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Slis Connecting Volume 5, Issue 2, Stacy Creel, Teresa S. Welsh Ph.D., Mlis

SLIS Connecting

SLIS Connecting Volume 5, Issue 2 (Fall/Winter 2016)

Core Values: Intellectual Freedom And Privacy In Public Libraries, Stephanie A. Evans

SLIS Connecting

With the passing of the USA Patriot Act in 2001 following the events of 9/11, libraries on the national scale have had to staunchly defend issues of privacy and confidentially more-so than ever before. Evidence of this lies not only in statements within the ALA’s Resolution on the USA PATRIOT Act and Libraries but also in other core documents which guide policy development in public libraries (ALA 2005). Intellectual Freedom and privacy are two of the major issues addressed and protected by the American Library Association through the Office of Intellectual Freedom and the Library Bill of Rights (ALA 1996).

Effect Of Fragmentation And Habitat Type On Coastal Nekton In Mississippi, Thomas Bennett Sevick

Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands are extremely productive ecosystems that support an abundance of organisms at higher tropic levels. Coastal wetlands also act as important buffers from storms and help protect major cornerstones of coastal economies, such as tourism and fisheries. Despite the clear need for the protection of these habitats, anthropogenic use of coastal wetlands has increased in frequency and intensity, resulting in the fragmentation of once continuous habitats. A central challenge to assessing the impact of marsh fragmentation is the lack of quantitative distribution and abundance data from specific habitat types. This is especially true for species that are not commercially …

Black Corals Of The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Dennis M. Opresko, Marissa F. Nuttall, Emma L. Hickerson

Gulf of Mexico Science

Black corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Antipatharia) of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) are described. A key to the species is provided and supplemented with in situ and laboratory photos. The microscopic skeletal features of the species are illustrated from photographs taken with a scanning electron microscope. Thirteen species of black corals are found in the FGBNMS, belonging to the families Antipathidae (Antipathes furcata Gray 1857; Antipathes atlantica Gray 1857, Stichopathes luetkeni Brook 1889; Stichopathes pourtalesi Brook 1889, and Stichopathes sp.); Aphanipathidae [Aphanipathes pedata (Gray 1857), Elatopathes abietina (Pourtalès 1874), Acanthopathes thyoides (Pourtalès 1880) and Phanopathes expansa …

Recreation Ecology Of Colorado Fourteeners: An Assessment Of Trail Usage And Impacts, James C. Ewing

Master's Theses

The popularity of climbing Colorado’s 14,000 ft. peaks, or “Fourteeners”, has risen dramatically in recent years, raising important sustainability and management questions. Moreover, groups managing the peaks operate with major capital constraints so their efforts need to be informed, prioritized, and efficient. This paper gauges the dynamics of trail usage, explanatory variables, and recreational impacts across all 58 Fourteeners, and details evaluation adjustments that minimize error and produce results in-step with the resource management framework. Relative to a baseline study completed in 2005, substantial changes occurred in trail usage and impact dynamics. The greatest changes were concentrated on peaks previously …

How Diverse Detrital Environments Influence Nutrient Stoichiometry Between Males And Females Of The Co-Occurring Container Mosquitoes Aedes Albopictus, Ae. Aegypti, And Culex Quinquefasciatus, Donald A. Yee, Michael G. Kaufman, Nnaemeka F. Ezeakacha

Faculty Publications

Allocation patterns of carbon and nitrogen in animals are influenced by food quality and quantity, as well as by inherent metabolic and physiological constraints within organisms. Whole body stoichiometry also may vary between the sexes who differ in development rates and reproductive allocation patterns. In aquatic containers, such as tree holes and tires, detrital inputs, which vary in amounts of carbon and nitrogen, form the basis of the mosquito-dominated food web. Differences in development times and mass between male and female mosquitoes may be the result of different reproductive constraints, which could also influence patterns of nutrient allocation. We examined …

Living On The Edge: Settlement Patterns By The Symbiotic Barnacle Xenobalanus Globicipitis On Small Cetaceans, Juan M. Carillo, Robin M. Overstreet, Juan A. Raga, Francisco J. Aznar

Faculty Publications

The highly specialized coronulid barnacle Xenobalanus globicipitis attaches exclusively on cetaceans worldwide, but little is known about the factors that drive the microhabitat patterns on its hosts. We investigate this issue based on data on occurrence, abundance, distribution, orientation, and size of X. globicipitis collected from 242 striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) that were stranded along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Barnacles exclusively infested the fins, particularly along the trailing edge. Occurrence, abundance, and density of X. globicipitis were significantly higher, and barnacles were significantly larger, on the caudal fin than on the flippers and dorsal fin. …

The Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide Applied To Male Prisoners, Jon T. Mandracchia, Phillip N. Smith

Faculty Publications

The interpersonal theory of suicide proposes that severe suicide ideation is caused by the combination of thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB), yet few studies have actually examined their interaction. Further, no studies have examined this proposal in male prisoners, a particularly at-risk group. To address this gap, the current study surveyed 399 male prisoners. TB and PB interacted to predict suicide ideation while controlling for depression and hopelessness. High levels of both TB and PB were associated with more severe suicide ideation. The interpersonal theory may aid in the detection, prevention, and treatment of suicide risk in prisoners.

Assessing Landscape Change In Highland Peru With An Emphasis On Tree Cover Change, 1948-2012, Timothy Guy Sutherlin

Master's Theses

Tree cover change was examined around three cities in the central Andes of Peru, 1948-2012, using repeat photography, remote sensing, and ethnographic methods. Forest transition theory provided a framework to study the causes of the changes observed. The repeat photography results show that there were more trees on the landscape in 2012 than there were in 1948. There were increases in smaller groupings of trees visible in the photography that were associated with smallholder intensification in the form of new woodlots, field borders and dooryard trees. The remote sensing results show there was a significant increase in larger patches of …

Interspecific Competition Of A New Invasive Mosquito, Culex Coronator, And Two Container Mosquitoes, Aedes Albopictus And Cx. Quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae), Across Different Detritus Environments, D. A. Yee, J. F. Skiff

Faculty Publications

The mosquito Culex coronator (Dyar and Knab) (Diptera: Culicidae) has undergone rapid range expansion in the United States since 2003, with its historical distribution in the southwest expanding eastward to the Atlantic coast. Although Cx. coronator nominally use small natural aquatic habitats for development, the use of containers (e.g., tires) makes it potentially important as container invasive. To determine the potential ecological effects of Cx. coronator on resident container species, we conducted a laboratory experiment to assess its competitive ability with two common tire-inhabiting species, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae). Larvae were reared under a factorial …

Habitat Characterization, Habitat Use And Associated Growth Of Juvenile Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion Nebulosus) In A Mississippi Bay System: Implications For Stock Enhancement Practices, Joseph Read Hendon

Dissertations

The spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is the most targeted recreational fishery species in Mississippi coastal waters. Consequently, the Seatrout Population Enhancement Cooperative stock enhancement program was initiated to investigate methods for supplementing this heavily exploited population. Given ecological data needs for both wild and hatchery-reared (HR) juveniles of the species, habitat mapping, directed sampling and a caging study were conducted. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), oyster shell and non-vegetated substrates were mapped at water depths < 2 m in Point aux Chenes Bay, Mississippi, using a sidescan sonar, which provided more accurate estimations of habitat coverage, particularly for SAV, compared to point-based sampling. Applying habitat strata delineated from sidescan mapping, late-juvenile spotted seatrout [125 - 275 mm total length (TL)] were sampled in SAV, marsh-edge and non-vegetated habitats as part of a seasonal gill net survey conducted in 2011 and 2012. Spotted seatrout ranging from 138 to 485 mm TL were collected using a smallmesh gill net, and 65% of collected individuals fell within the targeted late-juvenile size range. Overall mean catch-per-unit-effort of C. nebulosus did not differ for abundance or biomass between years, but both metrics were significantly higher in SAV habitats. Employing cage enclosures that …

Arthropod Density In A Fragmented Urban Landscape Along The Northern Coast Of The Gulf Of Mexico, Anna E. Williams

Honors Theses

Ecologists once focused their research on “pristine” habitats that were considered untouched by human activity. As urbanization rapidly increases, the concept of pristine habitats becomes obsolete. Urban habitats must be studied in order to understand the ecology of our increasingly developed society. Rapid urbanization greatly affects coastal habitats. Popular real estate, strip malls, casinos, and resorts all fragment urban landscapes. Much of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico is a fragmented urban landscape caused by rapid development. That same coastal landscape is ecologically important and includes habitats important to many different organisms, among them intercontinental migratory songbirds that …

Primary Productivity Distributions Along The River-Dominated Shoreline Of The Bay Of St. Louis, Ms Estuary, Adam Douglas Boyette

Master's Theses

Potential primary production was measured for six consecutive months (July 2010 to December 201 0) at selected stations along the shoreline of the Bay of Saint Louis (BSL) estuary. Monthly surface and a series of subsurface (0.5 m) samples were taken to observe the temporal (monthly and short-term) and spatial variability in production relative to environmental variables that potentially could influence phytoplankton photosynthesis. Daily areal primary production, PP was modeled using photosynthesis-irradiance (P-E) parameters in conjunction with in situ irradiance measurements and biomass data collected during sampling. Although spatial variability was not observed, PP varied seasonally and ranged from 1.90 …

What Is Known About Species Richness And Distribution On The Outer-Shelf South Texas Banks?, Harriet L. Nash, Sharon J. Furiness, John W. Tunnell Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The outer-shelf South Texas Banks, also known as the snapper banks, are known by fishermen to be excellent fishing grounds. However, few scientific studies have been conducted to describe the ecology of these uncommon but distinctive habitats. This paper describes results of a literature review and an assessment to determine what is known about the biota of the South Texas Banks and to assist in developing renewed interest and focus on these topographic highs. The outer-shelf South Texas Banks include relict coralgal reefs and relict barrier islands, and we also include data for a nearshore site, which is geographically and …

Evolution Of A Sexually Dimorphic Trait In A Broadly Distributed Topminnow (Fundulus Olivaceus), Jacob F. Schaefer, David D. Duvernell, Brian R. Kreiser, Charles Champagne, Scott R. Clark, Melissa Gutierrez, Laura K. Stewart, Chazz Coleman

Faculty Publications

Understanding the interaction between sexual and natural selection within variable environments is crucial to our understanding of evolutionary processes. The handicap principle predicts females will prefer males with exaggerated traits provided those traits are indicators of male quality to ensure direct or indirect female benefits. Spatial variability in ecological factors is expected to alter the balance between sexual and natural selection that defines the evolution of such traits. Male and female blackspotted topminnows (Fundulidae: Fundulus olivaceus) display prominent black dorsolateral spots that are variable in number across its broad range. We investigated variability in spot phenotypes at 117 sites …

Establishment Of The Invasive Island Apple Snail Pomacea Insularum (Gastropoda: Ampullaridae) And Eradication Efforts In Mobile, Alabama, Usa, Charles W. Martin, Keith M. Bahya, John F. Valentine

Gulf of Mexico Science

Species invasions are thought to be among the most detrimental of all anthropogenic disturbances. Invasive consumers severely impact native ecosystems through the consumption of and competition with native species. Worldwide, snails of the Family Ampullaridae have successfully colonized a wide range of habitats outside their native range. This is of great ecological concern because once established, these snails frequently exhibit rampant herbivory in the recipient ecosystem. Here, we chronicle the recent invasion of island apple snails (Pomacea insularum; d’Orbigny 1837) in a tributary of the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, Alabama, in order to establish a baseline against which future assessments …

Early Growth Of Three Kingfish (Menticirrhus) Species Found In Coastal Waters Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, E. John Anderson, Bruce H. Comyns, Harriet Perry, Chet F. Rakocinski

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Southern kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus), gulf kingfish (M. littoralis), and northern kingfish (M. saxatilis) are members of the drum family (Sciaenidae) that are widespread in coastal habitats of the western Atlantic, including in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Despite their economic and ecological importance, little is known about growth of young kingfish. Young kingfish were collected from four different Mississippi shoreline habitats in 2005 and 2006; two associated with barrier islands and two along the mainland. Barrier island habitats included surf zones on the south shore and grass beds on the north shore. Mainland habitats …

Diet And Feeding-Related Morphometrics Of The Blackstripe Topminnow, Fundulus Notatus, In Allotropic And Syntopic Populations With The Blackspotted Topminnow, Fundulus Olivaceus, Charles Michael Champagne

Master's Theses

The Fundulus notatus species complex consists of three described species: F. notatus, F. olivaceus and F. euryzonus. Both F. notatus and F. olivaceus have broad overlapping ranges with many populations being found within and outside of contact zones. Contact zones are generally found in midreaches with F. olivaceus dominating headwaters and F. notatus in larger rivers downstream. Both species share similar ecological niches so the mechanism allowing for stable coexistence in contact zones is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine variability in diet and feeding morphology of F. notatus in syntopic and allotopic populations across …

Life History And Habitat Use Of The Juvenile Alabama Shad (Alosa Alabamae) In Northern Gulf Of Mexico Rivers, Paul Fraser Mickle

Dissertations

The Alabama shad, Alosa alabamae, is an anadromous species that is in decline and has seen extirpations from impoundments as well as decreased water quality. Alabama shad live in the Gulf of Mexico and ascend Northern Gulf of Mexico Drainages to reproduce early in the year (January-May). The juveniles spend the majority of the year in these freshwater systems before emigrating out to the Gulf of Mexico as late as December.

This dissertation focuses on the juvenile life stages that occur within the Northern Gulf of Mexico drainages. Spawning conditions of the river, as well as the habitat and diet, …

Stable Isotope Analysis Reveals Detrital Resource Base Sources Of The Tree Hole Mosquito, Aedes Triseriatus, Michael G. Kaufman, Kirsten S. Pelz-Stelinski, Donald A. Yee, Steven A. Juliano, Peggy H. Ostrom, Edward D. Walker

Faculty Publications

1. Detritus that forms the basis for mosquito production in tree hole ecosystems can vary in type and timing of input. We investigated the contributions of plant‐ and animal‐derived detritus to the biomass of Aedes triseriatus (Say) pupae and adults by using stable isotope (¹⁵N and ¹³C) techniques in laboratory experiments and field collections.
2. Laboratory‐reared mosquito isotope values reflected their detrital resource base, providing a clear distinction between mosquitoes reared on plant or animal detritus.
3. Isotope values from field‐collected pupae were intermediate between what would be expected if a single (either plant or animal) detrital source dominated the …

Development Of Representative Species-Level Molecular Markers And Morphological Character Analysis Of Leucothoid Amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda), Kristine Nicolle White

Dissertations

Leucothoid amphipods were investigated using morphology and molecular rDNA gene sequence fragments. The morphological diagnostic characters for traditional taxonomy have been clarified, a molecular marker for representative species has been developed, and one of the current anamorph-leucomorph connections has been confirmed with molecular sequence data. Ultimately this study has combined traditional morphological and modern molecular methods to clarify the taxonomy and to propose a preliminary phylogeny of the Leucothoidae. Analysis of 18S rDNA gene fragments from 13 species in two genera supported the current morphological species designations and the separation of the family into two clades. Combined analysis of 18S …

Conservation And Ecology Of The Yellow-Blotched Sawback (Graptemys Flavmaculata), William Winsyl Selman Ii

Dissertations

The role of species conservation is becoming increasingly important due to the mounting pressures from humans on habitats and populations of organisms. This is particularly evident in riverine ecosystems throughout the world where the human demand for freshwater resources is increasing, and consequently, the number of imperiled aquatic organisms is also growing. The seven chapters of this dissertation primarily focus on the Yellow-blotched Sawback, Graptemys flavimaculata, an endangered riverine turtle that is endemic to the Pascagoula River system of southeast Mississippi, USA. At the population level, we aimed to study the impacts of Hurricane Katrina on two study populations within …

Instituto De Ciencias Marinas Y Pesquerias, Boca Del Río, Veracruz, Mexico, Virgilio Eugenio Arenas Fuentes, Miguel Angel Lozano Aburto

Gulf of Mexico Science

No abstract provided.

A Brief History Of The Cuban Institute Of Oceanology, Playa La Habana, Cuba, Rodolfo Claro

Gulf of Mexico Science

No abstract provided.

History Of The Center For Coastal Studies, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, John W. Tunnell Jr.

Gulf of Mexico Science

No abstract provided.

Estación De Investigaciones Marinas El Carmen, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Elva Escobar Briones, Raymundo Lecuanda

Gulf of Mexico Science

No abstract provided.

Mote Marine Laboratory—Exploring The Secrets Of The Sea Since 1955, Kumar Mahadevan

Gulf of Mexico Science

No abstract provided.

Recruitment And Colonization Of Macroalgae To A Newly Constructed Rocky Intertidal Habitat In The Northwest Gulf Of Mexico, Ryan L. Fikes, Roy L. Lehman

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Marine macroalgal assemblages on artificial structures play an important ecological role in coastal and estuarine ecosystems and may supplement natural communities in nearby waters. The rocky jetties of Packery Channel, located near Corpus Christi, Texas represent a recent addition of hard structure for colonization in the northwest Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this research was to monitor the initial immigration of macroalgal species during the first year of colonization and determine the effects of wave energy on recruitment. Ten sampling sites were established along the offshore portion of the new Packery Channel jetties. Samples were taken bimonthly from along …

Conservation Genetics And Systematics Of Several Turtles Species In The Southeastern United States, Joshua Robert Ennen

Dissertations

Chelonians (i.e., turtles) are an imperiled group of reptiles with about 66% of the recognized species listed as threatened by the IUCN. Most chelonian species have a unique set of life history traits (i.e., longevity, delayed sexual maturity, and low juvenile survivorship), which makes their populations exceedingly sensitive to increases in adult and juvenile moralities. With numerous anthropogenic effects (e.g., habitat alteration, exploitation, and over harvesting) negatively influencing mortality rates, chelonians have experienced global precipitous declines and extinctions.

This dissertation focuses on species within two chelonian genera, Gopherus and Graptemys. Although these two genera are vastly different ecologically, they are …

Macrofauna Associate With Ungrounded Prop Roots Of Rhizophora Mangle In Veracruz And Quintana Roo, Mexico, Kathryn D. Tunnell, Kim Withers

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The prop roots of the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) provide a solid substrate for diverse assemblages of marine organisms in areas typically characterized by soft bottoms (Bingham 1992, Farnsworth and Ellison 1996). Macrobenthic communities of mangroves have received little attention compared with other components of the ecosystem, largely due to sampling difficulties (Lee 2008). Mangrove root epifauna are likely used by predatory fish, especially juveniles. Thus, these organisms have the potential of being important links between mangroves and adjacent ecosystems. The fauna associated with red mangrove prop roots along Mexican Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and Caribbean shorelines has …