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encyclopika · 2 years ago

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Animal Crossing Fish Explained #223

Brought to you by a marine biologist floating through vacation...

CLICK HERE FOR THE AC FISH EXPLAINED MASTERPOST!

I actually had a week off work and I'm sad it's ending... So explains why there was no Fish Explained last week. Anyway, without further adieu:

Of all the snails we have covered in this series, I don't think any are quite as interesting as the Violet Sea Snail. The kicker here is that Animal Crossing Pocket Camp couldn't possibly show how it moves, or rather, drifts, through the oceans. So, it just looks like a boring shell that may or may not actually be a real animal if you don't already know it.

This guy was available this past June (2022) for the Violet Sea Snail Goals event. Hopefully it will make a return!

The Violet Sea Snail (Janthina janthina) belongs to Gastropoda, the largest Class of Mollusks and the most species-rich group of animals after the insects! Within you have all types of snails and slugs, from the deepest reaches of the oceans to your backyard. I'd dare to say that Gastropods are more far-reaching than insects as they occupy many habitats in the ocean while the vast majority of insects don't (the crustaceans were there first). Within Gastropoda, you get all these slow boys that do so many interesting things and grow such amazing shells. The VSS belongs to Family Epitoniidae, the "ladder shells" or "staircase shells" because most of them have high-spired shells that have "steps" in them. They are also called Wentletraps, if you're from Europe. Of course, the VSS belongs to the Genus Janthina, which have smoother shells and their spires aren't quite as pronounced. *However*, they produce the same sort of mucus as other Epitonids, and that will be very relevant later. The VSS is native to the tropical portions of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.

From this site.

The VSS, even as an adult, is considered a part of the plankton community. Plankton, both plant (phyto-) and animal (zoo-), are organisms that rely on water currents for their locomotion, or they simply can't swim strongly or fast enough to "outrun" said currents. Now, please notice that I didn't say they needed to be microscopic. There are plenty of macroscopic animals that are considered plankton, including jellies and the snails of Janthina, for some examples. Some animals, like many crustaceans, only spend part of their lives as plankton (usually as larvae and then they can settle into their preferred habitats on the seafloor). These animals are called "meroplankton", though not all of them are just juveniles - certain planktic plants, like microscopic dinoflagellates, do spend some of their lifecycle as cysts in the seafloor. Fish larvae and eggs are a special type of plankton called "ichthyoplankton". However, animals that spend their whole lives as plankton, like the VSS, are called "holoplankton".

The VSS achieves this by creating a bubble raft, from which it rides the currents, eating hydrozoa and other zooplankton. They create the bubble raft at the surface where air is trapped in bubbles stabilized by the mucus layer evolved from their Epitonid snail cousins. They are so adapted to this lifestyle, that they are reverse counter-shaded, meaning they are light on top and dark on the bottom, which ACPC got right in it's icon! This is useful as they spend their whole adult lives upside-down.

And there you have it! Fascinating stuff, no?

#violet sea snail #sea snail #snail #animals #gastropods #marine biology #animal crossing #animal crossing pocket camp #acpc #science in video games #animal crossing fish explained

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dailyzooniverse · 8 years ago

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Did you know there are even big guys to be found on Plankton Portal?

Plankton are not just tiny microscopic organisms you can’t see by a naked eye. Some of them can actually grow into several meters in length, like this “Cthulhu Mothership” of Pelagia noctiluca species found by @motmot2x Currently there are two data sets on Plankton Portal you can switch between – the original one comes from the Southern California Bight and the newer one from the Mediterranean…

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#Animal #citizen science #Crowdsourcing #Cthulhu Mothership #ecology #guest blog #Ichthyoplankton #Pelagia noctiluca #Plankton Portal #volunteers #zooniverse #zooplankton

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blessiejustine-portfolio · 2 years ago

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SAMPLE WRITING: Article for University Press on DOST-PCAARRD Visit to MSU-GSC

link to Facebook post.

LOOK: DOST-PCAARRD conducts field monitoring and program evaluation at MSU-GenSan

The Marine Resources Research Division of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) conducted its monitoring and review of Mindanao State University-General Santos City’s tuna research program entitled, “Reproductive Biology, Dietary Analysis, and Life-History of Philippine Tuna Species towards Sustainable Fishing Industry in Mindanao” last August 23-26, 2022, held at the Regional Science Research Center of this campus. Helmed by the DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director, Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, the monitoring team also included Dr. Mari-Ann Acedera, Director for Marine Resources Division (MRRD), Ms. Ma. Adela Corpuz (Supervising Science Research Specialist), Mr. Jaypee Trinidad (Science Research Specialist), Ms. Hannah May Odemer (Project Technical Assistant), and Mr. Dan Carlo Barrion (Project Technical Assistant). The occasion also included a visit to the Fish Port Complex of General Santos City.

The field monitoring began on the 23rd with a visit to Gentuna Century Canning Corporation as part of the benchmarking for the Industry-level Collaborative R&D to Leverage Philippine Economy (I-CRADLE) proposal of MSU-GSC, which is one of the prospective partnerships of the institution with the DOST. The visit was spearheaded by Ms. Joanna Mae Padua, who served as the representative for SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII). Ms. Padua led the tour in the canning facility, introducing the process of tuna canning production, from market to can, to the delegates. The day was capped with a courtesy call to Chancellor Aragasi and a brief meeting with the MSU-GSC Tuna Research team, the latter of which was the first face-to-face meeting of the two parties since the implementation of the project during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluation and review of the ongoing tuna program, including a tour of the laboratories renovated thanks to the funding of the DOST, was conducted on the 24th. Progress of the whole program was presented by Dr. Edna P. Guevarra, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension and Program Leader, showcasing its accomplishments since its implementation in March of 2020. Dr. Guevarra, together with Prof. Glenville Castrence of the College of Fisheries, also presented the results of Project 1 of the program entitled, “Reproductive Biology of Three Philippine Neritic Tuna Species in Mindanao.”

Findings of Project 2 of the program, “Dietary Analysis and Feeding Habits of Six Philippine Tuna Species using Metagenomics” were presented by its Project Leader, Dr. Donna Ria J. Canacan of the College of Agriculture, and Dr. Ramjie Y. Odin, Vice-Chancellor for Research, Extension, and Development of MSU-Maguindanao, who also serves as a collaborator in the project. Results of Project 3 (“Otolith Elemental Fingerprinting, Shape Analysis and Microstructural Analysis of Three Philippine Neritic Tuna Species”) were presented online by Dr. Cleto Nañola, Jr. and Prof. Ariel Ortiz of the College of Fisheries. Project 4, entitled, “Ichthyoplankton Resource Identification Towards Replenishment of Tuna Species in Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS) and Adjacent Waters” was presented by its project leader, Prof. Julius V. Mingoc of the College of Fisheries. The delegates were then toured around the laboratories in the Regional Science Research Center and the College of Fisheries as part of the presentation of Project 5, “Upgrading of Marine Biodiversity, Histopathology, and Molecular Biology Laboratories of MSU General Santos City for Advancement of Biodiversity Studies in Mindanao.”

Providing feedback on the findings of the research and giving suggestions for further improvement of the gathered data was Dr. Wilfredo Campos, who was invited as external evaluator. Dr. Campos, who is currently the Chair for the Division of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences of University of the Philippines – Visayas, provided pointers on how to further refine the projects’ findings to make them suitable for policy recommendation to the local government units in SOCSKSARGEN .

Spanning from the 25th to 26th, further details regarding the I-CRADLE and other partnerships of the DOST with MSU-GSC were then discussed with the delegates.

The visit marks the first time the DOST-PCAARRD has visited the MSU-GenSan campus.

-Blessie Justin Arellano

#bjga-writing

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frozensigns · 3 years ago

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The hydromedusa, Solmaris rhodoloma, in waters off the coast of southern California. The In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) acquired this image in October 2010. Each medusa is about two centimeters long. Image via Bob Cowen/University of Miami & Oregon State University.

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supersuper-fr · 7 years ago

Photo

Photograph of a dense aggregation of hydromedusa Solmaris rhodoloma found off the coast of Southern California, October 2010, taken using the In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) on board the NOAA R/V Bell M. Shimada. Each medusa is about 2 cm long. Credit: Bob Cowen / University of Miami & Oregon State University

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sciencespies · 5 years ago

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Navy gains a competitive edge with research into biological ocean swarms

https://sciencespies.com/environment/navy-gains-a-competitive-edge-with-research-into-biological-ocean-swarms/

Navy gains a competitive edge with research into biological ocean swarms

A Wirewalker, driven by waves and currents, sits at the ocean’s surface during a field campaign led by oceanographers from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. The Wirewalker was equipped with a variety of instruments to measure light, conductivity, temperature, depth, light and acoustic backscatter, and dissolved oxygen throughout the water column. The NRL study was focused on characterizing biological ocean swarms. Credit: U.S Navy , Brad Penta

Tiny and frightening-looking creatures lurking throughout our world’s oceans can wreak havoc on Navy tactical decision-makers’ ability to sense the environment or plan and chart a navigation course.

The simple presence of these animals, some the size of a pen tip, can affect Navy operations through attenuation of acoustic signals, bioluminescence, and ambient noise.

To help increase our understanding of these intermediate trophic level (ITL) organisms like tiny crustaceans and jellyfish, researchers conducted a 14-day field campaign last year off the coast of Delaware. The campaign, led by U.S. Naval Research Laboratory oceanographer Brad Penta, collected information about the dynamics of ITL ecosystems near ocean fronts—areas that tend to be biologically active.

Intermediate trophic level organisms, small but mighty

All organisms within an ecosystem belong to a particular trophic level—essentially a label of where they fall in the food chain. ITL animals can range in size from tiny copepods to large jellyfish. They are moved by currents throughout the ocean, and can form massive swarms.

Penta said swarms around underwater acoustic equipment can render the equipment output unreliable. Swarms can be so dense that sound reflects and reverberates off of them, causing false readings and adding to ambient noise.

In addition to affecting sound, ITL organisms are known to flash.

“Many of these organisms emit light, called bioluminescence,” Penta said. “They do not light up all the time; usually it’s when they are stimulated or disturbed.”

How they did it

The coastal study incorporated a number of shipboard instruments and tools.

One of the study’s collaborators, the University of Mississippi, brought an In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS). ISIIS provided multiple high-resolution images each second it was towed behind the ship.

During one of the tows, ISIIS passed a patch of marine life and falsely thought it had hit the bottom of the ocean. It turned out to be a swarm of veligers, a larval stage of mollusks.

“If you had enough of them [veligers], they could interfere with sonar or an optical instrument,” said Penta. “Their presence may change the depth at which Navy assets are deployed.”

Researchers also attached tools to the ISIIS to measure temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a, oxygen, and light attenuation. Pairing these tools with the ITL organisms identified by ISIIS enabled researchers to determine an exact environmental profile where particular organisms lived.

Throughout the cruise, researchers used nets for sampling, but also deployed a Wirewalker, a sampling device driven by waves and currents. The Wirewalker was equipped with a variety of instruments to measure light, conductivity, temperature, depth, light and acoustic backscatter, and dissolved oxygen throughout the water column.

Swarm of veligers, a larval stage of mollusks, shown magnified. Credit: U.S Navy ; Brad Penta

Eyes in the sky

As part of the field campaign, up in the skies, an aircraft equipped with imagers and remote sensing experts aboard surveyed the ocean environment and provided precise locations of ocean fronts to the shipboard researchers. It flew with cameras sensitive to visible, long and short infrared, and hyperspectral wavelengths.

The aircraft also had multiple Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) cameras. LIDARs emit colored lasers to reveal profiles of a subject. In this case, LIDAR provided researchers information on what was going on under the water. Deric Gray, an oceanographer in NRL’s Remote Sensing division, operated and tested a new NRL-developed tool called multi wavelength LIDAR for the environment (MUWLE).

Unlike traditional oceanic LIDARs which normally have a monochromatic laser, Gray and his team designed MUWLE with interchangeable laser colors. The flexibility allowed Gray and his team to test and optimize different colors in multiple marine environments.

“Blue worked better in deep water,” Gray said. “Green worked well in algae rich areas, and yellow worked well in turbid bays with a lot of mud.”

Researchers designed MUWLE to pick up details in the water, knowing it would pick up a small amount of information about the atmosphere. But researchers were surprised to learn MUWLE could collect detailed information about the atmosphere.

“We saw aerosol layers that showed up more significantly than we thought they would,” Gray said. “The LIDAR also saw thin, broken clouds underneath the aircraft that we couldn’t otherwise see.”

What’s in the data?

Researchers now are actively sifting through their data. The ultimate goal of the study is to develop a model which can predict the presence of ITL organisms.

Before the models can use the data, however, the hoard of data must be processed.

Penta said he extracted more than 1.2 million images from just one tow with the ISIIS instrument. His team is using new techniques to sort through all the information and establish trends.

“We have begun to set up machine learning deep neural networks to use artificial intelligence to classify the organisms, but do not have results yet,” Penta said.

Deep neural networks (DNN) are sophisticated mathematical models used to process large amounts of data. Christopher Wood, an NRL computer scientist, is training a kind of DNN—a convolutional neural network (CNN) – to identify organisms in the ISIIS images.

“CNNs are geared toward image analysis,” said Wood. “A human being couldn’t process these images in a lifetime. The image reels are massive and some of the organisms are very small.”

Penta said he plans use the CNN to identify organisms, and match that information to the fronts and water masses. This will show how communities in the ocean changed over the two-week campaign.

Once fully synthesized, Penta said the information will create a comprehensive picture of the environment, which will aid the development of predictive ecosystem models.

Explore further

Plankton Portal uses crowd-sourcing to classify strange oceanic creatures

Provided by Naval Research Laboratory

Citation: Navy gains a competitive edge with research into biological ocean swarms (2020, February 21) retrieved 22 February 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2020-02-navy-gains-competitive-edge-biological.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

#Environment

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environmentguru · 7 years ago

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Seasonal fluctuations of ichthyoplankton assemblage in the northeastern South China Sea influenced by the Kuroshio intrusion

Abstract The distribution and assemblage of ichthyoplankton related to local hydrographic features, especially intrusion of the Kuroshio Current (KC) and Guangdong Coastal Current (GCC) in the northeastern South China Sea (NESCS) were investigated in https://www.environmentguru.com/pages/elements/element.aspx?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr&id=5378806

#oceanography

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lets-sabbir-blog · 8 years ago

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Life with tumblr,

See whats it capacity..

Microphyte

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Microalgae CSIRO

Collection of microalgae cultures, CSIRO

Microphytes or microalgae are microscopic algae, typically found in freshwater and marine systems living in both the water column and sediment.[1] They are unicellular species which exist individually, or in chains or groups. Depending on the species, their sizes can range from a few micrometers (µm) to a few hundred micrometers. Unlike higher plants, microalgae do not have roots, stems, or leaves. They are specially adapted to an environment dominated by viscous forces. Microalgae, capable of performing photosynthesis, are important for life on earth; they produce approximately half of the atmospheric oxygen[2] and use simultaneously the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide to grow photoautotrophically. Microalgae, together with bacteria, form the base of the food web and provide energy for all the trophic levels above them. Microalgae biomass is often measured with chlorophyll a concentrations and can provide a useful index of potential production. The standing stock of microphytes is closely related to that of its predators. Without grazing pressures the standing stock of microphytes dramatically decreases[3]

The biodiversity of microalgae is enormous and they represent an almost untapped resource. It has been estimated that about 200,000-800,000 species in many different genera exist of which about 50,000 species are described.[4] Over 15,000 novel compounds originating from algal biomass have been chemically determined.[5] Most of these microalgae species produce unique products like carotenoids, antioxidants, fatty acids, enzymes, polymers, peptides, toxins and sterols.

Contents

1 Characteristics and uses

2 Aquaculture

3 See also

4 References

5 External links

Characteristics and uses

The microalgae Nannochloropsis sp., viewed under a light microscope

The chemical composition of microalgae is not an intrinsic constant factor but varies over a wide range, both depending on species and on cultivation conditions. Some microalgae have the capacity to acclimate to changes in environmental conditions by altering their chemical composition in response to environmental variability. A particularly dramatic examples is their ability to replace phospholipids with non-phosphorus membrane lipids in P-depleted environments.[6] It is possible to accumulate the desired products in microalgae to a large extent by changing environmental factors, like temperature, illumination, pH, CO2 supply, salt and nutrients. Microphytes also produce chemical signals which contribute to prey selection, defense, and avoidance. These chemical signals affect large scale tropic structures such as algal blooms but propagate by simple diffusion and laminar advective flow.[7][8] Microalgae such as microphytes constitute the basic foodstuff for numerous aquaculture species, especially filtering bivalves. Photosynthetic and chemosynthetic microbes can also form symbiotic relationships with host organisms.

They provide them with vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids, necessary for the growth of the bivalves which are unable to synthesize it themselves.[9]

In addition, because the cells grow in aqueous suspension, they have more efficient access to water, CO2, and other nutrients. Microalgae play a major role in nutrient cycling and fixing inorganic carbon into organic molecules.

While fish oil has become famous for its omega-3 fatty acid content, fish don't actually produce omega-3s, instead accumulating their omega-3 reserves by consuming microalgae. These omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained in the human diet directly from the microalgae that produce them.

Aquaculture

Main article: Culture of microalgae in hatcheries

A range of microalgae species are produced in hatcheries and are used in a variety of ways for commercial purposes. Studies have estimated main factors in the success of a microalgae hatchery system as the dimensions of the container/bioreactor where microalgae is cultured, exposure to light/irradiation and concentration of cells within the reactor.[10]