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Effects Of Antibiotic Mixtures Across Marine Intertidal Trophic Levels: Examining Environmentally-Relevant Contaminant Concentrations, Jaclyn Rebecca Teixeira

Dissertations and Theses

Approximately 48% of Americans use prescription drugs within each 30-day period, and there are signs this trend is increasing. Although many studies track pharmaceuticals’ fates in contaminating waterways, only fairly recent efforts have examined the potential impacts of these drugs on non-target organisms. The antibiotics sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, often prescribed together to treat bacterial infections, have been detected worldwide in marine and estuarine environments at concentrations up to 700-800 ng/L each. Toxic effects of these drugs have been identified in freshwater organisms, with synergistic effects observed in short-term studies of mixtures of the two; however, little research has examined possible …

A Habitat Analysis Of Estuarine Fishes And Invertebrates, With Observations On The Effects Of Habitat-Factor Resolution, Brianna Michaud

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Between 1988 and 2014, otter trawls, seine nets, and plankton nets were deployed along the salinity gradients of 18 estuaries by the University of South Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI, a research branch of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). The purpose of these surveys was to document the responses of aquatic estuarine biota to variation in the quantity and quality of freshwater inflows that were being managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).

In the present analyses, four community types collected by these gears were compared with a diversity of habitat …

Pepper Mild Mottle Virus As A Surrogate For Enteric Viruses: Implications For Assessing Water Quality, Erin Michelle Symonds

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Less than 10% of the world’s domestic wastewater is disinfected prior to discharge into surface waters; therefore, human exposure to diverse wastewater-related pathogens results in millions of cases of illness each year. Among the enteric pathogens, viruses represent an important group of emerging pathogens and are frequently the cause of food- and water-borne outbreaks of illness. Although the World Health Organization and many government agencies mandate the use of bacterial indicators to identify poor microbial water quality, it is well known that these indicators poorly correlate with fecal pollution contamination events and risk of disease. The field of public health-related …

Whiting Events Off Southwest Florida: Remote Sensing And Field Observations, Jacqueline Long

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“Whiting” is a term used to describe a sharply defined patch of water that contains high levels of suspended, fine-grained calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). These features are named for their bright (at times white) appearance when compared to surrounding waters, and have been found to occur globally, persisting for multiple consecutive days. Although whitings have been widely studied using chemical, biological, geological, and physical techniques, there has been little effort to document their spatio-temporal distributions in a systematic way, not to mention the lack of consensus on what generates whitings and allows them to persist for days to weeks …

Climate Change And The Integrity Of Science, Peter H. Gleick, James L. Van Etten, Members Of The U.S. National Academy Of Sciences

James Van Etten Publications

We are deeply disturbed by the recent escalation of political assaults on scientists in general and on climate scientists in particular. All citizens should understand some basic scientific facts. There is always some uncertainty associated with scientific conclusions; science never absolutely proves anything. When someone says that society should wait until scientists are absolutely certain before taking any action, it is the same as saying society should never take action. For a problem as potentially catastrophic as climate change, taking no action poses a dangerous risk for our planet.

Scientific conclusions derive from an understanding of basic laws supported by …

How To Collect Your Water Sample And Interpret The Results For The Fish Pond Analytical Package, Bradley J. Austin, Amit Sinha, Nathan Stone, W. Reed Green, Mike Daniels, Brian E. Haggard

Arkansas Water Resource Center Fact Sheets

The Arkansas Water Resources Center (AWRC) in cooperation with the Cooperative Extension Service offers several analytical packages to assess the quality of your water resources. This document is intended to provide guidance to aquaculture producers and pond owners on the “Fish Pond Report” provided by the AWRC’s water quality laboratory. The information contained within this fact sheet should be used as general guidance, and the reader is encouraged to seek advice from Extension specialists regarding the interpretation of individual reports and water testing results that may be of concern. The Aquaculture Center for Excellence is at the University of Arkansas …

Wrack Lines Fall/Winter 2016, Peg Vanpatten

Wrack Lines

This is the entire Fall/Winter 2016 issue of Wrack Lines magazine. Topics include fisheries, Atlantic sturgeon, resilient gardening, healthy ecosystems, salt marshes and salinity, and Rachel Carson's rising seas.

Integrated Fisheries Management Resource Report Pearl Oyster (Pinctada Maxima) Resource, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

This report has been prepared to provide the Intergrated Fisheries Allocation Advisory Committee (Allocation Committee) with a summarised, factual account of the nature and status of the Pinctada maxima (P. maxima) pearl oyster resource and current and historical trends in its use and conservation.

Gouldian Finch Non Breeding Counts 2016: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Save The Gouldian Fund

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, an assessment and regular monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from surveys of non-breeding Gouldian finches.

In accordance with the EPBC Act (6AIV) and GFMP (3-4) conditions, this work specifically provides:

1) Gouldian finch counts of the non-breeding population.

The Potential Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Date Seed Powder In Rats, Fatima Theyab Saif Amer Ai Meqbaali

Theses

Chronic diseases are among the main leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Oxidative stress (defined as an imbalance in the reactive oxygen species production/degradation ratio) in interaction with inflammation, has been highlighted as one major underlying mechanism in the development of these diseases. Due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, polyphenols could prevent the development of chronic diseases. Interestingly, date seeds are particularly rich in such compounds. Nonetheless, an in vivo study aiming at studying and understanding antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of date seeds in serum and various organs is missing. Therefore, the present …

Salt Gland Excretion Efficiency And Salinity Tolerance Of Sporobolus Species, Piumi Shrimani Weragodavidana

Theses

Halophytic C4 grasses, including Sporobolus species, have developed specific mechanisms to cope with salinity stress. Among these, “salt glands” which are bi- cellular leaf epidermal structures eliminating excess saline ions from shoots by excretion under salinity stress. Salt glands are morphologically visible and can potentially be used for salt tolerance breeding programs. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the leaf salt gland excretion rates of United Arab Emirates native halophytic chloridoid grass species, S. spicatus and S. arabicus; (2) to determine if leaf salt gland excretion rate and density can effectively predict salinity tolerance among Sporobolus genotypes, …

Impact Of Climate Change On Corn Yields In Alabama, Pauline Welikhe, Joseph Essamuah-Quansah, Kenneth Boote, Senthold Asseng, Gamal El Afandi, Souleymane Fall, Desmond Mortley, Ramble Ankumah

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The study used calibrated Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CERES) maize (corn) model to simulate maize (corn) physiological growth processes and yields under 2045 and 2075 projected climate change scenarios for six representative counties in Alabama. The future climatologies for two emission scenarios Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 (medium) and RCP 8.5 (high) were developed based on the IPSL-CM5A-MR high resolution climate model. Average yield decreases of 19.5% and 37.3% were, respectively, projected under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for 2045, and average yield decreases of 32.5% and 77.8% were, respectively, projected under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for 2075. …

Analysis Of Managerial Decision-Making Within Florida’S Total Maximum Daily Load Program, Justin Barthle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water quality has evolved legislatively from protection of navigation routes and quantity of sources to more emphasis on impairments on water quality for surface and groundwater sources. Nonpoint or diffuse sources of impairments represents a major challenge for management due to the complexity of its sources and difficulty in tracking.

The most cited sections on public policy analysis focuses on the overall process agencies employ to understand the results the program yields. Often overlooked are finer details and mechanisms, such as decision-making and priority setting, which have a great impact on the overall process. To investigate these factors, we need …

The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 7 Issue 8, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Geolocator Tracking Of Great Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus Arundinaceus) Identifies Key Regions For Migratory Wetland Specialists In The Middle East And Sub-Saharan East Africa, Joshua J. Horns, Evam Buechley, Mark William Chynoweth, Lale Aktay, Emrah Çoban, Mehmet Sli Kırpık, Jordan M. Herman, Yakup Şaşmaz, Çağan H. Şekercioğlu

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Wetland-dependent migratory songbirds represent one of the most vulnerable groups of birds on the planet, with >67% of wetland-obligate species threatened with extinction. One of the major hurdles for conservation efforts is determining the migration routes, stopover sites, and wintering sites of these species. We describe an annual migration cycle revealed by geolocator tracking of Great Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) breeding in the Aras River wetlands of eastern Turkey. Because of its relatively large size and breeding ground fidelity, the Great ReedWarbler is an excellent candidate for geolocator studies and can serve as an indicator species for other wetland songbirds, many …

Seasonal Temperature Variations Controlling Cave Ventilation Processes In Cueva Larga, Puerto Rico, Rolf Vieten, Amos Winter, Sophie Friederike Warken, Andrea Schrӧder-Ritzrau, Thomas E. Miller, Denis Scholz

International Journal of Speleology

Two years of cave monitoring investigate ventilation processes in Cueva Larga, a tropical cave in Puerto Rico. The cave is 1,440 m long with a large main passage (about 120,000 m³). Cave air pCO₂ in the main passage varies seasonally, between 600 ppm in winter and 1,800 ppm in summer. The seasonal variability in cave pCO₂ permits the estimation of a cave air exchange time of 36 ± 5 days and a winter ventilation rate of 3,300 ± 1,000 m³/day for the main cave passage. Calculations of virtual temperature and differences between cave and …

Agenda: Flpma Turns 40, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment

FLPMA Turns 40 (October 21)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers approximately 245 million acres of our public lands and yet, for most of our nation's history, these lands seemed largely destined to end up in private hands. Even when the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 ushered in an important era of better managing public grazing districts and "promoting the highest use of the public lands," such use of our public lands still was plainly considered temporary, "pending its final disposal." It was not until 1976 with the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) that congress adopted a policy that …

The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 7 Issue 6, Wofford College Environmental Studies Program

The Fierce Green Fire

No abstract provided.

Hearing In The Juvenile Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas): A Comparison Of Underwater And Aerial Hearing Using Auditory Evoked Potentials, Wendy Dow Piniak, David A. Mann, Craig A. Harms, T. Todd Jones, Scott A. Eckert

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Sea turtles spend much of their life in aquatic environments, but critical portions of their life cycle, such as nesting and hatching, occur in terrestrial environments, suggesting that it may be important for them to detect sounds in both air and water. In this study we compared underwater and aerial hearing sensitivities in five juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) by measuring auditory evoked potential responses to tone pip stimuli. Green sea turtles detected acoustic stimuli in both media, responding to underwater stimuli between 50 and 1600 Hz and aerial stimuli between 50 and 800 Hz, with maximum …

Safe Yield In The Upper Saluda Watershed - Is It Really Safe?, Melanie Ruhlman

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2016 South Carolina Water Resources Conference

South Carolina Water Resources at a Crossroads: Response, Readiness and Recovery

Long-Term And Two-Period Analysis Of Hydrologic Conditions Of The South Edisto River, Rebecca W. Berzinis

S.C. Water Resources Conference

No abstract provided.

Hydrologic Assessments Of Tidal Creeks To Inform Nutrient Management Recommendations, Kathryn K. Ellis, Timothy Callahan, Dianne Greenfield, Denise Sanger, Joshua Robinson

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2016 South Carolina Water Resources Conference

South Carolina Water Resources at a Crossroads: Response, Readiness and Recovery

Using Dissolved Organic Carbon Concentration And Character Data To Assess Land Use Change Effects On Coastal Waters, William C. Vesely, Timothy J. Callahan, Vijay M. Vulava

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2016 South Carolina Water Resources Conference

South Carolina Water Resources at a Crossroads: Response, Readiness and Recovery

Diatom Diversity In Savannah River Oxbows: A Pilot And Exploratory Survey, Katie M. Johnson, Oscar P. Flite, John Hains, Alyssa Thomson

S.C. Water Resources Conference

No abstract provided.

Clemson Wow Project: Successes Of A Water Quality Outreach Program, Lauren Garcia Chance, Erica Linard, Christie Sampson

S.C. Water Resources Conference

The What’s in Our Waters (WOW) program was designed by graduate students from the Biology and Environmental Toxicology programs at Clemson University (CU) in June 2013. WOW has established a successfully running model with the AP Environmental Science class of a local high school in Central, SC.. The programs’ success and the collected data are useful for both educators working to evolve environmental education and as well as researchers working to increase interest in citizen science. The structure of this program brings attention to South Carolina’s water resources and alters students’ perceptions of science and scientists.

Evaluating A Commercial Potassium Humate Product For The Reduction Of Bioavailable Copper And Zinc In Surface Water, Erin J. Peck, S. Michele Harmon Phd

S.C. Water Resources Conference

Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) is a crucial component in aquatic systems for the natural remediation of metals pollution. Natural organic compounds from DOM provide macromolecules which strongly attract cations such as copper, lead, zinc, and mercury. Binding with organic molecules reduces toxicity and bioavailability for metals uptake in aquatic organisms. We investigated the use of a commercially-available organic product, Borregro HA-1, to aid in metals remediation in an aquatic environment

Clean Water3: Integrating Research And Extension To Help Specialty Crop Growers Reduce, Remediate, And Recycle Water, Sarah A. White, James S. Owen, John C. Majsztrik, Bridget Behe, Bert Cregg, R. Thomas Fernandez, Paul R. Fisher, Laurie Fox, Charlie R. Hall, Darren Haver, Daniel R. Hitchcock, Dewayne L. Ingram, Saurav Kumar, Alexa Lamm, John Lea-Cox, Lorence R. Oki, Jennifer L. Parks, Andrew Ristvey, David Sample, Cassandra Swett, Laura S. Warner, P. Christopher Wilson

S.C. Water Resources Conference

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Fecundity Is Not Related To Geographic Position Across A Species’ Global Range Despite A Central Peak In Abundance, Katharine J. Ruskin, Matthew A. Etterson, Thomas P. Hodgman, Alyssa C. Borowske, Jonathan B. Cohen, Chris S. Elphick, Christopher R. Field, Rebecca A. Kern, Erin King, Alison R. Kocek, Adrienne I. Kovach, Kathleen M. O’Brien, Nancy Pau, W. Gregory Shriver, Jennifer Walsh, Brian J. Olsen

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

The range of a species is determined by the balance of its demographic rates across space. Population growth rates are widely hypothesized to be greatest at the geographic center of the species range, but indirect empirical support for this pattern using abundance as a proxy has been mixed, and demographic rates are rarely quantified on a large spatial scale. Therefore, the texture of how demographic rates of a species vary over its range remains an open question. We quantified seasonal fecundity of populations spanning the majority of the global range of a single species, the saltmarsh sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus …

Takeover On The Tallgrass Prairie: How Lespedeza Cuneata Establishes Dominance, Morgan Rae Walder

Theses and Dissertations

Invasion ecology aims to study mechanisms by which invasive species are able to enter, establish, and spread within an ecosystem. This study analyzed Darwin’s naturalization and the biotic resistance hypotheses as the most likely explanations for invasion by an exotic legume, Lespedeza cuneata, into a tallgrass prairie. Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis posits that exotic species are less able to establish in communities that have related species, because similarity in morphology and function promotes intense competition for resources. The biotic resistance hypothesis states that competitors, herbivores, and pathogens already present in the community limit the colonization, naturalization, and persistence of invaders, therefore …

Weights And Balances: Integrating Models For Prevention And Response To Southern California Offshore Oil Spills, Carmen Watts Clayton, Amoret Bunn

STAR Program Research Presentations

Licensing offshore oil and gas reserves in the United States waters are overseen by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Enforcement (BSEE). The licensing application includes planning for any worst-case oil spill scenario between BSEE and the applicant based on lessons learned from historic offshore spills such as the Deepwater Horizon (2010), Exxon Valdez (1989), and the Union Oil Platform Blowout (1969). The process for planning to respond to oil spills involves coordination with multiple agencies, trustees, and stakeholders to ensure that oil spill responses consider multiple factors, including ecologically sensitive species, commercial transportation and fisheries, …