Aquarius Aquanauts Study Chemical Warfare on Coral Reefs to Reveal Secrets of Se

November 30, 2004

Aquarius Aquanauts Study Chemical Warfare on Coral Reefs to Reveal Secrets of Seaweed and Fish Ecology

Key Largo, Florida – The last Aquarius undersea laboratory science mission of 2004 will study how reef plants and corals use chemical defenses to ward off predators.

The six-person crew is led by Deron Burkepile, Georgia Institute of Technology. He is joined by Alex Chequer, Brock Woodson, and John Parker all of the Georgia Tech School of Biology. Dr. Mark Hay of the Georgia Institute of Technology is the principal investigator for the mission and will be overseeing the project from the surface. UNCW habitat technicians include Jay Styron and Thor Dunmire, who provide operational support inside Aquarius for the mission.

HayÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s team will use their experience in marine ecology and chemical ecology to investigate how grazers, specifically parrotfish and surgeonfish, affect seaweeds and corals in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Using Aquarius gives Hay and his colleagues an ideal platform from which to set up their experiments and to make observations. Said Hay, “Twenty years ago I used an underwater lab called Hydrolab (the predecessor to Aquarius) to discover how some seaweeds escaped and deterred herbivores (animals that eat plants) by a combination of growing at night and producing toxic chemicals. Aquarius will allow us to live on the ocean floor and be more constantly connected with our favorite marine system than any other humans on earth. Who could ask for more?”

Owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and operated by UNCW, Aquarius is a unique national asset – it is the only undersea research platform of its kind in the world. It rests in a sand patch surrounded by coral reefs, 63 feet deep, and 3.5 miles offshore at Conch Reef. Aquarius “aquanauts” live and work on the seafloor for extended periods using a special SCUBA diving technique called saturation diving that provides nearly unlimited bottom time to conduct scientific studies. Mr. Otto Rutten, associate director of the NOAAÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s Undersea Research Center at UNCW, said, “WeÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ve had another successful mission year and we are happy to have Dr. Hay continue his exciting research with us. The Hay group always work hard to take full advantage of Aquarius capabilities, while enjoying life in this unique marine ecosystem”.

At first glance, seaweeds appear to be ripe food items for grazing fishes, but looks can be deceiving. Many seaweeds produce chemicals or construct hard calcium carbonate skeletons that protect them from grazing. The chemicals essentially make the seaweeds taste bad. Hard calcium carbonate skeletons can either make it difficult to take bites or the mineral can disrupt fish digestion. Hay added, “Herbivory on undisturbed coral reefs is more intense than in any other habitat; time-lapse movies have shown that fishes may

bite small areas of the bottom more than 100,000 times a day. The seaweeds that persist in the face of this tremendous grazing pressure are among the best defended of all plants.”

The aquanauts will conduct experiments to determine if common grazing fishes prefer certain types of seaweeds, and if mixes of grazing fish species (some resistant to chemical defenses and others resistant to calcification) are critical to prevent seaweeds from overgrowing corals. If herbivores differ considerably in their responses to seaweed defenses, then some herbivores, or mixes of herbivores, could be crucial to maintaining ecosystem function by preventing seaweeds from overgrowing and smothering live corals.

During each Aquarius mission, anyone with Internet access can watch live web cameras, read expedition journals from the aquanauts, view project summaries and pictures, and much more at the NURC/UNCW Aquarius website: www.uncw.edu/aquarius . Also during this mission, one outreach event will take place. On Monday November 15 Discovery ChannelÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s Animal Planet will interview Dr. Hay inside Aquarius.

Aquarius Aquanauts Study Chemical Warfare on Coral Reefs to Reveal Secrets of Seaweed and Fish Ecology

Key Largo, Florida – The last Aquarius undersea laboratory science mission of 2004 will study how reef plants and corals use chemical defenses to ward off predators.

bite small areas of the bottom more than 100,000 times a day. The seaweeds that persist in the face of this tremendous grazing pressure are among the best defended of all plants.”

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Introducing the New NAVCEN Maritime Safety Information Application!

Dear Users of the Marine Transportation System,

We’re excited to announce the launch of the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center’s new Maritime Safety Information (MSI) Application! This enhanced platform is designed to improve your access to critical navigation safety information, including Local Notices to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists.

Key Features of the New MSI Application:
• Near-Real-Time Updates: Stay informed with the latest changes and updates.
• GIS Display: Visualize navigation information directly on an interactive map.
• Customizable Searches: Narrow your searches to focus on specific waterways or regions of interest.

The application is available now and ready to support safer, more efficient maritime operations.

Access the New MSI Application:
Click HERE to explore the platform and take advantage of its features.

We’re committed to ensuring mariners have the tools and information they need to navigate safely and effectively. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

NAVCEN’s Upgraded LNM & Light List Application Launching the Week of December 2nd

During the week of December 2nd, the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) will launch its updated Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light List application. The application will feature GIS-based tools, customizable downloads, and GeoJSON integration for enhanced maritime safety information.

The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) is excited to announce the launch of its updated Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light List application during the week of December 2nd, reaffirming our commitment to enhancing access to critical maritime safety information.

This upgraded application allows users to download and print LNMs for entire Coast Guard Districts or define their own area of interest using the GIS tools to zoom in and access localized data. The form section enables users to organize and sort LNMs by waterway or category. For programmatic integration, GeoJSON files will be available to download for data ingestion into other applications.

We sincerely appreciate your patience and are confident this enhanced version will better serve the diverse needs of the maritime community.

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center announces upcoming changes to the Local Notice
to Mariners (LNM) and the Light List, as part of our efforts to modernize and improve the
accessibility, accuracy, and overall user experience for mariners and other stakeholders.

What Is Changing?

1. Transition From Paper Charts: In January 2025, NOAA will discontinue the production
of all paper charts. In alignment with this change, the Coast Guard will transition from
using NOAA Paper Chart Numbers and Editions/Dates for disseminating Marine Safety
Information (MSI) to using Official Waterway Names.

2. How You Will Access LNMs and Light Lists: The LNM and Light List data will now be
available in a geospatial format, which will allow you to visualize information interactively
on a map/chart. You can use your mouse wheel or the +/- buttons in the upper left portion
of the screen to zoom in or out and navigate to your desired area on the map/chart. Once
the area is displayed, you can generate a PDF of the LNM or Light List for that specific area,
which you can then save and/or print. Alternatively, you can use a fillable form on our
website to select your waterway by name from the Light List and generate the LNM or Light
List.

3. LNM and Light List Data Refresh Rate: LNM data will be refreshed every fifteen
minutes. Light List data will be refreshed every 24 hours. This will give you a much more up-to-
date operating picture, designed to enhance your efficiency and improve safety in your
area of transit or planned routes.

4. Elimination of Weekly Files: Weekly LNMs, Weekly Light List Correction Files, Daily
Discrepancy Files, and the Summary of Light List Changes will no longer be published to
focus on providing the most up-to-date and accessible format. In the near future, we will
also publish an Application Programming Interface (API) for interested parties to access the
data externally.

Why Are These Changes Being Made?
The modernization of MSI delivery is designed to improve the U.S. Coast Guard’s aid-to-navigation
data management and dissemination capabilities. By providing frequent
updates, geospatial visualization, and digital access, we hope to achieve our goals of:
• Enhancing Maritime Safety: By delivering the most current and precise information,
mariners can make better-informed decisions, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring
safer navigation.
• Improving Accessibility: The shift to geospatial visualization makes it easier for all users,
from commercial mariners to recreational boaters, to stay informed.
• Increasing Efficiency: The integration of LNM and Light List data into a geospatial format
to simplify the gathering of safety information and facilitate easy route planning.
When Will These Changes Take Effect?
The transition to the modernized LNM and Light List platform (the Navigation Center
website) will be completed by Monday, October 21st.
How to Access the New Features?
Starting October 21st, 2024, you will be able to access the updated Local Notice to
Mariners (LNM) and Light List through the NAVCEN website, with a User Guide available to
assist you. While legacy versions of these products will no longer be produced or posted
after October 31st, previously available versions will remain accessible for download
indefinitely. Additionally, users can now generate updated LNMs in real time, with data
refreshed every 15 minutes.

For any questions or assistance, please visit our Contact Us page, select ‘LNMs or Light
Lists’ from the Subject dropdown, and submit your inquiry.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to enhance the safety and efficiency of
maritime navigation.

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (www.navcen.uscg.gov)

LNM/Light List Application Delay

Good Day,

Availability of the modernized Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) and Light List (LL) application will be delayed beyond the scheduled 30 September 2024 launch date as a result of Hurricane Helene.

The following legacy products will remain available on the NAVCEN website until 31 October to ensure customers maintain uninterrupted access to MSI products during the transition:

Weekly Local Notices to Mariners (pdf)
Light Lists (pdf)
Daily LNM Discrepancies and Temporary Changes (XML)
Weekly Light List files (PDF, XML)

We are working diligently to reschedule the application’s launch and will provide an update with the new release date as soon as it becomes available.

For questions or comments, you may contact us via our contact us page (please select “LNMs or Light Lists” from the Subject pull-down menu).

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Sincerely,
Navigation Center
U.S. Coast Guard
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

Notice: Changes to the USCG Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists

The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center announces upcoming changes to the Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and the Light List, as part of our efforts to modernize and improve the accessibility, accuracy, and overall user experience for mariners and other stakeholders.

What Is Changing?

Transition From Paper Charts: In January 2025, NOAA will discontinue the production of all paper charts. In alignment with this change, the Coast Guard will transition from using NOAA Paper Chart Numbers and Editions/Dates for disseminating Marine Safety Information (MSI) to using Official Waterway Names.
How You Will Access LNMs and Light Lists: The LNM and Light List data will now be available in a geospatial format, which will allow you to visualize information interactively on a map/chart. You can use your mouse wheel or the +/- buttons in the upper left portion of the screen to zoom in or out and navigate to your desired area on the map/chart. Once the area is displayed, you can generate a PDF of the LNM or Light List for that specific area, which you can then save and/or print. Alternatively, you can use a fillable form on our website to select your waterway by name from the Light List and generate the LNM or Light List.
LNM and Light List Data Refresh Rate: LNM data will be refreshed every fifteen minutes. Light List data will be refreshed every 24 hours. This will give you a much more up-to-date operating picture, designed to enhance your efficiency and improve safety in your area of transit or planned routes.
Elimination of Weekly Files: Weekly LNMs, Weekly Light List Correction Files, Daily Discrepancy Files, and the Summary of Light List Changes will no longer be published to focus on providing the most up-to-date and accessible format. In the near future, we will also publish an Application Programming Interface (API) for interested parties to access the data externally.

Why Are These Changes Being Made?

The modernization of MSI delivery is designed to improve the U.S. Coast Guard’s aid-to-navigation data management and dissemination capabilities. By providing frequent updates, geospatial visualization, and digital access, we hope to achieve our goals of:

Enhancing Maritime Safety: By delivering the most current and precise information, mariners can make better-informed decisions, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring safer navigation.
Improving Accessibility: The shift to geospatial visualization makes it easier for all users, from commercial mariners to recreational boaters, to stay informed.
Increasing Efficiency: The integration of LNM and Light List data into a geospatial format to simplify the gathering of safety information and facilitate easy route planning.

When Will These Changes Take Effect?

The transition to the modernized LNM and Light List platform (the Navigation Center website) will be completed by Monday, September 30^th.

How to Access the New Features?

Starting on September 30^th, 2024, you will be able to access the updated LNM and Light List through the NAVCEN website. A User Guide will be available on the NAVCEN website. Customers will still have the ability to download legacy versions of these products until October 21st.

For any questions or assistance, please visit our Contact Us Page, select ‘LNMs or Light Lists’ from the Subject dropdown, and submit your inquiry.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to improve the safety and efficiency of maritime navigation.

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (www.navcen.uscg.gov)

Navigation Center Website Survey Request

We are eager to understand the primary reason for your visit to the Navigation Center website and how you use it, whether for recreational boating, professional purposes, data requests, educational reasons, or otherwise. Your feedback on the website’s ease of use, ability to find information, and if it’s your primary source for navigation-related information is crucial. We are committed to improving your experience and welcome any suggestions to enhance the site’s usability, information accessibility, and overall efficiency. Your insights are invaluable in helping us better meet your navigation needs.

Survey: Navigation Center Website Feedback Survey (surveymonkey.com)

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center Website Customer Feedback Survey Privacy Notice

Authority: 14 U.S.C. §504; 14 U.S.C §505; and Executive Order 12862.

Purpose: To collect data that will be used to analyze and determine the kind and quality of services customers want and expect, as well as their satisfaction with U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center services. To maintain confidentiality, respondents are advised not to include any personally identifiable information in their responses.

Routine Uses: This survey solicits information that the Coast Guard will use to gauge feedback and improve overall customer service. DHS/ALL/PIA-069 DHS Surveys, Interviews, and Focus Groups provides coverage for this collection.