In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred at 1500 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM),... more In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred at 1500 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM), and demonstrated a clear and urgent need for a better understanding of deep-pelagic ecosystems and the processes that shape deep-water assemblages. One of the most globally-important pelagic taxa is the Myctophidae (lanternfishes), which are a ubiquitous component of the deep-pelagic micronekton and important prey for several commercially-valuable species. In the present study, quantitative, depth-stratified trawl data were analysed to assess the assemblage composition and diversity of the dominant myctophid species in relation to meso-scale physical and chemical variables in the GOM during summer 2011. The data were collected through the NOAA-supported Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program. Significant correlations to meso-scale features associated with the Loop Current were observed at depths to 1000 m, but the effects were weak and only explained 6 – 11% of the observed variance in assemblage composition. These results indicate that myctophid assemblages were well-mixed in 2011 and suggest high dispersal rates across the study region (\u3e500 km). These findings have implications for understanding the sensitivity of myctophid populations following different forms of disturbance
Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m daytime depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton ... more Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m daytime depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton and are prey of oceanic predators. Two dominant mesopelagic fish families, Myctophidae and Sternoptychidae, occupy a similar daytime depth, but different nighttime depths. Myctophids undertake diel vertical migrations, while the sternoptychid genus Sternoptyx does not. The relationship between parasites and gut contents provides insights into ecological processes occurring within assemblages, as prey items are often vectors for parasites. This study examined the differences between the prey contents and parasite fauna of these two contrasting families in the Gulf of Mexico. Results showed that the non-migrating Sternoptyx fed upon a broader range of taxa than myctophids and appeared to transition from a zooplanktivorous to a micronektonivorous feeding style with increasing size. No feeding guild shift was observed in the vertically migrating myctophids, but their ration increased with body size. In both families, parasites were more abundant among higher size classes. The more diverse feeding predator, Sternoptyx sp., harbored a lesser diversity of parasites than the more selective feeding predator. These data can be used to develop and refine models aimed at understanding ecosystem structure and resilience to large-scale disturbances such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert w... more Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert with collaborative international research programmes, have substantially advanced knowledge of pelagic ecosystems in the 17 years since the 1996 Deepwater Fishes Symposium of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Although the epipelagic habitat is the best-known, and remote sensing and high-resolution modelling allow near-synoptic investigation of upper layer biophysical dynamics, ecological studies within the mesopelagic and deep-demersal habitats have begun to link lower and upper trophic level processes. Bathypelagic taxonomic inventories are far from complete, but recent projects (e.g. MAR-ECO and CMarZ, supported by the Census of Marine Life programme) have quantitatively strengthened distribution patterns previously described for fishes and have provided new perspectives. Synthesis of net and acoustic studies suggests that the biomass of deep-pelagic fishes may be two to three orders of magnitude greater than the total global commercial fisheries landings. Discrete-depth net sampling has revealed relatively high pelagic fish biomass below 1000 m in some regions, and that gelatinous zooplankton may be key energy vectors for deep-pelagic fish production. Lastly, perhaps, the most substantive paradigm shift is that vertical connectivity among fishes across classical depth zones is prevalent– suggesting that a whole-water column approach is warranted for deep ocean conservation and management.
Gale proudly presents the first completely revised and updated version of this acclaimed set in 3... more Gale proudly presents the first completely revised and updated version of this acclaimed set in 30 years. Some reviewers call Grzimek\u27s Animal Life Encyclopedia the best reference work on animals ever published. Others call it the legacy left to us by famed zoologist and animal lover, Bernhard Grzimek. The accolades and praise go on for the newest addition to Gale\u27s line of reference titles. The original 13-vol. set, published in Germany in the late 1960s, is internationally renowned for its scientific reporting, coverage and illustrations, and serves as a major point of reference for researchers and students studying the animal kingdom. Thorough articles familiarize readers with animals found everywhere on the globe, detailing their life cycles, predators, food systems, overall ecology and much more. Staying true to the original scientific pedigree, Gale enlisted prominent advisors and contributors from the international scientific community to incorporate recent developments in the animal world. Our new editions of Grzimek\u27s Animal Life Encyclopedia are sure to serve the needs of students at every academic level.https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facbooks/1060/thumbnail.jp
To understand the character of prey partioning in a low latitude oligotrophic region, a composite... more To understand the character of prey partioning in a low latitude oligotrophic region, a composite picture of the trophic structure of a mesopelagic fish community was made from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Two hundred and twenty three species were collected in the area of which l6l species were abundant enough for analyses. Fifteen major categories of prey biomass are identified for diet analyses: viz. copepods, ostracods, amphipods, euphausiids, decapods, larvaceans, salps, coelenterates (primarily siphonophores), unidentified gelatinous prey, polychaetes, gastropods, cephalopods, chaetognaths, fish, other food. Prey partitioning is minimal across major prey categories as the vast majority of mesopelagic fishes are primarily either copepod or fish predators. Those fishes utilizing other prey groups to a significant degree are either few in number and/or rare in abundance. Decapods are numerous in the area and the apparent lack of decapod predators might be caused by inadequate sampling of the larger oceanic fauna. To address the question of the influence of trophic relationships on the structure and maintenance of oceanic communities we need to know the predation impact of other faunal groups (e.g., coelenterates) besides that of the mesopelagic fishes
The horizontal and vertical distribution of adult mesopelagic fishes is described from acoustic-t... more The horizontal and vertical distribution of adult mesopelagic fishes is described from acoustic-trawls sampling over the full-depth of 500 m at 169 stations on a longitudinal transect between 50 to 200 nautical miles crossing the Humboldt Current off Peru coast (03°45\u27S, 81°76\u27W and 18°23\u27S, 71°13\u27W) during austral spring (october-november) of 2001, 2002 and 2003. A total of 2952 kg of fishes were collected and included 28 species belonging to 23 genera. The mesopelagic community is dominated by the fish families Phosichthyidae (Vinciguerria lucetia ), Myctophidae (Diogenichthys laternatus and Lampanyctus idostigma) and Bathylagidae (Leuroglossus urotranus), corresponding respectively 84.48 %, 7.19 %, 2.18 % and 1.06 % of the total abundance. Based on horizontal distribution patterns these species were categorized into three groups, i.e. Humboldt north-central group (Leuroglossus urotranus, Nemichthys fronto and Scopelarchoides nicholsi ), Humboldt south group (Hygophum reinhardti, Myctophum nitidulum, Paralepis sp and Scopeloberyx sp.)and Pan-Humboldt group (Vinciguerria lucetia, Diogenichthys laternatus, Lampanyctus(Nannobrachium) idostigma, L. omostigma, M. aurolaternatum, Triphoturus oculeus, Melanolagus berycoides, Leuroglossus stilbius, Argyropelecus affinis, Sternoptyx obscura, Melamphaes sp., Stomias sp., Scopelosaurus sp). Night-time vertical distribution was characterized by single abundance peak in the upper 50 m. Day-time patterns showed 3 peaks of abundance, an upper abundance peak, occurring in the upper 100 m, a midwater abundance peak, over a wider depth range (200-400 m), coinciding with oxygen mimimum zone and a near-bottom abundance peak, occurring between 400-500 m. (Vinciguerria lucetia ) was dominant in upper and midwater peaks while myctophids, other planctivores and piscivorous fishes were distributed in the midwater and deeper peaks. Backscattered energy (Sa) were ubiquitous in the region. Maximum Sa was mainly located between 11 and 18S during day-night time. (Vinciguerria lucetia ) is significant in the oceanic pelagic ecosystem as a major component of fish biomass in deep scattering layer in the Humboldt Current region off Peru and probably of transitional waters in the southeastern Pacific. Keywords: Mesopelagic fishes, (Vinciguerria lucetia) , Humboldt current, Peru, vertical and horizontal distribution, Backscattering energ
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event significantly impacted the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) benthos (\u3e50... more The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event significantly impacted the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) benthos (\u3e50 m water depth) at different spatial scales and affected all community size hierarchies (microbes, foraminifera, meiofauna, macrofauna, megafauna, corals, benthic fishes). The resilience of these communities was heterogeneous and may take decades to fully recover. In an effort to provide a quantitative synthesis of ecosystem impact, recovery following DWH, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GOMRI) Core 3 synthesis group subdivided the GoM into four ecotypes: coastal, continental shelf, open ocean, and benthic. Here we present a synopsis of the benthic ecotype status and discuss progress made on five tasks: 1) summarizing pre-, post-oil spill trends in abundance, species composition and dynamics; 2) identifying missing data/analyses and propose a strategy to acquire such data; 3) constructing a conceptual model of important species interactions and impacting factors; 4) evaluating resiliency and recovery potential of species; and 5) providing indicators for future ecosystem monitoring programs and reports. To address these tasks, we investigated time series to detect measures of population trends. Moreover, a GoM benthic conceptual model was developed to allow for holistic interpretation of the interrelationships among ecotypes, resources, and stressors. The DWH event exemplifies the overall need for a system-level benthic management decision support tool based on long-term measurement of ecological quality status (EQS). The only way to produce such a decision support tool is to establish temporal baselines from time-series collections. This approach provides EQS for multiple stressors affecting the GoM beyond oil spills. In many cases, time-series collections were initiated through GOMRI (2010-2018). Continued funding of these initiatives from other sources is essential to fill the information gaps identified following the unprecedented DWH deep-sea oil spill
In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred at 1500 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM),... more In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred at 1500 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM), and demonstrated a clear and urgent need for a better understanding of deep-pelagic ecosystems and the processes that shape deep-water assemblages. One of the most globally-important pelagic taxa is the Myctophidae (lanternfishes), which are a ubiquitous component of the deep-pelagic micronekton and important prey for several commercially-valuable species. In the present study, quantitative, depth-stratified trawl data were analysed to assess the assemblage composition and diversity of the dominant myctophid species in relation to meso-scale physical and chemical variables in the GOM during summer 2011. The data were collected through the NOAA-supported Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program. Significant correlations to meso-scale features associated with the Loop Current were observed at depths to 1000 m, but the effects were weak and only explained 6 – 11% of the observed variance in assemblage composition. These results indicate that myctophid assemblages were well-mixed in 2011 and suggest high dispersal rates across the study region (\u3e500 km). These findings have implications for understanding the sensitivity of myctophid populations following different forms of disturbance
Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m daytime depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton ... more Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m daytime depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton and are prey of oceanic predators. Two dominant mesopelagic fish families, Myctophidae and Sternoptychidae, occupy a similar daytime depth, but different nighttime depths. Myctophids undertake diel vertical migrations, while the sternoptychid genus Sternoptyx does not. The relationship between parasites and gut contents provides insights into ecological processes occurring within assemblages, as prey items are often vectors for parasites. This study examined the differences between the prey contents and parasite fauna of these two contrasting families in the Gulf of Mexico. Results showed that the non-migrating Sternoptyx fed upon a broader range of taxa than myctophids and appeared to transition from a zooplanktivorous to a micronektonivorous feeding style with increasing size. No feeding guild shift was observed in the vertically migrating myctophids, but their ration increased with body size. In both families, parasites were more abundant among higher size classes. The more diverse feeding predator, Sternoptyx sp., harbored a lesser diversity of parasites than the more selective feeding predator. These data can be used to develop and refine models aimed at understanding ecosystem structure and resilience to large-scale disturbances such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert w... more Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert with collaborative international research programmes, have substantially advanced knowledge of pelagic ecosystems in the 17 years since the 1996 Deepwater Fishes Symposium of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles. Although the epipelagic habitat is the best-known, and remote sensing and high-resolution modelling allow near-synoptic investigation of upper layer biophysical dynamics, ecological studies within the mesopelagic and deep-demersal habitats have begun to link lower and upper trophic level processes. Bathypelagic taxonomic inventories are far from complete, but recent projects (e.g. MAR-ECO and CMarZ, supported by the Census of Marine Life programme) have quantitatively strengthened distribution patterns previously described for fishes and have provided new perspectives. Synthesis of net and acoustic studies suggests that the biomass of deep-pelagic fishes may be two to three orders of magnitude greater than the total global commercial fisheries landings. Discrete-depth net sampling has revealed relatively high pelagic fish biomass below 1000 m in some regions, and that gelatinous zooplankton may be key energy vectors for deep-pelagic fish production. Lastly, perhaps, the most substantive paradigm shift is that vertical connectivity among fishes across classical depth zones is prevalent– suggesting that a whole-water column approach is warranted for deep ocean conservation and management.
Gale proudly presents the first completely revised and updated version of this acclaimed set in 3... more Gale proudly presents the first completely revised and updated version of this acclaimed set in 30 years. Some reviewers call Grzimek\u27s Animal Life Encyclopedia the best reference work on animals ever published. Others call it the legacy left to us by famed zoologist and animal lover, Bernhard Grzimek. The accolades and praise go on for the newest addition to Gale\u27s line of reference titles. The original 13-vol. set, published in Germany in the late 1960s, is internationally renowned for its scientific reporting, coverage and illustrations, and serves as a major point of reference for researchers and students studying the animal kingdom. Thorough articles familiarize readers with animals found everywhere on the globe, detailing their life cycles, predators, food systems, overall ecology and much more. Staying true to the original scientific pedigree, Gale enlisted prominent advisors and contributors from the international scientific community to incorporate recent developments in the animal world. Our new editions of Grzimek\u27s Animal Life Encyclopedia are sure to serve the needs of students at every academic level.https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facbooks/1060/thumbnail.jp
To understand the character of prey partioning in a low latitude oligotrophic region, a composite... more To understand the character of prey partioning in a low latitude oligotrophic region, a composite picture of the trophic structure of a mesopelagic fish community was made from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Two hundred and twenty three species were collected in the area of which l6l species were abundant enough for analyses. Fifteen major categories of prey biomass are identified for diet analyses: viz. copepods, ostracods, amphipods, euphausiids, decapods, larvaceans, salps, coelenterates (primarily siphonophores), unidentified gelatinous prey, polychaetes, gastropods, cephalopods, chaetognaths, fish, other food. Prey partitioning is minimal across major prey categories as the vast majority of mesopelagic fishes are primarily either copepod or fish predators. Those fishes utilizing other prey groups to a significant degree are either few in number and/or rare in abundance. Decapods are numerous in the area and the apparent lack of decapod predators might be caused by inadequate sampling of the larger oceanic fauna. To address the question of the influence of trophic relationships on the structure and maintenance of oceanic communities we need to know the predation impact of other faunal groups (e.g., coelenterates) besides that of the mesopelagic fishes
The horizontal and vertical distribution of adult mesopelagic fishes is described from acoustic-t... more The horizontal and vertical distribution of adult mesopelagic fishes is described from acoustic-trawls sampling over the full-depth of 500 m at 169 stations on a longitudinal transect between 50 to 200 nautical miles crossing the Humboldt Current off Peru coast (03°45\u27S, 81°76\u27W and 18°23\u27S, 71°13\u27W) during austral spring (october-november) of 2001, 2002 and 2003. A total of 2952 kg of fishes were collected and included 28 species belonging to 23 genera. The mesopelagic community is dominated by the fish families Phosichthyidae (Vinciguerria lucetia ), Myctophidae (Diogenichthys laternatus and Lampanyctus idostigma) and Bathylagidae (Leuroglossus urotranus), corresponding respectively 84.48 %, 7.19 %, 2.18 % and 1.06 % of the total abundance. Based on horizontal distribution patterns these species were categorized into three groups, i.e. Humboldt north-central group (Leuroglossus urotranus, Nemichthys fronto and Scopelarchoides nicholsi ), Humboldt south group (Hygophum reinhardti, Myctophum nitidulum, Paralepis sp and Scopeloberyx sp.)and Pan-Humboldt group (Vinciguerria lucetia, Diogenichthys laternatus, Lampanyctus(Nannobrachium) idostigma, L. omostigma, M. aurolaternatum, Triphoturus oculeus, Melanolagus berycoides, Leuroglossus stilbius, Argyropelecus affinis, Sternoptyx obscura, Melamphaes sp., Stomias sp., Scopelosaurus sp). Night-time vertical distribution was characterized by single abundance peak in the upper 50 m. Day-time patterns showed 3 peaks of abundance, an upper abundance peak, occurring in the upper 100 m, a midwater abundance peak, over a wider depth range (200-400 m), coinciding with oxygen mimimum zone and a near-bottom abundance peak, occurring between 400-500 m. (Vinciguerria lucetia ) was dominant in upper and midwater peaks while myctophids, other planctivores and piscivorous fishes were distributed in the midwater and deeper peaks. Backscattered energy (Sa) were ubiquitous in the region. Maximum Sa was mainly located between 11 and 18S during day-night time. (Vinciguerria lucetia ) is significant in the oceanic pelagic ecosystem as a major component of fish biomass in deep scattering layer in the Humboldt Current region off Peru and probably of transitional waters in the southeastern Pacific. Keywords: Mesopelagic fishes, (Vinciguerria lucetia) , Humboldt current, Peru, vertical and horizontal distribution, Backscattering energ
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event significantly impacted the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) benthos (\u3e50... more The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event significantly impacted the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) benthos (\u3e50 m water depth) at different spatial scales and affected all community size hierarchies (microbes, foraminifera, meiofauna, macrofauna, megafauna, corals, benthic fishes). The resilience of these communities was heterogeneous and may take decades to fully recover. In an effort to provide a quantitative synthesis of ecosystem impact, recovery following DWH, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GOMRI) Core 3 synthesis group subdivided the GoM into four ecotypes: coastal, continental shelf, open ocean, and benthic. Here we present a synopsis of the benthic ecotype status and discuss progress made on five tasks: 1) summarizing pre-, post-oil spill trends in abundance, species composition and dynamics; 2) identifying missing data/analyses and propose a strategy to acquire such data; 3) constructing a conceptual model of important species interactions and impacting factors; 4) evaluating resiliency and recovery potential of species; and 5) providing indicators for future ecosystem monitoring programs and reports. To address these tasks, we investigated time series to detect measures of population trends. Moreover, a GoM benthic conceptual model was developed to allow for holistic interpretation of the interrelationships among ecotypes, resources, and stressors. The DWH event exemplifies the overall need for a system-level benthic management decision support tool based on long-term measurement of ecological quality status (EQS). The only way to produce such a decision support tool is to establish temporal baselines from time-series collections. This approach provides EQS for multiple stressors affecting the GoM beyond oil spills. In many cases, time-series collections were initiated through GOMRI (2010-2018). Continued funding of these initiatives from other sources is essential to fill the information gaps identified following the unprecedented DWH deep-sea oil spill
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