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Stable isotopes

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Articles 1 - 30 of 34

Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

Assessing The Dynamics Of The Southeast Florida Shark Community From 2013-2019 Via Catch Per Unit Effort And Stable Isotope Analysis, Alexandra Barth Apr 2023

Assessing The Dynamics Of The Southeast Florida Shark Community From 2013-2019 Via Catch Per Unit Effort And Stable Isotope Analysis, Alexandra Barth

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Sharks, as well as other top predators, are in drastic decline worldwide. As apex and near-apex predators, species such as nurse, lemon, and tiger sharks maintain balanced marine ecosystems by enacting top-down trophic control. However, this cascading effect is diminished with exploitation via commercial and recreational fishing. Sharks are generally long-lived, mature late, have long reproductive cycles, and produce few offspring. Much remains to be learned about the community structure, population trends and conservation statuses of shark populations worldwide. Comprehensive studies on the composition of the shark community in Southeast Florida north of Miami have been limited. This study assessed …

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Levels Of Autotrophy And Heterotrophy In Mesophotic Corals Near The End Photic Zone, Amy Carmignani, Veronica Z. Radice, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Alex I. Holman, Karen Miller, Kliti Grice, Zoe Richards Jan 2023

Levels Of Autotrophy And Heterotrophy In Mesophotic Corals Near The End Photic Zone, Amy Carmignani, Veronica Z. Radice, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Alex I. Holman, Karen Miller, Kliti Grice, Zoe Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mesophotic corals live at ~30-150 m depth and can sustain metabolic processes under light-limited conditions by enhancing autotrophy through specialized photoadaptations or increasing heterotrophic nutrient acquisition. These acclimatory processes are often species-specific, however mesophotic ecosystems are largely unexplored and acclimation limits for most species are unknown. This study examined mesophotic coral ecosystems using a remotely operated vehicle (Ashmore Reef, Western Australia at 40–75m depth) to investigate the trophic ecology of five species of scleractinian coral (from genera Leptoseris, Pachyseris, and Craterastrea) using stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) of host and symbiont tissues …

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Larval Ecology Of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Thynnus): New Insights From Otolith Microstructure, Biotic, And Abiotic Analyses From The Gulf Of Mexico And Mediterranean Sea, Estrella Malca Dec 2022

Larval Ecology Of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Thynnus): New Insights From Otolith Microstructure, Biotic, And Abiotic Analyses From The Gulf Of Mexico And Mediterranean Sea, Estrella Malca

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT), Thunnus thynnus, spawn in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and the Mediterranean Sea (MED). Spawning occurs within narrow temporal and environmental parameters. Efforts to characterize growth of ABT in wild conditions revealed a wide range of growth variability during the early life stages. This series of studies examined potential biotic and abiotic influences of larval growth from seven ABT cohorts, and identified several key drivers of growth for this commercially valuable species. A detailed investigation of larval dynamics using otolith microstructure was conducted as follows. First, companion growth curves and stable isotope analysis from the same …

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Using Stable Isotope Analyses To Assess The Trophic Ecology Of Scleractinian Corals, Michael P. Lesser, Marc Slattery, Keir J. Macartney Nov 2022

Using Stable Isotope Analyses To Assess The Trophic Ecology Of Scleractinian Corals, Michael P. Lesser, Marc Slattery, Keir J. Macartney

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies on the trophic ecology of scleractinian corals often include stable isotope analyses of tissue and symbiont carbon and nitrogen. These approaches have provided critical insights into the trophic sources and sinks that are essential to understanding larger-scale carbon and nitrogen budgets on coral reefs. While stable isotopes have identified most shallow water (<30 m) corals as mixotrophic, with variable dependencies on autotrophic versus heterotrophic resources, corals in the mesophotic zone (~30–150 m) transition to heterotrophy with increasing depth because of decreased photosynthetic productivity. Recently, these interpretations of the stable isotope data to distinguish between autotrophy and heterotrophy have been criticized because they are confounded by increased nutrients, reverse translocation of photosynthate, and changes in irradiance that do not influence photosynthate translocation. Here we critically examine the studies that support these criticisms and show that they are contextually not relevant to interpreting the transition to heterotrophy in corals from shallow to mesophotic depths. Additionally, new data and a re-analysis of previously published data show that additional information (e.g., skeletal isotopic analysis) improves the interpretation of bulk stable isotope data in determining when a transition from primary dependence on autotrophy to heterotrophy occurs in scleractinian corals.

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Favorable Spring Conditions Can Buffer The Impact Of Winter Carryover Effects On A Key Breeding Decision In An Arctic-Breeding Seabird, Rolanda J. Steenweg, Glenn T. Crossin, Holly L. Hennin, H. Grant Gilchrist, Oliver P. Love Feb 2022

Favorable Spring Conditions Can Buffer The Impact Of Winter Carryover Effects On A Key Breeding Decision In An Arctic-Breeding Seabird, Rolanda J. Steenweg, Glenn T. Crossin, Holly L. Hennin, H. Grant Gilchrist, Oliver P. Love

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

The availability and investment of energy among successive life-history stages is a key feature of carryover effects. In migratory organisms, examining how both winter and spring experiences carryover to affect breeding activity is difficult due to the challenges in tracking individuals through these periods without impacting their behavior, thereby biasing results. Using common eiders Somateria mollissima, we examined whether spring conditions at an Arctic breeding colony (East Bay Island, Nunavut, Canada) can buffer the impacts of winter temperatures on body mass and breeding decisions in birds that winter at different locations (Nuuk and Disko Bay, Greenland, and Newfoundland, Canada; assessed …

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Stable Isotopes Used To Infer Trophic Position Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Gulf Of Mexico, United States, David C. Roche, Michael S. Cherkiss, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen M. Hart Sep 2021

Stable Isotopes Used To Infer Trophic Position Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Gulf Of Mexico, United States, David C. Roche, Michael S. Cherkiss, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen M. Hart

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Evaluating resource use patterns for imperiled species is critical for understanding what supports their populations. Here we established stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N) values for the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) population found within the boundaries of Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), south Florida, USA. There is little gene flow between turtles sampled at DRTO and in other rookeries in Florida, underscoring the need to study this distinct population. Between 2008 and 2015 we collected multiple sample types (skin [homogenized epidermis/dermis], whole blood, red blood cells, plasma, carapace) from 151 unique green turtles, including …

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Identifying Nitrogen Source And Seasonal Variation In A Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) Communityof The South Texas Coast, Ashley Elizabeth Murphy, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo Feb 2021

Identifying Nitrogen Source And Seasonal Variation In A Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) Communityof The South Texas Coast, Ashley Elizabeth Murphy, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) stands in south Texas grow in association with other autotrophic organisms including herbaceous halophytes and cyanobacterial mats. Despite the relevant ecosystem services provided by this coastal plant community, limited information exists on its functioning, in particular as it pertains to nutrient dynamics, namely nitrogen (N). Nitrogen stable isotopes were used to assess potential N sources for plant growth in this community. Plant tissue (leaves), cyanobacteria, and sediment were sampled once every season for one year. Total N in A. germinans (2.6 %) and associated saltwort (Batis maritima) (2.1 %) was higher than in cyanobacteria (0.6 %), …

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Foraging Tactics In Dynamic Sea-Ice Habitats Affect Individual State In A Long-Ranging Seabird, Arnaud Tarroux, Yves Cherel, Per Fauchald, Akiko Kato, Oliver P. Love, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Gunnar Spreen, Øystein Varpe, Henri Weimerskirch, Nigel G. Yoccoz, Sandrine Zahn, Sébastien Descamps Sep 2020

Foraging Tactics In Dynamic Sea-Ice Habitats Affect Individual State In A Long-Ranging Seabird, Arnaud Tarroux, Yves Cherel, Per Fauchald, Akiko Kato, Oliver P. Love, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Gunnar Spreen, Øystein Varpe, Henri Weimerskirch, Nigel G. Yoccoz, Sandrine Zahn, Sébastien Descamps

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Individual heterogeneity in diet and foraging behaviour is common in wild animal populations, and can be a strong determinant of how populations respond to environmental changes. Within populations, variation in foraging behaviour and the occurrence of individual tactics in relation to resources distribution can help explain differences in individual fitness, and ultimately identify important factors affecting population dynamics. We examined how foraging behaviour and habitat during the breeding period related to the physiological state of a long-ranging seabird adapted to sea ice, the Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica. Firstly, using GPS tracking and state-switching movement modelling (hidden Markov models) on 124 …

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Sourcing And Evaluating The Use Of Detritus As A Supplementary Diet For Bivalve Aquaculture Using Stable Isotopes And Fatty Acid Biomarkers, Adrianus C. Both May 2020

Sourcing And Evaluating The Use Of Detritus As A Supplementary Diet For Bivalve Aquaculture Using Stable Isotopes And Fatty Acid Biomarkers, Adrianus C. Both

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Detritus is a ubiquitous component of ecosystems and an important fuel for secondary production. Due to the extractive nature of bivalve aquaculture, detritus is often incorporated into carrying capacity and growth models for cultured bivalves. However, despite the complexity and difficulty in obtaining direct measurements, detritus is often treated as a homogeneous food source in models. Further understanding the role detritus plays in the diet of cultured bivalves could lead to more comprehensive and accurate models as well as more informed site selection for growers. The purpose of this study was to assess the abundance, bioavailability, and contribution of detritus …

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Editorial: Advances In The Biology And Conservation Of Marine Turtles, Sara M. Maxwell, Annette C. Broderick, Peter H. Dutton, Sabrina Fossette-Halot, Mariana M.P.B. Fuentes, Richard D. Reina Jan 2019

Editorial: Advances In The Biology And Conservation Of Marine Turtles, Sara M. Maxwell, Annette C. Broderick, Peter H. Dutton, Sabrina Fossette-Halot, Mariana M.P.B. Fuentes, Richard D. Reina

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

(First Paragraph) Marine turtles have been the subject of research over many decades, inspired by their unique life history and necessitated by their declining populations from a suite of human impacts including direct harvest, bycatch in marine fisheries, pollution, and climate change. Despite this, much about marine turtle biology has remained a mystery (Godley et al., 2008; Rees et al., 2016; Wildermann et al., 2018), but the rate of scientific discovery is increasing rapidly. As research techniques and conservation practices expand, the marine turtle research community has kept abreast of these developments and their application to marine turtles. In this …

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Sedimentary Age Models, Benthic Foraminifera, Mass Accumulation Rates, And Volcanic Grain Data From R/V Justo Sierra Cruise In The Southern Gulf And Ixtoc I From 2015-08-03 To 2015-08-06, Patrick Schwing Nov 2018

Sedimentary Age Models, Benthic Foraminifera, Mass Accumulation Rates, And Volcanic Grain Data From R/V Justo Sierra Cruise In The Southern Gulf And Ixtoc I From 2015-08-03 To 2015-08-06, Patrick Schwing

C-IMAGE data

This dataset includes age models, benthic foraminifera species counts used for stable isotope analysis, mass accumulation rates and volcanic grain counts from 6 sediment cores collected throughout the southern Gulf of Mexico during the R/V Justo Sierra cruise in the Southern Gulf and Ixtoc I from 2015-08-03 to 2015-08-06. Samples were analyzed by gamma spectrometry with High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detectors (Canberra Coaxial Planar configuration) for total 210Pb (46.5 keV), 214Pb (295 keV and 351 keV), and 214Bi (609 keV) activities. The mean activity of the 214Pb (295 keV), 214Pb (351 keV), and 214Bi (609 keV) was used as a …

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A Multidecade Experiment Shows That Fertilization By Salmon Carcasses Enhanced Tree Growth In The Riparian Zone, Thomas P. Quinn, Helfield M. James, Catherine S. Austin, Rachel A. Hovel, Andrew Godard Bunn Nov 2018

A Multidecade Experiment Shows That Fertilization By Salmon Carcasses Enhanced Tree Growth In The Riparian Zone, Thomas P. Quinn, Helfield M. James, Catherine S. Austin, Rachel A. Hovel, Andrew Godard Bunn

Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

As they return to spawn and die in their natal streams, anadromous, semelparous fishes such as Pacific salmon import marine‐derived nutrients to otherwise nutrient‐poor freshwater and riparian ecosystems. Diverse organisms exploit this resource, and previous studies have indicated that riparian tree growth may be enhanced by such marine‐derived nutrients. However, these studies were largely inferential and did not account for all factors affecting tree growth. As an experimental test of the contribution of carcasses to tree growth, for 20 yr, we systematically deposited all sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) carcasses (217,055 individual salmon) in the riparian zone on one …

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Gulf-Wide Seafloor Surface Benthic Foraminifera Stable Isotopes From Sediment Cores Collected On Multiple Cruises From 2010-06-13 To 2017-07-19, Patrick Schwing, David J. Hollander Oct 2018

Gulf-Wide Seafloor Surface Benthic Foraminifera Stable Isotopes From Sediment Cores Collected On Multiple Cruises From 2010-06-13 To 2017-07-19, Patrick Schwing, David J. Hollander

C-IMAGE data

This dataset includes baseline stable carbon and oxygen isotope measurements from benthic foraminifera throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Stable isotope measurements were performed on Cibicidoides spp. The dataset contains the sediment core information such as location, date, and depth; and benthic foraminiferal stable carbon and oxygen isotopes. Sediment cores were collected on multiple cruises from 2010-06-13 to 2017-07-19.

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Integrating Complementary Methods To Improve Diet Analysis In Fishery-Targeted Species, Jordan K. Matley, Gregory E. Maes, Floriaan Devloo-Delva, Roger Huerlimann, Gladys Chua, Andrew J. Tobin, Aaron T. Fisk, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Michelle R. Heupel Sep 2018

Integrating Complementary Methods To Improve Diet Analysis In Fishery-Targeted Species, Jordan K. Matley, Gregory E. Maes, Floriaan Devloo-Delva, Roger Huerlimann, Gladys Chua, Andrew J. Tobin, Aaron T. Fisk, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Michelle R. Heupel

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Developing efficient, reliable, cost-effective ways to identify diet is required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study applied an integrative analysis of a fishery-targeted species group—Plectropomus spp. in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, by comparing three diet-identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful with prey from …

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Parasitic Indicators Of Foraging Strategies In Wading Birds, Sarah Gumbleton Jul 2018

Parasitic Indicators Of Foraging Strategies In Wading Birds, Sarah Gumbleton

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Feeding ecology and trophic interactions of six species of wading birds were explored through a combined analysis of stable isotope profiles and endoparasite communities. Stable isotopes broadly characterize the feeding preferences and geographic information, while parasite communities reflect long-term trends in feeding ecology. Deceased birds were obtained from four South Florida wildlife rehabilitation organizations. Of the 81 birds dissected, 73 contained parasites. Parasites were predominately found within the gastrointestinal tract. Host and range extensions were noted for several parasite taxa. Bird host species had a significant effect on the parasite community (P=0.001) while wildlife center location and maturity status did …

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Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Arctic Nearshore Fish Community And Food Web Structures, Mark B. Barton Jun 2018

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Arctic Nearshore Fish Community And Food Web Structures, Mark B. Barton

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities are causing rapid changes to environmental and ecological processes in the Arctic Ocean. To better understand these changes, scientists have increased research efforts in these regions, but to date the number of studies on Arctic nearshore habitats are lacking. My dissertation responds to the paucity of information and investigates patterns in Arctic nearshore fish communities and food webs to gain insight to how these ecosystems may shift as these changes continue. I used multivariate statistical analysis to examine patterns in community structure and composition to determine that Arctic nearshore fish communities are largely driven …

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Wageningen Aquaria/Microcosm Experiments, Benthic Foraminifera Assemblage And Stable Isotope Measurements, Patrick Schwing, David J. Hollander Jun 2018

Wageningen Aquaria/Microcosm Experiments, Benthic Foraminifera Assemblage And Stable Isotope Measurements, Patrick Schwing, David J. Hollander

C-IMAGE data

Dataset contains benthic foraminifera assemblage and stable isotope measurements. Stable isotope measurements are presented in δ13C and δ18O (‰). Diversity indices include Shannon, Fisher’s Alpha and evenness. Benthic foraminifera abundance is reported as individuals per unit mass (indiv./g).

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Persistent Annual Migration Patterns Of A Specialist Seabird, Rachael Orben, Nobuo Kokubun, Abram Fleishman, Alexis Will, Takashi Yamamoto, Scott Shaffer, Rosana Paredes, Akinori Takahashi, Alexander Kitaysky Apr 2018

Persistent Annual Migration Patterns Of A Specialist Seabird, Rachael Orben, Nobuo Kokubun, Abram Fleishman, Alexis Will, Takashi Yamamoto, Scott Shaffer, Rosana Paredes, Akinori Takahashi, Alexander Kitaysky

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Specialization can make animals vulnerable to rapid environmental changes. For long-lived seabirds, foraging specialization may make individuals especially sensitive, as climatic changes are currently occurring over the course of one lifetime. The Bering Sea is a dynamic subarctic and arctic ecosystem where windblown sea ice mediates annual productivity and subsequent pathways to upper trophic levels. Red-legged kittiwakes Rissa brevirostris are endemic surface foraging seabirds specializing on myctophid fishes during reproduction. Their degree of specialization outside the breeding season is less understood. We examined their non-breeding ecology (migration, distribution, isotopic niche) during 4 winters with varying sea ice extent. Although we …

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Stable Isotope Analysis Reveals Different Trophic Niche Spaces For Wild And Hatchery Origin Juvenile Chinook Salmon In The Nisqually Delta, Melanie Davis, Isa Woo, Christopher S. Ellings, Sayre Hodgson, Susan De La Cruz Apr 2018

Stable Isotope Analysis Reveals Different Trophic Niche Spaces For Wild And Hatchery Origin Juvenile Chinook Salmon In The Nisqually Delta, Melanie Davis, Isa Woo, Christopher S. Ellings, Sayre Hodgson, Susan De La Cruz

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Hatchery programs have been used as a conservation tool to bolster declining Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations throughout much of the Salish Sea. In many watersheds, hatchery fish are released concurrently with the natural-origin population, thus raising the potential for density dependent effects via depleted prey resources, territorial behavior, and movement into sub-optimal habitats. Competition during the critical period for early marine growth and survival might have detrimental effects for wild Chinook salmon populations, highlighting the potential importance of a productive delta habitat mosaic. We used an integrated diet approach with stomach content and stable isotope analyses to evaluate differential …

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Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, Sophia Johannessen Apr 2018

Has Primary Productivity Declined In The Strait Of Georgia Since The 1970s?, Sophia Johannessen

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

A strong decline in phytoplankton productivity has been proposed as a principal cause of the decline in salmon survival in the Strait of Georgia over the last four decades. The best estimate of total annual primary productivity in the Strait in the 1970s was 280 gC m-2 yr-1 (Harrison et al., 1983). We tested whether or not primary productivity had declined since that time by calculating recent productivity from regional nitrogen budgets. We constructed the budgets using measurements (collected 2001-2011) of dissolved and particulate nitrogen and stable isotopes of nitrogen in seawater, river water, sinking particles, bottom sediments, atmospheric deposition, …

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The Influence Of River Discharge On Fishes And Invertebrates Associated With Small Oil And Gas Platforms In Nearshore Louisiana, David Bradley Reeves Mar 2018

The Influence Of River Discharge On Fishes And Invertebrates Associated With Small Oil And Gas Platforms In Nearshore Louisiana, David Bradley Reeves

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The nearshore region off Louisiana’s coast is one of the most productive areas in the United States. Nutrient-rich discharge from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers forms the base of this productivity, but it also contributes to the annual formation of a large hypoxic zone (DO < 2.0 mg l-1). This region contains >900 oil and gas platforms (platforms) that are de facto artificial reefs and support fish and invertebrate communities. In this dissertation, I examined how select platform-associated fishes and invertebrates responded to river-driven productivity and hypoxia. Settlement plates were used to compare barnacle production at depths of 2 and 7-m along …

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Dietary Overlap Between Jellyfish And Forage Fish In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Isabella D'Ambra, William M. Graham, Ruth H. Carmichael, Frank J. Hernandez Jr. Jan 2018

Dietary Overlap Between Jellyfish And Forage Fish In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Isabella D'Ambra, William M. Graham, Ruth H. Carmichael, Frank J. Hernandez Jr.

Faculty Publications

Despite the speculations that jellyfish (hydromedusae, siphonophores, scyphomedusae and ctenophores) may compete with forage fish for prey, there are few direct comparisons of their diets. To determine the dietary overlap between Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) and Brevoortia patronus (Goode, 1878) (Pisces, Clupeidae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico, we collected monthly samples in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coastal waters (USA) during summer and early fall 2009−2010. We determined carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in predators and their potential prey, including small plankton (<200 µm) and mesozooplankton (200− 2000 µm), and identified prey in the stomachs of adult Aurelia sp. and B. patronus. Trophic niche overlap was defined using the stable isotope Bayesian …

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Stable Isotope (13c/15n) Data Of Meso- And Bathypelagic Nekton, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, March - September 2011, T. M. Richards, E. E. Gipson Jan 2018

Stable Isotope (13c/15n) Data Of Meso- And Bathypelagic Nekton, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, March - September 2011, T. M. Richards, E. E. Gipson

DEEPEND Datasets

These data represent stable isotope values (13C/15N) of eight species of meso- and bathypelagic nekton collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico during spring (22-March to 11-April), summer (23-June to 13-July), and fall (8-September to 27-September) of 2011. The species examined in this study include: Anoplogaster cornuta, Chauliodus sloani, Coccorella atlantica, Gigantura chuni, Gigantura indica, Omosudis lowii, Photostomias guernei, and Stomias affinis. Isotope values are derived from white muscle tissue dissected from 212 individual fish that were collected using large mid-water trawls towed from the surface to depths of either 700 or 1400 m. The samples were collected as part …

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Millennial-Scale Trends And Controls In Posidonia Oceanica (L. Delile) Ecosystem Productivity, Carman Leiva-Dueñas, Lourdes López-Merino, Oscar Serrano, Antonio Martínez Cortizas, Miguel-Angel Mateo Jan 2018

Millennial-Scale Trends And Controls In Posidonia Oceanica (L. Delile) Ecosystem Productivity, Carman Leiva-Dueñas, Lourdes López-Merino, Oscar Serrano, Antonio Martínez Cortizas, Miguel-Angel Mateo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Posidonia oceanica is a marine phanerogam that buries a significant part of its belowground production forming an organic bioconstruction known as mat. Despite Posidonia seagrass mats have proven to be reliable archives of long-term environmental change, palaeoecological studies using seagrass archives are still scarce. Here we reconstruct four millennia of environmental dynamics in the NE coast of Spain by analysing the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic composition of P. oceanica sheaths, the proportion of different seagrass organs throughout the seagrass mat and other sedimentological proxies. The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction informs on long-term ecosystem productivity and nutrient loading, which have been linked …

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Energy-Rich Mesopelagic Fishes Revealed As A Critical Prey Resource For A Deep-Diving Predator Using Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis, Chandra Goetsch, Melinda G. Conners, Suzanne M. Budge, Yoko Mitani, William A. Walker, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Samantha E. Simmons, Colleen Reichmuth, Daniel P. Costa Jan 2018

Energy-Rich Mesopelagic Fishes Revealed As A Critical Prey Resource For A Deep-Diving Predator Using Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis, Chandra Goetsch, Melinda G. Conners, Suzanne M. Budge, Yoko Mitani, William A. Walker, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Samantha E. Simmons, Colleen Reichmuth, Daniel P. Costa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Understanding the diet of deep-diving predators can provide essential insight to the trophic structure of the mesopelagic ecosystem. Comprehensive population-level diet estimates are exceptionally difficult to obtain for elusive marine predators due to the logistical challenges involved in observing their feeding behavior and collecting samples for traditional stomach content or fecal analyses. We used quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) to estimate the diet composition of a wide-ranging mesopelagic predator, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), across five years. To implement QFASA, we first compiled a library of prey fatty acid (FA) profiles from the mesopelagic eastern North Pacific. Given …

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Bioaccumulation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs) In Atlantic Sea Bream (Archosargus Rhomboidalis) From Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, Ann-Teneil O'Connor, Dwight Robinson, Tara P. Dasgupta, Aaron T. Fisk, Ken G. Drouillard Jul 2017

Bioaccumulation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs) In Atlantic Sea Bream (Archosargus Rhomboidalis) From Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, Ann-Teneil O'Connor, Dwight Robinson, Tara P. Dasgupta, Aaron T. Fisk, Ken G. Drouillard

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Multiple sizes of Sea bream were collected from Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, to assess steady state bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a tropical fish. Sea beam fork lengths ranged from 7.3-21.5 cm (n=36 fish) and tissue lipids decreased with body length. Larger fish had lower δ13C isotopes compared to smaller fish, suggesting a change in diet. Linear regressions showed no differences in lipid equivalent sum PCB concentrations with size. However, differences in individual congener bioaccumulation trajectories occurred. Less hydrophobic PCBs decreased with increasing body length, intermediate PCBs showed no trend, whereas highly hydrophobic (above log KOW of …

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Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) In Bermuda Exhibit An Ontogenetic Diet Shift Despite Overexploitation Of Resources In Their Developmental Habitat, Claire Margaret Burgett Mar 2017

Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) In Bermuda Exhibit An Ontogenetic Diet Shift Despite Overexploitation Of Resources In Their Developmental Habitat, Claire Margaret Burgett

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Green sea turtles in Bermuda are overgrazing the seagrasses on which later life stages are thought to specialize. I hypothesized that larger green turtles in Bermuda would display individual diet specializations during seagrass scarcity. Stable isotope methods were used to determine the diet composition of green sea turtles from the Bermuda Platform as a function of size class and in turtles captured in successive years. Individual turtles had a wide range of diets, however, the variation in diets was driven by differences among size class rather than within the size classes of larger turtles, indicating that green turtles undergo a …

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Trophic Ecology Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, David C. Roche Dec 2016

Trophic Ecology Of Green Turtles (Chelonia Mydas) From Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, David C. Roche

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Located 100 km west of Key West, Florida, Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) is a largely untouched subtropical marine ecosystem that serves as an important developmental habitat, nesting ground, and foraging area for several species of sea turtles, including green turtles. The Park supports a recovering population of green turtles comprised of resident juveniles, subadults, and adults of both sexes; nesting females include residents and migrating females that only return to nest. Stable isotope analysis has been applied widely to describe the trophic ecology of green turtles, from urbanized bays with significant anthropogenic input, to relatively pristine ecosystems with healthy …

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Latitudinal Variation In Ecological Opportunity And Intraspecific Competition Indicates Differences In Niche Variability And Diet Specialization Of Arctic Marine Predators, David J. Yurkowski, Steven Ferguson, Emily S. Choy, Lisa L. Loseto, Tanya M. Brown, Derek Cg Muir, Christina Ad Semeniuk, Aaron T. Fisk Jan 2016

Latitudinal Variation In Ecological Opportunity And Intraspecific Competition Indicates Differences In Niche Variability And Diet Specialization Of Arctic Marine Predators, David J. Yurkowski, Steven Ferguson, Emily S. Choy, Lisa L. Loseto, Tanya M. Brown, Derek Cg Muir, Christina Ad Semeniuk, Aaron T. Fisk

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Individual specialization (IS), where individuals within populations irrespective of age, sex, and body size are either specialized or generalized in terms of resource use, has implications on ecological niches and food web structure. Niche size and degree of IS of near-top trophic-level marine predators have been little studied in polar regions or with latitude. We quantified the largescale latitudinal variation of population- and individual-level niche size and IS in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis on 379 paired ringed seal liver and muscle samples and 124 paired beluga skin and …

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Biogeochemical Analysis Of Ancient Pacific Cod Bone Suggests Hg Bioaccumulation Was Linked To Paleo Sea Level Rise And Climate Change, Maribeth S. Murray, C. Peter Mcroy, L. K. Duffy, Amy Hirons, J. M. Schaaf, Robert P. Trocine, John Trefry Feb 2015

Biogeochemical Analysis Of Ancient Pacific Cod Bone Suggests Hg Bioaccumulation Was Linked To Paleo Sea Level Rise And Climate Change, Maribeth S. Murray, C. Peter Mcroy, L. K. Duffy, Amy Hirons, J. M. Schaaf, Robert P. Trocine, John Trefry

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Deglaciation at the end of the Pleistocene initiated major changes in ocean circulation and distribution. Within a brief geological time, large areas of land were inundated by sea-level rise and today global sea level is 120 m above its minimum stand during the last glacial maximum. This was the era of modern sea shelf formation; climate change caused coastal plain flooding and created broad continental shelves with innumerable consequences to marine and terrestrial ecosystems and human populations. In Alaska, the Bering Sea nearly doubled in size and stretches of coastline to the south were flooded, with regional variability in the …

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