http://precedings.nature.com/tags/Gulf%20of%20Mexico Recently posted documents tagged with 'Gulf of Mexico' Nature Publishing Group en Nature Precedings http://precedings.nature.com/images/header_logo.gif http://precedings.nature.com http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3607.1 To date, 13 potential HAB species have been detected in coastal waters of Mississippi and Alabama, including representatives of the diatom genera Pseudo-nitzschia and Chaetoceros, and dinoflagellate genera Karenia, Gonyaulax, Akashiwo, Karlodinium, and Prorocentrum. This study investigates the potential of satellite remote sensing (SeaWiFS) to predict environmental conditions leading to the formation of HABs in these turbid coastal waters. Phytoplankton populations and water quality were monitored in situ at 3 to 6 week intervals and 17 locations in Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound from December, 2004, through June, 2006. SeaWiFS imagery corresponding with in situ collections was acquired. Non-parametric multivariate analyses determined relationships between phytoplankton cell counts and in situ or satellite-derived water properties, including surface temperature, salinity, concentrations of chlorophyll, total suspended solids, colored dissolved organic material, and nutrient levels. This paper will describe an expert system decision tree analysis approach to prediction of ecological conditions necessary for the formation of HABs. The model assumes unique ranges of remote sensing reflectance ratios, Chl a, and total suspended solids must exist within the environment are conducive for the formation of HABs. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3607.1 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:42:37 UTC Using SeaWiFS and In Situ Data for HAB Prediction in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Decision Tree Analysis doi:10.1038/npre.2009.3607.1 2009-08-14 Dan Holiday Nature Precedings 2009-08-14T20:42:37Z Poster Ecology Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/1894/version/1 The question of the origin, distribution and fate of the floating seaweed Sargassum has fascinated sailors and scientists from the time of Columbus. Observations from ships are hampered by the large and variable area over which Sargassum is dispersed. Here we use satellite imagery to present the first mapping of the full distribution and movement of the population of Sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic in the years 2002 to 2008. For the first time, we show a seasonal pattern in which Sargassum originates in the northwest Gulf of Mexico in spring of each year, is advected into the Atlantic in about July, appearing east of Cape Hatteras as a “Sargassum jet”, and ending northeast of the Bahamas in February of the following year. This pattern appears consistent with historical surveys. Future satellite observations will show whether this pattern repeats in all or most years. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/1894/version/1 Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:50 UTC Satellite Images Show the Movement of Floating Sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean hdl:10101/npre.2008.1894.1 2008-05-20 Jim Gower Nature Precedings 2008-05-16T14:30:50Z Manuscript Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/