Agassiz, Garman, Albatross, and the Collection of Deep-sea Fishes

The first of Alexander Agassiz’ voyages on the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross in 1891 yielded significant scientific results. This paper reviews the background of the voyage, including the career path that led Agassiz to the back deck of the Albatross. We also give a brief account of the life and work of Samuel Garman. Garman wrote up the ichthyological material from this Albatross voyage in a magnificent book on deep-sea fishes published in 1899. This book was exceptional in its coverage, anatomical detail, and recognition of phylogenetically important morphology.

De assinalações a DESTERRO: investigações entre arte e subjetividade

De Assinalações a DESTERRO: investigações entre arte e subjetividade é uma reflexão sobre o processo de construção das obras das séries SORTERRO e DESTERRO. Tais trabalhos se utilizam de pelos e cabelos como matéria física e conceitual na sua elaboração e a partir destes elementos dar-se inicio a uma série de investigações que buscam trazer a tona os meandros do processo da criação e produção artística. A investigação inicia com a visita a algumas obras anteriores em que o elemento cabelo aparece. A partir daí uma serie de temas atravessam o caminho. Dentre os quais estão as questões relativas ao corpo, à vida e à morte, ao desejo, ao trauma, à biografia, ao acaso, ao medo, ao erotismo, à animalidade, à perversão, a sublimação e à linguagem. Dentre os autores mais visitados estão: Georges Bataille, Jacques Derrida e Gilles Deleuze

Arte como religião: pensando a busca religiosa através de separações

Arte como Religião é um convite à reflexão sobre religião por meio de trabalhos artísticos. A pesquisa artística, poética e filosófica sobre a relação fronteiriça entre arte e religião teve seu ponto de partida na minha história pessoal e foi desenvolvida relacionando as ideias de separação e alteridade como essenciais para a religião, e as ideias de transgressão e linguagem como essenciais para a observação da arte. O conceito poético foi delimitado pelos trabalhos artísticos Relicários de Santos Vivos e Canonizador AcSeita Coletivo, que partindo da ideia da separação busca isolar a figura dos santos como os seres autorizados à busca religiosa e à prática de lidar com o sagrado, passando-se a observar, por meio dos objetos utilizados pelos mesmos, as mudanças de valores sociais

Entremeio: a constituição de um espaço bureaucrático individual

A presente dissertação acompanha os desdobramentos e estudos realizados durante a elaboração do trabalho intitulado Entremeio: a constituição de um espaço bureaucrático individual. Nela foram destacadas três momentos temporais e textuais: o movimento de chegada a uma cidade estranha e a elaboração do conceito de artista forasteiro, bem como o momento de adaptação ao novo e as perambulações por uma cidade a se desvelar e pulsar em uma potência transbordante; o desenvolvimento de uma coleção de perguntas capturadas em meio aos escritos de diversos autores, observando o efeito de apropriação das mesmas para a constituição de um trabalho artístico que leva em conta a distribuição silenciosa e unilateral de perguntas pelo tecido social da cidade; por fim, a criação de um trabalho que transporta o espaço individual de estudos e trabalho (bureau) para o meio de circulação pública, através da livre ocupação de espaços públicos, abordando as implicações espaciais do público e do privado. Este ensaio busca, ainda, explorar o formato ensaístico de escrita levando em consideração o relato de experiência no decorrer da elaboração de um trabalho artístico

Visual survey of exposed riverine sediments (Ers) in the Dane, Weaver and Bollin catchments

This is the Visual survey ERS Dane, Weaver & Bollin Catchments produced by the Environment Agency in 2005. Visual surveys of the River Dane downstream of the confluence with the Swettenham Brook, the River Weaver, and the River Bollin catchment in the EA Northwest South area of England were undertaken between 3rd and 9th February 2005 with the aim of identifying the spatial distribution and relative quality of exposed Riverine sediments (ERS). The potential value of these ERS in terms of likely habitat quality for ERS invertebrate communities was determined by recording a suite of appropriate environmental variables. Following an initial cartographical analysis of reaches likely to contain ERS, tens of kilometres of riverbank were inspected and 67 areas of ERS were selected for detailed visual survey. Site characteristics ranged widely both between and within catchments, with habitat quality ranging from poor to very high.

Ler e usar a literatura: alguns artifícios para o envolvimento do leitor

Nesta dissertação investigamos como a ficção envolve o leitor. Para isso, partimos da rejeição a Homero declarada por Calímaco, observando que a suposta diferença entre a literatura preferida pelo público e a literatura preferida pela crítica depende de dois fatores distintos. O primeiro é o simples fato de a crítica ler profissionalmente e o público ler por prazer. O segundo está relacionado à distinção entre recepção e uso da literatura proposta por C.S. Lewis. Na recepção, a obra tende a ser admirada por si; no uso, tende a ser instrumentalizada como suporte para um devaneio em que os desejos do próprio leitor são vicariamente satisfeitos. Observamos que essa devaneio, que Lewis chama de construção egoísta de castelos, e que inclui uma variante mórbida, tem um paralelo na noção girardiana do duplo angélico. Contudo, o devaneio depende da simpatia como definida por Adam Smith, a qual por sua vez depende de certa aprovação moral. Investigamos portanto o tipo de personagem que conquista a aprovação moral do leitor, contrastando os heróis homéricos com os cavaleiros cristãos a fim de verificar como o cristianismo dirige a aprovação moral para as vítimas, fazendo com que os heróis da ficção sejam pessoas perseguidas ou marginalizadas.

Caverna

Este trabalho apresenta os processos de pesquisa teórica e produção visual de forma entrelaçada, a partir da experiência em uma residência artística vivida na casa da minha bisavó onde resido. A dissertação divide-se em três capítulos: o primeiro consiste em uma construção metodológica a partir da diluição das fronteiras entre os campos da antropologia e da arte; o segundo é dedicado a tratar de algumas questões que motivaram a produção da instalação Caverna (2014) e outras suscitadas durante esse processo; e, por fim, o terceiro capítulo trata de uma mudança no modo de perceber a própria residência, estimulada pelas ideias de devir e ritornelo criadas por Deleuze e Guatarri, além de apresentar o processo de criação da instalação Escritura (2015).

Retrato de Carmem D.: intervenção e acaso em um filme documentário

Este trabalho disseca o processo de realização do documentário Retrato de Carmem D. a partir da ideia da quebra da inflexibilidade da imagem ilustrativa formulada pelo artista plástico Francis Bacon. À luz de autores como Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Didi-Huberman e Jaques Rancière, a presente dissertação se confronta com as atuações do acaso e da intervenção em um filme documentário.

Evaluation of the In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS): comparison with the traditional (bongo net) sampler

Plankton and larval fish sampling programs often are limited by a balance between sampling frequency (for precision) and costs. Advancements in sampling techniques hold the potential to add considerable efficiency and, therefore, add sampling frequency to improve precision. We compare a newly developed plankton imaging system, In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS), with a bongo sampler, which is a traditional plankton sampling gear developed in the 1960s. Comparative sampling was conducted along 2 transects ~30–40 km long. Over 2 days, we completed 36 ISIIS tow-yo undulations and 11 bongo oblique tows, each from the surface to within 10 m of the seafloor. Overall, the 2 gears detected comparable numbers of larval fishes, representing similar taxonomic compositions, although larvae captured with the bongo were capable of being identified to lower taxonomic levels, especially larvae in the small (<5 mm), preflexion stages. Size distributions of the sampled larval fishes differed considerably between these 2 sampling methods, with the size range and mean size of larval fishes larger with ISIIS than with the bongo sampler. The high frequency and fine spatial scale of ISIIS allow it to add considerable sampling precision (i.e., more vertical sections) to plankton surveys. Improvements in the ISIIS technology (including greater depth of field and image resolution) should also increase taxonomic resolution and decrease processing time. When coupled with appropriate net sampling (for the purpose of collecting and verifying the identification of biological samples), the use of ISIIS could improve overall survey design and simultaneously provide detailed, process-oriented information for fisheries scientists and oceanographers.

Assessment of existing information on Atlantic coastal fish habitats: development of a web-based spatial bibliography, query tools, and data summaries

The primary objective of this project, “the Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat”, is to inform conservation planning for the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). ACFHP is recognized as a Partnership by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), whose overall mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation. This project is a cooperative effort of NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) Biogeography Branch and ACFHP. The Assessment includes three components; 1. a representative bibliographic and assessment database, 2. a Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial framework, and 3. a summary document with description of methods, analyses of habitat assessment information, and recommendations for further work. The spatial bibliography was created by linking the bibliographic table developed in Microsoft Excel and exported to SQL Server, with the spatial framework developed in ArcGIS and exported to GoogleMaps. The bibliography is a comprehensive, searchable database of over 500 selected documents and data sources on Atlantic coastal fish species and habitats. Key information captured for each entry includes basic bibliographic data, spatial footprint (e.g. waterbody or watershed), species and habitats covered, and electronic availability. Information on habitat condition indicators, threats, and conservation recommendations are extracted from each entry and recorded in a separate linked table. The spatial framework is a functional digital map based on polygon layers of watersheds, estuarine and marine waterbodies derived from NOAA’s Coastal Assessment Framework, MMS/NOAA’s Multipurpose Marine Cadastre, and other sources, providing spatial reference for all of the documents cited in the bibliography. Together, the bibliography and assessment tables and their spatial framework provide a powerful tool to query and assess available information through a publicly available web interface. They were designed to support the development of priorities for ACFHP’s conservation efforts within a geographic area extending from Maine to Florida, and from coastal watersheds seaward to the edge of the continental shelf. The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership has made initial use of the Assessment of Existing Information. Though it has not yet applied the AEI in a systematic or structured manner, it expects to find further uses as the draft conservation strategic plan is refined, and as regional action plans are developed. It also provides a means to move beyond an “assessment of existing information” towards an “assessment of fish habitat”, and is being applied towards the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) 2010 Assessment. Beyond the scope of the current project, there may be application to broader initiatives such as Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs), Ecosystem Based Management (EBM), and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).

Shallow-water benthic habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Coral reef ecosystems of the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands National Park and the surrounding waters of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands are a precious natural resource worthy of special protection and conservation. The mosaic of habitats including coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves, are home to a diversity of marine organisms. These benthic habitats and their associated inhabitants provide many important ecosystem services to the community of St. John, such as fishing, tourism and shoreline protection. However, coral reef ecosystems throughout the U.S. Caribbean are under increasing pressure from environmental and anthropogenic stressors that threaten to destroy the natural heritage of these marine habitats. Mapping of benthic habitats is an integral component of any effective ecosystem-based management approach. Through the implementation of a multi-year interagency agreement, NOAA’s Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment - Biogeography Branch and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) have completed benthic habitat mapping, field validation and accuracy assessment of maps for the nearshore marine environment of St. John. This work is an expansion of ongoing mapping and monitoring efforts conducted by NOAA and NPS in the U.S. Caribbean and replaces previous NOAA maps generated by Kendall et al. (2001) for the waters around St. John. The use of standardized protocols enables the condition of the coral reef ecosystems around St. John to be evaluated in context to the rest of the Virgin Island Territories and other U.S. coral ecosystems. The products from this effort provide an accurate assessment of the abundance and distribution of marine habitats surrounding St. John to support more effective management and conservation of ocean resources within the National Park system. This report documents the entire process of benthic habitat mapping in St. John. Chapter 1 provides a description of the benthic habitat classification scheme used to categorize the different habitats existing in the nearshore environment. Chapter 2 describes the steps required to create a benthic habitat map from visual interpretation of remotely sensed imagery. Chapter 3 details the process of accuracy assessment and reports on the thematic accuracy of the final maps. Finally, Chapter 4 is a summary of the basic map content and compares the new maps to a previous NOAA effort. Benthic habitat maps of the nearshore marine environment of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands were created by visual interpretation of remotely sensed imagery. Overhead imagery, including color orthophotography and IKONOS satellite imagery, proved to be an excellent source from which to visually interpret the location, extent and attributes of marine habitats. NOAA scientists were able to accurately and reliably delineate the boundaries of features on digital imagery using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and fi eld investigations. The St. John habitat classification scheme defined benthic communities on the basis of four primary coral reef ecosystem attributes: 1) broad geographic zone, 2) geomorphological structure type, 3) dominant biological cover, and 4) degree of live coral cover. Every feature in the benthic habitat map was assigned a designation at each level of the scheme. The ability to apply any component of this scheme was dependent on being able to identify and delineate a given feature in remotely sensed imagery.

Characterizing Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico: a watershed modeling analysis and monitoring plan

Land-based pollution is commonly identified as a major contributor to the observed deterioration of shallow-water coral reef ecosystem health. Human activity on the coastal landscape often induces nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, toxic contamination and other stressors that have degraded the quality of coastal waters. Coral reef ecosystems throughout Puerto Rico, including Jobos Bay, are under threat from coastal land uses such as urban development, industry and agriculture. The objectives of this report were two-fold: 1. To identify potentially harmful land use activities to the benthic habitats of Jobos Bay, and 2. To describe a monitoring plan for Jobos Bay designed to assess the impacts of conservation practices implemented on the watershed. This characterization is a component of the partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established by the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) in Jobos Bay. CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices used by private landowners participating in USDA programs. The Jobos Bay watershed, located in southeastern Puerto Rico, was selected as the first tropical CEAP Special Emphasis Watershed (SEW). Both USDA and NOAA use their respective expertise in terrestrial and marine environments to model and monitor Jobos Bay resources. This report documents NOAA activities conducted in the first year of the three-year CEAP effort in Jobos Bay. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the project and background information on Jobos Bay and its watershed. Chapter 2 implements NOAA’s Summit to Sea approach to summarize the existing resource conditions on the watershed and in the estuary. Summit to Sea uses a GIS-based procedure that links patterns of land use in coastal watersheds to sediment and pollutant loading predictions at the interface between terrestrial and marine environments. The outcome of Summit to Sea analysis is an inventory of coastal land use and predicted pollution threats, consisting of spatial data and descriptive statistics, which allows for better management of coral reef ecosystems. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the monitoring plan to assess the ecological response to conservation practices established by USDA on the watershed. Jobos Bay is the second largest estuary in Puerto Rico, but has more than three times the shoreline of any other estuarine area on the island. It is a natural harbor protected from offshore wind and waves by a series of mangrove islands and the Punta Pozuelo peninsula. The Jobos Bay marine ecosystem includes 48 km² of mangrove, seagrass, coral reef and other habitat types that span both intertidal and subtidal areas. Mapping of Jobos Bay revealed 10 different benthic habitats of varying prevalence, and a large area of unknown bottom type covering 38% of the entire bay. Of the known benthic habitats, submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily seagrass, is the most common bottom type, covering slightly less than 30% of the bay. Mangroves are the dominant shoreline feature, while coral reefs comprise only 4% of the total benthic habitat. However, coral reefs are some of the most productive habitats found in Jobos Bay, and provide important habitat and nursery grounds for fish and invertebrates of commercial and recreational value.

Dynamics of bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tuna in Hawaii’s pelagic fisheries: analysis of tagging data with a bulk transfer model incorporating size-specific attrition

Tag release and recapture data of bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (T. albacares) from the Hawaii Tuna Tagging Project (HTTP) were analyzed with a bulk transfer model incorporating size-specific attrition to infer population dynamics and transfer rates between various fishery components. For both species, the transfer rate estimates from the offshore handline fishery areas to the longline fishery area were higher than the estimates of transfer from those same areas into the inshore fishery areas. Natural and fishing mortality rates were estimated over three size classes: yellowfin 20–45, 46–55, and ≥56 cm and bigeye 29–55, 56–70, and ≥71 cm. For both species, the estimates of natural mortality were highest in the smallest size class. For bigeye tuna, the estimates decreased with increasing size and for yellowfin tuna there was a slight increase in the largest size class. In the Cross Seamount fishery, the fishing mortality rate of bigeye tuna was similar for all three size classes and represented roughly 12% of the gross attrition rate (includes fishing and natural mortality and emigration rates). For yellowfin tuna, fishing mortality ranged between 7% and 30%, the highest being in the medium size class. For both species, the overall attrition rate from the entire fishery area was nearly the same. However, in the specific case of the Cross Seamount fishery, the attrition rate for yellowfin tuna was roughly twice that for bigeye. This result indicates that bigeye tuna are more resident at the Seamount than yellowfin tuna, and larger bigeye tunas tend to reside longer than smaller individuals. This may result in larger fish being more vulnerable to capture in the Seamount fishery. The relatively low level of exchange between the Sea-mount and the inshore and longline fisheries suggests that the fishing activity at the Seamount need not be of great management concern for either species. However, given that the current exploitation rates are considered moderate (10–30%), and that Seamount aggregations of yellowfin and bigeye tuna are highly vulnerable to low-cost gear types, it is recommended that further increases in fishing effort for these species be monitored at Cross Seamount.