Off-site impacts of agricultural composting: role of terrestrially derived organic matter in structuring aquatic microbial communities and their metabolic potential

While considered as sustainable and low-cost agricultural amendments, the impacts of organic fertilizers on downstream aquatic microbial communities remain poorly documented. We investigated the quantity and quality of the dissolved organic matter leaching from agricultural soil amended with compost, vermicompost or biochar and assessed their effects on lake microbial communities, in terms of viral and bacterial abundances, community structure and metabolic potential. The addition of compost and vermicompost significantly increased the amount of dissolved organic carbon in the leachate compared with soil alone. Leachates from these additions, either with or without biochar, were highly bioavailable to aquatic microbial communities, although reducing the metabolic potential of the community and harbouring more specific communities. Although not affecting bacterial richness or taxonomic distributions, the specific addition of biochar affected the original lake bacterial communities, resulting in a strongly different community. This could be partly explained by viral burst and converging bacterial abundances throughout the samples. These results underline the necessity to include off-site impacts of agricultural amendments when considering their cascading effect on downstream aquatic ecosystems.

Carmel River Lagoon Enhancement Project: Water Quality and Aquatic Wildlife Monitoring, 2005-6

In summer and fall 2004, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) initiated the Carmel River Lagoon Enhancement Project. The project involved excavation of a dry remnant Arm of the lagoon and adjacent disused farmland to form a significant new lagoon volume. The intention was to provide habitat, in particular, for two Federally threatened species: the California Red-Legged Frog, and the Steelhead Trout (South Central-Coastal California Evolutionary Significant Unit). DPR contracted with the Foundation of California State University Monterey Bay (Central Coast Watershed Studies Team, Watershed Institute) to monitor water quality and aquatic invertebrates in association with the enhancement, and to attempt to monitor steelhead using novel video techniques. The monitoring objective was to assess whether the enhancement was successful in providing habitat with good water quality, adequate invertebrate food for steelhead, and ultimately the presence of steelhead. (Document contains 102 pages)

Report of the Study Group on “Ecosystem-Based Management Science and its application to the North Pacific”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL EBM HISTORY References CANADA Overview Activities to date Integrated Management implementation in Canada Objectives, indicators and reference points Assessment approaches Research directions for the future Management directions for the future References JAPAN Overview Conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources Harvest control by TAC system Stock Recovery Plan and effort regulation system Stock enhancement by hatchery-produced juvenile release Conservation and sustainable develop-ment on coastal waters The implementation of ecosystem-based management PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Overview Current actions Output control Input control Summer fishing ban Enhance ecosystem health REPUBLIC OF KOREA Initiatives and actions of ecosystem-based management in Korea Current ecosystem-based management initiatives in Korea Precautionary TAC-based fishery management Closed fishing season/areas Fish size- and sex-controls Fishing gear design restrictions Marine protected areas (MPA) RUSSIA Existing and anticipated ecosystem-based management initiatives Issues related to the implementation of ecosystem-based management UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Definitions and approaches to ecosystem-based fishery management in the United States Present U.S. legislative mandates relating to ecosystem-based fishery management Target species Bycatch species Threatened or endangered species Habitats Food webs Ecosystems Integration of legislative mandates into an ecosystem approach Scientific issues in implementing ecosystem-based approaches References DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDICES Appendix 10.1 Study group membership and participants Appendix 10.2 Terminology definitions Appendix 10.3 Present state of implementing ecosystem-based fishery management in Alaska: Alaska groundfish fisheries Appendix 10.4 Present state of implementing ecosystem-based fishery management off the West Coast of the United States: Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries Appendix 10.5 Descriptions of multi-species and ecosystem models developed or under development in the U.S. North Pacific region that might be used to predict effects of fishing on ecosystems Appendix 10.6 A potential standard reporting format (developed by Australia, and currently being used by the U.S.A in their contribution to this report) (83 page document)

Report of the Study Group on “ Fisheries and Ecosystem Response to Recent Regime Shifts”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. DECADAL-SCALE CLIMATE EVENTS 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Basin-scale Patterns 1.3 Long Time Series in the North Pacific 1.4 Decadal Climate Variability in Ecological Regions of the North Pacific 1.5 Mechanisms 1.6 References 2. COHERENT REGIONAL RESPONSES 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Central North Pacific (CNP) 2.3 California Current System (CCS) 2.4 Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 2.5 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 2.6 Western North Pacific (WNP) 2.7 Coherence in Regional Responses to the 1998 Regime Shift 2.8 Climate Indicators for Detecting Regime Shifts 2.9 References 3. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Response Time of Biota to Regime Shifts 3.3 Response Time of Management to Regime Shifts 3.4 Provision of Stock Assessment Advice 3.5 Decision Rules 3.6 References 4. SUGGESTED LITERATURE 4.1 Climate Regimes 4.2 Impacts on Lower Trophic Levels 4.3 Impacts on Fish and Higher Trophic Levels 4.4 Impacts on Ecosystems and Possible Mechanisms 4.5 Regimes and Fisheries Management APPENDIX 1: RECENT ECOSYSTEM CHANGES IN THE CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC A1.1 Introduction A1.2 Physical Oceanography A1.3 Lower Trophic Levels A1.4 Invertebrates A1.5 Fishes A1.6 References APPENDIX 2: RECENT ECOSYSTEM CHANGES IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT SYSTEM A2.1 Introduction A2.2 Physical Oceanography A2.3 Lower Trophic Levels A2.4 Invertebrates A2.5 Fishes A2.6 References APPENDIX 3: RECENT ECOSYSTEM CHANGES IN THE GULF OF ALASKA A3.1 Introduction A3.2 Physical Oceanography A3.3 Lower Trophic Levels A3.4 Invertebrates A3.5 Fishes A3.6 Higher Trophic Levels A3.7 Coherence in Gulf of Alaska Fish A3.8 Combined Standardized Indices of Recruitment and Survival Rate A3.9 References APPENDIX 4: RECENT ECOSYSTEM CHANGES IN THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS A4.1 Introduction A4.2 Bering Sea Environmental Variables and Physical Oceanography A4.3 Bering Sea Lower Trophic Levels A4.4 Bering Sea Invertebrates A4.5 Bering Sea Fishes A4.6 Bering Sea Higher Trophic Levels A4.7 Coherence in Bering Sea Fish Responses A4.8 Combined Standardized Indices of Bering Fish Recruitment and Survival Rate A4.9 Aleutian Islands A4.10 References APPENDIX 5: RECENT ECOSYSTEM CHANGES IN THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC A5.1 Introduction A5.2 Sea of Okhotsk A5.3 Tsushima Current Region and Kuroshio/Oyashio Current Region A5.4 Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea A5.5 References (168 page document)

Proceedings of the PICES/CoML/IPRC Workshop on Impact of Climate Variability on Observation and Prediction of Ecosystem and Biodiversity Changes in the North Pacific

Table of Contents [pdf, 0.09 Mb] Section I - Presentations and Discussions at Plenary Sessions Introduction and Overview of Workshop Objectives [pdf, 0.07 Mb] Plenary Session Presentations [pdf, 2.23 Mb] Reports of the Breakout Group Discussions [pdf, 0.43 Mb] Closing Plenary Discussion and Recommendations [pdf, 0.11 Mb] Section II - Extended Abstracts of Individual Presentations at Breakout Group Sessions Breakout Group 1: Physical/Chemical Oceanography and Climate [pdf, 6.14 Mb] Breakout Group 2: Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Micronekton and Benthos [pdf, 28.14 Mb] Breakout Group 3: Fish, Squid, Crabs and Shrimps [pdf, 4.30 Mb] Breakout Group 4: Highly Migratory Fishes, Seabirds and Marine Mammals [pdf, 6.27 Mb] Appendix 1. Workshop agenda [pdf, 0.15 Mb] Appendix 2. List of participants [pdf, 0.13 Mb] (Document pdf contains 216 pages)

Baseline aquatic faunal survey of Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida: fishes, mollusks, and crayfishes

This report presents results of the first systematic study of the diversity and distribution of fishes and mussels in Avon Park Air Force Range (APR). We also provide information on crayfishes and aquatic snails taken during our fish and mussel sampling activities. Our surveys documented the presence of 46 species of fishes (43 native and 3 nonindigenous), 9 species of mussels (including 8 native and 1 nonindigenous species), 5 species of aquatic snails, and two crayfish species. (347 page document)

Aquatic Commons

14 slides

Population Characteristics of Largemouth Bass Associated with Changes in Abundance of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation in Lake Seminole, Georgia

Population characteristics of largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides L.) including growth, body condition (relative weight), survival, and egg production were examined in relation to abundance of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) coverage (primarily hydrilla [ Hydrilla verticillata L.f. Royle]) in three embayments of Lake Seminole, GA, and compared to a previous study conducted in 1998. (PDF has 8 pages.)

Aquatic Vegetation, Largemouth Bass and Water Quality Responses to Low-Dose Fluridone Two Years Post Treatment

Whole-lake techniques are increasingly being used to selectively remove exotic plants, including Eurasian watermilfoil ( Myriophyllum spicatum L.). Fluridone (1-methyl-3-phenyl- 5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1 H )-pyridinone), a systemic whole-lake herbicide, is selective for Eurasian watermilfoil within a narrow low concentration range. Because fluridone applications have the potential for large effects on plant assemblages and lake food webs, they should be evaluated at the whole-lake scale. We examined effects of low-dose (5 to 8 ppb) fluridone applications by comparing submersed plant assemblages, water quality and largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) growth rates and diets between three reference lakes and three treatment lakes one- and two-years post treatment. In the treatment lakes, fluridone reduced Eurasian watermilfoil cover without reducing native plant cover, although the duration of Eurasian watermilfoil reduction varied among treatment lakes. (PDF has 11 pages.)

Uncovering Ecosystem Service Bundles through Social Preferences

11 p.

Natural Suppression of the Aquatic Weed Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell, by Two Previously Unreported Fungal Pathogens

Salvinia molesta D. S. Mitchell (Salviniaceae), variously called giant salvinia, water fern or African payal, is a vegetatively reproducing, perennial, free-floating, aquatic weed, native to southeastern Brazil (Waterhouse and Norris 1987). It (hereafter called salvinia) is a very serious weed in most regions outside its native range (Harley and Mitchell 1981) including India. The purpose of this paper is to report on two fungal pathogens that were found to be the cause of a sudden decline in salvinia in Bangalore.(PDF has 4 pages.)

Physical Constraints to Aquatic Plant Growth in New Zealand Lakes

The nature of aquatic plant communities often defines benthic habitat within oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes and lake management increasingly recognizes the importance of maintaining plant diversity in order to sustain biological diversity and capacity within lakes. We have developed simple statistical relationships between key physical and vegetation variables that define the habitat requirements, or “habitat-templates”, of key vegetation types to facilitate management of plant communities in New Zealand lakes. Statistical relationships were derived from two datasets. The first was a multi-lake dataset to determine the effects of water level fluctuation and water clarity. The second dataset was from a comprehensive shoreline survey of Lake Wanaka, which allowed us to examine within-lake variables such as beach slope and wave action. Sufficient statistical relationships were established to develop a habitat template for each of the major species or assemblages. The relationships suggested that the extent and diversity of shallow-growing species was related to a combination of the extent of water level fluctuation and wave exposure. (PDF contains 9 pages.)

Economic Impacts of Aquatic Vegetation to Angling in Two South Carolina Reservoirs

Angler creel surveys and economic impact models were used to evaluate potential expansion of aquatic vegetation in Lakes Murray and Moultrie, South Carolina. (PDF contains 4 pages.)

The Use of Herbicides to Control Hydrilla and the Effects on Young Largemouth Bass Population Characteristics and Aquatic Vegetation in Lake Seminole, Georgia

From 1997 to 2003, we examined the impacts of two aquatic herbicides, fluridone (Sonar; 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluromethl) phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone), and dipotassium salt of endothall (Aquathol K; 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid), used to control dense hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata L. f. Royle), on population characteristics of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepede) in small coves (<10 ha) in Lake Seminole, Georgia. In addition, we estimated areal coverage and species composition of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) communities in each cove. Fish and plants were sampled in both control (hydrilla infested)and herbicide treated coves in November and March- April each year. Electrofishing catch-per-effort for both number and weight of age-0 and age-1 fish for the 1997 to 2002 year classes was either the same or higher (p < 0.05) in herbicide treated than in control coves. Age-0 fish were larger (p <0.05) in treated, than in control coves in November, but at age-1 in the following spring, fish were slightly longer (p <0.05) in the control coves. Higher age-0 catches were associated with greater percent reductions in numeric catch between age-0 and age-1 and reduced lengths of fish in November indicating density-dependent effects. Age-0 fish lengths were also negatively correlated to percent cover of both total and native SAV. Total or native SAV coverages were not associated with catch-per-unit effort for number and weight, but nearly all control and herbicide treated coves had total SAV coverage greater than 40%. Applications of both Sonar and Aquathol K reduced total SAV coverage and hydrilla, permitted the establishment of native SAVs, and had either neutral or positive impacts on young largemouth bass in small coves in Lake Seminole. (PDF contains 7 pages.)

An Improved molecular tool for distinguishing monoecious and dioedious Hydrilla

Two biotypes of hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata(L.f.) Royle] occur in the United States, a dioecious type centered in the southeast and a monoecious type in the central Atlantic and northeastern states. Ecosystem managers need tools to distinguish the types as the ranges of each type expand and begin to overlap. A molecular tool using the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) procedure is available but its use is limited by a need for reference samples. We describe an alternative molecular tool which uses “universal primers” to sequence the trnL intron and trnL-F intergenic spacer of the chloroplast genome. This sequence yields three differences between the biotypes (two gaps and one single nucleotide polymorphism). A primer has been designed which ends in a gap that shows up only in the dioecious plant. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using this primer produces a product for the monoecious but not the dioecious plant.