Modeling the past, present, and future distributions of endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) to inform recovery efforts in California

White abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) was once commonly found in coastal waters of the Southern California Bight (SCB) and south to Punta Abreojos, Baja California, Mexico. During the 1970s, white abalone supported a commercial fishery, which reduced the population and resulted in the closure of the fishery in 1996. When population levels continued to decline, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listed the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and NMFS began surveying the wild populations, propagating specimens in captivity, and protecting its seabed habitat. We modeled coarse-scale (17 x 17 km) historical (using fishery-dependent data [1955–1996]) and contemporary (using fishery-independent data [1996–2017]) distributions of white abalone throughout its historical domain using random forests and maximum entropy (MaxEnt), respectively, and its fine-scale (10 x 10 m) contemporary distribution (fishery-independent data) using MaxEnt. We also investigated potential outplanting habitat farther north under two scenarios of future climate conditions. The coarse-scale models identified potential regions to focus outplanting efforts within SCB while fine-scale models can inform population monitoring and outplanting activities in these particular areas. These models predict that areas north of Point Conception may become candidate outplant sites as seawater temperatures continue to rise in the future due to climate change. Collectively, these results provide guidance on the design and potential locations for experimental outplanting at such locations to ultimately improve methods and success of recovery efforts.

Patterns of Genomic Divergence and Signals of Selection in Sympatric and Allopatric Northeastern Pacific and Sea of Cortez Populations of the Sargo (Anisotremus davidsonii) and Longjaw Mudsucker (Gillichthys mirabilis)

Studying how isolation can impact population divergence and adaptation in co-distributed species can bring us closer to understanding how landscapes affect biodiversity. The Sargo, Anisotremus davidsonii (Haemulidae), and the Longjaw mudsucker, Gillichthys mirabilis (Gobiidae), offer a notable framework to study such mechanisms as their Pacific populations cross phylogeographic breaks at Point Conception, California, United States, and Punta Eugenia, Mexico, and are separated to those in the Sea of Cortez by the Baja California peninsula. Here, thousands of loci are genotyped from 48 Sargos and 73 mudsuckers using RADseq to characterize overall genomic divergence, and search for common patterns of putatively neutral and non-neutral structure based on outlier loci among populations with hypothesized different levels of isolation. We further search for parallels between population divergence and the total proportion of outliers, outlier FST distribution, and the proportion of outliers matching coding regions in GenBank. Statistically significant differentiation is seen across Point Conception in mudsucker (FST = 0.15), Punta Eugenia in Sargo (FST = 0.02), and on either side of the Baja California peninsula in both species (FST = 0.11 and 0.23, in Sargo and mudsucker, respectively). Each species shows structure using neutral and non-neutral loci. Finally, higher population divergence yields a more even distribution of outliers along their differentiation range but does not always translate into higher outlier proportions or higher rates in which outliers are matched to coding regions. If repeated in similar systems, observed genomic patterns might reveal speciation signatures in diverse networks of population isolation.

COMPARISONS OF ESTUARINE MANAGEMENT NEEDS OF A TROPICAL PACIFIC MEXICAN HARBOUR AND A TEMPERATE CALIFORNIA HARBOUR

Two areas of the eastern Pacific are compared, the southern California wetlands south of Point Conception and Mazatlan, Mexico. The historical development of both areas is important in considering their present biological status. Southern California has been subjected to intensive population growth and urbanization while Mazatlan has remained relatively unchanged. Both areas are compared biologically in regards to the fish population, thermal gradients in the harbors, salinity, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate distributions. The economic importance of the harbors is recognized, however it is essential that measures are taken to restore or retain existing wetlands that are associated with the harbors. The harbors can serve as shelters for various organisms if water quality can either be maintained (as in the case of Mazatlan) or improved, and if input of toxic and excessive nutrients is limited.

An Atmospheric Hydraulic Jump in the Santa Barbara Channel

As part of the Precision Atmospheric Marine Boundary Layer Experiment, the University of Wyoming King Air sampled an atmospheric environment conducive to the formation of a hydraulic jump on 24 May 2012 off the coast of California. Strong, northwesterly flow rounded the Point Arguello–Point Conception complex and encountered the remnants of an eddy circulation in the Santa Barbara Channel. The aircraft flew an east–west vertical sawtooth pattern that captured a sharp thinning of the marine boundary layer and the downstream development of a hydraulic jump. In situ observations show a dramatic rise in isentropes and a coincident sudden decrease in wind speeds. Imagery from the Wyoming Cloud Lidar clearly depicts the jump feature via copolarization and depolarization returns. Estimations of MBL depth are used to calculate the upstream Froude number from hydraulic theory. Simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model produced results in agreement with the observations. The innermost domain uses a 900-m horizontal grid spacing and encompasses the transition from supercritical to subcritical flow south of Point Conception. Upstream Froude number estimations from the model compare well to observations. A strongly divergent wind field, consistent with expansion fan dynamics, is present upwind of the hydraulic jump. The model accurately resolves details of the marine boundary layer collapse into the jump. Results from large-eddy simulations show a large increase in the turbulent kinetic energy field coincident with the hydraulic jump.

Aircraft Measurements and Numerical Simulations of an Expansion Fan off the California Coast

Mountains along the California coastline play a critical role in the dynamics of marine atmospheric boundary layer (MBL) airflow in the vicinity of the shoreline. Large changes in the MBL topology have been known to occur downwind of points and capes along the western coast of the United States. Large spatial gradients in wind and temperature become established that can cause anomalous electromagnetic wave propagation. Detailed airborne measurements using the University of Wyoming King Air were conducted to study the adjustment of the MBL to the Point Arguello and Point Conception headlands. Pronounced thinning of the MBL consistent with an expansion fan occurred to the south of Point Conception on 13 June 2012. A sharp cloud edge was collocated with the near collapse of the MBL. D-value cross sections derived from differential GPS altitude measurements allow assessment of the vertical profile of the horizontal pressure gradient force and hence thermal wind forcing in response to the near collapse of the MBL. The Weather Research and Forecasting Model was run with a 1-km grid spacing to examine the atmospheric adjustment around Point Conception during this period. Results from the simulations including the vertical cross sections of the horizontal pressure gradient force were consistent with the aircraft observations. Model results suggest that divergence occurs as the flow rounds Point Conception, characteristic of an expansion fan. Wind speeds in the MBL increase coincident with the decrease in MBL thickness, and subsiding flow associated with the near collapse of the MBL is responsible for the sharp cloud edge.