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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Beyond Age And Stage: Consequences Of Individual Variation In Demographic Traits, Erin Elizabeth Feichtinger
Beyond Age And Stage: Consequences Of Individual Variation In Demographic Traits, Erin Elizabeth Feichtinger
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Within natural populations, individuals vary in their propensity to grow, survive and produce offspring. Additionally, fates of individuals are often correlated and non-independent as a result of shared genes, rearing environment or both. Variation in demographic traits can change population dynamics over time. The effects of variation in individual growth rate on population growth rate, net reproductive rate and generation time are examined, along with quantifying the sources of variation in survival of a long-lived cooperatively breeding bird, the Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). I built a 2 stage population model with two growth phenotypes, fast and slow, and …
Trophic Ecology And Habitat Use Of Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus ), Benjamin Neal Kurth
Trophic Ecology And Habitat Use Of Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus ), Benjamin Neal Kurth
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Fish can have complex life histories and use multiple habitats and resources throughout their life span. Consequently, their life histories are often poorly understood. The Atlantic Tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, is a large, typically migratory, elopomorph fish that is both ecologically and economically important. Atlantic Tarpon are under threat due to regional exploitation, loss of natal and juvenile habitat, poor water management, and offshore impacts. In addition, little is known about its lifelong habitat and resource use. In Chapter 1, I used stable isotope analysis of eye lens δ13C and δ15N values to explore patterns in …
Aging Of Florida Blue Crabs, Callinectes Sapidus, Through The Biochemical Extraction Of Lipofuscin, Claire Elizabeth Crowley
Aging Of Florida Blue Crabs, Callinectes Sapidus, Through The Biochemical Extraction Of Lipofuscin, Claire Elizabeth Crowley
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, represents an ecologically and economically important component of marine and estuarine ecosystems. In Florida, blue crab landings accounted for $9.6 million dollars during the 2010 fishing season. Accurate stock assessments for this valuable fishery are essential. Age is a critical biological component of accurate stock assessments; however, blue crabs and other crustaceans are especially difficult to age because of the complex nature of discrete growth. Biochemical extraction of an aging pigment, lipofuscin, was developed using blue crab eyestalks. The current study investigated the effects of freezing preservation on lipofuscin extracts and examined whether the …