Jessica Glass - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jessica Glass

Marine and Coastal Fisheries, 2017

Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosys... more Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosystem function and health and as indicators of ecosystem change. Benthic communities are receiving increasing attention as institutions adopt ecosystem-oriented research approaches. We conducted a multidecadal analysis of benthic communities in areas targeted by a commercial weathervane scallop Patinopecten caurinus fishery on the continental shelf off Alaska. Using bycatch data collected by onboard observers during 1996-2012, we analyzed spatiotemporal patterns in community composition on weathervane scallop beds. We also explored whether spatiotemporal differences were related to environmental (sediment and depth) and anthropogenic (dredging effort) variables. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) temporal changes in community composition occurred during 1996-2012, with a split between 1996 and 1999 and subsequent years. Taxa contributing to temporal changes were not consistent across fishery registration areas. Significant spatial differences in community structure were detected both at the scale of registration areas (200-2,000 km) and individual scallop beds (<50 km). We also found significant correlations between benthic species composition and environmental and anthropogenic variables over space and time. Although the relationships were generally weak, the ecological associations were consistent with expected depth and sediment relationships in this region. Our results are directly relevant to the habitat objective of the scallop fishery management plan, inform essential fish habitat designations for weathervane scallops and other commercially important species, and serve as a baseline against which to compare future changes associated with fishing and climate change. Ensuing research should include the collection of environmental data at the spatial scale of individual scallop beds as well as controlled experiments on the impacts of fishing on benthic communities and their recovery.

Journal of Field Ornithology, 2015

Riparian zones often provide more food or nesting resources than surrounding ecosystems and thus ... more Riparian zones often provide more food or nesting resources than surrounding ecosystems and thus support more species or a greater abundance of birds. However, the extent to which the positive effects of riparian zones extend into adjoining habitats has rarely been investigated. We examined bird species richness and abundance in aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands of the upper East River Valley in Colorado, a region with extensive stands of aspen located upslope from riparian zones dominated by willows (Salix spp.). Our objective was to determine how species richness and abundance in aspen stands located closer to riparian zones compared to that of aspen stands farther away. To control for elevation effects, we conducted point counts for birds and examined the effects of riparian proximity on avian species richness and abundance in three elevation belts (low, 2840-2875 m; middle, 2940-2960 m; and high, 3040-3060 m). We determined riparian proximity by measuring distances from each census site to the nearest body of water and to the nearest patch of willow. Proximity to major willow patches (ࣙ6500 m 2 ) had a stronger influence on species richness and abundance than did proximity to water or smaller patches of willows. Total species richness and abundance significantly increased with proximity to major willow patches at low elevation sites only. This relationship was driven by a greater prevalence of riparian-nesting species at lower elevation sites, where aspens were generally closer to riparian zones. The positive effects of willows diminished with abrupt changes in elevation. Our results highlight the importance of protecting willows around riparian zones in valley bottoms where habitat destruction caused by human land use is most prominent. C 2015 Association of Field Ornithologists

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2015

We conducted a socioeconomic assessment of the commercial weathervane scallop (Patinopecten cauri... more We conducted a socioeconomic assessment of the commercial weathervane scallop (Patinopecten caurinus) fishery off Alaska. The research was structured within the framework of an SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, a strategy commonly used to analyze the internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) components of an industry. Specifically, we focused on five categories: social, technological, economic, environmental, and regulatory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had detailed knowledge of the fishery, including industry members, fishery managers, biologists, and members of coastal communities who interact with the fishery. We addressed topics such as attitudes of the Alaskan public towards scallop dredging, impacts of the scallop industry on Alaskan coastal communities, market influences of U.S. east coast and imported scallops, changes in the management of the fishery, and a number of environmental considerations. Several unifying opinions emerged from this study, including a lack of awareness of the fishery in many Alaskan communities and fears about rising fuel costs and diminishing harvest levels. Whereas the data-poor status of the stock appears to be the fishery's biggest weakness, the greatest strengths come in the form of conservative management, industry self-regulation, and the small footprint of the fishery. Impending threats include stock decline, unknown long-term detrimental effects of dredging, and changes in the management and structure of the fishery with the sunset of the State of Alaska's limited entry permit program. Most participants consider the fishery to be managed sustainably, although lack of data on scallop recruitment and abundance is a large concern. This analysis provides relevant information to both fishery managers and scallop industry members to contribute to the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the scallop fishery.

Accounts of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) preserved so well in ice that their meat is s... more Accounts of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) preserved so well in ice that their meat is still edible have a long history of intriguing the public and influencing paleontological thought on Quaternary extinctions and climate, with some scientists resorting to catastro-phism to explain the instantaneous freezing necessary to preserve edible meat. Famously, members of The Explorers Club purportedly dined on frozen mammoth from Alaska, USA, in 1951. This event, well received by the press and general public, became an enduring legend for the Club and popularized the notorious annual tradition of serving rare and exotic food at Club dinners that continues to this day. The Yale Peabody Museum holds a sample of meat preserved from the 1951 meal, interestingly labeled as a South American giant ground sloth (Megatherium), not mammoth. We sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene and studied archival material to verify its identity, which if genuine, would extend the range of Megatherium over 600% and alter our views on ground sloth evolution. Our results indicate that the meat was not mammoth or Megatherium but green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The prehistoric dinner was likely an elaborate publicity stunt. Our study emphasizes the value of museums collecting and curating voucher specimens, particularly those used for evidence of extraordinary claims.

Marine and Coastal Fisheries, 2017

Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosys... more Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosystem function and health and as indicators of ecosystem change. Benthic communities are receiving increasing attention as institutions adopt ecosystem-oriented research approaches. We conducted a multidecadal analysis of benthic communities in areas targeted by a commercial weathervane scallop Patinopecten caurinus fishery on the continental shelf off Alaska. Using bycatch data collected by onboard observers during 1996-2012, we analyzed spatiotemporal patterns in community composition on weathervane scallop beds. We also explored whether spatiotemporal differences were related to environmental (sediment and depth) and anthropogenic (dredging effort) variables. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) temporal changes in community composition occurred during 1996-2012, with a split between 1996 and 1999 and subsequent years. Taxa contributing to temporal changes were not consistent across fishery registration areas. Significant spatial differences in community structure were detected both at the scale of registration areas (200-2,000 km) and individual scallop beds (<50 km). We also found significant correlations between benthic species composition and environmental and anthropogenic variables over space and time. Although the relationships were generally weak, the ecological associations were consistent with expected depth and sediment relationships in this region. Our results are directly relevant to the habitat objective of the scallop fishery management plan, inform essential fish habitat designations for weathervane scallops and other commercially important species, and serve as a baseline against which to compare future changes associated with fishing and climate change. Ensuing research should include the collection of environmental data at the spatial scale of individual scallop beds as well as controlled experiments on the impacts of fishing on benthic communities and their recovery.

Journal of Field Ornithology, 2015

Riparian zones often provide more food or nesting resources than surrounding ecosystems and thus ... more Riparian zones often provide more food or nesting resources than surrounding ecosystems and thus support more species or a greater abundance of birds. However, the extent to which the positive effects of riparian zones extend into adjoining habitats has rarely been investigated. We examined bird species richness and abundance in aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands of the upper East River Valley in Colorado, a region with extensive stands of aspen located upslope from riparian zones dominated by willows (Salix spp.). Our objective was to determine how species richness and abundance in aspen stands located closer to riparian zones compared to that of aspen stands farther away. To control for elevation effects, we conducted point counts for birds and examined the effects of riparian proximity on avian species richness and abundance in three elevation belts (low, 2840-2875 m; middle, 2940-2960 m; and high, 3040-3060 m). We determined riparian proximity by measuring distances from each census site to the nearest body of water and to the nearest patch of willow. Proximity to major willow patches (ࣙ6500 m 2 ) had a stronger influence on species richness and abundance than did proximity to water or smaller patches of willows. Total species richness and abundance significantly increased with proximity to major willow patches at low elevation sites only. This relationship was driven by a greater prevalence of riparian-nesting species at lower elevation sites, where aspens were generally closer to riparian zones. The positive effects of willows diminished with abrupt changes in elevation. Our results highlight the importance of protecting willows around riparian zones in valley bottoms where habitat destruction caused by human land use is most prominent. C 2015 Association of Field Ornithologists

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2015

We conducted a socioeconomic assessment of the commercial weathervane scallop (Patinopecten cauri... more We conducted a socioeconomic assessment of the commercial weathervane scallop (Patinopecten caurinus) fishery off Alaska. The research was structured within the framework of an SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, a strategy commonly used to analyze the internal (strengths, weaknesses) and external (opportunities, threats) components of an industry. Specifically, we focused on five categories: social, technological, economic, environmental, and regulatory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had detailed knowledge of the fishery, including industry members, fishery managers, biologists, and members of coastal communities who interact with the fishery. We addressed topics such as attitudes of the Alaskan public towards scallop dredging, impacts of the scallop industry on Alaskan coastal communities, market influences of U.S. east coast and imported scallops, changes in the management of the fishery, and a number of environmental considerations. Several unifying opinions emerged from this study, including a lack of awareness of the fishery in many Alaskan communities and fears about rising fuel costs and diminishing harvest levels. Whereas the data-poor status of the stock appears to be the fishery's biggest weakness, the greatest strengths come in the form of conservative management, industry self-regulation, and the small footprint of the fishery. Impending threats include stock decline, unknown long-term detrimental effects of dredging, and changes in the management and structure of the fishery with the sunset of the State of Alaska's limited entry permit program. Most participants consider the fishery to be managed sustainably, although lack of data on scallop recruitment and abundance is a large concern. This analysis provides relevant information to both fishery managers and scallop industry members to contribute to the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the scallop fishery.

Accounts of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) preserved so well in ice that their meat is s... more Accounts of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) preserved so well in ice that their meat is still edible have a long history of intriguing the public and influencing paleontological thought on Quaternary extinctions and climate, with some scientists resorting to catastro-phism to explain the instantaneous freezing necessary to preserve edible meat. Famously, members of The Explorers Club purportedly dined on frozen mammoth from Alaska, USA, in 1951. This event, well received by the press and general public, became an enduring legend for the Club and popularized the notorious annual tradition of serving rare and exotic food at Club dinners that continues to this day. The Yale Peabody Museum holds a sample of meat preserved from the 1951 meal, interestingly labeled as a South American giant ground sloth (Megatherium), not mammoth. We sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene and studied archival material to verify its identity, which if genuine, would extend the range of Megatherium over 600% and alter our views on ground sloth evolution. Our results indicate that the meat was not mammoth or Megatherium but green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The prehistoric dinner was likely an elaborate publicity stunt. Our study emphasizes the value of museums collecting and curating voucher specimens, particularly those used for evidence of extraordinary claims.