Temporal trends in reef fish assemblages inside Virgin Islands National Park and around St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1988-2006

This report is a result of long-term fish monitoring studies supported by the National Park Service (NPS) at the Virgin Islands National Park since 1988 and is now a joint NPS and NOAA collaboration. Reef fish monitoring data collected from 1988 to 2006 within Virgin Islands National Park (VINP) and adjacent reefs around St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) were analyzed to provide information on the status of reef fishes during the monitoring period. Monitoring projects were initiated by the National Park Service (NPS) in the 1980s to provide useful data for evaluation of resources and for development of a long-term monitoring program. Monthly monitoring was conducted at two reef sites (Yawzi Point and Cocoloba Cay) starting in November 1988 for 2.5 years to document the monthly/seasonal variability in reef fish assemblages. Hurricane Hugo (a powerful Category 4 storm) struck the USVI in September 1989 resulting in considerable damage to the reefs around St. John. Abundance of fishes was lower at both sites following the storm, however, a greater effect was observed at Yawzi Point, which experienced a more direct impact from the hurricane. The storm affected species differently, with some showing only small, short-term declines in abundance, and others, such as the numerically abundant blue chromis (Chromis cyanea), a planktivorous damselfish, exhibiting a larger and longer recovery period. This report provides: 1) an evaluation of sampling methods, sample size, and methods used during the sampling period, 2) an evaluation of the spatial and temporal variability in reef fish assemblages at selected reef sites inside and outside of VINP, and 3) an evaluation of trends over 17 years of monitoring at the four reference sites. Comparisons of methods were conducted to standardize assessments among years. Several methods were used to evaluate sample size requirements for reef fish monitoring and the results provided a statistically robust justification for sample allocation.

Mission report: a strategy to inventory, characterize, and monitor the marine region within and around the National Park and Monument boundaries of St. John, USVI, July 21- July 31, 2008

The intent of this field mission was to continue ongoing efforts: (1) to spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance and size of both reef fishes and conch within and around the waters of the Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and newly established Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR), (2) to correlate this information to in-situ data collected on associated habitat parameters, (3) to use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting and to establish the efficacy of those management decisions. This work is supported by the National Park Service and NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program’s Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Project. The report highlights the successes of this mission.

Distribution of persistent organic contaminants in canyons and on the continental shelf off central California

The National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program has conducted studies to determine the spatial extent and severity of chemical contamination and associated adverse biological effects in coastal bays and estuaries of the United States since 1991. Sediment contamination in U.S. coastal areas is a major environmental issue because of its potential toxic effects on biological resources and often, indirectly, on human health. Thus, characterizing and delineating areas of sediment contamination and toxicity and demonstrating their effect(s) on benthic living resources are therefore important goals of coastal resource management at NOAA. The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), University of California Moss Landing Marine Lab (MLML), and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), conducted ecosystem monitoring and characterization studies within and between marine sanctuaries along the California coast in 2002 and 2004 on the NOAA RV McArthur. One of the objectives was to perform a systematic assessment of the chemical and physical habitats and associated biological communities in soft bottom habitats on the continental shelf and slope in the central California region. This report addresses the magnitude and extent of chemical contamination, and contaminant transport patterns in the region. Ongoing studies of the benthic community are in progress and will be reported in an integrated assessment of habitat quality and the parameters that govern natural resource distributions on the continental margin and in canyons in the region.

Larval abundance, distribution, and spawning habits of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park, Florida

The spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is one of the most sought after recreational fish in Florida Bay, and it spends its entire life history within the bay (Rutherford et al.,1989b). The biology of adult spotted seatrout in Florida Bay is well known (Rutherford et al., 1982, 1989b) as is the distribution and abundance of juveniles within the bay. The habitats and diets of juveniles are well documented (Hettler, 1989; Chester and Thayer, 1990; Thayer et al., 1999; Florida Department of Environmental Protection1). Nevertheless, the spatial and temporal spawning habits of spotted seatrout and the distribution of larvae have only been partially described (Powell et al., 1989; Rutherford et al., 1989a).

Age and growth of blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) from central and northern California

Otoliths from blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus), were aged by using a combination of surface and break-and-burn methods. The samples were collected between 1978 and 1998 off central and northern California. Annual growth increments in the otoliths were validated by using edge analysis for females up to age 23 and for males to age 25.The first annual growth increment was identified by comparing the diameter of the otolith from fish known to be one year old collected in May (when translucent zone formation was completed) to the mean diameter of the first translucent zone in the otoliths from older fish. Our estimated maxi-mum ages of 44 years for males and 41 years for females were much older than those reported in previous studies. Von Bertalanffy growth models were developed for each sex. Females grew faster and reached larger maximum length than males. The growth models were similar to those generated in other studies of this species in southern and central California. Fish from northern and central California had similar maximum sizes, maximum ages, and growth model parameters.

A modern pollen record from the central Gulf of California

As one facet of an effort to tie the pollen record of central Gulf of California deep cores to modern analogs, pollen was analyzed in the uppermost 150-200 years of varved core 7807-1410 taken nearby. Sampling at 2- to 8-year resolution yielded a noncomplacent record, suggesting pollen in these sediments may be a potential high resolution proxy record of short-term climatic events. The pollen spectrum as a whole matches that of upper-most DSDP Site 480 (means of all samples). Lack of a ratio or influx shift following damming of local rivers and a surplus of low-spine Compositae pollen relative to mainland sites support Baumgartner's theory that terrigenous influx to the site is largely aeolian and also suggest that a significant fraction of the pollen influx may come from Baja California.

Spawning behavior and larval development in Mopalia lignosa and Mopalia muscosa (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) in central California

Spawning behavior and external features of the larval development were studied in the chitons Mopalia muscosa and M. lignosa during the months of April-June, 1974, at Pacific Grove, California. ... The sequence of events in the development of the two species in the same, though some differences in timing exist.

Upwelling, offshore transport, and the availability of rockfish in central California

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): We used the diet of a seabird, the common murre (Uria aalge), nesting on Southeast Farallon Island and feeding in the Gulf of the Farallones, California, as an index to abundance of juvenile rockfish, then related fish abundance to indices of turbulence and upwelling over an 18-year period, 1973-1990. Strong, persistent upwelling or downwelling led to reduced availability of fish in the study area, in contrast to great abundance when upwelling was mild or pulsed. ... On the basis of our study, one effect might be that fishes thought strong enough to resist Ekman transport could be transported out of normal areas of recruitment.

Centennial oscillation of the climatic crescendo during the last glacial maximum: evidence from Lake Estancia, central New Mexico

Sediments deposited in late Pleistocene Lake Estancia, central New Mexico, contain a paleoclimatic record that includes the last glacial maximum and deglacial episode. Stratigraphic reconstruction of an interval representing the highstand of the lake that occurred during the last glacial maximum reveals ~2000-, ~600-, and ~200-year oscillations in lake level and climate. Shifting position of the polar jetstream in response to expansion and contraction of the North American ice sheet may be partly responsible for the millenial-scale changes in Lake Estancia but probably does not explain the centennial-scale oscillations.

Some effects of Earth's surface on winter jet stream positions in the Northern Hemisphere and rainfall patterns in northern and central California

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): This report shows that the mean wintertime polar-front jet stream structure consists of three long waves. Prominent ridges in the jet stream flow occur near the longitudes of India, eastern Pacific/west coast of North America, and eastern Atlantic/British Isles; prominent troughs occur near the longitudes of the Middle East, western Pacific, and western Atlantic/east coast of North America. ... One of the climatological ridges occurs along the west coast of North America ... just off the central Oregon coast. The position of the jet stream at this location appears to be the main reason most Pacific storms pass to the north of California. Sustained rainfall in northern and central California occurs only when the storm track is displaced southward of this climatological position.

Atmospheric circulation patterns associated with tree growth anomalies in the central and southern Sierra Nevada mountains [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): In this work, I examine patterns of atmospheric circulation associated with tree growth anomalies at mid-to-high latitudes (2000-3500 meters).