Biology Commons^™

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 …

Caribbean Reef-Building Coral-Symbiodiniaceae Network: Identifying Symbioses Critical For System Stability In A Changing Climate, Shaman Patel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Increasing global ocean temperatures and frequency of marine heatwaves pose dire consequences for coral reefs. High temperatures often lead to disruptions in coral symbiosis resulting in coral bleaching, increasing the mortality of corals. However, corals can potentially avoid bleaching peril by associating with thermally tolerant symbionts. Here we provide a tool for understanding symbiosis network stability of Caribbean reef-building corals. We created a network of Caribbean hermatypic corals and their associated Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes. A bleaching model was applied to this network to test for resilience and robustness (R50) to thermal stress. It was also layered with trait data for coral …

A Colonial-Nesting Seabird Shows No Heart-Rate Response To Drone-Based Population Surveys, Erica A. Geldart, Andrew F. Barnas, Christina A.D. Semeniuk, H. Grant Gilchrist, Christopher M. Harris, Oliver P. Love

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Aerial drones are increasingly being used as tools for ecological research and wildlife monitoring in hard-to-access study systems, such as in studies of colonial-nesting birds. Despite their many advantages over traditional survey methods, there remains concerns about possible disturbance effects that standard drone survey protocols may have on bird colonies. There is a particular gap in the study of their influence on physiological measures of stress. We measured heart rates of incubating female common eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) to determine whether our drone-based population survey affected them. To do so, we used heart-rate recorders placed in nests to quantify their …

Internal Vertebral Morphology Of Bony Fishes Matches The Mechanical Demands Of Different Environments, Dana Baxter, Karly E. Cohen, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Eric D. Tytell

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Fishes have repeatedly evolved characteristic body shapes depending on how close they live to the substrate. Pelagic fishes live in open water and typically have narrow, streamlined body shapes; benthic and demersal fishes live close to the substrate; and demersal fishes often have deeper bodies. These shape differences are often associated with behavioral differences: pelagic fishes swim nearly constantly, demersal fishes tend to maneuver near the substrate, and benthic fishes often lie in wait on the substrate. We hypothesized that these morphological and behavioral differences would be reflected in the mechanical properties of the body, and specifically in vertebral column …

Variation In Symbiont Density Is Linked To Changes In Constitutive Immunity In The Facultatively Symbiotic Coral, Astrangia Poculata, Isabella Changsut, Haley R. Womack, Alicia Shickle, Koty H. Sharp, Lauren E. Fuess

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Scleractinian corals are essential ecosystem engineers, forming the basis of coral reef ecosystems. However, these organisms are in decline globally, in part due to rising disease prevalence. Most corals are dependent on symbiotic interactions with single-celled algae from the family Symbiodiniaceae to meet their nutritional needs, however, suppression of host immunity may be essential to this relationship. To explore immunological consequences of algal symbioses in scleractinian corals, we investigated constitutive immune activity in the facultatively symbiotic coral, Astrangia poculata. We compared immune metrics (melanin synthesis, antioxidant production and antibacterial activity) between coral colonies of varying symbiont density. Symbiont density was …

Technoscience And The Modernization Of Freshwater Fisheries Assessment And Management, S. J. Cooke, M. F. Docker, N. E. Mandrak, N. Young, D. D. Heath, K. M. Jeffries, A. Howarth, J. W. Brownscombe, J. Livernois, C. A.D. Semeniuk, P. A. Venturelli, A. J. Danylchuk, R. J. Lennox, I. Jarić, A. T. Fisk, C. S. Vandergoot, J. R. Britton, A. M. Muir

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Inland fisheries assessment and management are challenging given the inherent complexity of working in diverse habitats (e.g., rivers, lakes, wetlands) that are dynamic on organisms that are often cryptic and where fishers are often highly mobile. Yet, technoscience is offering new tools that have the potential to reimagine how inland fisheries are assessed and managed. So-called “technoscience” refers to instances in which science and technology unfurl together, offering novel ways of spurring and achieving meaningful change. This paper considers the role of technoscience and its potential for modernizing the assessment and management of inland fisheries. It first explores technoscience and …

Evaluating Acid-Aluminum Stress In Streams Of The Northeastern U.S. At Watershed, Fish Community And Physiological Scales, Benjamin J. Zdasiuk, Celia Y. Chen, Stephen D. Mccormick, Keith H. Nislow, Joel Singley, John T. Kelly

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

In spite of overall improvements in air and water quality, biological stress from low pH and high concentrations of inorganic aluminum continue to impact fish and fish habitat in northeastern North America, with independent and interactive effects on individuals, populations and communities. Integrative indicators can therefore be useful in monitoring both impact and recovery across multiple scales. Using coupled water chemistry (pH, conductivity, and base cation and inorganic aluminum concentration), geographic (site elevation and watershed area) and biological (fish diversity, fish abundance, gill aluminum concentration and gill physiology) data, we developed an integrated indicator of acid-aluminum stress across the White …

Impacts Of Algal Morphology And Water Flow On Macroalgal Microplastic Capture, Cheyenne M. Adams

Honors College Theses

Microplastic pollution is a major area of concern in marine environments, especially as microplastics enter the food web. This study used pipe cleaners and two lichen species as algal mimics, and Chaetomorpha sp. and Chondrus crispus as model algal species to test the effects of morphology and biomass on microbead and foam capture. This study also utilized two different water flow methods: vortices and waves. Results suggest that water flow, as well as biomass and morphology, play a role in microplastic capture in macroalgae. For all mimics and algal species, except Cladonia lichens, turfs with increased biomass and length showed …

Larval Fish Export In Response To Varying Compensating Gate Discharge At The Sault Rapids, St. Marys River, Signe F.K. Vandrunen

All NMU Master's Theses

The St. Marys River (SMR) forms the border between Michigan, USA and Ontario, Canada connecting lakes Superior and Huron. Discharge is controlled by a compensating gate system upstream of the SMR rapids. Because spring and summer discharge fluctuates widely, resource managers required information on how flow variability influences larval fish drift. I estimated annual larval fish export in relation to variable discharge during 2018-2021 and compared results to published habitat model predictions. Mean discharge and water temperature were lowest in 2021 and highest in 2019. Water warming rates during high discharge differed from low discharge trends. Across years, I identified …

Chemosensory Receptors In Berghia Stephanieae: Bioinformatics And Localization, Kelsi L. Watkins

Masters Theses

Chemosensation is achieved through the binding of chemical signals to chemoreceptor proteins embedded in the membranes of sensory neurons. The molecular identity of these receptors, as well as the downstream processing of chemosensory signals, has been well studied in arthropods and vertebrates. However, very little is known about molluscan chemosensation. The identity of chemoreceptor proteins in the nudibranch mollusc Berghia stephanieae are unknown. Data from other protostome and molluscan studies suggest Berghia may use ionotropic receptors for some forms of chemoreception. This study used a bioinformatics approach to identify potential chemosensory ionotropic receptors in the transcriptome of Berghia. A …

Innovating Transcriptomics For Practitioners In Freshwater Fish Management And Conservation: Best Practices Across Diverse Resource-Sector Users, C. A.D. Semeniuk, K. M. Jeffries, T. Li, C. M. Bettles, S. J. Cooke, B. A. Dufour, E. A. Halfyard, J. W. Heath, K. Keeshig, N. E. Mandrak, A. J. Muir, L. Postma, D. D. Heath

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Thriving freshwater fish populations contribute to people’s economic prosperity and wellbeing. Yet, freshwater fish populations are in critical condition around the globe. Most stressors to freshwater fishes, fisheries, and culture stem from habitat impacts, water-quality issues, and aquatic invasive species. Logistical difficulties of monitoring fish health are compounded by the limitations of conventional (capture-based) sampling methods, which provide only a temporal “snapshot” and generate data lacking in sensitivity and prognostic ability. Here, we propose an innovative genomics approach to develop a health toolkit that will allow resource-sector users to determine the health status of freshwater fishes, including their coping capacity, …

Evaluating The Impact Of Intersecting Research And Outreach Marine Science Programs On Elementary And Undergraduate Students, Randi J. Sims

All Theses

Climate change is one of the most destructive forces our ocean is currently experiencing. Despite this, many students are not taught the basics of climate change science and ocean literacy in public school systems. My work seeks to combat these deficits through educational experiences in marine science for undergraduate and local elementary students through three studies incorporating marine-science based research and outreach. (1) Through undergraduate marine science research and outreach, students enrolled for long durations or with positive mentorship increased their conceptual understanding of marine science concepts, altered their attitudes towards climate change and science, and were more likely to …

Abundance, Site-Fidelity, And Association Patterns Of Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Off Southeast Florida, Graysen D. Boehning

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The coastal bottlenose dolphin is well studied throughout its natural range, however, most of the study areas comprised wide, well-protected habitats such as bays and estuaries, and not narrow coastal sandbanks. This study identifies a residential group of coastal bottlenose dolphins utilizing the narrow sandbanks within the Northwestern Atlantic waters off the coast of Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. From 2014-2020, 313 boat surveys were conducted, and 585 individual dolphins were identified using photo-ID. Twenty-four animals were determined to be full-time and 66 animals were determined to be part-time residents. Full-time and part-time residents associated in three social tribes, with …

Interspecific Differences In The Flow Regimes And Drag Of North Pacific Skate Egg Cases, Kayla C. Hall, Jaida N. Elcock, Gerald R. Hoff, Duane E. Stevenson, Adam P. Summers, Cassandra M. Donatelli

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Skates are a diverse group of dorso-ventrally compressed cartilaginous fishes found primarily in high-latitude seas. These slow-growing oviparous fishes deposit their fertilized eggs into cases, which then rest on the seafloor. Developing skates remain in their cases for 1-4 years after they are deposited, meaning the abiotic characteristics of the deposition sites, such as current and substrate type, must interact with the capsule in a way to promote long residency. Egg cases are morphologically variable and can be identified to species. Both the gross morphology and the microstructures of the egg case interact with substrate to determine how well a …

Metatranscriptomic Sequencing Of Winter And Spring Planktonic Communities From Lake Erie, A Laurentian Great Lake, Brittany N. Zepernick, Elizabeth R. Denison, Justin D. Chaffin, George S. Bullerjahn, Christa P. Pennacchio, Thijs Frenken, Daniel H. Peck, James T. Anderson, Derek Niles, Arthur Zastepa, R. L.Michael Mckay, Steven W. Wilhelm

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Previous reports suggest planktonic and under-ice winter microbial communities in Lake Erie are dominated by diatoms. Here, we report the assembled metatranscriptomes of 79 Lake Erie surface water microbial communities spanning both the winter (28 samples) and spring (51 samples) months over spatial, temporal, and climatic gradients in 2019 through 2020.

Metagenomics Of Wastewater Influent From Wastewater Treatment Facilities Across Ontario In The Era Of Emerging Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Concern, Opeyemi U. Lawal, Linkang Zhang, Valeria R. Parreira, R. Stephen Brown, Charles Chettleburgh, Nora Dannah, Robert Delatolla, Kimberly A. Gilbride, Tyson E. Graber, Golam Islam, James Knockleby, Sean Ma, Hanlan Mcdougall, R. Michael Mckay, Aleksandra Mloszewska, Claire Oswald, Mark Servos, Megan Swinwood-Sky

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

We report metagenomic sequencing analyses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in composite wastewater influent from 10 regions in Ontario, Canada, during the transition between Delta and Omicron variants of concern. The Delta and Omicron BA.1/BA.1.1 and BA.2-defining mutations occurring in various frequencies were reported in the consensus and subconsensus sequences of the composite samples.

Validation Of Pilot Protocol: Damage Scoring Of Puget Sound Mollusk Shells, Lauren Doffing

Environmental Science Undergraduate Theses

The Marine Sediment Monitoring Team at the Washington State Department of Ecology observed damage to mollusk shells while studying the benthic communities of Puget Sound. A pilot protocol was written to allow researchers to quantify the damage. Two researchers independently followed the protocol, including reference photos, for a set of samples collected in 2019 from an urban bay, East Possession Sound. Two scores were given to each specimen: highest-level damage and extent of highest-level damage. An additional score was given to bivalve species: rust/stain. The sets of scores were compared to determine if the protocol yielded similar values between the …

Biomass Estimation Of Marine Biofilms On Plastic Surfaces, Kian Banihashemi, Fernando Javier Gil

Biological Sciences

Plastics have become a major source of marine pollution, which threatens food safety and quality, human health, and marine ecosystems. Due to the drastic negative effects of plastics in a marine environment, alternative biodegradable plastics are being generated that are more eco-friendly and have less environmental impact. Though some of these plastics are known to biodegrade, the process of degradation for bioplastics has not been heavily studied in a marine environment. This pilot project sought to both quantify the process of biodegradation and compare across different methods for effectiveness of biomass estimation, which serves as an indicator of biodegradation. Plastics …

Adaptive Evolution Of Learning And Memory In A Model Lineage, William G. Wright

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Although reductionistic studies of mechanisms of learning in a broad range of model species have advanced our understanding of neural mechanisms, our integrated understanding of mechanisms, behavior, ecology, and evolution of learning remains patchy. A more wholistic research approach in a model lineage of species related to the sea hare, Aplysia californica, has revealed a complete loss of mechanisms of sensitization in one sea-hare genus, Dolabrifera, with concomitant changes in its behavior and ecology. A partial loss of sensitization via different mechanisms in a sister genus, Phyllaplysia, provides further information for our evolving understanding of the evolution of learning …

The Impacts Of Ph On Biodiversity In Marine Environments, Matthew Rock

Biology Student Scholarship

Climate change continues to impact each and every environment on Earth due to rising levels of greenhouse gasses. CO2 is the most pervasive of these gasses, and when mixed with seawater it creates carbonic acid increasing the pH of water. Ocean acidification has led to large-scale die-offs of more sensitive marine species like coral; therefore, this project serves to evaluate the interaction between pH and the biodiversity of coastal marine environments. BIO 340 final project

Age, Growth, Foraging, And Trophic Ecology Of Bigeye (Thunnus Obesus) And Yellowfin (Thunnus Albacares) Tuna In Continental Shelf And Slope Regions Of The Northeast U.S., Riley S. Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional stock assessments require, in part, accurate knowledge of growth relationships to estimate a variety of aspects involved in population conservation management of exploited species. In addition, the local distribution and condition of top pelagic predators is driven by detection of abundant forage aggregations and along with traditional stock assessments, should be considered for effective management of marine populations. Empirical analyses of these data are severely lacking for bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, especially for the former. Given historical studies’ observations of these two top predators use as biological samplers due to their …

Evaluating Methods To Determine The Maximum Oxygen Consumption By The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Sylvia Mullen

Senior Honors Theses

Metabolic rate is an essential feature of animal physiology and ecology. The rate of aerobic metabolism, as determined by oxygen consumption rate (MO2), is influenced by a variety of factors, including body size, temperature, and activity levels. Maximum aerobic metabolic rate (MMR) reflects the physiological capacity of an animal for oxygen extraction and utilization. As such, MMR is argued to be an important feature of an animal’s life history. For fish, MMR is frequently estimated as the peak MO2 immediately following an exhaustive chase, although several studies indicate that this value may underestimate MMR. Rather, MMR may be attained during …

Repeated Boat Noise Exposure Damages Inner Ear Sensory Hair Cells And Decreases Hearing Sensitivity In Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias Undulatus), Gina A. Badlowski

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Tributyltin Exposure On 8-Ohdg And Dsdna Expressions, Oxidative And Nitrative Stress In The American Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Mohan Kumar Dash

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental pollution increases due to anthropogenic activities. Different types of pollutants and/or chemicals impair growth, reproduction and development in aquatic organisms. Tributyltin (TBT, an organotin compound) is a tremendously toxic substance which widely uses as antifouling paints used in boats, hulls, and ships. The toxic effect of TBT is well documented in teleost species. The American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an ideal shellfish species to study on TBT exposure DNA lesion and oxidative/nitrative stress. In this study, the effects of TBT on 8’-hyrodxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG, a molecular marker), dsDNA, dinitrophenyl protein …

Feeding Preference Of The Sea Urchin Arbacia Punctulata For Algal Turf Over Kelp In A Degraded Kelp Forest Ecosystem, Kenneth J. Hamel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Increasingly severe ocean warming and marine heatwave events are driving declines in habitat-forming kelps worldwide. Direct mortality from extreme temperatures, coupled with destabilization of kelp forest communities, commonly trigger ecological community shifts from dominant kelp forests to an algal turf dominated state. Opportunistic algal turf species are more resilient to warming and lack the fundamental structure of kelp forests, and thus reduce ecosystem services and biodiversity. Once in place, algal turf communities contain ecological feedback mechanisms, diminishing kelp recruitment, and potential recovery. The various feedback mechanisms and ecological thresholds that maintain or drive community shifts between kelp forest and algal …

Temporal And Spatial Comparison Of Pseudo-Nitzschia Species Composition And Domoic Acid In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island And The Northeast U.S. Shelf, Isabella Church, Bethany D. Jenkins

Senior Honors Projects

Diatoms are unicellular algae that make up a significant portion of phytoplankton biomass at the base of marine food webs. Narragansett Bay (NB), RI is home to several species of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia (P-n), some of which are known to cause harmful algal blooms through the production of the potent neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). This toxin can lead to Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning in humans through the consumption of affected shellfish. Although the presence of P-n has been well established in NB for over 50 years, DA levels have only recently become a problem, with shellfish harvest closures …

The Form And Function Of Cranial Spines In Fishes, Louis Michael Penrod

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the prevalence of fishes that express cranial spines, quantitative investigations into the function of these spines are rare. Function is often assumed with little or no evidence. Commonly, spine-like structures are considered to be used for defense despite spines potentially being used for other purposes. Here, I took a high-level approach to investigate the morphology and potential functions of cranial spines in over 2000 fishes. Identifying the function of cranial spines in fishes not only informs us as to how these fishes interact with conspecifics, with other species, and with their environment, but also may provide advances in human …

Mycobacteriosis Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) In Virginia Tributaries Of The Chesapeake Bay, Joshua S. Mcgilly

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mycobacteriosis was first documented in Chesapeake Bay striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in 1997 after fish exhibited emaciation and skin lesions. Since it was first identified, studies of mycobacteriosis in the mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay (2003-2007) and the Rappahannock River (2005-2012) have shown high disease prevalence and disease-associated mortality. Until this study, no current prevalence data existed from the Rappahannock River, and no published prevalence data existed for the James River, leaving a gap in our understanding of this disease in major Chesapeake Bay tributaries. We began gathering mycobacteriosis prevalence data from an existing survey collecting striped bass …

Carrying Capacity Of Cultured Bivalves In Cherrystone Inlet, Va, And The Implications Of Spatial Distribution And Environmental Change, Sophia Chirico

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Aquaculture is a growing industry internationally. In the United States, aquaculture of bivalves occurs throughout the Chesapeake Bay. Cherrystone Inlet, a tidal inlet on the Virginia Eastern Shore, is the location of intensive hard clam culture, and recently oyster aquaculture has become common there as well. Given the intensive culture in Cherrystone and similar systems in the Chesapeake, it is important to understand the carrying capacity of the respective bivalves and how they can be grown together. Carrying capacity is defined here as the largest population of individuals that can be supported that allows individuals to reach a harvestable size …

Ocean Quahog (Arctica Islandica) Population Dynamics: Sex-Based Demographics And Regional Comparisons In The Northwest Atlantic, Kathleen M. Hemeon

Dissertations

Arctica islandica (ocean quahog) is the longest-lived bivalve on Earth. Individuals on the deep continental shelf of the Mid-Atlantic (US) can survive for centuries, and when found in the colder, boreal waters of Iceland, ages over 500 years can be reached. The ocean quahog is important in the US, yet very little is known about the resiliency of the ocean quahog stock to fishing activity, and ocean quahog recruitment patterns over time. To quantify and constrain age-reader error prior to age analysis, a triple-method error protocol was developed for A. islandica that included age-reader bias, precision, and error frequency. The …