Nursery areas of juvenile northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) in the eastern Bering Sea in relation to hydrography and thermal regimes

Age-0 and age-1 northern rock sole were collected over large-scale areas of the eastern Bering Sea in the summers of 2003, 2008 and 2010. Age-0 presence was poorly predicted by a published resource selection model developed for the Gulf of Alaska, and the failure of that model may have been caused by oceanographic features in the eastern Bering Sea. Where a front (inner front) separated the well-mixed coastal domain from the stratified middle domain, age-0 fish were less abundant and occurred at fewer stations in the nearshore, thermally mixed coastal domain than expected by the Gulf of Alaska model. In contrast, where the inner front was not established, age-0 fish were present in the highest densities in nearshore and thermally mixed waters. North of Unimak Island, the same hydrographic pattern that inhibits the formation of the inner front also likely transports larvae near shore. Age-1 densities were highest in the coastal domain, and age-0 length decreased with distance from shore, suggesting northern rock sole move shoreward after settlement. Juvenile northern rock sole were abundant in a nursery area between Nunivak Island and Cape Newenham in a warm period (2003), but were almost completely absent in cold periods (2008 and 2010), leading to the hypothesis that climate variability limits the utility of this nursery area during cold periods.

The participial oblique, a verb mood found only in Nunivak Central Alaskan Yup'ik and in Siberian Yupik

Nunivak Island has the most divergent dialect of Central Alaskan Yup'ik Eskimo, the language of southwestern Alaska. Lexical and phonological divergences have been discussed elsewhere. This paper discusses the form and function of the “participial oblique” verb mood found in Nunivak—but not in other Central Alaskan Yup’ik dialects—and in Central Siberian Yupik Eskimo, the language of St. Lawrence Island Alaska and the tip of Chukotka. Discussed also are differences between the Chukotkan form of the mood and that of St. Lawrence Island, the mood’s presence in Naukan Yupik, and a probable “missing link” participial construction in other Central Alaskan Yup’ik dialects.

Relationships between carcass characteristics, meat quality, age and sex of free-ranging Alaskan reindeer: a pilot study

Twenty-four reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) carcasses from male and female animals that ranged in age from calves to adults were purchased from Bering Sea Reindeer Products (BSRP), Nunivak Island, Alaska, USA. Preslaughter and abattoir procedures were observed and evaluated. Carcasses were split in half, weighed, and broke into wholesale primal cuts of chuck, rib, loin, and hindquarter. Each primal cut was weighed, boxed, and frozen. Each half carcass of primal cuts was later dissected into lean tissue, bone, and the three compartments of fat: subcutaneous, intermuscular, and peritoneal. A portion of the loin was collected from each animal in order to obtain data on pH and shear force. Sensory panel analysis was performed on loin steaks. Due to management and environmental effects, pH values were high and the meat was dark in colour. Carcasses from adult male reindeer contained significantly lower levels of fat than carcasses of adult females. Data indicated that yearling reindeer are of greatest economic value for meat production.

Compositional and thermal state of the upper mantle beneath the Bering Sea basalt province: evidence from the Chukchi Peninsula of Russia

Nephelinites and basanites of the Enmelen volcanic field, Chukchi Peninsula, Russia, contain upper mantle xenoliths of relatively calcium- and magnesium-rich spinel lherzolites, pyroxenites, and megacrysts. The phase assemblages of the lherzolites require equilibration near 1.5 GPa, and calculated equilibration temperatures for most inclusions are in the range 850–1030 °C. These temperatures are similar to those calculated for lherzolite inclusions from other Bering Sea localities (Nunivak Island and Seward Peninsula) and are higher than temperatures expected for likely conductive geotherms beneath these volcanic fields. The relatively high temperatures may be the result of magma intrusion into the mantle lithosphere and consequent perturbation of the geotherm shortly before entrainment of the xenoliths in basalt. Two Enmelen lherzolites equilibrated at higher temperatures (1230–1240 °C) and provide further evidence for heating due to intrusive magmas. Some spinel lherzolite inclusions have flat rare earth element patterns and major and trace element abundances close to that of the bulk silicate earth. Based on the occurrence of similar fertile peridotites at Nunivak Island and Seward Peninsula, near-primitive mantle compositions appear to be common in the upper mantle beneath the Bering Sea. These peridotites may represent recent additions to the mantle lithosphere from mantle plumes related to the volcanism. Other Enmelen inclusions are relatively light rare earth element-enriched group I lherzolites metasomatized by a silicate melt, group II pyroxenites precipitated from a variety of melts, and augite megacrysts with convex-upward rare earth element patterns consistent with precipitation from the host basalts at high pressures.

Variables influencing survival in four generations of captive-born muskoxen

Since 1967, four generations of muskoxen have been born in captivity in Alaska (399 live births, 18 abortions and 47 stillbirths), all derived from 20 females and 8 males captured on Nunivak Island. Analysis of juvenile survival was accomplished by dividing individuals into 7 classes (not born live, born live but not surviving 48 hours, survived 48 hours but < 1 week, survived 1 week but < 1 month, survived 1 month but < 6 months, survived 6 months but < 2 years, survived 2 years). Males were more frequent among live born calves (219:178, P=0.05), but greater numbers of females survived to 2 years (62:86, P<0.01). Birthweight (X=9.75 kg, N=155) did not differ between sexes nor did it significantly influence survival. Of 463 individuals, 131 showed some inbreeding but no coefficients of inbreeding exceeded 0.25 and most were less than 0.13. Analysis of variance (Kruskal-Wallis) showed a significant (P<0.05) difference between survival of inbred and non-inbred individuals. Chi-squared tests showed a greater proportion of non-inbred calves surviving to 2 years (P<0.05) but no significant differences in perinatal mortality. Offspring of the Nunivak Island cows survived significantly (P<.01) longer than those whose mothers were born in captivity, even when only non-inbred calves were compared.