Article
Environmental Sciences
Gerardo Gold-Bouchot, Flor Arcega-Cabrera, Victor Ceja-Moreno
Summary: Oil extraction and transport activities in the Gulf of Mexico are increasing the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and exerting environmental pressure on the ecosystem. This study analyzed PAH levels in the Perdido Fold Belt area from May 2016 to September 2017 and found that the highest concentrations were recorded during the September 2017 cruise. The spatial distribution of PAHs showed higher values in the southern and northeastern areas, with riverine inputs playing a significant role.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily E. Brockinton, Miranda R. Peterson, Hsiao-Hsuan Wang, William E. Grant
Summary: The study identified maximum salinity, distance to platform, minimum nitrate, and mean pH as the most influential factors impacting Tubastraea coccinea invasion in the northern Gulf of Mexico. These findings highlight the importance of considering the effects of anthropogenic factors, such as oil/gas platforms, on the expansion of invasive corals.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rainer M. W. Amon, Jose Ochoa, Julio Candela, Sharon Z. Herzka, Paula Perez-Brunius, Julio Sheinbaum, Victor F. Camacho Ibar, Juan Carlos Herguera, Martin Hernandez Ayon, Robert M. Key, Sergey Molodtsov
Summary: This study investigates the ventilation in the deep Gulf of Mexico, its connection to the North Atlantic, and its sensitivity to changes in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Using radiocarbon data and transport measurements, it is found that the residence time of deep water in the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 100 years. Comparisons with previous radiocarbon observations suggest that the deep Gulf of Mexico has aged in recent years, which is consistent with temperature increases and CMIP6 global circulation model simulations. The distribution of radiocarbon indicates that there is a time lag of around 160 years between North Atlantic convection and complete ventilation of the deep Gulf of Mexico, suggesting that the aging and warming of deep waters in the Gulf of Mexico were initiated in the North Atlantic before approximately 1890, which aligns with the reported rapid and persistent weakening of AMOC since the Little Ice Age.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Julieta Rodriguez-Salazar, Antonio Loza, Katya Ornelas-Ocampo, Rosa Maria Gutierrez-Rios, Liliana Pardo-Lopez
Summary: The Gulf of Mexico Research Consortium is a consortium of scientific research and consulting services specializing in multidisciplinary projects related to the potential environmental impacts of oil spills in marine ecosystems. It comprises more than 300 specialized researchers trained at the most recognized Mexican institutions and is focused on developing a baseline of bacterial communities in the Gulf of Mexico and investigating the natural degradation of hydrocarbons.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Chieh-Wei Hsu, Yann Marcon, Miriam Roemer, Thomas Pape, Ingo Klaucke, Markus Loher, Paul Wintersteller, Ian R. MacDonald, Christian dos Santos Ferreira, Gerhard Bohrmann
Summary: Mictlan Knoll in the southern Gulf of Mexico is characterized by extensive asphalt deposits, with a crater-like depression surrounded by an elevated rim. The area shows fresh asphalt deposits and high backscatter, indicating recent extrusion. Gas bubble emissions were detected and gas volume quantifications revealed significant methane emissions at the site.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
William P. Meurer, John Blum, Greg Shipman
Summary: Two field studies were conducted on the Bush Hill mud volcano in the Gulf of Mexico, using gliders equipped with methane sensors. The studies found that methane concentrations were highest near the seep source and decreased gradually with distance, showing a nearly radially symmetric dispersal pattern.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Rafael Ramirez-Leon, Oscar Sosa-Nishizaki, Paula Perez-Brunius, Alfonsina E. E. Romo-Curiel, Zurisaday Ramirez-Mendoza, Arturo Fajardo-Yamamoto, Sharon Z. Z. Herzka, Maria C. Garcia-Aguilar
Summary: Marine mammals are highly vulnerable to oil spills, but the effects are not fully understood. We developed a framework to assess the risk of oil spill exposure on marine mammals, considering species-specific traits and the feasibility of encounter, thus reducing uncertainty in the estimate. Our results provide key information for management plans in areas where the hydrocarbon industry operates.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sarai Acuna-Ramirez, Maria de Lourdes Jimenez-Badillo, Gabriela Galindo-Cortes, Angel Marval-Rodriguez, Maria del Refugio Castaneda-Chavez, Christian Reyes-Velazquez, Hectorina Rodulfo-Carvajal, Marcos De Donato-Capote
Summary: This study investigated the microbiological quality in the octopus production chain and found that the coliform levels in octopus packed in ice exceeded the permissible limits, posing a risk for human consumption. Differences in coliform levels were observed between fishing zones and seasons. The results highlight the need for an efficient cold chain and proper handling practices in octopus production to improve the situation.
Article
Toxicology
Miriam C. Poirier, Letizia Marsili, Maria Cristina Fossi, Celine A. J. Godard-Codding, Elena E. Hernandez-Ramon, Nancy Si, Kathyayini Divi, Rao L. Divi, Iain Kerr, John Pierce Wise, Catherine F. Wise, Sandra S. Wise, Abou El-Makarim Aboueissa, James T. F. Wise
Summary: The study compared skin biopsies collected from Gulf of Mexico sperm whales in 2012 with those collected from sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean in 1999-2001, showing that Gulf of Mexico whales had significantly higher PAH-DNA adducts compared to Pacific Ocean whales.
TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric J. Guiry, Jonathan R. Kennedy, Martin T. O'Connell, D. Ryan Gray, Christopher Grant, Paul Szpak
Summary: This study integrates 2500 years of stable isotope and zooarchaeological evidence to reveal large-scale depressions of historical sheepshead populations, with human population growth and sustained harvesting pressure identified as major driving factors.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas Meunier, Arnaud Le Boyer, Sergey Molodtsov, Amy Bower, Heather Furey, Pelle Robbins
Summary: This study investigates the internal wave activity in the Gulf of Mexico using profiling floats. The results reveal a higher displacement variance and available potential energy in the eastern part of the Gulf, influenced by the Loop Current. The study also shows that the presence or absence of the Loop Current affects the internal wave activity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin Bonifacio-Bautista, Monica Ballinas, Aron Jazcilevich, Victor L. Barradas
Summary: The urban heat island is caused by land use change in cities, which alters the energy balance. Anthropogenic heat flux, generated by city inhabitants, can contribute to the development and variability of the urban heat island. The objective of this study was to estimate the main sources of anthropogenic heat flux based on vehicle classification, electricity consumption surveys, and population density in Mexico City.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingli Zhu, Xinfeng Liang
Summary: In this study, a comprehensive analysis of Eulerian mesoscale eddies in the Gulf of Mexico was conducted, revealing their characteristics and seasonal variations. The study found that eastern eddies are closely related to the Loop Current, while the formation of non-Loop Current eddies is linked to the position and strength of the background current. However, there is uncertainty in the seasonal variability of the eddies.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lixin Qu, Leif N. Thomas, Aaron F. Wienkers, Robert D. Hetland, Daijiro Kobashi, John R. Taylor, Fucent Hsuan Wei Hsu, Jennifer A. MacKinnon, R. Kipp Shearman, Jonathan D. Nash
Summary: This study reveals that the summer land-sea breeze interacts with the river plume fronts in the northern Gulf of Mexico, leading to rapid vertical exchange and ventilation, which may impact the dynamics of the region's dead zone.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangpeng Liu, Annalisa Bracco, Alexandra Sitar
Summary: Submesoscale circulations play a significant role in the vertical transport of neutrally buoyant particles in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The influence of submesoscale dynamics is greater in winter compared to other seasons, with upwelling into the mixed layer being a major contributor to vertical fluxes in the large mesoscale eddies. The distribution of diffusivities varies in different regions of the Gulf, with higher values in the eastern portion where submesoscale circulations are more intense.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Jason A. Law, Robert H. Weisberg, Yonggang Liu, Dennis A. Mayer, Jeffrey C. Donovan
Summary: Time series data from a moored array of sensors are used to describe the long-term mean circulation and seasonal variations on the West Florida Continental Shelf. The observations reveal a coherent shelf-wide circulation pattern with alongshore and down-coast flow, and a coastal jet separating an upwelling region from a downwelling region influenced by the deeper ocean.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART II-TOPICAL STUDIES IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2024)
