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(1 - 12 of 12)
- Title
- Carbon Sequestration and Sedimentation in Mangrove Swamps Influenced by Hydrogeomorphic Conditions and Urbanization in Southwest Florida.
- Creator
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Marchio, Daniel, Savarese, Michael, Bovard, Brian, Mitsch, William
- Abstract/Description
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This study compares carbon sequestration rates along two independent tidal mangrove creeks near Naples Bay in Southwest Florida, USA. One tidal creek is hydrologically disturbed due to upstream land use changes; the other is an undisturbed reference creek. Soil cores were collected in basin, fringe, and riverine hydrogeomorphic settings along each of the two tidal creeks and analyzed for bulk density, total organic carbon profiles, and sediment accretion. Radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb were...
Show moreThis study compares carbon sequestration rates along two independent tidal mangrove creeks near Naples Bay in Southwest Florida, USA. One tidal creek is hydrologically disturbed due to upstream land use changes; the other is an undisturbed reference creek. Soil cores were collected in basin, fringe, and riverine hydrogeomorphic settings along each of the two tidal creeks and analyzed for bulk density, total organic carbon profiles, and sediment accretion. Radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb were used to estimate recent sediment accretion and carbon sequestration rates. Carbon sequestration rates (mean ± standard error) for seven sites in the two tidal creeks on the Naples Bay (98 ± 12 g-C m−2·year−1 (n = 18)) are lower than published global means for mangrove wetlands, but consistent with other estimates from the same region. Mean carbon sequestration rates in the reference riverine setting were highest (162 ± 5 g-C m−2·year−1), followed by rates in the reference fringe and disturbed riverine settings (127 ± 6 and 125 ± 5 g-C m−2·year−1, respectively). The disturbed fringe sequestered 73 ± 10 g-C m−2·year−1, while rates within the basin settings were 50 ± 4 g-C m−2·year−1 and 47 ± 4 g-C m−2·year−1 for the reference and disturbed creeks, respectively. These data support our hypothesis that mangroves along a hydrologically disturbed tidal creek sequestered less carbon than did mangroves along an adjacent undisturbed reference creek.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016-05-30
- Identifier
- 10.3390/f7060116, fgcu_ir_000086, http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/6/116
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Evidence of a Late Jurassic Ridge Subduction Event: Geochemistry and Age of the Quartz Mountain Stock, Manastash Inlier, Central Cascades, Washington.
- Creator
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MacDonald, James H., Schoonmaker, Adam
- Abstract/Description
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Previous studies of rocks in California and Oregon suggest that a Late Jurassic ridge subduction event occurred. The geology of the Manastash inlier in Washington State supports this Late Jurassic ridge subduction. The biotite horn- blende granodiorite and biotite hornblende tonalite of the Quartz Mountain stock and its cupolas are located in the Manastash inlier, central Cascades, Washington. This stock and its cupolas intrude the low-PT metamorphosed Look- out Mountain Formation turbidites...
Show morePrevious studies of rocks in California and Oregon suggest that a Late Jurassic ridge subduction event occurred. The geology of the Manastash inlier in Washington State supports this Late Jurassic ridge subduction. The biotite horn- blende granodiorite and biotite hornblende tonalite of the Quartz Mountain stock and its cupolas are located in the Manastash inlier, central Cascades, Washington. This stock and its cupolas intrude the low-PT metamorphosed Look- out Mountain Formation turbidites—which are interpreted to have formed in a forearc depositional setting—and the suprasubduction zone Hereford Meadow amphibolite. A new single-crystal sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe– reverse geometry U-Pb age from stock zircons has an age of 157.4 5 1.2 Ma (2j). This new age corroborates the published age from the stock and is interpreted to be the crystallization age of the stock. New whole-rock major- and trace-element geochemistry suggests that the granitoids from this stock were generated by shallow mantle melting in a subduction zone setting. Geochemistry also suggests that the stock assimilated minor amounts of its wall rock and that the cupolas were generated from the same magmatic source as the main phase of the stock. The intrusion of the Quartz Mountain stock into the low-PT turbidites of the Lookout Mountain Formation and the suprasubduction zone Hereford Meadow amphibolite suggest that the magmas were generated by the subduction of a Late Jurassic spread- ing ridge. The geochemistry of the Quartz Mountain stock is similar to that of granitoids of the Taitao Peninsula, Chile, which were generated by the subduction of the Chile ridge during the late Neogene.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017-07
- Identifier
- 10.1086/692099, fgcu_ir_000056, http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/692099
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Sympatric elasmobranchs and fecal samples provide insight into the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish.
- Creator
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Poulakis, Gregg R, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Stevens, Philip W., DeAngelo, Jacquelyn A., Timmers, Amy A., Grubbs, R.Dean, Fisk, Aaron T., Olin, Jill A.
- Abstract/Description
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Growing concerns about the conservation of elasmobranchs have prompted a surge in research, because scientific studies that can support management actions are needed. Sawfishes are among the most threatened fishes worldwide and epitomize the challenge of conserving widely distributed, large-bodied marine fishes. We used a comparative approach to provide data on the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata in the western Atlantic coastal waters of southwest Florida, USA....
Show moreGrowing concerns about the conservation of elasmobranchs have prompted a surge in research, because scientific studies that can support management actions are needed. Sawfishes are among the most threatened fishes worldwide and epitomize the challenge of conserving widely distributed, large-bodied marine fishes. We used a comparative approach to provide data on the trophic ecology of the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata in the western Atlantic coastal waters of southwest Florida, USA. Specifically, we applied (1) stable isotope techniques to fin tissues of smalltooth sawfish and 2 sympatric elasmobranch species that have well-documented diets (i.e. bull shark Carcharhinus leucas and cownose ray Rhinoptera bonasus), and muscle tissue from a variety of known and potential prey species; and (2) an 18S rRNA gene sequencing technique to identify prey taxa in sawfish fecal samples. These analyses provided evidence that the smalltooth sawfish feeds primarily on teleost and elasmobranch fishes at all life stages even though sawfish move from estuarine to coastal habitats during their ontogeny. Although both sawfish and bull sharks occupy estuarine waters as juveniles and are piscivorous, the results also indicate that these species partition habitat. The cownose ray has been thought of as migratory throughout its range, but these data indicate that non-migratory, estuarine populations exist at lower latitudes. Collectively, these results will aid in the development of management decisions regarding these species and in improving long-term recovery planning for the smalltooth sawfish.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017-06-15
- Identifier
- 10.3354/esr00824, fgcu_ir_000033, http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v32/p491-506/
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Monitoring Sea Surface Temperature and Chlorophyll Concentrations Using Satellite Imagery: A Case Study From The West Florida Shelf.
- Creator
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Krueger, Erica Terese, Jose, Felix
- Abstract/Description
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Harmful algal blooms (HABs) from Karenia brevis occur along the west Florida shelf (WFS) almost every year, producing a brevetoxin that is harmful to birds, fish, marine mammals, shellfish, and humans. These HABs are commonly known as “red tide” from the reddish discoloration in the water, but color can vary from yellow to deep brown depending on other parameters. Ocean color data is a viable tool for monitoring outbreaks of these ecological phenomena. 2010 was an “anomaly year”, having no...
Show moreHarmful algal blooms (HABs) from Karenia brevis occur along the west Florida shelf (WFS) almost every year, producing a brevetoxin that is harmful to birds, fish, marine mammals, shellfish, and humans. These HABs are commonly known as “red tide” from the reddish discoloration in the water, but color can vary from yellow to deep brown depending on other parameters. Ocean color data is a viable tool for monitoring outbreaks of these ecological phenomena. 2010 was an “anomaly year”, having no red tide blooms. Using remote sensing images to analyze sea surface temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll concentrations (Chl-a), spatial and temporal variability, along with interannual variability, was denoted for the WFS. Using Google Earth®, 24 transects were established along the WFS, which extend from a known coastal station to the shelf break, and were then separated into North and South Transects. SST and Chl-a were averaged for further analysis at 5km, 50km and the shelf break, respectively. SST stayed relatively constant from shore to shelf break, while Chl-a consistently decreased. The presence of the Loop Current with its warm water loop attributed to nutrient depleted waters offshore, ultimately resulting in poor primary productivity along the shelf break.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- fgcu_surs_17_0028
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Coastal Inundation Research:An overview of the Process.
- Creator
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Gayathri, R., Bhaskaran, Prasad K., Jose, Felix
- Abstract/Description
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Coastal inundation is the flooding of coastal zone resulting from increased river discharge, spring tides, severe storms, or generation of powerful waves from tectonic activity (tsunami). This article discusses the critical factors that contribute to coastal inundation. Among the probable factors that cause coastal flooding and destruction, storm surge is the most frequent, and hence this article provides a detailed evaluation of the progress made in storm inundation research. Recent advances...
Show moreCoastal inundation is the flooding of coastal zone resulting from increased river discharge, spring tides, severe storms, or generation of powerful waves from tectonic activity (tsunami). This article discusses the critical factors that contribute to coastal inundation. Among the probable factors that cause coastal flooding and destruction, storm surge is the most frequent, and hence this article provides a detailed evaluation of the progress made in storm inundation research. Recent advances in coastal inundation modelling include efforts to understand the nonlinear dynamic interaction of near-shore waves, wind and atmospheric pressure with still water sea level and coastal currents, and their combined effects on storm surge along the coast and interaction with coastal morphology. An advanced storm-surge model comprises different modules, viz. an atmospheric component, and two ocean components for surge and wave simulations; these modules are coupled with each other. The nesting of regional coastal model with an ocean-wide model captures the far-field boundary forcing of extreme events that usually originate from the warm open ocean. Even though significant advancements reported on the efficiency and accuracy of storm surge and inundation prediction, further studies are required to understand the nonlinear interaction of storm surge with coastal landforms and their vegetation (land cover). In the context of rising sea level, increased tropical cyclone activity and rapid shoreline change, it is pertinent to evaluate the future flooding risk associated with landfall of tropical cyclones in densely populated coastal cities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017-01-25
- Identifier
- 10.18520/cs/v112/i02/267-278, fgcu_ir_000085, http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/112/02/0267.pdf
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Nitrogen inputs and losses in response to chronic CO2 exposure in a subtropical oak woodland.
- Creator
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Hungate, B. A., Duval, B. D., Dijkstra, P., Johnson, D. W., Ketterer, M. E., Stiling, P., Cheng, W., Millman, J., Hartley, A., Stover, D. B.
- Abstract/Description
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Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may alter the nitrogen (N) content of ecosystems by changing N inputs and N losses, but responses vary in field experiments, possibly because multiple mechanisms are at play.We measured N fixation and N losses in a subtropical oak woodland exposed to 11 years of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We also explored the role of herbivory, carbon limitation, and competition for light or nutrients in shaping the response of N fixation to elevated CO2....
Show moreRising atmospheric CO2 concentrations may alter the nitrogen (N) content of ecosystems by changing N inputs and N losses, but responses vary in field experiments, possibly because multiple mechanisms are at play.We measured N fixation and N losses in a subtropical oak woodland exposed to 11 years of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We also explored the role of herbivory, carbon limitation, and competition for light or nutrients in shaping the response of N fixation to elevated CO2. Elevated CO2 did not significantly alter gaseous N losses, but lower recovery and deeper distribution in the soil of a long-term 15N tracer indicated that elevated CO2 increased leaching losses. Elevated CO2 had no effect on nonsymbiotic N fixation, and had a transient effect on symbiotic N fixation by the dominant legume. Elevated CO2 tended to reduce soil and plant concentrations of iron, molybdenum, phosphorus, and vanadium, nutrients essential for N fixation. Competition for nutrients and herbivory likely contributed to the declining response of N fixation to elevated CO2. These results indicate that positive responses of N fixation to elevated CO2 may be transient and that chronic exposure to elevated CO2 can increase N leaching. Models that assume increased fixation or reduced N losses with elevated CO2 may overestimate future N accumulation in the biosphere.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014-06-23
- Identifier
- 10.5194/bg-11-3323-2014, fgcu_ir_000072, http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/3323/2014/
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Dietary plasticity in the bivalve Astarte moerchi revealed by a multimarker study in two Arctic fjords.
- Creator
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De Cesare, S, Meziane, T, Chauvaud, L, Richard, Joelle, Sejr, MK, Thébault, J, Winkler, G, Olivier, F
- Abstract/Description
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Arctic coastal ecosystems are likely to be strongly affected by predicted environmen- tal changes such as sea-ice decline and increase in freshwater input and turbidity. These changes are expected to impact primary production dynamics and consequently benthic consumers. The trophic relationship between primary producers and benthic primary consumers were compared in 2 Arctic fjords with different seasonal ice-cover: Young Sound (NE Greenland, a high-Arctic fjord) and Kongsfjorden (Svalbard...
Show moreArctic coastal ecosystems are likely to be strongly affected by predicted environmen- tal changes such as sea-ice decline and increase in freshwater input and turbidity. These changes are expected to impact primary production dynamics and consequently benthic consumers. The trophic relationship between primary producers and benthic primary consumers were compared in 2 Arctic fjords with different seasonal ice-cover: Young Sound (NE Greenland, a high-Arctic fjord) and Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Archipelago, a sub-Arctic fjord). For comparison, we selected the filter-feeding bivalve Astarte moerchi (belonging to the complex A. borealis), which has a broad geographical distribution in the Arctic. The bivalve digestive glands and food sources were characterized with fatty acids (FAs), bulk stable isotopes, and compound-specific stable isotopes of individual FAs. Our results suggest that diatoms of pelagic and/or benthic origin are the main contributors to the A. moerchi diet in Young Sound and make up a less important fraction of the diet in the Kongsfjorden population. A contribution by sympagic diatoms is clearly excluded in the sub-Arctic fjord and needs to be further assessed in the Arctic fjord. The A. moerchi diet in sub- Arctic Kongsfjorden is more diversified, varies with season, and has contributions from dinoflagel- lates and macroalgal detritus. These results, together with higher concentrations of total FAs in the Young Sound population, demonstrated and characterized the trophic plasticity of this bivalve species. Based on these results, we discuss potential effects of environmental factors (shifts in trophic resources, increase in turbidity) for A. moerchi populations in changing Arctic ecosystems.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017-03-13
- Identifier
- 10.3354/meps12035, fgcu_ir_00079, http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v567/p157-172/
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Draft Genome Sequence of Nitrosospira sp. Strain APG3, a Psychrotolerant Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterium Isolated from Sandy Lake Sediment.
- Creator
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Garcia, Juan, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Le, Vang Q, Stein, Lisa Y, Klotz, Martin G, Nielsen, Jeppe L
- Abstract/Description
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Bacteria in the genus Nitrosospira play vital roles in the nitrogen cycle. Nitrosospira sp. strain APG3 is a psychrotolerant betaproteobacterial ammonia-oxidizing bacterium isolated from freshwater lake sediment. The draft genome revealed that it represents a new species of cluster 0 Nitrosospira, which is presently not represented by described species.
- Date Issued
- 2013-11-07
- Identifier
- 10.1128/genomeA.00930-13, fgcu_ir_000051, http://genomea.asm.org/cgi/doi/10.1128/genomeA.00930-13
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- From Shell Midden to Midden-Mound: The Geoarchaeology of Mound Key, an Anthropogenic Island in Southwest Florida, USA.
- Creator
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Thompson, Victor D., Marquardt, William H., Cherkinsky, Alexander, Roberts Thompson, Amanda D., Walker, Karen J., Newsom, Lee A., Savarese, Michael, Hardy, Karen
- Abstract/Description
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Mound Key was once the capital of the Calusa Kingdom, a large Pre-Hispanic polity that controlled much of southern Florida. Mound Key, like other archaeological sites along the southwest Gulf Coast, is a large expanse of shell and other anthropogenic sediments. The challenges that these sites pose are largely due to the size and areal extent of the deposits, some of which begin up to a meter below and exceed nine meters above modern sea levels. Additionally, the complex depositional sequences...
Show moreMound Key was once the capital of the Calusa Kingdom, a large Pre-Hispanic polity that controlled much of southern Florida. Mound Key, like other archaeological sites along the southwest Gulf Coast, is a large expanse of shell and other anthropogenic sediments. The challenges that these sites pose are largely due to the size and areal extent of the deposits, some of which begin up to a meter below and exceed nine meters above modern sea levels. Additionally, the complex depositional sequences at these sites present difficulties in deter- mining their chronology. Here, we examine the development of Mound Key as an anthropo- genic island through systematic coring of the deposits, excavations, and intensive radiocarbon dating. The resulting data, which include the reversals of radiocarbon dates from cores and dates from mound-top features, lend insight into the temporality of site for- mation. We use these insights to discuss the nature and scale of human activities that worked to form this large island in the context of its dynamic, environmental setting. We present the case that deposits within Mound Key’s central area accumulated through com- plex processes that represent a diversity of human action including midden accumulation and the redeposition of older sediments as mound fill.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016-04-28
- Identifier
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0154611, fgcu_ir_000089, http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154611
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Stress response of a marine ammonia-oxidizing archaeon informs physiological status of environmental populations.
- Creator
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Qin, Wei, Amin, Shady A, Lundeen, Rachel A, Heal, Katherine R, Martens-Habbena, Willm, Turkarslan, Serdar, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Costa, Kyle C, Hendrickson, Erik L, Wang, Tony,...
Show moreQin, Wei, Amin, Shady A, Lundeen, Rachel A, Heal, Katherine R, Martens-Habbena, Willm, Turkarslan, Serdar, Urakawa, Hidetoshi, Costa, Kyle C, Hendrickson, Erik L, Wang, Tony, Beck, David AC, Tiquia-Arashiro, Sonia M, Taub, Fred, Holmes, Andrew D, Vajrala, Neeraja, Berube, Paul M, Lowe, Todd M, Moffett, James W, Devol, Allan H, Baliga, Nitin S, Arp, Daniel J, Sayavedra-Soto, Luis A, Hackett, Murray, Armbrust, E Virginia, Ingalls, Anitra E, Stahl, David A
Show less - Abstract/Description
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High representation by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in marine systems is consistent with their high affinity for ammonia, efficient carbon fixation, and copper (Cu)-centric respiratory system. However, little is known about their response to nutrient stress. We therefore used global transcriptional and proteomic analyses to characterize the response of a model AOA, Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, to ammonia starvation, Cu limitation and Cu excess. Most predicted protein-coding genes were...
Show moreHigh representation by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in marine systems is consistent with their high affinity for ammonia, efficient carbon fixation, and copper (Cu)-centric respiratory system. However, little is known about their response to nutrient stress. We therefore used global transcriptional and proteomic analyses to characterize the response of a model AOA, Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, to ammonia starvation, Cu limitation and Cu excess. Most predicted protein-coding genes were transcribed in exponentially growing cells, and of ~74% detected in the proteome, ~6% were modified by N-terminal acetylation. The general response to ammonia starvation and Cu stress was downregulation of genes for energy generation and biosynthesis. Cells rapidly depleted transcripts for the A and B subunits of ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) in response to ammonia starvation, yet retained relatively high levels of transcripts for the C subunit. Thus, similar to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, selective retention of amoC transcripts during starvation appears important for subsequent recovery, and also suggests that AMO subunit transcript ratios could be used to assess the physiological status of marine populations. Unexpectedly, cobalamin biosynthesis was upregulated in response to both ammonia starvation and Cu stress, indicating the importance of this cofactor in retaining functional integrity during times of stress.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018-02-20
- Identifier
- 10.1038/ismej.2017.186, fgcu_ir_000036, http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ismej.2017.186
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Spatial scale mediates the effects of biodiversity on marine primary producers.
- Creator
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Bracken, Matthew E. S., Douglass, James G., Perini, Valerie, Trussell, Geoffrey C.
- Abstract/Description
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Most studies evaluating the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning are conducted at a single location, limiting our understanding of how diversity–function relationships may change when measured across different spatial scales. We conducted a species‐removal experiment at three sites nested in each of three regions along the rocky intertidal coastline of the Gulf of Maine, USA, to evaluate the potential for scale‐dependent effects of species loss on the biomass of intertidal seaweed...
Show moreMost studies evaluating the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning are conducted at a single location, limiting our understanding of how diversity–function relationships may change when measured across different spatial scales. We conducted a species‐removal experiment at three sites nested in each of three regions along the rocky intertidal coastline of the Gulf of Maine, USA, to evaluate the potential for scale‐dependent effects of species loss on the biomass of intertidal seaweed assemblages. We randomly assigned 50 plots in the mid‐intertidal zone at each site to one of five treatments (n = 10 plots each): an unmanipulated control, a polyculture plot that contained our three target seaweed species, and three monoculture plots. We manipulated diversity by removing all non‐target species from monoculture and polyculture plots, then removing additional biomass from polyculture plots, proportionate to species' relative abundances, so that the average amount removed from monoculture and polyculture plots was equivalent at each site. At the largest spatial scale, all sites considered together, after accounting for region and site nested within region seaweed diversity had consistent, positive effects on seaweed cover. Diverse polyculture plots always had higher cover than was predicted by the average performance of the component seaweed species and usually had higher cover than even the best‐performing component species. Diversity effects weakened and became less consistent at smaller spatial scales, so that at the scale of individual sites, diverse polycultures only performed better than the average of monocultures ~40% of the time. Hence, our results indicate that weak and/or inconsistent biodiversity effects at the level of individual sites may scale up to stronger, more consistent effects at larger spatial scales. Quantitative summaries of biodiversity experiments conducted at the scale of individual sites do not capture this spatial aspect of biodiversity effects and may therefore underestimate the functional consequences of biodiversity loss.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017-05-02
- Identifier
- 10.1002/ecy.1812, fgcu_ir_000054, http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ecy.1812
- Format
- Citation
- Title
- Influence of Environmental Variables on Gambierdiscus spp. (Dinophyceae) Growth and Distribution.
- Creator
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Xu, Yixiao, Richlen, Mindy L., Liefer, Justin D., Robertson, Alison, Kulis, David, Smith, Tyler B., Parsons, Michael L., Anderson, Donald M., Ferse, Sebastian C. A.
- Abstract/Description
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Benthic dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus produce the ciguatoxin precursors responsible for the occurrence of ciguatera toxicity. The prevalence of ciguatera toxins in fish has been linked to the presence and distribution of toxin-producing species in coral reef ecosystems, which is largely determined by the presence of suitable benthic habitat and environmental conditions favorable for growth. Here using single factor experiments, we examined the effects of salinity, irradiance, and...
Show moreBenthic dinoflagellates in the genus Gambierdiscus produce the ciguatoxin precursors responsible for the occurrence of ciguatera toxicity. The prevalence of ciguatera toxins in fish has been linked to the presence and distribution of toxin-producing species in coral reef ecosystems, which is largely determined by the presence of suitable benthic habitat and environmental conditions favorable for growth. Here using single factor experiments, we examined the effects of salinity, irradiance, and temperature on growth of 17 strains of Gambierdiscus representing eight species/phylotypes (G. belizeanus, G. caribaeus, G. carolinianus, G. carpenteri, G. pacificus, G. silvae, Gambierdiscus sp. type 4–5), most of which were established from either Marakei Island, Republic of Kiribati, or St. Thomas, United States Virgin Island (USVI). Comparable to prior studies, growth rates fell within the range of 0–0.48 divisions day-1. In the salinity and temperature studies, Gambierdiscus responded in a near Gaussian, non-linear manner typical for such studies, with optimal and suboptimal growth occurring in the range of salinities of 25 and 45 and 21.0 and 32.5°C. In the irradiance experiment, no mortality was observed; however, growth rates at 55μmol photons · m-2 · s-1 were lower than those at 110–400μmol photons · m-2 · s-1. At the extremes of the environmental conditions tested, growth rates were highly variable, evidenced by large coefficients of variability. However, significant differences in intraspecific growth rates were typically found only at optimal or near-optimal growth conditions. Polynomial regression analyses showed that maximum growth occurred at salinity and temperature levels of 30.1–38.5 and 23.8–29.2°C, respectively. Gambierdiscus growth patterns varied among species, and within individual species: G. belizeanus, G. caribaeus, G. carpenteri, and G. pacificus generally exhibited a wider range of tolerance to environmental conditions, which may explain their broad geographic distribution. In contrast, G. silvae and Gambierdiscus sp. types 4–5 all displayed a comparatively narrow range of tolerance to temperature, salinity, and irradiance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016-04-13
- Identifier
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0153197, fcu_ir_000090, http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153197
- Format
- Citation
