Life Sciences Commons^™

Picoplankton/Phytoplankton Dynamics In Hampton Roads, Virginia, Leslie E. Dorworth

OES Theses and Dissertations

The biomass distribution of the three main size components of the phytoplankton (net, nano, and picoplankton) was examined in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Work was done at two stations during the spring and neap tidal cycles when freshwater flow into the bay was at its seasonal minimum and maximum. Emphasis was placed on how the picoplankton ( < 2.0 μm, > 0.2 μm) reacted during the sampling period.

Picoplankton made up approximately 13% of the total biomass, during the observed time period, at the more oceanic station. The picoplankton fraction contributed up to 16% of the total biomass at the estuarine station. From this …

The Remipedia (Crustacea): A Study Of Their Reproduction And Ecology, Jill Yager

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Remipedes are an unusual group of troglobitic crustaceans that live exclusively in anchialine caves. Since their discovery in 1979, nine species have been described, seven of which are found in caves in the West Indies, one from the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico and one from the Canary Islands. Most of what is known about these animals has come mainly from taxonomic descriptions. Little has been published about their reproductive biology or ecology. The objectives of this dissertation were to investigate the reproductive biology and ecology of the remipedes inhabiting Sagittarius Cave on Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas.

Sagittarius Cave was chosen …

The Temporal And Spatial Distribution Of Blue Crab Larvae On The Mid-Atlantic Bight Adjacent To The Chesapeake Bay, 1982-1983, Lyle Michael Varnell

OES Theses and Dissertations

Recruitment processes are important information for the management of commercially and recreationally exploited marine species. Recruitment processes of the Chesapeake Bay's most important commercial and recreational species, the blue crab, are unknown, due in part to the lack of knowledge of the processes directly preceeding recruitment.

The present study was undertaken to investigate and explain the movement and developmental patterns of blue crab larvae while offshore. Interannual and intraseasonal variations of these patterns were also examined.

Sampling occurred from May to November during 1982 and 1983. Larvae were collected at three depths (neuston layer (upper 10 cm), one meter and …

Population Variation In The Mitochondrial-Dna Of Two Marine Organisms: The Hard Shell Clam Mercenaria Spp. And The Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus, Bonnie Lynn Brown

OES Theses and Dissertations

The two major topics are covered in this dissertation: the integration of molecular genetic tools with applied aquacultural research and short-term evolutionary dynamics. The first study investigated the extent of geographic differentiation of native clam stocks along the U.S. east and Gulf coasts. Clam mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) demonstrated size polymorphism (16.5-19.0 kb) and restriction site heteroplasmy. Size heteroplasmic individuals occurred at a frequencies of 0-89% in clam populations. Restriction site heteroplasmy occurred in 12% of the 317 individuals assayed. Results of the study indicated that although harbouring a wealth of genetic variation, clams from northern regions were similar and lacked …

Antarctic Peninsula Mysticete Whales: Conservation And Research, Gregory Schofield Stone

Theses and Major Papers

This paper reports original research from two recent studies in the Antarctic Peninsula area, reviews past sighting information and policies affecting mysticete whales, and recommends future research. Due to poor management by the International Whaling Commission, mysticete whales are among the most severely depleted species groups in the Antarctic. The combined total Antarctic harvest from 1920 to 19867 for blue Balaenoptera musculus, fin B. physalus, sei B. borealis, minke B. acutorostrata and humpback Megaptera novaeangliae whales was over one million animals. The effect of this hunting pressure is the dominant factor determing the present status of Antarctic …

Perceptions Of The Texas State And Federal Closures Among Inshore Shrimpers In Galveston Bay, Texas And Calcasieu Lake, Louisiana, Nina H. Garfield

Theses and Major Papers

The inshore shrimp fisheries along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico represent a significant portion of the total shrimp harvest in the Gulf. The shrimp harvest is allocated to the offshore and inshore fisheries through the use of season closures. In 1981, the Gulf of Mexico Regional Fisheries Management Council began implementing a policy known as the Texas Closure; a seasonal closure of the waters of the Federal Conservation Zone concurrent with the traditional season closure of the state waters of Texas. One impact of the Texas Closure on the offshore fishery has been fleet displacement from Texas to …

Socioeconomic Aspects Of Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries Development In The Republic Of The Marshall Islands, Cheryl Ann Mandich

Theses and Major Papers

This study examines the sociocultural aspects of fishery development in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It is based upon field research conducted through interviews with indigenous fisherfolk, business people, and expatriates. The Marshall Islands were selected because they have a limited economic base, yet have abundant fishery resources which have considerable potential to generate foreign exchange. Many studies focus on the technical aspects of fishery resource development. However, none address the sociocultural factors that influence its success. This thesis demonstrates that several aspects of Marshallese fishing society, some of which correspond to characteristics of the peasantry identified by Rogers …

Formulation Of A Management Scheme For The Swordfish Fishery Of The Eastern Caribbean, Harold F. Upton

Theses and Major Papers

During the 1983 season, two U.S. longline vessels initiated the first attempts at the commercial exploitation of swordfish in the Eastern Caribbean. In 1986, the number of U.S. vessels participating in the fishery surpassed 40 with landings of nearly two million pounds per season. The sudden influx of participants and technology to the region has resulted in a variety of user conflicts and associated policy issues. Major areas of concern involve the conservation of a heavily exploited resource and the distribution of benefits which accrue from resource exploitation among the resource-adjacent island states and U.S. fishing operations. This study examines …

Pcb Congener Analysis With Hall Electrolytic Conductivity Detection, Robert D. Edstrom

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This work reports the development of an analytical methodology for the analysis of PCB congeners based on integrating relative retention data provided by other researchers. The retention data were transposed into a multiple retention marker system which provided good precision in the calculation of relative retention indices for PCB congener analysis. Analytical run times for the developed methodology were approximately one hour using a commercially available GC capillary column. A Tracor Model 700A Hall Electrolytic Conductivity Detector (HECD) was employed in the GC detection of Aroclor standards and environmental samples. Responses by the HECD provided good sensitivity and were reasonably …

The Influence Of Tributyltin On Various Aspects Of Activation And Reactive Oxygen Formation In Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus Tau) Macrophages, Charles D. Rice

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The effects of tributyltin (TBT) on phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)- and calcium ionophore (A23187)-stimulated peritoneal macrophages from oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) were evaluated in a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) assay. PMA-stimulated CL responses were increased by in vitro exposure to 50 ug/L TBT, but depressed to baseline values by 500 ug/L TBT. A23187-stimulated CL increased with 5 ug/L and 50 ug/L TBT, and depressed by 500 ug/L TBT. Responses stimulated by synergistic doses of PMA and A23187 were increased by 50 ug/L TBT and depressed by 500 ug/L TBT. Enhanced PMA- and A23187-stimulated CL following TBT exposure returned to baseline values …

Cannibalism Experiments With The Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun): Potential Effects Of Size And Abundance, Christopher A. Peery

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Enrichment On Lipid And Fatty Acid Composition Of Estuarine Microplankton, Jia Chen

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Aspects Of Volume Regulation In Two Estuarine Invertebrates: Glycera Dibranchiata (Annelida) And Modiolus Demissus (Mollusca), Ana Marie Beardsley

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Recruitment And Growth Of Juvenile Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin) In Relation To Tidal Zonation, George Curtis Roegner

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Mitochondrial Dna Variation In Striped Bass, Morone Saxatilis, From The Rappahannock River, Virginia, Carol Furman

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Salinity On The Swimming Behavior Of Larval Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin), Kevin J. Mccarthy

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Virginia's Pelagic Recreational Fishery: Biological, Socioeconomic And Fishery Components, Eleanor A. Bochenek

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Catch, effort, fleet size and boat owner expenditure data were collected on Virginia's recreational marlin/tuna fishery for the 1983-1985 seasons. Logbooks, dockside interviews and a telephone survey were evaluated to determine which method was the most efficient and effective for collecting and estimating catch and effort for Virginia's pelagic recreational fishery. In 1984, logbooks were used to collect catch and effort data and fishing effort was estimated using Bochenek's method. Very few fishermen returned their logbooks and as a result this data is probably less reliable than the data collected in other years. Due to the poor return of logbooks, …