The Lazarette Gazette NEWS FROM The University of Texas at Austin MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE Port Aransas, Texas 78373-1267 (512-749-6760 -fax 512-749-6777) (internet: thompson@utmsi.zo.utexas.edu) Vol. 4, Issue 20, 27 October 1995 In this issue of Lazarette Gazette · Kristen Cross Drescher: Investigation of the RNA:DNA ratios of laboratory reared and field caught larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 Tony Amos: Longhorn/Aggie cooperation .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Regular sections: abstract -p. 1, egabrag woes -p. 2, irish pennants -p. 2, safety -p. 3, library -p._ 4, tony's tidings -p. 4, barnacle bill -p. 5, seminars -p. 5, travel -p. 6, personnel-p. 6, mes -p. 7, letters---:-p. 7, facilities -p. 7, attaboys -p. 8, ed.'s note -p. 8 INVESTIGATION OF THE RNA:DNA RATIOS OF LABORATORY REARED AND FIELD CAUGHT LARVAL RED DRUM (SCIAENOPS OCELLATUS) Kristen Croll Drescher, M.A. Supervisor: G. Joan Holt The purpose of the study was to determine the nutritional condition of naturally occurring plankton~c red drum lan:ae using measurements of RNA:D.NA ratios. The RNA:DNA ratios of red drum larvae sampled in a Texas tidal,inlet during fall 1994, were calibrated with data from laboratory studies offed and starved red drum. Data from laboratory studies showed RNA:DNA ratios ofsta~edlarvae to be consistently lower than well fed larvae. When compared to ·the laboratory data, RNA:DNA ratios of field caught red drum larvae ranged from values associated with starved laboratory larvae to v~lm~s greater than those ob~ained for fed larvae. In order to account for some of the variance and to identify factors other than food availability that may have affected the RNA:DNA ratio of field caught specimens, additional laboratory studies investigated the effects of different handling techniques on the RNA:DNA ratio. Modifications in sample handling (time of day collected, v~riable .time intervals postmortem at room temperature and variable freezer storage intervals) did not alter the RNA:DNA r·atio in laboratory studies. Variance w~thin field caught fish was attributed to varying nutritional condition with 42% of the natural population of red drum larvae experiencing some degree of food deprivation. In a scene reminiscent of Dr. Strangelove, UTMSI student Dennis Higgs and postdoc Steve Opsahl rode an out-of-control Aggie Buoy through pounding Mustang Island surf as Tony Amos directed the rescue operations last Tuesday. The buoy, which the Aggies had apparently moored on the granite South Jetty ofthe Aransas Pass channel, broke loose while Amos and Company were investigating a report by The Jetty Lady, who thought that perhaps it was supposed to be measuring water currents rather than rock currents. Closer examination after the buoy was returned to the UTMSI laboratory, revealed that the device may have had a few minor problems and would probably not have functioned properly in its present configuration. First, it looked like too many Aggies had been used to screw in the light bulb which warns mariners to avoid the buoy (the bulb and its housing were no longer attached). Secondly, the current meter itselfwas not attached to the buoy, and presumably sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico where it will be a little more difficult to extract the information than ifit was connected to the floating buoy. Finally, the cryptic code (the letter A) on the top of the buoy identified this as being one of the LATEX (LouisianaTexas Physical Oceanography Program)buoys which was supposedly moored off the coast near Sabine. Looks like they used an AGPS (Aggie Positioning System) rather than a GPS (Global Positioning System). In an interview, Amos pointed out how this event showed, contrary to popular miscq~ception, that Aggies and Longhorns cooperate on research in the Gulf of Mexico. . .-.--Mbi He .3 HaeM's English cousin Using the administrative Fax -Always use your TII Selector Number or write your name on your confirmation slip when using the administrative fax machine. Ifit is a personal fax, please write personal by your name. With the TTI Selector Number your name automatically prints on the confirmation slip. You may enter your fax into memory and simply take your originals and walk away. However, if it is a personal fax you must wait for your confirmation slip and write personal by your name. All faculty and senior scientists have TII selector numbers. There is a list above the fax machine if you need to look up your number. Ifyou are a frequent user of the fax machine, a TTI selector number will be issued to you on request. Ifyou have questions about the fax machine, please don't hesitate to ask. -Patty Webb 2 Balances -Bob Donley (Boca Enterprise) will be here the first or second week of November. Ifyou need to have a balance (Mettler or other brands) repaired/calibrated, please contact Faye in the Fiscal Office. If we have ten or more units to be serviced, the fee will be $50 per unit for standard -Faye Smith maintenance. The October Adopt-a-Highway clean-up day was held October 21, on one of the most delightful days ofthe fall---and only 7 people turned out for the event! Scott and Joan Holt, Tony and Lynn Amos, Kirsten Poling, Dennis Higgs, and myselfwere the only ones who made it. We managed to pick up 14 bags oftrash in two hours. Come on, y'all!!! We're not even getting all of the people who originally signed up to -Kathy Binney volunteer! I guess "Talk is cheap!" as my Dad used to say. Friends ofthe public library -The Ellis Library in Port Aransas is getting a new and larger building, now under construction south of the civic center. Having a public library in such a small town speaks well for us, showing the community is aware of the value of the mind. I remember the book mobile that came to our community when I was a child. It was an important happening and we never missed the chance to check out new books. From my childhood, I developed a life-long love for reading just as many ofyou did. A campaign is under way to obtain funds to equip the new facility and to be sure it is ready to open when the building is complete-perhaps as early as December. There are two ways to help, byjoining the Friends ofthe Ellis Library and/or by purchasing brick pavers. The.bricks, stamped with the names ofthose buying them, will be installed in the library gardens and will be a lasting tribute to those who contribute or could be a memorial for someone special. I have joined the Friends ofthe Ellis Library because I want to foster reading and learning in the youngsters of our community. As an institute of higher learning, the Marine A schedule of Science Institute should lead the way in this effort, and I hope you too will join. General membership is $10 memberships, ranging from $2 for youths to $500 for life are available. annually or $15 for a family membership. I challenge each of you to support this important facility. Membership forms and envelopes for the Brick Campaign are available from the front office or you can contact me directly to get information. Let's show the city that the Marine Science Institute supports the -Joan Holt local public library! Access to radioactive materials-TheTexas Regulations for Control ofRadiation define a restricted area as .. .an area, access to which is limited by the licensee or registrant for the purpose ofprotecting individuals against undue risks from exposure to ~~ources ofradiation. Any University of Texas at Austin laboratory posted for Radiation or Radioactive Materials falls within this category. Remember: Control of access into restricted areas is the responsibility of the individual supervising the project. Access to radioactive materials in laboratories which have or use radioactive materials must be controlled at all times. Iflaboratory doors are open, an individual must be present in the laboratory to control access to the radioactive materials unless the materials are stored in a secure location. A secure location may be a locked designated refrigerator, an ongoing experiment with limited access, a locked cabinet, -~ locked hood, or a · ··.· permanently mounted locked box. (from memo of 10111195 to all users or radioactive materials, from John C. White, Radiation Safety Officer) MSDS forms distributed •Harris: Coated Abrasive Product -Garnet, Metal Alloy -Lead Free, Alumina Oxide and Resin Binder, Resinoid Bonded Grinding Wheels. • Holt, S.: Vanzol A-1. • lngall: Fisherbrand Vacuum Pump Oil, Ammonium Sulfate, Manganese Chloride, Sodium Hydrosulfite, Manganese Reference Standard Solution, 1000 PPM Manganese. • Suttle: Hydrogen Peroxide, 30% Solution. • Thomas: Phosphoric Acid, Methanol, Oleic Acid, [9,10-3H(N)]-4-Methyl-2-Pentanon~, 99.5+%, HPLC Grade. The UT Libraries currently has a free trial access period for Cambridge Scientific Abstracts Internet Database Service on the World Wide Web. This access is provided for a total of two months (I don't know when that period started). All of our scientific staff should give this database a trial. Let Ruth know if you feel the UT Libraries should invest in a permanent subscription to the service for the entire UT community. She will pass our responses on to the General Libraries. Access the service via the General Libraries Indexes and Abstracts page (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/lndexes/Online.html). No password for access is needed, justclick on the "Access IDS" button. An address is provided on the Indexes and Abstracts page for comments. You might prefer to send your comments directly to the Austin librarian this way. -Lee Fuiman Tide Predictions for November (For tidal heights at the tide tower, South Jetty, the Aransas Pass. Heights are in feet above or below mean sea level. The shaded area is nighttime. Remember, this is tidal height, not tidal current. Slack water is when the wiggly line crosses the MSL line, not at peaks and valleys, where the tidal current will be a full flood or ebb.) 2 ::r :I: 11'1 rn 1 c; c; 1 ::r :I: 0 .... .... 0 -1 ... !! 2 ::r :I: 11'1 rn c; 1 :I: c; 1 0 ~ .... 0 ·" -1 .... ~ -1 !;! !! -2 ~ ... :I: 2 z --::=-~-To--To--=;:-_...--T.,..,....,.."'"--'-~-T--:Y:.,...~-:I: 11'1 rn ... Ci) ~ 1 ::c J: 0 .... .... 0 -1 ... ~ -1 !!.!!. 2 ::c 111 ... Ci) ::c 0 .... -1 ~ ~ -2 4 Weather Report for October 09 -22 1995 9 -15 OCT 1995 ~ .... MON ..•• TUE ..•. WED .... THU . . . . FRI . . . • .SAT ••• · .~· SUN .•• ·MEAN DATE ................. 9 ...... 10 ...... 11...... 12 ...... 13 ...... 14 ........ 15 AJR TEMP ...HIGH . . 82.9 ..... '80A . . . . . 83.8 . . . . . 78.2 77~0 . . . . . 1/:H9 < >>~Z6i6 •::~; ';\ ":t ::~95: AIR TEMP . . . LOW 70.3 ..... 683 . . . . . 68.9 ..... 71.4 ·,·7L4 ....•.Ji§.~,: ' ..;~<·~f.i:P .. }.'.;. :: ~,;;~_8,,;1_' A SEA TEMP . . . LOW 75.6 .... ~ ......--.....~ 75.6 ....... - TOTAL ;0.00 ..... Q;C)O ..... 0.00 ..... Q.21 ····~~: ~ ~: ·~···~::;(>:~:<~ ·~·-~[7::·i~::··~··:-::;:~;:;[t~7~~~...;:;: RAINFALL --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.~---:-~~~----~·-:.-~~---~-~---.-~~~----~~~-:---~;: 16 -22 OCT 1995 . . . . . MON . . . . TUE .... WED . . . . THU • . . •• FRI ..•.. .SNf .••••:.. :SLIN • ~ • ~£'.AN DATE ................ 16 ...... 17 ...... 18 ...... 19 ........ 20 ....... 21 ........ 22 AIR TEMP ... HIGH . . 80.9 .....·~ 82.0 .... ; .81.6 . ... •· 84.7 ~ .... "775 ..... ~7~3 • .: .',.: ...8J5 ... '.·· :80:8 1 ~;::i::sJ2·· ::: :::~: : .: .~:: : :mi·:'.':&!~: ::!: :,!i~ i+1Ji1;~~~ ;tr·~<: ::;~:: .. .· .· <. .· .· .: .· <.·~· .· . ·. ·. . . -Tony Amos Something has to be said about the grounds crew. This will have nothing to do with water, sailboats, powerboats, fishing, swimming showers, mixers, easy living, teak trim, fiberglass hulls, Captain Ron, or anything of importance. It all can be found in Websters under grass. Remembering J. Y. brings many interesting thoughts to my mind. He was the leader ofa small group we all knew as Johnnies Boys. J. Y. is gone now. Not passed away. Just gone. Taking his place is a fine young man with years of experience in the grass trade. His name is Mike or something like that. Oh! Yeah! Mike Gibson. I hear this boy can operate any riding mower and swing a mean weed eater at the same time. I've seen him wack weeds, repair broken sprinkler heads, go into holes for menacing gophers, etc. etc. I've even seen him plant dead trees and bring them back to life. Also we have David H. He's the stout fellow you'll see repairing broken stuff. Dave fits in real well. His title should be grass technician since he has so many talents. Dave is a single man and given a good mower, can cut anything. Next is a taller fellow called Benny Rodriguez. When Benny came to UT he was dressed in tight jeans, boots, and this huge belt buckle. He's not like that anymore. Benny can be found with a big smile on his face. Kind of like an opossum got into something. Since Benny was converted (a good woman and a child) he's a changed man. Moy Guajardo, the grandfather of grass maintenance, completes the list ~fgrounds workers. All his grey hairs are from years ofhard work. A few could be from teenage sons. Moy is always well dressed and always at his designated work area. He has been well trained with our complicated sprinkler system, being the only person who can successfully and correctly operate the sprinkler timers. Moy is good with numbers. That's all I have to say about that. (Gump) Next writing may be about you. Until next time, did I ever tell you about... · -Bill Piepmeier • Dr. Peter Sorenson, University of Minnesota, Hormonal sex pheromones in fish, Friday, October fO. 5 Travel ending between October 14 and October 27 +Curtis Suttle, October 13-15, Bandera, Texas, presentation, Marine Viruses, at the 8th Annual Cell and Molecular Biology Conference. +Amy Chan, October 13-15, Bandera, Texas, attend the 8th Annual Cell and Molecular Biology Conference. +Terry Whitledge, October 12-22, Qingdao, China, present paper, Dissolved silica in Bering Sea deep and bottom waters at PICES meeting and attend as U. S. delegate to the Bering Sea Subcommittee. +Charles Rowe, October 15-18, Monterey, California, to" attend the Research Vessel Technician annual meeting. +Allen Davis, October 18-22, Columbus, Ohio, participate in the 24th Fish Feed and Nutrition Workshop. +Amy Chan, October 19-22, New York City, New York, attend Brown Tide Symposium. +Curtis Suttle, October 19-26, Ronkonkoma and Stony Brook, New York, presentation, Control and subsidence of brown tide, at the Brown Tide Summit and presentation, Viruses in marine systems, at the Marine Science Research Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook. +Dean Stockwell, October 19-22, New York City, New York, presentation, A brown tide bloom in coastal waters of the Northern Gulf ofMexico, at the Brown Tide Symposium. +Ed Buskey, Scott Stewart, October 19-26, Magueyes, Puerto Rico, carry out NSF research project. +Noe Cantu, October 23-27, San Diego, California, to at~end Research Vessel Operators Council meeting. Gema Parra is a visiting student. Gema: Hello! My name is Gema Parra, I am from Spain. My home town is Jain, a province in Andalucma (South Spain). I have studied Marine Biology in the Universidad de La Laguna in Canary Islands, and now I am doing my Ph.D in Cadiz. This city is in Andalucma too. We are checking a In my Institute we -are working with Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae. When I return I want to microencapsulated diet to use as a first food, but we still have more work to do. study the assimilation rate ofthis kind offood with and without the addition ofenzymes. Now I am working with Dr. Joan Holt on Red Drum larvae testing different feeding treatments, and I am learning different I am going to spend two months in the U.S.A. It is very techniques (that is the aim of my stay here!). Thank you for interesting to discover another country, another culture and, obviously, another language. all. 6 The Marine Education Services MARE staff, Rick and Moreen Terry, have had a busy week leading field trips for the students from Crossley Elementary of Corpus Christi. Crossley is one of the six MARE schools participating in the 3 year NSF sponsored Marine Activities, Resources and Education project being piloted in Texas through MES. Four classes of kindergarten students and four classes of first grade students have explored the rock jetties this week. We started the groups out at the Visitors Center with a tour of the tanks and brief talk about the jetty and kinds of plants and animals that live there. We took the first three groups to the jetty, sat them around small plastic tubs and put a variety of algae, snails, limpets, crabs and urchins in the tubs for them to observe. We used discovery scopes to more closely examine the amphipods, limpets and algae. Friday's group was moved into the pier lab due to the 45 mph North winds. The kindergarten and first grades study the rocky seashore as their MARE habitat and the students and teachers really enjoyed their field trips. On Saturday, 27 2nd grade MARE teachers from Crossley and 5 from Eanes ISD's elementary school participated in a habitat workshop focused on a sandy beach habitat. The teachers enjoyed an early breakfast and an 8 am jetty boat trip to San Jose Island where they studied dune vegetation, barrier island morphology and beachcombed for natural and manmade flotsam and jetsam. -Rick Tinnin • I just want to put in my vote in favor of a MS! reunion. I also think planning the event around some sort ofmeeting is a good idea, it need not be very high powered. I would be willing to assist, however I can, in organizing the reunion. Several former students have also voiced a willingness to attend such an event. I believe you could count on Patricia McCoy, Mike Gunter, Cora Nessmith, and Steve Anderson as their schedules permit. I enjoy receiving the Lazarette Gazette too, although I get all the juicy gossip from Helen Garrett. Keep up the good work. (Ronald Ilg, Ph.D. 1980) Cooling tower -Those planning experimental work for the first week ofDecember need to take into account the possibility oftemperature problems in the laboratory and administration buildings at that time. The contractor will be performing a major repair and refurbishment ofthe MSI cooling tower which serves the two main chillers. This work has been delayed through the summer pending the arrival of cooler weather. This work must now be performed. During this period only outside air will be available for circulation. It will still be possible to warm the air, but it will not be possible to cool it. Paving -A preconstruction conference is scheduled for Friday, October 27 with Island Construction, Inc., contractor,for paving work at the boat basin and pier laboratory areas. Work is expected to begin the first week of November. KATY move-Jedd Brundrett has finished moving pilings in the boat basin which will allow the RIV KATY to move her operations to another area, away from her present location next to the RIV LONGHORN. The MSI carpenters are already busy constructing a new landing dock. The new location will provide a much safer area for the many students (thousands each year) to board the RIV KATY. 7 Freezer room -The new freezer storage room is now being test run. The new room was constructed by the Maintenance Crew in the Physical Plant Compound (near the vehicle garages). This replaces the old (30 years?) unit which was acquired with the boat basin. Birdproblems -Does anyone have a good solution to the MSI bird problems? Several have already been tried with only limited success. Problem #1 concerns pigeons in the boat house: Problem #2 concerns sea gulls (also herons, etc.) on the pier. For both problems it is not the birds which are objectionable; it is the product of their digestive systems. Commercial products were tried in the boat house, including sticky stuffon all the ledges, a big balloon affair with scary eyes, and an electronic noise device. The noise device bothered people a lot but didn't seem to be that effective on the birds. A big diaper over the C. Arnold boat helps out but doesn't save the piers and walks. The main problem on the pier concerns the flat topped railings. Several combinations of fishing line and sharpened boards have been tried, again with limited success. It appears the only solution is to remove the big flat board on top of the railing. This solves half the problem (50% ofthe time there will be a hit on the walkway and 50% of the time the drop will be made into the channel). • Attaboy to Cook Pat Lamas for achieving a score of 98 on the October 12 Food Service Establishment Inspection Report for the MS! Cafeteria. • Well, I just have to put my two cents in for Pat Lamas. We have really enjoyed having her here at UTMSI filling in at the cafeteria. The food was great and I think there are a few of us who will certainly miss her, (and let's not forget the goodies that she brought to us every once in a while for an afternoon snack), not to mention her never ending smile! Thanks, Pat! (To Pat Lamas from Patty Webb) Students seem to be departing Port A at such a rate that we can't keep up. Linda Yates usually gets a photo for the drawing and an abstract is provided, but we keep missing the other information. Students finishing soon: please help with: some information less esoteric than your abstract. Thanks to Tony Amos for rescue operations. Not only did he rescue the Aggie buoy, he helped rescue this issue of the Laz Gaz, which, prior to his contribution, seemed to be too far on the blah side. Usually when the Laz Gaz is late I blame it on the need to meet a proposal or report deadline, this time I have a better (to me) excuse. For the first time in way too long I got out of the office-signing on with Tony on his every-ejght-days beach survey on San Jose Island. It was my first amphibious operation (hauling the Gator across the pass in a John Boat towed by the Whaler and landing on the back side ofthe island) since the Pacific beach near Camp Pendleton. First was the drive in the Gator across San Jose (seeing a huge buck within the first ten minutes) and down the beach to Cedar Bayou and return. This is supposed to be work? It may not, however, be so much fun this winter when a freezing wet Norther is blowing. I understand that the clean beach and beautiful weather I enjoyed obligates me to sign on again when all is not so rosy. A historic note: the little sailboat, whose whimsical image sails so many places on each issue of the LazGaz, has been sold. Thanks to all for helping with this issue of the LazGaz. -John Thompson 8