Digital Commons Network^™

Genetic Population Dynamics Of The Critically Endangered Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna Lewini) In The Eastern Tropical Pacific, Sydney P. Harned, Andrea Bernard, Pelayo Salinas-De-Leon, Marissa Mehlrose, Jenifer Suarez, Yolani Robles, Sandra Bessudo Lion, Felipe Ladino, Andrés López Garo, Ilena Zanella, Kevin A. Feldheim, Mahmood Shivji

Biology Faculty Articles

The scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is a Critically Endangered, migratory species known for its tendency to form iconic and visually spectacular large aggregations. Herein, we investigated the population genetic dynamics of the scalloped hammerhead across much of its distribution in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), ranging from Costa Rica to Ecuador, focusing on young-of-year animals from putative coastal nursery areas and adult females from seasonal aggregations that form in the northern Galápagos Islands. Nuclear microsatellites and partial mitochondrial control region sequences showed little evidence of population structure suggesting that scalloped hammerheads in this ETP region comprise a single …

Growth Productivity As A Determinant Of The Inoculum Effect For Bactericidal Antibiotics, Gabriela Diaz-Tang, Estefania Marin Meneses, Kavish Patel, Sophia Mirkin, Laura Garcia-Dieguez, Camryn Pajon, Ivana Barraza, Vijay Patel, Helana Ghali, Angelica P. Tracey, Christopher Blanar, Allison J. Lopatkin, Robert P. Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Understanding the mechanisms by which populations of bacteria resist antibiotics has implications in evolution, microbial ecology, and public health. The inoculum effect (IE), where antibiotic efficacy declines as the density of a bacterial population increases, has been observed for multiple bacterial species and antibiotics. Several mechanisms to account for IE have been proposed, but most lack experimental evidence or cannot explain IE for multiple antibiotics. We show that growth productivity, the combined effect of growth and metabolism, can account for IE for multiple bactericidal antibiotics and bacterial species. Guided by flux balance analysis and whole-genome modeling, we show that the …

Common Snook, Centropomus Undecimalis Neurocranium, Olivia Cantalupo, Madelyn Vieth, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Common Snook, Centropomus undecimalis.

Examining The Relationship Between Stomiiform Fish Morphology And Their Ecological Traits, Mikayla L. Twiss

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Trait-based ecology characterizes individuals’ functional attributes to better understand and predict their interactions with other species and their environments. Utilizing morphological traits to describe functional groups has helped group species with similar ecological niches that are not necessarily taxonomically related. Within the deep-pelagic fishes, the Order Stomiiformes exhibits high morphological and species diversity, and many species undertake diel vertical migration (DVM). While the morphology and behavior of stomiiform fishes have been extensively studied and described through taxonomic assessments, the connection between their form and function regarding their DVM types, morphotypes, and daytime depth distributions is not well known. Here, three …

Vertical And Diel Behavior Patterns Of Adult Lemon Sharks (Negaprion Brevirostris) Around The Southeastern Florida And Western Bahamas Coastal Shelves, Jacquelyne Reuder

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) is a large sub-tropical species found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Virginia to Brazil, including The Bahamas and Caribbean Sea. Previous studies on habitat utilization were conducted on juveniles in The Bahamas, but little is known about vertical depth and temperature preferences of adults. Given the species’ risk to overexploitation and habitat degradation, the IUCN Red List recently listed lemon sharks as Vulnerable. Pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) were deployed on lemon sharks (n=7) in 2008 and 2009 off Jupiter, Florida (n=6; two females, four males) and Tiger Beach, Bahamas (n=1; one …

Integrative Revision Of Five Genera Type Species For Zoanthidea To Bridge The Parataxonomy Gap, Jacob Colbert

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Cnidarian order Zoanthidea is a relatively understudied group of invertebrates inhabiting a diverse range of marine habitats. Over/During the last two decades, species descriptions within this order have largely been based on a novel molecular parataxonomic system that relies almost exclusively on DNA barcodes to detect and describe new species. DNA barcodes are short, conserved sequences that are readily compared across taxa and used to detect previously described species. The existing taxonomic system, based on anatomical analysis and the identification of evolutionarily informative characters for phylogenetic inference, has been recently replaced by molecular parataxonomy by some scientists/researchers. While molecular sequence …

Quantifying The Toxicological Effects Of The Organic Uv Filters Avobenzone And Homosalate On Acropora Cervicornis, Samantha F. Buckley

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Reports of the environmental effects of organic UV filters such as oxybenzone have led to the marketing of “reef-safe” sunscreen ingredients, including avobenzone and homosalate. Avobenzone provides broad-spectrum UV protection which blocks higher wavelength UV rays, the leading cause of aging and skin cancer. However, as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic UV filters have similar structures to crude oil and estrogens, some of which have been labeled endocrine disrupters. Common in personal care products, UV filters enter marine ecosystems via wastewater effluent and swimmers. Significant stress and mortality have been observed in juvenile and some adult scleractinian corals after exposure …

Toxicity And Effectiveness Of A New Two-Part Underwater Adhesive For Coral Restoration, Matthew Rojano

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

As coral cover decreases around the world due to disease, bleaching events, and anthropogenic effects, coral restoration projects become increasingly important. A crucial part of many coral restoration projects is the attachment of corals to substrates in nurseries or reef substrates during outplanting. The effective anchoring of transplants is a critical phase in coral restoration and the adhesive used for attachment is crucial. Commonly used adhesives have several drawbacks: there are long mixing times, low substrate adhesion, and lengthy hardening times. To address these issues and provide an effective alternative for coral restoration activities, a new two-part Mixed Adhesive was …

Larval Ecology Of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Thynnus): New Insights From Otolith Microstructure, Biotic, And Abiotic Analyses From The Gulf Of Mexico And Mediterranean Sea, Estrella Malca

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT), Thunnus thynnus, spawn in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and the Mediterranean Sea (MED). Spawning occurs within narrow temporal and environmental parameters. Efforts to characterize growth of ABT in wild conditions revealed a wide range of growth variability during the early life stages. This series of studies examined potential biotic and abiotic influences of larval growth from seven ABT cohorts, and identified several key drivers of growth for this commercially valuable species. A detailed investigation of larval dynamics using otolith microstructure was conducted as follows. First, companion growth curves and stable isotope analysis from the same …

Ship Groundings And Boulder Deployment: A Study On Restoration Of Ship Grounding Sites In The Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, Shane Wever

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Coral reefs are widely regarded as one of the world’s most important ecosystems. These ecosystems have been in a state of rapid decline worldwide due to chronic stressors and acute disturbances. Ship groundings on coral reefs are one of the most destructive acute disturbances, damaging both the biological community and the underlying reef framework. Once disturbed, these reef ecosystems often require restoration to promote recovery. Southeast Florida is home to an extensive high latitude reef system located near a highly developed and densely populated coast. In 2006, two large commercial vessels, the Spar Orion and Clipper Lasco, grounded north of …

Assessing Broad-Scale Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Intervention Activities In Southeast Florida, Usa, Kathryn Toth

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Reef-building corals are crucial to the long-term existence of Caribbean coral reef ecosystems, providing both direct and indirect, local and global, ecological, economic, and social benefits. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is endemic in southeast Florida first appearing in 2014 and present in 2022. Effective in situ disease intervention treatments using antibiotic paste stop disease progression ~ 90% of the time. Between May 2019 and April 2022, 1,037 corals, >85% of which were Montastraea cavernosa, were treated during disease intervention dives in southeast Florida. This study investigated intervention activities over three years in an effort to make them more …

Cervical Muscle Strength And Kinematics During An Unanticipated Perturbation In University Aged Male And Female Rugby Athletes, Abigail Ruppert, Lauren J. Lattimer

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Introduction: Female athletes participating in contact sports demonstrate a concussion injury risk factor that is two times greater than their age-matched male counterparts. Recent literature has outlined the importance of neck muscle strength and neuromuscular characteristics in the mitigation of excessive head kinematics. Rugby is a contact sport in which tackles comprise the mechanism for concussion, which is caused by inertial impacts. Females exhibit higher measurements of acceleration and investigating potential gender differences in dynamic stabilization of the head is warranted in rugby. Methods: Twenty-three (15 female, 8 male) university-aged rugby athletes participated in kinematic analysis; and a series of …

Caribbean Reef-Building Coral-Symbiodiniaceae Network: Identifying Symbioses Critical For System Stability In A Changing Climate, Shaman Patel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Increasing global ocean temperatures and frequency of marine heatwaves pose dire consequences for coral reefs. High temperatures often lead to disruptions in coral symbiosis resulting in coral bleaching, increasing the mortality of corals. However, corals can potentially avoid bleaching peril by associating with thermally tolerant symbionts. Here we provide a tool for understanding symbiosis network stability of Caribbean reef-building corals. We created a network of Caribbean hermatypic corals and their associated Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes. A bleaching model was applied to this network to test for resilience and robustness (R50) to thermal stress. It was also layered with trait data for coral …

Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca Phenax) Neurocranium, Liam L. Wilcox, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 5.40 cm; total length unknown. Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca phenax)

Specimen received from Kerstetter's lab

Toro (Priacanthus Arenatus) Neurocranium, Nicole Mozer, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.8 cm

Toro - Priacanthus arenatus

Collected from Kerstetter Fisheries & Avian Ecology Lab on 9/21/2022 by Nicole Mozer & David Kerstetter

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus) Neurocranium, Logan Exton, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 13.335 cm total length (TL) Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), collected from Fort Lauderdale on 04/11/2022 by Logan Exton

Crustacean Assemblage Structure Over The Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Collected During The 2009 Henry B. Bigelow Expedition, Kathryn Medina

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) consists of two nearly parallel fracture transform faults that intersect the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) axis. This area has high primary productivity and biomass levels due to the topography and water. A predominant hydrographic feature of the MAR is the Sub-Polar Front (SPF) which runs along the southern edge of the CGFZ and is known as a biogeographical boundary for multiple species. As part of The Census of Marine Life project Patterns and Processes of the Ecosystem of the northern Mid-Atlantic (MAR-ECO), this study analyzed the abundance and distribution patterns of the CGFZ crustacean community …

Channel Catfish - Ictalurus Punctatus, Jason E. Rosales, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium total length is 110.81 mm, [CHANNEL CATFISH , Ictalurus punctatus} collected from Canal in Davie on November 18th, 2022 by Zachary

Workshops Report For Mesophotic And Deep Benthic Community Fish, Mobile Invertebrates, Sessile Invertebrates And Infauna, Rachel Bassett, Stacey L. Harter, Randy Clark, Ian Zink, Katherine Hornick, Jennifer Hart, Hanna Bliska, Melissa Carle, Tracey Sutton, Amanda Demopoulos, Andy David, Kristopher Benson, Jill Bourque, Martha Nizinski, Nancy Prouty, Stephanie Sharuga, Alicia Caporaso, Jennifer Le, Jennifer Herting, Cheryl Morrison, Matthew Poti

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

Two workshops with subject matter experts in the appropriate fields, were held in November and December 2021 to elicit guidance and feedback from the broader mesophotic and deep benthic scientific community. These workshops focused on best practices/approaches and identifying data gaps relative to habitat assessment and evaluation goals of the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community (MDBC) restoration portfolio. The first workshop was a combined effort of the Habitat Assessment and Evaluation (HAE) Project Team and the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Program. Industrial Economics, Inc. (IEc) provided extensive workshop planning, organizing, execution, and facilitation support during all stages of the workshop. Based …

Taxonomic Species Recognition Should Be Consistent, Stephen James O'Brien, Shu-Jin Luo

Biology Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Transverse Myelitis Secondary To Covid-19 Infection, Rahul Borra, Neal T. Patel, Raheel Shaikh, Mayur S. Parmar, Sujatha Borra

HPD Articles

Infection with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with a variety of generalized and specific symptoms, including neurological complications of both the peripheral and central nervous systems. In this case report, we present the case of a previously healthy 55-year-old woman who was diagnosed with transverse myelitis following a previous infection with COVID-19. MRI showed progressive demyelination of the cervical and thoracic spinal cord, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed increased levels of protein and red blood cells and no markers of infection, including negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for COVID-19 antibodies. The patient was treated with a course of methylprednisolone, multiple treatments …

Tripletail Lobotes Surinamensis Neurocranium, Briana K. Zaffiro, Anna Johnson, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Lobotes surinamensis

[Black Margate (Anisotremus Surinamensis)] Neurocranium, Maeve Hunt, Jenna Hill, Breanna Calle, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 9.5 cm total length (TL) [Black Margate (Anisotremus surinamensis)]

Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) Neurocranium, Vincenzo Ledonne, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 7.3025 cm total length (TL) [Lionfish (Pterois volitans)]

Mesoptroph, A Database Of Trophic Parameters To Study Interactions In Mesopelagic Food Webs, Mónica A. Silva, Catarina T. Fonseca, M. Pilar Olivar, Ainhoa Bernal, Jérôme Spitz, Tiphaine Chouvelon, Sigrún Jonasdottir, Ana Colaço, Vanda Carmo, Tracey Sutton, Gui Menezes, Tone Falkenhaug, Odd Aksel Bergstad, Sergi Pérez-Jorge

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Mesopelagic organisms play a crucial role in marine food webs, channelling energy across the predator-prey network and connecting depth strata through their diel vertical migrations. The information available to assess mesopelagic feeding interactions and energy transfer has increased substantially in recent years, owing to the growing interest and research activity in the mesopelagic realm. However, such data have not been systematically collated and are difficult to access, hampering estimation of the contribution of mesopelagic organisms to marine ecosystems. Here we present MesopTroph, a georeferenced database of diet, trophic markers, and energy content of mesopelagic and other marine taxa compiled from …

Differentially Expressed Genes (Degs) Identified Under High Night Temperature (Hnt) And Control Conditions In 15 Rice Qtls For Grain Quality Traits, Navdeep Gill, Andy Pereira

Biology Faculty Datasets

This dataset contains a list of 149 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) that were identified in two rice genotypes (Cypress and LaGrue) under control and High Night Temperature (HNT) conditions. The 149 up/down regulated genes are housed in the 15 rice QTLs for grain quality traits such as grain length (GL), grain width (GW), and percent chalkiness (%chalk) under control and HNT stress conditions.

Unexpected Opportunities For Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) Education And Citizen Science, Yvanna M. Strait, Amy Hirons

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) mainly resides within the state's coastal waters, but sharing this habitat with thousands of watercrafts, either registered, unregistered, or visiting, has proven challenging for its survival. The future of manatee research among scientists and citizen scientists has strong potential. By taking advantage of venues of opportunity such as boat shows, not only is local population data gathered, but a stronger positive relationship with the public is forged. When people feel they have a stake in the conservation of a species or habitat, they will likely become and remain engaged.

Complete Genome Sequences Of Genamy16 And Novasharks, Two Gordonia Rubripertincta Bacteriophages Isolated From Soil In Southeastern Florida, Julie Torruellas Garcia, Sarah Ballarin, Neel Balusa, Melissa Bell, Samia Caballero, Joshua Chan, Maria Farez, Ashley J. Guillen-Tapia, Kristin Parent, Nashrah Pierre-Louis, Victoria Polishuk, Bhavya Soni, Sundharraman Subramanian, Katie E. Crump

Biology Faculty Articles

We report on two actinobacteriophages, Genamy16 and NovaSharks, that were isolated from soil in Florida using Gordonia rubripertincta NRRL B-16540. The genomes of both phages are ~65,000 bp, with similar GC contents, and, based on gene content similarity to phages in the Actinobacteriophage Database, were assigned to phage cluster DV.

Coral X-Radiograph Densitometry System, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Software

The Coral X-radiograph Densitometry System (CoralXDS) is a Windows-based program which provides a tool for measurement of linear extension, density, and calcification from coral X-radiographs. These quantities are determined for high-density, low-density, and annual bands. CoralXDS operates in two "modes": full mode and extension/luminance mode. Full mode measures linear extension, density, and calcification, while extension/luminance mode measures only linear extension. Extension/luminance mode requires only a coral image with scaling information. CoralXDS allows user specification of transect location and orientation on the coral image, and provides several options for automated and manual band selection. The output measurements …

Cpce Software, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Software

The CPCe (Coral Point Count with Excel extensions) program is a Windows-based software (PC use only) that provides a tool for the determination of coral cover using transect photographs. A specified number of spatially random points are distributed on a transect image and the features underlying the points are user-identified. Coverage statistics are then calculated and the results sent to Excel spreadsheets automatically.

Additionally, CPCe can be used for image calibration and area analysis of benthic features. Excel sheets are automatically generated to summarize the area calculations for each image.

Using CPCe

Using CPCe is simple and straightforward. The main …