Life Sciences Commons^™

Distribution, Abundance, And Population Genetics Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Mississippi, Luke Pearson

Dissertations

The southeastern United States is a freshwater turtle biodiversity hotspot, second only to southeastern Asia, and this region is inhabited by one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world: the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii). This species was heavily harvested from the 1960’s to the 1980’s for the turtle soup industry, apparently contributing to substantial, range-wide population declines. These declines, coupled with anthropogenic impacts on riverine and floodplain habitats, have led to M. temminckii being petitioned for federal listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act; it is currently under review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service …

Vascular Flora Of The Possum Walk Trail At The Infinity Science Center, Hancock County, Mississippi, Hanna M. Miller

Honors Theses

The North American Coastal Plain contains some of the highest plant diversity in the temperate world. However, most of the region has remained unstudied, resulting in a lack of knowledge about the unique plant communities present there. This flora catalogues the vascular plant species along the Possum Walk Trail on the southeast corner of the Infinity Science Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. Additionally, interpretive signs have been developed to display information about engaging species and phenomena to increase public interest in native plant life and involve them conservation efforts. The site was surveyed from spring of 2015 to spring of …

The Vascular Flora Of Wayne County, Mississippi, Daniel M. Mcnair

Master's Theses

The vascular flora of Wayne County, Mississippi, was surveyed from 2013–2015, and the species of native and naturalized plants are listed. In total, 1,135 species were identified from field collections, previously collected herbarium specimens, and field observations. These belong to 556 genera and 165 families. Four of these species represent first recorded occurrences in the state of Mississippi: Blyxa aubertii Rich., Gomphrena serrata Pav. ex Moq., Isoetes valida (Engelm.) Clute, and Polypogon interruptus Kunth. GPS coordinates are given for important collection sites representing the diversity of plant communities in the county. All voucher specimens from the survey are deposited in …

Habitat Selection Of Gulf-Strain Striped Bass, Morone Saxatilis: Relationships To Dynamic Abiotic Environmental Characteristics Within The Biloxi River, Mississippi, Jennifer Lynne Green

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to provide insights about the short- and long-term patterns of habitat selection of Gulf-strain Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis, based on spatially and seasonally variable abiotic environmental characteristics (water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, specific conductivity, and pH) in the Biloxi River, MS system. Juvenile hatchery-reared and feral adult Gulf-strain Striped Bass were acoustically-tagged and continuously monitored via active and passive telemetry from November 2012 – June 2014. Each month the available abiotic environmental characteristics of 40 random locations within the Biloxi River, along with sub-habitat conditions occupied by acoustically-tagged Gulf-strain Striped Bass, were …

A New Species Of Euphorbia Subgenus Chamaesyce Section Alectoroctonum (Euphorbiaceae) From Limestone Hills Of Wayne County, Mississippi, Andrew C. Fennell

Honors Theses

As part of a project to document the vascular flora of Wayne County, Mississippi, an unusual Euphorbia, which keys to the Euphorbia corollata complex, was encountered in mature hardwood forests in limestone regions. Unlike typical E. corollata and E. pubentissima, these individuals have long petioles (0.4–1.2 cm), oval to ovate leaves, short stature, small cyathia, small seeds, and a different phenology. In order to test species boundaries, morphological character differences were explored using principal component analysis (PCA), and additional characters were gathered from plastid (rpL16) and nuclear (ITS) DNA data of the unusual individuals as well …

The Delivery, Speciation, And Fate Of Trace Elements In St. Louis Bay, Mississippi, Gopal Bera

Dissertations

Estuaries are dynamic regions in which there can be significant modification of the riverine flux of trace elements to the open ocean due to various geochemical, physical, and biological processes. Additionally, estuaries are often subject to anthropogenic inputs of trace elements. The first portion of this study investigated the source, behavior, and sediment interaction of anthropogenic stable cesium (Cs) in St. Louis Bay (SLB), MS. A consistent increase in stable Cs concentration was noticed in sediment cores starting from a period when a titanium dioxide refinery on SLB started operations. Weak correlation between Cs and clay percentage and strong correlations …

Survival, Growth And Reproduction Of Non-Native Nile Tilapia Ii: Fundamental Niche Projections And Invasion Potential In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Michael R. Lowe, Wei Wu, Mark S. Peterson, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, William T. Slack, Pamela J. Schofield

Faculty Publications

Understanding the fundamental niche of invasive species facilitates our ability to predict both dispersal patterns and invasion success and therefore provides the basis for better-informed conservation and management policies. Here we focus on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most widely cultured fish worldwide and a species that has escaped local aquaculture facilities to become established in a coastal-draining river in Mississippi (northern Gulf of Mexico). Using empirical physiological data, logistic regression models were developed to predict the probabilities of Nile tilapia survival, growth, and reproduction at different combinations of temperature (14 and 30°C) and salinity …

Flora Of The Gopher Farm Sandhill, Wayne County, Mississippi, Shira Brittany Nicholson

Honors Theses

This study documents the vascular plants and common lichens of the Gopher Farm sandhill, Wayne County, Mississippi. The Gopher Farm sandhill is located within the Chickasawhay Ranger District of the DeSoto National Forest and is one of the most northerly located sandhills in the Coastal Plain of Mississippi. The sandhill was surveyed 11 times from the spring of 2011 to the spring of 2012, primarily during the spring and fall. The survey resulted in 180 species, including 15 lichens, 1 fern, 2 gymnosperms, and 162 flowering plants. Collections included two rare species (Carex tenax and Rhynchospora megalocarpa) and …

Reproductive Life History Of Fundulus Jenkensi And Comparative Development Of Five Sympatric Fundulid Species, Eric Thomas Lang

Master's Theses

Fundulus jenkinsi is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of F. jenkinsi and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female F. jenkinsi were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of …

Conservation And Ecology Of The Yellow-Blotched Sawback (Graptemys Flavmaculata), William Winsyl Selman Ii

Dissertations

The role of species conservation is becoming increasingly important due to the mounting pressures from humans on habitats and populations of organisms. This is particularly evident in riverine ecosystems throughout the world where the human demand for freshwater resources is increasing, and consequently, the number of imperiled aquatic organisms is also growing. The seven chapters of this dissertation primarily focus on the Yellow-blotched Sawback, Graptemys flavimaculata, an endangered riverine turtle that is endemic to the Pascagoula River system of southeast Mississippi, USA. At the population level, we aimed to study the impacts of Hurricane Katrina on two study populations within …

Effects Of Hurricane Katrina On An Incipient Population Of Giant Salvinia Salvinia Molesta In The Lower Pascagoula River, Mississippi, Pam L. Fuller, Mike G. Pursley, Dale Diaz, Wesley Devers

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The objectives of this study were to: 1) survey the lower Pascagoula River Basin and determine the post–storm distribution and abundance of giant salvinia; 2) control any remaining giant salvinia through physical and/or chemical means; 3) determine the fate of the bio–control agents; and 4) determine if re–introduction of salvinia weevils is needed and if so, to decide where best to release them.

Factors Influencing The Environmental Quality Of The Bay Of Saint Louis, Mississippi And Implications For Evolving Coastal Management Policies, Pradnya Ankush Sawant

Dissertations

The Bay of St. Louis, MS is a small northern Gulf of Mexico estuary that has been identified by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) as an impaired waterbody for its designated uses, mainly due to the presence of pollutant pathogens. A systematic study of this estuary was important to understand the behavior and responses of the bay to several natural and anthropogenic forcing factors. A 14- month long study (bimonthly sampling) to evaluate its environmental quality was undertaken from April 2003 to May 2004. Environmental quality was defined as "the health of an ecosystem characterized in terms of …

Roosting Ecology Of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat, Corynorhinus Rafinesquii, In Southeastern Mississippi, Austin Webb Trousdale Iii

Dissertations

Rafinesque's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus rafinesquii, is considered rare and/or declining throughout its range. Concrete bridges are potentially important roosts for C. rafinesquii, especially in the Gulf Coastal Plain where the species' natural roosts (caves and large hollow trees) are inherently scarce. Successful efforts to monitor and conserve this species must account for its movements among multiple roosts and determine the duration of its roost use (including bridges) at different temporal scales. Therefore, I investigated roosting ecology of C. rafinesquii from 2000-2005 within a mixed hardwood-pine (Pinus spp.) system in southeastern Mississippi. I conducted surveys of concrete bridges to determine phenological …

First Record Of Bonefish, Albula Vulpes, From Mississippi Coastal Waters, K.J. Cuevas, James S. Franks, M.V. Buchanan

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bonefish (Albula spp.), Family Albulidae, occur worldwide in coastal waters of tropical and warm temperate seas (Crabtree et al. 1997), and 2 species, A. vulpes and A. nemoptera, are recognized from the western Atlantic Ocean (Rivas and Warlen 1967). The normal range of A. vulpes in the western Atlantic extends from Bermuda to Brazil, including the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, Central America and the Antilles (Hildebrand 1963), but in US waters, A. vulpes typically occurs off south Florida (Crabtree et al. 1997). In contrast, A. nemoptera has been reported from Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica and Hispaniola (Uyeno et al. …

Diet Of Tripletail, Lobotes Surinamensis, From Mississippi Coastal Waters, James S. Franks, Katherine E. Vanderkooy, Nikola M. Garber

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The diet of tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis, collected from the Mississippi Sound and Mississippi's offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico between April and September 1995-1997, was investigated through analysis of stomach contents. Of 178 tripletail stomachs examined, 136 (76%) contained prey items, and 42 (24%) were empty. Tripletail with prey in their stomachs ranged from 183 to 787 mm total length (mean 522.6 mm) and 0.14 to 10.5 kg total weight (mean 3.64 kg). The diet consisted of 32 different prey types and was comprised of shrimp, crabs, and teleost fishes which were represented by about equal number and …

Spatial And Temporal Changes In Subtidal Benthic Crustaceans Along A Coastal River-Estuarine Gradient In Mississippi, Mark S. Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic crustaceans were collected monthly between 24 August 1985 and 20 September 1986 from tidal freshwater (TFW), oligohaline (OH) and mesohaline (MH) sites in Old Fort Bayou, a black-water tidal river of the Biloxi Bay estuary, Mississippi. Salinity varied seasonally and spatially and was primarily related to variations in rainfall during this study. Reduced rainfall after October 1985 resulted in the upstream movement of saline water and a concommitant shift in benthic crustaceans upstream with this change in the physical-chemical environment. This shift is supported by a significant positive concordance of ranks between salinity and relative abundance of Gammarus sp. …

First Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) Record In Mississippi, Jon C. Peterson, Wayne Hoggard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded on the south shore of Horn Island, Mississippi, represents the first record of this species in the state. The specimen, a neonate female, was euthanized at the stranding site. Tissue samples, blood samples, and stomach contents were analyzed following gross necropsy.

Long-Term Adult Population Fluctuations And Distribution Of The Spot, Leiostomus Xanthurus, In Mississippi, Brian D. Leblanc, Deborah L. Murphy, Robin M. Overstreet, Michael J. Maceina

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Adult specimens of the spot, Leiostomus xanthurus, were collected from bayou, Mississippi Sound, and barrier island locations along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi from November 1982 to July 1989. The mean total length of all spot sampled in comparable gill net sets was 219 mm (± 14 standard deviation, n=4,338). Ninety-five percent of the spot were collected in the island and sound areas, where the salinity was higher than in the bayous. Catch per unit effort was high at island and sound stations in spring and autumn, with relatively few fish caught during the winter spawning season and summer. …

Success Of Juvenile Striped Bass In Two Bay Systems In Mississippi: 1980-1984, Ronald R. Lukens, Larry C. Nicholson, J.Y. Christmas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Success of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis, Walbaum) stocking program in the Biloxi Bay and St. Louis Bay systems in Mississippi was investigated by monitoring the occurrence of juveniles in bag seine collections in the Biloxi, Tchouticabouffa, Jourdan, and Wolf Rivers. A total of 554 juvenile striped bass were collected during the study. Hydrographic data and stomach analyses indicate that neither water conditions nor food was a limiting factor to juvenile striped bass survival. Appearance of juveniles subsequent to the stocking of Atlantic coast fry and fingerlings coupled with lateral line scale count data indicate that all juveniles …

The Growth Of Cultchless Crassostrea Virginica Spat At Biloxi Bay, Mississippi Using Different Methods Of Culture, John T. Ogle

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Oyster spat produced from the experimental hatchery of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Point Cadet, Biloxi, Mississippi, were grown under a variety of conditions. Recovery of spat planted on adjacent bay bottom was negligible, despite the use of either whole oyster valves, crushed oyster shell or clam shell as a substrate. Negligible growth occurred for spat held in vertical and horizontal water tanks. Growth of spat in horizontal tanks was affected by the density of stocking, with lower densities producing faster growth. Growth in all studies was slower than anticipated and a comparison on growth for spat from a …

Invertebrates Associated With The Thinstripe Hermit Clibanarius Vittatus (Bosc) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Diogenidae) From The Barrier Islands Of Mississippi, Leslie Bruce

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Hermit crabs, the gastropod shells that they inhabit, and associated epifauna constitute a motile microhabitat. Twenty-three macroscopic. epifaunal invertebrates were associated with the diogenid crab Clibanarius vittatus in Mississippi coastal waters. Epibiotic growth may discourage predation of the crab, reduce competition for the shells, or provide an advantage in agonistic shell interaction. In addition, the shell provides a hard substrate for settling and attachment of epifauna in an area that is largely devoid of hard substrate. Reduced sedimentation and prevention of shell burial, improved food availability, transport, and protection from predation may also be advantageous to the epizoans.

Soil Characteristics Of Four Juncus Roemerianus Populations In Mississippi, Lionel N. Eleuterius, John D. Caldwell

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The physical and chemical characteristics of soil from four widely separated Juncus roemerianus populations in Mississippi tidal marshes are determined. The J. roemerianus populations studied are located in Grand Bayou, Salt Flats, Weeks Bayou,and Belle Fantaine marshes. Organic matter, pH, CEC, N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, and Zn analyses are based on composite soil samples. The percentage of sand, silt, and clay of the marsh soils is determined along with soil water content from the four locations. Statistical analysis indicates which marshes are different for each soil characteristic tested. No appreciable amounts of organic matter are present in the …

Soil Characteristics Of Spartina Alterniflora, Spartina Patens, Juncus Roemerianus, Scirpus Olneyi, And Distichlis Spicata Populations At One Locality In Mississippi, Lionel N. Eleuterius, John D. Caldwell

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Soil characteristics from five adjacent monotypic zones or different populations of tidal marsh plants are determined. Populations of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, Juncus roemerianus, Scirpus olneyi, and Distichlis spicata located in Graveline Bay marsh, Mississippi, are studied. Slight elevational differences between the plant populations exist. The aerial biomass for each plant population is different based on seasonal determinations. Soil pH, organic matter, N, P, K, S, Zn, Ca, and Mg concentrations are based on analyses of seasonal composite soil samples. Analyses of soil water samples are used to determine water content, salinity, PO₄, and …

Aspects Of The Biology Of The Red Drum, Sciaenops Ocellatus, In Mississippi, Robin M. Overstreet

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Several hundred specimens of the red drum from Mississippi were critically assessed. Regression equations for standard-length (SL) versus total-length differed between males and females and between small and large members of the same sex. A single regression line represented the weight-SL relationship for males with females. For condition coefficients to be helpful, fish had to be grouped at least by sex, season, and length or stage of maturity. By 12 months of age, most fish were about 30 to 32 cm SL and their distribution ranged throughout Mississippi Sound rather than being restricted to inshore bayou and marsh habitats like …

Aspects Of The Biology Of The Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion Nebulosus, In Mississippi, Robin M. Overstreet

Gulf and Caribbean Research

About 3,000 specimens of the spotted seatrout from Mississippi Sound and adjacent water grouped by males and females had a nearly identical standard length (SL) versus total length (TL) relationship, although the equation for males in winter differed from that for those in other seasons. When investigating the SL-weight relationship, some differences occurred both among seasons and between sexes. Therefore, condition coefficients (K) were calculated to compare male and female groups according to their length and state of maturation on a seasonal basis. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) tended to increase with fish length, with relatively high values occurring in winter …

A Note On The Reproductive Season Of The Carolina Marsh Clam Polymesoda Caroliniana (Bosc) In An Irregularly Flooded Mississippi Marsh, Courtney T. Hackney

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The gonadal development of Polymesoda caroliniana in an irregularly flooded, brackish marsh was followed for 13 months. Ripe individuals (condition prior to spawning) were found in May, July, August, and October, suggesting either an extended period of spawning or three discrete spawning periods. This pattern is different from another study of P. caroliniana in a more flooded habitat.

The observed gonadal condition correlates with the presence of newly recruited clams in the marsh during most of the year, but failed to explain a pulse of juveniles found in February. The different reproductive pattern observed in this brackish marsh may be …

Multilinear Models For The Prediction Of Brown Shrimp Harvest In Mississippi Waters, Frederick C. Sutter Iii, J.Y. Christmas

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A multilinear regression analysis of water temperature, salinity, and number of postlarval brown shrimp in nursery areas was used to predict the June and July commercial harvest of brown shrimp in Mississippi waters. A total of 80.2% of the variation in harvest was accounted for by this model. When an effort variable was added to the equation, the amount of variation explained by these parameters increased to 85.4%. The coefficients of the two multilinear equations were recalculated exclusive of the data set for the last year to test the predictive capabilities of the models. For that year, the first model …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In The Macrobenthos Of St. Louis Bay, Mississippi, James T. Mcbee, Walter T. Brehm

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic community structure in St. Louis Bay was studied for 23 months. Cluster analyses distinguished two habitats: open water areas and areas near the marshy shores of rivers and bayous. Two groups of “euryhaline opportunistic” species were dominant at the open water stations. Temporal patterns of the “euryhaline opportunists,” which appeared to be controlled by a combination of reproductive pulses and seasonally intense predation, showed that the greatest abundance of macroinfauna occurred during the cooler months with reduced recruitment during the second year. The river-bayou stations were characterized by two groups of “estuarine endemic” species. One of these groups was …

Heat Death Of Least Tern Chicks On The Gulfport, Mississippi, Beach In 1980, Gordon Gunter

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Least Tern is among the smallest of the long-winged flyers and an indescribably ethereal impression emanates from it in flight. Thus great interest was generated when this tern began to nest on the mainland beach of Mississippi Sound about 12 years ago. In 1980, Least Tern chicks died in numbers on the beach and this generated considerable comment and some bombast. An upstate ornithologist announced that poison in the food chain was the cause, but no poison has ever been found in the carcasses of the dead chicks or in the water. The mortality of Least Tern chicks was …

Mississippi Manatees, Gordon Gunter, Gerald Corcoran

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The taxonomy and the distribution of the American manatee Trichechus manatusare reviewed briefly. Its distribution extends from 50°N on the eastern coast of North America to 19°S in South America. Records from the northern Gulf coast are given including sightings from Mississippi in January 1979, and one from the open ocean off Louisiana in July 1979. A live manatee was captured in the Gulfport, Mississippi, Harbor in January 1979, and was transported to Sea World in Orlando, Florida. It still lives there in good condition. A carcass of a female was found near the eastem end of Ship Island …