Associations among chlorophyll concentration and climatic variables for Suisun Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): The recent changes in phytoplankton production and community composition within the Suisun Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta may be related to climate. Chlorophyll a concentration, decreased by 42% (spring-summer) and 29% (fall) between 1972 through 1976 and 1977 through 1981. The decrease in biomass was characterized by a shift in phytoplankton community dominance from Skeletonema spp., Cyclotella spp. and Coscinodiscus spp. to Melosira granulata. The possible influence of climate on phytoplankton abundance was suggested by multivariate statistical analyses that demonstrated an association between changes in phytoplankton community composition and abundance between 1975 and 1982 and the climate related variables wind velocity, precipitation, river flow and water temperature.

Age, size, and sexual maturity of channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

With the southern New England lobster fishery in distress, lobster fishermen have focused more effort toward harvesting channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus). However, minimal research has been conducted on the life history and growth rates of channeled whelk. Melongenid whelks generally grow slowly and mature late in life, a characteristic that can make them vulnerable to overfishing as fishing pressure increases. We sampled channeled whelk from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, in August 2010 and in July 2011, studied their gonad development by histology, and aged them by examining opercula. Males had a slower growth rate and a lower maximum size than females. Male whelk reached 50% maturity (SM50) at 115.5 mm shell length (SL) and at the age of 6.9 years. Female whelk reached SM50 at 155.3 mm SL and at the age of 8.6 years. With a minimum size limit of 69.9 mm (2.75 in) in shell width, males entered the fishery at 7.5 years, a few months after SM50, but females entered the fishery at 6.3 years, approximately 2 years before SM50. Increased fishing pressure combined with slow growth rates and the inability to reproduce before being harvested can easily constrain the long-term viability of the channeled whelk fishery in Massachusetts.

Biscayne Bay commercial pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, fisheries, 1986-2005

The Biscayne Bay bait (1986–2005) and food (1989–2005) fisheries for pink shrimp were examined using dealer-reported individual vessel-trip landings data, separated by waterbody code to represent only catches from Biscayne Bay. Annual landings varied little during the 1980’s and early 1990’s, and landings of the bait shrimp fishery exceeded those of the food shrimp fishery. The number of trips and landings in both fisheries increased from the late 1990’s through 2002 and food shrimp landings exceeded landings of bait shrimp; landings in both fisheries decreased sharply in 2003. Landings in both fisheries increased in 2004 and 2005, but the increase in food shrimp landings was stronger. Annual catch per trip was much lower in the bait fishery than the food fishery. Each fishery exploited shrimp of a different size. The bait fishery targeted shrimp less than 19 mm carapace length (CL), whereas the food fishery caught shrimp greater than 19 mm CL. We compared monthly bait shrimp catch per unit of effort (CPUE) from the fishery to an estimate of shrimp density from a fishery-independent sampling effort over a 3-yr period and found a strong statistical relationship with the density estimate lagged by 3 mo. The relationship supported the use of bait shrimp fishery CPUE as an index of abundance in upcoming assessments of the effect of a massive water-management-based ecosystem restoration project on pink shrimp in Biscayne Bay. Project implementation will affect freshwater inflows to the bay and salinity patterns. An abundance index with a lengthy pre-implementation history that can be carried into the operational phase of the restoration project will be invaluable in assessing project effects and protecting an important fishery resource of Biscayne Bay. The bait shrimp fishery can provide a continuing index of shrimp abundance from late 1986 forward.

An ecological characterization of Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, U.S. Virgin Islands

Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (hereafter, SARI or the park) was created in 1992 to preserve, protect, and interpret nationally significant natural, historical, and cultural resources (United States Congress 1992). The diverse ecosystem within it includes a large mangrove forest, a submarine canyon, coral reefs, seagrass beds, coastal forests, and many other natural and developed landscape elements. These ecosystem components are, in turn, utilized by a great diversity of flora and fauna. A comprehensive spatial inventory of these ecosystems is required for successful management. To meet this need, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Biogeography Program, in consultation with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Government of the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (VIDPNR), conducted an ecological characterization. The characterization consists of three complementary components: a text report, digital habitat maps, and a collection of historical aerial photographs. This ecological characterization provides managers with a suite of tools that, when coupled with the excellent pre-existing body of work on SARI resources, enables improved research and monitoring activities within the park (see Appendix F for a list of data products).

Human use pharmaceuticals in the estuarine environment: a survey of the Chesapeake Bay, Biscayne Bay, and Gulf of the Farallones

The assessment of emerging risks in the aquatic environment is a major concern and focus of environmental science (Daughton and Ternes, 1999). One significant class of chemicals that has received relatively little attention until recently are the human use pharmaceuticals. In 2004, an estimated 2.6 billion prescriptions were written for the top 300 pharmaceuticals in the U.S. (RxList, 2005). Mellon et al. (2001) estimated that 1.4 million kg of antimicrobials are used in human medicine every year. The use of pharmaceuticals is also estimated to be on par with agrochemicals (Daughton and Ternes, 1999). Unlike agrochemicals (e.g., pesticides) which tend to be delivered to the environment in seasonal pulses, pharmaceuticals are continuously released through the use/excretion and disposal of these chemicals, which may produce the same exposure potential as truly persistent pollutants. Human use pharmaceuticals can enter the aquatic environment through a number of pathways, although the main one is thought to be via ingestion and subsequent excretion by humans (Thomas and Hilton, 2004). Unused pharmaceuticals are typically flushed down the drain or wind up in landfills (Jones et al. 2001).

1983 Biscayne Bay hydrocarbon study: final report

A two year, comprehensive, quantitative investigation was conducted to analyze and identify the spatial distribution of petrogenic and biogenic hydrocarbons in sediments, surface waters, fish and shellfish of Biscayne Bay, Florida. The goal for the first year of the project was to establish baseline information to support oil spill impact assessment and clean-up. One hundred fifty-five sediment and eleven biota samples were collected. The areas sampled included the Miami River, Intracoastal Waterway, tidal flats, access canals and environmentally sensitive shorelines. The second year of the study centered on areas exhibiting petroleum contamination. These areas included the Miami River, Little River, Goulds Canal, Black Creek and Military Canal. Surface and subsurface sediment, biota and surface water were collected. Sample collection, analyses, and data handling for the two year project were conducted so that all information was court-competent and scientifically accurate. Chain of custody was maintained for all samples. Total hydrocarbon content of surface sediments ranged from below detection limits to a high of 2663.44 pg/g. Several sample stations contained petroleum contamination. The majority of biota samples exhibited hydrocarbon concentrations and characteristics that indicated little, if any, petroleum contamination. Surface water samples ranged from 0.78 to 64.47 μg/L and several samples contained petroleum hydrocarbons. Our results indicate several areas of petroleum contamination. These areas are characterized by industrial complexes, port facilities, marinas, major boating routes and many of the major tributaries emptying into Biscayne Bay.

Characterization of toxic impacts on living marine resources in tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay

In 1999, the Chesapeake Bay Program completed a survey of existing data on chemical contaminants and the potential for bioeffects in 38 tidal river systems of Chesapeake Bay. This review led to the identification of 20 areas for which there were insufficient data to adequately characterize the potential for contaminant bioeffects on the Bay’s living resources. The goal of the present study was to estimate the current status of ecological condition in five of these areas and thus help to complete the overall toxics inventory for the Bay. These five systems included the Chester River, Nanticoke River, Pocomoke River, Lower Mobjack Bay (Poquosin and Back Rivers) and the South and Rhode Rivers. This study utilized a Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) approach in combination with additional water-column contaminant analysis to allow for a “weight of evidence” assessment of environmental condition. A total of 60 stations distributed among the five systems, using a probabilistic stratified random design, were sampled during the summer of 2004 to allow for synoptic measures of sediment contamination, sediment toxicity, and benthic condition. Upon completion of all analyses, stations were assigned to one of four categories based on the three legs of the triad. Stations with high sediment quality had no hits on any of the three legs of the triad; those with moderate quality had one hit; those with marginal quality had two hits; and those with poor quality had hits for all three legs of the triad. The Pocomoke River had by far the largest proportion of the total area (97.5%) classified as having high sediment quality, while the Rhode/South system had the highest proportion (11.4%) classified as poor. None of the stations in the Chester River, Nanticoke River, and Lower Mobjack Bay systems were classified as poor. More than 65% of the area of each of the five systems was classified with high to moderate sediment quality. The Rhode/South system had 30.4% of total area classified with marginally to severely poor quality. The results of this study highlight the importance of using multiple indicators and a “weight of evidence” approach to characterize environmental quality and the potential bioeffects of toxic contaminants.

A Biogeographic assessment off North/Central California: In support of the National Marine Sanctuaries of Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase II - Environmental setting and update to marine birds and animals

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conducts and supports research, monitoring, assessments, and technical assistance to meet NOAA’s coastal stewardship and management responsibilities. In 2001 the Biogeography Branch of NCCOS partnered with NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) to conduct biogeographic assessments to support the management plan updates for the sanctuaries. The first biogeographic assessment conducted in this partnership focused on three sanctuaries off north/ central California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase I of this assessment was conducted from 2001 to 2004, with the primary goal to identify and gather the best available data and information to characterize and identify important biological areas and time periods within the study area. The study area encompasses the three sanctuaries and extends along the coastal ocean off California from Pt. Arena to Pt. Sal (35°-39°N). This partnership project was lead by the NCCOS Biogeography Branch, but included over 90 contributors and 25 collaborating institutions. Phase I results include: 1) a report on the overall assessment that includes hundreds of maps, tables and analyses; 2) an ecological linkage report on the marine and estuarine ecosystems along the coast of north/central California, and 3) related geographic information system (GIS) data and other summary data files, which are available for viewing and download in several formats at the following website: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/canms_cd/welcome.html Phase II (this report) was initiated in the Fall of 2004 to complete the analyses of marine mammals and update the marine bird colony information. Phase II resulted in significant updates to the bird and mammal chapters, as well as adding an environmental settings chapter, which contains new and existing data and maps on the study area. Specifically, the following Phase II topics and items were either revised or developed new for Phase II: •environmental, ecological settings – new maps on marine physiographic features, sea surface temperature and fronts, chlorophyll and productivity •all bird colony or roost maps, including a summary of marine bird colonies •updated at-sea data CDAS data set (1980-2003) •all mammal maps and descriptions •new overall density maps for eight mammal species •new summary pinniped rookery/haulout map •new maps on at-sea richness for cetaceans and pinnipeds •most text in the mammal chapter •new summary tables for mammals on population status and spatial and temporal patterns

Fisheries assessment of Biscayne Bay 1983

Creel and trawl surveys of Biscayne Bay were carried out in 1982-1983 to assess commercial fish and macro-invertebrate habitats and fisheries. Dredged and/or barren bottom was dramatically less productive than seagrass, algae or hard bottom areas. Low fish abundance and diversity in north Biscayne Bay appeared to be correlated with high turbidity and low seagrass abundance. Substantive increases in fish and crustacean productivity in north Biscayne Bay will occur only if seagrass communities can be re-established. Deeper dredged areas in North Bay will not likely become recolonized with seagrass even if turbidity levels are reduced. Hard bottom areas in South Bay are associated with high diversity of fish fauna and serve as nursery areas for several highly desirable species (e.g. hogfish, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper). The area between Julia Tuttle and 79th Street Causeways, which had very dense seagrass abundance, was the richest area on either North or South Biscayne Bay for juvenile fish and shrimp. This basin can serve as a model for the potential of the remainder of North Bay.

Baseline assessment of Guánica Bay, Puerto Rico in support of watershed restoration

Guánica Bay is a major estuary on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Significant coral reef ecosystems are present outside the bay. These valuable habitats may be impacted by transport of sediments, nutrients and contaminants from the watershed, through the bay and into the offshore waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), in consultation with local and regional experts, conducted an interdisciplinary assessment of coral reef ecosystems, contaminants, sedimentation rates and nutrient distribution patterns in and around Guánica Bay. This work was conducted using many of the same protocols as ongoing monitoring work underway elsewhere in the U.S. Caribbean and has enabled comparisons among coral reef ecosystems between this study and other locations in the region. This characterization of Guánica marine ecosystems establishes benchmark conditions that can be used for comparative documentation of future change, including possible negative outcomes due to future land use change, or improvement in environmental conditions arising from management actions. This report is organized into six chapters that represent a suite of interrelated studies. Chapter 1 provides a short introduction to the study area. Chapter 2 is focused on biogeographic assessments and benthic mapping of the study area, including new surveys of fish, marine debris and reef communities on hardbottom habitats in the study area. Chapter 3 quantifies the distribution and magnitude of a suite of contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides) in both surface sediments and coral tissues. Chapter 4 presents results of sedimentation measurements in and outside of the bay. Chapter 5 examines the distribution of nutrients in in the bay, offshore from the bay and in the watershed. Chapter 6 is a brief summary discussion that highlights key findings of the entire suite of studies.

Benthic habitats of Fish Bay, Coral Bay and the St. Thomas East End Reserve

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Biogeography Branch has mapped and characterized large portions of the coral reef ecosystems inside the U.S. coastal and territorial waters, including the U.S. Caribbean. The complementary protocols used in these efforts have enabled scientists and managers to quantitatively and qualitatively compare marine ecosystems in tropical U.S. waters. The Biogeography Branch used similar protocols to generate new benthic habitat maps for Fish Bay, Coral Bay and the St. Thomas East End Reserve (STEER). While this mapping effort marks the third time that some of these shallow-water habitats (≤40 m) have been mapped, it is the first time that nearly 100% of the seafloor has been characterized in each of these areas. It is also the first time that high resolution imagery describing seafloor depth has been collected in each of these areas. Consequently, these datasets provide new information describing the distribution of coral reef ecosystems and serve as a spatial baseline for monitoring change in the Fish Bay, Coral Bay and the STEER. Benthic habitat maps were developed for approximately 64.3 square kilometers of seafloor in and around Fish Bay, Coral Bay and the STEER. Twenty seven percent (17.5 square kilometers) of these habitat maps describe the seafloor inside the boundaries of the STEER, the Virgin Islands National Park and the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. The remaining 73% (46.8 square kilometers) describe the seafloor outside of these MPA boundaries. These habitat maps were developed using a combination of semi-automated and manual classification methods. Habitats were interpreted from aerial photographs and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) imagery. In total, 155 distinct combinations of habitat classes describing the geology and biology of the seafloor were identified from the source imagery.

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) research highlights in the Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It is a unique and valuable national treasure because of its ecological, recreational, economic and cultural benefits. The problems facing the Bay are well known and extensively documented, and are largely related to human uses of the watershed and resources within the Bay. Over the past several decades as the origins of the Chesapeake’s problems became clear, citizens groups and Federal, State, and local governments have entered into agreements and worked together to restore the Bay’s productivity and ecological health. In May 2010, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order number 13508 that tasked a team of Federal agencies to develop a way forward in the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake watershed. Success of both State and Federal efforts will depend on having relevant, sound information regarding the ecology and function of the system as the basis of management and decision making. In response to the executive order, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) has compiled an overview of its research in Chesapeake Bay watershed. NCCOS has a long history of Chesapeake Bay research, investigating the causes and consequences of changes throughout the watershed’s ecosystems. This document presents a cross section of research results that have advanced the understanding of the structure and function of the Chesapeake and enabled the accurate and timely prediction of events with the potential to impact both human communities and ecosystems. There are three main focus areas: changes in land use patterns in the watershed and the related impacts on contaminant and pathogen distribution and concentrations; nutrient inputs and algal bloom events; and habitat use and life history patterns of species in the watershed. Land use changes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have dramatically changed how the system functions. A comparison of several subsystems within the Bay drainages has shown that water quality is directly related to land use and how the land use affects ecosystem health of the rivers and streams that enter the Chesapeake Bay. Across the Chesapeake as a whole, the rivers that drain developed areas, such as the Potomac and James rivers, tend to have much more highly contaminated sediments than does the mainstem of the Bay itself. In addition to what might be considered traditional contaminants, such as hydrocarbons, new contaminants are appearing in measurable amounts. At fourteen sites studied in the Bay, thirteen different pharmaceuticals were detected. The impact of pharmaceuticals on organisms and the people who eat them is still unknown. The effects of water borne infections on people and marine life are known, however, and the exposure to certain bacteria is a significant health risk. A model is now available that predicts the likelihood of occurrence of a strain of bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus throughout Bay waters.

Concurrent exposure of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to multiple algal toxins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA

Sentinel species such as bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be impacted by large-scale mortality events due to exposure to marine algal toxins. In the Sarasota Bay region (Gulf of Mexico, Florida, USA), the bottlenose dolphin population is frequently exposed to harmful algal blooms (HABs) of Karenia brevis and the neurotoxic brevetoxins (PbTx; BTX) produced by this dinoflagellate. Live dolphins sampled during capture-release health assessments performed in this region tested positive for two HAB toxins; brevetoxin and domoic acid (DA). Over a ten-year study period (2000–2009) we have determined that bottlenose dolphins are exposed to brevetoxin and/or DA on a nearly annual basis (i.e., DA: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009; brevetoxin: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009) with 36% of all animals testing positive for brevetoxin (n = 118) and 53% positive for DA (n = 83) with several individuals (14%) testing positive for both neurotoxins in at least one tissue/fluid. To date there have been no previously published reports of DA in southwestern Florida marine mammals, however the May 2008 health assessment coincided with a Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima bloom that was the likely source of DA observed in seawater and live dolphin samples. Concurrently, both DA and brevetoxin were observed in common prey fish. Although no Pseudo-nitzschia bloom was identified the following year, DA was identified in seawater, fish, sediment, snails, and dolphins. DA concentrations in feces were positively correlated with hematologic parameters including an increase in total white blood cell (p = 0.001) and eosinophil (p<0.001) counts. Our findings demonstrate that dolphins within Sarasota Bay are commonly exposed to two algal toxins, and provide the impetus to further explore the potential long-term impacts on bottlenose dolphin health.