Low abundance of the dinoflagellates,Pfiesteria piscicida, P. shumwayae, andCryptoperidiniopsis spp., in South Carolina tidal creeks and open estuaries

The toxicPfiesteria complex are a group of dinoflagellates that have received considerable attention in recent years as causative factors in fish kill or lesion events in North Carolina estuaries and in the Pocomoke River of Chesapeake Bay. In response to the potentialPfiesteria threat, the South Carolina Task Group on Harmful Algae was formed in late 1997 and implemented programs to monitor harmful algal blooms and respond to fish kills or lesion events with particular emphasis on the Bushy Park (Cooper River, Charleston) region, a site of annually recurrent menhaden lesion events.Pfiesteria piscicida, Pfiesteria shumwayae, andCryptoperidiniopsis spp. were documented in South Carolina estuaries. Routine monitoring and fish kill or lesion event sampling consistently indicated low abundances compared to estimates from similar programs in North Carolina and Maryland that sampled areas with a history ofPfiesteria toxic activity. The finding thatPfiesteria-like organism (PLO) abundances were always low in samples collected during menhaden lesion events in Bushy Park suggested other causes for lesion progression, althoughPfiesteria spp. could not be ruled out as a factor in lesion initiation. Based on the previously demonstrated positive relationship between PLO abundance, chlorophylla, and inorganic nutrient concentrations (in laboratory experiments and North Carolina field observations), we hypothesized that the relatively low abundance ofPfiesteria spp. and other PLO (e.g.,Cryptoperidiniopsis) in South Carolina estuaries is related to the relatively low supply of phytoplankton prey, as supported by interstate comparisons in chlorophylla concentrations. Nitrate concentrations were generally much lower in South Carolina estuaries. Estuarine eutrophication may be an important consideration in explaining interstate differences in susceptibility toPfiesteria-related toxic events.     

White K-mica evolution from phengite to muscovite in shales and shale matrix melange,Diablo Range,California

 Eleven samples from high-pressure/low-temperature (HP/LT) shales and shale-matrix melange from four areas in the Diablo Range were studied using electron microprobe (EMP), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and analytical electron microscopy (AEM) to provide information about white K-mica evolution and about the controls on illite “crystallinity” (IC) in these areas. The data indicate that: (1) compositional gradients from phengitic to muscovitic compositions occur along the long axis, perpendicular to c*, of white K-mica crystals; (2) compositional gradients parallel to c* were not observed, and thus coherent scattering domains along c* are homogeneous; (3) white K-mica crystals with compositions close to muscovite generally contain fewer planar defects and have larger defect-free distances than those with more phengitic compositions; (4) muscovitic white K-mica is less common than phengitic white K-mica. In the literature, grain growth has often been described to occur by the process of Ostwald ripening. Ostwald ripening is defined as an isochemical process and involves the reduction of surface free energy due to simultaneous dissolution and growth by transferring material from smaller particles to larger ones. However, in the present case: (1) coherent scattering domain boundaries often are created by intragranular faults such as dislocations, intergrown smectite layers (and other polysomatic defects), or incoherent layer rotations, which interrupt the 1.0 nm periodicity; (2) recrystallization from phengite to muscovite involves chemical changes. This implies that crystal growth can not be described by the term Ostwald ripening. Therefore, grain growth of white K-mica from the Diablo Range is described as a function of several processes that result in (1) reduction of surface free energy; (2) reduction of strain energy; (3) minimization of the Gibbs free energy due to change in composition. During growth of muscovitic white K-mica, planar defects become less abundant, and the defect-free distance (=coherent scattering domain size parallel to c*) increases. Strain energy decreases. Log-normal frequency distributions of coherent white K-mica scattering domains were found for three samples. The mode of these data coincides with the number of unit cells parallel to c* as calculated from the Scherrer equation. Thus, IC values from shales and shale matrix melange from the Diablo Range are the result of a physical mixture of numerous small phengitic coherent scattering domains and smaller numbers of slightly larger muscovitic coherent scattering domains. This implies that IC from the Diablo Range does not directly reflect maximum temperatures achieved by these rocks. It follows that IC data from terranes with a metamorphic evolution similar to that of the Diablo Range must be interpreted with caution. Received: 23 August 1995 / Accepted: 30 November 1995     

Effects of dithiocarbamate and 8-hydroxyquinoline additions on algal uptake of ambient copper and nickel in South San Francisco Bay water

The addition of synthetic organic ligands such as diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (Ox) to the dissolved fraction (<0.2 μm) of South San Francisco Bay water facilitated the transport of ambient Cu and Ni into phytoplankton cells. The uptake mechanism is diffusion of the lipophilic organic Cu(DDC)₂ ⁰ and Cu(Ox)₂ ⁰ complexes (and corresponding Ni complexes) across the plasma membrane. Short-term uptake experiments were carried out using a coastal diatom,Thalassiosira weissflogii, and resulted in rapid uptake rates and high cellular concentrations of the metal relative to the bay water control. Steady-state conditions between the solution and cellular Cu concentrations occurred within 10 min for a 4 μM addition of DDC and after 3 h for a 100 μM addition of Ox. Steady-state cellular Cu concentrations were over 10 times and 6 times greater, for DDC and Ox treatments, than in the bay water controls. Steady-state cellular Ni concentrations were attained within 10 min for both ligand additions and were more than 6 times and 2 times greater than in the absence of the added ligands. Using this bioassay, we were also able to gain insight into the character of the background organic Cu complexes in South Bay. Our results suggest that the natural organic Cu complexes are relatively hydrophilic in character and do not appear to be directly assimilated across the plasmalemma.     

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of solar active regions and their analysis

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of several active regions are presented and analyzed. Spectral intensities of 3 active regions observed with the NRL Skylab XUV spectroheliograph (170–630 Å) are derived. From this data density sensitive line ratios of Mg viii, Si x, S xii, Fe ix, Fe x, Fe xi, Fe xii, Fe xiii, Fe xiv, and Fe xv are examined and typically yield, to within a factor of 2, electron pressures of 1 dyne cm^–2 (n _e T = 6 × 10¹⁵ cm^–3 K). The differential emission measure of the brightest 35 × 35 portion of an active region is obtained between 1.4 × 10⁴ K and 5 × 10⁶ K from HCO OSO-VI XUV (280–1370 Å) spectra published by Dupree et al. (1973). Stigmatic EUV spectra (1170–1710 Å) obtained by the NRL High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) are also presented. Doppler velocities as a function of position along the slit are derived in an active region plage and sunspot. The velocities are based on an absolute wavelength scale derived from neutral chromospheric lines and are accurate to ±2 km s^–1. Downflows at 10⁵ K are found throughout the plage with typical velocities of 10 km s^–1. In the sunspot, downflows are typically 5 to 20 km s^–1 over the umbra and zero over the penumbra. In addition localized 90 and 150 km s^–1 downflows are found in the umbra in the same 1 × 1 resolution elements which contain the lower velocity downflows. Spectral intensities and velocities in a typical plage 1 resolution element are derived. The velocities are greatest ( 10 km s^–1) at 10⁵ K with lower velocities at higher and lower temperatures. The differential emission measure between 1.3 × 10⁴ K and 2 × 10⁶ K is derived and is found to be comparable to that derived from the OSO-VI data. An electron pressure of 1.4 dynes cm^–2 (n _e T = 1.0 × 10¹⁶ cm^–3 K) is determined from pressure sensitive line ratios of Si iii, O iv, and N iv. From the data presented it is shown that convection plays a major role in determining the structure and dynamics of the active region transition zone and corona.     

Intraspecific Interactions and Risk of Predation for Dyspanopeus sayi (Decapoda: Xanthidae) Living on Polychaete (Filograna implexa,Serpulidae) Colonies*

Abstract. Along the Atlantic coast of the United States, the mud crab Dyspanopeus sayi frequently occurs in crevices and depressions within aggregated calcareous tubes (termed “heads”) of the serpulid polychaete Filograna implexa. In New Jersey, U.S.A., waters, crab number was significantly correlated with the logarithm of worm tube colony volume. Laboratory experiments suggested that crabs compete for shelter within worm colonies. Additional laboratory experiments indicated that colony occupancy greatly decreased the risk of predation by blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), and field tethering experiments also demonstrated that colony occupancy significantly decreased predation risk. Thus, the consequence of holding space on worm tube heads is a greatly increased probability of survival.     

Limited nutritional benefit to the seagrass Halophila ovalis, in culture, following sediment organic matter enrichment

Essential nutrients for seagrass growth may be derived from benthic decomposition of organic matter. To test this idea, cores of Halophila ovalis (seagrass-vegetated) and unvegetated sediment (control) were amended with either particulate organic matter (POM) or dissolved organic matter (DOM) to test whether a positive feed-back loop exists, where increased organic matter results in increased seagrass nutrients. POM was added in the form of seagrass wrack (0, 1, 5, 12 g core⁻¹) and DOM was added with sucrose diffusion tubes at the root zone (0, 0.8, 2.4, 5.2 g core⁻¹). Cores were incubated under saturating light conditions (12 h light/12 h dark) at 18 °C, for 4 weeks. Results suggest a complex balance between positive and negative effects of organic matter enrichment. Whilst leaf molar concentrations of N and P of H. ovalis increased (by 15 and 30% respectively), plant growth declined (up to 50% relative to control) for both DOM and POM enrichments. Phosphate was removed from sediment porewater following POM addition and most likely translocated to the leaves. Stressors other than nutrient limitation (e.g. biogeochemical constraints) reduce growth and affect the nutrient dynamics of the seagrass and should be the focus of future work.     

Sources and sinks of low molecular weight organic carbonyl compounds in seawater

Results from laboratory studies indicated that low molecular weight (LMW) carbonyl compounds, especially formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone and glyoxal, can be formed in seawater by photochemical processes. Once formed, these compounds appear to be readily consumed by biota. These results suggest that concentrations of LMW carbonyl compounds should undergo diurnal variations in the illuminated layer of the sea. In support of this, diurnal fluctuations of LMW carbonyl concentrations were observed in humic-rich surface waters off the west coast of Florida over a three day sampling period using a shipboard HPLC system. Fluctuations in acetaldehyde were particularly strong and reproducible, with steady night-time concentrations of 2–3 nM and day-time concentrations reaching a maximum of 20–30 nM in the early afternoon. In contrast, diurnal fluctuations in formaldehyde were less distinct, ranging from 15 to 50 nM.The laboratory and field results are discussed in terms of biotic/abiotic sources and sinks of LMW carbonyl compounds in surface seawater. It is speculated that photooxidative cleavage of biologically refractory dissolved organic matter (DOM) in seawater to yield LMW organic fragments, such as carbonyl compounds, may be important in the breakdown and geochemical cycling of DOM in the ocean.     

Contemporary management issues confronting fisheries science

Stock collapses have occurred worldwide. The most frequently cited cause is over-fishing, suggesting that fisheries management has been ineffective in controlling exploitation rates. The progression of a fishery from an over-exploited to a collapsed state involves impairment of the reproductive capacity of the target species, i.e. recruitment over-fishing. In many cases, this occurs by reduction of the spawning stock biomass (SSB) through the systematic elimination of spawning components within a stock complex. While operational definitions of minimum levels of SSB have been developed, they have seldom been applied and never adopted in a Canadian groundfish management context. The answer to the question of how much is enough to perpetuate a stock under exploitation has been illusive. Serebryakov [J. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer, 47 (1990) 267] has advocated definition of critical levels of SSB based on survival rates (R/SSB). We review his method and discuss the utility of the approach. An alternative approach to the problem of estimating minimum SSB is through a fundamental revision of the traditional stock and recruitment relationship. Explicit theoretical SSB thresholds below which reproduction/recruitment is severely impaired based upon density-dependent mating success (or Allee effects) is considered a superior approach to the question of how much is enough because of its ecological grounding. However, the successful application of this approach will require re-definition of the space/time scales of the management unit. Finally, support is growing for the establishment of closed areas or “no-take zones” as an alternative approach to managing the problems of fishing a stock complex by enabling sub-populations to escape fishing. While the expected benefits of areas protected from fishing are numerous, clear demonstrations of benefits of such areas in marine temperate ecosystems are lacking. In fact, unintended negative consequences may result from such actions.     

Reduction of iodate in seawater during Arabian Sea shipboard incubations and in laboratory cultures of the marine bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens strain MR-4

Shipboard incubations from the US JGOFS cruise to the Arabian Sea (TN045) March, 1995 showed evidence of iodate reduction in 0.45 μ (Gelman Supor membrane) filtered seawater samples collected from intermediate depths (200–600 m) within the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Inorganic chemical reduction of iodate in these samples was ruled out as no free sulfide was measurable and concentrations of ammonia and nitrite were found to be less than 5 μM. To examine whether the reduction of iodate observed at sea could have been the result of bacterial metabolism, reduction of iodate (IO₃⁻) to iodide (I⁻) by Shewanella putrefaciens strain MR-4 was studied in artificial seawater using electrochemical methods. MR-4 is a ubiquitous marine bacterium which may be of considerable importance when considering redox zonation in the water column because it is a facultative anaerobe and may switch amongst a suite of electron acceptors to support metabolism. In all experiments MR-4 reduced all iodate to iodide. The rate of formation of [I⁻]in the culture followed pseudo-first order kinetics. This is the first report of the marine bacterial reduction of iodate where the concentrations of iodide and iodate were measured directly. Our results may help to explain the depth distribution of iodine speciation reported in productive waters like the Arabian Sea and for the first time couple iodine speciation with bacterial productivity in the ocean.