Fish Larvae Abundance and Distribution in the Coastal Zone off Terminos Lagoon, Campeche (Southern Gulf of Mexico)

Fish larvae abundance and distribution in the coastal zone off Terminos Lagoon and their relation to the environmental features of the Lagoon inlets were analysed (1986–87). The sampling grid consisted of 24 stations extending between 0·5 and 10 km off the Lagoon, including both Terminos Lagoon Inlets; El Carmen and Puerto Real. A total of 23 families and 43 species were identified. Highest larval abundance was registered during the rainy period (July and September) when the fluvial discharges favoured the planktonic development. The lowest larval abundance was recorded in the period of northern cold wind (January–March) when the fluvial discharges decreased. Bray-Curtis index defined two groups of stations, corresponding to each of the lagoon inlets, persisting throughout the year. The first one, ‘ El Carmen ’, was characterized by larvae of Engraulidae and Gobiidae; estuarine-dependent inhabitants. This group could be considered as a functional extension of the Lagoon to the sea. The second group, ‘ Puerto Real ’, was characterized by highest larval abundance of marine dwellers (e.g.Opisthonema oglinumandHarengula jaguana). This situation suggests that the Puerto Real Inlet could be the main entrance of marine fishes into the Lagoon. These results indicate that the coastal zone off Terminos Lagoon constitutes an important nursery area both for species spending part of their life cycle linked to this estuarine system, and for marine species that migrate towards the Lagoon, carried by local currents.     

Secondary production of Ampelisca mississippiana Soliman and Wicksten 2007 (Amphipoda, Crustacea) in the head of the Mississippi Canyon, northern Gulf of Mexico

Annual production was calculated for the dominant ampeliscid amphipod Ampelisca mississippiana [Soliman, Y., Wicksten, M., 2007. Ampelisca mississippiana a new species (Amphipoda: Gammaredea) dominated the head of the Mississippi Canyon (Northern Gulf of Mexico). Zootaxa, submitted] at the head of the Mississippi Canyon in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Average densities were 12,094±2499 ind m⁻², with secondary production of 6.93 g dry wt m⁻² yr⁻¹, based on the “size-frequency method” [Hynes-Hamilton, H.B.N., Coleman, M., 1968. A simple method for assessing the annual production of stream benthos. Limnology and Oceanography 13, 569–573; Menzies, C.A., 1980. A note on the Hynes-Hamilton method of estimating secondary production. Limnology and Oceanography 25(4), 770–773], with a production/biomass (P/B) ratio of 3.11. Growth rates of this magnitude are comparable to available data for freshwater and shallow marine ampeliscids, but are unexpectedly high for deep-ocean habitats. Growth efficiency appeared to be approximately 35% (Growth/Assimilation×100).     

Allochthonous salt, structure and stratigraphy of the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico. Part I: Stratigraphy

Major sequence boundaries associated with eustatic sea level changes are correlated to the general stratigraphy of the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico. The details of a Middle Cretaceous Flooding Surface, marking a major break in sedimentation, are documented. The sequence stratigraphic work provides an example of the ‘stratigraphic signature of the Neogene’. Three major episodes of sediment accumulation are represented by: (1) Late Jurassic (150.5 Ma) to Middle Cretaceous (94 Ma) aggradation and progradation of sediments with significant sediment accumulation in the present shelf and slope areas; (2) an extended period of starved sedimentation during 94-30 Ma corresponding to Middle Cretaceous flooding events (93.5 and 91.5 Ma) and the lack of sediment supply; and (3) since Late Oligocene time, unusually rapid sedimentation rates that characterize the deep water study area. These patterns of sediment accumulation directly affect the formation of allochthonous salt in the study area.     

Hyperiid Amphipods (Crustacea: Peracarida) and Spring Mesoscale Features in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract. The distribution and abundance of the hyperiid amphipods collected during April–May 1986 was analysed in order to study their relationship to mesoscale features in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Hyperiids were represented by 79 species, Lestrigonus bengalensis (65% of total hyperiids), Primno abyssalis (4.3%), Anchylomera blossevillei (2.3%) and Lestrigonus schizogeneios (2.3%) being the most abundant. Several mesoscale features (two cyclonic and three anticyclonic eddies, two upwelling areas) were active in the surveyed area. Cluster analysis of density and composition produced five groups of stations that were found to be related to some of these features. Overall, the mesoscale features that most influenced the local hyperiid community were the upwelling areas; they were related both with the highest and the lowest hyperiid densities and with high and low diversity figures. Overall day/night variations were normal, with highest night‐time densities; this pattern was not consistent in the different mesoscale features studied. Reverse migrations were possibly occurring, or migration patterns were lacking, at some of these systems. The hyperiid community structure related to the anticyclonic eddies differed somewhat among the eddies; however, the oceanographic exchange with the surrounding gulf waters probably obscured sharper faunistic differences between the communities.     

Biodiversity and community composition of sediment macrofauna associated with deep-sea Lophelia pertusa habitats in the Gulf of Mexico

Scleractinian corals create three-dimensional reefs that provide sheltered refuges, facilitate sediment accumulation, and enhance colonization of encrusting fauna. While heterogeneous coral habitats can harbor high levels of biodiversity, their effect on the community composition within nearby sediments remains unclear, particularly in the deep sea. Sediment macrofauna from deep-sea coral habitats (Lophelia pertusa) and non-coral, background sediments were examined at three sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico (VK826, VK906, MC751, 350–500 m depth) to determine whether macrofaunal abundance, diversity, and community composition near corals differed from background soft-sediments. Macrofaunal densities ranged from 26 to 125 individuals 32 cm⁻² and were significantly greater near coral versus background sediments only at VK826. Of the 86 benthic invertebrate taxa identified, 16 were exclusive to near-coral habitats, while 14 were found only in background sediments. Diversity (Fisher’s α) and evenness were significantly higher within near-coral sediments only at MC751 while taxon richness was similar among all habitats. Community composition was significantly different both between near-coral and background sediments and among the three primary sites. Polychaetes numerically dominated all samples, accounting for up to 70% of the total individuals near coral, whereas peracarid crustaceans were proportionally more abundant in background sediments (18%) than in those near coral (10%). The reef effect differed among sites, with community patterns potentially influenced by the size of reef habitat. Taxon turnover occurred with distance from the reef, suggesting that reef extent may represent an important factor in structuring sediment communities near L. pertusa. Polychaete communities in both habitats differed from other Gulf of Mexico (GOM) soft sediments based on data from previous studies, and we hypothesize that local environmental conditions found near L. pertusa may influence the macrofaunal community structure beyond the edges of the reef. This study represents the first assessment of L. pertusa-associated sediment communities in the GOM and provides baseline data that can help define the role of transition zones, from deep reefs to soft sediments, in shaping macrofaunal community structure and maintaining biodiversity; this information can help guide future conservation and management activities.     

Interactions between the Laramide Foreland and the passive margin of the Gulf of Mexico: Tectonics and sedimentation in the Golden Lane area,Veracruz State,Mexico

This paper focuses on the analyses of the clastic sedimentary infill of the Coastal Plain of Eastern Mexico, which initiated synchronously with the Laramide orogeny in the vicinity of the Golden Lane. Results of these analyses are used as boundary conditions for calibrating/interpreting seismic profiles across more distal depocenters in the offshore of the Gulf of Mexico, from the sea shore and continental slope in the west to the abyssal plain in the east. The objective of the study is to better predict the reservoir distribution in the Deep offshore Basin of the Gulf of Mexico (DBGM), in order to explore for petroleum.     

Ecosystem-based management institutional design: Balance between federal,state, and local governments within the Gulf of Mexico Alliance

We present a case study of the organizational framework of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA), which was implemented to promote the use of ecosystem-based management (EBM) at a regional level. GOMA is a state-led initiative formed to protect and restore coastal and marine resources of the Gulf of Mexico. Representatives of the US Gulf States, together with their federal partners, clearly defined ecological, social, and economic short- and long-term objectives to be reached through regional collaborations. The aim of this paper is to show how GOMA, and particularly the Ecosystem Integration and Assessment Priority Issue Team, in its attempt to apply ecosystem approaches to manage marine resources, modified the common organizational scheme by implementing partnerships at various governmental (federal, state, local) and nongovernmental levels. We address the following major points considered to be of importance for EBM implementation: (1) multilevel cooperation, (2) stakeholders’ involvement, (3) sharing of information, (4) bridging science and policy, and (5) consensus-based decision making.     

Data assimilation considerations for improved ocean predictability during the Gulf of Mexico Grand Lagrangian Deployment (GLAD)

Ocean prediction systems rely on an array of assumptions to optimize their data assimilation schemes. Many of these remain untested, especially at smaller scales, because sufficiently dense observations are very rare. A set of 295 drifters deployed in July 2012 in the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico provides a unique opportunity to test these systems down to scales previously unobtainable. In this study, background error covariance assumptions in the 3DVar assimilation process are perturbed to understand the effect on the solution relative to the withheld dense drifter data. Results show that the amplitude of the background error covariance is an important factor as expected, and a proposed new formulation provides added skill. In addition, the background error covariance time correlation is important to allow satellite observations to affect the results over a period longer than one daily assimilation cycle. The results show the new background error covariance formulations provide more accurate placement of frontal positions, directions of currents and velocity magnitudes. These conclusions have implications for the implementation of 3DVar systems as well as the analysis interval of 4DVar systems.     

Sources and transport of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in the Mississippi River estuary and adjacent coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), stable carbon isotopic (δ¹³C) compositions of DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC), and elemental C/N ratios of POC were measured for samples collected from the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers and adjacent coastal waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the low flow season in June 2000 and high flow season in April 2001. These isotopic and C/N results combined with DOC measurements were used to assess the sources and transport of terrestrial organic matter from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers to the coastal region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. δ¹³C values of both POC (−23.8‰ to −26.8‰) and DOC (−25.0‰ to −29.0‰) carried by the two rivers were more depleted than the values measured for the samples collected in the offshore waters. Strong seasonal variations in δ¹³C distributions were observed for both POC and DOC in the surface waters of the region. Fresh water discharge and horizontal mixing played important roles in the distribution and transport of terrestrial POC and DOC offshore. Our results indicate that both POC and DOC exhibited non-conservative behavior during the mixing especially in the mid-salinity range. Based on a simple two end-member mixing model, the comparison of the measured DOC-δ¹³C with the calculated conservative isotopic mixing curve indicated that there was a significant in situ production of marine-derived DOC in the mid- to high-salinity waters consistent with our in situ chlorophyll-a measurements. Our DOC-δ¹³C data suggest that a removal of terrestrial DOC mainly occurred in the high-salinity (>25) waters during the mixing. Our study indicates that the mid- to high- (10–30) salinity range was the most dynamic zone for organic carbon transport and cycling in the Mississippi River estuary. Variability in isotopic and elemental compositions along with variability in DOC and POC concentrations suggest that autochthonous production, bacterial utilization, and photo-oxidation could all play important roles in regulating and removing terrestrial DOC in the northern Gulf of Mexico and further study of these individual processes is warranted.     

Molecular weight and chemical reactivity of dissolved trace metals (Cd,Cu, Ni) in surface waters from the Mississippi River to Gulf of Mexico

It is generally assumed that estuarine mixing is continuous for metals from terrestrial sources, gradually decreasing towards the open ocean endmember. Here we show that, chemical reactivity, determined by ion exchange method, and molecular weight distributions, obtained using cross-flow ultrafiltration, of dissolved Cd, Cu, and Ni in the surface waters of the Gulf of Mexico varied systematically across the estuarine mixing zone of the Mississippi River. Most size or chemical affinity fractions of dissolved metals (<0.4 μm) were linearly related to salinity (10.8–36.6), suggesting that the distribution of these elements was mainly controlled by continuous mixing processes. Dissolved concentrations across the salinity gradient ranged for Cd: 87–187 pM; Cu: 1.4–18.3 nM; and Ni: 2.6–18.8 nM, with highest values near the Mississippi river mouth, and lowest concentrations in a warm core ring in the Gulf of Mexico. Dissolved Cd was mostly present as a truly dissolved (<10 kDa, 97 ± 1%) and cationic fraction (Chelex-100 extractable, 94 ± 4%). A novel observation across the estuarine mixing zone was that colloidal metal concentrations were identical to either inert (for Cu, Ni) or AMPG-labile anionic (Cu, Cd) fractions. The difference in behavior between Cu and the other two metals might indicate differences in the biopolymeric nature of the metal–organic chelates. In particular, the anionic-organic Cd fractions accounted for just 3 ± 1%, on average. However, for Cu, it was 24 ± 4%, and for Ni, it was 9 ± 6%. The fractions of the total dissolved metal fractions that were “inert” averaged 31 ± 10% for Cu and 29 ± 12% for Ni. Small but noticeable amounts (6 ± 3%) of dissolved inert Cd fractions were also present. Apparent non-local transport processes, likely associated with cross-shelf sediment resuspension processes, could have been responsible for the relatively high concentrations of ‘inert’ and ‘anionic’ metal fractions in high salinity coastal waters, and accounting for the persistence of metals bound to humic substances in the Gulf of Mexico.     

Local and regional species diversity of benthic Isopoda (Crustacea) in the deep Gulf of Mexico

Recent studies of deep-sea faunas considered the influence of mid-domain models in the distribution of species diversity and richness with depth. In this paper, I show that separating local diversity from regional species richness in benthic isopods clarifies mid-domain effects in the distribution of isopods in the Gulf of Mexico. Deviations from the randomised implied species ranges can be informative to understanding general patterns within the Gulf of Mexico. The isopods from the GoMB study contained 135 species, with a total of 156 species including those from an earlier study. More than 60 species may be new to science. Most families of deep-sea isopods (suborder Asellota) were present, although some were extremely rare. The isopod family Desmosomatidae dominated the samples, and one species of Macrostylis (Macrostylidae) was found in many samples. Species richness for samples pooled within sites ranged from 1 to 52 species. Because species in pooled samples were highly correlated with individuals, species diversity was compared across sites using the expected species estimator (n=15 individuals, ES₁₅). Six depth transects had idiosyncratic patterns of ES₁₅, and transects with the greatest short-range variation in topography, such as basins and canyons, had the greatest short-range disparity. Basins on the deep slope did not have a consistent influence (i.e., relatively higher or lower than surrounding areas) on the comparative species diversity. ES₁₅ of all transects together showed a weak mid-domain effect, peaking around 1200–1500 m, with low values at the shallowest and deepest samples (Sigsbee Abyssal Plain); no longitudinal (east–west) pattern was found. The regional species pool was analyzed by summing the implied ranges of all species. The species ranges in aggregate did not have significant patterns across longitudes, and many species had broad depth ranges, suggesting that the isopod fauna of the Gulf of Mexico is well dispersed. The summed ranges, as expected, had strong mid-domain patterns, contrasting with the local species richness estimates. The longitudinal ranges closely matched a randomized pattern (species ranges placed randomly, 1000 iterations), with significant deviations in the east attributable to lower sampling effort. The depth pattern, however, deviated from the mid-domain model, with a bimodal peak displaced nearly 500 m shallower than the mode of the randomized distribution. The deviations from random expectation were significantly positive above 1600 m and negative below 2000 m, with the result that regional species richness peaked between 800 and 1200 m, and decreased rapidly at deeper depths. The highest species richness intervals corresponded to the number of individuals collected. Residuals from a regression of the deviations on individual numbers, however, still deviated from the randomized pattern. In this declining depth-diversity pattern, the Gulf of Mexico resembles other partially enclosed basins, such as the Norwegian Sea, known to have suffered geologically recent extinction events. This displaced diversity pattern and broad depth ranges implicate ongoing re-colonization of the deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico. The Sigsbee Abyssal Plain sites could be depauperate for historical reasons (e.g., one or more extinction events) rather than ongoing ecological reasons (e.g., low food supply).     

Meiofaunal community structure of the deep-sea Gulf of Mexico: Variability due to the sorting methods

Studies designed to describe the structure of soft bottom meiobenthic communities have used diverse sorting methods, thus making the comparison of results difficult. This study compared sorting specimens using the manual and centrifuge density gradient sorting methods, for two deep-sea depth zones [continental slope (1630–1860 m) and abyssal plain (3720–3830 m)] in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The manual sorting method produced more taxonomic groups and higher abundance and biomass values, compared to the differential density Ludox-centrifuge sorting method. The results obtained from the two sorting methods suggest that distribution patterns of deep-sea meiofaunal samples can be an artefacts of the sorting.     

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Valuation Database (GecoServ): Gathering ecosystem services valuation studies to promote their inclusion in the decision-making process

The main goals of the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Valuation Database (GecoServ), an inventory of ecosystem services (ES) valuation studies applicable to the Gulf of Mexico, are to allow for the distribution and sharing of information about said studies and to identify current gaps in the ES valuation literature.The utility of GecoServ (http://www.gecoserv.org) lies in that it fills a void left by non-ES specific environmental databases, highlights the lack of studies for some ecosystems and associated services, and provides background information for future ES valuation studies.GecoServ functions as a uniquely centralized source of information for both researchers and natural resource managers. Researchers can find information for different study sites to be used in value transfer methods. For managers, instead, GecoServ is a tool that provides them with ES values to inform their decision-making process.     

Foldbelts with early salt withdrawal and diapirism: Physical model and examples from the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Flinders Ranges, Australia

A physical experiment shows that shortening applied to existing diapirs and minibasins produces anomalous structural styles that are unlike those of more typical foldbelts. Strong minibasins remain largely undeformed while weak diapirs localize contractional strain. Short diapirs form the cores to folds and thrusted folds, whereas tall diapirs are squeezed and often welded, commonly leading to the extrusion of allochthonous material. Key features of the model are observed in real examples. In the northern Gulf of Mexico passive margin, minibasins were originally separated by a polygonal pattern of deep salt ridges, with diapirs located at ridge intersections. Gravity spreading resulted in squeezed diapirs (and associated allochthonous salt) connected by variably oriented contractional, extensional, and strike-slip structures. In the Flinders Ranges convergent-margin foldbelt of South Australia, preexisting diapirs were squeezed, welded, and thrusted, with anticlines plunging away in multiple directions, so that minibasins are surrounded by highly variable structures. A different geometry is observed in La Popa Basin, Mexico, where squeezing of a linear salt wall produced a vertical weld with diapirs at the terminations, rather than the culmination. In all areas, foldbelt geometries are strongly influenced by the preestablished salt-minibasin architecture.     

墨西哥湾天然气水合物矿产资源预测模型及其应用

墨西哥湾是世界上研究天然气水合物较深入的海区,调查资料丰富,已在50多处采集到天然气水合物样品,具备建立天然气水合物矿产资源预测模型的条件。选择34处已知天然气水合物矿点和34处已知无矿点作为训练区,建立矿点存在与否的预测模型。模型的相关系数值表明墨西哥湾天然气水合物与盐底辟关系密切。将该模型应用于整个墨西哥湾北部,初步获得了天然气水合物存在可能性概率分布图;概率大于0.7的预测单元包含已知矿点中的30个,利用该阈值圈定了墨西哥湾天然气水合物潜在资源分布区。     

A Preliminary Trophic Model of the Continental Shelf, South-western Gulf of Mexico

A preliminary mass-balance trophic model was constructed to determine the flow of energy in a community of fish and invertebrates on the continental shelf of the south-western Gulf of Mexico. Input parameters were taken from the literature, except for the biomass of fish groups which was obtained from trawl surveys in the study area. The model consists of 12 fish groups, five invertebrate groups, phytoplankton and detritus. Results indicate an imbalance between primary production and consumption, with only about 10% of primary production being consumed in the water column. Most of the primary production is exported to detritus which forms the basis of the food-web, with a detritivory/herbivory ratio of 2·5. Benthic invertebrates play a significant role in transferring energy from detritus to higher trophic levels. Eight discrete trophic levels were found, with very reduced flow at levels higher than the fifth. The highest fractional trophic level is 4·3, and consists of sharks. Analysis of mixed trophic impacts showed that detritus and lower trophic levels have a significant positive impact on other groups in the system. Mean transfer efficiency is 9·2%. Some whole system properties are also given. Of net primary production, 6·7% is required to sustain current catch levels, suggesting that the resources in this area are fully exploited.     

Larval fish assemblages,environment and circulation in a semienclosed sea (Gulf of California,Mexico)

Fish larvae and hydrographic data collected in the Gulf of California (GC) in December 2002 are used to describe larval fish assemblages (LFAs) and to explore their relationships with environmental variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence maximum, ?$?$ and superficial chlorophyll a). The Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index defined three LFAs, distributed in areas with distinctly different environmental conditions. The affinity of most of the species with the environmental characteristics of their areas of distribution could be interpreted as an indication that spawning occurred inside those areas. Particle tracking in current fields from a 3D numerical model and connectivity matrices are used to assess larval retention in the LFA areas. The technique is well suited for seas like the GC that have well-defined circulation patterns. On time scales around 30 days, retention (from 56% to 73% of the particles) occurred (1) for the North LFA in the Upper GC, (2) for the Channel-Center LFA in the anticyclone over the Northern GC and in Ballenas Channel, and (3) for the South LFA in the eddy over San Pedro Mártir basin and in the shallow zone off the peninsula. Therefore, the Lagrangian analysis revealed that the observed LFAs have a permanency long enough to allow fish larvae to remain in a favorable environment until they develop motility. The main particle export path (less than 26% of the particles) was from the North to the South LFA, following the anticyclonic main flow and coinciding with the gradient in species number and larval abundance.