Digital Commons Network^™

Habitat Use Of Three Abundant Predatory Fish Species In The Freshwater Marshes Of The Florida Everglades, Alex T. Ontkos

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Florida Everglades presents a model setting for studying animal-habitat relationships in a dynamic landscape that is heavily influenced by seasonal hydrology and water management. I used dynamic, high-resolution habitat classification maps and radio-telemetry to examine habitat preference of Largemouth Bass, Bowfin, and Florida Gar before and after a field-scale manipulation was established to address uncertainties with Everglades restoration and water management practices. Results indicate preference for the canal habitat by all three species, which represents only a small portion of the submerged landscape even in the driest conditions. Bowfin and Florida Gar were more likely to be relocated within …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Arctic Nearshore Fish Community And Food Web Structures, Mark B. Barton

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities are causing rapid changes to environmental and ecological processes in the Arctic Ocean. To better understand these changes, scientists have increased research efforts in these regions, but to date the number of studies on Arctic nearshore habitats are lacking. My dissertation responds to the paucity of information and investigates patterns in Arctic nearshore fish communities and food webs to gain insight to how these ecosystems may shift as these changes continue. I used multivariate statistical analysis to examine patterns in community structure and composition to determine that Arctic nearshore fish communities are largely driven …

Experimental Analysis Of The Effects Of Hydroscape Structure On Fishes In A Dynamic Wetland, Michael R. Bush

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hydroscape structure can play a critical role in animal behavior, abundance, and community structure dynamics. Hydroscape configuration can be dynamic and can change quickly in ephemeral systems. However, ephemeral freshwater wetlands are among the most impacted systems in the world and restoration efforts often rely on incomplete information when establishing management objectives. Further understanding how alterations in hydroscape structure in dynamic systems affect animals is critical for conservation and management success.

To determine impacts that changing hydroscape conditions can have on consumers in freshwater wetlands, I examined the effects of a large-scale physical model on fish behavior, abundance, and community …

Examining Movement And Habitat Selection Of Everglades Fishes In Response To Seasonal Water Levels, Gregory J. Hill

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fish distribution patterns and seasonal habitat use play a key role in the food web dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, including the Florida Everglades. In this study I examined the fine scale habitat shifts and movements of spotted sunfish, Lepomis punctatus across varying seasons and hydrologic conditions using in-situ field enclosures and Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) systems. Data on fish use of three dominant Everglades marsh habitats and activity level were recorded continuously from January to August, 2015. Fish were more active and had the highest use of higher elevation habitats when water levels rose during an experimental reversal in mid-April. …

A Comparative Study Of Concurrent Acoustic And Diver Survey Data, And Fish Community Descriptions Of A High Latitude Coral Reef, Florida, Usa, Adam M. Zenone

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fisheries independent data on relatively unstudied nekton communities were used to explore the efficacy of new tools to be applied in the investigation of shallow coastal coral reef habitats. These data obtained through concurrent diver visual and acoustic surveys provided descriptions of spatial community distribution patterns across seasonal temporal scales in a previously undocumented region. Fish density estimates by both diver and acoustic methodologies showed a general agreement in ability to detect distributional patterns across reef tracts, though magnitude of density estimates were different. Fish communities in southeastern Florida showed significant trends in spatial distribution and seasonal abundance, with higher …