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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

The Dynamic Effects Of Sea Level Rise On Low‐Gradient Coastal Landscapes: A Review, Davina L. Passeri, Scott C. Hagen, Stephen C. Medeiros, Matthew V. Bilskie, Karim Alizad May 2015

The Dynamic Effects Of Sea Level Rise On Low‐Gradient Coastal Landscapes: A Review, Davina L. Passeri, Scott C. Hagen, Stephen C. Medeiros, Matthew V. Bilskie, Karim Alizad

Faculty Publications

Coastal responses to sea level rise (SLR) include inundation of wetlands, increased shore-line erosion, and increased flooding during storm events. Hydrodynamic parameters such as tidal ranges, tidal prisms, tidal asymmetries, increased flooding depths and inundation extents during storm events respond non additively to SLR. Coastal morphology continually adapts toward equilibrium as sea levels rise, inducing changes in the landscape. Marshes may struggle to keep pace with SLR and rely on sediment accumulation and the availability of suitable uplands for migration. Whether hydrodynamic, morphologic, or ecologic, the impacts of SLR are interrelated. To plan for changes under future sea lev-els, coastal …


The Dynamic Effects Of Sea Level Rise On Low-Gradient Coastal Landscapes: A Review, Davina L. Passeri, Scott C. Hagen, Stephen C. Medeiros, Matthew V. Bilskie, Karim Alizad May 2015

The Dynamic Effects Of Sea Level Rise On Low-Gradient Coastal Landscapes: A Review, Davina L. Passeri, Scott C. Hagen, Stephen C. Medeiros, Matthew V. Bilskie, Karim Alizad

Faculty Publications

Coastal responses to sea level rise (SLR) include inundation of wetlands, increased shoreline erosion, and increased flooding during storm events. Hydrodynamic parameters such as tidal ranges, tidal prisms, tidal asymmetries, increased flooding depths and inundation extents during storm events respond nonadditively to SLR. Coastal morphology continually adapts toward equilibrium as sea levels rise, inducing changes in the landscape. Marshes may struggle to keep pace with SLR and rely on sediment accumulation and the availability of suitable uplands for migration. Whether hydrodynamic, morphologic, or ecologic, the impacts of SLR are interrelated. To plan for changes under future sea levels, coastal managers …


Dissolved And Particulate Phosphorus Distributions And Elemental Stoichiometry Throughout The Chukchi Sea, Meryssa Piper Jan 2015

Dissolved And Particulate Phosphorus Distributions And Elemental Stoichiometry Throughout The Chukchi Sea, Meryssa Piper

Theses and Dissertations

As the only gateway of material, particularly nutrients, from the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean, the biological and chemical transformations that occur within the Chukchi Sea are critical for understanding Arctic ecosystems. This study examines the biogeochemical cycling of the macronutrient phosphorus (P) relative to carbon and nitrogen in the eastern Chukchi Sea during the ICESCAPE’s mission. Sea ice and water column dissolved and particulate phosphorus samples were collected during two summer expeditions in 2010 (n=593) and 2011 (n=989). Despite being a landlocked marginal sea, the P pool present within the Chukchi Sea was substantially modified by biological processes with …


Factors Contributing To Interannual Variability In The Abundance Of Bay Anchovy (Anchoa Mitchilli) Larvae, Steven B. Vega Jr. Jan 2015

Factors Contributing To Interannual Variability In The Abundance Of Bay Anchovy (Anchoa Mitchilli) Larvae, Steven B. Vega Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal ecosystems have been subject to increasing stressors over recent decades due to coastal development, human population growth, and climate change. Improving scientific understanding of the environmental factors which influence the productivity of fish populations in coastal ecosystems is vital to their prudent management, especially as the potential influence of anthropogenic climate change grows. Estuaries serve as critical habitats for many fishes of primary ecological, economic, and recreational importance. One such fish, the planktivorous Bay Anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), is abundant along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US and is a key prey resource for many estuarine and coastal …


Fate And Behavior Of Silver Nanoparticles To The Estuarine Organisms, Prorocentrum Minimum And Crassostrea Virginica, Shelby Victoria Butz Jan 2015

Fate And Behavior Of Silver Nanoparticles To The Estuarine Organisms, Prorocentrum Minimum And Crassostrea Virginica, Shelby Victoria Butz

Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticles are known to be entering the environment and are shown to have adverse effects on aquatic organisms (Fabrega et.al. 2011, Lapresta-Fernandez et.al. 2012, Matranga and Corsi 2012, Moore 2006). The purpose of this study was to quantify the uptake of AgNPs by two estuarine organisms and determine the associated toxic effects of accumulation. There are multiple procedures for nanoparticle (NP) synthesis that involve various core and surface materials, which result in various characteristics such as size, shape, and surface coating. In this study silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by a chemical reduction of silver salts and characterized in stock …


Examining The Sensitivity Of Surface Chlorophyll To Upwelling Events Of Variable Frequency In The California Current System, John Thomas Bartlett Jan 2015

Examining The Sensitivity Of Surface Chlorophyll To Upwelling Events Of Variable Frequency In The California Current System, John Thomas Bartlett

Theses and Dissertations

Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) spatially encompass approximately 1% of the ocean surface area, but are responsible for nearly 20% of global fisheries production. This significant biological production is primarily attributed to the nutrient-rich waters brought to the euphotic zone through a physical process called upwelling. In an attempt to understand the various physical and biological processes occurring on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales, the California Current System (CCS), one of the major EBUS, has been subject to a multitude of scientific studies over the past several decades. Recent modeling enhancements have enabled researchers to investigate mesoscale …


A Hydrographic Climatology Of The Gulf Of St. Lawrence, Alejandro Frank Jan 2015

A Hydrographic Climatology Of The Gulf Of St. Lawrence, Alejandro Frank

Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL) is characterized by a general circulation of an estuarine type, where fresher/lighter water flows seaward above saltier/heavier water flowing landward. In an estuarine regime, the inflowing deep layer water compensate for a loss of mass due to the surface layer outflow. A major element of the GSL estuarine circulation is the coastal buoyancy-driven current fed by the St. Lawrence River discharge. In addition, some surface water is advected into the GSL as a branch of the Labrador Current (LC). Recent climatological changes in the North Atlantic have increased the melting rate of the Greenland …


Neodymium Isotopic Signature Of The Deep Western Boundary Current And The Distribution Of Neodymium Isotopes And Concentrations Across Line W, Brian Daniel Duggan Dec 2014

Neodymium Isotopic Signature Of The Deep Western Boundary Current And The Distribution Of Neodymium Isotopes And Concentrations Across Line W, Brian Daniel Duggan

Theses and Dissertations

The capacity of the neodymium (Nd) 143Nd/144Nd ratio to trace modern ocean circulation accurately allows for the assumption that the ratio can also accurately trace paleo ocean circulation. Therefore, a complete understanding of Nd cycling and its effect on the isotopic composition in the oceans is vital. Traditionally, Nd isotopic composition (Nd IC) is considered a conservative property in the open ocean, while coastal and margin environments tend to be dictated by nonconservative exchange processes. However, Nd concentrations ([Nd]) in the open ocean typically display a nutrient like profile, increasing with depth. Such a discrepancy between Nd IC and [Nd] …


Climatic Controls On Organic Matter Decomposition In Boreal Peatlands, Michael J. Philben Dec 2014

Climatic Controls On Organic Matter Decomposition In Boreal Peatlands, Michael J. Philben

Theses and Dissertations

Boreal peatlands currently contain 550 Pg C and are located at high latitudes where mean annual temperatures are expected to increase by as much as 7°C by the end of the century. There is growing concern that warming will stimulate decomposition, transforming peatlands from a sink to a source of atmospheric carbon dioxide and accelerating climate change. A primary goal of this dissertation was to evaluate the effect of climate change on organic matter decomposition in peatlands. This was achieved by developing and employing biochemical tracers to indicate the extent of peat decomposition across a range of naturally occurring climatic …


Geochemical Analysis Of Eolian Fluxes During The Transition From Greenhouse To Icehouse Conditions In Equatorial Pacific., Daniel Nicholas Miller Aug 2014

Geochemical Analysis Of Eolian Fluxes During The Transition From Greenhouse To Icehouse Conditions In Equatorial Pacific., Daniel Nicholas Miller

Theses and Dissertations

To assess the atmospheric conditions during times of differing pole to equator thermal gradients through the middle Eocene to early Oligocene, 42 to 30 Ma, samples from deep-sea sediment cores U1331, U1332, U1333 from IODP Expedition 320/321 in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) have been chemically leached to isolate the operationally defined eolian dust (ODED; <63 μm fraction). The ODED was analyzed for neodymium (Nd) isotopic compositions and rare earth element (REE) concentrations in order to determine the provenance of the ODED fraction and to elucidate the environmental conditions (e.g. predominant wind patterns) during deposition over the interval of study. The variations in the ODED fraction are expected to be controlled by changes in sources delivered via eolian input. However, negative cerium anomalies in the Post Achaean Australian Shale (PAAS) normalized rare earth element profiles of the ODED show a biasing geochemical seawater phase to the ODED signature. It is found that εNd values and cerium anomalies (Ce/Ce*) of ODED are consistent with fossil fish teeth values that record bottom water signatures from the same location and time period until ~36-37 Ma; around the Priabonian/Bartonian boundary marked by increased thermal gradients due to the emplacement of high elevation glaciers on Antarctica (Scher et. al., 2014). Moreover, the more negative cerium anomalies correlate to more radiogenic εNd values. The geochemical seawater signature in the ODED samples is believed to be caused by a change in sedimentary phase regulated by the spatial paleoposition of the sites relative to the biological high productivity zone and/or the depth of the CCD. Subsequently these regulators on the sedimentary phases of the ODED were investigated for biasing the geochemical signatures of the ODED, assumed to be changes in sources thereby provenance. Together, the Nd and REE results from the study temporally indicate that the ODED fraction may be a mixing between two sources, that of a biasing biogenic and/or authigenic source that records seawater conditions, and that of an older, less radiogenic continental source, inferred as Asian loess, as an increased thermal gradient prevails over the course of the study. Further research needs to be performed to make more robust and conclusive linkages between sources, mixing of sources, and atmospheric eolian delivery patterns, highlighting the necessity for a better understanding of atmospheric conditions during important climatic events throughout the history of the Earth.


The Effects Of Aeration On Phytoplankton Community Composition And Primary Production In Stormwater Detention Ponds Near Myrtle Beach, Sc, Lauren Hehman Jan 2014

The Effects Of Aeration On Phytoplankton Community Composition And Primary Production In Stormwater Detention Ponds Near Myrtle Beach, Sc, Lauren Hehman

Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater detention ponds are a common approach to managing stormwater runoff in coastal South Carolina. While effective at preventing flooding, they can be sites of intense phytoplankton blooms that result from excess nutrients inputs. This can lead to water quality degradation within ponds from oxygen depletion, fish kills, health concerns from harmful algal blooms (HABs), and water quality deterioration in adjacent coastal waters when pond discharges. The most common management practice to rid the ponds of excess phytoplankton biomass is the addition of copper-based algaecides. While temporarily effective, these algaecides require regular re-application and lead to artificial cycles of productivity …


A Study On Atmospheric And Oceanic Processes In The North Indian Ocean, Clifford Steven Felton Jan 2014

A Study On Atmospheric And Oceanic Processes In The North Indian Ocean, Clifford Steven Felton

Theses and Dissertations

Studies on oceanic and atmospheric processes in the Indian Ocean are an active and important area of scientific research. Understanding how intraseasonal and interannual variations impact both the ocean and atmosphere will aid in delineating potential feedback mechanisms and global teleconnections. Thanks to recent efforts focused on expanding observational capabilities and developing models for this region, researchers have been able to begin investigating atmospheric and oceanic processes in the Indian Ocean. This study focuses on the impact of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on tropical cyclone activity over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and on developing a method for …


The Composition And Downward Vertical Transport Of Particulate Phosphorus In The Cariaco Basin, Venezuela, Anne S. Opseth Jan 2014

The Composition And Downward Vertical Transport Of Particulate Phosphorus In The Cariaco Basin, Venezuela, Anne S. Opseth

Theses and Dissertations

In order to understand the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus (P) in a coastal marine ecosystem, the chemical composition and the sinking flux of particulate P was analyzed within sediment trap particles collected in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela. Total, inorganic and organic P composition was examined across the time series (1995-2010) using a modified Aspila method and sequential extraction techniques. Particulate inorganic P (PIP) dominated the total particulate P (TPP) pool (~52%) when averaged over the entire water column. Relationships between particulate nitrogen (PN) and particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes versus TPP fluxes followed expected canonical Redfield ratios except for a …


Aspergillosis Of Pseudopterogorgia Americana: Increased Host Range Of Aspergillus Sydowii From The Wider Caribbean, Garriet W. Smith Aug 2013

Aspergillosis Of Pseudopterogorgia Americana: Increased Host Range Of Aspergillus Sydowii From The Wider Caribbean, Garriet W. Smith

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Reports of gorgonian diseases have been increasing in the past few years,but, with the exception of Gorgonia spp., the etiological agents responsible are generally unknown. In the summer of 1999, populations of Pseudopterogorgia americana were observed with lesions and galls, somewhat similar to Aspergillus sydowii infections on Gorgonia ventalina, in Bermuda. Surveys of three sites were made, repeated the following two years, and compared with sites in the Bahamas. Microscopic observations of affected tissue and subsequent pure culture studies indicated the pathogen was also A. sydowii. Over half of the colonies at the Bahamas site were affected, but …


Doc Dynamics In Eddies Of The Sargasso Sea, Eric Matthew Lachenmyer Jan 2013

Doc Dynamics In Eddies Of The Sargasso Sea, Eric Matthew Lachenmyer

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial productivity and size-fractioned rates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) excretion from primary and secondary producers were measured in two eddy types, one anti-cyclonic (February 2012) and one cyclonic eddy (July 2012), in the Sargasso Sea. Bacterial productivity (BP) rates in the cyclonic eddy were highest in the center (9.2 mg C m-2d-1) and edge (10.4 mg C m-2d-1) of the eddy compared to the anti-cyclone center (2.2 mg C m-2d-1) and edge (5.1 mg C m-2d-1). Rates of DOC excretion from14C-tracer experiments were not significantly higher than background; lack of accumulation of labeled material indicated very fast uptake of …


Nutrient Limitation Of Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates In Mangrove Lagoon, Salt River Bay, St. Croix, Usvi, Michelle Zimberlin Jan 2013

Nutrient Limitation Of Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates In Mangrove Lagoon, Salt River Bay, St. Croix, Usvi, Michelle Zimberlin

Theses and Dissertations

Bioluminescent bays resulting from dense concentrations of bioluminescent dinoflagellates are rare, with only 14 documented systems worldwide. One of these bays, Mangrove Lagoon, is located in Salt River Bay National Park in St. Croix, USVI. Very little is known about the environmental factors responsible for maintaining the high dinoflagellate densities in this lagoon. In order to assess the dynamics of the dinoflagellates, in situ nutrient addition bioassays were conducted to determine which nutrients regulate the phytoplankton community, which includes the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense. Bioassays were conducted in two different seasons, (January 2013 and May 2013) to examine seasonal responses …


The Role Of Individual Behavior Type In Mediating Indirect Interactions, Blaine D. Griffen, Benjamin J. Toscano, John Gatto Aug 2012

The Role Of Individual Behavior Type In Mediating Indirect Interactions, Blaine D. Griffen, Benjamin J. Toscano, John Gatto

Faculty Publications

Trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMII) play an important role in structuring natural communities, and numerous studies have experimentally demonstrated their presence in a variety of systems. However, these studies have largely examined the presence or absence of traits that are responsible for these interactions, without considering natural variation between individuals in the extent to which these traits are manifested. We used a well-documented TMII to investigate the importance of individual behavior type for determining the strength of the TMII. The toadfish Opsanus tau has an indirect positive influence on bivalve survival because the mud crab Panopeus herbstii, a consumer of bivalves, …


An Unbiased Approach To Identify Genes Involved In Development In A Turtle With Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, Jena L. Chojnowski, Edward L. Braun Jan 2012

An Unbiased Approach To Identify Genes Involved In Development In A Turtle With Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, Jena L. Chojnowski, Edward L. Braun

Faculty Publications

Many reptiles exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). The initial cue in TSD is incubation temperature, unlike genotypic sex determination (GSD) where it is determined by the presence of specific alleles (or genetic loci). We used patterns of gene expression to identify candidates for genes with a role in TSD and other developmental processes without making a priori assumptions about the identity of these genes (ortholog-based approach). We identified genes with sexually dimorphic mRNA accumulation during the temperature sensitive period of development in the Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), a turtle with TSD. Genes with differential mRNA accumulation in response to …


Mapping The Ocean Frontier, Allison Marsh Jan 2012

Mapping The Ocean Frontier, Allison Marsh

Section 4: Imaging the Concealed

No abstract provided.


Spotlight On Usc: South Carolina Institute For Anthropology And Archaeology, Allison Marsh Jan 2012

Spotlight On Usc: South Carolina Institute For Anthropology And Archaeology, Allison Marsh

Section 4: Imaging the Concealed

No abstract provided.


Seeing With Sound, Allison Marsh Jan 2012

Seeing With Sound, Allison Marsh

Section 4: Imaging the Concealed

No abstract provided.


World Ocean Floor, Courtesy Of The Library Of Congress, Allison Marsh Jan 2012

World Ocean Floor, Courtesy Of The Library Of Congress, Allison Marsh

Section 4: Imaging the Concealed

No abstract provided.


Marie Tharp At Her Drafting Table, Courtesy Of The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Earth Institute, Columbia University, Allison Marsh Jan 2012

Marie Tharp At Her Drafting Table, Courtesy Of The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Earth Institute, Columbia University, Allison Marsh

Section 4: Imaging the Concealed

No abstract provided.


A Physiochemically Constrained Seawater Culturing System For Production Of Benthic Foraminifera, Christopher J. Hintz, G. Thomas Chandler, Jay M. Bernhardt, Daniel C. Mccorkle, Suzanne M. Havach, Jessica K. Blanks, Timothy J. Shaw Jun 2004

A Physiochemically Constrained Seawater Culturing System For Production Of Benthic Foraminifera, Christopher J. Hintz, G. Thomas Chandler, Jay M. Bernhardt, Daniel C. Mccorkle, Suzanne M. Havach, Jessica K. Blanks, Timothy J. Shaw

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Abundance Of Amino Sugars And Peptidoglycan In Marine Particulate And Dissolved Organic Matter, Ronald Benner, Karl Kaiser Jan 2003

Abundance Of Amino Sugars And Peptidoglycan In Marine Particulate And Dissolved Organic Matter, Ronald Benner, Karl Kaiser

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


234Th And 210Pb Evidence For Rapid Ingestion Of Settling Particles By Mobile Epibenthic Megafauna In The Abyssal Ne Pacific, L. M. L. Lauerman, J. M. Smoak, Timothy J. Shaw, W. S. Moore, K. L. Smith Jr. May 1997

234Th And 210Pb Evidence For Rapid Ingestion Of Settling Particles By Mobile Epibenthic Megafauna In The Abyssal Ne Pacific, L. M. L. Lauerman, J. M. Smoak, Timothy J. Shaw, W. S. Moore, K. L. Smith Jr.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.