Commercial Whaling, Especially for Gray Whales, Eschrichtius robustus, and Humpback Whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, at California and Baja California Shore Stations in the 19th Century (1854–1899)

Shore whaling along North America’s California and Baja California coasts during 1854–99 was ancillary to the offshore and alongshore American whale fishery, which had begun in the North Pacific in the early 1800’s and was flourishing by the 1840’s. From its inception at Monterey, Calif., in the mid 1850’s, the shore fishery, involving open boats deployed from land to catch and tow whales for processing, eventually spread from Monterey south to San Diego and Baja California and north to Crescent City near the California–Oregon border. It had declined to a relict industry by the 1880’s, although sporadic efforts continued into the early 20th century. The main target species were gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, and humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, with the valuable North Pacific right whale, Eubalaena japonica, also pursued opportunistically. Catch data are grossly incomplete for most stations; no logbooks were kept for these operations as they were for high-seas whaling voyages. Even when good information is available on catch levels, usually as number of whales landed or quantity of oil produced, it is rarely broken down by species. Therefore, we devised methods for extrapolation, interpolation, pro rationing, correction, and informed judgment to produce time series of catches. The resulting estimates of landings from 1854 to 1899 are 3,150 (SE = 112) gray whales and 1,637 (SE = 62) humpback whales. The numbers landed should be multiplied by 1.2 to account for hunting loss (i.e. whales harpooned or shot but not recovered and processed).

Nineteenth-century Ship-based Catches of Gray Whales, Eschrichtius robustus, in the Eastern North Pacific

The 19th century commercial ship-based fishery for gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, in the eastern North Pacific began in 1846 and continued until the mid 1870’s in southern areas and the 1880’s in the north. Henderson identified three periods in the southern part of the fishery: Initial, 1846–1854; Bonanza, 1855–1865; and Declining, 1866–1874. The largest catches were made by “lagoon whaling” in or immediately outside the whale population’s main wintering areas in Mexico—Magdalena Bay, Scammon’s Lagoon, and San Ignacio Lagoon. Large catches were also made by “coastal” or “alongshore” whaling where the whalers attacked animals as they migrated along the coast. Gray whales were also hunted to a limited extent on their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas in summer. Using all available sources, we identified 657 visits by whaling vessels to the Mexican whaling grounds during the gray whale breeding and calving seasons between 1846 and 1874. We then estimated the total number of such visits in which the whalers engaged in gray whaling. We also read logbooks from a sample of known visits to estimate catch per visit and the rate at which struck animals were lost. This resulted in an overall estimate of 5,269 gray whales (SE = 223.4) landed by the ship-based fleet (including both American and foreign vessels) in the Mexican whaling grounds from 1846 to 1874. Our “best” estimate of the number of gray whales removed from the eastern North Pacific (i.e. catch plus hunting loss) lies somewhere between 6,124 and 8,021, depending on assumptions about survival of struck-but-lost whales. Our estimates can be compared to those by Henderson (1984), who estimated that 5,542–5,507 gray whales were secured and processed by ship-based whalers between 1846 and 1874; Scammon (1874), who believed the total kill over the same period (of eastern gray whales by all whalers in all areas) did not exceed 10,800; and Best (1987), who estimated the total landed catch of gray whales (eastern and western) by American ship-based whalers at 2,665 or 3,013 (method-dependent) from 1850 to 1879. Our new estimates are not high enough to resolve apparent inconsistencies between the catch history and estimates of historical abundance based on genetic variability. We suggest several lines of further research that may help resolve these inconsistencies.

秦岭苔类植物的研究和中国剪叶苔属（Herbertus S. Gray）的分类学修订

本论文包括两部分的内容，第一部分是秦岭苔类植物的区系研究，第二部分是中国剪叶苔属Herbertus的分类学修订。 秦岭位于我国的中部，东经104º30´～112º52´，北纬32º50´～34º45´N，约76 500 km2。它主要位于陕西省的南部地区，并包括了河南、甘肃和湖北的部分县、市。秦岭的最高峰是太白山，海拔3 767米。秦岭是长江和黄河的分水岭，也是我国温带和亚热带气候的过渡地带。 本研究包含了对自19世纪开始对秦岭苔藓植物的主要采集活动的回顾，和截止2008年以来对秦岭苔类和角苔类植物报道的总结和分析，且首次给出了一份秦岭地区详细的苔类植物的名录，并包括了各个种在秦岭地区的详细分布。根据目前的研究，现已知秦岭的苔类植物有226种（包括种下单位，以下同），其中角苔纲1科3属6种，苔纲30科59属220种；提出了1个新异名：Radula constricta Steph.被处理为Radula lindenbergiana Gottsche var. atypa Massalongo的异名；并提出了1个新组合Metzgeria pubescens var. kinabaluensis (Kuwah) F.X. Li & Y. Jia；发现秦岭新分布的苔类有78种。根据种数，秦岭地区苔类的优势科为光萼苔科（34种），其次为耳叶苔科（23种），裂叶苔科（23种）和羽苔科（19种）。 通过对这些种地理成分的统计，发现秦岭苔类的地理成分以北温带成分为主，占35.05%；其次是东亚成分占到31.78%，这两种地理成分在秦岭占了很大比例，高达66.83%。热带成分相对较少，有22种，占到10.29%。对于苔类来说，中国特有成分在秦岭地区较多，已知有34种，占到15.89%。说明秦岭地区苔类地理成分以温带为主，热带成分占少量比例，且秦岭地区的特有性也比较高。 文章第二部分是对中国剪叶苔属Herbertus S. Gray的分类学修订。剪叶苔属隶属于剪叶苔科，是一个古老而自然的类群，广泛分布于热带和南北温带地区。剪叶苔属植物由于其叶横生或近于横生，侧叶2裂，腹叶2裂或部分不对称3裂，并具假肋，叶细胞具大的三角体而明显区别于苔类的其它属。虽然这个属的概念比较清楚，但在属内种间的划分上存在较大的问题，是苔类中分类较混乱的一个类群。剪叶苔属种的概念多基于叶片形态，包括裂瓣的顶端细胞和假肋的形态及叶基盘边缘附属物的形态。但这些形态特征具很大的可塑性，性状不稳定，造成该属种的概念很模糊。目前全世界剪叶苔属约100余种。中国剪叶苔属的种类尚不确定，《中国苔藓志》中报道了中国有25种l亚种，但Juslen在2006年对亚洲剪叶苔属的修订中，提到中国分布的仅有6种。二者的研究中都存在有一些疏漏和不足之处，对有些种还有争议；且他们的研究中引证的标本都很少，不能全面反映中国剪叶苔属的种类和分布情况。 本研究着手于中国的剪叶苔属，从模式标本入手，从模式标本入手，结合对前人文献中引证标本的查阅，并检视了全国各大标本馆收藏的大量该属的普通标本，对于分类归并上有争议的种，采用扫描电镜和分子生物学的手段进行实验性的研究，对中国的剪叶苔属进行一个全面系统的分类学修订。期望通过本研究，明确中国剪叶苔属的种类和分布情况，为东亚乃至世界剪叶苔属的分类修订提供一份翔实的资料。共查阅了剪叶苔属26个种的模式标本，并检视了中科院北京植物研究所、华南植物园和深圳仙湖植物园馆藏的大量该属植物标本，约600余份。 通过本研究，提出2个新异名：将H. buchii Juslén和H. longispinus var calvs Massalongo处理为H. dicranus (Taylor) Trevis.；将樱井剪叶苔H. sakuraii (Warnst.) S. Hatt.（原并入H. dicranus）和H. minimus Horik.（原并入H. dicranus）重新提出；发现1个中国新分布：H. setigerus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.；确认中国的剪叶苔属17种1亚种：剪叶苔H. aduncus (Dicks.) Gray，剪叶苔纤细亚种H. aduncus subsp. tenuis (A. Evans) H. A. Mill.et E. B. Bohrer，H. armitanus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，南亚剪叶苔H. ceylanicus (Steph.) Abeyw.，长角剪叶苔H. dicranus (Taylor) Trevis.，高氏剪叶苔H. gaochienii Fu，广东剪叶苔H. guangdongii P.J. Lin & Piippo，卵叶剪叶苔H. herpocladioides Scott. et. Miller，红枝剪叶苔H. huerlimannii Miller，细指剪叶苔H. kurzii (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，长肋剪叶苔H. longifissus Steph.，长刺剪叶苔H. longispinus Jack et Steph.，H. minimus Horik.，长茎剪叶苔H. parisii (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，多枝剪叶苔H. ramosus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，樱井剪叶苔H. sakuraii (Warnst.) S. Hatt.，短叶剪叶苔H. sendtneri (Nees) Lindb.和H. setigerus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.。本研究还在扫描电镜下观察了H. armitanus、长角剪叶苔H. dicranus和多枝剪叶苔H. ramosus的孢子形态。对于剪叶苔属的修订，还需要更多模式标本的借阅，随着研究深入，剪叶苔属的种类可能会有大量的减少，中国剪叶苔属的种类也将会有一定的减少。

Assessment and monitoring of marine debris in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) is located 32.4 km offshore of Sapelo Island, Georgia. The ecological importance of this area is related to the transition between tropical and temperate waters, and the existence of a topographically complex system of ledges. Due to its central location, GRNMS can be used as a focal site to study the accumulation and impacts of marine debris on the Atlantic continental shelf offshore of the Southeast United States. Previously, researchers characterized marine debris in GRNMS and reported that incidence of the debris at the limited densely colonized ledge sites was significantly greater than at sand or sparsely colonized live bottom, and is further influenced by the level of boating activity and physiographic characteristics (e.g., ledge height). Information gleaned from the initial marine debris characterization was used to devise a strategy for prioritizing cleanup and monitoring efforts. However, a significant gap in knowledge was the rate of debris accumulation. The primary objective of this study was to select, mark, and perform initial marine debris surveys at permanent monitoring sites within GRNMS to quantify long-term trends in types, abundance, impacts, and accumulation rates of debris. Ledge sites were selected to compare types, abundance, and accumulation rates of marine debris between a) areas of high and low use and b) short and tall ledges. Nine permanent monitoring sites were marked and initially surveyed in 2007/2008. Surveys were conducted within a 50 x 4 m transect for a total survey area of 200 square meters. All debris was removed and detailed information was taken on the types of debris, quantity, and associations with benthic fauna. Information on associations with benthic fauna included degree of entanglement, type of organism with which it is entangled or resting on, degree of fouling, and visible impacts such as tissue abrasions. Sites were re-surveyed approximately one year later to quantify new accumulation. During the initial survey, a total of ten debris items, totaling 16.3 kg in weight, were removed from two monitoring stations, both “tall” sites within the area of high boat use. Year-one accumulation totaled five items and approximately 7 kg in weight. Similar to the initial survey, all debris was found at sites in the area of high boat use. However, in contrast to the initial survey, two of these items were found on medium-height ledges. Removed items included fishing line, leaders, rope, plastic, and fabric. Although items were often encrusted in benthic biota or entangled on the ledge, impacts such as abrasions or other injuries were not observed. During the 2009 monitoring efforts, volunteer divers were trained to conduct the survey. Monitoring protocols were documented for GRNMS staff and included as an appendix of this report to enable long-term monitoring of sites. Additionally, national reconnaissance data (e.g. satellite, radar, aerial surveys) and other information on known fishing locations were examined for patterns of resource use and correlations with debris occurrence patterns. A previous model predicting the density of marine debris based on ledge features and boat use was refined and the results were used to generate a map of predicted debris density for all ledges.

Boundary options for a research area within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) is exploring the concept of a research area (RA) within its boundaries. The idea of a research area was first suggested in public scoping meetings held prior to the review of the Gray’s Reef Management Plan. An RA is a region specifically designed for conducting controlled scientific studies in the absence of confounding factors. As a result, a multidisciplinary group gathered by GRNMS was convened to consider the issue. This Research Area Working Group (RAWG) requested that a suite of analyses be conducted to evaluate the issue quantitatively. To meet this need, a novel selection procedure and geographic information system (GIS) was created to find the optimal location for an RA while balancing the needs of research and existing users. This report and its associated GIS files describe the results of the requested analyses and enable further quantitative investigation of this topic by the RAWG and GRNMS.

Temporal and spatial dynamics of spawning, settlement, and growth of gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) from the West Florida shelf as determined from otolith microstructures

The goal of our study was to understand the spatial and temporal variation in spawning and settlement of gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) along the West Florida shelf (WFS). Juvenile gray snapper were collected over two consecutive years from seagrass meadows with a benthic scrape and otter trawl. Spawning, settlement, and growth patterns were compared across three sampling regions (Panhandle, Big bend, and Southwest) by using otolith microstructure. Histology of adult gonads was also used for an independent estimate of spawning time. Daily growth increments were visible in the lapilli of snapper 11–150 mm standard length; ages ranged from 38 to 229 days and estimated average planktonic larval duration was 25 days. Estimated growth rates ranged from 0.60 to 1.02 mm/d and did not differ among the three sampling regions, but did differ across sampling years. Back-calculated fertilization dates from otoliths indicated that juveniles in the Panhandle and Big Bend were mainly summer spawned fish, whereas Southwest juveniles had winter and summer fertilization dates. Settlement occurred during summer both years and in the winter of 1997 for the southern portion of the WFS. Moon phase did not appear to be strongly correlated with fertilization or settlement. Histological samples of gonads from adults collected near the juvenile sampling areas indicated a summer spawning period.

Frontal and cingulate gray matter volume reduction in heroin dependence: Optimized voxel-based morphometry

Aims: Repeated exposure to heroin, a typical opiate, causes neuronal adaptation and may result in anatomical changes in specific brain regions, particularly the frontal and limbic cortices. The volume changes of gray matter (GM) of these brain regions, ho

Uncertainty increases pain: evidence for a novel mechanism of pain modulation involving the periaqueductal gray.

Predictions about sensory input exert a dominant effect on what we perceive, and this is particularly true for the experience of pain. However, it remains unclear what component of prediction, from an information-theoretic perspective, controls this effect. We used a vicarious pain observation paradigm to study how the underlying statistics of predictive information modulate experience. Subjects observed judgments that a group of people made to a painful thermal stimulus, before receiving the same stimulus themselves. We show that the mean observed rating exerted a strong assimilative effect on subjective pain. In addition, we show that observed uncertainty had a specific and potent hyperalgesic effect. Using computational functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that this effect correlated with activity in the periaqueductal gray. Our results provide evidence for a novel form of cognitive hyperalgesia relating to perceptual uncertainty, induced here by vicarious observation, with control mediated by the brainstem pain modulatory system.