Life Sciences Commons^™

Distribution Of Shell-Boring Polychaetes At Shellfish Aquaculture Sites Along The Northeast Coast Of The Us, Samantha Silverbrand

Honors College

Coastal shellfish aquaculture has expanded substantially in recent years in Maine and New England as traditional wild fishery stocks have declined. As shellfish aquaculture has expanded, producers have become more concerned about marine worm pests (i.e., polychaetes) that infest cultured bivalves. In particular, worms from the genus Polydora (also known as “polydorids”) burrow into oyster and scallop shells where they feed and deposit mud. Bivalves cover over the muddy burrows creating blisters that can decrease their market value and hinder growth. Farmers and researchers have identified methods to control infestations of P. websteri, one common species of shell-boring worm. However, …

The Sociocultural Significance Of Maine's Oyster Based On Media Coverage Analysis, Syeira Clark

Honors College

Throughout the last decade, the oyster aquaculture industry in Maine has boomed, with 6 million pounds of oysters being harvested in 2021, about the amount that was harvested in 2016 (Cough, 2022). According to the founders of the Maine Oyster Trail, there are over 150 oyster farms currently operating on Maine’s coast, which is about twice as many as there were in 2016 (Maine Sea Grant). With this boom in the industry has come a wave of opportunity, as well as news coverage about the shellfish. This study examines the socio-cultural significance to the state of Maine. While the oyster …

Coral Restoration: Comparisons In Space, Time, Impacts, And Costs, Allison Fargo

Honors College

Seventy-five percent of coral reefs globally face crisis due to anthropogenic disturbances, prompting heightened global coral restoration initiatives to preserve these vital ecosystems. Various regions employ diverse active coral restoration methodologies, including coral gardening, transplantation, micro-fragmentation, artificial reefs, and sexual propagation. Of these methods, coral gardening stands out as one of the most common and highly successful methods, alongside widespread transplantation practices. Restoration efforts predominantly focus on acroporids due to their relatively rapid growth and asexual fragmentation; however, a diverse range of coral species, including large, slow-growing varieties, is also employed in these endeavors. Costs vary significantly, ranging from $10,000 …

Expression Of The Rag-1 Gene In Larval Yellowtail Kingfish, Gabriella Peluso

Honors College

Aquaculture has taken over from capture fisheries as a primary global provider of seafood products. Seriola lalandi, or Yellowtail kingfish, has become a species of interest, as it is a fish notable for its marketability and culinary desirability. With the expansion of aquaculture and the increased amount of high-level operating facilities comes an increased risk of disease outbreaks. There are methods commonly used within these facilities for disease control, including incorporating nutritional feeds into the fishes’ diets, safe husbandry practices, and vaccinations. While these methods can be effective, they have caveats that must be considered. Adequate diets and improved …

I Ain't Afraid Of No Crab: Intertidal Gastropod Littorina Littorea Behavioral Response To Predation Risk By Carcinus Maenas, Isabelle Erin Smy

Honors College

Littorina littorea is an intertidal, invasive gastropod species common in the Gulf of Maine. In this paper, I studied the avoidance and risk-reducing behavioral responses of L. littorea to predation risk by invasive crustacean species Carcinus maenas. Avoidance and risk-reducing behavior in this study are defined by the tendency to move towards the edge and out of a simulated tide pool and the tendency to reduce feeding. The goal of this study was to determine whether the exposure to chemical cues of predators resulted in an increase in avoidance behavior, risk-reducing behavior, and a reduction in the time before the …

Evaluating Edna Metabarcoding As A Mic-Roe-Scopic Net To Catch Salmon Pathogens, Noah Burby

Honors College

Wild Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) is a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) that has been listed since 2000 as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The current challenge is year-over-year decreases in the number of mature salmon returning to the Penobscot River for reproduction. Early detection of pathogen presence could allow for the identification of infection and the application of corrective measures. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is simply DNA that is collected from environmental samples (e.g., water, air, and soils), which consists of whole microorganisms and genetic …

Comparing Two Non-Invasive Methods For Assessing Marine Mammal Genetic Diversity: Environmental Dna Vs. Fecal Dna, Sydney Jackson

Honors College

As technology and science progresses, the methodology behind observing, monitoring, and sampling marine mammals advances as well. One such technique is environmental DNA or eDNA, which entails extracting organismal DNA from water samples without ever handling or disturbing the organism. It is a cost-efficient and non-invasive method that can be utilized in the sampling of seal haulout sites as is its purpose for this research. Another method, using the DNA analysis of seal fecal samples, is a less invasive method that can also be utilized to monitor and assess marine mammals. Through collecting both fecal and water samples from gray …

The Effect Of Large Wood Restoration On Algal Biomass And Spatial Distribution In The Narraguagus River, Kiera M. Luu

Honors College

The Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) is an anadromous fish native to the eastern US and Canada. Though they used to inhabit much of the eastern coasts of New England and Canada, the last of the United States’ wild Atlantic Salmon are now mostly limited to Maine. Due to habitat destruction from dams and historic logging activity, the quality of food sources, spawning grounds, and essential juvenile salmon habitat have been severely impacted. This habitat is the rearing area for many young salmon, and its quality influences their growth and recruitment into the overall Atlantic salmon population. Restoration of Atlantic salmon …

Development Of A High Throughput, Whole Organism Assay For Studying Metabolic Capacity In Crassostrea Virginica, Avuntaura Gulledge

Honors College

Genetic improvement of commercial lines has been a key component in the increased production of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). One form of genetic improvement, induced triploidy, is commonly used to produce sterile oysters with faster growth and higher meat quality. However, the details of the physiological advantage provided by triploidy are poorly understood. Whole animal respiration is an important indicator of an individual’s capacity to meet increased energetic demands for growth and stress response. I have developed an assay for the Agilent’s XFe96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer to measure metabolic capacity (i.e., rates of basal, maximal, mitochondrial, and non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption) …

Identifying Umbrella Species To Inform The Conservation Of Intertidal Areas In Acadia National Park, Abigiail Muscat

Honors College

The nearshore ecosystem in Maine (USA) supports several bird species that rely on intertidal and subtidal zones, including high densities of migratory shorebirds and wintering waterfowl. Additionally, Acadia National Park (ANP) includes some of the country’s highest densities of both Purple Sandpipers (Calidris maritima) and Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). Here I investigated whether conservation actions taken to preserve these two species of high conservation concern might also benefit the larger taxonomic groups to which they belong, a concept known as “umbrella species conservation”. To answer this question, bird abundance surveys were conducted within ANP during 2021, and detection and occupancy …

Effects Of Glacial Stressors On Sperm Maturation In Colonies Of The Red Tree Coral, Primnoa Pacifica, Joshua Lynn

Honors College

The red tree coral, Primnoa pacifica, is a large, colony forming species of cold- water coral which is often an important habitat for many commercially important species of fish and crab. This keystone species is long lived and found at much shallower depths in the fjords of Glacier Bay National Park (GBNP) than elsewhere in the northern Pacific Ocean because of the phenomenon known as deep-water emergence. Due to their proximity to tidewater glaciers in GBNP, corals likely have to endure glacial stressors such as freshwater runoff and sedimentation that is not typical of populations in deeper water, which …

Primnoa Pacifica Reproduction In Shallow Versus Deep Habitats Of Glacier Bay National Park And Preserve, Alaska, Ciara N. Larence

Honors College

Primnoa pacifica is a species of deep-sea cold-water coral that can be found in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. These colonies are important to their ecosystem as they provide habitat for other species living in this area. One thing that makes P. pacifica important to study is that the species displays deep-water emergence. This is a phenomenon where species normally found in deep waters can exist in shallower waters, allowing easier access for research. The purpose of this thesis was to determine if depth effects the reproduction of male P. pacifica colonies. Two colonies from deep depths …

Genetic Analysis Of Yellowtail (Seriola Lalandi) For Aquaculture In Maine, Sydney Avena

Honors College

Aquaculture is a growing industry in Maine, and identifying new species with potential for aquaculture is crucial for its continuing success. The University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR) currently holds a stock of California yellowtail (Seriola lalandi). Similar in taste to tuna or mackerel, yellowtail are wild-caught as well as aquacultured in net pens and recirculating aquaculture systems worldwide. The fish presently at CCAR originally came from Great Bay Aquaculture and their genetic makeup is unknown. Recent research on S. lalandi suggests that this circumglobal fish has enough genetic difference between populations in the Northeast Pacific, Northwest …

Assessment Of Potential Measures At Admit Of Harbor Seal Pup Rehabilitation Success, Shannon Brown

Honors College

Harbor seals frequently strand along the northeast coast of the United States due to injury, illness, disease, and human interaction. In Maine, a non-profit organization, Marine Mammals of Maine (MMoME), is federally authorized to respond to these stranded animals and provide short-and long-term rehabilitation, with the ultimate aim to release the seals back into the wild. I investigated the role of multiple potential measures of marine mammal health that are evaluated at admit in determining rehabilitation success of dependent and weaned harbor seal pups from 2016 to 2019. The variables assessed were the day of the year the patients were …

Compilation And Review Of Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Protocols And Career Guidance From Conservation Professionals In The Eastern United States, Kelsey Davis

Honors College

Seven species of sea turtle are found on earth and all are either threatened or endangered. Unfortunately, these animals are under duress due to numerous anthropogenic causes. The increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere has led to extreme global weather fluctuations, which leads to the cold stunning events seen among turtles in the north eastern United States every year. Illegal fishing practices and illegal boating lead to severe and critical injuries. Coastal development destroys integral nesting grounds. The rehabilitation of sea turtles is one solution to the preservation and conservation of these species. This thesis analyzes current rehabilitation …

The Impact Of Natural Rubber As A Toughening Agent On The Strength, Degradability, And Toxicity Of An Algae-Based Bioplastic, Megan Driscoll

Honors College

With the growing attention on widespread plastic usage and its impact on the environment and human health, the need for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics is more important than ever. One of the most promising solutions is bioplastics; however, current bioplastics struggle to compete with the material properties of petroleum- based plastics. Agar is a sustainable algae-derived hydrocolloid polysaccharide that can be used for bioplastics and biofilms. Despite promising characteristics, bioplastics made from agar are brittle. Common additives, such as the plasticizer glycerol, offset brittleness but sacrifice strength in return. This study looks at the impact of natural rubber as …

Breaking Down "Harassment" To Characterize Trends In Human Interaction Cases In Maine's Pinnipeds, Emma Newcomb

Honors College

For hundreds of years the state of Maine has been home to pinniped populations. While these populations experienced heavy pressure from humans, they became federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Actin 1972. The Act ultimately included language to create the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. This program has allowed for stranding networks to form to respond to stranded animals and collect data from these animals. Long term datasets have been produced by these stranding networks, providing a valuable resource for studying patterns and trends in marine mammal health. I utilized these datasets for my analysis of stranding …

Confirmed Presence Of Parahepatospora Carcini In Carcinus Maenas Population Of Maine, Brittany Torchia

Honors College

Carcinus maenas (European green crab) is an invasive species that made its way to North American waters in the 1800s on European trading ships. As an invasive species they cause problems by competing with native species for the resources within their shared ecosystem. They can also introduce pathogens that can infect and wreak havoc on native populations. In Nova Scotia, Bojko et al. (2017) found the pathogen Parahepatospora carcini, a clade IV microsporidian parasite found in the hepatopancreas of aquatic arthropods, in C. maenas. Because this case was located within close range of Maine waters, the objective of this study …

A Biogeographical Assessment Of Arctic Marine Fungi, Bentley E. Simpson

Honors College

Marine fungi play a crucial role in recycling nutrients and channeling energy to higher trophic levels in the world oceans. Despite their critical role, their distributions and community composition, particularly in the Arctic, are largely unknown. This study reveals depth-related trends of abundance, diversity, and community composition of Arctic marine fungi through analysis of data obtained in the Tara Oceans expedition. With samples from surface (0-50 m), deep chlorophyll max (50-200 m), and mesopelagic (200-1000 m) depths, relative abundance, operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness, and diversity were found to increase as a function of depth. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were found …

Examining The Microbiome Of Porphyra Umbilicalis In The North Atlantic, Margaret Aydlett

Honors College

Marine macroalgae host a diverse microbiota. Bacteria are the most prominent group, and relationships between the algae and bacteria are complex and dynamic. The goal of this project was to examine the distribution and ASV diversity of Bacteria associated with Porphyra umbilicalis with special focus on some isolates, including studies of their temperature dependence and consideration of how they may affect Porphyra. Previous studies showed that some bacteria are required for normal algal morphology and growth. Porphyra umbilicalis is an abundant red macroalga found in the intertidal zone and is an important food for invertebrates. Because of its significance in …

The Effect Of Embryonic Arsenic Exposure On The Sensorimotor Behavior Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Laura Paye

Honors College

The goal of this study is to determine the effect of arsenic exposure on vision in zebrafish (Danio rerio). The optic system of D. rerio is ideal for examining visual defects. Their eyes are similar to eyes of humans and can therefore be useful models in studies of human eye disease. Their optic system functions similarly to humans, so it is beneficial to observe how zebrafish are affected by contaminants in the environment. Arsenic is ubiquitous in groundwater, due to its natural presence in bed rock, but is elevated by human activities. In order to see any …

Red Abalone Hemocyanin As An Alternative Hapten-Carrier For Vaccine Production, Isaiah N. Mansour

Honors College

Vaccines protect millions of human lives per year from otherwise fatal illnesses. Vaccination promotes immunity by simulating infection with a non-pathogenic representative of the disease, an antigen, to prepare and train an immune response. Vaccine-safe antigens are often too small to elicit an immune response. These non-immunogenic molecules are referred to as haptens and are introduced to the immune system by hapten-carriers, large immune-stimulating proteins. Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), a respiratory protein of the giant keyhole limpet (Megathura crenulata), is the industry standard hapten-carrier. KLH is a potent yet safe immune-stimulant relied upon in research, available human medications, and emerging …

A Look Into Millstone Nuclear Power Plant: Attitudes On Sustainability And Prevalence Of Epizootic Shell Disease, Emily Craig

Honors College

Epizootic Shell Disease in Homarus americanus

American lobster populations along the northeastern U.S. coast have been experiencing increased prevalence of Epizootic Shell Disease (ESD) over the past two decades. Several reports have correlated this increase with warmer water temperatures. My thesis examined the distribution of diseased lobsters surrounding Millstone Nuclear Power Station (MPS) in Long Island Sound. Lobsters in this area have seen a rise in Epizootic Shell Disease (ESD) that parallels the broader trends. To determine if the thermal plume from MPS had a local effect on ESD prevalence, the spatial distribution of diseased lobsters was analyzed at three …

Estimating Ecosystem Services From Harvested And Unharvested Ascophyllum Nodosum On The Maine Coast, Ashley E. Sarra

Honors College

Ascophyllum nodosum, better known as rockweed, is a commercially important, harvested intertidal brown alga species common in coastal Maine. Rockweed sea vegetable harvesting is a lucrative wild harvest fishery, that has also proved to be socially contentious and whose future management is uncertain. A. nodosum is an intertidal macroalgal species that may also be impacted by sea level rise. Through a combination of biomass estimation, newspaper analysis, and interview data collection, this project seeks to (a) develop a typology of ecological services of A. nodosum in harvested and unharvested areas in the state of Maine; and (b) assess the …

A Histological Assessment Of The Effects Of Elevated Temperature And Nitrogen On The Symbiodinium Of Palythoa Toxica (Walsh And Bowers 1971), Molly Westbrook

Honors College

Coral reefs around the world are suffering mass bleaching events caused by a combination of stressors, including rising ocean temperatures, acidity, pollution, increased suspended sediments, and increasing nitrogen levels. Corals harbor a complex microbial ecosystem consisting of bacteria, and algal symbionts known as Symbiodinium. This study examines the effects of elevated temperature, a known cause of bleaching, and elevated nitrogen, an increasingly important potential stressor for reefs, on the Symbiodinium of a zoanthid coral, Palythoa toxica. A total of 65 polyps were subjected to 5 different water treatments of 2 levels of elevated nitrogen, and 2 levels of …

Temporal And Spatial Variability Of Oxygen Levels In Upwelled Waters Along The Southern California Coast, Todd Xavier Thoman

Honors College

The overall goal of this study is to quantify interannual trends in oxygen concentrations and their spatial variability in the coastal Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of California, and to examine their relationship to concurrent hydrographic properties. The study focuses on trends within the upper 500 meters of the water column to indicate changes in seasonally upwelled waters over time. The analysis uses the publicly-available CalCOFI bottle cast data gathered and distributed by Scripps Institute. At each station, data include oxygen concentration and hydrographic information, such as potential density, depth, temperature, and salinity. This study utilizes data from 30.35° …

Environmental Impacts On Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nesting On Edisto Island, South Carolina, Faythe J. Goins

Honors College

The Northwest Atlantic population of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), listed as threatened on the US Endangered Species List, may be susceptible to climatic changes and monthly variation due to their slow generation time, temperature dependent sex determination, natal homing, and anthropogenic impacts. In order to investigate how environmental conditions impact loggerhead sea turtles, we compared sea turtle nesting data collected on three distinct and unique beaches on Edisto Island, South Carolina (Edisto Beach State Park, Edisto Town Beach, Botany Bay Plantation) between 2009 and 2016 to environmental data downloaded from NASA Giovanni and NOAA. We found that …

Shell Game: Improving The Shell Quality And Value Of Maine’S Most Valuable Fishery, Abigale Shaughnessy

Honors College

The American lobster is Maine’s most valuable export commodity. Hard-shell lobster commands the highest price because they survive shipping to overseas markets, but much of Maine’s summer production comes as perishable, low-value, softshell lobster. Lobster processors would like to know whether they can enhance profitability by holding over low-quality lobsters to increase their hardness instead of the standard process of receiving and shipping lobsters in under 48 hours. In a collaborative experiment with Ready Seafood Co. (Portland, Maine), we conducted week-long trials to evaluate the joint effects of temperature and feeding on shell hardness and hemolymph protein levels, an indicator …

Light Dynamics In The Damariscotta River Estuary With Implications For Microphytobenthos, Teiga C. Martin

Honors College

Predicting benthic light fields in the Damariscotta River Estuary (DRE) allows us to evaluate optimal microphytobenthos habitat, and determine the most the productive regions of the DRE. A model was created using instantaneous photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to predict the spatial distribution of sufficient light fields for primary production along the benthos of the estuary. PAR was collected at six stations oriented N- S along the DRE during late September in 2016 and 2017. Calculated at each station was Z1%, experimental and model diffuse coefficients of light (Kd), and the optimal light level depth for microphytobenthos production. Light fields were …

Art And Science: A Case Study Of Their Interconnectedness In The Marine Natural Sciences, Julia Mackin-Mclaughlin

Honors College

Science and art are interrelated in the form of scientific illustration: the act of observing a subject and translating the gained knowledge into a visual form. Humans have found inspiration from the natural world since our beginnings, but the practice of accurately portraying it arose with the growing interest in natural science in the 15th century. This paper explores three questions: what is scientific illustration, what is its role in scientific research, and how has it changed through history? Modern scientific illustration thrives as an effective method to teach the general public environmental issues. I present a case study using …