Accuracy and precision of tidal wetland soil carbon mapping in the conterminous United States

© The Author(s), 2018. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 8 (2018): 9478, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-26948-7.Tidal wetlands produce long-term soil organic carbon (C) stocks. Thus for carbon accounting purposes, we need accurate and precise information on the magnitude and spatial distribution of those stocks. We assembled and analyzed an unprecedented soil core dataset, and tested three strategies for mapping carbon stocks: applying the average value from the synthesis to mapped tidal wetlands, applying models fit using empirical data and applied using soil, vegetation and salinity maps, and relying on independently generated soil carbon maps. Soil carbon stocks were far lower on average and varied less spatially and with depth than stocks calculated from available soils maps. Further, variation in carbon density was not well-predicted based on climate, salinity, vegetation, or soil classes. Instead, the assembled dataset showed that carbon density across the conterminous united states (CONUS) was normally distributed, with a predictable range of observations. We identified the simplest strategy, applying mean carbon density (27.0 kg C m−3), as the best performing strategy, and conservatively estimated that the top meter of CONUS tidal wetland soil contains 0.72 petagrams C. This strategy could provide standardization in CONUS tidal carbon accounting until such a time as modeling and mapping advancements can quantitatively improve accuracy and precision.Synthesis efforts were funded by NASA Carbon Monitoring System (CMS; NNH14AY67I), USGS LandCarbon and the Smithsonian Institution. J.R.H. was additionally supported by the NSF-funded Coastal Carbon Research Coordination Network while completing this manuscript (DEB-1655622). J.M.S. coring efforts were funded by NSF (EAR-1204079). B.P.H. coring efforts were funded by Earth Observatory (Publication Number 197)

Urbanization driving Ocypode quadrata burrow density, depth, and width across Caribbean beaches

Globally, sandy beaches support local economies and are the most commonly-used type of coastline. This importance is perhaps most striking in the Caribbean; however, no study has assessed the morphological features of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) sandy beaches or evaluated how their biodiversity is influenced by human activities. We addressed these gaps by sampling eight St. Thomas, USVI, beaches with different urbanization levels (Stumpy Bay, Santa Maria Bay, Caret Bay, Neltjeberg Bay, Lindberg Bay, Magens Bay, Coki Point Beach, and Sapphire Beach) multiple times during high- and low-tourist season. At each sampling site and occasion, we measured environmental features (i.e., grain size, waves, and slope), urbanization variables (e.g., solid waste, traffic of vehicles, and beach cleaning) and ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata) population parameters (i.e., burrow density, depth, and width). We found that all studied beaches have similar morphodynamic features, being generally characterized as wave dominated reflective. Urbanization variables were the main drivers of ghost crab populations, with visitor frequency, distance to urban center, and evidence of vehicles on sand exerting stronger roles than variations in physical beach characteristics. Overall, our results provide important information on the morphology of USVI beaches and the impact of beach use. We expect these results will increase understanding of the drivers and threats to local sandy beach biodiversity, inform future management decisions for the territory, while creating a baseline for ghost crab studies in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Host Microbiota Influences Interactions Between Hosts And Pathogens

This manuscript is the product of the graduate class BIOL890B: Host-Pathogen Interactions, which was taught Fall 2020 at Kansas State University. All students in the class share authorship equally and are listed in alphabetical order by last name in alphabetical order. This course was co-taught by Dr. Kristin Michel ([email protected]) and Dr. Thomas Platt ([email protected]), who serve as corresponding authors for this manuscript.Bacterial microbiota have significant effects on host interactions with pathogens in both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. Here we discuss the direct and indirect impacts of microbiota on defense against pathogens. We found that microbiota have direct effects on host defense against pathogens through interference and niche competition, and by influencing host immune system development and function. The host microbiota also impacts host-pathogen interactions beyond immunity, by influencing physical barriers and physiological responses. In addition, it can influence the establishment of tumorigenic microbes thereby increasing cancer risk. Thus, the relationship between the host and its microbiota has short- and long-term impacts on overall health. Research that aims to identify and characterize the mechanisms that underlie these direct and indirect effects on host health will inform future medical treatments

Altered juvenile fish communities associated with invasive <i>Halophila stipulacea</i> seagrass habitats in the U.S. Virgin Islands

<div><p>Caribbean seagrass habitats provide food and protection for reef-associated juvenile fish. The invasive seagrass <i>Halophila stipulacea</i> is rapidly altering these seascapes. Since its arrival in the Caribbean in 2002, <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i> has colonized and displaced native seagrasses, but the function of this invasive seagrass as a juvenile fish habitat remains unknown. To compare diversity, community structure, and abundance of juvenile fish between <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i> and native seagrass beds, fish traps were deployed in four nearshore bays around St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Traps were deployed in Frenchman, Lindbergh, and Sprat Bays for 24 h intervals in patches of bare sand, patches of <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i> and patches of the native Caribbean seagrasses <i>Thalassia testudinum</i> and S<i>yringodium filiforme</i>. Traps were then deployed in Brewers Bay for 12 h intervals in stands of <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i> and <i>S</i>. <i>filiforme</i>. Relative and total abundances of juvenile fish, identified at least to family, were compared across treatment habitats for each trap deployment period. The catch from <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i>, compared to native seagrasses, comprised a greater abundance of nocturnal carnivores <i>Lutjanus synagris</i> (family Lutjanidae) and <i>Haemulon flavolineatum</i> (family Haemulidae). Additionally, the herbivore species <i>Sparisoma aurofrenatum</i> (family Labridae) and <i>Acanthurus bahianus</i> (family Acanthuridae) and the diurnal carnivore species <i>Pseudopeneus maculatus</i> (family Mullidae) were relatively scarce in <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i>. The catch from sand was much smaller, compared to vegetated habitats, and comprised only <i>L</i>. <i>synagris</i>, <i>H</i>. <i>flavolineatum</i>, and <i>H</i>. <i>aurolineatum</i>. These results provide evidence of reduced family diversity and altered juvenile fish assemblages in <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i>, driven by an abundance of some nocturnal carnivores and scarcity of herbivores and diurnal carnivores. The findings from the present work underpin the need for further investigation and mitigation of this invasion, particularly where <i>H</i>. <i>stipulacea</i> is driving seascape-alterations of key juvenile fish habitats.</p></div

Author Correction: Accuracy and Precision of Tidal Wetland Soil Carbon Mapping in the Conterminous United States.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper

NMDS of juvenile fish family relative abundance during 12 h deployments.

<p>Points represent individual traps, and 95% confidence ellipses indicate sampling distributions for each seagrass. Data were pooled across soak types.</p

Mean juvenile fish abundance in 12 h trap deployments.

<p>(A) Mean abundance of the total catch (<b>±</b> SEM), separated by treatment habitat and soak type. The contribution of each family to the mean abundance is indicated by stacked colored bars. For each guild, a legend with colors corresponding to each family and plots of the mean abundance (<b>± SEM)</b> across seagrass habitats are given for (B) nocturnal carnivores, (C) diurnal carnivores, and (D) herbivores.</p

Negative binomial generalized linear model results for each guild during 12 h deployments.

<p>Negative binomial generalized linear model results for each guild during 12 h deployments.</p