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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
The Ecological Impact Of Casitas On Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Populations In The Florida Keys, Fl, (Usa), Benjamin C. Gutzler
The Ecological Impact Of Casitas On Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Populations In The Florida Keys, Fl, (Usa), Benjamin C. Gutzler
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Casitas are artificial structures placed on the seabed by fishermen to aggregate Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) for ease of capture. Some researchers suggest that they may also enhance lobster populations in shelter-limited environments. Conversely, aggregation of lobsters within casitas may be detrimental to the population if the nutritional condition or mortality of lobsters is poorer in casitas than in natural shelters. Small juvenile lobsters may be at particular risk because their foraging range is smaller and they are more readily preyed upon than larger lobsters. If so, then casitas placed in lobster nurseries may function as "ecological traps"; wherein …
Benthic And Planktonic Microalgal Community Structure And Primary Productivity In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Matthew Reginald Semcheski
Benthic And Planktonic Microalgal Community Structure And Primary Productivity In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Matthew Reginald Semcheski
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Microalgal populations are trophically important to a variety of micro- and macroheterotrophs in marine and estuarine systems. In Chesapeake Bay, microalgae facilitate the survival and development of ecologically and economically relevant fauna, including shellfish and finfish populations. While regarded as significant components of coastal environments, microphytobenthic communities are historically understudied. In Chesapeake Bay, the importance of phytoplankton to the ecosystem is understood, but the contribution of microphytobenthos remains unclear. This project surveys intertidal microphytobenthic communities, in relation to phytoplankton communities, around lower Chesapeake Bay describing the taxonomic makeup of these populations, coupled with quantification of cell abundance, biomass, and primary …
Determination Of The Ecological Condition Of Benthic Communities Affected By Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In The Elizabeth River, Chesapeake Bay, Usa, Adam M. Webb
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
The Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, has historically been polluted with hydrocarbon based industrial by-products. My study compared benthic community condition from two locations in the Southern Branch: the subtidal region near Money Point, historically affected by pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), to a subtidal region near Blows Creek on the opposite shore that is putatively designated as unimpacted by P AH contamination. Samples from both study sites in the Southern Branch were compared to the benthic community condition of samples from the same habitat type designations collected as part of the Chesapeake …
The Impact Of Multiple Nursery Areas On The Population Structure Of Atlantic Menhaden, Brevooria Tyrannus, Kristen A. Anstead
The Impact Of Multiple Nursery Areas On The Population Structure Of Atlantic Menhaden, Brevooria Tyrannus, Kristen A. Anstead
OES Theses and Dissertations
Understanding the population structure and patterns of connectivity in marine fishes is essential when making predictions about a species' resiliency and persistence in an increasingly changing environment. The Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus is a clupeid that plays a critical role in the marine food web and supports one of the largest fisheries on the US East Coast. In addition to a decrease in overall numbers and spawning stock biomass, recruitment levels have remained low since the 1990s. Menhaden use numerous estuaries along the Atlantic coast for juvenile development before recruiting to the adult population and the contribution of each of …