The exchange processes between the Maryland Coastal Bays system (MCBs) and their adjacent coastal ocean were simulated using a three-dimensional unstructured-grid based hydrodynamic model, which was validated by observed data including water level, current velocity and salinity. Idealized experiments were then carried out to investigate the impact of wind forcing on water exchange and salt flux. Through these experiments, the exchanges between the MCBs and coastal ocean were investigated at two inlets (Ocean City Inlet and Chincoteague Inlet). Given that winds and tides are two key external forces known to impact estuarine dynamics, the effect of each individual force on the exchange processes was studied to evaluate the corresponding influence on the inlet dynamics. It was found that wind forcing significantly impacts the inlet dynamics: the effect of wind directions on exchange processes under strong wind speeds is substantial; for example, northwesterly winds push flux to the southern part of the bays, while southwesterly winds pile up flux towards northern Chincoteague Bay. The effect of wind forcing on the exchange dynamics becomes stronger with the augmentation of its speed. Meanwhile, tidal forcing is the major driver of exchange dynamics at weak wind speeds (e.g., 3 m/s), and its effect on exchange process gradually weakens with stronger wind speeds (e.g., 7 m/s, 15 m/s). In addition, sensitivity tests elucidated that closing either inlet results in a significant impact on the water elevation, current velocity and salinity nearby the relevant cutoff inlet areas.

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Aims: To determine the prevalence of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) and V. vulnificus (Vv) in blue crabs, water and sediment from the Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs), USA. Methods and Results: Crab, haemolymph, sediment and seawater samples were collected monthly from four sites in MCBs from February 2012 through October 2012 with environmental parameters recorded. The most-probablenumber (MPN) methodology was used to enumerate Vp and Vv with presumptive colonies and the presence of virulence markers confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results indicate that blue crabs contained both Vp and Vv at densities (7Á28 and 5Á43 log MPN g À1 , respectively) higher than those reported for bivalves. In addition, markers for clinically relevant strains of both species were detected in over 30% of samples. Haemolymph, sediment and seawater samples were also routinely positive for both species and clinically relevant strains, but generally at lower densities than found in crabs (4Á27, 3Á28, and 2Á39 log MPN g À1 per ml À1 Vp, and 4Á28, 2Á49 and 2Á38 log MPN g À1 per ml À1 Vv). Conclusions: Blue crabs concentrate Vp and Vv at levels greater than found in water or sediment. While changes in abundance associated with temperature are apparent, there is little evidence to support differences among sampling locations. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results highlight the potential for blue crab related vibriosis and the importance of proper handling, cooking and care of this popular seafood before consumption. IntroductionBlue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) exist along the western border of the Atlantic Ocean from the Canadian province, Nova Scotia down to Argentina (Reichmuth et al. 2009). They are of ecological and economic importance and require an estuarine environment such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs) for growth.Ecologically, blue crabs perform many roles in the estuarine food web depending upon life stage (Reichmuth et al. 2009). Blue crabs are also a very popular delicacy in the US Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal areas. In 2011, the Chesapeake Bay crab fishery had a total harvest of 67Á3 million pounds. According to the 2012 annual winter dredge survey completed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the blue crab population had increased 66% to 764 million. This

In this article we consider the current educational needs for science and policy in marine resource management, and we propose a way to address them. The existing literature on cross-disciplinary education in response to pressing environmental problems is vast, particularly in conservation biology. However, actual changes in doctoral-level marine science programs lag behind this literature considerably. This is in part because of concerns about the time investment in cross-disciplinary education and about the job prospects offered by such programs. There is also a more fundamental divide between educational programs that focus on knowledge generation and those that focus on professional development, which can reinforce the gap in communication between scientists and marine resource managers. Ultimately, transdisciplinary graduate education programs need not only to bridge the divide between disciplines, but also between types of knowledge. Our proposed curriculum aligns well with these needs because it does not sacrifice depth for breadth, and it emphasizes collaboration and communication among diverse groups of students, in addition to development of their individual knowledge and skills.