Life Sciences Commons^™

Multispecies Use Of Various Habitats In The Mississippi Sound With An Emphasis On Future Oyster Reef Construction, Austin Draper

Master's Theses

Transient fish have high economic value and effective restoration projects must consider the variable impacts they may have on these fish in addition to the target organism or habitat being restored. Globally, oyster reef construction is common and will continue but data on their impacts to transient fish is lacking. This study used acoustic telemetry to provide baseline data on the potential for interaction between five transient fish species, and oyster reef construction activities. Overall, I noted that habitat preferences are hierarchical with sandy habitats nearest to bay or river mouths having high transient fish use. Oyster reef construction in …

Interactive Effects Of Climate Change‐Induced Range Shifts And Wind Energy Development On Future Economic Conditions Of The Atlantic Surfclam Fishery, Stephanie Stromp, Andrew M. Scheld, John M. Klinck, Daphne M. Munroe, Eric N. Powell, Roger Mann, Sarah Borsetti, Eileen E. Hofmann

Faculty Publications

Rising water temperatures along the northeastern U.S. continental shelf have resulted in an offshore range shift of the Atlantic surfclam Spisula solidissima to waters still occupied by ocean quahogs Arctica islandica. Fishers presently are prohibited from landing both Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs in the same catch, thus limiting fishing to locations where the target species can be sorted on deck. Wind energy development on and around the fishing grounds will further restrict the fishery. A spatially explicit model of the Atlantic surfclam fishery (Spatially Explicit Fishery Economics Simulator) has the ability to simulate the consequences of fishery displacement …

Habitat Use Of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In Pascagoula River Holding Areas And In Estuarine And Marine Environments Including Ship Island, Mississippi And Mobile Bay, Alabama, Elizabeth M. Greenheck

Master's Theses

Gulf Sturgeon (GS) are a federally threatened, anadromous species that inhabit coastal rivers in the northern Gulf of Mexico and make annual migrations between riverine and marine habitats. They are divided into western or an eastern river systems based on the location of their natal river relative to Mobile Bay. Tracking of GS movements using acoustic telemetry has occurred since the late 1990s but has increased in use since 2015 for monitoring important habitats that GS rely on throughout their lifetime. For this study, tagged GS were monitored in three areas throughout the central Gulf of Mexico: the Mobile Bay …

A Multiscale Linkage Between Riverscape And Fish Community Coevolution, Loren W. Stearman

Dissertations

Sediment dynamics are foundational to stream and watershed morphology. Yet aquatic ecologists have relied on an oversimplified model of sediment dynamics characterizing sediments as agents of stream bed burial, and which fails to describe many types of aquatic habitat evolution. In this dissertation I employ both fluvial geomorphic and ecological frameworks to gain a deeper understanding of how sediment dynamics shape stream morphology and fish community evolution at multiple scales. Using a paired historic and contemporary approach, I analyzed geomorphic evolution and fish community change in the Bayou Pierre, Mississippi, from the 1980s to recent. Patterns of erosion due to …

Characterization Of Tick And Host-Associated Factors Linked To Induction Of Alpha-Gal Syndrome., Surendra Raj Sharma, Surendra Raj Sharma

Dissertations

Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) is a delayed allergic reaction caused by specific IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) present in red meat. AGS is a growing concern globally, with over 34,000 confirmed cases in the United States alone. Studies have linked AGS to tick bites, which sensitizes hosts against α-gal antigens and elevates α-gal specific IgE. This dissertation investigates the role of tick and host-associated factors in AGS development. Microbiome analysis of Am. americanum ticks revealed a comprehensive core microbiome profile and showed that new Fransiella-like endosymbionts dominate and outcompete conventional tick Coxiella endosymbionts. Ticks subjected to tetracycline treatment showed …

The Influence Of Range Shifts And Wind Energy On The Atlantic Surfclam (Spisula Solidissima) And Ocean Quahog (Arctica Islandica) Fisheries On The U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, Stephanie Stromp

Master's Theses

The Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima, is a biomass dominant bivalve of the Northwestern Atlantic. The surfclam’s historic range extended from Cape Hatteras to Georges Bank, but recent decades of warming bottom water temperatures have caused the surfclam to shift its range to cooler waters north and offshore within the range of the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. An ecotone now exists over much of the offshore range of the surfclam in which surfclams and ocean quahogs co-occur. Regulations prohibit fishers from landing both species in the same catch, limiting fishing to locations where the target species can be sorted …

A Draft Of The Genome Of The Gulf Coast Tick, Amblyomma Maculatum, Jose M.C. Ribeiro, Natalia J. Bayona-Vásquez, Khemraj Budachetri, Deepak Kumar, Julia Catherine Frederick, Faizan Tahir, Brant C. Faircloth, Travis C. Glenn, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, inhabits the Southeastern states of the USA bordering the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and other Central and South American countries. More recently, its U.S. range has extended West to Arizona and Northeast to New York state and Connecticut. It is a vector of Rickettsia parkeri and Hepatozoon americanum. This tick species has become a model to study tick/Rickettsia interactions. To increase our knowledge of the basic biology of A. maculatum we report here a draft genome of this tick and an extensive functional classification of its proteome. The DNA from a single …

Potential Repercussions Of Offshore Wind Energy Development In The Northeast United States For The Atlantic Surfclam Survey And Population Assessment, Sarah Borsetti, Daphne M. Munroe, Andrew M. Scheld, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann

Faculty Publications

The Atlantic surfclam Spisula solidissima fishery, which spans the U.S. Northeast continental shelf, is among the most exposed to offshore wind energy development impacts because of the overlap of fishing grounds with wind energy lease areas, the hydraulic dredges used by the fishing vessels, and the location of vessel home ports relative to the fishing grounds. The Atlantic surfclam federal assessment survey is conducted using a commercial fishing vessel in locations that overlap with the offshore wind energy development. Once wind energy turbines, cables, and scour protection are installed, survey operations within wind energy lease areas may be curtailed or …

Identifying Stable Isotope Patterns Among Taxa, Sites, And Environmental Variables In The Eastern Mississippi Sound, Evan C. Marth, Carl S. Cloyed, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Multi-Year Environmental Trends Of Shrimp Black Gill (Hyalophysa Lynni) Prevalence In Texas Gulf Coast Shrimp Populations, Jillian L. Swinford, Joel Anderson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Shrimp Black Gill, caused by the apostome ciliate Hyalophysa lynni, is an emerging disease impacting penaeid shrimp populations along the southeast Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Changing annual environmental conditions may drive infection levels of this parasitic ciliate in these populations, which comprise one of the largest fisheries in the United States. Hyalophysa lynni is established on the Texas Gulf Coast, and prevalence of this parasite has a strong seasonal and spatial trend, likely linked with high temperature and a wide range of estuarine salinities. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department monitored shrimp black gill in 2 …

A Histological Assessment Of The Reproductive Cycle Of The Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus, Adele C. Cunningham, Victoria K. Gibbs, Stephen A. Watts

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The regular echinoid Lytechinus variegatus is a valuable model for the study of early embryological development. Lytechinus variegatus inhabits nearshore seagrass beds in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, and the species ranges from the Carolinas along the US Atlantic coast to Brazil. Evaluating the natural reproductive cycle of L. variegatus will aid in understanding its role in community structure and in the management of this resource when housed in the laboratory. From April 2001 to September 2003, at intervals of 4—6 weeks, L. variegatus (41−50 mm diameter; n = 32 individuals/collection) were collected at Eagle Harbor in St. Joseph’s …

Assessment Of Living Shorelines For Restoring Fish Habitats: A Case Study From Coastal Alabama, Claire Legaspi, Matheus De Barros, Alexandra Rodriguez, Ronald Baker

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

A Preliminary Assessment Of The Spawning Potential Ratio Of Five Target Species Of The Coastal Gillnet Fishery In Guyana And Suriname, Tomas Willems, Elford Liverpool, Michael Hiwat

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data—limited stock assessment methods have the potential to positively impact livelihoods of fishermen around the world by providing management recommendations that aim to optimize sustainable yields from fisheries. Some years ago, a novel length— based (LB) method was developed for the assessment of spawning potential ratio (SPR), a measure of the reproductive capacity of fish stocks. We applied the LB—SPR method to 5 important target species of the coastal gillnet fishery in Guyana and Suriname. Nebris microps (Smalleye Croaker; 32% SPR) and Macrodon ancylodon (King Weakfish; 34% SPR) had the highest spawning potential, but remained below the 40% target level …

Richard W. Heard, Sara E. Lecroy, Joyce M. Shaw, Chet F. Rakocinski

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Microdebris Abundance, Distribution, And Ingestion By Sargassum-Associated Juvenile Fishes In The Gulf Of Mexico, Olivia L. Lestrade, Frank Hernandez

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Holopelagic Sargassum is a critical nursery habitat for the early life stages of many marine fishes, including several federally managed species in the United States and Caribbean. Sargassum is often aggregated along surface convergence features where microdebris (synthetic, semi—synthetic, and naturally—derived particles size) have also been found in relatively high concentrations. In this study, we collected microdebris from Sargassum and adjacent open water habitats (in 2018), and juvenile fishes from Sargassum (in 2017 and 2018) in the northern Gulf of Mexico to quantify habitat—specific microdebris concentrations and the degree to which Sargassum—associated juvenile fishes ingest microdebris. Microdebris concentrations within …

Biomass And Productivity Of Thalassia Testudinum In Estuaries Of The Florida Panhandle, Laura A. Yarbro, Paul R. Carlson, Ken L. Heck, Dorothy Byron, Sandra Brooke, Linda Fitzhugh, Sheila Scolaro, Barbara Albrecht, Rachel Presley, Jane M. Caffrey

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Thalassia testudinum often dominates seagrass meadows of the Florida panhandle but few measurements of productivity, biomass, density, turnover or leaf area index in this region have been made. We targeted 5 estuaries located at similar latitudes, 30⁰ ± 0.3⁰N: Big Lagoon, Santa Rosa Sound, St. Andrew Bay, St. Joseph Bay, and St. George Sound. This study was one component of a collaborative partnership of state and local researchers examining factors preventing recovery in panhandle estuarine areas that had historically contained seagrass in the 1940s and 1950s. Measurements were made twice in 2016, once in June and then again in summer …

Dynamics Of The Benthic Communities Of Pigeon Islets (Guadeloupe Island, Lesser Antilles) From 2012 To 2021 Monitored By A Photo-Quadrats Technique, Hanna-May Malahel, Camille Freschet, Simone Mège, Claude Bouchon

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Since 2012, the benthic communities of the Pigeon Islets (Guadeloupe Island, Lesser Antilles) have been monitored biannually by the National Park of Guadeloupe using photo—quadrats. This monitoring was carried out at 12 coral reef stations distributed around the islets. The data collected from 2012 to 2021 highlight the significant events that disrupted the coral communities of Guadeloupe. Among these remarkable phenomena, an episode of coral bleaching occurred in 2019, followed by the appearance of a new coral disease, Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), in 2020. As a result of these threats, a drop of 54% of coral cover was …

Gulf And Caribbean Research Reviewers, Mark S. Peterson

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Hide And Seek: An Exploration Of Antipredator And Predator Avoidance Mechanisms In Orthopodomyia Signifera In Response To Predation From Toxorhynchites Rutilus, Nathaniel Dahlberg

Master's Theses

There have been many observations of larval Orthopodomyia signifera coexisting with the predator Toxorhynchites rutilus. There are three hypotheses that could explain how Or. signifera resists predation from Tx. rutilus. The first hypothesis states that larvae adapt behavioral changes that limit predation. The second hypothesis states thoracic setae serve as a physical defense that prevents Tx. rutilus from grasping Or. signifera. The third hypothesis states Or. signifera possess a chemical defense indicated by aposematic coloration. To test the first hypothesis larval Or. signifera were exposed to conspecific and heterospecific predation cues and their behavior was observed. Both cues …

To Laugh Or Not To Laugh: That Is The Question Of Humor Techniques And Sex Differences, Yu-Chen Chan

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

A humor structure comprises two essential stages: the setup and the punch line. The punch line stage is to provide the incongruity resolution that creates amusement in humor. The current article aimed to look into how humor is amusing and how it differs between the sexes. Functional and effective connectivity analyses in cognitive and affective neuroscience have facilitated the implications of humor comprehension, appreciation, and laughter responses. The processing of incongruity-resolution humor revealed effective connectivity from the amygdala to the precuneus (amygdala → precuneus). Conversely, the processing of nonsense humor demonstrated effective connectivity from the amygdala to the inferior frontal …

Detecting Trends In Abundance And Distribution Of Seagrasses In Lake Worth Lagoon, Palm Beach County, Florida, James R. Kerfoot Jr., Samantha N. Jones, Michael H. Schiebout, Beth Orlando

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Over the past 15 years, seagrass community stability has varied in estuaries throughout Florida. This study sought to model potential patterns of physiochemical parameters and community composition that may correlate with the fluctuation of seagrass populations in Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL), Palm Beach County, FL over time (2007–2019). Seven transects and 4 polygon areas throughout the LWL were established and stratified along a north—south gradient. Sites were sampled annually (May–August) for water quality, seagrass and macroalgal abundance, and community composition. Models developed to explain macrophyte abundance and composition were assessed using Akaike Information Criterion. Interaction between year and site best …

Jonathan Franco López 1955 – 2023, Angel Moran-Silva, Rafael Chávez-López, Sergio Cházaro-Olvera

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Reflections On A Career Unplanned, Robert A. Glazer

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Sometimes life takes unexpected turns. I never planned to be a marine biologist; yet, after a long and unpredictable journey, that’s exactly where I found myself. After obtaining my B.S. in Fishery Biology from Colorado State University, I found myself meandering from job to job like a golden retriever following some vague scent. At first, I was hired by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to work seasonally in Grand Teton National Park on the freshwater trout fisheries. Soon thereafter, I found myself cultivating oysters, clams, and other shellfish in California. The skills I developed there as an algologist led …

Is Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Or Salinity Driving Oyster Mortality On Breakwaters?, Ashten Notz, Aaron Bland, Ronald Baker

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Intraspecific Potency Of Predation Risk Cues, Delbert Lee Smee, Benjamin Belgrad

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Identifying Microdebris In Biodeposits Of The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Elizabeth E. Hieb, Sadie Snow, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

A Tree-Ring Record Of Historical Fire Activity In A Piedmont Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris Mill.) Woodland In North Carolina, Usa, Monica T. Rother, Thomas W. Patterson, Paul A. Knapp, Tyler J. Mitchell, Nell Allen

Faculty Publications

CO₂ capture from industrial point source waste streams represents an important need for achieving the global goal of carbon-neutrality. Compared with conventional liquid sorbents, solid sorbents can exhibit several distinct advantages, including enhanced lifetime and reduced energy consumption for sorbent regeneration. Considering that reducing CO₂ emission is a great challenge, reaching approximately 37 billion metric tons just in 2021, ideal sorbent solutions should not only exhibit a high capture performance but also enable large scale manufacturing using low-cost precursors and simple processes. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a commodity polymer, polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene …

Investigating The Involvement Of The Tick Vector In The Induction Of Alpha-Galactose Hypersensitivity (Alpha-Gal Syndrome, Red Meat Allergy) In The United States., Gary Crispell

Dissertations

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS or sometimes called red meat allergy) is a result of the development of specific IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) after a person has had exposure to tick bites. This dissertation investigates four common tick species found in North America: the lone-star tick (Amblyomma americanum), the Gulf-Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), and the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) for the presence of α-gal by utilizing a combination of immunoproteomic approaches and carbohydrate analysis techniques.

Anti-α-gal IgM antibodies (M86) were used in immunoblotting to detect …

Policy Implications Of Managing Biodiversity And Natural Resources Across International Boundaries, Dillon Brown

Dissertations

Fisheries Management under the best of scenarios is a complex action. It requires thoughtful consideration of resources that tend to be out of sight, widely distributed, highly variable both spatially and temporally, and present dramatic variation in life history and ecology. No one management approach has been developed which can effectively incorporate all these variables. Add to this the issue of transnational boundary movements of these resources, and one discovers that this complex issue needs to be addressed by multiple entities, agencies, and nations to have any chance of success.

This research set out to discover ways in which fisheries …

Characterization Of Innate Immune Responses In Mouse Trophoblast Stem Cells And Their Differentiated Cells, Mona Fendereski

Dissertations

The blastocyst is the preimplantation stage embryo consisting of two major components: the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE). The ICM forms the fetus, whereas the TE contributes to the placenta development. Previous studies have demonstrated that human and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived from the ICM are deficient in expressing type I IFNs in response to viral infection. This study investigated the innate immune responses in mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) and their in vitro differentiated trophoblasts (TSC-TBs). I report that, unlike ESCs, TSCs have a functional IFN system. They can express and respond to type …