Article
Fisheries
Hikaru Itakura, Michael H. P. O'Brien, David Secor
Summary: The study found that striped bass in Chesapeake Bay migrate to different water areas in different seasons, and tend to select surface waters in conditions of prevalent sub-pycnocline hypoxia, avoiding bottom hypoxic waters.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Donald Scavia, Isabella Bertani, Jeremy M. Testa, Aaron J. Bever, Joel D. Blomquist, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Lewis C. Linker, Bruce D. Michael, Rebecca R. Murphy, Gary W. Shenk
Summary: This study highlights the importance of ecological forecasting as a tool for ecosystem management, emphasizing the integration of multiple data sources, quantification of uncertainties, and adoption of flexible frameworks to improve predictive accuracy and management relevance. Through a case study in the Chesapeake Bay, it is found that the selection of forecast metrics and drivers significantly impacts the results, and the importance of measurement error in predictions is also emphasized.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
James H. Uphoff
Summary: This study investigated the causes of poor recruitment and collapse of Striped Bass in Chesapeake Bay using long-term data from 1955 to 2019. The results showed that poor larval survival was one of the reasons for the collapse, while improvement in larval survival contributed to the recovery of the fish population. Excessive fishing pressure also had an impact on the poor recruitment, but it was not the sole driving factor for the collapse and recovery. Long-term climate changes, deterioration and improvement in environmental conditions, and shifts in agriculture and watershed management may have led to changes in the suitability of the larval habitat.
MARINE AND COASTAL FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
James H. Uphoff
Summary: Three hypotheses were investigated to explain the poor recruitment and collapse of Striped Bass in Chesapeake Bay during the 1970s and 1980s. The study found that excessive larval mortality related to water quality and recruitment overfishing are likely factors contributing to the decline and recovery of the population, rather than solely fishing mortality. Long-term changes in larval survival and habitat suitability were also considered.
MARINE AND COASTAL FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pascale Goertler, Brian Mahardja, Ted Sommer
Summary: Climate change affects multiple components of ecosystems and is linked to animal migrations. Studies show that sea surface temperature and estuary outflow significantly influence the upstream migration timing of non-native adult Striped bass in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cynthia M. Le Doux-Bloom, Rebekah S. Lane, Grant J. Christian, Catherine A. Masatani, Jennifer E. Hemmert, A. Peter Klimley
Summary: This study used acoustic telemetry to investigate seasonal movement patterns and habitat use of sub-adult Pacific coast Striped Bass in the San Francisco Estuary Watershed, CA. The findings revealed that sub-adult movement and habitat use varied by age and year, with temperature and salinity affecting habitat choice. These results have important implications for fishery management and addressing concerns over the impacts of this non-native fish on native and endangered species.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2022)
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
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kira L. Allen, Thomas Ihde, Scott Knoche, Howard Townsend, Kristy A. Lewis
Summary: This study examined the potential impact of long-term shifts in water temperature and salinity as a result of climate change on the biomasses of important fisheries species within oyster sanctuary sites. The results indicated that the biomasses of striped bass and blue crab decreased, while oyster biomass increased in most scenarios, providing initial insights into the interaction between oyster reef restoration benefits and climate change.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander Kotsakis, John T. Sullivan, Thomas F. Hanisco, Robert J. Swap, Vanessa Caicedo, Timothy A. Berkoff, Guillaume Gronoff, Christopher P. Loughner, Xinrong Ren, Winston T. Luke, Paul Kelley, Phillip R. Stratton, Ruben Delgado, Nader Abuhassan, Lena Shalaby, Fernando C. Santos, Joel Dreessen
Summary: This study aims to quantify the mechanisms affecting trace gas amounts between land and water in coastal environments and investigates the impact of sea/bay breeze on air quality. Through modeling and data analysis, the study reveals the variations and sources of trace gases under different meteorological conditions.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
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
Oceanography
Tal Ezer
Summary: Fast sea level rise poses a growing flooding risk to coastal communities in the Chesapeake Bay. Variations in sea level variability and sea level rise rates within the bay have not been fully investigated. Analysis of monthly sea level records from eight tide gauge stations spanning the bay reveals significant spatial variations over different time scales. The study also finds an anticorrelation between the upper and lower bay in sea level anomaly variations.
Article
Oceanography
Esther Portela, Stephen R. Rintoul, Sophie Bestley, Laura Herraiz-Borreguero, Esmee Wijk, Clive R. McMahon, Fabien Roquet, Mark Hindell
Summary: Using data collected from instrumented southern elephant seals, this study provides a detailed description of the spatial distribution, seasonality, and transformation of main water masses within MacKenzie Polynya in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica. The formation of Dense Shelf Water (DSW) in the polynya is affected by local bathymetry, water column preconditioning, and proximity to Amery Ice Shelf meltwater outflow. The study found sustained sea ice production and brine rejection in this polynya from April to October, with new DSW formation starting in June.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tania Charette, Maikel Rosabal, Marc Amyot
Summary: The study identified associations between metals and muscle lipids and proteins, which could help explain changes in bioaccumulation patterns within fish and individuals, with potential implications for fish toxicology and human consumption guidelines.
Article
Plant Sciences
Victor Martin-Velez, Casper H. A. van Leeuwen, Marta I. Sanchez, Francisco Hortas, Judy Shamoun-Baranes, Chris B. Thaxter, Luc Lens, Cornelis J. Camphuysen, Andy J. Green
Summary: Non-frugivorous waterbirds play a crucial role in dispersing weed plants over long distances, exchanging species between human-dominated and natural areas. The study demonstrates that about 92% of weed seeds are dispersed within the birds' activity area, while the remaining 8% reach other habitats, with 42% reaching moist environments suitable for weed establishment. This research emphasizes the significance of non-frugivorous birds in long-distance plant dispersal, an often overlooked mechanism in weed plant expansion studies.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
John Terrill Paterson, Aaron N. Johnston, Anna C. Ortega, Cody Wallace, Matthew Kauffman
Summary: Animal movement is crucial for understanding the connection between landscapes and fitness, and Hidden Markov movement models (HMMs) provide a robust framework for modeling movement data. In this study, HMMs were used to assess seasonal patterns of variation in the movement of pronghorn, a species known for highly variable seasonal movements, compared to mule deer, for whom seasonal movements are well-documented. The results showed that pronghorn exhibited more variable patterns of seasonal movement compared to mule deer, highlighting the importance of using HMMs for understanding challenging movement patterns.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Richard T. Kraus, Joseph D. Schmitt, Kevin R. Keretz
Summary: The study in Lake Erie found that native yellow perch and invasive white perch have different diets along a nutrient gradient, and coexist under seasonal environmental changes.
ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Hikaru Itakura, Michael H. P. O'Brien, David Secor
Summary: The study found that striped bass in Chesapeake Bay migrate to different water areas in different seasons, and tend to select surface waters in conditions of prevalent sub-pycnocline hypoxia, avoiding bottom hypoxic waters.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kohma Arai, Martin Castonguay, David H. Secor
Summary: The study revealed changes in the composition of the Northwest Atlantic mackerel population within US fisheries region over the past two decades, with a higher level of mixing of the northern contingent despite a decrease in spawning stock biomass, and an increasing contribution from the southern contingent. There was a positive relationship between contingent mixing and US fisheries landings, suggesting that higher mixing levels might lead to greater catches for the US winter mackerel fishery. The status of the northern contingent plays a crucial role in determining the yield of the Northwest Atlantic mackerel, with spatially explicit stock assessment models recommended for conservation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
D. H. Secor, H. Bailey, A. Carroll, V Lyubchich, M. H. P. O'Brien, C. J. Wiernicki
Summary: Fishes commonly exhibit diel rhythms in movements which are affected by changes in environmental or ecological conditions. In the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight, black sea bass showed a remarkable 4-month record of persistent diurnal vertical movements from June to October 2019, with sunlight altitude playing a dominant role throughout the series.
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
Fisheries
Richard T. Kraus, Helen Bontrager, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Matthew D. Faust
Summary: While biologgers have been successfully used in marine ecosystems, their application in freshwater ecosystems is limited. In this study, biologgers were evaluated as aquatic monitoring systems in Lake Erie, providing valuable seasonal temperature patterns and lake stratification information for understanding freshwater ecosystems.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Cheston T. Peterson, Beverly A. Bachman, Richard T. Kraus, R. Dean Grubbs
Summary: This study quantified the trophic relationship between phoretic diskfishes and their hosts. They found that commensal sharksuckers occupy higher trophic positions than free-living sharksuckers. The importance of scavenging host prey decreases as sharksuckers shift from symbiotic phoresis to free-swimming behavior. The differences in foraging opportunities between host taxa may contribute to the variations in trophic positions.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter T. Euclide, Richard T. Kraus, Andy Cook, James L. Markham, Joseph D. Schmitt
Summary: This study used high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the genetic structure and diversity of lake whitefish in Lake Erie. The results showed that lake whitefish from Niagara and Crib Reefs in the west basin diverged from other collections. Interestingly, the fish collected during spawning season were different from those collected before spawning. These findings suggest that some spawning reefs of lake whitefish may be reproductively isolated.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nicole Barbour, Alexander J. J. Robillard, George L. L. Shillinger, Vyacheslav Lyubchich, David H. H. Secor, William F. F. Fagan, Helen Bailey
Summary: This study used machine learning methods to analyze the vertical movement of leatherback turtles. The study clustered the movements into two groups using DTW and classified the dives within each group based on shape using CNN. The results showed that the vertical movement behaviors and shapes varied between the groups and were associated with environmental factors.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hadis Miraly, N. Roxanna Razavi, Annabelle A. Vogl, Richard T. Kraus, Ann Marie Gorman, Karin E. Limburg
Summary: Using eye lenses to determine annual mercury uptake in individual fish is a novel method. Eye lens age was determined by proportional relationships between otolith length at age and eye lens radius. Mercury concentrations were quantified using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The eye lens mercury content revealed that mercury exposure increased with age in Lake Erie and the Baltic Sea but decreased with age in the St. Lawrence River, a trend not detected using muscle tissues. This novel methodology holds promise for quantifying how global change processes like increasing hypoxia affect fish exposure to mercury.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Justin J. Bopp, Travis O. Brenden, Matthew D. Faust, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Richard T. Kraus, James J. Roberts, Lucas R. Nathan
Summary: Understanding the timing and drivers of migration is important for reducing invasive species densities. In this study, the migration timing of grass carp to a spawning location in Lake Erie tributaries was quantified, and the environmental cues that influenced their migration were identified. The findings provide insights for barrier deployment and scheduling in invasive species management.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Tyler R. Funnell, Travis O. Brenden, Richard Kraus, Tom MacDougall, James Markham, Charles Murray, Jason Robinson, Christopher S. Vandergoot
Summary: The study investigated the seasonal habitat use of adult Lake Trout in Lake Erie using acoustic telemetry. The results showed that Lake Trout dispersed widely during spring, with 32% of tagged fish in the eastern basin and all fish in the western basin moving more than 100 km from their tagging location. During stratification, Lake Trout were mainly found in the offshore eastern basin, while during nonstratified seasons, they occupied areas of highly variable depths. Size of the fish was positively correlated with receiver depth and home range overlap during certain seasons.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Phillip J. Sanchez, Michael A. Dance, Richard Kraus, Ronald L. Hill, Jay R. Rooker
Summary: This study investigated the coral and rock reefs in the mid to outer continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico, and found distinct fish communities at different depths and locations. It also identified some special species in the Sonnier and McGrail coral ecosystems. The study fills a temporal gap in fish community dynamics and provides valuable information for conservation assessments and decision-making.
BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michael H. P. O'Brien, David H. Secor
Summary: This study found that thermal stratification increases the detection distance of bottom water ultrasonic transmitters and reduces the impact of surface noise, leading to a seasonal increase in detection distance from late spring to summer. All seasons were associated with storm-induced reductions in overall detectability and distance at 50% detectability.
ANIMAL BIOTELEMETRY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kevin R. Keretz, Richard T. Kraus, Joseph D. Schmitt
Summary: The impacts of quagga and zebra mussels on Great Lakes ecosystems have been well-documented, and further research is needed to understand the mechanisms causing variation in mussel abundance. Fish predation on dreissenid biomass presents a significant challenge for study, but a new analysis method has been developed to provide more precise estimates of dreissenid flesh dry weight in fish diets.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2021)