1,721,506 research outputs found
An ecological characterization of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region: oceanographic, biogeographic, and contaminants assessment
No full textThe mission of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is to serve as the trustee for a system of marine protected areas, to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity, and cultural legacy while facilitating compatible uses. Since 1972, thirteen National Marine Sanctuaries, representing a wide variety of ocean environments, have been established, each with management goals tuned to their unique diversity. Extending from Cape Ann to Cape Cod across the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) encompasses 2,181 square kilometers of highly productive, diverse, and culturally unique Federal waters. As a result of its varied seafloor topography, oceanographic conditions, and high primary productivity, Stellwagen Bank NMS is utilized by diverse assemblages of seabirds, marine mammals, invertebrates, and fish species, as well as containing a number of maritime heritage resources. Furthermore, it is a region of cultural significance, highlighted by the recent discovery of several historic shipwrecks. Officially designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank became the Nation’s twelfth National Marine Sanctuary in order to protect these and other unique biological, geological, oceanographic, and cultural features of the region. The Stellwagen Bank NMS is in the midst of its first management plan review since designation. The management plan review process, required by law, is designed to evaluate, enhance, and guide the development of future research efforts, education and outreach, and the management approaches used by Sanctuaries. Given the ecological and physical complexity of Stellwagen Bank NMS, burgeoning anthropogenic impacts to the region, and competing human and biological uses, the review process was challenged to assimilate and analyze the wealth of existing scientific knowledge in a framework which could enhance management decision-making. Unquestionably, the Gulf of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, and Stellwagen Bank-proper are extremely well studied systems, and in many regards, the scientific information available greatly exceeds that which is available for other Sanctuaries. However, the propensity of scientific information reinforces the need to utilize a comprehensive analytical approach to synthesize and explore linkages between disparate information on physical, biological, and chemical processes, while identifying topics needing further study. Given this requirement, a partnership was established between NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) so as to leverage existing NOAA technical expertise to assist the Sanctuary in developing additional ecological assessment products which would benefit the management plan review process
An ecological characterization of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region: oceanographic, biogeographic, and contaminants assessment
Full text linkThe mission of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) is to serve as the trustee for a system of marine protected areas, to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity, and cultural legacy while facilitating compatible uses. Since 1972, thirteen National Marine Sanctuaries, representing a wide variety of ocean environments, have been established, each with management goals tuned to their unique diversity. Extending from Cape Ann to Cape Cod across the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) encompasses 2,181 square kilometers of highly productive, diverse, and culturally unique Federal waters. As a result of its varied seafloor topography, oceanographic conditions, and high primary productivity, Stellwagen Bank NMS is utilized by diverse assemblages of seabirds, marine mammals, invertebrates, and fish species, as well as containing a number of maritime heritage resources. Furthermore, it is a region of cultural significance, highlighted by the recent discovery of several historic shipwrecks. Officially designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank became the Nation’s twelfth National Marine Sanctuary in order to protect these and other unique biological, geological, oceanographic, and cultural features of the region. The Stellwagen Bank NMS is in the midst of its first management plan review since designation. The management plan review process, required by law, is designed to evaluate, enhance, and guide the development of future research efforts, education and outreach, and the management approaches used by Sanctuaries. Given the ecological and physical complexity of Stellwagen Bank NMS, burgeoning anthropogenic impacts to the region, and competing human and biological uses, the review process was challenged to assimilate and analyze the wealth of existing scientific knowledge in a framework which could enhance management decision-making. Unquestionably, the Gulf of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, and Stellwagen Bank-proper are extremely well studied systems, and in many regards, the scientific information available greatly exceeds that which is available for other Sanctuaries. However, the propensity of scientific information reinforces the need to utilize a comprehensive analytical approach to synthesize and explore linkages between disparate information on physical, biological, and chemical processes, while identifying topics needing further study. Given this requirement, a partnership was established between NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) so as to leverage existing NOAA technical expertise to assist the Sanctuary in developing additional ecological assessment products which would benefit the management plan review process
Book Review of "Russian Baptists and Spiritual Revolution, 1905-1929"
No full textStellwagen, Benjamin J.. (2008). Book Review of "Russian Baptists and Spiritual Revolution, 1905-1929". Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/186872
Marika Stellwagen - Program Reflection
No full textA reflection about my time during Gibney Dance\u27s Summer Study in New York City, a Training program where you complete 30-45 Classes within 3 weeks and Panels, and get a taste of what it is like to be a professional dancer in New York Cit
How Do the Unique Environmental Factors Present in Stellwagen Bank Affect Humpback Whales
Full text linkDuring this altREU internship I looked into how the unique environmental factors present in Stellwagen Bank affect humpback whales. The data that was collected for this project was collected in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is one of only 13 National Marine Sanctuaries in the United States. The titular Stellwagen Bank is an underwater plateau which is only about 100 feet in depth as opposed to the surrounding water which can be upwards of 300 feet deep. In the summer months it is home to a population of humpback whales that migrate from the Caribbean. Data has been collected on this population of whales since the mid 1970s and an extensive database has been built up of almost every whale watch trip since then.
I found out about this database through working as a deckhand on whale watch boats and became curious about how the unique factors present in Stellwagen affected the whale population. Through talking with the New England Aquarium I found that one of the main reasons that the whales continue to migrate to this area is because of the upwelling of nutrients that happens when they crash into the side of Stellwagen Bank. This makes Stellwagen one of the most productive feeding grounds in the world.
However, this is not the only unique thing about Stellwagen. Stellwagen is about 25 miles east of a very active port city in Boston. Since Stellwagen blocks the entrance to Boston from the Atlantic Ocean, major shipping lanes must go straight through the Sanctuary. The shipping lane was shifted north in 2007 and this reduced the probability of ship strike by 80 percent.
The major focus of my research was building a model which I did using the Sci-kit learn library in python to determine if I could predict the latitude of the whales given environmental factors. I first preprocessed the data and then I used the Linear Regression feature to find a model. To evaluate the effectiveness of this model I made a graph of the predicted vs the true latitude which resulted in an R^2 of 0.015. This result was not what I was hoping for but does make sense. These 10 factors are only a few of the many factors that affect where a whale travels and therefore its location
Site Characterization of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
No full textThe Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an area of approximately 638 square nautical miles (2181 square kilometers; 842 square miles) of ocean waters, and the submerged lands there under, over and around Stellwagen Bank and other submerged features, off the coast of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A combination of physical and oceanographic characteristics in this area result in cycles of biological productivity that support exceptionally large and diverse populations of fish, seasonal populations of cetaceans (including several classified as endangered) and seabirds. The proximity to land and accessibility of this biologically rich and diverse system have attracted high levels of human activity, principally, commercial fishing and whalewatching
Wind-speed increase causes reduction in humpback song occurrence at Stellwagen Bank.
No full text<p>Average wind speed increase from the “before” to the “during” period at Stellwagen Bank causes reduction in the percentage of time humpback whale songs are within mean detection range of a single Stellwagen Bank sensor. (A) Averaged wind speed measured at the NDBC buoy <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0104733#pone.0104733-National1" target="_blank">[72]</a> closest to Stellwagen Bank over the “before,” “during,” and “after” 11-day periods; and (B) percentage of the time vocalizing humpback whales localized by our large aperture array are within the mean detection range of the single sensor <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0104733#pone.0104733-Risch1" target="_blank">[34]</a> at Stellwagen Bank in the “before” and “during” periods, using waveguide propagation methods and whale song parameters described in Section 3.5. Since the OAWRS experiment was conducted only up to October 6, 2006, the humpback whale source distribution in the “after” period was not measured and we do not investigate the percentage of time that humpback whales are within the mean detection range of the single sensor at Stellwagen Bank <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0104733#pone.0104733-Risch1" target="_blank">[34]</a> for the “after” period. The triangles represent the mean wind speed and the solid ticks represent the standard deviation of the wind speed over the respective 11-day periods.</p
Supplemental Material for Stellwagen and Renberg, 2019
No full textSupplementary figures and table for the manuscript "Towards Spider Glue: Long read scaffolding for extreme length and repetitious silk family genes AgSp1 and AgSp2 with insights into functional adaptation"
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What Makes Stellwagen Bank a Productive Coastal Region?
No full textStellwagen Bank lies at Massachusetts Bay’s eastern boundary with the Gulf of Maine and is encompassed by the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The Bank is a shoal with primarily sandy bottom and with water depth ranging from 20 meters to 40 meters. The waters across the bank are highly productive and support large and diverse planktonic and benthic communities, resident and migratory large fish diversity and fish biomass; it is also one of the most active whale feeding grounds in coastal waters of the United States. In this study models of increasing complexity are applied to investigate the factors responsible for the high biomass and production of this narrow, shallow off-shore bank.
In Chapter 1, after reviewing the physical and biological environment of Stellwagen Bank, I propose the physical and biological factors that might contribute to the richness of the ecosystem: zooplankton diel migration, water depth, vertical mixing, tidal currents and topography. Chapter 2 introduces and describes the methods and mathematical models that deal with five biological state variables: Phytoplankton (P), Zooplankton (Z), Ammonium (A), Nitrate (N) and Detritus (D). Their equations are explained and discussed, and a zero-dimensional solution is analyzed.
Chapter 3 presents and analyzes the dynamics of the ocean ecosystem model when implemented in a single vertical dimension. The analysis reveals that zooplankton diel migration is a major factor affecting the biomass concentrations and spatial distribution of the model’s five biological state variables within the vertical water column. Variation in water depths and diffusion also affect stability of the system. With either shallower water depth or lower diffusivity, the model is less stable and even if it reaches stabilization eventually, it takes longer time than in deeper water or higher diffusivity.
The one-dimensional model analyzed in Chapter 3 omits the effects of movement on or off the bank. In Chapter 4, a two-dimensional cross-bank profile model that includes tidal flow is applied to investigate the biological and physical influencing biomass patterns and accumulations across Stellwagen Bank. In line with the over-arching goals of the thesis, the 2-D model focuses on determining the relative contributions of different factors and processes that are responsible for sustaining high biomass in the larger scale Stellwagen Bank ecosystem. The results of the 2-D model show that zooplankton diel migration, tidal currents, and topography are key interacting factors responsible for the high biomass and distribution pattern of phytoplankton, zooplankton and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration over the Bank. In conjunction with zooplankton diel migration, tidal currents independently contribute to these biological effects; however, when zooplankton diel migration and tidal currents combine their effects, it becomes stronger and the spatial distribution of zooplankton biomass changes, becoming more concentrated on the bank’s flanks rather than the top of the bank under the influence of tidal currents.
In Chapter 5, I summarize the effects of the main physical and biological factors that contribute to the high productivity, discuss the implications derived from the model, and suggest future work
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