Loch Fyne Research Articles

First recorded ice entrapment of a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in east Greenland

Beluga whales are rare along the coast of east Greenland and the closest recognized stock occurs around Svalbard. Here we report on an ice entrapment of an adult beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in north-east Greenland. The whale was observed entrapped in the fast ice on 21 April 2023 in Loch Fyne (73°54’N, 21°51’W) during a visual aerial survey for polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The whale was located >100 km from open water (i.e., pack ice) and appeared in poor body condition. A literature review back to the early 1900s failed to produce any other records of beluga whale ice entrapments in east Greenland.

Glen Harrison Lowther

Glen Harrison Lowther had a profound effect on the lives of the thousands of patients he cared for, and his legacy continues. Raised and educated in Glasgow, this proud Scot...

Revitalising rural Scotland: Loch Fyne, branding and belonging

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. It seeks to explore the relationship between place branding in rural areas and community building. Furthermore, the paper advances the growing body of work, that examines the role of events in destination revitalisation and competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach The methodological approach stems from the Chicago School of Sociology, and visual methodologies. The ethnographic fieldwork consisted of purposeful conversations with event organisers, social interactions with members of the local community and other event attendees, field notes and photographs. Findings The Loch Fyne Food Fair in Argyll and Bute highlights a manifold disjuncture between place marketing and place branding, which, in turn, reflects the different approaches to how cities and rural areas seek to remain competitive. The authenticity of the brand, as signalled through image and language, is a key feature of the event’s success, as is the creation of a welcoming and inclusive “third place” environment. The interdependence between the aesthetic, escapist, educational and entertainment realms of the Fair experience have helped to secure the loyalty of visitors and locals, alike. Originality/value The paper offers practical insights into the ways in which place branding can be deployed to sustain a successful rural event and extends knowledge of the status of events and festivals as third places. The case study demonstrates how paying careful attention to the elements of the experience economy can enrich the distinctiveness of a rural event.

Environmental control of harmful dinoflagellates and diatoms in a fjordic system

Fjordic coastlines provide an ideal protected environment for both finfish and shellfish aquaculture operations. This study reports the results of a cruise to the Scottish Clyde Sea, and associated fjordic sea lochs, that coincided with blooms of the diarrhetic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuta and the diatom genus Chaetoceros, that can generate finfish mortalities. Unusually, D. acuta reached one order of magnitude higher cell abundance in the water column (2840cellsL−1) than the more common Dinophysis acuminata (200cellsL−1) and was linked with elevated shellfish toxicity (maximum 601±237μg OA eq/kg shellfish flesh) which caused shellfish harvesting closures in the region. Significant correlations between D. acuta abundance and that of Mesodinium rubrum were also observed across the cruise transect potentially supporting bloom formation of the mixotrophic D. acuta. Significant spatial variability in phytoplankton that was related to physical characteristics of the water column was observed, with a temperature-driven frontal region at the mouth of Loch Fyne being important in the development of the D. acuta, but not the Chaetoceros bloom. The front also provided important protection to the aquaculture located within the loch, with neither of the blooms encroaching within it. Analysis based on a particle-tracking model confirms the importance of the front to cell transport and shows significant inter-annual differences in advection within the region, that are important to the harmful algal bloom risk therein.

Morphological and mechanical properties of blades of Saccharina latissima

Interactions between water flow and aquatic vegetation strongly depend on morphological and biomechanical characteristics of vegetation. Although any physical or numerical model that aims to replicate flow-vegetation interactions requires these characteristics, information on morphology and mechanics of vegetation living in coastal waters remains insufficient. The present study investigates the mechanical properties of blades of Saccharina latissima, a seaweed species spread along the shores of the UK and North East Atlantic. More than 50 seaweed samples with lengths spanning from 150 mm to 650 mm were collected from Loch Fyne (Scotland) and tested. Seaweed blades had a natural ‘stretched droplet’ shape with bullations in the central fascia and ruffled edges in the area close to the stipe. Their morphological features showed high variability for samples longer than 400 mm. The blades were almost neutrally buoyant, their material was found to be very flexible and ductile, being stiffer in longer blades. The laboratory tests showed that estimates of tensile Young's modulus appeared to be similar to bending Young's modulus suggesting a reasonable degree of isotropy in studied seaweed tissues.

An exploration of place and its representations: an intertextual/ dialogical reading of the photographs of AB Ovenstone and the novel Gillespie by John MacDougall Hay.

“An intertextual/ dialogical reading of place through photography and fiction”
 
 The article is an exploration of place and its representations based on the intertextual reading of a series of photographs (1880-82) of Tarbert, Loch Fyne by Andrew Begbie Ovenstone (1851-1935) and the dialogical reading of a novel, Gillespie (1914), by John MacDougall Hay (1881-1919) which is set in Tarbert. The proposed article is inspired by a sense that a semiotic approach to the subject will reveal far more than has been discovered within the tradition of hermeneutics and patrimony and that much will be gained by a study of the contrast between written and visual signifiers.
 
 The article raises questions about the (unexamined) coded readings of place especially in relation to the photograph, and the lack of an adequately theorized tradition for the novel. The literary text is well known - if not well understood - but the images are from a rare, unpublished, private collection of photographs from Scotland, India and the furthest reaches of Empire (Ovenstone was the Atlantic Freight Manager of Anchor Line Ltd, the Glasgow shipping company).
 
 The paper emphasizes the need for the use of codes to decipher the texts. When we “read” the photographs we need to be aware of the intertextual relationship between the photograph and the landscape painting tradition as well as the common practice of the created tableau – there is then overlaid upon the image the sense of a set of conventions, a system which operates much like a language. We are able to discover through the notion of the “long quotation from appearances” the potential for more complex “synchronic” readings. Likewise, in the case of Gillespie, the novel operates within a genre which determines a “reading”. When we are aware of a code, we become aware of the way that Hay manoeuvres adroitly to thwart the reader’s best efforts to settle upon a preferred reading – especially one shaped by an authoritative narrator - which thereby allows for the genuine experience of “heteroglossia” to emerge. The notion of truth in Gillespie is interrogated in the light of Heidegger’s essay “The Origins of a Work of Art” in order that the relationship between representation and reality be clarified.

Some Cocconeis species (Bacillariophyceae) originally described by William Gregory and Robert Kaye Greville from the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne (Scotland)

Some Cocconeis species (Bacillariophyceae) originally described by William Gregory and Robert Kaye Greville from the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne (Scotland)

Connectivity modelling and network analysis of sea lice infection in Loch Fyne, west coast of Scotland

AEI Aquaculture Environment Interactions Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AEI 3:51-63 (2012) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00052 Connectivity modelling and network analysis of sea lice infection in Loch Fyne, west coast of Scotland Thomas Adams1,*, Kenny Black1, Craig MacIntyre2, Iain MacIntyre3, Rebecca Dean4 1SAMS, Scottish Marine Institute, Dunbeg, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, UK 2Argyll Fisheries Trust, Cherry Park, Inveraray, Argyll PA32 8XE, UK 3The Scottish Salmon Company, Arkinglas Estate, Cairndow, Argyll PA26 8BH, UK 4The Scottish Salmon Company, Mid-Strome, Lochcarron, Ross-Shire IV54 8YH, UK *Email: tom.adams@sams.ac.uk ABSTRACT: Sea lice are a persistent threat in many areas where salmon farming is practised. In common with the management of disease, infection levels are typically controlled by operating sites within distinct geographical areas, allowing for coordinated treatment and fallow cycles. However, the hydrodynamic connectivity and consequent transmission of lice larvae between sites is often not well understood, which limits our ability to optimise the spatial distribution of farms to minimise infection. We used a multistage modelling approach to investigate the transmission of sea lice larvae between salmon aquaculture sites in Loch Fyne, Scotland. A finite element hydrodynamic model was forced using meteorological data collected over the study period. Output from this model was used to drive a particle-tracking model. The latter model implemented the development and mortality of larvae to estimate the probability of successful larval dispersal between sites. In turn, these dispersal probabilities were used to define a network describing the sea lice metapopulation (its habitat defined by the aquaculture sites). Methods from graph theory allow the identification of those sites in the network that are likely to be key for the control of sea lice in the loch population as a whole. Model outputs were compared with data from a campaign of plankton tows and with lice abundance data from aquaculture sites. The general pattern of abundance was reasonably well replicated, albeit with some notable discrepancies. These differences are worth investigating further, as they may be suggestive of sources of infection by wild fish or of inadequacies in the model. KEY WORDS: Sea lice · Connectivity · Biophysical model · Larval dispersal · Population dynamics · Lepeophtheirus salmonis Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Adams T, Black K, MacIntyre C, MacIntyre I, Dean R (2012) Connectivity modelling and network analysis of sea lice infection in Loch Fyne, west coast of Scotland. Aquacult Environ Interact 3:51-63. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00052 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AEI Vol. 3, No. 1. Online publication date: December 19, 2012 Print ISSN: 1869-215X; Online ISSN: 1869-7534 Copyright © 2012 Inter-Research.

Coastal conditions

Houses are fascinating because they seem to occupy a pivotal position in the spectrum of human construction. They are, perhaps, located right on the watershed between what is generally understood as ‘architecture’ and what is considered as just ‘building’. They allow us to probe the very definition of what architecture is perceived to be. Using the typology of the dwelling - and three examples from three architectural practices - we examine differing responses to context, climate and the vernacular, documenting and evaluating commonalities and differentials in design approaches. The examples are a holiday home in Dungeness by NORD, an artists’ residence and studio on Loch Fyne by GMA and a house on the Isle of Lewis by studioKAP.

Sources and timing of trace metal contamination to sediments in remote sealochs, N.W. Scotland

Sediment cores from a transect of sealochs, Etive, Sunart, Nevis, Duich, Broom and Torridon in N.W. Scotland were analysed for the trace metals lead, copper, and zinc. In addition, sediment cores from the Clyde Sea Basin (Loch Fyne, the Gareloch, Clyde dumpsite) and from the Irish and Celtic Seas were analysed as possible source areas for contaminated particles. The sediment cores were dated using excess 210Pb and 137Cs, and Al normalisation was used to correct for sediment compositional effects. All cores showed increased concentrations of all trace metals (and M/Al) towards the surface, with a maximum of 280–500% above background being observed in Loch Etive. Only cores from Duich and Torridon (Zn/Al and Pb/Al) and Etive (Zn/Al) did not continue to show an increase in trace metals to the uppermost samples. The burden of atmospherically derived trace metals accumulated over the past 100 years was compared with similar published burdens from a series of freshwater lochs adjacent to the sealochs. Plots of excess 210Pb (used to correct for sediment focusing) against atmospherically derived Pb showed a series of linear relationships of systematically decreasing gradient towards the north-west, away from potential urban sources of lead. It was calculated that 49% (15–77%) of the Pb but only 3% (1–4%) of the Zn and 2% (0–3%) of the Cu reached the sealochs from atmospheric sources. The remaining trace metals deposited in the sealochs came from marine particles. Using trace metal ratios as an indicator of pollutant provenance, it was shown that the trace metals came predominantly from the Irish Sea. There was no evidence of trace metals derived from the Firth of Clyde basin. It was concluded that trace metal contamination from the Clyde and the surrounding industrialised urban area was mainly deposited in the estuary and the Clyde Sea basin with its adjoining sealochs, such as the Gareloch and Loch Fyne.

Field validation, in Scotland and Iceland, of the artificial mussel for monitoring trace metals in temperate seas

The artificial mussel (AM), a novel chemical sampling device, has been developed for monitoring dissolved trace metals in marine environments. The AM consists of Chelex-100 suspended in artificial seawater within Perspex tubing and enclosed with semi-permeable polyacrylamide gel at both ends. To validate the field performance of the AM in temperate waters, we deployed AMs alongside transplanted blue mussels Mytilus edulis in coastal environments in Scotland (Holy Loch, Loch Fyne, Loch Striven and Millport) and Iceland (Reykjavikurhöfn, Gufunes, South of þerney, Hofsvik, Hvalfjörður and Sandgerði) for monitoring trace metals. While uptake patterns of Cd between the AM and M. edulis were highly comparable, discrepancies were found in the accumulation profiles of the other metals (Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn), in particular Zn. Nonetheless, the AMs gave a better resolution to accurately reveal the spatial difference in dissolved metal contamination when compared with M. edulis. AMs complement the use of mussels since AMs indicate dissolved metals in seawater, whereas uptake by mussels indicates a mixture of dissolved and particulate metals. Our results also indicated that historical metal exposure of the transplanted M. edulis could significantly confound their metal concentrations especially when the deployment period was short (i.e. <34 d). This study suggested that the AM can overcome problems associated with variable biological attributes and pre-exposure history in the mussel, and provides a standardized and representative time-integrated estimate of dissolved metal concentrations in different marine environments.

The biogeochemistry of a manganese-rich Scottish sea loch: Implications for the study of anoxic nitrification

The anoxic oxidation of ammonia by manganese oxides is a newly recognised pathway for the production of N 2 in sedimentary environments, potentially contributing a significant loss of nitrogen from the world's oceans. Due to the complex recycling of redox species in marine sediments this process is difficult to discern in the natural environment, and is consequently poorly understood. The potential for anoxic nitrification coupled to manganese reduction was investigated through field research and laboratory incubation experiments. Field data from Loch Fyne, a manganese-rich site, did not provide conclusive evidence for anoxic nitrification, although minor accumulation of nitrate was observed in anoxic pore-waters. Incubation of Loch Fyne sediments showed anoxic nitrification to occur, with accumulation of both nitrate and nitrite coincident with removal of ammonia under anoxia, although these observations were not reproduced in repeat experiments. The laboratory evidence for anoxic nitrification confirms the reaction is possible in marine sediments; however, the wider significance of anoxic nitrification remains uncertain. Contrary to previous assumptions about anoxic nitrification, results suggest the reaction may not be dependent on total manganese concentrations and may be inhibited by conventional heterotrophic manganese reduction in manganese-rich sediments.

A comparison of the bacterial microflora between coastal sites in Qingdao, P. R. China and Loch Fyne, Scotland

Aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria, recovered from two sites located on the west coast of Scotland, were compared to cultures obtained in a similar way from industrial, aquacultural and clean sites in the vicinity of Qingdao, Shandong, P. R. China. Gram-negative bacterial cultures were examined by BIOLOG-GN, and the data analysed by the simple matching (SSM) and Jaccard coefficients (SJ) and unweighted average linkage clustering using NTSys. The output revealed that 20% of the bacteria, namely, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Aquaspirillum dispar, Pseudomonas spp. (two groups), Sphingobacterium sp., Vibrio, sp., V. campbellii, V. mimicus and V. hollisae, were common between the two geographical locations. However, the study revealed shortcomings with the BIOLOG-GN system for the study of coastal Gram-negative bacteria.

Calculating Exchange Times in a Scottish Fjord Using a Two-dimensional, Laterally-integrated Numerical Model

In order to assess the potential impact of pollutants, particularly soluble wastes discharged by the mariculture industry, on the fjordic sea loch environment in Scotland, simple management models have been developed which estimate steady-state concentrations based on the quantities of effluent released and the residence time of such material within a loch. These models make various simplifications about the hydrodynamic characteristics of Scottish sea lochs, the most important of which is the concept of an exchange time which parametrizes the rate at which pollutants are removed from the system. Exchange times for individual lochs are calculated using the tidal prism method, which has some well-known shortcomings. In this paper, a two-dimensional laterally-integrated circulation model is used to investigate the exchange characteristics of Loch Fyne and its sub-basins. By simulating the transport of a passive, conservative tracer, the turnover times for the loch, two sub-basins and various depth layers are calculated. By varying the starting time of the tracer simulations, the variability in the exchange times is examined. The results from the circulation model are compared with the estimates given by the tidal prism method. The results show that the tidal prism method consistently underestimates the exchange times, although the predicted times tend to lie within the range of the simulated times. Including a simple return flow factor into the tidal prism estimate leads to significant improvements in the comparison.

Growth rate as a factor confounding the use of the dogwhelk Nucella lapillus as biomonitor of heavy metal contamination

Growth rate of individually tagged dogwhelks Nucella lapillus (L.) was measured in free-living individuals at 3 sites of differing heavy metal contamination in the Firth of Clyde, west Scotland. Condition index (CI), concentrations of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn), metallothionein (MT), RNA (the RNA/protein ratio) and glycogen were also measured. In general, the marine environments of Gourock and Largs were contaminated with significantly higher tributyltin, Pb and Zn than Loch Fyne, as indicated by the results of imposex indices, and metal concentrations in transplanted poly- mer-ligands (Chelex® 100) and Mytilus edulis. Further, metal concentrations of native M. edulis (Pb and Zn) and Semibalanus balanoides (Cu) from Gourock were significantly higher than those from Loch Fyne. However, metal accumulation in the dogwhelks displayed a very different pattern. At a standard size (0.5 g wet soft-body weight), N. lapillus from Largs showed higher Cd, Cu and MT in their tissues than individuals from the other 2 populations. Levels of Pb and Zn were similar among the populations despite different concentrations in Chelex and mussels. Gourock dogwhelks showed similar levels of Cu and MT but lower Cd compared to those of Loch Fyne. These differences can be attributed primarily to differences in dogwhelk growth rate between sites. Gourock individuals had a higher CI and RNA/protein ratio in the foot muscle and grew faster (especially at small sizes), result- ing in a tissue-dilution effect on metal and MT concentrations. In contrast, higher levels of Cd, Cu and MT in dogwhelks from Largs can be attributed to their growth rate being relatively slow compared to the rate of metal accumulation. Slow-growing individuals in Loch Fyne had relatively high Cd, Pb Zn and MT, although Loch Fyne has been regarded as a clean reference site. Among populations, dif- ferences in growth rate may be due to differences in prey availability, predation pressure, and/or genotype. The present results demonstrate that inter-site differences in growth rate can confound the use of the dogwhelks as a biomonitor of metals.

Limaria hians (Mollusca: Limacea): a neglected reef‐forming keystone species

1. The case is made for recognition of the marine bivalve Limaria hians as a reef-forming species, which plays a key architectural role in certain benthic communities around the United Kingdom and Ireland. 2. This species uses byssal threads to construct nests that can coalesce to form reefs that cover hectares of seabed, contain multiple conspecifics and bind sediment. In so doing, L. hians modifies physical, chemical and biological processes at the sediment–water interface. 3. Such nests support a high diversity of associated organisms in coarse-grade sediments (19 species of algae and 265 species of invertebrates from six discrete nests in Loch Fyne are reported on), although the biological interactions between species both inside and outside this assemblage (e.g. predatory cod) are unknown. 4. Being insubstantial, labyrinthine structures situated on the sediment surface, Limaria nests are sensitive to mechanical impacts, such as those caused by moorings, hydraulic dredging for infaunal bivalves and scallop dredging. 5. At appropriate sites, the status of L. hians can contribute a useful indication of disturbance on coarse-grade sediments. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Delaying decay: mummies and smoked salmon

Mummies and smoked salmon. One of those perverse random associations that intrude and take over consciousness like a familiar insouciant melody. The array of smoked salmon in the refrigerated shelves at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar was the culprit: smoked, marinated, salted, hermetically sealed in vacuum packaging plastic, with a safe travel time outside the cold room of a couple of days. Here was a deliciously appealing marvel of modern food processing and preservation: mummified fish. It struck me that the objectives of the embalmer and the purveyor of food were the same: delayed decay. The theme stayed with me throughout the flight back home in the United States.

Limaria hians (Mollusca: Limacea): a neglected reef-forming keystone species

1. The case is made for recognition of the marine bivalve Limaria hians as a reef-forming species, which plays a key architectural role in certain benthic communities around the United Kingdom and Ireland. 2. This species uses byssal threads to construct nests that can coalesce to form reefs that cover hectares of seabed, contain multiple conspecifics and bind sediment. In so doing, L. hians modifies physical, chemical and biological processes at the sediment–water interface. 3. Such nests support a high diversity of associated organisms in coarse-grade sediments (19 species of algae and 265 species of invertebrates from six discrete nests in Loch Fyne are reported on), although the biological interactions between species both inside and outside this assemblage (e.g. predatory cod) are unknown. 4. Being insubstantial, labyrinthine structures situated on the sediment surface, Limaria nests are sensitive to mechanical impacts, such as those caused by moorings, hydraulic dredging for infaunal bivalves and scallop dredging. 5. At appropriate sites, the status of L. hians can contribute a useful indication of disturbance on coarse-grade sediments. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Idea of Biodiversity: Philosophies of Paradise. David Takacs

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsThe Idea of Biodiversity: Philosophies of Paradise. David Takacs Leslie J. BurlingameLeslie J. Burlingame Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Isis Volume 90, Number 3Sep., 1999 Publication of the History of Science Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/384479 Views: 3Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1999 History of Science Society, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:J. MacInnes, P. A. W. Robertson, B. Austin A comparison of the bacterial microflora between coastal sites in Qingdao, P. R. China and Loch Fyne, Scotland, Journal of Ocean University of Qingdao 1, no.22 (Oct 2002): 148–152.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-002-0009-5

The Life Histories of the Offshore Oedicerotids Westwoodilla Caecula and Monoculodes Packardi (Crustacea: Amphipoda) From Loch Fyne, Scotland

Results are presented of a comparative study on seasonal variations in population density, population structure and reproductive bionomics of two species of offshore benthic oedicerotid amphipod, Westwoodilla caecula (from 35 m depth) and Monoculodes packardi (from 190 m) in Loch Fyne (Scotland). Observations on live coloration and behaviour of these species in laboratory aquaria are also included. Male W. caecula were, on average, smaller than females. In M. packardi (atypically among Oedicerotidae) the reverse was true. Population densities of both species, calculated from sledge net tows (1-mm mesh), fluctuated erratically over one year (1992). Ovigerous W, caecula were recorded virtually year-round, but were commonest from midsummer to early autumn. Ovigerous M. packardi were noted in spring and early autumn. Monoculodes packardi had a semi-annual life cycle, but the pattern for W. caecula was less clear. The two generations of M. packardi grew at broadly similar rates, presumably associated with the damped seasonal fluctuations in physical environmental factors at 190 m. Female W. caecula possibly moult eight or nine times, and may produce three successive broods in a lifetime (M. packardi may only produce two). A positive correlation was found between fecundity (stage I eggs) and body length in W. caecula but, although a similar trend was apparent in the data for M. packardi, relevant data were too few for significance to be achieved. Ovoid eggs increased in volume by ×2 from stage I-IV in W. caecula, or ×1·5 from stage I–III in M. packardi. Brood sizes were much smaller in W. caecula than in M. packardi, although apparent brood mortality was higher in the latter. There was no significant relationship between the proportion of ovigerous females in the populations of either species and seasonal variation in physical environmental factors considered (temperature, salinity, daylength).