Browsing by Author "Gaynor, John"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Assessing the Biological Control of Atlantic Bay Nettles (Chrysaora chesapeakei) by Nudibranchs
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2020-01-08) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John; Restiano, Dana
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    Assessing the impacts of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station and its Closure on Gelatinous Zooplankton and Planktonic Community Structure
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, 2023-04) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John; Meredith, Robert; Schuler, Matthew
    For the last decade we have been monitoring and investigating the gelatinous zooplankton community in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. During this time frame, Barnegat Bay was severely impacted by Superstorm Sandy, which directly impacted the density of the top predator the Bay Nettle (Chrysaora chesapeakei), allowing a more diverse community of gelatinous zooplankton species to flourish after the storm. In addition, the operation of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS) has put significant stresses on the health of Barnegat Bay for over 50 years through direct destruction of planktonic organisms, redirection of water flow used in cooling the plant, and a chronic thermal stress. This research looked at determining the changes associated with the closure of the plant on the zooplankton community to assess whether the closure resulted in improved ecological conditions to support the recovery of Barnegat Bay after this chronic stress.
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    Assessment of clinging jellyfish Gonionemus vertens populations in New Jersey 2016 - 2020
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2022-05-03) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John; Restaino, Dena; Rigby, Matthew
    Gonionemus vertens (Clinging Jellyfish) is a species of small hydrozoan native to the Pacific Ocean. In 2016, it appeared in New Jersey with the first individual being documented from the Manasquan Canal and subsequent individuals collected in the Shrewsbury River Estuary. Research regarding the distribution of G. vertens was conducted during the summers of 2016 and 2017 in northern Barnegat Bay, the Manasquan River, and the Shrewsbury River Estuary. While the first individual G. vertens confirmed was from the Manasquan Inlet, no other individuals were ever collected from this region nor in the northern reaches of Barnegat Bay. All individuals, including recruiting polyps, were identified from the Shrewsbury River Estuary (54 individual G. vertens medusae were collected in 2016 and 218 collected in 2017). In both years, individual polyps were collected on JADs (Jellyfish Attracting Devices), but no large-scale larval recruitment of polyps was observed, as only one single individual polyp was on a JAD during 2016 and 2017. Subsequent laboratory observations of polyp development from larvae suggest it often takes 3 to 4 months for polyps to fully develop, so it is probable that the polyps from the field JADs likely had merely climbed onto the JAD surface and were not actively recruiting there. It is clear that a well-defined population exists in the Shrewsbury River and continued blooms in the late spring and early summer are expected in the future. Since no other individuals were collected in the Manasquan and Barnegat Bay estuaries after the first individual was observed, it is unclear as to whether that observation was anomalous or whether another population remains in this area, but is not actively blooming. During surveys of the Manasquan River a large, viable eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed was identified near the original collection site of the first G. vertens, so the preferred habitat for G. vertens is present, however the abundant populations in the Shrewsbury River are using macroalgae as habitat, so both algae and seagrass are viable habitat for G. vertens.
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    Assessment of the Distribution and Abundance of Stinging Sea Nettles (Jellyfish) in Barnegat Bay
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Environmental Health, 2013) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John
    During the 2012 field season, we collected samples from 16 sites in Barnegat Bay to assess the distribution of gelatinous zooplankton, with emphasis on all life history stages of sea nettles (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) and potential impacts on the pelagic zooplankton communities. During the research, 384 plankton tow samples were collected, 1152 filtered water samples were collected, and approximately 1394 lift net samples were collected during eight sampling events commencing in May and concluding in September.
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    Impacts of Invasive Sea Nettles (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) and Ctenophores on Planktonic Community Structure and Bloom Prediction of Sea Nettles Using Molecular Techniques : Final Project Report
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Environmental Health, 2016-02) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John; Meredith, Robert
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    Impacts of Invasive Sea Nettles (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) and Ctenophores on Planktonic Community Structure and Bloom Prediction of Sea Nettles Using Molecular Techniques : Final Report 2013
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Environmental Health, 2015-06) Bologna, Paul; Gaynor, John; Meredith, Robert