Monitoring Hypoxia Conditions in Corpus Christi Bay – 2005

Hypoxia occurs predominantly in the southeastern region of Corpus Christi Bay in summer. During the summer of 2005, a moderate number of hypoxia events were found in spatial surveys in comparison to previous years. Disturbance by hypoxia did not significantly change over the nine year period sampled. Additional long-term sampling is needed to determine if disturbance caused by hypoxia is significantly changing over time in Corpus Christi Bay or if anthropogenic changes, such as the dredging of Packery Channel and brine discharge into Oso Bay will have an effect on the occurrence of hypoxic events.Coastal Bend Bay and Estuaries Program contract number 0528Marine Scienc

Public Schooling in Southeastern Wisconsin

For the 23rd consecutive year, the Public Policy Forum has compiled and analyzed data from Southeastern Wisconsin's school districts in order to better inform policymakers and the public about progress-or lack thereof-on commonly utilized measures of academic achievement. This year's analysis of the 2008-09 academic year indicates cause for encouragement in some areas, but also cause for significant concern

Water resource records of the Econfina Creek Basin area, Florida

The Econfina Creek basin area in northwestern Florida, which includes Bay County, southeastern Washiigton County, and parts of Calhoun, Gulf, and Jackson counties is shown in figure 1. The basin has an abundant supply of ground water and surface water of good quality. This determination is based on a three-year investigation of the water resources of the basin by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Division of Geology, Florida Board of Conservation, during the period from October 1961 through June 1964. The purpose of this report is to assemble the basic data collected during this investigation for those persons interested in water development or management in this basin. (Document has 131 pages.

Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, Distribution and Survey Effort in the Gulf of Alaska

Beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, distribution in the Gulf of Alaska and adjacent inside waters was examined through a review of surveys conducted as far back as 1936. Although beluga sightings have occurred on almost every marine mammal survey in northern Cook Inlet (over 20 surveys reported here), beluga sightings have been rare outside the inlet in the Gulf of Alaska. More than 150,000 km of dedicated survey effort in the Gulf of Alaska resulted in sightings of over 23,000 individual cetaceans, of which only 4 beluga sightings (5 individuals) occurred. In addition, nearly 100,000 individual cetaceans were reported in the Platforms of Opportunity database; yet, of these, only 5 sightings (39 individuals) were belugas. Furthermore, approximately 19 beluga sightings (>260 individuals), possibly including resightings, have been reported without information on effort or other cetacean sightings. Of the 28 sightings of belugas outside of Cook Inlet, 9 were near Kodiak Island, 10 were in or near Prince William Sound, 8 were in Yakutat Bay, and 1 anomalous sighting was well south of the Gulf. These sightings support archaeological and commercial harvest evidence indicating the only persistent group of belugas in the Gulf of Alaska occurs in Cook Inlet

Ichthyoplankton Adjacent to Live-Bottom Habitats in Onslow Bay, North Carolina

The abundance and distribution of ichthyoplankton adjacent to live-bottom habitats (rock outcroppings containing rich, sessile invertebrate communities and many species of tropical and subtropical fishes) in open-shelf waters « 55-m isobath) in Onslow Bay, North Carolina, were investigated. Larvae of reef-associated genera, especially the economically important subtropical and tropical members of the families Haemulidae (Haemulon), Lutjanidae (Lutjanus and Rltomboplites), Serranidae (Mycteroperca and Epinephelus), and Sparidae (Calamus and Pagrus) were targeted. Larvae representing 40 families were collected in neuston tows. Commonly collected reef-associated families were Balistidae, Blenniidae (dominated by the reef-associated Parablennius marmoreus) , Mullidae, and Gobiidae. Larvae representing 70 families were collected in subsurface tows. Reef-associated families commonly collected included Apogonidae, Balistidae, Gobiidae, Haemulidae, LutJanidae, Scaridae, and Serranidae. Larval Haemulon sp (p)., Lutjanus sp(p)., and Rltomboplites aurorubens were commonly collected and thus it is likely that these taxa spawn in Onslow Bay and recruit to live-bottom sites within the area. Other families of fishes commonly collected but generally not considered reef-associated included Bothidae, Callionymidae, Carangidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, and Ophidiidae. Estuarine-dependent species (e.g. the clupeid Brevoortia tyrannus and the sciaenids Leiostomus xanthurus and Micropogonias undulatus) were an important component of the ichthyoplankton during late fall and winter. The frequent occurrence of larvae from oceanic species (e.g. gonostomatids and myctophids) indicated that Gulf Stream waters had intruded onto the shelf, transporting these larvae to open-shelf waters off North Carolina.(PDF file containes 36 pages.

Foraminifera and palaeoenvironment of elevated Late Pleistocene sands, White Rock Point, southeastern Tasmania

A well-preserved foraminiferal fauna similar to that living in nearby Ralphs Bay in southeastern Tasmania is documented from raised shallow-water sediment of 130-119 Ka age (Late Pleistocene; Marine Isotope Stage 5e) at about 24m above modern sea level on White Rock Point

Scarab beetles from pocket gopher burrows in the southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

This paper reports on the scarab beetles collected during a survey of nonparasitic arthopods living in burrows of the southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetus Rafinesque, Geomyidae). Three new species are described: Aphodius bakeri, A. baileyi and A. gambrinus. A key to species of Aphodius occurring in these burrows is presented. Distributional data is provided for species of Aphodius and one species of Euphoria occurring in this microhabitat. Aspects of life histories of burrow inhabiting insects are speculated upon

Review of the tribe Melolonthini in the southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae)

This paper reviews the tribe Melolonthini (Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae) in the southeastern United States, primarily in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida. Four new species are described: Gronocarus inornatus, Hypothyce burnei, Polyphylla donaldsoni, and Polyphylla woodruffi. One new synonymy is made: Gronocarus multispinosus Howden is synonymized under Gronocarus autumnalis Schaeffer. Description of the previously unknown female is made for Polyphylla brownae Young. New collection records are presented for many species. Comments on natural histories and a key to species (omitting only species of the genus Phyllophaga Harris) in this region are presented