Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2016)
2 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016 OSU study sheds new light on rockfish offspring dispersal tions are connected and replen- ished,” said Su Sponaugle, a professor of integrative biology based at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center. “This research helps us better under- stand what’s possible about off- spring movement. “We don’t know fully by what mechanisms the larvae are staying together, but these data are suggestive that behavior is playing a role.” The findings were published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Primary funding came from the Hatfield Marine Science Center’s Mamie L. Markham Research Award. The discovery of “spatial cohesion” among the larvae came via the collection of newly settled rockfish in a shal- low nearshore habitat off the central Oregon coast. Nearly 500 juvenile fish that had started out up to six months earlier as transparent larvae at depths of a few hundred meters were collected and genetically analyzed, with the results showing that 11.6 percent had at least one sibling in the group. “That’s much higher than we would have expected if they were randomly dispersing,” Sponaugle said. Bearing live young, a female can release thousands of able- to-swim larvae at a time and, dwelling close to the sea floor in the benthic zone, rockfishes make up a diverse genus with many species. Adult splitnose rockfish live in deep water — usually 100 to 350 meters — but juveniles often settle in nearshore habi- tats less than 20 meters deep after spending up to a year in the open sea. O REGON S TATE P ARKS Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) now has a new line of gift gear designed to add style and function to any outdoor adventure at www. OregonState ParksStore.com. “We are excited to announce our first line of products featur- ing the state park shield,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption. “The shield represents all state parks, and it's a symbol that Oregonians take pride in. It’s one of the most recognized and happiest symbols in Oregon.” An interesting and eclectic, selection of gift gear awaits shoppers. Browse for essentials like baseball caps, water bot- tles, portable coolers, a pocket Taking into account dynamic influences such as the California current, siblings recruiting to the same area sug- gest they remained close together as larvae rather than diffusing randomly and then reconnecting as recruits. “This totally changes the way we understand dispersal,” said lead author Daniel Ottmann, a graduate student in integrative biology at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. “We’d thought larvae were just released and then largely diffused by currents, but now we know behavior can substantially modify that.” Splitnose rockfish range from Alaska to Baja California and can live for more than 100 years. Pelagic juveniles — juveniles in the open sea — often aggregate to drifting mats of kelp, and the large amount of time larvae and juveniles spend at open sea is thought to enable them to disperse great distances from their parental source. “This research gives us a window into a stage of the fish- es’ life we know so little about,” added Kirsten Grorud- Colvert, an assistant professor of integrative biology at OSU’s Corvallis campus. “We can’t track the larvae out there in the ocean; we can’t look at their behavior early and see where they go. But this genetic tech- nique allows us to look at how they disperse, and it changes the conversation. “Now that we know that sib- lings are ending up in the same places, we can consider how to more effectively manage and protect these species.” Because larval aggregation shapes the dispersal process more than previously thought, Ottmann said, it highlights the need to better understand what happens in the pelagic ocean to affect the growth, survival and dispersal of the larvae. “Successful recruitment is critical for the population dynamics of most marine species,” he said. “Our findings have far-reaching implications for our understanding of how populations are connected by dispersing larvae.” In addition, Grorud-Colvert adds, there’s the simple and substantial “gee whiz” factor of the findings. “These tiny little fish, a few days old, out there in the humongous ocean, instead of just going wherever are able to swim and stay close together on their epic journey,” she said. “These tiny, tiny things, stick- ing together in the open ocean — it’s cool.” LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE HOLIDAY GIFT SITE knife, a picnic blanket and even a set of telescoping skewers for toasting marshmallows. Stocking stuffer items include a collapsible solar lantern, a portable pet food bowl, reusable eating utensils and a full color Oregon State Park shield key chain that dou- bles as a dog tag. For the kids, the state park mascot J.R. Beaver is featured on several items: a hat, a light- weight stainless steel water bot- tle, a colorful cinch sack and a special polar fleece hoodie. OPRD has also created a sig- nature set of three flying discs that show the location of OPRD’s nine courses through- out the state. The discs come with a spe- cial carrying satchel that holds up to six discs and a water bot- tle. The Gift Gear campaign will rotate new items onto the web- site as they become available. “This is an experiment,” Sumption said. “We want to get a feel for what our visitors like, and what kind of demand exists for parks-branded items.” Merchandise is on sale now but supplies are limited. Purchases can be made only through the Oregon State Parks’ store or by calling 1- 800-551-6949. GYPSY Rodger Bennett Photographer WIND CLOTHING CO. Black Friday/Small Business Saturday Blow Out Sale!!! Legacy Portraiture CCB# 55030 (541) 991-0777 rodger97439@msn.com Stop by for coffee & cookies and pick up an ornament to help a local High School teen in need of necessities. Old Town Florence 1780 Kingwood St. 1/2 block off Bay Street behind Bridgewater Restaurant 541-997-8526 Gift Certificates PORT HOLE PUBLISHING for the Florence Events Center We are your gift giving headquarters 179 Laurel Street, Suite D FLORENCE LET US PUBLISH YOUR BOOK To purchase – simply drop by the box office Monday to Friday between PORT HOLE BOOKS 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM 77567 Hwy. 101 • GARDINER entire store!! (Except Shawls) 16th Annual ʻTree of Givingʼ ready November 28th. Looking for a unique gift this holiday season? 40% OFF 715 Quince St * Florence, OR * 541-997-1994 PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Volunteers Gift Shop Gift Certificates are good for redeption for any ticketed show at the FEC for one year from purchase. Open Monday - Friday 10am-4pm Always the perfect gift! NEW-USED-RARE! WE HAVE IT ALL! Best-Selling Author, Ellen Traylor, Owner/Publisher 541-999-5725 portholebooks.com • portholepublications.com DONATE NOW! Maximize your donation by donating to Cars for a Cause by Dec. 31st. We accept cars, trucks, RVs, boats & motorcycles CALL NOW! •Helps those in need in Lane County • Charitable donation •We do all the paperwork St. Vincent de Paul 2315 Hwy. 101 • Florence • 541-997-8460 541-997-8412 ext. 209 Sotheby’s, eBay Master Dealer and Appraiser for Discovery.com PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Volunteers Christmas Gift List Toys • Books Clothing Houseware Furniture Gift Certifi cates St. Vincent DePaul’s 10% Off Anything in our gift shop! TARNISHED THREADS features unique handmade gifts, vintage Santas and a variety of handmade candles, soaps, and jewelry! 790 North Bayshore Drive Coos Bay, OR 97420 541-297-1928 2315 Hwy 101 541-997-8460 Open Daily V O I C E Y O U R O P I N I O N ! • Write a Letter to the Editor: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CORVALLIS — A splitnose rockfish’s thousands of tiny offspring can stick together in sibling groups from the time they are released into the open ocean until they move to shal- lower water, research from Oregon State University shows. The study conducted in the OSU College of Science sheds new light on how rockfish, a group of multiple species that contribute to important com- mercial and recreational fish- eries in the Northwest, disperse through the ocean and “recruit” — or take up residence in — nearshore habitats. Previously it was believed rockfish larvae dispersed chaotically to wher- ever currents carried them. “When you manage popula- tions, it’s really important to understand where the young are going to and where the young are coming from – how popula-
