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Macroalgal bloom-forming species occur in coastal systems worldwide. However, due to overlapping morphologies in some taxa, accurate taxonomic assessment and classification of these species can be quite challenging. We investigated the molecular and morphological characteristics of 153 specimens of bloom-forming Ulva located in and around Narragansett Bay, RI, USA. We analyzed sequences of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1 region ( ITS1) and the chloroplast-encoded rbcL; based on the ITS1 data, we grouped the specimens into nine operational taxonomic units ( OTUs). Eight of these OTUs have been previously reported to exist, while one is novel. Of the eight OTUs, all shared sequence identity with previously published sequences or differed by less than 1.5% sequence divergence for two molecular markers. Previously, 10 species names were reported for Ulva in Rhode Island (one blade and nine tube-forming species) based upon morphological classification alone. Of our nine OTUs, three contained blade-forming specimens ( U. lactuca, U. compressa, U. rigida), one OTU had a blade with a tubular stipe, and six contained unbranched and/or branched tubular morphologies (one of these six, U. compressa, had both a blade and a tube morphology). While the three blade-forming OTUs in Narragansett Bay can frequently be distinguished by careful observations of morphological characteristics, and spatial/temporal distribution, it is much more difficult to distinguish among the tube-forming specimens based upon morphology or distribution alone. Our data support the molecular species concept for Ulva, and indicate that molecular-based classifications of Ulva species are critical for proper species identification, and subsequent ecological assessment or mitigation of Ulva blooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban marine habitats are often utilized by wildlife for foraging and other activities despite surrounding anthropogenic impact or disturbance. However little is known of the ecological factors that determine habitat value of these and other remnant natural habitats. We examined the preferential use of urban marine habitats in a northeast US estuary to try to elucidate the factors driving enhanced foraging activity at these sites. Using a bioenergetic model, we compared energy intake to energy expenditure and examined differences in behavior and foraging success of great egrets Ardea alba at three urban and three rural salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island USA. Mean per site available nekton energy averaged 4.44 ± 0.97 GJ site and was significantly higher at urban than at rural sites. While energy expenditure by birds was similar across all sites, mean strike and prey capture rate were significantly greater at urban sites, and 70.1 ± 12.2 % of strikes by egrets at urban sites were successful. Egrets foraging at urban sites consumed significantly more energy (23.2 ± 6.62 W bird) than those at rural sites. Model results indicated a net energy gain by egrets foraging at urban sites, versus a net energy loss at rural sites. Our results may help explain previously observed increases in the numbers of egrets foraging at urban marine habitats, and help provide input into decisions about the extent to which these areas should be considered for restoration or protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the densities of wintering scoters relative to benthic prey assemblage in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, an urbanized North Atlantic estuary. The study involves sea duck surveys during the winter of 2010 to 2011. It showed that lower densities of scoters were related to mixed-sand-gravel-mud substrates that supported patchily distributed infauna and epifaunal assemblages.

Over the past three decades, Narragansett Bay has undergone various ecological changes, including significant decreases in water column chlorophyll a concentrations, benthic oxygen uptake, and benthic nutrient regeneration rates. To add to this portrait of change, we measured the net flux of N across the sediment-water interface over an annual cycle using the N/Ar technique at seven sites in the bay for comparison with measurements made decades ago. Net denitrification rates ranged from about 10-90 μmol N-N m h over the year. Denitrification rates were not significantly different among sites and had no clear correlation with temperature. Net nitrogen fixation (−5 to −650 μmol N-N m h) was measured at three sites and only observed in summer (June-August). Neither denitrification nor nitrogen fixation exhibited a consistent relationship with sediment oxygen demand or with fluxes of nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total dissolved inorganic nitrogen, or dissolved inorganic phosphate across all stations. In contrast to the mid-bay historical site where denitrification rates have declined, denitrification rates in the Providence River Estuary have not changed significantly over the past 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phytoplankton monitoring in Wickford Cove, Rhode Island, US (41°34′10.13″N, 71°26′45.76″W), located in Narragansett Bay, detected an unusual species of Alexandrium in the spring of 2009. Thecal plate analysis using brightfield and SEM microscopy revealed a plate morphology consistent with that of Alexandrium peruvianum (Balech and de Mendiola) Balech and Tangen. Molecular analyses indicated that the sequences of the SSU, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 and LSU through the D region of the 18S gene were similar to those of A. peruvianum from North Carolina. Toxin analyses of cells brought into culture revealed saxitoxins, gymnodimine and fast-acting spiroimines were present in the cultured clone. Saxitoxins detected included GTX 2, GTX3, B1, STX, C1 and C2. Also present in the Wickford cove isolates of A. peruvianum were 12-methyl gymnodimine and 13-desmethyl spirolide C. A. peruvianum was detected at four sites in lower Narragansett Bay: at two sites in Wickford and two sites in Jamestown, RI. A. peruvianum was observed in the spring of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 at maximum abundance levels ranging from tens of cells per liter to 14,000cells L−1. The discovery of A. peruvianum in Rhode Island coastal waters, with its potential threat to public health, is notable as it appears to be an emergent bloom species globally. The presence of A. peruvianum in Narragansett Bay is the third confirmed observation of this species on the Atlantic coast of North America. Monitoring efforts in the southern New England region should incorporate measures to detect the presence of A. peruvianum toxins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Because the rise of cities in North America was much later than in many other parts of the world, their connections to the hinterland were influenced early in their development by railroads and steam-powered water transport. These fossil fuel-based links made it possible to widely separate the 'upstream' autotrophic supporting systems from the heterotrophic cities. Here, we take a different look at the connection between a city (Providence, RI, USA) and its supporting natural systems by focusing on the export of industrial and metabolic wastes from the city to the 'downstream' coastal ecosystem in Narragansett Bay. In this way, we can track the history of a city by examining the concentrations of nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons in the water and sediments of the estuary. In the greater Providence metropolitan area at the head of Narragansett Bay, there was rapid population and industrial expansion during the 1800s without the proper infrastructure to deal with water supply for public safety and health. On the other hand, the absence of a public water supply kept industrial and metabolic wastes largely on land. However, from the fall of 1871, on with the construction of a public water supply and sewer system, human wastes began flowing into the estuary. By reconstructing the historical record of metals and other pollutants, we illustrate clear temporal and spatial gradients of urban impact on the bay. Unfortunately, while numerous studies during the 1970s and 1980s focused on documenting metal and hydrocarbon pollution in the bay, there has been little effort to quantify the impact of mitigation efforts that have greatly reduced the input of metals and hydrocarbons to the system. Nutrient reductions are more recent and ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photosynthetic quotient (PQ) for Narragansett Bay, RI, USA was calculated using concurrent 14C and oxygen light–dark bottle primary production estimations. The current PQ (1.42 ± 0.09) was elevated over the PQ (1.24) calculated in a 1980's mesocosm experiment, stimulating a sensitivity analysis of physiological drivers of the PQ. We speculate that the factor that altered the PQ between surveys was wastewater treatment facility upgrades increasing NO3− effluent proportion from 10 to 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A calibration study between two laboratories tracked the flow of sewage and pollutants in Narragansett Bay by using linear alkylbenzenes as markers.

Abstract: In many coastal marine ecosystems, microphytobenthos (MPB) can contribute a significant fraction of total system primary production, particularly in shallow lagoons or systems with broad photic shoals. While the role of MPB has been quantified in several shallow systems around the world, their contribution to primary production on the extensive shoals that line a number of deeper estuaries has often been overlooked. We assessed the contribution of MPB to total primary production within four regions of upper Narragansett Bay, RI, USA to quantify the significance of benthic production on the extensive shallow shoals that line this relatively deep estuarine system. Our results indicate that surface sediment chlorophyll-a concentrations and daily benthic gross primary production rates in shallow portions of upper Narragansett Bay are within the range of previous studies conducted along the northeastern U.S. coast. Despite these high rates, our results when scaled to the system level emphasize the importance of phytoplankton production in most of the upper bay under current conditions, although MPB were found to contribute a significant fraction (up to one third) of total primary production in certain regions at certain times. Despite the high rates of benthic gross primary production in some portions of the upper bay, the benthos remained net heterotrophic throughout the spring, summer, and fall at most sites, although production within the Greenwich Bay sub-estuary was enough to drive the benthos slightly net autotrophic for short periods in the fall. While the current role of MPB appears to be limited in terms of its overall contribution to total gross primary production, the importance of MPB in the future may increase due to changing climate and reductions in anthropogenic nutrient loading. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ocean acidification is predicted to impact the nitrogen cycle in a variety of ways. Specifically, manipulations of water column pH have shown that nitrification, the microbial conversion of ammonium to nitrate, is inhibited at low pH. A decrease in nitrification may impact phytoplankton composition and production, denitrification, and the production of nitrous oxide. We compiled an existing unique data set of concurrent water column nitrification rates and water column pH values from a temperate New England estuary (Narragansett Bay, RI, USA). Contrary to the current hypothesis, we found that nitrification rates were highest at low pH and significantly ( P = 0.0031) lower at high water column pH. In this study, pH varied up to 0.85 units, 20% more than the maximum predicted ocean pH decrease of 0.7 units. These results highlight that nitrifying organisms in coastal systems tolerate a wide range of pH values. Moreover, the degree of negative correlation with pH may depend on site-specific environmental conditions. Combined, these findings indicate that the current hypothesis of the negative impacts of ocean acidification on nitrification, at least for the coastal ocean, might need reevaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing growth in the aquaculture industry demands ecosystem-based techniques for management if that growth is to be ecologically sustainable and promote equity among users of the ecosystems in which it occurs. Models of carrying capacity can be used to responsibly limit the growth of aquaculture in increasingly crowded coastal areas. Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA is one such crowded coastal region experiencing a rapid increase in bivalve aquaculture. An ecosystem mass-balance model was used to calculate the ecological carrying capacity of bivalve aquaculture. Cultured oyster biomass is currently at 0.47tkm−2 and could be increased 625 times without exceeding the ecological carrying capacity of 297tkm−2. This translates to approximately 38,950t of harvested cultured oysters annually which is 4 times the total estimated annual harvest of finfish. This potential for growth is due to the high primary productivity and large energy throughput to detritus of this ecosystem. Shellfish aquaculture has potential for continued growth and is unlikely to become food limited due, in part, to the large detritus pool. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: When nutrients impact estuarine water quality, scientists and managers instinctively focus on quantifying and controlling land-based sources. However, in Greenwich Bay, RI, the estuary opens onto a larger and more intensively fertilized coastal water body (Narragansett Bay). Previous inventories of nitrogen (N) inputs to Greenwich Bay found that N inputs from Narragansett Bay exceeded those from the local watershed, suggesting that recent efforts to reduce local watershed N loads may have little effect on estuarine water quality. We used stable isotopes of N to characterize watershed and Narragansett Bay N sources as well as the composition of primary producers and consumers throughout Greenwich Bay. Results were consistent with previous assessments of the importance of N inputs to Greenwich Bay from Narragansett Bay. As multiple N sources contribute to estuarine water quality, effective management requires attention to individual sources commensurate with overall magnitude, regardless of the political complications that may entail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Strong benthic-pelagic coupling is an important characteristic of shallow coastal marine ecosystems. Building upon a rich history of benthic metabolism data, we measured oxygen uptake and nutrient fluxes across the sediment-water interface along a gradient of water column primary production in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). Despite the strong gradients seen in water column production, sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and benthic nutrient fluxes did not exhibit a clear spatial pattern. Some of our sites had been studied in the 1970s and 1980s and thus allowed historical comparison. At these sites, we found that SOD and benthic fluxes have not changed uniformly throughout Narragansett Bay. In the uppermost portion of the bay, the Providence River Estuary, we observed a significant decrease in dissolved inorganic phosphorus fluxes which we attribute to management interventions. At another upper bay site, we observed significant declines in SOD and dissolved inorganic nitrogen fluxes which may be linked to climate-induced decreases in water column primary production and shifts in bloom phenology. In the 1970s, benthic nutrient regeneration supplied 50% to over 200% of the N and P needed to support primary production by phytoplankton. Summer nutrient regeneration in the Providence River Estuary and Upper bay now may only supply some 5-30% of the N and 3-20% of the P phytoplankton demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which investigated the δ13 values of filter-feeding hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria from 13 locations in Greenwich Bay, Rhode Island. The values of δ13 of the clams showed a linear gradient of two percent over the four kilometer (km) length of Greenwich Bay. Study authors conclude that their findings suggest that δ13 values may be sensitive to the changes in inorganic carbon in estuarine systems. They add that the δ13 values in Mercenaria mercenaria may depict ecosystem metabolism variation.

Abstract: The Benthic Habitat Quality (BHQ) index was used to assess habitat visible in sediment profile images (SPI) following hypoxia disturbance in a shallow (<10m) estuarine embayment in Rhode Island, USA. We tested for associations between the BHQ, SPI features and water quality over several assessment windows (1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days prior to imaging) and at multiple dissolved oxygen (DO) thresholds (2.0mgl−1, 2.9mgl−1, and 4.8mgl−1). Using categorical data analysis, we established empirical relationships between hypoxia prevalence and presence/absence of biogenic features visible in SPI. Fecal pellets, tubes, feeding pits, voids, mounds, and BHQ score were good affirmative features, meaning that their presence (or score greater than 5) indicated a high probability of good water quality. However, low sensitivity to hypoxia precluded their usefulness as indicators, and was attributed to rarity in images and to factors acting on time intervals longer than those examined, e.g. long-term organic enrichment or hypoxia. Burrow structures and the apparent redox potential discontinuity (aRPD), or oxidized layer of surface sediment, were good discriminatory features, with high sensitivity and specificity for both hypoxia and normoxia. Both were strong surrogates for water quality over multiple assessment windows and DO thresholds, and had the highest overall predictive values. We conclude that SPI images can be used to widen the spatial extent of water quality monitoring efforts by utilizing the relationships between aRPD, burrows and hypoxia prevalence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island is a complex mosaic of human activities and environmental features and while spatial distributions of physical, chemical, and biological elements are well documented in the Bay, there are limited data on spatial distributions of human activities. In this study, human uses of coastal waters in the upper Narragansett Bay are examined using an approach for characterizing and analyzing fine scale spatial and temporal data on human activities. Shipboard transect surveys of active water activities were conducted in the upper Bay on 50 days during the summer months of 2006–2007. The composition and configuration of different vessel types (recreational motor, recreational sail, row boat, commercial fishing, industrial, service, and official) were analyzed, and the impacts of proposed changes in land use policies and wastewater treatment technologies were investigated. Results indicated that recreational boaters comprised almost two-thirds of the upper Bay''s users and used over one-half of the study area. Industrial activity was concentrated near Providence where RI''s main port is located, and there was an active commercial fishery in the southern portion of the study area. Conditions like increasing cloud cover, weekend days, and the July 4th holiday were related to increased recreational use, while the closure of an upper Bay beach to swimming was associated with fewer commercial fishing vessels and more official boats, recreational motor boats, and service vessels. Findings indicated that upper Bay waters near land converted from industrial zones to zones where residential housing or marinas are encouraged are likely to see a change in composition of vessels, with fewer industrial and official boats and more recreational motor boats, row boats, and service vessels. Enhanced wastewater treatment technologies and the resulting improvements in water quality are likely to make more waters in the upper Bay available to shellfish harvesting, spreading out existing fishing grounds and potential pressures on the ecosystem and on other users. By characterizing the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of human uses in the marine environment and analyzing how these uses relate to the complex human and natural systems in which they are embedded, this study and others like it can positively contribute to marine spatial planning and management efforts designed to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Low dissolved oxygen events were characterized in Narragansett Bay (NB), a moderate-size (370 km²) temperate estuary with a complex passage/embayment geometry, using time series from 2001 to 2006 at nine fixed-site monitoring stations. Metrics for event intensity and severity were the, event-mean deficit relative to a threshold (mg O2 1-1) and the deficit-duration (mg O2 1-1) day; product of deficit and duration [day]). Hypoxia (threshold 2.9 mg O2 1-1) typically occurred intermittently from late June through August at most stations, as multiple (two to five per season) events each 2 to 7 days long with deficit-duration 2 to 5 mg O2 1-1 day. Conditions were more severe to the north and west, a pattern attributed to a north-south nutrient/productivity gradient and east-west structure of residual circulation. Spatial patterns for suboxic and severely hypoxic events (thresholds 4.8 and 1.4 mg O2 l-1) were similar. The view that different processes govern event variability in different regions, each influenced by local hydrodynamics, is supported by both weak spatial synchronicity (quantified using overlap of event times at different sites) and multiple linear regressions of biological and physical parameters against event severity. Interannual changes were prominent and season-cumulative hypoxia severity correlated with June-mean river runorf and June-mean stratification. Benthic ecological implications for areas experiencing events include: NB hypoxia classifies as periodic/episodic on a near-annual basis; highest direct mortality risk is to sensitive and moderately sensitive sessile species in the northern West Passage and western Greenwich Bay, with some risk to Upper Bay; direct risk to mobile species may be ameliorated by weak spatial synchronicity; and indirect impacts, including reduced growth rates and shifts in predator-prey balances, are very likely throughout the sampled area due to observed suboxic and hypoxic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed an assessment model to quantify the wildlife habitat value of New England salt marshes based on marsh characteristics and the presence of habitat types that influence habitat use by terrestrial wildlife. Applying the model to 12 salt marshes located in Narragansett Bay, RI resulted in assessment scores that ranged over a factor of 1.5 from lowest to highest. Pre-classifying the results based on marsh size and morphology helped to compare assessment scores between marshes, and demonstrated that even the lower ranking marshes had substantial habitat value. Stepwise multiple regression analysis of assessment scores and model components demonstrated that salt marsh morphology, the degree of anthropogenic modification, and salt marsh vegetative heterogeneity were significant variables and accounted for 91.3% of the variability in component scores. Our results suggest that targeting these components for restoration may lead to improved assessment scores for our study marshes. We also examined the use of lower resolution remote sensing data in the assessment in order to minimize the time and effort required to complete the model. Scores obtained using smaller-scale, lower resolution data were significantly lower than those obtained using larger-scale, higher resolution data ( df = 11; t = 2.2; p < 0.001). The difference was significantly positively correlated with the portion of the assessment score that could be attributed to trees, pools, and pannes and marsh size ( r2 =0.50, F = 4.6, p = 0.04), and could indicate a bias against smaller, more heterogeneous marshes. We conclude that potential differences need to be weighed against the time benefit of using this type of data, bearing in mind the marsh size and the goals of the assessment. Overall, our assessment can provide information to aid in prioritizing marshes for protection and restoration, identify marshes that may harbor significant biodiversity, or help monitor changes in habitat value over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The timing and magnitude of phytoplankton blooms have changed markedly in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA) over the last half century. The traditional winter–spring bloom has decreased or, in many years, disappeared. Relatively short, often intense, diatom blooms have become common in spring, summer, and fall replacing the summer flagellate blooms of the past. The annual and summer mean abundance (cell counts) and biomass (chl a) of phytoplankton appear to have decreased based on almost 50 years of biweekly monitoring by others at a mid bay station. These changes have been related to warming of the water, especially during winter, and to increased cloudiness. A significant decline in the winter wind speed may also have played a role. The changes in the phenology of the phytoplankton and the oligotrophication of the bay appear to have decreased greatly the quantity and (perhaps) quality of the organic matter being deposited on the bottom of the bay. This decline has resulted in a very much reduced benthic metabolism as reflected in oxygen uptake, nutrient regeneration, and the magnitude and direction of the net flux of N2 gas. Based on many decades of standard weekly trawls carried out by the Graduate School of Oceanography, the winter biomass of bottom feeding epibenthic animals has also declined sharply at the mid bay station. After decades of relatively constant anthropogenic nitrogen loading (and declining phosphorus loading), the fertilization of the bay will soon be reduced during May–October due to implementation of advanced wastewater treatment. This is intended to produce an oligotrophication of the urban Providence River estuary and the Upper Bay. The anticipated decline in the productivity of the upper bay region will probably decrease summer hypoxia in that area. However, it may have unanticipated consequences for secondary production in the mid and lower bay where climate-induced oligotrophication has already much weakened the historically strong benthic–pelagic coupling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Oxygen depletion in estuaries and coastal waters is often associated with reduced biodiversity, coastal dead zones, and the loss of important ecosystem services. However, some species can benefit from low oxygen conditions due to the indirect effects these conditions have on trophic relationships. In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, U.S.A., northern quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria) reach their highest densities in the areas of the Bay most prone to oxygen depletion. One line of evidence suggests that suboxic events (hypoxia and anoxia) can aid quahogs by excluding predators. Here, we analyze data from long-term surveys of water quality and quahog abundances to test whether a hypoxia-induced predation refuge is strong enough to explain quahog population dynamics in Narragansett Bay. We found that quahog cohorts were larger when they had been exposed to low oxygen conditions as juveniles, consistent with the predation refuge hypothesis. However, cohort size was also strongly associated with location and year settled, suggesting that a predation refuge is but one of a suite of factors influencing M. mercenaria populations. • Hypoxia-Induced Predation Refuge for Northern Quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758)) in a North Temperate Estuary. • Northern quahogs reach high densities in low oxygen areas of Narragansett Bay. • Hypoxic events provide quahogs with refugia from epibenthic predators. • Quahog cohort size increases when exposed to hypoxia as juveniles. • As water quality continues to improve, quahogs may experience increased predation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A 38-year time series (January 1959 to May 1997) of weekly observations of abundance of the marine diatom Skeletonema spp. and related plankton habitat parameters in lower Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island was compiled and analyzed. A statistical change point test identified two different abundance regimes characterized by a ca. 45% decline in Skeletonema abundance. In the first 260 months of the time series (January 1959 to August 1980), the mean deseasonalized Skeletonema abundance was 2137 cells ml−1, which declined to 1128 cells ml−1 in the final 201 months (August 1980 to May 1997) of the time series. The decline was greatest during the winter–spring bloom period; Skeletonema abundance in March declined from a mean of ca. 3300 cells ml−1 prior to the change-point to ca. 700 cells ml−1 after the change point. Skeletonema exhibited three types of annual abundance patterns: winter–spring, summer and autumn bloom peaks. A decline in winter–spring Skeletonema abundance was part of a shift away from winter–spring bloom dominated annual cycles in the 1960s to summer bloom dominated annual cycles in the 1990s. Of 25 years suitable for analyses, Skeletonema winter–spring bloom dominated in 12 years, summer blooms dominated in ten years and autumn blooms dominated three years. Winter–spring Skeletonema bloom years tended to be bright, windy, cold, and have lower copepod (Acartia hudsonica) abundance in the first quarter, and were cool and had high A. hudsonica abundance in the fourth quarter. In contrast, during summer and fall Skeletonema bloom years the first quarters were darker, warmer, less windy and accompanied by higher first quarter A. hudsonica abundance. In summer and fall bloom years the fourth quarters were warm and had above-mean river flow and low A. hudsonica abundance. The observed first quarter environmental differences between winter–spring and summer–fall bloom years (i.e., water temperature, wind, light) may be partially regulated by changes in weather induced by large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. Years in which the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index was relatively low (mean=−1.4) tended to have colder winters, and winter–spring bloom dominated Skeletonema annual cycles; years with high NAO index (>+1.1) featured warmer winters and summer or autumn Skeletonema blooms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Environmental factors, including the supply of organic matter and inorganic nutrient concentrations, are thought to influence rates of two opposing processes in the nitrogen (N) cycle, denitrification and N fixation. Using sediment cores from a temperate estuary we examined the effects of nitrate, phosphate, and ammonium enrichment of the overlying water on the net N2 flux across the sediment–water interface. In addition, we used sediment cores and large marine mesocosms to determine the effect of organic matter amendment. The addition of nitrate (50 μM), ammonium (50 μM), and phosphate (10 μM) to the overlying water had no effect on the net N2 flux. However, high ammonium fluxes (145 μmol m−2 h−1) were observed in the nitrate-amended cores, which is suggestive of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. Organic matter enrichment first increased rates of N fixation, but ultimately switched the sediments from being a net source (N fixation dominated) to a net sink (denitrification dominated) of N. We observed a threshold where N fixation took place when organic matter deposition fell below about 0.3 g C m−2 day−1. On the basis of these results and the findings of others, we developed a conceptual model that links net sediment N2 flux with the organic matter production of a system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural stress gradients can reduce predation intensity and increase prey abundances. Whether the harsh conditions of anthropogenic habitat degradation can similarly reduce predation intensity and structure community dynamics remains largely unexplored. Oxygen depletion in coastal, waters (hypoxia) is a form of degradation that has recently emerged as one of the greatest threats to coastal ecosystems worldwide due to increased rates of eutrophication and climate change. I conducted field experiments and surveys to test whether relaxed predation could explain the paradoxically high abundance of clams that have' sustained a fishery in a degraded estuary with chronic hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia reduced predation on all experimental species but enhanced the long-term survivorship of only sufficiently hypoxia-tolerant prey due to periodic extreme conditions. As a consequence, only the harvested quahog clam (Mercenaria inercenaria) thrived in hypoxic areas that were otherwise rendered dead zones with depauperate diversity and low abundances of other species. This suggests that enhanced populations of some key species may be part of a predictable nonlinear community response that sustains ecosystem services and masks overall downward trends of habitat degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present state of knowledge regarding the input of anthropogenic pollutants into Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island was reviewed and benthic infaunal communities present at four depositional environments within the upper Bay were characterized. Inter-station differences in species composition and abundance of these assemblages were examined in relation to established pollution gradients. Using diversity curves and multivariate statistics, evidence of significant anthropogenic impact on the structure of benthic macrofaunal communities in Narragansett Bay was identified. The magnitude of this impact was greatest at stations closest to the Bay’s urban centers, where exposure to multiple stressors had resulted in communities of opportunistic taxa which persisted in a state of low faunal diversity characteristic of early stages of species succession. As was expected based on historic models of faunal succession; the apparent maturity of benthic assemblages in Narragansett Bay increased along the north-south gradient of decreasing anthropogenic stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During the last several decades, the waters of mid Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island have increased in temperature and decreased in chlorophyll concentration, and it is possible that these changes affected the growth and success of a common benthic filter feeder, the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. We determined recent hard clam growth rates through a sclerochronological analysis and compared them to the rich historical record of Narragansett Bay growth rates in order to understand how these opposing changes influenced hard clam growth. We found no significant differences in short-term growth between 1985 and 2000. Long-term juvenile growth showed a significant decrease between the 1960s and 1990s, while long-term adult (mature) growth showed a significant increase over this same time period. While it is not clear why the changes in juvenile and adult growth rates differ, it appears as though the decrease in chlorophyll concentration, together with a change in phytoplankton community composition, increasing water temperature, and an increase in predator abundance, may all have influenced hard clam growth between the 1960s and the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic population structure of winter flounder larvae was examined in Narragansett Bay, RI. Winter flounder larvae collected from 20 stations within Narragansett Bay and one station outside of the Bay were analyzed for six micro-satellite loci. When analyzed by geographic collection sites, there were 16 distinct genetic populations of winter flounder larvae (RST values from 0.1 to 0.6). The presence of distinct genetic populations was supported by assignment of individual larvae to populations by Bayesian analysis. Bayesian analysis resulted in 14 distinct genetic populations that overlapped with the geographically distributed populations (RST values from 0.1 to 0.6). Young-of-the-year juveniles collected in the same year as the larvae were also analyzed at the same six microsatellite loci. Juveniles were assigned to larvae populations by both a Bayesian approach and a neural network approach. Juveniles collected from within Narragansett Bay were found to arise from geographically adjacent Narragansett Bay winter flounder larval populations (>99%), suggesting no widespread movement of juveniles away from spawning grounds. These results are discussed in the context of winter flounder population biology in Narragansett Bay, RI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auker, L. A., and Oviatt, C. A. 2008. Factors influencing the recruitment and abundance of Didemnum in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 765–769.The non-indigenous colonial tunicate Didemnum sp. A has been observed in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, since 2000. We compared weekly recruitment of the species and environmental parameters (i.e. temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, pH, and nutrient concentrations) over a 6-month period among three sites: (i) the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography dock (GSO), (ii) the Department of Environmental Management pier at Fort Wetherill (FW), and (iii) the Prudence Island T-wharf. At the GSO and FW, divers surveyed the sites for percentage cover of Didemnum. To assess the spread of Didemnum in the bay and what factors may predict the tunicate’s presence, we also surveyed intertidal sites in October and November 2005, noting Didemnum presence, salinity, number of boats and moorings, and distances to major ports at each site. GSO had the highest percentage cover of adults and the highest recruitment of the tunicate (p < 0.01), reaching average peak values of 319 individuals per 100 cm2 in September 2005. Temperature and salinity demonstrated the best correlation with recruitment, and higher boat and mooring numbers may be a reliable predictor of tunicate presence. Further monitoring is needed to assess the potential spread of Didemnum throughout Narragansett Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although primary productivity in salt marshes is thought to be controlled by physical forces, recent evidence suggests that human disturbances can drive a switch to consumer control in these ecologically valuable ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that nitrogen enrichment can trigger consumer control in salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, with (1) a field experiment in which we manipulated nutrient availability (with nutrient additions) and insect herbivory (with insecticide application), (2) a survey of 20 salt marshes that examined the relationship between marsh nutrient status and herbivore pressure, and (3) insect herbivore removal at high and low nutrient input sites to directly test the hypothesis that nutrient enrichment is increasing insect herbivory in these marshes. Experimental nitrogen eutrophication initially increased plant productivity but eventually led to reduced plant biomass due to insect herbivory, and our surveys revealed that marsh nitrogen supply was a good predictor of herbivore damage to plants. Insects had minimal impacts on primary productivity in pristine marshes, but suppressed primary productivity in eutrophic salt marshes by 50–75%. Thus, eutrophication is currently triggering consumer suppression of primary productivity in New England salt marshes and may ultimately jeopardize the ecological and societal services these systems provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency and duration of macroalgal blooms have increased in many coastal waters over the past several decades. We used field surveys and laboratory culturing experiments to examine the nitrogen content and δ 15N values of Ulva and Gracilaria, two bloom-forming algal genera in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). The northern end of this bay is densely populated with large sewage treatment plant nitrogen inputs; the southern end is more lightly populated and opens to the Atlantic Ocean. Field-collected Ulva varied in δ 15N among sites, but with two exceptions had δ 15N above 10‰, reflecting a significant component of heavy anthropogenic N. This variation was not correlated with a north–south gradient. Both Ulva and Gracilaria cultured in water from across Narragansett Bay also had high signals (δ 15N=∼14–17‰ and 8–12‰, respectively). These results indicate that inputs of anthropogenic N can have far-reaching impacts throughout estuaries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Narragansett Bay has been heavily influenced by human activities for more than 200 years. In recent decades, it has been one of the more intensively fertilized estuaries in the USA, with most of the anthropogenic nutrient load originating from sewage treatment plants (STP). This will soon change as tertiary treatment upgrades reduce nitrogen (N) loads by about one third or more during the summer. Before these reductions take place, we sought to characterize the sewage N signature in primary (macroalgae) and secondary (the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria) producers in the bay using stable isotopes of N (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) The δ13N signatures of the macroalgae show a clear gradient of approximately 4‰ from north to south, i.e., high to low point source loading. There is also evidence of a west to east gradient of heavy to light values of δ15N in the bay consistent with circulation patterns and residual flows. The Providence River Estuary, just north of Narragansett Bay proper, receives 85% of STP inputs to Narragansett Bay, and lower δ15N values in macroalgae there reflected preferential uptake of 14N in this heavily fertilized area. Differences in pH from N stimulated photosynthesis and related shifts in predominance of dissolved C species may control the observed δ13C signatures. Unlike the macroalgae, the clams were remarkably uniform in both δ15N (13.2±0.54‰ SD) and δ13C (-16.76±0.61‰ SD) throughout the bay, and the δ15N values were 2-5‰ heavier than in clams collected outside the bay. We suggest that this remarkable uniformity reflects a food source of anthropogenically heavy phytoplankton formed in the upper bay and supported by sewage derived N. We estimate that approximately half of the N in the clams throughout Narragansett Bay may be from anthropogenic sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Coastal habitats near urban centres in North Atlantic estuaries often support substantial numbers of wintering waterfowl, but little is known of the effects of landscape setting and urbanisation on habitat use. We conducted surveys of waterfowl at 32 wintering sites in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, to identify characteristics that may influence habitat use. Sites were chosen along a gradient of urbanisation and reflected the dominant habitat types used by waterfowl in the Bay. Mean waterfowl abundance was 206.7±209.5 birds per site, and sites in the inner part of the estuary had higher overall waterfowl abundances (r 2 =0.40, p =0.021). Species richness ranged from 3.2 to 13.0 and decreased with increasing hunting activity (r 2 =0.36, p =0.040). Hunting activity and habitat characteristics (e.g., latitude, shoreline configuration, prey density) explained 13–27% of the variation in waterfowl abundance and species richness among sites, but landscape characteristics (e.g., surrounding residential development, vegetated land, or wetland surrounding the sites and the extent of wetland edge) explained an additional 1–26%. The landscape characteristics extent of adjacent residential development and vegetated upland were the most common variables entering into the models; most species were more abundant at sites with more adjacent vegetated upland and less adjacent residential development. Our results suggest that landscape setting may be influencing the distribution of wintering waterfowl, and should be considered when developing strategies for the conservation for these species in urban North Atlantic estuaries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A three-dimensional, orthogonal coordinate semi-implicit hydrodynamic model in spherical coordinates that can be applied to estuarine, coastal sea, and continental shelf waters is presented. A generalized orthogonal coordinate transformation on the horizontal and a sigma coordinate transformation on the vertical, are applied to the governing equations. The governing equations are decomposed into exterior and interior modes and solved using a semi-implicit solution technique. Second-order accurate spatial and temporal discretization schemes are used on a space staggered grid. A simple flooding and drying technique is used to model the tidal flats. The model results are tested against analytical solutions for tidal circulation in an annular channel and steady residual flow generated by wind, and density differences in a rectangular channel. The predictions from the model showed very good comparison with analytical solutions for all the test cases. Three-dimensional circulation in Narragansett Bay was then studied using the developed model. The model predicted surface elevations, three-dimensional instantaneous and mean currents, salinities, and temperatures in Narragansett Bay are compared with the observations. Mean errors in the model predicted surface elevations and velocities are less than 3% and 15%, respectively. The spring and neap cycles, the shorter duration but stronger ebb dominant currents and the double flood phenomena seen in the observations are reproduced by the model. The mean estuarine currents, and the sub-tidal currents seen in the observations are also well reproduced by the model. Correlation coefficients for salinity and temperatures exceed 0.95 and 0.87, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Stable nitrogen isotope ratios were used to study the incorporation of anthropogenically-derived nitrogen into the food webs of salt marsh systems along a contamination gradient in Narragansett Bay. Nitrogen isotope ratios (δ 15N) were measured in six estuarine species collected from three marshes along this gradient, monthly from June to October between 1997 and 1999. A significant decrease in δ 15N was found with distance along the estuary for four of the six species. Significant differences were found among monthly isotope ratios for some species. Nitrogen isotope ratios in sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) increased during the summer season with highest δ 15N values measured during September and October. This trend was most pronounced at the station receiving the highest nutrient inputs. Elevated δ 15N values at this station appeared to correlate with seawater ammonia/nitrate concentration ratios. The temporal variations in δ 15N suggest that care should be taken in species selection and the design of sampling schemes of studies using δ 15N for monitoring anthropogenic nutrients in aquatic systems. Sampling programs designed to determine long-term trends should consider species that do not show rapid fluctuations in isotope ratios. The mud snail, Nassarius obsoletus, responded this way in the present study. Studies designed to measure short-term changes should include species such as U. lactuca, which rapidly respond to isotope changes. The results from this study also help to establish a baseline for nitrogen isotope values in Narragansett Bay. This information can be used to monitor future trends in nitrogen inputs to this estuary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Food chain and food web have been, thus far, depicted by number of individuals, matter (biomass) and energy, but not by the concept concerning to the second law of thermodynamics. The present paper takes up three U.S. mid-Atlantic estuaries and delineates marine trophic structure in the term of the concept of this missing link: the second law of thermodynamics. Homeostatic structure and function of living systems is maintained by chemical, physical and organic activities in biotic systems. These activities are supported by chemical energy released by decomposition of macromolecules in organisms by oxygen incorporated from the outside (respiration). This chemical energy finally becomes heat energy and is discarded to the outside. This heat energy is dissipation function in thermodynamics, and dissipation function divided by absolute temperature of organism–water is entropy production. As example, mid-Atlantic estuaries on the eastern U.S. coast are analyzed, based on the study of (Monaco, M.E., Ulanowicz, R.E., 1997. Comparative ecosystem trophic structure of three U.S. mid-Atlantic estuaries. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 161, 239–254). They give 13–14 trophic compartments in each estuaries, and respiration and other characteristic quantities for each trophic compartments. Trophic position of compartment in each estuary is adopted and arranged in accord to the food web diagrams of (Monaco, M.E., Ulanowicz, R.E., 1997. Comparative ecosystem trophic structure of three U.S. mid-Atlantic estuaries. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 161, 239–254). Plots of trophic number versus respiration become of half-pyramid shape, which is also applied to dissipation function because respiration is equal to dissipation function in thermodynamics. Annual average temperature at average depth in Narragansett estuary is, for example, 10.0°C (=283.2K). The difference between maximum and minimum temperature at averaged depth is 14.2°C (=287.4K). This difference is small compared with the absolute temperature scale. Hence let us make an approximation that the temperature of the water body of this estuary is about constant and uniform over a year and 10.0°C=283.2K. Entropy production is obtained by dividing dissipation function by this value. Pattern of trophic position versus entropy production multiplied by the temperature is of similar shape to dissipation function: half-pyramid. Other two estuaries show similar results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sediment cores were taken at three locations in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA in 1997 and analyzed for a variety of organic contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordanes, linear alkyl benzenes (LABs), benzotriazoles (BZTs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and metabolites. The distributions of these chemicals at Apponaug Cove and in the Seekonk River indicate that there was a disturbance in the depositional environment relative to cores collected at these locations in 1986 demonstrating the potential for buried contaminants to be remobilized in the environment even after a period of burial. Sharp breaks in the concentration of several organic markers with known dates of introduction were successfully used to determine the sedimentation rate at Quonset Point. Both the Quonset Point and Seekonk River cores had subsurface maximums for DDTs, PCBs, PAHs and BZTs, which are consistent with expected inputs to the environment. The Apponaug Cove core showed an increase of most contaminants at the surface indicating a recent event in which more contaminated sediments were deposited at that location. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the past century, loading of terrestrial inorganic nitrogen to coastal receiving waters has increased dramatically. Salt marshes, because of their location between upland regions and coastal waters and their recognized role as nutrient transformers, have the potential to ameliorate some of this loading. In the current study, we used core incubations in the laboratory to investigate denitrification rates in high marsh soils from five fringing salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA. The marshes showed a wide variety of terrestrial N loading, with rates ranging from 2 to 6037 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Field-collected cores were selected to include both vegetated and bare soils at each marsh, and the six-hour incubations were designed to approximate natural tidal rhythms. Total dissolved nitrogen flux in these marshes ranged between +1255 and -710 µmol N m-2 hr-1, with N2 gas accounting for the majority of the total N flux (average 76%). Nitrogen gas flux ranged between -375 (nitrogen fixation) and +420 (denitrification) µmol N2 m-2 hr-1. While N2 gas fluxes were significantly correlated (r = +0.64, p < 0.05) with marsh organic carbon content, we also detected a significant inverse relationship (r = -0.91, P < 0.05) between average N2 gas fluxes and terrestrial nitrogen loads. Comparison of N2 gas fluxes in vegetated vs. bare soils indicated a significant (P < 0.05) but variable effect of vegetation on N2 flux. This field survey shows the potential of New England fringe salt marshes to intercept and transform land-derived nitrogen loads; however, sediment characteristics (e.g., percent of labile organic matter) and plant community structure can significantly affect the capacity of the marsh to process inorganic nitrogen loads. In order to understand the role of salt marshes in buffering coastal N loading, we... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were evaluated in 41 surface sediments collected from Narragansett Bay, RI in 1997–1998. Highest concentrations of total PCBs (1760 ng/g) were in rivers at the head of the bay and the values decreased southward toward the mouth of the bay, with elevated concentrations in some of the coves. The PCB levels in ∼43% of the samples exceeded the effects range median (ERM) guideline [Environ. Manage. 19 (1995) 81] indicating possible adverse biological effects at these stations.Principal component analysis (PCA) of the surface sediment PCBs separated the Taunton River samples from the rest of the samples. This result suggests that this river has a different PCB composition and sources than the other areas investigated. It also showed that this river has a limited influence on other bay stations as the adjacent samples downstream did not have the same chemical signature. Congener ratios derived from the PCA were useful in distinguishing stations that had different sources of PCBs than the bulk of the bay sediments. Although Aroclor 1268 and 1270 accounted for <1% of all PCB production, their major components, CB206 and CB209, account for 3–6% of the CBs in most bay samples. This may reflect more local use of these Aroclor mixtures and/or be indicative of their relative stability, compared to less chlorinated mixtures.Using linear alkyl benzenes (LABs) as a marker for sewage derived PCBs suggested that up to 95% of the PCBs at the most contaminated sites in the Seekonk, Providence, and Taunton Rivers were sewage derived. This analysis also showed that there is a high background level (167 ng/g) of PCBs in the Seekonk and Providence River, while the Taunton River had a relatively low background level (23.7 ng/g). At the furthest stations south in the Providence River, the sewage derived PCBs only accounted for 23% of the total which suggests that PCB associated with sewage particles are rapidly deposited and are therefore not the most significant source of these compounds to the lower reaches of Narragansett Bay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 41 surface sediments from Narragansett Bay, RI. All the analytes generally decrease down bay from the Seekonk, Providence and Taunton Rivers at the head of the bay. Total PAHs ranged from 0.569 to 216 μg/g with 27% exceeding the effects range median (ERM) of 44.8 μg/g and 73% of the stations exceeding the effects range low (ERL) of 4.02 μg/g ().Based on principal component analysis, the major source of the contaminants in Narragansett Bay was the Providence River while the coves and Taunton River/Mt. Hope Bay appeared to only have a limited influence on the open bay. PAH source ratios indicate that creosote and/or coal may be the most significant contributor of pyrogenic high molecular weight PAHs in Narragansett Bay, along with significant contributions from diesel exhaust. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fish and shellfish abundance for Narragansett Bay and coastal Rhode Island waters from landing data and surveys were compared over the past century using the originally abundant species. The first quantitative data became available in the late 1800s as conflicts developed between the hook-and-line fishermen and the fish trap fishermen with the hook- and-line fishermen claiming a reduction in the availability of fish. Subsequent data were available from the state of Rhode Island and National Marine Fisheries Service landing data, and from the Graduate School of Oceanography and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management surveys. In the early records, several anadromous fish species were abundant which are no longer abundant or not reported in recent surveys such as alewife, shad, and smelt. Changes in shellfish include the disappearance of soft-shell clam, cultured oyster, and scallop and a replacement by quahog although the landing of quahog is recently down. Lobster was abundant in the early record and has increased in abundance in the recent records. Several species of fish that once dominated the catch have decreased. Boreal species like winter flounder have decreased with increasing water temperatures over the past 30 years. Migratory fish like menhaden and food fish like scup have decreased to low levels in the late 1900s compared to the 1800s. Predictions of fish yield from primary production indicate that migratory populations sustained the fishery in the late 1800s but in the late 1900s these populations no longer exist to sustain such a fishery. Survey data indicate these waters without fish have become prime habitat for crabs and lobsters. The legislatures of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1869-1870 requested a law be passed prohibiting fixed apparatus for catching fish. (Spencer F. Baird, 1873). The compelling argument is not regulation and terse fact; rather we? must accept our responsibilities and obligations, as users and temporary... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrangia poculata inhabits coasts near dense human populations in the northeastern United States and may be exposed to elevated pollutants. No studies have assessed heavy metal concentration in temperate corals despite their proximity to anthropogenic activity. We collected colonies four times in one year and analyzed coral tissue for As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn. Most heavy metals except for As were 1.5–3.3 times lower in summer compared to other seasons. Pb, As, and Cd were three orders of magnitude higher than concentrations for other Narragansett Bay benthic species, suggesting that A. poculata bioaccumulates more readily and/or inhabits more contaminated areas of the Bay. Zn, Pb, and As had similar concentrations to tropical corals inhabiting anthropogenically polluted sites. While physiological impacts are unknown, this population of A. poculata may have a higher tolerance for heavy metal pollution than most scleractinians, making it an interesting candidate for future studies. • Heavy metals varied seasonally in tissue of the temperate coral, Astrangia poculata. • Pb, As, and Cd were 1000× higher than reported for other Narragansett Bay species. • Road dust, legacy pollution, and river discharge are likely sources of heavy metals. • Zn, Pb and As were similar to concentrations of tropical corals from polluted sites. • Pb was 4× higher than toxicity tests that reduced fertilization in other coral spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]