Primary production, chlorophyll, and zooplankton volumes in the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean

ENGLISH: Between 1 October and 17 December 1955 investigations of the physical, chemical and biological oceanography of the Eastern Pacific Ocean in a region bounded approximately by 30° N. latitude, 9° S. latitude, 120° W. longitude and the mainland coast were conducted from the vessels Horizon and Spencer F. Baird of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California. These were part of a cooperative operation, designated for convenience by the code name "Eastropic," in which a vessel of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked, during this same period, further west and a vessel of the Peruvian Navy worked further south, offshore from Peru. A vessel of the California State Fisheries Laboratory also conducted certain sub-surface tuna fishing operations and other studies in the same general region as the Scripps vessels. In addition to carrying out a number of special studies related to particular oceanographic features, the Scripps vessels occupied a considerable number of hydrographic stations. The locations of these stations, at each of which were made net-hauls for zooplankton, are shown in Figure 4 and Tables 2 and 3. At some of the hydrographic stations, and in Some places between stations, there were made from the Spencer F. Baird measurements of chlorophyll "a" and of primary production (by the C14 technique), both in situ and in a shipboard incubator. The purpose of this paper is to report on the results of these biological observations. SPANISH: Entre el 1° de octubre y el 17 de diciembre de 1955, a bordo de los barcos Horizon y Spencer F. Baird) de la Institución Scripps de Oceanografía de la Universidad de California, se hicieron investigaciones sobre la oceanografía física, química y biológica del Océano Pacífico Oriental, en una región limitada aproximadamente por los 30° N. de latitud, 9° S. de latitud, 120° O. de longitud y la costa continental. Estas investigaciones fueron parte de una operación que se realizó cooperativamente y a la que se convino darle el nombre codificado de "Eastropic". En ella, durante el mismo período, una embarcación del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service) trabajó más hacia el oeste, y un barco de la armada peruana más hacia el sur, frente a la costa del Perú. También colaboró una nave del Laboratorio de Pesquerías del Estado de California (California State Fisheries Laboratory), realizando algunas operaciones de pesca de atún en aguas subsuperficiales, y otros estudios en la misma región general que recorrieron las embarcaciones de Scripps. Además de efectuar estudios especiales relacionados con las caracteristicas oceanográficas particulares de la región, las naves de Scripps establecieron un buen número de estaciones hidrográficas. La localización de estas estaciones se indica en la Figura 4 y en las Tablas 2 y 3; en cada una de ellas se hicieron rastreos con redes planctónicas para recoger muestras de zooplancton. En algunas de las estaciones hidrográficas, así como en algunos lugares entre estaciones, en el Spencer F. Baird se hicieron mediciones de la clorofila "a" y de la producción primaria (mediante la técnica del C14), tanto in situ como en una incubadora instalada a bordo. El propósito del presente trabajo es dar a conocer los resultados de estas observaciones biológicas. (PDF contains 44 pages.)

Social ecology of bottlenose dophins in Monterey Bay, California

Between 1990 and 1995, Pacific coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gillii) were studied using photo-identification during 228 boat-based surveys of the coastal strip (<1 km offshore) between Marina and New Brighton Beach in Monterey Bay (18 km of coastline). The study period encompassed 3 regular (1990, 1991 and 1995) and 3 El Niño years (1992, 1993, 1994). Based on dorsal fin markings, 97 unique individuals were identified. Eighteen animals (19%) showed a high level of site fidelity (defined as presence in at least 5 of the 6 years), although their overall range was larger than the study area. Thirty-eight animals (39%) were transient, leaving for periods of time, and 41 (42%) were occasional encounters. The rate of discovery indicated a pulsed recruitment of new individuals into the study area, with periods of stable school composition, especially during non-El Nino years, and periods of high school fluidity. Encounter rate was significantly higher in El Niño (81%) than non-El Niño years (61%). School size averaged 16 individuals (C.I.3, =0.05) and was significantly larger in El Niño years. Schools where calves were present were twice as large (mean=15; S.D.=8) than schools without calves (mean=8; S.D.=6). Newborns represented 12% of the sightings and were seen year round with a peak in summer and fall. Crude birth rate ranged between 0.09 and 0.17 (mean=0.13; S.D.=0.03). Five females calved in consecutive years and a resident female calved once a year for the duration of the study, possibly indicating a high rate of mortality for calves in this area. Individuals often traveled as subgroups of more consistent composition than the school itself, possibly indicating that a stronger social bond exists within these units which may function as “bands” (sensu Wells 1991) of same sex individuals traveling within a larger school of mixed composition. (ppt file of poster)

A Floristic and ecological survey of Assateague Island, Virgina-Maryland

Assateague Island is an offshore bar comprising the south-eastern coast of Maryland and the northeastern coast of Virgina. It is part of the system of discontinuous barrier reefs or bars which occupy most of the Atlantic shoreline from Florida to Massachusetts. These are unstable bars, continuously influenced by storm winds and tides which provide a distinct and rigorous habitat for the vegetation there. General floras of the Delmarva Peninusla do not mention Assateague Island specifically. The objective is to prepare a catalog of the vascular plants of Assateague Island and to describe the communities in which they are found, in the hope it will add to the knowledge of barrier reef vegetation.

Stocks of Dolphins (Stenella spp. and Delphinus delphis) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: A Phylogeographic Classification

Current information is reviewed that provides clues to the intraspecific structure of dolphin species incidently killed in the yellowfin tuna purse-seine fishery of the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP). Current law requires that management efforts are focused on the intraspecific level, attempting to preserve local and presumably locally adapted populations. Four species are reviewed: pantropical spotted, Stenella attenuata; spinner, S. longirostTis; striped, S. coeruleoalba; and common, Delphinus delphis, dolphins. For each species, distributional, demographic, phenotypic, and genotypic data are summarized, and the putative stocks are categorized based on four hierarchal phylogeographic criteria relative to their probability of being evolutionarily significant units. For spotted dolphins, the morphological similarity of animals from the south and the west argues that stock designations (and boundaries) be changed from the current northern offshore and southern offshore to northeastern offshore and a combined western and southern offshore. For the striped dolphin, we find little reason to continue the present division into geographical stocks. For common dolphins, we reiterate an earlier recommendation that the long-beaked form (Baja neritic) and the northern short-beaked form be managed separately; recent morphological and genetic work provides evidence that they are probably separate species. Finally, we note that the stock structure of ETP spinner dolphins is complex, with the whitebelly form exhibiting characteristics of a hybrid swarm between the eastern and pantropical subspecies. There is little morphological basis at present for division of the whitebelly spinner dolphin into northern and southern stocks. However, we recommend continued separate management of the pooled whitebelly forms, despite their hybrid/intergrade status. Steps should be taken to ensure that management practices do not reduce the abundance of eastern relative to whitebelly spinner dolphins. To do so may lead to increased invasion of the eastern's stock range and possible replacement of the eastern spinner dolphin genome.(PDF file contains 24 pages.)

The Distribution of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) Along the Texas Coast: An Atlas

Eight hundred sixty-five records of Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) reported from Texas between the late 1940's to April 1990 were compiled from six data bases and the literature, then plotted on a series of Texas maps. Four categories of Kemp's ridleys are identified throughout the atlas: head-started (turtles that are raised in captivity their first year of life), wild, historical (pre-1980), and nesters. Geographic, seasonal, and size distributions of the turtle categories are plotted by regions. Most Kemp's ridleys were reported from the northeast and central Texas coast. They were reported from both inshore (landward of barrier islands) and offshore (seaward of barrier islands). Scattered nestings occurred in the central to southern regions. Kemp's ridleys were found more often during the spring and summer. A total of 546 turtle records contained measurements; most were 20-59.9 cm curved carapace length and considered sub-adults. Comparison of distributions of head-started and wild Kemp's ridleys suggests head-started Kemp's ridleys inhabit the same areas as wild Kemp's ridleys. (PDF file contains 56 pages.)

Larvae of Nearshore Fishes in Oceanic Waters near Oahu, Hawaii

Larvae of over 50 families of nearshore fishes were taken in oceanic waters about 13 km offshore of the leeward (southwest) coast of Oahu, Hawaii during 1977-78, The five most frequently taken families (Labridae, Parapercidae, Serranidae, Gobiidae, and Carangidae) made up over 50% of the total nearshore larvae. Most other families were taken very infrequently. Comparison of catch data from three types of nets indicated that 1.25-m diameter bongo nets often sampled larvae as well or better than a 3-m Isaacs-Kidd trawl and that smaller, 70-cm diameter bongo nets were often as effective as the larger nets for certain abundant taxa. Only a few taxa showed evidence of seasonal patterns in abundance. Irregular temporal variability in abundance of some taxa may have been related to occasional recent influxes of surface water from closer to shore. Most larvae taken were late preflexion stage or older. Densities of even the most abundant taxa were rarely greater than 0.001 m-3. The nearshore fish larvae were not dominated by taxa with large larvae or with larvae possessing apparent specializations to pelagic existence, Most taxa taken were pelagic spawners as adults, but larvae of demersal spawners were roughly as well represented as demersal spawners are among the nearshore fish fauna. Previous studies of waters closer to shore probably sampled insufficient volumes for any but a few exceptionally abundant taxa. Sampling with volumes filtered of the order of 104-105 m3 will be necessary to determine if the dominant taxa taken by the present study are ever more abundant closer to shore, (PDF file contains 23 pages.)

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States: Erect Bryozoa

Forty-nine species of erect Bryozoa from a broad range of Cyclostome, Ctenostome, and Cheilostome families are described and illustrated, and an artificial dichotomous key is provided for their identification. In general, the marine bryozoan faunas of the northeastern coasts of the United States are poorly known; species records are sparse and voucher collections few, and it is certain that many more species occur in this region than are presently known. The species described here occur in intertidal, coastal or offshore habitats; some are well known and have been recorded on numerous previous occasions, others have been only rarely reported, while a few are known to occur commonly in the north of the region but have yet to be recorded south of Cape Cod. Some of the species described have not been recorded at all on northeastern coasts of the United States, but are widely distributed in North Atlantic continental shelf habitats and perhaps occur in similar parts of the outer shelf of this region. This fauna is thus provisional, but is intended to stimulate further work on the Bryozoa. (PDF file contains 52 pages.)

Effects of temperature on the biology of the northern shrimp, Pandalus borealis, in the Gulf of Maine

Length-frequency data collected from inshore and offshore locations in the Gulf of Maine in 1966-1968 indicated that ovigerous female northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) first appeared offshore in August and September and migrated inshore in the fall and winter. Once eggs hatched, surviving females returned offshore. Juveniles and males migrated offshore during their first two years of life. Sex transition occurred in both inshore and oll'shore waters, but most males changed sex offshore during their third and fourth years. Most shrimp changed sex and matured as females for the first time in their fourth year. Smaller females and females exposed to colder bottom temperatures spawned first. The incidence of egg parasitism peaked in January and was higher for shrimp exposed to warmer bottom temperatures. Accelerated growth at higher temperatures appeared to result in earlier or more rapid sex transition. Males and non-ovigerous females were observed to make diurnal vertical migrations, but were not found in near- surface waters where the temperature exceeded 6°C. Ovigerous females fed more heavily on benthic molluscs in inshore waters in the winter, presumably because the egg masses they were carrying prevented them from migrating vertically at night. Northern shrimp were more abundant in the southwestern region of the Gulf of Maine where bottom temperatures remain low throughout the year. Bottom trawl catch rates were highest in Jeffreys Basin where bottom temperatures were lower than at any other sampling location. Catch rates throughout the study area were inversely related to bottom temperature and reached a maximum at 3°C. An increase of 40% in fecundity between 1973 and 1979 was associated with a decline of 2-3°C in April-July offshore bottom temperatures. Furthermore, a decrease in mean fecundity per 25 mm female between 1965 and 1970 was linearly related to reduced landings between 1969 and 1974. It is hypothesized that temperature-induced changes in fecundity and, possibly, in the extent of egg mortality due to parasitism, may provide a mechanism which could partially account for changes in the size of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp population during the last thirty years. (PDF file contains 28 pages.)

Review of geographical stocks of tropical dolphins (Stenella spp. and Delphinus delphis) in the eastern Pacific

Information on geographical variation is reviewed for Stenella attenuata, S. longirostris, S. coeruleoalba, and Delphinus delphis in the eastern tropical Pacific, and boundaries for potential management units are proposed. National Marine Fisheries Service and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission sighting records made from 1979 to 1983 which were outside boundaries used in a 1979 assessment were examined for validity. Tagging returns and morphological data were also analyzed. Several stock ranges are expanded or combined. Three management units are proposed for S. attenuata: the coastal, northern offshore, and southern offshore spoiled dolphins. Four management units are proposed for S. longirostris: the Costa Rican, eastern, northern whitebelly, and southern whitebelly spinner dolphins. Two provisional management units are proposed for S. coeruleoalba: the northern and southern striped dolphins. Five management units (two of which are provisional) are proposed for D. delphis: the Baja neritic, northern, central, southern, and Guerrero common dolphins. Division into management units was based on morphological stock differences and distributional breaks. (PDF file contains 34 pages.)

Ichthyoplankton survey of the estuarine and inshore waters of the Florida Everglades, May 1971 to February 1972

Quarterly ichthyoplankton sampling was conducted at 16 estuarine and 24 inshore stations along the Florida Everglades from May 1971 to February 1972. The area is one of the most pristine along lhe Florida coast. The survey provided the first comprehensive information on seasonal occurrence, abundance (under 10 m' of surface area), and distribution of fish eggs and larvae in this area. A total of 209,462 fish eggs and 78,865 larvae was collected. Eggs were identified only as fish eggs, but among the larvae, 37 families, 47 genera, and 37 species were identified. Abundance of eggs and larvae, and diversity of larvae, were greatest in the inshore zone. The 10 most abundant fish families which together made up 90.7% of all larvae from the study area were, in descending order of abundance: Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Gobiidae, Sciaenidae, Carangidae, Pomadasyidae, Cynoglossidae, Gerreidae, Triglidae, and Soleidae. Clupeidae, Engraulidae, and Gobiidae made up 59.9% of all larvae. The inshore zone (to a depth of about 10 m) was a spawning ground and nursery for many fishes important to fisheries. The catch of small larvae (<>3.5 mm SL) indicated that most fishes identified from the 10 most abundant families spawned throughout the inshore zone at depths of <> 10 m, but Orthopristis chrysoptera, Gerreidae, and Prionotus spp. spawned at depths > 10 m, with offshore to inshore (eastward) larval transport. Salinity was one of several environmental factors that probably limited the numbers of eggs and larvae in the estuarine zone. Abundance of eggs and larvae at inshore stations was usually as great as, and sometimes greater than, the abundance of eggs and larvae at offshore stations (due west of the Everglades). (PDF file contains 81 pages.)

Net phytoplankton and zooplankton in the New York Bight, January 1976 to February 1978, with comments on the effects of wind, Gulf Stream eddies, and slope water intrusions

Results are given of monthly net phytoplankton and zooplankton sampling from a 10 m depth in shelf, slope, and Gulf Stream eddy water along a transect running southeastward from Ambrose Light, New York, in 1976, 1977, and early 1978. Plankton abundance and temperature at 10 m and sea surface salinity at each station are listed. The effects of atmospheric forcing and Gulf Stream eddies on plankton distribution and abundance arc discussed. The frequency of Gulf Stream eddy passage through the New York Bight corresponded with the frequency of tropical-subtropical net phytoplankton in the samples. Gulf Stream eddies injected tropical-subtropical zooplankton onto the shelf and removed shelfwater and its entrained zooplankton. Wind-induced offshore Ekman transport corresponded generally with the unusual timing of two net phytoplankton maxima. Midsummer net phytoplankton maxima were recorded following the passage of Hurricane Belle (August 1976) and a cold front (July 1977). Tropical-subtropical zooplankton which had been injected onto the outer shelf by Gulf Stream eddies were moved to the inner shelf by a wind-induced current moving up the Hudson Shelf Valley. (PDF file contains 47 pages.)

Water quality assessment and characterisation of chlorophyll-a variability related to river discharges, within the southeastern Bay of Biscay : evaluation and development of chlorophyll-a algorithms for MODIS and MERIS imagery

222 p. : il.