Life Sciences Commons^™

Cytokine Profiles In Peruvian Pinnipeds And Their Relationships With Environmental Stressors, Mykenzee L. Munaco

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Large colonies of two vulnerable, sympatric pinniped species, Peruvian fur seals (Arctocephalus australis Peruvian subpopulation; PFS) and South American sea lions (Otaria byronia; SASL), reside and reproduce in Punta San Juan, Peru (PSJ) where they are exposed to stressors such as environmental contaminants and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. Cytokine concentrations can be indicative of an animal’s health and immune function by allowing for immunoresponse characterization as Th1 or Th2 dominant. Utilizing an archived pinniped plasma collection of samples from 2009-2019 (n=148), 13 cytokines were analyzed in PFS and SASL: GM-CSF, IFN-γ, KC-like, MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, …

The Effect Of Water Flow Rates On The Survival And Growth Rates Of Three Caribbean Bouldering Coral Species Juveniles In An Indoor Versus Outdoor Environment, Ian Michael Johnson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for the world’s oceans and humanity; however, they are threatened by climate change, disease, and local anthropogenic stressors, and need assistance to recover. Traditional reef restoration efforts (fragmentation and outplanting are helping but are limited in effectiveness by not increasing genetic diversity. Ex situ sexual propagation for corals provides new, genetically different coral recruits. However, this process is laborious, expensive and time consuming, especially at the scale required to effectively contribute to the widespread recovery. To lower costs, two key parameters that require optimization to hasten the growth of coral recruits are water flow and …

Improving The Design And Conduct Of Aquatic Toxicity Studies With Oils Based On 20 Years Of Croserf Experience, Wa Stubblefield, M Barron, G Bragin, Me Delorenzo, B De Jourdan, B Echols, Dp French-Mccay, P Jackman, Jr Loughery, Tf Parkerton, D. Abigail Renegar, Jl Rodriguez-Gil

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Laboratory toxicity testing is a key tool used in oil spill science, spill effects assessment, and mitigation strategy decisions to minimize environmental impacts. A major consideration in oil toxicity testing is how to replicate real-world spill conditions, oil types, weathering states, receptor organisms, and modifying environmental factors under laboratory conditions. Oils and petroleum-derived products are comprised of thousands of compounds with different physicochemical and toxicological properties, and this leads to challenges in conducting and interpreting oil toxicity studies. Experimental methods used to mix oils with aqueous test media have been shown to influence the aqueous-phase hydrocarbon composition and concentrations, hydrocarbon …

Fun Azores: A Functional Trait Database For The Meio-, Macro-, And Megafauna From The Azores Marine Park (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), Neus Campanyà-Llovet, Amanda E. Bates, Daphne Cuvelier, Eva Giacomello, Diana Catarino, Andrew J. Gooday, Björn Berning, Blanca Figuerola, Manuel A. E. Malaquias, Carlos J. Moura, Joana R. Xavier, Tracey Sutton, Laurence Fauconnet, Sofia P. Ramalho, Bárbara De Moura Neves, Gui M. Machado, Tammy Horton, Andrey V. Gebruk, Kirill Minin, Joël Bried, Tina Molodtsova, Mónica A. Silva, Anna Dilman, Antonina Kremenetskaia, Eudriano F. S. Costa, Jameson Clarke, Helen R. Martins, Christopher K. Pham, Marina Carreiro-Silva, Ana Colaço

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Trait-based approaches that complement taxonomy-based studies have increased in popularity among the scientific community over the last decades. The collection of biological and ecological characteristics of species (i.e., traits) provides insight into species and ecosystem vulnerability to environmental and anthropogenic changes, as well as ecosystem functioning. Here, we present the FUN Azores trait database, describe our approach, evaluate its scope, compare it to other marine trait databases, and explore the spatial distribution of its traits with “functional maps.” While most of the available trait databases to date contain essential information to understand the functional diversity of a taxonomic or functional …

Evaluating The Effect Of Symbiodiniacea On Survival, Growth, And Acquisition Of Newly Settled Corals Of Three Caribbean Species, Michael B. Hood

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Symbiosis between corals and Symbiodiniaceae is critical to coral reef health. However, this mutually beneficial relationship is threatened by a variety of stressors. This study aims to assess if seeding newly settled corals with different species of Symbiodiniaceae promotes differences in survival, growth, and symbiont acquisition in corals. Three reef-building species (Colpophyllia natans, Orbicella faveolata, and Pseudodiploria strigosa) reared in sterile saltwater baths were seeded with one of four Symbiodiniaceae species (Breviolum minutum, Durusdinium trenchii, Fugacium kawagutii, and Symbiodinium microadriaticum). Coral survival, growth, and symbiont acquisition were assessed biweekly during the first two months and monthly …

Pilot Testing Of A Non-Gaming Cognitive Battery In Expert Esports Athletes, Allison J. Brager, Patrick Belling, Jason Sada, Jeffrey Osgood, Bradley Fawver, Michael Dretsch

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Introduction: The esports industry is rapidly expanding, making it imperative to identify common data elements of expert gamers for the purposes of performance optimization and enhancement. We aimed to measure cognitive performance in a convenient sample of expert esports athletes, as well as to determine if cognitive performance of these individuals could be further enhanced through a novel non-gaming neurocognitive test battery.

Methods: Elite esports athletes (n = 5) participated in a four-day cognitive and strength & conditioning program at the Sports Academy (Thousand Oaks, CA). Cognitive performance was assessed through five tasks of increasing cognitive load. Baseline …

Endemic Galapagos Tree Daisy Scalesia Pedunculata Threatened By Competition With Nonnative Blackberry Rubus Niveus, Heinke Jäger, Christian Sevilla, Bernhard Riegl

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

There is a debate whether invasive plants can induce extinction debt in native flora that is not immediately obvious. Competitive effects of invasions and how competition causes native biodiversity loss are complicated to evaluate. Experi-mental removal or introduction bears the most promise of demonstrating native species displacement mechanics. Over an eight- year period, we followed plots in the only remaining Scalesia pedunculata forest on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, where invading Rubus niveus was either removed or retained. Demographic param-eters and total recruitment failure in the presence of R. niveus suggest that S. pedun-culata may face local extinction in two decades …

Periodically Disturbing Biofilms Reduces Expression Of Quorum Sensing-Regulated Virulence Factors In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laura Garcia-Dieguez, Gabriela Diaz-Tang, Estefania Marin Meneses, Vanessa Cruise, Ivana M. Barraza, Travis J.A. Craddock, Robert P. Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing to regulate the expression of virulence factors. In static environments, spatial structures, such as biofilms, can increase the expression of these virulence factors. However, in natural settings, biofilms are exposed to physical forces that disrupt spatial structure, which may affect the expression of virulence factors regulated by quorum sensing. We show that periodically disturbing biofilms composed of P. aeruginosa using a physical force reduces the expression of quorum sensing-regulated virulence factors. At an intermediate disturbance frequency, the expression of virulence factors in the las, rhl, and pqs regulons is reduced. Mathematical modeling suggests that perturbation …

Variability In Billfish Vertical Distribution And Fishing Interactions Driven By Environmental Conditions In The Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, H. E. Blondin, D. E. Haulsee, Ryan Logan, Mahmood Shivji, E. R. Hoffmayer, J. H. Walker, J. M. Dean, E. L. Hazen, L. B. Crowder

Biology Faculty Articles

Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) and sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) are ecologically important predators and valuable species throughout the world’s recreational, commercial, and subsistence fisheries. Comparing multi-species vertical habitat use can inform ecological uncertainties such as inter-species competition, as well as relative vulnerabilities to fishing activities. In this study, we identified key differences in both depth use and which environmental variables drive these selections, which highlights the variability in the catchability both as target species in recreational fisheries and bycatch in commercial fisheries. To understand these two species’ vertical habitat use, we examined depth profiles from 26 sailfish …

Using Neural Signals To Investigate Athlete Burnout, Mathew R. Hammerstrom, Thomas D. Ferguson, Hendrik L. Pepler, Anthony Pluta, Gordon Binsted, Olave Krigolson

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Objective: In the present study, we examined the relationships between athlete burnout, brain function, and self-assessment of performance, and how these relationships can be quantified using mobile electroencephalography (mEEG). Specifically, we performed this study to determine whether mEEG can be utilized as an objective measure of athlete burnout. In addition, we sought to determine whether there was any relationship between athlete burnout and athlete self-assessment of performance while controlling for our neural results.

Methods: We tested these relationships in a sample of high-performance athletes – whereby we had athletes complete an mEEG assessment and also had the athletes complete a …

Patrolling The Border: Billfish Exploit The Hypoxic Boundary Created By The World's Largest Oxygen Minimum Zone, Ryan Logan, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Brad Wetherbee, Mahmood Shivji

Biology Faculty Articles

Pelagic predators must contend with low prey densities that are irregularly distributed and dynamic in space and time. Based on satellite imagery and telemetry data, many pelagic predators will concentrate horizontal movements on ephemeral surface fronts—gradients between water masses—because of enhanced local productivity and increased forage fish densities.
Vertical fronts (e.g. thermoclines, oxyclines) can be spatially and temporally persistent, and aggregate lower trophic level and diel vertically migrating organisms due to sharp changes in temperature, water density or available oxygen. Thus, vertical fronts represent a stable and potentially energy rich habitat feature for diving pelagic predators but remain little explored …

Examining Movement-Specific Reinvestment And The Yips In Professional Baseball, Lazaro Gutierrez Mba, Ma, Phd, Pradeep R. Vanguri Phd, Lat, Atc

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

The sudden inability of a professional baseball player to throw the baseball accurately, a condition known as the “yips”, is considered a motor movement disruption. Movement-specific reinvestment, including movement self-consciousness (MS-C) and conscious motor processing (CMP), explains the disruption of well-learned motor movements in different performance domains such as throwing. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study is to examine movement-specific reinvestment level differences between self-reported yips-afflicted and non-afflicted professional baseball players in the United States as measured by the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale (MSRS). A total of 130 professional baseball players (65 yips-afflicted and 65 non-afflicted) participated in the …

Potential Impacts Of Environmental Bacteria On The Microbiota Of Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Green (Chelonia Mydas) Sea Turtle Eggs And Their Hatching Success, Colleen Mcmaken, Derek Burkholder, Rosanna J. Milligan Dr., Jose V. Lopez

Biology Faculty Articles

Sea turtle hatching success can be affected by many variables, including pathogenic microbes, but it is unclear which microbes are most impactful and how they are transmitted into the eggs. This study characterized and compared the bacterial communities from the (i) cloaca of nesting sea turtles (ii) sand within and surrounding the nests; and (iii) hatched and unhatched eggshells from loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles. High throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene V4 region amplicons was performed on samples collected from 27 total nests in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsboro beaches in …

Marginal Reef Systems: Resilience In A Rapidly Changing World, Nicola K. Browne, Andrew G. Bauman

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Ecomorphology Of A Predatory Deep-Sea Fish Family: Does Trophic Specialization Drive Hyperspeciation?, Ryan P. Mcgonagle, David Kerstetter, Danté Fenolio, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Two of the main drivers of speciation among aquatic vertebrates are physical isolation (e.g., lakes and streams) and micro-niche availability (e.g., tropical reefs). In both regards, the mesopelagic domain of the open ocean, Earth’s second largest cumulative ecosystem (behind only the bathypelagic domain), would seem retardant. Ocean circulation makes isolation rare on both contemporary and geological time/space scales, and the lack of substrate precludes stable micro-niches. Paradoxically, some pelagic taxa demonstrate much higher-than-expected species richness on regional scales. A prime example is the dragonfish family Stomiidae, the most speciose family of mesopelagic fishes, owing largely to the subfamily Melanostomiinae (scaleless …

Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of Himerometroidea (Echinodermata: Crinoidea), Kristian H. Taylor, Gregory W. Rouse, Charles G. Messing

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Himerometroidea is a clade of chiefly shallow-water, tropical, feather-star crinoids that is currently divided, based on morphology, into four families comprising 119 extant species in 31 genera. Our molecular phylogenetic results, based on three mitochondrial (CO1, 16S, CytB) and two nuclear (ITS and 28S) markers for 55 accepted species in 23 of the extant genera, allow for six clades within Himerometroidea to be given family ranks. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference analyses recovered largely congruent topologies with varying nodal support. A new classification revises generic placements among five families: Himerometridae, Colobometridae, and Mariametridae, all retained, and Pontiometridae and …

A Forensic Assessment Of Current Water Quality Using Idexx Techniques In The Himmarshee Canal And New River In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Catherine Margaret Bilodeau

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Fecal contamination has continued to plague local communities around the United States and the world, especially in highly populated areas like Southern Florida. Newer techniques are beginning to be used to track microbes properly as they are found in waterways. Some more recent techniques in Microbial Source Tracking (MST) use IDEXX kits to detect fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Two IDEXX kits Colilert-18^® which detects total coliforms and Escherichia coli in water or fecal coliforms in wastewater, and Enterolert^®, which targets enterococci, were used in the waterways of the Himmarshee Canal and South Fork of the New River …

Exploring Host-Parasite Interactions In The Euhaplorchis Californiensis-Fundulus Parvipinnis System, Bennett J. Perry

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Parasites with complex life-cycles may alter their intermediate host’s phenotype to increase the chance of successful transmission to their next host. This parasite-induced host modification often occurs in the form of behavioral changes, such as increased frequency of irregular locomotor behaviors (e.g., conspicuous behaviors), particularly in systems where the parasite is transmitted trophically through a predation event. However, most empirical evidence of host behavioral modification by parasites comes from a few model host-parasite systems and are frequently studied following a stressor (e.g., simulated predator attack). One host species studied is the California killifish Fundulus parvipinnis, which is infected by …

An Ecological Assessment Of The Deep-Pelagic Fish Genus Cyclothone (Gonostomatidae; Stomiiformes), Possibly The World’S Most Abundant Fishes, In The Gulf Of Mexico, Olivia C. North-Menthonnex

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The fish genus Cyclothone is considered the most abundant vertebrate taxon on Earth. Despite this assertion, very few detailed ecological studies of this genus exist for any site in the World Ocean, largely due to the lack of expertise (and willingness) to identify specimens from existing sample sets. This study will provide a species-level description of the abundance, vertical distribution, and size structuring of the genus Cyclothone in the Gulf of Mexico, a hyper-diverse, deep-pelagic ecosystem that is increasingly impacted by anthropogenic disturbances. As the putative most-abundant fishes in the ecosystem, this characterization is critically needed for a holistic understanding …

Assessing The Dynamics Of The Southeast Florida Shark Community From 2013-2019 Via Catch Per Unit Effort And Stable Isotope Analysis, Alexandra Barth

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Sharks, as well as other top predators, are in drastic decline worldwide. As apex and near-apex predators, species such as nurse, lemon, and tiger sharks maintain balanced marine ecosystems by enacting top-down trophic control. However, this cascading effect is diminished with exploitation via commercial and recreational fishing. Sharks are generally long-lived, mature late, have long reproductive cycles, and produce few offspring. Much remains to be learned about the community structure, population trends and conservation statuses of shark populations worldwide. Comprehensive studies on the composition of the shark community in Southeast Florida north of Miami have been limited. This study assessed …

Effects Of Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms On The Microbial Community Within Lake Okeechobee, Fl, Usa, Paisley S. Samuel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Lake Okeechobee (Lake O) watershed is a Floridian freshwater ecosystem that has been affected by the increased frequency and intensity of harmful cyanobacterial bloom (cyanoHAB) events occurring over recent decades. Lake O has several ecological and economic purposes such as providing habitats for various organisms and providing drinking water to urban communities surrounding the lake. Toxic cyanoHAB events are posing a threat to the ecosystem and economy of the lake due to the degradation of water quality. This study investigates how the microbial community structure within Lake O is affected by annual cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms over several years …

Heavy Metal Content In Eggs From Wild And Managed-Care Humboldt Penguins, Mya Daniels-Abdulahad

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti, has been recognized as a Vulnerable species (IUCN) for nearly two decades, with annual population declines of more than 10% largely attributed to pervasive anthropogenic activity occurring throughout the species’ range of Peru and Chile. Due to recent mining expansions near the species’ largest Peruvian rookery, located at the Punta San Juan (PSJ) reserve, the exposure of breeding individuals to elevated concentrations of trace elements (e.g., heavy metals) in the marine environment is a preeminent concern. While heavy metal toxicity is dependent on metal species, dose, route of exposure, and the physiologic parameters of …

Interactions Between Metabolism And Growth Can Determine The Co-Existence Of Staphylococcus Aureus And Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Camryn Pajon, Marla C. Fortoul, Gabriela Diaz-Tang, Estefania Marin Meneses, Ariane R. Kalifa, Elinor Sevy, Taniya Mariah, Brandon Toscan, Maili Marcelin, Daniella M. Hernandez, Melissa M. Marzouk, Allison J. Lopatkin, Omar T. Eldakar, Robert Smith

Biology Faculty Articles

Most bacteria exist and interact within polymicrobial communities. These interactions produce unique compounds, increase virulence and augment antibiotic resistance. One community associated with negative healthcare outcomes consists of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. When co-cultured, virulence factors secreted by P. aeruginosa reduce metabolism and growth in S. aureus. When grown in vitro, this allows P. aeruginosa to drive S. aureus toward extinction. However, when found in vivo, both species can co-exist. Previous work has noted that this may be due to altered gene expression or mutations. However, little is known about how the growth environment could influence the …

Twenty Years Of Change In A Southeast Florida Acropora Cervicornis Thicket, Daniel Perez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Acropora cervicornis is a species of stony coral that can exist in large thickets that provide functionally unique habitat. However, populations have declined by 98% in some areas of the Caribbean. Even in death, the structure from an A. cervicornis thicket provides surface area for the attachment of benthic organisms. Broward County Acropora (BCA) is an A. cervicornis thicket, located off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which has been monitored since 2003. The objective of this study was to describe the temporal changes in community structure in response to 20 years of disturbances affecting BCA. Data was collected by taking images along …

The Potential For Top-Down Control Of The Corallivorous Gastropod Coralliophila Galea And Its Effect On Coral Reef Ecosystems, Tanya Y. Kamerman

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Corallivores are understood to be ecologically important. However, their effects on reef ecosystems are difficult to distinguish from the multiple anthropogenic stressors currently affecting reefs. The corallivorous muricid snail, Coralliophila galea, has been documented to have a strong negative impact on Caribbean coral reefs, including curtailing reef recovery following other stressors. Although the basic biology of C. galea is relatively well understood, the limited information on its predators prevents a complete understanding of predator-snail-coral relationships, which limits proper protection and conservation of coral reef ecosystems. To determine the impact predators of C. galea have on coral reef ecosystems, I assessed …

Decontamination And Annotation Of The Draft Genome Sequence Of The Oomycete Lagenidium Giganteum Arsef 373, William R. Morgan, Aurelien Tartar

Biology Faculty Articles

Scaffolds of a previously published Lagenidium giganteum ARSEF 373 genome assembly found at GenBank were filtered to remove contaminating sequences. Genome annotation of the 437 scaffolds (total length, 56.2 MB; GC content, 58.8%) with confirmed L. giganteum sequences identified 13,069 potential protein-coding genes, encoding at least 737 predicted secreted proteins and .100 putative translocated effectors

Analysis Of Attitudinal Student Learning Benefits From A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (Cure) Adapted For Online Format, Ambika Kapil, Luis C. Gonzalez Isoba, Niraj Pathak, Arthur Sikora, Santanu De

FDLA Journal

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are an increasingly utilized model for exposing students to research. The lack of robust assessments is a major hurdle to wider adoption of CUREs. The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated a drastic shift of in-person courses to the online format. Using the Participant Perception Indicator (PPI) survey, we measured students’ self-reported changes in learning from such a biochemistry course at a large university in south Florida based on the Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab (BASIL) model. By doing this, we were able to better understand the student-benefits of CUREs and how these benefits …

Neurological-Type Wilson Disease: Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, And Management, Nathaniel Kipker, Kaitlyn Alessi, Marko Bojkovic, Inderbir Padda, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

Wilson disease (WD) is a complex metabolic disorder caused by disruptions to copper regulation within the body, leading to an unregulated accumulation of copper within various tissues. A less understood organ affected by the collection of copper is the brain, which further leads to the generation of oxygen-free radicals and resultant demyelination. Healthcare providers must keep the neurological form of WD in their list of differentials when patients present with diverse neurological manifestations. The initial step to diagnosis will be to distinguish the characteristic disease presentation with a thorough history and physical and neurological examination. A high clinical disease suspicion …

Acoustic Telemetry Provides Insights For Improving Conservation And Management At A Spawning Aggregation Site Of The Endangered Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus Striatus), Richard S. Nemeth, Elizabeth Kadison, Jonathan Jossart, Mahmood Shivji, Bradley Wetherbee, Jordan Matley

Biology Faculty Articles

Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus, Serranidae) were one of the most important fishery species in the Caribbean, but are now listed as critically endangered. Population collapse in most places occurred primarily by fishers targeting their spawning aggregation sites, where thousands of fish gathered during full moon periods from December to April. Identifying management options for protecting this vulnerable period is crucial for their survival. In the US Virgin Islands, we tagged 24 Nassau grouper with acoustic transmitters at a fish spawning aggregation (FSA) site called the Grammanik Bank, a 1.5 km2, marine protected area (MPA) closed each year from …

Kerstetter Et Al. Supplemental Materials, David Kerstetter, Garrett A. Hardy, L. John

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Datasets

This document provides additional photographs to the Kerstetter et al. main text from baited game camera placements in West Lake Park, Broward County, Florida (USA) from January 2019 through January 2020.