Stochastic Events and Dynamics of a Mangrove Root Epifaunal Community

Abstract. Submerged roots of red mangroves ( Rhizophora mangle ) in the Florida Keys were photographed at 1– or 2-month intervals for 38 months to measure population dynamics of the epifaunal invertebrate species. Photographs were analysed for species composition and abundance and information on life spans, persistence, mortality, and seasonality. Larval recruitment to artificial surfaces was used to assess reproductive seasonality. As a measure of stability, populations were tested for narrow stochastic boundedness.
In contrast to reports for a tropical mangrove root community, the Florida Keys root community showed enormous variability despite being dominated by long-lived species with low, largely non-seasonal recruitment. Species composition on individual roots changed dramatically on short time scales. Populations of the major species were not narrowly bounded on most roots and there was little evidence for a closely regulated community.
Variability of this community related to the frequency and intensity of stochastic perturbations. Physical disturbance due to strong tidal Rows appeared to be the most important structuring process. Species-specific predation and fragmentation of sponges were also important. These features contribute to the instability of the community by producing dramatic fluctuations in species abundances and preventing competitive processes from producing a more stable, equilibrium community. Temporal measurement scale was an additional important consideration in this habitat. Structuring processes occurred on very short time scales (1–2 months) and analysis on longer time scales gave inaccurate impressions of community dynamics.     

The relationship between the copper complexing capacity of sea water and copper toxicity in shrimp zoeae

Mortality of larval coon-stripe shrimp, Pandalus danae, was related to labile copper and the copper complexing capacity of sea water, as measured by differential pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV). In nominal treatments of control, 5 and 10μg/litre Cu which contained less than 1·0μg/litre ASV labile Cu, zoeal development was usually complete. In treatments of 20 and 50μg/litre Cu which contained more than 7·0μg/litre ASV labile Cu, most larvae died while in the first zoeal stage. ASV labile Cu was related to the copper complexing capacity of sea water. Copper toxicity at less than 1·0 μg/litre ASV labile Cu is indicated by moulting delay and apparent Cu accumulation in zoea of the 5 and 10μg/litre Cu nominal treatments.     

Towards a market-oriented management model for straddling fish stocks

Management of straddling fish stocks has been noted for its political complexity. Negotiations frequently falter as each party seeks to focus upon their own individual and shorter-term goals than the collective interest of the sector. Entrenched positions are often only deepened as new entrants participate to establish their own claims to any emergent share of resource. Unsurprisingly, deadlocks are common and typically compromises are reached only after the real period of biological then economic crisis has passed. Examples to illustrate this tendency can be found in most of the world's oceans and is writ large within the current impasse over blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) in the North Atlantic. The development of this fishery is discussed and it is shown that despite the scope to add value to the resource base through a pattern of exploitation focussed more upon human consumption than fish meal and oil, there seems little incentive to extricate participants from the cycle of demise that has engulfed negotiations so far.     

The determination of confidence limits associated with estimates of the spectral peak frequency

A Monte-Carlo simulation technique is used to evaluate the suitability of proposed techniques for the estimation of the spectral peak frequency. Due to the statistical variability of spectral estimates and the discrete frequency resolution of spectra, the calculated values of peak frequency are stochastic variables. The probability density functions for such estimates are functions of the frequency resolution and the number of degrees of freedom of the spectrum from which they are derived as well as the spectral peakedness. The mean values of all techniques are biased high, indicating the derived values of peak frequency are an overestimate of the true value. The probability density functions do not follow an obvious analytical form. Tabular values are, however, presented to enable the determination of confidence limits for estimates of the peak frequency.     

A NICMOS-3 based spectrograph for near infrared astronomy

We describe a design for a compact cooled spectrograph which incorporates two cameras and two collimators to achieve high throughput from 0.8 to 2.5m. The spectrograph utilizes multiple NICMOS 3 arrays, specially mounted to minimize their separation in the spectral dimension. This accommodates the broad wavelength range while providing extensive coverage in the spatial dimension.     

The First Record of Long Headed Eagle Ray,Aetobatus flagellum (Pisces: Myliobatidae) from Korea

A specimen ofAetobatus flagellum was collected at Uljin in June 2005 for the first time in Korea. This specimen is characterized by the cephalic fin, the long snout, the dorsal fin between pelvic fins, spiracles on the dorsal side of the disc, the deeply notched nasal curtain and the one row of the teeth in the lower and the upper jaws. And unlikeAetobatus narinari, it does not have any spots on the its dorsal side of the disc. We report this specimen as the first record from Korea and name it ‘Bak-jui-ga-o-ri’ in Korean.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In-situ</Emphasis> measured primary productivity of ice algae in Arctic sea ice floes using a new incubation method

Recent changes in climate and environmental conditions have had great negative effects such as decreasing sea ice thickness and the extent of Arctic sea ice floes that support ice-related organisms. However, limited field observations hinder the understanding of the impacts of the current changes in the previously ice-covered regions on sea ice algae and other ice-related ecosystems. Our main objective in this study was to measure recent primary production of ice algae and their relative contribution to total primary production (ice plus pelagic primary production). In-situ primary productivity experiments with a new incubation system for ice algae were conducted in 3 sea ice cores at 2 different ice camps in the northern Chukchi Sea, 2014, using a ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotope tracer technique. A new incubation system was tested for conducting primary productivity experiments on ice algae that has several advantages over previous incubation methods, enabling stable carbon and nitrogen uptake experiments on ice algae under more natural environmental conditions. The vertical C-shaped distributions of the ice algal chl-a, with elevated concentrations at the top and bottom of the sea ice were observed in all cores, which is unusual for Arctic sea ice. The mean chl-a concentration (0.05 ± 0.03 mg chl-a m^?3) and the daily carbon uptake rates (ranging from 0.55 to 2.23 mg C m^?2 d^?1) for the ice algae were much lower in this study than in previous studies in the Arctic Ocean. This is likely because of the late sampling periods and thus the substantial melting occurring. Ice algae contributed 1.5–5.7% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) contents of the combined euphotic water columns and sea ice floes. In comparison, ice algae contributed 4.8–8.6% to the total primary production which is greater than previously reported in the Arctic Ocean. If all of the ice-associated productions were included, the contributions of the sea ice floes to the total primary production would be greater in the Arctic Ocean and their importance would be greater in the arctic marine ecosystems.     

Devonian fish remains,biostratigraphy and unconformities,Narromine 1:250 000 map sheet area,central New South Wales (Lachlan Fold Belt)

A fossil fish assemblage associated with marine invertebrates from the Coonardoo Sandstone (Wallingalair Group) at Boor Hill (eastern limb of Tullamore Syncline) contains phyllolepid and bothriolepid placoderms of probable Late Devonian age. An angular unconformity with the overlying Hervey Group indicates erosion and folding during the Middle – Late Devonian, and evidently younger than the main Tabberabberan orogenic event. Invertebrate remains demonstrate a Late Devonian marine interval, not previously recognised as far west as the Tullamore Syncline, and assumed to represent the global maximum sea-level in the late Frasnian immediately preceding the Frasnian – Famennian extinction event. A phyllolepid placoderm plate from a sedimentary interbed of the Dulladerry Volcanics in the Hervey Syncline compares with abundant phyllolepid material from the Merriganowry Shale Member of the Dulladerry Volcanics near Cowra, and similar occurrences in the Comerong Volcanics and Boyd Volcanic Complex in southeastern New South Wales. Biostratigraphic data suggest a late Middle Devonian (Givetian) age for the Merriganowry Shale Member of the Dulladerry Volcanics, which appears conformable beneath the Upper Devonian Hervey Group.