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Survival Strategies Of Eelgrass In Reduced Light, Caroline A. Ochieng

Doctoral Dissertations

Light reduction due to anthropogenic impacts is the most widespread cause of worldwide decline of eelgrass, an ecologically important marine angiosperm whose role in supporting overall coastal ecosystem productivity has been widely recognized. Understanding eelgrass plant and meadow responses to light reduction has therefore received significant research interest over the last 30 years, while managers have sought tools to identify critical thresholds for light availability and predict impacts of human-induced disturbances in order to prevent further eelgrass loss. In the present thesis, a review of some of the literature on light reduction and its effects on eelgrass (i) summarized the …

A New Perspective: Atlantic Herring (Clupea Harengus) As A Case Study For Time Series Analysis And Historical Data, Emily Klein

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis endeavors to develop methods for the historical analysis of a specific species and location to begin understanding fishery patterns and change over time. The main goal was to develop statistical methods to address historical data and provide long-term information on fishery trends and potential relationships between the fishery and outside influences. The Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) fishery was investigated for underlying patterns and the possible impact of outside variables and events from 1870 to 2007.

In the Gulf of Maine, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) provide critical forage for many economically valuable species, while supporting a major New England …

Early Performance Of Constructed Oyster Reefs In Great Bay, New Hampshire, Mark K. Capone

Master's Theses and Capstones

Several oyster reefs were constructed in Great Bay, New Hampshire using remotely-set oysters. A single large reef treatment and a cluster of several small reefs treatment were utilized to test hypotheses relevant to oyster restoration design, and to monitor early restoration reef performance. There was no significant difference in oyster size, density, and recruitment between two experimental reef structures, with both reef types having high survival and fast growth rates for the 2-year study. Both experimental reef structures had significantly higher recruitment rates than natural reefs in 2006, a year of relatively high recruitment (p < 0.05), and elevated yet not significantly higher recruitment rates in 2005, a weak recruitment year (p = 0.078). In situ fluorometry data showed that a restored reef can significantly impact chlorophyll-a levels in overlying water within two years of reef construction. Individual oyster clearance rates ranged from 1.87 L/hr--2.41L/hr.

Parasites' Impact Goes Beyond Host To Affect Ecosystem, Beth Potier

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

Resolving The 150 Year Debate Over The Ecological History Of The Common Periwinkle Snail, Littorina Littorea, In Northeast North America, April M H Blakeslee

Doctoral Dissertations

Littorina littorea (common periwinkle snail) is highly abundant in both Europe and North America. A known native of Europe, its presence in North America has been the subject of a one-hundred year debate. Prior published work attempting to resolve its cryptogenic (=uncertain origin) status with historical, archaeological, ecological and/or genetic data were not successful. I therefore included novel parasite and molecular evidence to definitively resolve L. littorea's North American cryptogenic status.

First, I explored trematode species richness patterns in European versus North American L. littorea and two co-occurring native congeners, L. saxatilis and L. obtusata. Through extensive field and literature …

Field Efficiency And Bias Of Several Methods For Downed Wood And Snag Inventory In Western North American Forests, Robert Scott Kenning

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coarse woody debris (CWD)---downed forest wood and snags---has been afforded increasing attention in the past decade as studies illuminate the role of dead wood in the study of global carbon cycling, wildlife, forest fire, and soil ecology. Accordingly, the need for efficient sampling methods of CWD has grown. This study compares the field efficiency and bias of seven traditional and novel sampling techniques. Methods were tested in 14 forest stands across 3 broad study regions---alpine and ponderosa forests in Colorado and coastal rainforest in British Columbia.

For sampling downed wood volume, perpendicular distance sampling (PDS) proves to be the most …

Statistical And Cartographic Modeling Of Vernal Pool Locations: Incorporating The Spatial Component Into Ecological Modeling, Tina A. Cormier

Master's Theses and Capstones

Vernal pools are small, isolated, depressions that experience cyclical periods of inundation and drying. Many species have evolved strategies to utilize the unique characteristics of vernal pools; however, their small size, seasonal nature, and isolation from other, larger water bodies, suggest increased risk of damage/loss by development. The goals of this research were to statistically determine physical predictors of vernal pool presence and, subsequently, to represent the output cartographically for use as a conservation tool. Logistic regression and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) routines were used to define important variables (slope, aspect, land use, soils, and reflectance) of 405 known …

Distribution, Morphology, And Genetic Affinities Of Dwarf Embedded Fucus Populations From The Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Arthur C. Mathieson, Clinton J. Dawes, Aaron L. Wallace, Anita S. Klein

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

Dwarf embedded Fucus populations in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean are restricted to the upper intertidal zone in sandy salt marsh environments; they lack holdfasts and are from attached parental populations of F. spiralis or F. spiralis x F. vesiculosus hybrids after breakage and entanglement with halophytic marsh grasses. Dwarf forms are dichotomously branched, flat, and have a mean overall length and width of 20.3 and 1.3 mm, respectively. Thus, they are longer than Irish (mean 9.3 mm) and Alaskan (mean 15.0 mm) populations identified as F cottonii. Reciprocal transplants of different Fucus taxa in a Maine salt marsh confirm that …

Tropical Forest Structure: Ground Measurements Of Coarse Necromass And Satellite Observations Of Crown Geometry, Michael W. Palace

Doctoral Dissertations

Forests are structurally diverse, but these structures derive from the same processes of disturbance and growth. Understanding forest structure can help unlock the history, function, and future of a forested ecosystem. Components of forest structure include tree size distributions, foliage distributions and variation in canopy density, and coarse woody debris (coarse necromass). Tropical rainforests are structurally the most complex of all ecosystems. In addition to having high biological diversity, Amazon forests are marked by complex vegetation dynamics and a diverse forest stand structures, which play an important role in the interactions of water and carbon between the biosphere and atmosphere. …

A Test Of The Nutrient-Productivity Model In The Gulf Of Maine Using The Intertidal Mussel Mytilus Edulis, Meredith A. Bailey

Master's Theses and Capstones

Historical concepts of top-down control (predator-prey interactions) on rocky intertidal community structure have transitioned to studies on bottom-up effects (nutrient supply and larval transport) as significant factors affecting rocky intertidal community structure. Studies performed on rocky intertidal locations along the Gulf of Maine (GOM) at multiple sites and seasons in 2004 and 2006 examined the ecology of Mytilus edulis populations by measuring size frequency distributions, diet quality (stable isotope composition) and physiological performance of individuals using condition indices and RNA/DNA ratios. Data were correlated to satellite imagery for sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a concentration and individuals were genetically tested …

Effects Of Forest Clear Cutting On Spotted Salamander ( Ambystoma Maculatum) Migration, Jessica Susannah Veysey

Master's Theses and Capstones

Upland buffer zones are a proposed management tool for vernal-pool-breeding amphibians. Substantial validation of buffers, via experimental upland habitat disturbance, is lacking. Specifically, no studies have examined immediate effects of clear cutting on spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum ) migration. I used clear cutting to experimentally manipulate upland buffer widths at 11 vernal pools. I then radiotracked 40 adult spotted salamanders at these pools, and modeled their migration with mixed-effects regression. Mean maximum distance from the pool was 106.0 +/- 15.4 m (range = 1.6 to 427.6 m). At clear cut-treatment pools, mean percent of time in the cut was 27.2 …

Rural Land-Use Trends In The Conterminous United States, 1950-2000., Kenneth M. Johnson, Daniel G. Brown, Thomas R. Loveland, David M. Theobald

Sociology

In order to understand the magnitude, direction, and geographic distribution of land-use changes, we evaluated land-use trends in U.S. counties during the latter half of the 20th century. Our paper synthesizes the dominant spatial and temporal trends in population, agriculture, and urbanized land uses, using a variety of data sources and an ecoregion classification as a frame of reference. A combination of increasing attractiveness of nonmetropolitan areas in the period 1970–2000, decreasing household size, and decreasing density of settlement has resulted in important trends in the patterns of developed land. By 2000, the area of low-density, exurban development beyond the …

Unh: The Magazine Of The University Of New Hampshire, Fall 2004, Unh Magazine

UNH Magazine

Archived version of web content originally found at https://unhmagazine.unh.edu/pastissues.html

Ecological Research In The Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment In Amazonia: A Discussion Of Early Results, Michael M. Keller, Ane Alencar, Gregory P. Asner, Rob Braswell, Mercedes Bustmante, Eric A. Davidson, Ted Feldpausch, Erick Fernandes, M L. Goulden, Paval Kabat, Bart Kruijt, Flavio Luizao, Scott Miller, Daniel Markewitz, Antonio D. Nobre, Carlos Nobre, Nicolau Priante Filho, Humberto Da Rocha, Pedro Silva Dias, Celso Von Randow, George Vourlitis

Earth Sciences

The Large-scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) is a multinational, interdisciplinary research program led by Brazil. Ecological studies in LBA focus on how tropical forest conversion, regrowth, and selective logging influence carbon storage, nutrient dynamics, trace gas fluxes, and the prospect for sustainable land use in the Amazon region. Early results from ecological studies within LBA emphasize the variability within the vast Amazon region and the profound effects that land-use and land-cover changes are having on that landscape. The predominant land cover of the Amazon region is evergreen forest; nonetheless, LBA studies have observed strong seasonal patterns in gross primary …

A Public Policy Toward The Management Of Feral Cats, Shawn Gorman, Julie Levy

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] “This paper examines the current wildlife laws, both federal and state, to determine what laws may apply to managing the feral cat population. It begins with a determination of how domestic cats are classified under these laws. Since many laws are vague, the intent of the legislatures is investigated to determine if domestic cats were meant to be defined as a nonindigenous species. The focus then shifts to indicate ways to control the feral domestic cat population. Current trends in the control of other nonindigenous species appear to revolve around public nuisance claims; however, due to the unique nature …

An Investigation Of Genetic Variation Within Northwest Atlantic Porphyra (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) With Specific Phylogeographic Analysis Of The Common, Rocky Intertidal Species, Porphyra Umbilicalis, Brian William Teasdale

Doctoral Dissertations

To investigate the phylogeography of the rocky intertidal red alga, Porphyra umbilicalis Kutzing, a restriction fragment polymorphism assay (RFLP) of the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit ( rbcL) was developed to accurately distinguish P. umbilicalis from the other morphologically similar species in the North Atlantic. Initial screening of ∼800 Porphyra specimens resulted in the additional discovery of a cryptic Porphyra taxon.

The presence and variability of group-I introns of the ribosomal small subunit (SSU) were screened in North Atlantic species of Porphyra in order to assess whether they could be biogeographically informative. In an initial screening for the helix 50 …

Great Bay Coast Watch: A Citizen Water Monitoring Program Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Manual, 2004, B Sharon Meeker, Ann S. Reid, Jeff Schloss, Anita Hayden, Amber Perkins, Steve Cooper

PREP Reports & Publications

The Great Bay Coast Watch is citizen volunteers, working within the UNH Cooperative Extension/NH Sea Grant Program, protecting the long-term health and natural resources of New Hampshire’s coastal waters and estuarine systems through monitoring and education projects.

The purpose of this document is to present step-by-step instructions for conducting water quality testing in support of the Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW).

Characterization Of Prokaryotic Diversity In A Chlorinated Solvent-Contaminated Bedrock Aquifer Using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Ribosomal Dna Sequencing, And Real Time Pcr, Walid Naser

Doctoral Dissertations

A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic approach was implemented to investigate spatial and temporal variations in microbial diversity and abundance in a chlorinated solvent-contaminated bedrock aquifer. Core and groundwater samples were collected from several boreholes and included the following samples: (1) groundwater that was associated with the core, (2) open fractures and (3) partially mineralized sealed fractures (PMSF) exposed by striking the core with a surface-sterilized geology hammer. DNA representing the attached and unattached microbial communities was extracted from these samples, and the 16S rRNA gene was amplified with primers specific for Bacteria, Archaea, sulfate reducers, Geobacteraceae family, Dehalorespirers (Dehalococcoides sp. and …

Factors Affecting Plant Community Composition And Dynamics In The Ossipee Pine Barrens, New Hampshire, Lauren Fredrick Howard

Doctoral Dissertations

Forty-one 0.25 ha sites were sampled in the Ossipee Pine Barrens to identify and describe tree community types and investigate factors controlling forest composition and dynamics. Every site had three site-time assemblages (STA's) representing past, present, and future trees. Past (1952) vegetation was calculated based on reverse growth estimates of current stems and stumps. Future (2052) vegetation was predicted by current sapling (<10 cm dbh and ≥1 m tall) relative densities.

Cluster analysis produced three community types from 121 STA's: pitch pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, and red maple. Pitch pine communities comprised 63% of sites in 1952, but declined since. Mixed pine-hardwoods peaked at 58% in 2002, but were …

The New Hampshire, Vol. 92 [93], No. 19 (Nov. 12, 2002), The New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Print Edition

An independent student produced newspaper from the University of New Hampshire. This volume was printed as 92, but it is the 93rd volume in the series. This was corrected in pencil.

Annual Reports Of The Town Of Gilford, New Hampshire, For The Year Ending December 31, 2001., Gilford Town Representatives

Gilford, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Comparison Of Boreal Ecosystem Model Sensitivity To Variability In Climate And Forest Site Parameters, Christopher S. Potter, Shusen Wang, Ned T. Nikolov, A D. Mcguire, Jane Liu, A W. King, John Kimball, Robert F. Grant, Steve Frolking, Joy S. Clein, Jing M. Chen, Jeffrey S. Amthor

Earth Sciences

Ecosystem models are useful tools for evaluating environmental controls on carbon and water cycles under past or future conditions. In this paper we compare annual carbon and water fluxes from nine boreal spruce forest ecosystem models in a series of sensitivity simulations. For each comparison, a single climate driver or forest site parameter was altered in a separate sensitivity run. Driver and parameter changes were prescribed principally to be large enough to identify and isolate any major differences in model responses, while also remaining within the range of variability that the boreal forest biome may be exposed to over a …

Annual Reports Of The Town Of Gilford, New Hampshire, For The Year Ending December 31, 2000., Gilford Town Representatives

Gilford, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Parenting And Child Competence: A Longitudinal Investigation Of The Moderating Influences Of Ethnicity, Family Socioeconomic Status, And Neighborhood Quality, Eric Curtis Dearing

Doctoral Dissertations

Although there is considerable evidence that parenting influences the behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social development of children, the effects of some parenting behaviors may not be universal. In the present study, child ethnicity, family socioeconomic status, neighborhood quality (i.e., crime and median income), and cumulative risk (i.e., composite of family socioeconomic status and neighborhood quality) were modeled as potential moderators of associations between parenting (i.e., maternal sensitivity and traditional values) and four child outcomes (i.e., behavior problems, depression, loneliness, and school performance). Pathways of mediation for these parenting measures were also explored. In addition, age trends in neighborhood effects were …

Palaeoecological Implications Of Archaeological Seal Bone Assemblages: Case Studies From Labrador And Baffin Island, James M. Woollett, Anne S. Henshaw, Cameron P. Wake

Earth Sciences

. In recent years, increasing scientific attention has been paid to sea mammals as biological indicators of Arctic environmental change. The usefulness of animals such as ringed seal (Phoca hispida), harp seal (Phoca groenlandica), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), and harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) as indicator species is due to the close relationship of their range, reproductive cycles, and life histories to sea ice. The behaviour and distribution of these species correlate with ice conditions in the areas where the animals are encountered. The proportions of seal species represented in archaeological deposits may therefore reflect, at least in part, environmental conditions …

Unh Scientist Explores Seaweed Aquaculture, Sharon Keeler

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

Unh Scientist Explores Seaweed Aquaculture, Sharon Keeler

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

Behavioral And Physiological Responses Of The Lobster, Homarus Americanus, To Temperature: A New Synthesis, Steven Harold Jury

Doctoral Dissertations

Temperature has a pervasive influence on lobster behavior, physiology and ecology and affects their subsequent distribution in thermally variable habitats such as estuaries and coastal areas. A multidisciplinary approach, including field and laboratory studies, was used to show: (1) that lobsters sense temperature with warm and cool thresholds as small as 0.1--0.2°C; (2) the relationship between temperature and activity is not linear, but instead switches between a high activity level in warmer months (10--20°C) and a lower level in colder months (<10°C) with transition periods in the spring and fall; (3) Parallel studies in the lab and field show that daily levels of activity are not greatly influenced by small temperature variations (i.e. tidally induced changes of 14°C), but activity levels are significantly higher in the field (249 +/- 55.1 m/d) than in the laboratory (88 +/- 12.0 m/d); (4) lobsters prefer a narrow range of temperatures over others available in a thermal gradient and avoid temperatures >23.5 +/- 0.4°C, suggesting that they behaviorally thermoregulate. While this preferred temperature shifts seasonally, the final preferred temperature …

Mapping Monthly Precipitation, Temperature, And Solar Radiation For Ireland With Polynomial Regression And A Digital Elevation Model, Christine L. Goodale, John D. Aber, Scott V. Ollinger

Faculty Publications

A 1 km2 resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of Ireland was constructed and used as the basis for generating digital maps of the climate parameters required to run a model of ecosystem carbon and water cycling. The DEM had mean absolute errors of 30 m or less for most of Ireland. The ecosystem model requires inputs of monthly precipitation, monthly averaged maximum and minimum daily temperature, and monthly averaged daily solar radiation. Long-term (1951 to 1980) averaged monthly data were obtained from sites measuring precipitation (618 sites), temperature (62 sites), and the number of hours of bright sunshine per day …

Lobster Movements In Response To A Hurricane, Steven H. Jury, W. Huntting Howell, Winsor H. Watson Iii

Jackson Estuarine Laboratory

There are several anecdotal reports of the American lobster Homarus americanus moving to deeper water, or suffering increased mortality, in response to storm events. It has also been reported that changes In salinity and temperature, similar to those result~ng from storm events, can elicit avoidance behaviors. In 1991, during an ongoing lobster study, Hurricane Bob caused a substantial drop in salinity in the Great Bay Estuary, New Hamphlre, USA. This freshet, and possibly related environmental perturbations, was associated with increased movement of lobsters down the estuary toward the coast and a rise in catch in areas closer to the coast. …