Zooplankton Biodiversity Patterns Across a Novel Water Storage Complex in the NJ Pinelands

The study involves the collection of zooplankton samples from Whitesbog, which is an inactive cranberry bog complex that is used as water storage for cranberry harvest during the fall season. Whitesbog is novel because very little human activity occurs in the surrounding area that could degrade water quality, but the complex itself is not natural. The water found in the upstream parts of the bog is highly acidic, which likely creates a gradient of ecological dystrophy in the zooplankton community. In this study, we investigate patterns of density and biodiversity across the complex and question whether these patterns are driven by physical-chemical conditions. Zooplankton density for different species varies between sites, with some sites changing more than others over time. Water temperature was the best predictor of zooplankton density, but it is unclear with present data whether this is a non-linear or linear response gradient. Turbidity and water temperature are the best predictors of zooplankton biodiversity, but the environmental variables we measured were insufficient to explain much of the observed differences between sites. Further testing is needed

Farmers Markets and the Local Food System: The Case of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

In order to examine and obtain a better understanding of the local food system within Adams County, Pennsylvania, this study explores the characteristics and perspectives of the customers and vendors at the farmers markets in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Survey findings from the Gettysburg Farmers Market and the three Adams County Farmers Markets include customer demographic information, perspectives and shopping behavior as well as vendor product information, farm size and location and preference for market management. Introductory background information on the Farm Bill and the influence of agricultural practices on the environment, human health and nutrition and the relationship between farmers markets and the local economy are offered in order to emphasize the value of a well-managed local food system. Conclusions provide evidence that lower income and lower education levels are not sufficiently represented at all the markets and food stamp programs are being underutilized. This study suggests employing additional marketing to target underrepresented demographic groups, public transportation to potentially inaccessible market locations and increased advertisement and encouragement of food stamp programs at all markets in order to expand the customer base and increase access to healthy, local foods for less advantaged citizens. The results from this study are intended to offer evidence that will promote and facilitate market management, strengthen customer/vendor relationships and encourage better ties between the local community and local food systems at the farmers markets within Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania

Understanding the importance of habitat complexity for juvenile fish and the application of 3D printed corals for reef restoration

Dixson, Danielle L.Coral reef systems have been experiencing ongoing regional declines in important topographic and biotic complexity over the last 40 years. While studies have documented the importance of live coral cover in the habitat selection process of reef fishes, the role that habitat complexity plays in these choices is poorly understood. Here, we isolated the physical structure of a common Indo-Pacific reef building coral, Pocillopora damicornis, using 3D printed models to investigate complexity preferences and resulting behavior of the coral-associated lemon damselfish, Pomacentrus moluccensis. A secondary objective of this work was to determine if 3D printed objects could be used in reef restoration by providing critical habitat for fishes and acting as viable settlement sites for recruiting reef-building corals. During a cafeteria-style choice experiment, P. moluccensis was highly selective of the high and medium complexity corals over the low complexity coral. During behavioral observations, fish occupying 3D printed low complexity corals had the highest rate of abandonment and most deviant behavior from live and dead control P. damicornis coral heads. Conversely, fish placed on 3D printed medium and high complexity corals spent more time utilizing the shelter than fish on control corals and behaved similarly to the controls when not utilizing the shelter. These results show that coral physical structure is an important factor driving habitat preferences of P. moluccensis and plays a critical role in influencing their behavior. Further, coral settlement was observed using 3D printed settlement tiles made of different filaments placed on a Fijian reef. Coral settlement was highest on nGen material. Thus, artificial corals made using 3D printing technology designed to mimic the structural complexity of healthy reefs have the potential to be used as reef habitat restoration structures in the future.University of Delaware, School of Marine Science and PolicyM.S

First network analysis of interspecific associations of abyssal benthic megafauna reveals potential vulnerability of abyssal hill community

The distribution of organisms is related to both environmental factors and interactions between organisms. However, such associations between organisms across an abyssal megafaunal community have not previously been investigated at landscape scale because of a lack of positional data on specimens over such scales. We quantified spatial distributions and investigated interspecific associations in benthic megafaunal communities in three contrasting habitats on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, two on the abyssal plain and one on the flank of a modest abyssal hill (~50 m above the plain). We used a Bayesian Network Inference Algorithm approach, which considers the ecosystem as a network, facilitated by robust positioning of specimens determined through seabed photography captured with an autonomous underwater vehicle. We found non-random interspecific distributions of most morphotypes in all areas. The organisms in two interspecific networks on the abyssal plain had high connectance and link density, while the network at the Hill site was notable in the lack of inter-dependencies and highly dependent on one morphotype – Ophiuroidea. The reduced connectance of the hill community suggests that it is operating under a different regime and potentially more vulnerable to perturbation than those on the plain. Interspecific dependencies on the abyssal plain occurred across broad taxonomic groupings, and were thought to be a result of similar relationships between pairs of organisms and the substrate, and competition for detrital resource. In addition, some intraspecific pairs changed dependency direction at different scales. Our results suggest that the scales of inter- and intraspecific aggregation will be important considerations in the design of community assessments, and in spatial planning for their conservation