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Suboptimal Foraging Behavior By Herring Gulls, Jennifer R. Gamble
Suboptimal Foraging Behavior By Herring Gulls, Jennifer R. Gamble
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Stopover Ecology Of The Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica Striata, During Spring Migration On The Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Magill Weber
Stopover Ecology Of The Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica Striata, During Spring Migration On The Coastal Plain Of Virginia, Magill Weber
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Synoptic Scale Climatic Forcing Of Multispecies Fish Recruitment Patterns In Chesapeake Bay, Robert J. Wood
Synoptic Scale Climatic Forcing Of Multispecies Fish Recruitment Patterns In Chesapeake Bay, Robert J. Wood
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Five fishery independent data sets were used to investigate multispecies fish recruitment patterns in Chesapeake Bay (1966--1997). Despite differences in sampling gear, sampled habitat, collection methods, and sampling sites, the strongest multispecies recruitment patterns within each data set (revealed by separate principal components analyses) depict a negative relationship between recruitment of spring spawning anadromous fishes and fall-winter continental shelf spawning species. This pattern dominates both low and high frequency components of the multispecies data. Because these two species groups utilize freshwater and oligohaline reaches of the Bay and its tributaries as springtime nursery areas, this Chesapeake Bay Anadromous-Shelf Spawner (CBASS) …
Organic Matter Composition Of Sediments And The History Of Eutrophication And Anoxia In The Mesohaline Chesapeake Bay, Andrew R. Zimmerman
Organic Matter Composition Of Sediments And The History Of Eutrophication And Anoxia In The Mesohaline Chesapeake Bay, Andrew R. Zimmerman
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
To evaluate the effects of anthropogenic alteration of the Chesapeake Bay (CB) watershed since European settlement, the historical progression of eutrophication and anoxia in the mesohaline region of CB was reconstructed. Lipid biomarker and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic and elemental composition of CB surficial sediments were examined seasonally in order to identify the present sources of organic matter to CB sediments and the processes controlling their distribution. Temporal variability in surficial sediment composition could be linked to seasonal changes in phytoplankton community composition and biomass while spatial variation was dominated by the delivery of alloclithonous versus autochthonous sources of …
Photosynthetic Response And Nutrient Uptake Dynamics Of Phytoplankton In The Ross Sea, Antarctica, Christina Marie Van Hilst
Photosynthetic Response And Nutrient Uptake Dynamics Of Phytoplankton In The Ross Sea, Antarctica, Christina Marie Van Hilst
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Characterization Of Iron-Bearing Solids Used By Naturally-Occurring Microbes In The Anaerobic Degradation Of Hydrocarbons, David C. Powell
Characterization Of Iron-Bearing Solids Used By Naturally-Occurring Microbes In The Anaerobic Degradation Of Hydrocarbons, David C. Powell
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
The Human Factor In Size Selectivity In The Sea Scallop, Placopecten Magellanicus Fishery, Arman O. Kaltayev
The Human Factor In Size Selectivity In The Sea Scallop, Placopecten Magellanicus Fishery, Arman O. Kaltayev
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Application Of The Shoreline Instability Model Along The Western Side Of The Chesapeake Bay, Va, Kevin G. Skunda
Application Of The Shoreline Instability Model Along The Western Side Of The Chesapeake Bay, Va, Kevin G. Skunda
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Use Of A Digital Multispectral Video System And Spectroradiometer For Bottomland Hardwood Forest Remote Sensing: A Jurisdictional Boundary Accuracy Assessment And Radiance Examination, Jill E. Meyer
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
A Framework For Construction And Analysis Of Juvenile Abundance Indices For American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The York River, Virginia, Mary Lynn Aiken
A Framework For Construction And Analysis Of Juvenile Abundance Indices For American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The York River, Virginia, Mary Lynn Aiken
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Population Dynamics Of The Smooth Dogfish, Mustelus Canis, In The Northwest Atlantic, Christina L. Conrath
Population Dynamics Of The Smooth Dogfish, Mustelus Canis, In The Northwest Atlantic, Christina L. Conrath
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Microgeographic Population Genetic Structure Of The Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus L) Inhabiting An Industrialized Waterway, Luis Felipe Arzayus
Microgeographic Population Genetic Structure Of The Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus L) Inhabiting An Industrialized Waterway, Luis Felipe Arzayus
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
An Investigation Of Hybridization Between Two Serranid Fishes, The Coney (Cephalopholis Fulva) And The Creole Fish (Paranthias Furcifer), Meredith A. Bostrom
An Investigation Of Hybridization Between Two Serranid Fishes, The Coney (Cephalopholis Fulva) And The Creole Fish (Paranthias Furcifer), Meredith A. Bostrom
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Seasonal Residence, Movement, And Activity Patterns Of Adult Tautog, Tautoga Onitis, In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Michael D. Arendt
Seasonal Residence, Movement, And Activity Patterns Of Adult Tautog, Tautoga Onitis, In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Michael D. Arendt
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Osteology, Phylogeny, And Biogeography Of The Marine Fish Family Ephippidae (Perciformes, Acanthuroidei), With Comments On Sister Group Relationships, Martin Ray Cavalluzzi
Osteology, Phylogeny, And Biogeography Of The Marine Fish Family Ephippidae (Perciformes, Acanthuroidei), With Comments On Sister Group Relationships, Martin Ray Cavalluzzi
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The marine fish family Ephippidae comprises eight genera and 15 species of extant fishes. Spadefishes or batfishes inhabit nearshore tropical to temperate waters. They are almost circumglobal in distribution, with the highest diversity in the Indo-west Pacific and the lowest diversity in the east Pacific and west Atlantic. Fifty-nine potentially informative morphological characters, 10 outgroup taxa, and eight ingroup taxa (i.e., genera) were used to explore sister group hypotheses to the Ephippidae, as well as generate a phylogeny of the Ephippidae. Seven constraint tree analyses were utilized to examine various sister group hypotheses based on previous morphological and molecular analyses …
Ecological Interactions Between Benthic Oyster Reef Fishes And Oysters, Juliana Maria Harding
Ecological Interactions Between Benthic Oyster Reef Fishes And Oysters, Juliana Maria Harding
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Restoration of oyster reef structures rehabilitates habitats and the multi-level ecological communities built on eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), the keystone species. Quantitative descriptions of ecological interactions within a habitat are required to delineate essential fish habitats for management and protection. Parallel development of primary (oysters) and secondary trophic levels (benthic fishes) offer an ecological metric of restoration progress over time. The interaction between larval oysters and larval fishes (e.g., Gobiosoma bosc, Chasmodes bosquianus) is quantitatively examined. Oyster settlement estimates for Palace Bar reef, Piankatank River, Virginia are of the same order of magnitude as field densities of recently settled oysters. …
Ecological Dispersal Mechanisms, Reproductive Ecology, And The Importance Of Scale In Zostera Marina In Chesapeake Bay, Matthew C. Harwell
Ecological Dispersal Mechanisms, Reproductive Ecology, And The Importance Of Scale In Zostera Marina In Chesapeake Bay, Matthew C. Harwell
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Previous knowledge of the seed ecology of the clonal seagrass Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) suggests that sexual reproduction is not very important to the population dynamics of eelgrass; however, researchers have hypothesized long-distance dispersal for nearly a century. From a bay-wide sampling effort, viable eelgrass seeds in the seed bank were found throughout most of the lower and middle Chesapeake Bay, but abundance of seeds was highly variable. Lower seed-bank densities were found in middle Chesapeake Bay, the region with slow recovery of eelgrass populations. From natural and artificially created eelgrass populations, regional environmental conditions were found to have a …
Assessment Of Spawning And Nursery Habitat Suitability For American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Mattaponi And Pamunkey Rivers, Donna Marie Bilkovic
Assessment Of Spawning And Nursery Habitat Suitability For American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Mattaponi And Pamunkey Rivers, Donna Marie Bilkovic
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Delineation of essential fish habitat is particularly difficult for migratory fish which utilize large expanses of habitat throughout their life history. This study's main objective was the development and evaluation of habitat assessment tools for the early life stages of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in two coastal plain rivers. to accomplish this, shad spawning and larval nursery habitats were delineated in the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers using presence of eggs and larvae (1997--1999) as evidence of habitat use. A watershed habitat assessment protocol was developed and used to rate habitat based on hydrographic, physical habitat, shoreline and land use parameters. …
Demographics, Production, And Benthic -Pelagic Coupling By The Suspension Feeding Polychaete Chaetopterus Pergamentaceus In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Michelle Lynne Thompson Neubauer
Demographics, Production, And Benthic -Pelagic Coupling By The Suspension Feeding Polychaete Chaetopterus Pergamentaceus In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Michelle Lynne Thompson Neubauer
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
For many shallow water environments, ecosystem function depends on the cycling and flow of materials and energy between benthic and pelagic subsystems. Benthic suspension feeders often are important links between the water column and sediment in coastal ecosystems. Populations of the suspension feeding polychaete Chaetopterus pergamentaceus (previously reported as Chaetopterus variopedatus) are widely distributed along the United States East Coast, ranging from New England to Florida. This species is a structurally and functionally important member of the lower Chesapeake Bay benthic community, where it has maintained stable populations for at least the last 15 years. Little is known regarding the …
Carbon Dynamics In A Tidal Freshwater Marsh, Scott C. Neubauer
Carbon Dynamics In A Tidal Freshwater Marsh, Scott C. Neubauer
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The sources and fates of carbon in a tidal freshwater marsh (Sweet Hall marsh; Pamunkey River, Virginia) were determined to understand the role that these marshes play with respect to estuarine carbon cycling. A carbon gas flux model, based on measured carbon dioxide and methane fluxes, was developed to calculate annual rates of macrophyte and microalgal photosynthesis and community and belowground respiration. Because carbon fluxes out of marsh sediments may underestimate true belowground respiration if sediment-produced gases are transported through plant tissues, gross nitrogen mineralization was used as a proxy for belowground carbon respiration. Annual community respiration exceeded gross photosynthesis, …
Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure On Development And Sexual Differentiation In Ranid Tadpoles, Mary J. Rybitski
Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure On Development And Sexual Differentiation In Ranid Tadpoles, Mary J. Rybitski
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The effects of AroclorRTM1242 exposure on developing amphibians were examined by exposing southern leopard frogs, Rana sphenocephala, to a contaminated diet throughout the larval period. Treatment groups consisted of an untreated control, a solvent control, 17beta-estradiol, and three PCB doses (10, 100, and 1000 mug/g). PCB accumulation and biotransformation were examined. Effects of PCB exposure on metamorphosis and sexual differentiation were assessed. PCB accumulation was not statistically different between the egg masses. Levels of PCBs in the tissues differed in a dose related manner. Within treatments, body weight appeared to be the major factor correlated with PCB concentration. Congener patterns …
The Role Of Stress In Determining Community Structure: Effects Of Hypoxia On An Estuarine Epifaunal Community, Alessandra Sagasti
The Role Of Stress In Determining Community Structure: Effects Of Hypoxia On An Estuarine Epifaunal Community, Alessandra Sagasti
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Community models predict the effects of stress on community structure and processes. I tested the Menge and Sutherland 1987 model in an estuarine epifaunal community experiencing low oxygen stress, termed hypoxia. Epifauna, animals living on the surfaces of substrates, are ecologically important in many estuaries where hypoxia occurs, yet little is known about the effects of hypoxia on these communities. Epifauna formed dense communities in the York River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, USA, despite frequent hypoxia. Abundance and species composition was similar in two areas of the river, even though the downstream study area often experienced lower oxygen …
Function And Regulation Of Alternative Isoforms Of The Transcription Factor Pax-5 During B Lymphocyte Differentiation, Marina A. Lowen
Function And Regulation Of Alternative Isoforms Of The Transcription Factor Pax-5 During B Lymphocyte Differentiation, Marina A. Lowen
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Plant Species Of The Virginia Coastal Plain Flora That Are Disjunct From The Mountains: Their Distribution, Abundance And Substrate Selectivity, Leah E. Mcdonald
Plant Species Of The Virginia Coastal Plain Flora That Are Disjunct From The Mountains: Their Distribution, Abundance And Substrate Selectivity, Leah E. Mcdonald
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Application Of Genetic Markers To Provide Species Identification And Define Stock Structure: Analyses Of Selected Marine Fishes Of The Mid -Atlantic Bight, Jan F. Cordes
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
Molecular markers and techniques were employed to develop a genetic key for the forensic identification of 16 species of Chesapeake Bay sportfishes and to investigate the stock structure of one of those species, the weakfish Cynoscion regalis. Regions within the ATP synthetase 6 (ATPase 6), Cytochrome b , cytochrome c oxidase I, NADH dehydrogenase 4 (ND4), and 12S/16S ribosomal RNA mitochondrial genes were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digested with a bank of restriction endonucleases to find a genetic marker that exhibited complete interspecific differentiation and low intraspecific variation. Complete separation of all sixteen species was accomplished …
Bioremediation Of Tributyltin Contaminated Sediment Using Spartina Alterniflora In A Created Tidal Wetland, Britt-Anne Anderson
Bioremediation Of Tributyltin Contaminated Sediment Using Spartina Alterniflora In A Created Tidal Wetland, Britt-Anne Anderson
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
The Habitat Utilization Of Juvenile Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata) At Buck Island Reef National Monument, St Croix, U.S Virgin Islands, Roy A. Pemberton
The Habitat Utilization Of Juvenile Hawksbill Sea Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata) At Buck Island Reef National Monument, St Croix, U.S Virgin Islands, Roy A. Pemberton
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Maturation And Repeat Spawning By American Shad In The York River, Virginia, Kristin L. Maki
Maturation And Repeat Spawning By American Shad In The York River, Virginia, Kristin L. Maki
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
Biology Of The Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion Nebulosus, In The Chesapeake Bay Region, Thomas F. Ihde
Biology Of The Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion Nebulosus, In The Chesapeake Bay Region, Thomas F. Ihde
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
No abstract provided.
The Specific Immune Response In Rainbow Trout: Somatic Hypermutation And Vh Gene Utilization, Teresa D. Lewis
The Specific Immune Response In Rainbow Trout: Somatic Hypermutation And Vh Gene Utilization, Teresa D. Lewis
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects
The study of antibody responses in prominent aquaculture species such as the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, can facilitate vaccine development and contribute to producing useful paradigms of adaptive immunity in lower vertebrates. Thus, it is essential to identify genes responsible for antibody responses. In the mouse model, hybridoma technology allows for the association of monoclonal antibodies possessing various affinities for antigen with specific VH sequences, gene family utilization, and other molecular events (i.e. somatic hypermutation) that occur during the specific immune response. The absence of a comparable hybridoma technology in piscine systems has limited similar studies of fish immunogenetics to …