Article
Environmental Sciences
Grace D. Molino, Zafer Defne, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Joel A. Carr
Summary: Coastal salt marshes are under threat from rising sea levels, causing ecosystems to migrate inland and convert upland into marsh. Utilizing high-resolution elevation data and a general slope quantification method, the likelihood of coastal forest converting to salt marsh can be determined, supporting management decisions regarding critical forested areas for marsh migration.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Fisheries
D. H. Secor, M. H. P. O'Brien, N. Coleman, A. Horne, I. Park, D. C. Kazyak, D. G. Bruce, C. Stence
Summary: Biotelemetry studies on Atlantic sturgeon in the Nanticoke River revealed unique spawning behaviors in a very small population with high rates of recapture. Most returns occurred in September, with adults showing a preference for hard bottom habitats and nighttime activity. The sudden discovery of this population was not linked to a hatchery release in 1997, and the sturgeon exhibited resilience despite ongoing threats like habitat loss and invasive species.
REVIEWS IN FISHERIES SCIENCE & AQUACULTURE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Corinne T. Bird, Michael D. Kaller, Tiffany E. Pasco, William E. Kelso
Summary: This study investigated the mussel species richness and relative abundance in small tributary streams of the Pearl River, Mississippi-Louisiana. The results showed that mussel distribution was patchy and not abundant in the study area. The distribution of mussels was influenced by various factors, including water quality, habitat characteristics, geology, and land use.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Fei Da, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Pierre St-Laurent, Elizabeth H. Shadwick, Raymond G. Najjar, Kyle E. Hinson
Summary: This study reveals strong seasonal and spatial variability in the decadal trends of the surface carbonate system in Chesapeake Bay over the past three decades. Increases in atmospheric CO2 and reductions in nitrate loading are identified as primary drivers of these changes.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander G. Lopez, Raymond G. Najjar, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Michael A. Hickner, Denice H. Wardrop
Summary: Public awareness of microplastics and their presence in bodies of water is increasing. Estuaries, such as the Chesapeake Bay, are believed to act as filters for riverine microplastics, with a majority of microplastics remaining in the estuary rather than reaching the ocean. Various factors such as particle density, size, and shoreline characteristics play a role in the transport and fate of microplastics, with buoyant microplastics being more mobile and likely to reach coastlines closer to their river sources.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claire S. Huang, Henry D. Legett, Louis V. Plough, Rob Aguilar, Catherine Fitzgerald, Benjamin Gregory, Keira Heggie, Benjamin Lee, Kimberly D. Richie, William Harbold, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: Impassable dams have caused a decline in fish species due to habitat loss, especially for anadromous fishes that migrate to freshwater streams for spawning. The removal of Bloede Dam in the Patapsco River, Maryland in 2018 restored 100 km of habitat for migratory fish. Monitoring of environmental DNA (eDNA), eggs, electrofishing samples, and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags revealed initial recovery of spawning river herring in the first year post-removal, although the newly accessible habitat was only used by a small proportion of the population. The likelihood of detecting river herring eDNA upstream of the dam site increased in the three years post-removal, indicating some recovery of fish populations.
Article
Oceanography
Kleber Isaac Silva de Souza, Pedro Luiz Borges Chaffe, Tadeu Maia Portela Nogueira, Catia Regina Silva de Carvalho Pinto
Summary: This paper presents a procedure for identifying degraded urban rivers and quantifying corresponding environmental damage according to Brazilian law. Using the Jurere Coastal Plain as a case study, the study analyzes damage to the river bed and riparian permanent preservation area. The developed procedure can help quantify environmental liabilities of other urban occupations and determine compensatory environmental measures for corresponding damaged areas.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Qubin Qin, Jian Shen
Summary: The dynamics of phytoplankton in coastal aquatic systems are controlled by both abiotic and biotic factors, with physical transport playing a key role in the distribution of phytoplankton and other substances. Various relationships between phytoplankton biomass/production and transport time have been observed, with three showing a non-monotonic relationship and one showing a positive relationship in river-dominated coastal aquatic systems. These findings provide insight into the nonlinear responses of biogeochemical processes to changes in transport processes.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Luca Colombera, Nigel P. Mountney
Summary: The avulsion frequency of coastal-plain rivers is primarily controlled by the elevation difference between channels and neighboring plains, as well as multiple factors such as wave and tidal processes, rates of sea-level change, and bathymetry of the receiving basin. This study analyzes the relationship between these downstream factors and avulsion frequency in 57 Holocene lowland river systems, finding that wave and tidal processes may have a modest influence and there is no consistent relationship with offshore bathymetric gradient or sea-level fluctuations. This suggests that upstream or intrabasinal factors may play a more important role.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Derrick Alcott, Elsa Goerig, Christopher Rillahan, Pingguo He, Theodore Castro-Santos
Summary: This study examined the physical and ecological factors affecting herring passage through a tide gate, finding that herring passage success rate varied with the season, key behaviors were influenced by diel period, tide, and flow direction through the gates, and these behaviors shifted as the season progressed, potentially due to predator avoidance leading to passage failure in the late spawning season.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Amber Staples, Henry D. Legett, Jessica L. Deichmann, Keira Heggie, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: This study examined the timing and environmental drivers of spawning in river herring using passive acoustic monitoring and automatic detection of spawning splashes. The results indicated two peaks in spawning activity: early March and mid-April, corresponding to the known phenologies of Alewife and Blueback Herring. Hourly patterns showed distinct diel cycles, with spawning most concentrated at dawn. The study also suggested a potential relationship between spawning activity and the presence of great blue herons. Overall, passive acoustic monitoring was found to be an efficient and affordable method for studying the spawning ecology of anadromous fish.
NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monica Bini, Nicola Casarosa, Marco Luppichini
Summary: Coastal erosion and human-induced pressure have had a severe impact on the Mediterranean region, particularly the Pisa coastal plain. Historical maps, airborne surveys, and GIS analysis were used to study shoreline changes over the past 142 years, revealing a correlation between river discharge and erosion. Remote sensing with Sentinel-2 images provided insights into sediment transport by the Arno River.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hyungbeen Lee, Jung Hwa Choi, Seong Yong Moon, Kyounghoon Lee, Wooseok Oh, Yang Jae Im, Kangseok Hwang, Doo Nam Kim
Summary: Acoustic surveys were used to locate the spawning grounds of Pacific herring in Jinhae Bay, Korea, and to examine their spawning patterns. Utilizing a newly designed autonomous echosounder on a mooring, as well as ship-based acoustic surveys, researchers were able to detect signals from adult herring and fish larvae in the bay. The study suggests that the mooring type acoustic echosounder is a valuable tool for understanding fish behavior and abundance information.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danelle Agnew, Kirstie Fryirs
Summary: By connecting corridors of river recovery, resilience can be built into river systems to mitigate against future floods and droughts. However, there is a lack of methods to identify where these corridors can be built in river management practice. The Open Access NSW River Styles database provides comprehensive information on geomorphic river condition and recovery potential, which can be used to analyze potential locations for river recovery corridors. The study found significant spatial variability in the types and lengths of connections made across different catchments. These findings provide important guidance for river conservation and rehabilitation activities in practice.
Article
Environmental Sciences
D. Eric Somerville, Gregory J. Pond
Summary: This study aimed to develop a macroinvertebrate multimetric index to evaluate the biological conditions of compensatory stream restoration projects. By surveying sampling sites in three subecoregions of Georgia, the study identified macroinvertebrate traits-based metrics that effectively discriminated between good and poor abiotic conditions and responded to individual stressors. The developed index and biological reference curves can be used to assess the relative improvement of stream conditions in comparison to other streams, allowing for the award of mitigation credits.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sarah C. Donelan, Denise Breitburg, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: Organisms are increasingly exposed to multiple stressors throughout their life, impacting their fitness and survival, with early life experiences carrying over to have long-term effects. This study showed that early life exposure to hypoxia and warming can strongly affect oyster growth when re-exposed to the same stressors later in life. The context-dependent carryover effects may have important impacts on oyster fitness and production.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Robert Francis Semmler, Matthew Bryan Ogburn, Robert Aguilar, Elizabeth Watkins North, Marjorie Lindquist Reaka, Anson Hemingway Hines
Summary: Research on the blue crab fishery in Maryland waters of Chesapeake Bay, USA, indicates that considering crab movement is crucial for accurate estimation of recreational harvest, highlighting the need to account for animal migration in harvest calculations to improve precision.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Robert Aguilar, Sanjeevi Prakash, Matthew B. Ogburn, Katrina M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Kenneth S. MacDonald, Amy C. Driskell, Shane T. Ahyong, Matthieu Leray, Shelby E. McIlroy, Troy D. Tuckey, J. Antonio Baeza
Summary: Peppermint shrimp resembling Lysmata vittata were discovered in the Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coastal areas for the first time in 2013. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses identified L. vittata as a complex species consisting of two distinct groups, suggesting its native range lies in temperate/subtropical East Asia.
JOURNAL OF CRUSTACEAN BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Amy M. Hruska, Alison Cawood, Katrina M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Matthew B. Ogburn, Kimberly J. Komatsu
Summary: Research internships provide students with valuable experience in conducting independent research, contributing to larger research programs, and embedding in a professional scientific setting. Virtual ecology internship programs, developed with intention and planning, can offer accessible opportunities and be just as valuable as in-person opportunities. The adaptation and continuation of virtual internships in the future can be a valuable tool in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in ecology and STEM.
Article
Zoology
Rodrigo Gueron, Alexandre Oliveira Almeida, Robert Aguilar, Matthew B. Ogburn, Sanjeevi Prakash, J. Antonio Baeza
Summary: This study reveals the presence of at least six different species within the L. vittata complex, including L. rauli and L. durbanensis, as well as three undescribed species. The analysis of morphological and molecular data strongly supports the validity of these species and highlights prominent differences in morphological features and phylogenetic relationships.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. Donelan, Matthew B. Ogburn, Denise Breitburg
Summary: Climate change has substantial impacts on organisms' fitness and their ability to provide critical ecosystem services. Past exposure to stress can also have carryover effects on individuals, but it is unknown whether these effects scale up to influence ecosystem function and services.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jack C. Olson, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Michael R. Goodison, Anna Lienesch, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: Structured coastal habitats play an essential role in providing foraging opportunities and refuge for fish species. This study used imaging sonar to examine fish habitat use and size distribution in various structured habitats across four study locations. The findings suggest that larger fish are associated with specific structured habitats, and the importance of structured habitat in governing fish abundance varies with latitude. This study also highlights the potential of imaging sonar as a tool for studying fish communities at different scales.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Amber Staples, Henry D. Legett, Jessica L. Deichmann, Keira Heggie, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: This study examined the timing and environmental drivers of spawning in river herring using passive acoustic monitoring and automatic detection of spawning splashes. The results indicated two peaks in spawning activity: early March and mid-April, corresponding to the known phenologies of Alewife and Blueback Herring. Hourly patterns showed distinct diel cycles, with spawning most concentrated at dawn. The study also suggested a potential relationship between spawning activity and the presence of great blue herons. Overall, passive acoustic monitoring was found to be an efficient and affordable method for studying the spawning ecology of anadromous fish.
NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brianna V. Cahill, Breanna C. DeGroot, Lauran R. Brewster, Steven M. Lombardo, Charles W. Bangley, Matthew B. Ogburn, Matthew J. Ajemian
Summary: Passive acoustic telemetry was used to study the potential interactions between two species of rays (whitespotted eagle rays and cownose rays) and clam lease sites along Florida's Atlantic coast. The rays were found to have different patterns of presence, with whitespotted eagle rays more active during the day and cownose rays more active at night. This study emphasizes the need for continued monitoring and further research on the behavior of mobile invertivores in the region.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claire S. Huang, Henry D. Legett, Louis V. Plough, Rob Aguilar, Catherine Fitzgerald, Benjamin Gregory, Keira Heggie, Benjamin Lee, Kimberly D. Richie, William Harbold, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: Impassable dams have caused a decline in fish species due to habitat loss, especially for anadromous fishes that migrate to freshwater streams for spawning. The removal of Bloede Dam in the Patapsco River, Maryland in 2018 restored 100 km of habitat for migratory fish. Monitoring of environmental DNA (eDNA), eggs, electrofishing samples, and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags revealed initial recovery of spawning river herring in the first year post-removal, although the newly accessible habitat was only used by a small proportion of the population. The likelihood of detecting river herring eDNA upstream of the dam site increased in the three years post-removal, indicating some recovery of fish populations.
Article
Fisheries
Katrina M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Robert Aguilar, Ruth DiMaria, Keira Heggie, Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio, Matthew B. Ogburn
Summary: This study examines the diet of anadromous Striped Bass and finds that it varies greatly with ontogeny and salinity zone. Traditional morphological analysis of gut contents is limited in identifying prey, while amplicon-based next-generation sequencing methods provide high-resolution taxonomic information.
MARINE AND COASTAL FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Steven W. J. Canty, A. Justin Nowakowski, Grant M. Connette, Jessica L. Deichmann, Melissa Songer, Rafael Chiaravalloti, Molly Dodge, Anna T. C. Feistner, Craig Fergus, Jefferson S. Hall, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Reynaldo Linares-Palomino, Melanie McField, Matthew B. Ogburn, Ximena Velez-Zuazo, Thomas S. Akre
Summary: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide a global blueprint to tackle extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet. Yet, progress towards these goals is insufficient. By mapping the activities of the Smithsonian Institution to the SDGs, this study demonstrates how conservation actions can contribute to achieving the SDGs and highlights the need for greater coordination and capacity to achieve these goals across different sectors.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)