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Microplankton Dynamics In The River-Dominated Mississippi Bight, Adam D. Boyette
Microplankton Dynamics In The River-Dominated Mississippi Bight, Adam D. Boyette
Dissertations
The Mississippi Bight (MSB) is a river-dominated continental margin influenced by multiple large river systems, including the Mississippi River, Alabama and Tombigbee rivers via Mobile Bay, and numerous smaller rivers, creeks, and bayous. This is part of a biologically-rich ecosystem that supports the second largest fishery industry by volume in the United States. Despite our understanding of the linkages between primary production with higher trophic levels, there remains limited studies quantifying these trophic interactions in this system. Microplankton (µm) community dynamics and trophic connectivity between primary producers and heterotrophic protists represent a critical nexus influencing overall biological productivity in this …
Ecological And Oceanographic Influences On Leatherback Turtle Behavior And Scyphozoan Jellyfish Distributions In The Gulf Of Mexico, Katrina Aleksa
Ecological And Oceanographic Influences On Leatherback Turtle Behavior And Scyphozoan Jellyfish Distributions In The Gulf Of Mexico, Katrina Aleksa
Dissertations
Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are a wide-ranging, oceanic species that feed exclusively on gelatinous zooplankton. Leatherback have been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for several decades and consistently had a high level of interactions with longline fisheries. However, no quantitative studies have been performed to address the spatiotemporal distribution of these turtles in the GoM. This research determines 1) leatherback movements and high-use areas in the GoM, 2) their association with oceanographic features, 3) the distribution and density of two abundant medusae in the northern GoM and any association with biophysical parameters, and 4) the body …