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Local And Regional Controls Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Metapopulation Dynamics Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Brock Miles Huntsman
Local And Regional Controls Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Metapopulation Dynamics Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Brock Miles Huntsman
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Brook trout have recently become a species of conservation focus due to their unique spatial structure and restricted thermal requirements. These life history characteristics make brook trout particularly vulnerable to major biodiversity threats, such as climate change and habitat loss. For appropriate conservation actions to be taken, it is imperative to identify the scale that limits brook trout productivity. The popular view of brook trout ecology indicates that populations exist as isolated fragments within watersheds, where productivity is concentrated in small, cold tributaries. This has led to management resources being allocated towards small tributaries with a goal to enhance local …
Effects Of Maturation, Polyploidy, And Nutrition On Growth, Composition, And Gene Expression Within Fatty Acid Metabolism In Rainbow Trout, Meghan Lynn Manor
Effects Of Maturation, Polyploidy, And Nutrition On Growth, Composition, And Gene Expression Within Fatty Acid Metabolism In Rainbow Trout, Meghan Lynn Manor
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
In many cultured fish species, such as salmonids, gonadal development occurs at the expense of stored energy and nutrients, including lipids. Mobilization of intramuscular lipid during gonadal development decreases fillet quality. The aquaculture industry induces triploidy to generate sterile individuals; however, differences in lipid metabolism of female diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) trout may alter fillet quality. In addition, there is concern that genetic selection for increased growth negatively impacts fillet quality and muscle lipid content. Research in these areas would aid in the development of better management practices for efficient food-fish production that optimizes product quality.;The goal of this …
Effects Of Culverts On Brook Trout Genetic Diversity, Darren M. Wood
Effects Of Culverts On Brook Trout Genetic Diversity, Darren M. Wood
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are a species of concern within their native range due to a historical loss of habitat, overfishing, and stocking of non-native salmonids. Road culverts have been recognized as an additional impediment to population persistence as movement between diverse habitat types has been identified as an alternative life-history strategy to maximize spawning and growth. Brook trout were genetically analyzed using a suite of 13 microsatellite loci above 7 culverts with varying levels of passability classified through a physical protocol. While most sites were not found to have losses in genetic diversity, populations above culverts with a high …
Identification And Genetic Diversity Of Lake Sturgeon Larvae On Artificial Reefs In The Huron-Erie Corridor, Jamie Marie Marranca
Identification And Genetic Diversity Of Lake Sturgeon Larvae On Artificial Reefs In The Huron-Erie Corridor, Jamie Marie Marranca
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
There are 27 species of sturgeon worldwide and most are currently extinct, endangered or threatened. Lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, one of the oldest species on the planet, evolved about 136 million years ago, and have had little morphological change, and are endemic to the freshwater lakes and rivers created by receding glaciers of the Laurentian ice sheet. Lake sturgeon have seen immense habitat loss due to human development and industrialization has nearly decimated populations. Changes to water and habitat quality, along with overharvesting, have caused declines to nearly 1% of their original population size. The Huron-Erie Corridor (HEC), includes the …
An Ecological Assessment Of Restoration Efforts Developed To Recover An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Andrew S. Watson
An Ecological Assessment Of Restoration Efforts Developed To Recover An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Andrew S. Watson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Assessments of watershed-based restoration efforts are rare. Monitoring of projects pre- and post-treatment are essential for the science of stream restoration ecology to advance. We took an experimental approach, following adaptive watershed management principles, to evaluate the effectiveness of watershed-based restoration efforts developed to maximize the ecological recovery of acid mine drainage (AMD) impaired streams. We sampled water chemistry, physical habitat, and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish community structure in 3 stream types: AMD (14 streams), AMD-treated (13 streams), and unimpaired reference (4 streams). Treatment technology implemented on impaired streams included in-stream active treatment dosers, limestone sand applications, and an at-source …
Modeling Water Temperatures And Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Growth Potential Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Michael Tincher
Modeling Water Temperatures And Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Growth Potential Within A Complex Appalachian Riverscape, Michael Tincher
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Climate change is expected to cause air temperatures to increase 2-5°C in the Appalachians throughout the 21st century. These air temperature increases will cause water temperatures to increase, and may negatively effect cold and cool water fish species. Brook trout are an important game fish and highly vulnerable species in West Virginia. The primary objectives of this study were to (1) construct and validate models relating stream water temperature to long6term climate data for 18 sites and (2) determine brook trout growth potential within sites of the upper Shavers Fork watershed that differ in water temperature regimes. Multiple linear regression …
Captive Propagation, Reproductive Biology, And Early Life History Of Crystallaria Cincotta (Diamond Darter), Etheostoma Wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. Vulneratum (Wounded Darter), And E. Maculatum (Spotted Darter), Crystal Ruble
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Reproductive biology and early life history data are important for understanding the ecology of fishes, and can be used for the management and conservation of rare species. During 2008--2012, a captive propagation study was conducted on Crystallaria cincotta (Diamond Darter), a rare species with a single extant population in the lower Elk River, WV. Also, captive propagation studies were conducting during 2008 on three species of darters of the subgenus Nothonotus: Etheostoma wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. vulneratum (Wounded Darter), and E. maculatum (Spotted Darter). Water temperatures during Diamond Darter spawning ranged from 11.1--23.3°C. Females and males spawned with quick vibrations …
Assessment Of Age, Diet, And Growth Of Yellow Perch ( Perca Flavescens) In Cheat Lake, West Virginia, Nate Taylor
Assessment Of Age, Diet, And Growth Of Yellow Perch ( Perca Flavescens) In Cheat Lake, West Virginia, Nate Taylor
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis evaluates population characteristics of yellow perch ( Perca flavescens) in Cheat Lake, West Virginia, and is comprised of two chapters: 1) an introduction and literature review on the biology, ecology, and life history of yellow perch and studies regarding diet growth, and condition and 2) a study examining age and length, summer diet composition, and growth of yellow perch in Cheat Lake, West Virginia. Owing partly to recent mitigation of acidic conditions in the Cheat River watershed, populations of yellow perch and other fishes have increased in Cheat Lake. For this study, I evaluated age and length, summer …
An Evaluation Of The Occurrence Of Micronuclei And Other Nuclear Abnormalities In Fishes From The Great Lakes Basin, United States, Ryan Patrick Braham
An Evaluation Of The Occurrence Of Micronuclei And Other Nuclear Abnormalities In Fishes From The Great Lakes Basin, United States, Ryan Patrick Braham
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Biological markers (biomarkers) sensitive to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination in fishes are widely used to identify contamination in the aquatic environment. The "fish tumors or other deformities" biological use impairment (BUI) occurs at 18 of the 30 areas of concern (AOC) located in the Great Lakes basin within the United States. As each AOC evaluates this specific BUI for possible delisting, biomarkers sensitive to both genotoxic and mutagenic chemicals can be integrated as a possible criterion for delisting. The micronucleus assay identifies genotoxic contamination by observing the presence of a micronucleus (MN), along with a primary nucleus within the cellular …
Selection Of Benthic Habitat By Yellow-Phase American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata), Melissa A. Braham
Selection Of Benthic Habitat By Yellow-Phase American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata), Melissa A. Braham
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis examines habitat preference of yellow-phase American eels (Anguilla rostrata) and relationships between age and length with that preference. The thesis is comprised of two chapters: (1) an introduction and literature review on American eel life history, their habitat selection, and the study of resource selection, and (2) an experimental study of yellow-phase American eel habitat preference and relationships between preference and age and length. Given widespread habitat alteration of North American rivers, an understanding of the use and selection of habitat is important to conservation and management of the American eel. Yellow-phase American eels are often considered as …
Physicochemical Properties Of Alaska Pollock (Theragra Chalcogramma) Surimi Seafood Nutrified With Powdered Cellulose Fiber And Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Alicia Debusca
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Surimi is minced deboned fish meat that has been washed of lipids, sarcoplasmic proteins, and other impurities. Surimi seafood, also known as "imitation crabmeat", is widely enjoyed in the United States; however, it is not currently nutrified with fiber, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and salt substitute. In the present study, preliminary experimentation was done to determine the optimal level of fiber addition. Powdered cellulose was added to Alaska Pollock surimi gels at levels of 0% (control), 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% fiber. The objectives of this initial study were to determine effect of dietary fiber on 1) color and textural …
Molecular Characterization Of Rainbow Trout Zar1 And Zar1-Like Genes: Their Potential Roles In Egg Quality, Chieh-Hung Lin
Molecular Characterization Of Rainbow Trout Zar1 And Zar1-Like Genes: Their Potential Roles In Egg Quality, Chieh-Hung Lin
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Zygote arrest 1 (Zar1) is a maternal-effect gene that is essential for early embryonic development. Recently, a novel gene called Zar1-like (Zar1l) was discovered. Functional studies showed that Zar1l plays an important role in regulating oocyte-to-embryo transition in the mouse. The objectives of this study were to characterize the rainbow trout Zar1 and Zar1l genes and evaluate the potential roles of these genes in controlling egg quality in rainbow trout. Through database mining, we identified the cDNAs encoding rainbow trout Zar1 and Zar1l. The Zar1cDNA codes for a protein of 333 aa ,and the Zar1l cDNA encodes a protein of …
Genetic Basis For Thermal Tolerance In Two Different Strains Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss): Case Western And Kamloops, Paola Reale
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis examines the thermal tolerance based on how expression of Heat Shock Protein (HSP) 70 and HSP90 differ between two different strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the Case Western strain and the Kamloops strain, and determines if cortisol levels affect HSP expression in red blood cells. The Case Western strain is considered the only warm water trout, only recently was any aspect of its thermal tolerance quantified. Porto (2012) determined critical thermal maxima (CTM) for the Case Western strain and found it to be about 0.15 °C higher than the Kamloops strain. This thesis is comprised of three …
Estimation Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) Diets Using Fatty Acid Signature Analysis, Edward J. Mcginley
Estimation Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) Diets Using Fatty Acid Signature Analysis, Edward J. Mcginley
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Accurate estimates of diets are essential for the management of fisheries, especially when this information is used to construct food webs for a system. Traditionally, these studies have relied on examining the stomachs contents through direct observation of sacrificed fish, or using instruments to "flush" the items from the stomach. These methods only provide information on the recent feeding history. Fatty acid analysis is a biochemical technique that offers promise for examining diets in fish over a longer time scale than just the last few prey species consumed. The goal of this dissertation was to examine the feasibility and efficacy …
Assessing The Thermal Tolerance And Growth Potential At Elevated Temperatures Of Three Different Strains Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Michael A. Porto
Assessing The Thermal Tolerance And Growth Potential At Elevated Temperatures Of Three Different Strains Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Michael A. Porto
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis examines how critical thermal maxima (CTM) differs between different strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and explores the relationship between thermal tolerance and consumption, conversion efficiency, and growth rates at elevated temperatures. This thesis is comprised of three chapters; (1) an introduction and literature review on studies of temperature tolerance and growth in salmonids, (2) an experimental study investigating the CTM of three different strains of rainbow trout, and (3) an experimental study investigating the correlation between thermal tolerance and consumption, food conversion efficiency (FCE) and growth at elevated temperatures. For the first experimental study, we quantified the …
Natural Barrier Assessment And Modeling For Fish Communities In Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Ross G. Andrew
Natural Barrier Assessment And Modeling For Fish Communities In Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Ross G. Andrew
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Natural barriers may play an important role in structure and composition of stream fish habitat. Determining the effects of natural barriers on fish communities is important for understanding ecological processes that may occur throughout barrier-affected habitats. Additionally, modeling the likelihood of natural barrier occurrence using spatial data can reduce survey effort in the field and make management of fisheries in barrier-affected systems more efficient. I surveyed 446 natural barriers within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area using a standardized field protocol to assess passability for fishes. I measured natural barriers individually based upon individual morphology and developed a scoring …
An Assessment Of Stream Fishing Venues In West Virginia: A Comparison Of Anglers Along A Spectrum Of Access, Radley E. Miller
An Assessment Of Stream Fishing Venues In West Virginia: A Comparison Of Anglers Along A Spectrum Of Access, Radley E. Miller
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
West Virginia places an emphasis on fishing as a way to increase nature-based tourism. However, heavy fishing pressure on public water and unequal fishing effort at stocking locations can lead to declining catch rates and an increasing number of visitors that experience catch deprivation and dissatisfaction. Controlling access to streams is one approach to dealing with this carrying capacity issue. Both public and private land managers have approached this problem differently using various levels of control. For example, Pipestem State Park managers provided anglers with access to the Bluestone River with few controls via an aerial tramway prior to 2009. …
A Legislative Review Of U.S. Aquaculture: A State Analysis Relating To West Virginia, Ryan M. Benninger
A Legislative Review Of U.S. Aquaculture: A State Analysis Relating To West Virginia, Ryan M. Benninger
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This case study was designed and presented to allow a "reader-friendly" environment for aquaculture industry inquiry, specifically to pertain to West Virginia's recent surge in industry development. The sample for this thesis consisted of aquaculture producing states located within the continental U.S. The research design was qualitative descriptive that evaluated the legislative environments for each state aquaculture industry to ultimately pass recommendations for West Virginia. Of the states surveyed, it was found that 26 states enacted development acts for respective industries; 19 states were found to further develop with strategic plans. The greatest constraint discovered during this project was a …
Exploration Of Stream Habitat Spatial Modeling; Using Geographically Weighted Regression, Ordinary Least Squares Regression, And Natural Neighbor Interpolation To Model Depth, Flow, And Benthic Substrate In Streams, Kenneth R. Sheehan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Assessment and modeling of stream habitat are integral to understanding streams and the biota within them. In the past several decades, assessment sophistication of ecologic systems increased due to analysis power afforded by gains in computing capability. Spatial data analysis methodology grew alongside computing power and incorporated spatial qualities of ecological data, thereby providing new insights. New methods like geographically weighted regression (GWR) and more established methods like interpolation are now being used in ecological studies to guide assessments and management decisions. However, their accuracy and utility for analysis of stream habitat data have not been fully explored. To clarify …
Relationships Among Fish Assemblages, Hydroperiods, Drought, And American Alligators Within Palustrine Wetlands Of The Blackjack Peninsula, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, Darrin M. Welchert
Relationships Among Fish Assemblages, Hydroperiods, Drought, And American Alligators Within Palustrine Wetlands Of The Blackjack Peninsula, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, Darrin M. Welchert
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The following thesis contains two chapters. In Chapter 1, I have reviewed and summarized literature pertaining to fishes and habitats of palustrine wetlands, the influence of hydroperiods on wetland fishes, the impacts of drought on wetland fishes, the importance of American alligators as ecological engineers of fish habitats within wetlands, and fish sampling within wetland habitats. Chapter 2 is a manuscript representing my thesis research. In this study, primary focus is placed on how fish diversity and how fish abundances of palustrine wetlands are influenced by drought conditions within the Blackjack Peninsula of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern …
Characterizing Textural Attributes Of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Fillets As Affected By Age, Sterility, And Storage Regimen, Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul
Characterizing Textural Attributes Of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Fillets As Affected By Age, Sterility, And Storage Regimen, Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Trout fillets, subjected to refrigeration (4°C; 3 or 7 d) by frozen storage (-25°C; 0 or 30 d) combinations, were cooked; texture, determined by a novel, variable-blade (VB) attachment, was compared with a widely-used Allo-Kramer shear (AK) attachment to determined its sensitivity in detecting variation in fillet texture. Instrumental texture was related to sensory measurements to determine attachments' accuracy in assessing cooked fillet texture. Weight of raw fillets decreased after 30-d frozen storage. Fillet weight further decreased after cooking. Moisture content decreased while fat content remained constant. The AK attachment detected differences in energy of shear, which decreased after 30-d …
Influence Of Selenium On Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus ) In Upper Mud River Watershed, Alison M. Anderson
Influence Of Selenium On Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus ) In Upper Mud River Watershed, Alison M. Anderson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Selenium based criteria for aquatic ecosystems have been based on water quality measurements, but recently there has been basis to evaluate other aspects, such as whole body, dietary, and sediment levels. Mud River Reservoir, located in Lincoln County West Virginia, receives selenium input from mountain top/valley fill mining activities. The average selenium water levels for the reservoir are above the US EPA water quality standard of 5 microg/L and considered a high hazard for fish dietary consumption based on macroinvertebrate collections. The bluegill population is also a high hazard for selenium influenced reproductive impairment based on bluegill whole body and …
Comparing The Use Of Qpcr On Isolated Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Hepatocytes For Estrogen Screening, Emily Breana Chambers
Comparing The Use Of Qpcr On Isolated Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Hepatocytes For Estrogen Screening, Emily Breana Chambers
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Exposure of fish to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) is believed to be a contributing factor of intersex (the presence of immature oocytes in the testes) and fish kills in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. EEDCs are often seen in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. A simple and common way to look at the estrogenicity of water samples is to deploy Passive Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) and extract the hydrophilic compounds from the filters with methanol. Samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of two wastewater treatment plants, one on the Conococheague River and one on the Monocacy River, …
Stream Fish Metacommunity And Metapopulation Ecology In A Mined Appalachian Watershed, Roy Worth Martin
Stream Fish Metacommunity And Metapopulation Ecology In A Mined Appalachian Watershed, Roy Worth Martin
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Chapter one is a direct empirical evaluation of metacommunity theory using stream fishes in a heavily mined and least impaired region of the Monongahela River basin. Metacommunity ecology, a new multi-scale paradigm, has provided important insights into mechanisms controlling regional patterns of assemblage structure. Metacommunity ecology offers four competing hypothetical models---neutral, patch dynamic, species sorting, and mass effect---each differing slightly in its underlying mechanistic framework.;Our results overwhelmingly supported the mass effect metacommunity model, which suggests that regional patterns of diversity are maintained by local habitat heterogeneity and dispersal among local assemblages. However, our findings also indicated that natural communities are …
Brook Trout Response To Canopy And Large Woody Debris Manipulations In Appalachian Streams, Jonathan Ma. Niles
Brook Trout Response To Canopy And Large Woody Debris Manipulations In Appalachian Streams, Jonathan Ma. Niles
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The forested riparian area along many central Appalachian streams contains large volumes of harvestable timber. Best management practices (BMP) and streamside management zones (SMZ) have been developed to minimize the impacts of riparian timber harvest. Large woody debris (LWD) is an important component of forested streams and its role in chemical, biological, and physical processes in streams is complex. The extraction of timber within the streamside management zone reduces the amount of material available for aquatic structure.;Three-250 m study reaches were established on eight Appalachian headwater streams. Four of the streams were assigned the treatment of having a 50% basal …
Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam
Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Large scale surface mining in southern West Virginia causes significant alteration of headwater stream networks. It is unclear, however, the extent to which mining interacts with other stressors to determine physical, chemical, and biological conditions in aquatic systems downstream. Through a watershed scale assessment of Pigeon Creek, the specific objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the direct and interactive effects of mining and residential development on in-stream conditions; and (2) identify landscape thresholds above which biological impairment occurs. Our results indicate high levels of impairment to habitat, water quality, and benthic invertebrate communities within this watershed. Statistical analyses …
Organic Matter Processing And Opportunities For Stream Mitigation In An Intensively Mined West Virginia Watershed, Megan Stephanie Minter
Organic Matter Processing And Opportunities For Stream Mitigation In An Intensively Mined West Virginia Watershed, Megan Stephanie Minter
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Mountaintop removal/valley fill mining is a controversial process that may have far-reaching impacts on central Appalachian watersheds. Our project sought to quantify spatial and temporal variation in organic matter processing within Pigeon Creek, an intensively mined sub-watershed of the Tug Fork River in southern West Virginia. Our objectives were to: (1) quantify variation in organic matter retention and decomposition among streams differing in size (drainage area), gradient, and structural complexity; and (2) quantify the effect of valley fills on stream flow, water chemistry, organic matter processing, and benthic invertebrate colonization of detritus packs in 1 st order perennial streams. Our …
Cloning And Characterization Of A Novel Oocyte-Specific Gene Fbos Encoding An F-Box Protein In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Lei Wang
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Oocyte-specific genes play critical roles in oogenesis, folliculogenesis and early embryonic development. Through analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a rainbow trout oocyte cDNA library, we identified a novel transcript which is represented by multiple ESTs derived only from the oocyte cDNA library. Analysis of tissue distribution of the novel Fbos gene by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that the novel gene is only expressed in unfertilized oocytes but not in 10 somatic tissues examined. Northern blot analysis showed the transcript size is approximately 2.1 kb. The full-length cDNA sequence for the novel gene Fbos was obtained by …
Habitat Selection And Predation Risk In Larval Lampreys, Dustin M. Smith
Habitat Selection And Predation Risk In Larval Lampreys, Dustin M. Smith
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis examines habitat preference and the influence of habitat on predation of larvae (ammocoetes) of the least brook lamprey (Lampetra aepyptera). The thesis comprises three chapters: (1) an introduction and literature review on the general life history of lampreys and on studies related to ammocoetes and their habitat, (2) an experimental study of habitat preference in ammocoetes of the least brook lamprey, and (3) an experimental study of the relationship between habitat availability and predation risk in ammocoetes. For the first study, we quantified substrate selection in small (< 50 mm) and large (100-150 mm) ammocoetes of the least brook lamprey. In aquaria, ammocoetes were given a choice to burrow into six equally-available substrate types: small gravel (2.36-4.75 mm), coarse sand (0.5-1.4 mm), fine sand (0.125-0.5 mm), organic debris (approximately 70% decomposing leaves and stems, 15% silt, and 15% sand), an even mixture of silt, clay, and fine sand, and silt/clay (< 0.063 mm). Fine sand was selected with a significantly higher probability than any other substrate. In the second study, we experimentally examined the influence of habitat availability on predation risk of ammocoetes. Ammocoetes were placed in aquaria containing a predator species (yellow bullhead, Ameiurus natalis) and one of 3 substrates: fine sand (0.125-0.5 mm), coarse sand (0.5-1.4 mm), or silt/clay (<0.063 mm). Use of the three substrate types was based on a previous experiment where fine sand was determined to be the preferred benthic habitat of least brook lamprey. Based on 10 trials with each habitat type, survival of ammocoetes was highest in aquaria with fine sand (mean = 80%), and lower in those with coarse sand (mean = 58%) and silt/clay (mean = 4%). The results of both studies conducted indicate that populations of least brook lamprey ammocoetes may be limited by the availability of fine sand habitat. The first study indicated that least brook lamprey ammocoetes are habitat specialists, preferring substrates composed primarily of fine sand. The second study showed that the availability of fine sand habitat may influence the predation risk of ammocoetes, as ammocoete survival from predation was highest in fine sand, and lower in other substrates.
The Effects Of Aquaculture Production Noise On The Growth, Hearing, Disease Resistance, And Survival Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Methods For Minimizing Noise In Fiberglass Aquaculture Tanks, John W. Davidson Iii
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Intensive aquaculture systems, particularly recirculating systems, often require noise producing equipment such as pumps, blowers, and filters that inadvertently increase sound levels within the culture environment. These systems are often very effective at culturing healthy, fast growing fish; however, the potential impacts of underwater noise on fish within intensive aquaculture systems have not been evaluated. Limited research suggests that subjecting fish to noise could result in impairment of the auditory system, reduced growth rates, and increased stress. The studies presented within this manuscript were conducted to gain a better understanding of aquaculture production noise and its potential impacts on rainbow …