Collaborative Research: Determinants of male reproductive success in natural spawns

This proposal is an extension of previous work aimed at understanding the effects of reproductive biology on patterns of life history evolution in a colonial marine tunicate, Botryllus schlosseri. The project will test five hypotheses about factors that may determine male reproductive success in natural spawns of this colonial invertebrate. The five hypotheses specifically aim to explore the effects of timing of sperm release, relatedness of mates, population density, and allocation to male function on fertilization success in field and experimental populations of Botryllus. Previous work has shown that there is a narrow temporal window in which fertilization can result in a viable embryo, and there may be a gametic incompatibility system. Furthermore, fertilizing sperm are generally the product of nearby colonies; colonies exhibit variation in sperm production, and high levels of sperm production only increase local reproductive success when sperm competition occurs.This preliminary information suggests that male reproductive success in natural populations is a complex function of timing relative to the reproductive cycles of other colonies, gametic compatibility, sperm production, and population density.The proposed research will consist of field and laboratory studies, with preliminary work focused to maximize the information yield of a suite of nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. These genetic markers will then be used to assay paternity in natural spawns and test the series of five hypotheses about the determinants of male reproductive success

Use of Herring Bait to Farm Lobsters in the Gulf of Maine

Ecologists, fisheries scientists, and coastal managers have all called for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, yet many species such as the American lobster (Homarus americanus) are still largely managed individually. One hypothesis that has yet to be tested suggests that human augmentation of lobster diets via the use of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as bait may contribute to recent increases in lobster landings. Currently 70% of Atlantic herring landings in the Gulf of Maine are used as bait to catch lobsters in traps throughout coastal New England.We examined the effects of this herring bait on the diet composition and growth rate of lobsters at heavily baited vs. seasonally closed (i.e., bait free) sites in coastal Maine. Our results suggest that human use of herring bait may be subsidizing juvenile lobster diets, thereby enhancing lobster growth and the overall economic value and yield of one of the most valuable fisheries in the U.S.Our study illustrates that shifting to an ecosystem approach to fisheries management should require consideration of cross-fishery interactions

Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) gonad index station sampling information from coastal eastern Maine between 2014 and 2016 (MuLTI-2 project)

Dataset: Gonad Index Sampling InformationBlue mussel (Mytilus edulis) gonad index station sampling information from coastal eastern Maine between 2014 and 2016. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/658758NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-133375

Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) gonad index data from mussel collections in coastal eastern Maine between 2014 and 2016 (MuLTI-2 project)

Dataset: Gonad Index (GI)Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) gonad index data from mussel collections in coastal eastern Maine between 2014 and 2016. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/658752NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-133375

CTD/ADCP transect log from multiple day trips in the coastal waters, Gulf of Maine from 2015-2016 (GOMEPRO project)

Dataset: GOMEPRO: ADCP/CTD transect logCTD/ADCP transect log from multiple day trips in the coastal waters, Gulf of Maine from 2015-2016 (GOMEPRO project). Cruise list for ADCP and CTD casts during the GOMEPRO Project. Each cruise was a single day trip in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine, 2015-2016. Reported are the site name, transect type, tidal direction, and date. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/699706NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-145818

CTD cast log from casts before and after larval vertical distribution sampling from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014

Dataset: CTD cast log for mussel studyCTD cast log from casts before and after larval vertical distribution sampling from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014 For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/783749NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-145818

Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) settlement data from settlement plates in coastal eastern Maine from 2014 to 2016 (MuLTI-2 project)

Dataset: SettlementBlue mussel (Mytilus edulis) settlement data from settlement plates in coastal eastern Maine from 2014 to 2016. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/720217NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-133375

CTD data from casts before and after larval vertical distribution sampling from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014

Dataset: CTD data for mussel studyCTD data from casts before and after larval vertical distribution sampling from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/783736NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-145818

Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) density data from surveys conducted in coastal eastern Maine from 2014 to 2017 (MuLTI-2 project)

Dataset: DensityBlue mussel (Mytilus edulis) density data from surveys conducted in coastal eastern Maine from 2014 to 2017. For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/717620NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-133375

Depth distribution of mussel larvae in eastern Gulf of Maine from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014

Dataset: Mussel Larvae Vertical DistributionDepth distribution of mussel larvae in eastern Gulf of Maine from R/V C-Hawk day cruises in the Eastern Gulf of Maine from 2012 to 2014 For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/783755NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-145818