Life Sciences Commons^™

Spatiotemporal Variation Of An Eastern Tropical Pacific Pelagic Community Assessed With Free-Drifting Bruvs, Tyler Stephen Plum

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Information about pelagic community diversity and ecology generally lags far behind that of coastal communities, and largely derives from fisheries data that do not reflect small and non-target species. We describe spatiotemporal vertebrate species diversity and variability over a 3,486 km² area of highly productive pelagic marine ecosystem in Pacific Panama using drifting baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS), a non-invasive fishery-independent sampling technique. We observed 26 taxa from 17 families, including 1 mammal, 3 reptile, 5 elasmobranch, and 17 teleost species. Community assemblages differed on and off the continental shelf and between wet (April – December) and dry …

Trophic Ecology Of Juvenile Lean And Siscowet Lake Trout (Salvelinus Namaychush) From U.S. Waters Of Lake Superior, Will Otte

All NMU Master's Theses

In this study, I investigated the spatial overlap, diet similarity, and isotopic niches of juvenile Lean and Siscowet Lake Trout ecotypes across six ecoregions of Lake Superior. Spatially, Lean and Siscowet were observed in overlapping depth distributions. Leans were most abundant in shallow waters (60m). The greatest levels of cohabitation were observed in waters from 40-60m. Trophic position (as measured by δ 15N) was similar for both ecotypes at small sizes (mm), but Siscowet exhibited a higher trophic position than Lean Lake Trout at larger sizes (>400mm) and older ages (>5 years). Base of production (as measured by …

Regulating Iuu Fishing In Nigeria: A Step Towards Discovering The Untapped Potentials Of Fisheries In Nigeria, Gabriel Chukwuemeka Chikelu

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Current Situation And Solutions In Vietnam's National Legislation On Fisheries Subsidies To Prevent Illegal, Unreported And Unregulated (Iuu) Fishing, Tien Hoang Nguyen

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Fisherfolk Awareness And Participation: Identifying The Barriers Of Unreported And Underreported Fishing In Guyana Small-Scale Artisanal Fishery, Randy Terry Bumbury

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Law Enforcement In Relation To Illegal Unreported And Unregulated (Iuu) Fishing In Sierra Leone, Mahmoud Papa Conteh

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cage Fish Farming In Lake Victoria, Tanzania: A Recently Rising Food Production Area And Its Effects On The Environment And Community., Kwilasa Lushanga Ng'wigulu

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Modular Open-Technology Device To Measure And Adjust Concentration Of Sperm Samples For Cryopreservation, Nikolas C. Zuchowicz

LSU Master's Theses

Repositories for aquatic germplasm can safeguard the genetic diversity of species of interest to aquaculture, research, and conservation. The development of such repositories is impeded by a lack of standardization both within laboratories and across the research community. Protocols for cryopreservation are often developed ad hoc and without close attention to variables, such as sperm concentration, that strongly affect the success and consistency of cryopreservation. The wide dissemination and use of specialized tools and devices can improve processing reliability, provide data logging, produce custom hardware to address unique problems, and save costs, time, and labor. The goal of the present …

Green Economics: Assessing The Feasibility Of A New England Green Crab (Carcinus Maenas) Fishery Through Fishermen Perspectives, William L. Walter

All Theses And Dissertations

The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is a well-adapted invasive species that has flourished throughout coastal New England. Its arrival has caused numerous negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts, including the decline of the Maine soft shell clam (Mya arenaria) fishery. Increases in north Atlantic sea surface temperatures have simultaneously propelled the proliferation of C. maenas and caused northward shifts in the geographic ranges of commercially relevant species, including the American lobster (Homarus americanus). C. maenas represents an underutilized species that H. americanus and M. arenaria fishers can target to supplement any lost income if …

Fishing For The Right Probiotic: Investigating The Mechanism Of Mucosal-Bacterial Interactions At The Interface Of Health And Productivity In Salmonid Aquaculture, Luana Langlois

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Aquaculture is vital for the global food supply, but the high incidence of infectious diseases threatens the industry’s productivity. The intestinal mucosa is a key port of entry for pathogens and provides an extensive interface for host-microbe interactions. Tight junctions are at the core of gut barrier function and the mucosal health of finfish. Disruption of these complexes gives rise to sepsis, which leads to systemic inflammation and death. The present study employs a combinatorial approach that integrates in vitro and in vivo analyses to gain actionable insights into the mechanism of microbial-mediated modulation of host health. The experiments outlined …

Assessing The Short-Term Effects Of Translocation On Freshwater Mussels: Is Habitat Or Water Quality More Important?, Joshua D. Arnold

Masters Theses

Freshwater mussels (Order: Unionida) are very important to the function of aquatic ecosystems and are typically indicators of good water quality. They provide a valuable link between the water column and the benthic substrate in which they live and are a valuable food resource for many species of animals. However, most species native to North America are currently threatened with extinction, to the point that more than 70% of native freshwater mussels are listed as either threatened or endangered at the state or federal level. The cause of this decline can be attributed to historical over exploitation, habitat alteration, and …

The Waste Management Of Large-Scale Recirculating Aquaculture Systems And Potential Value-Added Products From The Waste Stream, Franco R. Pilone

All Theses And Dissertations

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) is an emerging technology that is capturing the attention of many in aquaculture due to its ability to produce high-quality seafood using sustainable models. This study explored the waste management of RAS, specifically further treatment technologies, and the potential value-added products from the RAS waste stream that can be reused. Advanced, tertiary, or down-stream treatment technologies available for RAS were investigated through a literature review. Utilizing the constant comparative method and semistructured interviews with stakeholders in RAS, opinions and attitudes were collected about advanced treatment of RAS waste and reuse opportunities presented from value-added products generated …

Assessing The Trophic Positions Of Lake Michigan Fishes Using Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotopes, Benjamin Alan Turschak

Theses and Dissertations

Lake Michigan is the second largest Laurentian Great Lake and is characterized by broad spatiotemporal variation in ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling and energy flow. Variation in ecosystem processes—such as those induced by invasive dreissenid mussels—and subsequent changes in the spatiotemporal distribution of resources (i.e. prey or habitat) has resulted in major changes in Lake Michigan’s fish community. The ability of fish species to cope with spatiotemporal resource dynamics is at least partially dependent on their ability to shift apparent trophic position along various resource gradients. The objectives of this research were to quantify trophic positions of Lake Michigan …

Transcriptomics And Toxcast Data Identify Bioeffects In Zebrafish Embryos Exposed To Chemical Mixtures In An Effluent-Dominated Stream, Emma Meade

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent-dominated streams provide critical habitat for aquatic organisms but also continually expose them to complex mixtures of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that can potentially impair growth, behavior, and reproduction. Limited toxicity data on the adverse biological impacts of in vivo exposure to these mixtures make it difficult to assess risk for aquatic organisms, particularly with respect to pharmaceuticals whose designed bioactivity often extends beyond conventionally monitored biological pathways. To address this knowledge gap, the goal of this thesis was to identify biomarkers of exposure to complex CEC mixtures relevant to specific chemicals …

The Impacts Of Climate Change On The Gulf Of Maine Northern Shrimp (Pandalus Borealis) Distribution, Reproduction, And Life, Hsiao-Yun Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a significant winter fishery for the Gulf of Maine (GOM). Although the shrimp fishery is not comparable to the lobster business, it provided fishermen and many coastal communities jobs and incomes in winters after lobster seasons. However, a moratorium has been put on the shrimp fishery since 2014 due to record low population abundance and perceived recruitment failures. The recruitment failures have been correlated with warming water temperatures over the past decade. The GOM has been recognized as experiencing rapid warming as a result of global climate change. …

Moving Towards The Science-Based Fisheries Management (Sbfm) In China, Shu Su

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable fisheries management requires decisions to be made based on sound science. To help ensure this, a Science-Based Fisheries Management (SBFM) system should be established to produce the best available science (BAS) and to ensure that the BAS forms the basis of decision-making. The goal of this dissertation is to look at how China, the world’s largest marine fisheries country, might build an effective SBFM system to enable its marine fisheries to attain sustainability. Studies were conducted to answer the following guiding questions: 1) what is SBFM? 2) why is it necessary for China to deploy SBFM? 3) what are …

Effects Of Salinity On Eastern Oysters: Locating Lower-Salinity Tolerant Populations And Defining Resource Zones Suitable To Restoration, Fisheries, And Aquaculture., Lauren Swam

LSU Master's Theses

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) provide valuable ecosystem services and support a productive commercial industry in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Declining abundance from water quality changes and other factors drives development of management and restoration strategies focused on a comprehensive, metapopulation approach. Identifying oyster resource zones based on water quality combined with selective breeding of oysters adapted to specific conditions provides strategies to support aquaculture development and ensure resilient oyster populations and high production. Using 2015-2019 satellite-derived continuous salinity and temperature data for coastal Louisiana, this work created maps defining oyster resource zones supportive of (1) broodstock sanctuary …

Adding Value Through Sustainability: Incentivizing An Ecosystem Approach To Oyster Aquaculture In Maine, Samuel Feldman

All Theses And Dissertations

This study identified oyster farming practices that have the potential to increase the sustainability of Maine’s oyster industry while increasing its value. Practices aligned with the principles of the ecosystem approach to aquaculture were gleaned from semi-structured interviews and surveys of oyster farmers and their buyers. Themes from interview transcripts were developed using thematic analysis. Survey data was used to triangulate interview transcript data. As a result, sustainable oyster farming practices were identified that had direct and indirect connections to the value of Maine’s oysters. Practices with direct connections to increased oyster value included conducting and advertising actions of increased …

Investigating Larval Spillover From Oyster Aquaculture Through Geospatial Habitat Suitability Index Modeling: A Damariscotta River Estuary Case Study, Daniel F. Delago

All Theses And Dissertations

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) supports the ecological function of estuarine ecosystems by creating biogenic reef habitat (Purchon, 2013), and positively influencing coastal biogeochemistry in intertidal, and subtidal environments (Humphries et al., 2016; Ray and Fulweiler, 2020). As anthropogenic impacts continue to influence the health of marine environments globally (Halpern et al., 2008), oyster reef restoration is gaining increased attention as a means of maintaining the function of estuarine systems (Beck et al, 2011). Shellfish aquaculture has gained increased attention, contributing 21% of all aquaculture production globally (FAO 2020). Shellfish aquaculture provides a suite of social-ecological benefits while …

Adopting Principles Of Food Justice For Equitable Oyster Aquaculture Industry Development, Cristina Sandolo

All Theses And Dissertations

The mid-Atlantic region is experiencing a resurgence of oyster production, through both wild harvest and, more recently, aquaculture. While a historic, wild catch oyster fishery drove economic development of the region, the modern-day oyster industry is less intensive, more heavily managed, and is growing due to a growing aquaculture industry. While many Black watermen played critical roles in developing the historic wild-caught industry, barriers to advancement within the industry and to wealth accumulation in general prevented many from experiencing the full array of compensation, benefits, and legacy that the booming industry could have provided. Now, the modern-day oyster aquaculture industries …

The Human Dimensions Of Aquaculture Development In Maine Including A Governance Perspective, Molly Frances Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world. Aquaculture growth is heavily influenced by the governance system that establishes property rights and determines the rules by which individuals and communities must follow. This dissertation focuses on the social and ecological factors that influence development of marine aquaculture, as they exist within the governance system, in Maine, USA. In Maine, the marine aquaculture industry is experiencing a period of intense growth necessitating further understanding of the factors shaping its development. Chapter 2 analyzes semi-structured key informant interviews to identify challenges and opportunities to inform sustainable industry growth. Research …

Incorporating Life Into Living Shorelines: Can Gulf Ribbed Mussels Reduce Shoreline Erosion And Enhance Restoration Practices?, Jordan Logarbo

LSU Master's Theses

The gulf ribbed mussel (Geukensia granosissima) exists throughout the Gulf of Mexico and influences biotic and abiotic environmental attributes as an ecosystem engineer. Ribbed mussels are an important component of marsh ecosystems providing services including filtering particulate matter, depositing and transforming nutrients in the system, increasing soil strength via byssal threads and providing structure via their shells.

The spatial distribution of mussels along the marsh edge of Sister Lake, LA was investigated via a broad survey of 150 sites, in relation to elevation, exposure and vegetation percent cover. This survey was followed by a second survey at a …

Smallmouth Bass Feeding Dynamics And Growth In Headwater Streams Of The Interior Highlands, Brandon C. Plunkett

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Smallmouth Bass have been extensively studied, but knowledge of the effects of temperature and hydrologic regime on populations in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas remains lacking. In 2018, I monitored diet characteristics of Smallmouth Bass, located in streams prone to dryness and representing a range of water temperatures, and presence of potential competitors. Diet characteristics of Smallmouth Bass, Green Sunfish, and Creek Chub were studied in the Boston Mountains ecoregion of Arkansas during the summer of 2018. In 2019, I expanded the scope of the project to search for relationships between Smallmouth Bass growth and hydrologic regime. My objectives were …

Evaluating And Advancing Opportunities For Ecosystem Services, Increased Production, And Sustainability Of Kelp Aquaculture In The Gulf Of Maine, Gretchen Schott Grebe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Commercial seaweed farming efforts are expanding worldwide. The use of new species, ecosystems, and practices present many opportunities for novel research and resource management. The purpose of this project was to evaluate and advance seaweed aquaculture practices in the Western Gulf of Maine. Saccharina latissima (sugar kelp) is the species of focus because it is currently the most farmed macroalga in the Northeastern United States. Fieldwork supporting the empirical studies was conducted January 2016 - May 2019 in Casco and Saco Bays, ME. Growth, yield, morphology, elemental and isotopic composition, and enzymatic activity of S. latissima were quantified across four …

A Bioeconomic Analysis Of Sea Scallop (Placopecten Magellanicus) Aquaculture In The Gulf Of Maine, Struan Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector in the world. In the Northwest Atlantic, interest in Sea Scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) (hereafter scallop) aquaculture has grown rapidly in the last decade. In the U.S., scallops support a ~$1 billion USD industry with nearly $500 million coming from imports. By comparison, the U.S. exports only ~$139 million USD of scallops annually. This substantial trade imbalance and strong domestic demand has created an opportunity for a farmed product to capture a share of the market. However, technical, regulatory, and, perhaps most importantly, economic challenges have stifled the growth of scallop aquaculture in …

The Potential Influence Of Abiotic Conditions On Mussel Species Abundance In San Francisco Bay, Alexandra G. Farrell, M. Christina Vasquez Dr.

Honors Thesis

Climate change has negatively altered seawater conditions, which may have severe implications for marine ecosystems. Mussels are susceptible to environmental changes since they are primary consumers and filter-feeding bivalves. Two species of particular interest to the West Coast of the U.S. are Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus. M. trossulus is native to the California Coast and was historically prevalent from Southern California to Washington. However, with increased shipping and rising seawater temperature, M. galloprovincialis, an invasive species from the Mediterranean, pushed the species range of M. trossulus poleward. M. trossulus is more tolerant of cold seawater with variable salinity while …

Investigating Mechanisms Of Nanotoxicity Of A Next-Generation Lithium Cobalt Oxide Nanomaterial, Nicholas Joseph Niemuth

Theses and Dissertations

Commercial use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs; materials in the range of 1-100 nm) has grown dramatically since the discovery of the means to observe, characterize, and controllably synthesize these materials at the end of the 20th century. Today, ENMs represent a global market valued in the trillions of dollars, incorporated into products because of the unique properties they confer, including increased strength, catalytic activity, and interactions with light. In this time, ENMs have also grown from relatively simple first-generation materials, such as Au, Ag, and carbon ENMs, to complex next-generation materials incorporating numerous elements into materials with complex secondary structures, …

Molecular Weight Distributions And Size-Dependent Composition Of Dissolved Organic Matter In The Aquatic Continuum, Hui Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic environments is one of the most important carbon reservoirs in global carbon cycling. The molecular weight of DOM is strongly related to a great number of biogeochemical reactions, influencing ecological functions and the fate of bioactive elements in aquatic ecosystems. A new technique coupling flow field-flow fractionation with fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) and parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis was developed to elucidate the variations in DOM composition and optical properties with molecular weight in the individual samples and their changes along the aquatic continuum. Based on the novel coupling technique, variations in DOM characteristics were …

Health Goals For Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (Pfas): A Review Of Branched Isomers, The Role Of Industrial Sources, And The Implications Of Pfas In Biosolids On End-Of-Life Disposal Methods, Katarina Schulz

Theses and Dissertations

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, have been used for over half a century, but have become an emerging contaminant of significant concern due to their newly found widespread occurrence and recalcitrance in the environment, their tendency to bioaccumulate, and the health effects now associated with a very low level of exposure. Many gaps in knowledge remain about the fate of these chemicals in the environment and the extent of their impacts on biota. This thesis aims to fill some of the recognized gaps in knowledge: differences between linear and branched isomers of PFAS, predicting the presence of PFAS …

Climate-Driven Impacts On Himalayan Aquatic Biodiversity: A Case Study Involving Snowtrout (Cyprinidae: Schizothorax), Riri Wiyanti Retnaningtyas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring biodiversity, to include its relative dispersal and contraction, has become a conservation task of great importance, particularly given the catastrophic and ongoing loss of habitat due to climate change. However, the timing, direction, and magnitude of these rates vary across taxa and ecosystems. Predicting specific impacts of climate change can thus be difficult and this, in turn, hampers management action. Metrics are needed to not only quantify contemporary requirements of species, but also predict potential distributions that fluctuate in lockstep with climate.

Montane ecosystems in the Himalayas are highly impacted by climate change, yet remain largely understudied due to …