ALBERT

Description: We estimated plant community composition as the projection cover of each vascular plant and moss species. We measured the following vascular plant functional traits: plant height, leaf size (LS), specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents from the most common species in each site. We measured the following Sphagnum traits: stand density (number of shoots cm-2), capitulum width (cap_width, mm) and dry weight (cap_dw, mg), fascicle density (number cm-1), capitulum dry matter content (CDMC, mg g-1), capitulum water content (cap_wc, g g-1) and capitulum C and N contents and C:N ratio. The data was collected from 47 northern peatlands located in land uplift regions in Finland, Sweden and Russia: Sävar on the west coast of Bothnian Bay (63o50'N, 20o40'E, Sweden), Siikajoki (64°45' N, 24°43', Finland) and Hailuoto island (65°07' N, 24°71' E, Finland) on the east coast of Bothnian Bay, and Belomorsk-Virma (63°90' N, 36°50' E, Russia) on the coast of the White Sea. The data was collected from the different areas as follows: Siikajoki sites were sampled in August 2016, Sävar sites at the end of June 2017, Hailuoto sites during July 2017 and Belomorsk sites at the end of August 2017. We determined the plant community composition by visually estimating the projection cover of each species separately for field (vascular plants) and moss layer using the scale 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, etc. There were fifteen 50 x 50 cm plots in each peatland at Siikajoki and Belomorsk-Virma, and 10 at Sävar and Hailuoto. The sample plots were located five meters apart along a transect starting from the generally treeless peatland margin and heading towards the peatland center. Plant traits were measured as follows: To measure SLA (i.e., the one-sided area of a fresh leaf divided by its oven-dry mass, cm2 g-1), the freshly picked leaf or a sample of 3 leaves in case of shrubs with small leaves was pressed flat between a board and a glass and a standardized photo was taken. The leaf size (LS, cm2) was analysed from the photos with ImageJ. The leaf samples were stored in paper bags and dried at 60°C for a minimum of 48h. The dried samples were weighed, and SLA calculated. The SLA samples were used for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content analysis. Leaves from each species from each site were pooled into one sample, which was milled (Retsch MM301 mill) and analyzed for C and N concentrations and for C:N ration on a CHNS–O Elemental analyzer (EA1110) (University of Oulu). Sphagnum moss samples for trait measurements were collected with a corer (7 cm diameter, area 38 cm2, height at least 8 cm) to maintain the natural density of the stand. Stand density was measured as the number of mosses in the sample. From ten individuals we measured the width of the capitula and counted the number of fascicles from a five cm segment below capitulum. We separated the ten moss individuals into capitulum and stem (5 cm below capitula) wetted them and allowed to dry on top of tissue paper for 2 min before weighing them for water filled fresh weight. Samples were placed on paper bags and dried at 60 °C for at least 48h after which the dry mass of capitula and stems were measured. CDMC and cap_wc were calculated from the fresh and dry weight. We used the capitula samples for analyses of C and N concentrations and for C:N ratio, and treated them similarly to vascular plant samples. The data was collected to find out how functional diversity and trait composition of vascular plant and Sphagnum moss communities develops during peatland succession across land uplift regions.

Description: The author explains some aspects of sampling phytoplankton blooms and the evaluation of results obtained from different methods. Qualitative and quantitative sampling is covered as well as filtration, freeze-drying and toxin separation.

Description: We tagged a total of 14 yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus Bloch 1790) and black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci Poey 1860) inside the Conch Reef Research Only Area (a no-take marine reserve) in the northern Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in November 2001. Both species are heavily exploited in the region. Our objective was to characterize site fidelity and movement behavior along the reef tract to the north and south of the release point. Fishes were collected by baited hook and line from the surface, surgically-tagged with coded-acoustic transmitters, and returned to the reef by snorkelers. Tracking of fish movement behavior was conducted by five acoustic receivers deployed on the seafloor from Davis Reef in the south to Pickles Reef in the north. Fishes were tracked for up to eight months. Results indicated that themajority of signal detections for individual fish from both species were recorded at the two Conch Reef receivers. Limited movement from Conch Reef to Davis Reef was recorded, but no signal detections were recorded at the two sites to the north of Conch Reef. These results suggestthat both species show site fidelity to Conch Reef. Future studies will seek to characterize this site fidelity with increased temporal and spatial resolution at Conch Reef. (PDF contains 25 pages.)

Description: Executive Summary:A number of studies have shown that mobile, bottom-contact fishing gear (such as otter trawls) can alter seafloor habitats and associated biota. Considerably less is known about the recovery of these resources following such disturbances, though this information is critical for successful management. In part, this paucity of information can be attributed to the lack of access to adequate control sites – areas of the seafloor that are closed to fishing activity. Recent closures along the coast of central California provide an excellent opportunity to track the recovery of historically trawled areas and to compare recovery rates to adjacent areas that continue to betrawled. In June 2006 we initiated a multi-year study of the recovery of seafloor microhabitats and associated benthic fauna inside and outside two new Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) closures within the Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries. Study sitesinside the EFH closure at Cordell Bank were located in historically active areas of fishing effort, which had not been trawled since 2003. Sites outside the EFH closure in the Gulf of Farallones were located in an area that continues to be actively trawled. All sites were located inunconsolidated sands at equivalent water depths. Video and still photographic data collected via a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) were used to quantify the abundance, richness, and diversity of microhabitats and epifaunal macro-invertebrates at recovering and actively trawled sites, while bottom grabs and conductivity/temperature/depth (CTD) casts were used to quantify infaunal diversity and to characterize local environmental conditions.Analysis of still photos found differences in common seafloor microhabitats between the recovering and actively trawled areas, while analysis of videographic data indicated that biogenic mound and biogenic depression microhabitats were significantly less abundant at trawled sites. Each of these features provides structure with which demersal fishes, across a wide range of size classes, have been observed to associate. Epifaunal macro-invertebrates were sparsely distributed and occurred in low numbers in both treatments. However, their total abundance wassignificantly different between treatments, which was attributable to lower densities at trawled sites. In addition, the dominant taxa were different between the two sites. Patchily-distributed buried brittle stars dominated the recovering site, and sea whips (Halipteris cf. willemoesi) were most numerous at the trawled site though they occurred in only five of ten transects. Numericalclassification (cluster analysis) of the infaunal samples also revealed a clear difference between benthic assemblages in the recovering vs. trawled areas due to differences in the relative abundances of component species. There were no major differences in infaunal species richness, H′ diversity, or J′ evenness between recovering vs. trawled site groups. However, total infaunalabundance showed a significant difference attributable to much lower densities at trawled sites. This pattern was driven largely by the small oweniid polychaete Myriochele gracilis, which was the most abundant species in the overall study region though significantly less abundant attrawled sites. Other taxa that were significantly less abundant at trawled sites included the polychaete M. olgae and the polychaete family Terebellidae. In contrast, the thyasirid bivalve Axinopsida serricata and the polychaetes Spiophanes spp. (mostly S. duplex), Prionospio spp.,and Scoloplos armiger all had significantly to near significantly higher abundances at trawled sites. As a result of such contrasting species patterns, there also was a significant difference in the overall dominance structure of infaunal assemblages between the two treatments.It is suggested that the observed biological patterns were the result of trawling impacts and varying levels of recovery due to the difference in trawling status between the two areas. The EFH closure was established in June 2006, within a month of when sampling was conducted forthe present study, however, the stations within this closure area are at sites that actually have experienced little trawling since 2003, based on National Marine Fishery Service trawl records. Thus, the three-year period would be sufficient time for some post-trawling changes to have occurred. Other results from this study (e.g., similarly moderate numbers of infaunal species in both areas that are lower than values recorded elsewhere in comparable habitats along the California continental shelf) also indicate that recovery within the closure area is not yet complete. Additional sampling is needed to evaluate subsequent recovery trends and persistence of effects. Furthermore, to date, the study has been limited to unconsolidated substrates. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to characterize the recovery trajectories of a wide spectrum of seafloor habitats and communities and to link that recovery to the dynamics of exploited marine fishes. (PDF has 48 pages.)