Marine Biology Commons^™

Tunel Apoptotic Cell Detection In Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (Sctld): Evaluation Of Potential And Improvements, E. Murphy Mcdonald

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a highly lethal coral disease that has caused a dramatic loss of coral tissue along the Florida Reef Tract and throughout the Wider Caribbean. This study seeks to understand whether programmed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in the pathology of the highly virulent SCTLD tissue loss lesion. Tissues from diseased colonies of Pseudodiploria strigosa collected in 2018 and 2020 were stained using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyltransferase (TdT) mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay to visualize areas of programmed cell death. The archived tissue samples collected in 2018 exhibited a significantly higher degree of …

Investigation Of Sulfur Cycling In Marine Sponge Cinachyrella Spp. From A South Florida Reef, Shelby K. Cain

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Symbionts within marine sponges are actively participating in the biogeochemical cycles. Among them, the role of symbiont microbes in the sulfur cycle remains a mystery. This study measured the abundance of microbes within the genus Cinachyrella before and after exposure to hydrogen sulfide. A four-part study was conducted: a) five-hour drop experiments, b) vertical distribution experiments, c) five-hour uptake experiments, and d) long-term exposure experiments. The five-hour drop experiment utilized a microsensor to measure sulfide levels, which was lowered 1.0 mm every thirty minutes for a total of 5 hours. Three trials were performed, each with one sponge and a …

Life History, Biology, Fisheries, And Management For Six Lesser Known Species Of Hammerhead Sharks (Family: Sphyrnidae), Emma M. Brennan

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Historically, sharks were not considered to be of high commercial value due to low demand and modest catch rates in comparison to bony fishes. However, with recent heightened demand for shark products, their economic value has increased profoundly, which has led to overharvesting of many species. Sharks are considered as a K-selected species, which includes life history traits such as slow growth, late maturity, few offspring, and slow reproductive rates. Given the slow intrinsic rate of increased characteristic of most species of sharks, few species can support heavy fishing pressure and are vulnerable to drastic population declines as a result …

Functional Review And Macrostructure Of The Caecum In Ardeidae, Lola R. Mildren

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Situated on the lower digestive tract, caeca typically project cranially from the juncture of the small and large intestine. Recent studies have proposed that the role of caeca in the avian system is to act as fermentation chambers to synthesize vitamins, modulate gut microflora, and absorb nutrients; however, functionality differs with diet. Caeca are a typical characteristic of the avian gastrointestinal tract, with varying sizes and shapes, or even rudimentary or absent in some species. Caeca are notably singular and relatively small in Ardeids. Morphometric consistency in the number and presence of caeca on the lower intestinal tract of Ardeids …

Assessing The Potential For Range Expansion Of The Red Tide Algae Karenia Brevis, Edward W. Young

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Phytoplankton communities are vital to oceanic ecosystems. While most are harmless or beneficial, a select group possesses the capability to produce toxins and cause mass die-offs of marine organisms. Florida red tide, caused by blooms of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, is common in the Gulf of Mexico, although blooms have been transported to the Atlantic coast and impacted estuaries where K. brevis is not normally found. An in-depth overview of compiled estuary research evaluated the possibility of the continued spread of Florida red tide blooms to Southeastern Atlantic estuaries and the likelihood of establishment in non-native regions. A …

Effects Of Surfactants On The Generation Of Sea Spray During Tropical Cyclones, Breanna L. Vanderplow

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Despite significant improvement in computational and observational capabilities, predicting intensity and intensification of major tropical cyclones remains a challenge. In 2017 Hurricane Maria intensified to a Category 5 storm within 24 hours, devastating Puerto Rico. In 2019 Hurricane Dorian, predicted to remain tropical storm, unexpectedly intensified into a Category 5 storm and destroyed the Bahamas. The official forecast and computer models were unable to predict rapid intensification of these storms. One possible reason for this is that key physics, including microscale processes at the air-sea interface, are poorly understood and parameterized in existing forecast models.

Under tropical cyclones, the air-sea …

Prioritizing The Largest, Oldest Corals For Disease Intervention In A Coral Disease-Ravaged Area: Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area, Alysha Brunelle

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Coral diseases appear to be more devastating than ever before. When a virulent disease ravages a coral ecosystem, it can significantly change the population’s demographics and cause local extinctions. Disease intervention response during such an event is impossible at a landscape scale, therefore priorities must be considered. Saving the largest, oldest colonies of reef-building species is a good choice due to their high fecundity and ecological function. Their size, as a proxy for age, is an indicator of their resistance to previous perturbations which may indicate higher fitness. Their size also provides habitat to many organisms and wave resistance in …

A Shark Conservationists Toolbox: Current Dna Methods And Techniques Aiding In The Conservation Of Sharks, Arianna N. Nixon

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Elasmobranchs are important members of their community. Many sharks are important apex predators that help maintain the health of their ecosystem. However, shark populations are globally declining. This is partially due to the fact that sharks are highly targeted for their fins, meat, liver oil, teeth, and skin. However, they are also killed from anthropogenic effects such as habitat destruction and pollution. Most shark species have life history characteristics that also make them more vulnerable to overfishing. Sharks are also difficult to study due to their elusive nature and identification issues. That is why molecular tools are increasingly becoming important …

Linking Crude Oil And Dispersant Effects To Gene Expression Of Marine Sponge Cinachyrella, Yvain Desplat

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Because of their filter-feeding lifestyle, sponges (Phylum Porifera) have shown to be bio-accumulators of heavy metals, and bio-monitors for polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) contaminants. Furthermore, marine sponges have been shown to be regulators of reef ecosystems by fulfilling many ecological functions. However, very little is known about their behavior in the face of environmental changes. Consequently, our lab has developed the reef sponge Cinachyrella spp. as novel experimental model. We have designed an experiment to study the effects of WAF (Water Accommodated Fraction), Corexit 9500 dispersant, and CE-WAF (Chemically Enhanced Water Accommodated Fraction)mixtures, in an effort to mimic the conditions of the …

To Feed Or Not To Feed: Examining The Effects Of Provisioning Tourism On Nurse Sharks In Caye Caulker, Belize, Carlee Jackson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Wildlife tourism is increasing in popularity around the world, creating the need to understand alterations in animal behavior and spatial distributions that may occur due to associated anthropogenic disturbances. Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum, Bonnaterre 1788) are commonly used for wildlife tourism within the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve in Belize. Shark and Ray Village (SRV) is a site within the reserve where nurse sharks are consistently fed by tour/snorkel boats to create an interactive experience with tourists, termed provisioning tourism. Prior to this experiment, no studies had been conducted in SRV to evaluate the impact of provisioning tourism (tourism …

Connection Between Contaminants And Marine Mammals In The Southern Ocean, Sean W. Tupper

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Southern Ocean encircles the continent of Antarctica and was once thought to be unaffected by human activities. However, evidence is increasing that this region has many different contaminants that threaten the region’s marine biodiversity, including marine mammals. Many of these contaminants are heavy metals or persistent organic pollutants and enter the Southern Ocean via both natural and anthropogenic processes. The impacts posed by these contaminants vary according to their type and the organism being exposed. All species of cetaceans and pinnipeds in this study were confirmed to have been exposed to one or more the contaminants reviewed. Although research …

Comparative Study Of Spectral Sensitivity, Irradiance Sensitivity, Spatial Resolution And Temporal Resolution In The Visual Systems Of Aratus Pisonii And Ocypode Quadrata, Ruchao Qian

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Autrum’s studies (1950, 1958) on terrestrial arthropods first revealed that the visual systems of arthropods reflected their lifestyles and habitats, demonstrating that rapidly moving predatory diurnal species tend to have better temporal resolution than slower moving nocturnal species. In order to test Autrum’s hypothesis that visual adaptions are driven by predator/prey interactions, the visual physiology of a nocturnal fast-moving predatory crab, the Atlantic ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata), and a diurnal herbivorous crab, the mangrove tree crab (Aratus pisonii), was examined and compared. Spectral sensitivity, irradiance sensitivity, and temporal resolution of the crabs were quantified using the …

The Role Of Bacterial Symbionts And Bioluminescence In The Pyrosome, Pyrosoma Atlanticum, Alexis Berger

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The pelagic tunicate, Pyrosoma atlanticum, is known for its brilliant bioluminescence, but the mechanism causing this bioluminescence has not been fully characterized. This study identifies the bacterial bioluminescent symbionts of P. atlanticum collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico using various methods such as electron microscopy, light microscopy, and molecular genetics. The bacteria are localized within a specific pyrosome light organ. Bioluminescent symbiotic bacteria of Vibrionaceae composed >50% of taxa in tunicate samples (n=13), which was shown by utilizing current molecular genetics methodologies. While searching for bacterial lux genes in 2 tunicate samples, we also serendipitously generated a draft …

The Microscopic Threat With A Macroscopic Impact: Microplastics Along The Southeast Florida Reef Tract, Emma Wightman

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Microplastics have been found in large quantities in marine water samples and biota around the world. These microplastics, when present in the marine environment, decrease water quality and negatively impact marine life. This research quantified and classified marine plastic pollution along the Southeast Florida Reef Tract (SEFRT), in order to understand how this plastic is entering the ocean and the scope of the microplastic contamination in the northern SEFRT. Surface and bottom water samples were collected at 7 sites along the SEFRT for 6 months, filtered, and microscopically analyzed for microplastic content and composition using Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR). Classification …

Symbiosis And Bioinvasive Dynamics Of Durusdinium Trenchii And Its Acroporid Coral Hosts, David Craig Lawson

HCNSO Student Capstones

Biological invasions are a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems, as increasing anthropogenic transport and changing environmental patterns allow invasive species to establish and spread. Durusdinium trenchii is a dinoflagellate that has invaded the Greater Caribbean reef system and established symbioses with coral hosts. Establishment and persistence of invasive endosymbionts like D. trenchii could indicate a shift in the clade composition of coral holobionts worldwide. Statistical analyses were performed on the GeoSymbio database (Franklin et al. 2012) to determine whether differences in clade composition have occurred over time. Factors that influence biological invasions in marine ecosystems were assessed and analogous …

Examination Of Parasite Assemblages In Killifish Of The Genus Fundulus Across The Atlantic Coast Of The United States And Canada, Derek Garvey

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Killifish of the genus Fundulus were examined to assess the factors shaping parasite community structure at a genus level. A database of previous parasite surveys on Fundulus species across the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada was created from a literature review. The database included parasite and environmental factor data from 15 sources. Additional sites from New Brunswick, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and South Carolina were sampled for Fundulus species. The resulting database includes data for 10 species from a total of 57 unique geographic sites. Data on the diversity and abundance of metazoan parasites were …

Fish Assemblages Associated With A Newly Deployed Eco-Engineered Artificial Seawall In The Intercoastal Waters Of Port Everglades, Olmo Cinti

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

As the demand for urbanization of coastal areas increases, there is a strong interest to create new infrastructures that would replace natural habitats (Airoldi & Beck, 2007; Dugan et al., 2011). These infrastructures, due to their differences in composition and structure, are often associated with decreasing biodiversity, and proliferation of invasive species (Firth et al., 2014; Moschella et al., 2005). To minimize or attenuate these negative effects of hardening shorelines eco-engineering can be implemented. This kind of approach focuses on the modification of artificial habitats to enhance services that would not be otherwise obtained (Barbier et al., 2011; Mayer-Pinto et …

Understanding The Toxicity Of Single Hydrocarbons, Oil, And Dispersed Oil: A Species Sensitivity Assessment For Five Atlantic Coral Species, Nicholas R. Turner

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs are keystone coastal ecosystems that are at risk of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons from a range of sources, including oil spill incidents and chronic runoff, and are usually one of the highest valued natural resources for protection in Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA)/Spill Impact Mitigation Assessment (SIMA) of response methods and environmental damage. Previous research evaluating hydrocarbon impacts to corals has resulted in no clear characterization of sensitivity, as work has generally focused on higher-level effects, compounded by significant variability in experimental methodology. This represents an important knowledge gap in oil spill preparedness and response as it relates …

A Temporal Analysis Of The Euphausiid Assemblage In The Gulf Of Mexico After The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, With Notes On Seasonal Reproduction, Nathan A. La Spina

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the results of the first multi-year study on the euphausiid assemblage in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWHOS), covering depths down to 1000 m. There are no data on the euphausiid assemblage from this region prior to the oil spill; therefore, the data in this study were analyzed with respect to year (samples collected in 2011 vs. those collected between 2015 – 2016), and season (May vs. August) to determine if any trends were present. These results presented here show a statistically significant decrease in both abundance and biomass between 2011 and 2015 – …

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella Frontalis) And Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Nearshore Distribution, Bimini, The Bahamas, Skylar L. Muller

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Bimini, The Bahamas, includes two islands surrounded by a diverse assemblage of ecosystems and a large array of organisms, including two delphinid species, Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) and common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, inshore ecotype). Within a predefined nearshore zone, individuals of both species had largely overlapping distribution from 2003-2018; Atlantic spotted dolphins tended to disperse farther to the north while bottlenose dolphins were located farther south. The distribution of both species varied significantly by year. Atlantic spotted dolphin sightings varied across years and months while bottlenose dolphin sightings varied by month, with differences between …

A Survey Of The Order Tetraodontiformes On Coral Reef Habitats In Southeast Florida, Anne C. Sevon

HCNSO Student Capstones

The economy of south Florida relies, in part, on the recreation and tourism industries; both of which are integrally linked to Florida’s coastal ecosystems. These ecosystems provide tourists the opportunity to explore mangroves and the Everglades, enjoy local beaches, and experience the ocean with fishing charters, scuba diving adventures, and snorkeling. One of the major attractions for tourists is the Florida Reef Tract (FRT), which includes multiple coral reef and hardbottom habitats that extend from St. Lucie Inlet through the Florida Keys and into the Dry Tortugas. The FRT has been a major part of research because a wide range …

Predation Efficiency And Prey Choice Of Estuarine Organisms Under Varying Anthropogenic Light Types And Intensities, Carmen Montalvo

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The coastlines of Florida are becoming highly urbanized, and the growing human population is affecting many mangrove and estuarine habitats. Exploring the predation efficiency and prey choice of estuarine organisms under varying anthropogenic light types and intensities could help determine anthropogenic effects. Mangrove habitats support both relatively large predators such as Blue Striped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) and Gray Snapper (Lutjanus griseus), and a diversity of smaller taxa that occupy lower trophic levels, including Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus) and Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Understanding how predation (or predation evasion) efficiencies are affected by different …

Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Analysis Of Mangrove Ecosystems Using Gis, Kayla Caldwell

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is accelerating beyond what is natural due to excessive emissions from human activities. The sea level has been rising for many years and is currently at a rate of 3.6 mm/yr. Mangroves are known to only keep pace with a sea level rate of less than 1.2 mm/yr. Mangroves are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels if they are not able to keep pace through vertical sediment accretion or inland migration. To test the vulnerability of the south Florida mangrove ecosystems to sea level rise, this study analyzed changes in the mangrove forest coverage of the Oleta River …

Comparative Study Of The Effects Of Light On Photophore Ultrastructure From Two Families Of Deep-Sea Decapod Crustaceans: Oplophoridae And Sergestidae, Jamie E. Sickles

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Counterillumination, the mechanism by which pelagic species produce bioluminescence to replace the light blocked by their bodies to hide their silhouettes, has been known for over 100 years. However, little is known about how these animals are able to so precisely replicate the intensity of downwelling light. The recent discovery of opsins in photophores (Bracken-Grissom et al. 2020) suggests that these autogenic organs (i.e. non-bacterial) may be sensitive to light, in addition to their function of emitting visible light. The study presented here is 1) the first ultrastructural assessment of photophores in species Systellaspis debilis, Janicella spinicauda, Parasergestes armatus, …

An Investigation Into The Factors Influencing Growth And Survival Of Caribbean Acroporid Corals In A Floating Nursery, Cassie M. Vanwynen

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

For decades, coral reef ecosystems have been in decline. To promote recovery, restoration efforts have been implemented for many degraded reefs across the globe. In the Caribbean, there is restoration focus on the coral genus Acropora. Current methods target Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, two threatened species of branching coral that can mate to form a hybrid taxon, A. prolifera. By including the hybrid in restoration efforts, researchers may better understand how this taxon may promote nursery expansion and outplanting in restoration efforts. Establishing efforts in novel areas may further advance restoration methods by comparing location differences in nursery …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Essential And Non-Essential Elements Recorded In Western Arctic Bowhead Whales (Balaena Mysticetus), Samantha L. Shore

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Western Arctic bowhead whales, Balaena mysticetus, migrate annually among the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. Foraging along their route, they use keratinous baleen to filter microscopic zooplankton from the water column. A single baleen plate from an adult bowhead whale grows continuously and stores 20+ years of dietary and environmental data. This study utilized induced coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to evaluate concentrations of 14 essential and non-essential elements in baleen samples from nine subsistence-harvested whales, yielding continuous data from 1958–1999 (n=148). Stable isotope data previously reported on these samples provided information on location (Beaufort Sea; Bering/Chukchi seas), season (winter; …