Digital Commons Network^™

Determining Methane Uptake In Tropical Agroforestry Soils: A Case For Inclusion In Redd+, Callie L. Mills

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

This study measures methane fluxes in tropical agroforestry soils with relation to rainfall and temperature to determine agroforestry’s uses as a potential methane sink within the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program. Agroforestry is a sustainable agriculture method which uses the intermingling of crops and trees for eventual timber harvesting. Agroforestry is known to provide carbon sequestration benefits and food security to small communities, while maximizing soil health. Belize is participating in the REDD+ program, where the role of methane is currently unclear. Methane samples from Maya Mountain Research Farm were collected several times per week during …

Dendrogyra Cylindrus (Pillar Coral) Of The Florida Reef Tract: An Ex Situ Growth Study, And In Situ – Ex Situ Bacterial Assemblage Assessment, Aubrey E. Hetzler

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The iconic Pillar Coral, Dendrogyra cylindrus, occurs exclusively in the Greater Caribbean and is the only species in its genus. Until the last decade, this stony coral species was notably under-studied by scientists. The drastic decline in this species prompted the formation of the ‘Pillar Coral Genetic Rescue Project’ (Jan. 2016) to provide long term care, growth, and emergency treatment for fragments of D. cylindrus – joined by the Florida Aquarium in August 2016. In contribution to the conservation efforts of this species, this research examines the ex situ growth rate for the species and compares the microbial community composition …

Evaluating Prevalence And Mortality Of External Injuries On Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Green (Chelonia Mydas) Sea Turtles In Florida, Usa, Aleah Marie Ataman

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Anthropogenic threats, such as bycatch, boat strikes, and pollution, account for two to three times more sea turtle mortality events than natural causes. The goals of this study were to: (1) determine prevalence and cause of external traumatic injuries on nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in Juno Beach, Florida and (2) conduct an analysis of historical rehabilitation data from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to calculate mortality of loggerhead and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles injured by boats. During the 2019 nesting season, 300 loggerheads were tagged and examined for external injuries. All injuries were categorized based on …

Can Florida Softshell Turtles (Apalone Ferox) Use Nest Site Choice To Offset Climate Change Effects On Developing Embryos In Nests?, Sean Sullivan

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Over the next 100 years, climate change will impact nearly all species. To survive climate change, species will need to shift their ranges, or develop adaptations that offset rising temperatures. To prevent rising temperatures from influencing nest temperatures, oviparous ectotherms such as freshwater turtles will need to adapt their physiology (i.e., raise the range of temperatures suitable for developmental processes) or their behavior (i.e., through nest site choice). Theory suggests that behavior is more evolutionarily labile than physiology, generating the prediction that turtles will use nest site choice to offset climate warming. In the present study, I quantified nest site …

Environmental Variables Influencing Cynipid Gall Distribution In Southwest Florida, Christine R. Leonard

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Insect galls are a common feature in many xeric environments, where hiding away inside a plant host offers developing larvae consistent food and shelter from harsh conditions. This study aimed to identify the most significant environmental factors that affect local populations of oak-galling wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) associated with three Quercus species found in xeric habitats located in southwest Florida, USA. Cynipid gall diversity, richness, and abundance were quantified for 35 sample sites across 11 counties, counting only winter-season galls. All sample sites were located within xeric, fire-managed, vegetative communities. It was hypothesized that time since last fire, habitat size, latitude, …

A Framework For Quantifying Diasporic Media Markets: Exploring The Cabo Verdean U.S. Diaspora, Luke Daniel Cross

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Immigrant populations within the United States are a burgeoning interest for communication studies, but few resources exist for gauging the media resources available to these populations. This study aims to explore the literature on migrant media consumption and expatriate voting in order to develop an analytical model of media markets surrounding diasporic populations. The goal of this study was to identify relevant tools and data, to code them as variables, and to apply them to the Cabo Verdean diaspora within the U.S. in order to test the strengths and weaknesses of existing resources for analyzing diasporic media markets.

Adult Environmental Education: Active Vs. Passive Learning Pedagogy, Kelly Mckenna

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

From wildfires to coral bleaching, the global effects of climate change are difficult to ignore. Unfortunately, the number of environmental education (EE) programs that target adults in the United States is lacking. Adults have the biggest impact on the environment and the greatest ability to make positive environmental changes and therefore, the need to expand environmental education for adults is imperative. In order to contribute to improved environmental quality, adults need to be exposed to environmental problems and to be taught ways to reduce their environmental impacts. Existing research highlights the difficulties when attempting to include adults in environmental education …

Abundance And Distribution Of The Non-Native Apple Snail, Pomacea Maculata, In A Restored Wetland Of An Urban Lake, Lynsee Taylor Crichton

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The Pomacea maculata, Perry, 1810 or island apple snail is an invasive species to Florida freshwater systems, has become widespread throughout the state. Although P. maculata in the United States are largely limited to ponds and lakes, it can also occur in other areas such as rivers, irrigated croplands, estuaries, and drainage and irrigation ditches. P. maculata is known for its distinctive reproduction patterns and clutch characteristics. There has been a concern that P. maculata has led to extirpations of the native Florida apple snail P. paludosa. In this study, I examined the abundance and distribution of clutches produced by …

Environmental Education At Florida Zoos, Aquariums, And Animal-Based Theme Parks In A National Context: A Comparative Analysis, Rachelle Pontes

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Our society faces escalating environmental challenges with catastrophic implications. Environmental education (EE) is essential for creating an informed and active citizenry prepared to address urgent ecological problems. With a reach of over 195 million visitors annually, and diverse visitor demographics, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos, aquariums, and animal-based theme parks are uniquely positioned to be critical centers of non-formal environmental education. This research investigates adult EE programming at zoos, aquariums, and animal-based theme parks in Florida, and provides a comparison of their focus and trajectory against EE programs in flagship zoos, aquariums, and animal-based theme parks …

#Ad: How Influencers Disclose Advertisements On Instagram, Tamiracle A. Williams

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires social media influencers to disclose any financial or material relationship they have with a brand. This study represents a content analysis of 150 sponsored posts to examine how Instagram influencers disclose this relationship. Findings show that 37% of Instagram influencers use the word “ad” to disclose commercial relations on posts. Further, results indicate that disclosure hashtags are the most popular type and location used by Instagram influencers to disclose a relationship with a brand.

Determination Of Thermal Stratification, Mixing Pattern, Water Quality And Heat Budget Of An Urban Florida Lake, Benjamin Stanley

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Crescent Lake is a stormwater retention water body situated in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recognizes Crescent Lake as impaired because the lake sustains high total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a concentrations. Prior work done by Jacobs Engineering Inc., an environmental consultant agency hired by St. Petersburg, has suggested that summer thermal stratification forms and that water quality declines in fall months with concurrent proliferation of phytoplankton. The cause of increased phytoplankton growth in the fall is not fully understood. The fall increase in phytoplankton might occur because of a mixing event that dissipates thermal stratification …

Culpability And Social Commentary In Titus Andronicus And King Lear, Jay S. Looney

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

In Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and King Lear, notions of identity, power, violence, madness, disability, transformation, and problematic masculinity are used to complicate culpability and comment on the societies within these plays and on Shakespeare’s own society. In both plays, the main characters’ identities ultimately break down as they attempt to rigidly conform to irreconcilably conflicting values. Additionally, the stage villains in both plays provide interesting insights into culpability and social commentary. I explore these themes individually in each play, and I also explore and argue for the connections between these themes in both plays. I argue that the social …

Comparing The Fertility Of Florida’S Eastern Mosquitofish, Gambusia Holbrooki, Based On Differences In Female Traits, Water Quality, And Habitat Type, Jordan David Miller

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, is a surface-dwelling guppy native to the southeastern United States. While resilient to poor water quality, the fish is a voracious predator of the epilimnion, with established populations in most subtropical/tropical regions with surficial freshwater. Eastern mosquitofish are farmed and collected for use as biocontrol agents against the spread of many infectious, often life-threatening, mosquito-borne illnesses. I compared the reproductive success (fertility) of 370 gravid mosquitofish among 32 sites across central Florida to test the hypothesis that fertility is influenced by maternal, ecological, and environmental factors. I found that fish fertility (clutch size) differed significantly …

Assessment Of The Impacts Of Land-Use Change On Streamflow Of The Chipola River, Maryam Arif

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Analysis of the impacts of land-use change on streamflow is crucial for the sustainable development of water resources and land-use management practices. Specifically, the understanding of the urbanization impacts on streamflow will significantly help water resources and land-use managers and planners in decision-making processes. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze the potential impacts of future land-use change, specifically of urbanization on the streamflow of the Chipola River using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in ArcGIS for four years (2015-2018). Implementing the SWAT model required 1) a digital elevation model (DEM); 2) land use maps from 2016 and …

Effects Of In Situ Incubation Temperatures On Hatchling Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) Morphology, Health Indices, And Locomotor Performance, Kelsey Alexandra Fleming

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Incubation temperatures, in addition to an embryo’s genetic makeup, play crucial roles in development and alter a variety of characteristics in sea turtle embryos. Atmospheric temperatures are currently predicted to rise at least 1.5°C above preindustrial levels by 2052, potentially impacting embryonic development. Most sea turtle temperature studies document the effects of “high” and “low” incubation temperatures in laboratory-reared nests. This study’s objective was to examine impacts of varying in situ incubation temperatures on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling morphology, health, and locomotor performance. Temperature data loggers were deployed in 15 individual loggerhead nests on Juno Beach, Florida between …

Phillis Wheatley And Carolina Maria De Jesus: Unexpected Voices Of Revolutionary Times, Tami L. Toms

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The works of Phillis Wheatley and Carolina Maria de Jesus are compared using the concept of jeitinho, a Portuguese word for a little way The creative and crafty method of jeitinho is identified in both writers’ work and gives a lens to see a different level of engagement in criticism. Both writers have been criticized for their lack of social commentary, but the introduction of jeitinho shows their subtle, yet clear assessment of their society. By re-evaluating the contributions made by each author, it is possible to reclaim their relevance as authors.

A Comparative Behavioral Analysis Of Time Budgets Of Sea Turtles At The Florida Aquarium Through The Application Of An Ethogram, Kate Rae Lowry

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Sea turtles are a crucial component of many coastline habitats due to their roles as ecosystem engineers and their ability to raise awareness for conservation efforts. Despite the extensive amount of research conducted on nesting behaviors of wild sea turtles, there are few behavioral studies of turtles in managed care. Sea turtles were observed at The Florida Aquarium from February 2018 to May 2019 to examine possible variations among behavior for five Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Green (Chelonia mydas), and Kemp’s Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). The first part of this study includes a baseline time budget for the five turtles using …

Pah Exposure In Red Snapper (Lutjanus Campechanus) Collected At Natural And Artificial Reef Systems In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Tiffany Jane Nicholson

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Red Snapper are commonly recognized as an important fishery across the bordering states of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and are found in abundance around oil and gas platforms. A small, yet toxic and environmentally persistent component, of crude oil known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are released into Gulf waters through both anthropogenic (e.g., oil and gas activities) and natural (e.g., hydrocarbon seeps) sources. These pollutants are associated with a variety of negative health effects in fish including cardio-toxicity, reproductive and developmental impairment, and external skin lesions. The objectives of this study were to measure and to compare PAH …

How We Experience Eating Disorders: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Elise Hummel

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

There is very little existing qualitative research about the lived experience of individuals with eating disorders (ED) from the lens of a researcher who also identifies as a member of that community. To that end, this project asks: “What is the lived experience of having an ED? And how does my perspective as someone who identifies as having an ED inform my research process and findings?” In this thesis, I draw on feminist practices that recognize participants as collaborators and co-researchers, and I conduct open-ended interviews with four women who were diagnosed with, and sought treatment for, an ED. I …

Becoming Lincoln: His Changing Legacy From Savior Of The Union To The Great Emancipator, 1865 - 1965, Nicki Hannum

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The aim of this project is to demonstrate the relationship between scholarly treatments of Abraham Lincoln since his death and popular conceptions of the man and his legacy in the United States. Lincoln is an integral figure in American identity and central to collective national narratives of exceptionalism and racial progress. As such, Lincoln manifests in scholarly discourse and popular American culture with regularity. For this thesis, I analyzed the connections between academic and popular representations of Lincoln, illustrating the evolution of his legacy in American memory. I drew upon academic journal articles and long-form publications for an understanding of …

State Emotion Regulation As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between State Attachment Security And State Mindfulness, Jamie Onufrak

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Recent research has found associations between attachment security and mindfulness, such that individuals who are more secure in their relationships are more mindful, while those less secure in their relationships are less mindful. However, not much is known about the directionality and underlying mechanisms of this relationship. Recent research has suggested that emotion regulation is a mediator of this relationship. The present study tests if priming attachment security leads to an increase in state mindfulness, and if this relationship is mediated by state emotion regulation. Participants recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (N = 205) were randomly assigned to complete one …

Seasonal Water Quality Trends In Bayboro Harbor, A Humid Subtropical Urban Estuary In Tampa Bay, Florida, Stephanie Asher-Leonard

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

The goal of this study was to track water quality in Bayboro Harbor through the transition from dry season to rainy season and to determine if there was a sharp decline in water quality as precipitation increased. Secondary goals were to examine the influence of several points of urban runoff that discharged to the harbor, and analyze those sites along with several open water sites to detect any trends in changing water quality parameters or nutrients and to establish the baseline water quality data for a continuous monitoring program of Bayboro Harbor.

To accomplish these goals, a monitoring program was …

Marriage And Community In New Spain, 1550-1580: The Bigamy Cases Of Gabriel Carrasco, Francisco González, And Luisa De Abrego, Hannah Tweet

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Gabriel Carrasco, Francisco González, and Luisa de Abrego each faced the charge of bigamy within one decade of each other in Mexico City, between 1565 and 1575. Together, their cases tell a micro-history of bigamy, marriage, and community in New Spain and on its frontiers, one that illustrates the centrality of community. Historians have pointed to the importance of studying community in bigamy cases, and more broadly to the connections between community and marriage. However, a close reading of these three cases takes the connection further and brings together disparate conclusions about why and how bigamy took place. First and …

Effects Of Dem Resolution And Fractal Complexity On Slope Characterization And Subsequent Stream Delineation And Flow: A Comprehensive Analysis, Leo Harry Meirose Iii

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Digital elevation model (DEM) resolution and accuracy are critical to any geographic information system (GIS) terrain and hydrological modeling application. Changes in DEM resolution will impact modeled elevation, slope and curvature spatial location, fractal properties, statistical parameters and accuracy in modeling real-world terrain conditions. As hydrological modeling relies on statistical and spatial terrain parameters as inputs, changes in DEM resolution will also, in turn, impact stream delineation and stream spatial location, fractal properties, statistical parameters, and accuracy in modeling real-world stream conditions. These impacts may manifest differently in flat or mountainous terrains and certain DEM resolutions will model real-world conditions …

Connections Between Female Sexuality And Hell: Misogyny In Shakespeare’S Sonnets, Jordan Kohn-Foley

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

This paper explores the primary way misogyny is exhibited in Shakespeare’s Sonnets and finds that it is through a connection between the female body and sexuality with Hell. The link between the two continues a long-standing literary tradition which includes medieval Catholicism, and is also expressed by writers including Petrarch, Chaucer, and Boccaccio. Shakespeare continues this tradition in the Sonnets, and it becomes the primary way that women are presented in a misogynistic manner within them. This conflation of female genitalia with Hell furthers early modern anxieties regarding the control of women’s bodies, as well as the expression of lust …

A Survey And Comparison Of Plant Communities In Crescent Lake Park, An Urban Lake In St. Petersburg, Florida, Hunter Hajaistron

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

In Florida, urban lakes are challenged. Pollution from surrounding urban ecosystems is detrimental to the ecological health of these lakes. Planting and restoring native wetlands along the littoral zone of these lakes will reduce the effects of pollution. Crescent Lake is an urban lake in Pinellas County, Florida, USA, that has recently begun to restore its wetlands system. This study surveys and evaluates the plant species in the wetland, shoreline, and parkland habitats of Crescent Lake to determine the effectiveness of management. Transects and quadrats were used to determine the diversity and structure of native and non-native plant species. 58 …

Organic Carbon Burial In A Freshwater Marsh To Mangrove Transitional Area In Everglades National Park, Kailey R. Comparetto

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

No abstract provided.

Determining Potential Uptake Pathways Of Persistent Organic Pollutants And Heavy Metals In Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Puerto Rico, Ashley Huber

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Fiddler Crab (U. rapax) tissue, mangrove tissue and sediment from crab burrows were collected in Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Puerto Rico, to quantitate Persistent Organic Pollutants (OCs, PCBs, PBDEs) and selected heavy metals (cadmium, barium, mercury, lead, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic and selenium). Once quantified, the concentrations were applied to a bioconcentration factor equation to determine potential uptake pathways of the target analytes. Bioconcentration factors determined that fiddler crabs were the most efficient at concentrating OC pesticides, while mangroves were the most efficient at concentrating PCBs and heavy metals.

Mangrove Encroachment Into Ecologically Restored Salt Marshes: Quantifying Vegetative And Soil Carbon In Tampa Bay, Florida, Emma E. Dontis

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

Coastal wetlands are one of the world's most productive and valuable ecosystems. Mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt barrens are the dominant coastal wetlands in the Tampa Bay estuary. These "blue carbon" sinks absorb carbon dioxide and store organic carbon (OC) in their vegetation and underlying sediments, allowing them to partially mitigate climate change. However, the global areal extent of these ecosystems has declined by 25-50%, so restoring critical coastal wetland habitats has become imperative. Created coastal wetlands in the Tampa Bay area are first planted with salt marsh vegetation, but often transition into mangrove forests, a process known as …

Spatial And Temporal Levels Of Microplastics In Tampa Bay Surface Waters, Laurinda Kinsley Mceachern

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

This study focused on collecting microplastics in Tampa Bay estuarine surface waters in order to identify temporal and spatial differences. While there have been many studies of microplastic contamination in the marine environment over the past decade, quantifying microplastics in urban estuaries is constrained. This study provides an understanding of the abundance, distribution, and composition of microplastics at twenty sites in Tampa Bay as well as four ancillary tributary stations. The objectives of the study were to identify how surrounding land use type, freshwater sources, seasonal changes in precipitation, and wastewater treatment plant discharge affect microplastic concentrations. Water samples were …