Ultraestructura de esporofitos jovenes de Macrocystis pyrifera (Linnaeus C. Agardh (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales

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César A. Córdova

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Se investigó el desarrollo anatómico de esporofitos jóvenes de Macrocystis pyrifera obtenidos a partir de cigotos en cultivos de laboratorio. Los talos eran monostromáticos luego de dos semanas de crecimiento y las células eran similares entre sí, fotosintéticas y conectadas por campos de puntuación primarios. A las cinco semanas, los talos eran poliestromáticos y estaban diferenciados internamente en meristodermo, corteza y médula. Filamentos cribosos longitudinales aparecieron en la médula, desarrollándose de la corteza interna y rodeados por una matriz intercelular. Cada elemento criboso presentaba un núcleo, cloroplastos y varios plasmodesmos, los cuales estaban distribuidos más o menos al azar en paredes transversales o agrupados en campos de puntuación primarios en paredes longitudinales. Luego de nueve semanas, los talos eran más gruesos y estaban diferenciados morfológicamente en una lámina, estípite y grampón rizoidal. Además de los filamentos cribosos, aparecieron filamentos menores o «hifas» en la médula. Se discute el desarrollo del esporofito joven y la relación de nuestras observaciones con estudios en otras algas pardas.

A Mathematical Model for Estimation of Kelp Bed Productivity: Age Dependence and Contributions of Subsurface Kelp

Science.gov (United States)

Trumbo, S. K.; Palacios, S. L.; Zimmerman, R. C.; Kudela, R. M.

2012-12-01

Macrocystis pyrifera, giant kelp, is a major primary producer of the California coastal ocean that provides habitat for marine species through the formation of massive kelp beds. The estimation of primary productivity of these kelp beds is essential for a complete understanding of their health and of the biogeochemistry of the region. Current methods involve either the application of a proportionality constant to remotely sensed biomass or in situ frond density measurements. The purpose of this research was to improve upon conventional primary productivity estimates by developing a model which takes into account the spectral differences among juvenile, mature, and senescent tissues as well as the photosynthetic contributions of subsurface kelp. A modified version of a seagrass productivity model (Zimmerman 2006) was used to quantify carbon fixation. Inputs included estimates of the underwater light field as computed by solving the radiative transfer equation (with the Hydrolight(TM) software package) and biological parameters obtained from the literature. It was found that mature kelp is the most efficient primary producer, especially in light-limited environments, due to increased light absorptance. It was also found that incoming light attenuates below useful levels for photosynthesis more rapidly than has been previously accounted for in productivity estimates, with productivity dropping below half maximum at approximately 0.75 m. As a case study for comparison with the biomass method, the model was applied to Isla Vista kelp bed in Santa Barbara, using area estimates from the MODIS-ASTER Simulator (MASTER). A graphical user-interface was developed for users to provide inputs to run the kelp productivity model under varying conditions. Accurately quantifying kelp productivity is essential for understanding its interaction with offshore ecosystems as well as its contribution to the coastal carbon cycle.

Effects of five southern California macroalgal diets on consumption, growth, and gonad weight, in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

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Matthew C. Foster

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Consumer growth and reproductive capacity are direct functions of diet. Strongylocentrotid sea urchins, the dominant herbivores in California kelp forests, strongly prefer giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera, but are highly catholic in their ability to consume other species. The biomass of Macrocystis fluctuates greatly in space and time, and the extent to which urchins can use alternate species of algae or a mixed diet of multiple algal species to maintain fitness when giant kelp is unavailable is unknown. We experimentally examined the effects of single and mixed species diets on consumption, growth and gonad weight in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Urchins were fed single species diets consisting of one of four common species of macroalgae (the kelps Macrocystis pyrifera and Pterygophora californica, and the red algae Chondracanthus corymbiferus and Rhodymenia californica (hereafter referred to by genus or a mixed diet containing all four species ad libitum over a 13-week period in a controlled laboratory setting. Urchins fed Chondracanthus, Macrocystis and a mixed diet showed the highest growth (in terms of test diameter, wet weight and jaw length and gonad weight, while urchins fed Pterygophora and Rhodymenia showed the lowest. Urchins consumed their preferred food, Macrocystis, at the highest rate when offered a mixture, but consumed Chondracanthus or Macrocystis at similar rates when the two algae were offered alone. The differences in urchin feeding behavior and growth observed between these diet types suggest the relative availability of the algae tested here could affect urchin populations and their interactions with the algal assemblage. The fact that the performance of urchins fed Chondracanthus was similar or higher than those fed the preferred Macrocystis suggests that the availability of the former could could sustain growth and reproduction of purple sea urchins during times of low Macrocystis abundance as is

Kelp distribution off California

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set delineates kelp beds (Nereocystis leutkeana and Macrocystis spp.) along the Pacific Coast of California. Multiple years of kelp mapping data for the...

77 FR 75429 - Notice of Availability of Proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-20

... with a plant (giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera), a vertebrate (topsmelt, Atherinops affinis) and an... Federal agencies regarding threatened or endangered species of fish, wildlife, or plants and habitat of... Sanctuaries Act The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1980 and encompasses...

Elevated temperature drives kelp microbiome dysbiosis, while elevated carbon dioxide induces water microbiome disruption.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremiah J Minich

Full Text Available Global climate change includes rising temperatures and increased pCO2 concentrations in the ocean, with potential deleterious impacts on marine organisms. In this case study we conducted a four-week climate change incubation experiment, and tested the independent and combined effects of increased temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2, on the microbiomes of a foundation species, the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, and the surrounding water column. The water and kelp microbiome responded differently to each of the climate stressors. In the water microbiome, each condition caused an increase in a distinct microbial order, whereas the kelp microbiome exhibited a reduction in the dominant kelp-associated order, Alteromondales. The water column microbiomes were most disrupted by elevated pCO2, with a 7.3 fold increase in Rhizobiales. The kelp microbiome was most influenced by elevated temperature and elevated temperature in combination with elevated pCO2. Kelp growth was negatively associated with elevated temperature, and the kelp microbiome showed a 5.3 fold increase Flavobacteriales and a 2.2 fold increase alginate degrading enzymes and sulfated polysaccharides. In contrast, kelp growth was positively associated with the combination of high temperature and high pCO2 'future conditions', with a 12.5 fold increase in Planctomycetales and 4.8 fold increase in Rhodobacteriales. Therefore, the water and kelp microbiomes acted as distinct communities, where the kelp was stabilizing the microbiome under changing pCO2 conditions, but lost control at high temperature. Under future conditions, a new equilibrium between the kelp and the microbiome was potentially reached, where the kelp grew rapidly and the commensal microbes responded to an increase in mucus production.

Ammonium and nitrate uptake by the marine macrophytes Hypnea musciformis (Rhodophyta) and Macrocystis pyrifera (phaeophyta)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haines, K.C. (Univ. of Texas Marine Science Inst., St. Croix, US Virgin Islands); Wheeler, P.A.

1978-01-01

NH/sub 4//sup +/ and NO/sub 3//sup -/ uptake were measured by continuous sampling with an autoanalyzer. For Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen) Lamouroux, NO/sub 3//sup -/ uptake followed saturable kinetics (K/sub s/ = 4.9 ..mu..g-at N.l/sup -1/, V/sub max/ = 2.85 ..mu..g-at N-g(wet)/sup -1/.h/sup -1/). The ammonium uptake data fit a truncated hyperbola, i.e., saturation was not reached at the concentrations used, NO/sub 3//sup -/ uptake was reduced one-half in the presence of NH/sub 4//sup +/, but presence of NO/sub 3//sup -/ had no effect on NH/sub 4//sup +/ uptake. Darkness reduced both NO/sub 3//sup -/ and NH/sub 4//sup +/ uptake by one-third to one-half. For Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh. NO/sub 3//sup -/ uptake followed saturable kinetics; K/sub s/ = 13.1 ..mu..g-at N.l/sup -1/, V/sub max/ = 3.05 ..mu..g-at N.g(wet)/sup -1/.h/sup -1/. NH/sub 4//sup +/ uptake showed saturable kinetics at concentrations below 22 ..mu..g-at N.l/sup -1/(K/sub s/ = 5.3 ..mu..g-at N.l/sup -1/, V/sub max/ = 2.38 ..mu..g-at N g(wet)/sup -1/.h/sup -1/); at higher concentrations uptake increased linearly with concentration. NO/sub 3//sup -/ and NH/sub 4//sup +/ were taken up simultaneously; presence of one form did not affect uptake of the other.

Seasonal determination of trace and ultra-trace content in Macrocystis pyrifera from San Jorge Gulf (Patagonia) by Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Salomone, Vanesa N.; Riera, Marina; Cerchietti, Luciana; Custo, Graciela; Muniain, Claudia

2017-05-01

Seaweed have a great capacity to accumulate heavy metals in their tissues. The chemical characterization of seaweed is important due to their use in environmental monitoring and human or animal food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the multi-elemental composition of seaweed from San Jorge Gulf (Patagonia, Argentina) by Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF). The elements As, Br, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V and Zn were seasonally analyzed and quantified in blades of Macrocystis pyrifera. TXRF showed to be a suitable technique for simultaneous multi-element analysis in this kind of samples. The results revealed seasonal variations in the chemical content for some elements; arsenic content was maximum in summer and autumn, iron concentration increased to the winter and zinc concentration was maximum in autumn. The sum of principal micronutrients (Fe + Zn + Mn + Cu) varied between 114 and 171 mg k- 1 g dw. The total As concentration ranged between 36 and 66 mg kg- 1. Lead, nickel and copper were not detected.

Assessing the ecosystem-level consequences of a small-scale artisanal kelp fishery within the context of climate-change.

Science.gov (United States)

Krumhansl, Kira A; Bergman, Jordanna N; Salomon, Anne K

2017-04-01

Coastal communities worldwide rely on small-scale artisanal fisheries as a means of increasing food security and alleviating poverty. Even small-scale fishing activities, however, are prone to resource depletion and environmental degradation, which can erode livelihoods in the long run. Thus, there is a pressing need to identify viable and resilient artisanal fisheries, and generate knowledge to support management within the context of a rapidly changing climate. We examined the ecosystem-level consequences of an artisanal kelp fishery (Macrocystis pyrifera), finding small-scale harvest of this highly productive species poses minimal impacts on kelp recovery rates, survival, and biomass dynamics, and abundances of associated commercial and culturally important fish species. These results suggest that small-scale harvest poses minimal trade-offs for the other economic benefits provided by these ecosystems, and their inherent, spiritual, and cultural value to humans. However, we detected a negative impact of warmer seawater temperatures on kelp recovery rates following harvest, indicating that the viability of harvest, even at small scales, may be threatened by future increases in global ocean temperature. This suggests that negative impacts of artisanal fisheries may be more likely to arise in the context of a warming climate, further highlighting the widespread effects of global climate change on coastal fisheries and livelihoods. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Wave disturbance overwhelms top-down and bottom-up control of primary production in California kelp forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Daniel C; Rassweiler, Andrew; Carr, Mark H; Cavanaugh, Kyle C; Malone, Daniel P; Siegel, David A

2011-11-01

We took advantage of regional differences in environmental forcing and consumer abundance to examine the relative importance of nutrient availability (bottom-up), grazing pressure (top-down), and storm waves (disturbance) in determining the standing biomass and net primary production (NPP) of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera in central and southern California. Using a nine-year data set collected from 17 sites we show that, despite high densities of sea urchin grazers and prolonged periods of low nutrient availability in southern California, NPP by giant kelp was twice that of central California where nutrient concentrations were consistently high and sea urchins were nearly absent due to predation by sea otters. Waves associated with winter storms were consistently higher in central California, and the loss of kelp biomass to winter wave disturbance was on average twice that of southern California. These observations suggest that the more intense wave disturbance in central California limited NPP by giant kelp under otherwise favorable conditions. Regional patterns of interannual variation in NPP were similar to those of wave disturbance in that year-to-year variation in disturbance and NPP were both greater in southern California. Our findings provide strong evidence that regional differences in wave disturbance overwhelmed those of nutrient supply and grazing intensity to determine NPP by giant kelp. The important role of disturbance in controlling NPP revealed by our study is likely not unique to giant kelp forests, as vegetation dynamics in many systems are dominated by post-disturbance succession with climax communities being relatively uncommon. The effects of disturbance frequency may be easier to detect in giant kelp because it is fast growing and relatively short lived, with cycles of disturbance and recovery occurring on time scales of years. Much longer data sets (decades to centuries) will likely be needed to properly evaluate the role of

Kelp forest monitoring 1993 annual report. Channel Islands National Park. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kushner, D.; Walder, R.; Gorodezky, L.; Lerma, D.; Richards, D.

1993-06-01

The 1993 results of the Channel Islands National Park Kelp Forest Monitoring Project are described in this report. Population dynamics of 68 taxa or categories of algea, fish, and invertebrates were measured at 16 permanent sites around the five islands within the park. Survey techniques utilized SCUBA and surface-supplied-air, and included quadrats, band transects, random contacts, fish transects, video transects, size frequency measurements, artificial recruitment modules, and species list surveys. Temperature data was collected using Sea Data batheothermographs, and HOBOTEMP temperature loggers. Temperature loggers were installed at each of the sixteen sites. Size frequency measurements were taken from artifical recruitment modules at nine sites. In 1993, 13 sites had giant kelp, Macrocysts pyrifera, forests, one site was dominated by the aggregating red sea cucumber, pachythyone rubra, one site was dominated by red sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, and another by purple sea urchins, S. purpuratus. The 13 sites with kelp forests consisted of 10 mature and three young kelp forests. Wasting disease was observed in sea stars and wasting syndrome was apparent in sea urchins. Sea urchins wasting syndrome appears to have caused mass mortality of purple sea urchins, S. purpuratus, at two Santa Barbara Island sites.

CUANTIFICACIÓN DE CARBOHIDRATOS, POLIFENOLES Y SULFATOS EN EXTRACTOS DE MACROALGAS PROMISORIAS PARA LA ACUICULTURA

OpenAIRE

Salas, N.; Lengua, R.; Becerra, E.; Bazán, D.; Santome, S.; Córdova, C.

2015-01-01

En el presente trabajo, se  determinó el contenido de Carbohidratos, polifenoles y  sulfatos en muestras de macroalgas marinas, las que se recolectaron en la  Bahía de Pisco-Ica y  en la  playa de Barranco. Las muestras estudiadas son las siguientes:    Macrocystis Pyrifera, Ulva Nematoidea, Lessonia Trabeculata, Chondracanthus Chamissoi. Se observó que el alga     Chondracanthus Chamissoi  femenina  es la que tiene mayor cantidad de carbohidratos,  el   alga Macrocystis Pyrifera  es la que  ...

A new pathogen transmission mechanism in the ocean: the case of sea otter exposure to the land-parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda F M Mazzillo

Full Text Available Toxoplasma gondii is a land-derived parasite that infects humans and marine mammals. Infections are a significant cause of mortality for endangered southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis, but the transmission mechanism is poorly understood. Otter exposure to T. gondii has been linked to the consumption of marine turban snails in kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera forests. It is unknown how turban snails acquire oocysts, as snails scrape food particles attached to surfaces, whereas T. gondii oocysts enter kelp beds as suspended particles via runoff. We hypothesized that waterborne T. gondii oocysts attach to kelp surfaces when encountering exopolymer substances (EPS forming the sticky matrix of biofilms on kelp, and thus become available to snails. Results of a dietary composition analysis of field-collected snails and of kelp biofilm indicate that snails graze the dense kelp-biofilm assemblage composed of pennate diatoms and bacteria inserted within the EPS gel-like matrix. To test whether oocysts attach to kelp blades via EPS, we designed a laboratory experiment simulating the kelp forest canopy in tanks spiked with T. gondii surrogate microspheres and controlled for EPS and transparent exopolymer particles (TEP - the particulate form of EPS. On average, 19% and 31% of surrogates were detected attached to kelp surfaces covered with EPS in unfiltered and filtered seawater treatments, respectively. The presence of TEP in the seawater did not increase surrogate attachment. These findings support a novel transport mechanism of T. gondii oocysts: as oocysts enter the kelp forest canopy, a portion adheres to the sticky kelp biofilms. Snails grazing this biofilm encounter oocysts as 'bycatch' and thereby deliver the parasite to sea otters that prey upon snails. This novel mechanism can have health implications beyond T. gondii and otters, as a similar route of pathogen transmission may be implicated with other waterborne pathogens to marine wildlife and

Biología poblacional de huirales submareales de Macrocystis integrifolia y Lessonia trabeculata (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae en un ecosistema de surgencia del norte de Chile: variabilidad interanual y El Niño 1997-1998 Population biology of the subtidal kelps Macrocystis integrifolia and Lessonia trabeculata (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae in an upwelling ecosystem of northern Chile: interannual variability and El Niño 1997-1998

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.M. ALONSO VEGA

2005-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the population biology of Lessonia trabeculata and Macrocystis integrifolia during and after the 1997-1998 El Niño in an area of permanent coastal upwelling in northern Chile. Spatial and temporal patterns of distribution were evaluated seasonally for adult and juvenile sporophytes of both species between 1996 and 2003. These two kelp form an assemblage distributed between 2 and 15 m depth, with disjunct patterns along a bathymetric gradient, including two morphs of L. trabeculata, the occurrence of which depends on the presence or absence of M. integrifolia. During the 1997-1998 El Niño the spatial-temporal patterns of abundance of the kelp assemblage were maintained by the continuity of coastal upwelling, which buffered and moderated superficial warming of the sea and depletion of nutrients. In this context, localities associated with coastal upwelling areas could function as "sources" of reproductive propagules after passage of El Niño, thus increasing kelp recolonization rates in "sink" localities, which suffered local kelp extinctions. Intensification of upwelling processes after the 1998-2000 La Niña increased nutrient inputs into subtidal habitats, favoring the productivity of the kelp assemblage. However, an abrupt change in the spatial-temporal patterns of abundance of the black sea urchin Tetrapygus niger, the most conspicuous benthic grazer in northern Chile, produced local extinctions of M. integrifolia and compression of the range of bathymetric distribution of L. trabeculata. Top-down (mortality of benthic carnivores during the 1997-1998 El Niño and bottom-up effects (intensity and frequency of upwelling in this subtidal coastal ecosystem appear to regulate the kelp-herbivore interactions in the study area. The main sources of reproductive propagules for the re-establishment of the assemblage kelp were fertile sporophytes which included isolated, low density patches of M.integrifolia located within the bed

Methane production from marine macroalgae. A literature study with comments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Josefsen, K.; Aasen, I.M.

1995-06-16

This report is a survey of the published literature on fermentation of marine macroalgae to produce methane. The emphasis is placed on modern fermentation process development, including both bio-technological and economic parameters. Marine macroalgae are mostly good feedstock for methane fermentation. The main carbohydrates in seaweeds are alginate, laminaria and mannitol. Both the N and P content of kelp are usually high enough to avoid nutrient limitation. The biogass produced from marine macroalgae usually contains 50 - 65% methane. Experimentally methane yields in the order of 0.35 - 0.43 m{sup 3}/kg volatile solids (VS) have been obtained from Macrocystis pyrifera and 0.20 - 0.30 m{sup 3}/kg VS for Laminaria sp. at long retention times (50-60 days) in completely mixed reactors. The maximum reported production rate in a completely mixed reactor is 2.7 vol CH{sub 4}/reactor volume x day for M. pyrifera. In reactor configurations giving longer solids retention times (SRT) than liquid retention times (LRT), the highest reported productivity was 3.3 vol/vol x day, with loading rate 9.6 kg VS/m{sup 3} x day, HRT 10 days and SRT 23 days. There are discussions of special problems related to fermentation of marine algae, in particular the sulphur content, the toxicity of H{sub 2}S and the precipitation of heavy metals as sulphides. 72 refs., 5 figs., 13 tabs.

Marine biodiversity at the end of the world: Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez islands

Science.gov (United States)

Ballesteros, Enric; Bell, Tom W.; Giddens, Jonatha; Henning, Brad; Hüne, Mathias; Muñoz, Alex; Salinas-de-León, Pelayo; Sala, Enric

2018-01-01

The vast and complex coast of the Magellan Region of extreme southern Chile possesses a diversity of habitats including fjords, deep channels, and extensive kelp forests, with a unique mix of temperate and sub-Antarctic species. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos are the most southerly locations in the Americas, with the southernmost kelp forests, and some of the least explored places on earth. The giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera plays a key role in structuring the ecological communities of the entire region, with the large brown seaweed Lessonia spp. forming dense understories. Kelp densities were highest around Cape Horn, followed by Diego Ramírez, and lowest within the fjord region of Francisco Coloane Marine Park (mean canopy densities of 2.51 kg m-2, 2.29 kg m-2, and 2.14 kg m-2, respectively). There were clear differences in marine communities among these sub-regions, with the lowest diversity in the fjords. We observed 18 species of nearshore fishes, with average species richness nearly 50% higher at Diego Ramírez compared with Cape Horn and Francisco Coloane. The number of individual fishes was nearly 10 times higher at Diego Ramírez and 4 times higher at Cape Horn compared with the fjords. Dropcam surveys of mesophotic depths (53–105 m) identified 30 taxa from 25 families, 15 classes, and 7 phyla. While much of these deeper habitats consisted of soft sediment and cobble, in rocky habitats, echinoderms, mollusks, bryozoans, and sponges were common. The southern hagfish (Myxine australis) was the most frequently encountered of the deep-sea fishes (50% of deployments), and while the Fueguian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) was the most abundant fish species, its distribution was patchy. The Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez archipelagos represent some of the last intact sub-Antarctic ecosystems remaining and a recently declared large protected area will help ensure the health of this unique region. PMID:29364902

The role of kelp crabs as consumers in bull kelp forests—evidence from laboratory feeding trials and field enclosures

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Katie Dobkowski

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The Northern kelp crab (Pugettia producta and the graceful kelp crab (Pugettia gracilis are common primary consumers in bull kelp beds near the San Juan Islands (Salish Sea, NE Pacific. In this system, urchins (often considered the most voracious herbivores exerting top-down control on kelp beds tend to remain sedentary because of the high availability of detrital macroalgae, but the extent to which kelp crabs consume kelp (and other food options is largely unknown. I conducted four types of laboratory feeding experiments to evaluate kelp crab feeding patterns: (1 feeding electivity between bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana and seven species of co-occurring local macroalgae; (2 feeding electivity on aged vs. fresh bull kelp; (3 feeding preference between N. luetkeana and small snails (Lacuna sp.; and (4 scaling of feeding rate with body size in P. producta and P. gracilis. In choice experiments, P. producta consumed greater mass of N. luetkeana than of other macroalgal species offered and elected to eat fresh bull kelp over aged. However, P. producta also consumed snails (Lacuna sp., indicating more generalized feeding than previously suspected. Feeding rates for P. producta exceeded the expected 3∕4 scaling rule of metabolic rates, indicating that larger P. producta may have a disproportionately large impact on bull kelp. A subtidal field experiment, designed to assess the influence of consumers on juvenile bull kelp net tissue gain, found that only fully enclosed (protected bull kelp increased in wet mass and blade length. Herbivory by kelp crabs, among other consumers, is likely to play a previously unrecognized role in mediating the growth and survival of this annual kelp species within the Salish Sea.

Current knowledge on biotechnological interesting seaweeds from the Magellan Region, Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Mansilla

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is a compilation of data from investigations made with marine benthic algae from the Magellan Region that have biotechnological utilization in human consumption or medicine or as a source of phycolloids or food supplements or animal feed. The most important Rhodophyta species are: Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson E.M. Fries for agarose production, Gigartina skottsbergii Setchell & N.L.Gardner for carrageenan production, and Callophyllis variegata (Bory de Saint-Vincent Kützing for human consumption. The most important Heterokontophyta species are: Macrocystis pyrifera (L. C. Agardh, and Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso Hariot for human consumption, alginate production, and as biofertilizer for agricultural crops. M. pyrifera is also used as a food supplement for salmon, chickens, quails, sheep and bovines and for biofuel production.

Current knowledge on biotechnological interesting seaweeds from the Magellan Region, Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Mansilla

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is a compilation of data from investigations made with marine benthic algae from the Magellan Region that have biotechnological utilization in human consumption or medicine or as a source of phycolloids or food supplements or animal feed. The most important Rhodophyta species are: Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson E.M. Fries for agarose production, Gigartina skottsbergii Setchell & N.L.Gardner for carrageenan production, and Callophyllis variegata (Bory de Saint-Vincent Kützing for human consumption. The most important Heterokontophyta species are: Macrocystis pyrifera (L. C. Agardh, and Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso Hariot for human consumption, alginate production, and as biofertilizer for agricultural crops. M. pyrifera is also used as a food supplement for salmon, chickens, quails, sheep and bovines and for biofuel production.

21 CFR 172.365 - Kelp.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED FOR DIRECT ADDITION TO FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.365 Kelp. Kelp may be safely added to a food as a source of the...

Evolution of Macrocystis spp. (Phaeophyceae) as determined by ITS1 and ITS2 sequences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coyer, JA; Smith, GJ; Andersen, RA

Macrocystis (Lessoniaceae) displays an antitropical distribution, occurring in temperate subtidal regions along western North America in the northern hemisphere and throughout the southern hemisphere. We used the noncoding rDNA internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) to examine

West Coast Canopy-Forming Kelp, 1989-2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These data include the general extents of canopy-forming kelp surveys from 1989 to 2014 and a compilation of existing data sets delineating canopy-forming kelp beds...

Kelp and Eelgrass in Puget Sound

Science.gov (United States)

2007-05-01

as sea lettuce (Ulva spp.) will overgrow eelgrass. Excessive nutrients also can cause over- growth by epiphytes on the blades, blocking light...Kelp and Eelgrass in Puget Sound Ackerman, J.D. 1997. Submarine pollination in the marine...Florida. 531 p. Cox, P.A. 1988. Hydophilous pollination . Annual Review in of Ecology and Systematics 19:261-280. Dayton, P.K. 1985. Ecology of kelp

Climate-driven disparities among ecological interactions threaten kelp forest persistence.

Science.gov (United States)

Provost, Euan J; Kelaher, Brendan P; Dworjanyn, Symon A; Russell, Bayden D; Connell, Sean D; Ghedini, Giulia; Gillanders, Bronwyn M; Figueira, WillIAM; Coleman, Melinda A

2017-01-01

The combination of ocean warming and acidification brings an uncertain future to kelp forests that occupy the warmest parts of their range. These forests are not only subject to the direct negative effects of ocean climate change, but also to a combination of unknown indirect effects associated with changing ecological landscapes. Here, we used mesocosm experiments to test the direct effects of ocean warming and acidification on kelp biomass and photosynthetic health, as well as climate-driven disparities in indirect effects involving key consumers (urchins and rock lobsters) and competitors (algal turf). Elevated water temperature directly reduced kelp biomass, while their turf-forming competitors expanded in response to ocean acidification and declining kelp canopy. Elevated temperatures also increased growth of urchins and, concurrently, the rate at which they thinned kelp canopy. Rock lobsters, which are renowned for keeping urchin populations in check, indirectly intensified negative pressures on kelp by reducing their consumption of urchins in response to elevated temperature. Overall, these results suggest that kelp forests situated towards the low-latitude margins of their distribution will need to adapt to ocean warming in order to persist in the future. What is less certain is how such adaptation in kelps can occur in the face of intensifying consumptive (via ocean warming) and competitive (via ocean acidification) pressures that affect key ecological interactions associated with their persistence. If such indirect effects counter adaptation to changing climate, they may erode the stability of kelp forests and increase the probability of regime shifts from complex habitat-forming species to more simple habitats dominated by algal turfs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Seasonal patterns in numbers of Kelp Gulls Larus dominicanus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Between 66% and 80% of Kelp Gulls recorded around Port Elizabeth were in adult plumage. It is assumed that adults breeding outside of the Port Elizabeth area move into the area after breeding. During their first year Kelp Gulls showed distinct periods of influx — thought to be due to the fledging of local birds — followed ...

Fish diversity in southern California using scuba surveys in kelp forests.

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Shannon Index of diversity was calculated from diver surveys on kelp beds in Southern California. Kelp diver visual census data was combined for two separate...

Estimates of numbers of kelp gulls and Kerguelen and Antarctic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Four species are regular breeders at the islands: Subantarctic skua Catharacta antarctica, kelp gull Larus dominicanus, Antarctic tern Sterna vittata and Kerguelen tern S. virgata. The latter three species currently each have populations of below 150 breeding pairs at the islands. Kelp gull numbers appear to be relatively ...

Radioiodine in kelp from western Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsh, K.V.; Buddemeier, R.W.; Wood, W.; Smith, C.

1987-01-01

As part of a program to survey low levels of radioactivity in the marine environment of the southern hemisphere, we have studied the distribution and uptake of 131 I found in the subtidal kelp Ecklonia radiata, on the west coast of Australia. Concentrations of 5 to 75 fCi/g of 131 I exist in this species over a considerable distance along the coast. We have characterized the principal source of the 131 I and found a general temporal correlation between the amount of radioiodine discharged from sewer outfalls and its concentration in kelp. Transplant experiments have enabled us to estimate uptake and depuration rates, and our results are consistent with laboratory measurements made by others

Radioiodine in kelp from western Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marsh, K.V.; Buddemeier, R.W.; Wood, W.; Smith, C.

1987-03-25

As part of a program to survey low levels of radioactivity in the marine environment of the southern hemisphere, we have studied the distribution and uptake of /sup 131/I found in the subtidal kelp Ecklonia radiata, on the west coast of Australia. Concentrations of 5 to 75 fCi/g of /sup 131/I exist in this species over a considerable distance along the coast. We have characterized the principal source of the /sup 131/I and found a general temporal correlation between the amount of radioiodine discharged from sewer outfalls and its concentration in kelp. Transplant experiments have enabled us to estimate uptake and depuration rates, and our results are consistent with laboratory measurements made by others.

Radioiodine in kelp from Western Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsh, K.V.; Buddemeier, R.W.; Wood, W.

1988-01-01

As part of a program to survey low levels of radioactivity in the marine environment of the southern hemisphere, the distribution and uptake of 131 I found in the subtidal kelp Ecklonia radiata, on the west coast of Australia were studied. Concentrations of 5 to 75 fCi/g of 131 I exist in this species over a considerable distance along the coast. The principal source of the 131 I was characterized; a general temporal correlation was found between the amount of radioiodine discharged from sewer outfalls and its concentration in kelp. Transplant experiments enabled to estimate uptake and depuration rates, and the results are consistent with laboratory measurements, elsewhere. (author) 21 refs.; 3 figs.; 2 tabs

Persistent differences between coastal and offshore kelp forest communities in a warming Gulf of Maine.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jon D Witman

Full Text Available Kelp forests provide important ecosystem services, yet coastal kelp communities are increasingly altered by anthropogenic impacts. Kelp forests in remote, offshore locations may provide an informative contrast due to reduced impacts from local stressors. We tested the hypothesis that shallow kelp assemblages (12-15 m depth and associated fish and benthic communities in the coastal southwest Gulf of Maine (GOM differed significantly from sites on Cashes Ledge, 145 km offshore by sampling five coastal and three offshore sites at 43.0 +/- 0.07° N latitude. Offshore sites on Cashes Ledge supported the greatest density (47.8 plants m2 and standing crop biomass (5.5 kg m2 fresh weight of the foundation species Saccharina latissima kelp at this depth in the Western North Atlantic. Offshore densities of S. latissima were over 150 times greater than at coastal sites, with similar but lower magnitude trends for congeneric S. digitata. Despite these differences, S. latissima underwent a significant 36.2% decrease between 1987 and 2015 on Cashes Ledge, concurrent with a rapid warming of the GOM and invasion by the kelp-encrusting bryozoan Membranipora membranacea. In contrast to kelp, the invasive red alga Dasysiphonia japonica was significantly more abundant at coastal sites, suggesting light or dispersal limitation offshore. Spatial differences in fish abundance mirrored those of kelp, as the average biomass of all fish on Cashes Ledge was 305 times greater than at the coastal sites. Remote video censuses of cod (Gadus morhua, cunner (Tautaogolabrus adspersus, and pollock (Pollachius virens corroborated these findings. Understory benthic communities also differed between regions, with greater abundance of sessile invertebrates offshore. Populations of kelp-consuming sea urchins Stronglyocentrotus droebachiensis, were virtually absent from Cashes Ledge while small urchins were abundant onshore, suggesting recruitment limitation offshore. Despite

Persistent differences between coastal and offshore kelp forest communities in a warming Gulf of Maine.

Science.gov (United States)

Witman, Jon D; Lamb, Robert W

2018-01-01

Kelp forests provide important ecosystem services, yet coastal kelp communities are increasingly altered by anthropogenic impacts. Kelp forests in remote, offshore locations may provide an informative contrast due to reduced impacts from local stressors. We tested the hypothesis that shallow kelp assemblages (12-15 m depth) and associated fish and benthic communities in the coastal southwest Gulf of Maine (GOM) differed significantly from sites on Cashes Ledge, 145 km offshore by sampling five coastal and three offshore sites at 43.0 +/- 0.07° N latitude. Offshore sites on Cashes Ledge supported the greatest density (47.8 plants m2) and standing crop biomass (5.5 kg m2 fresh weight) of the foundation species Saccharina latissima kelp at this depth in the Western North Atlantic. Offshore densities of S. latissima were over 150 times greater than at coastal sites, with similar but lower magnitude trends for congeneric S. digitata. Despite these differences, S. latissima underwent a significant 36.2% decrease between 1987 and 2015 on Cashes Ledge, concurrent with a rapid warming of the GOM and invasion by the kelp-encrusting bryozoan Membranipora membranacea. In contrast to kelp, the invasive red alga Dasysiphonia japonica was significantly more abundant at coastal sites, suggesting light or dispersal limitation offshore. Spatial differences in fish abundance mirrored those of kelp, as the average biomass of all fish on Cashes Ledge was 305 times greater than at the coastal sites. Remote video censuses of cod (Gadus morhua), cunner (Tautaogolabrus adspersus), and pollock (Pollachius virens) corroborated these findings. Understory benthic communities also differed between regions, with greater abundance of sessile invertebrates offshore. Populations of kelp-consuming sea urchins Stronglyocentrotus droebachiensis, were virtually absent from Cashes Ledge while small urchins were abundant onshore, suggesting recruitment limitation offshore. Despite widespread warming of

Large-scale geographic variation in distribution and abundance of Australian deep-water kelp forests.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ezequiel M Marzinelli

Full Text Available Despite the significance of marine habitat-forming organisms, little is known about their large-scale distribution and abundance in deeper waters, where they are difficult to access. Such information is necessary to develop sound conservation and management strategies. Kelps are main habitat-formers in temperate reefs worldwide; however, these habitats are highly sensitive to environmental change. The kelp Ecklonia radiate is the major habitat-forming organism on subtidal reefs in temperate Australia. Here, we provide large-scale ecological data encompassing the latitudinal distribution along the continent of these kelp forests, which is a necessary first step towards quantitative inferences about the effects of climatic change and other stressors on these valuable habitats. We used the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV facility of Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS to survey 157,000 m2 of seabed, of which ca 13,000 m2 were used to quantify kelp covers at multiple spatial scales (10-100 m to 100-1,000 km and depths (15-60 m across several regions ca 2-6° latitude apart along the East and West coast of Australia. We investigated the large-scale geographic variation in distribution and abundance of deep-water kelp (>15 m depth and their relationships with physical variables. Kelp cover generally increased with latitude despite great variability at smaller spatial scales. Maximum depth of kelp occurrence was 40-50 m. Kelp latitudinal distribution along the continent was most strongly related to water temperature and substratum availability. This extensive survey data, coupled with ongoing AUV missions, will allow for the detection of long-term shifts in the distribution and abundance of habitat-forming kelp and the organisms they support on a continental scale, and provide information necessary for successful implementation and management of conservation reserves.

Experimental evidence for the effects of polyphenolic compounds from Dictyoneurum californicum Ruprecht (Phaeophyta: Laminariales) on feeding rate and growth in the red abalone Haliotus rufescens Swainson

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Frank C.; Estes, James A.

1992-01-01

The effects of polyphenolic compounds from brown algae on grazing and growth rate of the California red abalone Haliotis rufescens Swainson were examined. Abalone consumed three phenolic-poor algal species, Laminaria sinclarii (Harvey) Farlow, Macrocystis pyrifera Agardh, and Nereocystis luetkeana Postels et Ruprecht (mean phenolic content = 0.52% dry mass), at a greater rate than two phenolic-rich species, Dictyoneurum californicum Ruprecht and Cystoseira osmundacea Agardh (mean phenolic content = 4.60% dry mass). This inverse relationship between phenolic content and consumption rate also existed after the algae were macerated and the liquid portion of the blended slurry incorporated in agar discs. However, the correlation between grazing rate and phenolic content imprpve d in this latter experiment, thus suggesting that abalone grazing was deterred significantly by the morphology of L. sinclarii and, to a lesser extent, of M. pyrifera. Polyphenolics extracted from D. californicum reduced abalone grazing rates by 90% when incorporated into agar discs at a concentration of 6 mg·ml−1. Although abalone were unable to maintain body mass when fed ad libitum on macerated M. pyrifera incorporated into agar discs, polyphenolics from D. californicum further inhibited shell growth when added to the discs at 5 mg·ml−1. The abalone ate less of the phenol-containing discs than of the discs lacking phenolics. Our results support findings of several prior studies that polyphenolic compounds from brown algae deter grazing by coastal zone herbivores in the northeast Pacific Ocean.

Planctomycetes dominate biofilms on surfaces of the kelp Laminaria hyperborea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Øvreås Lise

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacteria belonging to Planctomycetes display several unique morphological and genetic features and are found in a wide variety of habitats on earth. Their ecological roles in these habitats are still poorly understood. Planctomycetes have previously been detected throughout the year on surfaces of the kelp Laminaria hyperborea from southwestern Norway. We aimed to make a detailed investigation of the abundance and phylogenetic diversity of planctomycetes inhabiting these kelp surfaces. Results Planctomycetes accounted for 51-53% of the bacterial biofilm cells in July and September and 24% in February according to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH results. Several separate planctomycetes lineages within Pirellulae, Planctomyces and OM190 were represented in 16S rRNA gene clone libraries and the most abundant clones belonged to yet uncultured lineages. In contrast to the abundance, the diversity of the planctomycete populations increased from July to February and was probably influenced by the aging of the kelp tissue. One planctomycete strain that was closely related to Rhodopirellula baltica was isolated using selective cultivation techniques. Conclusions Biofilms on surfaces of L. hyperborea display an even higher proportion of planctomycetes compared to other investigated planctomycete-rich habitats such as open water, sandy sediments and peat bogs. The findings agree well with the hypothesis of the role of planctomycetes as degraders of sulfated polymeric carbon in the marine environment as kelps produce such substances. In addition, the abundant planctomycete populations on kelp surfaces and in association with other eukaryotes suggest that coexistence with eukaryotes may be a key feature of many planctomycete lifestyles.

San Diego Coast Kelp Persistence (1967-1999)

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — Giant kelp forests, with their extensive vertical structure, represent the most diverse of the marine habitats and support commercial fisheries, education, and...

San Diego Coast Kelp Persistence (1967-1999)

Data.gov (United States)

California Department of Resources — Giant kelp forests, with their extensive vertical structure, represent the most diverse of the marine habitats and support commercial fisheries, education, and...

Complex trophic interactions in kelp forest ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Estes, J.A.; Danner, E.M.; Doak, D.F.; Konar, B.; Springer, A.M.; Steinberg, P.D.; Tinker, M. Tim; Williams, T.M.

2004-01-01

The distributions and abundances of species and populations change almost continuously. Understanding the processes responsible is perhaps ecology’s most fundamental challenge. Kelp-forest ecosystems in southwest Alaska have undergone several phase shifts between alga- and herbivore-dominated states in recent decades. Overhunting and recovery of sea otters caused the earlier shifts. Studies focusing on these changes demonstrate the importance of top-down forcing processes, a variety of indirect food-web interactions associated with the otter-urchin-kelp trophic cascade, and the role of food-chain length in the coevolution of defense and resistance in plants and their herbivores. This system unexpectedly shifted back to an herbivore-dominated state during the 1990s, because of a sea-otter population collapse that apparently was driven by increased predation by killer whales. Reasons for this change remain uncertain but seem to be linked to the whole-sale collapse of marine mammals in the North Pacific Ocean and southern Bering Sea. We hypothesize that killer whales sequentially "fished down" pinniped and sea-otter populations after their earlier prey, the great whales, were decimated by commercial whaling. The dynamics of kelp forests in southwest Alaska thus appears to have been influenced by an ecological chain reaction that encompassed numerous species and large scales of space and time.

Long photoperiods sustain high pH in Arctic kelp forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Krause-Jensen, Dorte; Marbà, Núria; Sanz-Martin, Marina; Hendriks, Iris E; Thyrring, Jakob; Carstensen, Jacob; Sejr, Mikael Kristian; Duarte, Carlos M

2016-12-01

Concern on the impacts of ocean acidification on calcifiers, such as bivalves, sea urchins, and foraminifers, has led to efforts to understand the controls on pH in their habitats, which include kelp forests and seagrass meadows. The metabolism of these habitats can lead to diel fluctuation in pH with increases during the day and declines at night, suggesting no net effect on pH at time scales longer than daily. We examined the capacity of subarctic and Arctic kelps to up-regulate pH in situ and experimentally tested the role of photoperiod in determining the capacity of Arctic macrophytes to up-regulate pH. Field observations at photoperiods of 15 and 24 hours in Greenland combined with experimental manipulations of photoperiod show that photoperiods longer than 21 hours, characteristic of Arctic summers, are conducive to sustained up-regulation of pH by kelp photosynthesis. We report a gradual increase in pH of 0.15 units and a parallel decline in pCO 2 of 100 parts per million over a 10-day period in an Arctic kelp forest over midsummer, with ample scope for continued pH increase during the months of continuous daylight. Experimental increase in CO 2 concentration further stimulated the capacity of macrophytes to deplete CO 2 and increase pH. We conclude that long photoperiods in Arctic summers support sustained up-regulation of pH in kelp forests, with potential benefits for calcifiers, and propose that this mechanism may increase with the projected expansion of Arctic vegetation in response to warming and loss of sea ice.

An empirical comparison of effective concentration estimators for evaluating aquatic toxicity test responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bailer, A.J.; Hughes, M.R.; Denton, D.L.; Oris, J.T.

2000-01-01

Aquatic toxicity tests are statistically evaluated by either hypothesis testing procedures to derive a no-observed-effect concentration or by inverting regression models to calculate the concentration associated with a specific reduction from the control response. These latter methods can be described as potency estimation methods. Standard US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) potency estimation methods are based on two different techniques. For continuous or count response data, a nominally nonparametric method that assumes monotonic decreasing responses and piecewise linear patterns between successive concentration groups is used. For quantal responses, a probit regression model with a linear dose term is fit. These techniques were compared with a recently developed parametric regression-based estimator, the relative inhibition estimator, RIp. This method is based on fitting generalized linear models, followed by estimation of the concentration associated with a particular decrement relative to control responses. These estimators, with levels of inhibition (p) of 25 and 50%, were applied to a series of chronic toxicity tests in a US EPA region 9 database of reference toxicity tests. Biological responses evaluated in these toxicity tests included the number of young produced in three broods by the water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and germination success and tube length data from the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The greatest discrepancy between the RIp and standard US EPA estimators was observed for C. dubia. The concentration-response pattern for this biological endpoint exhibited nonmonotonicity more frequently than for any of the other endpoint. Future work should consider optimal experimental designs to estimate these quantities, methods for constructing confidence intervals, and simulation studies to explore the behavior of these estimators under known conditions.

Kelp diagrams : Point set membership visualization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dinkla, K.; Kreveld, van M.J.; Speckmann, B.; Westenberg, M.A.

2012-01-01

We present Kelp Diagrams, a novel method to depict set relations over points, i.e., elements with predefined positions. Our method creates schematic drawings and has been designed to take aesthetic quality, efficiency, and effectiveness into account. This is achieved by a routing algorithm, which

The fauna and flora of a kelp bed canopy | Allen | African Zoology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The fauna and flora of the canopy of a kelp bed off Oudekraal, on the Cape Peninsula, Is surveyed. Four species of epiphytic algae occur In the kelp canopy, three restricted to Ecklonia maxima and the fourth to Laminaria pallida. Epiphyte biomass is equivalent to 4-9% of host standing crop amongst E. maxima, but less than ...

Long photoperiods sustain high pH in Arctic kelp forests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krause-Jensen, Dorte; Marbà, Núria; Sanz-Martin, M.

2016-01-01

Concern on the impacts of ocean acidification on calcifiers, such as bivalves, sea urchins, and foraminifers, has led to efforts to understand the controls on pH in their habitats, which include kelp forests and seagrass meadows. The metabolism of these habitats can lead to diel fluctuation in pH...... with increases during the day and declines at night, suggesting no net effect on pH at time scales longer than daily. We examined the capacity of subarctic and Arctic kelps to up-regulate pH in situ and experimentally tested the role of photoperiod in determining the capacity of Arctic macrophytes to up......-regulate pH. Field observations at photoperiods of 15 and 24 hours in Greenland com- bined with experimental manipulations of photoperiod show that photoperiods longer than 21 hours, characteristic of Arctic summers, are conducive to sustained up-regulation of pH by kelp photosynthesis. We report a gradual...

Stability of strong species interactions resist the synergistic effects of local and global pollution in kelp forests.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura J Falkenberg

Full Text Available Foundation species, such as kelp, exert disproportionately strong community effects and persist, in part, by dominating taxa that inhibit their regeneration. Human activities which benefit their competitors, however, may reduce stability of communities, increasing the probability of phase-shifts. We tested whether a foundation species (kelp would continue to inhibit a key competitor (turf-forming algae under moderately increased local (nutrient and near-future forecasted global pollution (CO(2. Our results reveal that in the absence of kelp, local and global pollutants combined to cause the greatest cover and mass of turfs, a synergistic response whereby turfs increased more than would be predicted by adding the independent effects of treatments (kelp absence, elevated nutrients, forecasted CO(2. The positive effects of nutrient and CO(2 enrichment on turfs were, however, inhibited by the presence of kelp, indicating the competitive effect of kelp was stronger than synergistic effects of moderate enrichment of local and global pollutants. Quantification of physicochemical parameters within experimental mesocosms suggests turf inhibition was likely due to an effect of kelp on physical (i.e. shading rather than chemical conditions. Such results indicate that while forecasted climates may increase the probability of phase-shifts, maintenance of intact populations of foundation species could enable the continued strength of interactions and persistence of communities.

Strong population structure but no equilibrium yet: Genetic connectivity and phylogeography in the kelp

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luttikhuizen, P.C.; van den Heuvel, F.H.M.; Rebours, C.; Witte, H.J.; van Bleijswijk, J.D.L.; Timmermans, K.

2018-01-01

Kelp aquaculture is globally developing steadily as human food source, along with other applications. One of the newer crop species is Saccharina latissima, a northern hemisphere kelp inhabiting temperate to arctic rocky shores. To protect and document its natural genetic variation at the

The kelp highway hypothesis: marine ecology, the coastal migration theory, and the peopling of the Americas

Science.gov (United States)

Erlandson, Jon M.; Graham, Michael H.; Bourque, Bruce J.; Corbett, Debra; Estes, James A.; Steneck, Robert S.

2007-01-01

In this article, a collaborative effort between archaeologists and marine ecologists, we discuss the role kelp forest ecosystems may have played in facilitating the movement of maritime peoples from Asia to the Americas near the end of the Pleistocene. Growing in cool nearshore waters along rocky coastlines, kelp forests offer some of the most productive habitats on earth, with high primary productivity, magnified secondary productivity, and three-dimensional habitat supporting a diverse array of marine organisms. Today, extensive kelp forests are found around the North Pacific from Japan to Baja California. After a break in the tropicswhere nearshore mangrove forests and coral reefs are highly productivekelp forests are also found along the Andean Coast of South America. These Pacific Rim kelp forests support or shelter a wealth of shellfish, fish, marine mammals, seabirds, and seaweeds, resources heavily used historically by coastal peoples. By about 16,000 years ago, the North Pacific Coast offered a linear migration route, essentially unobstructed and entirely at sea level, from northeast Asia into the Americas. Recent reconstructions suggest that rising sea levels early in the postglacial created a highly convoluted and island-rich coast along Beringia's southern shore, conditions highly favorable to maritime hunter-gatherers. Along with the terrestrial resources available in adjacent landscapes, kelp forests and other nearshore habitats sheltered similar suites of food resources that required minimal adaptive adjustments for migrating coastal peoples. With reduced wave energy, holdfasts for boats, and productive fishing, these linear kelp forest ecosystems may have provided a kind of kelp highway for early maritime peoples colonizing the New World.

Novel ssDNA Viruses Detected in the Virome of Bleached, Habitat-Forming Kelp Ecklonia radiata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas T. Beattie

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Kelp forests provide essential habitats for organisms in temperate rocky shores. Loss of kelp forests has occurred over large areas in a number of temperate regions, including in Australia, where the dominant kelp Ecklonia radiata has been lost from substantial areas of the shoreline. Loss of E. radiata has been associated with environmental stressors, including increased temperature and anthropogenic contaminants, as well as biological factors, such as herbivory. Disease may also play a role, but there is little information on the role of disease in the loss of kelp from coastal ecosystems or on the potential role of pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses. E. radiata across much of its distribution in Australia can develop a “bleached” phenotype, which may be a disease. To investigate whether the phenotype was associated with a potential viral agent, we shotgun sequenced viral particles that were isolated from kelp with normal (healthy and bleached phenotypes. Each virome consisted of ~380,000 reads, of which ~25% were similar to known viruses. All samples were dominated by bacteriophages, but novel ssDNA virus sequences were detected that were almost exclusively in viromes from the bleached kelp phenotype. These ssDNA viruses are covered by 11 contigs that contained complete capsids and characteristic rep genes that were 30–60% similar to those of circular, Rep-encoding ssDNA viruses (CRESS-DNA viruses. CRESS-DNA viruses have not previously been described from macroalgae, and the rep genes were similar to CRESS-DNA viruses from marine water samples, snails, crabs, anemones, but also dragonflies. This raises the interesting possibility that the kelp could be a vector of the CRESS-DNA viruses to other organisms that are associated with the bleached state.

A swath across the great divide: Kelp forests across the Samalga Pass biogeographic break

Science.gov (United States)

Konar, Brenda H.; Edwards, Matthew S.; Bland, Aaron; Metzger, Jacob; Ravelo, Alexandra; Traiger, Sarah; Weitzman, Ben P.

2017-01-01

Biogeographic breaks are often described as locations where a large number of species reach their geographic range limits. Samalga Pass, in the eastern Aleutian Archipelago, is a known biogeographic break for the spatial distribution of several species of offshore-pelagic communities, including numerous species of cold-water corals, zooplankton, fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. However, it remains unclear whether Samalga Pass also serves as a biogeographic break for nearshore benthic communities. The occurrence of biogeographic breaks across multiple habitats has not often been described. In this study, we examined if the biogeographic break for offshore-pelagic communities applies to nearshore kelp forests. To examine whether Samalga Pass serves as a biogeographic break for kelp forest communities, this study compared abundance, biomass and percent bottom cover of species associated with kelp forests on either side of the pass. We observed marked differences in kelp forest community structure, with some species reaching their geographic range limits on the opposing sides of the pass. In particular, the habitat-forming kelp Nereocystis luetkeana, and the predatory sea stars Pycnopodia helianthoides and Orthasterias koehleri all occurred on the eastern side of Samalga Pass but were not observed west of the pass. In contrast, the sea star Leptasterias camtschatica dispar was observed only on the western side of the pass. We also observed differences in overall abundance and biomass of numerous associated fish, invertebrate and macroalgal species on opposing sides of the pass. We conclude that Samalga Pass is important biogeographic break for kelp forest communities in the Aleutian Archipelago and may demark the geographic range limits of several ecologically important species.

An approach for identification and determination of arsenic species in the extract of kelp.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lee L; Wei, Chao; Zeisler, Rolf; Tong, Junting; Oflaz, Rabia; Bao, Haixia; Wang, Jun

2015-05-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is developing a kelp powder standard reference material (SRM) in support of dietary supplement measurements. Edible seaweeds such as kelp and laver consumed as diet or dietary supplement contain tens of mg/kg arsenic. The speciation information of arsenic in the seaweed should be provided because the total arsenic alone does not fully address the safety issue of the dietary supplement as the value assignment is originally intended. The inability to avail all arsenic species for value assignment measurements prevented the certification of arsenic species in the candidate SRM; however, approximately 70 % of total arsenic extracted with a 1:1 volume fraction of methanol:water mixture allowed arsenic speciation values to be assigned to a procedure-defined extract, which may be used for method validation in research to improve upon current extraction and measurement practices. Arsenic species in kelp and laver were identified using electrospray ionization ion trap time of flight mass spectrometry (ESI-IT-TOF). Arsenosugars As(328), As(482), and As(392) were found in the kelp candidate SRM while As(328) and As(482) were found in GBW 08521, a certified reference material (CRM) of laver produced by the National Institute of Metrology of China (NIM). A discovery that the digests of kelp and laver contained only dimethylarsinic acid led to the conclusion that the seaweeds did not contain detectible levels of arsenobetaine, arsenocholine or trimethylarsine oxide that could overlap with the peaks of arsenosugars in the separation. The mean ± s of (5.68 ± 0.28) mg/kg and (13.43 ± 0.31) mg/kg found for As(482) and As(392) in kelp, respectively, using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) demonstrated that value assignment measurement of arsenosugars was possible without arsenosugar calibration standards.

Channel Islands, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Sea Temperature, 1993-2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset from the Channel Islands National Park's Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has subtidal temperature data taken at permanent monitoring sites. Since 1993,...

Spatially variable synergistic effects of disturbance and additional nutrients on kelp recruitment and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Carnell, Paul E; Keough, Michael J

2014-05-01

Understanding the impact of multiple stressors on ecosystems is of pronounced importance, particularly when one or more of those stressors is anthropogenic. Here we investigated the role of physical disturbance and increased nutrients on reefs dominated by the canopy-forming kelp Ecklonia radiata. We combined experimental kelp canopy removals and additional nutrient at three different locations in a large embayment in temperate southeastern Australia. Over the following winter recruitment season, Ecklonia recruitment was unaffected by increased nutrients alone, but tripled at all sites where the canopy had been removed. At one site, the combination of disturbance and increased nutrients resulted in more than four times the recruitment of the introduced kelp Undaria pinnatifida. Six months after disturbance, the proliferation of the Undaria canopy in the canopy-removal and nutrient-addition treatment negatively influenced the recovery of the native kelp Ecklonia. Given the otherwise competitive dominance of adult Ecklonia, this provides a mechanism whereby Undaria could maintain open space for the following recruitment season. This interplay between disturbance, nutrients and the response of native and invasive species makes a compelling case for how a combination of factors can influence species dynamics.

Trophic significance of the kelp Laminaria digitata (Lamour.) for the associated food web: a between-sites comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Schaal, Gauthier; Riera, Pascal; Leroux, Cédric

2009-12-01

This study aimed at establishing the trophic significance of the kelp Laminaria digitata for consumers inhabiting two rocky shores of Northern Brittany (France), displaying contrasted ecological conditions. The general trophic structure did not vary between these two sites, with a wide diversity of filter-feeders and predators, and only 14% of the species sampled belonging to the grazers' trophic group. The diversity of food sources fueling the food web appeared also similar. The food webs comprised four trophic levels and the prevalence of omnivory appeared relatively low compared to previous studies in the same area. Conversely, to the food web structure, which did not differ, the biochemical composition of L. digitata differed between the two sites, and was correlated to a larger diversity of grazers feeding on this kelp in sheltered conditions. This indicated that the spatial variability occurring in the nutritive value of L. digitata is likely to deeply affect the functioning of kelp-associated food webs. The contribution of L. digitata-derived organic matter to the diet of filter-feeders inhabiting these two environments was assessed using the mixing model Isosource, which showed the higher contribution of kelp matter in sheltered conditions. These results highlight the spatial variability that may occur in the functioning of kelp-associated food webs. Moreover, this suggests that hydrodynamics is likely to control the availability of kelp-derived organic matter to local filter-feeders, probably through an increase of detritus export in exposed areas.

Decline in Kelp in West Europe and Climate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginie Raybaud

Full Text Available Kelp ecosystems form widespread underwater forests playing a major role in structuring the biodiversity at a regional scale. Some seaweeds such as Laminaria digitata are also economically important, being exploited for their alginate and iodine content. Although some studies have shown that kelp ecosystems are regressing and that multiple causes are likely to be at the origin of the disappearance of certain populations, the extent to which global climate change may play a role remains speculative. Here we show that many populations of L. digitata along European coasts are on the verge of local extinction due to a climate-caused increase in sea temperature. By modeling the spatial distribution of the seaweed, we evaluate the possible implications of global climate change for the geographical patterns of the species using temperature data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5. Projections of the future range of L. digitata throughout the 21st century show large shifts in the suitable habitat of the kelp and a northward retreat of the southern limit of its current geographic distribution from France to Danish coasts and the southern regions of the United Kingdom. However, these projections depend on the intensity of warming. A medium to high warming is expected to lead to the extirpation of the species as early as the first half of the 21st century and there is high confidence that regional extinction will spread northwards by the end of this century. These changes are likely to cause the decline of species whose life cycle is closely dependent upon L. digitata and lead to the establishment of new ecosystems with lower ecological and economic values.

The Role of Seagrasses and Kelps in Marine Fish Support

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Blackmon, Derrick; Wyllie-Echeverria, Tina; Shafer, Deborah J

2006-01-01

This report provides a comprehensive summary of research related to fish utilization of seagrass and kelp habitats in the Pacific Northwest in a single document that will serve as a useful reference...

Channel Islands, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Survey, Fish Transect, 1985-2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset from the Channel Islands National Park's Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has measurements of the abundance of fish species. The original measurements...

Importance of kelp-derived organic carbon to the scallop Chlamys farreri in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qiang; Gao, Fei; Yang, Hongsheng

2016-03-01

Bivalves and seaweeds are important cleaners that are widely used in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems. A beneficial relationship between seaweed and bivalve in the seaweed-based IMTA system has been confirmed, but the trophic importance of seaweed-derived particulate organic materials to the co-cultured bivalve is still unclear. We evaluated the trophic importance of the kelp Saccharina japonica to the co-cultured scallop Chlamys farreri in a typical IMTA farm in Sungo Bay (Weihai, North China). The dynamics of detritus carbon in the water were monitored during the culturing period. The proportion of kelp-derived organic matter in the diet of the co-cultured scallop was assessed via the stable carbon isotope method. Results showed that the detritus carbon in the water ranged from 75.52 to 265.19 μg/L, which was 25.6% to 73.8% of total particulate organic carbon (TPOC) during the study period. The amount of detritus carbon and its proportion in the TPOC changed throughout the culture cycle of the kelp. Stable carbon isotope analysis showed that the cultured scallop obtained 14.1% to 42.8% of its tissue carbon from the kelp, and that the percentages were closely correlated with the proportion of detritus carbon in the water ( F =0.993, P= 0.003). Evaluation showed that for 17 000 tons (wet weight) of annual scallop production, the kelp contributed about 139.3 tons of carbon (535.8 tons of dry mass). This confirms that cultured kelp plays a similar trophic role in IMTA systems as it does in a natural kelp bed. It is a major contributor to the detritus pool and supplies a vital food source to filter-feeding scallops in the IMTA system, especially during winter and early spring when phytoplankton are scarce.

The variable routes of rafting: stranding dynamics of floating bull kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) on beaches in the SE Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Boris A; Macaya, Erasmo C; Tala, Fadia; Tellier, Florence; Thiel, Martin

2017-02-01

Dispersal on floating seaweeds depends on availability, viability, and trajectories of the rafts. In the southern hemisphere, the bull kelp Durvillaea antarctica is one of the most common floating seaweeds, but phylogeographic studies had shown low connectivity between populations from continental Chile, which could be due to limitations in local supply and dispersal of floating kelps. To test this hypothesis, the spatiotemporal dynamics of kelp strandings were examined in four biogeographic districts along the Chilean coast (28°-42°S). We determined the biomass and demography of stranded individuals on 33 beaches for three subsequent years (2013, 2014, 2015) to examine whether rafting is restricted to certain districts and seasons (winter or summer). Stranded kelps were found on all beaches. Most kelps had only one stipe (one individual), although we also frequently found coalesced holdfasts with mature males and females, which would facilitate successful rafting dispersal, gamete release, and reproduction upon arrival. High biomasses of stranded kelps occurred in the northern-central (30°S-33°S) and southernmost districts (37°S-42°S), and lower biomasses in the northernmost (28°S-30°S) and southern-central districts (33°S-37°S). The highest percentages and sizes of epibionts (Lepas spp.), indicative of prolonged floating periods, were found on stranded kelps in the northernmost and southernmost districts. Based on these results, we conclude that rafting dispersal can vary regionally, being more common in the northernmost and southernmost districts, depending on intrinsic (seaweed biology) and extrinsic factors (shore morphology and oceanography) that affect local supply of kelps and regional hydrodynamics. © 2016 Phycological Society of America.

Connectivity of the habitat-forming kelp, Ecklonia radiata within and among estuaries and open coast.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Melinda A

2013-01-01

With marine protected areas being established worldwide there is a pressing need to understand how the physical setting in which these areas are placed influences patterns of dispersal and connectivity of important marine organisms. This is particularly critical for dynamic and complex nearshore marine environments where patterns of genetic structure of organisms are often chaotic and uncoupled from broad scale physical processes. This study determines the influence of habitat heterogeneity (presence of estuaries) on patterns of genetic structure and connectivity of the common kelp, Ecklonia radiata. There was no genetic differentiation of kelp between estuaries and the open coast and the presence of estuaries did not increase genetic differentiation among open coast populations. Similarly, there were no differences in level of inbreeding or genetic diversity between estuarine and open coast populations. The presence of large estuaries along rocky coastlines does not appear to influence genetic structure of this kelp and factors other than physical heterogeneity of habitat are likely more important determinants of regional connectivity. Marine reserves are currently lacking in this bioregion and may be designated in the future. Knowledge of the factors that influence important habitat forming organisms such as kelp contribute to informed and effective marine protected area design and conservation initiatives to maintain resilience of important marine habitats.

Immobilization of Cold-Active Cellulase from Antarctic Bacterium and Its Use for Kelp Cellulose Ethanol Fermentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Bin Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Immobilization is an effective way to solve the problem associated with the application of cold-active cellulase in industrial processes. In this study, a cold-active cellulase from the Antarctic psychrophilic bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. NJ64 was obtained, immobilized, and analyzed for optimal immobilization conditions. Then it was used in kelp cellulose ethanol fermentation, achieving a higher purity level of kelp cellulose ethanol. The enzymatic activity of this cold-active cellulase was 49.7 U/mL. The optimal immobilization process conditions were as follows: sodium alginate, 30 g/L; calcium chloride, 5 g/L; glutaraldehyde, 0.4%; and cross-linking time, 5 h. Under these conditions, the activity recovery rate was 51.58%. The optimum reaction temperature was at 40 °C, the optimum initial pH was 9.0, and the relative enzyme activity was 58.37% after being recovered seven times. A higher purity level of kelp cellulose ethanol has reached (37.37%. Immobilized cold-active cellulase can effectively hydrolyze the cellulose of kelp residue, which is a valuable component of cellulose bio-ethanol production and will have broad implications in the development of the ethanol industry in China.

Channel Islands, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Survey, 5m Quadrat, 1996-2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset from the Channel Islands National Park's Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has measurements of the abundance of selected rare, clumped, sedentary indicator...

Channel Islands, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Survey, Random Point Contact, 1982-2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset from the Channel Islands National Park's Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has estimates of substrate composition and percent cover of selected algal and...

Stability and change in kelp forest habitats at San Nicolas Island

Science.gov (United States)

Kenner, Michael C.; Tinker, M. Tim

2018-01-01

Kelp forest communities are highly variable over space and time. Despite this complexity it has been suggested that kelp forest communities can be classified into one of 2 states: kelp dominated or sea urchin dominated. It has been further hypothesized that these represent “alternate stable states” because a site can remain in either of these states for decades before some perturbation causes a rapid shift to the other state. Our research group has maintained a subtidal community monitoring program for 38 years at San Nicolas Island consisting of twice-annual scuba-based surveys at 6 sites distributed within 4 regions around the island. Three types of perturbations are thought to be relevant to subtidal community dynamics at San Nicolas: (1) physical disturbances in the form of major storm and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events; (2) invertebrate diseases, which periodically decimate urchin populations; and (3) the reintroduction and subsequent increase of sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). These 3 perturbations differ in spatial and temporal specificity; physical disturbances and disease outbreaks occur periodically and could affect all 4 regions, while sea otter predation has been concentrated primarily at the West End sites over the last 15 years. The different types of perturbations and the duration of the time series at the kelp forests at San Nicolas make the data set ideal for testing the “alternate stable state” hypothesis. We use nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to examine spatial and temporal patterns of community similarity at the 4 regions. In particular, we evaluate support for the existence of stable states, which are represented on NMDS plots as distinct spatial clusters. Community dynamics at each site approximated a biased random walk in NMDS space, with one or more basins of attraction and occasional jumps between basins. We found evidence for alternative stable states at some sites, and we show that transitions from one

Kelp as a bioindicator: does it matter which part of 5 m long plant is used for metal analysis?

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Jeitner, Christian; Gray, Matt; Shukla, Tara; Shukla, Sheila; Burke, Sean

2007-05-01

Kelp may be useful as a bioindicator because they are primary producers that are eaten by higher trophic level organisms, including people and livestock. Often when kelp or other algae species are used as bioindicators, the whole organism is homogenized. However, some kelp can be over 25 m long from their holdfast to the tip of the blade, making it important to understand how contaminant levels vary throughout the plant. We compared the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in five different parts of the kelp Alaria nana to examine the variability of metal distribution. To be useful as a bioindicator, it is critical to know whether levels are constant throughout the kelp, or which part is the highest accumulator. Kelp were collected on Adak Island in the Aleutian Chain of Alaska from the Adak Harbor and Clam Cove, which opens onto the Bering Sea. In addition to determining if the levels differ in different parts of the kelp, we wanted to determine whether there were locational or size-related differences. Regression models indicated that between 14% and 43% of the variation in the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, manganese, mercury, and selenium was explained by total length, part of the plant, and location (but not for lead). The main contributors to variability were length (for arsenic and selenium), location (mercury), and part of the plant (for arsenic, cadmium, chromium and manganese). The higher levels of selenium occurred at Clam Cove, while mercury was higher at the harbor. Where there was a significant difference among parts, the holdfast had the highest levels, although the differences were not great. These data indicate that consistency should be applied in selecting the part of kelp (and the length) to be used as a bioindicator. While any part of Alaria could be collected for some metals, for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and manganese a conversion should be made among parts. In the Aleutians the holdfast can be

Evidence for absorption of kelp detritus by the ribbed mussel Aulacomya ater using a new 51Cr-labelled microsphere technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stuart, V.; Field, J.G.

1983-01-01

A modification of the 51 Cr: 14 C twin-labelling technique is described in which the food source is labelled with 14 C but the 51 Cr is enclosed in a polymeric resin membrane and presented as microspheres of a similar diameter to the food particles. This eliminates the major uptake of 51 Cr which is transferred to the ctenidia and palps of the suspension-feeding mussel Aulacomya ater (Molina) from detritus labelled with 51 Cr. The results suggest that althoug bacterial cultures based on isolates of kelp bacteria can be absorbed with an efficiency of 67 to 70%, the debris itself is also absorbed with an efficiency of approximately 50%. The kelp debris, which forms an important component of the particulate matter potentially available for consumers, may thus represent an important source of carbon for the filter feeding community adjacent to kelp beds. In contrast to the results obtained in other studies with artificial food sources, the data for kelp debris suggest that A. ater is able to maintain a positive scope for grwoth at the concentrations of suspended organic matter which occur under natural conditions in the kelp bed environment. (orig.)

Kelp Wrack: Hopping with Life in Orange County

OpenAIRE

Dugan, Jenifer E.

2011-01-01

The same waves that pound the shore off California also tear large amounts of seaweed from the region’s giant kelp forests and rocky reefs. Much of this drift seaweed, known as wrack, is eventually washed ashore. On many of Southern California’s beaches, tractors will remove this wrack (along with trash and litter) and rake the sand, in a process known as beach grooming.

Kelp Wrack: Hopping with Life in Ventura County

OpenAIRE

Dugan, Jenifer E.

2011-01-01

The same waves that pound the shore off California also tear large amounts of seaweed from the region’s giant kelp forests and rocky reefs. Much of this drift seaweed, known as wrack, is eventually washed ashore. On many of Southern California’s beaches, tractors will remove this wrack (along with trash and litter) and rake the sand, in a process known as beach grooming.

Ensuring the Quality of the New Fruit and Berry Marmalade by Adding Kelp

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tetyana Nepochatykh

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the development of a new method for the production of fruit and berry marmalade, which is adding kelp to the traditional recipe of fruit and berry marmalade. The use of this additive is scientifically grounded in the amount of 5 %. This can improve the quality of fruit and berry marmalade, as well as update its assortment. Adding kelp to marmalade increases the content of iodine in it by 7.95 %, phosphorus – by 2.15 %, magnesium – by 8.5 %, potassium – by 48.5 %, iron – by 0.03 %, vitamin PP – by 0.015 %.

Host specificity and growth of kelp gametophytes symbiotic with filamentous red algae (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta)

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, Charlene B.; Garbary, David J.; Kim, Kwang Young; Chiasson, David M.

2004-02-01

Kelp gametophytes were previously observed in nature living endophytically in red algal cell walls. Here we examine the interactions of two kelp species and six red algae in culture. Gametophytes of Nereocystis luetkeana (Mertens) Postels et Ruprecht became endophytic in the cell walls of Griffithsia pacifica Kylin and Antithamnion defectum Kylin, and grew epiphytically in high abundance on G. japonica Okamura and Aglaothamnion oosumiense Itono. Alaria esculenta (Linnaeus) Greville from the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia became endophytic in Aglaothamnion oosumiense, Antithamnion defectum, Callithamnion sp., G. japonica, G. pacifica, and Pleonosporium abysicola Gardner, all from the Pacific Ocean. Some cultures were treated with phloroglucinol before infection to thicken the cell walls. The endophytic gametophytes were smaller and grew more slowly than gametophytes epiphytic on the same host. N. luetkeana failed to become endophytic in some of the potential hosts, and this may reflect host specificity, or culture artifacts. This work improves our understanding of the process of infection of red algae by kelp gametophytes, and broadens our knowledge of host specificity in endophytic symbioses.

Digital images of color-infrared photographic slides of kelp canopies taken during aerial surveys in 1999 as part of the California Coastal Kelp Resources project (NODC Accession 0002429)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The dynamic and sometimes vulnerable nature of the California coastal kelp resource, critical as habitat and food for hundreds of related species, required the...

The Hypoglycemic Effect of the Kelp on Diabetes Mellitus Model Induced by Alloxan in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Dan Li

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Hypoglycemic effects and the use of kelp in diabetes mellitus (DM model rats induced by alloxan were investigated. Sixty healthy male rats were used to establish DM models by injecting alloxan intraperitoneally. Kelp powder was added to the general forage for the rats. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG were determined by an automatic blood glucose device. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay was applied to determine the serum levels of insulin. The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA were measured by thiobarbituric acid assay and nitric oxide (NO by nitrate reductase assay. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD were determined by xanthinoxidase assay and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px by chemical colorimetry. The shape and structure of islet cells were observed with Hematine-Eosin staining, and the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS in islet cells were detected by immunohistochemical assay. The results showed that the serum levels of insulin after treatment with kelp powder increased significantly compared to those in the DM-model group, while the FBG in the medium-high dose treated groups decreased significantly compared to those in the DM-model group (P < 0.05. The levels of MDA and NO in the kelp powder groups were lower than those in the DM-model group, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were higher than those in the DM-model group, of which a significant difference existed between the medium-high dose treated groups and the DM-model group (P < 0.05. The shape and structure of islet cells improved with the up-expressing SOD and down-expressing iNOS in the medium-high dose treated groups compared to those in the DM-model group (P < 0.05. There were no significant differences between the medium and high dose treated groups, all above indexes (P > 0.05. It is suggested that kelp might aid recovery of the the islet cell secreting function and reduce the level of FBG by an

Digital images of color-infrared photographic slides of kelp canopies taken during aerial surveys in August 2000 as part of the California Coastal Kelp Resources Project (NODC Accession 0036513)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The dynamic and sometimes vulnerable nature of the California coastal kelp resource, critical as habitat and food for hundreds of related species, required the...

Using ecological function to develop recovery criteria for depleted species: Sea otters and kelp forests in the Aleutian archipelago

Science.gov (United States)

Estes, James A.; Tinker, M. Tim; Bodkin, James L.

2010-01-01

Recovery criteria for depleted species or populations normally are based on demographic measures, the goal being to maintain enough individuals over a sufficiently large area to assure a socially tolerable risk of future extinction. Such demographically based recovery criteria may be insufficient to restore the functional roles of strongly interacting species. We explored the idea of developing a recovery criterion for sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in the Aleutian archipelago on the basis of their keystone role in kelp forest ecosystems. We surveyed sea otters and rocky reef habitats at 34 island-time combinations. The system nearly always existed in either a kelp-dominated or deforested phase state, which was predictable from sea otter density. We used a resampling analysis of these data to show that the phase state at any particular island can be determined at 95% probability of correct classification with information from as few as six sites. When sea otter population status (and thus the phase state of the kelp forest) was allowed to vary randomly among islands, just 15 islands had to be sampled to estimate the true proportion that were kelp dominated (within 10%) with 90% confidence. We conclude that kelp forest phase state is a more appropriate, sensitive, and cost-effective measure of sea otter recovery than the more traditional demographically based metrics, and we suggest that similar approaches have broad potential utility in establishing recovery criteria for depleted populations of other functionally important species.

Supplying Fe from molten coal ash to revive kelp community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumoto, K.; Yamamoto, M.; Sadakata, M. [University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)

2006-02-15

The phenomenon of a kelp-dominated community changing to a crust-dominated community, which is called 'barren-ground', is progressing in the world, and causing serious social problems in coastal areas. Among several suggested causes of 'barren-ground', we focused on the lack of Fe in seawater. Kelp needs more than 200 nM of Fe to keep its community. However there are the areas where the concentration of Fe is less than 1 nM, and the lack of Fe leads to the 'barren-ground.' Coal ash is one of the appropriate materials to compensate the lack of Fe for the kelp growth, because the coal ash is a waste from the coal combustion process and contains more than 5 wt% of Fe. The rate of Fe elution from coal fly ash to water can be increased by 20 times after melting in Ar atmosphere, because 39 wt% of the Fe(III) of coal fly ash was reduced to Fe(II). Additionally molten ash from the IGCC (integrated coal gasification combined cycle) furnace in a reducing atmosphere and one from a melting furnace pilot plant in an oxidizing atmosphere were examined. Each molten ash was classified into two groups; cooled rapidly with water and cooled slowly without water. The flux of Fe elution from rapidly cooled IGCC molten ash was the highest; 9.4 x 10{sup -6} g m{sup -2} d{sup -1}. It was noted that the coal ash melted in a reducing atmosphere could elute Fe effectively, and the dissolution of the molten ash itself controlled the rate of Fe elution in the case of rapidly cooled molten ash.

Kelp Wrack: Hopping with Life in Los Angeles County

OpenAIRE

Dugan, Jenifer E.

2011-01-01

The same waves that pound the shore off California also tear large amounts of seaweed from the region’s giant kelp forests and rocky reefs. Much of this drift seaweed, known as wrack, is eventually washed ashore. On many of Southern California’s beaches, tractors will remove this wrack (along with trash and litter) and rake the sand, in a process known as beach grooming.

Kelp Wrack: Hopping with Life in San Diego County

OpenAIRE

Dugan, Jenifer E.

2011-01-01

The same waves that pound the shore off California also tear large amounts of seaweed from the region’s giant kelp forests and rocky reefs. Much of this drift seaweed, known as wrack, is eventually washed ashore. On many of Southern California’s beaches, tractors will remove this wrack (along with trash and litter) and rake the sand, in a process known as beach grooming.

Kelp Wrack: Hopping with Life in Santa Barbara County

OpenAIRE

Dugan, Jenifer E.

2011-01-01

The same waves that pound the shore off California also tear large amounts of seaweed from the region’s giant kelp forests and rocky reefs. Much of this drift seaweed, known as wrack, is eventually washed ashore. On many of Southern California’s beaches, tractors will remove this wrack (along with trash and litter) and rake the sand, in a process known as beach grooming.

Anthropogenic debris in the nests of kelp gulls in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Witteveen, Minke; Brown, Mark; Ryan, Peter G

2017-01-30

Anthropogenic debris results in detrimental interactions with many marine species. Several seabirds include debris items in their nests, which can lead to entanglement of chicks and adults, resulting in injury or death. Anthropogenic debris was found in 4-67% of kelp gull Larus dominicanus nests in seven colonies in the Western Cape, South Africa. Nests contained two types of litter: items included in the nest structure during construction (mainly ropes and straps), and regurgitated items (mainly bags and food wrappers) that probably accumulate primarily during the chick-rearing period. Debris used in nest construction was more likely to injure gulls, and was found mainly at coastal sites where there was little natural vegetation for construction. Distance to the nearest urban waste landfill significantly affected the occurrence of debris items in nests, especially dietary-derived items. The amount of debris in kelp gull nests highlights the need for improved debris management in South Africa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diversity of kelp holdfast-associated fauna in an Arctic fjord - inconsistent responses to glacial mineral sedimentation across different taxa

Science.gov (United States)

Ronowicz, Marta; Kukliński, Piotr; Włodarska-Kowalczuk, Maria

2018-05-01

Kelp forests are complex underwater habitats that support diverse assemblages of animals ranging from sessile filter feeding invertebrates to fishes and marine mammals. In this study, the diversity of invertebrate fauna associated with kelp holdfasts was surveyed in a high Arctic glacial fjord (76 N, Hornsund, Svalbard). The effects of algal host identity (three kelp species: Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta), depth (5 and 10 m) and glacier-derived disturbance (three sites with varying levels of mineral sedimentation) on faunal species richness and composition were studied based on 239 collected algal holdfasts. The species pool was mostly made up by three taxa: colonial Bryozoa and Hydrozoa, and Polychaeta. While the all-taxa species richness did not differ between depths, algal hosts and sites, the patterns varied when the two colonial sessile filter-feeding taxa were analysed alone (Hydrozoa and Bryozoa). The Hydrozoa sample species richness and average taxonomic distinctness were the highest at undisturbed sites, whereas Bryozoa species richness was higher in sediment-impacted localities, indicating relative insensitivity of this phylum to the increased level of mineral suspension in the water column. The average taxonomic distinctness of Bryozoa did not vary between sites. The species composition of kelp-associated fauna varied between sites and depths for the whole community and the most dominant taxa (Bryozoa, Hydrozoa). The high load of inorganic suspension and sedimentation did not cause pauperization of kelp holdfast-associated fauna but instead triggered the changes in species composition and shifts between dominant taxonomic groups.

Crude fucoidan content in two North Atlantic kelp species, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata - seasonal variation and impact of environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; Janicek, Tina; Manns, Dirk Martin

2017-01-01

, the biochemical composition of brown algae displays a seasonal fluctuation driven by environmental factors and endogenous rhythms. To cultivate and harvest kelps with high yields of fucoidans, knowledge is needed on seasonal variation and impact of environmental conditions on the fucoidan content of brown algae....... The relations between the fucoidan content and key environmental factors (irradiance, nutrient availability, salinity and exposure) were examined by sampling natural populations of the common North Atlantic kelps, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata, over a full year at Hanstholm in the North Sea...... an increased content of fucoidan in a cultivation scenario and emphasizes the need for knowledge on performance of local kelp ecotypes....

Frequency of chimerism in populations of the kelp Lessonia spicata in central Chile.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra V González

Full Text Available Chimerism occurs when two genetically distinct conspecific individuals fuse together generating a single entity. Coalescence and chimerism in red seaweeds has been positively related to an increase in body size, and the consequent reduction in susceptibility to mortality factors, thus increasing survival, reproductive potential and tolerance to stress in contrast to genetically homogeneous organisms. In addition, they showed that a particular pattern of post-fusion growth maintains higher genetic diversity and chimerism in the holdfast but homogenous axes. In Chilean kelps (brown seaweeds, intraorganismal genetic heterogeneity (IGH and holdfast coalescence has been described in previous research, but the extent of chimerism in wild populations and the patterns of distribution of the genetically heterogeneous thallus zone have scarcely been studied. Since kelps are under continuous harvesting, with enormous social, ecological and economic importance, natural chimerism can be considered a priceless in-situ reservoir of natural genetic resources and variability. In this study, we therefore examined the frequency of IGH and chimerism in three harvested populations of Lessonia spicata. We then evaluated whether chimeric wild-type holdfasts show higher genetic diversity than erect axes (stipe and lamina and explored the impact of this on the traditional estimation of genetic diversity at the population level. We found a high frequency of IGH (60-100% and chimerism (33.3-86.7%, varying according to the studied population. We evidenced that chimerism occurs mostly in holdfasts, exhibiting heterogeneous tissues, whereas stipes and lamina were more homogeneous, generating a vertical gradient of allele and genotype abundance as well as divergence, constituting the first time "within- plant" genetic patterns have been reported in kelps. This is very different from the chimeric patterns described in land plants and animals. Finally, we evidenced that IGH

Using Online Citizen Science to Assess Giant Kelp Abundances Across the Globe with Satellite Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Byrnes, J.; Cavanaugh, K. C.; Haupt, A. J.; Trouille, L.; Rosenthal, I.; Bell, T. W.; Rassweiler, A.; Pérez-Matus, A.; Assis, J.

2017-12-01

Global scale long-term data sets that document the patterns and variability of human impacts on marine ecosystems are rare. This lack is particularly glaring for underwater species - even moreso for ecologically important ones. Here we demonstrate how online Citizen Science combined with Landsat satellite imagery can help build a picture of change in the dynamics of giant kelp, an important coastal foundation species around the globe, from the 1984 to the present. Giant kelp canopy is visible from Landsat images, but these images defy easy machine classification. To get useful data, images must be processed by hand. While academic researchers have applied this method successfully at sub-regional scales, unlocking the value of the full global dataset has not been possible until given the massive effort required. Here we present Floating Forests (http://floatingforests.org), an international collaboration between kelp forest researchers and the citizen science organization Zooniverse. Floating Forests provides an interface that allows citizen scientists to identify canopy cover of giant kelp on Landsat images, enabling us to scale up the dataset to the globe. We discuss lessons learned from the initial version of the project launched in 2014, a prototype of an image processing pipeline to bring Landsat imagery to citizen science platforms, methods of assessing accuracy of citizen scientists, and preliminary data from our relaunch of the project. Through this project we have developed generalizable tools to facilitate citizen science-based analysis of Landsat and other satellite and aerial imagery. We hope that this create a powerful dataset to unlock our understanding of how global change has altered these critically important species in the sea.

Evaluation of marine algae as a source of biogas in a two-stage anaerobic reactor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vergara-Fernandez, Alberto; Vargas, Gisela; Alarcon, Nelson; Velasco, Antonio

2008-01-01

The marine algae are considered an important biomass source; however, their utilization as energy source is still low around the world. The technical feasibility of marine algae utilization as a source of renewable energy was studied to laboratory scale. The anaerobic digestion of Macrocystis pyrifera, Durvillea antarctica and their blend 1:1 (w/w) was evaluated in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system, which consisted of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) and an upflow anaerobic filter (UAF). The results show that 70% of the total biogas produced in the system was generated in the UAF, and both algae species have similar biogas productions of 180.4(±1.5) mL g -1 dry algae d -1 , with a methane concentration around 65%. The same methane content was observed in biogas yield of algae blend; however, a lower biogas yield was obtained. In conclusion, either algae species or their blend can be utilized to produce methane gas in a two-phase digestion system

Evaluation of marine algae as a source of biogas in a two-stage anaerobic reactor system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vergara-Fernandez, Alberto; Vargas, Gisela [Escuela de Ingenieria Ambiental, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 56, Casilla 15-D, Temuco (Chile); Alarcon, Nelson [Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias Geologicas, Universidad Catolica del Norte (Chile); Velasco, Antonio [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Capacitacion Ambiental del Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (CENICA-INE), Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Vicentina, Del. Iztapalapa, 09340, Mexico, DF (Mexico)

2008-04-15

The marine algae are considered an important biomass source; however, their utilization as energy source is still low around the world. The technical feasibility of marine algae utilization as a source of renewable energy was studied to laboratory scale. The anaerobic digestion of Macrocystis pyrifera, Durvillea antarctica and their blend 1:1 (w/w) was evaluated in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system, which consisted of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) and an upflow anaerobic filter (UAF). The results show that 70% of the total biogas produced in the system was generated in the UAF, and both algae species have similar biogas productions of 180.4({+-}1.5) mL g{sup -1} dry algae d{sup -1}, with a methane concentration around 65%. The same methane content was observed in biogas yield of algae blend; however, a lower biogas yield was obtained. In conclusion, either algae species or their blend can be utilized to produce methane gas in a two-phase digestion system. (author)

The influence of physical factors on kelp and sea urchin distribution in previously and still grazed areas in the NE Atlantic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eli Rinde

Full Text Available The spatial distribution of kelp (Laminaria hyperborea and sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in the NE Atlantic are highly related to physical factors and to temporal changes in temperature. On a large scale, we identified borders for kelp recovery and sea urchin persistence along the north-south gradient. Sea urchin persistence was also related to the coast-ocean gradient. The southern border corresponds to summer temperatures exceeding about 10°C, a threshold value known to be critical for sea urchin recruitment and development. The outer border along the coast-ocean gradient is related to temperature, wave exposure and salinity. On a finer scale, kelp recovery occurs mainly at ridges in outer, wave exposed, saline and warm areas whereas sea urchins still dominate in inner, shallow and cold areas, particularly in areas with optimal current speed for sea urchin foraging. In contrast to other studies in Europe, we here show a positive influence of climate change to presence of a long-lived climax canopy-forming kelp. The extent of the coast-ocean gradient varies within the study area, and is especially wide in the southern part where the presence of islands and skerries increases the area of the shallow coastal zone. This creates a large area with intermediate physical conditions for the two species and a mosaic of kelp and sea urchin dominated patches. The statistical models (GAM and BRT show high performance and indicate recovery of kelp in 45-60% of the study area. The study shows the value of combining a traditional (GAM and a more complex (BRT modeling approach to gain insight into complex spatial patterns of species or habitats. The results, methods and approaches are of general ecological relevance regardless of ecosystems and species, although they are particularly relevant for understanding and exploring the corresponding changes between algae and grazers in different coastal areas.

The influence of physical factors on kelp and sea urchin distribution in previously and still grazed areas in the NE Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinde, Eli; Christie, Hartvig; Fagerli, Camilla W; Bekkby, Trine; Gundersen, Hege; Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus; Hjermann, Dag Ø

2014-01-01

The spatial distribution of kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) and sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) in the NE Atlantic are highly related to physical factors and to temporal changes in temperature. On a large scale, we identified borders for kelp recovery and sea urchin persistence along the north-south gradient. Sea urchin persistence was also related to the coast-ocean gradient. The southern border corresponds to summer temperatures exceeding about 10°C, a threshold value known to be critical for sea urchin recruitment and development. The outer border along the coast-ocean gradient is related to temperature, wave exposure and salinity. On a finer scale, kelp recovery occurs mainly at ridges in outer, wave exposed, saline and warm areas whereas sea urchins still dominate in inner, shallow and cold areas, particularly in areas with optimal current speed for sea urchin foraging. In contrast to other studies in Europe, we here show a positive influence of climate change to presence of a long-lived climax canopy-forming kelp. The extent of the coast-ocean gradient varies within the study area, and is especially wide in the southern part where the presence of islands and skerries increases the area of the shallow coastal zone. This creates a large area with intermediate physical conditions for the two species and a mosaic of kelp and sea urchin dominated patches. The statistical models (GAM and BRT) show high performance and indicate recovery of kelp in 45-60% of the study area. The study shows the value of combining a traditional (GAM) and a more complex (BRT) modeling approach to gain insight into complex spatial patterns of species or habitats. The results, methods and approaches are of general ecological relevance regardless of ecosystems and species, although they are particularly relevant for understanding and exploring the corresponding changes between algae and grazers in different coastal areas.

Sub-canopy light conditions only allow low annual net productivity of epiphytic algae on kelp Laminaria hyperborea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Morten Foldager; Nejrup, Lars Brammer; Pedersen, Troels Møller

2014-01-01

The stipes of older Laminaria hyperborea individuals are heavily covered by epiphytic assemblages that are dominated by macroalgae, and we hypothesized that the production of these algae may contribute significantly to total primary production of the kelp forest ecosystem. The epiphytic assemblages...... through spring as surface irradiance increased. Annual net productivity was relatively low, ranging from 42 to 96 g DW m-2 seafloor depending on site. We conclude that the net productivity of these macroalgal epiphytes is insignificant relative to that of kelp itself, and that the large observed biomass...

Multi-approach mapping to help spatial planning and management of the kelp species L. digitata and L. hyperborea: Case study of the Molène Archipelago, Brittany

Science.gov (United States)

Bajjouk, Touria; Rochette, Sébastien; Laurans, Martial; Ehrhold, Axel; Hamdi, Anouar; Le Niliot, Philippe

2015-06-01

The Molène Archipelago in Brittany (France) hosts one of the largest kelp forests in Europe. Beyond their recognized ecological importance as an essential habitat and food for a variety of marine species, kelp also contributes towards regional economies by means of the alginate industry. Thousands of tons of kelp are collected each year for the needs of the chemical and food industries. Kelp harvesting in Brittany mainly concerns two species, Laminaria digitata (59,000 t) and Laminaria hyperborea (24,000 t), that, together, represent approximately 95% of the national landings. Estimating the available standing stock and its distribution is a clear need for providing appropriate and sustainable management measures. Prior to estimating the spatial distribution of biomasses, we produced a detailed seabed topography map with accurate hard substrate delineation thanks to surveys and appropriate processing of airborne optical and acoustic imaging. Habitat suitability models of presence-absence and biomass were then developed for each species by relating in situ observations from underwater video and sampling to the many biotic and abiotic factors that may govern kelp species distribution. Our statistical approach combining generalized additive models (GAM) in a delta approach also provided spatial uncertainty associated with each prediction to help management decisions. This study confirmed that the adopted strategy, based on an integrated approach, enhanced knowledge on kelp biomass distributions in the Molène Archipelago and provided a promising direct link between research and management. Indeed, the high resolution topography and hard substrate maps produced for the study greatly improved knowledge on the sea bottom of the area. This was also of major importance for an accurate mapping of kelp distribution. The quality of the habitat suitability models was verified with fishing effort data (RECOPESCA program) and confirmed by local managers and kelp harvesters

Critical discussion : virtue epistemology and extended cognition: a reply to Kelp and Greco

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vaesen, K.

2013-01-01

Elsewhere, I have challenged virtue epistemology and argued that it doesn’t square with mundane cases of extended cognition. Kelp (forthcoming, this journal) and Greco (forthcoming) have responded to my charges, the former by questioning the force of my argument, the latter by developing a new

Kelp gulls prey on the eyes of juvenile Cape fur seals in Namibia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The kelp gull Larus dominicanus is an abundant and highly successful avian predator and scavenger that breeds along the coastline in the Southern Hemisphere, ranging from Antarctica to the tropics. On account of its dietary breadth, wide-ranging foraging strategies, and acclimation to modified landscapes, this species ...

Molecular characterization of extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from wild kelp gulls in South America

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liakopoulos, Apostolos; Olsen, Björn; Geurts, Yvon; Artursson, Karin; Berg, Charlotte; Mevius, Dik J.; Bonnedahl, Jonas

2016-01-01

Extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae are a public health concern due to limited treatment options. Here, we report on the occurrence and the molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae recovered from wild birds (kelp gulls).

Desarrollo del ensilado del alga Gracilaria chilensis para la alimentación del abalón rojo Haliotis rufescens

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Alfonso Mardones

2015-05-01

Full Text Available En Chile, el principal insumo usado como alimento para abalones son las algas Gracilaria chilensis y Macrocystis pyrifera. Estas algas experimentan una notable baja de disponibilidad en otoño e invierno, lo cual trae consigo un aumento considerable de los precios, al tener que depender del abastecimiento desde áreas cada vez más alejadas de los centros de cultivo de abalones y, eventualmente, generando impactos ecológicos indirectos en sus poblaciones. El objetivo fue elaborar y evaluar un ensilado del alga G. chilensis para la alimentación de abalón rojo (Haliotis rufescens, determinando la cantidad de lixiviados generados durante el proceso, el cambio en la composición proximal del alga, la preferencia y consumo del abalón rojo de ensilado de G. chilensis. Se logró un producto ensilado de buenas características físicas, químicas y de conservación, así como una buena aceptación por parte del abalón.

Long-term patterns of benthic irradiance and kelp production in the central Beaufort sea reveal implications of warming for Arctic inner shelves

Science.gov (United States)

Bonsell, Christina; Dunton, Kenneth H.

2018-03-01

This study synthesizes a multidecadal dataset of annual growth of the Arctic endemic kelp Laminaria solidungula and corresponding measurements of in situ benthic irradiance from Stefansson Sound in the central Beaufort Sea. We incorporate long-term data on sea ice concentration (National Sea Ice Data Center) and wind (National Weather Service) to assess how ice extent and summer wind dynamics affect the benthic light environment and annual kelp production. We find evidence of significant changes in sea ice extent in Stefansson Sound, with an extension of the ice-free season by approximately 17 days since 1979. Although kelp elongation at 5-7 m depths varies significantly among sites and years (3.8-49.8 cm yr-1), there is no evidence for increased production with either earlier ice break-up or a longer summer ice-free period. This is explained by very low light transmittance to the benthos during the summer season (mean daily percent surface irradiance ± SD: 1.7 ± 3.6 to 4.5 ± 6.6, depending on depth, with light attenuation values ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 m-1), resulting in minimal potential for kelp production on most days. Additionally, on month-long timescales (35 days) in the ice-free summer, benthic light levels are negatively related to wind speed. The frequent, wind-driven resuspension of sediments following ice break-up significantly reduce light to the seabed, effectively nullifying the benefits of an increased ice-free season on annual kelp growth. Instead, benthic light and primary production may depend substantially on the 1-3 week period surrounding ice break-up when intermediate sea ice concentrations reduce wind-driven sediment resuspension. These results suggest that both benthic and water column primary production along the inner shelf of Arctic marginal seas may decrease, not increase, with reductions in sea ice extent.

Quantifying Physiological, Behavioral and Ecological Consequences of Hypoxic Events in Kelp Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Litvin, S. Y.; Beers, J. M.; Woodson, C. B.; Leary, P.; Fringer, O. B.; Goldbogen, J. A.; Micheli, F.; Monismith, S. G.; Somero, G. N.

2016-02-01

Rocky reef kelp forests that extend along the coast of central California, like many habitats in upwelling systems, often experience inundations of low dissolved oxygen (DO) or hypoxic waters. These events have the potential to influence the structure and function of coastal ecosystems. The ecological consequences of hypoxia for these systems will be mediated by physiological thresholds and behavioral responses of resident organisms in the context of the spatial and temporal variability of DO, and other potential stressors. Our research focuses on Sebastes (i.e. rockfish) because of their commercial, recreational and ecological importance, high abundance across near shore habitats and the potentially severe impacts of physiological stress due to hypoxia. In the lab, to investigate how hypoxic events physiologically effect rockfish, we exposed young of the year (YOY) of 5 species and two life stages of blue rockfish, S. mystinus (YOY and 1+), to DO concentrations representative of upwelling conditions and measured a suite of whole organisms and tissue level responses including metabolic rate, ventilation, tissue-level metabolism, and blood biochemistry. Results demonstrate species and life stage specific differences in physiological stress under upwelling driven hypoxic conditions and suggest YOY rockfishes may currently be living near their physiological limits. In the laboratory we further explored if physiological impacts result in behavioral consequences by examining the startle response of YOY rockfish, a relative measure of predator avoidance ability, under a range of DO concentrations and exposure durations. To further explore behavioral responses of rockfish to low in DO within the kelp forest we are using two approaches, monitoring the vertical distribution of fish communities across the water column using an acoustic imaging camera (ARIS 3000, Soundmetrics Inc.) and acoustic tagging, with 3-D positioning ability (VPS, VEMCO Inc.), of larger blue rockfish

Crude fucoidan content in two North Atlantic kelp species, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata - seasonal variation and impact of environmental factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Annette; Janicek, Tina; Manns, Dirk Martin

2017-01-01

, the biochemical composition of brown algae displays a seasonal fluctuation driven by environmental factors and endogenous rhythms. To cultivate and harvest kelps with high yields of fucoidans, knowledge is needed on seasonal variation and impact of environmental conditions on the fucoidan content of brown algae....... The relations between the fucoidan content and key environmental factors (irradiance, nutrient availability, salinity and exposure) were examined by sampling natural populations of the common North Atlantic kelps, Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata, over a full year at Hanstholm in the North Sea...

Trophic Cascades Induced by Lobster Fishing Are Not Ubiquitous in Southern California Kelp Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Guenther, Carla M.; Lenihan, Hunter S.; Grant, Laura E.; Lopez-Carr, David; Reed, Daniel C.

2012-01-01

Fishing can trigger trophic cascades that alter community structure and dynamics and thus modify ecosystem attributes. We combined ecological data of sea urchin and macroalgal abundance with fishery data of spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) landings to evaluate whether: (1) patterns in the abundance and biomass among lobster (predator), sea urchins (grazer), and macroalgae (primary producer) in giant kelp forest communities indicated the presence of top-down control on urchins and macroalgae, and (2) lobster fishing triggers a trophic cascade leading to increased sea urchin densities and decreased macroalgal biomass. Eight years of data from eight rocky subtidal reefs known to support giant kelp forests near Santa Barbara, CA, USA, were analyzed in three-tiered least-squares regression models to evaluate the relationships between: (1) lobster abundance and sea urchin density, and (2) sea urchin density and macroalgal biomass. The models included reef physical structure and water depth. Results revealed a trend towards decreasing urchin density with increasing lobster abundance but little evidence that urchins control the biomass of macroalgae. Urchin density was highly correlated with habitat structure, although not water depth. To evaluate whether fishing triggered a trophic cascade we pooled data across all treatments to examine the extent to which sea urchin density and macroalgal biomass were related to the intensity of lobster fishing (as indicated by the density of traps pulled). We found that, with one exception, sea urchins remained more abundant at heavily fished sites, supporting the idea that fishing for lobsters releases top-down control on urchin grazers. Macroalgal biomass, however, was positively correlated with lobster fishing intensity, which contradicts the trophic cascade model. Collectively, our results suggest that factors other than urchin grazing play a major role in controlling macroalgal biomass in southern California kelp forests, and

The Kelp Gull as bioindicator of environmental chemicals in the Magellan region. A comparison with other coastal sites in Chile

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Jacqueline Muñoz

1999-12-01

Full Text Available During the breeding seasons 1994/5 and 1995/6 we collected Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus eggs from five locations in central to south Chile to study the contamination with mercury and organochlorine compounds. The sites were Algarrobo, Concepción, Maiquillahue Bay, Doña Sebastiana Island (Chalcao channel at Chiloé and Magdalena Island (Straits of Magellan. We found differences among the sites: Kelp Gull eggs from Chiloé and Algarrobo had the greatest concentrations of mercury (about 170 ng g-1 fresh weight. Residues of DDT were greatest in eggs from Algarrobo and Maiquillahue Bay, those of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls greatest at Algarrobo and Concepción. HCB had highest levels at Concepción. Considering all organochlorines, samples from Algarrobo had the highest concentrations, those from Chiloé the lowest. In consequence we found a geographical pattern from north to south, i.e., from areas with greater to lesser human impact. In comparison with other studies, the levels of environmental chemicals found in Kelp Gulls from Chile are much lower than those known to cause adverse effects on reproductive success.

78 FR 13776 - National Organic Program: Notice of Policies Addressing Kelp, Seeds and Planting Stock, Livestock...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

... Stock, Livestock Feed, and Responding to Pesticide Residue Testing AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing... documents are entitled as follows: ``The Use of Kelp in Organic Livestock Feed (NOP 5027); Responding to... Minerals for Organic Livestock Feed (NOP 5030)''. These final guidance and instruction documents are...

Carbon assimilation and transfer through kelp forests in the NE Atlantic is diminished under a warmer ocean climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Pessarrodona, Albert; Moore, Pippa J; Sayer, Martin D J; Smale, Dan A

2018-06-03

Global climate change is affecting carbon cycling by driving changes in primary productivity and rates of carbon fixation, release and storage within Earth's vegetated systems. There is, however, limited understanding of how carbon flow between donor and recipient habitats will respond to climatic changes. Macroalgal-dominated habitats, such as kelp forests, are gaining recognition as important carbon donors within coastal carbon cycles, yet rates of carbon assimilation and transfer through these habitats are poorly resolved. Here, we investigated the likely impacts of ocean warming on coastal carbon cycling by quantifying rates of carbon assimilation and transfer in Laminaria hyperborea kelp forests-one of the most extensive coastal vegetated habitat types in the NE Atlantic-along a latitudinal temperature gradient. Kelp forests within warm climatic regimes assimilated, on average, more than three times less carbon and donated less than half the amount of particulate carbon compared to those from cold regimes. These patterns were not related to variability in other environmental parameters. Across their wider geographical distribution, plants exhibited reduced sizes toward their warm-water equatorward range edge, further suggesting that carbon flow is reduced under warmer climates. Overall, we estimated that Laminaria hyperborea forests stored ~11.49 Tg C in living biomass and released particulate carbon at a rate of ~5.71 Tg C year -1 . This estimated flow of carbon was markedly higher than reported values for most other marine and terrestrial vegetated habitat types in Europe. Together, our observations suggest that continued warming will diminish the amount of carbon that is assimilated and transported through temperate kelp forests in NE Atlantic, with potential consequences for the coastal carbon cycle. Our findings underline the need to consider climate-driven changes in the capacity of ecosystems to fix and donate carbon when assessing the impacts of

Variation in blade morphology of the kelp Eisenia arborea : incipient speciation due to local water motion?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roberson, L.M.; Coyer, J.A.

2004-01-01

The southern sea palm kelp Eisenia arborea produces wide, bullate (bumpy) blades in low-flow areas, whereas in adjacent high-flow areas blades are flat and narrow. Here we determine if morphological differences in these 2 closely associated populations are correlated with physical factors in the

Overfishing reduces resilience of kelp beds to climate-driven catastrophic phase shift.

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, S D; Johnson, C R; Frusher, S D; Ridgway, K R

2009-12-29

A key consideration in assessing impacts of climate change is the possibility of synergistic effects with other human-induced stressors. In the ocean realm, climate change and overfishing pose two of the greatest challenges to the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. In eastern Tasmania, temperate coastal waters are warming at approximately four times the global ocean warming average, representing the fastest rate of warming in the Southern Hemisphere. This has driven range extension of the ecologically important long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii), which has now commenced catastrophic overgrazing of productive Tasmanian kelp beds leading to loss of biodiversity and important rocky reef ecosystem services. Coincident with the overgrazing is heavy fishing of reef-based predators including the spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii. By conducting experiments inside and outside Marine Protected Areas we show that fishing, by removing large predatory lobsters, has reduced the resilience of kelp beds against the climate-driven threat of the sea urchin and thus increased risk of catastrophic shift to widespread sea urchin barrens. This shows that interactions between multiple human-induced stressors can exacerbate nonlinear responses of ecosystems to climate change and limit the adaptive capacity of these systems. Management actions focused on reducing the risk of catastrophic phase shift in ecosystems are particularly urgent in the face of ongoing warming and unprecedented levels of predator removal from the world's oceans.

Cultivation of kelp species in the Limfjord, Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wegeberg, S.

2010-04-15

To evaluate the scope of the work and yield of cultivating kelp species in the Danish waters for DONG Energy, Denmark, a pilot?scale cultivation project was initiated in connection with the review of the potential of algal biomass for bio?energy production in Denmark. Two species of large brown algae, sea girdles (Laminaria digitata) and sweet tangle (Saccharina latissima) were cultivated with the expectation to gain maximum biomass yield, partly because of the species' size and partly because of their growth strategy. The result of the pilot study was that sugar seaweed's average maximum length was 7-8 cm, while finger seaweed's length was only 5 cm. The relative small yield is attributable to an overgrowth of sessile animals (hydroids and sea squirts). (ln)

Concentrations of 99Tc and 137Cs in edible kelps and sea urchin ovaries from the northern part of Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohtsuka, Y.; Iyogi, T.; Takaku, Y.; Hisamatsu, S.; Sekine, T.

2006-01-01

The first commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Japan is located in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture, and is now under the active test using actual spent nuclear fuels. Since the plant will release small amount of 99 Tc to the ocean, the concentration of 99 Tc in seawater nearby the plant will possibly increase in future. Since it is important to get background concentration levels of 99 Tc and 137 Cs in marine products from the ocean nearby the plant for assessing the effect to the concentration levels by the plant, the nuclides in edible kelps and sea urchin ovaries from the northern part of Japan (Aomori, Hokkaido and Iwate) were observed. Concentrations of 99 Tc in the kelps were lower than those reported for other non-edible seaweeds (Sargassum thunbergii) in Aomori, and the same level to the reported value of Hizikia fusiformis in Kyushu. 99 Tc concentrations in the urchin ovaries were lower than the detection limit of our method, and concentrations of 137 Cs in them were similar to these in the kelps. It suggested that 99 Tc is not concentrated in sea urchin ovaries. This work was supported by a grant from Aomori prefecture, Japan. (author)

Kelp forest as a habitat for mobile epifauna: case study of Caprella septentrionalis Kröyer, 1838 (Amphipoda, Caprellidae in an Arctic glacial fjord

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Ronowicz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Distribution and abundance of the amphipod Caprella septentrionalis in relation to environmental conditions and habitat preferences were investigated in a kelp forest in Hornsund, Spitsbergen. Three sampling sites differed in hydrodynamics, organic and inorganic suspension concentration, and sedimentation rates. None of these abiotic factors or species of a macroalgal host appeared to have a significant influence on C. septentrionalis abundance and size range. An apparent preference towards the blade parts of the algal thalli was observed. These results support the idea of C. septentrionalis as a generalist Arctic–boreal species that takes advantage of the protective nature of kelp forests.

Crossing the front: contrasting storm-forced dispersal dynamics revealed by biological, geological and genetic analysis of beach-cast kelp.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Jonathan M; King, Tania M; Fraser, Ceridwen I; Craw, Dave

2018-03-01

The subtropical front (STF) generally represents a substantial oceanographic barrier to dispersal between cold-sub-Antarctic and warm-temperate water masses. Recent studies have suggested that storm events can drastically influence marine dispersal and patterns. Here we analyse biological and geological dispersal driven by two major, contrasting storm events in southern New Zealand, 2017. We integrate biological and physical data to show that a severe southerly system in July 2017 disrupted this barrier by promoting movement of substantial numbers of southern sub-Antarctic Durvillaea kelp rafts across the STF, to make landfall in mainland NZ. By contrast, a less intense easterly storm (Cyclone Cook, April 2017) resulted in more moderate dispersal distances, with minimal dispersal between the sub-Antarctic and mainland New Zealand. These quantitative analyses of approximately 200 freshly beach-cast kelp specimens indicate that storm intensity and wind direction can strongly influence marine dispersal and landfall outcomes. © 2018 The Author(s).

Ocean acidification reverses the positive effects of seawater pH fluctuations on growth and photosynthesis of the habitat-forming kelp, Ecklonia radiata.

Science.gov (United States)

Britton, Damon; Cornwall, Christopher E; Revill, Andrew T; Hurd, Catriona L; Johnson, Craig R

2016-05-27

Ocean acidification (OA) is the reduction in seawater pH due to the absorption of human-released CO2 by the world's oceans. The average surface oceanic pH is predicted to decline by 0.4 units by 2100. However, kelp metabolically modifies seawater pH via photosynthesis and respiration in some temperate coastal systems, resulting in daily pH fluctuations of up to ±0.45 units. It is unknown how these fluctuations in pH influence the growth and physiology of the kelp, or how this might change with OA. In laboratory experiments that mimicked the most extreme pH fluctuations measured within beds of the canopy-forming kelp Ecklonia radiata in Tasmania, the growth and photosynthetic rates of juvenile E. radiata were greater under fluctuating pH (8.4 in the day, 7.8 at night) than in static pH treatments (8.4, 8.1, 7.8). However, pH fluctuations had no effect on growth rates and a negative effect on photosynthesis when the mean pH of each treatment was reduced by 0.3 units. Currently, pH fluctuations have a positive effect on E. radiata but this effect could be reversed in the future under OA, which is likely to impact the future ecological dynamics and productivity of habitats dominated by E. radiata.

Production method and cost of commercial-scale offshore cultivation of kelp in the Faroe Islands using multiple partial harvesting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grandorf Bak, Urd; Mols-Mortensen, Agnes; Gregersen, Olavur

2018-01-01

was conducted. The total cost per kg dw of cultivated S. latissima decreased when the number of possible harvests without re-seeding was increased (from € 36.73 to € 9.27). This work has demonstrated that large-scale kelp cultivation is possible using multiple partial harvesting in the Faroe Islands...

Kelp Forests versus Urchin Barrens: Alternate Stable States and Their Effect on Sea Otter Prey Quality in the Aleutian Islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathan L. Stewart

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Macroalgal and urchin barren communities are alternately stable and persist in the Aleutians due to sea otter presence and absence. In the early 1990s a rapid otter population decline released urchins from predation and caused a shift to the urchin-dominated state. Despite increases in urchin abundance, otter numbers continued to decline. Although debated, prey quality changes have been implicated in current otter population status. This study examined otter prey abundance, size, biomass, and potential energy density in remnant kelp forest and urchin-dominated communities to determine if alternate stable states affect prey quality. Findings suggest that although urchin barrens provide more abundant urchin prey, individual urchins are smaller and provide lower biomass and potential energy density compared to kelp forests. Shifts to urchin barrens do affect prey quality but changes are likely compensated by increased prey densities and are insufficient in explaining current otter population status in the Aleutians.

Kelps’ Long-Distance Dispersal: Role of Ecological/Oceanographic Processes and Implications to Marine Forest Conservation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuela Bernardes Batista

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Long-distance dispersal is one of the main drivers structuring the distribution of marine biodiversity. This study reports the first occurrence of Macrocystis pyrifera and Durvillaea antarctica rafts on the southwestern warm temperate coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Our results indicate that an extreme meteo-oceanographic event, characterized by a northward, displacement of cold sub-Antarctic oceanic waters driven by an extratropical cyclone, could account for these unusual occurrences. A niche model based on known current distribution and maximum entropy principle (MAXENT, revealed the availability of suitable habitats at lower latitudes, outside their actual distribution edges. The distributional boundaries, mainly driven by temperature and irradiance, suggest the existence of environmental suitability in warm temperate areas, as well as in the Northern Hemisphere off Atlantic and Asian coasts. These theoretical edges and respective environmental drivers agree with the physiological affinities of both species, supporting the hypothesis that these variables act as limiting factors for their occurrences in tropical or warmer areas. Emerging regions can function as refuges and stepping-stones, providing substrate with adequate habitat conditions for recruitment of propagules, allowing eventual colonization. Long dispersal events reinforce the need for an extensive discussion on selective management of natural dispersion, biological invasions, refuge mapping and conservation initiatives in a transnational perspective.

Synergistic Effects of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Mexican Seaweeds against Measles Virus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla Morán-Santibañez

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sulfated polysaccharides (SPs extracted from five seaweed samples collected or cultivated in Mexico (Macrocystis pyrifera, Eisenia arborea, Pelvetia compressa, Ulva intestinalis, and Solieria filiformis were tested in this study in order to evaluate their effect on measles virus in vitro. All polysaccharides showed antiviral activity (as measured by the reduction of syncytia formation and low cytotoxicity (MTT assay at inhibitory concentrations. SPs from Eisenia arborea and Solieria filiformis showed the highest antiviral activities (confirmed by qPCR and were selected to determine their combined effect. Their synergistic effect was observed at low concentrations (0.0274 μg/mL and 0.011 μg/mL of E. arborea and S. filiformis SPs, resp., which exhibited by far a higher inhibitory effect (96% syncytia reduction in comparison to the individual SP effects (50% inhibition with 0.275 μg/mL and 0.985 μg/mL of E. arborea and S. filiformis, resp.. Time of addition experiments and viral penetration assays suggest that best activities of these SPs occur at different stages of infection. The synergistic effect would allow reducing the treatment dose and toxicity and minimizing or delaying the induction of antiviral resistance; sulfated polysaccharides of the tested seaweed species thus appear as promising candidates for the development of natural antiviral agents.

Task 1: Whole-body concentrations of elements in kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus), kelp rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens), and Pacific sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus) from offshore oil platforms and natural areas in the Southern California Bight

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Milton S.

2009-01-01

Resource managers are concerned that offshore oil platforms in the Southern California Bight may be contributing to environmental contaminants accumulated by marine fishes. To examine this possibility, 18 kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus), 80 kelp rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens), and 98 Pacific sanddab (Citharichthys sordidus) were collected from five offshore oil platforms and 10 natural areas during 2005-2006 for whole-body analysis of 63 elements. The natural areas, which served as reference sites, were assumed to be relatively uninfluenced by contaminants originating from platforms. Forty-two elements were excluded from statistical comparisons for one of three reasons: they consisted of major cations that were unlikely to accumulate to potentially toxic concentrations under ambient exposure conditions; they were not detected by the analytical procedures; or they were detected at concentrations too low to yield reliable quantitative measurements. The remaining 21 elements consisted of aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, mercury, nickel, rubidium, selenium, strontium, tin, titanium, vanadium, and zinc. Statistical comparisons of these 21 elements indicated that none consistently exhibited higher concentrations at oil platforms than at natural areas. Eight comparisons yielded significant interaction effects between total length (TL) of the fish and the two habitat types (oil platforms and natural areas). This indicated that relations between certain elemental concentrations (i.e., copper, rubidium, selenium, tin, titanium, and vanadium) and habitat type varied by TL of affected fish species. To better understand these interactions, we examined elemental concentrations in very small and very large individuals of affected species. Although significant interactions were detected for rubidium, tin, and selenium in kelp rockfish, the concentrations of these elements did not differ significantly between

Effects of petroleum products on bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardiner, W.W.; Thom, R.M.; Antrim, L.D.

1993-01-01

The 1991 sinking of the fishing vessel, Tenyo Maru, resulted in the release of 380,000 L of intermediate fuel oil (IFO) and diesel fuel into Washington coastal waters. Field observers found slicks stranding in kelp beds and subsequent bleaching of stipes. Controlled assays were performed to test the effects of weathered and unweathered IFO and diesel on Nereocystis blade and stipe net photosynthesis (NP) and respiration (R). Light and dark bottle experiments were performed on sections of blade and stipe previously exposed to both weathered and unweathered IFO (UO and WO) and diesel (UD and WD). All treatments reduced both blade and stipe NP and NP:R ratios relative to the controls. Weathered diesel caused the most dramatic results, reducing blade and stipe NP to 0% and < 25% of the controls, respectively. Both oil type and oil type/weathering interaction significantly reduced NP and NP:R ratios (WD < UD ≤ WO < UO). Chemical analysis showed weathered diesel contains larger portions of light-PAH fractions than unweathered diesel and both weathered and unweathered IFO. These lighter fractions are effective solvents for chlorophyll and other pigments, supporting the observations of increased bleaching and reduced photosynthesis. The experiments showed that Nereocystis luetkeana is sensitive to PAHs. Diesel fuel, especially when weathered, may present a more serious problem to marine macroalgae than previously thought

Methane production from the anaerobic digestion of some marine macrophytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habig, C.; Ryther, J.H.

1983-01-01

Recently, considerable interest has developed concerning the use of biomass as an alternative fuel source. Among the possible substrates, marine plant biomass has frequently been mentioned, primarily due to the fact that such plants do not have competing, more valuable uses for food or fiber and their cultivation does not compete for valuable agricultural lands. Also, recent research has demonstrated that at least one potential marine energy crop, the red alga Graciliaria tikvahiae, is capable of extremely high production rates that equal or exceed those of terrestrial plants, and are rivaled by the productivity of another possible aquatic energy crop, the water hyacinth. To date, seaweed energy research has emphasized cultivation, while a marked paucity of information exists regarding the comparative performance of these algae as a methanogenic substrate. Only two species, the giant kelp, Macrocystic pyrifera and Gracilaria tikvahiae, have been tested in fermentation trials. The relative merits of a red, a green, and a brown alga, run vis a vis at four different loading rates, are discussed in this report. In addition, two loading procedures were utilized to assess what if any, effect they might have on digester performance. (Refs. 14).

Modelling of proton and metal exchange in the alginate biopolymer.

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De Stefano, Concetta; Gianguzza, Antonio; Piazzese, Daniela; Sammartano, Silvio

2005-10-01

Acid-base behaviour of a commercial sodium alginate extracted from brown seaweed (Macrocystis pyrifera) has been investigated at different ionic strengths (0.1titration calorimetric data were expressed as a function of the dissociation degree (alpha) using different models (Henderson-Hasselbalch modified, Högfeldt three parameters and linear equations). The dependence on ionic strength of the protonation constants was taken into account by a modified specific interaction theory model. Differences among different media were explained in terms of the interaction between polyanion and metal cations of the supporting electrolytes. Quantitative information on the proton-binding capacity, together with the stabilities of different species formed, is reported. Protonation thermodynamic parameters, at alpha=0.5, are log K H=3.686+/-0.005, DeltaG 0=-21.04+/-0.03 kJ mol(-1), DeltaH 0=4.8+/-0.2 kJ mol(-1) and TDeltaS 0=35.7+/-0.3 kJ mol(-1), at infinite dilution. Protonation enthalpies indicate that the main contribution to proton binding arises from the entropy term. A strict correlation between DeltaG and TDeltaS was found, TDeltaS=-9.5-1.73 DeltaG. Results are reported in light of building up a chemical complexation model of general validity to explain the binding ability of naturally occurring polycarboxylate polymers and biopolymers. Speciation profiles of alginate in the presence of sodium and magnesium ions, naturally occurring cations in natural waters, are also reported.

Kelp gulls, Larus dominicanus (Aves: Laridae, breeding in Keller Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula

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Joaquim O. Branco

2009-09-01

Full Text Available We examined the distribution, abundance and density of the Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus (Lichtenstein, 1823, at Keller Peninsula on two occasions during the breeding season of 2007-2008 (once for incubation and once for chick stages and compared our results with previously published data. We present information on the number of eggs, incubation success, and initial development of L. dominicanus chicks in the studied sites. The abundance and density of the species has remained statistically similar in Keller Peninsula over the last 30 years (since 1978-1979. Although the abundance and density were almost unchanged, we recorded alterations in the occupation of the breeding areas by L. dominicanus, mainly the abandonment of breeding sites in the eastern portion of Keller Peninsula. The results of the present study compared with similar previous investigations on the abundance of L. dominicanus indicate that the populations have been in equilibrium over the years.

Future climate change is predicted to shift long-term persistence zones in the cold-temperate kelp Laminaria hyperborea.

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Assis, Jorge; Lucas, Ana Vaz; Bárbara, Ignacio; Serrão, Ester Álvares

2016-02-01

Global climate change is shifting species distributions worldwide. At rear edges (warmer, low latitude range margins), the consequences of small variations in environmental conditions can be magnified, producing large negative effects on species ranges. A major outcome of shifts in distributions that only recently received attention is the potential to reduce the levels of intra-specific diversity and consequently the global evolutionary and adaptive capacity of species to face novel disturbances. This is particularly important for low dispersal marine species, such as kelps, that generally retain high and unique genetic diversity at rear ranges resulting from long-term persistence, while ranges shifts during climatic glacial/interglacial cycles. Using ecological niche modelling, we (1) infer the major environmental forces shaping the distribution of a cold-temperate kelp, Laminaria hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie, and we (2) predict the effect of past climate changes in shaping regions of long-term persistence (i.e., climatic refugia), where this species might hypothetically harbour higher genetic diversity given the absence of bottlenecks and local extinctions over the long term. We further (3) assessed the consequences of future climate for the fate of L. hyperborea using different scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5). Results show NW Iberia, SW Ireland and W English Channel, Faroe Islands and S Iceland, as regions where L. hyperborea may have persisted during past climate extremes until present day. All predictions for the future showed expansions to northern territories coupled with the significant loss of suitable habitats at low latitude range margins, where long-term persistence was inferred (e.g., NW Iberia). This pattern was particularly evident in the most agressive scenario of climate change (RCP 8.5), likely driving major biodiversity loss, changes in ecosystem functioning and the impoverishment of the global gene pool of L

Detection of bacterial contaminants and hybrid sequences in the genome of the kelp Saccharina japonica using Taxoblast

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Simon M. Dittami

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Modern genome sequencing strategies are highly sensitive to contamination making the detection of foreign DNA sequences an important part of analysis pipelines. Here we use Taxoblast, a simple pipeline with a graphical user interface, for the post-assembly detection of contaminating sequences in the published genome of the kelp Saccharina japonica. Analyses were based on multiple blastn searches with short sequence fragments. They revealed a number of probable bacterial contaminations as well as hybrid scaffolds that contain both bacterial and algal sequences. This or similar types of analysis, in combination with manual curation, may thus constitute a useful complement to standard bioinformatics analyses prior to submission of genomic data to public repositories. Our analysis pipeline is open-source and freely available at http://sdittami.altervista.org/taxoblast and via SourceForge (https://sourceforge.net/projects/taxoblast.

First quantification of subtidal community structure at Tristan da Cunha Islands in the remote South Atlantic: from kelp forests to the deep sea.

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Caselle, Jennifer E; Hamilton, Scott L; Davis, Kathryn; Thompson, Christopher D H; Turchik, Alan; Jenkinson, Ryan; Simpson, Doug; Sala, Enric

2018-01-01

Tristan da Cunha Islands, an archipelago of four rocky volcanic islands situated in the South Atlantic Ocean and part of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), present a rare example of a relatively unimpacted temperate marine ecosystem. We conducted the first quantitative surveys of nearshore kelp forests, offshore pelagic waters and deep sea habitats. Kelp forests had very low biodiversity and species richness, but high biomass and abundance of those species present. Spatial variation in assemblage structure for both nearshore fish and invertebrates/algae was greatest between the three northern islands and the southern island of Gough, where sea temperatures were on average 3-4o colder. Despite a lobster fishery that provides the bulk of the income to the Tristan islands, lobster abundance and biomass are comparable to or greater than many Marine Protected Areas in other parts of the world. Pelagic camera surveys documented a rich biodiversity offshore, including large numbers of juvenile blue sharks, Prionace glauca. Species richness and abundance in the deep sea is positively related to hard rocky substrate and biogenic habitats such as sea pens, crinoids, whip corals, and gorgonians were present at 40% of the deep camera deployments. We observed distinct differences in the deep fish community above and below ~750 m depth. Concurrent oceanographic sampling showed a discontinuity in temperature and salinity at this depth. While currently healthy, Tristan's marine ecosystem is not without potential threats: shipping traffic leading to wrecks and species introductions, pressure to increase fishing effort beyond sustainable levels and the impacts of climate change all could potentially increase in the coming years. The United Kingdom has committed to protection of marine environments across the UKOTs, including Tristan da Cunha and these results can be used to inform future management decisions as well as provide a baseline against which future monitoring

First quantification of subtidal community structure at Tristan da Cunha Islands in the remote South Atlantic: from kelp forests to the deep sea

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Scott L.; Davis, Kathryn; Thompson, Christopher D. H.; Turchik, Alan; Jenkinson, Ryan; Simpson, Doug; Sala, Enric

2018-01-01

Tristan da Cunha Islands, an archipelago of four rocky volcanic islands situated in the South Atlantic Ocean and part of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), present a rare example of a relatively unimpacted temperate marine ecosystem. We conducted the first quantitative surveys of nearshore kelp forests, offshore pelagic waters and deep sea habitats. Kelp forests had very low biodiversity and species richness, but high biomass and abundance of those species present. Spatial variation in assemblage structure for both nearshore fish and invertebrates/algae was greatest between the three northern islands and the southern island of Gough, where sea temperatures were on average 3-4o colder. Despite a lobster fishery that provides the bulk of the income to the Tristan islands, lobster abundance and biomass are comparable to or greater than many Marine Protected Areas in other parts of the world. Pelagic camera surveys documented a rich biodiversity offshore, including large numbers of juvenile blue sharks, Prionace glauca. Species richness and abundance in the deep sea is positively related to hard rocky substrate and biogenic habitats such as sea pens, crinoids, whip corals, and gorgonians were present at 40% of the deep camera deployments. We observed distinct differences in the deep fish community above and below ~750 m depth. Concurrent oceanographic sampling showed a discontinuity in temperature and salinity at this depth. While currently healthy, Tristan’s marine ecosystem is not without potential threats: shipping traffic leading to wrecks and species introductions, pressure to increase fishing effort beyond sustainable levels and the impacts of climate change all could potentially increase in the coming years. The United Kingdom has committed to protection of marine environments across the UKOTs, including Tristan da Cunha and these results can be used to inform future management decisions as well as provide a baseline against which future

Dewatering treatments to increase dry matter content of the brown seaweed, kelp (Laminaria digitata ((Hudson) JV Lamouroux)).

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Joe A; Turner, Lesley B; Adams, Jessica M M; Dyer, Philip W; Theodorou, Michael K

2017-01-01

Macroalgal water content is an on-going problem for the use of readily accessible seaweeds in sustainable biorefining, including fuel production. Silage is a reduced-water, compactable, easily stored, transportable material. Ensiling could establish a non-seasonal supply of preserved algal biomass, but requires high initial dry matter content to mitigate environmental pollution risks from effluent. This study investigated potential dewatering methods for kelp harvested throughout the year. Treatments included air-drying, osmotic media and acids. Significant interactions between treatment and harvest-time were observed for traits of interest. Fresh weight loss during treatment was composed of changes in water and dry matter content. Air-drying gave reliable increase in final dry matter content; in summer and autumn 30% dry matter content was reached after 24h. Dilute hydrochloric acid reduced stickiness and rendered material suitable for dewatering by screw-pressing; it may be possible to use the consequent pH reduction to promote efficient preservation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Increased Wounding of Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis Calves by Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus at Península Valdés, Argentina.

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Carina F Marón

Full Text Available At least 626 southern right whale (Eubalaena australis calves died at the Península Valdés calving ground, Argentina, between 2003 and 2014. Intense gull harassment may have contributed to these deaths. In the 1970s, Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus began feeding on skin and blubber pecked from the backs of living right whales at Valdés. The frequency of gull attacks has increased dramatically over the last three decades and mother-calf pairs are the primary targets. Pairs attacked by gulls spend less time nursing, resting and playing than pairs not under attack. In successive attacks, gulls open new lesions on the whales' backs or enlarge preexisting ones. Increased wounding could potentially lead to dehydration, impaired thermoregulation, and energy loss to wound healing. The presence, number and total area of gull-inflicted lesions were assessed using aerial survey photographs of living mother-calf pairs in 1974-2011 (n = 2680 and stranding photographs of dead calves (n = 192 in 2003-2011. The percentage of living mothers and calves with gull lesions increased from an average of 2% in the 1970s to 99% in the 2000s. In the 1980s and 1990s, mothers and calves had roughly equal numbers of lesions (one to five, but by the 2000s, calves had more lesions (nine or more covering a greater area of their backs compared to their mothers. Living mother-calf pairs and dead calves in Golfo Nuevo had more lesions than those in Golfo San José in the 2000s. The number and area of lesions increased with calf age during the calving season. Intensified Kelp Gull harassment at Península Valdés could be compromising calf health and thereby contributing to the high average rate of calf mortality observed in recent years, but it cannot explain the large year-to-year variance in calf deaths since 2000.

Arseno-sugars from brown kelp (Ecklonia radiata) as intermediates in cycling of Arsenic in a marine ecosystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edmonds, J S; Francesconi, K A

1981-02-12

The high concentration (relative to seawater) of arsenic in many marine animals eaten as human food has stimulated interest in the cycling of arsenic in the marine environment. Although arsenic is present in arsenobetaine ((CH/sub 3/)/sub 3/As/sup +/CH/sub 2/COO/sup -/) in the wester rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus), the dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) and the school whiting (Sillago bassensis) it is not clear what intermediate stages are involved in the biosynthesis of this compound from arsenate, the major form of arsnenic in seawater. We now report the isolation of the two main arsenical constituents of the brown kelp, Ecklonia radiata, and their identification as a 2-hydroxy-3-sulphopropyl-5-deoxy-5-(dimethylarsenoso)furanoside and a 2,3-dihydroxypropyl-5-deoxy-5-(dimethylarsenoso)furanoside. A ..beta..-ribo structure for the sugar system is strongly indicated in each case. Ecklonia is the major organisms that concentrates arsenic in the coastal ecosystem to which the western rock lobster and school whiting belong. It is clear that the compounds described here could readily be further metabolized to arsenobetaine and may well be the source of arsenobetaine in marine fauna associated with the region.

Do native grazers from Patagonia, Argentina, consume the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida? ¿Pueden los pastoreadores nativos de Patagonia, Argentina, consumir al alga invasora Undaria pinnatifida?

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S. Valeria Teso

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales was first reported in Golfo Nuevo in 1992 and since then it has spread widely over more than 170 km, all along the northern Patagonian coast, Argentina. Field observations in the region have indicated the potential role of invertebrate grazers, like the sea urchins Arbacia dufresnii and Pseudechinus magellanicus and the gastropod Tegula patagonica, in controlling algal density. Laboratory experiments were conducted to ascertain whether, and if so, to what extent these grazers actually feed on the algae. The studied sea urchins fed on the alga, whereas the snail scraped off biofouling adhered to its surface. Higher densities of grazers were observed on the kelp during summer and might be attributed to increasing in metabolism with increasing temperature, and degradation of blades and sporophylls, which possibly increase their palatability.El alga invasora Undaria pinnatifida (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales fue reportada por primera vez en Golfo Nuevo en 1992, dispersándose ampliamente a lo largo de 170 km de costa en el norte de la Patagonia, Argentina. Observaciones de campo hechas en los erizos de mar Arbacia dufresnii y Pseudechinus magellanicus y en el gasterópodo Tegula patagonica evidenciaron que son posibles consumidores de Undaria pinnatifida en la población local. Se realizaron experimentos de laboratorio con el objetivo de probar si estos pastoreadores eran capaces de consumir el alga. Los erizos de mar estudiados consumen el alga, mientras que el gasterópodo ramonea los epibiontes presentes sobre su superficie. Altas densidades de ramoneadores fueron encontradas sobre el alga durante el verano y podrían ser atribuidas a un aumento del su metabolismo con el aumento de la temperatura y a la degradación de las láminas y esporofilos, lo cual posiblemente aumente la palatabilidad del alga.

A multi-decade time series of kelp forest community structure at San Nicolas Island, California

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Lafferty, Kevin D.; Kenner, Michael C.; Estes, James A.; Tinker, M. Tim; Bodkin, James L.; Cowen, Robert K.; Harrold, Christopher; Novak, Mark; Rassweiler, Andrew; Reed, Daniel C.

2013-01-01

San Nicolas Island is surrounded by broad areas of shallow subtidal habitat, characterized by dynamic kelp forest communities that undergo dramatic and abrupt shifts in community composition. Although these reefs are fished, the physical isolation of the island means that they receive less impact from human activities than most reefs in Southern California, making San Nicolas an ideal place to evaluate alternative theories about the dynamics of these communities. Here we present monitoring data from seven sampling stations surrounding the island, including data on fish, invertebrate, and algal abundance. These data are unusual among subtidal monitoring data sets in that they combine relatively frequent sampling (twice per year) with an exceptionally long time series (since 1980). Other outstanding qualities of the data set are the high taxonomic resolution captured and the monitoring of permanent quadrats and swaths where the history of the community structure at specific locations has been recorded through time. Finally, the data span a period that includes two of the strongest ENSO events on record, a major shift in the Pacific decadal oscillation, and the reintroduction of sea otters to the island in 1987 after at least 150 years of absence. These events provide opportunities to evaluate the effects of bottom-up forcing, top-down control, and physical disturbance on shallow rocky reef communities.

Plasticity in feeding selectivity and trophic structure of kelp forest associated fishes from northern Chile Plasticidad en la selección de alimento y estructura trófica de los peces asociados a bosques de macroalgas pardas del norte de Chile

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ALEJANDRO PÉREZ-MATUS

2012-03-01

Full Text Available One of the primary ways in which species interact with their environment is through foraging; thereby directly consuming some fraction of their surrounding habitat. The habitat itself, in turn, may dictate the types of foraging opportunities that are available to the inhabitants. To investigate the relationship between habitat availability and diet composition of habitat-associated fishes, we estimated the relative abundance of the potential sessile and mobile prey items and the diet of the fish species assemblage associated to kelp forest. Specifically, diet and feeding selectivity of the kelp-forest associated fish assemblage were determined by calculating Manly's alpha selectivity index. We determined the diet of kelp forest associated fishes and their foraging behavior by comparing prey availability with those items present in the stomachs of fishes captured by gill net and spear gun. We calculated the degree of dietary overlap among fishes from four locations along the northern coast of Chile. Results indicate that utilization of prey by predators is predominantly affected by potential prey availability. With the exception of the two carnivorous species such as Pinguipes chilensis (Valenciennes, 1883 and Paralabrax humeralis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1828, whose diet did not change among sites, all other kelp-associated fishes changed their dietary habitats to consistent with the availability of local resources. Benthic resources changed among the different study sites, which led to differing diets even in the same species from different locations. Eleven of the 12 kelp forest fishes also showed some selectively for benthic prey. We conclude that the ability of fishes to be plastic in their feeding preference and, therefore, partition the benthic resources may set adaptations to co-exist in a dynamic environment such as kelp forest.Una de las principales formas en que las especies interactúan con su medio ambiente es a través de la

A novel phytomyxean parasite associated with galls on the bull-kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot.

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Goecke, Franz; Wiese, Jutta; Núñez, Alejandra; Labes, Antje; Imhoff, Johannes F; Neuhauser, Sigrid

2012-01-01

Durvillaea antarctica (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) is a large kelp of high ecological and economic significance in the Southern Hemisphere. In natural beds along the central coast of Chile (Pacific Ocean), abnormal growth characterized by evident gall development and discolorations of the fronds/thallus was observed. Analysing these galls by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of endophytic eukaryotes showing typical characteristics for phytomyxean parasites. The parasite developed within enlarged cells of the subcortical tissue of the host. Multinucleate plasmodia developed into many, single resting spores. The affiliation of this parasite to the Phytomyxea (Rhizaria) was supported by 18S rDNA data, placing it within the Phagomyxida. Similar microorganisms were already reported once 23 years ago, indicating that these parasites are persistent and widespread in D. antarctica beds for long times. The symptoms caused by this parasite are discussed along with the ecological and economic consequences. Phytomyxean parasites may play an important role in the marine ecosystem, but they remain understudied in this environment. Our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of resting spores in Phagomyxida, an order in which resting spores were thought to be absent making this the first record of a phagomyxean parasite with a complete life cycle so far, challenging the existing taxonomic concepts within the Phytomyxea. The importance of the here described resting spores for the survival and ecology of the phagomyxid parasite will be discussed together with the impact this parasite may have on 'the strongest seaweed of the world', which is an important habitat forming and economic resource from the Southern Hemisphere.

A novel phytomyxean parasite associated with galls on the bull-kelp Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso Hariot.

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Franz Goecke

Full Text Available Durvillaea antarctica (Fucales, Phaeophyceae is a large kelp of high ecological and economic significance in the Southern Hemisphere. In natural beds along the central coast of Chile (Pacific Ocean, abnormal growth characterized by evident gall development and discolorations of the fronds/thallus was observed. Analysing these galls by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of endophytic eukaryotes showing typical characteristics for phytomyxean parasites. The parasite developed within enlarged cells of the subcortical tissue of the host. Multinucleate plasmodia developed into many, single resting spores. The affiliation of this parasite to the Phytomyxea (Rhizaria was supported by 18S rDNA data, placing it within the Phagomyxida. Similar microorganisms were already reported once 23 years ago, indicating that these parasites are persistent and widespread in D. antarctica beds for long times. The symptoms caused by this parasite are discussed along with the ecological and economic consequences. Phytomyxean parasites may play an important role in the marine ecosystem, but they remain understudied in this environment. Our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of resting spores in Phagomyxida, an order in which resting spores were thought to be absent making this the first record of a phagomyxean parasite with a complete life cycle so far, challenging the existing taxonomic concepts within the Phytomyxea. The importance of the here described resting spores for the survival and ecology of the phagomyxid parasite will be discussed together with the impact this parasite may have on 'the strongest seaweed of the world', which is an important habitat forming and economic resource from the Southern Hemisphere.

Kelp and dolphin gulls cause perineal wounds in South American fur seal pups (Arctocephalus australis) at Guafo Island, Chilean Patagonia.

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Seguel, Mauricio; Muñoz, Francisco; Montalva, Felipe; Perez-Venegas, Diego; Pavés, Héctor; Gottdenker, Nicole

2017-07-01

During five reproductive seasons, we documented the presence, extent and origin of perineal wounds in South American fur seal pups ( Arctocephalus australis ) on Guafo Island, Northern Chilean Patagonia. The seasonal prevalence of perineal wounds ranged from 5 to 9%, and new cases were more common at the end of the breeding season (February), when pups were on average two months old and were actively expelling hookworms ( Uncinaria sp). Histologically, wounds corresponded to marked ulcerative lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic dermatitis with granulation tissue and mixed bacterial colonies. In 2015 and 2017, kelp gulls ( Larus dominicanus ) and dolphin gulls ( Leucophaeus scoresbii ) were observed picking and wounding the perineal area of marked pups. This behaviour occurred more frequently after the pups' defecation, when sea gulls engaged in consumption of pups' faeces. The affected pups usually had moderate to marked hookworm infections along with bloody diarrhoea and anaemia. Pups with severe wounds (23% of affected animals) had swollen perineal areas and signs of secondary systemic bacterial infection. We propose that seagulls on Guafo Island have learned to consume remains of blood and parasites in the faeces of pups affected by hookworm infection, causing perineal wounds during this process. We conclude that this perineal wounding is an unintentional, occasional negative effect of an otherwise commensal gull-fur seal relationship.

Temperature effects on gametophyte life-history traits and geographic distribution of two cryptic kelp species.

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L Valeria Oppliger

Full Text Available A major determinant of the geographic distribution of a species is expected to be its physiological response to changing abiotic variables over its range. The range of a species often corresponds to the geographic extent of temperature regimes the organism can physiologically tolerate. Many species have very distinct life history stages that may exhibit different responses to environmental factors. In this study we emphasized the critical role of the haploid microscopic stage (gametophyte of the life cycle to explain the difference of edge distribution of two related kelp species. Lessonia nigrescens was recently identified as two cryptic species occurring in parapatry along the Chilean coast: one located north and the other south of a biogeographic boundary at latitude 29-30°S. Six life history traits from microscopic stages were identified and estimated under five treatments of temperature in eight locations distributed along the Chilean coast in order to (1 estimate the role of temperature in the present distribution of the two cryptic L. nigrescens species, (2 compare marginal populations to central populations of the two cryptic species. In addition, we created a periodic matrix model to estimate the population growth rate (λ at the five temperature treatments. Differential tolerance to temperature was demonstrated between the two species, with the gametophytes of the Northern species being more tolerant to higher temperatures than gametophytes from the south. Second, the two species exhibited different life history strategies with a shorter haploid phase in the Northern species contrasted with considerable vegetative growth in the Southern species haploid stage. These results provide strong ecological evidence for the differentiation process of the two cryptic species and show local adaptation of the life cycle at the range limits of the distribution. Ecological and evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.

Development of a Kelp-Type Structure Module in a Coastal Ocean Model to Assess the Hydrodynamic Impact of Seawater Uranium Extraction Technology

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Taiping Wang

2014-02-01

Full Text Available With the rapid growth of global energy demand, interest in extracting uranium from seawater for nuclear energy has been renewed. While extracting seawater uranium is not yet commercially viable, it serves as a “backstop” to the conventional uranium resources and provides an essentially unlimited supply of uranium resource. With recent technology advances, extracting uranium from seawater could be economically feasible only when the extraction devices are deployed at a large scale (e.g., several hundred km2. There is concern however that the large scale deployment of adsorbent farms could result in potential impacts to the hydrodynamic flow field in an oceanic setting. In this study, a kelp-type structure module based on the classic momentum sink approach was incorporated into a coastal ocean model to simulate the blockage effect of a farm of passive uranium extraction devices on the flow field. The module was quantitatively validated against laboratory flume experiments for both velocity and turbulence profiles.Model results suggest that the reduction in ambient currents could range from 4% to 10% using adsorbent farm dimensions and mooring densities previously described in the literature and with typical drag coefficients.

Trophic ecology in a Northern Brittany (Batz Island, France) kelp ( Laminaria digitata) forest, as investigated through stable isotopes and chemical assays

Science.gov (United States)

Schaal, Gauthier; Riera, Pascal; Leroux, Cédric

2010-01-01

This study aimed at characterizing the relationships between the food web's structure and the nutritive value of basal food sources in a Northern Brittany (France) Laminaria digitata bed. Stable isotopes were used to identify the food sources consumed by benthic invertebrates, and the nutritive value of primary producers was assessed according to four descriptors (total organic matter, C/N ratio, proteins content, lipids content). Although the food web appeared to be based on a wide diversity of food sources, only Rhodophyta (red algae) and biofilms (epilithic and epiphytic) were heavily consumed by grazers. In contrast, Phaeophyta (brown algae), which are dominant in this habitat, have no specialized grazer (with the exception of Helcion pellucidum, specialized grazer of Laminaria digitata). This selective consumption may be related to the higher protein content and lower C/N ratio of Rhodophyta and biofilms, in comparison with Phaeophyta. Fresh brown algae are thus of poor nutritive value, but processes associated with their degradation are likely to improve this nutritive value, leading in the assimilation of detritus by filter-feeders, revealed by high δ13C in these consumers. Our results thus suggest that the nutritive value of basal food sources may be an important factor involved in the structuration of kelp-associated food webs.

A phylogeographic investigation of the kelp genus Laminaria (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae), with emphasis on the South Atlantic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothman, Mark D; Mattio, Lydiane; Anderson, Robert J; Bolton, John J

2017-08-01

The genus Laminaria has a wide distribution range compared with other kelp genera because it is found in both the North and the South Atlantic, on both sides of the North Pacific, as well as in the Mediterranean. Hypotheses behind this biogeographical pattern have been discussed by several authors but have not yet been fully evaluated with time-calibrated phylogenies. Based on the analysis of four molecular markers (ITS2, rbcL, atp8 and trnWI), our goal was to reassess the Laminaria species diversity in South Africa, assess its relationship with the other species distributed in the South Atlantic and reconstruct the historical biogeography of the genus. Our results confirm the occurrence of a single species, L. pallida, in southern Africa, and its sister relationship with the North Atlantic L. ochroleuca. Both species belonged to a clade containing the other South Atlantic species: L. abyssalis from Brazil, and the Mediterranean L. rodriguezii. Our time-calibrated phylogenies suggest that Laminaria originated in the northern Pacific around 25 mya, followed by at least two migration events through the Bering Strait after its opening (~5.32 mya). Today, the first is represented by L. solidungula in the Arctic, while the second gave rise to the rest of the Atlantic species. The colonization of the North Atlantic was followed by a gradual colonization southward along the west coast of Europe, into the Mediterranean (~2.07 mya) and two recent, but disconnected, migrations (~1.34 and 0.87 mya) across the equator, giving rise to L. abyssalis in Brazil and L. pallida in southern Africa, respectively. © 2017 Phycological Society of America.

Macrofaunal involvement in the sublittoral decay of kelp debris: The sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris (Gmelin) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

Science.gov (United States)

Bedford, A. P.; Moore, P. G.

1985-01-01

Psammechinus miliaris occurs in the Clyde Sea area in large numbers (diet of rotting weed but not on fresh weed. Large seasonal variation existed, however, with fast growth occurring in June-August and little, or no, growth in December-February, irrespective of diet. Starved controls did not grow. Correcting for seasonality, rotting kelp still promoted faster growth of young urchins than did fresh weed. Larger (older) individuals showed no difference. Urchins fed fresh weed had significantly longer gut retention times. Protein absorption efficiency was higher on fresh than rotting weed, varying with weed protein content and size of urchin. Very young individuals can only digest high protein weed efficiently, eg. material derived from near the frond meristem. Organic carbon content of rotting weed was significantly lower than fresh weed. Carbon absorption efficiencies were significantly higher on fresh weed which related to organic carbon content. Standard-sized urchins fed rotting weed produced larger dry weights of faeces per day, reflecting increased ingestion rate. In closed-system choice experiments urchins preferred rotting weed kinetically. Size-frequency analysis of field populations suggested that weed beds are principally colonized by larval settlement from the plankton. Mature Psammechinus have evolved different 'strategies' for exploiting fresh and rotting weed. Fresh weed is relatively difficult to digest and long gut retention times allow high protein absorption efficiencies to be attained. Rotting weed has microbial protein in quantities and a lower organic carbon fraction. Some bacterial protein is seemingly unavailable though and lower protein absorption efficiencies result. Thus gut retention time is shortened and more food passed through the gut. Growth remains equivalent. Substratum digestion is of paramount importance for Psammechinus feeding on either fresh or rotting weed, cf. the 'classical' microbe-stripping detritivore of Fenchel.

Diet enriched with mushroom Phellinus linteus extract enhances the growth, innate immune response, and disease resistance of kelp grouper, Epinephelus bruneus against vibriosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Harikrishnan, Ramasamy; Balasundaram, Chellam; Heo, Moon-Soo

2011-01-01

The effect of diet supplemented with Phellinus linteus fed for 30 days was investigated in grouper Epinephelus bruneus challenged with Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio carchariae; infected and treated fish had a significantly higher percent weight gain and feed efficiency. In groups fed with enriched diet and challenged with V. anguillarum and V. harveyi the mortality rate declined with a consequent rise in survival rate than with other pathogens. On the other hand, in groups fed with P. linteus enriched diet and challenged with V. anguillarum, V. harveyi, and V. alginolyticus the cellular and humoral immune responses, such as the alternative complement activity (ACH(50)), serum lysozyme activity, phagocytic activity (PA), phagocytic index (PI) significantly higher than in the control group. The respiratory bursts (RB), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were found significantly enhanced when the groups fed with enriched diet against V. anguillarum and V. harveyi. The results reveal that kelp grouper fed for 30 days with P. linteus enriched diet had higher cellular and humoral immune response and disease protection from vibriosis than the group fed on basal diet with the protection linked to stimulation of immune system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal Patterns of Sporophyte Growth, Fertility, Fouling, and Mortality of Saccharina latissima in Skagerrak, Norway: Implications for Forest Recovery

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Guri Sogn Andersen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available On the Skagerrak coast the kelp Saccharina latissima has suffered severe stand reductions over the last decade, resulting in loss of important habitats. In the present study, healthy kelp plants were transplanted into four deforested areas and their patterns of growth, reproduction, and survival were monitored through subsequent seasons. Our main objective was to establish whether the kelp plants were able to grow and mature in deforested areas. We observed normal patterns of growth and maturation at all study sites. However, heavy fouling by epiphytes occurred each summer, followed by high kelp mortality. The study shows that the seasonal variations and the life stage timing of S. latissima make formation of self-sustainable populations impossible in the present environment. Most noteworthy, we suggest that fouling by epiphytes is involved in the lack of kelp forest recovery in Skagerrak, Norway.

Algal wrack deposits and macroinfaunal arthropods on sandy beaches of the Chilean coast Depósitos de algas varadas y artrópodos macroinfaunales en playas de arena de la costa de Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EDUARDO JARAMILLO

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Four Chilean sandy beaches were sampled during the summer of 2000, to study the role of stranded algal wrack deposits on the population abundances of three detritus feeder species of the macroinfauna that inhabit the upper shore levels of that beaches: the talitrid amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata Nicolet, the tylid isopod Tylos spinulosus Dana and the tenebrionid insect Phalerisida maculata Kulzer. The beaches were Apolillado (ca. 29° S, Quidico (ca. 38° S, Guabún and Mar Brava (ca. 42° S. Replicated samples were collected with a plastic cylinder (25 cm in diameter from algal wrack deposits including the sediments beneath the wrack and nearby bare sand areas. Samples were collected at two beach levels, one closer to the sea with fresh deposits and other located on the upper beach with dry alga. Algal wrack deposits were mostly composed of the brown algae Macrocystis pyrifera (L., Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso Hariot and Lessonia nigrescens Bory. O. tuberculata was found in the algal wrack deposits and bare sands collected from Apolillado, Quidico, Guabún and Mar Brava. On the other hand, T. spinulosus was just found at Apolillado, while P. maculata occurred in the sands beneath algal wrack deposits and bare sands collected from Apolillado, Quidico and Guabún. In general, the mean abundances of O. tuberculata, P. maculta and T. spinulosus were significantly higher in those samples collected from sands beneath algal wrack deposits; i.e., 56, 61 and 14 times higher (overall means than in bare sands, respectively. It is concluded that stranded algal wrack deposits indeed promote an increase in population abundances of sandy beach detritus feeders, either because that deposits provide their main food source or shelter against variable environmental conditions (e.g., air temperature and humidity during daylight hours. That might well explain the patchiness shown by these organisms, either across or along shore. This conclusion has important

[Luring effect of the fermented Laminaria japonica to Oncomelania hupensis].

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, An-ning; Ni, Hong; Wang, Wan-xian; Zhang, Yun; Geng, Peng

2010-02-01

To study the attraction effect of the food attractants on Oncomelania hupensis. Oncomelania snail food was prepared with the fermented kelp (Laminaria japonica) mixed with corn starch. Snails were fed with the food and kept for 12, 24, 36, and 48 h at 15, 25, 35 degrees C respectively. Meanwhile, snail-killing effect was tested by granules containing jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisama heterophyllum) with or without the fermented kelp under the condition of 25 degrees C, 30% or 60% soil humidity. The snail-attracting rate of the fermented kelp was affected by the temperature, highest under 25 degrees C and lowest under 35 degrees C at any time point, with a rate of 80.3% in 48 h at 25 degrees C which was higher than that of the control (17.0%) (Pjack-in-the-pulpit with fermented kelp (85.3%) was higher than that of the group without fermented kelp (26.8%) (P<0.05). The mortality under 60% of soil humidity was higher than that under 30% humidity (P<0.01). The fermented kelp shows a strong luring effect to the Oncomelania snails.

Predators of the destructive sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis on the Norwegian coast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Morten Foldager; Fagerli, Camilla With; Norderhaug, Kjell Magnus

2014-01-01

on recently settled S. droebachiensis in Laboratory experiments. Tethering experiments in kelp forest and on barren ground study sites in the area where sea urchin populations are collapsing confirmed predation by some of the predators tested in laboratory experiments. The edible crab Cancer pagurus...... was the most efficient sea urchin predator, and it was more abundant at kelp forest sites than on barren grounds. Stocks of C. pagurus have increased dramatically in central Norway since the 1990s, and predation by C. pagurus may contribute to the decline in sea urchin densities, allowing kelp recovery...... and conferring resilience of the new kelp forest state....

Alteration of sexual reproduction and genetic diversity in the kelp species Laminaria digitata at the southern limit of its range.

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Luz Valeria Oppliger

Full Text Available Adaptation to marginal habitats at species range-limits has often been associated with parthenogenetic reproduction in terrestrial animals and plants. Laboratory observations have shown that brown algae exhibit a high propensity for parthenogenesis by various mechanisms. The kelp Laminaria digitata is an important component of the ecosystem in Northern European rocky intertidal habitats. We studied four L. digitata populations for the effects of marginality on genetic diversity and sexual reproduction. Two populations were marginal: One (Locquirec, in Northern Brittany was well within the geographic range, but was genetically isolated from other populations by large stretches of sandy beaches. Another population was at the range limits of the species (Quiberon, in Southern Brittany and was exposed to much higher seasonal temperature changes. Microsatellite analyses confirmed that these populations showed decreased genetic and allelic diversity, consistent with marginality and genetic isolation. Sporophytes from both marginal populations showed greatly diminished spore-production compared to central populations, but only the southern-limit population (Quiberon showed a high propensity for producing unreduced (2N spores. Unreduced 2N spores formed phenotypically normal gametophytes with nuclear area consistent with ≥2N DNA contents, and microsatellite studies suggested these were produced at least in part by automixis. However, despite this being the dominant path of spore production in Quiberon sporophyte individuals, the genetic evidence indicated the population was maintained mostly by sexual reproduction. Thus, although spore production and development showed the expected tendency of geographical parthenogenesis in marginal populations, this appeared to be a consequence of maladaptation, rather than an adaptation to, life in a marginal habitat.

Afforestation of a desert in the sea. Success in artificial development of a sea jungle; Umi no sabaku wo ryokuka suru. Kaichurin no jinko zosei ni seiko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawasaki, Y. [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan)

1994-08-20

A place where kelps such as Eisenia bicyclis and other large edible seaweeds grow gregariously is called `sea jungle` and is the suitable habitat for fishes and shellfishes. Because of the development of sea areas and changes in natural environment, sea jungles in the sea area around Japan have decreased, and the sea has been deforested. A technique to create sea jungles artificially on the sandy seabed where sea jungles are difficult to grow has been developed. Fundamentally, it is required to place sea-sap blocks and natural stones on the sandy seabed to create the foundation for kelps to grow. It is also necessary to choose the proper depth of water for each kelp and the proper site where natural sea jungles exist close by. As for sea-sap blocks, their arms are made to gear each other so that they can endure the wave force, and their height should be over 1.2m so that they cannot be buried in the sand. Projections (kelp knobs) are installed on the upper surface of the blocks. Their shape is especially designed for spores of kelps so that they can easily adhere to. It is appropriate to place these blocks in the period from September to November when many germs of kelps are generated. It has been demonstrated that sea jungles can be created by this method. 3 figs.

Predation cues rather than resource availability promote cryptic behaviour in a habitat-forming sea urchin.

Science.gov (United States)

Spyksma, Arie J P; Taylor, Richard B; Shears, Nick T

2017-03-01

It is well known that predators often influence the foraging behaviour of prey through the so-called "fear effect". However, it is also possible that predators could change prey behaviour indirectly by altering the prey's food supply through a trophic cascade. The predator-sea urchin-kelp trophic cascade is widely assumed to be driven by the removal of sea urchins by predators, but changes in sea urchin behaviour in response to predators or increased food availability could also play an important role. We tested whether increased crevice occupancy by herbivorous sea urchins in the presence of abundant predatory fishes and lobsters is a response to the increased risk of predation, or an indirect response to higher kelp abundances. Inside two New Zealand marine reserves with abundant predators and kelp, individuals of the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus were rarer and remained cryptic (i.e. found in crevices) to larger sizes than on adjacent fished coasts where predators and kelp are rare. In a mesocosm experiment, cryptic behaviour was induced by simulated predation (the addition of crushed conspecifics), but the addition of food in the form of drift kelp did not induce cryptic behaviour. These findings demonstrate that the 'fear' of predators is more important than food availability in promoting sea urchin cryptic behaviour and suggest that both density- and behaviourally mediated interactions are important in the predator-sea urchin-kelp trophic cascade.

21 CFR 201.319 - Water-soluble gums, hydrophilic gums, and hydrophilic mucilloids (including, but not limited to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as..., methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil, tragacanth, and xanthan gum. Esophageal obstruction and...

Bubble Curtains: Herbivore Exclusion Devices for Ecology and Restoration of Marine Ecosystems?

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Scott Bennett

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Herbivorous fishes play a critical role in maintaining or disrupting the ecological resilience of many kelp forests, coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems, worldwide. The increasing rate and scale of benthic habitat loss under global change has magnified the importance of herbivores and highlights the need to study marine herbivory at ecologically relevant scales. Currently, underwater herbivore exclusions (or inclusions have been restricted to small scale experimental plots, in large part due to the challenges of designing structures that can withstand the physical forces of waves and currents, without drastically altering the physical environment inside the exclusion area. We tested the ability of bubble curtains to deter herbivorous fishes from feeding on seaweeds as an alternative to the use of rigid exclusion cages. Kelps (Ecklonia radiata were transplanted onto reefs with high browsing herbivore pressure into either unprotected plots, exclusion cages or plots protected by bubble curtains of 0.785 m2 and 3.14 m2. Remote underwater video was used to compare the behavioral response of fishes to kelps protected and unprotected by bubble curtains. Kelp biomass loss was significantly lower inside the bubble curtains compared to unprotected kelps and did not differ from kelp loss rates in traditional exclusion cages. Consistent with this finding, no herbivorous fishes were observed entering into the bubble curtain at any point during the experiment. In contrast, fish bite rates on unprotected kelps were 1,621 ± 702 bites h−1 (mean ± SE. Our study provides initial evidence that bubble curtains can exclude herbivorous fishes, paving the way for future studies to examine their application at larger spatial and temporal scales, beyond what has been previously feasible using traditional exclusion cages.

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF ECKLONIA RADIATA (LAMINARIALES) TO A LATITUDINAL GRADIENT IN OCEAN TEMPERATURE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stæhr, Peter Anton; Wernberg, Thomas

2009-01-01

We tested the ability of sporophytes of a small kelp, Ecklonia radiata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh, to adjust their photosynthesis, respiration, and cellular processes to increasingly warm ocean climates along a latitudinal gradient in ocean temperature (~4°C). Tissue concentrations of pigment and nutr......We tested the ability of sporophytes of a small kelp, Ecklonia radiata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh, to adjust their photosynthesis, respiration, and cellular processes to increasingly warm ocean climates along a latitudinal gradient in ocean temperature (~4°C). Tissue concentrations of pigment...... and nutrients decreased with increasing ocean temperature. Concurrently, a number of gradual changes in the metabolic balance of E. radiata took place along the latitudinal gradient. Warm-acclimatized kelps had 50% lower photosynthetic rates and 90% lower respiration rates at the optimum temperature than did...... cool-acclimatized kelps. A reduction in temperature sensitivity was also observed as a reduction in Q10-values from cool- to warm-acclimatized kelps for gross photosynthesis (Q10: 3.35 to 1.45) and respiration (Q10: 3.82 to 1.65). Respiration rates were more sensitive to increasing experimental...

Feeding and nutritional ecology of the edible sea urchin Loxechinus albus in the northern Chilean coast Ecología nutricional y alimenticia del erizo comestible Loxechinus albus en el norte de Chile

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SOLANGE J GONZÁLEZ

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The red sea urchin Loxechinus albus, an economically important species oceurring along the Chilean littoral benthic systems, has been heavily exploited by artisanal fisheries in recent decades. However, basic knowledge of its trophic biology is still scarce. Studies of this kind are critical to the successful development of farming techniques as an alternative to the harvest of natural populations. The aims of this study were to quantify the composition of L. albus' natural diet, to determine the assimilation efficieney of the most important dietary components, and to experimentally examine the species' trophic selectivity. Adult and juvenile specimens were sampled in spring 1993 and summer, fall and winter 1994 from the shallow subtidal zone of Iquique, northern Chile. Neither juveniles ñor adults showed significant seasonal differences in dietary composition. The main Ítems in the diet were the green alga Ulva sp. for juveniles and the kelp Lessonia sp. for adults. In adults, assimilation efficieney (as percentage of the total organic matter ingested was not significantly different among individuals that consumed Lessonia sp. (48.7 %, Ulva sp. (44.6 % and Macrocystis (38.1 %, whereas in juveniles assimilation efficieney was significantly higher for individuals fed on the chlorophyte Ulva sp. (55.4 %, followed by Lessonia sp. (35.0 % and Macrocystis (25.5 %. These results suggest that L. albus undergoes an ontogenetic shift in the diet, consisting of a differential foraging strategy between juveniles and adults.El erizo Loxechinus albus (Molina, 1782 es un recurso de gran importancia económica en los sistemas bentónicos costeros, y que se encuentra bajo una fuerte presión de explotación. Sin embargo, los antecedentes sobre diversos aspectos básicos de su biología trófica son aún escasos. Estudios de esta naturaleza son importantes en razón a que constituyen la base para el desarrollo de técnicas de cultivo exitosas, alternativa a la

Phase-Shift Dynamics of Sea Urchin Overgrazing on Nutrified Reefs.

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Nina Kriegisch

Full Text Available Shifts from productive kelp beds to impoverished sea urchin barrens occur globally and represent a wholesale change to the ecology of sub-tidal temperate reefs. Although the theory of shifts between alternative stable states is well advanced, there are few field studies detailing the dynamics of these kinds of transitions. In this study, sea urchin herbivory (a 'top-down' driver of ecosystems was manipulated over 12 months to estimate (1 the sea urchin density at which kelp beds collapse to sea urchin barrens, and (2 the minimum sea urchin density required to maintain urchin barrens on experimental reefs in the urbanised Port Phillip Bay, Australia. In parallel, the role of one of the 'bottom-up' drivers of ecosystem structure was examined by (3 manipulating local nutrient levels and thus attempting to alter primary production on the experimental reefs. It was found that densities of 8 or more urchins m-2 (≥ 427 g m-2 biomass lead to complete overgrazing of kelp beds while kelp bed recovery occurred when densities were reduced to ≤ 4 urchins m-2 (≤ 213 g m-2 biomass. This experiment provided further insight into the dynamics of transition between urchin barrens and kelp beds by exploring possible tipping-points which in this system can be found between 4 and 8 urchins m-2 (213 and 427 g m-2 respectively. Local enhancement of nutrient loading did not change the urchin density required for overgrazing or kelp bed recovery, as algal growth was not affected by nutrient enhancement.

Phase-Shift Dynamics of Sea Urchin Overgrazing on Nutrified Reefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kriegisch, Nina; Reeves, Simon; Johnson, Craig R; Ling, Scott D

2016-01-01

Shifts from productive kelp beds to impoverished sea urchin barrens occur globally and represent a wholesale change to the ecology of sub-tidal temperate reefs. Although the theory of shifts between alternative stable states is well advanced, there are few field studies detailing the dynamics of these kinds of transitions. In this study, sea urchin herbivory (a 'top-down' driver of ecosystems) was manipulated over 12 months to estimate (1) the sea urchin density at which kelp beds collapse to sea urchin barrens, and (2) the minimum sea urchin density required to maintain urchin barrens on experimental reefs in the urbanised Port Phillip Bay, Australia. In parallel, the role of one of the 'bottom-up' drivers of ecosystem structure was examined by (3) manipulating local nutrient levels and thus attempting to alter primary production on the experimental reefs. It was found that densities of 8 or more urchins m-2 (≥ 427 g m-2 biomass) lead to complete overgrazing of kelp beds while kelp bed recovery occurred when densities were reduced to ≤ 4 urchins m-2 (≤ 213 g m-2 biomass). This experiment provided further insight into the dynamics of transition between urchin barrens and kelp beds by exploring possible tipping-points which in this system can be found between 4 and 8 urchins m-2 (213 and 427 g m-2 respectively). Local enhancement of nutrient loading did not change the urchin density required for overgrazing or kelp bed recovery, as algal growth was not affected by nutrient enhancement.

Study on utilization of shallow sea areas by developing the alga field. Test for utilization of coal ash on alga reef (interim report); Sojo zosei ni yoru asakaiiki riyo no kenkyu. Sekitanbai kokabutsu no sosho riyo shiken (chukan hokoku)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuno, M.; Oikawa, M. [Hokkaido Electric Power Co. Inc., Sapporo (Japan); Matsubara, T. [Hokkaido Area Management and Support Foundation, Sapporo (Japan)

1996-03-25

A development was intended of an alga reef block that is suitable for adherence of algae and difficult of shore-burning by utilizing coal ash. Concretes with different coal ash displacement rates were used to install alga reef blocks embedded with natural rocks, steel plates, and the used desulfurizing agents on three areas (the Usubetsu area, the Tamagawa offing, and Chatsu Bay) including shore-burned sea areas along the coast of Tomari Village. Investigations were made on the states of adherence of useful algae as a result of difference in materials and locations of installation. The best adherence of edible kelp was observed at the Usubetsu area, followed by the Tamagawa offing and Chatsu Bay in that order. Growth conditions of the kelp by locations were conceived of the correlation with how extensively the natural kelp colonies are formed around each location, and how many nutrient salts are present and sea urchins are grown. No remarkable difference was observed in the adherence of algae due to the difference in the coal ash displacement rates. Porous blocks, however, showed less adherence amount. Kelp adherence condition was found good in the order of concrete, natural rocks, and the used desulfurizing agents. No kelps have adhered on the steel plates. 10 refs., 13 figs., 3 tabs.

Genetic variability in mitochondrial and nuclear genes of Larus dominicanus (Charadriiformes, Laridae from the Brazilian coast

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Gisele Pires de Mendonça Dantas

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Several phylogeographic studies of seabirds have documented low genetic diversity that has been attributed to bottleneck events or individual capacity for dispersal. Few studies have been done in seabirds on the Brazilian coast and all have shown low genetic differentiation on a wide geographic scale. The Kelp Gull is a common species with a wide distribution in the Southern Hemisphere. In this study, we used mitochondrial and nuclear markers to examine the genetic variability of Kelp Gull populations on the Brazilian coast and compared this variability with that of sub-Antarctic island populations of this species. Kelp Gulls showed extremely low genetic variability for mitochondrial markers (cytb and ATPase and high diversity for a nuclear locus (intron 7 of the β-fibrinogen. The intraspecific evolutionary history of Kelp Gulls showed that the variability found in intron 7 of the β-fibrinogen gene was compatible with the variability expected under neutral evolution but suggested an increase in population size during the last 10,000 years. However, none of the markers revealed evidence of a bottleneck population. These findings indicate that the recent origin of Kelp Gulls is the main explanation for their nuclear diversity, although selective pressure on the mtDNA of this species cannot be discarded.

A new method to quantify and compare the multiple components of fitness--a study case with kelp niche partition by divergent microstage adaptations to temperature.

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Vasco M N C S Vieira

Full Text Available Management of crops, commercialized or protected species, plagues or life-cycle evolution are subjects requiring comparisons among different demographic strategies. The simpler methods fail in relating changes in vital rates with changes in population viability whereas more complex methods lack accuracy by neglecting interactions among vital rates.The difference between the fitness (evaluated by the population growth rate λ of two alternative demographies is decomposed into the contributions of the differences between the pair-wised vital rates and their interactions. This is achieved through a full Taylor expansion (i.e. remainder = 0 of the demographic model. The significance of each term is determined by permutation tests under the null hypothesis that all demographies come from the same pool.An example is given with periodic demographic matrices of the microscopic haploid phase of two kelp cryptic species observed to partition their niche occupation along the Chilean coast. The method provided clear and synthetic results showing conditional differentiation of reproduction is an important driver for their differences in fitness along the latitudinal temperature gradient. But it also demonstrated that interactions among vital rates cannot be neglected as they compose a significant part of the differences between demographies.This method allows researchers to access the effects of multiple effective changes in a life-cycle from only two experiments. Evolutionists can determine with confidence the effective causes for changes in fitness whereas population managers can determine best strategies from simpler experimental designs.

Diptera:Anthomyiidae

African Journals Online (AJOL)

,25 mg dry kelp mg -1 wet larva day -1_ Respiration rate is related to ... sumers of drift kelp than amphipods or isopods, but they pro- mote the decay of wrack beds and are favoured as food by sea-shore birds. S, Afr. J. Zoo/, 1980, 15: 280 - 283.

Floating Forests: Validation of a Citizen Science Effort to Answer Global Ecological Questions

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, I.; Byrnes, J.; Cavanaugh, K. C.; Haupt, A. J.; Trouille, L.; Bell, T. W.; Rassweiler, A.; Pérez-Matus, A.; Assis, J.

2017-12-01

Researchers undertaking long term, large-scale ecological analyses face significant challenges for data collection and processing. Crowdsourcing via citizen science can provide an efficient method for analyzing large data sets. However, many scientists have raised questions about the quality of data collected by citizen scientists. Here we use Floating-Forests (http://floatingforests.org), a citizen science platform for creating a global time series of giant kelp abundance, to show that ensemble classifications of satellite data can ensure data quality. Citizen scientists view satellite images of coastlines and classify kelp forests by tracing all visible patches of kelp. Each image is classified by fifteen citizen scientists before being retired. To validate citizen science results, all fifteen classifications are converted to a raster and overlaid on a calibration dataset generated from previous studies. Results show that ensemble classifications from citizen scientists are consistently accurate when compared to calibration data. Given that all source images were acquired by Landsat satellites, we expect this consistency to hold across all regions. At present, we have over 6000 web-based citizen scientists' classifications of almost 2.5 million images of kelp forests in California and Tasmania. These results are not only useful for remote sensing of kelp forests, but also for a wide array of applications that combine citizen science with remote sensing.

Analysis of a benthic community food web using isotopically labelled potential food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beviss-Challinor, M.H.; Field, J.G.

1982-01-01

A series of experiments was designed to reveal the trophic structure of a benthic community using kelp holdfasts as microcosms within the kelp-bed community. The experimental food comprised zooplankton represented by 3 H 2 O-labelled Artemia sp. eggs and nauplii (200 to 300 μm), detritus derived from 14 C-labelled kelp (60 to 90 μm), and phytoplankton represented by 14 C-labelled Dunaliella primolecta (5 to 10 μm) cultures. Separate experiments of short duration (1 to 2 h) were used to indicate the primary consumers on each type of food, while longer experiments (4, 8 and 16 h) suggested the secondary consumers (coprophagous and carnivorous species). Several species were found to be omnivorous. (orig.)

Marine macroscopic plants as biomass sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

North, W.J.

1979-01-01

Characteristics of marine plants, recent and current research, and studies at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and California Institute of Technology are reviewed. The latter program including laboratory and field studies on giant kelp is discussed. The use of deep ocean water and the nutrient requirements of giant kelp were studied. Test farm structure and problems are presented. (MHR)

How does molecular-assisted identification affect our estimation of α, β and γ biodiversity? An example from understory red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) of Laminaria kelp forests in Brittany, France.

Science.gov (United States)

Robuchon, Marine; Valero, Myriam; Gey, Delphine; Le Gall, Line

2015-04-01

Using two distinct identification methods, one based on morphological characters only and the other combining morphological and molecular characters (integrative identification method), we investigated the differences in the biodiversity patterns of red seaweed communities associated with kelp forests at various spatial scales: the regional diversity of Brittany, France (γ-diversity), the local diversity at different Breton sites (α-diversity) and the differentiation in species diversity and abundances among those sites (β-diversity). To characterise α and β diversities, we conducted an initial survey in winter 2011 at 20 sites belonging to four different sub-regions, with specimens collected from six quadrats of 0.10 m(2) at each site, three in the tidal zone dominated by Laminaria digitata and three in the zone dominated by Laminaria hyperborea. To further characterise the regional diversity, we carried out another survey combining several sampling methods (quadrats and visual census) in different seasons (winter, spring and summer) and different years (2011 and 2012). In all, we collected 1990 specimens that were assigned to 76 taxa with the identification method based on morphological characters and 139 taxa using the integrative method. For γ and α diversity, the use of molecular characters revealed several cases of cryptic diversity and both increased the number of identified taxa and improved their taxonomic resolution. However, the addition of molecular characters for specimen identification only slightly affected estimates of β-diversity.

Population dynamics of Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in kelpforests and barren grounds in Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fagerli, Camilla W.; Gran Stadniczeñko, Sandra; Pedersen, Morten Foldager

2015-01-01

A northward trend of declining abundance of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) and increasing kelp recovery along the coast of Norway has provided an opportunity to explore whether the decline of sea urchins can be explained by systematic variations in demographic or fitness-related ......A northward trend of declining abundance of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) and increasing kelp recovery along the coast of Norway has provided an opportunity to explore whether the decline of sea urchins can be explained by systematic variations in demographic or fitness......-related traits. The population density of sea urchins in mid-Norway (65°70′N) close to the boundary between barren grounds and recently recovered kelp forests was only 26 % of that on barren grounds in northern Norway (70°70′N). Populations were dominated by young (2–4 years) individuals and age-specific numbers...... decreased nearly exponentially with age. The variation in most demographic variables was high among replicate sampling sites and test size. Mean age and growth rates did not differ consistently among sites in mid- and northern Norway nor between barren ground and kelp sites. In contrast, mortality rates...

Production of brown algae pyrolysis oils for liquid biofuels depending on the chemical pretreatment methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Joonhyuk; Choi, Jae-Wook; Suh, Dong Jin; Ha, Jeong-Myeong; Hwang, Ji Won; Jung, Hyun Wook; Lee, Kwan-Young; Woo, Hee-Chul

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Pyrolysis of Saccharina japonica, brown algae to produce hydrocarbons. • Sulfuric acid pretreatment of macroalgae to remove inorganic elements. • CaCl 2 treatment of macroalgae to remove valuable fucoidan. • Sulfuric acid pretreatment suppressed the formation of large biochar chunks. • The pretreatment methods allowed the continuous operation of pyrolysis. - Abstract: Based on observations of rapidly growing biochar in fluidization beds, kelp (Saccharina japonica), a species of brown algae, was pretreated for the efficient operation of pyrolysis processes to produce pyrolysis oils. The removal of catalytically active inorganic minerals and the softening of polymeric seaweed structures were performed by means of chemical treatments, including a CaCl 2 treatment to isolate valuable and sticky fucoidan and a sulfuric acid treatment to remove catalytically active minerals. The sulfuric acid pretreatment significantly reduced the inorganic elements but did not significantly affect the properties of the pyrolysis oil compared to the non-treated kelp pyrolysis oil. Whereas the non-treated kelp produced significantly large chunks of biochar, which hindered the continuous operation of pyrolysis, the kelp treated with sulfuric acid did not produce aggregated large particles of biochar, thereby offering a means of developing reliable continuous pyrolysis processes

[Detection of Salmonella and Mycobacterium species in seagulls captured in Talcahuano, Chile].

Science.gov (United States)

López-Martín, Juana; Junod, Tania; Riquelme, Fredy; Contreras, Cecilia; González-Acuña, Daniel

2011-11-01

Salmonella can be isolated from the feces of seagulls. Therefore these birds can be a vector for dissemination of this pathogen. To evaluate the possible role of gulls as vectors of two important human and animal pathogens (My-cobacteria and Salmonella). One hundred twenty three Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) and 60 Franklin gulls (Leucophaeus pipixcan) captured off the coast of the seaport of Talcahuano, were analyzed. Using traditional microbiological methods, the presence of Mycobacteria in cloacal swabs and feet lavages, was analyzed in both types of gulls. To detect the presence of Salmonella, feces, fecal and tracheal swabs, and feet lavage were analyzed from Franklin gulls. Feces, feet lavage, intestine, spleen, liver, kidney and lung, were examined in Kelp gulls. All Mycobacteria cultures were negative. Salmonella enterica cultures were positive in 25 % of Kelp gulls and 6.7 % of Franklin gulls. Four serovars were identified by serotyping. Enteritidis and Senfteberg serovars were found in both types of gulls. Anatum and Infantis serovars were found only in Kelp gulls. Feces of gulls captured during the winter had the highest yield of positive cultures (36.1%). Seagulls are an important Salmonella vector in Chile.

Rafting rocks reveal marine biological dispersal: A case study using clasts from beach-cast macroalgal holdfasts

Science.gov (United States)

Garden, Christopher J.; Craw, Dave; Waters, Jonathan M.; Smith, Abigail

2011-12-01

Tracking and quantifying biological dispersal presents a major challenge in marine systems. Most existing methods for measuring dispersal are limited by poor resolution and/or high cost. Here we use geological data to quantify the frequency of long-distance dispersal in detached bull-kelp (Phaeophyceae: Durvillaea) in southern New Zealand. Geological resolution in this region is enhanced by the presence of a number of distinct and readily-identifiable geological terranes. We sampled 13,815 beach-cast bull-kelp plants across 130 km of coastline. Rocks were found attached to 2639 of the rafted plants, and were assigned to specific geological terranes (source regions) to quantify dispersal frequencies and distances. Although the majority of kelp-associated rock specimens were found to be locally-derived, a substantial number (4%) showed clear geological evidence of long-distance dispersal, several having travelled over 200 km from their original source regions. The proportion of local versus foreign clasts varied considerably between regions. While short-range dispersal clearly predominates, long-distance travel of detached bull-kelp plants is shown to be a common and ongoing process that has potential to connect isolated coastal populations. Geological analyses represent a cost-effective and powerful method for assigning large numbers of drifted macroalgae to their original source regions.

Regional-scale analysis of subtidal rocky shore community

Science.gov (United States)

Derrien-Courtel, Sandrine; Le Gal, Aodren; Grall, Jacques

2013-12-01

The French monitoring network, REseau BENThique (REBENT), was launched by the Ministry of the Environment in 2003 following the 1999 Erika oil spill. REBENT aimed to acquire baseline knowledge of coastal benthic habitat distributions with a special focus on biological diversity. This study analyzed data from 38 subtidal rocky reef sites collected by a single diving team of marine biologists along the coast of Brittany from 2004 to 2010. At each site, the depth limits of the algal belts were determined between 0 and -40 m Chart Datum (CD); the flora and fauna compositions and abundances were sampled at -3 and -8 m CD. A total of 364 taxa (156 flora and 208 fauna), belonging to 12 phyla, were identified. The results showed that the depth limit and density of kelp beds increased as water turbidity decreased; moreover, several changes in community structure could be related to water turbidity and temperature. Thus, northern and southern Brittany showed strong differences in diversity and structure of the dominant kelp species ( Laminaria hyperborea and Saccorhiza polyschides). The results from this kelp habitat composition survey (dominant kelp species and indicator species) provided important information for local pressure assessments, like increases in turbidity. The data also provided a reference that could be useful for detecting changes in coastal water temperatures due to global warming.

Seasonal variations of antioxidants in the brown seaweed Saccharina latissima

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke; Safafar, Hamed; Pedersen, Anja

Mainly the brown seaweeds are known for their high antioxidative capacity within the specific compounds such as phlorotannins, polyphenols, flavonoids, pigments, and these natural antioxidants are of high industrial interest. Previous studies have shown large seasonal variations in biomass...... composition. The aim of this study was to see if there was a seasonal variation in the antioxidant content of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima), compare two cultivation sites, REF and IMTA, and test different solvents applied for extractions, methanol or ethyl acetate. Rope cultivated sugar kelp were sampled...

Trophic dynamics in marine nearshore systems of the Alaskan high arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunton, K.H.

1985-01-01

This dissertation describes two ecological studies in the arctic Alaskan nearshore zone: the productivity and growth strategies of arctic kelp and the use of natural carbon isotope abundances to examine food web structure and energy flow in the marine ecosystem. Linear growth of the kelp, Laminaria solidungula is greatest in winter and early spring when nutrients are available for new tissue growth. Since over 90% of this growth occurs in complete darkness beneath a turbid ice canopy, the plant draws on stored food reserves and is in a carbon deficit during the ice covered period. Annual productivity of L. solidungula under these conditions is about 6 g C m -2 compared to about 10 g c m -2 if light penetrates the ice canopy. Carbon isotope abundances were used to assess food web structure and energy flow in the Boulder Patch, an isolated kelp bed community, and in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea fauna. Isotopic analyses of the resident fauna of the Boulder Patch revealed that kelp carbon contributes significantly to the diet of many benthic animals, including suspension feeders. Across the shelf of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, a distinct gradient in the isotopic composition of marine zooplankton and benthic fauna was related to the intrusion of the Bering Sea water and upwelling in the eastern Beaufort Sea near Barter Island. The 13 C depletion in fauna of the eastern Beaufort Sea is presumed due to the cycling of 13 C depleted inorganic carbon into the euphotic zone

Suppression of [sup 125]I-uptake in mouse thyroid by seaweed feeding; Possible preventative effect of dietary seaweed on internal radiation injury of the thyroid by radioactive iodine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maruyama, Hiroko; Yamamoto, Ichiro (Kitasato Univ., Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Hygienic Sciences)

1992-12-01

We conducted an animal experiment to determine how dietary seaweeds rich in iodine and dietary fibers suppress radioactive iodine uptake by the thyroid, using mice and four kinds of experimental diets, three with 1% or 2% powdered fronds of the kelp Laminaria religiosa and 2% powdered laver Porphyra yezoensis, and one with cellulose. Iodine content of a hot-water extract of the kelp was 0.530[+-]0.001%, and its dietary fiber (DF) values were 52.8[+-]1.2%. Iodine in an extract of the laver was 0.008[+-]0.001%, and its DF values were 41.4%[+-]0.7%. A statistically significant reduction of [sup 125]I uptake by the thyroid, 3 hours after intragastric administration of the radionuclide at a dosage of 18.5 kBq or 185 kBq in 0.3 ml aqueous solution per mouse, was observed in mice previously fed the experimental diets containing 1% and 2% kelp during periods varying from 24 hours to 7 days. The degree of the suppression was observed to depend on the amount of iodine in the diet or in the injected sample, no matter whether organic or inorganic, judging from the results of an additional experiment. Thus, we conclude that previously fed iodine-rich material, especially dietary seaweeds rich in iodine and other minerals, vitamins, and [beta]-carotene, such as kelps or laver supplemented with inorganic iodine, may be effective in prevention of internal radiation injury of the thyroid. (author).

Temperature acclimation and heat tolerance of photosynthesis in Norwegian Saccharina latissima (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sogn Andersen, Guri; Pedersen, Morten Foldager; Nielsen, Søren Laurentius

2013-01-01

Kelps, seaweeds and seagrasses provide important ecosystem services in coastal areas, and loss of these macrophytes is a global concern. Recent surveys have documented severe declines in populations of the dominant kelp species, Saccharina latissima, along the south coast of Norway. S. latissima....... We investigated the potential for thermal acclimation and heat tolerance in S. latissima collected from three locations along the south coast of Norway. Plants were kept in laboratory cultures at three different growth temperatures (10, 15, and 20°C) for 4–6 weeks, after which their photosynthetic...

The effect of Fucus vesiculosus, an edible brown seaweed, upon menstrual cycle length and hormonal status in three pre-menopausal women: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skibola Christine F

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rates of estrogen-dependent cancers are among the highest in Western countries and lower in the East. These variations may be attributable to differences in dietary exposures such as higher seaweed consumption among Asian populations. The edible brown kelp, Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack, as well as other brown kelp species, lower plasma cholesterol levels. Since cholesterol is a precursor to sex hormone biosynthesis, kelp consumption may alter circulating sex hormone levels and menstrual cycling patterns. In particular, dietary kelp may be beneficial to women with or at high risk for estrogen-dependent diseases. To test this, bladderwrack was administered to three pre-menopausal women with abnormal menstrual cycling patterns and/or menstrual-related disease histories. Case Presentation Intake of bladderwrack was associated with significant increases in menstrual cycle lengths, ranging from an increase of 5.5 to 14 days. In addition, hormone measurements ascertained for one woman revealed significant anti-estrogenic and progestagenic effects following kelp administration. Mean baseline 17β-estradiol levels were reduced from 626 ± 91 to 164 ± 30 pg/ml (P = 0.04 following 700 mg/d, which decreased further to 92.5.0 ± 3.5pg/ml (P = 0.03 with the1.4 g/d dose. Mean baseline progesterone levels rose from 0.58 ± 0.14 to 8.4 ± 2.6 ng/ml with the 700 mg/d dose (P = 0.1, which increased further to 16.8 ± 0.7 ng/ml with the 1.4 g/d dose (P = 0.002. Conclusions These pilot data suggest that dietary bladderwrack may prolong the length of the menstrual cycle and exert anti-estrogenic effects in pre-menopausal women. Further, these studies also suggest that seaweed may be another important dietary component apart from soy that is responsible for the reduced risk of estrogen-related cancers observed in Japanese populations. However, these studies will need to be performed in well-controlled clinical trials to confirm these

Fish waste as an alternative resource for gulls along the Patagonian coast: availability, use, and potential consequences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yorio, Pablo; Caille, Guillermo

2004-04-01

We evaluated the volumes of waste from fish processing plants in Chubut Province, Argentina, and discuss its potential consequences for Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) population dynamics and coastal management. Mean volume of waste produced between 1989 and 2001 in three coastal cities was 49.8 {+-} 10.9 thousand tons y{sup -1}. The amount of waste varied between years and cities, being larger at Puerto Madryn and Comodoro Rivadavia than at Rawson (24.1, 19.3 and 6.4 thousand tons y{sup -1}, respectively). Waste was disposed at the three cities during all months of the sampled years. Large numbers of Kelp Gulls have been recorded taking advantage of fish waste disposed at these waste sites throughout the year. Considering its energetic content, waste generated at processing plants may support a population of between 101 000 and 209 000 Kelp Gulls. Fish waste could be contributing to their population expansion through increased survival and breeding success. Conflicts due to the use of waste and derived effects on other coastal species and human populations could be minimized by adequate fish waste management.

Fish waste as an alternative resource for gulls along the Patagonian coast: availability, use, and potential consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yorio, Pablo; Caille, Guillermo

2004-01-01

We evaluated the volumes of waste from fish processing plants in Chubut Province, Argentina, and discuss its potential consequences for Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) population dynamics and coastal management. Mean volume of waste produced between 1989 and 2001 in three coastal cities was 49.8 ± 10.9 thousand tons y -1 . The amount of waste varied between years and cities, being larger at Puerto Madryn and Comodoro Rivadavia than at Rawson (24.1, 19.3 and 6.4 thousand tons y -1 , respectively). Waste was disposed at the three cities during all months of the sampled years. Large numbers of Kelp Gulls have been recorded taking advantage of fish waste disposed at these waste sites throughout the year. Considering its energetic content, waste generated at processing plants may support a population of between 101 000 and 209 000 Kelp Gulls. Fish waste could be contributing to their population expansion through increased survival and breeding success. Conflicts due to the use of waste and derived effects on other coastal species and human populations could be minimized by adequate fish waste management

kelp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

Aspectos ecologicos de las algas marinas de la provincia de Concepcion, Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krisler Alveal

1980-12-01

Full Text Available Studies carried out in various localities of the Province of Concepción, Chile (36º40'S; 70º06'W estabilished the existence of two principal patterns of zonation defined by the populations of Mastocarpus sp. (¿ ?, Tridaea laminarioides, Gelidium pussilum, Ulva lactuca and Perumytilus purpuratus which occupy the lower hydrolittoral. In submerged levels the populations of Gracilaria and Macrocystis. form growths of moderate dimensions and in shallow waters, Iridaea ciliata, Gymnogongrus furcellatus and Gigartina chamissoii in scatterd patches.

Inter-decadal patterns of population and dietary change in sea otters at Amchitka Island, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Watt, J.; Siniff, D.B.; Estes, J.A.

2000-01-01

After having been hunted to near-extinction in the Pacific maritime fur trade, the sea otter population at Amchitka Island, Alaska increased from very low numbers in the early 1900s to near equilibrium density by the 1940s. The population persisted at or near equilibrium through the 1980s, but declined sharply in the 1990s in apparent response to increased killer whale predation. Sea otter diet and foraging behavior were studied at Amchitka from August 1992 to March 1994 and the data compared with similar information obtained during several earlier periods. In contrast with dietary patterns in the 1960s and 1970s, when the sea otter population was at or near equilibrium density and kelp-forest fishes were the dietary mainstay, these fishes were rarely eaten in the 1990s. Benthic invertebrates, particularly sea urchins, dominated the otter's diet from early summer to midwinter, then decreased in importance during late winter and spring when numerous Pacific smooth lumpsuckers (a large and easily captured oceanic fish) were eaten. The occurrence of spawning lumpsuckers in coastal waters apparently is episodic on a scale of years to decades. The otters' recent dietary shift away from kelp-forest fishes is probably a response to the increased availability of lumpsuckers and sea urchins (both high-preference prey). Additionally, increased urchin densities have reduced kelp beds, thus further reducing the availability of kelp-forest fishes. Our findings suggest that dietary patterns reflect changes in population status and show how an ecosystem normally under top-down control and limited by coastal zone processes can be significantly perturbed by exogenous events.

Patterns of Saccharina latissima recruitment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guri Sogn Andersen

Full Text Available The lack of recovery in Norwegian populations of the kelp Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus C. E. Lane, C. Mayes, Druehl & G. W. Saunders after a large-scale disturbance that occurred sometime between the late 1990s and early 2000s has raised considerable concerns. Kelp forests are areas of high production that serve as habitats for numerous species, and their continued absence may represent the loss of an entire ecosystem. Some S. latissima populations remain as scattered patches within the affected areas, but today, most of the areas are completely devoid of kelp. The question is if natural recolonization by kelp and the reestablishment of the associated ecosystem is possible. Previous studies indicate that a high degree of reproductive synchrony in macrophytes has a positive effect on their potential for dispersal and on the connectivity between populations, but little is known about the patterns of recruitment in Norwegian S. latissima. More is, however, known about the development of fertile tissue (sori on adult individuals, which is easily observed. The present study investigated the degree of coupling between the appearance of sori and the recruitment on clean artificial substrate beneath adult specimens. The pattern of recruitment was linked to the retreat of visible sori (i.e. spore release and a seasonal component unrelated to the fertility of the adults. The formation and the retreat of visible sori are processes that seem synchronized along the south coast of Norway, and the link between sori development and recruitment may therefore suggest that the potential for S. latissima dispersal is relatively large. These results support the notion that the production and dispersal of viable spores is unlikely to be the bottleneck preventing recolonization in the south of Norway, but studies over larger temporal and spatial scales are still needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Upwelling and Other Environmental Influences on Growth of a Nearshore Benthic Fish

Science.gov (United States)

von Biela, V. R.; Zimmerman, C. E.; Kruse, G. H.; Mueter, F. J.; Black, B.; Douglas, D. C.; Bodkin, J. L.

2016-02-01

The role of upwelling in nearshore benthic systems is more uncertain compared to the relatively strong positive associations with pelagic production. To understand how upwelling and other environmental conditions influence nearshore benthic production, we developed an annual index of production from growth increments recorded in otoliths of kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) at nine sites in the seasonally-upwelling California Current and downwelling Alaska Coastal currents. Kelp greenling are a benthic-feeding fish common in kelp forests with food webs sustained by both kelp and phytoplankton primary production. We explored the influence of basin- and local-scale conditions, including upwelling, across all seasons at lags up to two years taken to represent changes in the quantity and quality of prey. Upwelling strength was positively related to fish growth in both current systems, although relationships in the Alaska Coastal Current were indicative of faster growth with relaxed downwelling, rather than upwelling. Looking across a suite of basin- and local-scale environmental indicators, complex relationships emerged in the California Current, with faster growth related to within-year warm conditions and lagged-year cool conditions. In contrast, fish in the downwelling system grew faster both during and subsequent to warm conditions. The complex lag-dependent dynamics in the upwelling system may reflect differences in conditions that promote quantity versus quality of benthic invertebrate prey. Thus, we hypothesize that benthic production is maximized when cool and warm years alternate during periods of high frequency climate variability in the California Current. Such a pattern is consistent with previous findings suggesting that benthic invertebrate abundance (e.g., recruitment) is food-limited during warm years with reduced upwelling, while quality (e.g., energy content) is temperature-limited during cool years.

Fishing for lobsters indirectly increases epidemics in sea urchins

Science.gov (United States)

Lafferty, Kevin D.

2004-01-01

Two ecological paradigms, the trophic cascade and the host-density threshold in disease, interact in the kelp-forest ecosystem to structure the community. To investigate what happens when a trophic cascade pushes a host population over a host-threshold density, I analyzed a 20-year data set of kelp forest communities at 16 sites in the region of the Channel Islands National Park, California, USA. Historically, lobsters, and perhaps other predators, kept urchin populations at low levels and kelp forests developed a community-level trophic cascade. In geographic areas where the main predators on urchins were fished, urchin populations increased to the extent that they overgrazed algae and starvation eventually limited urchin-population growth. Despite the limitation of urchin population size by food availability, urchin densities, at times, well exceeded the host-density threshold for epidemics. An urchin-specific bacterial disease entered the region after 1992 and acted as a density-dependent mortality source. Dense populations were more likely to experience epidemics and suffer higher mortality. Disease did not reduce the urchin population at a site to the density that predators previously did. Therefore, disease did not fully replace predators in the trophic cascade. These results indicate how fishing top predators can indirectly favor disease transmission in prey populations.

Trusted Unix Working Group (TRUSIX) Rationale for Selecting Access Control List Features for the Unix System

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1989-01-01

.... By addressing the class B3 issues, the NCSC believes that this information will also kelp vendors understand how evaluation interpretations will be made at the levels of trust below this class...

Extraction and detection of arsenicals in seaweed via accelerated solvent extraction with ion chromatographic separation and ICP-MS detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gallagher, P.A.; Shoemaker, J.A.; Wei Xinyi; Brockhoff-Schwegel, C.A.; Creed, J.T. [Microbiological and Chemical Exposure Assessment Research Div., Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2001-01-01

An accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) device was evaluated as a semi-automated means of extracting arsenicals from ribbon kelp. The effect of the experimentally controllable ASE parameters (pressure, temperature, static time, and solvent composition) on the extraction efficiencies of arsenicals from seaweed was investigated. The extraction efficiencies for ribbon kelp (approximately 72.6%) using the ASE were fairly independent (< 7%) of pressure, static time and particle size after 3 ASE extraction cycles. The optimum extraction conditions for the ribbon kelp were obtained by using a 3 mL ASE cell, 30/70 (w/w) MeOH/H{sub 2}O, 500 psi (1 psi = 7 KPa), ambient temperature, 1 min heat step, 1 min static step, 90% vol. flush, and a 120 s purge. Using these conditions, two other seaweed products produced extraction efficiencies of 25.6% and 50.5%. The inorganic species present in the extract represented 62.5% and 27.8% of the extracted arsenic. The speciation results indicated that both seaweed products contained 4 different arsenosugars, DMA (dimethylarsinic acid), and As(V). One seaweed product also contained As(III). Both of these seaweed products contained an arsenosugar whose molecular weight was determined to be 408 and its structure was tentatively identified using ion chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (IC-ESI-MS/MS). (orig.)

TIE for cyanides in groundwater at a former coal gasification plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McLeay, M.; Cameron, M. [Hemmeram, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Elphick, J. [Nautilus Environmental Co., Burnaby, BC (Canada)

2010-07-01

Groundwater remediation efforts are underway at a former coal gasification plant site in British Columbia because the concentrations of cyanide and other substances were found to exceed aquatic life guidelines. Hemmera and Nautilus Environmental examined whether that groundwater was toxic to a variety of sensitive marine aquatic life species, and whether cyanide was the primary toxicant. Untreated groundwater containing cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide and free cyanide was tested for toxicity on bivalve larval survival, kelp zoospore germination, sea urchin gamete fertilization, and larval topsmelt survival and growth. The untreated groundwater was found to be toxic to kelp zoospores and sea urchin gametes, but relatively non-toxic to bivalve larvae and topsmelt. The following 4 toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) treatments were conducted on site groundwater: (1) acidification/aeration of the sample, (2) filtration of the sample through anion exchange media, (3) filtration of the sample through activated carbon, and (4) exposure of the sample to UV light. Both the cyanide concentration and the toxicity to kelp decreased considerably when the anion exchange treatment was applied. The results suggest that the toxicity may be attributed to cyanides in the groundwater. The information obtained from this study will be used to plan excavation water treatment strategies during site remediation as part of an ecological risk assessment for the site.

TIE for cyanides in groundwater at a former coal gasification plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLeay, M.; Cameron, M.; Elphick, J.

2010-01-01

Groundwater remediation efforts are underway at a former coal gasification plant site in British Columbia because the concentrations of cyanide and other substances were found to exceed aquatic life guidelines. Hemmera and Nautilus Environmental examined whether that groundwater was toxic to a variety of sensitive marine aquatic life species, and whether cyanide was the primary toxicant. Untreated groundwater containing cyanide, weak acid dissociable cyanide and free cyanide was tested for toxicity on bivalve larval survival, kelp zoospore germination, sea urchin gamete fertilization, and larval topsmelt survival and growth. The untreated groundwater was found to be toxic to kelp zoospores and sea urchin gametes, but relatively non-toxic to bivalve larvae and topsmelt. The following 4 toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) treatments were conducted on site groundwater: (1) acidification/aeration of the sample, (2) filtration of the sample through anion exchange media, (3) filtration of the sample through activated carbon, and (4) exposure of the sample to UV light. Both the cyanide concentration and the toxicity to kelp decreased considerably when the anion exchange treatment was applied. The results suggest that the toxicity may be attributed to cyanides in the groundwater. The information obtained from this study will be used to plan excavation water treatment strategies during site remediation as part of an ecological risk assessment for the site.

Composite fish diversity off southern California

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This map shows composite diversity averaged between 4 data sets: RecFIN recreational hook and line, SCCWRP trawls, NMFS benthic trawls, and kelp diver surveys....

Preliminary observations on the benthic marine algae of the Gorringe seabank (northeast Atlantic Ocean)

Science.gov (United States)

Tittley, Ian; da Silva Vaz Álvaro, Nuno Miguel; de Melo Azevedo Neto, Ana Isabel

2014-06-01

Examination of marine samples collected in 2006 from the Gettysburg and Ormonde seamounts on the Gorringe seabank southwest of Portugal has revealed 29 benthic Chlorophyta, Phaeophyceae (Ochrophyta), and Rhodophyta that were identified provisionally to genus and to species. Combining lists for the present and a previous expedition brings the total of algae thus far recorded to 48. The brown alga Zonaria tournefourtii and the red alga Cryptopleura ramosa were the most abundant species in the present collections. The kelp Laminaria ochroleuca was present only in the Gettysburg samples while Saccorhiza polyschides was observed only on the Ormonde seamount. Comparisons with the benthic marine algae recorded on seamounts in the mid-Atlantic Azores archipelago show features in common, notably kelp forests of L. ochroleuca at depths below 30 m and Z. tournefortii dominance in shallower waters.

A combined phase I and II open label study on the effects of a seaweed extract nutrient complex on osteoarthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen P Myers

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Stephen P Myers1,2, Joan O’Connor1,2, J Helen Fitton3, Lyndon Brooks4, Margaret Rolfe4, Paul Connellan5, Hans Wohlmuth2,5,6, Phil A Cheras1,2, Carol Morris51NatMed-Research, 2Centre for Health and Wellbeing, 4Graduate Research College, 5Centre for Phytochemistry and Pharmacology, 6Medicinal Plant Herbarium, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia; 3Marinova Pty Ltd, Hobart, Tasmania, AustraliaBackground: Isolated fucoidans from brown marine algae have been shown to have a range of anti-inflammatory effects.Purpose: This present study tested a Maritech® extract formulation, containing a blend of extracts from three different species of brown algae, plus nutrients in an open label combined phase I and II pilot scale study to determine both acute safety and efficacy in osteoarthritis of the knee. Patients and methods: Participants (n = 12, five females [mean age, 62 ± 11.06 years] and seven males [mean age, 57.14 ± 9.20 years] with a confirmed diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee were randomized to either 100 mg (n = 5 or 1000 mg (n = 7 of a Maritech® extract formulation per day. The formulation contained Maritech® seaweed extract containing Fucus vesiculosis (85% w/w, Macrocystis pyrifera (10% w/w and Laminaria japonica (5% w/w plus vitamin B6, zinc and manganese. Primary outcome was the average comprehensive arthritis test (COAT score which is comprised of four sub-scales: pain, stiffness, difficulty with physical activity and overall symptom severity measured weekly. Safety measures included full blood count, serum lipids, liver function tests, urea, creatinine and electrolytes determined at baseline and week 12. All adverse events were recorded.Results: Eleven participants completed 12 weeks and one completed 10 weeks of the study. Using a multilevel linear model, the average COAT score was reduced by 18% for the 100 mg treatment and 52% for the 1000 mg dose at the end of the study. There was a clear dose response effect

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African Journals Online (AJOL)

Many animal species benefit from resources provided by other species. ... 98), we observed behavioral interactions at the Punta Lobería Southern Sea-lion ... by Black Vulture Coragyps atratus, Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus and Domestic Dogs.

Biokinetic behavior of Tc in the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens: a reassessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beasley, T.M.; Lorz, H.V.; Gonor, J.J.

1981-01-01

The biokinetic behavior of /sup 95m/Tc in the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, is reviewed in light of recent experiments on other molluscs. Additional experimentation has confirmed that, when uptake is directly from labeled seawater, abalone exhibit concentration factors in excess of 100. Bivalve molluscs under the same experimental conditions have concentration factors that do not exceed 2. However, uptake and loss kinetics cannot be described by a single compartment model as had been previously advanced. Assimilation of /sup 95m/Tc by the abalone following a single feeding of labeled macroalga, Nereocystis pyrifera, is high (approx. 45%) and loss kinetics are similar to those observed following direct uptake from seawater

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurological disorders and other abnormalities ... iodine , including kelp, seaweed, cough syrups, multivitamins or heart medications. have any allergies to iodine, medications and ...

LAMINARIA PALLIDA

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2010-05-05

May 5, 2010 ... In this field study, the effect of harvesting kelp by cutting the ... each, with the various treatment plants receiving different coloured tags (blue, white, yellow and red ..... FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes.

Some observations on Seabirds breeding in the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. J. M Crawford

1983-12-01

Full Text Available In 1980 and 1981 more than 50 pairs of kelp gulls Lams dominicanus, 70 of Cape cormorants Phalacrocorax capensis and 20 of whitebreasted cormorants P. carbo nested in the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park. Kelp gulls were breeding in the Park in the mid 1960's but no records could be found of breeding by Cape cormorants prior to 1980. The earliest record for nesting by whitebreasted cormorants was 1971 and the population apparently increased in the late 1970's. Small numbers of African black oystercatchers Haematopus moquini nested in the park in 1980 and 1981. Brown mussels Perna perna and limpets Patella spp. dominated their hardshelled diet. Whereas oystercatchers at St Croix Island fed mainly on organisms from the mid intertidal region, those at Tsitsikamma appear to have favoured molluscs from the lower tidal range.

Mizející podmořské pralesy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vejřík, Lukáš; Vejříková, Ivana; Peterka, Jiří

2017-01-01

Roč. 2017, č. 5 (2017), s. 94-95 ISSN 0373-675X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7F14316 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : kelp * macrophytes * Australia Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Ecology

The steadily increasing demand for South African abalone Haliotis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

denise

The usual harvesting method is for a diver to cut all. Ecklonia plants ... This study estimates the biomass of E. maxima available for harvesting, investi- gates the effects of ..... The processes that shape kelp bed structure and dynamics are of ...

species live in a characteristic limited range of habitats and, within

African Journals Online (AJOL)

spamer

Patch dynamics and stability of some California kelp com- munities. Ecol. .... Evol. 5: 52–57. MENGE, B. A. and J. P. SUTHERLAND 1976 — Species diversity ... PALUMBI, S. R. 1984 — Measurement of intertidal wave forces. J. expl mar. Biol.

Species identification, distribution and abundance of Gerreidae ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the distribution and abundance of Gerres in estuaries wa'S collected from July 1978 to ..... the channel area between the W.L.R. and the mouth (not the tidal basin) during ..... overwhelming importance in the kelp beds of Britain. Recently Blaber ...

Kelp and Eelgrass in Puget Sound

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mumford, Jr, Thomas F

2007-01-01

.... Shellfish, such as crabs and bivalves, use eelgrass beds for habitat and nursery areas. Fishes such as juvenile salmonids use eelgrass beds as migratory corridors as they pass through Puget Sound; the beds provide both protection from predators and abundant food.

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... an x-ray or CT scan, surgeries or treatments using iodinated contrast material within the last two months. are taking medications or ingesting other substances that contain iodine , including kelp, seaweed, cough syrups, multivitamins or heart medications. have any ...

with an estimate of daily ration

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1987-10-13

Oct 13, 1987 ... in and around kelp beds and on subtidal reefs, from. Luderitz to the mouth of ...... It appears, however, that they select the green and brown algae rather than the ..... COElZEE, P.S. 1986. Diet composition and breeding cycle of.

Methane production from marine biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chynoweth, D. P.; Srivastava, V. J.

1980-01-01

The overall concept of the giant brown kelp farm and conversion system, the integrated research program engaged in its study, and IGT's work on biogasification process development are discussed. A summary of results to date on anaerobic digestion will be emphasized. (MHR)

Kriel et al. (1980), in their review of breeding seabirds on Robben ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

spamer

count was 120 birds (range 39–336; Underhill et al. 2001). Kelp gulls have bred at virtually ... KMC on 26 October, on a shell beach 100 m from the north-eastern quarry. ... that “considerable human activity renders it unsuit- able for breeding.

Giant Mealworm (Zophobas Morio) as a “Vehicle” to Transport Healthy Nutritional Ingredients from Seaweed (Ascophyllum Nodosum) towards Fish Cultured: Amino Acids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nederlof, M.A.J.; Durif, Caroline M.F.; Verdegem, M.C.J.; Booms, G.H.R.; Vries, de Evert; Ginneken, van V.J.T.

2017-01-01

This study is the first step investigating a new food chain, using Zophobas morio as a potential “vehicle” to transport amino acids (AA) from Norwegian kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) into the insect body. Additionally, suitability of Z. morio as a dietary protein substitute for fishmeal (FM) in

Phycoremediation potential of brown macroalgae species Saccharina latissimi and Laminaria digitata towards inorganic arsenic in a multitrophic pilot-scale experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Rie Romme; Cunha, Sara; Fernandes, José

2017-01-01

on the chemical species, where inorganic arsenic is considered to be the most toxic form of arsenic.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the phycoremediation capacity of the two brown seaweed species Sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) and Oarweed (Laminaria digitata) in a controlled multitrophic...

Effects of copper on early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens Bory (Phaeophyceae)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contreras, Loretto [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Medina, Matias H. [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigacao Marinha e Ambiental, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Universidade do Porto (Portugal); Andrade, Santiago [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Oppliger, Valeria [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Correa, Juan A. [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile)]. E-mail: jcorrea@bio.puc.cl

2007-01-15

Copper effects on the early developmental gametophytic and sporophytic stages of the kelp Lessonia nigrescens were tested in gradients of increasing concentrations of ASV-labile copper. The results demonstrated a high sensitivity to copper of all life-history stages of the alga, where even the lowest tested concentration affected spore release as well as their subsequent settlement. More significant, concentrations higher than 7.87 {mu}g L{sup -1} totally interrupted the development of the spores after they settle. This effect led to a failure in the formation of male and female gametophytes and, as a consequence, to a complete disruption of the normal life cycle of the kelp. Thus, we suggest that the absence of L. nigrescens from copper-enriched environments results from the high sensitivity of its early life cycle stages, which limits growth and maturation of the gametophytic microscopic phase and, as a consequence, prevents development of the macroscopic sporophytic phase. - Early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens are highly sensitive to copper.

Microbial enhancement of compost extracts based on cattle rumen content compost - characterisation of a system.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Karuna; Shrestha, Pramod; Walsh, Kerry B; Harrower, Keith M; Midmore, David J

2011-09-01

Microbially enhanced compost extracts ('compost tea') are being used in commercial agriculture as a source of nutrients and for their perceived benefit to soil microbiology, including plant disease suppression. Rumen content material is a waste of cattle abattoirs, which can be value-added by conversion to compost and 'compost tea'. A system for compost extraction and microbial enhancement was characterised. Molasses amendment increased bacterial count 10-fold, while amendment based on molasses and 'fish and kelp hydrolysate' increased fungal count 10-fold. Compost extract incubated at 1:10 (w/v) dilution showed the highest microbial load, activity and humic/fulvic acid content compared to other dilutions. Aeration increased the extraction efficiency of soluble metabolites, and microbial growth rate, as did extraction of compost without the use of a constraining bag. A protocol of 1:10 dilution and aerated incubation with kelp and molasses amendments is recommended to optimise microbial load and fungal-to-bacterial ratio for this inoculum source. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new HPLC method for the detection of iodine applied to natural samples of edible seaweeds and commercial seaweed food products.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitschke, Udo; Stengel, Dagmar B

2015-04-01

Rich in micronutrients and considered to contain high iodine levels, seaweeds have multiple applications as food/supplements and nutraceuticals with potential health implications. Here, we describe the development and validation of a new analytical method to quantify iodine as iodide (I(-)) using an isocratic HPLC system with UV detection; algal iodine was converted to I(-) via dry alkaline incineration. The method was successfully applied to 19 macroalgal species from three taxonomic groups and five commercially available seaweed food products. Fesh kelps contained highest levels, reaching >1.0% per dry weight (DW), but concentrations differed amongst thallus parts. In addition to kelps, other brown (Fucales: ∼ 0.05% DW) and some red species (∼ 0.05% DW) can also serve as a rich source of iodine; lowest iodine concentrations were detected in green macroalgae (∼ 0.005% DW), implying that quantities recommended for seaweed consumption may require species-specific re-evaluation to reach adequate daily intake levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of copper on early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens Bory (Phaeophyceae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreras, Loretto; Medina, Matias H.; Andrade, Santiago; Oppliger, Valeria; Correa, Juan A.

2007-01-01

Copper effects on the early developmental gametophytic and sporophytic stages of the kelp Lessonia nigrescens were tested in gradients of increasing concentrations of ASV-labile copper. The results demonstrated a high sensitivity to copper of all life-history stages of the alga, where even the lowest tested concentration affected spore release as well as their subsequent settlement. More significant, concentrations higher than 7.87 μg L -1 totally interrupted the development of the spores after they settle. This effect led to a failure in the formation of male and female gametophytes and, as a consequence, to a complete disruption of the normal life cycle of the kelp. Thus, we suggest that the absence of L. nigrescens from copper-enriched environments results from the high sensitivity of its early life cycle stages, which limits growth and maturation of the gametophytic microscopic phase and, as a consequence, prevents development of the macroscopic sporophytic phase. - Early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens are highly sensitive to copper

The perception of aquaculture on the Swedish West Coast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomas, Jean-Baptiste E.; Nordström, Leif Jonas; Risén, Emma

2018-01-01

Efforts are on the way on the Swedish West Coast to develop the capacity for cultivation of marine resources, notably of kelps. Given that this is a region of great natural and national heritage, public opposition to marine developments has been identified as a possible risk factor. This survey...

Cascading effects of overfishing marine systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheffer, M.; Carpenter, S.; Young, de B.

2005-01-01

Profound indirect ecosystem effects of overfishing have been shown for coastal systems such as coral reefs and kelp forests. A new study from the ecosystem off the Canadian east coast now reveals that the elimination of large predatory fish can also cause marked cascading effects on the pelagic food

A field and laboratory assessment of oil spill effects on survival and reproduction of Pacific herring following the Exxon Valdez spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, W.H.; Moksness, E.

1995-01-01

Field and laboratory investigations in 1989 and 1990 were designed to assess potential injury to Prince William Sound herring by testing for differences between oiled regions and unoiled reference areas and by relating biological response variables to the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in eggs-on-kelp samples. Hydrocarbon analyses and laboratory incubation were conducted on eggs-on-kelp samples from Prince William Sound and Sitka Sound. The eggs and hatching larvae were examined to evaluate several response variables: egg development, hatch, larval survival, abnormal development of larvae, larval length, and larval yolk-sac volume. Analysis of 1989 shoreline surveys indicate that about 96% of the total spawn length (158 km) in Prince William Sound occurred along shorelines with no oiling, and less than 1% of the 1989 total spawn length occurred along shorelines with moderate to heavy oiling. Analysis of shoreline oiling in both 1989 and 1990 from all surveys indicates that about 90 to 91% of the total 1989 spawn length occurred along unoiled shorelines. Effects on herring eggs were minor in 1989 even in oiled areas. No significant relationship was found between 1989 PAH burdens in eggs-on-kelp samples and 9 out of 10 biological response variables. In 1989, significantly lower proportions of developed eggs were observed for Cabin Bay samples visibly contaminated with tarry deposits. The location where these effects were seen represented less than 2% of total 1989 spawn length. No effects of the spill on herring were evident in 1990. No significant relationship was found between 1990 PAH burdens and the seven biological response variables studied. 33 refs., 11 figs., 5 tabs

The Ocean Food and Energy Farm Project

Science.gov (United States)

Wilcox, Howard A.

1976-01-01

This three-phase, 15-year project is designed to explore and develop the ability to raise the grant California kelp and other marine organisms for food, fuels, fertilizers and plastics in the temperate and tropical oceans. The needed technology is established, but the economic feasibility is yet to be determined. (BT)

The Learner as Course Planner and Director.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Francis C.; Wurr, Adrian; Edwards, Jeffery

This paper describes the KELP (Kanda-English Language Proficiency) Project, a project for self-directed English-as-a-Second-Language learning at Kanda University of International Studies (Japan). In the study, students plan and direct their own language learning programs, using individually designed learning contracts. Examples of three kinds of…

make up.contents pg

African Journals Online (AJOL)

spamer

lower down the food chain, a process that Bohnsack and Ault (1996) term ... information that is available appears to have been recorded for the ..... the shore in shallow, sandy bottom areas. Kob taken ... at Hermanus were found in deep, turbid waters adja- cent to kelp ...... the attitude of the anglers themselves. A substantial.

Modelling deep water habitats to develop a spatially explicit, fine scale understanding of the distribution of the western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renae K Hovey

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, is endemic to Western Australia and supports substantial commercial and recreational fisheries. Due to and its wide distribution and the commercial and recreational importance of the species a key component of managing western rock lobster is understanding the ecological processes and interactions that may influence lobster abundance and distribution. Using terrain analyses and distribution models of substrate and benthic biota, we assess the physical drivers that influence the distribution of lobsters at a key fishery site. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using data collected from hydroacoustic and towed video surveys, 20 variables (including geophysical, substrate and biota variables were developed to predict the distributions of substrate type (three classes of reef, rhodoliths and sand and dominant biota (kelp, sessile invertebrates and macroalgae within a 40 km(2 area about 30 km off the west Australian coast. Lobster presence/absence data were collected within this area using georeferenced pots. These datasets were used to develop a classification tree model for predicting the distribution of the western rock lobster. Interestingly, kelp and reef were not selected as predictors. Instead, the model selected geophysical and geomorphic scalar variables, which emphasise a mix of terrain within limited distances. The model of lobster presence had an adjusted D(2 of 64 and an 80% correct classification. CONCLUSIONS: Species distribution models indicate that juxtaposition in fine scale terrain is most important to the western rock lobster. While key features like kelp and reef may be important to lobster distribution at a broad scale, it is the fine scale features in terrain that are likely to define its ecological niche. Determining the most appropriate landscape configuration and scale will be essential to refining niche habitats and will aid in selecting appropriate sites for protecting critical

Emerging and Submerging Shorelines: Impacts of Physical Change on Bioband Length

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, L. E.; Johnson, A. C.; Gregovich, D.; Buma, B.; Noel, J.

2017-12-01

We approximated shifts in coastal benthic species for shoreline length units undergoing both sea level rise and relative sea level lowering (often post-glacial, termed isostatic rebound) where subsistence-based, southeast Alaska Natives reside. From six community centers, we examined 30 km radii shoreline reaches by merging relevant portions of the NOAA ShoreZone database with near shore bathymetry and measures of mean global sea level rise with local global positioning system information (GIS) of tectonic shift and isostatic rebound. For our analysis, we estimated change for 9,868 assessed shoreline length units having uniform substrate and biologic type over a 100-yr time span (2008-2108) using geometric analysis of shoreline attributes. For each shoreline length unit we assessed relationships among substrate, slope, exposure, and presence of five benthic species including eel grass (Zostera marina), blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), butter clams (Saxidomus gigantean), bull kelp (Nereocytis leutkeana), and foliose red algae including ribbon kelp (Palmaria sp.). Our research indicates that both emergence, up to 1.8 m, and submergence, up 0.2 m, of the land will result in disportionately larger shoreline length segment alterations for habitats in protected low-slope gradient bays and estuaries (dominated by eelgrass and butter clam habitats) with less change for rocky steep-gradient exposed penninsulas (red algae and canopy kelp). This trend, holding true regardless of isostatic rebound, tectonic shift or sea level rise rate, highlights the importance of initial geomorphology-based assessments serving to improve bio-physical, chemical, and socially-related coastal research. Where shorelines are emerging 30% decreases in estuary lengths are predicted, but where shorelines are submerging up to 3% increases in estuaries are expected. Our research results are consistent with anthropology studies assessing past coastal change. Coastal change, influencing subsistance foods

Modelling Deep Water Habitats to Develop a Spatially Explicit, Fine Scale Understanding of the Distribution of the Western Rock Lobster, Panulirus cygnus

Science.gov (United States)

Hovey, Renae K.; Van Niel, Kimberly P.; Bellchambers, Lynda M.; Pember, Matthew B.

2012-01-01

Background The western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, is endemic to Western Australia and supports substantial commercial and recreational fisheries. Due to and its wide distribution and the commercial and recreational importance of the species a key component of managing western rock lobster is understanding the ecological processes and interactions that may influence lobster abundance and distribution. Using terrain analyses and distribution models of substrate and benthic biota, we assess the physical drivers that influence the distribution of lobsters at a key fishery site. Methods and Findings Using data collected from hydroacoustic and towed video surveys, 20 variables (including geophysical, substrate and biota variables) were developed to predict the distributions of substrate type (three classes of reef, rhodoliths and sand) and dominant biota (kelp, sessile invertebrates and macroalgae) within a 40 km2 area about 30 km off the west Australian coast. Lobster presence/absence data were collected within this area using georeferenced pots. These datasets were used to develop a classification tree model for predicting the distribution of the western rock lobster. Interestingly, kelp and reef were not selected as predictors. Instead, the model selected geophysical and geomorphic scalar variables, which emphasise a mix of terrain within limited distances. The model of lobster presence had an adjusted D2 of 64 and an 80% correct classification. Conclusions Species distribution models indicate that juxtaposition in fine scale terrain is most important to the western rock lobster. While key features like kelp and reef may be important to lobster distribution at a broad scale, it is the fine scale features in terrain that are likely to define its ecological niche. Determining the most appropriate landscape configuration and scale will be essential to refining niche habitats and will aid in selecting appropriate sites for protecting critical lobster habitats. PMID

Modelling deep water habitats to develop a spatially explicit, fine scale understanding of the distribution of the western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hovey, Renae K; Van Niel, Kimberly P; Bellchambers, Lynda M; Pember, Matthew B

2012-01-01

The western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, is endemic to Western Australia and supports substantial commercial and recreational fisheries. Due to and its wide distribution and the commercial and recreational importance of the species a key component of managing western rock lobster is understanding the ecological processes and interactions that may influence lobster abundance and distribution. Using terrain analyses and distribution models of substrate and benthic biota, we assess the physical drivers that influence the distribution of lobsters at a key fishery site. Using data collected from hydroacoustic and towed video surveys, 20 variables (including geophysical, substrate and biota variables) were developed to predict the distributions of substrate type (three classes of reef, rhodoliths and sand) and dominant biota (kelp, sessile invertebrates and macroalgae) within a 40 km(2) area about 30 km off the west Australian coast. Lobster presence/absence data were collected within this area using georeferenced pots. These datasets were used to develop a classification tree model for predicting the distribution of the western rock lobster. Interestingly, kelp and reef were not selected as predictors. Instead, the model selected geophysical and geomorphic scalar variables, which emphasise a mix of terrain within limited distances. The model of lobster presence had an adjusted D(2) of 64 and an 80% correct classification. Species distribution models indicate that juxtaposition in fine scale terrain is most important to the western rock lobster. While key features like kelp and reef may be important to lobster distribution at a broad scale, it is the fine scale features in terrain that are likely to define its ecological niche. Determining the most appropriate landscape configuration and scale will be essential to refining niche habitats and will aid in selecting appropriate sites for protecting critical lobster habitats.

Ratiometric, visual, dual-signal fluorescent sensing and imaging of pH/copper ions in real samples based on carbon dots-fluorescein isothiocyanate composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xinxin; Jin, Hui; Gao, Cuili; Gui, Rijun; Wang, Zonghua

2017-01-01

In this article, a facile aqueous synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) was developed by using natural kelp as a new carbon source. Through hydrothermal carbonization of kelp juice, fluorescent CDs were prepared and the CDs' surface was modified with polyethylenimine (PEI). The PEI-modified CDs were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to fabricate CDs-FITC composites. To exploit broad applications, the CDs-FITC composites were developed as fluorescent sensing or imaging platforms of pH and Cu 2+ . Analytical performances of the composites-based fluorescence (FL) sensors were evaluated, including visual FL imaging of pH in glass bottle, ratiometric FL sensing of pH in yogurt samples, visual FL latent fingerprint and leaf imaging detection of [Cu 2+ ], dual-signal FL sensing of [Cu 2+ ] in yogurt and human serum samples. Experimental results from ratiometric, visual, dual-signal FL sensing and imaging applications confirmed the high feasibility, accuracy, stabilization and simplicity of CDs-FITC composites-based FL sensors for the detection of pH and Cu 2+ ions in real samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Determination of iodine and its species in plant samples using ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry].

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Li; Chen, Guang; Chen, Yuhong

2011-07-01

A method was established for the determination of iodine and its species in plant samples using ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP/ MS). Alkaline extraction and IC-ICP/MS were applied as the sample pre-treatment method and the detection technique respectively, for iodate and iodide determination. Moreover, high-temperature pyrolysis absorption was adopted as the pre-treatment method for total iodine analysis, which finally converted all the iodine species into iodide and measured the iodide by IC-ICP/MS. The recoveries of iodine for alkaline extraction and high-temperature pyrolysis absorption were 89.6%-97.5% and 95.2%-111.2%, respectively. The results were satisfactory. The detection limit of iodine was 0.010 mg/kg. The iodine and its speciation contents in several kinds of plant samples such as seaweeds, kelp, cabbage, tea leaf and spinach were investigated. It was shown that the iodine in seaweeds mainly existed as organic iodine; while the ones in kelp, cabbage, tea leaf and spinach mainly existed as inorganic iodine.

Biological Response to the Dynamic Spectral-Polarized Underwater Light Field

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-30

by studying a homogeneous turbid medium. The diffuse reflection is produced by incoherent multiple scattering and is solved through radiative...polarization manipulation experiments revealed that polarization reflectance in Atlantic needlefish is controlled at the periphery (Fig 28). 6 19...with camouflage researchers on isopod and kelp crab camouflage against algae and seagrasses at several different west coast universities (Dierssen

AQUARIUM EXPERIMENTS COMPARING THE FEEDING ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... even in the presence of kelp Ecklonia maxima. There was no significant difference (F3.92 = 0.09, p > 0.1) in abalone consumption by rock lobsters between the two sites. Therefore, at least in the absence of preferred prey such as mussels, sea urchins appear to provide only limited protection to juvenile abalone from rock ...

Elimination of 2-chlorophenol from aqueous solutions by marine algae: Evidences of the mechanism of adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuizano, N.A.; Llanos, B.P.

2009-01-01

The mechanism of the removal of 2-chlorophenol onto the marine algae Lessonia nigrescens Bory and Macrocystis integrifolia Bory from aqueous solutions was investigated in batch experiments. The effect of the presence of metallic ions in the adsorptive process was evaluated. The results show that lead slightly increases the adsorption of 2-chlorophenol. This suggests two different types of adsorption of both types of pollutants by the two marine algae and a possible synergic effect. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analyses predominantly indicated a surface adsorption. Finally, the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG 0 ) of the process was determined. The results show that the adsorption is not spontaneous for none of the algae. This also corroborates the absence of electrostatic interactions and the existence of a polar interaction in an unfavorable environment surrounded by hydroxyl groups. (author)

Continental-scale variation in seaweed host-associated bacterial communities is a function of host condition, not geography.

Science.gov (United States)

Marzinelli, Ezequiel M; Campbell, Alexandra H; Zozaya Valdes, Enrique; Vergés, Adriana; Nielsen, Shaun; Wernberg, Thomas; de Bettignies, Thibaut; Bennett, Scott; Caporaso, J Gregory; Thomas, Torsten; Steinberg, Peter D

2015-10-01

Interactions between hosts and associated microbial communities can fundamentally shape the development and ecology of 'holobionts', from humans to marine habitat-forming organisms such as seaweeds. In marine systems, planktonic microbial community structure is mainly driven by geography and related environmental factors, but the large-scale drivers of host-associated microbial communities are largely unknown. Using 16S-rRNA gene sequencing, we characterized 260 seaweed-associated bacterial and archaeal communities on the kelp Ecklonia radiata from three biogeographical provinces spanning 10° of latitude and 35° of longitude across the Australian continent. These phylogenetically and taxonomically diverse communities were more strongly and consistently associated with host condition than geographical location or environmental variables, and a 'core' microbial community characteristic of healthy kelps appears to be lost when hosts become stressed. Microbial communities on stressed individuals were more similar to each other among locations than those on healthy hosts. In contrast to biogeographical patterns of planktonic marine microbial communities, host traits emerge as critical determinants of associated microbial community structure of these holobionts, even at a continental scale. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Effects of Shoaling Internal Tides on Benthic Exchange Events and Near-Boundary Mixing Along the Continental Shelf

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

BLANK xv LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS PISCO Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans ISW Internal Solitary Waves ITB ...shows how shoaling internal waves are also a vital instrument for transporting nutrients to inner shelf kelp ecosystems. As Internal Tidal Bores ( ITBs ...an internal tidal bore. As the ITB continues to propagate shoreward, the subsequent flood tide will assists in the propagation process. Under

NDVI and Panchromatic Image Correlation Using Texture Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

6 Figure 5. Spectral reflectance of vegetation and soil from 0.4 to 1.1 mm (From Perry...should help the classification methods to be able to classify kelp. Figure 5. Spectral reflectance of vegetation and soil from 0.4 to 1.1 mm...1988). Image processing software for imaging spectrometry analysis. Remote Sensing of Enviroment , 24: 201–210. Perry, C., & Lautenschlager, L. F

Canopy-forming seaweeds in urchin-dominated systems in eastern Canada: structuring forces or simple prey for keystone grazers?

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Caitlin Blain

Full Text Available Models of benthic community dynamics for the extensively studied, shallow rocky ecosystems in eastern Canada emphasize kelp-urchin interactions. These models may bias the perception of factors and processes that structure communities, for they largely overlook the possible contribution of other seaweeds to ecosystem resilience. We examined the persistence of the annual, acidic (H2SO4, brown seaweed Desmarestia viridis in urchin barrens at two sites in Newfoundland (Canada throughout an entire growth season (February to October. We also compared changes in epifaunal assemblages in D. viridis and other conspicuous canopy-forming seaweeds, the non-acidic conspecific Desmarestia aculeata and kelp Agarum clathratum. We show that D. viridis can form large canopies within the 2-to-8 m depth range that represent a transient community state termed "Desmarestia bed". The annual resurgence of Desmarestia beds and continuous occurrence of D. aculeata and A. clathratum, create biological structure for major recruitment pulses in invertebrate and fish assemblages (e.g. from quasi-absent gastropods to >150,000 recruits kg(-1 D. viridis. Many of these pulses phase with temperature-driven mass release of acid to the environment and die-off in D. viridis. We demonstrate experimentally that the chemical makeup of D. viridis and A. clathratum helps retard urchin grazing compared to D. aculeata and the highly consumed kelp Alaria esculenta. In light of our findings and related studies, we propose fundamental changes to the study of community shifts in shallow, rocky ecosystems in eastern Canada. In particular, we advocate the need to regard certain canopy-forming seaweeds as structuring forces interfering with top-down processes, rather than simple prey for keystone grazers. We also propose a novel, empirical model of ecological interactions for D. viridis. Overall, our study underscores the importance of studying organisms together with cross-scale environmental

Comparison of concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites in bile of fishes from offshore oil platforms and natural reefs along the California coast

Science.gov (United States)

Gale, Robert W.; Tanner, Michael J.; Love, Milton S.; Nishimoto, Mary M.; Schroeder, Donna M.

2012-01-01

To determine the environmental consequences of decommissioning offshore oil platforms on local and regional fish populations, contaminant loads in reproducing adults were investigated at seven platform sites and adjacent, natural sites. Specimens of three species (Pacific sanddab, Citharichthys sordidus; kelp rockfish, Sebastes atrovirens; and kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus) residing at platforms and representing the regional background within the Santa Barbara Channel and within the San Pedro Basin were collected. Some of the most important contaminant classes related to oil operations are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) because of their potential toxicity and carcinogenicity. However, acute exposure cannot be related directly to PAH tissue concentrations because of rapid metabolism of the parent chemicals in fish; therefore, PAH metabolites in bile were measured, targeting free hydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) liberated by enzymatic hydrolysis of the bound PAH glucuronides and sulfates. An ion-pairing method was developed for confirmatory analysis that targeted PAH glucuronides and sulfates. Concentrations of hydroxylated PAHs in all samples (76 fish from platforms and 64 fish from natural sites) were low, ranging from less than the limits of detection (5 to 120 nanograms per milliliter bile; 0.03 to 42 nanograms per milligram protein) to a maximum of 320 nanograms per milliliter bile (32 nanograms per milligram protein). A previously proposed dosimeter of PAH exposure in fish, 1-hydroxypyrene, was not detected at any platform site. Low concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene were detected in 3 of 12 kelp rockfish collected from a natural reef site off Santa Barbara. The most prevalent OH-PAH, 2-hydroxyfluorene, was detected at low concentrations in seven fish of various species; of these, four were from two of the seven platform sites. The greatest concentrations of 2-hydroxyfluorene were found in three fish of various species from Platform Holly and were only

Evaluation of Food Freshness and Locality by Odor Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Koike, Takayuki; Shimada, Koji; Kamimura, Hironobu; Kaneki, Noriaki

The aim of this study was to investigate whether food freshness and locality can be classified using a food evaluation system consisting four SnO2-semiconductor gas sensors and a solid phase column, into which collecting aroma materials. The temperature of sensors was periodically changed to be in unsteady state and thus, the sensor information was increased. The parameters (in quefrency band) were extracted from sensor information using cepstrum analysis that enable to separate superimposed information on sinusoidal wave. The quefrency was used as parameters for principal component and discriminant analyses (PCA and DCA) to detect food freshness and food localities. We used three kinds of strawberries, people can perceive its odors, passed from one to three days after harvest, and kelps and Ceylon tea, people are hardly to perceive its odor, corrected from five areas as sample. Then, the deterioration of strawberries and localities of kelps and Ceylon teas were visually evaluated using the numerical analyses. While the deteriorations were classified using PCA or DCA, the localities were classified only by DCA. The findings indicate that, although odorant intensity influenced the method detecting food quality, the quefrency obtained from odorant information using cepstrum analysis were available to detect the difference in the freshness and the localities of foods.

Recovery of Durvillaea antarctica (Durvilleales) inside and outside Las Cruces Marine Reserve, Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Castilla, J C; Campo, M A; Bustamante, R H

2007-07-01

We present the results for over two decades of monitoring on intertidal food-gatherers and the population of the low rocky shore dweller kelp Durvillaea antarctica, a short-distance disperser, inside and outside the no-take marine reserve, Estacion Costera de Investigaciones Marinas (ECIM), at Las Cruces, central Chile. It was hypothesized that protection of an initially extremely depleted population would recover by recolonizing first the no-take area and then adjacent non-protected (exploited) areas. We found that recovery of D. antarctica occurred slowly inside ECIM, with increase in density and biomass, of up to three orders of magnitude as compared to an adjacent non-protected area, which showed approximately 2-yr delay. These results suggest that the kelp population inside ECIM was likely regulated via intraspecific competition, which did not occur outside. Results showed no evidence for juvenile vs. adult density dependence other than a weak relationship for the central area of ECIM. These findings also suggest that the population recovery and cross-boundary seeding subsides affected the population dynamics. Understanding these dynamics may enhance management and conservation policies. Our work highlights the critical value of baseline and long-term comparative studies in marine no-take protected and non-protected areas for understanding how population processes respond to human and conservation practices.

Fate of macrosarcocyst of Sarcocystis gigantea in sheep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. S. Al-Hyali1, E. R. Kennany2 and L.Y. Khalil1

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to detect the fate of macrosarcocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea in the tongue and eosophagus of naturally infected sheep, via collection of 25 samples, 10 of which showed calcification. The results showed presence of white different size grains on the wall of the pale eosophagus, in addition to presence of nodules containing white chalky materials and on cutting by knife produced grunting sound which indicated calcification. Histopathological results showed presence of granulomatous nodules that contained necrotic centers infiltration by inflammatory cells. Some of which were free from zoites in addition to presence of calcium salt precipitation, which represented dystrophic calcification. Eosinophilic myositis appeared in the tongue was associated with ruptured cyst and released zoites in muscular tissue. Some histological sections revealed ruptured macrocystis with thin wall deposited between muscle bundles. In conclusion, this study showed that the fate of macrocysts included the formation of granulomatous nodules associated with dystrophic calcification and dead zoites in eosophagous more than that in the tongue.

Growth rates of Haliotis rufescens and Haliotis discus hannai in tank culture systems in southern Chile (41.5°S

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Alfonso Mardones

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The increased activity of aquaculture in Chile involves cultivation of salmonids, oysters mussels and other species such, and to a lesser extent species such as red abalone (Haliotis rufescens and Japanese abalone (Haliotis discus hannai. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth rate of Haliotis rufescens and Haliotis discus hannai fed with different pellet based diets with Macrocystis sp. and Ulva sp., grown in ponds for 13 months. The results for both species denoted that there was an increase in length and biomass during experimental period, existing low growth rates during the austral winter (July-September and increase during the austral summer (December-January. Results are consistent with descriptions of literature that there is high rate of growth during the summer and using diet of brown algae. From the economic standpoint abalone farming would be an economically viable activity for local aquaculture, considering the water quality and food requirements.

Kelp gulls Larus dominicanus nest in Antarctica, at subantarctic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

spamer

mainly with fledging feathers, but with small amounts of down feathers, taken on 27 January 1993 at Ichaboe. Island, Namibia (26°17′S, 14°56′E). The chicks had dark feathers, with buff fringes on the scapulars, wing coverts and tail, and brown under- parts. That half of the bill nearest the tip was black, the iris dark brown ...

Intestinal spirochaetes (genus Brachyspira) colonise wild birds in the southern Atlantic region and Antarctica.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansson, Désirée S; Mushtaq, Memoona; Johansson, Karl-Erik; Bonnedahl, Jonas; Waldenström, Jonas; Andersson, Dan I; Broman, Tina; Berg, Charlotte; Olsen, Björn

2015-01-01

The genus Brachyspira contains well-known enteric pathogens of veterinary significance, suggested agents of colonic disease in humans, and one potentially zoonotic agent. There are recent studies showing that Brachyspira are more widespread in the wildlife community than previously thought. There are no records of this genus in wildlife from the southern Atlantic region and Antarctica. Our aim was therefore, to determine whether intestinal spirochaetes of genus Brachyspira colonise marine and coastal birds in this region. Faecal samples were collected from marine and coastal birds in the southern Atlantic region, including sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctica, in 2002, 2009, and 2012, with the aim to isolate and characterise zoonotic agents. In total, 205 samples from 11 bird species were selectively cultured for intestinal spirochaetes of genus Brachyspira. To identify isolates to species level, they were subjected to phenotyping, species-specific polymerase chain reactions, sequencing of partial 16S rRNA, NADH oxidase (nox), and tlyA genes, and phylogenetic analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed. Fourteen unique strains were obtained from 10 birds of three species: four snowy sheathbills (Chionis albus), three kelp geese (Chloephaga hybrida subsp. malvinarum), and three brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus subsp. lonnbergi) sampled on the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, South Georgia, South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Five Brachyspira strains were closely related to potentially enteropathogenic Brachyspira sp. of chickens: B. intermedia (n=2, from snowy sheathbills), and B. alvinipulli (n=3, from a kelp goose and two snowy sheathbills). Three strains from kelp geese were most similar to the presumed non-pathogenic species 'B. pulli' and B. murdochii, whereas the remaining six strains could not be attributed to currently known species. No isolates related to human strains were found. None of the tested

Intestinal spirochaetes (genus Brachyspira colonise wild birds in the southern Atlantic region and Antarctica

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Désirée S. Jansson

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The genus Brachyspira contains well-known enteric pathogens of veterinary significance, suggested agents of colonic disease in humans, and one potentially zoonotic agent. There are recent studies showing that Brachyspira are more widespread in the wildlife community than previously thought. There are no records of this genus in wildlife from the southern Atlantic region and Antarctica. Our aim was therefore, to determine whether intestinal spirochaetes of genus Brachyspira colonise marine and coastal birds in this region. Method: Faecal samples were collected from marine and coastal birds in the southern Atlantic region, including sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctica, in 2002, 2009, and 2012, with the aim to isolate and characterise zoonotic agents. In total, 205 samples from 11 bird species were selectively cultured for intestinal spirochaetes of genus Brachyspira. To identify isolates to species level, they were subjected to phenotyping, species-specific polymerase chain reactions, sequencing of partial 16S rRNA, NADH oxidase (nox, and tlyA genes, and phylogenetic analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed. Results: Fourteen unique strains were obtained from 10 birds of three species: four snowy sheathbills (Chionis albus, three kelp geese (Chloephaga hybrida subsp. malvinarum, and three brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus subsp. lonnbergi sampled on the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, South Georgia, South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Five Brachyspira strains were closely related to potentially enteropathogenic Brachyspira sp. of chickens: B. intermedia (n=2, from snowy sheathbills, and B. alvinipulli (n=3, from a kelp goose and two snowy sheathbills. Three strains from kelp geese were most similar to the presumed non-pathogenic species ‘B. pulli’ and B. murdochii, whereas the remaining six strains could not be attributed to currently known species. No isolates related to

Add-on conservation benefits of marine territorial user rights fishery policies in central Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Gelcich, Stefan; Godoy, Natalio; Prado, Luis; Castilla, Juan Carlos

2008-01-01

To combine the rational use of marine benthic resources and economic development of small-scale fishers, Chile passed legislation in 1991 establishing a comanagement policy that grants exclusive territorial user rights for fisheries (TURFs) to artisanal fisher organizations in well-defined inshore coastal areas, known as Management and Exploitation Areas for Benthic Resources (MEABRs). In general the policy has been proclaimed a management and economic success because benthic resource abundances have increased inside MEABRs in comparison with open-access areas. However, there is a lack of studies assessing the impact of this management policy on nontargeted subtidal species and community assemblages and the policy's implications for biodiversity and conservation. This study starts to fill this gap and links the allocation of TURFs for benthic resources with add-on conservation benefits for species that are not directly linked with the fishery policy. Comparative subtidal surveys inside vs. outside MEABRs were used to assess the effects of three MEABRs on managed targeted benthic species, biodiversity (species richness), and community assemblages in central Chile. Surveys focused exclusively on subtidal kelp forest habitats dominated by Lessonia trabeculata, spanning 4-12 m in depth and with similar levels of habitat complexity. The study comprised: (1) quantification of kelp forest complexity, (2) understory survey of sessile species, (3) quantification of conspicuous benthic macroinvertebrates, including those under management, and (4) quantification of reef-fish species inside the kelp habitat. Results showed population enhancement of target-managed invertebrates inside MEABRs. Moreover, reef-fish species were significantly more diverse and abundant inside MEABRs, and community assemblages of nontarget benthic invertebrates and reef fish were significantly different inside vs. outside MEABRs. The comanagement of inshore benthic resources in Chile, through MEABRs

تأثير الرش بالمغذيات الورقية ( Basfoliar Kelp و Fylloton في نمو صنفين من الباذنجان Solanum melongena L. وإنتاجهما

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علي حسن علي الزبيدي

2017-12-01

Full Text Available       نفذت التجربة في بيت زجاجي لأحد المزارعين في محافظة واسط/ الصويرة في الموسم الزراعي (2016 لغرض دراسة استجابة صنفين من الباذنجان للتغذية الورقية بمحلول (Basfoliar Kelp و Fylloton, وحللت النتائج وفق تصميم (CRD بترتيب الالواح المنشقة المنشقة  Split Split Plot , وكان العامل الأول يمثل صنفين من الباذنجان (برشلونة و ثريا وكان ضمن الالواح الرئيسة ,والعامل الثاني المغذيات الورقية ( Basfoliar Kelp و  Fylloton وكان في الألواح الثانوية, والعامل الثالث التراكيز المختلفة من المغذيات 0 , 2, 3 و4  غم/ لتر-1 الذي احتل الألواح تحت الثانوية . اظهرت النتائج بان للاصناف والمغذيات تاثيراً معنوياً في جميع الصفات المدروسة ,تميزت التوليفة المغذي الورقي Fylloton وبتركيز 3 غم /لتر-1 مع الصنف برشلونة بتسجيلها اعلى المعدلات لصفات, ارتفاع النبات 101.5 سم , المساحة الورقية 3976.4 سم2, عدد الثمار 29.9, وزن الثمار 171.2غم, الحاصل النبات الواحد 5.2 كغم, والوزن الجاف 167.5 غم.

HEAVY METALS LEVELS IN LARUS DOMINICANUS. CASE STUDY: COROA GRANDE MANGROVE, SEPETIBA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

OpenAIRE

Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

2011-01-01

Samples of liver and kidney of Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) collected on Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analysed for their copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, chromium and nickel content. All the analyses were made using the inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry method (ICP-OES). The investigation focused on the variability of the elements content in kidney and liver from a number of sampling seabirds and over different seasons. The results were interpreted using the analysis ...

Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism in a patient with a normal thyroid gland.

OpenAIRE

Shilo, S.; Hirsch, H. J.

1986-01-01

Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism can develop even in the presence of an otherwise normal gland. One of the less common sources of iodine is tablets of seaweed, sold over the counter without prescription. We report the case of a 72 year old female who developed clinical and laboratory evidence of hyperthyroidism while ingesting sea-kelp (Vitalia) tablets. Six months after stopping the tablets, the symptoms and laboratory evidence of hyperthyroidism had disappeared. No evidence of pre-existing th...

Essiac for cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

1998-07-01

An analysis of a mixture of herbs in Essiac, an alternative-medicine anti-cancer therapy, has shown it contains a variety of compounds which have antioxidant activity as well as the ability to block cell growth. The Essiac mixture contains burdock root, Indian rhubarb, sheep sorrel, inner bark of slippery elm, watercress, blessed thistle, red clover, and kelp. A review of patients taking Essiac shows that there was no obvious toxicity. Clinical trials are recommended to determine Essiac's efficacy.

The effects of a spillage of diesel fuel on a rocky shore in the sub-Antarctic region (Macquarie Island)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simpson, R.D.; Smith, S.D.A.; Pople, A.R. [University of New England, Armidale (Australia). Dept. of Zoology

1995-04-01

On 3 December 1987, the supply ship Nella Dan ran aground at Macquarie island (54{sup o}29`S. 158{sup o}58`E) releasing about 270 000 1 of oil, mostly light marine diesel, into the sea. At the time of the incident, many marine invertebrates were washed up dead along 2 km of shoreline. Twelve months later, the shore community was investigated using (1) algal and invertebrate populations of the littoral and sublittoral rocky shore, and (2) the invertebrate communities living in the holdfasts of the giant kelp Durvillaea antarctica, which were collected for later examination. Investigations were undertaken at both affected and control locations. Analyses of differences in community structure involved nested ANOVA and multi-dimensional scaling techniques. On the rocky substrate, the effect of the spill was restricted to some biota of the lower littoral and sublittoral zones -particularly echinoderms and the patellid limpet Nacella macquariensis. There were differences in cover for some algal species between locations. Within the kelp holdfasts, communities were dominated by peracarid crustaceans at control locations and by polychaetes (particularly the opportunistic groups - capitellids, cirratulids and spionids) at oil-affected locations. The communities have recently been re-surveyed (in the summer of 1994-95) to assist in the interpretation of the results and to gauge the extent of recovery of the affected biota. (author)

The effects of a spillage of diesel fuel on a rocky shore in the sub-Antarctic region (Macquarie Island)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, R.D.; Smith, S.D.A.; Pople, A.R.

1995-01-01

On 3 December 1987, the supply ship Nella Dan ran aground at Macquarie island (54 o 29'S. 158 o 58'E) releasing about 270 000 1 of oil, mostly light marine diesel, into the sea. At the time of the incident, many marine invertebrates were washed up dead along 2 km of shoreline. Twelve months later, the shore community was investigated using (1) algal and invertebrate populations of the littoral and sublittoral rocky shore, and (2) the invertebrate communities living in the holdfasts of the giant kelp Durvillaea antarctica, which were collected for later examination. Investigations were undertaken at both affected and control locations. Analyses of differences in community structure involved nested ANOVA and multi-dimensional scaling techniques. On the rocky substrate, the effect of the spill was restricted to some biota of the lower littoral and sublittoral zones -particularly echinoderms and the patellid limpet Nacella macquariensis. There were differences in cover for some algal species between locations. Within the kelp holdfasts, communities were dominated by peracarid crustaceans at control locations and by polychaetes (particularly the opportunistic groups - capitellids, cirratulids and spionids) at oil-affected locations. The communities have recently been re-surveyed (in the summer of 1994-95) to assist in the interpretation of the results and to gauge the extent of recovery of the affected biota. (author)

Direct bioconversion of brown algae into ethanol by thermophilic bacterium Defluviitalea phaphyphila.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Shi-Qi; Wang, Bing; Lu, Ming; Li, Fu-Li

2016-01-01

Brown algae are promising feedstocks for biofuel production with inherent advantages of no structural lignin, high growth rate, and no competition for land and fresh water. However, it is difficult for one microorganism to convert all components of brown algae with different oxidoreduction potentials to ethanol. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 is the first characterized thermophilic bacterium capable of direct utilization of brown algae. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 can simultaneously utilize mannitol, glucose, and alginate to produce ethanol, and high ethanol yields of 0.47 g/g-mannitol, 0.44 g/g-glucose, and 0.3 g/g-alginate were obtained. A rational redox balance system under obligate anaerobic condition in fermenting brown algae was revealed in D. phaphyphila Alg1 through genome and redox analysis. The excess reducing equivalents produced from mannitol metabolism were equilibrated by oxidizing forces from alginate assimilation. Furthermore, D. phaphyphila Alg1 can directly utilize unpretreated kelp powder, and 10 g/L of ethanol was accumulated within 72 h with an ethanol yield of 0.25 g/g-kelp. Microscopic observation further demonstrated the deconstruction process of brown algae cell by D. phaphyphila Alg1. The integrated biomass deconstruction system of D. phaphyphila Alg1, as well as its high ethanol yield, provided us an excellent alternative for brown algae bioconversion at elevated temperature.

Recolonization of the intertidal and shallow subtidal community following the 2008 eruption of Alaska's Kasatochi Volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Jewett, S. C.; Drew, G. S.

2014-03-01

The intertidal and nearshore benthic communities of Kasatochi Island are described following a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 2008. Prior to the eruption, the island was surrounded by a dense bed of canopy-forming dragon kelp Eualaria fistulosa which supported a productive nearshore community. The eruption extended the coastline of the island approximately 400 m offshore to roughly the 20 m isobath. One year following the eruption a reconnaissance survey found the intertidal zone devoid of life. Subtidally, the canopy kelp, as well as limited understory algal species and associated benthic fauna on the hard substratum, were buried by debris from the eruption. The resulting substrate was comprised almost entirely of medium and coarse sands with a depauperate benthic community. Comparisons of habitat and biological communities with other nearby Aleutian Islands and the Icelandic submarine volcanic eruption of Surtsey confirm dramatic reductions in flora and fauna consistent with the initial stages of recovery from a large-scale disturbance event. Four and five years following the eruption brief visits revealed dramatic intertidal and subtidal recolonization of the flora and fauna in some areas. Signs of nesting and fledging of young pigeon guillemots Cepphus columba suggest that the recovery of the nearshore biota may have begun affecting higher trophic levels. Recolonization or lack thereof was tied to bathymetric changes from coastal and nearshore erosion over the study period.

Recolonization of the intertidal and shallow subtidal community following the 2008 eruption of Alaska’s Kasatochi Volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Jewett, S.C.; Drew, Gary S.

2014-01-01

The intertidal and nearshore benthic communities of Kasatochi Island are described following a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 2008. Prior to the eruption, the island was surrounded by a dense bed of canopy-forming dragon kelp Eualaria fistulosa which supported a productive nearshore community. The eruption extended the coastline of the island approximately 400 m offshore to roughly the 20 m isobath. One year following the eruption a reconnaissance survey found the intertidal zone devoid of life. Subtidally, the canopy kelp, as well as limited understory algal species and associated benthic fauna on the hard substratum, were buried by debris from the eruption. The resulting substrate was comprised almost entirely of medium and coarse sands with a depauperate benthic community. Comparisons of habitat and biological communities with other nearby Aleutian Islands and the Icelandic submarine volcanic eruption of Surtsey confirm dramatic reductions in flora and fauna consistent with the initial stages of recovery from a large-scale disturbance event. Four and five years following the eruption brief visits revealed dramatic intertidal and subtidal recolonization of the flora and fauna in some areas. Signs of nesting and fledging of young pigeon guillemots Cepphus columba suggest that the recovery of the nearshore biota may have begun affecting higher trophic levels. Recolonization or lack thereof was tied to bathymetric changes from coastal and nearshore erosion over the study period.

Predicting Outcome in Patients with Work-Related Upper Extremity Disorders: A Prospective Study of Medical, Physical, Ergonomic, and Psychosocial Risk Factors

Science.gov (United States)

1999-06-08

llj ’· ; I’i’· I 1,,·Jf!111 ; I I ! ! I! J...or burMning my c:o-warura.• ..... .,." ....nIt 331) •• CIIft’t .... off tarn work ...... , need tD kelp my lIOII tD lw.rilclllDnllnd wart.IIIICh.’ can...II) ,... 11.._ -.,,.... ,.. ., .... .......---- 1•••••...."_.... _ c .... _Au ]nfIIt ___ Ata.... lIJ·)1 i iiiIII j ii,III ,~ ii)IJJ I ii, llJ

Modelling the extinction of Steller's sea cow

OpenAIRE

Turvey, S.T; Risley, C.L

2005-01-01

Steller's sea cow, a giant sirenian discovered in 1741 and extinct by 1768, is one of the few megafaunal mammal species to have died out during the historical period. The species is traditionally considered to have been exterminated by ‘blitzkrieg’-style direct overharvesting for food, but it has also been proposed that its extinction resulted from a sea urchin population explosion triggered by extirpation of local sea otter populations that eliminated the shallow-water kelps on which sea cow...

The Role of Fungi in Marine Detrital Processes

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghukumar, S.

Biology 91, 337-344. Chandrasekhar, K.R., Sridhar, K.R., Kaveriappa, K.M., 1989. Palatability of rubber leaves colonized by aquatic hyphomycetes. Archives fuer Hydrobiology 115, 361-369. Crosby, M.P., Langdon, C.J., Newell, R.I.E., Importance... in coastal water. Marine Ecology Progress Series 189, 27- 33. Koop, K.,R.C., Newell and M.I. Lucas. 1982. Biodegradation and carbon flow based on kelp (Ecklonia maxima) debris in a sandy beach microcosm. Mar. Ecol. Prog.Ser. 7: 315-326. Kostalos, M. and R...

Chemosensory induced bradycardia in the kelp crab, Pugettia producta (Randall)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmer, R.K.; Cook, D.P.; Case, J.F.

1979-01-01

Bradycardia was induced in specimens of Pugettia producta (Randall) by chemical stimulation of the branchial chamber with synthetic clam extract. Chemical stimulation of the dactyls, antennules, and mouthparts did not effect cardiac inhibition. Stimulation of the branchial chamber with amino acids and sugars evoked cardiac inhibition that was significantly greater than that induced by sea-water controls. Of the sugars tested, disaccharides were generally found to have a greater capacity to induce bradycardia than monosaccharides. The possibility of a disaccharide or polysaccharide receptor is discussed. Taurine and ..beta..-alanine induced bradycardia was significantly greater than that effected by other amino acids. All tested amino acids were, however, at least mildly effective (P<0.10); thus it appears that several types of amino-acid receptors are likely to exist. Response amplitude, a measure of the relative change in heart rate over the first 15 sec following initial stimulus application, and response duration were found to be positively correlated. In addition, both amplitude and duration were found to depend on the concentration and type of chemical used as stimulus. Stimulation of the branchial chamber with water-soluble petroleum fraction (20-25 ppm) also induced bradycardia. It appears that the mode of action of the water-soluble petroleum fraction mimics that of other tested amino-acid and sugar solutions. From these results and from observations described by other investigators, it is apparent that the branchial chamber is a major chemoreceptive site in decapod crustaceans.

Macroalgae contribute to nested mosaics of pH variability in a subarctic fjord

KAUST Repository

Krause-Jensen, D.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Hendriks, I. E.; Meire, L.; Blicher, M. E.; Marbà , N.; Sejr, M. K.

2015-01-01

The Arctic Ocean is considered the most vulnerable ecosystem to ocean acidification, and large-scale assessments of pH and the saturation state for aragonite (Ωarag) have led to the notion that the Arctic Ocean is already close to a corrosive state. In high-latitude coastal waters the regulation of pH and Ωarag is, however, far more complex than offshore because increased biological activity and input of glacial meltwater affect pH. Effects of ocean acidification on calcifiers and non-calcifying phototrophs occupying coastal habitats cannot be derived from extrapolation of current and forecasted offshore conditions, but they require an understanding of the regimes of pH and Ωarag in their coastal habitats. To increase knowledge of the natural variability in pH in the Arctic coastal zone and specifically to test the influence of benthic vegetated habitats, we quantified pH variability in a Greenland fjord in a nested-scale approach. A sensor array logging pH, O2, PAR, temperature and salinity was applied on spatial scales ranging from kilometre scale across the horizontal extension of the fjord; to 100 m scale vertically in the fjord, 10–100 m scale between subtidal habitats with and without kelp forests and between vegetated tidal pools and adjacent vegetated shores; and to centimetre to metre scale within kelp forests and millimetre scale across diffusive boundary layers of macrophyte tissue. In addition, we assessed the temporal variability in pH on diurnal and seasonal scales. Based on pH measurements combined with point samples of total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and relationships to salinity, we also estimated variability in Ωarag. Results show variability in pH and Ωarag of up to 0.2–0.3 units at several scales, i.e. along the horizontal and vertical extension of the fjord, between seasons and on a diel basis in benthic habitats and within 1 m3 of kelp forest. Vegetated intertidal pools exhibited extreme diel pH variability of > 1.5 units

Do larval supply and recruitment vary among chemosynthetic environments of the deep sea?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Metaxas

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The biological communities that inhabit chemosynthetic environments exist in an ephemeral and patchily distributed habitat with unique physicochemical properties that lead to high endemicity. Consequently, the maintenance and recovery from perturbation of the populations in these habitats is, arguably, mainly regulated by larval supply and recruitment. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: WE USE DATA FROM THE PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE TO: (1 compare the magnitudes of and variability in larval supply and settlement and recruitment at hydrothermal vents, seeps, and whale, wood and kelp falls; (2 explore factors that affect these life history processes, when information is available; and (3 explore taxonomic affinities in the recruit assemblages of the different chemosynthetic habitats, using multivariate statistical techniques. Larval supply at vents can vary across segments by several orders of magnitude for gastropods; for bivalves, supply is similar at vents on different segments, and at cold seeps. The limited information on larval development suggests that dispersal potential may be highest for molluscs from cold seeps, intermediate for siboglinids at vents and lowest for the whale-bone siboglinid Osedax. Settlement is poorly studied and only at vents and seeps, but tends to be highest near an active source of emanating fluid in both habitats. Rate of recruitment at vents is more variable among studies within a segment than among segments. Across different chemosynthetic habitats, recruitment rate of bivalves is much more variable than that of gastropods and polychaetes. Total recruitment rate ranges only between 0.1 and 1 ind dm(-2 d(-1 across all chemosynthetic habitats, falling above rates in the non-reducing deep sea. The recruit assemblages at vents, seeps and kelp falls have lower taxonomic breadth, and include more families and genera that have many species more closely related to each other than those at whale and wood

Macroalgae contribute to nested mosaics of pH variability in a subarctic fjord

KAUST Repository

Krause-Jensen, D.

2015-08-19

The Arctic Ocean is considered the most vulnerable ecosystem to ocean acidification, and large-scale assessments of pH and the saturation state for aragonite (Ωarag) have led to the notion that the Arctic Ocean is already close to a corrosive state. In high-latitude coastal waters the regulation of pH and Ωarag is, however, far more complex than offshore because increased biological activity and input of glacial meltwater affect pH. Effects of ocean acidification on calcifiers and non-calcifying phototrophs occupying coastal habitats cannot be derived from extrapolation of current and forecasted offshore conditions, but they require an understanding of the regimes of pH and Ωarag in their coastal habitats. To increase knowledge of the natural variability in pH in the Arctic coastal zone and specifically to test the influence of benthic vegetated habitats, we quantified pH variability in a Greenland fjord in a nested-scale approach. A sensor array logging pH, O2, PAR, temperature and salinity was applied on spatial scales ranging from kilometre scale across the horizontal extension of the fjord; to 100 m scale vertically in the fjord, 10–100 m scale between subtidal habitats with and without kelp forests and between vegetated tidal pools and adjacent vegetated shores; and to centimetre to metre scale within kelp forests and millimetre scale across diffusive boundary layers of macrophyte tissue. In addition, we assessed the temporal variability in pH on diurnal and seasonal scales. Based on pH measurements combined with point samples of total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and relationships to salinity, we also estimated variability in Ωarag. Results show variability in pH and Ωarag of up to 0.2–0.3 units at several scales, i.e. along the horizontal and vertical extension of the fjord, between seasons and on a diel basis in benthic habitats and within 1 m3 of kelp forest. Vegetated intertidal pools exhibited extreme diel pH variability of > 1.5 units

Biología, distribución e integración del alga alóctona Undaria pinnatifida (Laminariales, Phaeophyta en las comunidades bentónicas de las costas de Galicia (NW de la Península Ibérica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cremades Ugarte, Javier

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Undaria pinnatifida is an Asian seaweed that is valuable as an edible species. This kelp was first reported for Spain in the 1980s on Galician coasts, where it is now widely distributed and incorporated into the native community. In Galicia, intertidal populations of the sporophytic phase typically inhabit sites under moderate wave-exposure in the early spring, albeit they can be found throughout the year as the species displays at least two recruitment periods per year. The morphology varies between individuals and depends strongly on the spatiotemporal pattern of environmental conditions. The chronology of the introduction of this species and the types of habitat where it is currently integrated on Galician coasts clearly reveal that the presence and local expansion of this kelp is influenced largely by human activities, mainly shellfish aquaculture and maritime traffic. U. pinnatifida has a slow natural expansion, limited aggressiveness and it temporarily fills empty niches; this kelp displays luxuriant growth only on artificial substrates or in otherwise disturbed communities.Undaria pinnatifida es una especie asiática de gran interés económico como alga alimentaria que en la década de los ochenta apareció por primera vez en España en las costas de Galicia, donde actualmente se encuentra ampliamente distribuida y naturalizada. Las poblaciones intermareales de los esporófitos de esta especie en la costa gallega son propias de localidades moderadamente expuestas a la acción del oleaje, siendo muy notorias a principios de primavera; aunque pueden encontrarse casi todoel año, al existir al menos dos períodos anuales de reclutamiento. La morfología de los ejemplares que las forman es muy variable y está fuertemente relacionada con las variaciones espaciotemporales de las condiciones ambientales. Analizando la cronología de su introducción en Galicia y los hábitats y tipos de comunidades en las que se integra, se observa claramente

Effects of organic loading rate on biogas production from macroalgae: Performance and microbial community structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Meng-Ting; Fan, Xiao-Lei; Zhao, Xiao-Xian; Fu, Shan-Fei; He, Shuai; Manasa, M R K; Guo, Rong-Bo

2017-07-01

Macroalgae biomass has been considered as a promising feedstock for biogas production. In order to improve the efficiency of anaerobic digestion (AD) of macroalgae, semi-continuous fermentation was conducted to examine the effects of organic loading rate (OLR) on biogas production from Macrocystis pyrifer. Results showed that, under OLRs of 1.37, 2.74, 4.12 and 6.85kgVS substrate /(m 3 ·d), the average unit biogas yields were 438.9, 477.3, 480.1 and 188.7mL/(gVS substrate d), respectively. It indicated that biogas production was promoted by the increased OLR in an appropriate range while inhibited by the OLR beyond the appropriate range. The investigation on physical-chemical parameters revealed that unfavorable VFAs concentration, pH and salinity might be the main causes for system failure due to the overrange OLR, while the total phenols failed to reach the inhibitory concentration. Microbial community analysis demonstrated that several bacterial and archaeal phyla altered with increase in OLR apparently. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extensive geographic and ontogenetic variation characterizes the trophic ecology of a temperate reef fish on southern California (USA) rocky reefs

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Scott L.; Caselle, Jennifer E.; Lantz, Coulson A.; Egloff, Tiana L.; Kondo, Emi; Newsome, Seth D.; Loke-Smith, Kerri; Pondella, Daniel J.; Young, Kelly A.; Lowe, Christopher G.

2015-01-01

Interactions between predator and prey act to shape the structure of ecological communities, and these interactions can differ across space. California sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher are common predators of benthic invertebrates in kelp beds and rocky reefs in southern California, USA. Through gut content and stable isotope (δ13C and †15N) analyses, we investigated geographic and ontogenetic variation in trophic ecology across 9 populations located at island and mainland sites throughout southern California. We found extensive geographic variation in California sheephead diet composition over small spatial scales. Populations differed in the proportion of sessile filter/suspension feeders or mobile invertebrates in the diet. Spatial variation in diet was highly correlated with other life history and demographic traits (e.g. growth, survivorship, reproductive condition, and energy storage), in addition to proxies of prey availability from community surveys. Multivariate descriptions of the diet from gut contents roughly agreed with the spatial groupings of sites based on stable isotope analysis of both California sheephead and their prey. Ontogenetic changes in diet occurred consistently across populations, despite spatial differences in size structure. As California sheephead increase in size, diets shift from small filter feeders, like bivalves, to larger mobile invertebrates, such as sea urchins. Our results indicate that locations with large California sheephead present, such as many marine reserves, may experience increased predation pressure on sea urchins, which could ultimately affect kelp persistence. PMID:26246648

Christchurch Bay Tower data archive. Principal report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, J.R.

1998-05-01

Wave force experiments at the Christchurch Bay Tower yielded valuable data on wave forces on cylinders under the complex flows experienced in real sea conditions. The last experiments were conducted in 1987, but the data remain an important source of information on the wave forces on cylinders, together with the measured wave particle kinematics. The use of two columns with different diameters enabled the studies to extend over a large range of Keulegan Carpenter numbers and Reynolds numbers. The experiments included clean vertical and horizontal cylinders, cylinders with real kelp fouling, with simulated hard roughness and a flexible cylinder. Considerable effort was devoted to quality control of the measured data. The experiments were funded mainly by the UK Department of Energy, and ownership of the results has now been transferred to the Offshore Safety Division of the Health and Safety Executive. They have now commissioned the archiving of a set of important records from the experiments, covering clean cylinders, kelp fouling, hard roughness and a horizontal cylinder. The purpose is to make the data available for future work on wave loadings and the related wave particle kinematics. The raw measured data are not usable without specialist decoding, calibration and certain pre-processing tasks. So, in this archiving work, the data have been processed into parameters such as 2 axis forces and 3 axis wave kinematics. As a result of this archiving project the data are available on CD ROM. (author)

Augmentative biocontrol in natural marine habitats: persistence, spread and non-target effects of the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Atalah

Full Text Available Augmentative biocontrol aims to control established pest populations through enhancement of their indigenous enemies. To our knowledge, this approach has not been applied at an operational scale in natural marine habitats, in part because of the perceived risk of adverse non-target effects on native ecosystems. In this paper, we focus on the persistence, spread and non-target effects of the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus when used as biocontrol agent to eradicate an invasive kelp from Fiordland, New Zealand. Rocky reef macrobenthic assemblages were monitored over 17 months in areas where the indigenous algal canopy was either removed or left intact prior to the translocation of a large number of urchins (>50 ind.·m(-2. Urchin densities in treated areas significantly declined ∼9 months after transplant, and began spreading to adjacent sites. At the end of the 17-month study, densities had declined to ∼5 ind.·m(-2. Compared to controls, treatment sites showed persistent shifts from kelp forest to urchin barrens, which were accompanied by significant reductions in taxa richness. Although these non-target effects were pronounced, they were considered to be localised and reversible, and arguably outweigh the irreversible and more profound ecological impacts associated with the establishment of an invasive species in a region of high conservation value. Augmentative biocontrol, used in conjunction with traditional control methods, represents a promising tool for the integrated management of marine pests.

THE LESSONIA NIGRESCENS SPECIES COMPLEX (LAMINARIALES, PHAEOPHYCEAE) SHOWS STRICT PARAPATRY AND COMPLETE REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION IN A SECONDARY CONTACT ZONE(1).

Science.gov (United States)

Tellier, Florence; Tapia, Javier; Faugeron, Sylvain; Destombe, Christophe; Valero, Myriam

2011-08-01

During secondary contact between phylogenetically closely related species (sibling species) having diverged in allopatry, the maintenance of species integrity depends on intrinsic and extrinsic reproductive barriers. In kelps (Phaeophyceae), the observations of hybrids in laboratory conditions suggest that reproductive isolation is incomplete. However, not all interspecific crosses are successful, and very few hybrids have been observed in nature, despite the co-occurrence of many kelp species in sympatry. This suggests that there are reproductive barriers that maintain species integrity. In this study, we characterized the fine genetic structure of a secondary contact zone to clarify the extent of reproductive isolation between two sister species. In Lessonia nigrescens Bory (Laminariales, Phaeophyta) species complex, two cryptic species have been recently found out from gene phylogenies, and-waiting for a formal taxonomic description-we used their geographic distribution to name them (northern and southern species). We studied 12 populations, distributed along 50 km of coastline, and employed two molecular approaches, assigning individuals to phylogenetic species according to a diagnostic mitochondrial marker (351 individuals analyzed) and quantifying interspecific gene flow with four microsatellite markers (248 individuals analyzed). No hybridization or introgression was revealed, indicating complete reproductive isolation in natural conditions. Unexpectedly, our study demonstrated that the two species were strictly segregated in space. This absence of co-occurrence along the contact zone can partially explain the lack of hybridization, raising new interesting questions as to the mechanisms that limit sympatry at small spatial scales. © 2011 Phycological Society of America.

Speculations on niches occupied by fungi in the sea with relation to bacteria

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghukumar, S.

Yt.1JnJlTl-~.{l..::,'1-r'<.:nhdait,l()lJC::5 ~:§~~~qJ:onoon:=Br«:scttff~i~lt~9~~i)j-=-.T-~-=~~"-.------------------------------------------------------------------- --;;~~,Fell J Wino Master I M'1980 TheaSsOciafioii-aiid-potel1tfanoli--"of(ungi"u(~ngfoV:e-'de... of thraustochytrids and their subsequent growth within the cell lumen. Miller and Jones (1983) have observed thraustochytrids within the kelp, Fucus serratus L. Inspite of numerous reports, detailed studies on the role of thraustochytrids in the decomposition...

Ecosystem pressures: Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Dunga, LVA

2017-06-01

Full Text Available is fundamental to the assessment of their ecosystem condition and is important for their spatial management, particularly in the face of changing climates (Figure 3a&b&c). • In South Africa Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida constitute the dominant forest... maxima and Laminaria pallida Authors: L.V.A Dunga, L.K. Blamey, M.D. Rothman, M. Lück-Vogel, K. Sink & J.J. Bolton • To synthesize a national occurrence map of the South African kelp forest, improving on that generated by Anderson et al. (2007) • Measure...

Description of the Benguela ecology programme 1982-1986

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

SANCOR

1981-03-01

Full Text Available , are abundant and, in turn, they sustain dense populations of rock-lobsters. The rock-lobsters are an important economic resource, the total annual take accounting for some R30 000 000, largely in foreign exchange earnings. In certain areas the 3 rock-lobster... fluctuations of these populations? C.4 What are the natural dynamics of these populations? 10 Current projects Key questions Institution * Benguela Inshore Ecosystems Cl ,C4 UCT Kelp Population Dynamics C2,C4 SFI Lobster Population Dynamics C2,C4 SFI...

Scales and sources of pH and dissolved oxygen variability in a shallow, upwelling-driven ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, C. A.; Martz, T.; Levin, L. A.

2011-12-01

In the coastal zone extreme variability in carbonate chemistry and oxygen is driven by fluctuations in temperature, salinity, air-sea gas exchange, mixing processes, and biology. This variability appears to be magnified in upwelling-driven ecosystems where low oxygen and low pH waters intrude into shallow depths. The oxygen and carbon chemistry signal can be further confounded by highly productive ecosystems such as kelp beds where photosynthesis and respiration consume and release significant amounts of dissolved inorganic carbon and oxygen. This variability poses a challenge for scientists assessing the impacts of climate change on nearshore ecosystems. We deployed physical & biogeochemical sensors in order to observe these processes in situ. The "SeapHOx" instruments used in this study consist of a modified Honeywell Durafet° ISFET pH sensor, an Aanderra Optode Oxygen sensor, and a SBE-37 conductivity, temperature, pressure sensor. The instruments were deployed on and around the La Jolla Kelp Forest at a variety of depths. Our goals were to (a) characterize the link between pH and oxygen and identify the magnitude of pH and oxygen variability over a range of intra-annual time scales and (b) investigate spatial patterns of pH and oxygen variability associated with depth, proximity to shore, and presence of kelp. Results thus far reveal a strong relationship between oxygen and pH. Temporal variability is greatest at the semidiurnal frequency where pH (at 7 m) can range up to 0.3 units and oxygen can change 50% over 6 h. Diurnal variability is a combination of the diurnal tidal component and diel cycles of production and respiration. Event-scale dynamics associated with upwelling can maintain pH and oxygen below 7.8 units and 200 μmol kg-1, respectively, for multiple days. Frequent current reversals drive changes in the observed oxygen and pH variability. When alongshore currents are flowing southward, driven by upwelling-favorable winds, the magnitude of

Variation in patterns of metal accumulation in thallus parts of Lessonia trabeculata (Laminariales; Phaeophyceae: implications for biomonitoring.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio A Sáez

Full Text Available Seaweeds are well known to concentrate metals from seawater and have been employed as monitors of metal pollution in coastal waters and estuaries. However, research showing that various intrinsic and extrinsic factors can influence metal accumulation, raises doubts about the basis for using seaweeds in biomonitoring programmes. The thallus of brown seaweeds of the order Laminariales (kelps is morphologically complex but there is limited information about the variation in metal accumulation between the different parts, which might result in erroneous conclusions being drawn if not accounted for in the biomonitoring protocol. To assess patterns of individual metals in the differentiated parts of the thallus (blade, stipe, holdfast, concentrations of a wide range of essential and non-essential metals (Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Ni and Al were measured in the kelp Lessonia trabeculata. Seaweeds were collected from three sampling stations located at 5, 30 and 60 m from an illegal sewage outfall close to Ventanas, Chile and from a pristine location at Faro Curaumilla. For the majority of metals the highest concentrations in bottom sediment and seaweed samples were found at the site closest to the outfall, with concentrations decreasing with distance from the outfall and at control stations; the exception was Cd, concentrations of which were higher at control stations. The patterns of metal concentrations in different thallus parts were metal specific and independent of sampling station. These results and the available literature suggest that biomonitoring of metals using seaweeds must take account of differences in the accumulation of metals in thallus parts of complex seaweeds.

Christchurch Bay Tower data archive. Quality assurance report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, J.R.

1998-05-01

Wave force experiments at the Christchurch Bay Tower yielded valuable data on wave forces on cylinders under the complex flows experienced in real sea conditions. The last experiments were conducted in 1987, but the data remain an important source of information on the wave forces on cylinders, together with the measured wave particle kinematics. The use of two columns with different diameters enabled the studies to extend over a large range of Keulegan Carpenter numbers and Reynolds numbers. The experiments included clean vertical and horizontal cylinders, cylinders with real kelp fouling, with simulated hard roughness and a flexible cylinder. Considerable effort was devoted to quality control of the measured data. The experiments were funded mainly by the UK Department of Energy, and ownership of the results has now been transferred to the Offshore Safety Division of the Health and Safety Executive. They have now commissioned the archiving of a set of important records from the experiments, covering clean cylinders, kelp fouling, hard roughness and a horizontal cylinder. The purpose is to make the data available for future work on wave loadings and the related wave particle kinematics. This Quality Assurance (QA) Report is the second of three reports and provides sets of graphical and tabular outputs for each of the 20 minute records which have been processed in this archiving work. The first report is the Principal Report and needs to be used in conjunction with this QA Report. The third report is a User Manual, which is a guide to extraction of the data from the CD ROMs. (author)

Evidence of bottom-up limitations in nearshore marine systems based on otolith proxies of fish growth

Science.gov (United States)

von Biela, Vanessa R.; Kruse, Gordon H.; Mueter, Franz J.; Black, Bryan A.; Douglas, David C.; Helser, Thomas E.; Zimmerman, Christian E.

2015-01-01

Fish otolith growth increments were used as indices of annual production at nine nearshore sites within the Alaska Coastal Current (downwelling region) and California Current (upwelling region) systems (~36–60°N). Black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) and kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) were identified as useful indicators in pelagic and benthic nearshore food webs, respectively. To examine the support for bottom-up limitations, common oceanographic indices of production [sea surface temperature (SST), upwelling, and chlorophyll-a concentration] during summer (April–September) were compared to spatial and temporal differences in fish growth using linear mixed models. The relationship between pelagic black rockfish growth and SST was positive in the cooler Alaska Coastal Current and negative in the warmer California Current. These contrasting growth responses to SST among current systems are consistent with the optimal stability window hypothesis in which pelagic production is maximized at intermediate levels of water column stability. Increased growth rates of black rockfish were associated with higher chlorophyll concentrations in the California Current only, but black rockfish growth was unrelated to the upwelling index in either current system. Benthic kelp greenling growth rates were positively associated with warmer temperatures and relaxation of downwelling (upwelling index near zero) in the Alaska Coastal Current, while none of the oceanographic indices were related to their growth in the California Current. Overall, our results are consistent with bottom-up forcing of nearshore marine ecosystems—light and nutrients constrain primary production in pelagic food webs, and temperature constrains benthic food webs.

Preface: Remote Sensing in Coastal Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak R. Mishra

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The Special Issue (SI on “Remote Sensing in Coastal Environments” presents a wide range of articles focusing on a variety of remote sensing models and techniques to address coastal issues and processes ranging for wetlands and water quality to coral reefs and kelp habitats. The SI is comprised of twenty-one papers, covering a broad range of research topics that employ remote sensing imagery, models, and techniques to monitor water quality, vegetation, habitat suitability, and geomorphology in the coastal zone. This preface provides a brief summary of each article published in the SI.

SPARK-UP; Seaweed Production And Refining of Kelp, Ulva and Palmaria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wald, J.; Visser, de W.; Brandenburg, W.A.; Jongschaap, R.E.E.; Werf, van der A.K.; Deelman, Berth-Jan; Helmendach-Nieuwenhuize, Carola

2016-01-01

In het SPARK-UP project, waarin de partners Arkema, PRI-WUR en North Seaweed samenwerkten aan de ontwikkeling van toepassing van zeewier in de biobased economy, is de afgelopen jaren veel werk verzet. In een bassin op het terrein van Arkema, heeft PRI een teeltsysteem opgezet en in gebruik genomen,

H10203: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Kelp Bay, Alaska, 1985-11-10

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

Nutrient compensation as management tool– Sugar kelp production in sustainable aquaculture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmedes, Peter Søndergaard; Boderskov, Teis; Silva Marinho, Goncalo

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) is theoretically a sustainable production form, which minimizes waste products from e.g. fish farms, by the co-production of bivalves or/and seaweed. For the Danish fish farmers the extractive organisms could be the solution for increasing fish production...... and robust mitigation tool for nitrogen removal and hopefully allow for future expansion of sustainable marine fish production in Denmark....

Effects of harvesting of the namibian kelp ( Laminaria pallida ) on the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

aged farmers who are expected to be economically active and energetic dominated the sampled population. They should be willing to explore avenues and adopt new methods in order to raise their level of productivity. The relatively large farm ...

Evaluation of minerals and vitamins in the Danish cultivated sugar kelp

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva Marinho, Goncalo; Holdt, Susan Løvstad; Sloth, Jens Jørgen

and Cd concentrations were below threshold values. The vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) concentrations (6-25 mg/kg DW) were similar to what is found in broccoli. Generally the year-round variations were due season, and not between the two locations (reference and IMTA), so harvest time is important...

Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elliott, Douglas C.

2010-12-10

collaboration with Canada to investigate kelp (seaweed) as a biomass feedstock. The collaborative project includes process testing of the kelp in HydroThermal Liquefaction in the bench-scale unit at PNNL. HydroThermal Liquefaction at PNNL is performed in the hydrothermal processing bench-scale reactor system. Slurries of biomass are prepared in the laboratory from whole ground biomass materials. Both wet processing and dry processing mills can be used, but the wet milling to final slurry is accomplished in a stirred ball mill filled with angle-cut stainless steel shot. The PNNL HTL system, as shown in the figure, is a continuous-flow system including a 1-litre stirred tank preheater/reactor, which can be connected to a 1-litre tubular reactor. The product is filtered at high-pressure to remove mineral precipitate before it is collected in the two high-pressure collectors, which allow the liquid products to be collected batchwise and recovered alternately from the process flow. The filter can be intermittently back-flushed as needed during the run to maintain operation. By-product gas is vented out the wet test meter for volume measurement and samples are collected for gas chromatography compositional analysis. The bio-oil product is analyzed for elemental content in order to calculate mass and elemental balances around the experiments. Detailed chemical analysis is performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 13-C nuclear magnetic resonance is used to evaluate functional group types in the bio-oil. Sufficient product is produced to allow subsequent catalytic hydroprocessing to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels. The product bio-oil from hydrothermal liquefaction is typically a more viscous product compared to fast pyrolysis bio-oil. There are several reasons for this difference. The HTL bio-oil contains a lower level of oxygen because of more extensive secondary reaction of the pyrolysis products. There are less amounts of the many light oxygenates derived from the

Wave exposure as a predictor of benthic habitat distribution on high energy temperate reefs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex eRattray

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The new found ability to measure physical attributes of the marine environment at high resolution across broad spatial scales has driven the rapid evolution of benthic habitat mapping as a field in its own right. Improvement of the resolution and ecological validity of seafloor habitat distribution models has, for the most part, paralleled developments in new generations of acoustic survey tools such as multibeam echosounders. While sonar methods have been well demonstrated to provide useful proxies of the relatively static geophysical patterns that reflect distribution of benthic species and assemblages, the spatially and temporally variable influence of hydrodynamic energy on habitat distribution have been less well studied. Here we investigate the role of wave exposure on patterns of distribution of near-shore benthic habitats. A high resolution spectral wave model was developed for a 624 km2 site along Cape Otway, a major coastal feature of western Victoria, Australia. Comparison of habitat classifications implemented using the Random Forests algorithm established that significantly more accurate estimations of habitat distribution were obtained by including a fine-scale numerical wave model, extended to the seabed using linear wave theory, than by using depth and seafloor morphology information alone. Variable importance measures and map interpretation indicated that the spatial variation in wave induced bottom orbital velocity was most influential in discriminating habitat the classes containing canopy forming kelp Ecklonia radiata, a foundation kelp species that affects biodiversity and ecological functioning on shallow reefs across temperate Australasia. We demonstrate that hydrodynamic models reflecting key environmental drivers on wave exposed coastlines are important in accurately defining distributions of benthic habitats.

Performance of Different Light Sources for the Absolute Calibration of Radiation Thermometers

Science.gov (United States)

Martín, M. J.; Mantilla, J. M.; del Campo, D.; Hernanz, M. L.; Pons, A.; Campos, J.

2017-09-01

The evolving mise en pratique for the definition of the kelvin (MeP-K) [1, 2] will, in its forthcoming edition, encourage the realization and dissemination of the thermodynamic temperature either directly (primary thermometry) or indirectly (relative primary thermometry) via fixed points with assigned reference thermodynamic temperatures. In the last years, the Centro Español de Metrología (CEM), in collaboration with the Instituto de Óptica of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IO-CSIC), has developed several setups for absolute calibration of standard radiation thermometers using the radiance method to allow CEM the direct dissemination of the thermodynamic temperature and the assignment of the thermodynamic temperatures to several fixed points. Different calibration facilities based on a monochromator and/or a laser and an integrating sphere have been developed to calibrate CEM's standard radiation thermometers (KE-LP2 and KE-LP4) and filter radiometer (FIRA2). This system is based on the one described in [3] placed in IO-CSIC. Different light sources have been tried and tested for measuring absolute spectral radiance responsivity: a Xe-Hg 500 W lamp, a supercontinuum laser NKT SuperK-EXR20 and a diode laser emitting at 6473 nm with a typical maximum power of 120 mW. Their advantages and disadvantages have been studied such as sensitivity to interferences generated by the laser inside the filter, flux stability generated by the radiant sources and so forth. This paper describes the setups used, the uncertainty budgets and the results obtained for the absolute temperatures of Cu, Co-C, Pt-C and Re-C fixed points, measured with the three thermometers with central wavelengths around 650 nm.

Channel Islands, Kelp Forest Monitoring, Size and Frequency, Natural Habitat, 1985-2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset has measurements of the size of selected animal species at selected locations in the Channel Islands National Park. Sampling is conducted annually...

Interspecific variation in life history relates to antipredator decisions by marine mesopredators on temperate reefs.

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Alejandro Frid

Full Text Available As upper-level predatory fishes become overfished, mesopredators rise to become the new 'top' predators of over-exploited marine communities. To gain insight into ensuing mechanisms that might alter indirect species interactions, we examined how behavioural responses to an upper-level predatory fish might differ between mesopredator species with different life histories. In rocky reefs of the northeast Pacific Ocean, adult lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus are upper-level predators that use a sit-and-wait hunting mode. Reef mesopredators that are prey to adult lingcod include kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus, younger lingcod, copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus and quillback rockfish (S. maliger. Across these mesopredators species, longevity and age at maturity increases and, consequently, the annual proportion of lifetime reproductive output decreases in the order just listed. Therefore, we hypothesized that the level of risk taken to acquire resources would vary interspecifically in that same order. During field experiments we manipulated predation risk with a model adult lingcod and used fixed video cameras to quantify interactions between mesopredators and tethered prey (Pandalus shrimps. We predicted that the probabilities of inspecting and attacking tethered prey would rank from highest to lowest and the timing of these behaviours would rank from earliest to latest as follows: kelp greenling, lingcod, copper rockfish, and quillback rockfish. We also predicted that responses to the model lingcod, such as avoidance of interactions with tethered prey, would rank from weakest to strongest in the same order. Results were consistent with our predictions suggesting that, despite occupying similar trophic levels, longer-lived mesopredators with late maturity have stronger antipredator responses and therefore experience lower foraging rates in the presence of predators than mesopredators with faster life histories. The corollary is that the fishery

Species interactions can maintain resistance of subtidal algal habitats to an increasingly modified world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura J. Falkenberg

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Current trends in habitat loss have been forecast to accelerate under anticipated global change, thereby focusing conservation attention on identifying the circumstances under which key species interactions retard habitat loss. Urbanised coastlines are associated with broad-scale loss of kelp canopies and their replacement by less productive mats of algal turf, a trend predicted to accelerate under ocean acidification and warming (i.e. enhanced CO2 and temperature. Here we use kelp forests as a model system to test whether efforts to maintain key species interactions can maintain habitat integrity under forecasted conditions. First, we assessed whether increasing intensity of local human activity is associated with more extensive turf mats and sparser canopies via structured field observations. Second, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that intact canopies can resist turf expansion under enhanced CO2 and temperature in large mesocosms. In the field, there was a greater proportion of turf patches on urbanised coasts of South Australia than in agricultural and urban catchments in which there was a greater proportion of canopy-forming algae. Mesocosm experiments revealed this expansion of turfs is likely to accelerate under increases in CO2 and temperature, but may be limited by the presence of intact canopies. We note that even in the presence of canopy, increases in CO2 and temperature facilitate greater turf covers than occurs under contemporary conditions. The influence of canopy would likely be due to shading of the understorey turfs which, in turn, can modify their photosynthetic activity. These results suggest that resistance of habitat to change under human-dominated conditions may be managed via the retention of key species and their interactions. Management that directly reduces the disturbance of habitat-forming organisms (e.g. harvesting or reverses loss through restoration may, therefore, reinforce habitat resistance in an

Marine Spatial Planning Makes Room for Offshore Aquaculture in a Crowded Coastal Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, J.

2016-12-01

Offshore aquaculture is an emerging industry predicted to contribute significantly to global seafood production and food security. However, aquaculture farms can generate conflicts by displacing existing ocean user groups and impacting ecosystems. Further, there are multiple farm types with different seafood species, productivity levels and impacts. Thus, it is important to strategically and simultaneously plan farm type and location in relation to the seascape in order to most effectively maximize aquaculture value while also minimizing conflicts and environmental impacts. We address this problem and demonstrate the value of multi-objective planning with a case study that integrates bioeconomic modeling with ecosystem service tradeoff analysis to inform the marine spatial planning (MSP) of mussel, finfish and kelp aquaculture farms in the already-crowded Southern California Bight (SCB) ecosystem. We considered four user groups predicted to conflict with or be impacted by the three types of aquaculture: wild-capture fisheries, ocean viewshed from coastal properties, marine benthic habitat protection, and risk of disease outbreak between farms. Results indicate that significant conflicts and impacts, expected under conventional planning, can be reduced by strategic planning. For example, 28% of potential mussel farm sites overlap with wild-capture halibut fishery grounds, yet MSP can enable mussel aquaculture to generate up to a third of its total potential industry value without impacting halibut fishery yield. Results also highlight hotspot areas in the SCB most appropriate for each type of aquaculture under MSP, as well as particular mussel, finfish and kelp aquaculture spatial plans that align with legislative regulations on allowable impacts from future aquaculture farms in California. This study comprehensively informs aquaculture farm design in the SCB, and demonstrates the value of multi-objective simultaneous planning as a key component in MSP.

Interspecific variation in life history relates to antipredator decisions by marine mesopredators on temperate reefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Frid, Alejandro; Marliave, Jeff; Heithaus, Michael R

2012-01-01

As upper-level predatory fishes become overfished, mesopredators rise to become the new 'top' predators of over-exploited marine communities. To gain insight into ensuing mechanisms that might alter indirect species interactions, we examined how behavioural responses to an upper-level predatory fish might differ between mesopredator species with different life histories. In rocky reefs of the northeast Pacific Ocean, adult lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) are upper-level predators that use a sit-and-wait hunting mode. Reef mesopredators that are prey to adult lingcod include kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus), younger lingcod, copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) and quillback rockfish (S. maliger). Across these mesopredators species, longevity and age at maturity increases and, consequently, the annual proportion of lifetime reproductive output decreases in the order just listed. Therefore, we hypothesized that the level of risk taken to acquire resources would vary interspecifically in that same order. During field experiments we manipulated predation risk with a model adult lingcod and used fixed video cameras to quantify interactions between mesopredators and tethered prey (Pandalus shrimps). We predicted that the probabilities of inspecting and attacking tethered prey would rank from highest to lowest and the timing of these behaviours would rank from earliest to latest as follows: kelp greenling, lingcod, copper rockfish, and quillback rockfish. We also predicted that responses to the model lingcod, such as avoidance of interactions with tethered prey, would rank from weakest to strongest in the same order. Results were consistent with our predictions suggesting that, despite occupying similar trophic levels, longer-lived mesopredators with late maturity have stronger antipredator responses and therefore experience lower foraging rates in the presence of predators than mesopredators with faster life histories. The corollary is that the fishery removal of top

Warming off southwestern Japan linked to distributional shifts of subtidal canopy-forming seaweeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Kouki; Taino, Seiya; Haraguchi, Hiroko; Prendergast, Gabrielle; Hiraoka, Masanori

2012-11-01

To assess distributional shifts of species in response to recent warming, historical distribution records are the most requisite information. The surface seawater temperature (SST) of Kochi Prefecture, southwestern Japan on the western North Pacific, has significantly risen, being warmed by the Kuroshio Current. Past distributional records of subtidal canopy-forming seaweeds (Laminariales and Fucales) exist at about 10-year intervals from the 1970s, along with detailed SST datasets at several sites along Kochi's >700 km coastline. In order to provide a clear picture of distributional shifts of coastal marine organisms in response to warming SST, we observed the present distribution of seaweeds and analyzed the SST datasets to estimate spatiotemporal SST trends in this coastal region. We present a large increase of 0.3°C/decade in the annual mean SST of this area over the past 40 years. Furthermore, a comparison of the previous and present distributions clearly showed the contraction of temperate species' distributional ranges and expansion of tropical species' distributional ranges in the seaweeds. Although the main temperate kelp Ecklonia (Laminariales) had expanded their distribution during periods of cooler SST, they subsequently declined as the SST warmed. Notably, the warmest SST of the 1997-98 El Niño Southern Oscillation event was the most likely cause of a widespread destruction of the kelp populations; no recovery was found even in the present survey at the formerly habitable sites where warm SSTs have been maintained. Temperate Sargassum spp. (Fucales) that dominated widely in the 1970s also declined in accordance with recent warming SSTs. In contrast, the tropical species, S. ilicifolium, has gradually expanded its distribution to become the most conspicuously dominant among the present observations. Thermal gradients, mainly driven by the warming Kuroshio Current, are presented as an explanation for the successive changes in both temperate and

Anticipating changes to future connectivity within a network of marine protected areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Melinda A; Cetina-Heredia, Paulina; Roughan, Moninya; Feng, Ming; van Sebille, Erik; Kelaher, Brendan P

2017-09-01

Continental boundary currents are projected to be altered under future scenarios of climate change. As these currents often influence dispersal and connectivity among populations of many marine organisms, changes to boundary currents may have dramatic implications for population persistence. Networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) often aim to maintain connectivity, but anticipation of the scale and extent of climatic impacts on connectivity are required to achieve this critical conservation goal in a future of climate change. For two key marine species (kelp and sea urchins), we use oceanographic modelling to predict how continental boundary currents are likely to change connectivity among a network of MPAs spanning over 1000 km of coastline off the coast of eastern Australia. Overall change in predicted connectivity among pairs of MPAs within the network did not change significantly over and above temporal variation within climatic scenarios, highlighting the need for future studies to incorporate temporal variation in dispersal to robustly anticipate likely change. However, the intricacies of connectivity between different pairs of MPAs were noteworthy. For kelp, poleward connectivity among pairs of MPAs tended to increase in the future, whereas equatorward connectivity tended to decrease. In contrast, for sea urchins, connectivity among pairs of MPAs generally decreased in both directions. Self-seeding within higher-latitude MPAs tended to increase, and the role of low-latitude MPAs as a sink for urchins changed significantly in contrasting ways. These projected changes have the potential to alter important genetic parameters with implications for adaptation and ecosystem vulnerability to climate change. Considering such changes, in the context of managing and designing MPA networks, may ensure that conservation goals are achieved into the future. © 2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molecular identification of Taenia spp. in the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavikainen, A; Haukisalmi, V; Deksne, G; Holmala, K; Lejeune, M; Isomursu, M; Jokelainen, P; Näreaho, A; Laakkonen, J; Hoberg, E P; Sukura, A

2013-04-01

Cestodes of the genus Taenia are parasites of mammals, with mainly carnivores as definitive and herbivores as intermediate hosts. Various medium-sized cats, Lynx spp., are involved in the life cycles of several species of Taenia. The aim of the present study was to identify Taenia tapeworms in the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Finland. In total, 135 tapeworms from 72 lynx were subjected to molecular identification based on sequences of 2 mtDNA regions, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 genes. Available morphological characters of the rostellar hooks and strobila were compared. Two species of Taenia were found: T. laticollis (127 samples) and an unknown Taenia sp. (5 samples). The latter could not be identified to species based on mtDNA, and the rostellar hooks were short relative to those described among other Taenia spp. recorded in felids from the Holarctic region. In the phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA sequences, T. laticollis was placed as a sister species of T. macrocystis, and the unknown Taenia sp. was closely related to T. hydatigena and T. regis. Our analyses suggest that these distinct taeniid tapeworms represent a putative new species of Taenia. The only currently recognized definitive host is L. lynx and the intermediate host is unknown.

Iodine in eggs in an iodopenic region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogdanov, Bogdan; Gonev, Mihail; Tadzher, Isak S.

1996-01-01

Macedonia is a region with a recognized precarious iodine balance, due to iodine deficiency in almost all water sources. Five percent iodine intake through eggs in the daily diet of adults is significant in this balance. The content of 40-220 micro g I - /kg eggs is lower than the British one (average 340-370 micro g I - /kg). The amount per egg is 3-6 micro g I' far less than 711 micro g I - in special iodine-enriched eggs designed for treatment of thyroid and metabolic disorders by feeding chickens with kelp additives. The iodine content of our manufacturers, provides substantial part of former Yugoslavia with eggs, is entirely dependent on imported fishmeal in chicken feed. (Author)

Commercial cultivation and bioremediation potential of sugar kelp, Saccharina latissima, in Danish waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva Marinho, Goncalo; Holdt, Susan Løvstad; Birkeland, Mads J.

2015-01-01

Several seaweed species have been successfully tested for their biofilter potential for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). In this study, Saccharina latissima bioremediation potential was assessed over 12 months with respect to the yield, phosphorous (P), nitrogen (N) content and N...

Analysis of Windscale and Bikini atoll sediments for Am-242m

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beasley, T.M.

1976-01-01

Bowen and Livingston have recently reported the existence of 242 Am in both 1962 nuclear test debris and in a marine algae sample (kelp) contaminated by nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes. The presence of 242m Am (T 1/2 = 152y) was deduced by measuring its daughter product, 242C m. In the case of the fallout debris, the long decay time (25 years) between collection and analysis was argued to preclude the possibility of unsupported 242 Cm being present in the sample. The non-adherence to simple radiometric decay of the 242 Cm measured in two aliquots of the algae sample suggested that a small percentage of the isotope (≈ 3%) was in fact supported by its longer lived parent

Calcitonin produces hypercalcemia in leopard sharks.

Science.gov (United States)

Glowacki, J; O'Sullivan, J; Miller, M; Wilkie, D W; Deftos, L J

1985-02-01

Calcitonin was detected by RIA in sera from four marine species, leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata), horn sharks (Heterodontus francisci), thornback rays (Platyrhinoides triseriata), and kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus). These animals have levels of calcitonin and calcium higher than freshwater and terrestrial species have. The administration of salmon calcitonin to bass (4 micrograms/kg BW) produced hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia as has been reported for other bony vertebrates. In marked contrast, calcitonin produced a prompt hypercalcemia in sharks; the average was 9.8% increase in serum calcium in nine animals with no attendant change in phosphorus. These findings demonstrate that calcitonin can increase serum calcium in sharks. Because shark skeleton is composed of cartilage, this hypercalcemic effect of calcitonin does not require a bony skeleton.

Abundance and recruitment data for Undaria pinnatifida in Brest harbour, France: Model versus field results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James T. Murphy

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “A modelling approach to explore the critical environmental parameters influencing the growth and establishment of the invasive seaweed Undaria pinnatifida in Europe” [1]. This article describes raw simulation data output from a novel individual-based model of the invasive kelp species Undaria pinnatifida. It also includes field data of monthly abundance and recruitment values for a population of invasive U. pinnatifida (in Brest harbour, France that were used to validate the model. The raw model output and field data are made publicly available in order to enable critical analysis of the model predictions and to inform future modelling efforts of the study species.

Synthesis of labeled compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whaley, T.W.

1977-01-01

Intermediate compounds labeled with 13 C included methane, sodium cyanide, methanol, ethanol, and acetonitrile. A new method for synthesizing 15 N-labeled 4-ethylsulfonyl-1-naphthalene-sulfonamide was developed. Studies were conducted on pathways to oleic-1- 13 C acid and a second pathway investigated was based on carbonation of 8-heptadecynylmagnesium bromide with CO 2 to prepare sterolic acid. Biosynthetic preparations included glucose- 13 C from starch isolated from tobacco leaves following photosynthetic incubation with 13 CO 2 and galactose- 13 C from galactosylglycerol- 13 C from kelp. Research on growth of organisms emphasized photosynthetic growth of algae in which all cellular carbon is labeled. Preliminary experiments were performed to optimize the growth of Escherichia coli on sodium acetate- 13 C

Radiation Processing of Marine Algal Polysaccharides as Plant Growth Promoters. Chapter 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smolko, E.; Cerchietti, L. [National Atomic Energy Commission, Ezeiza Atomic Centre, Ezeiza (Argentina); Clozza, M.; Giardina, E. B.; Villela, F.; Divo, M. D. [Faculty of Agronomy, Buenos Aires University (Argentina)

2014-07-15

After having participated in the IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the “Development of radiation-processed products of natural polymers for application in agriculture, health care, industry and environment” with a project entitled “Assay oligosaccharides as plant growth promoters”, Argentina started mobilizing technical experts from diverse fields to introduce the technology in the country. Agronomers, radiation research scientists, and resource persons from seaweed industries were invited to participate in the project. The project team members consisted of Dr. Mario Clozza and his group from the Faculty of Agronomy of the Buenos Aires University, members of the radiation processing division of the National Atomic Energy Commission of Ezeiza Atomic Centre, and resource persons from the Soriano S.A., a seaweed industry. Under the scope of the CRP, degraded alginic acid from Macrocystis perifera and other algae from the coastal areas were used for the study. Despite the fact that Argentina has huge brown algae farms in the Patagonia region, these are not commercially available due to the lack of specialized vessels for harvesting. Soriano S.A. produces good quality carrageenan from red algae, sourced from the northern part of the extended national maritime littoral of more than 2000 km long. The project involved the utilization of radiation-processed polysaccharides such as carrageenan, alginic acid, and chitosan of commercial origins on tomato, lettuce, spinach, and cabbage plants. (author)

Heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions using engineered magnetic biochars derived from waste marine macro-algal biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Eun-Bi; Poo, Kyung-Min; Chang, Jae-Soo; Chae, Kyu-Jung

2018-02-15

Despite the excellent sorption ability of biochar for heavy metals, it is difficult to separate and reuse after adsorption when applied to wastewater treatment process. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed an engineered magnetic biochar by pyrolyzing waste marine macro-algae as a feedstock, and we doped iron oxide particles (e.g., magnetite, maghemite) to impart magnetism. The physicochemical characteristics and adsorption properties of the biochar were evaluated. When compared to conventional pinewood sawdust biochar, the waste marine algae-based magnetic biochar exhibited a greater potential to remove heavy metals despite having a lower surface area (0.97m 2 /g for kelp magnetic biochar and 63.33m 2 /g for hijikia magnetic biochar). Although magnetic biochar could be effectively separated from the solution, however, the magnetization of the biochar partially reduced its heavy metal adsorption efficiency due to the biochar's surface pores becoming plugged with iron oxide particles. Therefore, it is vital to determine the optimum amount of iron doping that maximizes the biochar's separation without sacrificing its heavy metal adsorption efficiency. The optimum concentration of the iron loading solution for the magnetic biochar was determined to be 0.025-0.05mol/L. The magnetic biochar's heavy metal adsorption capability is considerably higher than that of other types of biochar reported previously. Further, it demonstrated a high selectivity for copper, showing two-fold greater removal (69.37mg/g for kelp magnetic biochar and 63.52mg/g for hijikia magnetic biochar) than zinc and cadmium. This high heavy metal removal performance can likely be attributed to the abundant presence of various oxygen-containing functional groups (COOH and OH) on the magnetic biochar, which serve as potential adsorption sites for heavy metals. The unique features of its high heavy metal removal performance and easy separation suggest that the magnetic algae biochar can potentially

Evaluation of bioactivityoffucoidanfrom laminariawith in vitrohuman cell culture(THP-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena M. Stefaniak–Vidarsson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Seaweeds represent one of the few remaining food sources available globally which are not being fully utilized or even over utilized. Kelps (Laminaria spp. are one of the numerous species of brown seaweeds, a popular marine vegetable, which has been used as a source of iodine and minerals for centuries. Kelps contain anionic polysaccharides called fucoidans heteroglycans with L – fucose units. Their monosaccharide composition, physicochemical and bioactive properties vary between seaweed species. The objective of this work was to evaluate the bioactive properties of laminaria fucoidan (L. digitata and L. hyperborea toward THP–1 macrophages, a human macrophage like cell line, and investigate its potential antioxidant and immunomodulatory characteristics. Methods: THP-1 macrophages were incubated with five fucoidan concentrations. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC assay was determined for cell lysates and for the fucoidan extract, in addition to Total Polyphenol Content (TPC. Cytotoxicity of fucoidan was assessed by light microscopy, followed by XTT proliferation assay. Enzyme–linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA were performed to determine concentrations of the secreted tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α, interleukin 6 (IL–6, and interleukin 10 (IL–10. Results: Fucoidan did not affect macrophage ability to scavenge oxygen radicals (ORAC confirming its antioxidant properties toward activated macrophages. The laminaria fucoidan extract at 100 µg/ml concentration lowered macrophage viability. Lower concentrations of laminaria fucoidan did not have impact on cell viability. Very low concentration of fucoidan at 0.1 µg/ml triggered secretion of TNF-α. However, IL–6 and interleukin IL–10 were expressed when concentration of applied fucoidan was 10 µg/ml indicating bioactivity of laminaria fucoidan through immunomodulatory actions. Conclusions: The study demonstrated how laminaria fucoidan may have bioactive

Patrón de actividad y abundancia de aves en un relleno sanitario de Chile central Abundance and activity-pattern of birds at a landfill in central Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GABRIEL LOBOS

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Los rellenos sanitarios constituyen un foco de atracción para la avifauna, aunque las implicancias de esta relación no han sido exploradas en el país. Nosotros monitoreamos la actividad de aves en un relleno sanitario ubicado en las proximidades de la ciudad de Santiago, capital administrativa de Chile. Las principales aves en el área fueron la gaviota dominicana (Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, el tiuque (Milvago chimango Vieillot, la garza boyera {Buculbus ibis Linnaeus y el águila (Geranoaetus melanoleucus Swann. La gaviota dominicana alcanzó los valores de abundancia más altos (entre 358 y 1950 individuos por día y destacó por su comportamiento bimodal, directamente relacionado con los niveles de operación en el relleno sanitario. En el caso del águila se registró una conducta carroñera cleptoparásita sobre los tiuques, estos últimos seleccionan desechos orgánicos (pescados, tripas, carne, que les son usurpados por ellas. Finalmente señalamos medidas simples de manejo que deberían disminuir los números de aves en este tipo de actividad industrial.Landfills are considered an attractive habitat for several bird species; however, implications of this condition have not yet been explored in the country. We monitored birds' activity patterns that use a landfill located in the vicinity of Santiago, Chile's capital. Main birds recorded in the area were, Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, Chimango caracara (Milvago chimango Vieillot, Cattle egret (Buculbus ibis Linnaeus and Black Chested Eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus Swann. Kelp Gull was the most abundant species, (with values between 358 to 1950 individuals per day and that also displayed a bimodal behavior linked directly to the landfill operation levels. In the case of Black Chested Eagle, we observed a kleptoparasitic behavior over Chimango Caracara which selected organic offal (fishes, innards, meat for its feeding and that are stolen by the eagle. Finally we

Laser fluorosensor overflights of the Santa Barbara oil seeps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, C. E.; Nelson, R. D.; Fingas, M. [Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Emergencies Science Div.; Mullin, J. V. [Minerals Management Service, Herndon, VA (United States)

1997-10-01

Environment Canada`s Laser Environmental Airborne Fluorosensor (LEAF) system was tested in a series of overflights over naturally occurring oil seeps off Santa Barbara, California. The objective was to test the system`s ability to detect oil in actual marine environments and to distinguish petroleum oil from biogenic oils released by kelp beds in and around these naturally occurring oil seep areas. High resolution colour reconnaissance camera images and down-looking video images were collected concurrently with the fluorescence data for documentation purposes. Results of the experiment were analyzed in detail. They confirmed the system`s ability to produce geo-referenced oil contamination location maps in real-time. The fluorescence data obtained during overflights was most similar to typical crude oil, i. e. the system successfully distinguished between biogenic oil and typical petroleum oil. 9 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.

Laser fluorosensor overflights of the Santa Barbara oil seeps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, C. E.; Nelson, R. D.; Fingas, M.

1997-01-01

Environment Canada's Laser Environmental Airborne Fluorosensor (LEAF) system was tested in a series of overflights over naturally occurring oil seeps off Santa Barbara, California. The objective was to test the system's ability to detect oil in actual marine environments and to distinguish petroleum oil from biogenic oils released by kelp beds in and around these naturally occurring oil seep areas. High resolution colour reconnaissance camera images and down-looking video images were collected concurrently with the fluorescence data for documentation purposes. Results of the experiment were analyzed in detail. They confirmed the system's ability to produce geo-referenced oil contamination location maps in real-time. The fluorescence data obtained during overflights was most similar to typical crude oil, i. e. the system successfully distinguished between biogenic oil and typical petroleum oil. 9 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs

HEAVY METALS LEVELS IN LARUS DOMINICANUS. CASE STUDY: COROA GRANDE MANGROVE, SEPETIBA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Samples of liver and kidney of Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus collected on Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analysed for their copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, chromium and nickel content. All the analyses were made using the inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry method (ICP-OES. The investigation focused on the variability of the elements content in kidney and liver from a number of sampling seabirds and over different seasons. The results were interpreted using the analysis of variance test (ANOVA. This has revealed differences in concentration for the majority of elements with regard to organs, and how different sampling metals and organs are related to each other. Results indicate relatively high trace etalcontamination in L. dominicanus, showing potential power of idespread biological and mutagenic adverse effects in trophic levels, and herefore, signalling risk to human health.

Capacity and degree of iodine absorbed and enriched by vegetable from soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Huan-Xin; Weng, Jing-Ke; Yong, Wen-Bin; Sun, Xiang-Wu; Zhong, Hang

2003-01-01

To understand the biogeochemical transfer of iodine, the absorbability and bioaccumulation of iodine in tested vegetables (radish, spinach and Chinese cabbage) are examined by applying iodic fertilizer composed of kelp and diatomaceous earth. The experimental results show that when iodine in soil is not excessive, the concentrations of iodine in tested vegetables increase as the content of iodine in soil increases. The absorbability and enrichment degree of iodine in various vegetables and in various parts of the same vegetable a redifferent, which explains that the concentration of iodine in plant is determined by the plant type and the physiological action of plant. The patience order of tested vegetables to excessive iodine is Chinese cabbage > spinach > radish. These results have theoretical and practical significance in opening up a new way for ameliorating poor iodine environment with artificial means.

Effects of urbanisation on macroalgae and sessile invertebrates in southeast Australian estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Fowles, Amelia E.; Stuart-Smith, Rick D.; Stuart-Smith, Jemina F.; Hill, Nicole A.; Kirkpatrick, Jamie B.; Edgar, Graham J.

2018-05-01

The influence of anthropogenic and environmental factors on the composition, cover and dominance of macroalgae and sessile invertebrates was assessed in three capital city estuaries in south-eastern Australia. Heavy metals and proximity to ports showed the strongest relationships to the distribution of sessile reef biota after accounting for natural environmental gradients. The densities of laminarian, fucoid, brown and red foliose algae were negatively correlated with heavy metals, both in Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne) and the Derwent (Hobart), while turf, filamentous algae and some invertebrates were favoured. Sydney Harbour possessed a different pattern, with the laminarian kelp Ecklonia radiata most abundant near the main shipping port, probably because of biotic interactions involving urchin grazing in the lower estuary. Identifying drivers of benthic community pattern represents a key challenge for effective conservation management, particularly for estuaries affected by multiple anthropogenic impacts.

Methods development for cost-effective marine environmental monitoring at offshore wind farms in Norwegian waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlgren, Thomas; Schlaeppy, Marie-Lise; Olenin, Sergej; Shashkov, Alexej; Heggoey, Erling; Troedsson, Christofer

2011-07-01

present (rocky seabed, sand, gravel and stones) and are often exposed to severe waves and strong tidal currents. Keystone organisms at an exposed and complex hard bottom environment can potentially include large kelp species (Laminaria), red algae growing on bare rock (e.g. Lithothamnion) and reef or bed forming species such as the horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) and maerl (coralline algae). These structure-forming organisms support a high diversity of marine life and provide important ecosystem services such as feeding grounds for commercially valuable fish and crayfish species. No studies have so far investigated the effects from large-scale offshore wind farms in this type of environment. The first year of benthic marine baseline data collection in the Havsul area, suggested that there is a lack of standards for monitoring methods at complex marine habitats dominated by bare rock, and kelp communities. We have applied a suite of methods chosen to detect changes in a range of habitats and trophic levels including traditional sediment coring, metagenomic diversity estimates, video data collection and assessment of the kelp community. Preliminary results suggest that it is necessary to adjust monitoring practises to the local environment. This makes comparisons with other regions difficult and may jeopardise efforts to conduct studies of potential cumulative impacts. Benthic community structure assessments and large scale habitat mapping based on video mosaic data is particularly promising both in terms of cost effective collection of data, data quality and sensitivity. (Author)

Spectroscopic studies of molecular iodine emitted into the gas phase by seaweed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Ball

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Time profiles of molecular iodine emissions from seven species of seaweed have been measured at high time resolution (7.5 s by direct spectroscopic quantification of the gas phase I₂ using broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy. Substantial differences were found between species, both in the amounts of I₂ emitted when the plants were exposed to air and in the shapes of their emission time profiles. Two species of kelp, Laminaria digitata and Laminaria hyperborea, were found to be the most potent emitters, producing an intense burst of I₂ when first exposed to air. I₂ was also observed from Saccharina latissima and Ascophyllum nodosum but in lower amounts and with broader time profiles. I₂ mixing ratios from two Fucus species and Dictyopteris membranacea were at or below the detection limit of the present instrument (25 pptv. A further set of experiments investigated the time dependence of I₂ emissions and aerosol particle formation when fragments of L. digitata were exposed to desiccation in air, to ozone and to oligoguluronate stress factors. Particle formation occurred in all L. digitata stress experiments where ozone and light were present, subject to the I₂ mixing ratios being above certain threshold amounts. Moreover, the particle number concentrations closely tracked variations in the I₂ mixing ratios, confirming the results of previous studies that the condensable particle-forming gases derive from the photochemical oxidation of the plant's I₂ emissions. This work also supports the theory that particle nucleation in the coastal atmosphere occurs in "hot-spot" regions of locally elevated concentrations of condensable gases: the greatest atmospheric concentrations of I₂ and hence of condensable iodine oxides are likely to be above plants of the most efficiently

Analysis of fatty acid composition of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus using multivariate statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qinzeng; Gao, Fei; Xu, Qiang; Yang, Hongsheng

2014-11-01

Fatty acids (FAs) provide energy and also can be used to trace trophic relationships among organisms. Sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus goes into a state of aestivation during warm summer months. We examined fatty acid profiles in aestivated and non-aestivated A. japonicus using multivariate analyses (PERMANOVA, MDS, ANOSIM, and SIMPER). The results indicate that the fatty acid profiles of aestivated and non-aestivated sea cucumbers differed significantly. The FAs that were produced by bacteria and brown kelp contributed the most to the differences in the fatty acid composition of aestivated and nonaestivated sea cucumbers. Aestivated sea cucumbers may synthesize FAs from heterotrophic bacteria during early aestivation, and long chain FAs such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that produced from intestinal degradation, are digested during deep aestivation. Specific changes in the fatty acid composition of A. japonicus during aestivation needs more detailed study in the future.

Radiation measurement practice for understanding statistical fluctuation of radiation count using natural radiation sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawano, Takao

2014-01-01

It is known that radiation is detected at random and the radiation counts fluctuate statistically. In the present study, a radiation measurement experiment was performed to understand the randomness and statistical fluctuation of radiation counts. In the measurement, three natural radiation sources were used. The sources were fabricated from potassium chloride chemicals, chemical fertilizers and kelps. These materials contain naturally occurring potassium-40 that is a radionuclide. From high schools, junior high schools and elementary schools, nine teachers participated to the radiation measurement experiment. Each participant measured the 1-min integration counts of radiation five times using GM survey meters, and 45 sets of data were obtained for the respective natural radiation sources. It was found that the frequency of occurrence of radiation counts was distributed according to a Gaussian distribution curve, although the obtained 45 data sets of radiation counts superficially looked to be fluctuating meaninglessly. (author)

Synergistic dye adsorption by biochar from co-pyrolysis of spent mushroom substrate and Saccharina japonica.

Science.gov (United States)

Sewu, Divine Damertey; Boakye, Patrick; Jung, Hwansoo; Woo, Seung Han

2017-11-01

The potential of activating terrestrial biomass (spent mushroom substrate, SMS) with ash-laden marine biomass [kelp seaweed, KE] via co-pyrolysis in the field of adsorption was first investigated. KE biochar (KBC), SMS biochar (SMSBC), biochar (SK10BC) from 10%-KE added SMS, and biochar (ESBC) from KE-extract added SMS were used for the adsorption of cationic dye crystal violet (CV). ESBC had highest fixed carbon content (70.60%) and biochar yield (31.6%). SK10BC exhibited high ash content, abundant functional groups, coarser surface morphology and Langmuir maximum adsorptive capacity (610.1mg/g), which is 2.2 times higher than that of SMSBC (282.9mg/g). Biochar activated by a small amount of high ash-containing biomass such as seaweed via co-pyrolysis can serve as viable alternative adsorbent for cationic dye removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of Aquatic Macrophyte Ecotoxicological Assays in Monitoring Coastal Effluent Discharges in Southern Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burridge, T.R.; Karistianos, M.; Bidwell, J

1999-01-01

Germination inhibition of zoospores of the aquatic, brown algal macrophyte Ecklonia radiata was employed to assess the toxicity of sewage effluents under short to long term exposure and under modified salinity conditions. The rate of germination inhibition was determined for exposure times between 2 and 48 h in salinity modified and unmodified regimes and under reduced salinity conditions alone. The results indicated that rate of germination inhibition increased with duration of exposure to sewage effluents and to salinity reduction alone, and that response to the effluents may be enhanced under conditions of reduced salinity. Whilst the effect of primary treated effluent was primarily that of toxicity, secondary treated effluent effects appeared to be primarily that of reduced salinity although at a greater rate than would be expected for salinity reduction alone. The assay is suggested to provide a mechanism for monitoring sewage effluent quality and to monitor potential impacts of sewage effluent discharge on kelp communities in southern Australia.

Iodine Contents in Baby Food Consumed in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshida M.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available To evaluate iodine intake in Japanese infants, iodine contents were determined in both commercial and homemade baby food samples consumed in Japan. Fifty-three samples of commercial bottled or retort baby food and 25 samples of homemade baby food for one day were collected and their iodine contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after an extraction with 0.5% tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Among the commercial baby food samples, 35 samples showed low iodine values ( 1000 ng/g wet weight. Significantly higher iodine values were observed in 15 samples composed of dishes cooked using kombu (a kind of kelp than other samples. Among the homemade baby food samples, 12 samples brought very low iodine intake (< 1- 24 μg/d, while 5 samples brought very high iodine intake (283-978 μg/d. These results indicate that intermittent high iodine baby food including dishes cooked using kombu contributes to sufficient iodine intake in Japanese infants.

World in the drift-ice; Ryuhyo no sekai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aota, M. [Hokkaido Univ., Hokkaido (Japan)

1999-06-07

What freezes in the sea in the circumference in our country is only Sea of Okhotsk. What will be the drift-ice for the people who live in this beach? The distress by the drift-ice often occurred. The drift-ice spoils tearing, shell in the pickpocket in respect of the fishing gear in respect of destruction and kelp. The boat was landed, when the drift-ice came, the fisherman came out, and it went to the labor. The seafood processing field becomes also the closure condition. The drift-ice was a white demon for people of the beach, and it was a troublesome person. In the meantime, the drift-ice soothes the wave, and it becomes a natural float breakwater, the coast is kept, and the salt damage does be held. There is some that it is faced the sea off beach cleaning. People of the seashore in Okohtsk live with the drift-ice with merits and both demerit sideses. (NEDO)

Benthic algal vegetation in Isfjorden, Svalbard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stein Fredriksen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Benthic algal vegetation was investigated at 10 sites in Isfjorden, Svalbard. Five sites were visited during summer 2010 and five during summer 2012. Both the littoral and sublittoral vegetation were sampled, the littoral by hand-picking and use of a throwable rake and the sublittoral using a triangular dredge. A total of 88 different taxa were registered, comprising 17 Chlorophyta, 40 Ochrophyta, 30 Rhodophyta and the Xantophyceae Vaucheria sp. The green algae Ulvaria splendens (Ruprecht Vinogradova was recorded in Svalbard for the first time. Most of the sites consisted of hard bottom substrate, but one site, Kapp Wijk, consisted of loose-lying calcareous red algae (rhodoliths and had species not recorded elsewhere. The sublittoral at the other sites was dominated by kelp. Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of the red alga Ceramium virgatum and a dwarf form of the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus. This study provides a baseline for future studies investigating changes in the vegetation due to environmental changes.

The Great White Guppy: Top Predator

Science.gov (United States)

Michalski, G. M.

2011-12-01

Nitrogen isotopes are often used to trace the trophic level of members of an ecosystem. As part of a stable isotope biogeochemistry and forensics course at Purdue University, students are introduced to this concept by analyzing nitrogen isotopes in sea food purchased from local grocery stores. There is a systematic increase in 15N/14N ratios going from kelp to clams/shrimp, to sardines, to tuna and finally to shark. These enrichments demonstrate how nitrogen is enriched in biomass as predators consume prey. Some of the highest nitrogen isotope enrichments observed, however, are in the common guppy. We investigated a number of aquarium fish foods and find they typically have high nitrogen isotope ratios because they are made form fish meal that is produced primarily from the remains of predator fish such as tuna. From, a isotope perspective, the guppy is the top of the food chain, more ferocious than even the Great White shark.

The Use of Aquatic Macrophyte Ecotoxicological Assays in Monitoring Coastal Effluent Discharges in Southern Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burridge, T.R.; Karistianos, M.; Bidwell, J.

1999-01-01

Germination inhibition of zoospores of the aquatic, brown algal macrophyte Ecklonia radiata was employed to assess the toxicity of sewage effluents under short to long term exposure and under modified salinity conditions. The rate of germination inhibition was determined for exposure times between 2 and 48 h in salinity modified and unmodified regimes and under reduced salinity conditions alone. The results indicated that rate of germination inhibition increased with duration of exposure to sewage effluents and to salinity reduction alone, and that response to the effluents may be enhanced under conditions of reduced salinity. Whilst the effect of primary treated effluent was primarily that of toxicity, secondary treated effluent effects appeared to be primarily that of reduced salinity although at a greater rate than would be expected for salinity reduction alone. The assay is suggested to provide a mechanism for monitoring sewage effluent quality and to monitor potential impacts of sewage effluent discharge on kelp communities in southern Australia

Oceanic rafting by a coastal community.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, Ceridwen I; Nikula, Raisa; Waters, Jonathan M

2011-03-07

Oceanic rafting is thought to play a fundamental role in assembling the biological communities of isolated coastal ecosystems. Direct observations of this key ecological and evolutionary process are, however, critically lacking. The importance of macroalgal rafting as a dispersal mechanism has remained uncertain, largely owing to lack of knowledge about the capacity of fauna to survive long voyages at sea and successfully make landfall and establish. Here, we directly document the rafting of a diverse assemblage of intertidal organisms across several hundred kilometres of open ocean, from the subantarctic to mainland New Zealand. Multispecies analyses using phylogeographic and ecological data indicate that 10 epifaunal invertebrate species rafted on six large bull kelp specimens for several weeks from the subantarctic Auckland and/or Snares Islands to the Otago coast of New Zealand, a minimum distance of some 400-600 km. These genetic data are the first to demonstrate that passive rafting can enable simultaneous trans-oceanic transport and landfall of numerous coastal taxa.

Kelp-Fed Beef, Swimming Caribou, Feral Reindeer, and Their Hunters: Island Mammals in a Marine Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine Reedy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula residents have selectively introduced land mammals to their primarily marine based economy over the past two centuries. This paper describes these many introductions, contexts, and the longer term roles of these cattle, sheep, reindeer, and other land mammals in discrete island settings and the regional food economy based upon interviews in ten communities and comprehensive household surveys in eight of these. Caribou are indigenous and traditionally hunted in other parts of the state but are legally “invasive” in island contexts now managed by the federal government. Access to land and natural resources by Alaska Natives and rural peoples is regulated by state and federal agencies, but Aleutian residents have shaped their environment and engineered food sources to support their communities. This paper demonstrates that hardline approaches to removing invasive land mammal species will have human consequences and an integrated management policy emphasizing food security and conservation that includes reducing the density of these introduced species is most appropriate.

Genetic divergence correlates with morphological and ecological subdivision in the deep-water elk kelp, Pelagophycus porra (phaeophyceae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miller, KA; Olsen, JL; Stam, WT

2000-01-01

Pelagophycus porra (Leman) Setchell has a narrow distribution confined to deep water from the Channel Islands off the southern California coast to central Baja California, Mexico. Distinct morphotypes are consistently correlated with distinctive habitats, that is, windward exposures characterized by

The future of the northeast Atlantic benthic flora in a high CO2 world.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Juliet; Williamson, Christopher J; Smale, Dan A; Kamenos, Nicholas A; Mieszkowska, Nova; Santos, Rui; Cunliffe, Michael; Steinke, Michael; Yesson, Christopher; Anderson, Kathryn M; Asnaghi, Valentina; Brownlee, Colin; Burdett, Heidi L; Burrows, Michael T; Collins, Sinead; Donohue, Penelope J C; Harvey, Ben; Foggo, Andrew; Noisette, Fanny; Nunes, Joana; Ragazzola, Federica; Raven, John A; Schmidt, Daniela N; Suggett, David; Teichberg, Mirta; Hall-Spencer, Jason M

2014-07-01

Seaweed and seagrass communities in the northeast Atlantic have been profoundly impacted by humans, and the rate of change is accelerating rapidly due to runaway CO2 emissions and mounting pressures on coastlines associated with human population growth and increased consumption of finite resources. Here, we predict how rapid warming and acidification are likely to affect benthic flora and coastal ecosystems of the northeast Atlantic in this century, based on global evidence from the literature as interpreted by the collective knowledge of the authorship. We predict that warming will kill off kelp forests in the south and that ocean acidification will remove maerl habitat in the north. Seagrasses will proliferate, and associated epiphytes switch from calcified algae to diatoms and filamentous species. Invasive species will thrive in niches liberated by loss of native species and spread via exponential development of artificial marine structures. Combined impacts of seawater warming, ocean acidification, and increased storminess may replace structurally diverse seaweed canopies, with associated calcified and noncalcified flora, with simple habitats dominated by noncalcified, turf-forming seaweeds.

Abundance and breeding distribution of seabirds in the northern part of the Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana A. Juáres

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Seabird abundances and breeding distribution have the potential to serve as ecological indicators. The western Antarctic Peninsula is one of the three sites in the world with the greatest increases in local temperature during the last 50 years. The aim of this study was to monitor the distribution and abundance of breeding populations of seabirds in the northern sector of the Danco Coast, north-west of the Antarctic Peninsula, during the breeding season 2010/11. The birds were the Wilson′s storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus, South Polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki, kelp gull (Larus dominicanus, Antarctic tern (Sterna vittata, snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba, chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica, southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus, gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua, Cape petrel (Daption capense and Antarctic shag (Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis. Annual breeding population growth increased in pygoscelids, southern giant petrel and sheathbill, and for the remaining species, breeding population trends were stable. Given that seabird populations can provide valuable information on the conditions of their feeding and nesting environments, this study highlights the need to maintain basics monitoring studies.

Characteristics of the mesophotic megabenthic assemblages of the vercelli seamount (north tyrrhenian sea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marzia Bo

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The biodiversity of the megabenthic assemblages of the mesophotic zone of a Tyrrhenian seamount (Vercelli Seamount is described using Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV video imaging from 100 m depth to the top of the mount around 61 m depth. This pinnacle hosts a rich coralligenous community characterized by three different assemblages: (i the top shows a dense covering of the kelp Laminaria rodriguezii; (ii the southern side biocoenosis is mainly dominated by the octocorals Paramuricea clavata and Eunicella cavolinii; while (iii the northern side of the seamount assemblage is colonized by active filter-feeding organisms such as sponges (sometimes covering 100% of the surface with numerous colonies of the ascidian Diazona violacea, and the polychaete Sabella pavonina. This study highlights, also for a Mediterranean seamount, the potential role of an isolated rocky peak penetrating the euphotic zone, to work as an aggregating structure, hosting abundant benthic communities dominated by suspension feeders, whose distribution may vary in accordance to the geomorphology of the area and the different local hydrodynamic conditions.

Using GIS mapping of the extent of nearshore rocky reefs to estimate the abundance and reproductive output of important fishery species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy T Claisse

Full Text Available Kelp Bass (Paralabrax clathratus and California Sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher are economically and ecologically valuable rocky reef fishes in southern California, making them likely indicator species for evaluating resource management actions. Multiple spatial datasets, aerial and satellite photography, underwater observations and expert judgment were used to produce a comprehensive map of nearshore natural rocky reef habitat for the Santa Monica Bay region (California, USA. It was then used to examine the relative contribution of individual reefs to a regional estimate of abundance and reproductive potential of the focal species. For the reefs surveyed for fishes (i.e. 18 out of the 22 in the region, comprising 82% the natural rocky reef habitat 30% was produced from a relatively small proportion of the regional reef area (c. 10%. Natural nearshore rocky reefs make up only 11% of the area in the newly designated MPAs in this region, but results provide some optimism that regional fisheries could benefit through an increase in overall reproductive output, if adequate increases in size structure of targeted species are realized.

Bio energy: Production of Biomass; Produksjon av biomasse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noreng, Katrina; Indergaard, Mentz; Liodden, Ole Joergen; Hohle, Erik Eid; Sandberg, Eiliv

2001-07-01

This is Chapter 2 of the book ''Bio energy - Environment, technique and market''. Its main sections are: (1) Biomass resources in Norway, (2) The foundation - photosynthesis, (3) Biomass from forestry, (4) Biomass from peat lands, (5) Biomass from agriculture and (6) Biomass from lakes and sea. The exposition largely describes the conditions in Norway, where the use of bio energy can be increased from 15 TWh to 35 TWh using available technology. At present, water-borne heating systems are not extensively used in Norway and 30% of the biomass that is cut in the forests remains there as waste. Using this waste for energy generation would not only contribute to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, but would often lead to improved forest rejuvenation. Use of a few per thousand of the Norwegian peat lands would produce 2 - 3 TWh. According to calculations, along the coast of Norway, there are at least 15 mill tonnes of kelp and sea tangle and these resources can be utilized in a sustainable way.

Atmospheric bromoform at Cape Point, South Africa: an initial fixed-point data set on the African continent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Kuyper

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Bromoform mixing ratios in marine air were measured at Cape Point Global Atmospheric Watch Station, South Africa. This represents the first such bromoform data set recorded at this location. Manual daily measurements were made during a month-long field campaign (austral spring 2011 using a gas chromatograph-electron capture detector (GC-ECD with a custom-built front end thermal desorption trap. The measured concentrations ranged between 4.4 and 64.6 (± 22.2 % ppt with a mean of 24.8 ± 14.8 ppt. The highest mixing ratios recorded here occurred at, or shortly after, low tide. The diurnal cycle exhibited a morning and evening maximum with lower concentrations throughout the rest of the day. Initial analysis of the data presented indicates that the local kelp beds were the dominant source of the bromoform reported. A concentration-weighted trajectory analysis of the bromoform measurements suggests that two offshore source areas may exist. These source areas appear to be centred on the Agulhas retroflection and extend from St Helena Bay to the southwest.

The Halogenated Metabolism of Brown Algae (Phaeophyta, Its Biological Importance and Its Environmental Significance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stéphane La Barre

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Brown algae represent a major component of littoral and sublittoral zones in temperate and subtropical ecosystems. An essential adaptive feature of this independent eukaryotic lineage is the ability to couple oxidative reactions resulting from exposure to sunlight and air with the halogenations of various substrates, thereby addressing various biotic and abiotic stresses i.e., defense against predators, tissue repair, holdfast adhesion, and protection against reactive species generated by oxidative processes. Whereas marine organisms mainly make use of bromine to increase the biological activity of secondary metabolites, some orders of brown algae such as Laminariales have also developed a striking capability to accumulate and to use iodine in physiological adaptations to stress. We review selected aspects of the halogenated metabolism of macrophytic brown algae in the light of the most recent results, which point toward novel functions for iodide accumulation in kelps and the importance of bromination in cell wall modifications and adhesion properties of brown algal propagules. The importance of halogen speciation processes ranges from microbiology to biogeochemistry, through enzymology, cellular biology and ecotoxicology.

Discussion of oil pollution in Argentina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-06-01

Oil pollution in Argentina, at the port of Comodora Rivadavia showed signs of long-term oil pollution of a nature which would not be tolerated in relation to the exploitation of North Sea oil. The field is operated by Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (Argentine), produces 70,000 bbl/day of oil from onshore and offshore wells, and has been in operation since 1907. A very marked ''tideline'' of bituminous oil residues contaminates the harbor installations and completely covers the pebbles, boulders, and rocks in the intertidal region. This material is of a considerable thickness and has completely obliterated any form of littoral marine life in these habitats. The sandy beach does not show signs of accumulative oil, and it is used as an important recreational area. Since seriously oiled seabirds can be seen, it is surprising that Patagonian crested ducks, king cormorants, and kelp gulls occur in large numbers but show little sign of oil contamination. The Magellan penguin, which is much less abundant locally, may have been much more vulnerable to the oil.

(Discussion of) oil pollution in Argentina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-06-01

The port of Comodora Rivadavia shows signs of long-term oil pollution of a nature which would not be tolerated in relation to the exploitation of North Sea oil. The field is operated by Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (Argentine), produces 70,000 bbl/day of oil from onshore and offshore wells, and has been in operation since 1907. A very marked tideline of bituminous oil residues contaminates the harbor installations and completely covers the pebbles, boulders, and rocks in the inertidal region. This material is of a considerable thickness and has completely obliterated any form of littoral marine life in these habitats. The sandy beach does not show signs of accumulative oil, and it is used as an important recretional area. Since seriously oiled seabirds can be seen, it is surprising that Patagonian crested ducks, king cormorants, and kelp gulls occur in large numbers but show little sign of oil contamination. The Magellan penguin, which is much less abundant locally, may have been much more vulnerable to the oil. Photographs are included.

Biomass fast pyrolysis for bio-oil production in a fluidized bed reactor under hot flue atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ning; Wang, Xiang; Bai, Xueyuan; Li, Zhihe; Zhang, Ying

2015-10-01

Fast pyrolysis experiments of corn stalk were performed to investigate the optimal pyrolysis conditions of temperature and bed material for maximum bio-oil production under flue gas atmosphere. Under the optimized pyrolysis conditions, furfural residue, xylose residue and kelp seaweed were pyrolyzed to examine their yield distributions of products, and the physical characteristics of bio-oil were studied. The best flow rate of the flue gas at selected temperature is obtained, and the pyrolysis temperature at 500 degrees C and dolomite as bed material could give a maximum bio-oil yield. The highest bio-oil yield of 43.3% (W/W) was achieved from corn stalk under the optimal conditions. Two main fractions were recovered from the stratified bio-oils: light oils and heavy oils. The physical properties of heavy oils from all feedstocks varied little. The calorific values of heavy oils were much higher than that of light oils. The pyrolysis gas could be used as a gaseous fuel due to a relatively high calorific value of 6.5-8.5 MJ/m3.

Atmospheric bromoform at Cape Point, South Africa: an initial fixed-point data set on the African continent

Science.gov (United States)

Kuyper, Brett; Palmer, Carl J.; Labuschagne, Casper; Reason, Chris J. C.

2018-04-01

Bromoform mixing ratios in marine air were measured at Cape Point Global Atmospheric Watch Station, South Africa. This represents the first such bromoform data set recorded at this location. Manual daily measurements were made during a month-long field campaign (austral spring 2011) using a gas chromatograph-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) with a custom-built front end thermal desorption trap. The measured concentrations ranged between 4.4 and 64.6 (± 22.2 %) ppt with a mean of 24.8 ± 14.8 ppt. The highest mixing ratios recorded here occurred at, or shortly after, low tide. The diurnal cycle exhibited a morning and evening maximum with lower concentrations throughout the rest of the day. Initial analysis of the data presented indicates that the local kelp beds were the dominant source of the bromoform reported. A concentration-weighted trajectory analysis of the bromoform measurements suggests that two offshore source areas may exist. These source areas appear to be centred on the Agulhas retroflection and extend from St Helena Bay to the southwest.

Avian Influenza Virus Isolated in Wild Waterfowl in Argentina: Evidence of a potentially unique phylogenetic lineage in South America

Science.gov (United States)

Pereda, Ariel J.; Uhart, Marcela; Perez, Alberto A.; Zaccagnini, Maria E.; La Sala, Luciano; Decarre, Julieta; Goijman, Andrea; Solari, Laura; Suarez, Romina; Craig, Maria I.; Vagnozzi, Ariel; Rimondi, Agustina; König, Guido; Terrera, Maria V.; Kaloghlian, Analia; Song, Haichen; Sorrell, Erin M.; Perez, Daniel R.

2008-01-01

Avian Influenza (AI) viruses have been sporadically isolated in South America. The most recent reports are from an outbreak in commercial poultry in Chile in 2002 and its putative ancestor from a wild bird in Bolivia in 2001. Extensive surveillance in wild birds was carried out in Argentina during 2006-2007. Using RRT-PCR, 12 AI positive detections were made from cloacal swabs. One of those positive samples yielded an AI virus isolated from a wild kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) captured in the South Atlantic coastline of Argentina. Further characterization by nucleotide sequencing reveals that it belongs to the H13N9 subtype. Phylogenetic analysis of the 8 viral genes suggests that the 6 internal genes are related to the isolates from Chile and Bolivia. The analysis also indicates that a cluster of phylogenetically related AI viruses from South America may have evolved independently, with minimal gene exchange, from influenza viruses in other latitudes. The data produced from our investigations are valuable contributions to the study of AI viruses in South America. PMID:18632129

Plastic ingestion by a generalist seabird on the coast of Uruguay.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenzi, Javier; Burgues, María Fernanda; Carrizo, Daniel; Machín, Emanuel; Teixeira-de Mello, Franco

2016-06-15

We analyzed plastic ingestion by Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) from 806 pellets collected between 2011 and 2013. Employing a Raman spectroscopy, we characterized those polymers used to produce the plastics ingested. Debris was recorded in 143 pellets (%FO=17.7%, n=202, 92.58g). Plastic was found in 119 pellets (%FO=83%) and non-plastic occurred in 56 pellets (%FO=39%). The most important debris category was plastic film with 55.3% (n=79). Plastic bags were observed in 19 pellets (%FO=2.4%, weight=25.02g). Glass was the second most important component (%FO=18.9%) followed by plastic fragments (%FO=17.8%). Plastic debris represented the 65.3% of the debris fragments (n=132, weight=58.84g), and was composed by polyethylene (52%), polypropylene (26%), polyamide (12%), polystyrene (6%), polyvinyl chloride (2%), and polyethylene terephthalate (2%). How plastics were obtained by gulls and the effects on individuals are discussed, as well as environmental considerations about plastic pollution on coastal environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing compound-specific δ13C of amino acids in mussels as a new approach to determine the average 13C values of primary production in littoral ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Vokhshoori, N. L.; Larsen, T.; McCarthy, M.

2012-12-01

Compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids (CSI-AA) is a technique used to decouple trophic enrichment patterns from source changes at the base of the food web. With this new emerging tool, it is possible to precisely determine both trophic position and δ15N or δ13C source values in higher feeding organisms. While most work to date has focused on nitrogen (N) isotopic values, early work has suggested that δ13C CSI-AA has great potential as a new tracer both to a record δ13C values of primary production (unaltered by trophic transfers), and also to "fingerprint" specific carbon source organisms. Since essential amino acids (EAA) cannot be made de novo in metazoans but must be obtained from diet, the δ13C value of the primary producer is preserved through the food web. Therefore, the δ13C values of EAAs act as a unique signature of different primary producers and can be used to fingerprint the dominant carbon (C) source driving primary production at the base of the food web. In littoral ecosystems, such as the California Upwelling System (CUS), the likely dominant C sources of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) pool are kelp, upwelling phytoplankton or estuarine phytoplankton. While bulk isotopes of C and N are used extensively to resolve relative consumer hierarchy or shifting diet in a food web, we found that the δ13C bulk values in mussels cannot distinguish exact source in littoral ecosystems. Here we show 15 sites within the CUS, between Cape Blanco, OR and La Jolla, CA where mussels were sampled and analyzed for both bulk δ13C and CSI-AA. We found no latitudinal trends, but rather average bulk δ13C values for the entire coastal record were highly consistent (-15.7 ± 0.9‰). The bulk record would suggest either nutrient provisioning from kelp or upwelled phytoplankton, but 13C-AA fingerprinting confines these two sources to upwelling. This suggests that mussels are recording integrated coastal phytoplankton values, with the enriched �

CO{sub 2}-enrichment effects on eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) and bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana (Mert.)P.&R.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorn, R.M. [Battelle/Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Sequim, WA (United States). Marine Sciences Lab.

1996-04-01

The author investigated the effect of CO{sub 2}-enrichment on productivity of two aquatic plant species (Zostera marina L., Nereocystis luetkeana (Mert.)P.&R.) that form significant components of coastal ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. Short-term (i.e., 2-hr) experiments showed that doubling CO{sub 2} resulted in up to a 2.5-fold increase in Zostera net apparent productivity (NAP). Nereocystis NAP was increased 2.2-2.8 fold. In experiments involving seven enrichment treatments, NAP increased with increasing CO{sub 2} between ambient (1.0x) and 2.5x CO{sub 2} in both Zostera and Nereocystis. Nereocystis and Zostera NAP was lowest at highest (i.e., 5x) CO{sub 2} concentrations. In growth experiments, mean growth rate of Zostera increased with increasing CO{sub 2} during one of the two trials. It was concluded that increasing CO{sub 2} in the surface waters of the coastal ocean would predictably result in increased NAP of these two species. These results supplement limited published data showing that shallow estuarine and marine systems are vulnerable to increased carbon dioxide. 25 refs., 3 figs.

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations in Larus dominicanus. Case study: Marambaia island, Sepetiba bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i3.18344

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Seabirds play a significant role as bioindicators: they are conspicuous, relatively easy to observe, well-established studied group of organisms, and in the focus of public interest due to pollution in aquatic ecosystem. Systematically, a significant number of man-made chemicals have been introduced in the marine environment and represent the major problem arising in the development worldwide. Many of these chemical contaminants are persistent, known to bioaccumulate and biomagnify through the aquatic food web, affecting species associated with aquatic systems. Dioxins [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD, dibenzofurans (PCDF] and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB concentrations were measured in Kelp gull Larus dominicanus collected from 2006 to 2011 on Marambaia Island, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Detectable liver concentrations of PCDD Fs-1 and PCBs were found in all samples analyzed. These represent some of the first measurements of PCDD Fs-1 and PCBs in seabirds from this area. Although levels of these contaminants in the tested species currently appear to fall below critical values, a continuous and systematic monitoring on these compounds becomes essential and desirable to not express toxic values in the future.   

Contrasting the surface ocean distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide; implications for boundary layer physics, chemistry and climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palmer, C J, E-mail: carl.j.palmer@gmail.co [Department of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, 7701 (South Africa)

2010-08-15

Bromoform and methyl iodide are both methane-like hydrocarbons with a halogen atom replacing one or more of the hydrogen atoms. Both of these compounds occur naturally in the environment as a result of their production from seaweed and kelp. They are of interest to climate science as a result of their catalytic destruction of boundary layer ozone (a potent greenhouse gas) and, specifically for methyl iodide, the proposed role in the formation of new cloud condensation nuclei with implications for climate. In this paper, the currently available data on the distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide are analysed and contrasted to show that the concentrations of bromoform and methyl iodide do not correlate, that, in contrast to bromoform, the parameterization of sea surface methyl iodide concentrations demands only the sea surface temperature, and that the pelagic distribution of methyl iodide appears to follow the solar zenith angle. These three observations together suggest that, while the pelagic source of bromoform is mostly biogenic, the source of methyl iodide is photochemical. This has implications for the understanding of planetary boundary layer chemistry and potential organohalogen mediated feedbacks to climate.

A Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA-GC/MS system for the determination of halocarbon fluxes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. E. Hornsby

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Very short lived halocarbons (VSLH play an important role in the transport of halogen atoms to the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Here we describe the development of a relaxed eddy accumulation system using gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer (REA-GC/MS to determine surface fluxes of VSLH with a time resolution of about 0.5 h. Laboratory tests showed that use of a common inlet for upward, downward and deadband flow paths resulted in mixing of upward and downward moving air masses, therefore we recommend the use of separate inlets. The modified system underwent field trials at Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland, where there are dense kelp beds known to emit a range of halocarbons. Over a 16 h period in mid-September 2007, the mean fluxes obtained were 16.1±1.8, 4.0±0.54 and 1.2±0.2 nmol m⁻² day⁻¹ for CH₂Br₂ CH₂ICl and CH₂IBr, respectively.

The phylogeny and life cycle of two species of Profilicollis (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) in marine hosts off the Pacific coast of Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, S M; D'Elía, G; Valdivia, N

2017-09-01

Resolving complex life cycles of parasites is a major goal of parasitological research. The aim of this study was to analyse the life cycle of two species of the genus Profilicollis, the taxonomy of which is still unstable and life cycles unclear. We extracted individuals of Profilicollis from two species of crustaceans (intermediate hosts) and four species of seagulls (definitive hosts) from sandy-shore and estuarine habitats along the south-east Pacific coast of Chile. Mitochondrial DNA analyses showed that two species of Profilicollis infected intermediate hosts from segregated habitats: while P. altmani larvae infected exclusively molecrabs of the genus Emerita from fully marine habitats, P. antarcticus larvae infected the crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus from estuarine habitats. Moreover, P. altmani completed its life cycle in four seagulls, Chroicocephalus maculipennis, Leucopheus pipixcan, Larus modestus and L. dominicanus, while P. antarcticus, on the other hand, completed its life cycle in the kelp gull L. dominicanus. Accordingly, our results show that two congeneric parasites use different and spatially segregated species as intermediate hosts, and both are capable of infecting one species of definitive hosts. As such, our analyses allow us to shed light on a complex interaction network.

Isolation of a novel alginate lyase-producing Bacillus litoralis strain and its potential to ferment Sargassum horneri for biofertilizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Mingpeng; Chen, Lei; Liu, Zhengyi; Zhang, Zhaojie; Qin, Song; Yan, Peisheng

2016-12-01

Algae have long been used to augment plant productivity through their beneficial effects. Alginate oligosaccharide is believed to be one of the important components to enhance growth and crop yield. In this study, we isolated and characterized a Bacillus litoralis strain, named Bacillus M3, from decayed kelps. We further demonstrated that the M3 strain could secrete alginate lyase to degrade alginate. The crude enzyme exhibited the highest activity (33.74 U/mg) at pH 7.0 and 50°C. The M3 strain was also able to ferment the brown alga Sargassum horneri. Fermentation results revealed that a fermentation period of 8-12 hr was the best harvest time with the highest level of alginate oligosaccharides. Plant growth assay showed that the seaweed fermentation extract had an obvious promotion effect on root and seedling growth of Lycopersicon eseulentum L. Our results suggest that fermentation extract of Sargassum horneri by the novel strain of Bacillus litoralis M3 has significant development potential for biofertilizer production and agriculture application. © 2016 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Algal and invertebrate bioindicators detect sewage effluent along the coast of Titahi Bay, Wellington, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudley, B.D.; Shima, J.S.

2010-01-01

Sewage effluent contains both dissolved and particulate matter that can affect coastal ecosystems and cascade through food webs. We used δ 15 N and δ 13 C ratios to explore performance of a kelp (Carpophyllum maschalocarpum) and two invertebrates (a grazing isopod, Amphoroidea media, and a filter-feeding crab, Petrolisthes elongatus) as bioindicators along a gradient of sewage exposure. These species vary in trophic status and, consequently, are likely to assimilate sewage constituents differently into food webs. δ 15 N values in C. maschalocarpum and A. media were highest near the sewage outfall and decreased with increasing distance from the outfall. δ 13 C values in these two species did not appear to be reliable predictors of sewage concentrations in seawater. In contrast, δ 13 C ratios for P. elongatus were consistently depleted at sites nearest the sewage outfall, indicating the consumption of δ 13 C-depleted sewage particulates. These results suggest there is value in multiple-isotope and multi-species bioindicator approaches both for detecting sewage dispersal patterns and understanding the incorporation of sewage-derived nutrients into food webs. (author). 79 refs., 3 figs.

Contrasting the surface ocean distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide; implications for boundary layer physics, chemistry and climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, C J

2010-01-01

Bromoform and methyl iodide are both methane-like hydrocarbons with a halogen atom replacing one or more of the hydrogen atoms. Both of these compounds occur naturally in the environment as a result of their production from seaweed and kelp. They are of interest to climate science as a result of their catalytic destruction of boundary layer ozone (a potent greenhouse gas) and, specifically for methyl iodide, the proposed role in the formation of new cloud condensation nuclei with implications for climate. In this paper, the currently available data on the distribution of bromoform and methyl iodide are analysed and contrasted to show that the concentrations of bromoform and methyl iodide do not correlate, that, in contrast to bromoform, the parameterization of sea surface methyl iodide concentrations demands only the sea surface temperature, and that the pelagic distribution of methyl iodide appears to follow the solar zenith angle. These three observations together suggest that, while the pelagic source of bromoform is mostly biogenic, the source of methyl iodide is photochemical. This has implications for the understanding of planetary boundary layer chemistry and potential organohalogen mediated feedbacks to climate.

Seaweed tablet: a natural source of iodine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Briones, Annabelle V.; Ambal, Wilhelmina O.; Monroyo, Evangelina C.; Bonifacio, Teresita S.; Sison, Fe M.

1997-01-01

Species of seaweeds namely: Halymenia durvillaei, Laurencia flexilis and Sargassum gigantifolium were processed into dried form and formulated as tablet. Prior to tablet formulation, the seaweeds were assayed for iodine and trace elements. The seaweeds that exhibited significance values of iodine and trace elements were further analyzed for the presence of heavy metals followed by acute oral toxicity test (LD 50 ). Among the seaweeds evaluated, H. durvilaei was found to contain high level of iodine (0.255% w/w) and magnesium (1.65% w/w) with sufficient amount of zinc (25.69 ppm) and phosporous (11.68 ppm). Analysis of heavy metals showed minute amount of mercury (0.0055 ppm), cadmium (0.67 ppm) and lead (1.80 ppm). The median lethal dose (LD 50 ) of H. durvillaei administered orally in Swiss male mice is 119.1489 ± 4.9873 g/kg. Tablet formulation was based on the U.S. recommended daily allowance of 0.15 mg. of iodine per adult and children. The final product was comparable to imported Kelp pills (available in the local market) in terms of physical properties and iodine content. (Author)

Recovery trajectories of kelp forest animals are rapid yet spatially variable across a network of temperate marine protected areas

OpenAIRE

Caselle, JE; Rassweiler, A; Hamilton, SL; Warner, RR

2015-01-01

© 2015, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Oceans currently face a variety of threats, requiring ecosystem-based approaches to management such as networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). We evaluated changes in fish biomass on temperate rocky reefs over the decade following implementation of a network of MPAs in the northern Channel Islands, California. We found that the biomass of targeted (i.e. fished) species has increased consistently inside all MPAs in the network, with an e...

Solenopsis invicta virus 3: mapping of structural proteins, ribosomal frameshifting, and similarities to Acyrthosiphon pisum virus and Kelp fly virus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven M Valles

Full Text Available Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3 is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that infects the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. We show that the second open reading frame (ORF of the dicistronic genome is expressed via a frameshifting mechanism and that the sequences encoding the structural proteins map to both ORF2 and the 3' end of ORF1, downstream of the sequence that encodes the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The genome organization and structural protein expression strategy resemble those of Acyrthosiphon pisum virus (APV, an aphid virus. The capsid protein that is encoded by the 3' end of ORF1 in SINV-3 and APV is predicted to have a jelly-roll fold similar to the capsid proteins of picornaviruses and caliciviruses. The capsid-extension protein that is produced by frameshifting, includes the jelly-roll fold domain encoded by ORF1 as its N-terminus, while the C-terminus encoded by the 5' half of ORF2 has no clear homology with other viral structural proteins. A third protein, encoded by the 3' half of ORF2, is associated with purified virions at sub-stoichiometric ratios. Although the structural proteins can be translated from the genomic RNA, we show that SINV-3 also produces a subgenomic RNA encoding the structural proteins. Circumstantial evidence suggests that APV may also produce such a subgenomic RNA. Both SINV-3 and APV are unclassified picorna-like viruses distantly related to members of the order Picornavirales and the family Caliciviridae. Within this grouping, features of the genome organization and capsid domain structure of SINV-3 and APV appear more similar to caliciviruses, perhaps suggesting the basis for a "Calicivirales" order.

Chlorinated Dioxins and Furans from Kelp and Copper Sulfate: Initial Investigations of Dioxin Formation in Mineral Feed Supplements (Journal Article)

Science.gov (United States)

In 2002, dioxins were discovered in animal feed ingredients during a random sampling by Irish officials and subsequently traced to particular mineral supplements produced at a Minnesota plant in the United States. These products sold under the names of SQM Mineral Products and C...

Joint additive effects of temperature and UVB radiation on zoeae of the crab Taliepus dentatus

KAUST Repository

Carreja, B

2016-04-06

Warming and enhanced ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation are 2 global stressors acting across the ocean. We tested their effects on the survival and performance (consumption rates and activity) on the zoea I stage of the Chilean kelp crab Taliepus dentatus. Our goal was to resolve whether these stressors, when acting concurrently, had additive or interactive effects, either synergistic or antagonistic. A multifactorial experiment of 4 temperatures and 3 UVB irradiance levels was run. The larvae showed a significant increase in mortality with increasing temperature. Exposure to UVB reduced the thermal tolerance of the larvae by a significant increase of their mortality rate. Oxygen consumption increased as temperature increased. When exposed to UVB radiation, larval oxygen consumption increased significantly for all the temperatures tested. Two statistical models of joint effects confirmed that the combined effect of both stressors was additive, with no interaction, either synergistic or antagonistic. One of them, the independent action (IA) model, also revealed that concurrent effects on mortality remained additive when doubling the UVB dose. Additivity of the stressors improved the predictability of their effects on larval mortality. Exposure to UVB radiation increased mortality rates by 1.5 times at any temperature tested, independently of the dose. © The authors 2016.

Benthic assemblages of rock pools in northern Portugal: seasonal and between-pool variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iacopo Bertocci

2012-11-01

Full Text Available We investigated the seasonal (winter vs summer and within season and spatial (between-pool variability of benthic assemblages of rock pools at mid-intertidal level along the shore of Viana do Castelo (North Portugal. Physical traits of rock pools, including size, depth and position along the shore, were also compared between pools. While pools did not differ for any of the examined physical traits, results indicated a clear seasonal difference in the structure of assemblages, including a total of 49 macroalgal and 13 animal taxa. This finding was driven by six taxa that are more abundant in winter (the reef-forming polychaete Sabellaria alveolata, the articulated coralline algae Corallina spp., the brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata, the encrusting coralline alga Lithophyllum incrustans, the red alga Chondracanthus acicularis and the grazing snails Gibbula spp. and four algal taxa that are more abundant in summer (the invasive brown Sargassum muticum, the green Ulva spp., the kelp Laminaria ochroleuca and the filamentous red Ceramium spp.. These data provide a new contribution to the knowledge of rock pool systems and have potential implications for monitoring programmes aimed at assessing ecological modifications related to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and for identifying processes responsible for the variability of rock pool assemblages.

Preparation and properties of silicone fouling release coatings with long-life afterglow fluorescent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Zhanping

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Based on polydimethylsiloxane, three-component coatings were prepared with different content of luminescence powder. The results showed that the illuminance of coatings increases with the content of luminescence powder, decays exponentially with the afterglow time, increases exponentially with the increase of exposure time. The afterglow illuminance augments with irradiated light illuminance. All coatings are hydrophobic and oleophilic. Surface free energy decreases with the increase of luminescence powder. They have highest impact-resistance and bend flexibility. The luminescence powder does not change obviously the shore hardness, tensile breaking strength, breaking elongation rate, elastic modular and roughness of coatings. The static test panels in sea generally could be covered obviously by biofouling including sponges, bryophytes and mussels, hydra, kelp, green algae after 2 months of immersion during growing season. But it never found that the barnacle attached on the coating surface during 4 years of immersion test. The static anti-fouling ability of the coatings is very limited. In addition, the sea creatures attached on the coating surface can be easily removed; even attached organisms will fall off and expose again the smooth coating surface. Consequently, all coatings with long-life afterglow fluorescent have a significant effect on preventing adhesion of barnacle and fouling-release performance.

Adaptation of Australia’s Marine Ecosystems to Climate Change: Using Science to Inform Conservation Management

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Johanna E. Johnson

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The challenges that climate change poses for marine ecosystems are already manifesting in impacts at the species, population, and community levels in Australia, particularly in Tasmania and tropical northern Australia. Many species and habitats are already under threat as a result of human activities, and the additional pressure from climate change significantly increases the challenge for marine conservation and management. Climate change impacts are expected to magnify as sea surface temperatures, ocean chemistry, ocean circulation, sea level, rainfall, and storm patterns continue to change this century. In particular, keystone species that form the foundation of marine habitats, such as coral reefs, kelp beds, and temperate rocky reefs, are projected to pass thresholds with subsequent implications for communities and ecosystems. This review synthesises recent science in this field: the observed impacts and responses of marine ecosystems to climate change, ecological thresholds of change, and strategies for marine conservation to promote adaptation. Increasing observations of climate-related impacts on Australia’s marine ecosystems—both temperate and tropical—are making adaptive management more important than ever before. Our increased understanding of the impacts and responses of marine ecosystems to climate change provides a focus for “no-regrets” adaptations that can be implemented now and refined as knowledge improves.

Natural dyes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, Sancun; Wu, Jihuai; Huang, Yunfang; Lin, Jianming [Institute of Materials Physical Chemistry, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, Fujian 362021 (China)

2006-02-15

The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) were assembled by using natural dyes extracted from black rice, capsicum, erythrina variegata flower, rosa xanthina, and kelp as sensitizers. The I{sub SC} from 1.142mA to 0.225mA, the V{sub OC} from 0.551V to 0.412V, the fill factor from 0.52 to 0.63, and P{sub max} from 58{mu}W to 327{mu}W were obtained from the DSC sensitized with natural dye extracts. In the extracts of natural fruit, leaves and flower chosen, the black rice extract performed the best photosensitized effect, which was due to the better interaction between the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups of anthocyanin molecule on black rice extract and the surface of TiO{sub 2} porous film. The blue-shift of absorption wavelength of the black rice extract in ethanol solution on TiO{sub 2} film and the blue-shift phenomenon from absorption spectrum to photoaction spectrum of DSC sensitized with black rice extract are discussed in the paper. Because of the simple preparation technique, widely available and low cheap cost natural dye as an alternative sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cell is promising. (author)

Nutritive and xenobiotic compounds in the alien algae Undaria pinnatifida from Argentine Patagonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gil, M N; Torres, A I; Commendatore, M G; Marinho, C; Arias, A; Giarratano, E; Casas, G N

2015-04-01

Seaweeds have been used as food since ancient times. The edible brown algae Undaria pinnatifida is native to northeast Asia; however, in 1992, the first specimens in Patagonian environments were found and, since then, have rapidly expanded. The main object of this study was to determine, for the first time in Argentina, the nutritive composition and concentrations of trace elements and hydrocarbons in these alien algae and evaluate their usefulness as food. Sexually mature U. pinnatifida samples were collected at 10-m depth in the Nuevo and San José gulfs. The first site is influenced by activities from Puerto Madryn city, and the latter place was considered as the control. Protein, dietary fiber, and mineral concentrations were similar in both gulfs and in the same order as in eastern countries. Crude protein, indigestible fiber, and calcium and magnesium concentrations were greatest in blade; lipid concentration was greatest in sporophyll; and sodium and potassium concentrations were greatest in midrib. Amino acids showed the greatest concentrations in blades, and these were greater than those reported in kelp from Japan. Cadmium (Cd), arsenic, mercury, and hydrocarbons were detected, but only Cd showed concentrations that could be a risk for consumption. In Argentina, maximum acceptable levels of these contaminants in seaweeds are not established.

Oxygen- and Nitrogen-Enriched 3D Porous Carbon for Supercapacitors of High Volumetric Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jia; Liu, Kang; Gao, Xiang; Yao, Bin; Huo, Kaifu; Cheng, Yongliang; Cheng, Xiaofeng; Chen, Dongchang; Wang, Bo; Sun, Wanmei; Ding, Dong; Liu, Meilin; Huang, Liang

2015-11-11

Efficient utilization and broader commercialization of alternative energies (e.g., solar, wind, and geothermal) hinges on the performance and cost of energy storage and conversion systems. For now and in the foreseeable future, the combination of rechargeable batteries and electrochemical capacitors remains the most promising option for many energy storage applications. Porous carbonaceous materials have been widely used as an electrode for batteries and supercapacitors. To date, however, the highest specific capacitance of an electrochemical double layer capacitor is only ∼200 F/g, although a wide variety of synthetic approaches have been explored in creating optimized porous structures. Here, we report our findings in the synthesis of porous carbon through a simple, one-step process: direct carbonization of kelp in an NH3 atmosphere at 700 °C. The resulting oxygen- and nitrogen-enriched carbon has a three-dimensional structure with specific surface area greater than 1000 m(2)/g. When evaluated as an electrode for electrochemical double layer capacitors, the porous carbon structure demonstrated excellent volumetric capacitance (>360 F/cm(3)) with excellent cycling stability. This simple approach to low-cost carbonaceous materials with unique architecture and functionality could be a promising alternative to fabrication of porous carbon structures for many practical applications, including batteries and fuel cells.

Seaweeds for umami flavour in the New Nordic Cuisine

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Mouritsen Ole G

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Use of the term 'umami' for the fifth basic taste and for describing the sensation of deliciousness is finding its way into Western cuisine. The unique molecular mechanism behind umami sensation is now partly understood as an allosteric action of glutamate and certain 5'-ribonucleotides on the umami receptors. Chefs have started using this understanding to create dishes with delicious taste by adding old and new ingredients that enhance umami. In this paper, we take as our starting point the traditional Japanese soup broth dashi as the 'mother' of umami and demonstrate how dashi can be prepared from local, Nordic seaweeds, in particular the large brown seaweed sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima and the red seaweed dulse (Palmaria palmata, possibly combined with bacon, chicken meat or dried mushrooms to provide synergy in the umami taste. Optimal conditions are determined for dashi extraction from these seaweeds, and the corresponding glutamate, aspartate and alaninate contents are determined quantitatively and compared with Japanese dashi extracted from the brown seaweed konbu (Saccharina japonica. Dulse and dashi from dulse are proposed as promising novel ingredients in the New Nordic Cuisine to infuse a range of different dishes with umami taste, such as ice cream, fresh cheese and bread.

A shallow-diving seabird predator as an indicator of prey availability in southern California waters: A longitudinal study

Science.gov (United States)

Horn, M. H.; Whitcombe, C. D.

2015-06-01

We tested the hypothesis that the Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans), a plunge-diving predator, is an indicator of changes in the prey community in southern California coastal waters. Shannon diversity (H‧) of the tern's diet determined from dropped fish collected variously at the three nesting sites for 18 years over a 21-year interval (1993-2013) showed no significant change in diet diversity. Based on a species-accumulation curve, total diet species represented about 70% of an extrapolated asymptotic richness. Abundance patterns of five prey species making up > 75% of prey numbers for all years were compared with abundance patterns of the same species in independent surveys obtained from zooplankton tows, bottom trawls and power-plant entrapments. Three of the five species - northern anchovy, kelp pipefish and California lizardfish - showed significant, positive correlations between diet and survey abundances. Even though the tern's diet has been dominated by anchovy and pipefish, its diet is still broad, with prey taxa representing > 75% of the 42 species groups making up the California shelf fish fauna. Altogether, our results support the hypothesis that the Elegant Tern, with its flexible diet, is a qualitative indicator, a sentinel, of changes in the prey communities in southern California coastal waters.

Microbial population dynamics during startup of a full-scale anaerobic digester treating industrial food waste in Kyoto eco-energy project.

Science.gov (United States)

Ike, Michihiko; Inoue, Daisuke; Miyano, Tomoki; Liu, Tong Tong; Sei, Kazunari; Soda, Satoshi; Kadoshin, Shiro

2010-06-01

The microbial community in a full-scale anaerobic digester (2300m3) treating industrial food waste in the Kyoto Eco-Energy Project was analyzed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for eubacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes. Both thermophilic and mesophilic sludge of treated swine waste were seeded to the digestion tank. During the 150-day startup period, coffee grounds as a main food waste, along with potato, kelp and boiled beans, tofu, bean curd lees, and deep-fried bean curd were fed to the digestion process step-by-step (max. 40t/d). Finally, the methane yield reached 360m3/t-feed with 40days' retention time, although temporary accumulation of propionate was observed. Eubacterial communities that formed in the thermophilic digestion tank differed greatly from both thermophilic and mesophilic types of seed sludge. Results suggest that the Actinomyces/Thermomonospora and Ralstonia/Shewanella were contributors for hydrolyzation and degradation of food waste into volatile fatty acids. Acetate-utilizing methanogens, Methanosaeta, were dominant in seed sludges of both types, but they decreased drastically during processing in the digestion tank. Methanosarcina and Methanobrevibacter/Methanobacterium were, respectively, possible main contributors for methane production from acetate and H2 plus CO2. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Joint additive effects of temperature and UVB radiation on zoeae of the crab Taliepus dentatus

KAUST Repository

Carreja, B; Ferná ndez, M; Agusti, Susana

2016-01-01

Warming and enhanced ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation are 2 global stressors acting across the ocean. We tested their effects on the survival and performance (consumption rates and activity) on the zoea I stage of the Chilean kelp crab Taliepus dentatus. Our goal was to resolve whether these stressors, when acting concurrently, had additive or interactive effects, either synergistic or antagonistic. A multifactorial experiment of 4 temperatures and 3 UVB irradiance levels was run. The larvae showed a significant increase in mortality with increasing temperature. Exposure to UVB reduced the thermal tolerance of the larvae by a significant increase of their mortality rate. Oxygen consumption increased as temperature increased. When exposed to UVB radiation, larval oxygen consumption increased significantly for all the temperatures tested. Two statistical models of joint effects confirmed that the combined effect of both stressors was additive, with no interaction, either synergistic or antagonistic. One of them, the independent action (IA) model, also revealed that concurrent effects on mortality remained additive when doubling the UVB dose. Additivity of the stressors improved the predictability of their effects on larval mortality. Exposure to UVB radiation increased mortality rates by 1.5 times at any temperature tested, independently of the dose. © The authors 2016.

The Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2 and Ammonium Enrichment on the Physiological Performances of Saccharina japonica (Laminariales, Phaeophyta)

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jin Woo; Chung, Ik Kyo

2018-04-01

Environmental challenges such as ocean acidification and eutrophication influence the physiology of kelp species. We investigated their interactive effects on Saccharina japonica (Laminariales, Phaeophyta) under two pH conditions [Low, 7.50; High (control), 8.10] and three NH4 +concentrations (Low, 4; Medium, 60; High, 120 μM). The degree of variation of pH values in the culture medium and inhibition rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution by acetazolamide were affected by pH treatments. Relative growth rates, carbon, nitrogen, and the C:N ratio in tissue samples were influenced by higher concentrations of NH4 + . Rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution were enhanced under elevated CO2 or NH4 +conditions, independently, but these two factors did not show an interactive effect. However, rates of NH4 +uptake were influenced by the interactive effect of increased CO2 under elevated NH4 +treatment. Although ocean acidification and eutrophication states had an impact on physiological performance, chlorophyll fluorescence was not affected by those conditions. Our results indicated that the physiological reactions by this alga were influenced to some extent by a rise in the levels of CO2 and NH4 + . Therefore, we expect that the biomass accumulation of S. japonica may well increase under future scenarios of ocean acidification and eutrophication.

Reproductive Dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea Lesson, 1831 in Ilha dos Cardos, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hélio Augusto Alves Fracasso

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, we intend to describe the reproductive dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea in an island from South Brazil. We studied the reproductive biology of this species in its natural environment and provide data on their growth, survival, and reproductive success in Ilha dos Cardos, Santa Catarina, South Brazil. Samplings were carried out daily on the island throughout the reproductive seasons of 2003, 2005, and 2006 and the different stages of development of the chicks were characterized according to age, length of the beak, and plumage characteristics. We provide a basic equation Lm=167.91 (1-e-0.062t--0.23 to determine the approximate age of individuals using their body mass. The main cause of chick mortality on the island was natural (63.17% in 2003, 81.41% in 2005, and 79.96% in 2006, whereas predation contributed to mortality in a proportion of 38.83% in 2003, 18.59% in 2005, and 20.04% in 2006. The absence in the area of the chicks’ main predator, Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus, the large number of chicks that reached the final stages of development, and their reproductive success demonstrate that Ilha dos Cardos is an important breeding site for the species in southern Brazil.

Variable feeding behavior in Orchestoidea tuberculata (Nicolet 1849): Exploring the relative importance of macroalgal traits

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Cristian; Acuña, Karin; Navarro, Jorge M.; Gómez, Iván; Jaramillo, Eduardo; Quijón, Pedro

2014-03-01

The feeding behavior of algal consumers inhabiting sandy beaches and the consequences of this behavior on their performance are poorly understood. Food quality has been shown to influence the food preference of algal consumers. However, food preference can often be altered or subordinated to habitat choice. This study analyzes the feeding behavior (preference and consumption rate), absorption efficiency and growth rates of the talitrid amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata (Nicolet, 1849) in relation to the nutritional characteristics of two of the most common macroalgae stranded in the Chilean north-central region. Our experiments show that these amphipods prefer Macrocystis integrifolia over Lessonia nigrescens when presented with fresh fragments of both algae simultaneously. However, this preference did not match the performance of the amphipods when reared on diets of a single algal species: in that growth rates were not different. These results suggest that M. integrifolia is not a superior food item compared to L. nigrescens. The lower content of proteins and total organic matter found in M. integrifolia supports this interpretation. The preference of the amphipods for L. nigrescens over M. integrifolia when dry powdered algae of each species were provided (artificial food), suggested that some aspect of the physical structure of these two algae determined food preference. When the amphipods were maintained with each of the algal species in no choice experiments, they consumed 2 times more M. integrifolia, but showed higher absorption efficiency on L. nigrescens. These results suggest that food quantity and not absorption efficiency was used to compensate for the lower nutritional quality of M. integrifolia. The feeding behavior documented in this study differs significantly from that observed in populations of the same species inhabiting southern Chile, cautioning against generalizing results obtained even within a single species. Our results suggest that

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of San Gregorio, California

Science.gov (United States)

Cochrane, Guy R.; Dartnell, Peter; Greene, H. Gary; Watt, Janet T.; Golden, Nadine E.; Endris, Charles A.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Bretz, Carrie K.; Manson, Michael W.; Sliter, Ray W.; Ross, Stephanie L.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Chin, John L.; Cochran, Susan A.; Cochrane, Guy R.; Cochran, Susan A.

2014-01-01

over the last 50 years that is driving an ecosystem shift away from the productive subarctic regime towards a depopulated subtropical environment. Seafloor habitats in the Offshore of San Gregorio map area, which lies within the Shelf (continental shelf) megahabitat, range from significant rocky outcrops that support kelp-forest communities nearshore to rocky-reef communities in deep water. Biological productivity resulting from coastal upwelling supports diverse populations of sea birds such as Sooty Shearwater, Western Gull, Common Murre, Cassin's Auklet, and many other less populous bird species. In addition, an observable recovery of Humpback and Blue Whales has occurred in the area; both species are dependent on coastal upwelling to provide nutrients. The large extent of exposed inner shelf bedrock supports large forests of "bull kelp," which is well adapted for high wave-energy environments. Common fish species found in the kelp beds and rocky reefs include lingcod and various species of rockfish and greenling.

California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Santa Cruz, California

Science.gov (United States)

Cochrane, Guy R.; Dartnell, Peter; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Golden, Nadine E.; Greene, H. Gary; Dieter, Bryan E.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Finlayson, David P.; Endris, Charles A.; Watt, Janet T.; Davenport, Clifton W.; Sliter, Ray W.; Maier, Katherine L.; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Cochrane, Guy R.; Cochran, Susan A.

2016-03-24

phylogeographic group of marine fauna may extend beyond to the area offshore of Los Angeles in southern California. The ocean off of central California has experienced a warming over the last 50 years that is driving an ecosystem shift away from the productive subarctic regime towards a depopulated subtropical environment.Biological productivity resulting from coastal upwelling supports populations of Sooty Shearwater, Western Gull, Common Murre, Cassin’s Auklet, and many other less populous bird species. In addition, an observable recovery of Humpback and Blue Whales has occurred in the area; both species are dependent on coastal upwelling to provide nutrients. The large extent of exposed inner shelf bedrock supports large forests of “bull kelp,” which is well adapted for high-wave-energy environments. The kelp beds are the northernmost known habitat for the population of southern sea otters. Common fish species found in the kelp beds and rocky reefs include lingcod and various species of rockfish and greenling.

Genetic variability and spatial separation in the sea palm kelp Postelsia palmaeformis (Phaeophyceae) as assessed with M13 fingerprints and RAPDS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coyer, J.A.; Olsen, J.L.; Stam, W.T.

Postelsia palmaeformis Ruprecht is an annual species, occuring from southern California to Vancouver Island Canada, in upper intertidal sites exposed to extreme wave shock. Because of its limited spore dispersal, discrete and inbred populations are likely on the local scale, yet dispersal of

Echinoderms display morphological and behavioural phenotypic plasticity in response to their trophic environment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam D Hughes

Full Text Available The trophic interactions of sea urchins are known to be the agents of phase shifts in benthic marine habitats such as tropical and temperate reefs. In temperate reefs, the grazing activity of sea urchins has been responsible for the destruction of kelp forests and the formation of 'urchin barrens', a rocky habitat dominated by crustose algae and encrusting invertebrates. Once formed, these urchin barrens can persist for decades. Trophic plasticity in the sea urchin may contribute to the stability and resilience of this alternate stable state by increasing diet breadth in sea urchins. This plasticity promotes ecological connectivity and weakens species interactions and so increases ecosystem stability. We test the hypothesis that sea urchins exhibit trophic plasticity using an approach that controls for other typically confounding environmental and genetic factors. To do this, we exposed a genetically homogenous population of sea urchins to two very different trophic environments over a period of two years. The sea urchins exhibited a wide degree of phenotypic trophic plasticity when exposed to contrasting trophic environments. The two populations developed differences in their gross morphology and the test microstructure. In addition, when challenged with unfamiliar prey, the response of each group was different. We show that sea urchins exhibit significant morphological and behavioural phenotypic plasticity independent of their environment or their nutritional status.

Peat development in Newfoundland: an historic overview. [Canada - Newfoundland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rayment, A.F. (Newfoundland and Labrador Peat Association, St. John' s, NF (Canada))

1994-02-01

The aboriginal people and early white settlers doubtless had many uses for peat, although we have few specifics. A concerted effort was made in the 1930s to drain and develop certain peat bogs for growing forages, but interest in the agricultural use of peat waned during World War II and did not return until after Confederation in 1949. The Royal Commission Report on Agriculture (1956) recommended investigation of the feasibility of peat moss for agricultural purposes. From this point, research was conducted chiefly by the federal Experimental Farm near St. John's and by the provincial government, with some input from Memorial University. All peat moss developments must be preceded by drainage, which in turn should be preceded by a contour and depth survey. Mechanical aspects for drainage have evolved considerably. About 1,300 acres were drained by the Cuthbertson plow up to 1960 and another 2500 acres drained by the Healy ditcher between then and 1967; no subsequent reports have been obtained. Research has been conducted into fertilizer requirements for forages. Experiments on the grazing of sheep and/or cattle were also conducted and some problems were encountered, particularly with the grazing of sheep. Also studied was the potential of peat moss production for poultry litter, and the use of peat, kelp and fish offal to produce a high value compost. 28 refs.

Replenishing Humic Acids in Agricultural Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Susic

2016-09-01

Full Text Available For many decades, it was commonly believed that humic acids were formed in soils by the microbial conversion of plant lignins. However, an experiment to test whether these humic acids were formed prior to plant matter reaching the soil was never reported until the late 1980s (and then only as a side issue, even though humic acids were first isolated and reported in 1786. This was a serious omission, and led to a poor understanding of how the humic acid content of soils could be maintained or increased for optimum fertility. In this study, commercial sugar cane mulch and kelp extracts were extracted with alkali and analyzed for humic acid content. Humic acids in the extracts were positively identified by fluorescence spectrophotometry, and this demonstrated that humic acids are formed in senescent plant and algal matter before they reach the soil, where they are then strongly bound to the soil and are also resistant to microbial metabolism. Humic acids are removed from soils by wind and water erosion, and by water leaching, which means that they must be regularly replenished. This study shows that soils can be replenished or fortified with humic acids simply by recycling plant and algal matter, or by adding outside sources of decomposed plant or algal matter such as composts, mulch, peat, and lignite coals.

Kimchi, seaweed, and seasoned carrot in the Soviet culinary culture: the spread of Korean food in the Soviet Union and Korean diaspora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changzoo Song

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The half-million Soviet Koreans (or Koryŏ saram in the former Soviet Union are the descendants of the ethnic Koreans who migrated to the Russian Far East in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from the northern parts of the Korean peninsula. Their settlements were established in the wide areas of the Russian Far East, including the urban areas around Vladivostok. They were, however, forced-migrated to Central Asia in late 1937 under Stalin's rule. From Central Asia, these Soviet Koreans were further dispersed to other parts of the Soviet Union in the post-Stalin era. These multiple dispersions of Soviet Koreans not only transformed their culinary habit, but also helped Korean food spread among the peoples of the Soviet Union. As a result, Korean food, such as kimchi, miyŏk (edible kelp, and others, were introduced and widely consumed throughout the Soviet Union. This paper explores this unusual spread and popularity of Korean food in the Soviet Union, focusing on the migration history of the Soviet Koreans and Soviet culinary culture. This work is based on the author's fieldwork in the Soviet Union in the early 1900s and again in mid-2000s. The unusual diffusion and popularity of the Korean food in the former Soviet Union provides us with important insights on migration and globalization of ethnic food.

Coastal High-resolution Observations and Remote Sensing of Ecosystems (C-HORSE)

Science.gov (United States)

Guild, Liane

2016-01-01

Coastal benthic marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and kelp forests are highly productive as well as ecologically and commercially important resources. These systems are vulnerable to degraded water quality due to coastal development, terrestrial run-off, and harmful algal blooms. Measurements of these features are important for understanding linkages with land-based sources of pollution and impacts to coastal ecosystems. Challenges for accurate remote sensing of coastal benthic (shallow water) ecosystems and water quality are complicated by atmospheric scattering/absorption (approximately 80+% of the signal), sun glint from the sea surface, and water column scattering (e.g., turbidity). Further, sensor challenges related to signal to noise (SNR) over optically dark targets as well as insufficient radiometric calibration thwart the value of coastal remotely-sensed data. Atmospheric correction of satellite and airborne remotely-sensed radiance data is crucial for deriving accurate water-leaving radiance in coastal waters. C-HORSE seeks to optimize coastal remote sensing measurements by using a novel airborne instrument suite that will bridge calibration, validation, and research capabilities of bio-optical measurements from the sea to the high altitude remote sensing platform. The primary goal of C-HORSE is to facilitate enhanced optical observations of coastal ecosystems using state of the art portable microradiometers with 19 targeted spectral channels and flight planning to optimize measurements further supporting current and future remote sensing missions.

Evaluating the Potential for Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices to Act As Artificial Reefs or Fish Aggregating Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, S.; Nelson, P.

2016-02-01

Wave energy converters (WECs) and tidal energy converters (TECs) are only beginning to be deployed along the U.S. West Coast and in Hawai'i, and a better understanding of their ecological effects on fish, particularly on special status fish is needed to facilitate project siting, design and environmental permitting. The structures of WECs and TECs placed on to the seabed, such as anchors and foundations, may function as artificial reefs that attract reef associated fishes, while the midwater and surface structures, such as mooring lines, buoys, and wave or tidal power devices, may function as fish aggregating devices (FADs). We evaluated these potential ecological interactions by comparing them to surrogate structures, such as artificial reefs, natural reefs, kelp vegetation, floating and sunken debris, oil and gas platforms, anchored FADs deployed to enhance fishing opportunities, net cages used for mariculture, and piers and marinas. We also conducted guided discussions with scientists and resource managers to provide unpublished observations. Our findings indicate the structures of WECs and TECs placed on or near the seabed in coastal waters of the U.S. West Coast and Hawai`i likely will function as small scale artificial reefs and attract potentially high densities of reef associated fishes and the midwater and surface structures of WECs placed in the tropical waters of Hawai`i likely will function as de facto FADs.

The other ocean acidification problem: CO2 as a resource among competitors for ecosystem dominance

Science.gov (United States)

Connell, Sean D.; Kroeker, Kristy J.; Fabricius, Katharina E.; Kline, David I.; Russell, Bayden D.

2013-01-01

Predictions concerning the consequences of the oceanic uptake of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) have been primarily occupied with the effects of ocean acidification on calcifying organisms, particularly those critical to the formation of habitats (e.g. coral reefs) or their maintenance (e.g. grazing echinoderms). This focus overlooks direct and indirect effects of CO2 on non-calcareous taxa that play critical roles in ecosystem shifts (e.g. competitors). We present the model that future atmospheric [CO2] may act as a resource for mat-forming algae, a diverse and widespread group known to reduce the resilience of kelp forests and coral reefs. We test this hypothesis by combining laboratory and field CO2 experiments and data from ‘natural’ volcanic CO2 vents. We show that mats have enhanced productivity in experiments and more expansive covers in situ under projected near-future CO2 conditions both in temperate and tropical conditions. The benefits of CO2 are likely to vary among species of producers, potentially leading to shifts in species dominance in a high CO2 world. We explore how ocean acidification combines with other environmental changes across a number of scales, and raise awareness of CO2 as a resource whose change in availability could have wide-ranging community consequences beyond its direct effects. PMID:23980244

Biologically-Oriented Processes in the Coastal Sea Ice Zone of the White Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Melnikov, I. A.

2002-12-01

The annual advance and retreat of sea ice is a major physical determinant of spatial and temporal changes in the structure and function of marine coastal biological communities. Sea ice biological data obtained in the tidal zone of Kandalaksha Gulf (White Sea) during 1996-2001 period will be presented. Previous observations in this area were mainly conducted during the ice-free summer season. However, there is little information on the ice-covered winter season (6-7 months duration), and, especially, on the sea-ice biology in the coastal zone within tidal regimes. During the January-May period time-series observations were conducted on transects along shorelines with coastal and fast ice. Trends in the annual extent of sea ice showed significant impacts on ice-associated biological communities. Three types of sea ice impact on kelps, balanoides, littorinas and amphipods are distinguished: (i) positive, when sea ice protects these populations from grinding (ii) negative, when ice grinds both fauna and flora, and (iii) a combined effect, when fast ice protects, but anchored ice grinds plant and animals. To understand the full spectrum of ecological problems caused by pollution on the coastal zone, as well as the problems of sea ice melting caused by global warming, an integrated, long-term study of the physical, chemical, and biological processes is needed.

Use of a free ocean CO₂ enrichment (FOCE) system to evaluate the effects of ocean acidification on the foraging behavior of a deep-sea urchin.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, James P; Lovera, Chris; Buck, Kurt R; Peltzer, Edward T; Taylor, Josi R; Walz, Peter; Whaling, Patrick J; Brewer, Peter G

2014-08-19

The influence of ocean acidification in deep-sea ecosystems is poorly understood but is expected to be large because of the presumed low tolerance of deep-sea taxa to environmental change. We used a newly developed deep-sea free ocean CO2 enrichment (dp-FOCE) system to evaluate the potential consequences of future ocean acidification on the feeding behavior of a deep-sea echinoid, the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus fragilis. The dp-FOCE system simulated future ocean acidification inside an experimental enclosure where observations of feeding behavior were performed. We measured the average movement (speed) of urchins as well as the time required (foraging time) for S. fragilis to approach its preferred food (giant kelp) in the dp-FOCE chamber (-0.46 pH units) and a control chamber (ambient pH). Measurements were performed during each of 4 trials (days -2, 2, 24, 27 after CO2 injection) during the month-long period when groups of urchins were continuously exposed to low pH or control conditions. Although urchin speed did not vary significantly in relation to pH or time exposed, foraging time was significantly longer for urchins in the low-pH treatment. This first deep-sea FOCE experiment demonstrated the utility of the FOCE system approach and suggests that the chemosensory behavior of a deep-sea urchin may be impaired by ocean acidification.

Toxicity bioassay of municipal sewage effluents using seaweed. Kaiso wo kyoshi seibutsu to shita toshi gesui shorisui no seibutsu kentei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maruyama, T [Tokyo University of Fisheries, Tokyo (Japan); Miura, A [Aomori University, Aomori (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1993-05-01

This paper describes the result of a toxicity test by means of a shaking culture on municipal sewage effluents using seaweed as a test living organism. Dead cells of porphyra yezoensis (nori) have emerged more specifically with the addition of non-disinfected secondary treated water at about 1% and with the lower the salt content. This phenomenon is thought to be an antagonism among growth accelerating substances for porphyra thallus, growth inhibiting substances, and salt content, one of the important characteristics of non-disinfected treated water. As a result of culture test on ripe seawater added with chlorine-disinfected secondary treated water, it was found that the growth of porphyra yezoensis (nori) is governed completely by concentrations of free chlorine added to the treated water, but very little by the treated water addition factor. Substances with very strong growth inhibition power, including NH4Cl, are generated in the chlorine-disinfected secondary treated water. It was disclosed that growth ratios of giant kelps at different factors of addition of non-disinfected secondary treated water change with the sampling time; water quality of the treated sewage water changes from one hour to another; and there are two time bands that show the growth ratio of about the same extent and a time band that shows a transition growth ratio. 60 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

Ubiquitous distribution of helmchrome in phototactic swarmers of the stramenopiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Gang; Nagasato, Chikako; Yamagishi, Takahiro; Kawai, Hiroshi; Okuda, Kazuo; Takao, Yoshitake; Horiguchi, Takeo; Motomura, Taizo

2016-05-01

Most swarmers (swimming cells) of the stramenopile group, ranging from unicellular protist to giant kelps (brown algae), have two heterogeneous flagella: a long anterior flagellum (AF) and a relatively shorter posterior flagellum (PF). These flagellated cells often exhibit phototaxis upon light stimulation, although the mechanism by which how the phototactic response is regulated remains largely unknown. A flavoprotein concentrating at the paraflagellar body (PFB) on the basal part of the PF, which can emit green autofluorescence under blue light irradiance, has been proposed as a possible blue light photoreceptor for brown algal phototaxis although the nature of the flavoprotein still remains elusive. Recently, we identified helmchrome as a PF-specific flavoprotein protein in a LC-MS/MS-based proteomics study of brown algal flagella (Fu et al. 2014). To verify the conservation of helmchrome, in the present study, the absence or presence and the localization of helmchrome in swarmers of various algal species were investigated. The results showed that helmchrome was only detected in phototactic swarmers but not the non-phototactic ones of the stramenopile group. Electron microscopy further revealed that the helmchrome detectable swarmers bear a conserved PFB-eyespot complex, which may serve as structural basis for light sensing. It is speculated that all three conserved properties: helmchrome, the PFB structure, and the eyespot apparatus, will be essential parts for phototaxis of stramenopile swarmers.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Project final report: Monitoring for evaluation of recovery and restoration of injured nearshore resources

Science.gov (United States)

Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bodkin, James L.; Kloecker, Kim; Dean, Tom; Colettie, Heather A

2015-01-01

In 2012, we completed three consecutive years of full field sampling in WPWS for EVOS Restoration Project 10100750. Nearshore monitoring was conducted in collaboration with the NPS SWAN I&M program and, beginning in 2012, as part of the EVOSTC GWA program. Data collection was done in accordance with standard operating procedures set forth to monitor marine water chemistry and quality, marine intertidal invertebrates, kelps and seagrasses, marine birds, black oystercatchers, and sea otters. Summer sampling in 2012 represented the fourth year of sampling in WPWS (an initial year of sampling was done in WPWS in 2007; EVOS Restoration Project 070750). Based on our monitoring of nearshore species in WPWS, and comparisons of data from WPWS and other areas within the Gulf of Alaska, we have no evidence of continued injury to biological resources at the spatial scales we are monitoring. A key finding is that recovery of the sea otter population is no longer constrained by exposure to lingering oil; this is consistent with related EVOSTC studies on harlequin ducks (Restoration Project 12120114-Q). We anticipate continued annual nearshore monitoring in WPWS and at KATM and KEFJ under GWA, with data summaries and analyses including all three areas to provide a larger spatial and temporal context to the understanding of processes and patterns in nearshore ecosystems of the GOA which were impacted by the EVOS of 1989.

The other ocean acidification problem: CO2 as a resource among competitors for ecosystem dominance.

Science.gov (United States)

Connell, Sean D; Kroeker, Kristy J; Fabricius, Katharina E; Kline, David I; Russell, Bayden D

2013-01-01

Predictions concerning the consequences of the oceanic uptake of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) have been primarily occupied with the effects of ocean acidification on calcifying organisms, particularly those critical to the formation of habitats (e.g. coral reefs) or their maintenance (e.g. grazing echinoderms). This focus overlooks direct and indirect effects of CO2 on non-calcareous taxa that play critical roles in ecosystem shifts (e.g. competitors). We present the model that future atmospheric [CO2] may act as a resource for mat-forming algae, a diverse and widespread group known to reduce the resilience of kelp forests and coral reefs. We test this hypothesis by combining laboratory and field CO2 experiments and data from 'natural' volcanic CO2 vents. We show that mats have enhanced productivity in experiments and more expansive covers in situ under projected near-future CO2 conditions both in temperate and tropical conditions. The benefits of CO2 are likely to vary among species of producers, potentially leading to shifts in species dominance in a high CO2 world. We explore how ocean acidification combines with other environmental changes across a number of scales, and raise awareness of CO2 as a resource whose change in availability could have wide-ranging community consequences beyond its direct effects.

Microbiomes of Muricea californica and M. fruticosa: Comparative Analyses of Two Co-occurring Eastern Pacific Octocorals.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Johanna B; Heidelberg, Karla B

2016-01-01

Octocorals are sources of novel but understudied microbial diversity. Conversely, scleractinian or reef-building coral microbiomes have been heavily examined in light of the threats of climate change. Muricea californica and Muricea fruticosa are two co-occurring species of gorgonian octocoral abundantly found in the kelp forests of southern California, and thus provide an excellent basis to determine if octocoral microbiomes are host specific. Using Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing and replicate samples, we evaluated the microbiomes collected from multiple colonies of both species of Muricea to measure both inter- and intra-colony microbiome variabilities. In addition, microbiomes from overlying sea water and nearby zoanthids (another benthic invertebrate) were also included in the analysis to evaluate whether bacterial taxa specifically associate with octocorals. This is also the first report of microbiomes from these species of Muricea. We show that microbiomes isolated from each sample type are distinct, and specifically, that octocoral species type had the greatest effect on predicting the composition of the Muricea microbiome. Bacterial taxa contributing to compositional differences include distinct strains of Mycoplasma associated with either M. californica or M. fruticosa, an abundance of Spirochaetes observed on M. californica, and a greater diversity of γ-Proteobacteria associated with M. fruticosa. Many of the bacterial taxa contributing to these differences are known for their presence in photosymbiont-containing invertebrate microbiomes.

Polyurethane and polyurea nanoparticles based on polyoxyethylene castor oil derivative surfactant suitable for endovascular applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Morral-Ruíz, Genoveva; Melgar-Lesmes, Pedro; García, María Luísa; Solans, Conxita; García-Celma, María José

2014-01-30

The design of new, safe and effective nanotherapeutic systems is an important challenge for the researchers in the nanotechnology area. This study describes the formation of biocompatible polyurethane and polyurea nanoparticles based on polyoxyethylene castor oil derivative surfactant formed from O/W nano-emulsions by polymerization at the droplet interfaces in systems composed by aqueous solution/Kolliphor(®) ELP/medium chain triglyceride suitable for intravenous administration. Initial nano-emulsions incorporating highly hydrophilic materials were prepared by the phase inversion composition (PIC) method. After polymerization, nanoparticles with a small particle diameter (25-55 nm) and low polydispersity index were obtained. Parameters such as concentration of monomer, O/S weight ratio as well as the polymerization temperature were crucial to achieve a correct formation of these nanoparticles. Moreover, FT-IR studies showed the full conversion of the monomer to polyurethane and polyurea polymers. Likewise the involvement of the surfactant in the polymerization process through their nucleophilic groups to form the polymeric matrix was demonstrated. This could mean a first step in the development of biocompatible systems formulated with polyoxyethylene castor oil derivative surfactants. In addition, haemolysis and cell viability assays evidenced the good biocompatibility of KELP polyurethane and polyurea nanoparticles thus indicating the potential of these nanosystems as promising drug carriers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentration and retention of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by marine snails demonstrate a novel mechanism for transmission of terrestrial zoonotic pathogens in coastal ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Krusor, Colin; Smith, Woutrina A.; Tinker, M. Tim; Silver, Mary; Conrad, Patricia A.; Shapiro, Karen

2015-01-01

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an environmentally persistent pathogen that can cause fatal disease in humans, terrestrial warm-blooded animals and aquatic mammals. Although an association between T. gondii exposure and prey specialization on marine snails was identified in threatened California sea otters, the ability of kelp-dwelling snails to transmit terrestrially derived pathogens has not been previously investigated. The objective of this study was to measure concentration and retention of T. gondii by marine snails in laboratory aquaria, and to test for natural T. gondii contamination in field-collected snails. Following exposure to T. gondii-containing seawater, oocysts were detected by microscopy in snail faeces and tissues for 10 and 3 days respectively. Nested polymerase chain reaction was also applied as a method for confirming putative T. gondii oocysts detected in snail faeces and tissues by microscopy. Toxoplasma gondiiwas not detected in field-collected snails. Results suggest that turban snails are competent transport hosts for T. gondii. By concentrating oocysts in faecal pellets, snails may facilitate entry of T. gondii into the nearshore marine food web. This novel mechanism also represents a general pathway by which marine transmission of terrestrially derived microorganisms can be mediated via pathogen concentration and retention by benthic invertebrates.

Production of a Novel Fucoidanase for the Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Streptomyces sp. and Its Cytotoxic Effect on HeLa Cells

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Panchanathan Manivasagan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Marine actinobacteria-produced fucoidanases have received considerable attention as one of the major research topics in recent years, particularly for the medical exploitation of fucoidans and their degradation products. The present study describes the optimization and production of a novel fucoidanase for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and its biological applications. The production of fucoidanase was optimized using Streptomyces sp. The medium components were selected in accordance with the Plackett-Burman design and were further optimized via response surface methodology. The fucoidanase was statistically optimized with the most significant factors, namely wheat bran 3.3441 g/L, kelp powder 0.7041 g/L, and NaCl 0.8807 g/L, respectively. The biosynthesized gold nanoparticles were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy and were further characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and the inhibitory concentration (IC50 was found to be 350 µg/mL at 24 h and 250 µg/mL at 48 h. Therefore, the production of novel fucoidanase for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles has comparatively rapid, less expensive and wide application to anticancer therapy in modern medicine.

Production of a Novel Fucoidanase for the Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Streptomyces sp. and Its Cytotoxic Effect on HeLa Cells.

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Manivasagan, Panchanathan; Oh, Junghwan

2015-11-12

Marine actinobacteria-produced fucoidanases have received considerable attention as one of the major research topics in recent years, particularly for the medical exploitation of fucoidans and their degradation products. The present study describes the optimization and production of a novel fucoidanase for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and its biological applications. The production of fucoidanase was optimized using Streptomyces sp. The medium components were selected in accordance with the Plackett-Burman design and were further optimized via response surface methodology. The fucoidanase was statistically optimized with the most significant factors, namely wheat bran 3.3441 g/L, kelp powder 0.7041 g/L, and NaCl 0.8807 g/L, respectively. The biosynthesized gold nanoparticles were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy and were further characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and the inhibitory concentration (IC50) was found to be 350 µg/mL at 24 h and 250 µg/mL at 48 h. Therefore, the production of novel fucoidanase for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles has comparatively rapid, less expensive and wide application to anticancer therapy in modern medicine.

Present situation of technical development to cope with CO sub 2 exhaust. CO sub 2 taisaku gijutsu kaihatsu no genjo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sema, T [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan)

1991-04-01

A quantitative evaluation was made on techniques of CO{sub 2} immobilization utilizing organisms by referring to literatures. The techniques used for the evaluation were the following six ones: The first one is to plant trees on wastelands located in the tropics and the subtropics and CO{sub 2} is immobilized by grown trees. The second one is to compulsorily blow CO{sub 2} into water to immobilize CO{sub 2} by multiplicated microorganisms such as green algae. The third one is to multipulicate phytoplanktons by spraying deficient trace elements on oceans where trace elements such as Fe are deficient in spite of rich nutritive salts to absorb and immobilize CO{sub 2}in seawater. The fourth one is to multipulicate shellfishes in coastal regions to immobilize CO{sub 2} in seawater as their shells. The fifth one is to multipulicate many coral reefs in tropic or subtropic coastal regions to immobilize CO{sub 2} as calcium carbonate. The sixth one is to multipulicate large size seaseeds such as giant kelps in shallow seawaters to immobilize CO{sub 2} in seawater. The width of each applicabe area, immibilizingcapability of CO{sub 2} and the executing cost were considered to evaluate respective methods. As a result, the multipulication of marine planktons were thought most promising. 1 fig., 4 tabs.

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Half Moon Bay, California

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Cochrane, Guy R.; Dartnell, Peter; Greene, H. Gary; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Golden, Nadine E.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Manson, Michael W.; Sliter, Ray W.; Ross, Stephanie L.; Watt, Janet T.; Endris, Charles A.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Chin, John L.; Bretz, Carrie K.

2014-01-01

area), although its associated phylogeographic group of marine fauna may extend beyond to the area offshore of Los Angeles in southern California. The ocean off central California has experienced a warming over the last 50 years that is driving an ecosystem shift away from the productive subarctic regime towards a depopulated subtropical environment. Seafloor habitats in the Offshore of Half Moon Bay map area, which lies within the Shelf (continental shelf) megahabitat, range from significant rocky outcrops that support kelp-forest communities nearshore to rocky-reef communities in deep water. Biological productivity resulting from coastal upwelling supports populations of sea birds such as Sooty Shearwater, Western Gull, Common Murre, Cassin’s Auklet, and many other less populous bird species. In addition, an observable recovery of Humpback and Blue Whales has occurred in the area; both species are dependent on coastal upwelling to provide nutrients. The large extent of exposed inner shelf bedrock supports large forests of “bull kelp,” which is well adapted for high wave-energy environments. Common fish species found in the kelp beds and rocky reefs include lingcod and various species of rockfish and greenling.

Genetic diversity of the NE Atlantic sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis unveils chaotic genetic patchiness possibly linked to local selective pressure.

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Norderhaug, K M; Anglès d'Auriac, M B; Fagerli, C W; Gundersen, H; Christie, H; Dahl, K; Hobæk, A

We compared the genetic differentiation in the green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis from discrete populations on the NE Atlantic coast. By using eight recently developed microsatellite markers, genetic structure was compared between populations from the Danish Strait in the south to the Barents Sea in the north (56-79°N). Urchins are spread by pelagic larvae and may be transported long distances by northwards-going ocean currents. Two main superimposed patterns were identified. The first showed a subtle but significant genetic differentiation from the southernmost to the northernmost of the studied populations and could be explained by an isolation by distance model. The second pattern included two coastal populations in mid-Norway (65°N), NH and NS, as well as the northernmost population of continental Norway (71°N) FV. They showed a high degree of differentiation from all other populations. The explanation to the second pattern is most likely chaotic genetic patchiness caused by introgression from another species, S. pallidus, into S. droebachiensis resulting from selective pressure. Ongoing sea urchin collapse and kelp forests recovery are observed in the area of NH, NS and FV populations. High gene flow between populations spanning more than 22° in latitude suggests a high risk of new grazing events to occur rapidly in the future if conditions for sea urchins are favourable. On the other hand, the possibility of hybridization in association with collapsing populations may be used as an early warning indicator for monitoring purposes.

Heterospecific sociality of birds on beaches from southeastern Brazil

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César Cestari

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Studies on the sociality of heterospecific assemblages of birds have promoted a greater understanding of the types of interactions and survivorship between coexisting species. This study verified the group compositions in bird assemblages and analyzed the sociality of migratory and resident species on sandy beaches of southeastern Brazil. A transect was established on the median portion of beaches and all the groups of bird species (monospecific, heterospecific and solitary individuals were registered four days per month from November 2006 to April 2007. The sociality of each species was calculated by its frequency in heterospecific groups, its proportional number of contacts with other species in heterospecific groups, and the number of species that it associated with. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766 and Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825 (both migratory had the highest degree of sociality and did not show a preference to associate with either residents or migratory species. Sanderling Calidris alba (Pallas, 1764 (migratory occupied the third position in the sociality rank and associated with migratory species frequently. Southern Caracara Carara plancus (Miller, 1777 and Black Vulture Coragyps atratus (Beschstein, 1793 (both resident were uniquely found among heterospecific groups with necrophagous and resident species. Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823 (resident associated more frequently with resident species. The sociality in assemblages of birds may promote advantages such as an increased collective awareness in dangerous situations and indication of sites with abundant food sources.

Coastal structures, waste materials and fishery enhancement

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Collins, K.J.; Jensen, A.C.; Lockwood, A.P.M.; Lockwood, S.J. [University of Southampton, Southampton (United Kingdom). Dept. of Oceanography

1994-09-01

Current UK practice relating to the disposal of material at sea is reviewed. The use of stabilization technology relating to bulk waste materials, coal ash, oil ash and incinerator ash is discussed. The extension of this technology to inert minestone waste and tailings, contaminated dredged sediments and phosphogypsum is explored. Uses of stabilized wastes are considered in the areas of habitat restoration, coastal defense and fishery enhancement. It is suggested that rehabilitation of marine dump sites receiving loose waste such as pulverized fuel ash (PFA) could be enhanced by the continued dumping of the material but in a stabilized block form, so creating new habitat diversity. Global warming predictions include sea level rise and increased storm frequency. This is of particular concern along the southern and eastern coasts of the UK. The emphasis of coastal defense is changing from hard seawalls to soft options which include offshore barriers to reduce wave energy reaching the coast. Stabilized waste materials could be included in these and other marine constructions with possible economic benefit. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), the regulatory authority in England and Wales for marine disposal/construction, policy regarding marine structures and fishery enhancement is outlined. A case is made for the inclusion of fishery enhancement features in future coastal structures. Examples of the productivity of man-made structures are given. Slight modification of planned structures and inclusion of suitable habitat niches could allow for the cultivation of kelp, molluscs, crustacea and fish.

Marine Derived Polysaccharides for Biomedical Applications: Chemical Modification Approaches

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Paola Laurienzo

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Polysaccharide-based biomaterials are an emerging class in several biomedical fields such as tissue regeneration, particularly for cartilage, drug delivery devices and gelentrapment systems for the immobilization of cells. Important properties of the polysaccharides include controllable biological activity, biodegradability, and their ability to form hydrogels. Most of the polysaccharides used derive from natural sources; particularly, alginate and chitin, two polysaccharides which have an extensive history of use in medicine, pharmacy and basic sciences, and can be easily extracted from marine plants (algae kelp and crab shells, respectively. The recent rediscovery of poly-saccharidebased materials is also attributable to new synthetic routes for their chemical modification, with the aim of promoting new biological activities and/or to modify the final properties of the biomaterials for specific purposes. These synthetic strategies also involve the combination of polysaccharides with other polymers. A review of the more recent research in the field of chemical modification of alginate, chitin and its derivative chitosan is presented. Moreover, we report as case studies the results of our recent work concerning various different approaches and applications of polysaccharide-based biomaterials, such as the realization of novel composites based on calcium sulphate blended with alginate and with a chemically modified chitosan, the synthesis of novel alginate-poly(ethylene glycol copolymers and the development of a family of materials based on alginate and acrylic polymers of potential interest as drug delivery systems.

Microscopic and infrared spectroscopic comparison of the underwater adhesives produced by germlings of the brown seaweed species Durvillaea antarctica and Hormosira banksii.

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Dimartino, Simone; Savory, David M; Fraser-Miller, Sara J; Gordon, Keith C; McQuillan, A James

2016-04-01

Adhesives from marine organisms are often the source of inspiration for the development of glues able to create durable bonds in wet environments. In this work, we investigated the adhesive secretions produced by germlings of two large seaweed species from the South Pacific, Durvillaea antarctica, also named 'the strongest kelp in the word', and its close relative Hormosira banksii The comparative analysis was based on optical and scanning electron microscopy imaging as well as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA). For both species, the egg surface presents peripheral vesicles which are released soon after fertilization to discharge a primary adhesive. This is characterized by peaks representative of carbohydrate molecules. A secondary protein-based adhesive is then secreted in the early developmental stages of the germlings. Energy dispersive X-ray, FTIR and PCA indicate that D. antarctica secretions also contain sulfated moieties, and become cross-linked with time, both conferring strong adhesive and cohesive properties. On the other hand, H. banksii secretions are complemented by the putative adhesive phlorotannins, and are characterized by a simple mechanism in which all constituents are released with the same rate and with no apparent cross-linking. It is also noted that the release of adhesive materials appears to be faster and more copious in D. antarctica than in H. banksii Overall, this study highlights that both quantity and quality of the adhesives matter in explaining the superior attachment ability of D. antarctica. © 2016 The Author(s).

Using smooth sheets to describe groundfish habitat in Alaskan waters, with specific application to two flatfishes

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Zimmermann, Mark; Reid, Jane A.; Golden, Nadine

2016-01-01

In this analysis we demonstrate how preferred fish habitat can be predicted and mapped for juveniles of two Alaskan groundfish species – Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon) – at five sites (Kiliuda Bay, Izhut Bay, Port Dick, Aialik Bay, and the Barren Islands) in the central Gulf of Alaska. The method involves using geographic information system (GIS) software to extract appropriate information from National Ocean Service (NOS) smooth sheets that are available from NGDC (the National Geophysical Data Center). These smooth sheets are highly detailed charts that include more soundings, substrates, shoreline and feature information than the more commonly-known navigational charts. By bringing the information from smooth sheets into a GIS, a variety of surfaces, such as depth, slope, rugosity and mean grain size were interpolated into raster surfaces. Other measurements such as site openness, shoreline length, proportion of bay that is near shore, areas of rocky reefs and kelp beds, water volumes, surface areas and vertical cross-sections were also made in order to quantify differences between the study sites. Proper GIS processing also allows linking the smooth sheets to other data sets, such as orthographic satellite photographs, topographic maps and precipitation estimates from which watersheds and runoff can be derived. This same methodology can be applied to larger areas, taking advantage of these free data sets to describe predicted groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH) in Alaskan waters.

Persistent natural acidification drives major distribution shifts in marine benthic ecosystems

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Linares, C.; Vidal, M.; Canals, M.; Kersting, D. K.; Amblas, D.; Aspillaga, E.; Cebrián, E.; Delgado-Huertas, A.; Díaz, D.; Garrabou, J.; Hereu, B.; Navarro, L.; Teixidó, N.; Ballesteros, E.

2015-01-01

Ocean acidification is receiving increasing attention because of its potential to affect marine ecosystems. Rare CO2 vents offer a unique opportunity to investigate the response of benthic ecosystems to acidification. However, the benthic habitats investigated so far are mainly found at very shallow water (less than or equal to 5 m depth) and therefore are not representative of the broad range of continental shelf habitats. Here, we show that a decrease from pH 8.1 to 7.9 observed in a CO2 vent system at 40 m depth leads to a dramatic shift in highly diverse and structurally complex habitats. Forests of the kelp Laminaria rodriguezii usually found at larger depths (greater than 65 m) replace the otherwise dominant habitats (i.e. coralligenous outcrops and rhodolith beds), which are mainly characterized by calcifying organisms. Only the aragonite-calcifying algae are able to survive in acidified waters, while high-magnesium-calcite organisms are almost completely absent. Although a long-term survey of the venting area would be necessary to fully understand the effects of the variability of pH and other carbonate parameters over the structure and functioning of the investigated mesophotic habitats, our results suggest that in addition of significant changes at species level, moderate ocean acidification may entail major shifts in the distribution and dominance of key benthic ecosystems at regional scale, which could have broad ecological and socio-economic implications. PMID:26511045

Sustainability of future coasts and estuaries: A synthesis

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Newton, Alice; Harff, Jan; You, Zai-Jin; Zhang, Hua; Wolanski, Eric

2016-12-01

Coasts are at the nexus of the Anthropocene, where land, marginal seas and atmosphere meet along a thin strip that is inhabited by nearly half the human population (Wolanski and Elliott, 2015). Coasts are often fringed by rich habitats such as mangroves, salt-marshes, inter-tidal mud and sand flats, seagrass meadows, kelp forests and coral reefs that provide a valuable range of ecosystem services to humans and to the adjacent marginal seas (Van den Belt and Costanza, 2011). It is the highly dynamic system that is constantly being reshaped by changing natural forces and anthropogenic activities. Coastal systems and human societies form coastal social-ecological systems that increasingly face multiple pressures, which threaten their ecological and economical sustainability. Common pressures include changes to land use and hydrology, land reclamation, coastal sand mining, harbour dredging, pollution and eutrophication, overexploitation such as overfishing, all in the context of climate change. During the 20th Century, coastal scientists studied the problems and issues arising along the coasts (Ramesh et al., 2015). Now, in the 21st Century, their focus must increasingly be about how to solve these problems and issues through better management and innovative approaches. To study these matters, two workshops were held in Yantai, P.R. China, in September 2015, hosted by the Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, CAS. The outcome of these workshops is this special issue of Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science.

An online database for informing ecological network models: http://kelpforest.ucsc.edu.

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Beas-Luna, Rodrigo; Novak, Mark; Carr, Mark H; Tinker, Martin T; Black, August; Caselle, Jennifer E; Hoban, Michael; Malone, Dan; Iles, Alison

2014-01-01

Ecological network models and analyses are recognized as valuable tools for understanding the dynamics and resiliency of ecosystems, and for informing ecosystem-based approaches to management. However, few databases exist that can provide the life history, demographic and species interaction information necessary to parameterize ecological network models. Faced with the difficulty of synthesizing the information required to construct models for kelp forest ecosystems along the West Coast of North America, we developed an online database (http://kelpforest.ucsc.edu/) to facilitate the collation and dissemination of such information. Many of the database's attributes are novel yet the structure is applicable and adaptable to other ecosystem modeling efforts. Information for each taxonomic unit includes stage-specific life history, demography, and body-size allometries. Species interactions include trophic, competitive, facilitative, and parasitic forms. Each data entry is temporally and spatially explicit. The online data entry interface allows researchers anywhere to contribute and access information. Quality control is facilitated by attributing each entry to unique contributor identities and source citations. The database has proven useful as an archive of species and ecosystem-specific information in the development of several ecological network models, for informing management actions, and for education purposes (e.g., undergraduate and graduate training). To facilitate adaptation of the database by other researches for other ecosystems, the code and technical details on how to customize this database and apply it to other ecosystems are freely available and located at the following link (https://github.com/kelpforest-cameo/databaseui).

Characterisation of phenolics in Flor-Essence--a compound herbal product and its contributing herbs.

Science.gov (United States)

Saleem, Ammar; Walshe-Roussel, Brendan; Harris, Cory; Asim, Muhammad; Tamayo, Carmen; Sit, Summer; Arnason, John Thor

2009-01-01

Commercially available herbal mixture FE, a proprietary natural health product manufactured by Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd (Flora), is a unique North American traditional herbal product. FE is a chemically complex mixture of eight herbs and has not been subjected to phytochemical analysis. To develop analytical methods to undertake detailed phytochemical analyses of FE, and its eight contributing herbs, including burdock (Arctium lappa L.), sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella L.), Turkish rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L.), slippery elm Muhl. (Ulmus rubra), watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus L.) and kelp (Laminaria digitata Lmx.). The identification was undertaken by a combination of reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation-mass selective detection (RP-HPLC-DAD-APCI-MSD) analysis and phenolics metabolomic library matching. New separation methods facilitated the identification of 43 markers in the individual herbs which constitute FE. Sixteen markers could be identified in FE originating from four contributing herbs including four caffeoyl quinic acids, three dicaffeoyl quinic acids and two caffeic acid derivatives from A. lappa, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin, five apigenin glycosides and apigenin from R. acetocella and N. officinale and sissostrin from T. pretense. A validated method for quantitative determination of three markers is reported with good intraday, interday and interoperator repeatability using a reliable alcohol based extraction technique. FE and its contributing herbs predominantly contain phenolics. This methodology can be applied to further develop full-scale validation of this product.

Monitoring population status of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska: options and considerations

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Esslinger, George G.; Esler, Daniel N.; Howlin, S.; Starcevich, L.A.

2015-06-25

After many decades of absence from southeast Alaska, sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are recolonizing parts of their former range, including Glacier Bay, Alaska. Sea otters are well known for structuring nearshore ecosystems and causing community-level changes such as increases in kelp abundance and changes in the size and number of other consumers. Monitoring population status of sea otters in Glacier Bay will help park researchers and managers understand and interpret sea otter-induced ecosystem changes relative to other sources of variation, including potential human-induced impacts such as ocean acidification, vessel disturbance, and oil spills. This report was prepared for the National Park Service (NPS), Southeast Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network following a request for evaluation of options for monitoring sea otter population status in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. To meet this request, we provide a detailed consideration of the primary method of assessment of abundance and distribution, aerial surveys, including analyses of power to detect interannual trends and designs to reduce variation around annual abundance estimates. We also describe two alternate techniques for evaluating sea otter population status—(1) quantifying sea otter diets and energy intake rates, and (2) detecting change in ages at death. In addition, we provide a brief section on directed research to identify studies that would further our understanding of sea otter population dynamics and effects on the Glacier Bay ecosystem, and provide context for interpreting results of monitoring activities.

Evaluating the Potential for Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices to Act as Artificial Reefs or Fish Aggregating Devices. Based on Analysis of Surrogates in Tropical, Subtropical, and Temperate U.S. West Coast and Hawaiian Coastal Waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kramer, Sharon H. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Hamilton, Christine D. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Spencer, Gregory C. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States); Ogston, Heather O. [H. T. Harvey & Associates, Honolulu, HI (United States)

2015-05-12

Wave energy converters (WECs) and tidal energy converters (TECs) are only beginning to be deployed along the U.S. West Coast and in Hawai‘i, and a better understanding of their ecological effects on fish, particularly on special-status fish (e.g., threatened and endangered) is needed to facilitate project design and environmental permitting. The structures of WECs and TECs placed on to the seabed, such as anchors and foundations, may function as artificial reefs that attract reef-associated fishes, while the midwater and surface structures, such as mooring lines, buoys, and wave or tidal power devices, may function as fish aggregating devices (FADs), forming the nuclei for groups of fishes. Little is known about the potential for WECs and TECs to function as artificial reefs and FADs in coastal waters of the U.S. West Coast and Hawai‘i. We evaluated these potential ecological interactions by reviewing relevant information about fish associations with surrogate structures, such as artificial reefs, natural reefs, kelps, floating debris, oil and gas platforms, marine debris, anchored FADs deployed to enhance fishing opportunities, net-cages used for mariculture, and piers and docks. Based on our review, we postulate that the structures of WECs and TECs placed on or near the seabed in coastal waters of the U.S. West Coast and Hawai‘i likely will function as small-scale artificial reefs and attract potentially high densities of reef-associated fishes (including special-status rockfish species [Sebastes spp.] along the mainland), and that the midwater and surface structures of WECs placed in the tropical waters of Hawai‘i likely will function as de facto FADs with species assemblages varying by distance from shore and deployment depth. Along the U.S. West Coast, frequent associations with midwater and surface structures may be less likely: juvenile, semipelagic, kelp-associated rockfishes may occur at midwater and surface structures of WECs in coastal waters of

Growth-promoting effects of a seaweed concentrate at various pH and water hardness conditions

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Georgina D. Arthur

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Kelpak® – a liquid seaweed concentrate made from the kelp Ecklonia maxima (Osbeck Papenfuss – is used as a natural biostimulant to promote rooting and improve yield in crops. Plant–soil environmental conditions and the chemistry of water used for irrigation may affect the efficiency of Kelpak. The effect of pH (pH 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5 and water hardness (200 mg/L and 400 mg/L Ca2+ on the growth-promoting ability of Kelpak was assessed using the mungbean rooting bioassay and in a pot trial with Swiss chard. Kelpak promoted rooting in all the treatments in the mungbean bioassay with maximum rooting generally achieved with 20% Kelpak. With 20% Kelpak, the addition of 200 mg/L and 400 mg/L Ca2+ decreased rooting at pH 4.5, increased rooting at pH 6.5 and did not affect rooting at pH 8.5. A similar trend was observed in the pot trial with Swiss chard: leaf and root (fresh weight and pigment content (chl a, chl b and carotenoids improved with the addition of 200 mg/L Ca2+ + 5% Kelpak at pH 6.5 or pH 8.5, while Kelpak was able to partially mask the negative effect of 200 mg/L Ca2+ at pH 4.5. These results suggest that while Kelpak is most effective in neutral pHs, it can be used to promote plant growth in a wide range of pH and water hardness conditions.

Spatial distribution of macroalgae along the shores of Kongsfjorden (West Spitsbergen using acoustic imaging

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Kruss Aleksandra

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The identification of macroalgal beds is a crucial component for the description of fjord ecosystems. Direct, biological sampling is still the most popular investigation technique but acoustic methods are becoming increasingly recognized as a very efficient tool for the assessment of benthic communities. In 2007 we carried out the first acoustic survey of the littoral areas in Kongsfjorden. A 2.68 km2 area comprised within a 12.40 km2 euphotic zone was mapped along the fjord’s coast using single- and multi-beam echosounders. The singlebeam echosounder (SBES proved to be a very efficient and reliable tool for macroalgae detection in Arctic conditions. The multibeam echosounder (MBES was very useful in extending the SBES survey range, even though it’s ability in discriminating benthic communities was limited. The final result of our investigation is a map of the macroalgae distribution around the fjord, showing 39% macroalgae coverage (1.09 km2 of investigated area between isobaths -0.70 m and -30 m. Zonation analysis showed that most of the studied macroalgae areas occur up to 15 m depth (93%. These results were confirmed by biological sampling and observation in key areas. The potential of acoustic imaging of macrophytes, and a proposed methodology for the processing of acoustic data, are presented in this paper along with preliminary studies on the acoustic reflectivity of macroalgae, also highlighting differences among species. These results can be applied to future monitoring of the evolution of kelp beds in different areas of the Arctic, and in the rest of the world.

Xanthan Gum

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Ünal Yurdagel

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Son 40-50 yıldır birçok hydrophile kolloidler besin sanayiinde geniş bir alanda, değişik amaçlar için kullanılır olmuştur. Bu kolloidler besin sanayiinden başka farmakolojide, kozmetik sanayiinde, harp ve fotoğrafçılık sanayiinde de kullanmaktadır. Doğal kaynaklı olabildikleri gibi yapay olarak da elde edilebilirler. Son yıllarda yapay hydrophylic kolloidlerin yapımı ülkemizde yeni yeni başlamasına karşın besin sanayiinde kullanımı sınırlıdır. Hydrophylic Kolloidlerce deniz ürünleri çok zengin doğal kaynaklardır. Örneğin Kelp adlı alg (bir tür yosun II. evrensel savaşta aseton eldesinde kullanılmıştır. Yine Atlas okyanusunda yetişen “Danimaria digitoda ile Laminarla saccharina” ve Pasifik Okyanusunda yetişen “Nereocystis Luetkeana” türlerinden sodyum alginat elde edilmektedir. Bu madde Losyonlarda, el pomadlarında, dondurmalarda ve dişçilikte kullanılmaktadır. Üç yanı denizlerle çevrili ülkemiz kıyılarında bu amaca uygun alglerin yoğun olduğu bilinmekte ve primitif yöntemlerle-TV programlarında izlendiği gibi-üretmektedirler.

High and distinct range-edge genetic diversity despite local bottlenecks.

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Jorge Assis

Full Text Available The genetic consequences of living on the edge of distributional ranges have been the subject of a largely unresolved debate. Populations occurring along persistent low latitude ranges (rear-edge are expected to retain high and unique genetic diversity. In contrast, currently less favourable environmental conditions limiting population size at such range-edges may have caused genetic erosion that prevails over past historical effects, with potential consequences on reducing future adaptive capacity. The present study provides an empirical test of whether population declines towards a peripheral range might be reflected on decreasing diversity and increasing population isolation and differentiation. We compare population genetic differentiation and diversity with trends in abundance along a latitudinal gradient towards the peripheral distribution range of Saccorhiza polyschides, a large brown seaweed that is the main structural species of kelp forests in SW Europe. Signatures of recent bottleneck events were also evaluated to determine whether the recently recorded distributional shifts had a negative influence on effective population size. Our findings show decreasing population density and increasing spatial fragmentation and local extinctions towards the southern edge. Genetic data revealed two well supported groups with a central contact zone. As predicted, higher differentiation and signs of bottlenecks were found at the southern edge region. However, a decrease in genetic diversity associated with this pattern was not verified. Surprisingly, genetic diversity increased towards the edge despite bottlenecks and much lower densities, suggesting that extinctions and recolonizations have not strongly reduced diversity or that diversity might have been even higher there in the past, a process of shifting genetic baselines.

Seabird eggs as bioindicators of chemical contamination in Chile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cifuentes, Jacqueline Munoz; Becker, Peter H.; Sommer, Ute; Pacheco, Patricia; Schlatter, Roberto

2003-11-01

Seabird eggs are proposed as biomonitors of chemical contamination in Chile. - Seabird eggs were used as bioindicators of chemical contamination in Chile. Brown-hooded Gull (Larus maculipennis), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Trudeau's Tern (Sterna trudeaui), Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), and Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) eggs were sampled at different breeding sites during the 1990s. Mercury and organochlorines (PCBs, DDT, HCB, HCH, and PCP) were quantified to reveal the interspecific differences, spatial and temporal trends in contamination levels. Trudeau's Tern displayed the highest levels of mercury (486 ng g{sup -1} wet weight). The highest {sigma}DDT concentrations were measured in Brown-hooded Gulls (726 ng g{sup -1}). PCB levels were similar among the species (102-236 ng g{sup -1}), but the composition of the PCB mixture was different in Pink-footed Shearwaters. With the exception of the Brown-hooded Gull, all species studied presented similar and low levels of organochlorines ({sigma}OHa). Residues of PCB and related compounds were not detected in any of the seabird eggs analyzed in Chile. Geographical variation was low, although levels of industrial chemicals were slightly higher in eggs from Concepcion Bay, and agricultural chemicals in eggs from Valdivia. Also interannual variation was low, but some evidence was found of decreasing levels in gull eggs throughout the time of the study. The causes of the low levels and small variability in space and time of environmental chemicals in Chilean seabirds are discussed. We propose the use of seabirds in future monitoring of the development of chemical contamination in Chile.

Determination of inorganic arsenic in algae using bromine halogenation and on-line nonpolar solid phase extraction followed by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weihong; Qi, Yuehan; Qin, Deyuan; Liu, Jixin; Mao, Xuefei; Chen, Guoying; Wei, Chao; Qian, Yongzhong

2017-08-01

Accurate, stable and fast analysis of toxic inorganic arsenic (iAs) in complicated and arsenosugar-rich algae matrix is always a challenge. Herein, a novel analytical method for iAs in algae was reported, using bromine halogenation and on-line nonpolar solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). The separation of iAs from algae was first performed by nonpolar SPE sorbent using Br - for arsenic halogenation. Algae samples were extracted with 1% perchloric acid. Then, 1.5mL extract was reduced by 1% thiourea, and simultaneously reacted (for 30min) with 50μL of 10% KBr for converting iAs to AsBr 3 after adding 3.5mL of 70% HCl to 5mL. A polystyrene (PS) resin cartridge was employed to retain arsenicals, which were hydrolyzed, eluted from the PS resin with H 2 O, and categorized as iAs. The total iAs was quantified by HG-AFS. Under optimum conditions, the spiked recoveries of iAs in real algae samples were in the 82-96% range, and the method achieved a desirable limit of detection of 3μgkg -1 . The inter-day relative standard deviations were 4.5% and 4.1% for spiked 100 and 500μgkg -1 respectively, which proved acceptable for this method. For real algae samples analysis, the highest presence of iAs was found in sargassum fusiforme, followed by kelp, seaweed and laver. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Dietary patterns in college freshmen and its relation to bone mineral density].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Sufang; Mu, Min; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Xiaoqin; Shu, Long; Li, Qingyan; Li, Yingchun

2012-07-01

In order to investigate the bone density of freshmen, and to analyze the association between dietary pattern and bone mineral density (BMD). A questionnaire survey on the situation of dietary pattern was conducted in 1414 freshmen. Effective dietary survey questionnaires and bone mineral density measurements were completed for 1319 participants. Bone mass was assessed by using an Ultrasound Bone Densitometer on the right calcaneus (CM-200, Furuno Electric Corporation, Japan), and the speed of sound (SOS, m/s) was used as an indicator for bone density. Factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the dietary patterns. After adjusting for confounders, covariance with Bonferroni's was used to further examine the associations between dietary patterns and bone mineral density (BMD). (1) Four major dietary patterns were noticed. Western food pattern (high consumption in hamburger, fried food, nuts, biscuit, chocolate, cola, coffee, sugars). Animal protein pattern (high consumption in pork, mutton, beef, poultry meat, animal liver). Calcium pattern (high consumption in fresh fruits, eggs, fish and shrimps, kelp laver and sea fish, milk and dairy products, beans and bean products). Traditional Chinese pattern (high consumption in rice and grain, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pork). (2) No association was observed between the western food pattern and bone mineral density. High animal protein pattern showed lower SOS value compared with low animal protein pattern. High calcium pattern showed higher SOS value compared with low calcium pattern. High traditional Chinese pattern showed higher SOS value compared with the low traditional Chinese pattern. Dietary patterns are closely related with bone mineral density (BMD) of freshmen.

Seabird eggs as bioindicators of chemical contamination in Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cifuentes, Jacqueline Munoz; Becker, Peter H.; Sommer, Ute; Pacheco, Patricia; Schlatter, Roberto

2003-01-01

Seabird eggs are proposed as biomonitors of chemical contamination in Chile. - Seabird eggs were used as bioindicators of chemical contamination in Chile. Brown-hooded Gull (Larus maculipennis), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Trudeau's Tern (Sterna trudeaui), Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), and Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) eggs were sampled at different breeding sites during the 1990s. Mercury and organochlorines (PCBs, DDT, HCB, HCH, and PCP) were quantified to reveal the interspecific differences, spatial and temporal trends in contamination levels. Trudeau's Tern displayed the highest levels of mercury (486 ng g -1 wet weight). The highest ΣDDT concentrations were measured in Brown-hooded Gulls (726 ng g -1 ). PCB levels were similar among the species (102-236 ng g -1 ), but the composition of the PCB mixture was different in Pink-footed Shearwaters. With the exception of the Brown-hooded Gull, all species studied presented similar and low levels of organochlorines (ΣOHa). Residues of PCB and related compounds were not detected in any of the seabird eggs analyzed in Chile. Geographical variation was low, although levels of industrial chemicals were slightly higher in eggs from Concepcion Bay, and agricultural chemicals in eggs from Valdivia. Also interannual variation was low, but some evidence was found of decreasing levels in gull eggs throughout the time of the study. The causes of the low levels and small variability in space and time of environmental chemicals in Chilean seabirds are discussed. We propose the use of seabirds in future monitoring of the development of chemical contamination in Chile

Environmental response to long-term mariculture activities in the Weihai coastal area, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongmei; Li, Xiaomin; Li, Qiang; Liu, Ying; Song, Jide; Zhang, Yongyu

2017-12-01

The environmental impacts of rapid expansion of mariculture have garnered worldwide attention. China is currently one of the largest countries to engage in this practice. In this study, a representative mariculture zone, the Weihai coastal area in China, was explored to determine the temporal variations in regional nutrients, N/P ratio, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and cellular abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates in response to the rapid growth in mariculture activities between 2006 and 2014. The temporal variations in inorganic and organic nitrogen concentrations in the surface water presented significantly increasing trends during August, between 2009 and 2014. A marked increase in the ratios of dinoflagellate to diatom abundance, concurrently with ascending N/P ratios, was also observed during August between 2011 and 2014. In addition, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate variations revealed the highest concentrations during October and lower levels during May and August, which was attributed in part to the seasonal growth characteristics of kelp cultivated in the study area. Moreover, the nutrient concentrations in Sanggou, Rongcheng, Wulei, and Rushan bays were affected significantly by the various cultured organisms in these bays. The intensive mariculture activity in the Weihai coastal area is likely one of the causes of the negative effects on water quality, such as eutrophication and future ocean acidification. The exploration of effective strategies is quite necessary in the future for keeping good quality of coastal environment and sustainable mariculture development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of the Relaxation of Upwelling-Favorable Winds on the Diurnal and Semidiurnal Water Temperature Fluctuations in the Santa Barbara Channel, California

Science.gov (United States)

Aristizábal, María. F.; Fewings, Melanie R.; Washburn, Libe

2017-10-01

In the Santa Barbara Channel, California, and around the Northern Channel Islands, water temperature fluctuations in the diurnal and semidiurnal frequency bands are intermittent, with amplitudes that vary on time scales of days to weeks. The cause of this intermittency is not well understood. We studied the effects of the barotropic tide, vertical stratification, propagation of coastal-trapped waves, regional wind relaxations, and diurnal-band winds on the intermittency of the temperature fluctuations during 1992-2015. We used temperature data from 43 moorings in 10-200 m water depth and wind data from two buoys and one land station. Subtidal-frequency changes in vertical stratification explain 20-40% of the intermittency in diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations at time scales of days to weeks. Along the mainland north of Point Conception and at the Northern Channel Islands, the relaxation of upwelling-favorable winds substantially increases vertical stratification, accounting for up to 55% of the subtidal-frequency variability in stratification. As a result of the enhanced stratification, wind relaxations enhance the diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations at those sites, even though the diurnal-band wind forcing decreases during wind relaxation. A linear model where the background stratification is advected vertically explains a substantial fraction of the temperature fluctuations at most sites. The increase of vertical stratification and subsequent increase in diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations during wind relaxation is a mechanism that can supply nutrients to the euphotic zone and kelp forests in the Channel in summer when upwelling is weak.

From grey to green: Efficacy of eco-engineering solutions for nature-based coastal defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Rebecca L; Konlechner, Teresa M; Ghisalberti, Marco; Swearer, Stephen E

2018-05-01

Climate change is increasing the threat of erosion and flooding along coastlines globally. Engineering solutions (e.g. seawalls and breakwaters) in response to protecting coastal communities and associated infrastructure are increasingly becoming economically and ecologically unsustainable. This has led to recommendations to create or restore natural habitats, such as sand dunes, saltmarsh, mangroves, seagrass and kelp beds, and coral and shellfish reefs, to provide coastal protection in place of (or to complement) artificial structures. Coastal managers are frequently faced with the problem of an eroding coastline, which requires a decision on what mitigation options are most appropriate to implement. A barrier to uptake of nature-based coastal defence is stringent evaluation of the effectiveness in comparison to artificial protection structures. Here, we assess the current evidence for the efficacy of nature-based vs. artificial coastal protection and discuss future research needs. Future projects should evaluate habitats created or restored for coastal defence for cost-effectiveness in comparison to an artificial structure under the same environmental conditions. Cost-benefit analyses should take into consideration all ecosystem services provided by nature-based or artificial structures in addition to coastal protection. Interdisciplinary research among scientists, coastal managers and engineers is required to facilitate the experimental trials needed to test the value of these shoreline protection schemes, in order to support their use as alternatives to artificial structures. This research needs to happen now as our rapidly changing climate requires new and innovative solutions to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to an increasingly uncertain future. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prediction of skin anti-aging clinical benefits of an association of ingredients from marine and maritime origins: Ex vivo evaluation using a label-free quantitative proteomic and customized data processing approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hameury, Sebastien; Borderie, Laurent; Monneuse, Jean-Marc; Skorski, Gilbert; Pradines, Dominique

2018-05-23

The application of ingredients from marine and maritime origins is increasingly common in skin care products, driven by consumer expectations for natural ingredients. However, these ingredients are typically studied for a few isolated in vitro activities. The purpose of this study was to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the activity on the skin of an association of ingredients from marine and maritime origins using label-free quantitative proteomic analysis, in order to predict the clinical benefits if used in a skin care product. An aqueous gel containing 6.1% of ingredients from marine and maritime origins (amino acid-enriched giant kelp extract, trace element-enriched seawater, dedifferentiated sea fennel cells) was topically applied on human skin explants. The skin explants' proteome was analyzed in a label-free manner by high-performance liquid nano-chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A specific data processing pipeline (CORAVALID) providing an objective and comprehensive interpretation of the statistically relevant biological activities processed the results. Compared to untreated skin explants, 64 proteins were significantly regulated by the gel treatment (q-value ≤ 0.05). Computer data processing revealed an activity of the ingredients on the epidermis and the dermis. These significantly regulated proteins are involved in gene expression, cell survival and metabolism, inflammatory processes, dermal extracellular matrix synthesis, melanogenesis and keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and differentiation. These results suggest that the tested ingredients could help to preserve a healthy epidermis and dermis, and possibly to prevent the visible signs of skin aging. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of future climate conditions on terrestrial export from coastal southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, D.; Zhao, Y.; Raoufi, R.; Beighley, E.; Melack, J. M.

2015-12-01

The Santa Barbara Coastal - Long Term Ecological Research Project (SBC-LTER) is focused on investigating the relative importance of land and ocean processes in structuring giant kelp forest ecosystems. Understanding how current and future climate conditions influence terrestrial export is a central theme for the project. Here we combine the Hillslope River Routing (HRR) model and daily precipitation and temperature downscaled using statistical downscaling based on localized constructed Analogs (LOCA) to estimate recent streamflow dynamics (2000 to 2014) and future conditions (2015 to 2100). The HRR model covers the SBC-LTER watersheds from just west of the Ventura River to Point Conception; a land area of roughly 800 km2 with 179 watersheds ranging from 0.1 to 123 km2. The downscaled climate conditions have a spatial resolution of 6 km by 6 km. Here, we use the Penman-Monteith method with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) limited climate data approximations and land surface conditions (albedo, leaf area index, land cover) measured from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra and Aqua satellites to estimate potential evapotranspiration (PET). The HRR model is calibrated for the period 2000 to 2014 using USGS and LTER streamflow. An automated calibration technique is used. For future climate scenarios, we use mean 8-day land cover conditions. Future streamflow, ET and soil moisture statistics are presented and based on downscaled P and T from ten climate model projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5).

Algal subsidies enhance invertebrate prey for threatened shorebirds: A novel conservation tool on ocean beaches?

Science.gov (United States)

Schlacher, Thomas A.; Hutton, Briony M.; Gilby, Ben L.; Porch, Nicholaus; Maguire, Grainne S.; Maslo, Brooke; Connolly, Rod M.; Olds, Andrew D.; Weston, Michael A.

2017-05-01

Birds breeding on ocean beaches are threatened globally, often requiring significant investments in species conservation and habitat management. Conservation actions typically encompass spatial and temporal threat reductions and protection of eggs and broods. Still, populations decline or recover only slowly, calling for fresh approaches in beach-bird conservation. Because energetic demands are critically high during the nesting and chick rearing phases, and chick survival is particularly low, supplementing prey to breeding birds and their offspring is theoretically attractive as a means to complement more traditional conservation measures. Prey for plovers and similar species on ocean beaches consists of invertebrates (e.g. small crustaceans, insects) many of which feed on stranded masses of plant material (e.g. kelp and seagrass) and use this 'wrack' as habitat. We added wrack to the upper beach where plovers nest and their chicks forage to test whether algal subsidies promote the abundance and diversity of their invertebrate prey. Adding wrack to the upper beach significantly increased the abundance and diversity of invertebrate prey items. At wrack subsidies greater than 50% of surface cover invertebrate assemblages became highly distinct compared with those that received smaller additions of wrack. Substantial (2-4 fold) increases in the abundance amphipods and isopods that are principal prey items for plovers drove these shifts. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of food provisioning for birds on ocean shores. Whilst novel, it is practicable, inexpensive and does not introduce further restrictions or man-made structures. Thus, it can meaningfully add to the broader arsenal of conservation tools for threatened species that are wholly reliant on sandy beaches as breeding and foraging habitats.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOCATALYSTS BASED ON IMMOBILIZED GLYCOSIDASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. L. Meshcheriakova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Summary. Enzymes subclass glycosidases cleaving poly- and oligosaccharides to simple sugars, are of great practical importance for a variety of industries. Such enzymes include α-L-fucosidase and β-fructofuranosidase. α-L-fucosidase splits fucoidan kelp to fucose and fucooligosaccharides. Fucose has prebiotic, immunotropic action, and a wide spectrum of biological activity in vertebrates, fucooligosaccharides - antioxidant and prebiotic properties. In this regard, and fucose polymers may be demanded in the food, feed and pharmaceutical industry. β-fructofuranosidase sucrose hydrolysis with the formation of invert syrup high quality and biological value that is of interest to the sugar industry. In order to intensify the processes of hydrolysis of fucoidan and sucrose due to the higher stability and reusability of enzyme preparations carried immobilization α-L-fucosidase on chitosan and β-fructofuranosidase of ion exchange brand FIBAN A-6 adsorption method. Activity of the immobilized α-L-fucosidase and β-fructofuranosidase were 80 and 70% of the activity of the free enzyme, respectively. Found that immobilized β-fructofuranosidase exhibits maximal activity at pH 4,0-4,1, the immobilized α-L-fucosidase - at pH 7,0. The optimal pH of immobilized enzymes similar to those for the free enzyme. Optimal temperature hydrolysis substrates immobilized α-L-fucosidase and β-fructofuranosidase was 50 and 70 ° C respectively, 10 ° C and 20 ° C higher compared to free enzymes. Studies have shown sufficient stability of immobilized glycosidases, so at 4-fold using their enzymatic activity decreased by 1.5 times; Biocatalysts obtained in storage in the refrigerator for 4-6 months retained 80% of the catalytic activity of enzymes.

Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen P Rubin

Full Text Available The coastal marine ecosystem near the Elwha River was altered by a massive sediment influx-over 10 million tonnes-during the staged three-year removal of two hydropower dams. We used time series of bathymetry, substrate grain size, remotely sensed turbidity, scuba dive surveys, and towed video observations collected before and during dam removal to assess responses of the nearshore subtidal community (3 m to 17 m depth. Biological changes were primarily driven by sediment deposition and elevated suspended sediment concentrations. Macroalgae, predominantly kelp and foliose red algae, were abundant before dam removal with combined cover levels greater than 50%. Where persistent sediment deposits formed, macroalgae decreased greatly or were eliminated. In areas lacking deposition, macroalgae cover decreased inversely to suspended sediment concentration, suggesting impacts from light reduction or scour. Densities of most invertebrate and fish taxa decreased in areas with persistent sediment deposition; however, bivalve densities increased where mud deposited over sand, and flatfish and Pacific sand lance densities increased where sand deposited over gravel. In areas without sediment deposition, most invertebrate and fish taxa were unaffected by increased suspended sediment or the loss of algae cover associated with it; however, densities of tubeworms and flatfish, and primary cover of sessile invertebrates increased suggesting benefits of increased particulate matter or relaxed competition with macroalgae for space. As dam removal neared completion, we saw evidence of macroalgal recovery that likely owed to water column clearing, indicating that long-term recovery from dam removal effects may be starting. Our results are relevant to future dam removal projects in coastal areas and more generally to understanding effects of increased sedimentation on nearshore subtidal benthic communities.

Silver nanoplates-based colorimetric iodide recognition and sensing using sodium thiosulfate as a sensitizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Xinyan; Chen, Shu, E-mail: chenshumail@gmail.com; Tang, Jian; Xiong, Yuan; Long, Yunfei, E-mail: l_yunfei927@163.com

2014-05-01

Highlights: • A new colorimetric iodide detection strategy based on triangular Ag nanoplate. • Sodium thiosulfate performed as a sensitizer. • Formation of insoluble AgI on the surface of Ag nanoplate. • This method has the advantages of good selectivity and high sensitivity. Abstract: A colorimetric method for the recognition and sensing of iodide ions (I⁻) has been developed by utilizing the reactions between triangular silver nanoplates (TAg-NPs) and I⁻ in the presence of sodium thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃). Specifically, I⁻ together with Na₂S₂O₃ can induce protection of TAg-NPs owing to the formation of insoluble AgI, as confirmed by the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In the absence of Na₂S₂O₃, the etching reactions on TAg-NPs were observed not only by I⁻ but also other halides ions. The Na₂S₂O₃ plays as a sensitizer in this system, which improved the selectivity and sensitivity. The desired colorimetric detection can be achieved by measuring the change of the absorption peak wavelength corresponding to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) with UV–vis spectrophotometer or recognized by naked eye observation. The results show that the shift of the maximum absorption wavelength (Δλ) of the TAg-NPs/Na₂S₂O₃/I⁻ mixture was proportional to the concentration of I⁻ in the range 1.0 × 10⁻⁹–1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. Moreover, no other ions besides I⁻ can induce an eye discernible color change as low as 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. Finally, this method was successfully applied for I⁻ determination in kelp samples.

Evidence for a trophic cascade on rocky reefs following sea star mass mortality in British Columbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica A. Schultz

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Echinoderm population collapses, driven by disease outbreaks and climatic events, may be important drivers of population dynamics, ecological shifts and biodiversity. The northeast Pacific recently experienced a mass mortality of sea stars. In Howe Sound, British Columbia, the sunflower star Pycnopodia helianthoides—a previously abundant predator of bottom-dwelling invertebrates—began to show signs of a wasting syndrome in early September 2013, and dense aggregations disappeared from many sites in a matter of weeks. Here, we assess changes in subtidal community composition by comparing the abundance of fish, invertebrates and macroalgae at 20 sites in Howe Sound before and after the 2013 sea star mortality to evaluate evidence for a trophic cascade. We observed changes in the abundance of several species after the sea star mortality, most notably a four-fold increase in the number of green sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, and a significant decline in kelp cover, which are together consistent with a trophic cascade. Qualitative data on the abundance of sunflower stars and green urchins from a citizen science database show that the patterns of echinoderm abundance detected at our study sites reflected wider local trends. The trophic cascade evident at the scale of Howe Sound was observed at half of the study sites. It remains unclear whether the urchin response was triggered directly, via a reduction in urchin mortality, or indirectly, via a shift in urchin distribution into areas previously occupied by the predatory sea stars. Understanding the ecological implications of sudden and extreme population declines may further elucidate the role of echinoderms in temperate seas, and provide insight into the resilience of marine ecosystems to biological disturbances.

Environmental Predictors of Seabird Wrecks in a Tropical Coastal Area.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davi Castro Tavares

Full Text Available Beached bird surveys have been widely used to monitor the impact of oil pollution in the oceans. However, separating the combined effects of oil pollution, environmental variables and methodological aspects of beach monitoring on seabird stranding patterns is a challenging task. The effects of a comprehensive set of oceanographic and climatic variables and oil pollution on seabird strandings in a tropical area of Brazil were investigated herein, using two robust and innovative methods: Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Structural Equation Modeling. We assessed strandings of four resident seabird species along 480 km of beaches divided into 11 sampling areas, between November 2010 and September 2013. We found that increasing the distance from the nearest breeding island reduce the seabird stranding events. Storm activity and biological productivity were the most important factors affecting the stranding events of brown boobies Sula leucogaster, Cabot's terns Thalasseus acuflavidus and kelp gulls Larus dominicanus. These species are also indirectly affected by warm tropical waters, which reduce chlorophyll-a concentrations. Beach surveys are, thus, useful to investigate the mortality rates of resident species near breeding sites, where individuals are more abundant and exposed to local factors associated with at-sea mortality. In contrast, conservation actions and monitoring programs for far-ranging seabird species are needed in more distant foraging areas. Furthermore, beach monitoring programs investigating the impact of oil pollution on seabirds need to account for the effects of environmental factors on stranding patterns. The present study also demonstrated that seabirds inhabiting tropical coastal waters are sensitive to climate conditions such as adverse weather, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in next decades.

Recovery of a top predator mediates negative eutrophic effects on seagrass

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Brent B.; Eby, Ron; Van Dyke, Eric; Tinker, M. Tim; Marks, Corina I.; Johnson, Kenneth S.; Wasson, Kerstin

2013-01-01

A fundamental goal of the study of ecology is to determine the drivers of habitat-forming vegetation, with much emphasis given to the relative importance to vegetation of “bottom-up” forces such as the role of nutrients and “top-down” forces such as the influence of herbivores and their predators. For coastal vegetation (e.g., kelp, seagrass, marsh, and mangroves) it has been well demonstrated that alterations to bottom-up forcing can cause major disturbances leading to loss of dominant vegetation. One such process is anthropogenic nutrient loading, which can lead to major changes in the abundance and species composition of primary producers, ultimately affecting important ecosystem services. In contrast, much less is known about the relative importance of apex predators on coastal vegetated ecosystems because most top predator populations have been depleted or lost completely. Here we provide evidence that an unusual four-level trophic cascade applies in one such system, whereby a top predator mitigates the bottom-up influences of nutrient loading. In a study of seagrass beds in an estuarine ecosystem exposed to extreme nutrient loading, we use a combination of a 50-y time series analysis, spatial comparisons, and mesocosm and field experiments to demonstrate that sea otters (Enhydra lutris) promote the growth and expansion of eelgrass (Zostera marina) through a trophic cascade, counteracting the negative effects of agriculturally induced nutrient loading. Our results add to a small but growing body of literature illustrating that significant interactions between bottom-up and top-down forces occur, in this case with consequences for the conservation of valued ecosystem services provided by seagrass.

Seaweeds and the Exxon Valdez oil spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stekoll, M.S.; Deysher, L.; Dean, T.A.

1993-01-01

A three-year study, initiated in 1989, has evaluated the response of subtidal and intertidal seaweed communities to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and subsequent cleanup activities. The project was part of the coastal habitat injury assessment research sanctioned under the natural resource damage assessment program. A stratified random design was used to select oiled sites for the study. Paired control (unoiled) sites were then matched to the oiled sites. The most consistent effect found in subtidal populations in Prince William Sound was the higher relative abundance of small-size classes of kelps at the oiled sites, indicating the prior disappearance of larger plants. This disappearance was possibly caused by activities associated with the cleanup operations. Intertidal populations of algae were affected by the spill and cleanup in all three major areas studied: Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet-Kenai, and Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula. The most obvious effect was a significant removal of the dominant intertidal plant Fucus gardneri from the mid and upper intertidal zones. The limited dispersal of this plant combined with the relatively harsh conditions of the upper intertidal will cause a slow recovery of the upper intertidal zone in the affected areas. Effects of the spill extended to other algal species. Species such as Cladophora, Myelophycus, Odonthalia, Palmaria, and Polysiphonia showed decreases in their percent cover at oiled sites. Only Gloiopeltis populations appeared to increase in percent cover in oiled areas. In both the Cook Inlet-Kenai and the Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula areas Fucus populations appeared to be enhanced in the lower intertidal zone - between 2 and 3 meters below the high-tide mark - in 1991

Species-Specific Responses of Juvenile Rockfish to Elevated pCO2: From Behavior to Genomics.

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Scott L Hamilton

Full Text Available In the California Current ecosystem, global climate change is predicted to trigger large-scale changes in ocean chemistry within this century. Ocean acidification-which occurs when increased levels of atmospheric CO2 dissolve into the ocean-is one of the biggest potential threats to marine life. In a coastal upwelling system, we compared the effects of chronic exposure to low pH (elevated pCO2 at four treatment levels (i.e., pCO2 = ambient [500], moderate [750], high [1900], and extreme [2800 μatm] on behavior, physiology, and patterns of gene expression in white muscle tissue of juvenile rockfish (genus Sebastes, integrating responses from the transcriptome to the whole organism level. Experiments were conducted simultaneously on two closely related species that both inhabit kelp forests, yet differ in early life history traits, to compare high-CO2 tolerance among species. Our findings indicate that these congeners express different sensitivities to elevated CO2 levels. Copper rockfish (S. caurinus exhibited changes in behavioral lateralization, reduced critical swimming speed, depressed aerobic scope, changes in metabolic enzyme activity, and increases in the expression of transcription factors and regulatory genes at high pCO2 exposure. Blue rockfish (S. mystinus, in contrast, showed no significant changes in behavior, swimming physiology, or aerobic capacity, but did exhibit significant changes in the expression of muscle structural genes as a function of pCO2, indicating acclimatization potential. The capacity of long-lived, late to mature, commercially important fish to acclimatize and adapt to changing ocean chemistry over the next 50-100 years is likely dependent on species-specific physiological tolerances.

BisQue: cloud-based system for management, annotation, visualization, analysis and data mining of underwater and remote sensing imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorov, D.; Miller, R. J.; Kvilekval, K. G.; Doheny, B.; Sampson, S.; Manjunath, B. S.

2016-02-01

Logistical and financial limitations of underwater operations are inherent in marine science, including biodiversity observation. Imagery is a promising way to address these challenges, but the diversity of organisms thwarts simple automated analysis. Recent developments in computer vision methods, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), are promising for automated classification and detection tasks but are typically very computationally expensive and require extensive training on large datasets. Therefore, managing and connecting distributed computation, large storage and human annotations of diverse marine datasets is crucial for effective application of these methods. BisQue is a cloud-based system for management, annotation, visualization, analysis and data mining of underwater and remote sensing imagery and associated data. Designed to hide the complexity of distributed storage, large computational clusters, diversity of data formats and inhomogeneous computational environments behind a user friendly web-based interface, BisQue is built around an idea of flexible and hierarchical annotations defined by the user. Such textual and graphical annotations can describe captured attributes and the relationships between data elements. Annotations are powerful enough to describe cells in fluorescent 4D images, fish species in underwater videos and kelp beds in aerial imagery. Presently we are developing BisQue-based analysis modules for automated identification of benthic marine organisms. Recent experiments with drop-out and CNN based classification of several thousand annotated underwater images demonstrated an overall accuracy above 70% for the 15 best performing species and above 85% for the top 5 species. Based on these promising results, we have extended bisque with a CNN-based classification system allowing continuous training on user-provided data.

Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Stephen P.; Miller, Ian M.; Foley, Melissa M.; Berry, Helen D.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Hudson, Benjamin; Elder, Nancy E.; Beirne, Matthew M.; Warrick, Jonathan; McHenry, Michael L.; Stevens, Andrew; Eidam, Emily; Ogston, Andrea; Gelfenbaum, Guy R.; Pedersen, Rob

2017-01-01

The coastal marine ecosystem near the Elwha River was altered by a massive sediment influx—over 10 million tonnes—during the staged three-year removal of two hydropower dams. We used time series of bathymetry, substrate grain size, remotely sensed turbidity, scuba dive surveys, and towed video observations collected before and during dam removal to assess responses of the nearshore subtidal community (3 m to 17 m depth). Biological changes were primarily driven by sediment deposition and elevated suspended sediment concentrations. Macroalgae, predominantly kelp and foliose red algae, were abundant before dam removal with combined cover levels greater than 50%. Where persistent sediment deposits formed, macroalgae decreased greatly or were eliminated. In areas lacking deposition, macroalgae cover decreased inversely to suspended sediment concentration, suggesting impacts from light reduction or scour. Densities of most invertebrate and fish taxa decreased in areas with persistent sediment deposition; however, bivalve densities increased where mud deposited over sand, and flatfish and Pacific sand lance densities increased where sand deposited over gravel. In areas without sediment deposition, most invertebrate and fish taxa were unaffected by increased suspended sediment or the loss of algae cover associated with it; however, densities of tubeworms and flatfish, and primary cover of sessile invertebrates increased suggesting benefits of increased particulate matter or relaxed competition with macroalgae for space. As dam removal neared completion, we saw evidence of macroalgal recovery that likely owed to water column clearing, indicating that long-term recovery from dam removal effects may be starting. Our results are relevant to future dam removal projects in coastal areas and more generally to understanding effects of increased sedimentation on nearshore subtidal benthic communities.

Issues in ecology: Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas

Science.gov (United States)

Howarth, Robert W.; Anderson, D. B.; Cloern, James E.; Elfring, Chris; Hopkinson, Charles S.; Lapointe, Brian; Maloney, Thomas J.; Marcus, Nancy; McGlathery, Karen; Sharpley, A.N.; Walker, D.

2000-01-01

Over the past 40 years, antipollution laws have greatly reduced discharges of toxic substances into our coastal waters. This effort, however, has focused largely on point-source pollution of industrial and municipal effluent. No comparable effort has been made to restrict the input of nitrogen (N) from municipal effluent, nor to control the flows of N and phosphorus (P) that enter waterways from dispersed or nonpoint sources such as agricultural and urban runoff or as airborne pollutants. As a result, inputs of nonpoint pollutants, particularly N, have increased dramatically. Nonpoint pollution from N and P now represents the largest pollution problem facing the vital coastal waters of the United States. Nutrient pollution is the common thread that links an array of problems along the nation’s coastline, including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, ”dead zones,” fish kills, some shellfish poisonings, loss of seagrass and kelp beds, some coral reef destruction, and even some marine mammal and seabird deaths. More than 60 percent of our coastal rivers and bays in every coastal state of the continental United States are moderately to severely degraded by nutrient pollution. This degradation is particularly severe in the mid Atlantic states, in the southeast, and in the Gulf of Mexico. A recent report from the National Research Council entitled “Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reduc- ing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution” concludes that: Nutrient over-enrichment of coastal ecosystems generally triggers ecological changes that decrease the biologi- cal diversity of bays and estuaries. While moderate N enrichment of some coastal waters may increase fish production, over-enrichment generally degrades the marine food web that supports commercially valuable fish. The marked increase in nutrient pollution of coastal waters has been accompanied by an increase in harmful algal blooms, and in at least some cases, pollution has triggered these blooms. High

Developmental and spatial variations in the diet signatures of hyperbenthic shrimp Nauticaris marionis at the Prince Edward Islands based on stable isotope ratios and fatty acid profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Richoux, Nicole B.; Allan, E. Louise; Froneman, P. William

2016-04-01

The caridean shrimp Nauticaris marionis is an ecologically important species in the benthic community around the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEI) as it represents a key prey item for a variety of top predators breeding on the islands. We hypothesized that the diet of N. marionis shifts during its development, and that spatial variability in food availability results in differentiation in the diet signatures of specimens collected from various locations of the shelf waters around the PEI. Specimens were collected from nine stations (depth range 70 to 240 m) around the PEI at inter-island shelf (from west to east: upstream, between and downstream) and nearshore regions during austral autumn 2009. Stable isotope and fatty acid data both revealed spatial and developmental variations in the shrimp diet. Nearshore shrimp were more 13C-enriched than those from the inter-island region, suggesting increased kelp detritus entered the food web in the nearshore regions. The shrimp showed increases in δ13C and δ15N signatures (and trophic position) with an increase in body size, resulting in distinctions between size classes that reflected shifts in their trophic niche through development. The fatty acid profiles similarly indicated distinctions in diet with increased shrimp size (in the deep regions), and spatial variability was evident in relation to region and depth. All shrimp contained large proportions of polyunsaturated and essential fatty acids, indicating that the quality of food consumed was similar between regions despite the diet variability. Our results provide new dietary information about a key species operating near the base of the food web at the highly productive PEI, and show that there were no areas of enhanced nutrition available to the shrimp. As such, there was no nutritional advantage to shrimp inhabiting any specific region around the PEI.

Diet and biliary tract cancer risk in Shanghai, China.

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Shakira M Nelson

Full Text Available Trends in biliary tract cancer incidence rates have increased in Shanghai, China. These trends have coincided with economic and developmental growth, as well as a shift in dietary patterns to a more Westernized diet. To examine the effect of dietary changes on incident disease, we evaluated associations between diet and biliary tract cancers amongst men and women from a population-based case-control study in Shanghai, China. Biliary tract cancer cases were recruited from 42 collaborating hospitals in urban Shanghai, and population-based controls were randomly selected from the Shanghai Household Registry. Food frequency questionnaire data were available for 225 gallbladder, 190 extrahepatic bile duct, and 68 ampulla of Vater cancer cases. A total of 39 food groups were created and examined for associations with biliary tract cancer. Interestingly, only four food groups demonstrated a suggested association with gallbladder, extrahepatic bile duct, or ampulla of Vater cancers. The allium food group, consisting of onions, garlic, and shallots showed an inverse association with gallbladder cancer (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.97. Similar trends were seen in the food group containing seaweed and kelp (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67-0.96. In contrast, both preserved vegetables and salted meats food groups showed positive associations with gallbladder cancer (OR:1.27, 95% CI: 1.06-1.52; OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37, respectively. Each of these four food groups showed similar trends for extrahepatic bile duct and ampulla of Vater cancers. The results of our analysis suggest intake of foods with greater anti-inflammatory properties may play a role in decreasing the risk of biliary tract cancers. Future studies should be done to better understand effects of cultural changes on diet, and to further examine the impact diet and inflammation have on biliary tract cancer incidence.

Evolution and Expansion of the Prokaryote-Like Lipoxygenase Family in the Brown Alga Saccharina japonica

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Linhong Teng

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lipoxygenase (LOX plays important roles in fatty acid oxidation and lipid mediator biosynthesis. In this study, we give first insights into brown algal LOX evolution. Whole genome searches revealed four, three, and eleven LOXs in Ectocarpus siliculosus, Cladosiphon okamuranus, and Saccharina japonica, respectively. In phylogenetic analyses, LOXs from brown algae form a robust clade with those from prokaryotes, suggesting an ancestral origin and slow evolution. Brown algal LOXs were divided into two clades, C1 and C2 in a phylogenetic tree. Compared to the two species of Ectocarpales, LOX gene expansion occurred in the kelp S. japonica through tandem duplication and segmental duplication. Selection pressure analysis showed that LOX genes in brown algae have undergone strong purifying selection, while the selective constraint in the C2 clade was more relaxed than that in the C1 clade. Furthermore, within each clade, LOXs of S. japonica evolved under more relaxed selection constraints than E. siliculosus and C. okamuranus. Structural modeling showed that unlike LOXs of plants and animals, which contain a β barrel in the N-terminal part of the protein, LOXs in brown algae fold into a single domain. Analysis of previously published transcriptomic data showed that LOXs in E. siliculosus are responsive to hyposaline, hypersaline, oxidative, and copper stresses. Moreover, clear divergence of expression patterns was observed among different life stages, as well as between duplicate gene pairs. In E. siliculosus, all four LOXs are male-biased in immature gametophytes, and mature gametophytes showed significantly higher LOX mRNA levels than immature gametophytes and sporophytes. In S. japonica, however, our RNA-Seq data showed that most LOXs are highly expressed in sporophytes. Even the most recently duplicated gene pairs showed divergent expression patterns, suggesting that functional divergence has likely occurred since LOX genes duplicated, which

Transferencia de recursos alimentarios entre diferentes ambientes del ecosistema marino Transfer of food resources among different environments in the marine ecosystem

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SEBASTIAN R. RODRIGUEZ

2000-03-01

Full Text Available Por décadas los ecólogos han centrado sus estudios en interacciones que involucran elementos de un mismo sistema, poniendo poco énfasis en aquellas que involucran elementos de ambientes aledaños. Estudios desarrollados en los últimos años han vuelto a llamar la atención respecto de la frecuencia con la que ocurre transferencia de energía (en la forma de nutrientes o alimento entre sistemas, ambientes y/o hábitats ecológicos, y las consecuencias de estos aportes energéticos a nivel poblacional o comunitario a distintas escalas espaciales y temporales en los sistemas involucrados. En la presente revisión se describen las vías de transferencia de energía más comunes de observar en el ecosistema marino, poniendo especial énfasis en el flujo de recursos tróficos (i.e., algas a la deriva y detritus desde bosques de macroalgas pardas submareales hacia ambientes intermareales en los sistemas templadosFor decades ecologists have focused their studies in interactions among elements of the same system, putting low emphasis in those that involve elements of border environments. Studies carried out in the last years have called the attention respect the frequent ocurrence of energy transfer (as nutrients or food among ecological systems, environments and/or habitats, and the consequences of these energy contributions at population or community levels and at different spatial and temporal scales. In this review the ways of energy transfer more commonly observed in the marine ecosystem are described. The flow of trophic resources (i.e., drift algae and detritus from subtidal kelps to intertidal environments in template systems, are emphasized

Biochemical features of a Protoceratium reticulatum red tide in Chipana Bay (Northern Chile in summer conditions

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Sergio Rossi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Protoceratium reticulatum is considered a potential toxic dinoflagellate. This paper describes a high-frequency monitoring study performed at Chipana Bay (northern Chile, sampling over 48 hours in a near-bottom shallow coastal area to quantify the biochemical features of a red tide dominated by this microscopic algae. This area belongs to the Humboldt Current upwelling system, and is considered highly productive for artisanal fisheries. Total chlorophyll a, total lipids, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, fatty acids and major phytoplankton group concentration (i.e. dinoflagellates, diatoms, ciliates and cysts were studied in 7-hour intervals in February 2007. Our results indicate a high concentration of potential available food in the form of lipids ranging from 50 to 300 μg L-1 for benthic suspension feeders, i.e. bivalves. The dominance of P. reticulatum (60-80% of the total cell concentration per litre, ranging from 55x103 to 384x103 cells L-1 can be considered as a possible interference for harvesting in this productive area, although the toxicity of this algae was not proved in the present study. The main dinoflagellate fatty acid markers [18:0, 18:4(n-3, 20:5(n-3, and 22:6(n-3] showed high proportions (% during the short time cycle and in at least two cases [the 18:4 (n-3 and 22:6 (n-3 fatty acids] a highly significant relationship with dinoflagellate concentration (cells L-1. The topographical and benthic structure (mainly kelp forest of the zone helps to retain particles and nutrients that may in part explain the high productivity and food availability, but the presence of recurrent red tides in this coastal area—if they prove to be toxic—is argued to be a major problem for local fisheries.

Bioerosion by pit-forming, temperate-reef sea urchins: History, rates and broader implications.

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Michael P Russell

Full Text Available Sea urchins are dominant members of rocky temperate reefs around the world. They often occur in cavities within the rock, and fit so tightly, it is natural to assume they sculpted these "pits." However, there are no experimental data demonstrating they bore pits. If they do, what are the rates and consequences of bioerosion to nearshore systems? We sampled purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from sites with four rock types, three sedimentary (two sandstones and one mudstone and one metamorphic (granite. A year-long experiment showed urchins excavated depressions on sedimentary rocks in just months. The rate of pit formation varied with rock type and ranged from 100 yr for granite. In the field, there were differences in pit size and shapes of the urchins (height:diameter ratio. The pits were shallow and urchins flatter at the granite site, and the pits were deeper and urchins taller at the sedimentary sites. Although overall pit sizes were larger on mudstone than on sandstone, urchin size accounted for this difference. A second, short-term experiment, showed the primary mechanism for bioerosion was ingestion of the substratum. This experiment eliminated potential confounding factors of the year-long experiment and yielded higher bioerosion rates. Given the high densities of urchins, large amounts of rock can be converted to sediment over short time periods. Urchins on sandstone can excavate as much as 11.4 kg m-2 yr-1. On a broader geographic scale, sediment production can exceed 100 t ha-1 yr-1, and across their range, their combined bioerosion is comparable to the sediment load of many rivers. The phase shift between urchin barrens and kelp bed habitats in the North Pacific is controlled by the trophic cascade of sea otters. By limiting urchin populations, these apex predators also may indirectly control a substantial component of coastal rates of bioerosion.

Marine environmental monitoring programmes in South Africa: a review

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H. M. Verheye

2010-01-01

Full Text Available South Africa uniquely lies at the junction of two major currents, the Agulhas and the Benguela. The waters overlying the continental shelf exhibit exceptionally high short-, medium- and long-term (days to inter-decadal variability compared with most other shelf areas, and strongly contrasting oceanographic conditions are observed on the east and west coasts. South Africa is rich in fisheries resources and associated environmental data collected over more than a century. The South African marine scientific community has a history of multidisciplinary studies of marine foodwebs, from the driving forces such as wind, currents and solar heating, to the top predators, with the development of kelp bed, sub-tidal reefs and estuarine ecosystem studies in the 1970s; the Benguela Ecology Programme, which ran through four successive five-year stages, focused on the pelagic marine resources. Various approaches have been used to observe the continental shelf at different time and space scales, including: macroscale but frequent satellite imagery, mesoscale environmental and fishery surveys, dedicated crossshelf transects in key areas, measurements of dynamic processes, use of moored buoys and coastal weather stations, and integrated monitoring approaches, including modelling and simulation studies. Between 30 and 50 years of comprehensive marine data now exist, which are proving useful in the application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries monitoring and management, as decadal changes become discernible. These observations need to continue; even though the single-species stock assessment and operational management procedures have not yet formally used environmental factors for fisheries management advice, they help us to understand the factors affecting fish population fluctuations and early life histories and to identify large-scale regime shifts where marine trophic structure and functioning alter to a new state.

Up, down, and all around: scale-dependent spatial variation in rocky-shore communities of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica.

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Nelson Valdivia

Full Text Available Understanding the variation of biodiversity along environmental gradients and multiple spatial scales is relevant for theoretical and management purposes. Hereby, we analysed the spatial variability in diversity and structure of intertidal and subtidal macrobenthic Antarctic communities along vertical environmental stress gradients and across multiple horizontal spatial scales. Since biotic interactions and local topographic features are likely major factors for coastal assemblages, we tested the hypothesis that fine-scale processes influence the effects of the vertical environmental stress gradients on the macrobenthic diversity and structure. We used nested sampling designs in the intertidal and subtidal habitats, including horizontal spatial scales ranging from few centimetres to 1000s of metres along the rocky shore of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island. In both intertidal and subtidal habitats, univariate and multivariate analyses showed a marked vertical zonation in taxon richness and community structure. These patterns depended on the horizontal spatial scale of observation, as all analyses showed a significant interaction between height (or depth and the finer spatial scale analysed. Variance and pseudo-variance components supported our prediction for taxon richness, community structure, and the abundance of dominant species such as the filamentous green alga Urospora penicilliformis (intertidal, the herbivore Nacella concinna (intertidal, the large kelp-like Himantothallus grandifolius (subtidal, and the red crustose red alga Lithothamnion spp. (subtidal. We suggest that in coastal ecosystems strongly governed by physical factors, fine-scale processes (e.g. biotic interactions and refugia availability are still relevant for the structuring and maintenance of the local communities. The spatial patterns found in this study serve as a necessary benchmark to understand the dynamics and adaptation of natural assemblages in response to

RADARSAT-1 synthetic aperture radar analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simecek-Beatty, D. [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration, National Ocean Service, Seattle, WA (United States). Office of Response and Restoration; Pichel, W.G. [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, Camp Springs, MD (United States). Office of Research and Applications

2006-07-01

The M/V Selendang Ayu grounded off Unalaska Island in Alaska on December 8, 2004, and spilled over 1270 m{sup 3} of oil and an unknown quantity of soybeans. The freighter grounded nearshore in a high-wave energy zone along a remote and rugged coastline, a terrain which can cause difficulties for remote sensors in detecting oil slicks. In addition, guano, kelp beds, whale and fish sperm, and releases from fishing activities generated biogenic films on the sea surface that had a signature similar to that of petroleum films. RADARSAT-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery was used as part of the response effort to assist in the pollution monitoring effort. This paper described the methodology and results of the RADARSAT-1 analysis. Detailed information on the spill response was reported daily, and provided an opportunity to compare field observations with RADARSAT-1 SAR imagery. Observers recorded observations onto electronic maps during 35 aerial surveillance flights. Fifty-seven incident reports describing the vessel status were also used for comparison. Using screening criteria for the favorable wind and wave conditions, 37 images were available for viewing the wreck, and 22 images were acceptable for oil slick viewing. Image analysis for the wreck suggested that the sensor has the resolution and capability to monitor a grounded freighter. Visual inspection of the images showed that SAR can capture changes in vessel status, such as the gradual sinking of the bow. However, SAR's oil slick detection capability was disappointing due to the significant number of biogenic films in the nearshore areas of Alaska. It was concluded that future work should concentrate on developing a ranking system to indicate analysis confidence that a particular image does in fact contain a petroleum pocket. 25 refs., 2 tabs., 10 figs.

Movements of blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus off central California with comparisons to similar species.

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Kristen M Green

Full Text Available Olive (Sebastes serranoides, black (Sebastes melanops, and blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus are all common inhabitants of nearshore ecosystems on the West coast of North America and important components of the recreational fishery off California. Acoustic monitoring studies indicate that olive rockfish are highly residential and that black rockfish are capable of long migrations and have less site fidelity; yet little is known about the long-term movements of blue rockfish. External tag-recapture studies indicate that blue rockfish may have intermediate movements relative to these congener nearshore species. To better understand the site fidelity, and daily and seasonal movements of blue rockfish over long (>1-year time scales, we placed acoustic transmitters into 21 adult blue rockfish (30-41 cm total length in Carmel Bay, California. Blue rockfish displayed intermediate movement patterns and residency relative to other similar kelp forest rockfish species. Two-thirds of tagged blue rockfish (13 fish exhibited high residency to the study area (>12 mo. When in residence, mean home range of blue rockfish was 0.23 km2, however as many as 30% of tagged blue rockfish shifted their core home range area during the study. Most shifts in home range occurred during upwelling season, and tagged fish moved up to 3.1 km when in residence. Blue rockfish with short residence times were last detected in the study area in late winter and early spring. Blue rockfish were observed at shallower depths during day than night, likely indicative of diurnal feeding. However, over longer time scales, blue rockfish were detected at deeper depths during upwelling periods and with increased wave heights. Daily and seasonal vertical movements of blue rockfish may be influenced by upwelling conditions and local prey abundance.

A Process for Evaluating Adverse Environmental Impacts by Cooling-Water System Entrainment at a California Power Plant

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C.P. Ehrler

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A study to determine the effects of entrainment by the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP was conducted between 1996 and 1999 as required under Section 316(b of the Clean Water Act. The goal of this study was to present the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA and Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB with results that could be used to determine if any adverse environmental impacts (AEIs were caused by the operation of the plant’s cooling-water intake structure (CWIS. To this end we chose, under guidance of the CCRWQCB and their entrainment technical working group, a unique approach combining three different models for estimating power plant effects: fecundity hindcasting (FH, adult equivalent loss (AEL, and the empirical transport model (ETM. Comparisons of the results from these three approaches provided us a relative measure of confidence in our estimates of effects. A total of 14 target larval fish taxa were assessed as part of the DCPP 316(b. Example results are presented here for the kelp, gopher, and black-and-yellow (KGB rockfish complex and clinid kelpfish. Estimates of larval entrainment losses for KGB rockfish were in close agreement (FH is approximately equals to 550 adult females per year, AEL is approximately equals to 1,000 adults [male and female] per year, and ETM = larval mortality as high as 5% which could be interpreted as ca. 2,600 1 kg adult fish. The similar results from the three models provided confidence in the estimated effects for this group. Due to lack of life history information needed to parameterize the FH and AEL models, effects on clinid kelpfish could only be assessed using the ETM model. Results from this model plus ancillary information about local populations of adult kelpfish suggest that the CWIS might be causing an AEI in the vicinity of DCPP.

Marine Biodiversity in Juan Fernández and Desventuradas Islands, Chile: Global Endemism Hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedlander, Alan M; Ballesteros, Enric; Caselle, Jennifer E; Gaymer, Carlos F; Palma, Alvaro T; Petit, Ignacio; Varas, Eduardo; Muñoz Wilson, Alex; Sala, Enric

2016-01-01

The Juan Fernández and Desventuradas islands are among the few oceanic islands belonging to Chile. They possess a unique mix of tropical, subtropical, and temperate marine species, and although close to continental South America, elements of the biota have greater affinities with the central and south Pacific owing to the Humboldt Current, which creates a strong biogeographic barrier between these islands and the continent. The Juan Fernández Archipelago has ~700 people, with the major industry being the fishery for the endemic lobster, Jasus frontalis. The Desventuradas Islands are uninhabited except for a small Chilean military garrison on San Félix Island. We compared the marine biodiversity of these islands across multiple taxonomic groups. At San Ambrosio Island (SA), in Desventuradas, the laminarian kelp (Eisenia cokeri), which is limited to Desventuradas in Chile, accounted for >50% of the benthic cover at wave exposed areas, while more sheltered sites were dominated by sea urchin barrens. The benthos at Robinson Crusoe Island (RC), in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, comprised a diverse mix of macroalgae and invertebrates, a number of which are endemic to the region. The biomass of commercially targeted fishes was >2 times higher in remote sites around RC compared to sheltered locations closest to port, and overall biomass was 35% higher around SA compared to RC, likely reflecting fishing effects around RC. The number of endemic fish species was extremely high at both islands, with 87.5% of the species surveyed at RC and 72% at SA consisting of regional endemics. Remarkably, endemics accounted for 99% of the numerical abundance of fishes surveyed at RC and 96% at SA, which is the highest assemblage-level endemism known for any individual marine ecosystem on earth. Our results highlight the uniqueness and global significance of these biodiversity hotspots exposed to very different fishing pressures.

Fermentable short chain carbohydrate (FODMAP) content of common plant-based foods and processed foods suitable for vegetarian- and vegan-based eating patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuck, C; Ly, E; Bogatyrev, A; Costetsou, I; Gibson, P; Barrett, J; Muir, J

2018-06-01

The low FODMAP (fermentable, oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols) diet is an effective strategy to improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. However, combining the low FODMAP diet with another dietary restriction such as vegetarianism/veganism is challenging. Greater knowledge about the FODMAP composition of plant-based foods and food processing practices common to vegetarian/vegan eating patterns would assist in the implementation of the diet in this patient population. The present study aimed to quantify the FODMAP content of plant-based foods common in vegetarian/vegan diets and to investigate whether food processing can impact FODMAP levels. Total FODMAP content was quantified in 35 foods, including fructose-in-excess-of-glucose, lactose, sorbitol, mannitol, galacto-oligosaccharide and total fructan, using high-performance-liquid-chromatography and enzymatic assays. The effects of cooking, sprouting, pickling, fermentation, activation and canning on FODMAP content were assessed. The Monash University criteria to classify foods as low FODMAP was used. Of the 35 foods, 20 were classified as low FODMAP, including canned coconut milk (0.24 g serve -1 ), dulse (0.02 serve -1 ), nutritional yeast (0.01 serve -1 ), soy cheese (0.03 serve -1 ), tempeh (0.26 serve -1 ), wheat gluten (0.13 serve -1 ) and wheat grass (0.05 serve -1 ). No FODMAPs were detected in agar-agar, egg replacer, vegan egg yolk, kelp noodles and spirulina. Food processing techniques that produced the greatest reduction in FODMAP content included pickling and canning. The present study provides a greater FODMAP composition knowledge of plant-based foods that can now be applied to the dietetic management of vegetarians/vegans requiring a low FODMAP diet. Food processing lowered the FODMAP content of foods, thereby increasing options for patients following a low FODMAP diet. © 2018 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Biological legacies: Direct early ecosystem recovery and food web reorganization after a volcanic eruption in Alaska

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Walker, Lawrence R.; Sikes, Derek S.; DeGange, Anthony R.; Jewett, Stephen C.; Michaelson, Gary; Talbot, Sandra L.; Talbot, Stephen S.; Wang, Bronwen; Williams, Jeffrey C.

2014-01-01

Attempts to understand how communities assemble following a disturbance are challenged by the difficulty of determining the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes. Biological legacies, which result from organisms that survive a disturbance, can favour deterministic processes in community assembly and improve predictions of successional trajectories. Recently disturbed ecosystems are often so rapidly colonized by propagules that the role of biological legacies is obscured. We studied biological legacies on a remote volcanic island in Alaska following a devastating eruption where the role of colonization from adjacent communities was minimized. The role of biological legacies in the near shore environment was not clear, because although some kelp survived, they were presumably overwhelmed by the many vagile propagules in a marine environment. The legacy concept was most applicable to terrestrial invertebrates and plants that survived in remnants of buried soil that were exposed by post-eruption erosion. If the legacy concept is extended to include ex situ survival by transient organisms, then it was also applicable to the island's thousands of seabirds, because the seabirds survived the eruption by leaving the island and have begun to return and rebuild their nests as local conditions improve. Our multi-trophic examination of biological legacies in a successional context suggests that the relative importance of biological legacies varies with the degree of destruction, the availability of colonizing propagules, the spatial and temporal scales under consideration, and species interactions. Understanding the role of biological legacies in community assembly following disturbances can help elucidate the relative importance of colonists versus survivors, the role of priority effects among the colonists, convergence versus divergence of successional trajectories, the influence of spatial heterogeneity, and the role of island biogeographical concepts.

Biochars derived from wasted marine macro-algae (Saccharina japonica and Sargassum fusiforme) and their potential for heavy metal removal in aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Poo, Kyung-Min; Son, Eun-Bi; Chang, Jae-Soo; Ren, Xianghao; Choi, Yun-Jung; Chae, Kyu-Jung

2018-01-15

For the purpose of reusing wasted marine macro-algae generated during cultivation, harvesting, processing and selling processes, biochars derived from Saccharina japonica (known as kelp) and Sargassum fusiforme (known as hijikia) were characterized and their removal capacities for Cu, Cd, and Zn in aqueous solution were assessed. Feedstocks, S. japonica, S. fusiforme, and also pinewood sawdust as a control, were pyrolyzed at 250, 400, 500, 600 and 700 °C. In evaluating heavy metal removal capacities, SJB (S. japonica biochar) showed the best performance, with removal efficiencies of more than 98% for the three heavy metals when pyrolyzed at over 400 °C. SFB (S. fusiforme biochar) also showed good potential as an adsorbent, with removal efficiencies for the three heavy metals of more than 86% when pyrolyzed at over 500 °C. On the contrary, the maximum removal efficiencies of PSB (pinewood sawdust biochar) were 81%, 46%, and 47% for Cu, Cd, and Zn, respectively, even at 700 °C, the highest pyrolysis temperature. This demonstrates that marine macro-algae were advantageous in terms of production energy for removing heavy metals even at relatively low pyrolysis temperatures, compared with PSB. The excellent heavy metal adsorption capacities of marine macro-algae biochars were considered due to their higher pH and more oxygen-containing functional groups, although the specific surface areas of SJB and SFB were significantly lower than that of PSB. This research confirmed that the use of marine macro-algae as a heavy metal adsorbent was suitable not only in the removal of heavy metals, but also in terms of resource recycling and energy efficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acoustic Conditioning System Development and Conditioning Experiments on Black Seabreams in the Xiangshan Bay Sea Ranch

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Qingsong; Rahman, Hafiz Abd ur; Jiang, Yazhou; Zhang, Shouyu; Shentu, Jikang

2018-06-01

Attracting released hatchery-reared fish to designated areas during the growth process is vital to realize the objectives of sea ranching. Based on the bottom artificial reefs and surface kelp culture facilities in the Xiangshan Bay sea ranch, we proposed systematic techniques related to acoustic conditioning of the black seabream ( Sparus macrocephalus). Experiments conducted in 12 m × 10 m × 1.6 m ponds on Xixuan Island showed that black seabream was positively sensitive to 500-600 Hz periodic signals. Conditioned responses were apparent after 8 d. Two to three days were required for recovery of the memory of a conditioned response after a 20-day interval. According to the practical application requirements in the open sea, unattended acoustic conditioning equipment was developed. The ranching equipment was used in 12 m × 12 m × 2.5 m cages, and the behavior of black seabream juveniles was successfully guided after 7 days. Of the 16000 released fish, 82.5% of them were conditioned with a flexible grading net. To avoid inducing a stress response, the juveniles were released into the sea ranch in situ from the net cage. The acoustic conditioning equipments were moved into the open sea and the aggregation phenomenon of the released fish was observed when the sound was played. After 6 months of investigation and based on Sr+ marking, only one acoustically conditioned fish was found outside the 3.5-km2 sea ranch area, thereby reached the goal of guiding activity. The practical effect in the Xiangshan Bay sea ranch showed the validity of the acoustic conditioning system, which may contribute to improve the operation of the sea ranches in the East China Sea.

Changes in Alaskan soft-bottom prey communities along a gradient in sea otter predation

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Kvitek, R.G.; Oliver, J.S.; DeGange, A.R.; Anderson, B.S.

1992-01-01

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris), well documented as "keystone" predators in rocky marine communities, were found to exert a strong influence on infaunal prey communities in soft-sediment habitats. Direct and indirect effects of sea otter predation on subtidal soft-bottom prey communities were evaluated along a temporal gradient of sea otter occupancy around the Kodiak Archipelago. The results indicate that Kodiak otters forage primarily on bivalve prey and dramatically reduce infaunal bivalve and green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) prey populations. Bivalve prey abundance, biomass, and size were inversely related to duration of sea otter occupancy. The relative conditions of shells discarded by otters in shallow ( 20 m) water at the same sites indicate that otters first exploited Saxidomus in shallow-water feeding areas, and later switched to Macoma spp. in deeper water. Otter-cracked shells of the deep-burrowing clam Tresus capax were rarely found, even at otter foraging sites where the clam accounted for the majority of available prey biomass, suggesting that it has a partial depth refuge from otter predation. The indirect effects of otter predation included substratum disturbance and the facilitation of sea star predation on infaunal prey. Sea stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, were attracted to experimentally dug excavations as well as natural sea otter foraging pits, where the sea stars foraged on smaller size classes of infaunal bivalves than those eaten by otters. Otters also discard clam shells on the sediment surface and expose old, buried shells during excavation. Surface shells were found to provide attachment sites for large anemones and kelp. Our study shows that sea otters can affect soft-sediment communities, not only through predation, as in rocky habitats, but also through disturbance, and thus retain a high degree of influence in two very different habitat types.

Key species and impact of fishery through food web analysis: A case study from Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Rocchi, Marta; Scotti, Marco; Micheli, Fiorenza; Bodini, Antonio

2017-01-01

Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) aims to support the protection of natural ecosystems and to improve economic activities. It requires considering all of the actors interacting in social-ecological systems (e.g., fish and fishers) in the understanding that their interplay determines the dynamic behavior of the single actors as well as that of the system as a whole. Connections are thus central to EBM. Within the ecological dimension of socio-ecological systems, interactions between species define such connections. Understanding how connections affect ecosystem and species dynamics is often impaired by a lack of data. We propose food web network analysis as a tool to help bridge the gap between EBM theory and practice in data-poor contexts, and illustrate this approach through its application to a coastal marine ecosystem in Baja California Sur, Mexico. First, we calculated centrality indices to identify which key (i.e., most central) species must be considered when designing strategies for sustainable resource management. Second, we analyzed the resilience of the system by measuring changes in food web structure due to the local extinction of vulnerable species (i.e., by mimicking the possible effect of excessive fishing pressure). The consequences of species removals were quantified in terms of impacts on global structural indices and species' centrality indices. Overall, we found that this coastal ecosystem shows high resilience to species loss. We identified species (e.g., Octopus sp. and the kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus) whose protection could further decrease the risk of potential negative impacts of fishing activities on the Baja California Sur food web. This work introduces an approach that can be applied to other ecosystems to aid the implementation of EBM in data-poor contexts.

CO2-induced ocean acidification does not affect individual or group behaviour in a temperate damselfish.

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Kwan, Garfield Tsz; Hamilton, Trevor James; Tresguerres, Martin

2017-07-01

Open ocean surface CO 2 levels are projected to reach approximately 800 µatm, and ocean pH to decrease by approximately 0.3 units by the year 2100 due to anthropogenic CO 2 emissions and the subsequent process of ocean acidification (OA). When exposed to these CO 2 /pH values, several fish species display abnormal behaviour in laboratory tests, an effect proposed to be linked to altered neuronal GABA A- receptor function. Juvenile blacksmith ( Chromis punctipinnis ) are social fish that regularly experience CO 2 /pH fluctuations through kelp forest diurnal primary production and upwelling events, so we hypothesized that they might be resilient to OA. Blacksmiths were exposed to control conditions (pH ∼ 7.92; p CO 2  ∼ 540 µatm), constant acidification (pH ∼ 7.71; p CO 2  ∼ 921 µatm) and oscillating acidification (pH ∼ 7.91, p CO 2  ∼ 560 µatm (day), pH ∼ 7.70, p CO 2  ∼ 955 µatm (night)), and caught and tested in two seasons of the year when the ocean temperature was different: winter (16.5 ± 0.1°C) and summer (23.1 ± 0.1°C). Neither constant nor oscillating CO 2 -induced acidification affected blacksmith individual light/dark preference, inter-individual distance in a shoal or the shoal's response to a novel object, suggesting that blacksmiths are tolerant to projected future OA conditions. However, blacksmiths tested during the winter demonstrated significantly higher dark preference in the individual light/dark preference test, thus confirming season and/or water temperature as relevant factors to consider in behavioural tests.

Marine Biodiversity in Juan Fernández and Desventuradas Islands, Chile: Global Endemism Hotspots

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Friedlander, Alan M.; Ballesteros, Enric; Caselle, Jennifer E.; Gaymer, Carlos F.; Palma, Alvaro T.; Petit, Ignacio; Varas, Eduardo; Muñoz Wilson, Alex; Sala, Enric

2016-01-01

The Juan Fernández and Desventuradas islands are among the few oceanic islands belonging to Chile. They possess a unique mix of tropical, subtropical, and temperate marine species, and although close to continental South America, elements of the biota have greater affinities with the central and south Pacific owing to the Humboldt Current, which creates a strong biogeographic barrier between these islands and the continent. The Juan Fernández Archipelago has ~700 people, with the major industry being the fishery for the endemic lobster, Jasus frontalis. The Desventuradas Islands are uninhabited except for a small Chilean military garrison on San Félix Island. We compared the marine biodiversity of these islands across multiple taxonomic groups. At San Ambrosio Island (SA), in Desventuradas, the laminarian kelp (Eisenia cokeri), which is limited to Desventuradas in Chile, accounted for >50% of the benthic cover at wave exposed areas, while more sheltered sites were dominated by sea urchin barrens. The benthos at Robinson Crusoe Island (RC), in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, comprised a diverse mix of macroalgae and invertebrates, a number of which are endemic to the region. The biomass of commercially targeted fishes was >2 times higher in remote sites around RC compared to sheltered locations closest to port, and overall biomass was 35% higher around SA compared to RC, likely reflecting fishing effects around RC. The number of endemic fish species was extremely high at both islands, with 87.5% of the species surveyed at RC and 72% at SA consisting of regional endemics. Remarkably, endemics accounted for 99% of the numerical abundance of fishes surveyed at RC and 96% at SA, which is the highest assemblage-level endemism known for any individual marine ecosystem on earth. Our results highlight the uniqueness and global significance of these biodiversity hotspots exposed to very different fishing pressures. PMID:26734732

Isolation and characterization of Solenopsis invicta virus 3, a new positive-strand RNA virus infecting the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valles, Steven M.; Hashimoto, Yoshifumi

2009-01-01

We report the discovery of a new virus from the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3) represents the third virus discovered from this ant species using the metagenomics approach. The single (positive)-strand RNA, monopartite, bicistronic genome of SINV-3 was sequenced in entirety (GenBank accession number (FJ528584)), comprised of 10,386 nucleotides, and polyadenylated at the 3' terminus. This genome size was confirmed by Northern analysis. The genome revealed 2 large open reading frames (ORFs) in the sense orientation with an untranslated region (UTR) at each end and between the two ORFs. The 5' proximal ORF (ORF 1) encoded a predicted protein of 299.1 kDa (2580 amino acids). The 3' proximal ORF (ORF 2) encoded a predicted protein of 73.2 kDa (651 amino acids). RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), helicase, and protease domains were recognized in ORF 1. SDS-PAGE separation of purified SINV-3 particles yielded 2 bands (ostensibly capsid proteins) with a combined molecular mass of 77.3 kDa which was similar to the mass predicted by ORF 2 (73.2 kDa). Phylogenetic analysis of the conserved amino acid sequences containing domains I to VIII of the RdRp from dicistroviruses, iflaviruses, plant small RNA viruses, picornaviruses, and 4 unassigned positive-strand RNA viruses revealed a trichotomous phenogram with SINV-3 and Kelp fly virus comprising a unique cluster. Electron microscopic examination of negatively stained samples of SINV-3 revealed isometric particles with apparent projections and a diameter of 27.3 ± 1.3 nm. SINV-3 was successfully transmitted to uninfected workers by feeding. The minus (replicative) strand of SINV-3 was detected in worker ants indicating replication of the virus. The possibility of using SINV-3 as a microbial control agent for fire ants is discussed.

Bioerosion by pit-forming, temperate-reef sea urchins: History, rates and broader implications

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Gibbs, Victoria K.; Duwan, Emily

2018-01-01

Sea urchins are dominant members of rocky temperate reefs around the world. They often occur in cavities within the rock, and fit so tightly, it is natural to assume they sculpted these “pits.” However, there are no experimental data demonstrating they bore pits. If they do, what are the rates and consequences of bioerosion to nearshore systems? We sampled purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from sites with four rock types, three sedimentary (two sandstones and one mudstone) and one metamorphic (granite). A year-long experiment showed urchins excavated depressions on sedimentary rocks in just months. The rate of pit formation varied with rock type and ranged from 100 yr for granite. In the field, there were differences in pit size and shapes of the urchins (height:diameter ratio). The pits were shallow and urchins flatter at the granite site, and the pits were deeper and urchins taller at the sedimentary sites. Although overall pit sizes were larger on mudstone than on sandstone, urchin size accounted for this difference. A second, short-term experiment, showed the primary mechanism for bioerosion was ingestion of the substratum. This experiment eliminated potential confounding factors of the year-long experiment and yielded higher bioerosion rates. Given the high densities of urchins, large amounts of rock can be converted to sediment over short time periods. Urchins on sandstone can excavate as much as 11.4 kg m-2 yr-1. On a broader geographic scale, sediment production can exceed 100 t ha-1 yr-1, and across their range, their combined bioerosion is comparable to the sediment load of many rivers. The phase shift between urchin barrens and kelp bed habitats in the North Pacific is controlled by the trophic cascade of sea otters. By limiting urchin populations, these apex predators also may indirectly control a substantial component of coastal rates of bioerosion. PMID:29466357

Early development of Costaria costata (C. Agardh) Saunders and cultivation trials

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Fu, Gang; Liu, Jidong; Wang, Gaoge; Yao, Jianting; Wang, Xiuliang; Duan, Delin

2010-07-01

Costaria costata (C. Agardh) Saunders is one of common kelps distributed in many coastal areas worldwide; however, in China, no reports have been made on cultivation of the genus. To investigate potential cultivation of the species in the northern part of China, trials on isolation and preservation of the gametophytes were conducted using C. costata from Korea; growth and development of the gametophytes were observed. We showed that at 10±1°C, 60 μmol m-2s-1 and 12:12 h (L:D), freshly released zoospores settled down within 1 hour, and then developed into the primary cell during the following 2 days. After a vegetative growth phase lasting 6-8 days, female gametophytes became 3-4 times larger in diameter than that of the primary cell, but still remained at a unicellular stage, while male gametophytes divided into 4-10 cells with only a slight change in size. Fertilization occurred within 10 days after the zoospores were released from the sporangia, and the apical and basal tissues of the juvenile sporophyte divided and differentiated into the blade and stipe. Temperature and irradiance influenced gametophytic vegetative growth and developmental patterns. Generally, low irradiance (15 μmol m-2s-1 and 30 μmol m-2s-1) was unfavorable to the induction of fertility, but it enhanced female gametophyte division. The optimal conditions for vegetative growth were 15°C and 30 μmol m-2s-1. After transplantation of the juvenile seedlings and after eight months cultivation, the harvested mature blade reached 194 cm in length and 32.7 cm in width. Our study proves that it is feasible to implement propagation and large scale cultivation of C. costata in northern China.

A changing distribution of seabirds in South Africa – the possible impact of climate and its consequences

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Robert James Minchin Crawford

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In the southern Benguela ecosystem off South Africa, there were recent shifts to the south and east in the distributions of three forage resources (anchovy, sardine, rock lobster, which probably were influenced by environmental change although fishing too may have played a part. In this study, we review information on trends in distributions and numbers of eight seabirds breeding in South Africa. For five species that feed predominantly on anchovy, sardine or rock lobster, their populations off northwest South Africa decreased markedly. For three of these species, which exhibit behavioural inertia and have restricted foraging ranges when breeding (African penguin, Cape cormorant, bank cormorant, there were large decreases in their overall populations in South Africa. Conversely, for two showing more plasticity and able to range over wide areas or move between breeding localities (Cape gannet, swift tern there were increases. It is thought that movement of forage resources away from the northern islands led to a mismatch in the distributions of breeding localities and prey of dependent seabirds off western South Africa and to attempts by several species to establish colonies on the southern mainland closer to food resources. There also were shifts to the south and east in the distributions of three seabirds that do not compete with fisheries for prey (crowned cormorant, white-breasted cormorant, kelp gull, suggesting some environmental forcing, but decreases of these species off northwest South Africa were less severe and populations in South Africa remained stable or increased in the long term. It is likely, because many fishing plants are located in the northwest, that there was increased competition between seabirds and fisheries for prey as forage resources moved south and east. Potential interventions to mitigate the adverse impacts of distributional changes for seabirds include allocations of allowable catches of shared forage resources at

High-frequency dynamics of ocean pH: a multi-ecosystem comparison.

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Gretchen E Hofmann

Full Text Available The effect of Ocean Acidification (OA on marine biota is quasi-predictable at best. While perturbation studies, in the form of incubations under elevated pCO(2, reveal sensitivities and responses of individual species, one missing link in the OA story results from a chronic lack of pH data specific to a given species' natural habitat. Here, we present a compilation of continuous, high-resolution time series of upper ocean pH, collected using autonomous sensors, over a variety of ecosystems ranging from polar to tropical, open-ocean to coastal, kelp forest to coral reef. These observations reveal a continuum of month-long pH variability with standard deviations from 0.004 to 0.277 and ranges spanning 0.024 to 1.430 pH units. The nature of the observed variability was also highly site-dependent, with characteristic diel, semi-diurnal, and stochastic patterns of varying amplitudes. These biome-specific pH signatures disclose current levels of exposure to both high and low dissolved CO(2, often demonstrating that resident organisms are already experiencing pH regimes that are not predicted until 2100. Our data provide a first step toward crystallizing the biophysical link between environmental history of pH exposure and physiological resilience of marine organisms to fluctuations in seawater CO(2. Knowledge of this spatial and temporal variation in seawater chemistry allows us to improve the design of OA experiments: we can test organisms with a priori expectations of their tolerance guardrails, based on their natural range of exposure. Such hypothesis-testing will provide a deeper understanding of the effects of OA. Both intuitively simple to understand and powerfully informative, these and similar comparative time series can help guide management efforts to identify areas of marine habitat that can serve as refugia to acidification as well as areas that are particularly vulnerable to future ocean change.

Remote Sensing of Ocean Color

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Dierssen, Heidi M.; Randolph, Kaylan

(e.g., seagrasses, kelps), eutrophication processes, oil spills, and a variety of hazards in the coastal zone.

Nematode-associated microbial taxa do not correlate with host phylogeny, geographic region or feeding morphology in marine sediment habitats.

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Schuelke, Taruna; Pereira, Tiago José; Hardy, Sarah M; Bik, Holly M

2018-04-01

Studies of host-associated microbes are critical for advancing our understanding of ecology and evolution across diverse taxa and ecosystems. Nematode worms are ubiquitous across most habitats on earth, yet little is known about host-associated microbial assemblages within the phylum. Free-living nematodes are globally abundant and diverse in marine sediments, with species exhibiting distinct buccal cavity (mouth) morphologies that are thought to play an important role in feeding ecology and life history strategies. Here, we investigated patterns in marine nematode microbiomes, by characterizing host-associated microbial taxa in 281 worms isolated from a range of habitat types (deep-sea, shallow water, methane seeps, Lophelia coral mounds, kelp holdfasts) across three distinct geographic regions (Arctic, Southern California and Gulf of Mexico). Microbiome profiles were generated from single worms spanning 33 distinct morphological genera, using a two-gene metabarcoding approach to amplify the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene targeting bacteria/archaea and the V1-V2 region of the 18S rRNA gene targeting microbial eukaryotes. Contrary to our expectations, nematode microbiome profiles demonstrated no distinct patterns either globally (across depths and ocean basins) or locally (within site); prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial assemblages did not correlate with nematode feeding morphology, host phylogeny or morphological identity, ocean region or marine habitat type. However, fine-scale analysis of nematode microbiomes revealed a variety of novel ecological interactions, including putative parasites and symbionts, and potential associations with bacterial/archaeal taxa involved in nitrogen and methane cycling. Our results suggest that in marine habitats, free-living nematodes may utilize diverse and generalist foraging strategies that are not correlated with host genotype or feeding morphology. Furthermore, some abiotic factors such as geographic region

Electrical field: a historical review of its application and contributions in wastewater sludge dewatering.

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Mahmoud, Akrama; Olivier, Jérémy; Vaxelaire, Jean; Hoadley, Andrew F A

2010-04-01

Electric field-assisted dewatering, also called electro-dewatering, is a technology in which a conventional dewatering mechanism such a pressure dewatering is combined with electrokinetic effects to realize an improved liquid/solids separation, to increase the final dry solids content and to accelerate the dewatering process with low energy consumption compared to thermal drying. Electro-dewatering is not a new idea, but the practical industrial applications have been limited to niche areas in soil mechanics, civil engineering, and the ceramics industry. Recently, it has received great attention, specially, in the fields of fine-particle sludge, gelatinous sludge, sewage sludge, pharmaceutical industries, food waste and bull kelp, which could not be successfully dewatered with conventional mechanical methods. This review focuses on the scientific and practical aspects of the application of an electrical field in laboratory/industrial dewatering, and discusses this in relation to conventional dewatering techniques. A comprehensive bibliography of research in the electro-dewatering of wastewater sludges is included. As the fine-particle suspensions possess a surface charge, usually negative, they are surrounded by a layer with a higher density of positive charges, the electric double layer. When an electric field is applied, the usually negative charged particles move towards the electrode of the opposite charge. The water, commonly with cations, is driven towards the negative electrode. Electro-dewatering thus involves the well-known phenomena of electrophoresis, electro-osmosis, and electromigration. Following a detailed outline of the role of the electric double layer and electrokinetic phenomena, an analysis of the components of applied voltage and their significance is presented from an electrochemical viewpoint. The aim of this elementary analysis is to provide a fundamental understanding of the different process variables and configurations in order to

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Bacterial and Faunal Communities Associated with Deep-Sea Wood Falls

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Bienhold, Christina; Wenzhöfer, Frank; Rossel, Pamela E.; Boetius, Antje

2017-01-01

Sinking of large organic food falls i.e. kelp, wood and whale carcasses to the oligotrophic deep-sea floor promotes the establishment of locally highly productive and diverse ecosystems, often with specifically adapted benthic communities. However, the fragmented spatial distribution and small area poses challenges for the dispersal of their microbial and faunal communities. Our study focused on the temporal dynamics and spatial distributions of sunken wood bacterial communities, which were deployed in the vicinity of different cold seeps in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Norwegian deep-seas. By combining fingerprinting of bacterial communities by ARISA and 454 sequencing with in situ and ex situ biogeochemical measurements, we show that sunken wood logs have a locally confined long-term impact (> 3y) on the sediment geochemistry and community structure. We confirm previous hypotheses of different successional stages in wood degradation including a sulphophilic one, attracting chemosynthetic fauna from nearby seep systems. Wood experiments deployed at similar water depths (1100–1700 m), but in hydrographically different oceanic regions harbored different wood-boring bivalves, opportunistic faunal communities, and chemosynthetic species. Similarly, bacterial communities on sunken wood logs were more similar within one geographic region than between different seas. Diverse sulphate-reducing bacteria of the Deltaproteobacteria, the sulphide-oxidizing bacteria Sulfurovum as well as members of the Acidimicrobiia and Bacteroidia dominated the wood falls in the Eastern Mediterranean, while Alphaproteobacteria and Flavobacteriia colonized the Norwegian Sea wood logs. Fauna and bacterial wood-associated communities changed between 1 to 3 years of immersion, with sulphate-reducers and sulphide-oxidizers increasing in proportion, and putative cellulose degraders decreasing with time. Only 6% of all bacterial genera, comprising the core community, were found at any time

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Bacterial and Faunal Communities Associated with Deep-Sea Wood Falls.

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Petra Pop Ristova

Full Text Available Sinking of large organic food falls i.e. kelp, wood and whale carcasses to the oligotrophic deep-sea floor promotes the establishment of locally highly productive and diverse ecosystems, often with specifically adapted benthic communities. However, the fragmented spatial distribution and small area poses challenges for the dispersal of their microbial and faunal communities. Our study focused on the temporal dynamics and spatial distributions of sunken wood bacterial communities, which were deployed in the vicinity of different cold seeps in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Norwegian deep-seas. By combining fingerprinting of bacterial communities by ARISA and 454 sequencing with in situ and ex situ biogeochemical measurements, we show that sunken wood logs have a locally confined long-term impact (> 3y on the sediment geochemistry and community structure. We confirm previous hypotheses of different successional stages in wood degradation including a sulphophilic one, attracting chemosynthetic fauna from nearby seep systems. Wood experiments deployed at similar water depths (1100-1700 m, but in hydrographically different oceanic regions harbored different wood-boring bivalves, opportunistic faunal communities, and chemosynthetic species. Similarly, bacterial communities on sunken wood logs were more similar within one geographic region than between different seas. Diverse sulphate-reducing bacteria of the Deltaproteobacteria, the sulphide-oxidizing bacteria Sulfurovum as well as members of the Acidimicrobiia and Bacteroidia dominated the wood falls in the Eastern Mediterranean, while Alphaproteobacteria and Flavobacteriia colonized the Norwegian Sea wood logs. Fauna and bacterial wood-associated communities changed between 1 to 3 years of immersion, with sulphate-reducers and sulphide-oxidizers increasing in proportion, and putative cellulose degraders decreasing with time. Only 6% of all bacterial genera, comprising the core community, were

The Effectiveness, Costs and Coastal Protection Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Defences.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Siddharth; Beck, Michael W; Reguero, Borja G; Losada, Iñigo J; van Wesenbeeck, Bregje; Pontee, Nigel; Sanchirico, James N; Ingram, Jane Carter; Lange, Glenn-Marie; Burks-Copes, Kelly A

2016-01-01

There is great interest in the restoration and conservation of coastal habitats for protection from flooding and erosion. This is evidenced by the growing number of analyses and reviews of the effectiveness of habitats as natural defences and increasing funding world-wide for nature-based defences-i.e. restoration projects aimed at coastal protection; yet, there is no synthetic information on what kinds of projects are effective and cost effective for this purpose. This paper addresses two issues critical for designing restoration projects for coastal protection: (i) a synthesis of the costs and benefits of projects designed for coastal protection (nature-based defences) and (ii) analyses of the effectiveness of coastal habitats (natural defences) in reducing wave heights and the biophysical parameters that influence this effectiveness. We (i) analyse data from sixty-nine field measurements in coastal habitats globally and examine measures of effectiveness of mangroves, salt-marshes, coral reefs and seagrass/kelp beds for wave height reduction; (ii) synthesise the costs and coastal protection benefits of fifty-two nature-based defence projects and; (iii) estimate the benefits of each restoration project by combining information on restoration costs with data from nearby field measurements. The analyses of field measurements show that coastal habitats have significant potential for reducing wave heights that varies by habitat and site. In general, coral reefs and salt-marshes have the highest overall potential. Habitat effectiveness is influenced by: a) the ratios of wave height-to-water depth and habitat width-to-wavelength in coral reefs; and b) the ratio of vegetation height-to-water depth in salt-marshes. The comparison of costs of nature-based defence projects and engineering structures show that salt-marshes and mangroves can be two to five times cheaper than a submerged breakwater for wave heights up to half a metre and, within their limits, become more cost

The Effectiveness, Costs and Coastal Protection Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Defences.

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Siddharth Narayan

Full Text Available There is great interest in the restoration and conservation of coastal habitats for protection from flooding and erosion. This is evidenced by the growing number of analyses and reviews of the effectiveness of habitats as natural defences and increasing funding world-wide for nature-based defences-i.e. restoration projects aimed at coastal protection; yet, there is no synthetic information on what kinds of projects are effective and cost effective for this purpose. This paper addresses two issues critical for designing restoration projects for coastal protection: (i a synthesis of the costs and benefits of projects designed for coastal protection (nature-based defences and (ii analyses of the effectiveness of coastal habitats (natural defences in reducing wave heights and the biophysical parameters that influence this effectiveness. We (i analyse data from sixty-nine field measurements in coastal habitats globally and examine measures of effectiveness of mangroves, salt-marshes, coral reefs and seagrass/kelp beds for wave height reduction; (ii synthesise the costs and coastal protection benefits of fifty-two nature-based defence projects and; (iii estimate the benefits of each restoration project by combining information on restoration costs with data from nearby field measurements. The analyses of field measurements show that coastal habitats have significant potential for reducing wave heights that varies by habitat and site. In general, coral reefs and salt-marshes have the highest overall potential. Habitat effectiveness is influenced by: a the ratios of wave height-to-water depth and habitat width-to-wavelength in coral reefs; and b the ratio of vegetation height-to-water depth in salt-marshes. The comparison of costs of nature-based defence projects and engineering structures show that salt-marshes and mangroves can be two to five times cheaper than a submerged breakwater for wave heights up to half a metre and, within their limits, become

Developing techniques for the utilization of Planctomycetes as producers of bioactive molecules

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Olga Jeske

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Planctomycetes are conspicuous, ubiquitous, environmentally important bacteria. They can attach to various surfaces in aquatic habitats and form biofilms. Their unique FtsZ-independent budding cell division mechanism is associated with slow growth and doubling times from six hours up to one month. Despite this putative disadvantage in the struggle to colonize surfaces, Planctomycetes are frequently associated with aquatic phototrophic organisms such as diatoms, cyanobacteria or kelp, whereby Planctomycetes can account for up to 50 % of the biofilm-forming bacterial population. Consequently, Planctomycetes were postulated to play an important role in carbon utilization, for example as scavengers after phototrophic blooms. However, given their observed slow growth, such findings are surprising since other faster- growing heterotrophs tend to colonize similar ecological niches. Accordingly, Planctomycetes were suspected to produce antibiotics for habitat protection in response to the attachment on phototrophs. Recently, we demonstrated their genomic potential to produce nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, bacteriocins, and terpenoids that might have antibiotic activities. In this study, we describe the development of a pipeline that consists of tools and procedures to cultivate Planctomycetes for the production of antimicrobial compounds in a chemically- defined medium and a procedure to chemically mimic their interaction with bacteria such as for example Cyanobacteria. We evaluated and adjusted screening assays to allow the hunt for planctomycetal antibiotics. As proof of principle, we demonstrate antimicrobial activities of planctomycetal extracts from Planctopirus limnophila DSM 3776, Rhodopirellula baltica DSM 10527, and the recently isolated strain Pan216. By combining UV/Vis and high resolution mass spectrometry data from High-Performance Liquid Chromatography fractionations with growth inhibition of indicator strains, we were able to assign

Effect of Ocean Acidification and pH Fluctuations on the Growth and Development of Coralline Algal Recruits, and an Associated Benthic Algal Assemblage.

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Michael Y Roleda

Full Text Available Coralline algae are susceptible to the changes in the seawater carbonate system associated with ocean acidification (OA. However, the coastal environments in which corallines grow are subject to large daily pH fluctuations which may affect their responses to OA. Here, we followed the growth and development of the juvenile coralline alga Arthrocardia corymbosa, which had recruited into experimental conditions during a prior experiment, using a novel OA laboratory culture system to simulate the pH fluctuations observed within a kelp forest. Microscopic life history stages are considered more susceptible to environmental stress than adult stages; we compared the responses of newly recruited A. corymbosa to static and fluctuating seawater pH with those of their field-collected parents. Recruits were cultivated for 16 weeks under static pH 8.05 and 7.65, representing ambient and 4× preindustrial pCO2 concentrations, respectively, and two fluctuating pH treatments of daily [Formula: see text] (daytime pH = 8.45, night-time pH = 7.65 and daily [Formula: see text] (daytime pH = 8.05, night-time pH = 7.25. Positive growth rates of new recruits were recorded in all treatments, and were highest under static pH 8.05 and lowest under fluctuating pH 7.65. This pattern was similar to the adults' response, except that adults had zero growth under fluctuating pH 7.65. The % dry weight of MgCO3 in calcite of the juveniles was reduced from 10% at pH 8.05 to 8% at pH 7.65, but there was no effect of pH fluctuation. A wide range of fleshy macroalgae and at least 6 species of benthic diatoms recruited across all experimental treatments, from cryptic spores associated with the adult A. corymbosa. There was no effect of experimental treatment on the growth of the benthic diatoms. On the community level, pH-sensitive species may survive lower pH in the presence of diatoms and fleshy macroalgae, whose high metabolic activity may raise the pH of the local microhabitat.

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

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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.

Effects of future climate conditions on streamflow dynamics in coastal southern California watersheds

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Feng, D.; Zhao, Y.; Raoufi, R.; Beighley, E.; Melack, J.

2017-12-01

The Santa Barbara Coastal - Long Term Ecological Research Project is focused on investigating the relative importance of land and ocean processes in structuring giant kelp forest ecosystems. Understanding how current and future climate conditions influence terrestrial export of water is a central theme for the project. In this study, the Hillslope River Routing (HRR) model is forced with past measurement-based (1950 to 2005) and future model-based (2006 to 2100) precipitation and temperature to estimate daily streamflow dynamics. The study region is roughly 800 km2 with 179 watersheds ranging from 0.1 to 123 km2. The model-based forcings are downscaled to a spatial resolution of 6 km by 6 km. The Priestley and Taylor method is used to estimate potential evapotranspiration based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations limited climate data approximations and land surface conditions (albedo, leaf area index, land cover) measured from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra and Aqua satellites. The HRR model is calibrated for the period 1984 to 2013 using USGS streamflow. Median changes in downscaled precipitation projections from 10 models and two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) combined with significance testing, suggest that the distribution of precipitation throughout the rainy season will change: decrease at the beginning of the rainy season (Oct-Dec), increase during peak season (Jan-Mar) and decrease at the end (Apr-Jun). Annually, results suggest a slight increase in precipitation. The decrease of rainfall in spring and fall and increase in winter will lead to a shorter (10-15 days, 8-14%), more intense wet season. Both the magnitude and frequency of large storms (>36 mm/day) are likely to increase. Following the precipitation patterns, streamflow in spring and fall is likely to decrease while winter streamflow and annual peak flows are likely to increase due to increased winter precipitation and

[Dietary patterns and its influencing factors among freshmen students in college].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Su-fang; Mu, Min; Zhao, Yan; Li, Hu-zhong; Fang, Yan-fu; Wang, Hai-lin; Li, Li; Hu, Chuan-lai

2011-09-01

To investigate the dietary pattern in college freshmen students and to analyze the influencing factors on their dietary patterns. A questionnaire survey on situation of dietary pattern and influencing factors was conducted among 1319 freshmen students. Four major dietary patterns were noticed and they were: I, high consumption in hamburger, fried food, nuts, biscuit, chocolate, cola, coffee, sugars, II, high consumption in pork, mutton, beef, poultry meat, animal liver, III, high consumption in fresh fruits, eggs, fish and shrimps, kelp laver and sea fish, milk and dairy products, beans and bean products, IV, high consumption in rice and grain, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pork. Risk factors on dietary pattern were presented as follows: (1) boys:having the food pattern I and II showed a strong positive association with the place where they live (OR = 1.67, 95%CI: 0.87 - 3.19; OR = 1.51, 95%CI: 0.79 - 2.88), eating place (OR = 1.63, 95%CI: 1.03 - 2.59;OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.04 - 3.23), level of mother's education (OR = 2.52, 95%CI: 1.07 - 5.95; OR = 3.38, 95%CI: 1.50 - 7.63), family income (OR = 2.24, 95%CI: 1.30 - 3.88; OR = 3.06, 95%CI: 1.77 - 5.29) and the status of passive smoking (OR = 1.80, 95%CI: 0.70 - 4.59; OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 0.75 - 4.45). Inverse correlations was found on the level of mother's education (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.17 - 1.79). The food pattern IV showed a strong positive association with place of eating (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.04 - 3.23) but having an inverse correlation with the level of mother's education (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.17 - 1.79). (2) girls when compared with boys, the food pattern I showed minor association with the places of living and eating; while the food pattern II and III had minor association with the status of passive smoking. Socio-demographic factors and lifestyle had influenced on the dietary patterns among college freshmen students who should be guided to have a reasonable, balanced diet in the college.

Effect of Ocean Acidification and pH Fluctuations on the Growth and Development of Coralline Algal Recruits, and an Associated Benthic Algal Assemblage

Science.gov (United States)

Roleda, Michael Y.; Cornwall, Christopher E.; Feng, Yuanyuan; McGraw, Christina M.; Smith, Abigail M.; Hurd, Catriona L.

2015-01-01

Coralline algae are susceptible to the changes in the seawater carbonate system associated with ocean acidification (OA). However, the coastal environments in which corallines grow are subject to large daily pH fluctuations which may affect their responses to OA. Here, we followed the growth and development of the juvenile coralline alga Arthrocardia corymbosa, which had recruited into experimental conditions during a prior experiment, using a novel OA laboratory culture system to simulate the pH fluctuations observed within a kelp forest. Microscopic life history stages are considered more susceptible to environmental stress than adult stages; we compared the responses of newly recruited A. corymbosa to static and fluctuating seawater pH with those of their field-collected parents. Recruits were cultivated for 16 weeks under static pH 8.05 and 7.65, representing ambient and 4× preindustrial pCO2 concentrations, respectively, and two fluctuating pH treatments of daily x~ = 8.05 (daytime pH = 8.45, night-time pH = 7.65) and daily x~ = 7.65 (daytime pH = 8.05, night-time pH = 7.25). Positive growth rates of new recruits were recorded in all treatments, and were highest under static pH 8.05 and lowest under fluctuating pH 7.65. This pattern was similar to the adults’ response, except that adults had zero growth under fluctuating pH 7.65. The % dry weight of MgCO3 in calcite of the juveniles was reduced from 10% at pH 8.05 to 8% at pH 7.65, but there was no effect of pH fluctuation. A wide range of fleshy macroalgae and at least 6 species of benthic diatoms recruited across all experimental treatments, from cryptic spores associated with the adult A. corymbosa. There was no effect of experimental treatment on the growth of the benthic diatoms. On the community level, pH-sensitive species may survive lower pH in the presence of diatoms and fleshy macroalgae, whose high metabolic activity may raise the pH of the local microhabitat. PMID:26469945

California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Monterey, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Watt, Janet T.; Davenport, Clifton W.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Sliter, Ray W.; Maier, Katherine L.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2016-08-18

swells from the northwest throughout the year. Wave heights range from 2 to 10 m, the larger swells occurring from October to May. During El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, winter storms track farther south than they do in normal (non-ENSO) years, thereby impacting the map area more frequently and with waves of larger heights.Benthic species observed in the map area are natives of the cold-temperate biogeographic zone that is called either the “Oregonian province” or the “northern California ecoregion.” This biogeographic province is maintained by the long-term stability of the southward-flowing California Current, the eastern limb of the North Pacific subtropical gyre that flows from southern British Columbia to Baja California.Biological productivity resulting from coastal upwelling supports populations of Sooty Shearwater, Western Gull, Common Murre, Cassin’s Auklet, and many other less populous bird species. An observable recovery of Humpback and Blue Whales has occurred in the area; both species are dependent on coastal upwelling to provide nutrients. The large extent of exposed inner shelf bedrock supports large forests of “bull kelp,” which is well adapted for high-wave-energy environments. The kelp beds are well-known habitat for the population of southern sea otters. Common fish species found in the kelp beds and rocky reefs include lingcod and various species of rockfish and greenling.

Highly sensitive and specific determination of mercury(II) ion in water, food and cosmetic samples with an ELISA based on a novel monoclonal antibody

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yuzhen; Li, Yuan [Sichuan University, College of Chemistry, Chengdu (China); Yang, Hong [Soochow University, College of Pharmacy, Suzhou (China); Pschenitza, Michael; Niessner, Reinhard; Knopp, Dietmar [Technical University Munich, Chair for Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Hydrochemistry and Chemical Balneology, Munich (Germany); Deng, Anping [Sichuan University, College of Chemistry, Chengdu (China); Soochow University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Suzhou (China)

2012-07-15

Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals present in the environment. In this study, a highly sensitive and specific monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of Hg{sup 2+} was developed. A new bifunctional ligand, 6-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA), which contains a pyridine ring bearing a carboxylic group and a mercapto group, was selected for the preparation of immunogen. After immunization of mice and performing the hybridoma technique, the obtained mAb was characterized for its binding affinity and selectivity for Hg{sup 2+}. Based on this novel mAb, an ELISA was established. At optimal experimental conditions, the standard curve of the ELISA for Hg{sup 2+} was constructed in concentration range of 0.1-100 ng mL{sup -1}. The values of IC{sub 50} and LOD of the assay were found to be 1.12 and 0.08 ng mL{sup -1}. The cross-reactivity was lower than 2 % with MNA, CH{sub 3}Hg, and CH{sub 3}Hg-MNA and was 11.5 % and 4.4 % for Hg{sup +} and Au{sup 3+}, respectively. No cross-reactivity was found with other metal ions such as Cu{sup 2+}, Sn{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, Mn{sup 2+}, Pb{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+}, Cd{sup 2+}, Fe{sup 2+}, Co{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, and anions such as Cl{sup -}, NO{sub 3} {sup -}, NO{sub 2} {sup -}, HCO{sub 3} {sup -}, F{sup -}, and SO{sub 4} {sup 2-}, indicating that the assay displays not only high sensitivity but also high selectivity. Different kinds of samples including water, milk, green vegetable, kelp, facial cleanser, and night cream were spiked with Hg{sup 2+} and the extracts were analyzed by ELISA. Acceptable recovery rates of 80.0-113.0 % and coefficients of variation of 1.9-18.6 % were obtained. A linear relationship between ELISA and cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS) as indicated by a correlation coefficient of 0.97 for liquid samples (water samples) and 0.98 for other samples was obtained. The proposed mAb-based ELISA provides a

Franz Josef Land: extreme northern outpost for Arctic fishes

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Natalia V. Chernova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The remote Franz Josef Land (FJL Archipelago is the most northerly land in Eurasia and its fish fauna, particularly in nearshore habitats, has been poorly studied. An interdisciplinary expedition to FJL in summer 2013 used scuba, seines, and plankton nets to comprehensively study the nearshore fish fauna of the archipelago. We present some of the first underwater images for many of these species in their natural habitats. In addition, deep water drop cameras were deployed between 32 and 392 m to document the fish fauna and their associated habitats at deeper depths. Due to its high latitude (79°–82°N, extensive ice cover, and low water temperatures (<0 °C much of the year, the fish diversity at FJL is low compared to other areas of the Barents Sea. Sixteen species of fishes from seven families were documented on the expedition, including two species previously unknown to the region. One Greenland shark, Somniosus microcephalus (Somniosidae, ca. 2 m in length, was recorded by drop camera near Hayes Island at 211 m, and Esipov’s pout, Gymnelus esipovi (Zoarcidae, was collected at Wilton Island at 15 m in a kelp forest. Including the tape-body pout, Gymnelus taeniatus, described earlier from the sub-littoral zone of Kuhn Island, 17 fish species are now known from FJL’s nearshore waters. Species endemic to the Arctic accounted for 75% of the nearshore species observed, followed by species with wider ranges. A total of 43 species from 15 families are known from FJL with the majority of the records from offshore trawl surveys between 110 and 620 m. Resident species have mainly high Arctic distributions, while transient species visit the archipelago to feed (e.g., Greenland shark, and others are brought by currents as larvae and later migrate to spawn grounds in the south (e.g., Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, Capelin Mallotus villosus, Beaked redfish Sebastes mentella. Another species group includes warmer-water fishes that are rare waifs (e

Determination of Mineral Contents of Some Legume and Cereal Forages Grown as Naturally in Pastures of Erzurum Province

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Esra GÜRSOY

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine the mineral substances such as macro and micro minerals of legume and cereal forages grown as naturally in the pastures of Erzurum province. In present study, clover, (Medicago sativa, mountain hispanic sainfoin (Hedysarum elegans, bird vetch (Vicia cracca, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa, mountain vetch (Vicia alpestris, mountain clover (Trifolium montanum, caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum, the three-headed clover (Trifolium trichocephalum, tawny grass crown (Coronilla varia, the crown of the eastern horn of grass (Coronilla orientatis and yellow flowers gazelle (Lotus corniculatus from legume forages; cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum, red fescue (Festuca rubra, sheep ball (Festuca ovina, tawny bromine (Bromus variegatus, blue split (Agropyron intermedium, kelp tail grass (Phleum pratense, meadow bluegrass (Poa pratensis from cereal forages were investigated. The obtained data were subjected to an analysis of variance by using SPSS 12.0 package program. Significant differences between means were tested by using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Macro minerals such as Nitrogen (N, Phosphorus (P, Potassium (K, Calcium (Ca, Magnesium (Mg and Sulfur (S assigned for legume forages changed between 2.39- 3.30%, 1.16-1.28%, 0.70-2.69%, 0.56-1.61%, 0.11-0.51% and 0.16-0.27%, respectively. The amounts of micro mineral like Iron (Fe, Virgin (Cu, Zinc (Zn, Manganese (Mn and Boron (B of legume forages were determined to be 105.9-893.7 ppm, 2.22-12.36 ppm, 14.11-195 ppm, 18.18-66.58 ppm and 5.91-40.39 ppm, respectively. Instances of macro minerals of cereal forages were found for N 1.76-of 2.19%, P 1.10-1.19%, K 1.99-3.25%, Ca 0.09-1.15%, Mg 0.07-0.26% and S 0.22-0.36% in present study. Micro minerals such as Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and B determined for cereal forages changed between 74.90-630.6 ppm, 4-9.84 ppm, 31.49-335.6 ppm, 24.63-94.51 ppm and 0.35-26.64 ppm, respectively. In conclusion

Perchlorate in seawater

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Martinelango, P. Kalyani [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061 (United States); Tian Kang [Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States); Dasgupta, Purnendu K. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061 (United States)]. E-mail: Sandyd@ttu.edu

2006-05-10

There has been no reliable published data on the presence of perchlorate in seawater. Seaweeds are among the most important plant life in the ocean and are good sources of iodine and have been widely used as food and nutritional supplement. Perchlorate is known to inhibit the transport of iodide by the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), present e.g., in the thyroid and mammary glands. With perchlorate being increasingly detected in drinking water, milk and various other foods, increasing the iodide intake through inexpensive natural supplements may be an attractive solution for maintaining iodine assimilation. We report here measurable concentrations of perchlorate in several samples of seawater (detectable in about half the samples analyzed). We also report the iodide and perchlorate concentrations of 11 different species of seaweed and the corresponding bioconcentration factors (BCF) for perchlorate and iodide, relative to the seawater from which they were harvested. All seaweed samples came from the same region, off the coast of Northeastern Maine. Concentrations of iodide and perchlorate in four seawater samples collected from the region near harvest time were 30 {+-} 11 and 0.16 {+-} 0.084 {mu}g l{sup -1}, respectively. Concentrations of both iodide and perchlorate varied over a wide range for different seaweed species; iodide ranging from 16 to 3134 mg kg{sup -1} and perchlorate from 0.077 to 3.2 mg kg{sup -1}. The Laminaria species had the highest iodide concentration; Laminaria digitata is the seaweed species most commonly used in the kelp tablets sold in health food stores. Our sample of L. digitata contained 3134 {+-} 15 mg iodide/kg dry weight. The BCF varied widely for different species, with Laminaria species concentrating iodide preferentially over perchlorate. The iodide BCF (BCF{sub i}) to perchlorate BCF (BCF{sub p}) quotient ranged from 0.66 to 53; L. digitata and L. saccarina having a BCF{sub i}/BCF{sub p} value of 45 and 53, respectively, far

Perchlorate in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinelango, P. Kalyani; Tian Kang; Dasgupta, Purnendu K.

2006-01-01

There has been no reliable published data on the presence of perchlorate in seawater. Seaweeds are among the most important plant life in the ocean and are good sources of iodine and have been widely used as food and nutritional supplement. Perchlorate is known to inhibit the transport of iodide by the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), present e.g., in the thyroid and mammary glands. With perchlorate being increasingly detected in drinking water, milk and various other foods, increasing the iodide intake through inexpensive natural supplements may be an attractive solution for maintaining iodine assimilation. We report here measurable concentrations of perchlorate in several samples of seawater (detectable in about half the samples analyzed). We also report the iodide and perchlorate concentrations of 11 different species of seaweed and the corresponding bioconcentration factors (BCF) for perchlorate and iodide, relative to the seawater from which they were harvested. All seaweed samples came from the same region, off the coast of Northeastern Maine. Concentrations of iodide and perchlorate in four seawater samples collected from the region near harvest time were 30 ± 11 and 0.16 ± 0.084 μg l -1 , respectively. Concentrations of both iodide and perchlorate varied over a wide range for different seaweed species; iodide ranging from 16 to 3134 mg kg -1 and perchlorate from 0.077 to 3.2 mg kg -1 . The Laminaria species had the highest iodide concentration; Laminaria digitata is the seaweed species most commonly used in the kelp tablets sold in health food stores. Our sample of L. digitata contained 3134 ± 15 mg iodide/kg dry weight. The BCF varied widely for different species, with Laminaria species concentrating iodide preferentially over perchlorate. The iodide BCF (BCF i ) to perchlorate BCF (BCF p ) quotient ranged from 0.66 to 53; L. digitata and L. saccarina having a BCF i /BCF p value of 45 and 53, respectively, far greater than a simple anion exchange process

Global unbalance in seaweed production, research effort and biotechnology markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazarrasa, Inés; Olsen, Ylva S; Mayol, Eva; Marbà, Núria; Duarte, Carlos M

2014-01-01

Exploitation of the world's oceans is rapidly growing as evidenced by a booming patent market of marine products including seaweed, a resource that is easily accessible without sophisticated bioprospecting technology and that has a high level of domestication globally. The investment in research effort on seaweed aquaculture has recently been identified to be the main force for the development of a biotechnology market of seaweed-derived products and is a more important driver than the capacity of seaweed production. Here, we examined seaweed patent registrations between 1980 and 2009 to assess the growth rate of seaweed biotechnology, its geographic distribution and the types of applications patented. We compare this growth with scientific investment in seaweed aquaculture and with the market of seaweed production. We found that both the seaweed patenting market and the rate of scientific publications are rapidly growing (11% and 16.8% per year respectively) since 1990. The patent market is highly geographically skewed (95% of all registrations belonging to ten countries and the top two holding 65% of the total) compared to the distribution of scientific output among countries (60% of all scientific publications belonging to ten countries and the top two countries holding a 21%), but more homogeneously distributed than the production market (with a 99.8% belonging to the top ten countries, and a 71% to the top two). Food industry was the dominant application for both the patent registrations (37.7%) and the scientific publications (21%) followed in both cases by agriculture and aquaculture applications. This result is consistent with the seaweed taxa most represented. Kelp, which was the target taxa for 47% of the patent registrations, is a traditional ingredient in Asian food and Gracilaria and Ulva, which were the focus of 15% and 13% of the scientific publications respectively, that are also used in more sophisticated applications such as cosmetics, chemical

In hot water: the future of Australia's coastal and marine ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, Anthony J; Poloczanska, Elvira

2007-01-01

Full text: Full text: Marine ecosystems are extremely important economically and ecologically to Australia in terms of tourism, coastal defence, resources, and ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and waste disposal. Australia is also a globally important repository of biodiversity. Here we describe the observed and potential future impacts of climate change on Australia's marine diversity. Climate simulations project oceanic warming, an increase in stratification, a strengthening of the Eastern Australian Current, increased ocean acidification, a rise in sea level, and altered storm and rainfall regimes, which taken collectively will fundamentally change marine ecosystems. There has already been widespread bleaching of tropical corals, poleward shifts of temperate fish and plankton populations, and a decline in cold-water giant kelp off Tasmania. Future changes are likely to be even more dramatic and have considerable economic and ecological consequences, especially in 'hot spots' of climate change such as theTasman Sea and the Great Barrier Reef area. Corals are likely to bleach more frequently and decline in abundance in response to both warming and ocean acidification. Planktonic animals with calcium carbonate shells, such as winged pteropod snails and coccolithophorid phytoplankton, are likely to decline as increased ocean acidification impairs their ability to maintain carbonate body structures. The projected high warming off south-east Australia is of particular concern. Marine ecosystems in this region are already stressed by high metal concentrations, sewage pollution, and overfishing, and climate models project that this region will warm more than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere this century because of enhanced southerly penetration of the East Australian Current. Venomous jellyfish and harmful algal blooms, which are major threats to human health, will potentially extend further south and occur more frequently. Temperate species

Biological processes for mitigation of greenhouse gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benemann, John R. [California Univ., Dept. of Plant and Microbial Biology, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1999-07-01

utilisation-conversion processes. The diffuse nature of biomass resources requires relatively small-scale processes for their utilisation as solid fuels or conversion to liquid and gaseous fuels. Earlier proposals for enormous energy plantations feeding large power plants, or for establishing huge ocean kelp farms, were impractical. As are some recent geoengineering proposals, such as ocean fertilisation. In biomass utilisation, combustion is generally preferable to more complex processes, such as thermal or biochemical conversions to oils and alcohols. The co-firing of biomass in fossil power plants avoids many of the scale, procurement, and efficiency limitations of stand-alone systems and provides significant near-term opportunities for CO{sub 2} mitigation. Landfill gas recovery, due to the large greenhouse gas forcing of methane gas, is another currently available technology that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wastes and residues provide many opportunities for biofuels production and CO{sub 2} mitigation. Mitigating global warming with biological processes requires overcoming many scientific, technological, financial, institutional, regulator and, perhaps most important, environment barriers. This necessitates a major, world-wide and long-term, sustained research, development and implementation effort. (Author)

Reproductive success of South American terns (Sterna hirundinacea from Cardos Islands, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

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Hélio A.A. Fracasso

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Sterna hirundinacea (Lesson, 1831 is a migratory seabird that breeds in the Pacific Coast (from Peru to Chile and along the Atlantic coast of South America from Espírito Santo (Brazil to Terra del Fuego (Argentina. This paper describes the reproductive success of South American Terns on Cardos Island, Florianopolis, Brazil in the breeding seasons of 2003, 2005 and 2006. The colony was formed in mid-May in 2003 and early April in other years, with the total number of nests ranging from 1,852 in 2006 to 2,486 in 2005. Hatching success was estimated at 76.39% in 2006, 62.73% in 2003 and 41.1% in 2005, the lowest value that could be attributed to predation by hawks Caracara plancus, lizards Tupinambis merianae and black vulture Coragyps atratus. The chicks hatched in July in 2003, and in June 2005 and 2006, and fledging success was 50.94%, 35.96 and 53.47% respectively. Cardos Island has been constantly used as a breeding site by South American Terns, and therefore represents an important area for conservation of this species. This success could be attributed to low pressure of Kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus, the main predator of seabirds along the Brazilian coast.Sterna hirundinacea (Lesson, 1831 é uma ave migratória que nidifica na costa do Pacífico (do Peru ao Chile e ao longo do Atlântico Sul do Espírito Santo (Brasil até a Terra do Fogo (Argentina. Este trabalho descreve o sucesso reprodutivo do trinta-réis do bico-vermelho na ilha dos Cardos, Florianópolis, Brasil, durante as temporadas reprodutivas de 2003, 2005 e 2006. A formação da colônia ocorreu em maio de 2003 e inicio de abril nos outros anos, com um total de ninhos variando entre 1.852 em 2006 a 2.486 em 2005. O sucesso de incubação foi estimado em 76,39% (2006, 62,73% (2003 e 41,1% em 2005, sendo que os menores valores puderam ser atribuídos a predação dos gaviões Caracara plancus, lagartos Tupinambis merianae e urubus Coragyps atratus. As primeiras eclosões foram

Sea otters in the northern Pacific Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Bodkin, James L.; Jameson, Ronald J.; Estes, James A.; LaRoe, Edward T.; Farris, Gaye S.; Puckett, Catherine E.; Doran, Peter D.; Mac, Michael J.

1995-01-01

About 250 years ago sea otters (Enhydra lutris) were distributed continuously from central Baja California, north and west along the Pacific Rim to Machatka Peninsula in Russia, and south along the Kuril Island to northern Japan (Kenyon 1969; Fig. 1a). Several hundred thousand sea otters may have occurred in the north Pacific region when commercial hunting began in the 18th century (Riedman and Estes 1990).At least two attributes of the sea otter have influenced humans, likely for as long as they have resided together along the coast of the north Pacific Ocean. First, sea otters rely on a dense fur, among the finest in the world, for insulation in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. The demand for sea otter fur led to their near extinction in the 19th century. The fur harvest, begun about 1740 and halted by international treaty in 1911, left surviving colonies, each likely numbering less than a few hundred animals, in California, south-central Alaska, and the Aleutian, Medney, and Kuril Islands (Fig. 1a). These individuals provided the nucleus for the recovery of the species. Today more than 100,000 sea otters occur throughout about 75% of their original range (fig. 1b). Immigration has resulted in near-complete occupation of the Aleutian and Kuril archipelagos and the Alaska peninsula. Successful translocations have resulted in viable populations in southeast Alaska, Washington, and British Columbia. Large amounts of unoccupied habitat remain along the coasts of Russia, Canada, the United States, and Mexico.The second potential source of conflict between sea otters and humans is that sea otters prey on and often limit some benthic invertebrate populations. Because some of these invertebrates are aso used by humans (Estes and VanBlaricom 1985), human perceptions about the effects of sea otter foraging on invertebrates sometimes differ. By limiting populations of herbivorous invertebrates (e.g., sea urchins [Echinoidea]) otters help maintain the integrity of kelp

Genetics, Gene Flow, and Glaciation: The Case of the South American Limpet Nacella mytilina.

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Claudio A González-Wevar

Full Text Available Glacial episodes of the Quaternary, and particularly the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM drastically altered the distribution of the Southern-Hemisphere biota, principally at higher latitudes. The irregular coastline of Patagonia expanding for more than 84.000 km constitutes a remarkable area to evaluate the effect of Quaternary landscape and seascape shifts over the demography of near-shore marine benthic organisms. Few studies describing the biogeographic responses of marine species to the LGM have been conducted in Patagonia, but existing data from coastal marine species have demonstrated marked genetic signatures of post-LGM recolonization and expansion. The kelp-dweller limpet Nacella mytilina is broadly distributed along the southern tip of South America and at the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. Considering its distribution, abundance, and narrow bathymetry, N. mytilina represents an appropriate model to infer how historical and contemporary processes affected the distribution of intraspecific genetic diversity and structure along the southern tip of South America. At the same time, it will be possible to determine how life history traits and the ecology of the species are responsible for the current pattern of gene flow and connectivity across the study area. We conducted phylogeographic and demographic inference analyses in N. mytilina from 12 localities along Pacific Patagonia (PP and one population from the Falkland/Malvinas Islands (FI. Analyses of the mitochondrial gene COI in 300 individuals of N. mytilina revealed low levels of genetic polymorphism and the absence of genetic differentiation along PP. In contrast, FI showed a strong and significant differentiation from Pacific Patagonian populations. Higher levels of genetic diversity were also recorded in the FI population, together with a more expanded genealogy supporting the hypothesis of glacial persistence of the species in these islands. Haplotype genealogy, and mismatch analyses in

Genetics, Gene Flow, and Glaciation: The Case of the South American Limpet Nacella mytilina

Science.gov (United States)

González-Wevar, Claudio A.; Rosenfeld, Sebastián; Segovia, Nicolás I.; Hüne, Mathias; Gérard, Karin; Ojeda, Jaime; Mansilla, Andrés; Brickle, Paul; Díaz, Angie; Poulin, Elie

2016-01-01

Glacial episodes of the Quaternary, and particularly the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) drastically altered the distribution of the Southern-Hemisphere biota, principally at higher latitudes. The irregular coastline of Patagonia expanding for more than 84.000 km constitutes a remarkable area to evaluate the effect of Quaternary landscape and seascape shifts over the demography of near-shore marine benthic organisms. Few studies describing the biogeographic responses of marine species to the LGM have been conducted in Patagonia, but existing data from coastal marine species have demonstrated marked genetic signatures of post-LGM recolonization and expansion. The kelp-dweller limpet Nacella mytilina is broadly distributed along the southern tip of South America and at the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. Considering its distribution, abundance, and narrow bathymetry, N. mytilina represents an appropriate model to infer how historical and contemporary processes affected the distribution of intraspecific genetic diversity and structure along the southern tip of South America. At the same time, it will be possible to determine how life history traits and the ecology of the species are responsible for the current pattern of gene flow and connectivity across the study area. We conducted phylogeographic and demographic inference analyses in N. mytilina from 12 localities along Pacific Patagonia (PP) and one population from the Falkland/Malvinas Islands (FI). Analyses of the mitochondrial gene COI in 300 individuals of N. mytilina revealed low levels of genetic polymorphism and the absence of genetic differentiation along PP. In contrast, FI showed a strong and significant differentiation from Pacific Patagonian populations. Higher levels of genetic diversity were also recorded in the FI population, together with a more expanded genealogy supporting the hypothesis of glacial persistence of the species in these islands. Haplotype genealogy, and mismatch analyses in the FI population

Constraining the variability of optical properties in the Santa Barbara Channel, CA: A phytoplankton story

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Barron, Rebecca Katherine

approximately 16% of surface water data. Variability in CDOM spectral shape was quantified using the EOF technique, and regression analysis with EOF outputs showed that CDOM absorption intensity and spectral shape were well correlated dinoflagellate presence. Furthermore, results showed that phytoplankton biomass played a secondary role in relation to CDOM absorption, and that variability in CDOM absorption coefficients were primarily driven by community composition. CDOM quality in the SBC was also assessed using CDOM fluorescence properties via excitation emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMS). The EEMS data was analyzed using a multivariate statistical procedure, again, an EOF analysis, to identify three dominant CDOM source regimes: the surface pelagic regime, deep-water (up to 300 m) regime and kelp forest pelagic regime. This work also found that while CDOM absorption coefficient was strongly influence by which phytoplankton groups were present, DOM quality was characterized more so by the amount of phytoplankton biomass, hence indicating strong microbial component to DOM production. Lastly, with the use of the EEMS data, and characterization of CDOM absorption properties, e.g. spectral slope, S, slope ratio, SR, specific UV-absorbance, SUVA and MAA Index, we found that terrestrial sources of CDOM were very limited in the SBC. Based on this research, mineral particle concentrations that significantly correlated with IOPs were thought to be associated with suspended sediments from shoaling of the continental shelf rather than from stream/river influence. Thus, the SBC is a unique, optically complex ocean system where IOP dynamics, thus remote sensing reflectance, are strongly influenced by shifts in phytoplankton community structure.

Check-list of the Basque coast benthic algae (North of Spain

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Gorostiaga, José M.

2004-12-01

Full Text Available An annotated check-list of the marine benthic flora of the Spanish Basque coast, based on literature records and original data, is presented. According to the present taxonomy, the known list of algae totals 372 taxa (354 species and 18 infraspecific taxa, distributed as follows: 23 Cyanophyta, 221 Rhodophyta, 74 Heterokontophyta and 54 Chlorophyta. In addition, 16 taxa are considered as taxa inquirenda and 8 as taxa excludenda. For each taxon the vertical distribution, abundance estimation, and two first published records are given. Remarks on the most noteworthy features of the flora of the study area are included. The floristic character of Spanish Basque coast flora was compared with nearby regions applying Cheney’s ratio [(Rhodophyta+ Chlorophyta/Phaeophyta, or (R+C/P]. The resulting high value (4,09 indicates its warm-water character, which was already noted at the end of the XIX century. From a physionomical point of view, Basque benthic vegetation resembles more closely that of southern regions (S Portugal, Morocco. The warming process of waters off the Basque coast during summer up to 22 ºC is responsible for the absence or very rare occurrence of cold temperate species like large fucoids and kelps, which are common in Galicia and Brittany, and explains the abundance of numerous warm-temperate species as ceramiaceous algae.Se presenta un catálogo de la flora bentónica marina de la costa vasco-española basado en citas bibliográficas y algunos datos originales. De acuerdo con la taxonomía actual, la lista de algas conocidas asciende a 372 táxones (354 especies y 18 táxones infraespecíficos, que se distribuyen como sigue: 23 Cyanophyta, 221 Rhodophyta, 74 Heterokontophyta y 54 Chlorophyta. Además, 16 táxones se consideran como taxa inquirenda y 8 como taxa excludenda. Para cada taxon se ofrece información sobre su distribución vertical, una estima de su abundancia y las dos primeras citas publicadas. Se incluyen

Abundance, distribution and feeding patterns of a temperate reef fish in subtidal environments of the Chilean coast: the importance of understory algal turf Abundancia, distribución y patrones alimentarios de un pez de arrecifes templados en ambientes submareales de la costa de Chile: la importancia de la capa de algas del subdosel

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ÁLVARO T. PALMA

2002-03-01

Full Text Available Cheilodactylus variegatus is an abundant carnivorous demersal reef fish that lives in the shallow subtidal of the north-central Chilean coast. Characteristically, these environments are dominated by kelp forests of Lessonia trabeculata. This species preys on a great variety of benthic invertebrates, and shows particularly high consumption rates on amphipod crustaceans. In our study, two widely separated populations of C. variegatus were considered (central and northern Chile. Individuals that form part of these populations show considerable differences in their distribution, abundance and trophic behavior. In the northern zone, the species is abundant and both juveniles and adults are distributed along the whole bathymetric gradient. This contrasts with populations found in central Chile, which are more sparse and lack juveniles. The distribution and abundance patterns appear to be influenced mainly by the great abundance of diverse understory macroalgae in the northern subtidal, which harbors a large number of invertebrates, especially amphipods. In contrast, the understory algal abundance of the central zone is much lower, and does not show a direct relationship with the lesser abundance of amphipods. In general, C. variegatus maintains a high consumption rate on amphipods throughout its ontogeny but it includes several other prey items in later ontogenetic stages. The different understory algal assemblages, and their associated fauna, are likely to be the main factors influencing the patterns of abundance and distribution observed between these two geographically distinct fish populationsCheilodactylus variegatus es un pez demersal abundante que habita el submareal somero de la costa norte y central de Chile. Es característico de estos ambientes el estar dominados por praderas del alga Lessonia trabeculata. Esta especie incorpora en su dieta una variada gama de invertebrados bentónicos, mostrando una tasa particularmente alta de consumo de

Sea otter population structure and ecology in Alaska

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Bodkin, James L.; Monson, Daniel H.

2002-01-01

Sea otters are the only fully marine otter. They share a common ancestry with the Old World land otters, but their route of dispersal to the New World is uncertain. The historic range of the species is along the northern Pacific Ocean rim, between central Baja California and the islands of northern Japan. Because they forage almost exclusively on bottom-dwelling marine invertebrates such as clams, snails, crabs, and sea urchins, they predominantly occur near shore. Their offshore distribution is limited by their diving ability; although they are capable of diving to more than 100 meters deep, most of their feeding takes place between the shoreline and depths of 40 meters. They are social animals, generally resting in protected bays or kelp forests in groups, commonly referred to as rafts. Because they are gregarious, possess a fine fur, and occur primarily near shore, they have been exploited by humans for as long as they have co-occupied coastal marine communities.During the late Pleistocene, glacial advances and retreats in the northern latitudes likely influenced genetic exchange within the sea otter’s northern range. When the glaciers were at their maximum, ice sheets extended over large coastal areas, isolating sea otter populations and causing local extinctions. During periods of glacial retreat, sea otters likely recolonized the newly available habitats, allowing exchange of individuals and gene flow between populations.Beginning in about 1750, sea otter populations underwent dramatic declines as a direct result of commercial harvest for their furs. Explorations by Vitus Bering led to the discovery of abundant sea otter populations in the Aleutian Islands. The early harvest, conducted by Russians with enslaved Aleut hunters, began in the eastern Aleutians. Eventually the harvest became multinational and contributed significantly to the exploration and settlement of the North Pacific coastline by Europeans. There were two distinct periods of harvest�

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Santa Barbara, California

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Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Greene, H. Gary; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Endris, Charles A.; Seitz, Gordon G.; Sliter, Ray W.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Gutierrez, Carlos I.; Wong, Florence L.; Yoklavich, Mary M.; Draut, Amy E.; Hart, Patrick E.; Conrad, James E.; Cochran, Susan A.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2013-01-01

and northwest by Point Conception and from the south and southwest by offshore islands and banks. The shelf is underlain by variable amounts of upper Quaternary shelf, estuarine, and fluvial sediments deposited as sea level fluctuated in the late Pleistocene. Seafloor habitats in the broad Santa Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft sediment and isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deep water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Santa Barbara map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary processes. These potential habitats, which lie within the Shelf (continental shelf) megahabitat, range from soft, unconsolidated sediment to hard sedimentary bedrock. This heterogeneous seafloor provides promising habitat for rockfish, groundfish, crabs, shrimp, and other marine benthic organisms.

California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Ventura, California

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Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Greene, H. Gary; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Endris, Charles A.; Seitz, Gordon G.; Gutierrez, Carlos I.; Sliter, Ray W.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Wong, Florence L.; Yoklavich, Mary M.; Draut, Amy E.; Hart, Patrick E.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2013-01-01

Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft sediment and isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deep water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Ventura map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary processes. These potential habitats lie within the Shelf (continental shelf) megahabitat, dominated by a flat seafloor and substrates formed from deposition of fluvial and marine sediment during sea-level rise. This flat, fairly homogeneous seafloor, composed primarily of unconsolidated sand and mud and local deposits of gravel, cobbles, and pebbles, provides promising habitat for groundfish, crabs, shrimp, and other marine benthic organisms. The only significant interruptions to this homogeneous habitat type are exposures of hard, irregular sedimentary bedrock and coarse-grained sediment where potential habitats for rockfish and related species exist.

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Carpinteria, California

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Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Greene, H. Gary; Endris, Charles A.; Seitz, Gordon G.; Sliter, Ray W.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Wong, Florence L.; Gutierrez, Carlos I.; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Draut, Amy E.; Hart, Patrick E.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2013-01-01

area probably are remobilized on an annual basis. The shelf is underlain by variable amounts of upper Quaternary shelf, estuarine, and fluvial sediments that thicken to the south. Seafloor habitats in the broad Santa Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft sediment and isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deep water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Carpinteria map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary processes. These potential habitats lie within the Shelf (continental shelf) megahabitat, dominated by a flat seafloor and substrates formed from deposition of fluvial and marine sediment during sea-level rise. This fairly homogeneous seafloor provides promising habitat for groundfish, crabs, shrimp, and other marine benthic organisms. The only significant interruptions to this homogeneous habitat type are the exposures of hard, irregular, and hummocky sedimentary bedrock and coarse-grained sediment where potential habitats for rockfish and related species exist.

California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Point Conception, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Davenport, Clifton W.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2018-04-20

about 298° to 241° azimuth. Shelf width ranges from about 5 km south of Point Conception to about 11 km northwest of it; the slope ranges from about 1.0° to 1.2° to about 0.7° south and northwest of Point Conception, respectively. Southwest of Point Conception, the shelf break and upper slope are incised by a 600-m-wide, 20- to 30-m-deep, south-facing trough, one of five heads of the informally named Arguello submarine canyon.The map area is located at a major biogeographic transition zone between the east-west-trending Santa Barbara Channel region of the Southern California Bight and the northwest-trending central California coast. North of Point Conception, the coast is subjected to high wave exposure from the north, west, and south, as well as consistently strong upwelling that brings cold, nutrient-rich waters to the surface. Southeast of Point Conception, the Santa Barbara Channel is largely protected from strong north swells by Point Conception and from south swells by the Channel Islands; surface waters are warmer, and upwelling is weak and seasonal.Seafloor habitats in the broad Santa Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft, unconsolidated sediment interspersed with isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities in the nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deeper water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Point Conception map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary processes. These potential habitats lie primarily within the Shelf (continental shelf) but also partly within the Flank (basin flank or continental slope) megahabitats. The fairly homogeneous seafloor of sediment and low-relief bedrock provides characteristic habitat for rockfish, groundfish, crabs, shrimp, and other marine benthic organisms. Several areas of smooth sediment form nearshore terraces that have relatively steep, smooth fronts, which are

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Coal Oil Point, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Conrad, James E.; Lorenson, T.D.; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Greene, H. Gary; Endris, Charles A.; Seitz, Gordon G.; Finlayson, David P.; Sliter, Ray W.; Wong, Florence L.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Gutierrez, Carlos I.; Leifer, Ira; Yoklavich, Mary M.; Draut, Amy E.; Hart, Patrick E.; Hostettler, Frances D.; Peters, Kenneth E.; Kvenvolden, Keith A.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Fong, Grace; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2014-01-01

break, roughly coincident with the California’s State Waters limit, are about 90 m. This part of the Santa Barbara Channel is relatively well protected from large Pacific swells from the north and northwest by Point Conception and from the south and southwest by offshore islands and banks. The shelf is underlain by variable amounts of upper Quaternary marine and fluvial sediments deposited as sea level fluctuated in the late Pleistocene. The large (130 km2) Goleta landslide complex lies along the shelf break in the southern part of the map area. This compound slump complex may have been initiated more than 200,000 years ago, but it also includes three recent failures that may have been generated between 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. A local, 5- to 10-m-high tsunami may have been generated from these failure events. The map area has had a long history of hydrocarbon development, which began in 1928 with discovery of the Ellwood oil field. Subsequent discoveries in the offshore include South Ellwood offshore oil field, Coal Oil Point oil field, and Naples oil and gas field. Development of South Ellwood offshore field began in 1966 from platform “Holly,” the last platform to be installed in California’s State Waters. The area also is known for “the world’s most spectacular marine hydrocarbon seeps,” and large tar seeps are exposed on beaches east of the mouth of Goleta Slough. Offshore seeps adjacent to South Ellwood oil field release about 40 tons per day of methane and about 19 tons per day of ethane, propane, butane, and higher hydrocarbons. Seafloor habitats in the broad Santa Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft sediment and isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deep water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Coal Oil Point map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary

California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Gaviota, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Davenport, Clifton W.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2018-04-20

during major winter storms and long periods of low (or no) flow and minimal sediment load between storms. In recent (recorded) history, the majority of high-discharge, high-sediment-flux events have been associated with El Niño phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climatic pattern.Shelf width in the Offshore of Gaviota map area ranges from about 4.3 to 4.7 km, and shelf slopes average about 1.0° to 1.2° but are highly variable because of the presence of the large Gaviota sediment bar. This bar extends southwestward for about 9 km from the mouth of Cañada de la Gaviota to the shelf break, is as wide as 2 km, and is by far the largest shore-attached sediment bar in the Santa Barbara Channel. The shelf is underlain by bedrock and variable amounts (0 to as much as 36 m in the Gaviota bar) of upper Quaternary sediments deposited as sea level fluctuated in the late Pleistocene. The trend of the shelf break changes from about 276° to 236° azimuth over a distance of about 12 km, and it ranges in depth from about 91 m to as shallow as 62 to 73 m where significant shelf-break and upper-slope failure and landsliding has apparently occurred. The shelf break in the western part of the map area is notably embayed by the heads of three large (150- to 300-m-wide) channels that have been referred to as “the Gaviota Canyons” or as “Drake Canyon,” “Sacate Canyon,” and “Alegria Canyon.”Seafloor habitats in the broad Santa Barbara Channel region consist of significant amounts of soft, unconsolidated sediment interspersed with isolated areas of rocky habitat that support kelp-forest communities in the nearshore and rocky-reef communities in deeper water. The potential marine benthic habitat types mapped in the Offshore of Gaviota map area are directly related to its Quaternary geologic history, geomorphology, and active sedimentary processes. These potential habitats lie primarily within the Shelf (continental shelf) but also partly within the Flank (basin flank