The intermingling of benthic macroinvertebrate communities during a period of shifting range: The “East of Nantucket” Atlantic Surfclam Survey and the existence of transient multiple stable states

A survey of the region eastward of Nantucket provided an opportunity to examine the cold temperate–boreal boundary along the high‐energy Great South Channel. Here described are the benthic macroinvertebrate community types encountered, with a focus on the influence of climate change on the range boundaries of the benthic biomass dominants and the potential existence of transient multiple stable states. The survey identified three primary community types. The shallowest sites were occupied by a surfclam‐dominated community, comprising an abundance of large (≥150 mm) surfclams, and a few common attached epibiota primarily attached to exposed surfclam shell. Two communities exist at intermediate depths, one dominated by submarket and small market‐size surfclams (<150 mm) and the other, created by mussel mats and their attendant epibiota, crabs, sea urchins, and other mobile epifauna. Mussels are a foundational species, establishing a hard‐bottom terrain conducive to these other denizens in soft‐bottom habitat. Cobbles were nearly ubiquitous, rocks were routinely recovered, and boulders were encountered occasionally. Slow growing attached epibionts were exceedingly rare and mobile epifauna were not obviously associated with these large sedimentary particles; nor were the surfclam or mussel communities. The frequency of barnacle scars suggests sediment scour under the high‐flow regime characteristic of the surveyed region, which voids the habitat potential of these sedimentary particles. The abundance of surfclam shell indicates that surfclams have inhabited the shoaler depths for an extended time; limited shell at deeper sites supports the inference from the absence of large animals that these sites are relatively newly colonized and represent further evidence of an offshore shift in range brought on by increasing bottom water temperatures. The dichotomous nature of the two primary community types at mid‐depths suggests that these two communities represent multiple stable states brought on by the interaction of an invading cold temperate species with the receding boreal fauna resulting in a transient intermingling of species, which, however, structure the habitat into exclusionary stable states rather than overlapping in a co‐occurrence ecotone.     

Spatial distribution and filtering efficiency of Daphnia in a deep subtropical reservoir

Studies of Daphnia distribution and function could help people manage and protect water quality.We investigated how spatial distribution and filtering efficiency of Daphnia in the transition and lacustrine zones of the Nanwan Reservoir(China).Samplings were conducted seasonally for 2 years from six sites in the reservoir.Daphnia abundance and biomass were significantly higher in the lacustrine zone than in the transition zone.Similar composition and biomass of edible phytoplankton were found in the two zones,suggesting that food quantity could not explain high Daphnia distribution in the lacustrine zone.The variations of water velocity and food quality could help explaining Daphnia patchy distribution in the reservoir.On the one hand,rapid water velocity can cause the Daphnia decrement in the transition zone.On the other hand,the ratio of particulate organic carbon(POC)to chlorophyll a(chl a)concentration was significantly higher in the transition zone,indicating more allochthonous material constituted the food source for Daphnia.The lower quality food likely suppressed Daphnia development in the transition zone.A linear regression between Daphnia abundance and Secchi depth(SD)may suggest a cause-effect relationship where increased filtering efficiency was responsible for increased water clarity to some extent.     

Evaluation and modelling of Tertiary source rocks in the central Arctic Ocean

With the recently recovered organic-rich sediments of early Tertiary age from the Lomonosov Ridge by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 302, the first data collection directly from source rocks of the central basins of the Arctic Ocean is now available. Using the results of seismic interpretations and published sedimentological and organic geochemical data from Expedition 302, the framework for the first quantitative assessment of source-rock quality and distribution of the Palaeogene sediments was modelled in the central Arctic Ocean. The modelling results suggest that an approximately 100-m-thick Early to Middle Eocene sedimentary sequence of good to very good source rocks exists along a 75 km long transect across the Lomonosov Ridge. In-situ generation of hydrocarbons is unlikely because the overburden (200–250 m) and consequently the thermal maturity are too low. Burial history and thermal modelling reveal that an additional overburden of at least 1000 m is necessary to start hydrocarbon generation along the ridge. However, source-rock modelling results show that good source-rock potential may exist in correlative units in the adjacent Amundsen Basin. Simulated organic carbon contents of 1.5–5%, coupled with an overburden of 1000–1200 m, and heat flow anomalies (117 and 100 mW m⁻²) due to the vicinity to the Gakkel Ridge spreading centre indicate that necessary conditions for hydrocarbon expulsion are already reached, and point to viability of a potential petroleum system. Our results support the hypothesis that deposition of a potentially good hydrocarbon source rock occurred across the entire Arctic Basin and adjacent margins during the early Tertiary.     

Reconstructing pre-colonial oyster demographics in the Chesapeake Bay, USA

Recent estimates of growth and mortality rates in extant Chesapeake Bay, USA oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations are used to quantify changes in both population abundance (dN/dT) and shell accretion (dS/dT) associated with modern population demographics. The demographics of oyster populations that would be required to maintain reef accretion rates commensurate with sea level rise over geological time frames are examined using estimates of oyster longevity in pre-colonial (pre -1600) times combined with parallel estimates of pre-disease endemic mortality. The analysis demonstrates that modern populations, with their disease related, age-truncated demographics, are generally not capable of maintaining and building biogenic reefs through accretion. Estimates of filtration rates associated with Chesapeake Bay oyster populations prior to 1600 considerably underestimate actual benthic-pelagic coupling during that period. Pristine oyster populations would have supported water column turnover rates on the order of minutes to hours. Thus, the spatial footprint of oyster reefs was limited by available productivity in the estuary. Accretion rate calculations for pristine (pre-1600) oyster reefs describe the intimate relationship between benthic-pelagic coupling and the presence or absence of oyster reefs and the associated communities.     

Developing underutilized fisheries: Oregon's developmental fisheries program

Oregon's Developmental Fisheries Program is designed to encourage the commercial exploration and development of State managed underutilized fishery resources. A key program strategy is allocating relatively secure harvest rights to pioneering entrepreneurs when a fishery successfully transitions from “developing” to “developed” status. Since the program's inception in 1993, two fisheries, sardine and bay clam, have moved from undeveloped to developed status. Case studies of these fisheries show that many challenges impact the success of the Developmental Fisheries Program including difficulties in designing and allocating asset rights, establishing operational program guidelines, selecting measurable targets that meet legislative standards for a developed fishery, and financing developmental fisheries management practices. Developmental fisheries strategies used in other regions and countries are summarized. Recommendations are made for improving Oregon's Developmental Fishery Program including establishing clear objectives and timelines for the Program and identifying appropriate renewal requirements for permits and other developmental incentives on a fishery-by-fishery basis.     

Impacts of climate variability and change on fishery-based livelihoods

There is increasing concern over the consequences of global warming for the food security and livelihoods of the world's 36 million fisherfolk and the nearly 1.5 billion consumers who rely on fish for more than 20% of their dietary animal protein. With mounting evidence of the impacts of climate variability and change on aquatic ecosystems, the resulting impacts on fisheries livelihoods are likely to be significant, but remain a neglected area in climate adaptation policy. Drawing upon our research and the available literature, and using a livelihoods framework, this paper synthesizes the pathways through which climate variability and change impact fisherfolk livelihoods at the household and community level. We identify current and potential adaptation strategies and explore the wider implications for local livelihoods, fisheries management and climate policies. Responses to climate change can be anticipatory or reactive and should include: (1) management approaches and policies that build the livelihood asset base, reducing vulnerability to multiple stressors, including climate change; (2) an understanding of current response mechanisms to climate variability and other shocks in order to inform planned adaptation; (3) a recognition of the opportunities that climate change could bring to the sector; (4) adaptive strategies designed with a multi-sector perspective; and (5) a recognition of fisheries potential contribution to mitigation efforts.     

Emplacement age of the Markagunt gravity slide in southwestern Utah,USA

The Markagunt gravity slide (MGS) is a large-volume landslide in southwestern Utah that originated within the Oligocene-Miocene Marysvale volcanic field. Gravity slides are single emplacement events with long runout distances and are now recognized as a new class of volcanic hazard. Accumulation of volcanic material on a structurally weak substrate along with voluminous shallow intrusive events led to collapse. Here, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data for landslide-generated pseudotachylyte, the landslide-capping Haycock Mountain Tuff and the deformed Osiris Tuff are combined with a Bayesian age model to determine an emplacement age of 23.05 + 0.22/−0.20 Ma for the MGS. The results suggest a lag time of <200 kyr between the caldera-forming eruption of the Osiris Tuff, additional buildup of the unstable volcanic pile and subsequent mass movement.     

Subduction disruption,slab tears: ca. 1 Ma true collision of an ~30-km-thick oceanic plateau segment recorded by Yakutat slab nascent tear magmatism

Distinguishing the initiation of actual collision from flat-slab subduction of oceanic buoyant highs along convergent margins is elusive because both can lead to inboard deformation and disrupt magmatic arcs. Volcanoes with nascent tear magmatic signatures provide a means to document both the occurrence and timing of actual oceanic buoyant high collision. There is a ~40-year debate on when the true collision of the Yakutat plateau began in Alaska. Three newly identified ca. 1 Ma volcanoes with a north-to-south trench perpendicular orientation, nascent tear geochemical signatures, overlaying an imaged Yakutat slab tear, provide constraints on the timing of Yakutat collision and slab tearing. The ca. 1 Ma slab tear is coincident with Yakutat slab segmentation, northern continental Aleutian Arc rejuvenation, cessation of Wrangell Arc magmatism, increased collisional zone exhumation and eastern Yakutat trench abandonment. The documentation of nascent slab tear volcanoes may help resolve similar debates in other convergent margin settings.