William B. Brogden

A computerized system for the organized retrieval of life history information

This paper describes a computerized system for storage and retrieval of information on life history and environmental limits of organisms, which we have applied to the estuarine and nearshore organisms of the Texas coast. The system uses standard biological nomenclature instead of codes, and provides great flexibility both in search criteria and output format. Each entry for an organism is derived from a separate literature reference. Forty descriptors are used, covering taxonomic identification, environment classification, distribution in time, environmental limits, trophic relationships, and reference identification. The same format is also used to record laboratory experiment derived environmental limits such as LD50 values. An interactive terminal can be used for rapid access to the data base. The system is being used by both coastal zone management planners and estuarine ecologists.

Computer Demonstration Session

This stage of the Conference was devoted to displays and demonstrations of environmental data systems. We were fortunate in having demonstrations which covered a variety of applications of interest to both environmental scientists and managers. The organizers would like to take this opportunity to again thank those participants who provided displays and demonstrations.

Towards a Total System

KOHNKE—In the past sessions of this Conference, we have heard a lot about scientific, sociological, and political necessities for an improved exchange (availability) of information and data. Dr. Helms has given us an idea of the technical possibilities that will enable the ever-increasing flow of data and information to be made transparent and available to everybody.

Chairman’s Comments and Recommendations

I have taken the liberty to summarize various concepts discussed during the Conference, particularly the last morning of the Conference which is not included in the text. The last morning was a free and open discussion devoted to summarizing, developing the basic concept of an Environmental Data System (EDS), outlining the basic requirements of an EDS and developing a list of recommendations for an EDS which were to be sent to NATO and the United Nations for their information.

Development of the methodology and analysis, Creel census of Corpus Christi Bay area, 1974 summer

A sportfishing creel census of Corpus Christi Bay area was conducted during the summer months of 1974. During the three months June, July, and August, 7,575 interviews of fishing parties with 22,313 persons were made. The data extrapolated to the total area and a full year indicate a catch from the bay of 2.87 million pounds of fish caught per year and a Gulf catch of 0.88 million pounds, Fishing yield per unit effort was greatest for the Gulf because of the summer runs of kingfish. The bay was divided into biotopes and related to fish catch. The poorest area was the fish pass. The most fish per hours fishing were caught in the bay oil platform or bulkhead biotopes, however, the size was small. Speckled trout and redfish were the major fish caught by weight in the Grassflats and shallow bay which is reflected in a large fishing effort. The open bay yielded higher numbers of fish per hour fishing (4.9 fish) than either the grassflat (3.0) or the shallow bay (2.0). If the fishing intensity was equal for the above biotopes the bay should have the best yield. The average boat fishing party lasted four hours. Boat fishing was generally better per party than shore fishing. The weight catch per person in boat fishing was approximately one pound per person per hour, and only 0.4 pounds per person per hour on the same basis for shore fishing. Fish yields in the Corpus area were related to Galveston Bay. The efficiency of various lures was discussed.

Water quality of Texas bays (nutrients, trace elements and toxic compounds)

This manuscript is designed to compare the nutrient balances and trace element significance in Texas Bays and Estuaries. The task of assigning water quality criteria in all estuarine waters rests with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. However, the Texas Bays and Estuaries represent a unique range of environments of the U.S. Coast that stand alone and therefore must be assigned standards appropriate to the environment. Therefore we have compared several Texas Bays relative to nutrients and trace elements through an analysis of data from our files, a life history data bank from literature survey, a study of the Corpus Christi area, personal communication with a wide range of individuals and information from the Texas Water Quality Board, Texas Water Development Board, the U.S. Geological Survey and the State Health Department.

An interim report : sportfishing creel census pilot study, August 1973

The sportfishing creel census project was originated to obtain information relating to the use of the Corpus Christi Bay area for sportfishing, the amount of fish caught and other environmental information relating to the total productivity cycles of the bay system. The Census is to be conducted during the summer months of June, July and August 1974 and the pilot study was made during August 1973. The total catch will be used in a current project to assess carbon, nitrogen, phosporous input and output to the bay system.

Toxicity studies of Galveston Bay Project, Sept. 1, 1971 to Dec. 1, 1972 : final report to the Texas Water Quality Board, Galveston Bay Study Program for contract IAC (72-73) 183

The Galveston Bay Project is a comprehensive program to study specific features of the Galveston Bay system, its water sources and industrial and urban impacts. The Marine Science Institute contracted through the Texas Water Quality Board to conduct one portion of the project relating to toxicity studies on living communities in the Bay and its primary productivity. The toxicity portion of the Galveston Bay project was conducted by a team of scientists from the Marine Science Institute and the Department of Civil Engineering and their associates and assistants.

Galveston Bay toxicity studies : October 1971-July 1972

As a part of a composite study of Galveston Bay, a bay-estuarine environment, an interdisciplinary research program was conducted by several principal investigators of the University of Texas School of Engineering and the Marine Science Institute at Port Aransas. The purpose of this effort was to determine the water quality of relatively stable salinity/temperature areas representing five general locations in the Galveston Bay system. This endpoint was to be determined by analysis of the water during an annual series of samples by bioassay with several species of indigenous living organisms, through the analysis of BOD toxicity indicated during the previous Galveston Bay Study, an evaluation of the nursery ground, nutrient, nitrogen and primary productivity values, a study of bottom fauna and comparison with other data parameters of the total bay study that may be pertinent to the evaluation of water quality to the biological regime.