Digital Commons Network^™

An Evaluation Of Sciaenid Growth In The Gulf Of Mexico, Shane Flinn

LSU Master's Theses

Growth models estimate life history parameters that are used in the management of fisheries stocks. The most commonly used growth model in fisheries is the von Bertalanffy growth model (VBGM), yet it has been shown to provide a poor fit for length-at-age data of some species and other models exist. I reviewed 196 peer-reviewed age and growth studies and 50 NOAA stock assessments to examine temporal trends in the use of growth models and model selection in fisheries. I found that the use of multi-model frameworks has increased since the year 2000 and information theoretic approaches are replacing goodness-of-fit and …

Using Local Fishery Monitoring To Understand Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries In Tanzania, Matthew Robertson

LSU Master's Theses

Nearshore marine fisheries provide the main source of protein for nearly 9 million people in the coastal villages of Tanzania, yet for decades the fisheries have shown signs of overexploitation. These fisheries are small-scale and co-managed by local coastal communities in groups known as Beach Management Units (BMUs). BMUs monitor individual fishing trip data (e.g. gear, vessel, taxa); however, these data have only been analyzed in nationally aggregated statistics and to our knowledge, are not presently used in management decision making. The present thesis aimed to identify the forms of data and information that local fishery monitoring can record about …

Effect Of Vitrification On Epigenetic Modifications And The Meiotic Spindle Of Bovine Oocytes, Emilio Jose Gutierrez-Castillo

LSU Master's Theses

While oocyte vitrification has become a common practice, it still faces some challenges such as the low survival rates after warming, probably related to cryoinjuries and cryoprotectant (CPA) toxicity. Evidence suggests that vitrification might have an effect on the patterns of some epigenetic marks including DNA methylation and histone acetylation. During fertilization and embryogenesis, key events for healthy and adequate embryo development take place, not only governed by the information contained within the DNA sequence, but also by epigenetic mechanisms.

This study was aimed at determining the effect of vitrification and CPA exposure, using a combination of ethylene glycol (EG) …

Functional Plain Yogurt Enhanced With Inulin And Aloe Vera, Janny Melissa Mendoza Mencia

LSU Master's Theses

Yogurt has been recognized as a healthy food. Nutritional value of yogurt can be increased with the addition of aloe vera juice (AVJ) and inulin. People are interested in consuming products without artificial ingredients and with high content of bioactive compounds. The aims of this study were to develop a functional plain yogurt enhanced with inulin and AVJ, to evaluate the physicochemical properties, the enumeration of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, inulin content, and consumer acceptability. Six treatments were evaluated at day 1, 7, 14 and 30 at 4°C. Treatments were prepared using 2% fat milk, ABY culture, 5 …

Effects Of Dimethyl Sulfoxide And Glycerol Based Vitrification Protocols On Zona Pellucida Hardening In Mature Bovine Oocytes, Kaci Denise Rogers

LSU Master's Theses

Zona pellucida hardening is a natural process that occurs after oocyte fertilization to prevent polyspermic fertilization and to protect embryonic development. Pre-fertilization hardening of the zona pellucida however, decreases fertilization rates. Cryoprotectants have also been shown to negatively affect fertilization rates, one possible mechanism of which being through zona hardening. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different cryoprotectants on hardening of the zona pellucida using fresh mature bovine oocytes and vitrified mature bovine oocytes. Oocytes were post-slaughter from mixed breed cows. After collection, oocytes were randomly assigned to three cryoprotectant treatment groups: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol or …

Crayfish Harvesting Practices In The Southern Atchafalaya River Basin: Quantitative And Qualitative Assessment Of Harvester Techniques And Hydrologic Connectivity Influence On Harvesting Strategies, Ivan A. Vargas-Lopez

LSU Master's Theses

Fisheries produce important impacts around the world through the exploitation of a wide range of species. In Louisiana, crayfish is the most emblematic crustacean and supports a multi-million industry based on pond culture and harvest from natural habitats. Although the economic value (USD) of wild-harvested crayfish has decreased from 10% to 3% of total crayfish value from 2013 to 2015, wild harvested crayfish are highly desired by many consumers and have a strong socio-cultural importance in Louisiana and other Gulf of Mexico coastal regions. This project evaluated harvesting practices by: 1) field observation and mapping of harvest sites in southwestern …