globally significant habitat for birds and marine mammals, including several federally listed species. Villages and communities of the Alaska Peninsula and other areas bordering or near the Basin rely on its natural resources (especially commercial and subsistence fishing) for much of their sustenance and livelihood. The offshore area of the North Aleutian Basin is considered to have important hydrocarbon reserves, especially natural gas. In 2006, the MMS released a draft proposed program, 'Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, 2007-2012' and an accompanying draft programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS). The draft proposed program identified two lease sales proposed in the North Aleutian Basin in 2010 and 2012, subject to restrictions. The area proposed for leasing in the Basin was restricted to the Sale 92 Area in the southwestern portion. Additional EISs will be needed to evaluate the potential effects of specific lease actions, exploration activities, and development and production plans in the Basin. A full range of updated multidisciplinary scientific information will be needed to address oceanography, fate and effects of oil spills, marine ecosystems, fish, fisheries, birds, marine mammals, socioeconomics, and subsistence in the Basin. Scientific staff at Argonne National Laboratory were contracted to assist MMS with identifying and prioritizing information needs related to potential future oil and gas leasing and development activities in the North Aleutian Basin. Argonne focused on three related tasks: (1) identify and gather relevant literature published since 1996, (2) synthesize and

Tectonic structure and petroleum potential of TayabasBay southeast Luzon, Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Bacud, Jaime; Moore, Aidan; Lee, Chao-Skiing

Tayabas Bay is one of four offshore Philippine areas where the Australian GeologicalSurvey Organization and the Philippine Department of Energy conducted a cooperative marine seismic, gravity, magnetic, bathymetry and geochemical survey. The project acquired new seismic data and reprocessed the 1983 World Bank seismic sections which were all integrated with previous oil company data. the absence of wells drilled offshore, interpretation of offshore seismic data was complemented by onshore well log information and stratigraphy of the Bondoc Peninsula. Geochemistry data, both offshore and onshore, were analyzed to confirm the presence of mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration. A new seismic interpretation has revealed the structure of this tectonically active geologically complex area. A major structural feature interpreted in offshore Tayabas Bay was a N-NW-trending strike-slip fault which is believed to be a northern splay of the Sibuyan Sea Fault. The authors named this fault the Tayabas Bay Fault and due to its association with the Philippine Fault System the movement is assumed to be left-lateral. The present study suggested the presence of a prolific source rock in the Middle Miocene Vigo Formation and/or the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene Panaon Limestone. Oil and gas generation have been and are occurring in the Bondoc Sub-basin. Two groups of reservoirs were identified, the shelf carbonates beneath the Middle Miocene shales on the Marinduque Platform and the early Middle Miocene carbonates and basin-floor clastics near the base of the Vigo Formation. Carbonate reservoirs are believed to be present in traps formed when the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene carbonate reefs and shelf deposits of the Panaon Limestone were buried by the Middle Miocene shales. A later set of traps was formed and possibly superimposed by the intense deformation associated with the Philippine Fault System which has continued from the Late Pliocene up to the present. Evaluation

Spatial distribution of pollen grains and spores in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Barreto, Cintia F; Vilela, Claudia G; Baptista-Neto, José A; Barth, Ortrud M

2012-09-01

Aiming to investigate the deposition of pollen grains and spores in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, 61 surface sediment samples were analyzed. The results showed that the current deposition of palynomorphs in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay represents the regional vegetation of this hydrographic basin. The differential distribution of palynomorphs followed a pattern influenced by bathymetry, tidal currents speed, discharge of numerous rivers, and by human activity. The dominance of representatives of Field Vegetation reflects the changes of the original flora caused by intense human activities in the region. The continued presence and richness of pollen types of rain forest in the samples indicates that their source area might be the vegetation from riparian border of rivers in the western sector of the Bay, where the mangrove vegetation is being preserved. The large amount of damaged palynomorphs may be related to abrasion that occurs during river transport, indicating removal or reworking from their areas of origin.

33 CFR 100.919 - International Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false International Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI. 100.919 Section 100.919 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI. (a) Regulated Area. A regulated area is established to include all...

A new species of Hemigrammus Gill, 1858 (Characiformes: Characidae from the rio Madeira and rio Paraguai basins, with a redescription of H. lunatus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafaela P. Ota

Full Text Available A new Hemigrammusis described from the rio Paraguai and rio Madeira basins, Mato Grosso and Rondônia States, Brazil. The new species is characterized by possessing a wide dark horizontal stripe across the eye, a vertically elongated humeral blotch, and 4-5 gill-rakers on upper branch and 9-10 on lower. The new species can be easily diagnosed from H. lunatus, the sympatric and morphologically most similar congener, by the shape of humeral blotch and the number of gill rakers. Data of the type material of both Hemigrammus lunatus and H. maxillaris, as well as extensive examination of specimens, allowed us to conclude that H. maxillarisis a junior subjective synonym of H. lunatus. A redescription of H. lunatus, as well as a formal restriction of its type locality, is provided. A putative monophyletic group within Hemigrammus, composed by H. barrigonae, Hemigrammus lunatus, H. machadoi new species, and H. ulreyi, named Hemigrammus lunatus group, is proposed based on overall body morphology and color pattern. Additionally, a discussion on the biogeographical relationships between the rio Paraguai and rio Guaporé basins is provided.

Caridean shrimps (Crustacea, Decapoda) from seagrass habitats in Hansa Bay, Papua New Guinea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grave, de Sammy

1999-01-01

Five species of caridean shrimps collected from seagrass habitats at Hansa Bay, on the northern coastline of Papua New Guinea are reported. Four species are new to the fauna of Papua New Guinea. Morphological details of Nikoides danae, Latreutes pymoeus and L. porcinus are discussed and compared to

Restoration of Lost Lake, recovery of an impacted Carolina Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wike, L.D.; Gladden, J.B.; Mackey, H.E. Jr.; Rogers, V.A.

1995-01-01

Lost Lake is one of approximately 200 Carolina bays found on the Savannah River Site (SRS). Until 1984 Lost Lake was contaminated by heavy metals and solvents overflowing from a nearby settling basin. Up to 12 inches of surface soil and all vegetation was removed from the bay as part of a RCRA removal action. A plan for restoration was initiated in 1989 and implemented in 1990 and 1991. Extensive planning led to defined objectives, strategies, treatments, and monitoring programs allowing successful restoration of Lost Lake. The primary goal of the project was to restore the wetland ecosystem after a hazardous waste clean up operation. An additional goal was to study the progress of the project and the success of the restoration activity. Several strategy considerations were necessary in the restoration plan. The removal of existing organic soils had to have compensation, a treatment scheme for planting and the extent of manipulation of the substrate had to be considered, monitoring decisions had to be made, and the decision whether or not to actively control the hydrology of the restored system

Trace elements and heavy metals in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Reserve in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve has the highest biotic diversity of habitats and offer a reserve of food resources and commercially significant species. Rapid human civilization has led to accumulation of heavy metals and trace elements in estuaries. The Grand Bay National Estuarin...

Nonindigenous marine species in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii in 1999 - 2000 (NODC Accession 0001053)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands are evaluated using a combination of historical records...

Nonindigenous Marine Species in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii in 1999-2000 (NODC Accession 0001053)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands are evaluated using a combination of historical records...

Influence of salinity, competition and food supply on the growth of Gobiosoma robustum and Microgobius gulosus from Florida Bay, U. S. A.

Science.gov (United States)

Schofield, P.J.

2004-01-01

The code Gobiosoma robustum and clown Microgobius gulosus gobies were grown in the laboratory over 27 days at two salinities (5 and 35), two food levels [low (a fixed proportion of initial mass) and high (saturation)] and both with and without the presence of the other species. Both species exhibited greatest growth at the high food level and the low (5) salinity. Neither species was affected by the presence of the other species, and there were no overall differences in growth between the two species. Thus, the observed competitive superiority of G. robustum over M. gulosus does not seem to confer an advantage relative to feeding success. Furthermore, as growth of G. robustum was greater at the lower salinity, it is clear that some factor other than salinity is restricting this species from north-eastern Florida Bay. Additional work on the importance of predation and food resources in various regions of Florida Bay is needed to further evaluate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the bay-wide distribution of these species. ?? 2004 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Consortial brown tide - picocyanobacteria blooms in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Nathan S; Litaker, R Wayne; Kenworthy, W Judson; Vandersea, Mark W; Sunda, William G; Reid, James P; Slone, Daniel H; Butler, Susan

2018-03-01

A brown tide bloom of Aureoumbra lagunensis developed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during a period of drought in 2013 that followed heavy winds and rainfall from Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Based on satellite images and water turbidity measurements, the bloom appeared to initiate in January 2013. The causative species (A. lagunensis) was confirmed by microscopic observation, and pigment and genetic analyses of bloom samples collected on May 28 of that year. During that time, A. lagunensis reached concentrations of 900,000 cells ml -1 (28 ppm by biovolume) in the middle portion of the Bay. Samples could not be collected from the northern (Cuban) half of the Bay because of political considerations. Subsequent sampling of the southern half of the Bay in November 2013, April 2014, and October 2014 showed persistent lower concentrations of A. lagunensis, with dominance shifting to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus (up to 33 ppm in April), an algal group that comprised a minor bloom component on May 28. Thus, unlike the brown tide bloom in Laguna Madre, which lasted 8 years, the bloom in Guantánamo Bay was short-lived, much like recent blooms in the Indian River, Florida. Although hypersaline conditions have been linked to brown tide development in the lagoons of Texas and Florida, observed euhaline conditions in Guantánamo Bay (salinity 35-36) indicate that strong hypersalinity is not a requirement for A. lagunensis bloom formation. Microzooplankton biomass dominated by ciliates was high during the observed peak of the brown tide, and ciliate abundance was high compared to other systems not impacted by brown tide. Preferential grazing by zooplankton on non-brown tide species, as shown in A. lagunensis blooms in Texas and Florida, may have been a factor in the development of the Cuban brown tide bloom. However, subsequent selection of microzooplankton capable of utilizing A. lagunensis as a primary food source may have contributed to the short-lived duration

Assessment of the mobility of metals and semi-metals in Sepetiba Bay (Rio de Janeiro - Brazil) by analyzing sediments sampled in different periods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortez, Vinicius D.; Ribeiro, Andreza P.; Figueiredo, Ana M.G.; Santos, Jose O.; Wassermann, Julio C.

2005-01-01

In the last three decades, Sepetiba bay, located about 60 km south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been subjected to increasing pollution impacts. The Sepetiba region has undergone fast industrial expansion leading to high levels of pollution by metals. For the last two decades, an industrial park composed of about 400 industrial plants, basically metallurgical, was established in the Sepetiba Bay basin, releasing its effluents either straight into the bay or through local rivers. Potential toxic elements such as As, Zn, Cr, Pb and Cd have been introduced into the bay through industrial and domestic wastes. In the present paper, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to determine the elements As, Cr and Zn in sediments from Sepetiba bay, sampled in August 2003, in order to compare to previous results obtained in 1998, for these elements, by Pellegatti et al. (2001). By using a geostatistical model it was possible to evaluate the spatial mobility of As, Cr and Zn in the last six years. The results obtained showed that none of the studied elements showed a significant spatial mobility. This behavior is probably related to geochemical barriers present in Sepetiba bay. (author)

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIAL OWNERSHIP OF SPACE IN THE BAY OF THE PONTAL IN MUNICIPALITY OF ILHÉUS / BA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilson Batista da Silva

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This study is about the relationship between society and nature, considering the impact of the appropriation of space in the estuary of Pontal Bay -Ilhéus/BA. The time frame adopted begins with the 70s and extends until the year 2012. The research approach was qualitative, adopting quantitative techniques when necessary. The instruments of collection consisted of systematic observation and interview, plus documentary and bibliographic research. The analyzes showed evidence that the socio-spatial interventions in the Bay originate from the construction of the Port of Ilheus in the northern portion, from the growing, environmental degradation of river basins tributaries (rivers Cachoeira, Santana and Itacanoeira and from the process of occupation surrounding the Bay. These pressures have caused changes in the dynamics of estuarine circulation, leading to a state of beach progradation, intensifying the process of silting up of the Bay, propension to formation of mangroves and impaired water quality due to discharge of sewage.

Predicting the aquatic risk of realistic pesticide mixtures to species assemblages in Portuguese river basins.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Emília; Daam, Michiel A; Cerejeira, Maria José

2015-05-01

Although pesticide regulatory tools are mainly based on individual substances, aquatic ecosystems are usually exposed to multiple pesticides from their use on the variety of crops within the catchment of a river. This study estimated the impact of measured pesticide mixtures in surface waters from 2002 and 2008 within three important Portuguese river basins ('Mondego', 'Sado' and 'Tejo') on primary producers, arthropods and fish by toxic pressure calculation. Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), in combination with mixture toxicity models, were applied. Considering the differences in the responses of the taxonomic groups as well as in the pesticide exposures that these organisms experience, variable acute multi-substance potentially affected fractions (msPAFs) were obtained. The median msPAF for primary producers and arthropods in surface waters of all river basins exceeded 5%, the cut-off value used in the prospective SSD approach for deriving individual environmental quality standards. A ranking procedure identified various photosystem II inhibiting herbicides, with oxadiazon having the relatively largest toxic effects on primary producers, while the organophosphorus insecticides, chlorfenvinphos and chlorpyrifos, and the organochloride endosulfan had the largest effects on arthropods and fish, respectively. These results ensure compliance with European legislation with regard to ecological risk assessment and management of pesticides in surface waters. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A new species of Amaralia Fowler (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the Paraná-Paraguay River Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Friel, John P; Carvalho, Tiago P

2016-03-11

A new species of the banjo catfish genus Amaralia is described from the Paraná-Paraguay River Basin in central-western Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. Amaralia oviraptor is distinguished from its single and allopatric congener, Amaralia hypsiura, by the greater number of dorsal-fin rays (3 vs. 2); by the absence of lateral contact between middle and posterior nuchal plates (vs. middle and posterior nuchal plates contacting each other laterally); and by a longer cleithral process (17.4-19.5 % of SL, mean 18.2 % vs. 14.0-17.2 % of SL, mean=15.5 %). Comments on the peculiar oophagic diet of Amaralia and an extended diagnosis of the genus are provided.

Environmental and Sanitary Conditions of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro

Science.gov (United States)

Fistarol, Giovana O.; Coutinho, Felipe H.; Moreira, Ana Paula B.; Venas, Tainá; Cánovas, Alba; de Paula, Sérgio E. M.; Coutinho, Ricardo; de Moura, Rodrigo L.; Valentin, Jean Louis; Tenenbaum, Denise R.; Paranhos, Rodolfo; do Valle, Rogério de A. B.; Vicente, Ana Carolina P.; Amado Filho, Gilberto M.; Pereira, Renato Crespo; Kruger, Ricardo; Rezende, Carlos E.; Thompson, Cristiane C.; Salomon, Paulo S.; Thompson, Fabiano L.

2015-01-01

Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km2. In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of the current environmental and sanitary conditions of Guanabara Bay, a consequence of all these decades of impacts. We will focus on microbial communities, how they may affect higher trophic levels of the aquatic community and also human health. The anthropogenic impacts in the bay are flagged by heavy eutrophication and by the emergence of pathogenic microorganisms that are either carried by domestic and/or hospital waste (e.g., virus, KPC-producing bacteria, and fecal coliforms), or that proliferate in such conditions (e.g., vibrios). Antibiotic resistance genes are commonly found in metagenomes of Guanabara Bay planktonic microorganisms. Furthermore, eutrophication results in recurrent algal blooms, with signs of a shift toward flagellated, mixotrophic groups, including several potentially harmful species. A recent large-scale fish kill episode, and a long trend decrease in fish stocks also reflects the bay’s degraded water quality. Although pollution of Guanabara Bay is not a recent problem, the hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games propelled the government to launch a series of plans to restore the bay’s water quality. If all plans are fully implemented, the restoration of Guanabara Bay and its shores may be one of the best legacies of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. PMID:26635734

Extensive Chaetoceros curvisetus bloom in relation to water quality in Port Blair Bay, Andaman Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Begum, Mehmuna; Sahu, Biraja Kumar; Das, Apurba Kumar; Vinithkumar, Nambali Valsalan; Kirubagaran, Ramalingam

2015-05-01

Blooming of diatom species Chaetoceros curvisetus (Cleve, 1889) was observed in Junglighat Bay and Haddo Harbour of Port Blair Bay of Andaman and Nicobar Islands during June 2010. Physico-chemical parameters, nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton composition data collected from five stations during 2010 were classified as bloom area (BA) and non-bloom area (NBA) and compared. Elevated values of dissolved oxygen were recorded in the BA, and it significantly varied (p NBA. Among the nutrient parameters studied, nitrate concentration indicated significant variation in BA and NBA (p NBA, indicating its utilization. In Junglighat Bay, the C. curvisetus species constituted 93.4 and 69.2% composition of total phytoplankton population during day 1 and day 2, respectively. The bloom forming stations separated out from the non-bloom forming station in non-parametric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) ordinations; cluster analysis powered by SIMPROF test also grouped the stations as BA and NBA.

Carolina bays of the Savannah River Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schalles, J.F. (Creighton Univ., Omaha, NE (USA)); Sharitz, R.R.; Gibbons, J.W.; Leversee, G.J.; Knox, J.N. (Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA))

1989-01-01

Much of the research to date on the Carolina bays of the Savannah River Plant and elsewhere has focused on certain species or on environmental features. Different levels of detail exist for different groups of organisms and reflect the diverse interests of previous investigators. This report summarizes aspects of research to date and presents data from numerous studies. 70 refs., 14 figs., 12 tabs.

Trends and habitat associations of waterbirds using the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, San Francisco Bay, California

Science.gov (United States)

De La Cruz, Susan E. W.; Smith, Lacy M.; Moskal, Stacy M.; Strong, Cheryl; Krause, John; Wang, Yiwei; Takekawa, John Y.

2018-04-02

Executive SummaryThe aim of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project (hereinafter “Project”) is to restore 50–90 percent of former salt evaporation ponds to tidal marsh in San Francisco Bay (SFB). However, hundreds of thousands of waterbirds use these ponds over winter and during fall and spring migration. To ensure that existing waterbird populations are supported while tidal marsh is restored in the Project area, managers plan to enhance the habitat suitability of ponds by adding islands and berms to change pond topography, manipulating water salinity and depth, and selecting appropriate ponds to maintain for birds. To help inform these actions, we used 13 years of monthly (October–April) bird abundance data from Project ponds to (1) assess trends in waterbird abundance since the inception of the Project, and (2) evaluate which pond habitat characteristics were associated with highest abundances of different avian guilds and species. For comparison, we also evaluated waterbird abundance trends in active salt production ponds using 10 years of monthly survey data.We assessed bird guild and species abundance trends through time, and created separate trend curves for Project and salt production ponds using data from every pond that was counted in a year. We divided abundance data into three seasons—fall (October–November), winter (December–February), and spring (March–April). We used the resulting curves to assess which periods had the highest bird abundance and to identify increasing or decreasing trends for each guild and species.

[Benthic flora and reproduction of Batophora spp. algae (Chlorophyta: Dasycladaceae) in a polluted coastal lagoon (Chetumal Bay, Mexico)].

Science.gov (United States)

Quan-Young, L I; Jiménez-Flores, S G; Espinoza-Avalos, J

2006-06-01

The benthic flora, and the vegetative and reproductive characters of the algae Batophora oerstedii and B. occidentalis (Chlorophyta) were recorded from five sites of Chetumal Bay, Quintana Roo, Mexico. A sewage gradient has been reported along those sites. Plants were sampled in May and October 1999, which corresponded to dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Forty taxa were found, 11 are new records for the Chetumal Bay, and 6 are new records for the Mexican Caribbean. Enteromorpha species were present in sites known as rich in organic matter (both from anthropogenic and natural sources). Batophora spp. is the dominant algae in all Chetumal Bay. However, it was absent next to sewage outfalls. The morphological characters of B. oerstedii and B. occidentalis did not change significantly along the sites reported as polluted. The length and width of gametophores, as well as the diameter of the gametangia were clearly different for both species. Different reproductive strategies may help B. oerstedii and B. occidentalis to closely coexist in the Chetumal Bay.

77 FR 2972 - Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-20

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.; Notice of Application for Transfer of Licenses, and Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene Thunder Bay Power Company Project No. 2404-095 Thunder Bay Power, LLC Midwest Hydro, Inc...

Microbial biogeography of San Francisco Bay sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J. A.; Francis, C. A.

2014-12-01

The largest estuary on the west coast of North America, San Francisco Bay is an ecosystem of enormous biodiversity, and also enormous human impact. The benthos has experienced dredging, occupation by invasive species, and over a century of sediment input as a result of hydraulic mining. Although the Bay's great cultural and ecological importance has inspired numerous surveys of the benthic macrofauna, to date there has been almost no investigation of the microbial communities on the Bay floor. An understanding of those microbial communities would contribute significantly to our understanding of both the biogeochemical processes (which are driven by the microbiota) and the physical processes (which contribute to microbial distributions) in the Bay. Here, we present the first broad survey of bacterial and archaeal taxa in the sediments of the San Francisco Bay. We conducted 16S rRNA community sequencing of bacteria and archaea in sediment samples taken bimonthly for one year, from five sites spanning the salinity gradient between Suisun and Central Bay, in order to capture the effect of both spatial and temporal environmental variation on microbial diversity. From the same samples we also conducted deep sequencing of a nitrogen-cycling functional gene, nirS, allowing an assessment of evolutionary diversity at a much finer taxonomic scale within an important and widespread functional group of bacteria. We paired these sequencing projects with extensive geochemical metadata as well as information about macrofaunal distribution. Our data reveal a diversity of distinct biogeographical patterns among different taxa: clades ubiquitous across sites; clades that respond to measurable environmental drivers; and clades that show geographical site-specificity. These community datasets allow us to test the hypothesis that salinity is a major driver of both overall microbial community structure and community structure of the denitrifying bacteria specifically; and to assess

Population genetic analyses are consistent with the introduction of Ceramium secundatum (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta) to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Meghann R; Saunders, Gary W

2015-11-01

During ongoing DNA barcode (COI-5P) surveys of the macroalgal flora along the northwest Atlantic coast, we discovered a population of Ceramium secundatum in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA. This species is regarded as common and widespread in the northeast Atlantic, ranging from Norway to Morocco, but until now has not been reported from the western Atlantic. Several lines of evidence suggest that C. secundatum may be introduced to Narragansett Bay: (1) despite extensive collecting, specimens have only been obtained from a limited geographic range in the northwest Atlantic; (2) three other nonindigenous seaweed species are reportedly introduced in this region, which is thought to be a consequence of shipping; and (3) this species is introduced to South Africa and New Zealand. To investigate this suspected introduction, we applied population genetic analyses (using the cox2-3 spacer) to compare the Narragansett Bay C. secundatum population to native populations in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Collectively, analyses of biogeographical and molecular data indicate that C. secundatum is likely introduced to Narragansett Bay. The implications of this discovery are discussed.

A method for examining the geospatial distribution of CO2 storage resources applied to the Pre-Punta Gorda Composite and Dollar Bay reservoirs of the South Florida Basin, U.S.A

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts-Ashby, Tina; Brandon N. Ashby,

2016-01-01

This paper demonstrates geospatial modification of the USGS methodology for assessing geologic CO2 storage resources, and was applied to the Pre-Punta Gorda Composite and Dollar Bay reservoirs of the South Florida Basin. The study provides detailed evaluation of porous intervals within these reservoirs and utilizes GIS to evaluate the potential spatial distribution of reservoir parameters and volume of CO2 that can be stored. This study also shows that incorporating spatial variation of parameters using detailed and robust datasets may improve estimates of storage resources when compared to applying uniform values across the study area derived from small datasets, like many assessment methodologies. Geospatially derived estimates of storage resources presented here (Pre-Punta Gorda Composite = 105,570 MtCO2; Dollar Bay = 24,760 MtCO2) were greater than previous assessments, which was largely attributed to the fact that detailed evaluation of these reservoirs resulted in higher estimates of porosity and net-porous thickness, and areas of high porosity and thick net-porous intervals were incorporated into the model, likely increasing the calculated volume of storage space available for CO2 sequestration. The geospatial method for evaluating CO2 storage resources also provides the ability to identify areas that potentially contain higher volumes of storage resources, as well as areas that might be less favorable.

The experimental studies of influence of hydrogen sulfide on species of eelgrass (Zostera japonica and Zostera marina) in Padilla Bay, coastal waters of southeast Alaska conducted from 2013-06-01 to 2013-09-30 (NCEI Accession 0137907)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Two species of eelgrass can be found in Padilla Bay, Washington (Zostera japonica and Zostera marina) and act as a bioindicators of ecosystem health. Many factors...

Goddard DEVELOP Students: Using NASA Remote Sensing Technology to Study the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Rachel

2011-01-01

The DEVELOP National Program is an Earth Science research internship, operating under NASA s Applied Sciences Program. Each spring, summer, and fall, DEVELOP interns form teams to investigate Earth Science related issues. Since the Fall of 2003, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been home to one of 10 national DEVELOP teams. In past terms, students completed a variety of projects related to the Applied Sciences Applications of National Priority, such as Public Health, Natural Disasters, Water Resources, and Ecological Forecasting. These projects have focused on areas all over the world, including the United States, Africa, and Asia. Recently, Goddard DEVELOP students have turned their attention to a local environment, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed is a complex and diverse ecosystem, spanning approximately 64,000 square miles. The watershed encompasses parts of six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. The Bay itself is the biggest estuary in the United States, with over 100,000 tributaries feeding into it. The ratio of fresh water to salt water varies throughout the Bay, allowing for a variety of habitats. The Bay s wetlands, marshes, forests, reefs, and rivers support more than 3,600 plant and animal species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and crabs. The Bay is also commercially significant. It is ranked third in the nation in fishery catch, and supplies approximately 500 million pounds of seafood annually. In addition to its abundant flora and fauna, the Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to approximately 16.6 million people, who live and work throughout the watershed, and who use its diverse resources for recreational purposes. Over the past several decades, the population throughout the watershed has increased rapidly, resulting in land use changes, and ultimately decreasing the health of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Over the

Comparative study on gill morphology of gastropods from Moreton Bay, Queensland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eertman, R.H.M.

1996-01-01

This paper reports the gill morphology of seven common gastropods from Moreton Bay, southeastern Queensland, to test the level of difference in gill structure between major taxa. The investigated species include representatives of the clades Patellogastropoda, Neritimorpha and Vetigastropda as well

A new species of Tometes Valenciennes 1850 (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae from Tocantins-Araguaia River Basin based on integrative analysis of molecular and morphological data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo C Andrade

Full Text Available A new large serrasalmid species of Tometes is described from the Tocantins-Araguaia River Basin. Tometes siderocarajensis sp. nov. is currently found in the rapids of the Itacaiúnas River Basin, and formerly inhabited the lower Tocantins River. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners, except from T. ancylorhynchus, by the presence of lateral space between 1st and 2nd premaxillary teeth, and by the absence of lateral cusps in these two teeth. However, T. siderocarajensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from syntopic congener T. ancylorhynchus by an entirely black with mottled red body in live specimens, densely pigmented pelvic fins with a high concentration of dark chromatophores, and the presence of 39 to 41 rows of circumpeduncular scales (vs. silvery body coloration with slightly reddish overtones on middle flank during breeding period in live specimens, hyaline to slightly pale coloration on distalmost region of pelvic fins, and 30 to 36 rows of circumpeduncular scales. Additionally, molecular sequence shows that T. siderocarajensis sp. nov. is reciprocally monophyletic, and diagnosable from all congeners by having two autapomorphic molecular characters in the mitochondrial gene COI. The phylogenetic reconstruction still show that T. siderocarajensis sp. nov. is closely related to T. trilobatus. This is the first molecular study using an integrative taxonomic approach based on morphological and molecular sequence data for all described species of Tometes. These findings increase the number of formally described species of Tometes to seven. A key to the Tometes species is provided.

Wind-induced circulation in a large tropical lagoon: Chetumal Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Palacios, E.; Carrillo, L.

2013-05-01

Chetumal Bay is a large tropical lagoon located at the Mesoamerican Reef System. Windinduced circulation in this basin was investigated by using direct measurements of current, sea level, and 2d barotropic numerical model. Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP) transects covering the north of Chetumal Bay during two campaigns September 2006 and March 2007 were used. The 2d barotropic numerical model was ROMs based and wind forced. Wind information was obtained from a meteorological station located at ECOSUR Chetumal. Sea level data was collected from a pressure sensor deployed in the lagoon. A seasonal pattern of circulation was observed. From observations, during September 2006, a northward flow was shown in most part of the bay and a southward flow in the eastern coast was observed with velocities ranged from 6 cm s-1 to 36 cm s-1. In March 2007, the current pattern was more complex; divergences and converges were identified. The dominant circulation was northward in eastern portion, and southward in the central and western zone. The average current speed was 6 cm s-1 with maximum values of 26 -34 cm s-1. During September 2006 predominant wind was easternsoutheastern and during March 2007, northerly wind events were recorded. Sea level amplitude responded quickly to changes in the magnitude and direction of the wind. Results of sea level and circulation from the 2d barotropic numerical model agreed with observations at first approximation.

33 CFR 162.125 - Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Wisc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Wisc. 162.125 Section 162.125 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY INLAND WATERWAYS NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.125 Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship...

Alien invasive species and biological pollution of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem[Great Lakes Water Quality Board : Report to the International Joint Commission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-05-01

The displacement of important native species in the Great Lakes is a result of an invasion by a succession of non indigenous aquatic species. These invasion also resulted in interference with the proper human water uses and cost billions of dollars. The problem was considered serious enough that the International Joint Commission asked the Great Lakes Water Quality Board in 1999 to review the regulations in place and make recommendations, if necessary, for the implementation of additional measures that could be considered to keep control over the introduction of alien invasive species. Escapes from aquaria, aquaculture, research and educational facilities, canal and diversion water flows, and release of live bait are all sources of this invasion. The effectiveness of alternative technologies to control the invasion was to be examined by the Board. Other efforts taking place to address the situation in the basin are being complemented by the publication of this report. It is considered that the most important source of alien invasive species (AIS) to the Great Lakes is the discharge of ballast water from shipping vessels coming from outside the United States and Canada. A major concern is the role played by vessels reporting no ballast on board (NOBOB) upon entering the basin. A number of recommendations were made concerning: (1) implementation and enforcement of the ballast water discharge standards agreed upon by both countries, (2) the evaluation of the effectiveness of alternative technologies to achieve ballast water discharge standards over the long term, combined with the use of chemical treatment while the evaluation is being performed, (3) the implementation of optimal management practices to control sediments in shipping vessels, (4) modifications to the design of shipping vessels, and (5) the monitoring and contingency plans in the event of a repeat scenario in the future. Composed of an equal number representatives from the United States and Canada, at

Trichodinids (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) of Mugil platanus (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) and Micropogonias furnieri (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, with the description of a new species.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcotegui, Paula S; Martorelli, Sergio R

2009-09-01

During surveys of parasites of the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest) and the mullet Mugil platanus Günther from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, Trichodina puytoraci, T. lepsii, T. jadranica, T. murmanica, Diparitella simplex and Trichodina scalensis sp. n. were morphologically studied. Taxonomic and morphometric data for these trichodinids based on dry silver nitrate-impregnated specimens are presented. This study is the first formal report of these trichodinids from the southwest Atlantic Ocean, and the description of a new species from M. platanus.

Revision of the Astyanax orthodus species-group (Teleostei: Characidae with descriptions of three new species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel I. Riuz-C

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Astyanax orthodus species-group includes nine species: Astyanax boliviensis sp. nov., A. bopiensis nom. nov., A. embera sp. nov., A. gandhiae sp. nov., A. moorii comb. nov., A. orthodus, A. superbus, A. villwocki and A. yariguies comb. nov. The group is diagnosed by the presence of a series of pinnate-shaped marks (chevrons located along the lateral midline, which extends from the humeral region to the caudal peduncle. Astyanax bopiensis nom. nov. is proposed as a substitute name for Astyanacinus multidens, which, along with Astyanax yariguies comb. nov., we reassign to Astyanax.We also propose the synonymy of Astyanacinus with Astyanax. The members of the A. orthodus species-group are distributed in northwestern South America, occurring in the Patia River drainage (A. embera sp. nov. of the Pacific coast of Colombia, the Atrato River Basin (A. orthodus, the Magdalena River Basin (A. yariguies comb. nov. of Caribbean Colombia, streams of the southern flank of the Andes of the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela (A. superbus, in the upper Amazon River Basin of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru (A. villwocki, A. gandhiae sp. nov., from the upper Paraguay River (A. moorii comb. nov., the Madidi and Mamore Rivers, Bolivia (A. boliviensis sp. nov. and A. bopiensis nom. nov.. All species currently included in Astyanacinus are reassigned to the Astyanax orthodus species-group.

Bird surveys at McKinley Bay and Hutchison Bay, Northwest Territories, in 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cornish, B J; Dickson, D L; Dickson, H L

1992-03-01

McKinley Bay is a shallow protected bay along the eastern Beaufort Sea coast which provides an important habitat for diving ducks. Since 1979, the bay has been the site of a winter harbor and support base for oil and gas exploraton in the Beaufort Sea. Aerial surveys for bird abundance and distribution were conducted in August 1991 as a continuation of long-term monitoring of birds in McKinley Bay and Hutchison Bay, a nearby area used as a control. The main objectives of the 1991 surveys were to expand the set of baseline data on natural annual fluctuations in diving duck numbers, and to determine if numbers of diving ducks had changed since the initial 1981-85 surveys. On the day with the best survey conditions, the population of diving ducks at McKinley bay was estimated at ca 32,000, significantly more than 1981-85. At Hutchison Bay, there were an estimated 11,000 ducks. As in previous years, large numbers of diving ducks were observed off Atkinson Point at the northwest corner of McKinley Bay, at the south end of the bay, and in the northeast corner near a long spit. Most divers in Hutchison Bay were at the west side. Diving ducks, primarily Oldsquaw and scoter, were the most abundant bird group in the study area. Observed distribution patterns of birds are discussed with reference to habitat preferences. 16 refs., 7 figs., 30 tabs.

Pb’s high sedimentation inside the bay mouth of Jiaozhou Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dongfang; Miao, Zhenqing; Huang, Xinmin; Wei, Linzhen; Feng, Ming

2017-12-01

Sedimentation is one of the key environmental behaviors of pollutants in the ocean. This paper analyzed the seasonal and temporal variations of Pb’s sedimentation process in Jiaozhou Bay in 1987. Results showed that Pb contents in bottom waters in Jiaozhou Bay in May, July and November 1987 were 1.87-2.60 μg L-1, 15.11-19.68 μg L-1 and 11.08-15.18 μg L-1, and the pollution levels of Pb in May, July and November 1987 were slight, heavy and heavy, respectively. In May 1987, there was low sedimentation process in waters in the outside of the bay mouth, yet were high sedimentation process in waters in the middle and inside of the bay mouth. In July and November 1987, there was low sedimentation process in waters in the outside of the bay mouth, yet were high sedimentation process in waters in the inside of the bay mouth. The seasonal-temporal variation of sedimentation processes of Pb were determined by the variations of sources input and the vertical water’s effect.

Role of climate and invasive species in structuring trout distributions in the interior Columbia River Basin, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Wenger, Seth J.; Isaak, Daniel J.; Dunham, Jason B.; Fausch, Kurt D.; Luce, Charles H.; Neville, Helen M.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Young, Michael K.; Nagel, David E.; Horan, Dona L.; Chandler, Gwynne L.

2011-01-01

Recent and projected climate warming trends have prompted interest in impacts on coldwater fishes. We examined the role of climate (temperature and flow regime) relative to geomorphology and land use in determining the observed distributions of three trout species in the interior Columbia River Basin, USA. We considered two native species, cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) and bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), as well as nonnative brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). We also examined the response of the native species to the presence of brook trout. Analyses were conducted using multilevel logistic regression applied to a geographically broad database of 4165 fish surveys. The results indicated that bull trout distributions were strongly related to climatic factors, and more weakly related to the presence of brook trout and geomorphic variables. Cutthroat trout distributions were weakly related to climate but strongly related to the presence of brook trout. Brook trout distributions were related to both climate and geomorphic variables, including proximity to unconfined valley bottoms. We conclude that brook trout and bull trout are likely to be adversely affected by climate warming, whereas cutthroat trout may be less sensitive. The results illustrate the importance of considering species interactions and flow regime alongside temperature in understanding climate effects on fish.

Risk assessment of K basin twelve-inch drain valve failure from a postulated seismic initiating event

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MORGAN, R.G.

1999-01-01

The Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project will transfer metallic SNF from the Hanford 105 K-East and 105 K-West Basins to safe interim storage in the Canister Storage Building in the 200 Area. The initial basis for design, fabrication, installation, and operation of the fuel removal systems was that the basin leak rates which could result from a postulated accident condition would not be excessive relative to reasonable recovery operations. However, an additional potential K Basin water leak path is through the K Basin drain valves. Three twelve-inch drain valves are located in the main basin bays along the north wall. The sumps containing the valves are filled with concrete which covers the drain valve body. Visual observations suggest that only the valve's bonnet and stem are exposed above the basin concrete floor. It was recognized, however, that damage of the drain valve bonnet or stem during a seismic initiating event could provide a potential K Basin water leak path. The objectives of this activity are to: (1) evaluate the risk of damaging the three twelve-inch drain valves located along the north wall of the main basin from a seismic initiating event, and (2) determine the associated potential leak rate from a damaged valve

Risk assessment of K basin twelve-inch drain valve failure from a postulated seismic initiating event

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MORGAN, R.G.

1999-04-06

The Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project will transfer metallic SNF from the Hanford 105 K-East and 105 K-West Basins to safe interim storage in the Canister Storage Building in the 200 Area. The initial basis for design, fabrication, installation, and operation of the fuel removal systems was that the basin leak rates which could result from a postulated accident condition would not be excessive relative to reasonable recovery operations. However, an additional potential K Basin water leak path is through the K Basin drain valves. Three twelve-inch drain valves are located in the main basin bays along the north wall. The sumps containing the valves are filled with concrete which covers the drain valve body. Visual observations suggest that only the valve's bonnet and stem are exposed above the basin concrete floor. It was recognized, however, that damage of the drain valve bonnet or stem during a seismic initiating event could provide a potential K Basin water leak path. The objectives of this activity are to: (1) evaluate the risk of damaging the three twelve-inch drain valves located along the north wall of the main basin from a seismic initiating event, and (2) determine the associated potential leak rate from a damaged valve.

Dynamical significance of tides over the Bay of Bengal

Science.gov (United States)

Bhagawati, Chirantan; Pandey, Suchita; Dandapat, Sumit; Chakraborty, Arun

2018-06-01

Tides play a significant role in the ocean surface circulations and vertical mixing thereby influencing the Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) as well. This, in turn, plays an important role in the global circulation when used as a lower boundary condition in a global atmospheric general circulation model. Therefore in the present study, the dynamics of tides over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is investigated through numerical simulations using a high resolution (1/12°) Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Based on statistical analysis it is observed that incorporation of explicit tidal forcing improves the model performance in simulating the basin averaged monthly surface circulation features by 64% compared to the simulation without tides. The model simulates also Mixed Layer Depth (MLD) and SST realistically. The energy exchange between tidal oscillations and eddies leads to redistribution of surface kinetic energy density with a net decrease of 0.012 J m-3 in the western Bay and a net increase of 0.007 J m-3 in the eastern Bay. The tidal forcing also affects the potential energy anomaly and vertical mixing thereby leading to a fall in monthly MLD over the BoB. The mixing due to tides leads to a subsequent reduction in monthly SST and a corresponding reduction in surface heat exchange. These results from the numerical simulation using ROMS reveal that tides have a significant influence over the air-sea heat exchange which is the most important parameter for prediction of Tropical Cyclone frequency and its future variability over the BoB.

Estimation of environmental capacity of phosphorus in Gorgan Bay, Iran, via a 3D ecological-hydrodynamic model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjbar, Mohammad Hassan; Hadjizadeh Zaker, Nasser

2016-11-01

Gorgan Bay is a semi-enclosed basin located in the southeast of the Caspian Sea in Iran and is an important marine habitat for fish and seabirds. In the present study, the environmental capacity of phosphorus in Gorgan Bay was estimated using a 3D ecological-hydrodynamic numerical model and a linear programming model. The distribution of phosphorus, simulated by the numerical model, was used as an index for the occurrence of eutrophication and to determine the water quality response field of each of the pollution sources. The linear programming model was used to calculate and allocate the total maximum allowable loads of phosphorus to each of the pollution sources in a way that eutrophication be prevented and at the same time maximum environmental capacity be achieved. In addition, the effect of an artificial inlet on the environmental capacity of the bay was investigated. Observations of surface currents in Gorgan Bay were made by GPS-tracked surface drifters to provide data for calibration and verification of numerical modeling. Drifters were deployed at five different points across the bay over a period of 5 days. The results indicated that the annual environmental capacity of phosphorus is approximately 141 t if a concentration of 0.0477 mg/l for phosphorus is set as the water quality criterion. Creating an artificial inlet with a width of 1 km in the western part of the bay would result in a threefold increase in the environmental capacity of the study area.

Consortial brown tide − picocyanobacteria blooms in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Nathan S; Litaker, R. Wayne; Kenworthy, W. Judson; Vandersea, Mark W.; Sunda, William G.; Reid, James P.; Slone, Daniel H.; Butler, Susan M.

2018-01-01

A brown tide bloom of Aureoumbra lagunensis developed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during a period of drought in 2013 that followed heavy winds and rainfall from Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Based on satellite images and water turbidity measurements, the bloom appeared to initiate in January 2013. The causative species (A. lagunensis) was confirmed by microscopic observation, and pigment and genetic analyses of bloom samples collected on May 28 of that year. During that time, A. lagunensis reached concentrations of 900,000 cells ml−1 (28 ppm by biovolume) in the middle portion of the Bay. Samples could not be collected from the northern (Cuban) half of the Bay because of political considerations. Subsequent sampling of the southern half of the Bay in November 2013, April 2014, and October 2014 showed persistent lower concentrations of A. lagunensis, with dominance shifting to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus (up to 33 ppm in April), an algal group that comprised a minor bloom component on May 28. Thus, unlike the brown tide bloom in Laguna Madre, which lasted 8 years, the bloom in Guantánamo Bay was short-lived, much like recent blooms in the Indian River, Florida. Although hypersaline conditions have been linked to brown tide development in the lagoons of Texas and Florida, observed euhaline conditions in Guantánamo Bay (salinity 35–36) indicate that strong hypersalinity is not a requirement for A. lagunensis bloom formation. Microzooplankton biomass dominated by ciliates was high during the observed peak of the brown tide, and ciliate abundance was high compared to other systems not impacted by brown tide. Preferential grazing by zooplankton on non-brown tide species, as shown in A. lagunensis blooms in Texas and Florida, may have been a factor in the development of the Cuban brown tide bloom. However, subsequent selection of microzooplankton capable of utilizing A. lagunensis as a primary food source may have contributed to the

Fluvial fluxes from the Magdalena River into Cartagena Bay, Caribbean Colombia: Trends, future scenarios, and connections with upstream human impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Restrepo, Juan D.; Escobar, Rogger; Tosic, Marko

2018-02-01

Fluxes of continental runoff and sediments as well as downstream deposition of eroded soils have severely altered the structure and function of fluvial and deltaic-estuarine ecosystems. The Magdalena River, the main contributor of continental fluxes into the Caribbean Sea, delivers important amounts of water and sediments into Cartagena Bay, a major estuarine system in northern Colombia. Until now, trends in fluvial fluxes into the bay, as well as the relationship between these tendencies in fluvial inputs and associated upstream changes in the Magdalena catchment, have not been studied. Here we explore the interannual trends of water discharge and sediment load flowing from the Magdalena River-Canal del Dique system into Cartagena Bay during the last three decades, forecast future scenarios of fluxes into the bay, and discuss possible connections between observed trends in fluvial inputs and trends in human intervention in the Magdalena River basin. Significant upward trends in annual runoff and sediment load during the mid-1980s, 1990s, and post-2000 are observed in the Magdalena and in the Canal del Dique flowing into Cartagena Bay. During the last decade, Magdalena streamflow and sediment load experienced increases of 24% and 33%, respectively, compared to the pre-2000 year period. Meanwhile, the Canal del Dique witnessed increases in water discharge and sediment load of 28% and 48%, respectively. During 26 y of monitoring, the Canal del Dique has discharged 177 Mt of sediment to the coastal zone, of which 52 Mt was discharged into Cartagena Bay. Currently, the Canal drains 6.5% and transports 5.1% of the Magdalena water discharge and sediment load. By 2020, water discharge and sediment flux from the Canal del Dique flowing to the coastal zone will witness increments of 164% and 260%, respectively. Consequently, sediment fluxes into Cartagena Bay will witness increments as high as 8.2 Mt y- 1 or 317%. Further analyses of upstream sediment load series for 21

The Holocene History of Nares Strait: Transition from Glacial Bay to Arctic-Atlantic Throughflow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jennings, Anne; Sheldon, Christina; Cronin, Thomas

2011-01-01

. As low-salinity, nutrient-rich Arctic Water began to enter Baffin Bay, it contributed to the Baffin and Labrador currents flowing southward. This enhanced freshwater inflow must have influenced the sea ice regime and likely is responsible for poor calcium carbonate preservation that characterizes...... retreat. A transitional unit with high ice-rafted debris content records the opening of Nares Strait at approximately 9,000 cal BP. High productivity in Hall Basin between 9,000 and 6,000 cal BP reflects reduced sea ice cover and duration as well as throughflow of nutrient-rich Pacific Water. The later......Retreat of glacier ice from Nares Strait and other straits in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago after the end of the last Ice Age initiated an important connection between the Arctic and the North Atlantic Oceans, allowing development of modern ocean circulation in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea...

A new unicuspid-toothed species of HypostomusLacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Paraguai basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio H. Zawadzki

Full Text Available A new unicuspid-toothed armored catfish species of Hypostomus is described from the Bodoquena Plateau, rio Paraguai basin, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from its congeners, with exception of H. fonchii, by having unicuspid teeth (vs.bicuspid teeth; from H. fonchii it is distinguished by having median series of lateral plates with 26-27 (vs. 28; by lower number of premaxillary and dentary teeth (7-10 vs. 18-21; 8-13 vs. 18-25, respectively; for possessing more depressed head (head depth 15.8-18.1% SL vs. 19.1-22.0% SL; and by the presence of median buccal papilla (vs. absence.

Assessments of urban growth in the Tampa Bay watershed using remote sensing data

Science.gov (United States)

Xian, G.; Crane, M.

2005-01-01

Urban development has expanded rapidly in the Tampa Bay area of west-central Florida over the past century. A major effect associated with this population trend is transformation of the landscape from natural cover types to increasingly impervious urban land. This research utilizes an innovative approach for mapping urban extent and its changes through determining impervious surfaces from Landsat satellite remote sensing data. By 2002, areas with subpixel impervious surface greater than 10% accounted for approximately 1800 km2, or 27 percent of the total watershed area. The impervious surface area increases approximately three-fold from 1991 to 2002. The resulting imperviousness data are used with a defined suite of geospatial data sets to simulate historical urban development and predict future urban and suburban extent, density, and growth patterns using SLEUTH model. Also examined is the increasingly important influence that urbanization and its associated imperviousness extent have on the individual drainage basins of the Tampa Bay watershed.

Seafloor spreading magnetic anomalies in the Enderby Basin, East Antarctic

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramana, M.V.; Ramprasad, T.; Desa, M.

evolution of the Indian Ocean and the pa- laeoposition of the continents surrounding this ocean basin. However, the early evolution of the northeastern Indian Ocean remained poorly con- strained due to inadequate geophysical data and lack of age information... (supposed to be a con- jugate of the Bay of Bengal). Some of the earlier workers [21,23,24,33,34] expressed that the sea- £oor spreading in the south Atlantic and between India and Antarctica appears to have been de- Fig. 1. Reconstruction of India...

Some like it hot - Calanus in Disko Bay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Torkel Gissel; Jung-Madsen, Signe; Møller, Eva Friis

The ongoing temperature increase in the Arctic affects the succession patterns in the marine pelagic ecosystem. Reduction and earlier breakup of sea ice changes the initiation of the spring bloom. Along the Greenland coast three species of Calanus dominate the zooplankton; C. hyperboreus, C....... glacialis and C. finmarchicus. C. hyperboreus and C. glacialis are large lipid rich Arctic species, whereas C. finmarchicus is a smaller North Atlantic species. During the last two decades we have investigated the Calanus community in the Disko Bay, western Greenland. Calanus are impacted...... by the environmental changes, directly through their physiological rates as egg production, development, growth, and metabolic cost and indirectly via the environment through changes in ice cover, salinity, and food availability. The Calanus species have different lifecycles and show different responses to increasing...

Comparative status and assessment of Limulus polyphemus with emphasis on the New England and Delaware Bay populations

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David; Millard, Michael J.; Carmichael, Ruth H.

2009-01-01

Increases in harvest of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) during the 1990s, particularly for whelk bait, coupled with decreases in species that depend on their eggs has reduced horseshoe crab abundance, threatened their ecological relationships, and dictated precautionary management of the horseshoe crab resource. Accordingly, population assessments and monitoring programs have been developed throughout much of the horseshoe crab’s range. We review and discuss implications for several recent assessments of Delaware Bay and New England populations and a meta-analysis of region-specific trends. These assessments show that the western Atlantic distribution of the horseshoe crab is comprised of regional or estuarine-specific meta-populations, which exhibit distinct population dynamics and require management as separate units. Modeling of Delaware Bay and Cape Cod populations confirmed that overharvest caused declines, but indicated that some harvest levels are sustainable and consistent with population growth. Coast-wide harvest was reduced by 70% from 1998 to 2006, with the greatest reductions within Delaware Bay states. Harvest regulations in Delaware Bay starting in the late 1990s, such as harvest quotas, seasonal closures, male-only harvest, voluntary use of bait-saving devices, and establishment of the Carl N. Shuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve, were followed by stabilization and recent evidence of increase in abundance of horseshoe crabs in the region. However, decreased harvest of the Delaware Bay population has redirected harvest to outlying populations, particularly in New York and New England. While the recent Delaware Bay assessments indicate positive population growth, increased harvest elsewhere is believed to be unsustainable. Two important considerations for future assessments include (1) managing Delaware Bay horseshoe crab populations within a multi-species context, for example, to help support migratory shorebirds and (2

Assessing the Fauna Diversity of Marudu Bay Mangrove Forest, Sabah, Malaysia, for Future Conservation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Zakaria

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Mangrove is an evergreen, salt tolerant plant community, which grows in inter-tidal coastal zones of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are ecologically important for many fauna species and are rich in food resources and consist of many different vegetation structures. They serve as ideal foraging and nursery grounds for a wide array of species such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes and aquatic invertebrates. In spite of their crucial role, around 50% of mangrove habitats have been lost and degraded in the past two decades. The fauna diversity of mangrove habitat at Marudu Bay, Sabah, East Malaysia was examined using various methods: i.e. aquatic invertebrates by swap nets, fish by angling rods and cast nets, reptiles, birds, and mammals through direct sighting. The result showed that Marudu Bay mangrove habitats harbored a diversity of fauna species including 22 aquatic invertebrate species (encompassing 11 crustacean species, six mollusk species and four worm species, 36 fish species, 74 bird species, four reptile species, and four mammal species. The wide array of fauna species could be due to the availability of complex vegetation structures, sheltered beaches and tidal mudflats, which are rich in food resources and also offer safe foraging and breeding grounds for them. These heterogeneous habitats must be protected in a sustainable way in order to ensure the continued presence of aquatic and terrestrial fauna species for future generations.

An endangered new species of seasonal killifish of the genus Austrolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Aplocheiloidei) from the Bermejo river basin in the Western Chacoan Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, Felipe; Terán, Guillermo Enrique; Calviño, Pablo; García, Ignacio; Cardoso, Yamila; García, Graciela

2018-01-01

Austrolebias wichi, new species, is herein described from seasonal ponds of the Bermejo river basin in the Western Chacoan district in northwestern Argentina. This species was found in a single pond, a paleochannel of the Bermejo River, which is seriously disturbed by soybean plantations surrounding it. Despite intensive sampling in the area, this species was only registered in this pond where it was relatively scarce. Therefore, we consider this species as critically endangered. This species is the sister species of A. patriciae in our phylogenetic analyses and is similar, in a general external aspect, to A. varzeae and A. carvalhoi. It can be distinguished among the species of Austrolebias by its unique color pattern in males. Additionally, from A. varzeae by presenting a supraorbital band equal or longer than the infraorbital band (vs. shorter) and from A. patriciae by the convex dorsal profile of head (vs. concave). Further diagnostic characters and additional comments on its ecology and reproduction are provided.

Investigation of the biota of Burgas Bay, Black Sea

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D. Klisarova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Burgas Bay is the largest one on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Industrial plants along the coast as well as ports for liquid and solid cargoes create conditions of anthropogenic pressure on hydrobionts in that area. Macrozoobenthos and phytoplankton samples were collected under a specific scheme in connection with the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, at stations located around the designated places for unloading tankers. During the study period (2009 – 2010, 88 phytoplankton species distributed in 13 classes were identified and over 50 species of benthic species distributed in four main groups: Polychaeta, Mollusca, Crustacea and the mixed group Diversa

Distribution of calanoid copepods in the Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Stephen, R.

The distribution of calanoid copepods from the northern Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal is discussed in relation to thermocline. The inshore offshore zonation of a neritic, shelf an oceanic communities was traced based on the species composition...

A new species of Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes, Characidae from the upper Guaviare River, Orinoco River Basin, Colombia

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Carlos A. García-Alzate

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Hyphessobrycon klausanni sp. n. is described from small drainages of the upper Guaviare River (Orinoco River Basin in Colombia. It differs from all congeners by having a wide, conspicuous, dark lateral stripe extending from the anterior margin of the eye across the body and continued through the middle caudal-fin rays, and that covers (vertically three or four horizontal scale rows. It also differs by having an orange-yellow stripe extending from the anterosuperior margin of the eye to the caudal peduncle above the lateral line in life. It differs from all other species of Hyphessobrycon that have a similar dark lateral stripe: H. cyanotaenia, H. loretoensis, H. melanostichos, H. nigricinctus, H. herbertaxelrodi, H. eschwartzae, H. montogoi, H. psittacus, H. metae, H. margitae, H. vanzolinii, and H. peruvianus in having only three or four pored scales in the lateral line, 21 to 24 lateral scales and six teeth in the inner premaxillary row. Hyphessobrycon klausanni differs from H. loretoensis in having seven to eight maxillary teeth (vs. three to four and in having a longer caudal peduncle (12.4–17.0% SL vs. 4.6–8.0% SL. Additionally Hyphessobrycon klausanni can be distinguished from the other species of Hyphessobrycon with a dark lateral stripe from the Orinoco River Basin (H. metae and H. acaciae in having two teeth in the outer premaxillary row (vs. three to four and 10 branched pectoral–fin rays (vs. 11 to 12. It further differs from H. metae by the length of the snout (17.6–22.8% HL vs. 9.9–15.2% HL and by the length of the caudal peduncle (12.4–17.0% SL vs. 7.3–11.8% SL.

Bird surveys at Stokes Point and Philips Bay, Yukon in 1983. No. 40

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dickson, D L; Dickson, H L; Aiudi, G M

1988-01-01

The distribution, abundance, and habitat preferences of birds were studied at Stokes Point, Phillips Bay and King Point in the northern Yukon in 1983. These data were gathered to assist in decisions about future development of a port to support marine drilling activities in the Beaufort Sea. Nesting bird densities at Stokes Point were similar to those found elsewhere on the Yukon Coastal Plain due to the similarity in habitat. The lagoon at Stokes Point was locally important to molting ducks. Several species occurred in higher densities at Phillips Bay than elsewhere on the Plain, mainly due to the deltas and spits created by rivers flowing into the Bay. These deltas were locally important to such species as molting non-breeding tundra swans, Canada geese, and ducks. During ground surveys in June, habitat was classified into 13 types and the nesting density for each bird species calculated for each habitat type. Overall bird densities were more than 3 times higher in lowland than in upland habitats. Passerine densities and species were highest in the tall shrub type of habitat found primarily in stream and river valleys. The Yukon Coastal Plain is an important nesting area for the stilt sandpiper, which has a limited breeding range. The Plain is also nationally important for nesting long-billed dowitchers and yellow wagtails, both fairly common in the study area but with very limited breeding distribution within Canada. The Plain is also internationally important to fall staging snow geese. 38 refs., 17 figs., 35 tabs.

Tulare Lake Basin Hydrology and Hydrography: A Summary of the Movement of Water and Aquatic Species

Science.gov (United States)

Summary of the historic and current hydrology of the Tulare Lake Basin (Basin) describing past, present and potential future movement of water out of the Basin, and potential movement of bioiogical organisms and toxicants within and outside of the Basin.

Book review: Implementing the Endangered Species Act on the Platte Basin water commons

Science.gov (United States)

Sherfy, Mark H.

2014-01-01

The Platte River is a unique midcontinent ecosystem that is world-renowned for its natural resources, particularly the spectacular spring concentrations of migratory birds, such as sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis), ducks, and geese. The Platte River basin also provides habitat for four federally listed endangered or threatened species—interior least tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos), piping plover (Charadrius melodus), whooping crane (G. americana), and pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus)—that require specific hydrological conditions in order for habitat to be suitable. Flows on the Platte River are subject to regulation by a number of dams, and it is heavily relied upon for irrigation in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. Accordingly, it also has become a political battleground for the simple reason that the demand for water exceeds supply. David Freeman’s book takes a detailed look at water-use issues on the Platte River, focusing on how implementation of the Endangered Species Act influences decision-making about water allocations. 

Juvenile groundfish habitat in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, during late summer

Science.gov (United States)

Abookire, Alisa A.; Piatt, John F.; Norcross, Brenda L.

2001-01-01

We investigated the habitat of juvenile groundfishes in relation to depth, water temperature, and salinity in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Stations ranging in depth from 10 to 70 m and with sand or mud-sand substrates were sampled with a small-meshed beam trawl in August-September of 1994 to 1999. A total of 8,201 fishes were captured, comprising at least 52 species. Most fishes (91%) had a total length 5% of the total catch) were flathead sole Hippoglossoides elassodon, slim sculpin Radulinus asprellus, Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis, and arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias. Depth accounted for most of the spatial variability in juvenile groundfish abundance, and neither temperature nor salinity was correlated with fish abundance. Juvenile groundfishes concentrated in either shallow (less than or equal to 20 m) or deep (50-70 m) water, with co-occurrence of some species between 30-40 m. Shallow fishes were the rock soles, Pacific halibut, and great sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus. Deep species were flathead sole, slim sculpin, spinycheek starsnout Bathyagonus infraspinatus, rex sole Glyptocephalus zachirus, tadpole sculpin Psychrolutes paradoxus, and whitebarred prickleback Poroclinus rothrocki. This 6-year study provides baseline data on relative abundance and distribution of juvenile groundfishes in Kachemak Bay and may provide a useful tool for predicting the presence of species in similar habitats in other areas of Alaska.

Rapid Crustal Uplift at Birch Bay, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrod, B. L.; Kelsey, H. M.; Blakely, R. J.

2010-12-01

Geomorphology and coastal marsh stratigraphy suggest late Holocene uplift of the shoreline at Birch Bay, located northwest of Bellingham, Washington, during an earthquake on a shallow fault. LiDAR images show a raised, late Holocene shoreline along Birch Bay, with ~1 m of elevation difference between the modern shoreline and the inferred paleoshoreline. Commercial seismic reflection images reveal an anticline in Tertiary and possibly Quaternary deposits underlying Birch Bay. NW-trending magnetic anomalies are likely associated with the Birch Bay anticline and other nearby structures. Taken together, the geophysical data and lidar images suggest uplift of young deposits along a NW-trending blind reverse fault. Stratigraphy from Terrell Creek marsh, located just south of Birch Bay, shows freshwater peat buried by lower intertidal muds, indicating local submergence ~1300 yr BP. Stratigraphy of a 70-cm sediment core from Birch Bay marsh, sitting astride the anticline imaged with seismic reflection data, shows mud buried by detrital peat. One radiocarbon age from the core places the abrupt change from mud to peat prior to 1520-1700 yr BP. We divide fossil diatom assemblages straddling the mud-peat contact at Birch Bay into three zones. The oldest zone consists primarily of intertidal and marine diatoms, dominated by Paralia sulcata, Scoleoneis tumida, Grammataphora oceanica, and Gyrosigma balticum. An intermediate zone, beginning at the sharp contact between mud and overlying peat, consists of a mixture of brackish marsh and freshwater species, dominated by Diploneis interrupta, with lesser amounts of Aulacoseira sp., Pinnularia viridis, Eunotia pectinalis, and Paralia sulcata. A third and youngest zone lies in the upper half of the peat and is dominated by poorly preserved freshwater diatoms, mostly Aulacoseira cf. crassapuntata, Pinnularia viridis, P. maior, Eunotia pectinalis, and E. praerupta. Paleoecological inferences, based on distributions of modern diatoms

Downscaling future climate projections to the watershed scale: A north San Francisco Bay estuary case study

Science.gov (United States)

Micheli, Elisabeth; Flint, Lorraine; Flint, Alan; Weiss, Stuart; Kennedy, Morgan

2012-01-01

We modeled the hydrology of basins draining into the northern portion of the San Francisco Bay Estuary (North San Pablo Bay) using a regional water balance model (Basin Characterization Model; BCM) to estimate potential effects of climate change at the watershed scale. The BCM calculates water balance components, including runoff, recharge, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and stream flow, based on climate, topography, soils and underlying geology, and the solar-driven energy balance. We downscaled historical and projected precipitation and air temperature values derived from weather stations and global General Circulation Models (GCMs) to a spatial scale of 270 m. We then used the BCM to estimate hydrologic response to climate change for four scenarios spanning this century (2000–2100). Historical climate patterns show that Marin’s coastal regions are typically on the order of 2 °C cooler and receive five percent more precipitation compared to the inland valleys of Sonoma and Napa because of marine influences and local topography. By the last 30 years of this century, North Bay scenarios project average minimum temperatures to increase by 1.0 °C to 3.1 °C and average maximum temperatures to increase by 2.1 °C to 3.4 °C (in comparison to conditions experienced over the last 30 years, 1981–2010). Precipitation projections for the 21st century vary between GCMs (ranging from 2 to 15% wetter than the 20th-century average). Temperature forcing increases the variability of modeled runoff, recharge, and stream discharge, and shifts hydrologic cycle timing. For both high- and low-rainfall scenarios, by the close of this century warming is projected to amplify late-season climatic water deficit (a measure of drought stress on soils) by 8% to 21%. Hydrologic variability within a single river basin demonstrated at the scale of subwatersheds may prove an important consideration for water managers in the face of climate change. Our results suggest that in arid

Additional Records of Two Rare Crabs, Ilia nucleus (Linnaeus, 1758 and Ethusa mascarone (Herbst, 1785 from Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey

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Okan AKYOL

2016-11-01

Full Text Available One specimen of Ilia nucleus and one specimen of Ethusa mascarone were collected from Urla coasts, Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea. Up to now, both rare species are being reported for the three and four times from Izmir Bay, respectively.

Sedimentary architecture of a sub-lacustrine debris fan: Eocene Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, east China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jianping; Xian, Benzhong; Wang, Junhui; Ji, Youliang; Lu, Zhiyong; Liu, Saijun

2017-12-01

The sedimentary architectures of submarine/sublacustrine fans are controlled by sedimentary processes, geomorphology and sediment composition in sediment gravity flows. To advance understanding of sedimentary architecture of debris fans formed predominantly by debris flows in deep-water environments, a sub-lacustrine fan (Y11 fan) within a lacustrine succession has been identified and studied through the integration of core data, well logging data and 3D seismic data in the Eocene Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, east China. Six types of resedimented lithofacies can be recognized, which are further grouped into five broad lithofacies associations. Quantification of gravity flow processes on the Y11 fan is suggested by quantitative lithofacies analysis, which demonstrates that the fan is dominated by debris flows, while turbidity currents and sandy slumps are less important. The distribution, geometry and sedimentary architecture are documented using well data and 3D seismic data. A well-developed depositional lobe with a high aspect ratio is identified based on a sandstone isopach map. Canyons and/or channels are absent, which is probably due to the unsteady sediment supply from delta-front collapse. Distributary tongue-shaped debris flow deposits can be observed at different stages of fan growth, suggesting a lobe constructed by debrite tongue complexes. Within each stage of the tongue complexes, architectural elements are interpreted by wireline log motifs showing amalgamated debrite tongues, which constitute the primary fan elements. Based on lateral lithofacies distribution and vertical sequence analysis, it is proposed that lakefloor erosion, entrainment and dilution in the flow direction lead to an organized distribution of sandy debrites, muddy debrites and turbidites on individual debrite tongues. Plastic rheology of debris flows combined with fault-related topography are considered the major factors that control sediment distribution and fan

Fishes from the Itapecuru River basin, State of Maranhão, northeast Brazil

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MC Barros

Full Text Available The Itapecuru is a relatively large river in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão. During several expeditions to this basin, we collected 69 fish species belonging to 65 genera, 29 families and 10 orders. Characiformes and Siluriformes were the orders with the largest number of species and Characidae, Loricariidae, Cichlidae, Auchenipteridae and Pimelodidae were the richest families. About 30% of the fish fauna of the Itapecuru basin is endemic or restricted to northeastern Brazil. Just over a fifth (22% of the species is also known to occur in the Amazon basin and only a few are more widely distributed in South American.

The onset of deglaciation of Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay, South Georgia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Der Putten, N.; Verbruggen, C.

Carbon dating of basal peat deposits in Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay and sediments from a lake in Stromness Bay, South Georgia indicates deglaciation at the very beginning of the Holocene before c. 9500 14C yr BP. This post-dates the deglaciation of one local lake which has been ice-free since

Three new species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes: Characidae from the Magdalena River Basin, Colombia

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César Román-Valencia

2013-09-01

projects and other threats in the area are included, as well as a key to all species Hemibrycon present in the Magdalena River Basin. The synonymy of H. pautensis with H. polyodon is discussed and H. pautensis is evalidated.

Myxobolus saladensis sp. nov., a new species of gill parasite of Mugil liza (Osteichthyes, Mugilidae from Samborombón Bay, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Paula Marcotegui

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Myxosporean Myxobolus saladensis sp. nov. in the gills of Mugil liza Valenciennes, 1836 from Samborombón Bay was described by light and electron microscopy studies. Spores were pyriform and binucleated, measuring 10.63±0.36 µm (n=20 long, 9.24±0.50 µm (n=20 wide and 4.13±0.36 µm (n=20 thick, included in polysporic cyst-like plasmodia. Elongated pyriform polar capsules were of equal size (3.84±0.27 µm long and 2.30±0.12 µm wide. The sporoplasm contained some sporoplasmosomes. Each PC contained a polar filament with 4-5 coils obliquely arranged in relation to the polar capsules axis. The PC wall was composed of two layers of different electron densities. Based on the morphological and ultrastructure differences of the spore to those of previously described species of Myxobolus, we describe a new species, Myxobolus saladensis sp. nov.

Microphytobenthos potential productivity estimated in three tidal embayments of the San Francisco Bay system

Science.gov (United States)

Guarini, Jean-Marc; Cloern, James E.; Edmunds, Jody L.; Gros, Philippe

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe a three-step procedure to infer the spatial heterogeneity in microphytobenthos primary productivity at the scale of tidal estuaries and embayments. The first step involves local measurement of the carbon assimilation rate of benthic microalgae to determine the parameters of the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-E) curves (using non-linear optimization methods). In the next step, a resampling technique is used to rebuild pseudo-sampling distributions of the local productivity estimates; these provide error estimates for determining the significance level of differences between sites. The third step combines the previous results with deterministic models of tidal elevation and solar irradiance to compute mean and variance of the daily areal primary productivity over an entire intertidal mudflat area within each embayment. This scheme was applied on three different intertidal mudflat regions of the San Francisco Bay estuary during autumn 1998. Microphytobenthos productivity exhibits strong (ca. 3-fold) significant differences among the major sub-basins of San Francisco Bay. This spatial heterogeneity is attributed to two main causes: significant differences in the photosynthetic competence (P-E parameters) of the microphytobenthos in the different sub-basins, and spatial differences in the phase shifts between the tidal and solar cycles controlling the exposure of intertidal areas to sunlight. The procedure is general and can be used in other estuaries to assess the magnitude and patterns of spatial variability of microphytobenthos productivity at the level of the ecosystems.

Soft sediment dwelling macro-invertebrates of Rajapur Bay, central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Harkantra, S.N.; Parulekar, A.H.

Thirtyfour species of soft sediment dwelling macro-invertebrates were recorded in Rajapur Bay at the proposed effluent discharge location of nuclear power plant. The fauna mainly composed of polychaetes (42.52%), molluscs (39.03%), crustaceans (7...

Determination of heavy metals and other elements in sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ, Brazil) by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellegatti, Fabio

2000-01-01

Sepetiba Bay, located about 60 km south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the most important fishery areas in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A large harbor brought up a lot of industrial investment in that area. Since the 1970's, the Sepetiba region has undergone fast industrial expansion, leading to high levels of pollution by metals. For the last two decades, an industrial park composed of about 400 industrial plants, basically metallurgical, was established in the Sepetiba Bay basin, releasing its industrial waste either straight into the bay or through local rivers. Metal contamination in the bay for some metals, such as Zn, has already exceeded acceptable levels. Many authors have studied the distribution and behavior of heavy metals and another elements in the bay, but only few elements have been focused (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). This is probably due to the fact that the analytical technique most employed has been atomic absorption spectrometry, which is not a multi-elemental technique. In this work, Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb and Zn in 28 bottom sediment samples and four sediment cores from Sepetiba Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn presented similar behavior in the bottom sediments, showing higher concentration along the Northern coast of the bay, where most of the fluvial water flows out to the bay. The contamination of Sepetiba Bay was also assessed by the analysis of four sediment cores. Two of them were sampled in the Eastern part of the bay, where the industrial park is located, whereas the other two were sampled in the Western part of the bay, a more preserved region. For each region, two cores were sampled within the mangrove trees and the others at the edge of the tidal flat. The results showed that, the sediments displayed higher metal concentration within the

Sediment transport in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System: An overview

Science.gov (United States)

Barnard, Patrick L.; Schoellhamer, David H.; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Lester J. McKee,

2013-01-01

The papers in this special issue feature state-of-the-art approaches to understanding the physical processes related to sediment transport and geomorphology of complex coastal-estuarine systems. Here we focus on the San Francisco Bay Coastal System, extending from the lower San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, through the Bay, and along the adjacent outer Pacific Coast. San Francisco Bay is an urbanized estuary that is impacted by numerous anthropogenic activities common to many large estuaries, including a mining legacy, channel dredging, aggregate mining, reservoirs, freshwater diversion, watershed modifications, urban run-off, ship traffic, exotic species introductions, land reclamation, and wetland restoration. The Golden Gate strait is the sole inlet connecting the Bay to the Pacific Ocean, and serves as the conduit for a tidal flow of ~ 8 x 109 m3/day, in addition to the transport of mud, sand, biogenic material, nutrients, and pollutants. Despite this physical, biological and chemical connection, resource management and prior research have often treated the Delta, Bay and adjacent ocean as separate entities, compartmentalized by artificial geographic or political boundaries. The body of work herein presents a comprehensive analysis of system-wide behavior, extending a rich heritage of sediment transport research that dates back to the groundbreaking hydraulic mining-impact research of G.K. Gilbert in the early 20th century.

Sedimentary gravity flows from subaerial fan-deltas in Loreto Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro-Lozano, José O.; Nava-Sánchez, Enrique H.; Godínez-Orta, Lucio

2010-05-01

Fan-deltas from Loreto Bay show recent evidences of sedimentary gravity flows as a result from catastrophic events during hurricane rainfalls. The knowledge of hydrological characteristics of these flows is important for understanding the effects of storms on fan-deltas geomorphology in this region, as well as for the urban developing planning of the city of Loreto in order to avoid hazardous zones. The analysis of precipitation and hurricane tracks data for the period 1945 to 2009 indicates that hurricanes have caused catastrophic floods every 20 years. Stratigraphy from the channel incision shows a sequence of stream flow and debris flow controlled by changes in the competence and capacity of the stream, which are associated to the gentle slope (<2 °) of the fan-deltas. However fans from the north of the bay (Arce and Gúa) show deposits of debris flows associated to catastrophic floods, which have caused the incision channel to drift towards the southern part of the fans, while flows from Las Parras fan-delta, from the middle of the bay, are dominated by stream flows. These differences in the type of the flows are controlled by lithology, shape and size of the drainage basin, and slope of the transit zone in the feeder channel.

Stable Isotopic Shifts in Fish Bones from Multiple Archeological Coastal Middens in Penobscot Bay, Maine

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, C.; Johnson, B.; Ambrose, W. G.; Bourque, B.; Dostie, P.; Crowley, E.

2010-12-01

The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions of collagen extracted from well-preserved archeological fish bones has the potential to provide useful information on fish diets and food web dynamics over time. Previous work on the Turner Farm archaeological site in Penobscot Bay, Gulf of Maine, reveals significant shifts in fish diets have occurred since European colonization (post 1620’s). The objective of the present study was to analyze samples from other archaeological sites within Penobscot Bay to characterize the spatial extent of the isotopic shift measured at Turner Farm. Stratified cod, flounder, and sculpin bones were analyzed from eight coastal middens located approximately 50km apart from one another within Penobscot Bay. The bones were sampled from three time horizons (0kya, 0.5-1kya, and 2.2-2.4kya). All bone samples were demineralized in 0.2M HCl at 4°C for 2 to 7 days and then extracted in 0.25M NaOH at 4°C for 1 to 2 hours. After freeze-drying, the bulk isotopic composition of each sample was analyzed using the EA-IRMS. In all stratigraphic horizons analyzed, cod were more enriched in δ13C and δ15N than sculpin, and flounder were the most depleted in δ13C and δ15N . However, the isotopic offsets between the fish species decreased from 2.4kya to the present. The nitrogen isotope composition was relatively constant over time and space for all species, implying that trophic levels for the fishes analyzed have not changed significantly in Penobscot Bay for the last 2,400 years. The carbon isotope composition also appears to be constant spatially in Penobscot Bay, however, the modern signal was more depleted than the paleo signal in all three species. The difference between the modern and paleo δ13C is ~5‰ for cod and flounder, and ~9‰ for sculpin. These shifts may, in part, be explained by decreases in both primary producer and prey species diversity, as kelp forests replace eelgrass beds in the Gulf of Maine.

FIRST RECORD OF Alburnusatropatenae (BERG,1925) (CYPRINIDAE) IN NAMAK BASIN, CENTRAL IRAN

OpenAIRE

Khataminejad, Somaye; Mousavi-Sabet, Hamed; Sattari, Masud; Vatandoust, Saber

2013-01-01

AlburnusatropatenaeBerg, 1925 is reported for the first time from the River Ghareh-Chay in the Namak basin, central Iran. Previously, this species has onlybeen reported from the LakeOrumiyeh basin, in northwest Iran. In this report twenty-nine specimens were caught on 8 August 2012. Morphometric and meristic characteristics of the specimens were similar to those reported elsewhere for the species.

Chesapeake Bay Low Freshwater Inflow Study. Appendix E. Biota.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-09-01

selecting representative species for study, mapping potential habitat under various conditions, using expert scientists to interpret the significance of...8217 t " TH H P CHESAPEAKE BAYE Ec LOW FRESHWATER INFLOW STUDY . htp APPENDIX E . . BIOTA TABLE OF ONTENTS...intensive manual searches of journals and other sources. Five abstract services were searched under more than 14 topics each. Journals, reports to

Marine Mollusca of isotope stages of the last 2 million years in New Zealand. Part 3, Gastropoda (Vetigastropoda - Littorinimorpha)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beu, A.G.

2010-01-01

Three new species: Grandicrepidula hemispherica (Nukumaruan, S Hawke's Bay), Pelicaria Granttaylori (Mangapanian-early Nukumaruan, Wanganui-Hawke's Bay), Pelicaria arahura (Waipipian-early Mangapanian, Westland and Hawke's Bay). Drawings of marine species in Smith's (1874) three plates of New Zealand molluscan types are republished. Further Australian molluscs in Wanganui Basin: Sabia australis (Lamarck), Clanculus plebejus (Philippi), both early Nukumaruan. Further northern New Zealand molluscs in Wanganui Basin: Stephopoma roseum (Quoy and Gaimard), OIS 13, 9. Distinctive gastropods extinct at end Nukumaruan: Struthiolaria frazeri (Hutton), Taxonia suteri (Marwick). Taniella planisuturalis (Marwick) (Opoitian-Nukumaruan, southern NZ) and Trivia (Ellatrivia) zealandica (Kirk) (Nukumaruan, Hawke's Bay-Wanganui; Castlecliffian, North Canterbury) occur in Castlecliffian (OIS 15?) rocks at Whakatane. Cantharidella tessellate (A. Adams) and Risellopsis varia (Hutton), formerly Haweran, are recorded from Nukumaruan and Castlecliffian rocks, respectively. New fossil late Nukumaruan-early Castlecliffian records listed from Mikonui-1 offshore well, Westland, include Malluvium calcareum (Suter) and 10 other species. Other biostratigraphically useful gastropods: Calliostoma (Maurea) nukumaruense (Laws) (Mangapanian-OIS 17); Argobuccinum pustulosum (Lightfoot), Semicassis labiate (Perry) (both earliest in OIS 7). New synonymy: Zeacumantus perplexus (Marshall and Murdoch) =Z. lutulentus (Kiener); Pelicaria vermis (Martyn) =all named Nukumaruan-Recent forms (other than P. rugosa (Marwick) and P. granttaylori n. sp.); Trivia flora Marwick =T.zealandica Kirk. Taxonomy revised: Zelippistes benhami (Suter) (OIS 13 and 9 at Wanganui), distinguished from Lippistes and Separatista; Stiracolpus species, informally; Maoricrypta profunda (Hutton), Waipipian-early Castlecliffian (- OIS 19); M. radiata (Hutton) (=incurva Zittel,=hochetteriana Woods, =wilckensi Finlay), (Middle Miocene

Avian communities in baylands and artificial salt evaporation ponds of the San Francisco Bay estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Takekawa, John Y.; Lu, C.T.; Pratt, R.T.

2001-01-01

San Francisco Bay wetlands, seasonal and tidal marshes between the historic low and high tide lines, are now highly fragmented because of development during the past 150 years. Artificial salt pond systems in the Bay are hypersaline and typically support simple assemblages of algae and invertebrates. In order to establish the value of salt ponds for migratory waterbirds, we used datasets to conduct a meta-analysis of avian communities in the baylands and salt ponds of San Pablo Bay. Fifty-three species of waterbirds in the salt ponds represented six foraging guilds: surface feeders, shallow probers, deep probers, dabblers, diving benthivores and piscivores. The total number of species and the Shannon-Weiner diversity index was higher in baylands than in salt ponds during all four seasons. However, overall bird density (number/ha) was higher in salt ponds compared with baylands in the winter and spring, primarily because of large concentrations of benthivores. Cessation of salt production in 1993 and subsequent reduction in water depth resulted in a decline of some diving duck populations that used the salt ponds.

Conservation of biodiversity in the Sango Bay area, southern Uganda

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A series of biodiversity and socio-economic surveys carried out in the Sango Bay area of southern Uganda revealed high biodiversity values for some taxa in some sites. Use of this biodiversity and reliance on it by local communities was widespread. Biodiversity scores were given to all species and these were coupled with ...

Mesozooplankton of an impacted bay in North Eastern Brazil

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Andréa Pinto Silva

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Mesozooplankton abundance and distribution at Suape Bay, Pernambuco, was studied to assess the impacts caused by the construction of an internal port to increase the capacity of the Suape Port Complex. Zooplankton sampling was done at 3 stations during the dry (November-December/1997 and rainy (April-May/1998 seasons. A plankton net with 300 µm mesh size was used. Wet weight plankton biomass ranged from 44 mg.m-3 to 3,638 mg.m-3. Forty-five macrozooplankton taxa were registered. The most abundant was Copepoda. Among copepods, Acartia lilljeborgi, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oithona hebes, Corycaeus (C. speciosus and Temora turbinata were most frequent. Minimum abundance was 9 ind.m-3 and maximum was 2,532 ind.m-3. Average species diversity was 2.55 bits.ind-1. As a whole, Suape Bay has been under severe environmental stress and it seemed reasonable to assume that the recent modifications of the basin have resulted in changes in species composition and trophic structure, with an increase in marine influence.A abundância e a distribuição do mesozooplâncton na baía de Suape, Pernambuco, foram estudadas objetivando-se levantar os impactos causados pela construção de um porto interno para aumentar a capacidade do Complexo Portuário de Suape. Amostragens do zooplâncton foram feitas em três estações fixas, nos períodos seco (novembro-dezembro/1997 e chuvoso (abril-maio/1998. Uma rede de plâncton com 300 µm de abertura de malha foi usada. A biomassa do plâncton em termos de peso úmido variou de 44 mg.m-3 a 3.638 mg.m-3. Foram registrados 45 taxa zooplanctônicos, sendo Copepoda o mais abundante. Dentre os copépodes destacaram-se em termos de freqüência Acartia lilljeborgi, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oithona hebes, Corycaeus (C. speciosus e Temora turbinata. A abundância mínima foi de 9 ind.m-3 e a máxima 2.532 ind.m-3. A média da diversidade de espécies foi 2,55 bits.ind-1. De forma geral, a baía de Suape mostrou-se sob

75 FR 8297 - Tongass National Forest, Thorne Bay Ranger District, Thorne Bay, AK

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-24

..., Thorne Bay, AK AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Cancellation of Notice of intent to prepare an... Roberts, Zone Planner, Thorne Bay Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, P.O. Box 19001, Thorne Bay, AK 99919, telephone: 907-828-3250. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 47,007-acre Kosciusko Project Area is...

77 FR 44140 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-27

... Maple-Oregon Bridges so vehicular traffic congestion would not develop on downtown Sturgeon Bay streets... movement of vehicular traffic in Sturgeon Bay. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal is approximately 8.6 miles long... significant increase in vehicular and vessel traffic during the peak tourist and navigation season between...

Microbial diversity and carbon cycling in San Francisco Bay wetlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theroux, Susanna [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Walnut Creek, CA (United States). Dept. of Energy Joint Genome Inst.; Hartman, Wyatt [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Walnut Creek, CA (United States). Dept. of Energy Joint Genome Inst.; He, Shaomei [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Walnut Creek, CA (United States). Dept. of Energy Joint Genome Inst.; Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Tringe, Susannah [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Walnut Creek, CA (United States). Dept. of Energy Joint Genome Inst.

2014-03-21

Wetland restoration efforts in San Francisco Bay aim to rebuild habitat for endangered species and provide an effective carbon storage solution, reversing land subsidence caused by a century of industrial and agricultural development. However, the benefits of carbon sequestration may be negated by increased methane production in newly constructed wetlands, making these wetlands net greenhouse gas (GHG) sources to the atmosphere. We investigated the effects of wetland restoration on below-ground microbial communities responsible for GHG cycling in a suite of historic and restored wetlands in SF Bay. Using DNA and RNA sequencing, coupled with real-time GHG monitoring, we profiled the diversity and metabolic potential of wetland soil microbial communities. The wetland soils harbor diverse communities of bacteria and archaea whose membership varies with sampling location, proximity to plant roots and sampling depth. Our results also highlight the dramatic differences in GHG production between historic and restored wetlands and allow us to link microbial community composition and GHG cycling with key environmental variables including salinity, soil carbon and plant species.

Habitat modelling limitations - Puck Bay, Baltic Sea - a case study

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Jan Marcin Węsławski

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The Natura 2000 sites and the Coastal Landscape Park in a shallow marine bay in the southern Baltic have been studied in detail for the distribution of benthic macroorganisms, species assemblages and seabed habitats. The relatively small Inner Puck Bay (104.8 km2 is one of the most thoroughly investigated marine areas in the Baltic: research has been carried out there continuously for over 50 years. Six physical parameters regarded as critically important for the marine benthos (depth, minimal temperature, maximum salinity, light, wave intensity and sediment type were summarized on a GIS map showing unified patches of seabed and the near-bottom water conditions. The occurrence of uniform seabed forms is weakly correlated with the distributions of individual species or multi-species assemblages. This is partly explained by the characteristics of the local macrofauna, which is dominated by highly tolerant, eurytopic species with opportunistic strategies. The history and timing of the assemblage formation also explains this weak correlation. The distribution of assemblages formed by long-living, structural species (Zostera marina and other higher plants shows the history of recovery following earlier disturbances. In the study area, these communities are still in the stage of recovery and recolonization, and their present distribution does not as yet match the distribution of the physical environmental conditions favourable to them. Our results show up the limitations of distribution modelling in coastal waters, where the history of anthropogenic disturbances can distort the picture of the present-day environmental control of biota distributions.

Formation of fine crystalline dolomites in lacustrine carbonates of the Eocene Sikou Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, East China

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Yong-Qiang Yang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract The genesis of the fine crystalline dolomites that exhibit good to excellent reservoir properties in the upper fourth member of the Eocene Shahejie Formation (Es 4 s around the Sikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, is uncertain. This paper investigates the formation mechanisms of this fine crystalline dolomite using XRD, SEM, thin section analysis and geochemical data. The stratigraphy of the Sikou lacustrine carbonate is dominated by the repetition of metre-scale, high-frequency deposition cycles, and the amount of dolomite within a cycle increases upward from the cycle bottom. These dolomite crystals are 2–30 μm in length, subhedral to anhedral in shape and typically replace both grains and matrix. They also occur as rim cement and have thin lamellae within ooid cortices. Textural relations indicate that the dolomite predates equant sparry calcite cement and coarse calcite cement. The Sr concentrations of dolomites range from 900 to 1200 ppm. Dolomite δ18O values (−11.3 to −8.2 ‰ PDB are depleted relative to calcite mudstone (−8.3 to −5.4 ‰ PDB that precipitated from lake water, while δ13C values (0.06–1.74 ‰ PDB are within the normal range of calcite mudstone values (−2.13 to 1.99 ‰ PDB. High 87Sr/86Sr values (0.710210–0.710844 indicate that amounts of Ca2+ and Mg2+ have been derived from the chemical weathering of Palaeozoic carbonate bedrocks. The high strontium concentration indicates that hypersaline conditions were maintained during the formation of the dolomites and that the dolomites were formed by the replacement of precursor calcite or by direct precipitation.

Evolution of Meso-Cenozoic lithospheric thermal-rheological structure in the Jiyang sub-basin, Bohai Bay Basin, eastern North China Craton

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wei; Qiu, Nansheng; Wang, Ye; Chang, Jian

2018-01-01

The Meso-Cenozoic lithospheric thermal-rheological structure and lithospheric strength evolution of the Jiyang sub-basin were modeled using thermal history, crustal structure, and rheological parameter data. Results indicate that the thermal-rheological structure of the Jiyang sub-basin has exhibited obvious rheological stratification and changes over time. During the Early Mesozoic, the uppermost portion of the upper crust, middle crust, and the top part of the upper mantle had a thick brittle layer. During the early Early Cretaceous, the top of the middle crust's brittle layer thinned because of lithosphere thinning and temperature increase, and the uppermost portion of the upper mantle was almost occupied by a ductile layer. During the late Early Cretaceous, the brittle layer of the middle crust and the upper mantle changed to a ductile one. Then, the uppermost portion of the middle crust changed to a thin brittle layer in the late Cretaceous. During the early Paleogene, the thin brittle layer of the middle crust became even thinner and shallower under the condition of crustal extension. Currently, with the decrease in lithospheric temperature, the top of the upper crust, middle crust, and the uppermost portion of the upper mantle are of a brittle layer. The total lithospheric strength and the effective elastic thickness ( T e) in Meso-Cenozoic indicate that the Jiyang sub-basin experienced two weakened stages: during the late Early Cretaceous and the early Paleogene. The total lithospheric strength (approximately 4-5 × 1013 N m-1) and T e (approximately 50-60 km) during the Early Mesozoic was larger than that after the Late Jurassic (2-7 × 1012 N m-1 and 19-39 km, respectively). The results also reflect the subduction, and rollback of Pacific plate is the geodynamic mechanism of the destruction of the eastern North China Craton.

Fish, lower Ivinhema River basin streams, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

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Súarez, Y. R.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The Ivinhema River basin is one of the main tributaries of the western portion of Paraná River. However,few data are available on the fish communities of its streams. Monthly samples were made in seven streams of the lowerportion of the basin, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, using a rectangular sieve 1.2 x 0.8 m, with 2 mm mesh size.Forty-six fish species were found in these streams. The richness estimated according to the bootstrap procedure was 50species. At least two of the captured species were not previously recorded for the upper Paraná basin, indicating theneed of new sampling effort in this region.

Fish community responses to submerged aquatic vegetation in Maumee Bay, Western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Jacob; Kocovsky, Patrick; Wiegmann, Daniel; Miner, Jeffery G.

2018-01-01

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in clearwater systems simultaneously provides habitat for invertebrate prey and acts as refugia for small fishes. Many fishes in Lake Erie rely on shallow, heavily vegetated bays as spawning grounds and the loss or absence of which is known to reduce recruitment in other systems. The Maumee River and Maumee Bay, which once had abundant macrophyte beds, have experienced a decline of SAV and an increase in suspended solids (turbidity) over the last century due to numerous causes. To compare fish communities in open‐water (turbid) and in SAV (clearer water) habitats in this region, which is designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Area of Concern, and to indicate community changes that could occur with expansion of SAV habitat, we sampled a 300‐ha sector of northern Maumee Bay that contained both habitats. Using towed neuston nets through patches of each habitat, we determined that areas of SAV contained more species and a different species complex (based on the Jaccard index and the wetland fish index), than did the open‐water habitat (averaging 8.6 versus 5 species per net trawl). The SAV habitat was dominated by centrarchids, namely Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, and Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus. Open‐water habitat was dominated by Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius, Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and White Perch Morone americana, an invasive species. These results indicate that restoration efforts aimed at decreasing turbidity and increasing the distribution of SAV could cause substantive shifts in the fish community and address important metrics for assessing the beneficial use impairments in this Area of Concern.

Ground-nesting marine birds and potential for human disturbance in Glacier Bay National Park

Science.gov (United States)

Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Romano, Marc D.; Piatt, John F.; Piatt, John F.; Gende, S.M.

2004-01-01

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve contains a diverse assemblage of marine birds that use the area for nesting, foraging and molting. The abundance and diversity of marine bird species in Glacier Bay is unmatched in the region, due in part to the geomorphic and successional characteristics that result in a wide array of habitat types (Robards and others, 2003). The opportunity for proactive management of these species is unique in Glacier Bay National Park because much of the suitable marine bird nesting habitat occurs in areas designated as wilderness. Ground-nesting marine birds are vulnerable to human disturbance wherever visitors can access nest sites during the breeding season. Human disturbance of nest sites can be significant because intense parental care is required for egg and hatchling survival, and repeated disturbance can result in reduced productivity (Leseberg and others, 2000). Temporary nest desertion by breeding birds in disturbed areas can lead to increased predation on eggs and hatchlings by conspecifics or other predators (Bolduc and Guillemette, 2003). Human disturbance of ground-nesting birds may also affect incubation time and adult foraging success, which in turn can alter breeding success (Verhulst and others, 2001). Furthermore, human activity can potentially cause colony failure when disturbance prevents the initiation of nesting (Hatch, 2002). There is management concern about the susceptibility of breeding birds to disturbance from human activities, but little historical data has been collected on the distribution of ground-nesting marine birds in Glacier Bay. This report summarizes results obtained during two years of a three-year study to determine the distribution of ground-nesting marine birds in Glacier Bay, and the potential for human disturbance of those nesting birds.

Assessment of multiple sources of anthropogenic and natural chemical inputs to a morphologically complex basin, Lake Mead, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Michael R.; Van Metre, P.C.

2010-01-01

Lakes with complex morphologies and with different geologic and land-use characteristics in their sub-watersheds could have large differences in natural and anthropogenic chemical inputs to sub-basins in the lake. Lake Mead in southern Nevada and northern Arizona, USA, is one such lake. To assess variations in chemical histories from 1935 to 1998 for major sub-basins of Lake Mead, four sediment cores were taken from three different parts of the reservoir (two from Las Vegas Bay and one from the Overton Arm and Virgin Basin) and analyzed for major and trace elements, radionuclides, and organic compounds. As expected, anthropogenic contaminant inputs are greatest to Las Vegas Bay reflecting inputs from the Las Vegas urban area, although concentrations are low compared to sediment quality guidelines and to other USA lakes. One exception to this pattern was higher Hg in the Virgin Basin core. The Virgin Basin core is located in the main body of the lake (Colorado River channel) and is influenced by the hydrology of the Colorado River, which changed greatly with completion of Glen Canyon Dam upstream in 1963. Major and trace elements in the core show pronounced shifts in the early 1960s and, in many cases, gradually return to concentrations more typical of pre-1960s by the 1980s and 1990s, after the filling of Lake Powell. The Overton Arm is the sub-basin least effected by anthropogenic contaminant inputs but has a complex 137Cs profile with a series of large peaks and valleys over the middle of the core, possibly reflecting fallout from nuclear tests in the 1950s at the Nevada Test Site. The 137Cs profile suggests a much greater sedimentation rate during testing which we hypothesize results from greatly increased dust fall on the lake and Virgin and Muddy River watersheds. The severe drought in the southwestern USA during the 1950s might also have played a role in variations in sedimentation rate in all of the cores. ?? 2009.

Potential risk to wood storks (Mycteria americana) from mercury in Carolina Bay fish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brant, H.A.; Jagoe, C.H.; Snodgrass, J.W.; Bryan, A.L.; Gariboldi, J.C.

2002-01-01

Fish mercury levels from some Carolina bays pose risk to wood stork. - Carolina bays are freshwater wetlands that serve as important feeding habitats for the endangered wood stork (Mycteria americana). Water levels in these bays fluctuate greatly and tend to be acidic and rich in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), factors that favor mercury (Hg) methylation and bioaccumulation in fish. To assess potential risks to wood storks consuming mercury contaminated fish in bays, we sampled fish from 10 bays on the Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina, an area with documented use by wood storks. Whole body mercury concentrations in 258 fishes of three species (Erimyzon sucetta, Acantharchus pomotis and Esox americanus) commonly consumed by wood storks were determined. Risk factors for nestlings and free-ranging adults were calculated using published no and lowest observable adverse effect concentration (NOAEC and LOAEC) values for birds. Fish from higher trophic levels and those from wetlands with relatively shallow maximum depths and fluctuating water levels were more likely to exceed NOAEC and LOAEC values. Calculation of exposure rates of nestling wood storks indicated they are at highest risk during the first 10 days of the nestling period. These calculations suggest that there is potential concern for wood storks foraging in relatively shallow bays with fluctuating water levels, even though there is no obvious local source of mercury to these wetlands

BAYESIAN MODELS FOR SPECIES DISTRIBUTION MODELLING WITH ONLY-PRESENCE RECORDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartolo de Jesús Villar-Hernández

2015-08-01

Full Text Available One of the central issues in ecology is the study of geographical distribution of species of flora and fauna through Species Distribution Models (SDM. Recently, scientific interest has focused on presence-only records. Two recent approaches have been proposed for this problem: a model based on maximum likelihood method (Maxlike and an inhomogeneous poisson process model (IPP. In this paper we discussed two bayesian approaches called MaxBayes and IPPBayes based on Maxlike and IPP model, respectively. To illustrate these proposals, we implemented two study examples: (1 both models were implemented on a simulated dataset, and (2 we modeled the potencial distribution of genus Dalea in the Tehuacan-Cuicatlán biosphere reserve with both models, the results was compared with that of Maxent. The results show that both models, MaxBayes and IPPBayes, are viable alternatives when species distribution are modeled with only-presence records. For simulated dataset, MaxBayes achieved prevalence estimation, even when the number of records was small. In the real dataset example, both models predict similar potential distributions like Maxent does. Â

A new species of Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the rio Tocantins-Araguaia basin, Brazil

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Cláudio Henrique Zawadzki

Full Text Available Hypostomus delimaiis described from the rio Tocantins, Tocantins State, and from the rio Araguaia, Pará, and Tocantins States, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all other Hypostomusspecies, except from H. carinatus, H. hoplonites, and H. watwata, by the presence of five to eight (mode seven predorsal plates limiting posterior border of the supraoccipital bone (vs. one to three plates. It can be distinguished from H. carinatus, H. hoplonites, and H. watwata by having pale spots over darker background on body and fins (vs. dark spots over lighter background. The species was only found in the middle stretches of the rio Tocantins-Araguaia basin. The first collection of specimens assigned to the new species was done in the rio Tocantins before the construction of the Tucuruí dam. Recently additional material was collected in the rio Araguaia, in a habitat that soon will be flooded for the construction of the Santa Isabel hydroelectric power station.

Physical processes in a coupled bay-estuary coastal system: Whitsand Bay and Plymouth Sound

Science.gov (United States)

Uncles, R. J.; Stephens, J. A.; Harris, C.

2015-09-01

Whitsand Bay and Plymouth Sound are located in the southwest of England. The Bay and Sound are separated by the ∼2-3 km-wide Rame Peninsula and connected by ∼10-20 m-deep English Channel waters. Results are presented from measurements of waves and currents, drogue tracking, surveys of salinity, temperature and turbidity during stratified and unstratified conditions, and bed sediment surveys. 2D and 3D hydrodynamic models are used to explore the generation of tidally- and wind-driven residual currents, flow separation and the formation of the Rame eddy, and the coupling between the Bay and the Sound. Tidal currents flow around the Rame Peninsula from the Sound to the Bay between approximately 3 h before to 2 h after low water and form a transport path between them that conveys lower salinity, higher turbidity waters from the Sound to the Bay. These waters are then transported into the Bay as part of the Bay-mouth limb of the Rame eddy and subsequently conveyed to the near-shore, east-going limb and re-circulated back towards Rame Head. The Simpson-Hunter stratification parameter indicates that much of the Sound and Bay are likely to stratify thermally during summer months. Temperature stratification in both is pronounced during summer and is largely determined by coastal, deeper-water stratification offshore. Small tidal stresses in the Bay are unable to move bed sediment of the observed sizes. However, the Bay and Sound are subjected to large waves that are capable of driving a substantial bed-load sediment transport. Measurements show relatively low levels of turbidity, but these respond rapidly to, and have a strong correlation with, wave height.

Levels and distribution of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in fishes from Manila Bay, the Philippines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Joon-Woo; Isobe, Tomohiko; Chang, Kwang-Hyeon; Amano, Atsuko; Maneja, Rommel H.; Zamora, Peter B.; Siringan, Fernando P.; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2011-01-01

Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) and stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) were determined in 58 fishes belonging to 20 species collected from Manila Bay, the Philippines. OPCs were detected in most of the samples and found up to μg/g lw (lipid weight) level, suggesting their ubiquitous presence in the coastal marine environment of the Philippines. Higher levels (>1000 ng/g lw) of total OPCs were determined in yellowstriped goatfish, silver sillago, tripletail wrasse and bumpnose trevally indicates either their active uptake from ambient water or lower metabolic capacity of these species. Levels of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) in demersal species showed a positive correlation with δ 15 N, indicating that TPhP was adsorbed onto the particle, settled down to the bottom sediment and accumulated through the benthic food web rather than the pelagic. Estimated dietary intake of OPCs in Manila Bay fishes were four to five orders of magnitude lower than the proposed reference dose (RfD). - Highlights: → Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) were determined in fish from Manila Bay. → OPCs were detected up to μg/g lw, suggesting ubiquitous environmental contamination. → Among the 9 targeted OPCs, TEHP and TEP were found as the predominant compounds. → Estimated dietary intake through fish consumption was 4-5 orders of magnitude lower than RfD. → This is the first report on OPCs pollution in marine environment of Southeast Asia. - Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) were determined in fishes from Manila Bay.

Fishes of the Taquari-Antas river basin (Patos Lagoon basin, southern Brazil Peixes da bacia do rio Taquari-Antas (sistema da Laguna dos Patos, sul do Brasil

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FG. Becker

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The aquatic habitats of the Taquari-Antas river basin (in the Patos Lagoon basin, southern Brazil are under marked environmental transformation because of river damming for hydropower production. In order to provide an information baseline on the fish fauna of the Taquari-Antas basin, we provide a comprehensive survey of fish species based on primary and secondary data. We found 5,299 valid records of fish species in the basin, representing 119 species and 519 sampling sites. There are 13 non-native species, six of which are native to other Neotropical river basins. About 24% of the total native species are still lacking a taxonomic description at the species level. Three native long-distance migratory species were recorded (Leporinus obtusidens, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis, as well as two potential mid-distance migrators (Parapimelodus nigribarbis and Pimelodus pintado. Although there is only one officially endangered species in the basin (S. brasiliensis, restricted range species (21.7% of total species should be considered in conservation efforts.Os ambientes aquáticos da Bacia do rio Taquari-Antas (Bacia da Laguna dos Patos, sul do Brasil vêm sofrendo considerável transformação, principalmente em razão da implantação de barragens para geração de energia elétrica. Com o objetivo de estabelecer um diagnóstico amplo da ictiofauna da Bacia do Taquari-Antas, realizou-se um inventário das espécies dessa bacia a partir de dados primários e secundários. Foram obtidos 5.299 registros válidos de espécies de peixe na bacia, representando 119 espécies e 519 localidades amostradas. Ocorrem, na bacia, 13 espécies não nativas, seis das quais são oriundas de outras bacias neotropicais. Cerca de 24% de todas as espécies carecem de descrição taxonômica no nível específico. Foram registradas três espécies nativas migradoras de longa distância (Leporinus obtusidens, Prochilodus lineatus e Salminus brasiliensis e

Ocean currents structuring the mesozooplankton in the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, southeast coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jagadeesan, L.; Jyothibabu, R.; Anjusha, A.; Mohan, A.P.; Madhu, N.V.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; Sudheesh, K.

for the observed variance in copepod distribution. In general, the copepod community in the Gulf of Mannar was composed both of coastal and offshore species whereas, coastal species largely inhabited the Palk Bay. This kind of a study depicting zooplankton...

A new species of the Genus Microbrotula (Teleostei: Bythitidae) from Cenderawasih Bay, New Guinea, Indonesia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schwarzhans, Werner; Nielsen, Jørgen

2012-01-01

Following the recent revision of Microbrotula (Schwarzhans Nielsen, 2011), an additional nine specimens of the viviparous genus Microbrotula (Teleostei: Bythitidae), all caught in the Cenderawasih Bay, Irian Jaya, New Guinea, Indonesia, were made available to us. These specimens represent a new...

Area environmental characterization report of the Dalhart and Palo Duro basins in the Texas Panhandle. Volume I. Dalhart Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

This area report describes the environmental characteristics of the Dalhart and Palo Duro basins of the Texas Panhandle portion of the Permian basin. Both basins are rather sparsely populated, and the overall population is decreasing. The economic base is centered on agribusiness and manufacturing. Most of the potentially conflicting land uses in both basins (i.e., parks, historic sites) occupy small land areas, with the exception of a national grassland in the Dalhart and military air training routes in both basins. Ground transportation in the Dalhart basin is adequate, and it is well developed in the Palo Duro basin. In both basins irrigation constitutes the principal water use, and groundwater is the principal source. However, the dominant aquifer, the Ogallala, is being depleted. Both basins consist primarily of grasslands, rangelands, and agricultural areas. No critical terrestrial or aquatic habitats have been identified in the basins, though several endangered, threatened, or rare terrestrial species occur in or near the basins. Aquatic resources in both basins are limited because of the intermittent availability of water and the high salt content of some water bodies. Playa lakes are common, though usually seasonal or rain dependent. The climate of the area is semiarid, with low humidity, relatively high wind speeds, and highly variable prcipitation. Restrictive dispersion conditions are infrequent. National ambient secondary air quality standards for particulates are being exceeded in the area, largely because of fugitive dust, although there are some particulate point sources

The sea-air exchange of mercury (Hg) in the marine boundary layer of the Augusta basin (southern Italy): concentrations and evasion flux.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagnato, E; Sproveri, M; Barra, M; Bitetto, M; Bonsignore, M; Calabrese, S; Di Stefano, V; Oliveri, E; Parello, F; Mazzola, S

2013-11-01

The first attempt to systematically investigate the atmospheric mercury (Hg) in the MBL of the Augusta basin (SE Sicily, Italy) has been undertaken. In the past the basin was the receptor for Hg from an intense industrial activity which contaminated the bottom sediments of the Bay, making this area a potential source of pollution for the surrounding Mediterranean. Three oceanographic cruises have been thus performed in the basin during the winter and summer 2011/2012, where we estimated averaged Hgatm concentrations of about 1.5±0.4 (range 0.9-3.1) and 2.1±0.98 (range 1.1-3.1) ng m(-3) for the two seasons, respectively. These data are somewhat higher than the background Hg atm value measured over the land (range 1.1±0.3 ng m(-3)) at downtown Augusta, while are similar to those detected in other polluted regions elsewhere. Hg evasion fluxes estimated at the sea/air interface over the Bay range from 3.6±0.3 (unpolluted site) to 72±0.1 (polluted site of the basin) ng m(-2) h(-1). By extending these measurements to the entire area of the Augusta basin (~23.5 km(2)), we calculated a total sea-air Hg evasion flux of about 9.7±0.1 g d(-1) (~0.004 tyr(-1)), accounting for ~0.0002% of the global Hg oceanic evasion (2000 tyr(-1)). The new proposed data set offers a unique and original study on the potential outflow of Hg from the sea-air interface at the basin, and it represents an important step for a better comprehension of the processes occurring in the marine biogeochemical cycle of this element. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 46813 - Safety Zone; Evening on the Bay Fireworks; Sturgeon Bay, WI

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-02

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Evening on the Bay Fireworks; Sturgeon Bay, WI AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION.... This temporary safety zone will restrict vessels from a portion of Sturgeon Bay due to a fireworks... hazards associated with the fireworks display. DATES: This rule is effective from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on...

Broadband Ground Motion Reconstruction for the Kanto Basin during the 1923 Kanto Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Sekiguchi, Haruko; Yoshimi, Masayuki

2011-03-01

Ground motions of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake inside the Kanto Basin are numerically simulated in a wide frequency range (0-10 Hz) based on new knowledge of the earthquake's source processes, the sedimentary structure of the basin, and techniques for generating broadband source models of great earthquakes. The Kanto Earthquake remains one of the most important exemplars for ground motion prediction in Japan due to its size, faulting geometry, and location beneath the densely populated Kanto sedimentary basin. We reconstruct a broadband source model of the 1923 Kanto Earthquake from inversion results by introducing small-scale heterogeneities. The corresponding ground motions are simulated using a hybrid technique comprising the following four calculations: (1) low-frequency ground motion of the engineering basement, modeled using a finite difference method; (2) high-frequency ground motion of the engineering basement, modeled using a stochastic Green's function method; (3) total ground motion of the engineering basement (i.e. 1 + 2); and (4) ground motion at the surface in response to the total basement ground motion. We employ a recently developed three-dimensional (3D) velocity structure model of the Kanto Basin that incorporates prospecting data, microtremor observations and measurements derived from strong ground motion records. Our calculations reveal peak ground velocities (PGV) exceeding 50 cm/s in the area above the fault plane: to the south, where the fault plane is shallowest, PGV reaches 150-200 cm/s at the engineering basement and 200-250 cm/s at the surface. Intensity 7, the maximum value in the Japan Meteorological Agency's intensity scale, is calculated to have occurred widely in Sagami Bay, which corresponds well with observed house-collapse rates due to the 1923 event. The modeling reveals a pronounced forward directivity effect for the area lying above the southern, shallow part of the fault plane. The high PGV and intensity seen above the

77 FR 38488 - Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence River, Alexandria Bay, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-28

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence River, Alexandria Bay, NY... restrict vessels from a portion of the St. Lawrence River during the Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce... of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence...

Submerged Humid Tropical Karst Landforms Observed By High-Resolution Multibeam Survey in Nagura Bay, Ishigaki Island, Southwestern Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, H.; Urata, K.; Nagao, M.; Hori, N.; Fujita, K.; Yokoyama, Y.; Nakashima, Y.; Ohashi, T.; Goto, K.; Suzuki, A.

2014-12-01

Submerged tropical karst features were discovered in Nagura Bay on Ishigaki Island in the South Ryukyu Islands, Japan. This is the first description of submerged humid tropical karst using multibeam bathymetry. We conducted a broadband multibeam survey in the central area of Nagura Bay (1.85 × 2.7 km) and visualized the high-resolution bathymetric results with a grid size of 1 m over a depth range of 1.6-58.5 m. Various types of humid tropical karst landforms were found to coexist within the bay, including fluviokarst, doline karst, cockpit karst, polygonal karst, uvalas, and mega-dolines. We assume that Nagura Bay was a large karst basin in which older limestone remained submerged, thus preventing corrosion and the accumulation of reef sediments during periods of submersion, whereas the limestone outcropping on land was corroded during multiple interglacial and glacial periods. Based on our bathymetric result together with aerial photographs of the coastal area, we conclude that the submerged karst landscape has likely developed throughout the whole of Nagura Bay, covering an area of ~6 × 5 km. Accordingly, this area hosts the largest submerged karst in Japan. We also observed abundant coral communities during our SCUBA observations. The present marine conditions of Nagura Bay are characterized by low energy (calm sea) and low irradiance owing to the terrestrial influence. Such conditions have been emphasized by the presence of large undulating landforms, which cause decreases in wave intensity and irradiance with depth. These characteristics have acted to establish unique conditions compared to other coral reef areas in the Ryukyu Islands. It may play an important role in supporting the regional coral reef ecosystem.

PHYTOPLANKTON COMPOSITION AT THE FISH AND SHELLFISH FARM IN THE KALDONTA BAY (CRES ISLAND

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Tomec

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The Kaldonta Bay is situated at the south–western coast of the Cres island in the Lošinj channel, rather protected from larger influence of general sea water current. In the Bay there are installed 44 floating cages of 5 by 10 m dimensions. The cages are used for the culture of about 70 tons of sea water fish: gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata, sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, sharp–snouted sparus (Diplodus puntazzo and dentex (Dentex dentex. Besides some physico–chemical parameters (sea water temperature, transparence and salinity, special attention has been paid to the qualitative composition of net phytoplankton. Investigations were performed in the period of May, September and December 2003 and February 2004 at five locations in the Kaldonta Bay (Figure 1 at the depths of 0.5 m, 5 m, 10 m and 1 m from the bottom. According to the physico–chemical parameters, sea water temperature was influenced by the temperature of the environment, and the transparence suggested to the oligotrophic situation in the investigated aquatorium. Qualitative composition of net phytoplankton comprised 161 microphytic species belonging to the systematic compartments of Cyanobacteria, Chrysophyta and Dinophyta (Table 1. The most numerous algal group were diatoms or Bacillarophyceae (98 species or 61%, with relative frequencies of species from 1 to 7. Taxonomic composition of diatoms showed Chaetoceros–Rhizosolenia (Proboscia to be the dominant community. Diatom species was the most abundant in late autumn period (beginning of December. The second most important comparatment were Dinophyta (55 species or 34.1%, with the dominant genera Ceratium and Protoperidinium. During the investigation, the representatives of Dinophyta did not show large variety of species in the water column. Relative frequency of the species was 1, rarely 2 and 3. Dinophyts were the most abundant in September. From Cyanobacteria (5 species or 3.1% only filamentous algae were determined

Lesula: a new species of Cercopithecus monkey endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo and implications for conservation of Congo's central basin.

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John A Hart

Full Text Available In June 2007, a previously undescribed monkey known locally as "lesula" was found in the forests of the middle Lomami Basin in central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC. We describe this new species as Cercopithecus lomamiensis sp. nov., and provide data on its distribution, morphology, genetics, ecology and behavior. C. lomamiensis is restricted to the lowland rain forests of central DRC between the middle Lomami and the upper Tshuapa Rivers. Morphological and molecular data confirm that C. lomamiensis is distinct from its nearest congener, C. hamlyni, from which it is separated geographically by both the Congo (Lualaba and the Lomami Rivers. C. lomamiensis, like C. hamlyni, is semi-terrestrial with a diet containing terrestrial herbaceous vegetation. The discovery of C. lomamiensis highlights the biogeographic significance and importance for conservation of central Congo's interfluvial TL2 region, defined from the upper Tshuapa River through the Lomami Basin to the Congo (Lualaba River. The TL2 region has been found to contain a high diversity of anthropoid primates including three forms, in addition to C. lomamiensis, that are endemic to the area. We recommend the common name, lesula, for this new species, as it is the vernacular name used over most of its known range.

Two new species of Aulospongus Norman, 1878 with a key to the Atlantic species (Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae; Porifera).

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalcanti, Thaynã; Santos, George Garcia; Pinheiro, Ulisses

2014-07-03

We describe two new species: Aulospongus trirhabdostylus sp. nov. and Aulospongus mandela sp. nov. from Potiguar Basin (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). Both species were compared with their congeners and an identification key for the Atlantic species of Aulospongus is provided. The genus Aulospongus now contains 16 species.

Chrysobrycon eliasi, new species of stevardiine fish (Characiformes: Characidae from the río Madre de Dios and upper río Manuripe basins, Peru

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James Anyelo Vanegas-Ríos

Full Text Available Chrysobrycon eliasi is described from several drainages of río Madre de Dios and upper río Manuripe basins, río Madeira basin, Peru. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the maxillary teeth, which are tricuspidate, bicuspidate and conical, and the terminal lateral-line tube developed between caudal-fin rays 10-11. Other characters that help to recognize C. eliasi are the possession of maxilla with 6-15 (usually 11 teeth occupying more than 70% of the length of the maxilla in adults, predorsal scales 18-22, dorsal-fin to hypural complex length 36.32-41.17% of standard length (SL, gill-gland length in males 3.57-5.05% SL, maxillary length 33.76-38.75% of head length, and branched anal-fin rays 24-30. The discovery of C. eliasi allows us to extend the geographic distribution of the genus to the southeast, into the río Madeira basin.

Application of otolith shape analysis for stock discrimination and species identification of five goby species (Perciformes: Gobiidae) in the northern Chinese coastal waters

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Yu, Xin; Cao, Liang; Liu, Jinhu; Zhao, Bo; Shan, Xiujuan; Dou, Shuozeng

2014-09-01

We tested the use of otolith shape analysis to discriminate between species and stocks of five goby species ( Ctenotrypauchen chinensis, Odontamblyopus lacepedii, Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, Chaeturichthys stigmatias, and Acanthogobius hasta) found in northern Chinese coastal waters. The five species were well differentiated with high overall classification success using shape indices (83.7%), elliptic Fourier coefficients (98.6%), or the combination of both methods (94.9%). However, shape analysis alone was only moderately successful at discriminating among the four stocks (Liaodong Bay, LD; Bohai Bay, BH; Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary HRE, and Jiaozhou Bay, JZ stocks) of A. hasta (50%-54%) and C. stigmatias (65.7%-75.8%). For these two species, shape analysis was moderately successful at discriminating the HRE or JZ stocks from other stocks, but failed to effectively identify the LD and BH stocks. A large number of otoliths were misclassified between the HRE and JZ stocks, which are geographically well separated. The classification success for stock discrimination was higher using elliptic Fourier coefficients alone (70.2%) or in combination with shape indices (75.8%) than using only shape indices (65.7%) in C. stigmatias whereas there was little difference among the three methods for A. hasta. Our results supported the common belief that otolith shape analysis is generally more effective for interspecific identification than intraspecific discrimination. Moreover, compared with shape indices analysis, Fourier analysis improves classification success during inter- and intra-species discrimination by otolith shape analysis, although this did not necessarily always occur in all fish species.

Watch out where you sleep: nocturnal sleeping behaviour of Bay Island lizards

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Nitya Prakash Mohanty

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Sleeping exposes lizards to predation. Therefore, sleeping strategies must be directed towards avoiding predation and might vary among syntopic species. We studied sleeping site characteristics of two syntopic, congeneric lizards—the Bay Island forest lizard, Coryphophylax subcristatus and the short-tailed Bay Island lizard, C. brevicaudus and evaluated inter-specific differences. We measured structural, microclimatic and potential predator avoidance at the sleeping perches of 386 C. subcristatus and 185 C. brevicaudus. Contrary to our expectation, we found similar perch use in both species. The lizards appeared to use narrow girth perch plants and accessed perches by moving both vertically and horizontally. Most lizards slept on leaves, with their heads directed towards the potential path of a predator approaching from the plant base. There was no inter-specific competition in the choices of sleeping perches. These choices indicate an anti-predator strategy involving both tactile and visual cues. This study provides insight into a rarely studied behaviour in reptiles and its adaptive significance.

Ecomorphodynamic Response of Foreshore Saltmarsh to the Implementation of Flood and Erosion Mitigation and Adaptation Structures in a Hypertidal Estuary: Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, Canada.

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Matheson, G.; van Proosdij, D.; Ross, C.

2017-12-01

Flood and erosion mitigations and adaptation structures are often implemented in anthropogenically modified coastal regions, such as dykelands, to protect against coastal hazards. If saltmarshes are to be incorporated into a coastal management plan as a source of coastal defence, it is paramount to understand how ecomorphodynamic feedbacks triggered by implementing these structures can impact saltmarshes. This study examines how these structures, in combination with natural drivers, have precipitated changes in foreshore saltmarsh erosion and progradation rates over varying spatial scales in the hypertidal Minas Basin, located in the upper Bay of Fundy, during the past 80 years. Foreshore change rates (in 25m segments) are obtained using empirical field measurements, geomatics techniques in a geographical information system (GIS), as well as imagery and digital surface models (DSMs) derived from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Furthermore, UAV DSMs were used to determine infill rates and short-term sediment budgets in saltmarsh borrow pits. Natural cyclical foreshore change rates are observed in the Minas Basin, but are often augmented by the presence of anthropogenic structures. Erosion and progradation rates in individual transects have been observed to be as much as -14.9m/yr and 20.1m/yr, respectively. In individual saltmarsh communities, average change rates have been observed to be as much -3.4m/yr and 2.1m/yr across the entire foreshore. Furthermore, results suggest that under specific environmental conditions some structures (e.g. kickers) work in tandem with saltmarshes to protect the upland by precipitating ecomorphodynamic feedbacks that promote saltmarsh progradation. Conversely, other structures (e.g. foreshore rocking) can exacerbate natural cycles of erosion, locally. Borrow pit studies reveal that although local suspended sediment concentrations, which can vary from 50mg/l to 50000mg/l, play an integral role in pit sedimentation, channel geometry

Toxicity of weathered Deepwater Horizon oil to bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Shaughnessy, Kathryn A; Forth, Heather; Takeshita, Ryan; Chesney, Edward J

2018-02-01

The BP-contracted Deepwater Horizon Macondo well blowout occurred on 20 April 2010 and lasted nearly three months. The well released millions of barrels of crude oil into the northern Gulf of Mexico, causing extensive impacts on pelagic, benthic, and estuarine fish species. The bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) is an important zooplanktivore in the Gulf, serving as an ecological link between lower trophic levels and pelagic predatory fish species. Bay anchovy spawn from May through November in shallow inshore and estuarine waters throughout the Gulf. Because their buoyant embryos are a dominant part of the inshore ichthyoplankton throughout the summer, it is likely bay anchovy embryos encountered oil in coastal estuaries during the summer and fall of 2010. Bay anchovy embryos were exposed to a range of concentrations of two field-collected Deepwater Horizon oils as high-energy and low-energy water accommodated fractions (HEWAFs and LEWAFs, respectively) for 48h. The median lethal concentrations (LC 50 ) were lower in exposures with the more weathered oil (HEWAF, 1.48µg/L TPAH50; LEWAF, 1.58µg/L TPAH50) compared to the less weathered oil (HEWAF, 3.87µg/L TPAH50; LEWAF, 4.28µg/L TPAH50). To measure delayed mortality and life stage sensitivity between embryos and larvae, an additional 24h acute HEWAF exposure using the more weathered oil was run followed by a 24h grow-out period. Here the LC 50 was 9.71µg/L TPAH50 after the grow-out phase, suggesting a toxic effect of oil at the embryonic or hatching stage. We also found that exposures prepared with the more weathered Slick B oil produced lower LC 50 values compared to the exposures prepared with Slick A oil. Our results demonstrate that even relatively acute environmental exposure times can have a detrimental effect on bay anchovy embryos. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Zinc and Its Isotopes in the Loire River Basin, France

Science.gov (United States)

Millot, R.; Desaulty, A. M.; Bourrain, X.

2014-12-01

The contribution of human activities such as industries, agriculture and domestic inputs, becomes more and more significant in the chemical composition of the dissolved load of rivers. Human factors act as a supplementary key process. Therefore the mass-balance for the budget of catchments and river basins include anthropogenic disturbances. The Loire River in central France is approximately 1010 km long and drains an area of 117,800 km2. In the upper basin, the bedrock is old plutonic rock overlain by much younger volcanic rocks. The intermediate basin includes three major tributaries flowing into the Loire River from the left bank: the Cher, the Indre and the Vienne rivers; the main stream flows westward and its valley stretches toward the Atlantic Ocean. Here, the Loire River drains the sedimentary series of the Paris Basin, mainly carbonate deposits. The lower Loire basin drains pre-Mesozoic basement of the Armorican Massif and its overlying Mesozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary deposits. The Loire River is one of the main European riverine inputs to the Atlantic ocean. Here we are reporting concentration and isotope data for Zn in river waters and suspended sediments from the Loire River Basin. In addition, we also report concentration and isotope data for the different industrial sources within the Loire Basin, as well as data for biota samples such as mussels and oysters from the Bay of Biscay and North Brittany. These organisms are known to be natural accumulators of metal pollutants. Zinc isotopic compositions are rather homogeneous in river waters with δ66Zn values ranging from 0.21 to 0.39‰. This range of variation is very different from anthropogenic signature (industrial and/or agriculture release) that displays δ66Zn values between 0.02 to 0.14‰. This result is in agreement with a geogenic origin and the low Zn concentrations in the Loire River Basin (from 0.8 to 6 µg/L).

DNA Barcoding of Ichthyoplankton in Hampton Roads Bay Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, N.; Rodríguez, Á. E.

2016-02-01

Zooplankton is composed of animals that drift within the water column. The study of zooplankton biodiversity and distribution is crucial to understand oceanic ecosystems and anticipate the effects of climate change. In this study our focus is on ichthyoplankton (fish eggs and larvae). Our aim is to employ molecular genetic techniques such as DNA barcoding to begin a detailed characterization of ichthyoplankton diversity, abundance and community structure in the Hampton Roads Bay Estuary (HRBE). A sampling of zooplankton was performed on June 19, 2015. Samples were taken with a 0.5m, 200 µm mesh net in triplicates at two stations: inner shore in the mouth of Jones Creek and 5 miles off Hampton in the lower part of Chesapeake Bay. Physical parameters (dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature and water transparency) were measured simultaneously. Species were identified by DNA barcoding using the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the Cytochrome Oxidase 1 (CO1) gene. Fish eggs were identified from Opistonema oglinum (Atlantic Thread Herring) at the offshore stations while, Anchoa mitchilli was found at both stations. These species are common to the area and as observed, differences in species between stations were found. O. oglinum eggs were found in the offshore stations, which is their reported habitat. A. mitchilli eggs were found in both stations; both known to exhibit a wider salinity tolerance. This work indicates that using mtDNA-CO1 barcoding is suitable to identify ichthyoplankton to the species level and helped validate DNA barcoding as a faster taxonomic approach. The long term objective of this project is to provide taxonomic composition and biodiversity assessment of ichthyoplankton in HRBE. This data will be a reference for broad monitoring programs; for a better understanding and management of ecologically and commercially important species in the HRBE. Monthly samplings will be performed for a year beginning September 2015.

Evaluating the Impact of Land Use Change on Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Stressors in Mobile Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hamdan, Mohammad; Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Quattrochi, Dale; Thom, Ronald; Woodruff, Dana; Judd, Chaeli; Ellis, Jean; Watson, Brian; Rodriquez, Hugo; Johnson, Hoyt

2009-01-01

Alabama coastal systems have been subjected to increasing pressure from a variety of activities including urban and rural development, shoreline modifications, industrial activities, and dredging of shipping and navigation channels. The impacts on coastal ecosystems are often observed through the use of indicator species. One such indicator species for aquatic ecosystem health is submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Watershed and hydrodynamic modeling has been performed to evaluate the impact of land use change in Mobile and Baldwin counties on SAV stressors and controlling factors (temperature, salinity, and sediment) in Mobile Bay. Watershed modeling using the Loading Simulation Package in C++ (LSPC) was performed for all watersheds contiguous to Mobile Bay for land use scenarios in 1948, 1992, 2001, and 2030. Landsat-derived National Land Cover Data (NLCD) were used in the 1992 and 2001 simulations after having been reclassified to a common classification scheme. The Prescott Spatial Growth Model was used to project the 2030 land use scenario based on current trends. The LSPC model simulations provided output on changes in flow, temperature, and sediment for 22 discharge points into the Bay. Theses results were inputted in the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Computer Code (EFDC) hydrodynamic model to generate data on changes in temperature, salinity, and sediment on a grid with four vertical profiles throughout Mobile Bay. The changes in the aquatic ecosystem were used to perform an ecological analysis to evaluate the impact on SAV habitat suitability. This is the key product benefiting the Mobile Bay coastal environmental managers that integrates the influences of temperature, salinity, and sediment due to land use driven flow changes with the restoration potential of SAVs.

Area environmental characterization report of the Dalhart and Palo Duro basins in the Texas Panhandle. Volume II. Palo Duro basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-09-01

This area report describes the environmental characteristics of the Dalhart and Palo Duro basins of the Texas Panhandle portion of the Permian basin. Both basins are rather sparsely populated, and the overall population is decreasing. The economic base is centered on agribusiness and manufacturing. Most of the potentially conflicting land uses in both basins (i.e., parks, historic sites) occupy small land areas, with the exception of a national grassland in the Dalhart and military air training routes in both basins. Ground transportation in the Dalhart basin is adequate, and it is well developed in the Palo Duro basin. In both basins irrigation constitutes the principal water use, and groundwater is the principal source. However, the dominant aquifer, the Ogallala, is being depleted. Both basins consist primarily of grasslands, rangelands, and agricultural areas. No critical terrestrial or aquatic habitats have been identified in the basins, though several endangered, threatened, or rare terrestrial species occur in or near the basins. Aquatic resources in both basins are limited because of the intermittent availability of water and the high salt content of some water bodies. Playa lakes are common, though usually seasonal or rain dependent. The climate of the area is semiarid, with low humidity, relatively high wind speeds, and high variable precipitation. Restrictive dispersion conditions are infrequent. National ambient secondary air quality standards for particulates are being exceeded in the area, largely because of fugitive dust, although there are some particulate point sources

Forewarning model for water pollution risk based on Bayes theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jun; Jin, Juliang; Guo, Qizhong; Chen, Yaqian; Lu, Mengxiong; Tinoco, Luis

2014-02-01

In order to reduce the losses by water pollution, forewarning model for water pollution risk based on Bayes theory was studied. This model is built upon risk indexes in complex systems, proceeding from the whole structure and its components. In this study, the principal components analysis is used to screen out index systems. Hydrological model is employed to simulate index value according to the prediction principle. Bayes theory is adopted to obtain posterior distribution by prior distribution with sample information which can make samples' features preferably reflect and represent the totals to some extent. Forewarning level is judged on the maximum probability rule, and then local conditions for proposing management strategies that will have the effect of transforming heavy warnings to a lesser degree. This study takes Taihu Basin as an example. After forewarning model application and vertification for water pollution risk from 2000 to 2009 between the actual and simulated data, forewarning level in 2010 is given as a severe warning, which is well coincide with logistic curve. It is shown that the model is rigorous in theory with flexible method, reasonable in result with simple structure, and it has strong logic superiority and regional adaptability, providing a new way for warning water pollution risk.

Three new species of the armored catfish genus Loricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from river channels of the Amazon basin

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Matthew R. Thomas

Full Text Available Three new species of Loricaria are described from large white- and black-water river channels of the Amazon basin of Brazil, the upper rio Negro drainage of southern Venezuela, and clear waters of the lower rio Tocantins. Loricaria spinulifera and L. pumila differ from other species of Loricaria by having unique patterns of abdominal plate development and hypertrophied odontodes forming conspicuous crests on dorsal surfaces of the head and predorsal plates. Both are small species of Loricaria, reaching sexual maturity at less than 120 mm SL, and exhibiting sexually dimorphic characters consistent with members of the L. cataphracta complex. Loricaria spinulifera differs from L. pumila in having a unique arrangement of buccal papillae and large thorn-like odontodes on the dorsum of the head. Loricaria pumila is the smallest known Loricaria, reaching sexual maturity at less than 80 mm SL. Loricaria lundbergi differs from other Loricaria by having a unique abdominal plate pattern, broad head, and small basicaudal plate. Loricaria lundbergi is sympatric with L. spinulifera in the lower rio Negro drainage, but is also known from the rio Baria system of the Casiquiare drainage. Loricaria pumila occurs in the lower rio Amazonas and lower rio Tocantins. All three new species exhibit varying degrees of reduction in eye size and pigmentation seen in other fishes inhabiting deep river channels of South America.

Invasion of a rocky intertidal shore by the tunicate Pyura praeputialis in the Bay of Antofagasta, Chile.

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Castilla, Juan Carlos; Guiñez, Ricardo; Caro, Andrés U; Ortiz, Verónica

2004-06-08

Invasion by marine nonindigenous species (NIS) is a spread phenomenon. The tunicate Pyura praeputialis shows pronounced disjoint geographical distribution: along thousands of kilometers in wave-swept headlands on the southeastern coast of Australia, from where it appears to have originated, and exclusively along 60-70 km inside the Bay of Antofagasta, Chile. mtDNA sequences suggested that the species invaded this rocky shore recently. We used field manipulations and juvenile P. praeputialis transplant techniques to test hypotheses regarding the capacity of the tunicate to survive and grow at different sites and tidal heights inside and outside Antofagasta, and its competitive performance for primary space (inside the Bay) against the native mussel Perumytilus purpuratus. We conclude that survival and growth of P. praeputialis showed no significant differences among sites inside and outside the Bay, and suggest that the restrictive distribution of the species in Chile is caused by a specific oceanographic retention mechanism and/or its brief larval dispersal. We demonstrated that, inside the Bay, P. praeputialis outcompetes Perumytilus from the Mid-Low intertidal, constraining Perumytilus to the Upper Mid-Intertidal, modifying the local pattern of intertidal zonation. We show that predation on P. praeputialis juveniles by starfish and snails constitutes a regulatory mechanism for the setting of its low intertidal limit. Major ecological impacts caused by NIS invasions to rocky shores by aggressive primary space users may result in negative aspects, but also may contribute to biodiversity enhancement. We call attention to the need for increment manipulations and testing of ecological hypotheses regarding marine NIS.

Range extension of Moenkhausia oligolepis (Günther,1864 to the Pindaré river drainage, of Mearim river basin, and Itapecuru river basin of northeastern Brazil (Characiformes: Characidae

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Erick Cristofore Guimarães

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The present study reports range extansion of Moenkhausia oligolepis to the Pindaré river drainage, of the Mearim river basin, and Itapecuru river basin, Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. This species was previously known only from Venezuela, Guianas, and the Amazon River basins. In addition, we present some meristic and morphometric data of the specimens herein examined and discuss on its diagnostic characters.

Aquatic species and habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Danny C. Lee; James R. Sedell; Bruce E. Rieman; Russell F. Thurow; Jack E. Williams

1998-01-01

Continuing human activities threaten the highly prized aquatic resources of the interior Columbia basin. Precipitous declines in native species, particularly Pacific salmon, and a large influx of introduced species have radically altered the composition and distribution of native fishes. Fortunately, areas of relatively high aquatic integrity remain, much of it on...

Description of two new species of Hisonotus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889 (Ostariophysi, Loricariidae from the rio Paraná-Paraguay basin, Brazil

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Fábio Roxo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Two new species of Hisonotus are described from the rio Paraná-Paraguay basin in Brazil. The most remarkable features of the new species are the odontodes forming longitudinally aligned rows (one odontode after the other, but not necessarily forming parallel series on the head and trunk (vs. odontodes not forming longitudinally aligned rows, a pair of rostral plates at the tip of the snout (vs. a single rostral plate, the functional v-shaped spinelet (vs. spinelet non-functional, square-shaped, or absent. These features suggest close phylogenetic relationships with Hisonotus bockmanni, H. insperatus, H. luteofrenatus and H. piracanjuba. Additionally, both new species are distinguished from their congeners by characters related to head length and depth, orbital diameter, suborbital depth, caudal peduncle depth, pectoral-fin spine length, snout length and counts of teeth. Hisonotus paresi sp. n. further differs from its congeners bycontrasting dark geometric spots on the anterodorsal region of the body, a character lacking in H.oliveirai sp. n. The variation in number and shape of the rostral plate, posterior rostrum plates, infraorbitals and the preopercle in both new species and in H. insperatus are discussed.

Holocene faulting in the Bellingham forearc basin: upper-plate deformation at the northern end of the Cascadia subduction zone

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Kelsey, Harvey M.; Sherrod, Brian L.; Blakely, Richard J.; Haugerud, Ralph A.

2013-01-01

The northern Cascadia forearc takes up most of the strain transmitted northward via the Oregon Coast block from the northward-migrating Sierra Nevada block. The north-south contractional strain in the forearc manifests in upper-plate faults active during the Holocene, the northern-most components of which are faults within the Bellingham Basin. The Bellingham Basin is the northern of four basins of the actively deforming northern Cascadia forearc. A set of Holocene faults, Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay, and Sandy Point faults, occur within the Bellingham Basin and can be traced from onshore to offshore using a combination of aeromagnetic lineaments, paleoseismic investigations and scarps identified using LiDAR imagery. With the recognition of such Holocene faults, the northernmost margin of the actively deforming Cascadia forearc extends 60 km north of the previously recognized limit of Holocene forearc deformation. Although to date no Holocene faults are recognized at the northern boundary of the Bellingham Basin, which is 15 km north of the international border, there is no compelling tectonic reason to expect that Holocene faults are limited to south of the international border.

Fouling issues within CANDU fuel bay purification systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angell, P.; Murray, J.

2003-01-01

Similar to all nuclear power stations, CANDU stations store their spent fuel in large open fuel bays to allow the fuel bundles to cool down. Over the years there have been a number of minor issues relating to the operation of the fuel bays, and the annual operational and maintenance costs to the stations are in the order of $1-2M. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) stations have been treating the fuel bays of their CANDU stations with hydrogen peroxide. While this treatment has been effective for the control of microbial corrosion and algal problems, an ongoing problem with the rapid plugging of the purification system filters and the presence of a thin translucent film on the surface of the water has been reported. Analysis suggested that the translucent film was of biological origin and initially it was suspected as being responsible for the plugging of the filters. Samples of the bay water, translucent film and filters were collected for microbial analysis. From all samples a number of bacterial species was isolated, all of which had the enzyme catalase that is responsible for the microbial breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, and many of the isolates were found to be capable of producing extracellular polymeric substance (slime). Observation of the filter revealed that no slime layer was present on the outer surface of the filter. This suggested that the plugging was not the result of removal of slime from the bay. Rather it suggested that the plugging was the result of microbial colonization and growth within the matrix of the filter. The large surface area of the filter matrix provides ideal conditions for biofilm growth and the flow of water provides a ready supply of nutrients. Based on a careful review of the chemistry specifications and requirements for the fuel bay water it was suggested that the filters, as currently used, were unnecessary and could be either removed or valved out, thereby eliminating the high costs associated with their operation and

Avifauna of the Pongos Basin, Amazonas Department, Peru

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Brooks, Daniel M.; O'Neill, John P.; Foster, Mercedes S.; Mark, Todd; Dauphine, Nico; Franke, Irma J.

2009-01-01

We provide an inventory of the avifauna of the Pongos Basin, northern Amazonas Department, Peru based on museum specimens collected during expeditions spanning >60 years within the 20th century. Four hundred and thirty-eight species representing 52 families are reported. Differences between lowland and higher elevation avifaunas were apparent. Species accounts with overviews of specimen data are provided for four species representing distributional records, two threatened species, and 26 species of Nearctic and Austral migrants, of which six are considered probable migrants.

FIRST RECORD OF Alburnus atropatenae (BERG, 1925 (CYPRINIDAE IN NAMAK BASIN, CENTRAL IRAN

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Somaye Khataminejad

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Alburnus atropatenae Berg, 1925 is reported for the first time from the River Ghareh-Chay in the Namak basin, central Iran. Previously, this species has only been reported from the Lake Orumiyeh basin, in northwest Iran. In this report twenty-nine specimens were caught on 8 August 2012. Morphometric and meristic characteristics of the specimens were similar to those reported elsewhere for the species.

FIRST RECORD OF Alburnus atropatenae (BERG, 1925) (CYPRINIDAE) IN NAMAK BASIN, CENTRAL IRAN

OpenAIRE

Somaye Khataminejad; Hamed Mousavi-Sabet; Masud Sattari; Saber Vatandoust

2013-01-01

Alburnus atropatenae Berg, 1925 is reported for the first time from the River Ghareh-Chay in the Namak basin, central Iran. Previously, this species has only been reported from the Lake Orumiyeh basin, in northwest Iran. In this report twenty-nine specimens were caught on 8 August 2012. Morphometric and meristic characteristics of the specimens were similar to those reported elsewhere for the species.

Ecology of Syllidae (Annelida: Polychaeta from shallow rocky environments in the Cantabrian Sea (South Bay of Biscay

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Alberto Serrano

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The syllids inhabiting 12 hard bottom macrobenthic habitats were studied. A total of 38 species belonging to 19 genera were identified. Differences in density, species richness, and diversity among habitats were analysed, as well as the relationships between these ecological parameters and depth range, slope and in-bay/out-bay gradient. The effect of environmental variables on syllid distribution was studied using canonical ordination. A high faunistic homogeneity has been found, since all biotopes were dominated by a low number of eurytopic species (Syllis armillaris, S. gracilis and S. variegata. Habitat complexity, determined by physical disturbance, is the main structuring factor in syllid populations. Biotopes with the highest structural complexity displayed a high number of companion species increasing ecological indices and denoting a well-structured habitat. On the other hand, communities such as in upper intertidal habitats, mainly controlled by physical environmental variables, showed a poorer syllid fauna, dominated by ubiquitious species and a few stenotopic species well-adapted to those environments. However, this is not the case in some other intertidal biotopes, such as in Corallina, whose tangled structure prevents drying and provides shelter from predation, allowing a richer and more diverse syllid fauna.

A comparison of morphological and molecular-based surveys to estimate the species richness of Chaetoceros and Thalassiosira (bacillariophyta, in the Bay of Fundy.

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Sarah E Hamsher

Full Text Available The goal of this study was to compare the ability of morphology and molecular-based surveys to estimate species richness for two species-rich diatom genera, Chaetoceros Ehrenb. and Thalassiosira Cleve, in the Bay of Fundy. Phytoplankton tows were collected from two sites at intervals over two years and subsampled for morphology-based surveys (2010, 2011, a culture-based DNA reference library (DRL; 2010, and a molecular-based survey (2011. The DRL and molecular-based survey utilized the 3' end of the RUBISCO large subunit (rbcL-3P to identify genetic species groups (based on 0.1% divergence in rbcL-3P, which were subsequently identified morphologically to allow comparisons to the morphology-based survey. Comparisons were compiled for the year (2011 by site (n = 2 and by season (n = 3. Of the 34 taxa included in the comparisons, 50% of taxa were common to both methods, 35% were unique to the molecular-based survey, and 12% were unique to the morphology-based survey, while the remaining 3% of taxa were unidentified genetic species groups. The morphology-based survey excelled at identifying rare taxa in individual tow subsamples, which were occasionally missed with the molecular approach used here, while the molecular methods (the DRL and molecular-based survey, uncovered nine cryptic species pairs and four previously overlooked species. The last mentioned were typically difficult to identify and were generically assigned to Thalassiosira spp. during the morphology-based survey. Therefore, for now we suggest a combined approach encompassing routine morphology-based surveys accompanied by periodic molecular-based surveys to monitor for cryptic and difficult to identify taxa. As sequencing technologies improve, molecular-based surveys should become routine, leading to a more accurate representation of species composition and richness in monitoring programs.

Revision of the species of the genus Cathorops (Siluriformes: Ariidae from Mesoamerica and the Central American Caribbean, with description of three new species

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Alexandre P. Marceniuk

Full Text Available The ariid genus Cathorops includes species that occur mainly in estuarine and freshwater habitats of the eastern and western coasts of southern Mexico, Central and South America. The species of Cathorops from the Mesoamerica (Atlantic slope and Caribbean Central America are revised, and three new species are described: C. belizensis from mangrove areas in Belize; C. higuchii from shallow coastal areas and coastal rivers in the Central American Caribbean, from Honduras to Panama; and C. kailolae from río Usumacinta and lago Izabal basins in Mexico and Guatemala. Additionally, C. aguadulce, from the río Papaloapan basin in Mexico, and C. melanopus from the río Motagua basin in Guatemala and Honduras, are redescribed and their geographic distributions are revised.

The use of color infrared aerial photography in determining salt marsh vegetation and delimiting man-made structures of Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia. M.S. Thesis

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Holman, R. E., III

1974-01-01

Color infrared aerial photography was found to be superior to color aerial photography in an ecological study of Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia. The research was divided into three phases: (1) Determination of the feasibility of correlating color infrared aerial photography with saline wetland species composition and zonation patterns, (2) determination of the accuracy of the aerial interpretation and problems related to the aerial method used; and (3) comparison of developed with undeveloped areas along Lynnhaven Bay's shoreline. Wetland species composition and plant community zonation bands were compared with aerial infrared photography and resulted in a high degree of correlation. Problems existed with changing physical conditions; time of day, aircraft angle and sun angle, making it necessary to use several different characteristics in wetland species identification. The main characteristics used were known zonation patterns, textural signatures and color tones. Lynnhaven Bay's shoreline was 61.5 percent developed.

Microphytobenthic potential productivity estimated in three tidal embayments of the San Francisco Bay: A comparative study

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Guarini, J.-M.; Cloern, James E.; Edmunds, J.

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe a three-step procedure to infer the spatial heterogeneity in microphytobenthos primary productivity at the scale of tidal estuaries and embayments. The first step involves local measurement of the carbon assimilation rate of benthic microalgae to determine the parameters of the photosynthesis-irradiance (P-E) curves (using non-linear optimization methods). In the next step, a resampling technique is used to rebuild pseudo-sampling distributions of the local productivity estimates; these provide error estimates for determining the significance level of differences between sites. The third step combines the previous results with deterministic models of tidal elevation and solar irradiance to compute mean and variance of the daily areal primary productivity over an entire intertidal mudflat area within each embayment. This scheme was applied on three different intertidal mudflat regions of the San Francisco Bay estuary during autumn 1998. Microphytobenthos productivity exhibits strong (ca. 3-fold) significant differences among the major sub-basins of San Francisco Bay. This spatial heterogeneity is attributed to two main causes: significant differences in the photosynthetic competence (P-E parameters) of the microphytobenthos in the different sub-basins, and spatial differences in the phase shifts between the tidal and solar cycles controlling the exposure of intertidal areas to sunlight. The procedure is general and can be used in other estuaries to assess the magnitude and patterns of spatial variability of microphytobenthos productivity at the level of the ecosystems.

Parotocinclus seridoensis, a new hypoptopomatine catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae from the upper rio Piranhas-Açu basin, northeastern Brazil

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Telton Pedro A. Ramos

Full Text Available A new species of Parotocinclus is described from the upper rio Piranhas-Açu basin, northeastern Brazil. The new species differs from all its congeners, except P. bidentatus, P. muriaensis (both from rio Paraíba do Sul basin, southeastern Brazil, and P. spilurus (rio Jaguaribe basin, northeastern Brazil by presenting the adipose fin rudimentary or absent. The new species differs from P. bidentatus, P. muriaensis, and P. spilurus mainly by presenting the abdomen region extensively naked, with few reduced rounded dermal platelets between the pectoral girdle and the anus. Parotocinclus seridoensis is probably an endemic species of the semi-arid Caatinga, region where the genus presents high species richness.

Germination phenology of some Great Basin native annual forb species

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Tara A. Forbis

2010-01-01

Great Basin native plant communities are being replaced by the annual invasive cheatgrass Bromus tectorum. Cheatgrass exhibits a germination syndrome that is characteristic of facultative winter annuals. Although perennials dominate these communities, native annuals are present at many sites. Germination timing is often an important predictor of competitive...

Distribution and relative abundance of the marine catfish (Siluriformes, Ariidae) in Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro

OpenAIRE

Azevedo, Márcia Cristina Costa de; Araújo, Francisco Gerson; Cruz Filho, Antônio Gomes da; Santos, Alexandre Clístenes de Alcântara

1998-01-01

Marine catfish (Ariidae) are abundant resources in otter trawl fisheries carried out at Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro (Lat. 22º54, 23º04'S; Long. 43º34 44º10'W). Relative abundance and distribution were assessed, based in 158 fishing sampling at seven sites in the Bay, between July-1993 e June-1996. Five species were recorded in the following abundance rank order: Genidens genidens (Valenciennes, 1839), Caihorops spixii (Agassiz,1829), Sciadeichthys lunisculis (Valenciennes, 1840), Nelunia bar...

A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical electric fish genus Brachyhypopomus (Ostariophysi: Gymnotiformes: Hypopomidae, with descriptions of 15 new species

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William G. R. Crampton

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The bluntnose knifefish genus BrachyhypopomusMago-Leccia, 1994, is diagnosed from other Rhamphichthyoidea (Rhamphichthyidae + Hypopomidae by the presence of a disk-like ossification in the anterior portion of the palatoquadrate, and by the following external characters: short snout, 18.7-32.6% of head length (vs. 33.3-68.6% in Hypopomus, Gymnorhamphichthys, Iracema, and Rhamphichthys, absence of a paired accessory electric organ in the mental or humeral region (vs. presence in Hypopygus and Steatogenys, presence of 3-4 pectoral proximal radials (vs. 5 in Akawaio, presence of the antorbital + infraorbital, and the preopercular cephalic lateral line canal bones (vs. absence in Racenisia. Brachyhypopomus cannot be diagnosed unambiguously from Microsternarchus or from Procerusternarchus on the basis of external characters alone. Brachyhypopomus comprises 28 species. Here we describe 15 new species, and provide redescriptions of all 13 previously described species, based on meristic, morphometric, and other morphological characters. We include notes on ecology and natural history for each species, and provide regional dichotomous keys and distribution maps, based on the examination of 12,279 specimens from 2,787 museum lots. A lectotype is designated for Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus (Hopkins, Comfort, Bastian & Bass, 1990. Brachyhypopomus species are abundant in shallow lentic and slow-flowing freshwater habitats from southern Costa Rica and northern Venezuela to Uruguay and northern Argentina. Species diversity is highest in Greater Amazonia, where 20 species occur: B. alberti, new species, B. arrayae, new species, and B. cunia, new species, in the upper rio Madeira drainage; B. batesi, new species, in the central Amazon and rio Negro; B. beebei, B. brevirostris, B. regani, new species, B. sullivani, new species, and B. walteri, widespread through the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the Guianas; B. belindae, new species, in the central

Competitive effects of introduced annual weeds on some native and reclamation species in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, E.B.; Knight, D.H.

1980-01-01

Four experiments were conducted to examine the competitive effects of introduced annual weeds on certain native and reclamation species. The first experiment was initiated by discing three sites in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, at three distances from introduced weed seed sources. Introduced weed colonization was greatest when a seed source was located nearby. Higher weed cover resulted in reductions of percent cover, density, and richness of the native species. The second experiment was conducted in the greenhouse and was designed to determine if there are changes in response of S. kali and the native grasses Agropyron smithii and Bouteloua gracilis to competition and water regime. Both grass species had lower biomass and higher stomatal resistance when growing in mixed culture with S. kali than in pure culture in the dry regime, but there were no significant differences in the wet regime. In general, the difference in plant response between mixed and pure cultures was more pronounced in the dry than in the wet regime. The third study was a greenhouse experiment on germination and competition of S. kali (a C/sub 4/ species) with native species Lepidium densiflorum (C/sub 3/), Chenopodium pratericola (C/sub 3/), A. smithii (C/sub 3/), and B. gracilis (C/sub 4/) under May, June, and July temperature regimes. Salsola kali germinated equally well in all three regimes, but the other C/sub 4/ species had highest germination in the July regime and the C/sub 3/ species in the May and June regimes. The fourth study was designed to examine the effect of weed colonization on the success of mine reclamation. Little effect was observed, but colonization by introduced annuals was very low. (ERB)

Air Pollution over North-West Bay of Bengal in the Early Post-Monsoon Season Based on NASA MERRAero Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kishcha, Pavel; DaSilva, Arlindo M.; Starobinets, Boris; Alpert, Pinhas

2013-01-01

The MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero) has been recently developed at NASA's Global Modeling Assimilation Office (GMAO). This reanalysis is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model radiatively coupled with GOCART aerosols, and it includes assimilation of bias-corrected Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) from the MODIS sensor on both Terra and Aqua satellites. Our main finding is that, in October, in the absence of aerosol sources in north-west Bay of Bengal (BoB), MERRAero showed increasing AOT trends over north-west BoB exceeding those over the east of the Ganges basin. The Ganges basin is characterized by significant population growth accompanied by developing industry, agriculture, and increasing transportation: this has resulted in declining air quality. MERRAero data for the period 2002-2009 was used to study AOT trends over north-west Bay of Bengal (BoB) in the early post-monsoon season. This season is characterized by aerosol transport from the Ganges basin to north-west BoB by prevailing winds; and still significant rainfall of over 150 mmmonth. Different aerosol components showed strong increasing AOT trends over north-west BoB. The following factors contributed to the increasing AOT trend over the area in question in October: an increasing number of days when prevailing winds blew from land to sea, resulting in a drier environment and an increase in air pollution over north-west BoB; wind convergence was observed over north-west BoB causing the accumulation of aerosol particles over that region, when prevailing winds blew from land to sea. MERRAero aerosol reanalysis can be used on a global scale.

46 CFR 7.20 - Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island Sound and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island Sound and easterly entrance to Long Island Sound, NY. 7.20 Section 7.20... Atlantic Coast § 7.20 Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island...

33 CFR 165.1182 - Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay, CA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety/Security Zone: San... Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY... Areas Eleventh Coast Guard District § 165.1182 Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay...

Aerosol transport over the Gangetic basin during ISRO-GBP land campaign-II

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M. Aloysius

2008-03-01

Full Text Available MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Level-3 aerosol optical depth (AOD data and NCEP (National Centre for Environmental Prediction reanalysis winds were incorporated into an aerosol flux continuity equation, for a quantitative assessment of the sources of aerosol generation over the Ganga basin in the winter month of December 2004. Preliminary analysis on the aerosol distribution and wind fields showed wind convergence to be an important factor which, supported by the regional topography, confines aerosols in a long band over the Indo Gangetic plain (IGP stretching from the west of the Thar desert into the Head-Bay-of-Bengal. The prevailing winds of the season carry the aerosols from Head-Bay-of-Bengal along the east coast as far as the southern tip of the peninsular India. A detailed examination of MODIS data revealed significant day-to-day variations in aerosol loading in localised pockets over the central and eastern parts of the Indo Gangetic plain during the second half of December, with AOD values even exceeding unity. Aerosols over the Ganga basin were dominated by fine particles (geometric mean radius ~0.05–0.1μm while those over the central and western India were dominated by large particles (geometric mean radius ~0.3–0.7μ. Before introducing it into the flux equation, the MODIS derived AOD was validated through a comparison with the ground-based measurements collected at Kharagpur and Kanpur; two stations located over the Ganga basin. The strength of the aerosol generation computed using the flux equation indicated the existence of aerosol sources whose locations almost coincided with the concentration of thermal power plants. The quantitative agreement between the source strength and the power plant concentration, with a correlation coefficient 0.85, pointed to thermal power plants as substantial contributors to the high aerosol loading over the Ganga Basin in winter. The layout of aerosol sources also nearly

78 FR 62293 - Safety Zone, Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display, Oyster Bay; Oyster Bay, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-15

... Safety Zone, Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display, Oyster Bay; Oyster Bay, NY AGENCY: Coast... zone on the navigable waters of Oyster Bay near Oyster Bay, NY for the Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary... Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display is scheduled for October 19, 2013 and is one of...

The blackhand sole Solea bleekeri is a flatfish species endemic to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

spamer

Indian Ocean to the east and Maputo Bay to the west. The island is 12.5 km long and 7 ... species preferred the same substrata, significantly greater densities being found on the mudflats and in the tidal channels. Both seem to complete ... exposed at low tide, and Banco in the southern part of the bay, with an area of 83 ha.

Development of Land Segmentation, Stream-Reach Network, and Watersheds in Support of Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) Modeling, Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and Adjacent Parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Martucci, Sarah K.; Krstolic, Jennifer L.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Hopkins, Katherine J.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, Maryland Department of the Environment, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are collaborating on the Chesapeake Bay Regional Watershed Model, using Hydrological Simulation Program - FORTRAN to simulate streamflow and concentrations and loads of nutrients and sediment to Chesapeake Bay. The model will be used to provide information for resource managers. In order to establish a framework for model simulation, digital spatial datasets were created defining the discretization of the model region (including the Chesapeake Bay watershed, as well as the adjacent parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia outside the watershed) into land segments, a stream-reach network, and associated watersheds. Land segmentation was based on county boundaries represented by a 1:100,000-scale digital dataset. Fifty of the 254 counties and incorporated cities in the model region were divided on the basis of physiography and topography, producing a total of 309 land segments. The stream-reach network for the Chesapeake Bay watershed part of the model region was based on the U.S. Geological Survey Chesapeake Bay SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model stream-reach network. Because that network was created only for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the rest of the model region uses a 1:500,000-scale stream-reach network. Streams with mean annual streamflow of less than 100 cubic feet per second were excluded based on attributes from the dataset. Additional changes were made to enhance the data and to allow for inclusion of stream reaches with monitoring data that were not part of the original network. Thirty-meter-resolution Digital Elevation Model data were used to delineate watersheds for each

Implementation of a framework for multi-species, multi-objective adaptive management in Delaware Bay

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McGowan, Conor P.; Smith, David R.; Nichols, James D.; Lyons, James E.; Sweka, John A.; Kalasz, Kevin; Niles, Lawrence J.; Wong, Richard; Brust, Jeffrey; Davis, Michelle C.; Spear, Braddock

2015-01-01

Decision analytic approaches have been widely recommended as well suited to solving disputed and ecologically complex natural resource management problems with multiple objectives and high uncertainty. However, the difference between theory and practice is substantial, as there are very few actual resource management programs that represent formal applications of decision analysis. We applied the process of structured decision making to Atlantic horseshoe crab harvest decisions in the Delaware Bay region to develop a multispecies adaptive management (AM) plan, which is currently being implemented. Horseshoe crab harvest has been a controversial management issue since the late 1990s. A largely unregulated horseshoe crab harvest caused a decline in crab spawning abundance. That decline coincided with a major decline in migratory shorebird populations that consume horseshoe crab eggs on the sandy beaches of Delaware Bay during spring migration. Our approach incorporated multiple stakeholders, including fishery and shorebird conservation advocates, to account for diverse management objectives and varied opinions on ecosystem function. Through consensus building, we devised an objective statement and quantitative objective function to evaluate alternative crab harvest policies. We developed a set of competing ecological models accounting for the leading hypotheses on the interaction between shorebirds and horseshoe crabs. The models were initially weighted based on stakeholder confidence in these hypotheses, but weights will be adjusted based on monitoring and Bayesian model weight updating. These models were used together to predict the effects of management actions on the crab and shorebird populations. Finally, we used a dynamic optimization routine to identify the state dependent optimal harvest policy for horseshoe crabs, given the possible actions, the stated objectives and our competing hypotheses about system function. The AM plan was reviewed, accepted and

Ichthyofauna of the Eastern Coast Bays of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago

Science.gov (United States)

Bolshakova, Ya. Yu.; Bolshakov, D. V.

2018-03-01

Based on 2014-2016 studies and published data on the ichthyofauna composition near the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya, a revised list of fish fauna has been compiled. It includes 30 species from 23 genera and 13 families. The taxonomic diversity of ichthyofauna, its characteristics in respect to geographic range and biotopic groups of fish are considered. In general, ichthyological communities in bays off the eastern coast are similar in the species ratio to the communities in the open Kara Sea, and do not demonstrate any essential features of isolation.

Natural radionuclides in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal: distribution and evaluation of particle scavenging processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarin, M.M.; Rengarajan, R.; Somayajulu, B.L.K.

1994-01-01

Vertical and temporal variations in the activities of 234 Th, 210 Po and 210 Pb have been measured, in both dissolved and particulate phases, at several stations in the eastern Arabian Sea and north-central Bay of Bengal. A comparative study allows us to make inferences about the particle associated scavenging processes in these two seas having distinct biogeochemical properties. A common feature of the 234 Th profiles, in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, is that the dissolved as well as total (dissolved + particulate) activity of 234 Th is deficient in the surface 200 m with respect of its parent, 238 U. This gross deficiency is attributed to the preferential removal of 234 Th by adsorption onto settling particles which account for its net loss from the surface waters. The scavenging rates of dissolved 234 Th are comparable in these two basins. The temporal variations in the 234 Th- 238 U disequilibrium are significantly pronounced both in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal indicating that the scavenging rates are more influenced by the increased abundance of particles rather than their chemical make-up. The Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea appear to be the regions of most intense particle moderated scavenging processes in the world oceans. This is evidenced by the gross disequilibria exhibited by the three isotope pairs used in this study. (author). 33 refs., 8 figs., 5 tabs

Reducing methylmercury accumulation in the food webs of San Francisco Bay and its local watersheds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, J.A.; Looker, R.E.; Yee, D.; Marvin-Di Pasquale, M.; Grenier, J.L.; Austin, C.M.; McKee, L.J.; Greenfield, B.K.; Brodberg, R.; Blum, J.D.

2012-01-01

San Francisco Bay (California, USA) and its local watersheds present an interesting case study in estuarine mercury (Hg) contamination. This review focuses on the most promising avenues for attempting to reduce methylmercury (MeHg) contamination in Bay Area aquatic food webs and identifying the scientific information that is most urgently needed to support these efforts. Concern for human exposure to MeHg in the region has led to advisories for consumption of sport fish. Striped bass from the Bay have the highest average Hg concentration measured for this species in USA estuaries, and this degree of contamination has been constant for the past 40 years. Similarly, largemouth bass in some Bay Area reservoirs have some of the highest Hg concentrations observed in the entire US. Bay Area wildlife, particularly birds, face potential impacts to reproduction based on Hg concentrations in the tissues of several Bay species. Source control of Hg is one of the primary possible approaches for reducing MeHg accumulation in Bay Area aquatic food webs. Recent findings (particularly Hg isotope measurements) indicate that the decades-long residence time of particle-associated Hg in the Bay is sufficient to allow significant conversion of even the insoluble forms of Hg into MeHg. Past inputs have been thoroughly mixed throughout this shallow and dynamic estuary. The large pool of Hg already present in the ecosystem dominates the fraction converted to MeHg and accumulating in the food web. Consequently, decreasing external Hg inputs can be expected to reduce MeHg in the food web, but it will likely take many decades to centuries before those reductions are achieved. Extensive efforts to reduce loads from the largest Hg mining source (the historic New Almaden mining district) are underway. Hg is spread widely across the urban landscape, but there are a number of key sources, source areas, and pathways that provide opportunities to capture larger quantities of Hg and reduce loads

Reducing methylmercury accumulation in the food webs of San Francisco Bay and its local watersheds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, J.A., E-mail: jay@sfei.org [San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804 (United States); Looker, R.E. [San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612 (United States); Yee, D. [San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804 (United States); Marvin-Di Pasquale, M. [U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division/MS 480, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Grenier, J.L. [San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804 (United States); Austin, C.M. [San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612 (United States); McKee, L.J.; Greenfield, B.K. [San Francisco Estuary Institute, 4911 Central Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804 (United States); Brodberg, R. [California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812 (United States); Blum, J.D. [Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2012-11-15

San Francisco Bay (California, USA) and its local watersheds present an interesting case study in estuarine mercury (Hg) contamination. This review focuses on the most promising avenues for attempting to reduce methylmercury (MeHg) contamination in Bay Area aquatic food webs and identifying the scientific information that is most urgently needed to support these efforts. Concern for human exposure to MeHg in the region has led to advisories for consumption of sport fish. Striped bass from the Bay have the highest average Hg concentration measured for this species in USA estuaries, and this degree of contamination has been constant for the past 40 years. Similarly, largemouth bass in some Bay Area reservoirs have some of the highest Hg concentrations observed in the entire US. Bay Area wildlife, particularly birds, face potential impacts to reproduction based on Hg concentrations in the tissues of several Bay species. Source control of Hg is one of the primary possible approaches for reducing MeHg accumulation in Bay Area aquatic food webs. Recent findings (particularly Hg isotope measurements) indicate that the decades-long residence time of particle-associated Hg in the Bay is sufficient to allow significant conversion of even the insoluble forms of Hg into MeHg. Past inputs have been thoroughly mixed throughout this shallow and dynamic estuary. The large pool of Hg already present in the ecosystem dominates the fraction converted to MeHg and accumulating in the food web. Consequently, decreasing external Hg inputs can be expected to reduce MeHg in the food web, but it will likely take many decades to centuries before those reductions are achieved. Extensive efforts to reduce loads from the largest Hg mining source (the historic New Almaden mining district) are underway. Hg is spread widely across the urban landscape, but there are a number of key sources, source areas, and pathways that provide opportunities to capture larger quantities of Hg and reduce loads

488-D Ash Basin Vegetative Cover Treatibility Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, Christopher; Marx, Don; Blake, John; Adriano, Domy; Koo, Bon-Jun; Czapka, Stephen

2003-01-01

The 488-D Ash Basin is an unlined containment basin that received ash and coal reject material from the operation of a powerhouse at the USDOE's Savannah River Site, SC. They pyretic nature of the coal rejects has resulted in the formation of acidic drainage (AD), which has contributed to groundwater deterioration and threatens biota in down gradient wetlands. Establishment of a vegetative cover was examined as a remedial alternative for reducing AD generation within this system by enhanced utilization of rainwater and subsequent non-point source water pollution control. The low nutrient content, high acidity, and high salinity of the basin material, however, was deleterious to plant survivability. As such, studies to identify suitable plant species and potential adaptations, and pretreatment techniques in the form of amendments, tilling, and/or chemical stabilization were needed. A randomized block design consisting of three subsurface treatments (blocks) and five duplicated surface amendments (treatments) was developed. One hundred inoculated pine trees were planted on each plot. Herbaceous species were also planted on half of the plots in duplicated 1-m2 beds. After two growing seasons, deep ripping, subsurface amendments and surface covers were shown to be essential for the successful establishment of vegetation on the basin. This is the final report of the study.

A new species of Corydoras Lacépède (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae from the Rio Tapajós basin and its phylogenetic implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinicius C. Espíndola

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A new species of Corydoras is described from tributaries of the rio Arinos, rio Teles Pires and rio Preto, all in the rio Tapajós basin. The new species is a member of a group that includes 36 species with spots on the body. Within this group, the new species can be readily distinguished by having a smaller dorsal-fin spine than the first three subsequent soft dorsal-fin rays; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins hyaline; dorsal-fin interradial membrane hyaline; rounded spots on trunk restricted to dorsolateral body plates and dorsal portion of ventrolateral body plates, not reaching the base of pelvic and anal fins. The new species can be further distinguished from Corydoras xinguensis by having spots with diffuse edges, and from all other species of spotted Corydoras except C.multimaculatus, by the absence of ventral platelets. A phylogenetic analysis recovered the new species plus Corydoras metae and C.araguaiensis in a clade sharing the presence of a pointed process on the maxilla for insertion of the retractor tentaculi muscle. In addition, the presence in the new species of an elongated anterior portion of the mesethmoid and a triangular uncinate process of the epibranchial 3 suggests a close relationship with Corydoras metae.

Restoration Potential of Ruppia Maritima and Potamogeton Perfoliatus by Seed in the Mid-Chesapeake Bay

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ailstock, Steve

2004-01-01

... in the mesohaline reaches of the mid-Chesapeake Bay. Once reproductive potential by seed is defined for healthy populations of these species, their life cycles can be evaluated to identify nondestructive methods of harvesting seeds for restoration projects...

Spatial-temporal distribution of phytoplankton pigments in relation to nutrient status in Jiaozhou Bay, China

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Peng; Yu, Zhigang; Deng, Chunmei; Liu, Shuxia; Zhen, Yu

2010-10-01

We conducted studies of phytoplankton and hydrological variables in a semi-enclosed bay in northern China to understand the spatial-temporal variability and relationship between these variables. Samples were collected during seven cruises in Jiaozhou Bay from November 2003 to October 2004, and were analyzed for temperature, nutrients and phytoplankton pigments. Pigments from eight possible phytoplankton classes (Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, Chlorophyceae, Prasinophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Haptophyceae, Cryptophyceae and Caynophyceae) were detected in surface water by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phytoplankton pigment and nutrient concentrations in Jiaozhou Bay were spatially and temporally variable, and most of them were highest in the northern and eastern parts of the sampling regions in spring (May) and summer (August), close to areas of shellfish culturing, river estuaries, dense population and high industrialization, reflecting human activities. Chlorophyll a was recorded in all samples, with an annual mean concentration of 1.892 μg L -1, and fucoxanthin was the most abundant accessory pigment, with a mean concentration of 0.791 μg L -1. The highest concentrations of chlorophyll a (15.299 μg L -1) and fucoxanthin (9.417 μg L -1) were observed in May 2004 at the station close to the Qingdao Xiaogang Ferry, indicating a spring bloom of Diatoms in this area. Although chlorophyll a and other biomarker pigments showed significant correlations, none of them showed strong correlations with temperature and nutrients, suggesting an apparent de-coupling between the pigments and these hydrological variables. The nutrient composition and phytoplankton community composition of Jiaozhou Bay have changed significantly in the past several decades, reflecting the increasing nutrient concentrations and decline of phytoplankton cell abundance. The unchanged total chlorophyll a levels indicated that smaller species have filled the niche vacated by the larger

eBay.com

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engholm, Ida

2014-01-01

Celebrated as one of the leading and most valuable brands in the world, eBay has acquired iconic status on par with century-old brands such as Coca-Cola and Disney. The eBay logo is now synonymous with the world’s leading online auction website, and its design is associated with the company...

Discharge between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, southern Gulf Coast, Texas, May-September 1999

Science.gov (United States)

East, Jeffery W.

2001-01-01

Along the Gulf Coast of Texas, many estuaries and bays are important habitat and nurseries for aquatic life. San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, located about 50 and 30 miles northeast, respectively, of Corpus Christi, are two important estuarine nurseries on the southern Gulf Coast of Texas (fig. 1). According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Almost 80 percent of the seagrasses [along the Texas Gulf Coast] are located in the Laguna Madre, an estuary that begins just south of Corpus Christi Bay and runs southward 140 miles to South Padre Island. Most of the remaining seagrasses, about 45,000 acres, are located in the heavily traveled San Antonio, Aransas and Corpus Christi Bay areas” (Shook, 2000).Population growth has led to greater demands on water supplies in Texas. The Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission have the cooperative task of determining inflows required to maintain the ecological health of the State’s streams, rivers, bays, and estuaries. To determine these inflow requirements, the three agencies collect data and conduct studies on the need for instream flows and freshwater/ saline water inflows to Texas estuaries.To assist in the determination of freshwater inflow requirements, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, conducted a hydrographic survey of discharge (flow) between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay during the period May–September 1999. Automated instrumentation and acoustic technology were used to maximize the amount and quality of data that were collected, while minimizing personnel requirements. This report documents the discharge measured at two sites between the bays during May–September 1999 and describes the influences of meteorologic (wind and tidal) and hydrologic (freshwater inflow) conditions on discharge between the two bays. The movement of water between the bays is

Seasonal variations in the biochemical composition of some common seaweed species from the coast of Abu Qir Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanan M. Khairy

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Variations in protein, carbohydrate, lipid, ash, moisture, fatty acid and aminoacid contents of the seaweeds Ulva lactuca Linnaeus (Chlorophyta,Jania rubens (Linnaeus J.V. Lamouroux and Pterocladia capillacea (S.G. Gmelin Bornet(Rhodophyta were studied seasonally from spring to autumn 2010. The seaweeds were collected from a rocky site near Boughaz El-Maadya on the coast of Abu Qir Bay east of Alexandria, Egypt. Remarkable seasonal variations were recorded in the levels of the studied parameters in the three species. Pterocladia capillacea was characterized by the highest protein andcarbohydrate content throughout the different seasons, whereas Ulva lactuca contained more lipids (4.09 ± 0.2% than J. rubens and P. capillacea. The highest total fatty acids were recorded in J. rubens during the three seasons, while saturated fatty acids were predominant in P. capillacea during spring. This is due mainly to the presence of palmitic acid(C16:0, which made up 74.3% of the saturated fatty acids. The highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA in these algae was measured in J. rubens; DHA (22:6ω3 was the main acid, making up 26.4% of the total fatty acids especiallyduring summer. Proline was the major component of the amino acids in the three algal species, with maximum amounts in U. lactuca.

Influence of thermal discharges on the distribution of macroflora and fauna. Humboldt Bay Nuclear Power Plant, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, J.R.

1975-01-01

Populations of benthic and epifaunal macro-organisms living in the area influenced by the thermal discharge of the steam-electric power plant at Humboldt Bay, California, were analyzed in 1971 and 1972 to determine if differences in distribution could be attributed to the effluent. Relicated benthic samples were collected with a Ponar grab at 20 stations in the bay and at 4 stations in the canals leading to and from the power plant. Comparisons of epifaunal plants and animals in a rocky intertidal zone were made at 13 permanent transects spaced at various distances on either side of the discharge. Species richness in the intertidal was positively correlated with increased temperature in 13 percent of the possible combinations of tide level and diversity. Individual species were positively correlated with increased temperatures for 19 percent of the plant comparisons, and for 16.3 percent of the animal comparisons. Comparisons of populations of individual species in the heated intertidal zone with those in a control zone indicated differences in 26.2 percent of the plant surveys, and 23.2 percent of the animal surveys. Differences were positively related to the increased temperature in 90.5 percent of the comparisons. Proportions of eurythermal plants or animals in the heated areas of the intertidal zone did not differ significantly from proportions in other areas in 4 different survey periods. With the possible exception of one species, there was no conclusive evidence that any of the 132 species found in the intertidal area at Humboldt Bay was eliminated from the heated area surrounding the discharge of the power plant

Great Basin Factsheet Series 2016 - Information and tools to restore and conserve Great Basin ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Jeanne C. Chambers

2016-01-01

Land managers are responsible for developing effective strategies for conserving and restoring Great Basin ecosystems in the face of invasive species, conifer expansion, and altered fire regimes. A warming climate is magnifying the effects of these threats and adding urgency to implementation of management practices that will maintain or improve ecosystem...

Illumina-based analysis the microbial diversity associated with Thalassia hemprichii in Xincun Bay, South China Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yu-Feng; Ling, Juan; Dong, Jun-De; Chen, Biao; Zhang, Yan-Ying; Zhang, Yuan-Zhou; Wang, You-Shao

2015-10-01

In order to increase our understanding of the microbial diversity associated with seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in Xincun Bay, South China Sea, 16S rRNA gene was identified by highthrough sequencing method. Bacteria associated with seagrass T. hemprichii belonged to 37 phyla, 99 classes. The diversity of bacteria associated with seagrass was similar among the geographically linked coastal locations of Xincun Bay. Proteobacteria was the dominant bacteria and the α-proteobacteria had adapted to the seagrass ecological niche. As well, α-proteobacteria and Pseudomonadales were associated microflora in seagrass meadows, but the interaction between the bacteria and plant is needed to further research. Burkholderiales and Verrucomicrobiae indicated the influence of the bay from anthropogenic activities. Further, Cyanobacteria could imply the difference of the nutrient conditions in the sites. γ-proteobacteria, Desulfobacterales and Pirellulales played a role in the cycle of sulfur, organic mineralization and meadow ecosystem, respectively. In addition, the less abundance bacteria species have key functions in the seagrass meadows, but there is lack knowledge of the interaction of the seagrass and less abundance bacteria species. Microbial communities can response to surroundings and play key functions in the biochemical cycle.

Classification using Hierarchical Naive Bayes models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langseth, Helge; Dyhre Nielsen, Thomas

2006-01-01

Classification problems have a long history in the machine learning literature. One of the simplest, and yet most consistently well-performing set of classifiers is the Naïve Bayes models. However, an inherent problem with these classifiers is the assumption that all attributes used to describe......, termed Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models. Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models extend the modeling flexibility of Naïve Bayes models by introducing latent variables to relax some of the independence statements in these models. We propose a simple algorithm for learning Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models...

ECOLOGICALLY ACCEPTABLE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH CAUCASIAN FEDERAL DISTRICT AND PLANS FOR RESTORING TEREK RIVER BASIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. M. Abdurakhmanov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. This paper analyzes the data on contamination of the Terek river basin in the period of 1978-2012. We give assessment to process of self-purification from oil pollution of coastal waters of the Dagestan coast of the Caspian Sea; tracked seasonal and long-term dynamics of the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in sea water, calculated an average concentration and load of petroleum hydrocarbons in the seaside area of Terek River. We also present information obtained in the course of fieldwork in Agrakhan Bay. As a result of field research we conducted full hydrochemical analysis of water samples taken at stations, evaluating the degree of water pollution of Agrakhan Bay.Materials and Methodology. We identified features of pollution of the seaside wellhead of Terek River by analyzing the information from the review journals of the state of environment and its pollution, and magazine-yearbooks of marine waters quality by hydrochemical indicators as well as our own data collections and analysis. Agrakhan Bay Research was conducted using modern physical and chemical methods of quantitative chemical analysis. The date was collected on an integrated basis at 16 stations.Results. It was found that anthropogenic load has reached its limits in the Terek basin. The main factor for the destruction of the ecology of Terek River constitutes extremely large number of oil extracting and refining industries in the region. Studies of Agrakhan Bay revealed a high concentration of zinc. We also found a slight excess of maximum permissible concentration of lead and copper in the southern part of the bay.Main conclusion. For the revival of the Terek River it is necessary to optimize the ecological and environmental impacts of activities of enterprises and industries, improve the efficiency of the entire economy of the North Caucasian region. It is crucial to combine environmental, economic, scientific, technical and organizational measures into a single set

75 FR 11837 - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative AGENCY...: Notice of availability of program funds for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative. SUMMARY: The... through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative for agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed...

Caesium and Plutonium Isotopes as Tracers of Various Events in Sediment Records in the Bay of Toulon (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duffa, C.; Arnaud, M.; Charmasson, S.; Thebault, H. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, DEI/SESURE/LERCM, La Seyne sur Mer (France)

2013-07-15

Located along the French Mediterranean coast, the Toulon bay has a specific configuration with two basins. The shallow one is a semi-enclosed basin (Petite Rade) with complex hydrodynamic conditions that contribute to fine sedimentation. The open sea basin, separated from the first one by a long sea wall, receives different anthropogenic inputs. Surface and core sediment sampling cruises took place in 2001 and 2008, in order to study radionuclide spatial dispersion and sediment accumulation. {sup 137}Cs values are statistically higher in the 'Petite Rade' than in the open basin. {sup 239+240}Pu levels range from 0.7 to 2.6 Bq/kg dry weight in surface sediments, up to 6 times higher than elsewhere in Mediterranean coastal areas not influenced by riverine inputs. Plutonium activity ratios ({sup 238}Pu/{sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 239}Pu/{sup 240}Pu) labelled atmospheric nuclear weapon testing. Regarding the long cores, the highest plutonium activities, measured by alpha counting and ICP-MS, concern the first ten centimetres with a maximum value of 3.5 Bq/kg dry weight in {sup 239+240}Pu. (author)

Urban Greening Bay Area

Science.gov (United States)

Information about the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Project (SFBWQP) Urban Greening Bay Area, a large-scale effort to re-envision urban landscapes to include green infrastructure (GI) making communities more livable and reducing stormwater runoff.

USGS Tampa Bay Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, K.K.; Cronin, T. M.; Crane, M.; Hansen, M.; Nayeghandi, A.; Swarzenski, P.; Edgar, T.; Brooks, G.R.; Suthard, B.; Hine, A.; Locker, S.; Willard, D.A.; Hastings, D.; Flower, B.; Hollander, D.; Larson, R.A.; Smith, K.

2007-01-01

Many of the nation's estuaries have been environmentally stressed since the turn of the 20th century and will continue to be impacted in the future. Tampa Bay, one the Gulf of Mexico's largest estuaries, exemplifies the threats that our estuaries face (EPA Report 2001, Tampa Bay Estuary Program-Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (TBEP-CCMP)). More than 2 million people live in the Tampa Bay watershed, and the population constitutes to grow. Demand for freshwater resources, conversion of undeveloped areas to resident and industrial uses, increases in storm-water runoff, and increased air pollution from urban and industrial sources are some of the known human activities that impact Tampa Bay. Beginning on 2001, additional anthropogenic modifications began in Tampa Bat including construction of an underwater gas pipeline and a desalinization plant, expansion of existing ports, and increased freshwater withdrawal from three major tributaries to the bay. In January of 2001, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) and its partners identifies a critical need for participation from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in providing multidisciplinary expertise and a regional-scale, integrated science approach to address complex scientific research issue and critical scientific information gaps that are necessary for continued restoration and preservation of Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay stakeholders identified several critical science gaps for which USGS expertise was needed (Yates et al. 2001). These critical science gaps fall under four topical categories (or system components): 1) water and sediment quality, 2) hydrodynamics, 3) geology and geomorphology, and 4) ecosystem structure and function. Scientists and resource managers participating in Tampa Bay studies recognize that it is no longer sufficient to simply examine each of these estuarine system components individually, Rather, the interrelation among system components must be understood to develop conceptual and

Concentration of PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) Toxin On Shellfish From Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay North Halmahera

Science.gov (United States)

Pello, F. S.; Haumahu, S.; Huliselan, N. V.; Tuapattinaja, M. A.

2017-10-01

The Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay have potential on fisheries resources which one of them is molluscs. Molluscs especially for class bivalve have economical values and are consumed by coastal community. The research had been done to analyze saxitoxin (STX) concentration on bivalves from Kao Bay and Inner Ambon Bay. The Saxitoxin Elisa Test Kit Protocol was used to determine saxitoxin concentration. The measurement showed that the highest concentration of saxitoxin (392.42 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Gafrarium tumidum from Ambon Bay, whereas concentration of saxitoxin (321.83 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Mactra mera from Kao Bay

Pore-water chemistry of sediment cores off Mahanadi Basin, Bay of Bengal: Possible link to deep seated methane hydrate deposit

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mazumdar, A.; Peketi, A.; Joao, H.M.; Dewangan, P.; Ramprasad, T.

). The shelf break occurs approximately along the 150 m isobath. Mahanadi offshore area represents a pull apart type of basin which generally parallels the coast with sedimentary section showing rapid seaward thickening (Jagannathan et al., 1983). The basin...

Oceanography of Glacier Bay, Alaska: Implications for biological patterns in a glacial fjord estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Etherington, L.L.; Hooge, P.N.; Hooge, Elizabeth Ross; Hill, D.F.

2007-01-01

Alaska, U.S.A, is one of the few remaining locations in the world that has fjords that contain temperate idewater glaciers. Studying such estuarine systems provides vital information on how deglaciation affects oceanographic onditions of fjords and surrounding coastal waters. The oceanographic system of Glacier Bay, Alaska, is of particular interest ue to the rapid deglaciation of the Bay and the resulting changes in the estuarine environment, the relatively high oncentrations of marine mammals, seabirds, fishes, and invertebrates, and the Bay’s status as a national park, where ommercial fisheries are being phased out. We describe the first comprehensive broad-scale analysis of physical and iological oceanographic conditions within Glacier Bay based on CTD measurements at 24 stations from 1993 to 2002. easonal patterns of near-surface salinity, temperature, stratification, turbidity, and euphotic depth suggest that freshwater nput was highest in summer, emphasizing the critical role of glacier and snowmelt to this system. Strong and persistent tratification of surface waters driven by freshwater input occurred from spring through fall. After accounting for seasonal nd spatial variation, several of the external physical factors (i.e., air temperature, precipitation, day length) explained a large mount of variation in the physical properties of the surface waters. Spatial patterns of phytoplankton biomass varied hroughout the year and were related to stratification levels, euphotic depth, and day length. We observed hydrographic atterns indicative of strong competing forces influencing water column stability within Glacier Bay: high levels of freshwater ischarge promoted stratification in the upper fjord, while strong tidal currents over the Bay’s shallow entrance sill enhanced ertical mixing. Where these two processes met in the central deep basins there were optimal conditions of intermediate tratification, higher light levels, and potential nutrient renewal

Hydrochemical evaluation of groundwater quality in the Çavuşçayı basin, Sungurlu-Çorum, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Çelik, Mehmet; Yıldırım, Turgut

2006-06-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality and usage possibility of groundwater in the Çavuşçayı basin and suggest the best water structure for the groundwater use. Results from hydrochemical analyses reveal that groundwater is mostly affected by salty (Na+ Cl-) waters of the Incik Formation and brackish (Ca2+, Mg2+ SO{4/2-}) waters of the Bayındır Formation. The Alibaba saltpan discharged (2 l/s) from the Incik Formation is used for salt production. In the basin, salinity risk increases with depth and along the groundwater flow direction. Therefore, shallow water and trenches opened in the alluvium aquifer at the east of the basin were determined to yield suitable water with no Na+ and Cl- contamination. Following the heavy rainy period, waters of less salinity and conductivity are possibly used for agriculture.

Marine littoral diatoms from the Gordon’s bay region of False Bay, Cape Province, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Giffen, MH

1971-01-01

Full Text Available and Comic/i for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria (Received: 5.2. 1970) The Gordon?s Bay region occupies the north western corner of False Bay, a large rectangular bay, bounded on the west by the Cape Peninsula ending at Cape Point...

Spatial distribution and shell utilization in three sympatric hermit crabs at non-consolidated sublittoral of estuarine-bay complex in São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil