STREAM Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp 1-18. January-March 2006

CONTENTS: Policy development as a theme and policy briefs as a genre, by Graham Haylor and William Savage. Decriminalizing Cambodian family-scale fishers through a livelihoods approach to law reform, by Nao Thuok and Chun Sopha. Longer pond leases in Orissa, by Reshmee Guha and Rubu Mukherjee. One-stop aqua shop: a “one-window delivery” service center for aqua-farmers and fishers, by S.D. Tripathi, Rubu Mukherjee and Kuddus Ansary. Fisheries and aquaculture policy formulation process in Pakistan, by Muhammad Junaid Wattoo and Dr. Muhammad Hayat. Improving the international marine ornamental fish trade to sustain and improve the livelihoods of poor people involved in the trade, by Aniza Suspita, Michael J. Phillips and Samliok Ndobe.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp 1-17. April-June 2006

CONTENTS: First one-stop aqua shop in Pakistan, by Syed Nadeem Sharib and Muhammad Junaid Wattoo. Dad Karim: a fisherman of Gwadar, by Abdul Rahim. Learning to fish in the deep sea of Sindh Province, by Muhammad Alam. Freshwater prawn fishery of Pakistan, by Muhammad Yaqoob. Cephalopod fishery: a local technique to catch cuttlefish in the coastal waters of Pakistan, by Shabir Ali Amir. Grouper culture in Pakistan, by S. Makhdoom Hussain and Zakia Khatoon.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp 1-18. July-September 2006

CONTENTS: Impacts of the fisheries policy reform on livelihoods in Cambodia, by Chun Sophat and Mitchell Isaacs. A success story about aquaculture in India, by Shri Prameswar Bhoi. Two stories from Nepal: fisherman becomes a rich fish farmer, women’s empowerment through aquaculture, by Rjendra Yadav, Rabindra Man Malla. A positive change in perceptions in Pakistan, by Cecile Brugere. Small details that matter: a story from the Philippines, by Rommel Guarin. A Vietnamese farmer managing aquaculture and capture in a reservoir, by Nguyen Van Lung.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp 1-18. October-December 2006

CONTENTS: Success story of one-stop aqua shop in Kaipara Village, by Kuddus Ansary. Enhancement of people’s livelihoods in Kompong Kra Sang community fishery, by Chun Sophat. Char livelihoods of the old Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh, by Nesar Ahmed. Fin fish community structure as a measure of ecological degradation in two tropical rivers of India, by D. Chakrabarty and S.K. Das. Penaeid shrimp fisheries of Pakistan, by Razia Sultana. Reviving the shrimp industry in Capiz, by Jessica C. Esmao.

STREAM Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp 1-21. Jan-March 2007

CONTENTS: Approaches to understanding pond-dike systems in Asia: the POND-LIVE project approach, by Dave Little, Marc Verdegem and Roel Bosma. The contribution of fish ponds to nutrient cycling in integrated farming systems, by P.N. Muendo, J.J. Stoorvogel and Marc Verdegem. Improving the contribution of fishfarming to livelihoods in Northeast Thailand, by Chittra Arjinkit, Roel Bosma, Danai Turongrouang. Benefits of pond-dike systems in Bangladesh, by M.S. Kabir, M.A. Wahab and Marc Verdegem. Common carp increases rohu production in farmers ponds, by Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman, Md. Abdul Wahab and Marc C.J. Verdegem. Improving pond-dike farming systems in the Mekong delta, Vietnam; the Can Tho approach, by Dang Kieu Nhan, Le Thanh Duong, Le Thanh Phong, Roel H. Bosma and Marc C.J. Verdegem. Fuzzy pathways for farm development in Vietnam, by Roel H. Bosma, Le Thanh Phong, and Dang Kieu Nhan.

STREAM country strategy paper: Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world; much of its population live in rural areas and many live below the local poverty line. The management of common property aquatic resources is of over-riding importance to food security and sustainable rural development in Cambodia. The key groups of poor people who use aquatic resources as part of their diverse livelihoods portfolios are subsistence fishers, small-scale aquaculture practitioners and aquatic resources collectors. Subsistence fishers access mainly the rivers, lakes and inundated forests in Tonle Sap provinces, the lower Mekong and Bassac regions and the upper part of the Mekong. Small-scale aquaculture and/or the collection of aquatic resources are most important in provinces that are not rich in fisheries resources including Kompong Speu, Ratnakiri, Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear and Ortdar Meanchey. Freshwater capture fisheries probably contribute more to national food security and the national economy in Cambodia than in any other country in the world. (19 p.)

Earth Systems: the foundation of Florida’s Ecosystems

(1 poster)

Mass Energy and Flow in closed ecosystems

The general equations of biomass and energy transfer for an n-species, closed ecosystem are written. It is demonstrated how in "ecological time" the parameters describing the dynamics of biomass transfer are related to the parameters of energy transfer, such as respiration, fixation, and energy content. This relationship is determinate for the straight-chain ecosystem, and a simple example is worked out. The results show how the density dependent terms in population dynamics arise naturally, and how the stable system exhibits a hierarchy in energy per unit biomass. A procedure is proposed for extending the theory to include webbed systems, and the particular difficulties involved in the extension are brought before the scientific community for discussion.

Numerical Analysis of the Effects of Free-Stream Thermo-Chemical State on the Test Model Flow Field in High-Enthalpy Tunnel

The effects of the free-stream thermo-chemical state on the test model flow field in the high-enthalpy tunnel are studied numerically. The properties of the free-stream, which is in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium, are determined by calculating the nozzle flow field. A free-stream with total enthalpy equal to the real one in the tunnel while in thermo-chemical equilibrium is constructed artificially to simulate the natural atmosphere condition. The flow fields over the test models (blunt cone and Apollo command capsule model) under both the non-equilibrium and the virtual equilibrium free-stream conditions are calculated. By comparing the properties including pressure, temperature, species concentration and radiation distributions of these two types of flow fields, the effects of the non-equilibrium state of the free-stream in the high-enthalpy shock tunnel are analyzed.

Fisheries conservation and habitat improvement in marine ecosystems

The following discussion presents information on human-made reefs and their role--as one tool of many--in the management of both fisheries and habitat. Principal subjects covered in this paper include a definition of marine habitat improvement and determination of its attainment, the present applications of reef construction technology to environmental situations both generally and in three case-studies, and suggested desirable attributes for incorporation into future use of this technology. (PDF has 11 pages.)

Support for Integrated Ecosystem Assessments of NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserves System (NERRS), Volume I: The Impacts of Coastal Development on the Ecology and Human Well-being of Tidal Creek Ecosystems of the US Southeast

A study was conducted, in association with the Sapelo Island and North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs), to evaluate the impacts of coastal development on sentinel habitats (e.g., tidal creek ecosystems), including potential impacts to human health and well-being. Uplands associated with southeastern tidal creeks and the salt marshes they drain are popular locations for building homes, resorts, and recreational facilities because of the high quality of life and mild climate associated with these environments. Tidal creeks form part of the estuarine ecosystem characterized by high biological productivity, great ecological value, complex environmental gradients, and numerous interconnected processes. This research combined a watershed-level study integrating ecological, public health and human dimension attributes with watershed-level land use data. The approach used for this research was based upon a comparative watershed and ecosystem approach that sampled tidal creek networks draining developed watersheds (e.g., suburban, urban, and industrial) as well as undeveloped sites. The primary objective of this work was to clearly define the relationships between coastal development with its concomitant land use changes and non-point source pollution loading and the ecological and human health and well-being status of tidal creek ecosystems. Nineteen tidal creek systems, located along the southeastern United States coast from southern North Carolina to southern Georgia, were sampled during summer (June-August), 2005 and 2006. Within each system, creeks were divided into two primary segments based upon tidal zoning: intertidal (i.e., shallow, narrow headwater sections) and subtidal (i.e., deeper and wider sections), and watersheds were delineated for each segment. In total, we report findings on 24 intertidal and 19 subtidal creeks. Indicators sampled throughout each creek included water quality (e.g., dissolved oxygen concentration, salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll-a levels), sediment quality (e.g., characteristics, contaminants levels including emerging contaminants), pathogen and viral indicators, and abundance and genetic responses of biological resources (e.g., macrobenthic and nektonic communities, shellfish tissue contaminants, oyster microarray responses). For many indicators, the intertidally-dominated or headwater portions of tidal creeks were found to respond differently than the subtidally-dominated or larger and deeper portions of tidal creeks. Study results indicate that the integrity and productivity of headwater tidal creeks were impaired by land use changes and associated non-point source pollution, suggesting these habitats are valuable early warning sentinels of ensuing ecological impacts and potential public health threats. For these headwater creeks, this research has assisted the validation of a previously developed conceptual model for the southeastern US region. This conceptual model identified adverse changes that generally occurred in the physical and chemical environment (e.g., water quality indicators such as indicator bacteria for sewage pollution or sediment chemical contamination) when impervious cover levels in the watershed reach 10-20%. Ecological characteristics responded and were generally impaired when impervious cover levels exceed 20-30%. Estimates of impervious cover levels defining where human uses are impaired are currently being determined, but it appears that shellfish bed closures and the flooding vulnerability of headwater regions become a concern when impervious cover values exceed 10-30%. This information can be used to forecast the impacts of changing land use patterns on tidal creek environmental quality as well as associated human health and well-being. In addition, this study applied tools and technologies that are adaptable, transferable, and repeatable among the high quality NERRS sites as comparable reference entities to other nearby developed coastal watersheds. The findings herein will be of value in addressing local, regional and national needs for understanding multiple stressor (anthropogenic and human impacts) effects upon estuarine ecosystems and response trends in ecosystem condition with changing coastal impacts (i.e., development, climate change). (PDF contaions 88 pages)

Receptivity to free-stream disturbance waves for blunt cone axial symmetry hypersonic boundary layer

Based on high-order compact upwind scheme, a high-order shock-fitting finite difference scheme is studied to simulate the generation of boundary layer disturbance waves due to free-stream waves. Both steady and unsteady flow solutions of the receptivity problem are obtained by resolving the full Navier-Stokes equations. The interactions of bow-shock and free-stream disturbance are researched. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of receptivity to free-stream disturbances for blunt cone hypersonic boundary layers is performed.

Ecological linkages: Marine and estuarine ecosystems of Central and Northern California

Three of California’s four National Marine Sanctuaries, Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay, are currently undergoing a comprehensive management plan review. As part of this review, NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) has collaborated with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to conduct a biogeographic assessment of selected marine resources using geographic information system (GIS) technology. This report complements the analyses conducted for this effort by providing an overview of the physical and biological characteristics of the region. Key ecosystems and species occurring in estuarine and marine waters are highlighted and linkages between them discussed. In addition, this report describes biogeographic processes operating to affect species’ distributional patterns. The biogeographic analyses build upon this background to further understanding of the biogeography of this region. (PDF contaons 172 pages)

The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2005

Executive Summary: For over three decades, scientists have been documenting the decline of coral reef ecosystems, amid increasing recognition of their value in supporting high biological diversity and their many benefits to human society. Coral reef ecosystems are recognized for their benefits on many levels, such as supporting economies by nurturing fisheries and providing for recreational and tourism opportunities, providing substances useful for medical purposes, performing essential ecosystem services that protect against coastal erosion, and provid-ing a diversity of other, more intangible contributions to many cultures. In the past decade, the increased awareness regarding coral reefs has prompted action by governmental and non-governmental organizations, including increased funding from the U.S. Congress for conservation of these important ecosystems and creation of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) to coordinate activities and implement conservation measures [Presidential Executive Order 13089]. Numerous partnerships forged among Federal agencies and state, local, non-governmental, academic and private partners support activities that range from basic science to systematic monitoring of ecosystem com-ponents and are conducted by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and the private sector. This report shares the results of many of these efforts in the framework of a broad assessment of the condition of coral reef ecosystems across 14 U.S. jurisdictions and Pacific Freely Associated States. This report relies heavily on quantitative, spatially-explicit data that has been collected in the recent past and comparisons with historical data, where possible. The success of this effort can be attributed to the dedication of over 160 report contributors who comprised the expert writing teams for each jurisdiction. The content of the report chapters are the result of their considerable collaborative efforts. The writing teams, which were organized by jurisdiction and comprised of experts from numerous research and management institutions, were provided a basic chapter outline and a length limit, but the content of each chapter was left entirely to their discretion. Each jurisdictional chapter in the report is structured to: 1) describe how each of the primary threats identified in the National Coral Reef Action Strategy (NCRAS) has manifested in the jurisdiction; 2) introduce ongoing monitoring and assessment activities relative to three major categories of inquiry – water quality, benthic habitats, and associated biological communities – and provide summary results in a data-rich format; and 3) highlight recent management activities that promote conservation of coral reef ecosystems.