Modeling the temporal periodicity of growth increments based on harmonic functions.

Age estimation methods based on hard structures require a process of validation to confirm the periodical pattern of growth marks. Among such processes, one of the most used is the marginal increment ratio (MIR), which was stated to follow a sinusoidal cycle in a population. Despite its utility, in most cases, its implementation has lacked robust statistical analysis.

Macro-Scale Patterns in Upwelling/Downwelling Activity at North American West Coast.

The seasonal and interannual variability of vertical transport (upwelling/downwelling) has been relatively well studied, mainly for the California Current System, including low-frequency changes and latitudinal heterogeneity. The aim of this work was to identify potentially predictable patterns in upwelling/downwelling activity along the North American west coast and discuss their plausible mechanisms. To this purpose we applied the min/max Autocorrelation Factor technique and time series analysis.

Decadal variability in growth of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus (Decapoda: Paniluridae) in Cuban waters.

Annual von Bertalanffy growth parameters of the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) in Cuban waters were estimated from a long term study (40 years) by length-based methods ELEFAN and the new version of SLCA. Data of around 800 000 lobsters (with carapace length ranging 14 to 199mm) were randomly sampled in artificial shelters (a non selective fishing gear very common in the lobster fishery), through the field monitory program established for this species since 1963 in 14 localities of southwestern Cuban shelf. The software ELEFAN showed problems to converge in an optimal combination of the instantaneous growth coefficient (K) and the asymptotic length (Linfinity) of the von Bertalanffy equation, whereas the new SLCA software produced value estimates of K between 0.