Light-saturated photosynthesis by phytoplankton size fractions in the New York bight,USA

The relationships between netplankton and nanoplankton assimilation numbers, temperature, and major nutrient concentrations were studied and evaluated in the context of seasonal patterns in the biomass of these phytoplankton size fractions. Netplankton and nanoplankton blooms typically occur during late winter (2° to 8°C) and summer (18° to 24°C), respectively. Variations in nanoplankton and netplankton assimilation numbers were not statistically related to the development or collapse of specific blooms based on weekly sampling, but assimilation numbers were higher during the bloom periods than during transition periods of rapid temperature change (8° to 18°C). Differences in the assimilation numbers between size fractions could account for the dominance of the nanoplankton fraction during the summer bloom period but not for the dominance of netplankton during the winter bloom period. Nanoplankton and netplankton assimilation numbers were exponential functions of temperature between 8° and 24°C and 8° and 20°C, respectively. Below 8°C the assimilation numbers of both fractions were higher than expected on the basis of temperature. Above 20°C netplankton assimilation numbers declined with temperature. Netplankton and nanoplankton assimilation numbers were occasionally correlated with dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations from less than 1.0 to more than 15 g-at l^-1. Under these conditions, nanoplankton growth rates (calculated from assimilation number and carbon:chlorophyll) were higher and increased more rapidly with dissolved inorganic nitrogen than netplankton growth rates.     

Comparison of current Federal Reference Methods for ambient lead measurements adjacent to a secondary lead smelter

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduced their National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead (Pb) an order of magnitude to a concentration level of 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) when the new rule was promulgated in 2008. At that time, the possibility of revising the Pb sampling method from total suspended particulate (TSP) to particulate matter less than or equal to 10 µm in diameter (PM₁₀) was considered due to potential measurement bias of the Pb-TSP monitoring technique. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has been operating source-orientated colocated TSP and PM₁₀ monitors documenting ambient air lead (Pb) concentrations since 2011 at a site adjacent to a secondary Pb smelter in Wallkill, New York. The colocated Wallkill data show a very strong correlation between the readings recorded by these two sampling techniques. After the range of the variability in the individual Pb-PM₁₀/Pb-TSP ratios was reduced by using a 0.005 µg/m³ concentration cut point, because of the concerns about the measurements at low concentrations, an adjustment factor (AF) of 1.49 was calculated using the remaining data set. This AF can be used to estimate Pb-TSP concentrations from Pb-PM₁₀ readings at this Wallkill source-orientated location. It was stated by the EPA that there is only a limited data set in situations where Pb-TSP and Pb-PM₁₀ are colocated, especially for those sites considered to be source-oriented, so the analyses performed and summarized herein for the Wallkill colocated airborne Pb concentration data add to that limited data set.

Implications: These data analyses add to the limited data set in situations where Pb-TSP and Pb-PM₁₀ are colocated to help refine the derivation of a site-specific adjustment factor for estimating TSP Pb concentrations from measured PM₁₀ Pb concentrations. This could assist the EPA in transitioning away from the use of the Pb-TSP monitoring technique, with its indicated measurement bias, for the Pb NAAQS to the use of Pb-PM₁₀ instead. An adjustment factor of 1.49 was calculated that could be used to estimate Pb-TSP concentrations from Pb-PM₁₀ values collected around this source-orientated location.     

Investigation of the vadose zone using barometric pressure cycles

This paper documents a technique for investigating one-dimensional airflow in the vadose zone. Variations in pore gas pressures resulting from barometric cycles were measured at depths as great as 180 m in several gas monitoring wells. The data were transformed to the frequency domain, enabling comparison with closed-form analytic expressions of one-dimensional pressure transport in layered porous media. The data reveal evidence for vertical fracture flow that was not apparent from in situ measurements of permeability. The data also reveal that the basalt underlying the site at depths greater than 100 m has permeability exceeding 1000 darcies, and is vented to the atmosphere at an estimated distance of a few kilometers from the site.     

Resistance to metal contamination by historically-stressed populations of Ceriodaphnia pulchella: environmental influence versus genetic determination

Field populations of daphnids historically-stressed by metal contamination may show increased resistance to those contaminants. This study was undertaken aiming to confirm/infirm three main hypotheses: (1) field populations living in historically-impacted environments are more tolerant to metal stress than populations from reference sites; (2) resistance differences are genetically-determined, i.e., differences persist after controlling for environmental and maternal effects, by acclimating cloned lineages to similar conditions; and (3) resistance to stress in field populations living in historically-impacted environments is due to the disappearance of sensitive individuals rather than the appearance of highly resistant ones, i.e., the shift in the central tendency of resistance is linked to a decrease in the range of population resistance and not to an increased upper limit of the population resistance. Three populations of the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia pulchella Sars in Southern Portugal were sampled; one of which has been historically-stressed by acid mine drainage (AMD) from an abandoned cupric-pyrite mine and two from reference sites within the same watershed. To assess if resistance differences were genetically-determined, the three populations were acclimated for at least five generations under the same controlled conditions. Assays with AMD contaminated water samples were performed with both non-acclimated and acclimated individuals from all studied populations. Reproduction results in sub-lethal assays revealed significant differences between the reference and stressed populations. Significant differences in resistance to lethal levels of toxicity were observed for both non-acclimated and acclimated populations, individuals from population I being more resistant than those from reference populations. The existence of genetically-determined sensitivity differences was attested by the presence of significant differences in resistance to lethal levels of toxicity in acclimated individuals from reference and stressed populations. Results from cumulative mortality assays revealed that sensitive individuals were most probably present in the original population, but no conclusion could be draw about the presence of extreme resistant individuals in the historically-stressed population. Finally, it was shown that responses among populations converged from high to low levels of contamination.     

Laboratory and field measurements of NOx produced from corona discharge

This research consists of a laboratory study and a field study. The laboratory research reports the formation of NO_x from a point to plane corona discharge. Discharge polarity and relative humidity determined the amount of NO_x that was produced. The positive point discharge caused more NO_x to form than the negative point discharge. For both polarities NO_x production showed a nonlinear increase with current. Relative humidity enhanced the NO_x formation for both polarities. In each case, the amount of NO_x formed was comparable to the quantity of N₂O produced from corona discharge. The research also reports the results from a field study that measured the amounts of 03 and NO₂ produced by corona discharge during a thunderstorm. The study found that the ambient concentrations of 03 and NO₂ increased several fold due to corona discharge and returned to original levels after the thunderstorm.     

Integrating models to predict regional haze from wildland fire

Visibility impairment from regional haze is a significant problem throughout the continental United States. A substantial portion of regional haze is produced by smoke from prescribed and wildland fires. Here we describe the integration of four simulation models, an array of GIS raster layers, and a set of algorithms for fire-danger calculations into a modeling framework for simulating regional-scale smoke dispersion. We focus on a representative fire season (2003) in the northwestern USA, on a 12 km domain, and track the simulated dispersion and concentration of PM_2.5 over the course of the season. Simulated visibility reductions over national parks and wilderness areas are within the ranges of measured values at selected monitoring sites, although the magnitudes of peak events are underestimated because these include inputs other than fire. By linking the spatial and temporal patterns of haze-producing emissions to climatic variability, particularly synoptic weather patterns, and the stochastic nature of fire occurrence across the region, we can provide a robust method for estimating the quantity and distribution of fire-caused regional haze under climate-warming scenarios.     

Diel movement patterns of the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) in relation to El Bajo Espiritu Santo: a refuging central-position social system

Summary Movement patterns of scalloped hammerhead sharks in the vicinity of El Bajo Espiritu Santo, a seamount in the Gulf of California, were determined by tracking by ultrasonic telemetry 13 sharks and marking 100 sharks. The 13 tracked sharks swam back and forth along the seamount ridge throughout the day. They did not swim in different directions to reduce swimming effort when currents changed from a parallel to a perpendicular orientation to the ridge. Sharks tracked up to 8 km away into the pelagic environment soon returned to the seamount. From such trackings and repeated observations of marked sharks over periods of several weeks, it is believed that most sharks disperse and return to the seamount in a rhythmical fashion. The separate departures of individual hammerheads in five paired trackings indicated that the sharks left the seamount either in small groups or singly. For these reasons, we argue that the social system of the scalloped hammerhead shark can be described as a refuging system.     

Uptake and metabolism of [<Superscript>14</Superscript>C]rinderine and [<Superscript>14</Superscript>C]retronecine in leaf-beetles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic"> Platyphora</Emphasis> and alkaloid accumulation in the exocrine defensive secretions

Summary. Sequestration and processing of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) by leaf beetles of the genus Platyphora were investigated. Tracer experiments with labeled alkaloids were performed with P. eucosma feeding on Koanophyllon panamense (Asteraceae, tribe Eupatorieae). P. eucosma catalyzes the same reactions previously demonstrated for P. boucardi specialized to Prestonia portobellensis (Apocynaceae): (i) epimerization of rinderine to intermedine; (ii) esterification of retronecine yielding insect-specific PAs; (iii) efficient transport of the PAs as free bases into the defensive secretions. P. bella feeding on Tournefortia cuspidata (Boraginaceae) shows the same sequestration behavior and ability to synthesize the specific retronecine esters. P. ligata, a species phylogenetically closely related to the PA adapted species and clustering in the same clade, but feeding on a host plant devoid of PAs, feeds easily on PA treated host-plant leaves, but does not sequester or metabolize PAs. P. kollari a species clustering outside the PA clade refused to feed on its food-plant leaves painted with PAs. The results are discussed in relation to host-plant selection of the PA adapted species and the role of PAs in chemical defense. Received 20 September 2002; accepted 18 November 2002.     

Blue-winged warblers (Vermivora pinus) “recognize” dialects in type II but not type I songs

Summary Male blue-winged warblers (Vermivora pinus) sing two distinctly different song types (I and II). Type II songs from eastern New York and western Massachusetts, USA, are different (Fig. 1), and during playback experiments males respond stronger to local than to foreign songs (Fig. 2). Type I songs are more stereotyped geographically (Fig. 1), and males do not differentiate between local and foreign Type I songs (Fig. 3). Differing degrees of intra- and inter-sexual selection on these two forms may have promoted variability in Type II songs and stereotypy in Type I songs among locations.