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Articles 1 - 30 of 46
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Analysis Of Lepilemur Edwardsi Seasonal Acoustic Activity, Samantha Henry
Analysis Of Lepilemur Edwardsi Seasonal Acoustic Activity, Samantha Henry
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has historically been used as a noninvasive technique to study biodiversity, activity patterns, distribution, and species dispersal. The use of acoustic data has expanded in ecological research; however, studies focusing on primates are underrepresented, especially for nocturnal species. This study seeks to increase the understanding of acoustic activity in the nocturnal Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi). This species is endangered and endemic to the lowland dry forests in northwest Madagascar. Specifically, this study aims to describe the daily and annual acoustic activity patterns of the L. edwardsi. The PAM survey was conducted using …
Hydrodynamic Limitations To Mangrove Seedling Retention In Subtropical Estuaries, Kelly M. Kibler, Christian Pilato, Linda Walters, Melinda Donnelly, Jyotismita Taye
Hydrodynamic Limitations To Mangrove Seedling Retention In Subtropical Estuaries, Kelly M. Kibler, Christian Pilato, Linda Walters, Melinda Donnelly, Jyotismita Taye
Flow-biota Interaction and Natural Infrastructure Design
Mangrove forest sustainability hinges upon propagule recruitment and seedling retention. This study evaluates biophysical limitations to mangrove seedling persistence by measuring anchoring force of two mangrove species (Rhizophora mangle and Avicennia germinans). Anchoring force was measured in 362 seedlings via lateral pull-tests administered in mangrove forests of two subtropical estuaries and in laboratory-based experiments. Removal mechanism varied with seedling age: newly-established seedlings failed due to root pull-out while seedlings older than 3 months failed by root breakage. Anchoring force of R. mangle seedlings was consistently and significantly greater than A. germinans (GLM: p = 0.002), however force to …
Microplastic Abundances In The Guana River Estuary In Northeast Florida, Mckenna Keplinger
Microplastic Abundances In The Guana River Estuary In Northeast Florida, Mckenna Keplinger
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Plastic never fully disappears, but instead breaks into smaller pieces referred to as microplastics (< 5 mm length). Microplastics are common worldwide, and more studies are needed to understand the accumulation and diversity of microplastics found in various environments. In this study, six locations were sampled for one year in the Guana River Estuary, a partially impounded system with heavily urbanized headwaters. This study was conducted in conjunction with the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at their water sampling stations. The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) distribution patterns across sample sites over time, 2) the color, size, and shape of microplastics found, and 3) polymer composition. Water samples were collected from surface waters in 1-L bottles, with five replicates at each site. Sampling occurred once a month, at the beginning of each month from August 2020-August 2021. Samples were analyzed for abundance and characteristics of microplastics using a dissecting microscope and the polymer composition was determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. No pattern was found in the distribution of microplastics from north to south or over time. Variations in plastic color, size, and polymer composition suggests that there are multiple sources of pollution into the Guana River Estuary.
Fibropapillomatosis And Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 Dynamics In Juvenile Green Turtles Of The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Usa, Jake Kelley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor-forming sea turtle disease that mainly affects juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in coastal foraging sites. The cause of FP is unclear, but likely involves the putative pathogen chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). The overall dynamics of this disease are poorly understood, in part due to the difficulty of inferring disease and infection statuses of turtles without evidence of FP. In this study, I investigated the FP disease system in juvenile green turtles of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, USA, to better understand disease and pathogen dynamics. First, I developed a hierarchical model for predicting FP …
"Reeling In" Juvenile Sportfish Through Coastal Habitat Restoration: Population, Community, And Trophic Responses In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Jennifer Loch
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Coastal habitats provide crucial nursery habitat for predatory fishes, but they are in decline worldwide, impacting economically important fisheries. Habitat restoration can simultaneously mitigate the effects of habitat loss and benefit predators (e.g., sportfish), although this relationship is understudied. Here, the response of juvenile sportfish to oyster reef and living shoreline restoration is compared to controls in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida prior to and following restoration for up to three years through examination of community (diversity, assemblage), population (abundance), biometric (size, body condition), ontogenetic, and trophic (gut contents, stable isotopes) dynamics. Stable isotopes were used to quantify dietary history, …
Rebecca Fillyaw Ms Thesis Data For Publication In The Journal Sustainability, Rebecca Fillyaw, Melinda Donnelly, Linda Walters
Rebecca Fillyaw Ms Thesis Data For Publication In The Journal Sustainability, Rebecca Fillyaw, Melinda Donnelly, Linda Walters
CEELAB Research Data
By combatting erosion and increasing habitat, mangrove living shorelines are an effective alternative to hard-armoring in tropical and subtropical areas. An experimental red mangrove living shoreline was deployed within Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, using a factorial design to test the impact of mangrove age, breakwater presence, and mangrove placement on mangrove survival within the first year of deployment. Mixed mangrove age treatments were included to identify if seedling (11-month-old) survival could be enhanced by the presence of transitional (23-month-old) and adult (35 to 47-month-old) mangroves. Environmental factors were monitored to detect possible causes of mangrove mortalities. Approximately half (50.6%) of mangroves …
From Bloom To Bust: Harmful Algae Blooms And Their Impacts On The Waterfront Economy, Sergio Alvarez
From Bloom To Bust: Harmful Algae Blooms And Their Impacts On The Waterfront Economy, Sergio Alvarez
Rosen Research Review
The true costs of harmful algae blooms (HABs) and the mechanics that determine their socio-economic impacts are for the most part unknown. Florida’s 2017–2019 red tide (Karenia brevis) bloom is a historical case study of the ever-growing threats to coastal welfare posed by HABs. A new research project at Rosen College of Hospitality Management has this at its heart. The central objective of the project is the identification of direct, indirect, and induced socioeconomic impacts caused by the 2017–2019 K. brevis bloom in Florida.
Valuing The Negative Impacts Of Harmful Algae Blooms, Sergio Alvarez
Valuing The Negative Impacts Of Harmful Algae Blooms, Sergio Alvarez
Rosen Research Review
Ecological disturbances can impact several ecosystem services, including cultural services such as outdoor recreation opportunities. In Florida, one ecological disturbance that is negatively impacting recreation is the occurrence of harmful algae blooms. In recent work, Dr. Sergio Alvarez at UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management has assessed the impact that harmful algae blooms have on human wellbeing by using random utility models to estimate changes in the value of recreation in coastal ecosystems resulting from these blooms. The results indicate that harmful algae blooms, which reduced boating access between June and September 2018, may have resulted in losses of up …
Vertebrate Impact On A Newly Deployed Shoreline Stabilization Project By Wildlife Camera Analysis, Julia Rifenberg, Jason Litwak, Rebecca Fillyaw
Vertebrate Impact On A Newly Deployed Shoreline Stabilization Project By Wildlife Camera Analysis, Julia Rifenberg, Jason Litwak, Rebecca Fillyaw
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Living shoreline stabilization is a technique that utilizes plants and other natural elements to protect estuarine coasts. Research has provided minimal information about which vertebrate species utilize living shorelines post-deployment. For this project, ten wildlife cameras were placed along a living shoreline site in Canaveral National Seashore (CANA) to document which vertebrate species utilize the living shoreline and surrounding vegetation. This shoreline was stabilized with red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shell bags in June 2019. The cameras, activated by motion sensors, remained at the site for five days a month for seven …
Success Of Glover’S Reef Marine Reserve On Queen Conch (Strombus Gigas) Populations In Belize, Gianna Fanelli, Ciera Jarrett, Sara Joralemon
Success Of Glover’S Reef Marine Reserve On Queen Conch (Strombus Gigas) Populations In Belize, Gianna Fanelli, Ciera Jarrett, Sara Joralemon
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The queen conch (Strombus gigas) provides important economic, ecological, and societal benefits to local communities throughout the Caribbean. The species, however, has fallen victim to commercial exploitation and overfishing in many areas. In Belize, even with restricted harvesting seasons, size restrictions, and regulations set by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), harvesting practices have significantly depleted populations. Marine reserves, including the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve, were established to protect biodiversity and maintain populations of Belize’s natural coral reefs. Utilizing size, frequency, and evidence of harvesting (shell notches), the 2018 Tropical Marine Biology (BSC 3355) course …
Effects Of Varying Heat Indexes On Habitat Utilization And Behavior On Captive Red-Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia Rubra), Jeffrey Gammon
Effects Of Varying Heat Indexes On Habitat Utilization And Behavior On Captive Red-Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia Rubra), Jeffrey Gammon
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The two captive red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra) at the Central Florida Zoo experienced a more temperate climate and utilized a differing habitat than they would in their native range, Madagascar. Proper management of the species in captivity is crucial for its long-term survival as they are critically endangered. Over a four month period, heat index temperature, lemur behavior, and habitat utilization data were collected via an instantaneous scan sample. Variables were analyzed to characterize how variations in heat index alter habitat utilization and behavior of the captive lemurs. As the heat index increased, habitat use became more restricted …
Behavioral Analysis Of The Cryptoprocta Ferox In An Ex-Situ Condition, Emilie Alfonso
Behavioral Analysis Of The Cryptoprocta Ferox In An Ex-Situ Condition, Emilie Alfonso
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Fossas (Cryptoprocta ferox) are the top, endemic predators of Madagascar. Their populations are dwindling and are reported as “Vulnerable” by IUCN. In an effort to combat this, zoological facilities have placed the species on a captive breeding program. This study focuses on concerns one of those zoos had about their captive C. ferox. The purpose of this study was to collect activity budgets on the C. ferox to determine if there is a change in behavior due to construction occurring around the C. ferox’s habitat, analyze behavior changes during estrus, determine any behavior changes, as well …
Observational Study Of Two Ex Situ North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Julia Rifenberg
Observational Study Of Two Ex Situ North American River Otters (Lontra Canadensis), Julia Rifenberg
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Zoos enable the ability to study how captive conditions impact the behaviors of animals. In this study, I observed two North American river otters housed at the Central Florida Zoo to evaluate behavioral changes after the male had been removed from the female for a month-long medical examination. The aim of this study was to 1) determine if mating behaviors were still occurring between the two river otters following the male’s removal and 2) to assess the welfare of the male and female river otters in captivity by observing their interactions and individual behaviors. Observed behaviors were compared to documented …
Strategies For Successful Mangrove Living Shoreline Stabilizations In Shallow Water Subtropical Estuaries, Rebecca Fillyaw
Strategies For Successful Mangrove Living Shoreline Stabilizations In Shallow Water Subtropical Estuaries, Rebecca Fillyaw
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Mangrove living shorelines are an effective alternative to hard-armoring, which combat erosion while also increasing habitat. To improve the success of future mangrove deployments, an experimental Rhizophora mangle living shoreline was deployed within Mosquito Lagoon, FL. A factorial design was used to test the impact of mangrove age, breakwater presence, and mangrove placement on mangrove survival and growth. Environmental factors were monitored to isolate the reason for mangrove mortalities. Mangrove age was represented by 3 developmental stages: "seedlings" at 11-months-old, "transitionals" at 23-months-old, and "adults" between 35 and 47-months-old. Mixed mangrove age groups were included to identify if seedling survival …
Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels Of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative To Native Populations, Jacob Lafond
Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels Of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative To Native Populations, Jacob Lafond
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Maintenance of genetic diversity at ecologically-relevant loci may be important for allowing invasive populations to become established despite decreases in genomic diversity due to founder effects. To evaluate this prediction, we compared genetic diversity at an expressed MHC class IIß gene fragment to a 909 bp region of the neutral cytochrome b (cytb) locus from 20 populations of the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) across its North American invasive and native ranges and quantified the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen, for which R. catesbeiana is a vector species. We recovered 28 unique MHC alleles and found that invasive populations …
Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis
Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Ecological disturbances alter biotic communities and ecosystems. In many coastal zones disturbances are increasing, including algal blooms, storms, hypoxic events, and fish kills. These disturbances are often related, for example blooms releasing toxins or depleting dissolved oxygen, ultimately killing fish. Depending on the intensity, duration, and geographic extent of a disturbance, the fish community can take days to years to recover from disturbances. To explore the relationships among environmental disturbances, sport fish, and forage fish communities, this thesis examined two Florida estuaries with differing disturbance regimes. Using an ensemble modelling approach combining generalized linear models (GLM), Bayesian modelling, and Bayesian …
Monitoring Landscape And Spectral Dynamics Of Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands That Have Undergone Hydrological Restoration, Sarah Parker
Monitoring Landscape And Spectral Dynamics Of Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands That Have Undergone Hydrological Restoration, Sarah Parker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Over the last century, millions of hectares of wetlands have been lost due to urban development and agricultural activities throughout the world. In the U.S., efforts have been made by federal and state legislation to restore wetland habitat in exchange for development on wetlands. To restore ecosystem function by reestablishing hydrological metrics (e.g., groundwater level fluctuations), wetland restoration aims to facilitate the growth of wetland vegetation to approximate the original conditions as a proxy for ecological integrity. In 1992, the first landscape-scale off-site mitigation project, the Disney Wilderness Preserve (DWP) was funded by the Walt Disney Company in Poinciana, Florida. …
Correlations In Microplastic Abundance Between Water, The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, And Their Biodeposits In A Dynamic Florida Estuary, Casey Craig
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Estuaries have been identified as hotspots of microplastic pollution because they are transitional zones where coastal freshwater and oceans converge. Microplastics (MP) are transported through estuaries by a dynamic series of forces such as surface flow and tides, which influence MP abundances and trends. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is an estuarine bivalve known to ingest MP, resulting in negative impacts on organism physiology. I investigated MP pollution as a threat to C. virginica in a dynamic Florida estuary, the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), and determined there are both regional and small-scale spatial and temporal fluctuations in MP abundance. Tributaries …
Long-Term Changes In Juvenile Green Turtle Abundance And Foraging Ecology In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Christopher Long
Long-Term Changes In Juvenile Green Turtle Abundance And Foraging Ecology In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Christopher Long
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Marine turtles are distributed in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical waters and beaches worldwide, often in areas heavily impacted by humans. Although there are many threats to marine turtle populations, the growing threats of nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms are relatively understudied despite their widespread impacts on coastal marine ecosystems that marine turtles depend on. By studying juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, where nutrient pollution and HABs are a widespread and longstanding issue, I aimed to conduct a case study of how these threats may affect this federally Threatened species. In Chapter 2, I …
Oyster Reef Restoration: Impacts On Infaunal Communities In A Shallow Water Estuary, Katherine Harris
Oyster Reef Restoration: Impacts On Infaunal Communities In A Shallow Water Estuary, Katherine Harris
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Oyster reefs are important estuarine ecosystems that provide habitats to many species, including threatened and endangered wading birds and commercially important fishes and crabs. Infaunal organisms (i.e. aquatic, sediment-dwelling organisms) are also supported by oyster reef habitats. Infaunal organisms are critical to oyster-based food webs and are consumed by many important estuarine species. Due to their critical role in coastal food webs, infauna are hypothesized to be strong indicators of habitat productivity. With the dramatic global loss of intertidal oyster reefs, organisms that depend on oyster reef infauna are likely negatively impacted. Fortunately, oyster reef restoration is currently underway in …
Examining A Fish Community And Its Response To Coastal Restoration In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Richard Mahoney
Examining A Fish Community And Its Response To Coastal Restoration In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Richard Mahoney
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
Globally, coastal habitats are experiencing degradation due to the increase of human population growth, development along coastlines, and a constantly changing climate. This threatens the future production of critical ecosystem services such as shoreline stabilization, water filtration, nursery grounds for marine fauna, and many more. To combat these losses, resource managers are actively restoring coastal habitat. Past research suggests restoring habitats has mixed results; numerous factors influence restoration success. This study is among the first to assess the nekton community in the Matanzas River estuary and uses a BACI experimental design to quantify the effect of habitat restoration on the …
Genetic Structure Of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Foraging Aggregations On The East Coast Of Florida, Monica R. Reusche
Genetic Structure Of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Foraging Aggregations On The East Coast Of Florida, Monica R. Reusche
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The genetic structure of juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) foraging on the east coast of central Florida is not well understood, nor has it been examined over time. In the last three decades, the dramatic increase in the number of green sea turtle nests in Florida, in association with other population parameters, has led to this species being down-listed under the Endangered Species Act from “endangered” to “threatened” in the northwest Atlantic. However, it was unclear if the exponential growth in Florida nest numbers had any influence on the genetic structure of juveniles in nearby foraging aggregations. To …
Molecular And Phenotypic Diversification Of A Cryptic Group Of Terrestrial Frogs From The Southern Andes Of Ecuador, Veronica Urgiles Penafiel
Molecular And Phenotypic Diversification Of A Cryptic Group Of Terrestrial Frogs From The Southern Andes Of Ecuador, Veronica Urgiles Penafiel
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-
The Ecuadorean Andes sustains one of the most remarkable frog diversifications. In this region, nearly one in three known species of amphibians belong to the Pristimantis genus, which contains the majority of the direct-developing terrestrial frog species. Although efforts are ongoing to understand the diversity of Pristimantis, large regions of the ecosystems they occupy remain understudied, and speciation and diversity of this genus remains poorly understood. Within this context, an interesting taxon with many unresolved questions regarding patterns and process of diversification is the Pristimantis orestes species complex which is distributed across the Paramo landscape and montane forests in the …
Temperature Effects On Greenhouse Gas Production From Treatment Wetland Soils Along A Nutrient Gradient, Kyle Dittmer, Havalend Steinmuller
Temperature Effects On Greenhouse Gas Production From Treatment Wetland Soils Along A Nutrient Gradient, Kyle Dittmer, Havalend Steinmuller
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
It is generally accepted that increased temperatures are positively correlated with microbial respiration rates, causing greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (CO2 and CH4) from wetlands. The goal of this study was to understand the interacting effects of temperature and nutrient concentrations on GHG emissions from wetland soils. Complementary field studies and a laboratory study were completed within Cell 1 of the Orlando Wetlands Park (Christmas, FL). Four sampling locations were established along a transect and sampled in summer and winter for the field studies. Soils (0-10 cm) were incubated under anaerobic conditions for 48-hours at ambient or …
Assessing The Effects Of Habitat And Manatee Exclusion Devices On Red Drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus) Movement Patterns In Estuarine Impoundments, Steven Baker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Integrate-Transfer-Launch (ITL) complex impoundments located within the Kennedy Space Center security zone are known spawning sites for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). However, recent construction of manatee exclusion bollards around culverts leading into these impoundments may impede movement to and from this critical habitat. The goals of this study were to: 1) utilize passive acoustic telemetry to document patterns of red drum movement and habitat use within and around the ITL impoundments to assess how manatee exclusion bollards and environmental conditions may impact movement of red drum; and 2) explore red drum movement in response to environmental disturbance, specifically a …
Defense Trade-Offs In The Evolution Of The Fruits And Flowers Of Genus Cornus, Danielle R. De La Pascua
Defense Trade-Offs In The Evolution Of The Fruits And Flowers Of Genus Cornus, Danielle R. De La Pascua
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The optimal defense hypothesis predicts that the allocation of plant defenses across plant organs is proportional to the importance of a given organ to plant fitness. Despite this, much less work has been devoted to the study of reproductive defenses in plants relative to vegetative structures like leaves. This study examines the apparancy hypothesis and the resource availability hypothesis using a phylogenetic comparative approach within the genus Cornus . During the 2016 growing season, plants of 25 species of Cornus were tracked for flower and fruit phenology as well as sampled for floral and fruit tissue in a common garden …
Living Shoreline Stabilization To Increase Resiliency At De Soto National Memorial, Linda Walters, Melinda Donnelly, Christian Pilato, Suzanne Connor
Living Shoreline Stabilization To Increase Resiliency At De Soto National Memorial, Linda Walters, Melinda Donnelly, Christian Pilato, Suzanne Connor
CEELAB Research Data
De Soto National Memorial (Bradenton, FL) is an important location where both Native Americans and De Soto's army of soldiers once lived. We have been working closely with the National Park Service and the University of Central Florida to understand how to best stabilize this shoreline using living shoreline techniques combined with long-term natural recruitment. Stabilizing De Soto's shoreline is essential to decrease erosion and shoreline loss to protect the Park's cultural and natural resources, especially the numerous historically significant shell middens. Through pre-restoration monitoring, we determined that high-energy boat wakes were limiting natural mangrove recruitment. Lack of retention of …
Shoreline Characterization In The Northern Indian River Lagoon, Melinda Donnelly, Michelle Shaffer, Suzanne Connor, Linda Walters
Shoreline Characterization In The Northern Indian River Lagoon, Melinda Donnelly, Michelle Shaffer, Suzanne Connor, Linda Walters
CEELAB Research Data
The purpose of this project was to evaluate current conditions of estuarine shorelines in the northern section of the Indian River Lagoon system, including Mosquito Lagoon, north Indian River, and Banana River. From January 2016 through June 2018, we evaluated structural and functional characteristics of 374 miles of shoreline, from Ponce Inlet in Volusia County to Sebastian Inlet in Brevard County (11,000+ data points). Hard-armoring accounted for approximately 50% of total shoreline, evenly divided between shoreline with bulkheads (25%) and hardened slopes (25%). Forty-five percent of shoreline without hard-armoring had anthropogenic alterations (i.e. mosquito impoundments, railroads and roadways, residential and …
A Cohort-Based Program To Help Students Prepare A Conference Research Presentation, Alanna Lecher
A Cohort-Based Program To Help Students Prepare A Conference Research Presentation, Alanna Lecher
Florida Statewide Symposium: Best Practices in Undergraduate Research
Students move through many first time experiences when navigating their undergraduate and graduate education. Such experiences include the first time students submit an article to a peer-reviewed scientific journal, attend a conference, and conduct fieldwork. The cohort model has been shown to be effective in increasing success in undergraduate education, and it can be adapted to helping students succeed in these novel experiences as well. This presentation will explore one program where the cohort model was implemented to aid undergraduate students preparing their first conference presentation on a scientific research project. Program structure and implementation will be described.
Preventing Introductions To Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols For A Popular Aquarium Seaweed, Julie Deslauriers
Preventing Introductions To Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols For A Popular Aquarium Seaweed, Julie Deslauriers
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Aquarium release, a vector that introduces non-native species, recently caused the costly invasion of the green macroalga (seaweed) Caulerpa taxifolia along the Californian, Mediterranean, and Australian coasts. C. taxifolia was classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species and cost California over $7 million to control with black tarps and chlorine bleach. Since the incident, educational efforts at conferences and conventions have influenced more than 50% of surveyed hobbyists to switch to another green macroalga, Chaetomorpha, as their primary alga in their saltwater tanks. C. taxifolia and Chaetomorpha …