Here the diversity and phylogeny of the genus, Sthereus Motschulsky, 1845, and its nearest associates in the large subfamily Molytinae are explored through molecular and morphological characters. Sanger sequencing of five genes determined that Sthereus is not monophyletic. Instead, the one species in the genus Gastrotaphrus Buchanan 1936, G. barberi...
Biotic and abiotic processes at continent-ocean interfaces cycle a disproportionate mass of carbon and nutrients relative to their global surface area, and microbial activity is a principal determinant of organic and inorganic matter flux in these transition zones. Most studies using modern high-throughput ‘omics techniques to link microorganisms with costal...
Myxobolus squamalis is a Myxozoan parasite of salmonids, which contributes to lowered fitness of hatchery and wild fish in the Pacific Northwest of North America. The only GenBank DNA sequence of M. squamalis is from Oncorhynchus tschawytscha (Chinook), but is not linked to a published morphological description. There is a...
Cyclic nitramines are a class of compounds that include most of the commonly used explosives today. These are among the most common toxicants released into the environment as a result of human activity, generated on military ranges, battlefields, and production sites. Of these, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5- triazine (RDX) is of particular interest,...
At a time of rapid global change, a socio-ecological system (SES) approach can provide a framework through which to quantify and communicate the risks and uncertainties of coupled human-natural systems. Islands, and tropical coral reef islands in particular, can be excellent models for SES research since they may be considered...
Photosynthetic energy allocation strategies were investigated in the marine diatom, Thalassiosira pseudonana, grown under a wide range of light limitation. Steady-state, continuous cultures were established at three light-limited growth rates. Simultaneous measurements of photosynthetic activity were made that targeted different points in photosynthetic energy flow from gross to net photosynthesis....
The combined activities of diverse heterotrophic marine microorganisms significantly shape global biogeochemical cycles, but models of these activities are currently limited to aggregate microbial community processes, and it remains unclear how community structure and the functional roles of specific microbial taxa should be integrated into these models. Therefore, understanding the...
Climate change and other anthropogenic impacts are threatening the existence of millions of species around the globe. On western continental boundaries, the large-scale secondary process of upwelling, which brings low pH, deoxygenated, high nutrient seawater to the surface, is compounded by climate change, that together could drive some species to...
Seagrasses and coral reefs play important roles in nutrient cycling, coastal protection, and maintaining marine biodiversity. However, these coastal marine organisms are declining globally due to anthropogenic stressors, such as rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, and eutrophication. These organisms live in close association with their microbiomes, which can be beneficial...
Agricultural and companion animals are integral to our way of life as they provide us with nourishment, financial resources, transportation, and companionship. However, pets, managed animals in the agricultural industry, as well as wild populations of food animals are all subject to health and mortality risks. The gut microbiome is...