Marine Biology Commons^™

Impacts Of Nitrogen Enrichment On Corals – A Remote Sensing Approach, David E. Carrasco

Master's Projects and Capstones

Anthropogenic activities have resulted in ever-increasing threats to coral reefs globally, wherein the rate of environmental changes have exceeded the historical capacity of corals to adapt. This has threatened the persistence of coral ecosystems and their associated ecosystem services, which billions of people rely on for their livelihoods. The most prevalent stressor is nitrogen enrichment, which while present naturally, is exacerbated by the anthropogenic input of nutrients via the discharge of agricultural and urban waste waters. The focus is to answer the central research question of how nitrogen enrichment impacts corals, and how it interacts with other stressors with particular …

Construction Of Dichotomous Taxonomic Keys For San Francisco Bay Planktonic Diatoms, Ria Angelica Laxa

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Planktonic diatoms exhibit high biodiversity in marine systems and make a significant contribution to water column primary productivity. This makes research on planktonic diatoms particularly important in measuring the health of coastal marine ecosystems. At the University of San Francisco (USF), undergraduate research has been conducted since September 2015 to study planktonic diatoms in San Francisco Bay. A previous study by Keith (2018), Planktonic Diatom Species Succession in San Francisco Bay, documented changes in species diversity over time, observing seasonal patterns in species richness as well as the effect of environmental factors such as salinity, temperature, and rainfall on species …

Bull Kelp (Nereocystic Lutkeana) Restoration And Management In Northern California, Olivia Johnson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Northern California’s coastal marine ecosystems support one of the most productive and biodiverse habitats on the planet. Bull kelp forests (Nereocystic lutkeana) form habitats for an abundance of marine mammals, sea bird, fish, and invertebrates. In recent years, compounding ecological and climatic factors have disrupted the balance of the bull kelp forests and led to an unprecedented loss of bull kelp biomass and canopy cover. These areas that are typically teeming with marine life have shifted into a stable state of sea urchin barrens due to over grazing of bull kelp by purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus pupuratus). These sea urchin …

Evaluating Methods To Reduce Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeamgliae) Ship Strike Mortality In Nearshore Feeding Habitats Within The San Francisco Bay, Alisa Keenan

Master's Theses

Across our world’s oceans, whales are perpetually stuck and killed by large ships. Sea-based commercial trade is increasing on a global scale; therefore, more large ships are circumnavigating through biologically important whale habitats. This is of grave concern to marine resource managers, especially in the United States where major shipping corridors overlap critical whale habitat. It is feared that in these areas with high whale density, ship strikes are reducing populations of whales to levels below what is sustainable for threatened and endangered species, thereby hindering the recovery of depleted whale populations. Humpback whales, a species that is federally-listed as …

Planktonic Diatom Species Succession In San Francisco Bay (September 2015 - December 2017), Theresa Keith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since Hutchinson first described the “Paradox of the Plankton” in 1961, research has been done to determine how and why the coexistence of so many different species of phytoplankton is possible. A critical part of this question is species succession, or how the assemblage of phytoplankton in a region changes over time. This study examines the succession of planktonic diatoms in San Francisco Bay, CA (USA) from September 2015 through December 2017 using phytoplankton samples and environmental data. Periodic sampling was conducted at a site in the Golden Gate Strait and taxa were identified using light microscopy and scanning electron …

Management Recommendations For Restoration Of The Degraded Olympia Oyster, Ostrea Lurida Carpenter 1864 In Tomales Bay, Ca, Carolyn M. Gibson

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research addresses the effective restoration of Olympia oyster populations in Tomales Bay, Marin County, California. Chapter 2 provides background information on the Tomales Bay estuary, regional history, and ecology of the Olympia oyster. Following this background discussion, each of the three aforementioned degraders of Olympia oyster populations in Tomales Bay is presented: ocean acidification (Chapter 3), sedimentation (Chapter 4), and invasive species (Chapter 5). Each of these issues creates numerous barriers that require the attention of resource protection managers. Chapter 6 presents overall Research Conclusions and Chapter 7 identifies management recommendations to effectively begin the restoration of the Olympia …

Surface And Subsurface Application Of Chemical Dispersants And Associated Ecosystem Impacts, Adam V. Radpour

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chemical dispersants are applied to spilled oil in marine environments when other, less controversial, methods are not adequate for the incident. They are considered to be a response method as opposed to a direct cleanup method, with the intended goals of reducing risk of exposure to sensitive shorelines, reducing environmental injury to surface-dwelling sea birds and marine mammals, and facilitating the biodegradation of spilled oil into the water column.

For this research, both surface and subsurface application of dispersants were evaluated in terms of oil characteristics and volume, and oceanic and atmospheric conditions. More data exists to support the effectiveness …

Use Of Coastal Islands By Seabirds: A Tool To Guide Future Marine Protected Areas In California, Dana A. Page

Master's Projects and Capstones

Seabird breeding colonies on islands off the coast of California offer a unique tool to help guide marine spatial planning. The life histories of seabirds can be used to develop locations of ecological importance along the coast of California. Tracking methodologies and habitat modeling related to seabird habitat utilization can be used to inform management approaches which can aid in the expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs). Protecting ocean habitats will help mitigate impacts of climate change and ensure the ecosystem services provided by marine environments. Areas within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary were analyzed to locate candidate MPA …