Environmental factors influencing aggregation of manta rays (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

Manta rays inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate waters. Aggregation sites of manta rays have been recognized worldwide, but the reasons for this behavior are still poorly understood. This study describes environmental factors influencing aggregation sites of the giant manta ray (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Observations of manta rays were obtained from scientific surveys conducted during 2006–2011. Environmental data were obtained from satellite imagery. The maximum entropy (Maxent) method for habitat modeling was used to determine the effects of environmental conditions on the species and predict suitable habitat for manta rays in this region. Primary productivity and distance to the coast were the most influential variables, suggesting that aggregation occurs in highly productive coastal waters. The distribution of manta rays predicted by the Maxent model showed that the most suitable habitat within the study area is located off the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, more precisely, northeast of Isla Holbox and northwest of Isla Contoy. Seasonal patterns of distribution suggest that the most suitable conditions are present from July through September.     

The influence of increased iron concentration on survival and growth of seedlings and young plants of eelgrass Zostera marina

Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for plants but toxic at high concentrations. We subjected seedlings and young plants of eelgrass Zostera marina to different seawater iron concentrations (500, 600, 700, 800, 1,000 and 1,500 μg/L) for 30 days under controlled laboratory conditions. Natural seawater without added iron (500 μg/L) was used as reference seawater. No sediments were provided to avoid iron scavenging by particle surfaces in the sediment. We measured plant response in terms of survivorship, morphology, growth rate and productivity. Survival analysis combined with morphological, dynamic and productive assessment suggested that the optimum seawater iron concentration for the establishment of Z. marina seedlings and young plants is 700 μg/L. The no observed effect concentration, lowest observed effect concentration, lethal concentration that caused an increase in mortality to 10% of that of the control, and the effect concentration that caused a decrease in growth to 10% of that of the control values of young plants were significantly lower than those of seedlings, implying an increased sensitivity to high Fe concentrations (>1,000 μg/L). This study further develops our understanding of the physiological ecology of the early life stages of Z. marina and provides data that could prove helpful in the development of successful eelgrass restoration and conservation.     

Estimation of spawning area of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pisodonophis sangjuensis</Emphasis> Ji and Kim, 2011 (Pisces: Ophichthidae) based on leptocephali size and distribution

Pre-metamorphic leptocephali of Pisodonophis sangjuensis (n = 91, 10.4?90.2 mm in total length, TL) were collected in the East China Sea for the first time. Pre-metamorphic leptocephali of P. sangjuensis, which were identified using mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (mtDNA COI), are characterized by various combinations of morphological characters: 8 moderate to pronounced gut loops with the kidney terminating on the 6-7th loops; and 8 subcutaneous pigment patches on the tail just ventral to the notochord. Pisodonophis sangjuensis leptocephali were more numerously collected offshore than inshore around Jeju Island. The smallest leptocephali (< 15.0 mm TL) were collected from the south far from Jeju Island, and the largest leptocephali (> 100.0 mm TL) were collected from around Jeju Island and the southern coast of Korea. Our findings indicate that P. sangjuensis spawns offshore south of Jeju Island that is an area associated with high water temperature, and then the hatched leptocephali are transported to Jeju Island or the southern coast of Korea by the Tsushima Warm Current.     

Removal rate and releases of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in two wastewater treatment plants,Korea

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in minimizing the release of many pollutants into the environment. Nineteen congeners in two WWTPs in Korea were determined to investigate the occurrence and fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) during wastewater treatment processes. The concentration of total PBDEs was 69.6 and 183 ng/L in influent, which declined to 1.59 and 2.34 ng/L in the final effluent, respectively (Tongyeong and Jinhae WWTPs). PBDEs were found to exist mostly in the particulate phase of wastewater, which rendered sedimentation efficient for the removal of PBDEs. BDE-209 was the predominant congener in the influent and sludge. Most of the PBDEs entering the WWTPs presumably ended up in the sludge, with < 2% being discharged with the final effluent. According to the mass loading estimation, every day 2.55–9.29 g PBDEs entered the two WWTPs, 2.8–10.4 g were disposed to landfill sites in sludge form and 0.06–0.12 g were discharged to the surrounding water through final effluent, respectively. Preliminary results indicated that the ecological risk to organisms in soil exposed to PBDEs through the usage of sludge application to agricultural land was relatively low. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the removal efficiency of PBDEs in a WWTP in Korea.     

Recent increase in surface fCO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in the western subtropical North Pacific

We observed unusually high levels (> 440 μatm) of carbon dioxide fugacity (fCO₂) in surface seawater in the western subtropical North Pacific, the area where Subtropical Mode Water is formed, during summer 2015. The NOAA Kuroshio Extension Observatory moored buoy located in this region also measured high CO₂ values, up to 500 μatm during this period. These high sea surface fCO₂ (fCO_2SW) values are explained by much higher normalized total dissolved inorganic carbon and slightly higher normalized total alkalinity concentrations in this region compared to the equatorial Pacific. Moreover, these values are much higher than the climatological CO₂ values, even considering increasing atmospheric CO₂, indicating a recent large increase in sea surface CO₂ concentrations. A large seasonal change in sea surface temperature contributed to higher surface fCO_2SW in the summer of 2015.     

Large temporal changes in contributions of groundwater-borne nutrients to coastal waters off a volcanic island

We examined the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to nutrient budgets in Hwasun Bay, Jeju Island, Korea in August 2009, October 2014, and May 2015. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in fresh groundwater were in the range of 285?716 μM and 2.3?3.2 μM, respectively, which were each 1?2 orders of magnitude higher than those in the bay seawater. The outer-bay seawater flowing into the bay was oligotrophic (2.9 ± 1.9 μM for DIN and 0.2 ± 0.3 μM for DIP). Nutrient budget calculations were performed for each season by accounting for submarine fresh groundwater discharge (SFGD) and water residence times. In August 2009 (DIN = 1.8 μM and DIN:DIP ratio = 4.6 for the outerbay water), DIN inputs from SFGD accounted for approximately 40% of the DIN inventory in the bay seawater. In October 2014 (DIN = 1.1 μM and DIP < 0.05 μM for the outer-bay water), DIP from SFGD accounted for approximately 100% of the DIP inventory in the bay seawater. In May 2015, mean concentrations of DIN and DIP in the bay seawater were 8.6 ± 12 μM and 0.11 ± 0.04 μM, respectively, with conservative behaviors in the bay seawater in association with excessive groundwater inputs. These results imply that SGD plays a critical but different role in nutrient budgets and stoichiometry in coastal waters off a volcanic island depending on open-ocean nutrient conditions.     

Acoustic monitoring using bamboo set net in the Southern Sea of Korea

High-temporal resolution profiles of acoustic backscatter were collected from a traditional bamboo set net along the coast of the Southern Sea, Korea, using sideward-looking multi-beam imaging sonar. These data were used to examine the impact of variations in tidal cycles and current speeds on the bamboo set net. The relatively high influx of fish during the nighttime compared to the low influx and high outflux of fish during the daytime suggests visual avoidance of the net by the fish during the daytime. The observed diel variation in the captured fish flux was significantly correlated with the current speed (day: r = 0.35, p = 0.002, night: r = 0.60, p < 0.001). The ratio of influx and outflux of fish, and current speed were correlated in a linear relationship (day: r = 0.45, p < 0.001; night: r = 0.56, p < 0.001). The fish activity of those inhabiting the bamboo set nets appears to be greatly influenced by day-night differences and current speed. The present study enhances understanding of fish behavior via utilization of a bamboo set net in the coastal zone.     

Sources and distribution of allochthonous organic matter in surface sediment from the Seomjin River to the southern inner shelf of Korea

The spatial distributions of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and n-alkanes were investigated to determine the source and transportation of allochthonous organic matter from the mouth of the Seomjin River to the southern inner shelf break of Korea. Total organic carbon (%) ranged from 0.3% to 1.6% (average = 0.80%, n = 81), and the C/N ratio varied from 2.4 to 12.4 (average = 6.76, n = 81). The δ¹³C values ranged from ?25.86 to ?20.26‰ (average = ?21.47‰, n = 81), and δ¹⁵N values ranged from 4.37‰ to 8.57‰ (average = 6.72‰, n = 81). The contribution of the terrestrial fraction of organic matter to the total ranged from 4.4% to 97.7% (average = 24.4%, n = 81), suggesting higher amounts around the catchment area and lower amounts in the offshore area. The concentration of total n-alkanes (nC₂₅ ? nC₃₅) was higher at the boundary between the outer bay and inner shelf break (BOBIS). Average chain length and the carbon preference index both indicated that major leaf wax n-alkanes accounted for the observed distribution of terrestrial organic matter, and were dominant in the inner shelf break (around BOBIS) and outer shelf break. Based on the spatial distribution of the total n-alkanes and the sum of nC₂₇, nC₂₉, and nC₃₁, the terrestrial organic matter distribution was considered to be controlled by local oceanographic conditions, especially at the center of the BOBIS. In addition to enabling the distribution and source of terrestrial organic matter to be identified, the n-alkanes indicated that minor anthropogenic allochthonous organic materials were superimposed on the total organic materials in the central part of Yeosu Bay and the catchment area. The n-alkane indices revealed weathered petroleum contamination, with contamination levels being relatively low at the present time.     

Biotite Reference Materials for Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry 18O/16O Measurements

Five new biotite reference materials were calibrated at the SwissSIMS laboratory (University of Lausanne) for oxygen isotope determination by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and are available to the scientific community. The oxygen isotope composition of the biotites, UNIL_B1 to B5, was determined by laser‐heating fluorination to be 11.4 ± 0.11‰, 8.6 ± 0.15‰, 6.1 ± 0.04‰, 7.1 ± 0.05‰ and 7.6 ± 0.04‰, respectively. SIMS analyses on spots smaller than 20 μm gave a measurement repeatability of 0.3‰ (2 standard deviation, 2s). The matrix effect due to solid solution in natural biotite could be expressed as a linear function of X_Mg and X_F for biotite. No effect was found for different crystallographic orientations. SIMS analysis allows the oxygen isotope composition of biotite to be measured with a measurement uncertainty of 0.3–0.4‰ (2s) for biotites with similar major element compositions. A measurement uncertainty of 0.5‰ (2s) is realistic when F poor biotites (lower than 0.2% m/m oxides) within the compositional range of X_Mg of 0.3–0.9 were compared from different sessions. The linear correlation with F content offers a reasonable working curve for F‐rich biotites, but additional reference materials are needed to confirm the model.