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Raines C, Lovy J, Phelps N, Mor S, Ng TFF, Iwanowicz L. Discovery and Genomic Characterization of a Novel Hepadnavirus from Asymptomatic Anadromous Alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus). Viruses 2024; 16:824. [PMID: 38932117 PMCID: PMC11209213 DOI: 10.3390/v16060824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) is an anadromous herring that inhabits waters of northeastern North America. This prey species is a critical forage for piscivorous birds, mammals, and fishes in estuarine and oceanic ecosystems. During a discovery project tailored to identify potentially emerging pathogens of this species, we obtained the full genome of a novel hepadnavirus (ApHBV) from clinically normal alewives collected from the Maurice River, Great Egg Harbor River, and Delaware River in New Jersey, USA during 2015-2018. This previously undescribed hepadnavirus contained a circular DNA genome of 3146 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analysis of the polymerase protein placed this virus in the clade of metahepadnaviruses (family: Hepadnaviridae; genus: Metahepadnavirus). There was no evidence of pathology in the internal organs of infected fish and virions were not observed in liver tissues by electron microscopy. We developed a Taqman-based quantitative (qPCR) assay and screened 182 individuals collected between 2015 and 2018 and detected additional qPCR positives (n = 6). An additional complete genome was obtained in 2018 and it has 99.4% genome nucleotide identity to the first virus. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were observed between the two genomes, including 7/9 and 12/8 synonymous vs nonsynonymous mutations across the polymerase and surface proteins, respectively. While there was no evidence that this virus was associated with disease in this species, alewives are migratory interjurisdictional fishes of management concern. Identification of microbial agents using de novo sequencing and other advanced technologies is a critical aspect of understanding disease ecology for informed population management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton Raines
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Leetown Research Laboratory, 11649 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA;
- West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Design, West Virginia University, 1 Waterfront Pl, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Jan Lovy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA 98115, USA;
- NJ Fish & Wildlife, Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ 07863, USA
| | - Nicolas Phelps
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Sunil Mor
- Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, South Dakota State University, 1155 North Campus Drive, Brookings, SD 570077, USA;
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA
| | - Terry Fei Fan Ng
- Department of Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Luke Iwanowicz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Leetown Research Laboratory, 11649 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA;
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA
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2
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Pearson CF, Hammer LJ, Eberhardt AL, Kenter LW, Berlinsky DL, Costello WJ, Hermann NT, Caldwell A, Burke EA, Walther BD, Furey NB. Monitoring post-spawning movement, habitat use, and survival of adult anadromous rainbow smelt using acoustic telemetry in a New Hampshire estuary. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38769029 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax, [Mitchill 1814]) are found along the northeast Atlantic coastline of North America, with their range now limited to north of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. Although their anadromous life cycles are described broadly, gaps remain regarding how adult rainbow smelt use estuaries post-spawning, including movement behaviors, habitats used, and specific timing of emigration to coastal waters. In spring 2021, we used acoustic telemetry to characterize movements during and after the spawning season of rainbow smelt captured in tributaries to Great Bay, New Hampshire, USA, a large estuarine system near the southern edge of their range. Forty-four adult rainbow smelt (n = 35 male, n = 9 female) were tagged with Innovasea V5 180-kHz transmitters and an array of 22,180 kHz VR2W receivers were deployed throughout Great Bay to detect movements of tagged fish from March to October 2021. Rainbow smelt were detected 14,186 times on acoustic telemetry receivers, with 41 (93%) of the tagged individuals being detected at least once post-tagging. Individuals were detected moving between tributaries, revealing that rainbow smelt can use multiple rivers during the spawning season (March-April). Mark-recapture Cormack-Jolly-Seber models estimated 83% (95% confidence interval 66%-92%) of rainbow smelt survived to the mainstem Piscataqua River, and a minimum of 50% (22 of 44) reached the seaward-most receivers and were presumed to have survived emigration. Most individuals that survived remained in the estuary for multiple weeks (average = 19.47 ± 1.99 standard error days), displaying extended use of estuarine environments. Downstream movements occurred more frequently during ebb tides and upstream movements with flood tides, possibly a mechanism to reduce energy expenditures. Fish emigrated from the estuary by mid-May to the coastal Gulf of Maine. Our results underscore that rainbow smelt need access to a variety of habitats, including multiple tributaries and high-quality estuarine habitat, to complete their life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe F Pearson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Lars J Hammer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Alyson L Eberhardt
- New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Extension, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Linas W Kenter
- New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Extension, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - David L Berlinsky
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Wellsley J Costello
- New Hampshire Sea Grant and UNH Extension, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Nathan T Hermann
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Aliya Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Emily A Burke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Benjamin D Walther
- Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
| | - Nathan B Furey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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3
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McClenachan L, Neal B. Forgotten whales, fading codfish: Perceptions of ‘natural’ ecosystems inform visions of future recovery. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Loren McClenachan
- Ocean History Lab, Department of History and School of Environmental Studies University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
- Environmental Studies Program Colby College Waterville Maine USA
| | - Benjamin Neal
- Environmental Studies Program Colby College Waterville Maine USA
- Department of Biology and School of Environmental Studies University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
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Huang CS, Legett HD, Plough LV, Aguilar R, Fitzgerald C, Gregory B, Heggie K, Lee B, Richie KD, Harbold W, Ogburn MB. Early detection and recovery of river herring spawning habitat use in response to a mainstem dam removal. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284561. [PMID: 37134118 PMCID: PMC10156059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Historical loss of river and stream habitats due to impassable dams has contributed to the severe decline of many fish species. Anadromous fishes that migrate from the sea to freshwater streams to spawn have been especially impacted as dams restrict these fish from accessing ancestral spawning grounds. In 2018, Bloede Dam was removed from the Patapsco River near Baltimore, Maryland, restoring approximately 100 km of potential habitat for migratory fish. We assessed the response of anadromous river herring, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), to this dam removal by monitoring environmental DNA (eDNA) and eggs from 2015 to 2021 at locations upstream and downstream of the dam site during their spawning migrations. We additionally assessed the presence of fish by collecting electrofishing samples and tracked the movements of individual adult fish within the river using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. No adult river herring, eDNA, or eggs were detected upstream of Bloede Dam in the four years prior to its removal despite the presence of a fish ladder. Our results suggest initial habitat use recovery by spawning river herring in the first year post-removal, although a relatively small proportion of the population in the river used the newly accessible habitat. In the three years post-removal, the likelihood of detecting river herring eDNA upstream of the former dam site increased to 5% for alewife and 13% for blueback herring. Two adult fish were also collected in electrofishing samples upstream of the dam site in 2021. We found no evidence of changes in egg abundance and no tagged fish were detected upstream of the dam site post-removal. While long term monitoring is needed to assess population changes, this study highlights the value of integrating methods for comprehensive understanding of habitat use following dam removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire S Huang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States of America
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Henry D Legett
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Louis V Plough
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Rob Aguilar
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Catherine Fitzgerald
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Gregory
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Keira Heggie
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Lee
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kimberly D Richie
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - William Harbold
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthew B Ogburn
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
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Ouellet V, Collins MJ, Kocik JF, Saunders R, Sheehan TF, Ogburn MB, Trinko Lake T. The diadromous watersheds-ocean continuum: Managing diadromous fish as a community for ecosystem resilience. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1007599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Diadromous fishes play important ecological roles by delivering ecosystem services and making crucial connections along the watersheds-ocean continuum. However, it is difficult to fully understand the community-level impacts and cumulative benefits of diadromous fish migrations, as these species are most often considered individually or in small groups. Their interactions at a community level (e.g., interdependencies such as predation, co-migration, and habitat conditioning) and the connections between their ecosystem roles and functions (e.g., cumulative marine-derived nutrient contributions, impacts on stream geomorphology) are yet to be fully understood. Similarly, freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems are often considered as independent parts, limiting understanding of the importance of connections across systems. We argue that not considering the ecosystem interdependence and importance of diadromous fish as a community currently hinders the implementation of the large-scale management required to increase ecosystem resilience and fish productivity across the full range of these species. We developed a conceptual model, the Diadromous Watersheds-Ocean Continuum (DWOC), that uses ecosystem services to promote a more holistic approach to the management of the diadromous community and encourages an integrated understanding of the ecosystem connections made by these species. DWOC provides a framework for discussions that can help identify research and management needs, discuss the trade-offs of different management options, and analyze what pressing questions impede the implementation of large-scale management solutions toward a more ecosystem-based management approach.
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6
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Roy SG, McGreavy B, Quiring T, Druschke CG. Damming news: Geospatial media discourse analysis of dams. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 70:840-854. [PMID: 36112142 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01715-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Dams are a globally important social-ecological issue, and the practice of removing aging or obsolete dams is increasing in many countries where rivers have been used to fuel industrial growth. News media play an important role in providing information and raising awareness about dam-related decision making and patterns in news media coverage can shape public sense-making about potentially controversial dam decisions. This research focuses on spatial patterns of news media references to "dam removal" georeferenced to a New England dams database, the types of dam removal characteristics that contribute to newsworthiness, and specific media framing strategies. We develop a method, known as DAMMDA, that combines a large geodatabase of dam features and corpus of news media articles. We find that spatial patterns of "dam removal" news media coverage do not necessarily coincide with the actual occurrence of removed dams, nor the distribution of extant dams, in the landscape. Instead, a minority of dams with specific characteristics make up the majority of dam media references. Such "newsworthy dams" are capable of generating hydroelectricity, are situated on large rivers, are located in urban areas, or have already been removed. Further, references to newsworthy dams are often used to frame discussions about future dam decisions in other locations in New England and across the United States. We conclude by reflecting on how this approach is relevant for understanding complex and interconnected factors that can shape controversial sustainability issues, such as the relationships between news media and social-ecological characteristics of infrastructures within landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel G Roy
- Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
- School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
| | - Bridie McGreavy
- Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Tyler Quiring
- Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
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Thurstan RH. The potential of historical ecology to aid understanding of human-ocean interactions throughout the Anthropocene. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:351-364. [PMID: 35061243 PMCID: PMC9545720 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Marine historical ecology emerged in the scholarly literature with the aim of understanding long-term dynamics in marine ecosystems and the outcomes of past human-ocean interactions. The use of historical sources, which differ in temporal scale and resolution to most scientific monitoring data, present both opportunities and challenges for informing our understanding of past marine ecosystems and the ways in which human communities made use of them. With an emphasis upon marine social-ecological changes over the past 200 years, I present an overview of the relevant historical ecology literature and summarise how this approach generates a richer understanding of human-ocean interactions and the legacies associated with human-induced ecosystem change. Marine historical ecology methodologies continue to be developed, whereas expanded inter- and multidisciplinary collaborations provide exciting avenues for future discoveries. Beyond scholarship, historical ecology presents opportunities to foster a more sustainable relationship with oceans going forward: by challenging ingrained perceptions of what is "normal" within marine ecosystems, reconnecting human communities to the oceans and providing cautionary lessons and exemplars of sustainable human-ocean interactions from the past. To leverage these opportunities, scholars must work alongside practitioners, managers and policy makers to foster mutual understanding, explore new opportunities to communicate historical findings and address the challenges of integrating historical data into modern-day frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H. Thurstan
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterCornwallUK
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8
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Peake JA, MacDonald TC, Thompson KA, Stallings CD. Community dynamics of estuarine forage fishes are associated with a latitudinal basal resource regime. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A. Peake
- University of South Florida College of Marine Science St. Petersburg Florida USA
| | - Timothy C. MacDonald
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute St. Petersburg Florida USA
| | - Kevin A. Thompson
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute St. Petersburg Florida USA
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9
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Smith KA, Coulson PG, Hesp SA. Exceptional longevity in a lightly exploited, semi-anadromous clupeid (Perth herring Nematalosa vlaminghi) within a degraded estuarine environment. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 100:390-405. [PMID: 34796914 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many anadromous (and semi-anadromous) fish species, which migrate from marine to freshwater ecosystems to spawn and to complete their life cycle, are currently threatened by habitat degradation in the upper parts of estuaries and rivers, where spawning and juvenile nursery areas occur. This situation pertains to Nematalosa vlaminghi, a semi-anadromous gizzard shad (Clupeidae: Dorosomatinae) endemic to south-western Australia. More information on the biology of N. vlaminghi is required for its effective management and conservation. This study estimated growth, longevity and natural mortality of N. vlaminghi. Ages were determined by counting validated annual growth increments in thin sections of sagittal otoliths. Fish were sampled in the Swan-Canning Estuary, which historically hosted the main commercial fishery for N. vlaminghi. Since the late 1990s, however, only very minor catches of this species have been taken from this estuary and none since 2007. Given the essentially unexploited state of the current population, the estimate of total mortality (Z, y-1 ) from the catch curve analysis in this study provides a direct estimate of natural mortality (M, y-1 ) for N. vlaminghi. Somatic growth during this study was substantially slower than that historically reported for N. vlaminghi. Various processes operating in this estuary since the 1970s may have contributed to slower growth, including increased hypoxia, higher primary productivity due to eutrophication and cessation of fishing for N. vlaminghi. The maximum observed age of 19.8 years for N. vlaminghi is the highest reported for any gizzard shad globally and one of the highest reported for any clupeid species. This exceptional longevity is likely part of a life-history strategy that allows N. vlaminghi, which exhibits substantial variation in annual recruitment success, to persist in the intermittently closed estuaries of south-western Australia where environmental factors, including low flow and hypoxia, can create unfavourable conditions for reproduction for extended periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A Smith
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter G Coulson
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
| | - S Alex Hesp
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
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Waldman JR, Quinn TP. North American diadromous fishes: Drivers of decline and potential for recovery in the Anthropocene. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl5486. [PMID: 35089793 PMCID: PMC8797777 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl5486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Diadromous fishes migrate between freshwater and marine habitats to complete their life cycle, a complexity that makes them vulnerable to the adverse effects of current and past human activities on land and in the oceans. Many North American species are critically endangered, and entire populations have been lost. Major factors driving declines include overfishing, pollution, water withdrawals, aquaculture, non-native species, habitat degradation, over-zealous application of hatcheries designed to mitigate effects of other factors, and effects of climate change. Perhaps, the most broadly tractable and effective factors affecting diadromous fishes are removals of the dams that prevent or hinder their migrations, alter their environment, and often favor non-native biotic communities. Future survival of many diadromous fish populations may depend on this.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Waldman
- Queens College and Graduate School, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Corresponding author.
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11
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Farr ER, Johnson MR, Nelson MW, Hare JA, Morrison WE, Lettrich MD, Vogt B, Meaney C, Howson UA, Auster PJ, Borsuk FA, Brady DC, Cashman MJ, Colarusso P, Grabowski JH, Hawkes JP, Mercaldo-Allen R, Packer DB, Stevenson DK. An assessment of marine, estuarine, and riverine habitat vulnerability to climate change in the Northeast U.S. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260654. [PMID: 34882701 PMCID: PMC8659346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is impacting the function and distribution of habitats used by marine, coastal, and diadromous species. These impacts often exacerbate the anthropogenic stressors that habitats face, particularly in the coastal environment. We conducted a climate vulnerability assessment of 52 marine, estuarine, and riverine habitats in the Northeast U.S. to develop an ecosystem-scale understanding of the impact of climate change on these habitats. The trait-based assessment considers the overall vulnerability of a habitat to climate change to be a function of two main components, sensitivity and exposure, and relies on a process of expert elicitation. The climate vulnerability ranks ranged from low to very high, with living habitats identified as the most vulnerable. Over half of the habitats examined in this study are expected to be impacted negatively by climate change, while four habitats are expected to have positive effects. Coastal habitats were also identified as highly vulnerable, in part due to the influence of non-climate anthropogenic stressors. The results of this assessment provide regional managers and scientists with a tool to inform habitat conservation, restoration, and research priorities, fisheries and protected species management, and coastal and ocean planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Farr
- Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael R. Johnson
- Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mark W. Nelson
- ECS, Under contract to the Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jonathan A. Hare
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Wendy E. Morrison
- Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthew D. Lettrich
- ECS, Under contract to the Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Bruce Vogt
- NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christopher Meaney
- Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Falmouth, Maine, United States of America
| | - Ursula A. Howson
- Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Sterling, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Auster
- Mystic Aquarium & University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Frank A. Borsuk
- Region 3, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wheeling, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Damian C. Brady
- Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Walpole, Maine, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Cashman
- Maryland-Delaware-DC Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Phil Colarusso
- Region 1, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jonathan H. Grabowski
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - James P. Hawkes
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Renee Mercaldo-Allen
- Milford Laboratory, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Milford, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - David B. Packer
- James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Highlands, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - David K. Stevenson
- Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States of America
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12
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Bayse SM, Regish AM, McCormick SD. Survival and spawning success of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in varying temperatures and levels of glochidia infection. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:1821-1836. [PMID: 34546487 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-021-01018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Temperature fluctuations and climate change impacts may substantially affect spawning success of fish, especially migratory species with a limited spawning window. Factors affecting American shad (Alosa sapidissima) spawning success and survival were investigated at different temperatures and periods (peak- and late-spawning periods) during the Connecticut River, USA, spawning migration in 2017. Wild caught American shad were exposed to constant temperatures regimes of 15, 18, 21, 24 and 27 °C for 2 weeks. During the peak-spawning period, an increase in temperature (15-24 °C) was shown to increase spawning success factors, including spawning probability, number of eggs, and fertilization success, but decreased egg size. Temperatures between 18 and 27 °C did not affect these factors during the late-spawning period. Glochidia infection by the alewife floater (Anodonta implicata) was much higher in the late-spawning period and significantly decreased the survival of American shad. Further research should investigate the parasite-host relationship between the alewife floater and American shad to determine annual variability of glochidia infections and how they affect American shad from physiological and passage perspectives. Higher temperatures were shown to increase spawning success of American shad during the peak-spawning period, but temperature had no effect during the late-spawning period. However, any effect during the late-spawning period may have been masked by a high level of glochidia infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Bayse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, One Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, USA.
- Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 155 Ridge Road, St. John's, NL, A1C 5R3, Canada.
| | - Amy M Regish
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, One Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, USA
| | - Stephen D McCormick
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, One Migratory Way, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, USA
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Myxozoan parasites vary in river herring according to life history stage and habitat. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3709-3723. [PMID: 34599358 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07329-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Anadromous river herring have declined in many parts of their range, leading to fisheries management efforts to help repopulate this species by improving connectivity of rivers and restoring populations by fish transfers. With data lacking on parasites in these species, this study sought to better understand myxozoans across various life stages and habitats in river herring populations in New Jersey, USA. We compared fish from riverine habitats during early-life growth and adults returning to spawn, marine-phase fish, and landlocked Alewife populations. Three myxozoan species were identified in young-of-the-year (YOY) anadromous river herring, including Kudoa clupeidae in the skeletal musculature, Myxobolus mauriensis in the rib cartilage, and an uncharacterized coelozoic myxozoan within the lumen of mesonephric tubules. In YOY river herring, Blueback Herring were 2 times more likely to be infected by K. clupeidae than Alewife (p = 0.019) and in the Maurice River, fish were 4 times more likely to be infected with M. mauriensis than fish from Great Egg Harbor River (p = 0.000) and 11 times more likely than the Delaware River (p = 0.001). Spawning adult river herring were infected with a previously undescribed myxozoan parasite infecting the kidney. Sequencing the 18S rDNA indicated this species is closely related to Ortholinea species. Myxobolus mauriensis and the Ortholinea-like species were absent from marine-phase river herring indicating that infections were linked to river environments occurring during early-life growth and spawning, respectively. No myxozoans were present in landlocked Alewife, showing that similar infections occurring in rivers were absent in lake environments in the region.
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Yatsuyanagi T, Araki H. Understanding seasonal migration of Shishamo smelt in coastal regions using environmental DNA. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239912. [PMID: 33002065 PMCID: PMC7529200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory organisms have their own life histories that efficiently link multiple ecosystems. Therefore, comprehensive understanding of migration ecologies of these organisms is essential for both species conservation and ecosystem management. However, monitoring migration at fine spatiotemporal scales, especially in open marine systems, often requires huge costs and effort. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques that utilize DNA released from living organisms into their environment became available for monitoring wild animals without direct handling. In this study, we conducted an eDNA survey for understanding marine migration of an endemic fish species, Shishamo smelt (Spirinchus lanceolatus). We examined 1) seasonal habitat changes in coastal regions and 2) environmental factors potentially driving the migration of this species. The eDNA concentrations along a 100 km-long coastline exhibited spatiotemporal variation, suggesting that this species shifts their habitat away from nearshore areas between spring and summer. We also found a significantly negative association between the eDNA concentration and sea surface temperature. That finding suggests that the offshore migration of this species is associated with increased sea surface temperature. This study reveals new aspects of S. lanceolatus life history in coastal regions. Together with our previous eDNA study on the freshwater migration of S. lanceolatus, this study illustrates the potential of eDNA techniques for understanding the whole life history of this migratory species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsu Yatsuyanagi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Araki
- Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- * E-mail:
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15
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Lothian AJ, Schwinn M, Anton AH, Adams CE, Newton M, Koed A, Lucas MC. Are we designing fishways for diversity? Potential selection on alternative phenotypes resulting from differential passage in brown trout. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 262:110317. [PMID: 32250800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fishways are commonly employed to improve river connectivity for fishes, but the extent to which they cater for natural phenotypic diversity has been insufficiently addressed. We measured differential upstream passage success of three wild brown trout (Salmo trutta) phenotypes (anadromous, freshwater-resident adult and parr-marked), encompassing a range of sizes and both sexes, at a Larinier superactive baffle fishway adjacent to a flow-gauging weir, using PIT telemetry (n = 160) and radio telemetry (n = 53, double tagged with PIT tags). Fish were captured and tagged downstream of the weir in the autumn pre-spawning period, 2017, in a tributary of the River Wear, England, where over 95% of tributary spawning habitat was available upstream of the weir. Of 57 trout that approached the weir-fishway complex, freshwater-resident adult and parr-marked phenotypes were less successful in passing than anadromous trout (25%, 36%, and 63% passage efficiency, respectively). Seventy-one percent of anadromous trout that passed upstream traversed the weir directly. Although the fishway facilitated upstream passage, it was poor in attracting fish of all phenotypes (overall attraction efficiency, 22.8%). A higher proportion (68.2%) of parr-marked trout that approached the weir were male and included sexually mature individuals, compared with that of freshwater-resident (37.8%) and anadromous trout (37.0%). The greater passage success of anadromous trout was likely due to their greater size and locomotory performance compared to the other phenotypes. Barriers and fishways can act as selection filters, likely the case in this study, and greater consideration needs to be given to supporting natural diversity in populations when proposing fishway designs to mitigate river connectivity problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus J Lothian
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, United Kingdom.
| | - Michael Schwinn
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlovej 39, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - A Harrison Anton
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, United Kingdom
| | - Colin E Adams
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G63 0AW, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Newton
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G63 0AW, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Anders Koed
- Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Vejlovej 39, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Martyn C Lucas
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, United Kingdom.
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16
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Nelson GA, Gahagan BI, Armstrong MP, Jordaan A, Bowden A. A life cycle simulation model for exploring causes of population change in Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus). Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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17
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Lennox RJ, Paukert CP, Aarestrup K, Auger-Méthé M, Baumgartner L, Birnie-Gauvin K, Bøe K, Brink K, Brownscombe JW, Chen Y, Davidsen JG, Eliason EJ, Filous A, Gillanders BM, Helland IP, Horodysky AZ, Januchowski-Hartley SR, Lowerre-Barbieri SK, Lucas MC, Martins EG, Murchie KJ, Pompeu PS, Power M, Raghavan R, Rahel FJ, Secor D, Thiem JD, Thorstad EB, Ueda H, Whoriskey FG, Cooke SJ. One Hundred Pressing Questions on the Future of Global Fish Migration Science, Conservation, and Policy. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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18
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Snyder JT, Whitney MM, Dam HG, Jacobs MW, Baumann H. Citizen science observations reveal rapid, multi-decadal ecosystem changes in eastern Long Island Sound. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 146:80-88. [PMID: 30926196 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Long-term environmental records are among the most valuable assets for understanding the trajectory and consequences of climate change. Here we report on a newly recovered time-series from Project Oceanology, a non-profit ocean science organization serving New England schools (USA) since 1972. As part of its educational mission, Project Oceanology has routinely and consistently recorded water temperature, pH, and oxygen as well as invertebrate and fish abundance in nearshore waters of the Thames River estuary in eastern Long Island Sound (LIS). We digitized these long-term records to test for decadal trends in abiotic and biotic variables including shifts in species abundance, richness, and diversity. Consistent with previous studies, the data revealed an above-average warming rate of eastern LIS waters over the past four decades (+0.45 °C decade-1), a non-linear acidification trend twice the global average (-0.04 pH units decade-1), and a notable decline in whole water-column dissolved oxygen concentrations (-0.29 mg L-1 decade-1). Trawl catches between 1997 and 2016 suggested a significant decrease in overall species diversity and richness, declines in cold-water adapted species such as American lobster (Homarus americanus), rock crab (Cancer irroratus), and winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), but concurrent increases in the warm-water decapod Libinia emarginata (spider crab). Our study confirmed that Long Island Sound is a rapidly changing urban estuary, while demonstrating the value of long-term observations made by citizen-scientists, educators, and other stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob T Snyder
- University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, 06340, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Michael M Whitney
- University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, 06340, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Hans G Dam
- University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, 06340, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Molly W Jacobs
- Project Oceanology, 1084 Shennecossett Road, 06340, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Hannes Baumann
- University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, 06340, Groton, CT, USA.
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Plough LV, Ogburn MB, Fitzgerald CL, Geranio R, Marafino GA, Richie KD. Environmental DNA analysis of river herring in Chesapeake Bay: A powerful tool for monitoring threatened keystone species. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205578. [PMID: 30383750 PMCID: PMC6211659 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has emerged as a powerful tool to detect and quantify species abundance in aquatic environments. However, relatively few studies have compared the performance of eDNA-based abundance estimates to traditional catch or survey approaches in the field. Here, we have developed and field-tested a qPCR assay to detect eDNA from alewife and blueback herring (collectively known as ‘river herring’), comparing eDNA-based presence and abundance data to traditional methods of quantification (ichthyoplankton sampling and adult observations). Overall, the qPCR assay showed very high target specificity in lab trials, and was successful in detecting river herring for 11/12 Chesapeake Bay tributaries in spring 2015 and 2016, with 106 out of 445 samples exhibiting positive eDNA hits. We found a strong correlation between eDNA abundance and ichthyoplankton count data (Spearman’s Rho = 0.52), and Phi-tests (correlation of presence/absence data) showed higher correlation between eDNA and ichthyoplankton data (Phi = 0.45) than adult data (Phi = 0.35). Detection probability was significantly lower on western vs. eastern shore tributaries of Chesapeake Bay, and blueback herring and alewife were more likely detected on the western and eastern shores, respectively. Temporal patterns of eDNA abundance over the spring spawning season revealed that alewife were present in high abundances weeks ahead of blueback herring, which aligns with known differences in spawning behavior of the species. In summary, the eDNA abundance data corresponded well to other field methods and has great potential to assist future monitoring efforts of river herring abundance and habitat use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis V. Plough
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Matthew B. Ogburn
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Catherine L. Fitzgerald
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Rose Geranio
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gabriella A. Marafino
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kimberly D. Richie
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, United States of America
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20
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Littrell KA, Ellis D, Gephard SR, MacDonald AD, Palkovacs EP, Scranton K, Post DM. Evaluating the potential for prezygotic isolation and hybridization between landlocked and anadromous alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus) following secondary contact. Evol Appl 2018; 11:1554-1566. [PMID: 30344627 PMCID: PMC6183454 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent increase in river restoration projects is altering habitat connectivity for many aquatic species, increasing the chance that previously isolated populations will come into secondary contact. Anadromous and landlocked alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) are currently undergoing secondary contact as a result of a fishway installation at Rogers Lake in Old Lyme, Connecticut. To determine the degree of prezygotic isolation and potential for hybridization between alewife life history forms, we constructed spawning time distributions for two anadromous and three landlocked alewife populations using otolith-derived age estimates. In addition, we analyzed long-term data from anadromous alewife migratory spawning runs to look for trends in arrival date and spawning time. Our results indicated that anadromous alewife spawned earlier and over a shorter duration than landlocked alewife, but 3%-13% of landlocked alewife spawning overlapped with the anadromous alewife spawning period. The degree of spawning time overlap was primarily driven by annual and population-level variation in the timing of spawning by landlocked alewife, whereas the timing and duration of spawning for anadromous alewife were found to be relatively invariant among years in our study system. For alewife and many other anadromous fish species, the increase in fish passage river restoration projects in the coming decades will re-establish habitat connectivity and may bring isolated populations into contact. Hybridization between life history forms may occur when prezygotic isolating mechanisms are minimal, leading to potentially rapid ecological and evolutionary changes in restored habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Ellis
- Fisheries DivisionConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental ProtectionOld LymeConnecticut
| | - Stephen R. Gephard
- Fisheries DivisionConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental ProtectionOld LymeConnecticut
| | - Andrew D. MacDonald
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticut
| | - Eric P. Palkovacs
- Long Marine LaboratoryUniversity of California Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia
| | | | - David M. Post
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticut
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21
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22
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Mattocks S, Hall CJ, Jordaan A. Damming, Lost Connectivity, and the Historical Role of Anadromous Fish in Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics. Bioscience 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/bix069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Ferchaud AL, Perrier C, April J, Hernandez C, Dionne M, Bernatchez L. Making sense of the relationships between Ne, Nb and Nc towards defining conservation thresholds in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Heredity (Edinb) 2016; 117:268-78. [PMID: 27530910 PMCID: PMC5026759 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective population size over a generation (Ne) or over a reproductive cycle (Nb) and the adult census size (Nc) are important parameters in both conservation and evolutionary biology. Ne provides information regarding the rate of loss of genetic diversity and can be tracked back in time to infer demographic history of populations, whereas Nb may often be more easily quantified than Nc for short-term abundance monitoring. In this study, we propose (1) an empirical context to Waples et al. (2014) who introduced a correction to bias due to overlapping generations, and (2) a mathematical relationship between Ne and Nb for direct application in Atlantic salmon populations in Québec, Canada. To achieve this, we investigate the relationships between Ne, Nb and Nc in 10 Atlantic salmon populations, Canada, for which we genotyped 100 randomly sampled young-of-the year individuals for 5 consecutive years. The results show a positive correlation between Ne, Nb and Nc, suggesting that Nb is an indicative parameter for tracking effective population size and abundance of Atlantic salmon. However, our model allows predicting Nc from Nb values at 27% that can be partly explained by high variance in Nb/Nc both among populations (37%) and among years (19%). This result illustrates the need for thorough calibration of Nb/Nc before using Nb in monitoring programs, as well as a full understanding of the limits of such an approach. Finally, we discuss the importance of these results for the management of wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-L Ferchaud
- Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - C Perrier
- Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175 CNRS), Montpellier, France
| | - J April
- Direction de la Faune Aquatique, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - C Hernandez
- Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - M Dionne
- Direction de la Faune Aquatique, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - L Bernatchez
- Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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Lovy J, Hutcheson JM. Myxobolus mauriensisn. sp. Infecting Rib Cartilage of Young-of-the-Year River Herring in New Jersey: Notes on Pathology, Prevalence, and Genetics. J Parasitol 2016; 102:419-28. [DOI: 10.1645/15-939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Lovy
- Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, 605 Pequest Road, Oxford, New Jersey 07863
| | - Josette M. Hutcheson
- Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, 605 Pequest Road, Oxford, New Jersey 07863
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25
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Cooke SJ, Martins EG, Struthers DP, Gutowsky LFG, Power M, Doka SE, Dettmers JM, Crook DA, Lucas MC, Holbrook CM, Krueger CC. A moving target--incorporating knowledge of the spatial ecology of fish into the assessment and management of freshwater fish populations. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2016; 188:239. [PMID: 27004432 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5228-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater fish move vertically and horizontally through the aquatic landscape for a variety of reasons, such as to find and exploit patchy resources or to locate essential habitats (e.g., for spawning). Inherent challenges exist with the assessment of fish populations because they are moving targets. We submit that quantifying and describing the spatial ecology of fish and their habitat is an important component of freshwater fishery assessment and management. With a growing number of tools available for studying the spatial ecology of fishes (e.g., telemetry, population genetics, hydroacoustics, otolith microchemistry, stable isotope analysis), new knowledge can now be generated and incorporated into biological assessment and fishery management. For example, knowing when, where, and how to deploy assessment gears is essential to inform, refine, or calibrate assessment protocols. Such information is also useful for quantifying or avoiding bycatch of imperiled species. Knowledge of habitat connectivity and usage can identify critically important migration corridors and habitats and can be used to improve our understanding of variables that influence spatial structuring of fish populations. Similarly, demographic processes are partly driven by the behavior of fish and mediated by environmental drivers. Information on these processes is critical to the development and application of realistic population dynamics models. Collectively, biological assessment, when informed by knowledge of spatial ecology, can provide managers with the ability to understand how and when fish and their habitats may be exposed to different threats. Naturally, this knowledge helps to better evaluate or develop strategies to protect the long-term viability of fishery production. Failure to understand the spatial ecology of fishes and to incorporate spatiotemporal data can bias population assessments and forecasts and potentially lead to ineffective or counterproductive management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Eduardo G Martins
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel P Struthers
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Lee F G Gutowsky
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Susan E Doka
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | | | - David A Crook
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Martyn C Lucas
- School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | | | - Charles C Krueger
- Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA
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26
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Powell AS, Jackson L, Ardón M. Disentangling the effects of drought, salinity, and sulfate on baldcypress growth in a coastal plain restored wetland. Restor Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S. Powell
- Department of Biology; East Carolina University; Greenville NC 27858 U.S.A
| | - Lonnie Jackson
- Department of Biology; East Carolina University; Greenville NC 27858 U.S.A
| | - Marcelo Ardón
- Department of Biology; East Carolina University; Greenville NC 27858 U.S.A
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27
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McDermott SP, Bransome NC, Sutton SE, Smith BE, Link JS, Miller TJ. Quantifying alosine prey in the diets of marine piscivores in the Gulf of Maine. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2015; 86:1811-1829. [PMID: 25943427 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The objectives of this work were to quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of the occurrence of anadromous fishes (alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, blueback herring Alosa aestivalis and American shad Alosa sapidissima) in the stomachs of demersal fishes in coastal waters of the north-west Atlantic Ocean. Results show that anadromous fishes were detectable and quantifiable in the diets of common marine piscivores for every season sampled. Even though anadromous fishes were not the most abundant prey, they accounted for c. 5-10% of the diet by mass for several marine piscivores. Statistical comparisons of these data with fish diet data from a broad-scale survey of the north-west Atlantic Ocean indicate that the frequency of this trophic interaction was significantly higher within spatially and temporally focused sampling areas of this study than in the broad-scale survey. Odds ratios of anadromous predation were as much as 460 times higher in the targeted sampling as compared with the broad-scale sampling. Analyses indicate that anadromous prey consumption was more concentrated in the near-coastal waters compared with consumption of a similar, but more widely distributed species, the Atlantic herring Clupea harengus. In the context of ecosystem-based fisheries management, the results suggest that even low-frequency feeding events may be locally important, and should be incorporated into ecosystem models.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P McDermott
- Greater Atlantic Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, U.S.A
| | - N C Bransome
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P. O. Box 38, Solomons, MD 20688, U.S.A
| | - S E Sutton
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A
| | - B E Smith
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A
| | - J S Link
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A
| | - T J Miller
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P. O. Box 38, Solomons, MD 20688, U.S.A
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28
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McBride MC, Hasselman DJ, Willis TV, Palkovacs EP, Bentzen P. Influence of stocking history on the population genetic structure of anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Maine rivers. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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29
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Intestinal coccidiosis of anadromous and landlocked alewives, Alosa pseudoharengus, caused by Goussia ameliae n. sp. and G. alosii n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2015; 4:159-70. [PMID: 25853050 PMCID: PMC4382861 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Intestinal coccidiosis was described in anadromous and landlocked alewife populations. The same coccidian species, Goussia ameliae, was found in both population types. Sporulation dynamics and morphology of G. ameliae differed from the two populations. Goussia alosii was described in posterior intestine of landlocked populations.
Anadromous alewives, Alosa pseudoharengus, have experienced significant population level declines caused by factors including habitat destruction. Alewives occur in two different life histories, anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked alewife evolved from ancestral anadromous populations, resulting in an exclusively freshwater and phenotypically unique form. The occurrence of parasites in a host is linked to the environment, making alewives an ideal model to compare parasitology within a single species with contrasting life histories. Currently, little information exists on the presence and impacts of parasites in these fish populations; the present study sets out to better understand coccidiosis in the threatened anadromous populations and to understand how coccidian parasites compare in both life history forms. The intestinal coccidian, Goussia ameliae n. sp., was described infecting the pyloric cecum of 76% and 86% of young-of-the-year and adult anadromous alewives, respectively, from the Maurice River, New Jersey, USA. The coccidian was found in landlocked alewife populations with a prevalence of 92% and 34% in YOY and adult fish, respectively. An analysis of the small subunit 18S ribosomal RNA gene of G. ameliae from both life history forms demonstrated that the coccidian had 100% sequence identity, confirming the same parasite species in both forms. Though genetic analysis demonstrated G. ameliae to be identical, some differences were observed in sporulation and morphology of the parasite within the two populations. The sporocysts in anadromous populations were shorter and wider, and sporulation timing differed from that of landlocked fish. These differences may either be attributed to differences in the host type or to the sporulation environment. Lastly, alewives from landlocked populations were frequently co-infected with a second coccidian species in the posterior intestine, which occurred at a lower prevalence. This species, G. alosii n. sp., was described based on morphological characters of the sporulated oocysts in fresh parasitological preparations.
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McBride MC, Willis TV, Bradford RG, Bentzen P. Genetic diversity and structure of two hybridizing anadromous fishes (Alosa pseudoharengus, Alosa aestivalis) across the northern portion of their ranges. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0617-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Origins and genetic diversity among Atlantic salmon recolonizing upstream areas of a large South European river following restoration of connectivity and stocking. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0602-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Hasselman DJ, Argo EE, McBride MC, Bentzen P, Schultz TF, Perez-Umphrey AA, Palkovacs EP. Human disturbance causes the formation of a hybrid swarm between two naturally sympatric fish species. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:1137-52. [PMID: 24450302 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Hasselman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Emily E. Argo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Meghan C. McBride
- Marine Gene Probe Laboratory; Biology Department; Dalhousie University; Halifax NS B3H 4R2 Canada
| | - Paul Bentzen
- Marine Gene Probe Laboratory; Biology Department; Dalhousie University; Halifax NS B3H 4R2 Canada
| | - Thomas F. Schultz
- Marine Conservation Molecular Facility; Duke University Marine Laboratory; Beaufort NC 28516 USA
| | - Anna A. Perez-Umphrey
- Marine Conservation Molecular Facility; Duke University Marine Laboratory; Beaufort NC 28516 USA
| | - Eric P. Palkovacs
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
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Palkovacs EP, Hasselman DJ, Argo EE, Gephard SR, Limburg KE, Post DM, Schultz TF, Willis TV. Combining genetic and demographic information to prioritize conservation efforts for anadromous alewife and blueback herring. Evol Appl 2014; 7:212-26. [PMID: 24567743 PMCID: PMC3927884 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 08/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in conservation biology is the need to broadly prioritize conservation efforts when demographic data are limited. One method to address this challenge is to use population genetic data to define groups of populations linked by migration and then use demographic information from monitored populations to draw inferences about the status of unmonitored populations within those groups. We applied this method to anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), species for which long-term demographic data are limited. Recent decades have seen dramatic declines in these species, which are an important ecological component of coastal ecosystems and once represented an important fishery resource. Results show that most populations comprise genetically distinguishable units, which are nested geographically within genetically distinct clusters or stocks. We identified three distinct stocks in alewife and four stocks in blueback herring. Analysis of available time series data for spawning adult abundance and body size indicate declines across the US ranges of both species, with the most severe declines having occurred for populations belonging to the Southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic Stocks. While all alewife and blueback herring populations deserve conservation attention, those belonging to these genetic stocks warrant the highest conservation prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P Palkovacs
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Daniel J Hasselman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Emily E Argo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Stephen R Gephard
- Inland Fisheries Division, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental ProtectionOld Lyme, CT, USA
| | - Karin E Limburg
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New YorkSyracuse, NY, USA
| | - David M Post
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas F Schultz
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke UniversityBeaufort, NC, USA
| | - Theodore V Willis
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Southern MaineGorham, ME, USA
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Brown JJ, Limburg KE, Waldman JR, Stephenson K, Glenn EP, Juanes F, Jordaan A. Fish and hydropower on the U.S. Atlantic coast: failed fisheries policies from half-way technologies. Conserv Lett 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. Jed Brown
- Masdar Institute of Science and Technology; Abu Dhabi; United Arab Emirates
| | - Karin E. Limburg
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; Syracuse; NY; 13210; USA
| | - John R. Waldman
- Department of Biology, Queens College; Flushing; NY; 11367; USA
| | - Kurt Stephenson
- Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg; VA; 24061; USA
| | - Edward P. Glenn
- University of Arizona, Environmental Research Laboratory; Tucson; AZ; 85706; USA
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria; Victoria; BC; V8W 3N5; Canada
| | - Adrian Jordaan
- Department of Environmental Conservation; University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst; MA; 01003-9285; USA
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