Digital Commons Network^™

Elucidating The Role Of Neighborhood Deprivation In Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Kelly M. Winter

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined risk factors for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) — specifically whether neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation exacerbates individual socioeconomic disadvantage (deprivation amplification) to increase the likelihood of developing HDP. To select the optimal areal unit at which to investigate HDP, geographic proxies for neighborhoods were explored.

A thematic review qualitatively examined nontraditional neighborhood boundaries identified through internet sources. Data from 2008–2012 Miami-Dade County, Florida birth records (n=121,421) and the U.S. Census Bureau were used for the remaining analyses. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis empirically compared the proportion of HDP prevalence explained by six areal …

The Adaptive Evolution Of Herbivory In Freshwater Systems, Jessica Lynn Sanchez Montelongo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Herbivory is thought to be nutritionally inefficient relative to carnivory and omnivory. But, herbivory evolved from carnivory in many lineages, suggesting that there are advantages to eating plants. To understand the adaptive significance of the transition from carnivory to herbivory, I proposed five hypotheses for the adaptive evolution of herbivory and reviewed the current freshwater literature to identify conditions where eating plants might be adaptive over eating animals. I tested three of these ideas (Suboptimal Habitat, Heterotroph Facilitation, and Lipid Allocation) using the herbivorous Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)and identified each as a potential mechanism for the evolution of …

Recovery Of Amphibian And Reptile Communities During Tropical Secondary Forest Succession, Michelle E. Thompson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The extensive clearing and modification of natural systems from anthropogenic activities is a pressing global concern. Forest habitats and animal communities within forests are among the most highly impacted, globally. Forest destruction has been repeatedly documented as a driver of biodiversity loss. However, little is known about how animal communities respond when altered landscapes are abandoned and left to regenerate into secondary forests. It is thought that the regrowth of secondary forests may help reverse biodiversity loss by restoring habitats to similar conditions as prior to land conversion. Of the forest cover that remains, over half is secondary forest, and …

Using Introduced Species Of Anolis Lizards To Test Adaptive Radiation Theory, James T. Stroud

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adaptive radiation – the proliferation of species from a single ancestor and diversification into many ecologically different forms – has long been heralded as an important process in the generation of phenotypic diversity. However, the early stages of adaptive radiation are notoriously elusive to observe and study. In this dissertation, I capitalize on communities of introduced non-native Anolis lizards as analogues of early stage adaptive radiations. In Chapter II, I begin by reviewing the concept of “ecological opportunity” – a classic hypothesis put forward as a potential key to understanding when and how adaptive radiation occurs. In Chapter III, I …

Top-Down And Bottom-Up Approaches To Understanding The Fate Of The Federally Endangered Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly (Heraclides Aristodemus Ponceanus), Jaeson T. Clayborn

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The federally endangered Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus) populations have declined precipitously over the years. Despite tremendous efforts to augment the numbers of this butterfly through captive-bred releases and habitat enhancements, it remains imperiled and federally endangered. The dissertation’s objectives were: 1) to restore dry forest habitat in Biscayne National Park (BNP) for Schaus’ swallowtails; 2) to assess host plant (torchwood and wild lime) survivorship and growth in the restoration sites (BNP) and project dry forest habitat loss because of imminent sea level rise (SLR); 3) to quantify ant activity and record predator-prey interactions against Heraclides caterpillars …

Comparative Evaluation On Human Infants Dietary Mercury Exposure Through Consumption Of Fish And Rice Products, Wenbin Cui

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) through diets (e.g., fish and rice) is a global health concern. Although MeHg exposure through fish consumption has long been considered the major route of mercury health risks, studies concerning the long-term changes in MeHg exposure from fish remain lacking. In sharply contrast to the fish MeHg issue, the presence of MeHg in rice has only been reported recently and its implications on MeHg exposure, albeit probably important, are still in infancy. Focusing on the discrepancies in the studies of MeHg exposure through fish and rice consumption, this study was aimed to assess the MeHg …

A Floristic Study Of Halmahera, Indonesia Focusing On Palms (Arecaceae) And Their Seed Dispersal, Melissa E. Abdo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dispersal services of frugivores affect plant community assembly, persistence, and gene flow in the short-term, and in the long-term are critical to ensuring that tropical trees and palms can regenerate in disturbed areas and can migrate amidst climate change. Halmahera is the largest Moluccan island within the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot, yet data on its plant and animal distributions and interactions are almost null. I studied the tropical trees and palms of Halmahera and their seed dispersal dynamics. Chapter I explores the palms of the Moluccan islands through field-, herbarium-, and literature- based studies. The results of herbarium specimen collections …

Seasonal Recruitment And Survival Strategies Of Palisada Cervicornis Comb. Nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) In Coral Reefs, Ligia Collado-Vides, Alain Duran, Elizabeth Armenis, Valéria Cassano, Deron Burkepile, Andrew A. Shantz, Laura Palma, Jhoana Díaz-Larrea, Abel Sentíes

Center for Coastal Oceans Research Faculty Publications

As marine tropical ecosystems deteriorate and lose biodiversity, their communities are shifting to dominance of a few species, altering ecosystem’s functioning and services. Macroalgae are are becoming dominant on coral reefs, and frequently observed outcompeting corals. Turf algal assemblages are the base of energy flow in these systems and one of the most abundant types of macroalgae on coral reefs, but little is known about their biology and diversity. Through molecular and morphological analyses, we established the proper identity of the turf-forming species Laurencia cervicornis, and by studying seasonal recruitment and the impact of herbivorous fishes on its abundance, …

Light Attenuation In Estuarine Mangrove Lakes, Thomas A. Frankovich, David T. Rudnick, James W. Fourqurean

Center for Coastal Oceans Research Faculty Publications

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) cover has declined in brackish lakes in the southern Everglades characterized by low water transparencies, emphasizing the need to evaluate the suitability of the aquatic medium for SAV growth and to identify the light attenuating components that contribute most to light attenuation. Underwater attenuation of downwards irradiance of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was determined over a three year period at 42 sites in shallow (<2 m depth) mangrove-surrounded lakes in two sub-estuaries in the coastal Everglades, Florida USA. Turbidity, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and phytoplankton chlorophyll a (chl a) were measured concurrently and their respective contributions to the light attenuation rate were estimated. Light transmission to the benthos relative to literature estimates of minimum requirements for …

2016 Fall Florida International University Commencement, Florida International University

FIU Commencement Programs

Program for the 2016 Fall Florida International University Commencement.

An Ecological Study Of The Anurans In Tea Plantations In A Biodiversity Hotspot, Lilly M. Eluvathingal

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing human population size is increasing the demand for resources like timber, oil, tea, coffee, and other crops. Plantation crops mimic some aspects of native habitats, and there are studies that report the presence of some native anuran biodiversity in plantations. I focused on tea plantations in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot and studied the diversity and health of anurans in different habitats found within a tea cultivation area, near Munnar region in the Western Ghats, India. The landscape includes tea bushes, native evergreen shola forest patches, and eucalyptus forest stands. I reviewed 40 studies comparing amphibian species richness …

Microbial Functional Diversity And The Associated Biogeochemical Interactions Across Miami-Dade County, Florida Soils, Priyanka Kushwaha

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Decomposition of soil organic matter by microbial processes results in carbon sequestration within soils and/or carbon loss via atmospheric emission of carbon dioxide and methane. Natural as well as anthropogenic factors have been documented to impact soil microbial diversity and the associated biogeochemical functions. The soil microbial communities co-inhabiting Miami-Dade County soils, Florida are under threat because of the ongoing restoration efforts in the adjoining Florida Everglades Parks, predicted climatic changes such as sea-level rise and high rainfall, as well as urbanization. Therefore, an improved understanding of the current microbial functional communities is essential to better assess the impact of …

A Review Of Subtropical Community Resistance And Resilience To Extreme Cold Spells, Ross E. Boucek, Evelyn E. Gaiser, H. Liu, Jennifer S. Rehage

FCE LTER Journal Articles

Forecasted changes in global climate predict not only shifts in average conditions but also changes in the frequency and intensity of climate extremes. In the subtropics, the passage of extreme cold spells functions as a major structuring force for ecological communities, and can incur substantial losses to biodiversity, agriculture, and infrastructure. If these events persist in the future, it is likely that their effects on subtropical communities and ecosystems will become more pronounced, as tropical species migrate poleward. Recent extreme cold spells in subtropical China (2008) and United States (2010) occurred in ecosystems that are the subject of long-term ecological …

Keep Writing Weird: A Call For Eco-Administration And Engaged Writing Programs, Veronica House

Community Literacy Journal

Influenced by ecological theories of writing, the author proposes a new model for writing curriculum design and community-based projects. The article provides a project of the Writing Initiative for Service and Engagement at the University of Colorado Boulder as an example of programmatic engagement with a community issue using an ecological methodology.

Investigating Sub-Tropical Community Resistance And Resilience To Climate Disturbance, Ross E. Boucek

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Changes in global climate will likely increase climate variability. In turn, changes in climate variability have begun to alter the frequency, intensity, and timing of climate disturbances. Continued changes in the climate disturbance regime experienced by natural systems will undoubtedly affect ecological processes at every hierarchical scale. Thus, in order to predict the dynamics of ecological systems in the future, we must develop a more mechanistic understanding of how and in what ways climate disturbance affects natural systems. In South Florida, two climate disturbances recently affected the region, a severe cold spell in 2010, and a drought in 2011. Importantly, …

Evaluating Plant Community Response To Sea Level Rise And Anthropogenic Drying: Can Life Stage And Competitive Ability Be Used As Indicators In Guiding Conservation Actions?, Kristie Susan Wendelberger

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing sea levels and anthropogenic disturbances have caused the world’s coastal vegetation to decline 25-50% in the past 50 years. Future sea level rise (SLR) rates are expected to increase, further threatening coastal habitats. In combination with SLR, the Everglades ecosystem has undergone large-scale drainage and restoration changing Florida’s coastal vegetation. Everglades National Park (ENP) has 21 coastal plant species threatened by SLR. My dissertation focuses on three aspects of coastal plant community change related to SLR and dehydration. 1) I assessed the extent and direction coastal communities—three harboring rare plant species—shifted from 1978 to 2011. I created a classified …

The Role Of Endothelin 3 In Melanoma Progression And Metastasis, Nikeisha L. Chin

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothelin receptor b (Ednrb) and its ligand Endothelin 3 (Edn3) have been implicated in melanoma. Several studies have shown an upregulation of EDNRB and EDN3 at both the protein and mRNA levels, as melanoma becomes more aggressive. This study investigated the putative role played by Edn3 over-expression in melanoma progression and angiogenesis in vivo. We crossed Tg(Grm1)Epv transgenic mice that aberrantly express metabotropic glutamate receptor1 under the Dopachrome tautomerase promoter, leading to spontaneous melanocytic lesions in the ears and tails that do not metastasize, with transgenics that overexpress Edn3 under the Keratin 5 promoter ( …

The Effect Of Disturbance And Freshwater Availability On Lower Florida Keys’ Coastal Forest Dynamics, Danielle E. Ogurcak

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal forest retreat in the Florida Keys during the 20^th century has been attributed to a combination of sea level rise and hurricane storm surge impacts, but the interactions between these two disturbances leading to forest decline are not well understood. The goal of my research was to assess their effects over a period spanning more than two decades, and to examine the relationships between these press and pulse disturbances and freshwater availability in pine rockland, hardwood hammock, and supratidal scrub communities. Impacts and recovery from two storm surges, Hurricanes Georges (1998) and Wilma (2005), were assessed with satellite-derived …

The Beacon, September 21, 2015, Florida International University

PantherNOW - Student Newspaper

Vol. 27, Issue 18, 8 pages

Nut Production In Bertholletia Excelsa Across A Logged Forest Mosaic: Implications For Multiple Forest Use, Cara A. Rockwell, Manuel R. Guariguata, Mary Menton, Eriks Arroyo Quispe, Julia Quaedvlieg, Eleanor Warren-Thomas, Harol Fernandez Silva, Edwin Eduardo Jurado Rojas, Jose Andres Hideki Kohagura Arrunàtegui, Luis Alberto Meza Vega, Olivia Revilla Vera, Roger Quenta Hancco, Jonatan Frank Valera Tito, Betxy Tabita Villarroel Panduro, Juan Jose Yucra Salas

All Faculty

No abstract provided.

Investigating Trophic Interactions Of Deep-Sea Animals (Sharks, Teleosts, And Mobile Scavengers) In The Gulf Of Mexico Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Diana A. Churchill

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The deep-sea is the largest habitat on earth, containing over 90 percent of the world’s oceans and home to over 20,000 species. Deep-sea ecosystems are increasingly impacted by human activities including fishing and oil extraction. To understand potential impacts on deep-sea food webs, it is crucial to gather baseline data in these systems. I quantified the trophic interactions of three groups of deep-water animals across a range of trophic levels living in the northern and eastern Gulf of Mexico using stable isotope analysis. First, I propose methods for correcting δ¹⁵N values for the presence of nitrogenous metabolic waste …

Flow Regime Classification And Hydrological Characterization: A Case Study Of Ethiopian Rivers, Belete Berhanu, Yilma Seleshi, Solomon S. Demisse, Assefa M. Melesse

Department of Earth and Environment

The spatiotemporal variability of a stream flow due to the complex interaction of catchment attributes and rainfall induce complexity in hydrology. Researchers have been trying to address this complexity with a number of approaches; river flow regime is one of them. The flow regime can be quantified by means of hydrological indices characterizing five components: magnitude, frequency, duration, timing, and rate of change of flow. Similarly, this study aimed to understand the flow variability of Ethiopian Rivers using the observed daily flow data from 208 gauging stations in the country. With this process, the Hierarchical Ward Clustering method was implemented …

Large-Scale Patterns Of Turnover And Basal Area Change In Andean Forests, Selene Baez, Agustina Malizia, Julieta Carilla, Cecilia Blundo, Manuel Aguilar, Nikolay Aguirre, Zhofre Aquirre, Esteban Alvarez, Francisco Cuesta, Alvaro Duque, William Farfan-Rios, Karina Garcia-Cabrera, Ricardo Grau, Juergen Homeier, Reynaldo Linares-Palomino, Lucio R. Malizia, Omar Melo Cruz, Kenneth J. Feeley

Department of Biological Sciences

General patterns of forest dynamics and productivity in the Andes Mountains are poorly characterized. Here we present the first large-scale study of Andean forest dynamics using a set of 63 permanent forest plots assembled over the past two decades. In the North-Central Andes tree turnover (mortality and recruitment) and tree growth declined with increasing elevation and decreasing temperature. In addition, basal area increased in Lower Montane Moist Forests but did not change in Higher Montane Humid Forests. However, at higher elevations the lack of net basal area change and excess of mortality over recruitment suggests negative environmental impacts. In North-Western …

Are We Filling The Data Void? An Assessment Of The Amount And Extent Of Plant Collection Records And Census Data Available For Tropical South America, Kenneth Feeley

Department of Biological Sciences

Large-scale studies are needed to increase our understanding of how large-scale conservation threats, such as climate change and deforestation, are impacting diverse tropical ecosystems. These types of studies rely fundamentally on access to extensive and representative datasets (i.e., "big data"). In this study, I asses the availability of plant species occurrence records through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the distribution of networked vegetation census plots in tropical South America. I analyze how the amount of available data has changed through time and the consequent changes in taxonomic, spatial, habitat, and climatic representativeness. I show that there are large …

Changing Bacterial Growth Efficiencies Across A Natural Nutrient Gradient In An Oligotrophic Estuary, Amber A. Kiger

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have characterized coastal estuarine systems as important components of the global carbon cycle. This study investigated carbon cycling through the microbial loop of Florida Bay by use of bacterial growth efficiency calculations. Bacterial production, bacterial respiration, and other environmental parameters were measured at three sites located along a historic phosphorus-limitation gradient in Florida Bay and compared to a relatively nutrient enriched site in Biscayne Bay. A new method for measuring bacterial respiration in oligotrophic waters involving tracing respiration of ¹³C-glucose was developed. The results of the study indicate that ¹³C tracer assays may provide a better …

A Phylogenetic Backbone For Bivalvia: An Rna-Seq Approach, Vanessa L. Gonzàlez, Sonia C. S. Andrade, Rudiger Bieler, Timothy M. Collins, Casey W. Dunn, Paula M. Mikkelsen, John D. Taylor, Gonzalo Giribet

All Faculty

Bivalves are an ancient and ubiquitous group of aquatic invertebrates with an estimated 10 000?20 000 living species. They are economically significant as a human food source, and ecologically important given their biomass and effects on communities. Their phylogenetic relationships have been studied for decades, and their unparalleled fossil record extends from the Cambrian to the Recent. Nevertheless, a robustly supported phylogeny of the deepest nodes, needed to fully exploit the bivalves as a model for testing macroevolutionary theories, is lacking. Here, we present the first phylogenomic approach for this important group of molluscs, including novel transcriptomic data for 31 …

Habitat Use Of The Key Largo Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Smalli), Lauren J. Barth

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Key Largo woodrats are an endangered subspecies with an extremely limited habitat. This study sought to understand woodrat habitat preferences in order to guide management. Woodrats build stick nests from natural and artificial materials, so nest distribution and nest occupancy were used as indicators of preference. Distribution was determined by nest surveys, and remote cameras were used to assess occupancy. Forest structure, human disturbance, nest, and animal presence metrics were also collected. More nests were found along abandoned roads than along forest transects and more artificial nests were occupied than natural nests. These findings indicate that woodrats prefer areas with …

Towards A Cohesive, Holistic View Of Top Predation: A Definition, Synthesis And Perspective, Fabrizio Sergio, Oswald J. Schmitz, Charles J. Krebbs, Robert D. Holt, Michael R. Heithaus, Aaron J. Wirsing, William J. Ripple, Euan Ritchie, David Ainley, Daniel Oro, Yadvendradev Jhala, Fernando Hiraldo, Erkki Korpimäki

FCE LTER Journal Articles

The ongoing global loss of top predators and their recolonization of various regions are causing a rapid upsurge of studies on these species and a consequent fragmentation of this field into disconnected, specialized subcompartments: this will weaken efforts to produce synthetic generalisations of broader ecological interest. Here, we show that top predation provides regular contributions to general ecology, is well grounded in theoretical ecology and is a rapidly expanding and increasingly experimental, multidisciplinary and technological field of research. The novelty of this forum lies in providing a concise synthesis of this area of ecology, in attempting to formalise “top predation” …

Ecosystem Fragmentation Drives Increased Diet Variation In An Endemic Livebearing Fish Of The Bahamas, Marcio S. Araujo, R. Brian Langerhans, Sean T. Giery, Craig A. Layman

Department of Biological Sciences

One consequence of human-driven habitat degradation in general, and habitat fragmentation in particular, is loss of biodiversity. An often-underappreciated aspect of habitat fragmentation relates to changes in the ecology of species that persist in altered habitats. In Bahamian wetlands, ecosystem fragmentation causes disruption of hydrological connectivity between inland fragmented wetlands and adjacent marine areas, with the consequent loss of marine piscivores from fragmented sections. We took advantage of this environmental gradient to investigate effects of ecosystem fragmentation on patterns of resource use in the livebearing fish Gambusia hubbsi (Family Poeciliidae), using both population- and individual-level perspectives. We show that fragmentation-induced …

Differential Effects Of Lichens Versus Liverworts Epiphylls On Host Leaf Traits In The Tropical Montane Rainforest, Hainan Island, China, Ligyan Zhou, Fude Liu, Wenjie Yang, H. Liu, Hongbo Shao, Zhongsheng Wang, Sunqing An

Department of Earth and Environment

Epiphylls widely colonize vascular leaves in moist tropical forests. Understanding the effects of epiphylls on leaf traits of host plants is critical for understanding ecological function of epiphylls. A study was conducted in a rain forest to investigate leaf traits of the host plants Photinia prunifolia colonized with epiphyllous liverworts and foliicolous lichens as well as those of uncolonized leaves. Our results found that the colonization of lichens significantly decreased leaf water content (LWC), chlorophyll (Chl) a and a + b content, and Chl a/b of P. prunifolia but increased Chl b content, while that of liverworts did not affect …