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Walker BK, Fisco Becker D, Williams GJ, Kilfoyle AK, Smith SG, Kozachuk A. Regional reef fish assemblage maps provide baseline biogeography for tropicalization monitoring. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7893. [PMID: 38570549 PMCID: PMC10991435 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58185-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The Anthropocene rise in global temperatures is facilitating the expansion of tropical species into historically non-native subtropical locales, including coral reef fish. This redistribution of species, known as tropicalization, has serious consequences for economic development, livelihoods, food security, human health, and culture. Measuring the tropicalization of subtropical reef fish assemblages is difficult due to expansive species ranges, temporal distribution shifts with the movement of isotherms, and many dynamic density-dependent factors affecting occurrence and density. Therefore, in locales where tropical and subtropical species co-occur, detecting tropicalization changes relies on regional analyses of the relative densities and occurrence of species. This study provides a baseline for monitoring reef fish tropicalization by utilizing extensive monitoring data from a pivotal location in southeast Florida along a known transition between tropical and subtropical ecotones to define regional reef fish assemblages and use benthic habitat maps to spatially represent their zoogeography. Assemblages varied significantly by ecoregion, habitat depth, habitat type, and topographic relief. Generally, the southern assemblages had higher occurrences and densities of tropical species, whereas the northern assemblages had a higher occurrence and density of subtropical species. A total of 108 species were exclusive to regions south of the Bahamas Fracture Zone (BFZ) (South Palm Beach, Deerfield, Broward-Miami) and 35 were exclusive to the north (North Palm Beach, Martin), supporting the BFZ as a pivotal location that affects the coastal biogeographic extent of tropical marine species in eastern North America. Future tropicalization of reef fish assemblages are expected to be evident in temporal deviance of percent occurrence and/or relative species densities between baseline assemblages, where the poleward expansion of tropical species is expected to show the homogenization of assemblage regions as adjacent regions become more similar or the regional boundaries expand poleward. Ecoregions, habitat depth, habitat type, and relief should be incorporated into the stratification and analyses of reef fish surveys to statistically determine assemblage differences across the seascape, including those from tropicalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K Walker
- GIS and Spatial Ecology Lab, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA.
| | - Dana Fisco Becker
- GIS and Spatial Ecology Lab, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA
| | - Gareth J Williams
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Audie K Kilfoyle
- Resilient Environment Department, Broward County Florida, 115 S Andrews Ave, Room 329-H, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301, USA
| | - Steven G Smith
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA
| | - Allie Kozachuk
- GIS and Spatial Ecology Lab, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA
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Shipley ON, Bruce NL, Higgs ND, Rawlins S, Irschick DJ, Gutierrez R, Moyer JK, Violich M, Talwar BS, Schneider EV, Robinson NJ, Brooks EJ. A new species of deep-sea Booralana Bruce, 1986 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from The Bahamas, Western North Atlantic. Zootaxa 2024; 5399:254-264. [PMID: 38221158 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5399.3.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Booralana nickorum sp. nov. is described from the deep-water slope of the Exuma Sound, The Bahamas, from depths of 540 to 560 metres. It is the fourth species to be assigned to the genus and the second species described from the Western North Atlantic. The species can be distinguished from Booralana tricarinata Camp and Heard, 1988 and the other species by the sub-triangular pleotelson and the uropodal exopod of mature males being far longer than endopod, with both rami extending well beyond the posterior margin of the pleotelson. Additionally, pleopods 3 and 4 lack a prominent angle at midpoint of ramus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver N Shipley
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; Stony Brook University; Stony Brook; NY 11794; USA; Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas.
| | - Niel L Bruce
- Biodiversity & Geosciences Program; Queensland Museum; PO Box: 3300; South Brisbane BC; Queensland 4101; Australia; Water Research Group; Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management; North-West University; Private Bag X6001; Potchefstroom 2520; South Africa.
| | - Nicholas D Higgs
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas; Life Sciences Department; Natural History Museum; London; SW7 5BD; UK.
| | - Scott Rawlins
- Arcadia University; Department of Visual and Performing Arts; 450 S. Easton Road; Glenside; PA 19038.
| | - Duncan J Irschick
- Department of Biology; 221 Morrill Science Center; University of Massachusetts; Amherst; MA; 01003; USA.
| | - Robert Gutierrez
- Department of Biology; 221 Morrill Science Center; University of Massachusetts; Amherst; MA; 01003; USA.
| | - Joshua K Moyer
- Department of Biology; 221 Morrill Science Center; University of Massachusetts; Amherst; MA; 01003; USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Yale University; 165 Prospect Street; New Haven; CT; 06520; USA.
| | - Mackellar Violich
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Yale University; 165 Prospect Street; New Haven; CT; 06520; USA.
| | - Brendan S Talwar
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas.
| | - Eric Vc Schneider
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas.
| | - Nathan J Robinson
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas; Institut de Cincies del Mar; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientficas - Spanish National Research Council; Barcelona; Spain.
| | - Edward J Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute; PO Box EL-26029; Rock Sound; Eleuthera; The Bahamas.
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Wang B, Deveaux L, Guo Y, Schieber E, Adderley R, Lemon S, Allison J, Li X, Forbes N, Naar S. Effects of Teacher Training and Continued Support on the Delivery of an Evidence-Based HIV Prevention Program: Findings From a National Implementation Study in the Bahamas. Health Educ Behav 2023; 50:770-782. [PMID: 37658728 DOI: 10.1177/10901981231195881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated the effects of teacher training and continued support on teachers' delivery of evidence-based HIV prevention programs. We examined these factors in a national implementation study of an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention for adolescents in the sixth grade in the Bahamas. METHODS Data were collected from 126 grade 6 teachers and 3,118 students in 58 government elementary schools in the Bahamas in 2019-2021. This is a Hybrid Type III implementation study guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) model. Teachers attended 2-day training workshops. Trained school coordinators and peer mentors provided biweekly monitoring and mentorship. We used mixed-effects models to assess the effects of teacher training and continued support on implementation fidelity. RESULTS Teachers who received training in-person or both in-person and online taught the most core activities (27.0 and 27.2 of 35), versus only online training (21.9) and no training (14.9) (F = 15.27, p < .001). Teachers with an "excellent" or "very good" school coordinator taught more core activities than those with a "satisfactory" coordinator or no coordinator (29.2 vs. 27.8 vs. 19.3 vs. 14.8, F = 29.20, p < .001). Teachers with a "very good" mentor taught more core activities and sessions than those with a "satisfactory" mentor or no mentor (30.4 vs. 25.0 vs. 23.1; F = 7.20; p < .01). Teacher training, implementation monitoring, peer mentoring, teachers' self-efficacy, and school-level support were associated with implementation fidelity, which in turn was associated with improved student outcomes (HIV/AIDS knowledge, preventive reproductive health skills, self-efficacy, and intention to use protection). CONCLUSION Teachers receiving in-person training and those having higher-rated school coordinator and mentor support taught a larger number of HIV prevention core activities. Effective teacher training, implementation monitoring, and peer mentoring are critical for improving implementation fidelity and student outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | - Yan Guo
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Stephenie Lemon
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Jeroan Allison
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoming Li
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | | | - Sylvie Naar
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Palominos MF, Muhl V, Richards EJ, Miller CT, Martin CH. Jaw size variation is associated with a novel craniofacial function for galanin receptor 2 in an adaptive radiation of pupfishes. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231686. [PMID: 37876194 PMCID: PMC10598438 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis of novel adaptations in new species is a fundamental question in biology. Here we demonstrate a new role for galr2 in vertebrate craniofacial development using an adaptive radiation of trophic specialist pupfishes endemic to San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We confirmed the loss of a putative Sry transcription factor binding site upstream of galr2 in scale-eating pupfish and found significant spatial differences in galr2 expression among pupfish species in Meckel's cartilage using in situ hybridization chain reaction (HCR). We then experimentally demonstrated a novel role for Galr2 in craniofacial development by exposing embryos to Garl2-inhibiting drugs. Galr2-inhibition reduced Meckel's cartilage length and increased chondrocyte density in both trophic specialists but not in the generalist genetic background. We propose a mechanism for jaw elongation in scale-eaters based on the reduced expression of galr2 due to the loss of a putative Sry binding site. Fewer Galr2 receptors in the scale-eater Meckel's cartilage may result in their enlarged jaw lengths as adults by limiting opportunities for a circulating Galr2 agonist to bind to these receptors during development. Our findings illustrate the growing utility of linking candidate adaptive SNPs in non-model systems with highly divergent phenotypes to novel vertebrate gene functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Fernanda Palominos
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Vanessa Muhl
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Emilie J. Richards
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Craig T. Miller
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Christopher H. Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Oswald JA, Smith BT, Allen JM, Guralnick RP, Steadman DW, LeFebvre MJ. Changes in parrot diversity after human arrival to the Caribbean. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301128120. [PMID: 37748079 PMCID: PMC10576146 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301128120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans did not arrive on most of the world's islands until relatively recently, making islands favorable places for disentangling the timing and magnitude of natural and anthropogenic impacts on species diversity and distributions. Here, we focus on Amazona parrots in the Caribbean, which have close relationships with humans (e.g., as pets as well as sources of meat and colorful feathers). Caribbean parrots also have substantial fossil and archaeological records that span the Holocene. We leverage this exemplary record to showcase how combining ancient and modern DNA, along with radiometric dating, can shed light on diversification and extinction dynamics and answer long-standing questions about the magnitude of human impacts in the region. Our results reveal a striking loss of parrot diversity, much of which took place during human occupation of the islands. The most widespread species, the Cuban Parrot, exhibits interisland divergences throughout the Pleistocene. Within this radiation, we identified an extinct, genetically distinct lineage that survived on the Turks and Caicos until Indigenous human settlement of the islands. We also found that the narrowly distributed Hispaniolan Parrot had a natural range that once included The Bahamas; it thus became "endemic" to Hispaniola during the late Holocene. The Hispaniolan Parrot also likely was introduced by Indigenous people to Grand Turk and Montserrat, two islands where it is now also extirpated. Our research demonstrates that genetic information spanning paleontological, archaeological, and modern contexts is essential to understand the role of humans in altering the diversity and distribution of biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Oswald
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory, Ashland, OR97520
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV89557
| | - Brian Tilston Smith
- Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY10024
| | - Julie M. Allen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA24061
| | - Robert P. Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
| | - David W. Steadman
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
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Holland ND, Holland LZ. Cephalochordate Hemocytes: First Demonstration for Asymmetron lucayanum ( Bahamas Lancelet) Plus Augmented Description for Branchiostoma floridae (Florida Amphioxus). Biol Bull 2023; 244:71-81. [PMID: 37725696 DOI: 10.1086/726774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
AbstractWithin phylum Chordata, the subphylum Cephalochordata (amphioxus and lancelets) has figured large in considerations of the evolutionary origin of the vertebrates. To date, these discussions have been predominantly based on knowledge of a single cephalochordate genus (Branchiostoma), almost to the exclusion of the other two genera (Asymmetron and Epigonichthys). This uneven pattern is illustrated by cephalochordate hematology, until now known entirely from work done on Branchiostoma. The main part of the present study is to describe hemocytes in the dorsal aorta of a species of Asymmetron by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. This technique, which demonstrates three-dimensional fine structure, showed that the hemocytes have a relatively uniform morphology characterized by an oval shape and scanty cytoplasm. Ancillary information is also included for Branchiostoma hemocytes, known from previous studies to have relatively abundant cytoplasm; our serial block-face scanning electron microscopy provides more comprehensive views of the highly variable shapes of these cells, which typically extend one or several pseudopodium-like protrusions. The marked difference in hemocyte morphology found between Asymmetron and Branchiostoma was unexpected and directs attention to investigating comparable cells in the genus Epigonichthys. A broader knowledge of the hemocytes in all three cephalochordate genera would provide more balanced insights into the evolution of vertebrate hematopoiesis.
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7
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Fernholm B, Mincarone MM. A new species of the hagfish genus Eptatretus (Myxinidae) from the Bahamas, western North Atlantic. J Fish Biol 2023; 102:962-967. [PMID: 36788036 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A new species of the hagfish genus Eptatretus (Myxinidae) is described based on two specimens (407-433 mm total length) collected off the northern Bahamas, between depths of 910 and 1153 m. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by having seven pairs of gill apertures well-spaced and arranged in a near straight line, a 3/2 multicusp pattern of teeth, 10-11 anterior unicusps, 50-51 total cusps, 12-14 prebranchial pores, 48-52 trunk pores, 79-84 total pores, and no nasal-sinus papillae. An identification key for the species of Eptatretus from the western Atlantic Ocean is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Fernholm
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Maia Mincarone
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Brazil
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
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Bush SE, Clayton DH. Grooming Time Predicts Survival: American Kestrels, Falco sparverius, on a Subtropical Island. Am Nat 2023; 201:603-609. [PMID: 36958002 DOI: 10.1086/723412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnimals have evolved a variety of adaptations to care for their body surfaces, such as grooming behavior, which keeps the integument clean, parasite-free, and properly arranged. Despite extensive research on the grooming of mammals, birds, and arthropods, the survival value of grooming has never been directly measured in natural populations. We monitored grooming and survival in a population of marked American kestrels (Falco sparverius) on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We found a strong association between time spent grooming and survival over a 2-year period. The quadratic relationship we show is consistent with stabilizing natural selection on grooming time. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence for a correlation between grooming time and survival in a natural population. Grooming time may predict the survival of many animal taxa, but additional studies are needed to determine the shape and strength of the relationship among birds, mammals, and arthropods.
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Thurman TJ, Palmer TM, Kolbe JJ, Askary AM, Gotanda KM, Lapiedra O, Kartzinel TR, Man In't Veld N, Revell LJ, Wegener JE, Schoener TW, Spiller DA, Losos JB, Pringle RM, Barrett RDH. The Difficulty of Predicting Evolutionary Change in Response to Novel Ecological Interactions: A Field Experiment with Anolis Lizards. Am Nat 2023; 201:537-556. [PMID: 36958004 DOI: 10.1086/723209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDetermining whether and how evolution is predictable is an important goal, particularly as anthropogenic disturbances lead to novel species interactions that could modify selective pressures. Here, we use a multigeneration field experiment with brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei) to test hypotheses about the predictability of evolution. We manipulated the presence/absence of predators and competitors of A. sagrei across 16 islands in the Bahamas that had preexisting brown anole populations. Before the experiment and again after roughly five generations, we measured traits related to locomotor performance and habitat use by brown anoles and used double-digest restriction enzyme-associated DNA sequencing to estimate genome-wide changes in allele frequencies. Although previous work showed that predators and competitors had characteristic effects on brown anole behavior, diet, and population sizes, we found that evolutionary change at both phenotypic and genomic levels was difficult to forecast. Phenotypic changes were contingent on sex and habitat use, whereas genetic change was unpredictable and not measurably correlated with phenotypic changes, experimental treatments, or other environmental factors. Our work shows how differences in ecological context can alter evolutionary outcomes over short timescales and underscores the difficulty of forecasting evolutionary responses to multispecies interactions in natural conditions, even in a well-studied system with ample supporting ecological information.
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Lombardo SM, Chérubin LM, Adams AJ, Shenker JM, Wills PS, Danylchuk AJ, Ajemian MJ. Biophysical larval dispersal models of observed bonefish (Albula vulpes) spawning events in Abaco, The Bahamas: An assessment of population connectivity and ocean dynamics. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276528. [PMID: 36264943 PMCID: PMC9584404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Biophysical models are a powerful tool for assessing population connectivity of marine organisms that broadcast spawn. Albula vulpes is a species of bonefish that is an economically and culturally important sportfish found throughout the Caribbean and that exhibits genetic connectivity among geographically distant populations. We created ontogenetically relevant biophysical models for bonefish larval dispersal based upon multiple observed spawning events in Abaco, The Bahamas in 2013, 2018, and 2019. Biological parameterizations were informed through active acoustic telemetry, CTD casts, captive larval rearing, and field collections of related albulids and anguillids. Ocean conditions were derived from the Regional Navy Coastal Ocean Model American Seas dataset. Each spawning event was simulated 100 times using the program Ichthyop. Ten-thousand particles were released at observed and putative spawning locations and were allowed to disperse for the full 71-day pelagic larval duration for A. vulpes. Settlement densities in defined settlement zones were assessed along with interactions with oceanographic features. The prevailing Northern dispersal paradigm exhibited strong connectivity with Grand Bahama, the Berry Islands, Andros, and self-recruitment to lower and upper Abaco. Ephemeral gyres and flow direction within Northwest and Northeast Providence Channels were shown to have important roles in larval retention to the Bahamian Archipelago. Larval development environments for larvae settling upon different islands showed few differences and dispersal was closely associated with the thermocline. Settlement patterns informed the suggestion for expansion of conservation parks in Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros, and the creation of a parks in Eleuthera and the Berry Islands to protect fisheries. Further observation of spawning events and the creation of biophysical models will help to maximize protection for bonefish spawning locations and nursery habitat, and may help to predict year-class strength for bonefish stocks throughout the Greater Caribbean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Lombardo
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Laurent M. Chérubin
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
| | - Aaron J. Adams
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
- Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | | | - Paul S. Wills
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
| | - Andy J. Danylchuk
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Ajemian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
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Smukall MJ, Carlson J, Kessel ST, Guttridge TL, Dhellemmes F, Seitz AC, Gruber S. Thirty-five years of tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier relative abundance near Bimini, The Bahamas, and the Southeastern United States with a comparison across jurisdictional bounds. J Fish Biol 2022; 101:13-25. [PMID: 35446438 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Abundances of large sharks are reported to have declined worldwide, and in response various levels of fisheries management and conservation efforts have been established. For example, marine-protected areas have been suggested as a means to protect large expanses of ocean from fishing and other industrial activities (e.g., habitat destruction), and in 2011 The Commonwealth of The Bahamas established The Bahamas Shark Sanctuary. Nonetheless, assessing the effectiveness of conservation efforts is challenging because consistent long-term data sets of shark abundances are often lacking, especially throughout the Caribbean and The Bahamas. In this study, the authors investigated the catch rates and demographics of tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier caught in a fishery-independent survey near Bimini, The Bahamas, from 1984 to 2019 to assess relative abundance trends following the banning of longline fishing in 1993 and the subsequent establishment of the shark sanctuary. To contextualize the relative abundance trends near Bimini, the authors compared this to the relative abundance of tiger sharks in a fishery-dependent survey from the Southeastern USA (SE USA), conducted from 1994 to 2019. The data of this study suggest that local abundance of tiger sharks has been stable near Bimini since the 1980s, including after the ban of longline fishing and the implementation of the shark sanctuary. In comparison, the abundance near the SE USA has slowly increased in the past decade, following potential declines in the decade preceding the USA Shark Management Plan. The results of this study provide some optimism that current conservation efforts in The Bahamas have been effective to maintain local tiger shark abundance within the protected area. In addition, current fisheries management in the SE USA is allowing this species to recover within those waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Smukall
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - John Carlson
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Panama City, Florida, USA
| | - Steven T Kessel
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
- Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Tristan L Guttridge
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
- Saving the Blue, Cooper City, Florida, USA
| | - Félicie Dhellemmes
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew C Seitz
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Samuel Gruber
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, The Bahamas
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12
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Heijnsdijk EAM, Gulati R, Lange JM, Tsodikov A, Roberts R, Etzioni R. Evaluation of Prostate Cancer Screening Strategies in a Low-Resource, High-risk Population in the Bahamas. JAMA Health Forum 2022; 3:e221116. [PMID: 35977253 PMCID: PMC9123504 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance The benefit of prostate-specific antigen screening may be greatest in high-risk populations, including men of African descent in the Caribbean. However, organized screening may not be sustainable in low- and middle-income countries. Objective To evaluate the expected population outcomes and resource use of conservative prostate-specific antigen screening programs in the Bahamas. Design Setting and Participants Prostate cancer incidence from GLOBOCAN and prostate-specific antigen screening data for 4300 men from the Bahamas were used to recalibrate 2 decision analytical models previously used to study prostate-specific antigen screening for Black men in the United States. Data on age and results obtained from prostate-specific antigen screening tests performed in Nassau from 2004 to 2018 and in Freeport from 2013 to 2018 were used. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2021, to March 23, 2022. Interventions One or 2 screenings for men aged 45 to 60 years and conservative criteria for biopsy (prostate-specific antigen level >10 ng/mL) and curative treatment (Gleason score ≥8) were modeled. Categories of Gleason scores were 6 or lower, 7, and 8 or higher, with higher scores indicating higher risk of cancer progression and death. Main Outcomes and Measures Projected numbers of tests and biopsies, prostate cancer (over)diagnoses, lives saved, and life-years gained owing to screening from 2022 to 2040. Results In this decision analytical modeling study, screening histories from 4300 men (median age, 54 years; range, 13-101 years) tested between 2004 and 2018 at 2 sites in the Bahamas were used to inform the models. Screening once at 60 years of age was projected to involve 40 000 to 42 000 tests (range between models) and prevent 500 to 600 of 10 000 to 14 000 prostate cancer deaths. Screening at 50 and 60 years doubled the number of tests but increased lives saved by only 15% to 16%. Among onetime strategies, screening once at 60 years of age involved the fewest tests per life saved (74-84 tests) and curative treatments per life saved (1.2-2.8 treatments). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this decision analytical modeling study of prostate cancer screening in the Bahamas suggest that limited screening offered modest benefits that varied with screening ages and number of tests. The results can be combined with data on capacity constraints and evaluated relative to competing national public health priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveline A. M. Heijnsdijk
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Roman Gulati
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jane M. Lange
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
- Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Alex Tsodikov
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Robin Roberts
- University of The West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, Nassau, The Bahamas
| | - Ruth Etzioni
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
- Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
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13
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Maurer L, Puishys L, Ho NKP, Dahlgren C, Kamerman TY, Martin S, Stamper MA. Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata cultured on a low maintenance line nursery design in The Bahamas. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267034. [PMID: 35468162 PMCID: PMC9037939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Acroporid corals are one of the most important corals in the Caribbean because of their role in building coral reefs. Unfortunately, Acropora corals have suffered a severe decline in the last 50 years thus prompting the development of many restoration practices, such as coral nurseries, to increase the abundance of these species. However, many coral nursery designs require constant visits and maintenance limiting restoration to more convenient sites. Additionally, most studies lack the details required for practitioners to make informed decisions about replicating nursery designs. Two line nurseries were monitored for three years in The Bahamas to assess the survival of corals, Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata, as well as evaluate the durability and cost effectiveness of the nursery design. Survivorship ranged from 70 to 97% with one location experiencing significantly higher survivorship. The initial year build-out cost was high for a nursery, $22.97 per coral, but each nursery was comprised of specific materials that could withstand high storm conditions. Some unique aspects of the design included the use of longline clips and large-diameter monofilament lines which allowed for easier adjustments and more vigorous cleaning. The design proved to be very durable with materials showing a life expectancy of five years or more. Additionally, the design was able to withstand multiple hurricanes and winter storm conditions with little to no damage. Only two maintenance visits a year were required reducing costs after construction. After three years, this nursery design showed promising durability of materials and survivorship of both Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata despite being serviced just twice a year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Maurer
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
- New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lauren Puishys
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
- New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Nancy Kim Pham Ho
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - Craig Dahlgren
- Perry Institute for Marine Science, Waitsfield, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Tanya Y. Kamerman
- Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, Dania Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Scott Martin
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
| | - M. Andrew Stamper
- Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States of America
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14
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Frederiksen JA, Klaebe RM, Farkaš J, Swart PK, Frei R. Cadmium isotopes in Bahamas platform carbonates: A base for reconstruction of past surface water bioproductivity and their link with chromium isotopes. Sci Total Environ 2022; 806:150565. [PMID: 34582867 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The distribution of cadmium (Cd) within the oceans strongly suggests that it is used as a nutrient by marine phytoplankton. Biologically induced removal of Cd from modern surface waters is accompanied by an isotopic fractionation leaving surface-waters enriched in isotopically heavy Cd. This first study focusses on tying the Cd isotopic record preserved in modern shallow platform carbonates of the Great Bahama Bank (GBB) to conditions in the upper water column, and provides a base for future studies aiming at reconstructing past bioproductivity levels in ancient ocean/basin surface waters. In addition, we compare δ114Cd values with previously published chromium (Cr) isotope values and link signals of bioproductivity with redox conditions in the surface waters. The GBB core samples yield [Cd] (21-188 μg/kg), which increases with depth alongside changes in carbonate mineralogy related to sediment supply and diagenesis. The δ114Cd values of these carbonates are mainly positively fractionated with an average of 0.11‰ ± 0.17 (2σ; n = 17) relative to the NIST 3108 reference standard. Unlike previously observed for Cr isotopes, there is no control of δ114Cd values by relative abundances of the carbonate polymorphs aragonite and calcite in the studied profile. Likewise, δ114Cd values are not correlated to major and trace element (e.g. Ca, Mg, Mn and Sr) contents. We postulate that the burial and diagenetic processes of carbonate cannot modify the Cd isotope signals. Using the experimental fractionation factor for Cd into calcite (-0.45‰), calculated seawater δ114Cd of +0.56 ± 0.17‰ is in agreement with values for modern North Atlantic Surface Seawater. This study's results suggest that δ114Cd values in carbonates are a reliable tool for reconstruction of bioproductivity levels in past surface seawaters, and open new possibilities in combination with Cr isotopes to link these with past ocean redox.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juraj Farkaš
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
| | | | - Robert Frei
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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15
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Antalffy JM, Rowley MG, Johnson SB, Cant-Woodside S, Freid EH, Omland KE, Fagan ME. Comparing global and local maps of the Caribbean pine forests of Andros, home of the critically endangered Bahama Oriole. Environ Monit Assess 2021; 193:817. [PMID: 34791534 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09560-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Forest loss is occurring at alarming rates across the globe. The pine rockland forests of Andros, The Bahamas, likely represent some of the largest stands of Bahamian subspecies of Caribbean pine in the world. Given the unique species that inhabit these pine forests, such as the endemic and critically endangered Bahama Oriole, monitoring habitats on Andros is crucial to inform conservation planning. We developed a 2019 land classification map to assess the status of nine terrestrial habitats on Andros. Our Random Forest classification model predicted habitat classes with high overall accuracy. Caribbean pine was the dominant land class making up roughly one-third of the total terrestrial area. Whereas much of the pine forest area was found as small patches, most were close to other patches of pine suggesting isolation of forest patches is low. We compared our known intact forest areas to recent forest loss identified by the Hansen et al. Global Forest Change product and assessed areas of habitat disturbance in high-resolution imagery. Our results suggest that this global map overpredicted forest loss on Andros. The small degree of true forest loss on Andros was driven mostly by anthropogenic activity. A cross-tabulation of the Hansen forest loss with fire data showed that understory fires were frequently associated with falsely classified deforestation. Given the threats of climate change to this open forest type-intensifying fire regimes, strengthening hurricanes, and sea level rise-monitoring changes in open forest extent is a critical task across the Caribbean region and the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine M Antalffy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA
| | - Michael G Rowley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kevin E Omland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA
| | - Matthew E Fagan
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, USA
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16
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Wu Q, Eisenhardt N, Holbert SS, Pawlik JR, Kucklick JR, Vetter W. Naturally occurring organobromine compounds (OBCs) including polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins in the marine sponge Hyrtios proteus from The Bahamas. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 172:112872. [PMID: 34454388 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Halogenated natural products (HNPs) were identified from organic extracts of the marine sponge Hyrtios proteus from The Bahamas using gas chromatography with electron capture negative ion mass spectrometry and non-targeted gas chromatography with electron ionization mass spectrometry. The HNPs found have similar properties to anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Two ortho-methoxy brominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs) 2'-MeO-BDE 68 and 6-MeO-BDE 47 were the most abundant compounds. Fourteen other MeO-BDEs were detected along with several polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) (1,3,7-triBDD, 1,3,6,8-tetraBDD and 1,3,7,9-tetraBDD) and MeO-PBDDs. Further analysis of a higher trophic level octopus (Octopus maya) from the same FAO fishing area showed that the major HNPs detected in Hyrtios proteus were also predominant. Moreover, HNPs were more than 30-fold higher in abundance than the major POPs in the octopus, i.e., polychlorinated biphenyls. Hence, Caribbean marine organisms, including those potentially used for food, harbor relatively high concentrations of HNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Food Chemistry, Garbenstrasse 28, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Natalie Eisenhardt
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
| | - Stephanie Shaw Holbert
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, United States; College of Charleston, Department of Biology, Grice Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
| | - Joseph R Pawlik
- University of North Carolina Wilmington, Center of Marine Science, 500 Marvin K Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409, United States
| | - John R Kucklick
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Chemical Sciences Division, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
| | - Walter Vetter
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Food Chemistry, Garbenstrasse 28, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
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17
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Tavera J, Rojas-Vélez S, Londoño-Cruz E. A new species of the genus Acyrtus on the eastern Pacific: A cornerstone for the evolution and biogeography of the genus. J Fish Biol 2021; 99:1550-1560. [PMID: 34382210 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The genus Acyrtus Schultz, 1944 currently includes four species distributed in the western Atlantic (WA), three occurring from the Bahamas to the southern Caribbean, and one endemic to the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in north-east Brazil. We describe a new species of Acyrtus based on morphology and genetics from several individuals caught at artificial hard substrates deployed between 10 and 16 m deep at Malpelo Island, Colombian Pacific. The Malpelo clingfish, Acyrtus arturo new species, differs from all its WA congeners by a combination of morphology, meristics and genetics. This species is unique within Acyrtus in having the greatest number of caudal rays (12-13). It can also be distinguished by the greater body height (19.8-27.8% standard length), its longer disc (34.0-39.1% standard length) and the greater distance between anus and disc (13.9-18.1% standard length). A. arturo sp. nov. is the first Acyrtus so far recorded from the eastern Pacific and adds to the already high number of fishes endemic to Colombia's remote oceanic territory of Malpelo.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Tavera
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática, Evolución y Biogeografía Animal, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Stephania Rojas-Vélez
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación en Sistemática, Evolución y Biogeografía Animal, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Edgardo Londoño-Cruz
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación en Ecosistemas Rocosos Intermareales y Submareales Someros, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
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18
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Dodd C, Anderson CR, Rishworth GM, Perissinotto R, van Niekerk X. Metazoan activity facilitates passive sediment trapping in modern supratidal microbialites: Revealed using µ-CT-scanning and microscopy. Geobiology 2021; 19:585-600. [PMID: 34087035 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbialites are formed through two processes, the trapping and binding of sediment grains and mineral precipitation. Sediment trapping and binding result in coarse sandy textures, whereas fine micritic textures are produced by mineral precipitation. Although well-studied modern microbialites (e.g. Bahamas and Shark Bay) are formed through the former process, purely trapped-and-bound examples are rare throughout the geologic record and limited to shallow-marine environments. Through the use of conventional microscopy and 3D micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) scanning, this study found that South African coastal microbialites have a primarily mineral precipitated texture, although detrital material is included sporadically. Furthermore, these modern microbialites exhibit both micritic and fibrous layering with high porosity. The novel use of 3D microtomography rotational scans has revealed that microbialites are extensively burrowed by metazoan activity and was also able to distinguish the occurrence and distribution of heavy minerals and detrital shell material in the samples. Some of the detrital grains appeared to be accidental/random inclusions, while in other cases the metazoan burrows provided space for the accumulation of sediment once abandoned. In both cases, sediment was incorporated as a product of intermittent accumulation, rather than systematic trapping and binding. The microfabric texture of South African microbialites is therefore a function of both biological (e.g. microbially mediated precipitation) and environmental (e.g. sporadic sediment deposition and inorganic cementation) influence. Overall, the findings presented here highlight the importance of these systems regarding microbialite formation, ichnology and taphonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Dodd
- DSI/NRF Research Chair: Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Department of Geosciences, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Callum R Anderson
- DSI/NRF Research Chair: Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Department of Geosciences, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Gavin M Rishworth
- DSI/NRF Research Chair: Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Renzo Perissinotto
- DSI/NRF Research Chair: Shallow Water Ecosystems, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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19
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Iwanowicz DD, Jonas RB, Schill WB, Marano-Briggs K. Novel microbiome dominated by Arcobacter during anoxic excurrent flow from an ocean blue hole in Andros Island, The Bahamas. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256305. [PMID: 34411155 PMCID: PMC8375975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Andros Island, The Bahamas, composed of porous carbonate rock, has about 175 inland blue holes and over 50 known submerged ocean caves along its eastern barrier reef. These ocean blue holes can have both vertical and horizontal zones that penetrate under the island. Tidal forces drive water flow in and out of these caves. King Kong Cavern has a vertical collapse zone and a deep penetration under Andros Island that emits sulfidic, anoxic water and masses of thin, mucoid filaments ranging to meters in length and off-white turbid water during ebb flow. Our objective was to determine the microbial composition of this mucoid material and the unconsolidated water column turbidity based on the concept that they represent unique lithoautotrophic microbial material swept from the cave into the surrounding ocean. Bacterial DNA extracted from these filaments and surrounding turbid water was characterized using PCR that targeted a portion of the 16S rRNA gene. The genus Arcobacter dominated both the filaments and the water column above the cave entrance. Arcobacter nitrofigilis and Arcobacter sp. UDC415 in the mucoid filaments accounted for as much as 80% of mapped DNA reads. In the water column Arcobacter comprised from 65% to over 85% of the reads in the depth region from about 18 m to 34 m. Bacterial species diversity was much higher in surface water and in water deeper than 36 m than in the intermediate zone. Community composition indicates that ebb flow from the cavern influences the entire water column at least to within 6 m of the surface and perhaps the near surface as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah D. Iwanowicz
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Robert B. Jonas
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - William B. Schill
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Kay Marano-Briggs
- Eastern Ecological Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States of America
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20
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Richards EJ, McGirr JA, Wang JR, St John ME, Poelstra JW, Solano MJ, O'Connell DC, Turner BJ, Martin CH. A vertebrate adaptive radiation is assembled from an ancient and disjunct spatiotemporal landscape. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2011811118. [PMID: 33990463 PMCID: PMC8157919 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011811118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the origins and stages of vertebrate adaptive radiation, we reconstructed the spatial and temporal histories of adaptive alleles underlying major phenotypic axes of diversification from the genomes of 202 Caribbean pupfishes. On a single Bahamian island, ancient standing variation from disjunct geographic sources was reassembled into new combinations under strong directional selection for adaptation to the novel trophic niches of scale-eating and molluscivory. We found evidence for two longstanding hypotheses of adaptive radiation: hybrid swarm origins and temporal stages of adaptation. Using a combination of population genomics, transcriptomics, and genome-wide association mapping, we demonstrate that this microendemic adaptive radiation of novel trophic specialists on San Salvador Island, Bahamas experienced twice as much adaptive introgression as generalist populations on neighboring islands and that adaptive divergence occurred in stages. First, standing regulatory variation in genes associated with feeding behavior (prlh, cfap20, and rmi1) were swept to fixation by selection, then standing regulatory variation in genes associated with craniofacial and muscular development (itga5, ext1, cyp26b1, and galr2) and finally the only de novo nonsynonymous substitution in an osteogenic transcription factor and oncogene (twist1) swept to fixation most recently. Our results demonstrate how ancient alleles maintained in distinct environmental refugia can be assembled into new adaptive combinations and provide a framework for reconstructing the spatiotemporal landscape of adaptation and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie J Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Joseph A McGirr
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Jeremy R Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
| | - Michelle E St John
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Jelmer W Poelstra
- Molecular and Cellular Imaging Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Maria J Solano
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapell Hill, NC 27514
| | | | - Bruce J Turner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24601
| | - Christopher H Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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21
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Fall PL, van Hengstum PJ, Lavold-Foote L, Donnelly JP, Albury NA, Tamalavage AE. Human arrival and landscape dynamics in the northern Bahamas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2015764118. [PMID: 33649214 PMCID: PMC7958357 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015764118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The first Caribbean settlers were Amerindians from South America. Great Abaco and Grand Bahama, the final islands colonized in the northernmost Bahamas, were inhabited by the Lucayans when Europeans arrived. The timing of Lucayan arrival in the northern Bahamas has been uncertain because direct archaeological evidence is limited. We document Lucayan arrival on Great Abaco Island through a detailed record of vegetation, fire, and landscape dynamics based on proxy data from Blackwood Sinkhole. From about 3,000 to 1,000 y ago, forests dominated by hardwoods and palms were resilient to the effects of hurricanes and cooling sea surface temperatures. The arrival of Lucayans by about 830 CE (2σ range: 720 to 920 CE) is demarcated by increased burning and followed by landscape disturbance and a time-transgressive shift from hardwoods and palms to the modern pine forest. Considering that Lucayan settlements in the southern Bahamian archipelago are dated to about 750 CE (2σ range: 600 to 900 CE), these results demonstrate that Lucayans spread rapidly through the archipelago in less than 100 y. Although precontact landscapes would have been influenced by storms and climatic trends, the most pronounced changes follow more directly from landscape burning and ecosystem shifts after Lucayan arrival. The pine forests of Abaco declined substantially between 1500 and 1670 CE, a period of increased regional hurricane activity, coupled with fires on an already human-impacted landscape. Any future intensification of hurricane activity in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean threatens the sustainability of modern pine forests in the northern Bahamas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L Fall
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223;
| | - Peter J van Hengstum
- Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science, Texas A&M University, Galveston, TX 77554
- Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77550
| | | | - Jeffrey P Donnelly
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543
| | | | - Anne E Tamalavage
- Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77550
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22
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Majure LC, Barrios D, Díaz E, Zumwalde BA, Testo W, Negrón-Ortíz V. Pleistocene aridification underlies the evolutionary history of the Caribbean endemic, insular, giant Consolea (Opuntioideae). Am J Bot 2021; 108:200-215. [PMID: 33598914 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE The Caribbean islands are in the top five biodiversity hotspots on the planet; however, the biogeographic history of the seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) there is poorly studied. Consolea consists of nine species of dioecious, hummingbird-pollinated tree cacti endemic to the West Indies, which form a conspicuous element of the SDTF. Several species are threatened by anthropogenic disturbance, disease, sea-level rise, and invasive species and are of conservation concern. However, no comprehensive phylogeny yet exists for the clade. METHODS We reconstructed the phylogeny of Consolea, sampling all species using plastomic data to determine relationships, understand the evolution of key morphological characters, and test their biogeographic history. We estimated divergence times to determine the role climate change may have played in shaping the current diversity of the clade. RESULTS Consolea appears to have evolved very recently during the latter part of the Pleistocene on Cuba/Hispaniola likely from a South American ancestor and, from there, moved into the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Lesser Antilles. The tree growth form is a synapomorphy of Consolea and likely aided in the establishment and diversification of the clade. CONCLUSIONS Pleistocene aridification associated with glaciation likely played a role in shaping the current diversity of Consolea, and insular gigantism may have been a key innovation leading to the success of these species to invade the often-dense SDTF. This in-situ Caribbean radiation provides a window into the generation of species diversity and the complexity of the SDTF community within the Antilles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas C Majure
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ, 85008, USA
| | - Duniel Barrios
- Grupo de Ecología y Conservación, Jardín Botánico Nacional, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
| | - Edgardo Díaz
- Planta! - Plantlife Conservation Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bethany A Zumwalde
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Weston Testo
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Vivian Negrón-Ortíz
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Ave., Panama City, FL, 32405, USA
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
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Shultz JM, Sands DE, Holder-Hamilton N, Hamilton W, Goud S, Nottage KM, Espinel Z, Friedman S, Fugate C, Kossin JP, Galea S. Scrambling For Safety In The Eye Of Dorian: Mental Health Consequences Of Exposure To A Climate-Driven Hurricane. Health Aff (Millwood) 2020; 39:2120-2127. [PMID: 33284702 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
As climate change alters the behavior of Atlantic hurricanes, these storms are trending stronger, wetter, and slower moving over coastal and island populations. Hurricane Dorian exemplified all three attributes. Dorian's destructive passage over the Abaco Islands, Bahamas, on September 1, 2019, exposed residents of its capital, Marsh Harbour, to a prolonged encounter with the storm's core. After Dorian's fierce front eyewall and towering storm surge tore apart shanty town habitats and eviscerated concrete homesites, residents desperately sought refuge during the brief respite when Dorian's eye passed directly overhead. The category 5 winds then resumed abruptly and Dorian continued its relentless destruction. This article focuses on the storm's mental health consequences, drawing on observations of on-site clinicians as well as findings from previous research on the mental health effects of Atlantic hurricanes and the transformation of hurricane hazards resulting from climate change. To protect island and coastal populations against climate-driven storms, disaster planning policy should emphasize resilience-focused prevention and mitigation strategies. In the aftermath of these events, health system response should include community outreach, case finding, and evidence-based interventions that optimize the use of mental health professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Shultz
- James M. Shultz is the director of the Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, in Miami, Florida
| | - Duane E Sands
- Duane E. Sands is the minister of health (retired) at the Ministry of Health, in Nassau, New Providence, the Bahamas
| | - Nadia Holder-Hamilton
- Nadia Holder-Hamilton is a physician at the Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, in Nassau
| | - William Hamilton
- William Hamilton is a physician at the Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, in Nassau
| | - Sandeep Goud
- Sandeep Goud is on the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, in Nassau
| | - Krista Marie Nottage
- Krista Marie Nottage is a resident in the General Surgery DM Programme, School of Medicine and Clinical Research, University of the West Indies
| | - Zelde Espinel
- Zelde Espinel is a psychiatrist and psycho-oncologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
| | - Stephanie Friedman
- Stephanie Friedman is a child psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York, New York
| | - Craig Fugate
- Craig Fugate is the principal at Craig Fugate Consulting LLC, in Gainesville, Florida, and a former Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator (2009-17)
| | - James P Kossin
- James P. Kossin is an atmospheric scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, in Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Sandro Galea
- Sandro Galea is dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts
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Flowers KI, Chapman DD, Kemp T, Wert D, Feldheim KA. Annual breeding in a captive smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata. J Fish Biol 2020; 97:1586-1589. [PMID: 32888190 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The critically endangered smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata reproduces biennially in central west Florida, U.S.A. Here we demonstrate that smalltooth sawfish are physiologically capable of reproducing annually in a captive environment. The smalltooth sawfish are held in an open system, with abiotic conditions that vary naturally with the surrounding environment in The Bahamas. This suggests wild smalltooth sawfish may also be capable of annual reproduction provided there are adequate prey resources, limited competition and mate availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn I Flowers
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Demian D Chapman
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Todd Kemp
- Marine and Aquarium Operations, Atlantis Paradise Island, Paradise Island, The Bahamas
| | - Dave Wert
- Marine and Aquarium Operations, Atlantis Paradise Island, Paradise Island, The Bahamas
| | - Kevin A Feldheim
- Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution, Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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25
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Wright AN, Yang LH, Piovia-Scott J, Spiller DA, Schoener TW. Consumer Responses to Experimental Pulsed Subsidies in Isolated versus Connected Habitats. Am Nat 2020; 196:369-381. [PMID: 32813995 DOI: 10.1086/710040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIncreases in consumer abundance following a resource pulse can be driven by diet shifts, aggregation, and reproductive responses, with combined responses expected to result in faster response times and larger numerical increases. Previous work in plots on large Bahamian islands has shown that lizards (Anolis sagrei) increased in abundance following pulses of seaweed deposition, which provide additional prey (i.e., seaweed detritivores). Numerical responses were associated with rapid diet shifts and aggregation, followed by increased reproduction. These dynamics are likely different on isolated small islands, where lizards cannot readily immigrate or emigrate. To test this, we manipulated the frequency and magnitude of seaweed resource pulses on whole small islands and in plots within large islands, and we monitored lizard diet and numerical responses over 4 years. We found that seaweed addition caused persistent increases in lizard abundance on small islands regardless of pulse frequency or magnitude. Increased abundance may have occurred because the initial pulse facilitated population establishment, possibly via enhanced overwinter survival. In contrast with a previous experiment, we did not detect numerical responses in plots on large islands, despite lizards consuming more marine resources in subsidized plots. This lack of a numerical response may be due to rapid aggregation followed by disaggregation or to stronger suppression of A. sagrei by their predators on the large islands in this study. Our results highlight the importance of habitat connectivity in governing ecological responses to resource pulses and suggest that disaggregation and changes in survivorship may be underappreciated drivers of pulse-associated dynamics.
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26
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Wiltshire A, Ghidei L, Brayboy LM. Infertility and assisted reproductive technology outcomes in Afro-Caribbean women. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:1553-1561. [PMID: 32462416 PMCID: PMC7376768 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01826-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the causes of infertility and artificial reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in women of African descent living in the Caribbean and Bermuda. DESIGN Cross-sectional study composed of a questionnaire administered to providers who care for women undergoing ART in the Caribbean and Bermuda. MATERIAL AND METHODS A questionnaire from the Deerfield Institute was adapted to meet the aims of our study with their permission. Eight infertility clinics in the Caribbean and Bermuda were identified. The primary physician at each site was contacted via email and invited to participate in the study. Questionnaires were completed via interview or electronically. Responses were collected in a REDCap database for statistical analysis. RESULTS There were five respondents from Barbados, Bermuda (× 2), Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. The most commonly reported etiologies of infertility among Afro-Caribbean patients were female-male factor and uterine factor. In vitro fertilization (IVF) combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is performed more often than conventional IVF. The cumulative live birth rates (LBR) after ART for those ages ≤ 34, 35-37, 38-42, and > 42 were 52%, 40%, 22%, and 12%, respectively. The cumulative live birth rate was 31.5% for total patients. The factors reported to be most important in hindering patients from cycling were coping emotionally with poor ovarian response and cost. The biggest restraints to infertility care were costs and a lack of local IVF centers on all islands. CONCLUSION Afro-Caribbean women receiving infertility care in the Caribbean may have better ART outcomes compared to African-American women in the United States (US).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Wiltshire
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310 USA
| | - Luwam Ghidei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brown University Alpert Medical School, and Women & Infants Hospital, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905 USA
| | - Lynae M Brayboy
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Women & Infants Hospital, 101 Dudley Fl 1, Providence, RI 02905 USA
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St. John ME, Dixon K, Martin CH. Oral shelling within an adaptive radiation of pupfishes: Testing the adaptive function of a novel nasal protrusion and behavioural preference. J Fish Biol 2020; 97:163-171. [PMID: 32278332 PMCID: PMC8183458 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dietary specialization on hard prey items, such as mollusks and crustaceans, is commonly observed in a diverse array of fish species. Many fish consume these types of prey by crushing the shell to consume the soft tissue within, but a few fishes extricate the soft tissue without breaking the shell using a method known as oral shelling. Oral shelling involves pulling a mollusc from its shell and it may be a way to subvert an otherwise insurmountable shell defence. However, the biomechanical requirements and potential adaptations for oral shelling are unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that a novel nasal protrusion is an adaptation for oral shelling in the durophagous pupfish (Cyprinodon brontotheroides). We first demonstrate oral shelling in this species and then predict that a larger nasal protrusion would allow pupfish to consume larger snails. Durophagous pupfish are found within an endemic radiation of pupfish on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We took advantage of closely related sympatric species and outgroups to test: (a) whether durophagous pupfish shell and consume more snails than other species, (b) if F1 and F2 durophagous hybrids consume similar amounts of snails as purebred durophagous pupfish, and (c) if nasal protrusion size in parental and hybrid populations increases the maximum size of consumed snails. We found that durophagous pupfish and their hybrids consumed the most snails, but did not find a strong association between nasal protrusion size and maximum snail size consumed within the parental or F2 hybrid population, suggesting that the size of their novel nasal protrusion does not provide a major benefit in oral shelling. Instead, we suggest that the nasal protrusion may increase feeding efficiency, act as a sensory organ, or is a sexually selected trait, and that a strong feeding preference may be most important for oral shelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E. St. John
- Department of Integrative Biology and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kristi Dixon
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 South Rd., NC 27599, USA
| | - Christopher H. Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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28
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Schwanck TN, Schweinsberg M, Lampert KP, Guttridge TL, Tollrian R, O'Shea O. Linking local movement and molecular analysis to explore philopatry and population connectivity of the southern stingray Hypanus americanus. J Fish Biol 2020; 96:1475-1488. [PMID: 32191344 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Limited data pertaining to life history and population connectivity of the data-deficient southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) are available. To determine potential vulnerabilities of their populations, this study aimed to analyse their movement patterns and genetic variability. A population of southern stingrays encompassing nine sites around Cape Eleuthera, the Bahamas, has been monitored using mark-recapture, spanning a 2.5 year period. Out of 200 individual stingrays, more than a third were encountered again. The home range of the females appears to be restricted, which supports the notion of high site residency. As resident populations of stingrays could suffer from a lack of population connectivity and be predestined for genetic isolation and local extirpation, this study further investigated the genetic connectivity of four sample sites in the central and western Bahamas. A haplotype analysis from the mitochondrial D-loop region showed that no distinct population structure strictly correlated with the sample site. These findings were complemented by five microsatellite loci that revealed high degrees in genotypic variability and little population differentiation. The results suggest gene flow mediated by both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja N Schwanck
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian Schweinsberg
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Kathrin P Lampert
- Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Tristan L Guttridge
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, 15 Elizabeth Drive, South Bimini, The Bahamas
- Saving the Blue, Kendall, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ralph Tollrian
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Owen O'Shea
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education, Gregory Town, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
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29
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Mejri S, Luck C, Wills PS, Adams A, Shenker J, Ajemian MJ. Reproductive physiology of bonefishes (Albula spp.) across the Northwest Bahamas. Fish Physiol Biochem 2020; 46:699-712. [PMID: 31848828 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-019-00743-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bonefishes (Albula spp.) are classified within the superorder Elopomorpha, which is comprised of over 1000 species that share a unique leptocephalus larval stage. Bonefishes have a circum-tropical distribution, inhabiting inshore shallow water flats and gathering in presumptive nearshore pre-spawn aggregations (PSA) during spawning months. These fishes support economically important recreational fisheries and subsistence fisheries throughout their ranges, yet little is known regarding their reproductive biology. Analysis of oocyte development and nutrient composition, and sex and gonadotrophic hormone levels, was conducted on females sampled in Grand Bahama, Central Andros, and South Andros, The Bahamas, to assess their reproductive state. Fish collected from the flats habitats along all three islands exhibited four major reproductive phases (immature, developing, spawning capable, and regressing). In contrast, all females captured at presumptive PSA sites had eggs in the final stage of oocyte maturation, significantly higher levels of all reproductive hormones (17β-estradiol, testosterone, and LH), larger vitellogenic oocytes, and oocytes exhibiting germinal vesicle migration and germinal vesicle breakdown. In addition, monthly variability in hormone levels and spawning readiness between Grand Bahama and Andros PSAs suggest that peak spawning times may differ among regions. Fatty acid and free amino acid composition and profiles, with high proportions of docosahexaenoic acid, histidine, and taurine, suggest that these nutrients are not only relevant as energy reserves, but also help achieve buoyancy and osmoregulation of oocytes. This study expands upon our understanding of fish reproductive and developmental physiology, and indicates potential factors influencing the survival and recruitment of bonefishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Mejri
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA.
| | - Cameron Luck
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA
| | - Paul S Wills
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA
| | - Aaron Adams
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA
- Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, 135 San Lorenzo Avenue, Suite 860, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Jonathan Shenker
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Matthew J Ajemian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL, 34946, USA
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St John ME, Holzman R, Martin CH. Rapid adaptive evolution of scale-eating kinematics to a novel ecological niche. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb217570. [PMID: 32029459 PMCID: PMC7097200 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.217570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The origins of novel trophic specialization, in which organisms begin to exploit resources for the first time, may be explained by shifts in behavior such as foraging preferences or feeding kinematics. One way to investigate behavioral mechanisms underlying ecological novelty is by comparing prey capture kinematics among species. We investigated the contribution of kinematics to the origins of a novel ecological niche for scale-eating within a microendemic adaptive radiation of pupfishes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We compared prey capture kinematics across three species of pupfish while they consumed shrimp and scales in the lab, and found that scale-eating pupfish exhibited peak gape sizes twice as large as in other species, but also attacked prey with a more obtuse angle between their lower jaw and suspensorium. We then investigated how this variation in feeding kinematics could explain scale-biting performance by measuring bite size (surface area removed) from standardized gelatin cubes. We found that a combination of larger peak gape and more obtuse lower jaw and suspensorium angles resulted in approximately 40% more surface area removed per strike, indicating that scale-eaters may reside on a performance optimum for scale biting. To test whether feeding performance could contribute to reproductive isolation between species, we also measured F1 hybrids and found that their kinematics and performance more closely resembled generalists, suggesting that F1 hybrids may have low fitness in the scale-eating niche. Ultimately, our results suggest that the evolution of strike kinematics in this radiation is an adaptation to the novel niche of scale eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E St John
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Roi Holzman
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Eilat 6997801, Israel
- Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 8810302, Israel
| | - Christopher H Martin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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31
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Oswald JA, Allen JM, LeFebvre MJ, Stucky BJ, Folk RA, Albury NA, Morgan GS, Guralnick RP, Steadman DW. Ancient DNA and high-resolution chronometry reveal a long-term human role in the historical diversity and biogeography of the Bahamian hutia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1373. [PMID: 31992804 PMCID: PMC6987171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58224-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Quaternary paleontological and archaeological evidence often is crucial for uncovering the historical mechanisms shaping modern diversity and distributions. We take an interdisciplinary approach using multiple lines of evidence to understand how past human activity has shaped long-term animal diversity in an island system. Islands afford unique opportunities for such studies given their robust fossil and archaeological records. Herein, we examine the only non-volant terrestrial mammal endemic to the Bahamian Archipelago, the hutia Geocapromys ingrahami. This capromyine rodent once inhabited many islands but is now restricted to several small cays. Radiocarbon dated fossils indicate that hutias were present on the Great Bahama Bank islands before humans arrived at AD ~800-1000; all dates from other islands post-date human arrival. Using ancient DNA from a subset of these fossils, along with modern representatives of Bahamian hutia and related taxa, we develop a fossil-calibrated phylogeny. We found little genetic divergence among individuals from within either the northern or southern Bahamas but discovered a relatively deep North-South divergence (~750 ka). This result, combined with radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence, reveals a pre-human biogeographic divergence, and an unexpected human role in shaping Bahamian hutia diversity and biogeography across islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Oswald
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
- Biology Department, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Julie M Allen
- Biology Department, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Michelle J LeFebvre
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Brian J Stucky
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ryan A Folk
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, 39762, USA
| | - Nancy A Albury
- National Museum of The Bahamas, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas
| | - Gary S Morgan
- New Mexico Museum of Natural History, 1801 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104, USA
| | - Robert P Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - David W Steadman
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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32
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Shultz
- From the Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami (J.M.S.); the Ministry of Health, Government of the Bahamas, Nassau (D.E.S.); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information, Center for Weather and Climate, Madison, WI (J.P.K.); and the Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (S.G.)
| | - Duane E Sands
- From the Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami (J.M.S.); the Ministry of Health, Government of the Bahamas, Nassau (D.E.S.); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information, Center for Weather and Climate, Madison, WI (J.P.K.); and the Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (S.G.)
| | - James P Kossin
- From the Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami (J.M.S.); the Ministry of Health, Government of the Bahamas, Nassau (D.E.S.); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information, Center for Weather and Climate, Madison, WI (J.P.K.); and the Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (S.G.)
| | - Sandro Galea
- From the Center for Disaster and Extreme Event Preparedness, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami (J.M.S.); the Ministry of Health, Government of the Bahamas, Nassau (D.E.S.); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information, Center for Weather and Climate, Madison, WI (J.P.K.); and the Office of the Dean, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston (S.G.)
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Speer KA, Luetke E, Bush E, Sheth B, Gerace A, Quicksall Z, Miyamoto M, Dick CW, Dittmar K, Albury N, Reed DL. A Fly on the Cave Wall: Parasite Genetics Reveal Fine-scale Dispersal Patterns of Bats. J Parasitol 2019; 105:555-566. [PMID: 31348717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dispersal influences the evolution and adaptation of organisms, but it can be difficult to detect. Host-specific parasites provide information about the dispersal of their hosts and may be valuable for examining host dispersal that does not result in gene flow or that has low signals of gene flow. We examined the population connectivity of the buffy flower bat, Erophylla sezekorni (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), and its associated obligate ectoparasite, Trichobius frequens (Diptera: Streblidae), across a narrow oceanic channel in The Bahamas that has previously been implicated as a barrier to dispersal in bats. Due to the horizontal transmission of T. frequens, we were able to test the hypothesis that bats are dispersing across this channel, but this dispersal does not result in gene flow, occurs rarely, or started occurring recently. We developed novel microsatellite markers for the family Streblidae in combination with previously developed markers for bats to genotype individuals from 4 islands in The Bahamas. We provide evidence for a single population of the host, E. sezekorni, but 2 populations of its bat flies, potentially indicating a recent reduction of gene flow in E. sezekorni, rare dispersal, or infrequent transportation of bat flies with their hosts. Despite high population differentiation in bat flies indicated by microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA shows no polymorphism, suggesting that bacterial reproductive parasites may be contributing to mitochondrial DNA sweeps. Parasites, including bat flies, provide independent information about their hosts and can be used to test hypotheses of host dispersal that may be difficult to assess using host genetics alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Speer
- 1 Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, New York 10024
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
- 3 Division of Mammalogy, Florida Museum of Natural History, 1659 Museum Road, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Eli Luetke
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Emily Bush
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Bhavya Sheth
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Allie Gerace
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Zachary Quicksall
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Michael Miyamoto
- 2 Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Carl W Dick
- 4 Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101
- 5 Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605
| | - Katharina Dittmar
- 6 Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, 211 Putnam Way, Buffalo, New York 14260
| | - Nancy Albury
- 7 National Museum of The Bahamas, Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation, Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco, The Bahamas
| | - David L Reed
- 3 Division of Mammalogy, Florida Museum of Natural History, 1659 Museum Road, Gainesville, Florida 32611
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Ambrose KK, Box C, Boxall J, Brooks A, Eriksen M, Fabres J, Fylakis G, Walker TR. Spatial trends and drivers of marine debris accumulation on shorelines in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas using citizen science. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 142:145-154. [PMID: 31232287 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
This study measured spatial distribution of marine debris stranded on beaches in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Citizen science, fetch modeling, relative exposure index and predictive mapping were used to determine marine debris source and abundance. Citizen scientists quantified debris type and abundance on 16 beaches within three coastal exposures (The Atlantic Ocean, Great Bahama Bank and The Exuma Sound) in South Eleuthera. Marine debris, (~2.5 cm or larger) on each beach was monitored twice between March-May and September-November 2013 at the same locations using GPS. Approximately, 93% of all debris items were plastic with plastic fragments (≤2.5 cm) being the most common. There were spatial differences (p ≤ 0.0001) in plastic debris abundance between coastal exposures. Atlantic Ocean beaches had larger quantities of plastic debris by weight and by meter (m) of shoreline. Stranded plastic may be associated with Atlantic Ocean currents associated with leakage from the North Atlantic sub-tropical gyre.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristal K Ambrose
- Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; Bahamas Plastic Movement, Eleuthera, The Bahamas.
| | - Carolynn Box
- The 5 Gyres Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - James Boxall
- Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Marcus Eriksen
- The 5 Gyres Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Georgios Fylakis
- Geographic Information Systems Program, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tony R Walker
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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Harris PM, Diaz MR, Eberli GP. The Formation and Distribution of Modern Ooids on Great Bahama Bank. Ann Rev Mar Sci 2019; 11:491-516. [PMID: 30089226 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010318-095251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Great Bahama Bank (GBB) is the principal location of the formation and accumulation of ooids (concentrically coated, sand-size carbonate grains) in the world today, and as such has been the focus of studies on all aspects of ooids for more than half a century. Our view from a close look at this vast body of literature coupled with our continuing interests stresses that biological mechanisms (microbially mediated organomineralization) are very important in the formation of ooids, whereas the controlling factor for the distribution and size of ooid sand bodies is the physical energy. Mapping and coring studies of the modern ooid sand bodies on GBB provide insight into the rock record from different perspectives. An important consequence of the dual influence of ooid formation and distribution is that the geochemical signature of ooids is not in equilibrium with the seawater in which ooids form; therefore, extracting the paleophysical energy record from oolitic deposits is potentially more accurate than doing so for the paleochemical record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Mitch Harris
- CSL - Center for Carbonate Research, Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA; , ,
| | - Mara R Diaz
- CSL - Center for Carbonate Research, Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA; , ,
| | - Gregor P Eberli
- CSL - Center for Carbonate Research, Department of Marine Geosciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149, USA; , ,
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Smukall MJ, Kessel ST, Franks BR, Feldheim KA, Guttridge TL, Gruber SH. No apparent negative tagging effects after 13 years at liberty for lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris implanted with acoustic transmitter. J Fish Biol 2019; 94:173-177. [PMID: 30393865 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
An intact and uncompromised internal acoustic transmitter was non-lethally recovered from a lemon shark Negaprion brevirostris, after 13 years at liberty. The shark, first tagged at an estimated age of 2 years old near South Bimini, Bahamas in 2004, was recaptured in 2017 with a total length of 264 cm. The tagged shark displayed typical growth rate, pregnancy, natal homing and pupping behaviour of other individuals in this population. This observation provides important evidence regarding the effects from long-term retention of implanted acoustic transmitters in a carcharhinid shark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Smukall
- Department of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, Bahamas
| | - Steven T Kessel
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, Bahamas
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bryan R Franks
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, Bahamas
- Department of Biology and Marine Science, Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Kevin A Feldheim
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, Bahamas
- Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution, The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Samuel H Gruber
- Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, Bimini, Bahamas
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
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Bartels PJ, Fontoura P, Nelson DR. Marine tardigrades of the Bahamas with the description of two new species and updated keys to the species of Anisonyches and Archechiniscus. Zootaxa 2018; 4420:43-70. [PMID: 30313553 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.1.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
This is the first survey of subtidal marine tardigrades from the Bahamas, and we compare our results with earlier studies of Bahamian intertidal habitats. In 2011 and 2014 we collected 60 subtidal sand samples from Bimini, the Berry Islands, New Providence, Eleuthera, and the Exumas. We found 11 species only one of which, Dipodarctus subterraneus (Renaud-Debyser, 1959), had been found in the previous intertidal Bahamian collections. Thus, 10 species are new records for the Bahamas, and four of these are new to science. We describe two of the new species (Archechiniscus bahamensis sp. nov. and Anisonyches eleutherensis sp. nov.). Additional material is needed for a conclusive identification of the undescribed species of Batillipes and Florarctus. Based on examination of the holotype of Anisonyches diakidius Pollock, 1975, we redescribe this species and give an emended diagnosis of the genus and the species. We also provide new keys to the species in the genera Archechiniscus and Anisonyches. A Chao2 species richness estimate indicated that our sampling effort was extensive and probably recovered most common species. Correlations of abundance and diversity indices with regard to depth, distance to nearest shore, and sediment grain size were not significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Bartels
- Department of Biology, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC 28815, USA..
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O'Shea OR, Wueringer BE, Winchester MM, Brooks EJ. Comparative feeding ecology of the yellow ray Urobatis jamaicensis (Urotrygonidae) from The Bahamas. J Fish Biol 2018; 92:73-84. [PMID: 29105768 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Stomach contents were collected from 117 yellow rays Urobatis jamaicensis from three locations in south Eleuthera, The Bahamas and compared with ambient infauna via sediment surveys. Diets were relatively limited with a total of 535 prey items recovered, representing five taxonomic groups and dominated by polychaetes and decapod crustaceans (87% of total diet), while environmental sampling reported 5249 individual taxa represented by 62 taxonomic groups. Regardless of gravidity, sex or density of prey items among sites, no significant differences were detected. Foraging strategy plots suggested preferential prey is rare within the environment and the Manly-Chesson index validates polychaetes were consumed with high selectivity. This is the most comprehensive and updated assessment of comparative feeding in this species, particularly for The Bahamas, allowing insight into invertebrate community richness and diversity in ecologically sensitive coastal and nearshore habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- O R O'Shea
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, The Cape Eleuthera Institute, EL-26029, Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Exeter University, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - B E Wueringer
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, 4870, Queensland, Australia
- Sharks and Rays Australia, Bungalow, 4870, Queensland, Australia
| | - M M Winchester
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, The Cape Eleuthera Institute, EL-26029, Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
| | - E J Brooks
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, The Cape Eleuthera Institute, EL-26029, Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
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Joyce TW, Durban JW, Claridge DE, Dunn CA, Fearnbach H, Parsons KM, Andrews RD, Ballance LT. Physiological, morphological, and ecological tradeoffs influence vertical habitat use of deep-diving toothed-whales in the Bahamas. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185113. [PMID: 29020021 PMCID: PMC5636075 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dive capacity among toothed whales (suborder: Odontoceti) has been shown to generally increase with body mass in a relationship closely linked to the allometric scaling of metabolic rates. However, two odontocete species tagged in this study, the Blainville’s beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris and the Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris, confounded expectations of a simple allometric relationship, with exceptionally long (mean: 46.1 min & 65.4 min) and deep dives (mean: 1129 m & 1179 m), and comparatively small body masses (med.: 842.9 kg & 1556.7 kg). These two species also exhibited exceptionally long recovery periods between successive deep dives, or inter-deep-dive intervals (M. densirostris: med. 62 min; Z. cavirostris: med. 68 min). We examined competing hypotheses to explain observed patterns of vertical habitat use based on body mass, oxygen binding protein concentrations, and inter-deep-dive intervals in an assemblage of five sympatric toothed whales species in the Bahamas. Hypotheses were evaluated using dive data from satellite tags attached to the two beaked whales (M. densirostris, n = 12; Z. cavirostris, n = 7), as well as melon-headed whales Peponocephala electra (n = 13), short-finned pilot whales Globicephala macrorhynchus (n = 15), and sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus (n = 27). Body mass and myoglobin concentration together explained only 36% of the variance in maximum dive durations. The inclusion of inter-deep-dive intervals, substantially improved model fits (R2 = 0.92). This finding supported a hypothesis that beaked whales extend foraging dives by exceeding aerobic dive limits, with the extension of inter-deep-dive intervals corresponding to metabolism of accumulated lactic acid. This inference points to intriguing tradeoffs between body size, access to prey in different depth strata, and time allocation within dive cycles. These tradeoffs and resulting differences in habitat use have important implications for spatial distribution patterns, and relative vulnerabilities to anthropogenic impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W. Joyce
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - John W. Durban
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Diane E. Claridge
- Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization, Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte A. Dunn
- Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization, Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Holly Fearnbach
- SR³ SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research, Mukilteo, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kim M. Parsons
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Russel D. Andrews
- School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
- Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, Seabeck, Washington, United States of America
| | - Lisa T. Ballance
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Jones G, Kellini O, Girgis N, Halliday D, Butler R, McGowan T, Brown C. Experience with curative radiotherapy for cervix cancer in the Bahamas for 2006-2016. Cancer Causes Control 2017; 28:1275-1283. [PMID: 28921401 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-017-0964-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervix cancer is a significant health problem. As access to quality care in Small Island Developing States improves, and cancer centers become established, providers of care can summarize local experience to benchmark system quality and look for ways to further improve value. METHODS This is a retrospective study of all cases of cervix cancer managed 2006-2016 at The Cancer Centre Bahamas, in conjunction with Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau, affiliated with The University of West Indies. Seventy-two women received curative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Herein are reported presenting characteristics, treatments, waiting and overall treatment times, plus outcomes of recurrence, survival, and adverse events. RESULTS For 68 newly diagnosed cases, median waiting time (diagnosis to commencing treatment) was 110 days. It was 90 days for those 47 cases who had no prior surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Overall, 99% of intended external radiotherapy fractions, 74% of brachytherapy sessions, and 79% of concurrent weekly chemotherapy were administered. For all 72 cases, median overall treatment time was 63 days; and for the 47 case sub-group, it was 78 days during 2006-2010 and 65 days during 2011-2016 (p = 0.005), so improving over calendar time. Four cases experienced grade 3-4 toxicities. Twelve had urological complications from disease or treatment. Five cases experienced local failure; eight experienced distant failure. Newly diagnosed stage 2B (26/72) had a 2-year survival of 71%. CONCLUSION This report demonstrates the impact of providing curative radiation-based treatments for cervical cancer in a small state. It suggests ways to further improve operations and justifies additional research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Jones
- The Partners Clinical Research Centre, 72 Collins Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas.
- The Cancer Centre Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas.
- The University of West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, Nassau, Bahamas.
| | | | | | - Darron Halliday
- The University of West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, Nassau, Bahamas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau, Bahamas
| | - Raleigh Butler
- The University of West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, Nassau, Bahamas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau, Bahamas
| | - Thomas McGowan
- The Partners Clinical Research Centre, 72 Collins Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas
- The Cancer Centre Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
- The University of West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, Nassau, Bahamas
- World Health Innovation Network, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Conville Brown
- The Partners Clinical Research Centre, 72 Collins Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas
- The Cancer Centre Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
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Herzing DL, Augliere BN, Elliser CR, Green ML, Pack AA. Exodus! Large-scale displacement and social adjustments of resident Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180304. [PMID: 28792947 PMCID: PMC5549894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, significant habitat shifts have been documented in some populations of cetaceans. On Little Bahama Bank (LBB) there are sympatric communities of resident Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), monitored since 1985. The size and social structure (three clusters: Northern, Central, Southern) have been stable among the spotted dolphin community with little immigration/emigration, even after large demographic losses (36%) following two major hurricanes in 2004. In 2013 an unprecedented exodus of over 50% (52 individuals) of the spotted dolphin community was documented. The entire Central cluster and a few Northern and Southern individuals relocated 161 km south to Great Bahama Bank (GBB), also home to two sympatric resident communities of spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. During the late summer of 2013 and the summers of 2014 and 2015 both sites were regularly monitored but no former LBB dolphins returned to LBB. Uncharacteristic matriline splits were observed. Social analyses revealed random associations for those spotted dolphins and very little integration between spotted dolphins that moved to GBB (MGBB) and those dolphin resident to GBB (RGBB). Male alliances among spotted dolphins were present, with some altered patterns. On LBB, the operational sex ratio (OSR) was reduced (.40 to .25). OSR for MGBB and RGBB dolphins were similar (.45 and .43). A significant steady decrease in sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a (a proxy for plankton production) occurred on LBB leading up to this exodus. Similar trends were not present over the same period on GBB. The sudden large-scale shift of spotted dolphins from LBB to GBB in association with the gradual decline in certain environmental factors suggests that a possible "tipping point" was reached in prey availability. This study provides a unique view into social and genetic implications of large-scale displacement of stable dolphin communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise L. Herzing
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States of America
| | | | - Cindy R. Elliser
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Pacific Mammal Research, Anacortes, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Green
- Wild Dolphin Project, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Animal Science and Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Adam A. Pack
- Departments of Psychology and Biology, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
- The Dolphin Institute, Hilo, Hawaii, United States of America
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Lyu Y, Richlen ML, Sehein TR, Chinain M, Adachi M, Nishimura T, Xu Y, Parsons ML, Smith TB, Zheng T, Anderson DM. LSU rDNA based RFLP assays for the routine identification of Gambierdiscus species. Harmful Algae 2017; 66:20-28. [PMID: 28602250 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2017.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Gambierdiscus genus is a group of benthic dinoflagellates commonly associated with ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), which is generally found in tropical or sub-tropical regions around the world. Morphologically similar species within the genus can vary in toxicity; however, species identifications are difficult or sometimes impossible using light microscopy. DNA sequencing of ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) is thus often used to identify and describe Gambierdiscus species and ribotypes, but the expense and time can be prohibitive for routine culture screening and/or large-scale monitoring programs. This study describes a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing method based on analysis of the large subunit rDNA that can successfully identify at least nine of the described Gambierdiscus species and two Fukuyoa species. The software programs DNAMAN 6.0 and Restriction Enzyme Picker were used to identify a set of restriction enzymes (SpeI, HpyCH4IV, and TaqαI) capable of distinguishing most of the known Gambierdiscus species for which DNA sequences were available. This assay was tested using in silico analysis and cultured isolates, and species identifications of isolates assigned by RFLP typing were confirmed by DNA sequencing. To verify the assay and assess intra-specific heterogeneity in RFLP patterns, identifications of 63 Gambierdiscus isolates comprising ten Gambierdiscus species, one ribotype, and two Fukuyoa species were confirmed using RFLP typing, and this method was subsequently employed in the routine identification of isolates collected from the Caribbean Sea. The RFLP assay presented here reduces the time and cost associated with morphological identification via scanning electron microscopy and/or DNA sequencing, and provides a phylogenetically sensitive method for routine Gambierdiscus species assignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihua Lyu
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; South China Sea Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Mindy L Richlen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | - Taylor R Sehein
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Mireille Chinain
- Laboratoire des Microalgues Toxiques, Institut Louis Malardé, UMR 241-EIO, BP 30, 98713 Papeete Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - Masao Adachi
- Laboratory of Aquatic Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kochi University, Otsu-200, Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nishimura
- Laboratory of Aquatic Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kochi University, Otsu-200, Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - Yixiao Xu
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Key Laboratory of Environment Change and Resources Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001, China
| | - Michael L Parsons
- Coastal Watershed Institute, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
| | - Tyler B Smith
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802, USA
| | - Tianling Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Donald M Anderson
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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Salas-Leiva DE, Meerow AW, Calonje M, Francisco-Ortega J, Griffith MP, Nakamura K, Sánchez V, Knowles L, Knowles D. Shifting Quaternary migration patterns in the Bahamian archipelago: Evidence from the Zamia pumila complex at the northern limits of the Caribbean island biodiversity hotspot. Am J Bot 2017; 104:757-771. [PMID: 28515078 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1700054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY The Bahamas archipelago is formed by young, tectonically stable carbonate banks that harbor direct geological evidence of global ice-volume changes. We sought to detect signatures of major changes on gene flow patterns and reconstruct the phylogeographic history of the monophyletic Zamia pumila complex across the Bahamas. METHODS Nuclear molecular markers with both high and low mutation rates were used to capture two different time scale signatures and test several gene flow and demographic hypotheses. KEY RESULTS Single-copy nuclear genes unveiled apparent ancestral admixture on Andros, suggesting a significant role of this island as main hub of diversity of the archipelago. We detected demographic and spatial expansion of the Zamia pumila complex on both paleo-provinces around the Piacenzian (Pliocene)/Gelasian (Pleistocene). Populations evidenced signatures of different migration models that have occurred at two different times. Populations on Long Island (Z. lucayana) may either represent a secondary colonization of the Bahamas by Zamia or a rapid and early-divergence event of at least one population on the Bahamas. CONCLUSIONS Despite changes in migration patterns with global climate, expected heterozygosity with both marker systems remains within the range reported for cycads, but with significant levels of increased inbreeding detected by the microsatellites. This finding is likely associated with reduced gene flow between and within paleo-provinces, accompanied by genetic drift, as rising seas enforced isolation. Our study highlights the importance of the maintenance of the predominant direction of genetic exchange and the role of overseas dispersion among the islands during climate oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana E Salas-Leiva
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199 USA
- USDA-ARS-SHRS, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, Florida 33158 USA
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Florida 33156 USA
| | - Alan W Meerow
- USDA-ARS-SHRS, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, Florida 33158 USA
| | - Michael Calonje
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Florida 33156 USA
| | - Javier Francisco-Ortega
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, 11200 S.W. 8th Street, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199 USA
- Kushlan Tropical Science Institute, 11935 Old Cutler Road, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida 33156 USA
| | - M Patrick Griffith
- Montgomery Botanical Center, 11901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Florida 33156 USA
| | - Kyoko Nakamura
- USDA-ARS-SHRS, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, Florida 33158 USA
| | - Vanessa Sánchez
- USDA-ARS-SHRS, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, Florida 33158 USA
| | - Lindy Knowles
- Bahamas National Trust, P. O. Box N-4105, Bay Street Business Centre, Bay Street, Nassau
| | - David Knowles
- The Bahamas, Bahamas National Trust, Abaco National Park, P.O. Box AB-20953, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas
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Louyakis AS, Mobberley JM, Vitek BE, Visscher PT, Hagan PD, Reid RP, Kozdon R, Orland IJ, Valley JW, Planavsky NJ, Casaburi G, Foster JS. A Study of the Microbial Spatial Heterogeneity of Bahamian Thrombolites Using Molecular, Biochemical, and Stable Isotope Analyses. Astrobiology 2017; 17:413-430. [PMID: 28520472 PMCID: PMC5767104 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Thrombolites are buildups of carbonate that exhibit a clotted internal structure formed through the interactions of microbial mats and their environment. Despite recent advances, we are only beginning to understand the microbial and molecular processes associated with their formation. In this study, a spatial profile of the microbial and metabolic diversity of thrombolite-forming mats of Highborne Cay, The Bahamas, was generated by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and predictive metagenomic analyses. These molecular-based approaches were complemented with microelectrode profiling and in situ stable isotope analysis to examine the dominant taxa and metabolic activities within the thrombolite-forming communities. Analyses revealed three distinctive zones within the thrombolite-forming mats that exhibited stratified populations of bacteria and archaea. Predictive metagenomics also revealed vertical profiles of metabolic capabilities, such as photosynthesis and carboxylic and fatty acid synthesis within the mats that had not been previously observed. The carbonate precipitates within the thrombolite-forming mats exhibited isotopic geochemical signatures suggesting that the precipitation within the Bahamian thrombolites is photosynthetically induced. Together, this study provides the first look at the spatial organization of the microbial populations within Bahamian thrombolites and enables the distribution of microbes to be correlated with their activities within modern thrombolite systems. Key Words: Thrombolites-Microbial diversity-Metagenome-Stable isotopes-Microbialites. Astrobiology 17, 413-430.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemis S. Louyakis
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Sciences Lab, Merritt Island, Florida
| | - Jennifer M. Mobberley
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Sciences Lab, Merritt Island, Florida
| | - Brooke E. Vitek
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Pieter T. Visscher
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut
| | - Paul D. Hagan
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - R. Pamela Reid
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Reinhard Kozdon
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Ian J. Orland
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - John W. Valley
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Noah J. Planavsky
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Giorgio Casaburi
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Sciences Lab, Merritt Island, Florida
| | - Jamie S. Foster
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Space Life Sciences Lab, Merritt Island, Florida
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Sforna MC, Daye M, Philippot P, Somogyi A, van Zuilen MA, Medjoubi K, Gérard E, Jamme F, Dupraz C, Braissant O, Glunk C, Visscher PT. Patterns of metal distribution in hypersaline microbialites during early diagenesis: Implications for the fossil record. Geobiology 2017; 15:259-279. [PMID: 27935656 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of metals as biosignatures in the fossil stromatolite record requires understanding of the processes controlling the initial metal(loid) incorporation and diagenetic preservation in living microbialites. Here, we report the distribution of metals and the organic fraction within the lithifying microbialite of the hypersaline Big Pond Lake (Bahamas). Using synchrotron-based X-ray microfluorescence, confocal, and biphoton microscopies at different scales (cm-μm) in combination with traditional geochemical analyses, we show that the initial cation sorption at the surface of an active microbialite is governed by passive binding to the organic matrix, resulting in a homogeneous metal distribution. During early diagenesis, the metabolic activity in deeper microbialite layers slows down and the distribution of the metals becomes progressively heterogeneous, resulting from remobilization and concentration as metal(loid)-enriched sulfides, which are aligned with the lamination of the microbialite. In addition, we were able to identify globules containing significant Mn, Cu, Zn, and As enrichments potentially produced through microbial activity. The similarity of the metal(loid) distributions observed in the Big Pond microbialite to those observed in the Archean stromatolites of Tumbiana provides the foundation for a conceptual model of the evolution of the metal distribution through initial growth, early diagenesis, and fossilization of a microbialite, with a potential application to the fossil record.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Sforna
- Geobiosphère Actuelle & Primitive, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris, France
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - M Daye
- Geobiosphère Actuelle & Primitive, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris, France
- Synchrotron Soleil, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - P Philippot
- Geobiosphère Actuelle & Primitive, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - A Somogyi
- Synchrotron Soleil, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - M A van Zuilen
- Geomicrobiologie, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - K Medjoubi
- Synchrotron Soleil, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - E Gérard
- Geomicrobiologie, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - F Jamme
- Synchrotron Soleil, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - C Dupraz
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholms Universitet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - O Braissant
- Center for Biomechanics and Biocalorimetry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - C Glunk
- Societe Suisse des Explosifs SA, Brig, Switzerland
| | - P T Visscher
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, USA
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46
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O'Reilly SS, Mariotti G, Winter AR, Newman SA, Matys ED, McDermott F, Pruss SB, Bosak T, Summons RE, Klepac-Ceraj V. Molecular biosignatures reveal common benthic microbial sources of organic matter in ooids and grapestones from Pigeon Cay, The Bahamas. Geobiology 2017; 15:112-130. [PMID: 27378151 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ooids are sedimentary grains that are distributed widely in the geologic record. Their formation is still actively debated, which limits our understanding of the significance and meaning of these grains in Earth's history. Central questions include the role played by microbes in the formation of ooids and the sources of ubiquitous organic matter within ooid cortices. To address these issues, we investigated the microbial community composition and associated lipids in modern oolitic sands at Pigeon Cay on Cat Island, The Bahamas. Surface samples were taken along a transect from the shallow, turbulent surf zone to calmer, deeper water. Grains transitioned from shiny and abraded ooids in the surf zone, to biofilm-coated ooids at about 3 m water depth. Further offshore, grapestones (cemented aggregates of ooids) dominated. Benthic diatoms and Proteobacteria dominated biofilms. Taxa that may promote carbonate precipitation were abundant, particularly those associated with sulfur cycling. Compared to the lipids associated with surface biofilms, relict lipids bound within carbonate exhibited remarkably similar profiles in all grain types. The enhanced abundance of methyl-branched fatty acids and β-hydroxy fatty acids, 1-O-monoalkyl glycerol ethers and hopanoids bound within ooid and grapestone carbonate confirms a clear association of benthic sedimentary bacteria with these grains. Lipids bound within ooid cortices also contain molecular indicators of microbial heterotrophic degradation of organic matter, possibly in locally reducing conditions. These included the loss of labile unsaturated fatty acids, enhanced long-chain fatty acids/short-chain fatty acids, enriched stable carbon isotopes ratios of fatty acids, and very high stanol/stenol ratios. To what extent some of these molecular signals are derived from later heterotrophic endolithic activity remains to be fully resolved. We speculate that some ooid carbonate forms in microbial biofilms and that early diagenetic degradation of biofilms may also play a role in early stage carbonate precipitation around ooids.
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Affiliation(s)
- S S O'Reilly
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - G Mariotti
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A R Winter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
| | - S A Newman
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - E D Matys
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - F McDermott
- School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - S B Pruss
- Department of Geosciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA, USA
| | - T Bosak
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - R E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - V Klepac-Ceraj
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
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Harborne AR, Selwyn JD, Lawson JM, Gallo M. Environmental drivers of diurnal visits by transient predatory fishes to Caribbean patch reefs. J Fish Biol 2017; 90:265-282. [PMID: 27781260 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Video cameras recorded the diurnal visitation rates of transient (large home range) piscivorous fishes to coral patch reefs in The Bahamas and identified 11 species. Visits by bar jack Caranx ruber, mutton snapper Lutjanus analis, yellowtail snapper Ocyurus chrysurus, barracuda Sphyraena barracuda and cero Scomberomorus regalis were sufficiently frequent to correlate with a range of biophysical factors. Patch-reef visitation rates and fish abundances varied with distance from shore and all species except S. regalis were seen more frequently inshore. This pattern is likely to be caused by factors including close proximity to additional foraging areas in mangroves and on fore-reefs and higher abundances close to inshore nursery habitats. Visitation rates and abundances of C. ruber, L. analis, O. chrysurus and S. regalis also varied seasonally (spring v. winter), possibly as fishes responded to temperature changes or undertook spawning migrations. The abundance of each transient predator species on the patch reefs generally exhibited limited diurnal variability, but L. analis was seen more frequently towards dusk. This study demonstrates that the distribution of transient predators is correlated spatially and temporally with a range of factors, even within a single lagoon, and these drivers are species specific. Transient predators are considered an important source of mortality shaping reef-fish assemblages and their abundance, in combination with the biomass of resident predators, was negatively correlated with the density of prey fishes. Furthermore, transient predators are often targeted by fishers and understanding how they utilize seascapes is critical for protecting them within reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- A R Harborne
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL, 33181, U.S.A
- Marine Spatial Ecology Laboratory and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, Goddard Building, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - J D Selwyn
- HoBi Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, U.S.A
| | - J M Lawson
- Fisheries Centre, The University of British Columbia, Aquatic Ecosystems and Research Laboratory, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - M Gallo
- Marine Spatial Ecology Laboratory and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, Goddard Building, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Wageningen University & Research, P. O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Forbes N, Johnson G, Mortimer A, Martin I, Frankson M, Johnston K, Thompson T, Weissman S. The HIV continuum of care in the Bahamas in 2014. Rev Panam Salud Publica 2016; 40:443-447. [PMID: 28718493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The HIV cascade of care describes the spectrum of engagement in HIV care from diagnosis to viral suppression (VS). The study objective was to develop a baseline HIV cascade of care for new HIV diagnoses in the Bahamas in 2014. METHODS Individuals who were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2014 and known to be alive within a year of that diagnosis were included in the cascade of care (n = 250). Individuals with one CD4 or HIV viral load (VL) measure in 2014 were considered linked to care. Those with at least two CD4 counts in the year were considered retained in care. Eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) was based on having a CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3. ART adherence was defined as filled prescriptions > 11 months/year. VL < 1 000 copies/ml was considered suppressed. Comparisons were made in the cascades by gender and age. RESULTS Of the 250 persons in the study, 79 of them (32%) were retained in care. Antiretrovirals (ARVs) were prescribed to 116 of the 250 (46%); of those 116, 48 of them (41%) achieved VS. A higher proportion of women achieved VS than did men, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Similarly, there were differences in VS based on age, but the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS In the Bahamas, increased efforts are needed to help people living with HIV to link to and be retained in care. VS may remain suboptimal unless ART is scaled up and adherence interventions are included in measures to improve the treatment cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Kathryn Johnston
- The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Country Office for the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, Nassau, Bahamas
| | | | - Sharon Weissman
- The University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
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49
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Fields AT, Feldheim KA, Gelsleichter J, Pfoertner C, Chapman DD. Population structure and cryptic speciation in bonnethead sharks Sphyrna tiburo in the south-eastern U.S.A. and Caribbean. J Fish Biol 2016; 89:2219-2233. [PMID: 27600497 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Population structure and lineage diversification within a small, non-dispersive hammerhead shark species, the bonnethead shark Sphyrna tiburo, was assessed. Sphyrna tiburo is currently described as one continuously distributed species along the Atlantic continental margins of North, Central and South America, but recent genetic analysis of an insular population (Trinidad) suggests the possibility of cryptic speciation. To address this issue S. tiburo were sampled at six sites along c. 6200 km of continuous, continental coastline and from one island location (Grand Bahama) across a discontinuity in their distribution (the Straits of Florida), in order to test if they constitute a single lineage over this distribution. A total of 1030 bp of the mitochondrial control region (CR) was obtained for 239 S. tiburo, revealing 73 distinct haplotypes, high nucleotide diversity (0·01089) and a pair of highly divergent lineages estimated to have separated 3·61-5·62 million years ago. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and nuclear internal transcribed spacer loci show the same pattern. Divergence is similar within S. tiburo to that observed between established elasmobranch sister species, providing further evidence of cryptic speciation. A global AMOVA based on CR confirms that genetic diversity is primarily partitioned among populations (ΦST = 0·828, P < 0·001) because the divergent lineages are almost perfectly segregated between Belize and North America-The Bahamas. An AMOVA consisting solely of the North American and Bahamian samples is also significantly different from zero (ΦST = 0·088, P < 0·001) and pairwise FST is significantly different between all sites. These findings suggest that S. tiburo comprises a species complex and supports previous research indicating fine population structure, which has implications for fisheries management and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Fields
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, U.S.A..
| | - K A Feldheim
- Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, U.S.A
| | - J Gelsleichter
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, U.S.A
| | - C Pfoertner
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, U.S.A
| | - D D Chapman
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, U.S.A
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Jamison MT, Molinski TF. Jamaicensamide A, a Peptide Containing β-Amino-α-keto and Thiazole-Homologated η-Amino Acid Residues from the Sponge Plakina jamaicensis. J Nat Prod 2016; 79:2243-2249. [PMID: 27547840 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A new cyclic peptide, jamaicensamide A, composed of six amino acids, including a thiazole-homologated amino acid, was isolated from the Bahamian sponge Plakina jamaicensis, along with known compounds bitungolide A and franklinolide A. The structure of the title peptide was solved by integrated analysis of MS, 1D and 2D NMR data, oxidation-hydrolyses to α-amino acids, and their stereodetermination by Marfey's method. The close structural resemblance of Western Atlantic-derived jamaicensamide A to known Western Pacific-derived peptides of lithistid sponges in the genus Theonella and Discodermia suggests a common origin: the symbiotic bacterium Entotheonella sp., a so-called "talented producer" responsible for biosynthesis of most Theonella-associated peptides. Similar natural products from sponges of disparate genera evince the likelihood that these invertebrates harbor the same or a very similar symbiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Jamison
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and ‡Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Dr. MC-0358, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
| | - Tadeusz F Molinski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and ‡Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego , 9500 Gilman Dr. MC-0358, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, United States
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