Habitat preferences, fork lengths and isotopic ratios of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in and around Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island

Owing to limited knowledge of the habitat use and diet of juvenile Arctic charr from the High Arctic, particularly young-of-the-year (YOY), we assembled data obtained from samples taken in and around Lake Hazen, Nunavut, Canada, to assess juvenile habitat use and feeding. Juvenile charr demonstrated a preference for stream environments, particularly those fed by warm upstream ponds. Charr occupying both stream and nearshore lake habitats were found to feed similarly, with chironomids occurring most frequently in diets. Some older stream-dwelling charr preyed on smaller, younger Arctic charr. Preferred stream occupancy is likely mediated by physical barriers created mainly by water velocity, and by distance from the lake, lake-ice dynamics, low water depth, and turbidity. Water velocities resulted in stream habitat segregation by size, with YOY mainly found in low-velocity pools and back eddies adjacent to stream banks, but not in water velocities >0.1 m/s. Greatest charr densities in streams were found in small, shallow, slow-flowing side channels, which are highly susceptible to drought. Under predicted climate change scenarios, streams fed by small ponds will be susceptible to intermittent flow conditions, which could result in increased competition among juvenile charr for the remaining stream habitats. In addition, glacier-fed streams are likely to experience increased flow conditions that will exacerbate physical barriers created by water velocity and further reduce the availability of preferred stream habitat.

Mineral and foraminifer composition of sediments across the Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum from ODP Leg 198 sites

The Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a transient interval of global warming ~55 m.y. ago associated with transformation of ecosystems and changes in carbon cycling. The event was caused by the input of massive amounts of CO2 or CH4 to the ocean-atmosphere system. Rapid shoaling of the lysocline and calcite compensation depth (CCD) is a predicted response of CO2 or CH4 input; however, the extent of this shoaling is poorly constrained. Investigation of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1209-1212 at Shatsky Rise, which lies along a depth transect, suggests a minimum lysocline shoaling of ~500 m in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the PETM. The sites also show evidence of CaCO3 dissolution within the sediment column, carbonate "burn-down" below the level of the carbon isotope excursion, and a predicted response to a rapid change in deepwater carbonate saturation. Close examination of several foraminiferal preservation proxies (i.e., fragmentation, benthic/planktonic foraminiferal ratios, coarse fraction, and CaCO3 content) and observations of foraminifers reveal that increased fragmentation levels most reliably predict intervals with visually impoverished foraminiferal preservation as a result of dissolution. Low CaCO3 content and high benthic/planktonic ratios also mirror intervals of poorest preservation.

Composition of benthic taxa collected during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXI/5 (BENDEX) at Bouvet Island and Spiess Seamound

Bouvet (Bouvetøya) is a geologically young and very remote island just south of the Polar Front. Here we report samples taken during the RV "Polarstern" cruise ANTXXI/2 on 3 days in November 2003 and January 2004. This work was part of SCAR's EASIZ programme and intended, by providing data on the marine fauna of this "white gap" in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, to contribute to identifying the role of Bouvet in the faunal exchange between the Sub- and high Antarctic. While this goal demands extensive molecular analysis of the material sampled (future work), a checklist of the samples and data at hand widens the faunal and environmental inventory substantially. We suggest some preliminary conclusions on the relationship of Bouvet Island's fauna with that of other regions, such as Magellanic South America, the Antarctic Peninsula, and the high Antarctic Weddell Sea, which have been sampled previously. There seem to be different connections for individual higher taxa rather than a generally valid consistent picture.

The distribution of macrobenthos in surface sediments at Fladen Ground stations, North Sea

A general study of structure, biomass estimates and dynamics on the macrofauna was carried out in August 1975 and March 1976 during PREFLEX (1975) and FLEX (1976), the Fladen Ground Experiment. On the basis of these data an attempt was made to estimate macrobenthic production expressed as minimum production (MP). The macrobenthic production is discussed together with meiobenthic annual production and with indirectly estimated microbenthic production in relation to an energy input from the water column of about 25 g C m**-2 year**-1. From the production estimates of the three benthic components a rough energy budget is proposed. Sampling was performed at five stations for endofauna twice during the time of investigation and for epifauna once. At each station two replicate box core samples (30 X 20 cm) were taken for endofauna. Epifauna was sampled with an Agassiz trawl once at each station. The total numbers of endofauna increased from station 1 to 5. This was valid as well for August 1975 (4,233-12,166 individuals per m**2 and 10 cm sediment depth) as for March 1976 (1,008-2,925 individuals). The polychaetes were the dominant organisms with a share of 33 to 62 %. The densities for the endofauna decreased from August 1975 to March 1976 by a mean factor of 2.8. Abundances of epifauna amounted to values between 11 and 102 individuals per 1000 m**2. The biomass dry weights (DWT) for macrobenthic endofauna varied between 0.97 g DWT m**-2 and 6.42 g DWT m**-2 in August 1975 and between 0.27 g DWT m**-2 and 2.64 g DWT m**-2 in March 1976. The mean amounted to 1.74 g DWT m**-2. Dry weights of epifauna biomass gave values between 4.9 and 83.1 g DWT * 1000 m**-2. The minimum production for the total macro-endofauna at Fladen Ground amounted to 1.43 g DWT m**-2 yr**-1 or 0.82 g C m**-2 yr**-1. This resulted in a minimum turnover rate (P/B) of 0.8. The share produced by the polychaetes amounted to 1.06g DWT m**-2 yr**-1 or 74 %.

Experimental studies on the nature of species

"Literature cited": v.1, p. 437-442; v.2, p. 154-163; v.3, p. 124-125; v.5, p. 198-204; v.6, p. 113-115.

Cache River Area Assessment /

"Critical Trends Assessment Program."--Cover.

Embarras River area assessment /

"Critical Trends Assessment Program."--Cover.

Headwaters area assessment /

"Critical Trends Assessment Program."--Cover.

Mackinaw River area assessment.

"The Mackinaw River Area Assessment examines an area situated along the Mackinaw River in the central part of Illinois. Because significant natural community and species diversity is found in the area, it has been designated a state Resource Rich Area. This report is part of a series of reports on Illinois Resource Rich Areas where a public-private partnership has been formed. These assessments provide information on the natural and human resources of the areas as a basis for managing and improving their ecosystems. The determination of resource rich areas and development of ecosystem-based information and management programs in Illinois are the result of three processes -- the Critical Trends Assessment Program, the Conservation Congress, and the Water Resources and Land Use Priorities Task Force."--P. iii, v.1.

Stream monitoring manual /

Introduction: Illinois RiverWatch is a volunteer stream monitoring program coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Through RiverWatch Illinois citizens are trained as Citizen Scientists to conduct biological monitoring of the state's rivers and streams in order to identify long-term trends in stream health. RiverWatch provides citizen volunteers a hands-on opportunity to learn about stream ecology and the condition of Illinois streams, while helping scientists monitor stream conditions across the state.

Mutation scanning analysis of Marteilia sydneyi populations from different geographical locations in eastern Australia

Marteilia sydneyi (Paramyxea) is the causative agent of QX disease in oysters. In spite of the economic impact of this disease, its origin and the precise reason(s) for its apparent spread in Australian waters are not yet known. Given such knowledge gaps, investigating the population genetic structure(s) of M. sydneyi populations could provide insights into the epidemiology and ecology of the parasite and could assist in its prevention and control. In this study, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP)-based analysis of a region (195 bp) of the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA was employed to investigate genetic variation within and among five populations of M. sydneyi from oysters from five different locations in eastern Australia. The analysis showed the existence of a genetic variant of M. sydneyi common to the Great Sandy Strait, and the Richmond and Georges Rivers, as distinct from variants at the Pimpama and Clarence Rivers. Together with historical and other information relating to the QX disease outbreaks in eastern Australia, the molecular findings support the proposal that the parasite originated in the Great Sandy Strait and/or Richmond River and then extended southward along the coast. From a technical perspective, the study demonstrated the usefulness of SSCP as a tool to study the population genetics and epidemiology of M. sydneyi. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro studies on the colonization of bovine colonic mucosa by Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC)

This study investigated host-related factors that influence intestinal colonization by Shiga-toxigenic E. coli (STEC). A quantitative colonization assay was developed to comparatively measure attachment of STEC to bovine colonic tissues maintained in vitro. No differences were determined in colonization susceptibility between tissues derived from weaning calves and adult cattle, or for tissues from cattle fed grain and forage-based rations. Substrate conditions designed to represent various intra-enteric environments were tested for their effect on STEC/mucosal interaction. Under conditions corresponding to a well-fed ruminant (high volatile fatty acid and lactate concentrations, low pH), significantly less STEC colonized the mucosal surface of colonic biopsies. These results may help explain why fasted. poorly or intermittently fed cattle and pre-ruminant calves excrete STEC to a greater degree. Studies on the ecology of STEC within the ruminant gut help identify mechanisms to reduce their threat to public health.