A point for comparison: the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

A reoccurring goal listed during the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is to return the region to a former state. However, limited data is available that describes or characterizes this former condition. Data collected from ecosystems with comparatively limited anthropogenic impacts, can provide invaluable information in suggesting what former states may have looked like. One example is the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary which is located 180 kilometers off the coast of Texas. These relatively isolated and pristine banks are capped by substantial scleractinian coral communities, forming excellent habitat for over 200 species of fish. While fishing is permitted, it is limited by difficulty of access. In 2006, NOAA’s Biogeography Branch, in collaboration with the Sanctuary, initiated the first quantitative assessment of fish resources throughout the diveable portions of the Sanctuary. The sampling design and methodologies employed were identical to those that the Branch has utilized in other more impacted regions of the US Caribbean. Initial analyses reveal that fish density and species richness at the Sanctuary were almost two times greater than that found within the US Caribbean and biomass was approximately six times higher. This was due in large part to the presence of sizeable piscivores of the genera Mycteroperca and Dermatolepis. The Sanctuary is one of few minimally impacted locations remaining within the Tropical Western Atlantic. As such, these findings should be considered when attempting to establish a former state or evaluate effectiveness of an MPA in meeting its management goals

Status of the coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico: Florida, Flower Garden Banks, Puerto Rico, Navassa and USVI

This chapter covers coral reef areas under the jurisdiction of the USA in the Wider Caribbean: Florida; Flower Garden Banks; Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands; and Navassa. The following information is condensed from six chapters of The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2008. Access to the full text of this comprehensive report is available at: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/stateofthereefs

Long-term monitoring of habitats and reef fish found inside and outside the U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument: a comparative assessment

The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR), a marine protected area in St John, US Virgin Islands. Surveys of habitat and fishes inside and outside of VICR were conducted in 2003-2008. Areas outside the VICR had significantly more scleractinian corals, greater habitat complexity, and greater species richness and density of reef fishes than areas inside., Areas inside and outside the VICR exhibited significant decreases in percent scleractinian coral coverage over the study period. A contrasting trend of increasing macroalgal cover was also observed. No clear effect of the severe 2005 coral bleaching event was observed suggesting other causal factors. No obvious trends in the fish community were observed across the study period. The significant decline in habitat condition, coupled with the initial incorporation of some of the more degraded reefs into the marine protected area may result in a longer time period necessary to detect positive changes in the St. John coral reef ecosystem and associated reef fish abundance and community structure

Nocturnal fish movement and trophic flow across habitat boundaries in a coral reef ecosystem (SW Puerto Rico)

Few studies have quantified the extent of nocturnal cross-habitat movements for fish, or the influence of habitat adjacencies on nutrient flows and trophodynamics. To investigate the patterns of nocturnal cross-boundary movements of fish and quantify trophic connectivity, fish were sampled at night with gillnets set along the boundaries between dominant habitat types (coral reef/seagrass and mangrove/seagrass) in southwestern Puerto Rico. Fish movement across adjacent boundary patches were equivalent at both coral reefs and mangroves. Prey biomass transfer was greater from seagrass to coral reefs (0.016 kg/km) and from mangroves to seagrass (0.006 kg/km) but not statistically significant, indicating a balance of flow between adjacent habitats. Pelagic species (jacks, sharks, rays) accounted for 37% of prey biomass transport at coral reef/seagrass and 46% at mangrove/seagrass while grunts and snappers accounted for 7% and 15%, respectively. This study indicated that coral reefs and mangroves serve as a feeding area for a wide range of multi-habitat fish species. Crabs were the most frequent prey item in fish leaving coral reefs while molluscs were observed slightly more frequently than crabs in fish entering coral reefs. For most prey types, biomass exported from mangroves was greater than biomass imported. The information on direction of fish movement together with analysis of prey data provided strong evidence of ecological linkages between distinct adjacent habitat types and highlighted the need for greater inclusion of a mosaic of multiple habitats when attempting to understand ecosystem function including the spatial transfer of energy across the seascape

Status of coral reef ecosystems in a marine managed area in St. Croix, USVI [poster]

This poster presents information on the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (USVI). Data were collected by NOAA’s Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch (CCMA-BB) from 2001-2006 at 1,275 random locations in and around Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). The main objective was to quantify changes in fish species and assemblage diversity, abundance, biomass and size structure; to provide spatially explicit information on the distribution of key species or groups of species; and to compare community structure inside versus outside of BIRNM

Cross-Shelf Habitat Utilization Patterns of Reef Fishes in Southwestern Puerto Rico

In June 2000, the National Ocean Service and University of Puerto Rico initiated a long-term reef-fish-monitoring program in La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Objectives of this ongoing work are to: 1) develop spatially-explicit estimates of reef fish habitat utilization patterns to aid in defining essential habitats, and 2) provide a quantitative and ecologically sound foundation to delineate marine reserve boundaries. Central to this effort are recently completed digital and georeferenced benthic habitat maps for the near-shore waters of Puerto Rico. The GIS-based map served as a framework for development of a spatially stratified reef-fish-monitoring program across the shelf. Simultaneous collections of fish size and abundance data, and micro-scale habitat distribution and quality data were taken along a 25 x 4 m transect for each monitoring station. Sampling included coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitats within three cross-shelf zones unique to the insular shelf of La Parguera (inner lagoon, outer lagoon, and bank-shelf). A total of 106 stations were surveyed during the first year of sampling. Over 50,000 fishes, representing 123 species and 36 families were counted. Analyses showed clear patterns of habitat utilization across the seascape, and ontogenetic shifts in habitat selection within some species. Results also indicated that habitat type was more important than cross-shelf location in determining spatial patterns among reef fishes in the study area. Mesoscale spatially-explicit logistic models were developed to estimate distribution and expected density of some species among habitats

Early myogenic responses to acute exercise before and after resistance training in young men

To enable dynamic regulation of muscle mass and myofiber repair following injury, a satellite cell precursor population exists to supply additional nuclei. Activated satellite cells express many genes and associated proteins necessary for maturation and incorporation into the damaged fiber. There is little knowledge about the response of these markers following whole-body resistance exercise training. We investigated the impact of 12 weeks of progressive whole-body resistance training on the expression of MRFs, PAX7, NCAM, and FA1, incorporating both acute and chronic resistance exercise components. Ten young recreationally active males (21.2 ± 3.5 years) performed 12 weeks of whole-body resistance training at 70–85% of their predetermined one-repetition maximum (1RM). At the initiation and completion of the training period, muscular strength was assessed by RM and dynamometer testing, and vastus lateralis samples were obtained prior to and 3 h following an acute resistance exercise test (both whole-body and isometric exercises). Increased mRNA expression of PAX7 (threefold), NCAM (threefold), MYF5 (threefold), MYOD (threefold) and MYOGENIN (twofold) was observed 3 h after the acute resistance exercise test, both pre and posttraining. Similarly, PAX7 (11-fold) and FA1 (twofold) protein abundance increased after acute exercise, while resting NCAM (eightfold) and FA1 (threefold) protein abundance increased following 12 weeks of resistance training. It is possible that these molecular changes are primarily due to the preceding exercise bout, and are not modified by long-term or whole-body exercise training

Fish assemblages and benthic habitats of Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) and the surrounding seascape: A characterization of spatial and temporal patterns

Since 1999, NOAA’s Biogeography Branch of the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA-BB) has been working with federal and territorial partners to characterize, monitor, and assess the status of the marine environment around northeastern St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. This effort is part of the broader NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program’s (CRCP) National Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program (NCREMP). With support from CRCP’s NCREMP, CCMA conducts the “Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring project” (CREM) with goals to: (1) spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance, and size of marine fauna associated with shallow water coral reef seascapes (mosaics of coral reefs, seagrasses, sand and mangroves); (2) relate this information to in situ fine-scale habitat data and the spatial distribution and diversity of habitat types using benthic habitat maps; (3) use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting; (4) establish the efficacy of those management decisions; and (5) develop data collection and data management protocols. The monitoring effort in northeastern St. Croix was conducted through partnerships with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (VI-DPNR). The geographical focal point of the research is Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM), a protected area originally established in 1961 and greatly expanded in 2001; however, the work also encompassed a large portion of the recently created St. Croix East End Marine Park (EEMP). Project funding is primarily provided by NOAA CRCP, CCMA and NPS. In recent decades, scientific and non-scientific observations have indicated that the structure and function of the coral reef ecosystem around northeastern St. Croix have been adversely impacted by a wide range of environmental stressors. The major stressors have included the mass Diadema die off in the early 1980s, a series of hurricanes beginning with Hurricane Hugo in 1989, overfishing, mass mortality of Acropora corals due to disease and several coral bleaching events, with the most severe mass bleaching episode in 2005. The area is also an important recreational resource supporting boating, snorkeling, diving and other water based activities. With so many potential threats to the marine ecosystem and a dramatic change in management strategy in 2003 when the park’s Interim Regulations (Presidential Proclamation No. 7392) established BIRNM as one of the first fully protected marine areas in NPS system, it became critical to identify existing marine fauna and their spatial distributions and temporal dynamics. This provides ecologically meaningful data to assess ecosystem condition, support decision making in spatial planning (including the evaluation of efficacy of current management strategies) and determine future information needs. The ultimate goal of the work is to better understand the coral reef ecosystems and to provide information toward protecting and enhancing coral reef ecosystems for the benefit of the system itself and to sustain the many goods and services that it offers society. This Technical Memorandum contains analysis of the first six years of fish survey data (2001-2006) and associated characterization of the benthos (1999-2006). The primary objectives were to quantify changes in fish species and assemblage diversity, abundance, biomass and size structure and to provide spatially explicit information on the distribution of key species or groups of species and to compare community structure inside (protected) versus outside (fished) areas of BIRNM. (PDF contains 100 pages)

A systematic review of exercise intervention reporting quality and dose in studies of intermittent claudication

Background: Exercise therapy is an important treatment option for people with intermittent claudication (IC). Appropriate reporting of exercise interventions in populations with IC within randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is important to ensure that research can be translated into clinical practice. Therefore, the purpose of our review is to evaluate the reporting of exercise interventions in RCTs of exercise therapy in patients with IC. Methods: A systematic search was performed to identify relevant trials in patients with IC published until May 2020. Studies including only participants with critical-limb ischemia or asymptomatic peripheral artery disease were excluded. Each trial was scored using the recently developed ‘Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template’ (CERT) which has a maximum obtainable score of 19. Results: Of 1489 unique records identified from the search, 73 trials were included reporting 107 exercise interventions. Overall, the average CERT score was 10/19. The exercise equipment used, the use of supervision and a description of whether the exercise prescription was tailored or generic were the most frequently reported intervention components. The motivational strategies used, intervention adherence, and intervention fidelity were the most under reported CERT components. There was no trend indicating that CERT scores were higher in more recent publications. Conclusions: We have identified that important details about exercise interventions are frequently missing from the published literature. These missing data hinder replication of research findings and limit the translation of evidence into clinical practice

Baseline assessment of Fish and Coral bays, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands in support of watershed restoration activities, part I: fish, coral and benthic habitats

This report provides baseline biological data on fishes, corals and habitats in Coral and Fish Bays, St. John, USVI. A similar report with data on nutrients and contaminants in the same bays is planned to be completed in 2013. Data from NOAA’s long-term Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring program was compiled to provide a baseline assessment of corals, fishes and habitats from 2001 to 2010, data needed to assess the impacts of erosion control projects installed from 2010 to 2011. The baseline data supplement other information collected as part of the USVI Watershed Stabilization Project, a project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and distributed through the NOAA Restoration Center, but uses data which is not within the scope of ARRA funded work. We present data on 16 ecological indicators of fishes, corals and habitats. These indicators were chosen because of their sensitivity to changes in water quality noted in the scientific literature (e.g., Rogers 1990, Larsen and Webb 2009). We report long-term averages and corresponding standard errors, plot annual averages, map indicator values and list inventories of coral and fish species identified among surveys. Similar data will be needed in the future to make rigorous comparisons and determine the magnitude of any impacts from watershed stabilization