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Gulf of Maine cysts
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2009
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Oceanus
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Project Title: |
Interannual cyst distribution in the Gulf of Maine |
Project Status: |
Submitted |
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Principal Investigator: |
Donald Anderson, WHOI |
Project Institution: |
WHOI |
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Project ID: |
101971 |
Version #: |
2 |
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Date Submitted: |
4/1/2009 1:12:00 PM |
Created By: |
Bruce Keafer |
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Date Last Modified: |
1/5/2010 4:56:00 PM |
URI Serial #: |
None |
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Funding Agencies: |
NOAA - NA06NOS4780245 - Funded |
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Summary of Field Work: |
Over the past several years, an important management tool for red tides or toxic Alexandrium blooms in the Gulf of Maine region has been a numerical model of bloom dynamics developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Each week during the bloom season, this model is run, providing a “hindcast” simulation of Alexandrium distribution and abundance for the preceding weeks and months, as well as a one-week forecast based on weather predictions.
The model is initiated from a map of Alexandrium cyst abundance in Gulf of Maine bottom sediments. Cysts are an important part of the organism’s life cycle. Asexually dividing vegetative cells in the overlying waters undergo sexual reproduction and produce cysts that are deposited to the surface sediments and accumulate to form “seedbeds” that germinate and inoculate the overlying waters in the following year(s) to re-establish the blooms. The links between the cysts observed in the sediments and the toxic cells in the overlying waters are important elements in the overall understanding of bloom dynamics.
Past studies have shown that the abundance of these cysts varies dramatically year-to-year, and that the cyst abundance measured during the fall or winter one year is a first-order predictor of the regional bloom magnitude in the next year. This knowledge, as well as the very high cyst abundance observed in 2007, led to a seasonal forecast of a major red tide in the Gulf of Maine in 2008, a forecast that was borne out with extensive shellfish closures in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, as well as offshore federal waters.
The primary objective of the proposed R/V Oceanus cruises for the Fall of 2009 and 2010 will be the collection of surface sediments for the enumeration of benthic cysts of the toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium fundyense, in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and the Bay of Fundy (BOF). Similar to previous cyst cruises, the cruises will start and end in Woods Hole, MA with approximately 100 sediment stations sampled in the region. At each cyst station, undisturbed surface sediments will be collected using a Craib Corer. All cores will be processed on board into two layers (top 1cm and the 1-3cm layer). Each sample layer will be sonified and sieved to collect the particles in the <100µm and >20µm size fraction. The processed sample was preserved using formalin, then exchanged into methanol for long term storage until later microscopic analysis in the lab. The cyst samples will be enumerated using a primulin-staining technique routinely performed at the WHOI lab in Woods Hole, MA. After several months of microscopic analysis, the cyst data will be used as the cell source input (i.e., simulation of the germination of cysts into viable vegetative cells to start the bloom) for these models. These models will attempt to forecast the intensity of the 2010 and 2011 blooms.
In addition to the collection of cysts, near surface water samples will also be collected and counted onboard to determine if Fall Alexandrium blooms are consistently present in the region. The intensity and duration of blooms into the late summer and early Fall may be one factor that controls the deposition of new cysts each year. |
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Summary of Facility Requirements: |
The WHOI facility is well equipped to handle all the needs for this cruise on the R/V Oceanus |
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Summary of other requirements and comments: |
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Type of Request: |
Primary Ship Use |
Request Status: |
Submitted |
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Request ID: |
1002894 |
Created By: |
Bruce Keafer |
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Date Last Modified: |
1/5/2010 4:56:00 PM |
Date Submitted: |
4/1/2009 1:12:00 PM |
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Year: |
2009
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Ship/Facility: |
Oceanus
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Optimum Start Date:
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10/14/2009 |
Dates to Avoid: |
cruise cannot be started in Sept. due to science requirements for new cyst deposition in the region. |
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Earliest Start Date: |
10/7/2009 |
Multi-Ship Op: |
No |
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Latest Start Date: |
10/14/2009 |
Other Ship(s): |
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Operating Days Needed: |
Science Days |
Mob Days |
De-Mob Days |
Estimated Transit Days |
Total Days |
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10 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
Repeating Cruise?
(within same year) |
No |
Interval: |
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# of Cruises: |
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Description of Repeating cruise requirements: |
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Justification/Explanation for ship choice, dates,
conflicts, number of days & multi-ship operations: |
R/V Endeavor is not available during the requested time. R/V Oceanus is available. This cruise is a help to keep the Oceanus funded for 2009 and 2010. |
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Short Description of Op Area
for use in schedules: |
NA6 |
| Description of Op Area: |
Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy |
| Op Area Size/Dia.: |
40000 sq. nautical miles |
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Lat/Long |
Marsden Grid |
Navy Op Area |
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Beginning
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Ending
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Foreign Clearance Required? |
Yes |
Coastal States:
Canada |
 Important Info on Foreign Research Clearances
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Are you or any member in your science party bringing in any science equipment items which are regulated for export by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)?
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No |
If yes, have you applied for the necessary permits through your export control office?
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No |
| Questions about ITAR/EAR regulations?
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Comments about foreign clearance requirements or
description of any other special permitting requirements
(e.g., MMPA, ESA, IHA, Marine Sanctuaries, etc.) |
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Requested Start Port |
Intermediate Port(s) |
Requested End Port |
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Woods Hole, MA, USA |
None |
Woods Hole, MA, USA |
Explanation/justification for requested
ports and dates of intermediate stops
or to list additional port stops |
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Important Info on Working in Foreign Ports
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Chief Scientist: |
Bruce Keafer, WHOI |
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# in Science Party |
13 |
# of different science teams |
3 |
# Marine Technicians to be
provided by ship operator:
(include in science party total)
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1 |
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Explanation of Science Party Requirements and Technician Requirements |
We will rotate 3 watches working round the clock - 4 on and 8 off. |
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 Dynamic Positioning | ADCP | Multibeam | Seismic |
| Dredging/Coring/Large Dia. Trawl Wire | Stern A-frame | Fiber Optic (.681) | 0.680 Coax Wire |
| SCUBA Diving | Radioisotope use - briefly describe | NO Radioisotope use/Natural level work | Other Operator Provided Inst. - Describe |
| 0 PI-Provided Vans - briefly describe | MOCNESS | | |
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Explain Instrumentation or Capability
requirements that could affect choice
of ship in scheduling. |
We will use a Craib corer and Van Veen grab sampler for all sediment samples collected. This equipment will be user-supplied.
A small number of CTD casts may be required (20 stations)
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Explain Major Ancillary Facilities
Requirements and list description
and provider for "other" systems. |
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