University of Guam (Chamorro: Unibetsedåt Guåhan) (U.O.G.) is a public land-grant university in Mangilao, Guam. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and offers thirty-four degree programs at the undergraduate level and eleven at the master's level. Of the university's 3,387 students, 94% are of Asian-Pacific Islander ethnicity and nearly 72% are full-time (fall 2012 figures). A full-time faculty of about 180 teach at the university.
The first records of the red algal genus Incendia are reported from five Micronesian islands. The distribution range of Incendia crenata is expanded to include the islands of Kosrae and Pohnpei in Micronesia. Additionally, eight new species are described based on morphological and molecular analyses: Incendia chamoruensis sp. nov., I. dixonii sp. nov., I. fragilis sp. nov., I. orotensis sp. nov., I. gordonii sp. nov., I. lobbanii sp. nov., I. micronesica sp. nov., and I. tsudae sp. nov. While each of the newly described species exhibits the diagnostic features of the genus Incendia, they are distinguished from their congeners by a combination of unique anatomical characters and pronounced genetic divergence. The description of eight new species represents an 80% increase in the global species richness of Incendia. These additions bring the total number of species in the Tropical Northwestern Pacific to 14 out of the 18 known globally. This provisionally establishes this marine province as the primary diversity hotspot for the genus and suggests that peyssonnelioid biodiversity remains substantially underestimated, particularly in tropical regions.
Biodegradable and low-irritant amino acid-based surfactants have attracted considerable attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-derived surfactants. In this study, a series of acyl amino acid surfactants with identical amino acid head groups but different alkyl chain lengths were synthesized via a modified Schotten-Baumann condensation between fatty acyl chlorides and glycine as amino acids under alkaline conditions. The synthesis was conducted using lauroyl chloride and myristoyl chloride mixtures with molar ratios of 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, and 7:3 to investigate the effect of alkyl chain composition on interfacial properties. The obtained products, easily purified by phase separation, were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Surface tension, foaming ability, and foam stability were systematically evaluated. Surface tension measurements revealed comparable surface excess values for all compositions, while the critical micelle concentration showed a non-monotonic dependence on chain ratio, with a minimum at the 9:1 composition. Foaming tests demonstrated enhanced foamability and good foam stability for the mixed systems, particularly at the 9:1 ratio. These results highlight the importance of mixed alkyl chain composition in designing efficient and sustainable amino acid-based surfactants.
Orchids are obligately dependent on orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) for nutrition, growth, and establishment. The degree of mycorrhizal specificity varies, from generalists associating with several fungi to specialists relying on a few species. Many leafless epiphytic orchids specifically associate with Ceratobasidiaceae fungi. However, the mycorrhizal associates and specificity of Taeniophyllum marianense, a leafless epiphytic orchid native to the remote island of Guam, remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated 189 seedling and mature individuals of T. marianense growing on 26 host tree species across 10 sites in Guam. OMF were identified using fungal-specific primers targeting Ceratobasidiaceae, Serendipitaceae, Tulasnellaceae, and general Basidiomycota. Sequences were grouped into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on 97% similarity. T. marianense in Guam associated with a diversity of OMF, including five Tulasnellaceae, six Ceratobasidiaceae, and four Serendipitaceae OTUs. Two Tulasnellaceae OTUs (TU1 and TU2) were the most dominant, comprising 64.6% of fungal sequences and occurring consistently across seedling and mature orchids from different host tree species and habitats, suggesting their role as primary mycorrhizal associates. In contrast, Ceratobasidiaceae and Serendipitaceae were less common and may play minor or opportunistic roles. The mycorrhizal capacity of TU1 and TU2 isolates was confirmed in vitro, where both strains significantly promoted seed germination and protocorm development. While other leafless epiphytic orchids typically associate with Ceratobasidiaceae, T. marianense in Guam specifically associates with Tulasnellaceae fungi closely related to globally distributed species. These findings suggest that mycorrhizal specialization may persist in island ecosystems through flexible associations with widespread, locally available fungal associates.
Accurate life-history information is essential for conducting data-limited stock assessments of coral reef fishes, yet this information is often lacking in small-scale fisheries. For the commercially important longnose emperor, Lethrinus olivaceus, such information is scarce in Micronesia, limiting the ability to manage this species effectively. To fill this gap, age, growth, and reproductive parameters were estimated for L. olivaceus in Palau using samples collected at fish markets, supermarkets, independent fishers, and targeted sampling in 2017–2019 and 2022–2025 (total n = 528). Information on growth, lifespan, reproduction, and mortality was obtained through analysis of sagittal otoliths and gonad samples. The sex-combined von Bertalanffy growth parameters for this species were estimated to be L∞ = 57.2 cm, K = 0.387 year−1, and t0 = −0.324 years (unconstrained) and L∞ = 56.4 cm, and K = 0.443 year−1 (constrained to t0 = 0). The maximum observed age was 14 years. Longnose emperors were found to spawn in many months of the year including March to June, August, September, November, and December. There was also evidence of functional protogynous hermaphroditism, with several gonad samples containing both female and male reproductive tissues. Furthermore, males were larger (mean length = 53.5 cm) and older (mean age = 7.4 years) than females (mean length = 45.8 cm and mean age = 4.3 years), with no immature males observed. Females were estimated to reach maturity at 43.2 cm and 3.5 years, and sex change to males occurred at 55.1 cm and 7.1 years. Total mortality for both time periods combined was estimated to be 0.438 year−1 and mean natural mortality was estimated to be 0.358 year−1. When compared to other locations at higher latitudes, including Australia, Japan, and French Polynesia, longnose emperors in Palau had faster growth rates, shorter lifespans, and reached smaller sizes. The high diversity of life-history traits among locations highlights the importance of collecting locally-derived information. These findings provide comprehensive life-history estimates for L. olivaceus in Palau, which can be used to improve data-poor assessments and management of this species in the future.
