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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Population Dynamics And Genotypic Richness Of The Threatened Acropora Spp. And Their Hybrid In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Hannah F. Nylander-Asplin
Population Dynamics And Genotypic Richness Of The Threatened Acropora Spp. And Their Hybrid In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Hannah F. Nylander-Asplin
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Since the 1980’s, there has been an unprecedented decline in the reef-building Caribbean corals, Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, which has led to their listing as “threatened” under the U.S Endangered Species Act. Despite this protective status, these Acropora species continue to experience declines primarily attributed to disease, global climate change, and storm damage. Recent evidence suggests the hybrid of these threatened species (A. prolifera) is found at abundances similar to or higher than the parental species at many sites throughout the Caribbean. However, there is still much that is unknown as to how and why hybrids may …
Spatiotemporal Change In The Benthic Community Of Southeast Florida, Nicholas P. Jones
Spatiotemporal Change In The Benthic Community Of Southeast Florida, Nicholas P. Jones
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
High-latitude reefs have been postulated as refugia, centers for resilience or the first areas to undergo re-organization under climate change. The Southeast Florida Reef Tract (SEFRT) is a high-latitude reef system (>25 °N) running parallel to the highly urbanized coastline of southeast Florida. With a benthic community comprised of a mixture of coral reef associated assemblages, the SEFRT is towards the northern limit of stony coral cover due to temperature constraints. This study analyzed spatial variations in benthic cover, spatiotemporal changes in the benthic community and the impact of spatial and temporal fluctuations in temperature on benthic cover on …