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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Peruvian Pinnipeds As Archivists Of Enso Effects, Mickie Rae Edwards
Peruvian Pinnipeds As Archivists Of Enso Effects, Mickie Rae Edwards
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Environmental fluctuations in the eastern Pacific Ocean are reflected in the tissues of some of its most vulnerable apex predators, the Peruvian fur seal (PFS) Arctocephalus australis ssp.and the South American sea lion (SASL) Otaria byronia.These large pinnipeds live in sympatry along the Pacific coastline of South America and forage within the neritic waters over the continental shelf. The coastal waters off Peru are a region of great environmental fluctuations due to periodic, oscillating El Niño- La Niña- Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, which result in ecosystem-wide food web changes. Pinniped vibrissae (whiskers) are continuously growing keratinous tissues and …
Parasitic Indicators Of Foraging Strategies In Wading Birds, Sarah Gumbleton
Parasitic Indicators Of Foraging Strategies In Wading Birds, Sarah Gumbleton
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Feeding ecology and trophic interactions of six species of wading birds were explored through a combined analysis of stable isotope profiles and endoparasite communities. Stable isotopes broadly characterize the feeding preferences and geographic information, while parasite communities reflect long-term trends in feeding ecology. Deceased birds were obtained from four South Florida wildlife rehabilitation organizations. Of the 81 birds dissected, 73 contained parasites. Parasites were predominately found within the gastrointestinal tract. Host and range extensions were noted for several parasite taxa. Bird host species had a significant effect on the parasite community (P=0.001) while wildlife center location and maturity status did …
Evidence Of Intermittent Residency In The Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus Ursinus)., Megan Foley
Evidence Of Intermittent Residency In The Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus Ursinus)., Megan Foley
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
This study found evidence of intermittent, multi-year residency periods in northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) using stable isotope ratios in vibrissae and canine teeth. Northern fur seals migrate from the Bering Sea during summer months to lower latitudes and slightly warmer waters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean and California Current in the winter. To determine the length of time spent away from the Bering Sea, growth rate was estimated using the covarying oscillations δ13C and δ15N, estimated to be 0.09 mm/day. The δ13C and δ15N in vibrissae from 30 male …
Trophic Ecology Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, David C. Roche
Trophic Ecology Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, David C. Roche
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Located 100 km west of Key West, Florida, Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) is a largely untouched subtropical marine ecosystem that serves as an important developmental habitat, nesting ground, and foraging area for several species of sea turtles, including green turtles. The Park supports a recovering population of green turtles comprised of resident juveniles, subadults, and adults of both sexes; nesting females include residents and migrating females that only return to nest. Stable isotope analysis has been applied widely to describe the trophic ecology of green turtles, from urbanized bays with significant anthropogenic input, to relatively pristine ecosystems with healthy …
Trophic Dynamics And Feeding Ecology Of The Southeast Florida Coastal Pelagic Fish Community, Travis Allan Moore
Trophic Dynamics And Feeding Ecology Of The Southeast Florida Coastal Pelagic Fish Community, Travis Allan Moore
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
The combined methods of stomach content analysis and stable 15N and 13C isotope biochemistry analysis were used to investigate the trophic dynamics and feeding ecology of coastal pelagic fishes in the waters off southeastern Florida, USA. The coastal pelagic fish complex includes blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus, dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla, little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus, skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis, and wahoo Acanthocybium solandri. These coastal teleosts, particularly the tunas and wahoo, are primarily targeted by recreational anglers. However, there is a shortage of available trophic and diet composition data concerning …
Biological And Physical Analysis Of Currents And Water Masses Off The Coast Of Southeast Florida, Stephanie Healey
Biological And Physical Analysis Of Currents And Water Masses Off The Coast Of Southeast Florida, Stephanie Healey
HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Biological and physical sampling of a 10km long, east-west transect was performed during 2007, off the coast of southeast Florida. Temperature and salinity measurements were recorded using a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor, and current direction and magnitude measurements were recorded using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). Zooplankton samples were collected, during the daytime, using a Tucker multiple net mid-water trawl, with 760μm mesh, at intended depths of ~25m and ~200m, at three stations along the transect. Laboratory analysis indicated that several currents and water masses influenced the density distribution of calanoid copepods and chaetognaths. During April and September 2007, a …