Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons^™

Stable Isotope Analysis On Yellowfin And Blackfin Tuna Eye Lenses Reveals Life History Patterns In The Gulf Of Mexico, Kylee M. Rullo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spatial geography, ontogenetic movement, and trophic patterns of mobile species are key elements of effective marine resource management. A number of methods are currently available for tracking movements of pelagic migratory species, including the use of conventional and electronic tags. However, tagging campaigns can take years to provide useful data, can be expensive, and only capture a portion of a fish’s lifetime. For this project, I used stable-isotopic ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in metabolically inert, chronologically-layered fish-eye lenses to explore lifetime movement and trophic patterns of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) in the …

Stable Isotope Analysis On Yellowfin And Blackfin Tuna Eye Lenses Reveals Life History Patterns In The Gulf Of Mexico, Kylee M. Rullo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spatial geography, ontogenetic movement, and trophic patterns of mobile species are key elements of effective marine resource management. A number of methods are currently available for tracking movements of pelagic migratory species, including the use of conventional and electronic tags. However, tagging campaigns can take years to provide useful data, can be expensive, and only capture a portion of a fish’s lifetime. For this project, I used stable-isotopic ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in metabolically inert, chronologically-layered fish-eye lenses to explore lifetime movement and trophic patterns of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) in the …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of Doryteuthis (Amerigo) Pealeii Eye Lenses To Determine Migratory Patterns In The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico Using Statoliths For Age Determination, Hannah M. Schwaiger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii is a common fisheries squid that occurs in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and along the east coast of the United States. These squid are an important link in the food web, linking higher and lower trophic positions (Madsen et al., 2007), and they are also used for human consumption. The migration patterns of D. pealeii populations in the northwestern North Atlantic have been thoroughly studied when compared to those in the GoM. This research aims to combine statolith aging and stable isotope analysis to enhance the understanding of D. pealeii migration patterns throughout their short, sub-annual …

Reconstructing Geographic And Trophic Histories Of Fish Using Bulk And Compound-Specific Stable Isotopes From Eye Lenses, Amy A. Wallace

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present research examined the viability and utility of eye lenses as a source of lifetime stable-isotope records in fish. It is presented in three sections. The first section compared bulk isotopic variation (bulk analysis) within fish eye-lenses at two temporal resolutions and compared patterns obtained from left and right eyes. The first temporal resolution was lower in an attempt to expose broad-scale isotopic changes during life while reducing effort and cost. This approach did reveal lifetime patterns, but tended to miss certain life events, particularly during early life. The second resolution was higher and provided detail that was missed …

Light-Environment Controls And Basal Resource Use Of Planktonic And Benthic Primary Production, Kara Radabaugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Consumers in marine and estuarine environments have a strong reliance on planktonic and benthic primary production. These two basal resources form the foundation of aquatic food webs, yet the abundance of phytoplankton and benthic algae are frequently inversely related due to competition for light and nutrients. As a result, optimal habitats for benthic and planktonic consumers vary spatially and temporally. To investigate these trends, three studies were conducted focusing on light attenuation and basal resources in a bay, river, and on a continental shelf.

δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotopes can be used as endogenous tracers to …