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Articles 61 - 90 of 381
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Non-Lethal Predictors Of Organ Level Metal Contaminants In Central Florida Red-Shouldered Hawks, Jennifer Bouchenot
Non-Lethal Predictors Of Organ Level Metal Contaminants In Central Florida Red-Shouldered Hawks, Jennifer Bouchenot
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Elemental contaminants aggregate in the environment due to human activity and can induce detrimental physiological effects within organisms. Birds exhibit exceptional susceptibility to many pollutants and are popular biomonitoring agents throughout the world. Birds of prey are of special interest due to their substantial biomagnification potential. Lethal sampling of internal organs yields accurate contaminant measurements, but recent sampling trends are endeavoring towards non-destructive sampling such as feathers. This methodological shift stems from researchers' preference for less-regulated samples, enhanced animal welfare, and broadening the possible collaborative audience with simpler protocols. Unfortunately, investigations of feathers have shown that their accuracy is capricious …
Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis
Assessing The Role Of Disturbance In Estuarine Fish Community Dynamics, Dakota Lewis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Ecological disturbances alter biotic communities and ecosystems. In many coastal zones disturbances are increasing, including algal blooms, storms, hypoxic events, and fish kills. These disturbances are often related, for example blooms releasing toxins or depleting dissolved oxygen, ultimately killing fish. Depending on the intensity, duration, and geographic extent of a disturbance, the fish community can take days to years to recover from disturbances. To explore the relationships among environmental disturbances, sport fish, and forage fish communities, this thesis examined two Florida estuaries with differing disturbance regimes. Using an ensemble modelling approach combining generalized linear models (GLM), Bayesian modelling, and Bayesian …
Phototransduction Components In The Visual System Of Hard-Bodied Ticks, Arimar J. López Limas
Phototransduction Components In The Visual System Of Hard-Bodied Ticks, Arimar J. López Limas
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Ticks are terrestrial invertebrate parasites that attach to their hosts to feed on their blood. Ticks are composed of three families: Ixodidae, Argasidae, and Nuttalliellidae. Ixodid ticks include members of the genera Amblyomma, Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Dermacentor, and Rhipicephalus. Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and humans, making them an important organism to study. Current tick-bite mitigation strategies include acaricides (harmful if misused), and CO2 traps (effective in decreasing tick abundance, but costly to use). Since the visual system of ticks has not been studied extensively, I expect that by studying their visual system, alternative tick-bite mitigation …
Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels Of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative To Native Populations, Jacob Lafond
Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels Of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative To Native Populations, Jacob Lafond
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Maintenance of genetic diversity at ecologically-relevant loci may be important for allowing invasive populations to become established despite decreases in genomic diversity due to founder effects. To evaluate this prediction, we compared genetic diversity at an expressed MHC class IIß gene fragment to a 909 bp region of the neutral cytochrome b (cytb) locus from 20 populations of the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) across its North American invasive and native ranges and quantified the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen, for which R. catesbeiana is a vector species. We recovered 28 unique MHC alleles and found that invasive populations …
A Drosophila P5b-Type Atpase Is Required For Polyamine Transport, David Brown
A Drosophila P5b-Type Atpase Is Required For Polyamine Transport, David Brown
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
In eukaryotes P-type ATPases are represented by a superfamily of membrane ion and lipid transporters divided into five subclasses. Substrates for classes 1-4 have been identified, however little is known about the substrate specificity of the P-type 5A and 5B transporters. Here we show that the Drosophila gene anne boleyn encodes a family of six P5B-type ATPases. Using a combination of RNAi, insertional mutagenesis, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing we show that some of these isoforms are required for polyamine transport and others are not. In addition, we show that the Drosophila P5A-type ATPase, encoded by CG6230 is not required for …
Long-Term Changes In Juvenile Green Turtle Abundance And Foraging Ecology In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Christopher Long
Long-Term Changes In Juvenile Green Turtle Abundance And Foraging Ecology In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Christopher Long
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Marine turtles are distributed in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical waters and beaches worldwide, often in areas heavily impacted by humans. Although there are many threats to marine turtle populations, the growing threats of nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms are relatively understudied despite their widespread impacts on coastal marine ecosystems that marine turtles depend on. By studying juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, where nutrient pollution and HABs are a widespread and longstanding issue, I aimed to conduct a case study of how these threats may affect this federally Threatened species. In Chapter 2, I …
Urbanization Impacts On Campus Cypress Domes, Jennifer Bennett, Ashley Boggs, Nathan Colonna, Angela Ferebee, Bruno Kallas
Urbanization Impacts On Campus Cypress Domes, Jennifer Bennett, Ashley Boggs, Nathan Colonna, Angela Ferebee, Bruno Kallas
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Cypress domes are terrestrial freshwater ecosystems characterized by the presence of cypress trees (Taxodium spp.) growing in well-defined, dome-shaped clusters throughout the southeastern United States. These systems are one of many ecosystems in Florida facing increasing threats from human expansion and urbanization including fire suppression, logging, and hydrological alterations. This study sought to examine the impacts of urbanization on three cypress domes located on the University of Central Florida Orlando campus. To do this, we measured the defining traits, dendrochronology of Taxodium distichum var. imbricarium, and soil characteristics in each of the three selected domes. The cypress …
Validation And Optimization Of Hyperspectral Reflectance Analysis-Based Predictive Models For The Determination Of Plant Functional Traits In Cornus, Rhododendron, And Salix, Milton I. Valdiviezo
Validation And Optimization Of Hyperspectral Reflectance Analysis-Based Predictive Models For The Determination Of Plant Functional Traits In Cornus, Rhododendron, And Salix, Milton I. Valdiviezo
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) has become increasingly widespread throughout various fields as an alternative method for efficiently phenotyping crops and plants at rates unparalleled by conventional means. With growing reliability, the convergence of NIR spectroscopy and modern machine learning represent a promising methodology offering unprecedented access to rapid, high throughput phenotyping at negligible costs, representing prospects that excite agronomists and plant physiologists alike. However, as is true of all emergent methodologies, progressive refinement towards optimization exposes potential flaws and raises questions, one of which is the cornerstone of this study. Spectroscopic determination of plant functional traits utilizes plants' morphological and …
The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Mental Health And Neurological Disorders, Gabriella Victoria Fernandez De Salvo
The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Mental Health And Neurological Disorders, Gabriella Victoria Fernandez De Salvo
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Sleep deprivation is defined as an individual sleeping less than 6 hours per night. It is a common behavior amongst individuals who live in industrialized nations.Along with industrialization, its prevalence is also expected to rise with age. Despite this, there has been a shift in recent years with sleep deprivation increasing in the youth, likely related to the increased use of technology during the nighttime. Sleep deprivation and chronic sleep disruption are behaviors commonly observed amongst patients suffering from neurological and psychiatric disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and anxiety. Many of these patients suffer from sleep disorders like …
Investigating The Effects Of Uv Filters In Sunscreen On Human And Environmental Health, Brittany M. Thompson
Investigating The Effects Of Uv Filters In Sunscreen On Human And Environmental Health, Brittany M. Thompson
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Ultraviolet filters are active ingredients in sunscreen that protect us from harmful UV radiation. However, organic UV filters are thought to have adverse effects on the environment and humans. In recent years, fear of harmful impacts of sunscreen has caused a surge of coral reef safe sunscreens to hit the market. These sunscreens, which contain inorganic metal oxides as UV filters, have been accepted as safe for humans and the environment until recently. Metal oxides in reef safe sunscreens may form intermediates in the water that can harm marine life and can absorb through the skin and into the blood, …
Sensing Symbiosis: Investigating The Symbiotic Magnetic Sensing Hypothesis In Fish Using Genomics, Elizabeth Boggs
Sensing Symbiosis: Investigating The Symbiotic Magnetic Sensing Hypothesis In Fish Using Genomics, Elizabeth Boggs
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The mechanism behind magnetoreception – the ability to sense magnetic fields for orientation and navigation – still remains one of the most difficult questions to answer in sensory biology, with fish being just one of many taxa known to possess this sense. Characterizing a magnetic sense in fish is crucial for understanding how they navigate their environment and can inform on how increasing anthropogenic sources of electromagnetic fields in aquatic environments may affect threatened fish species. This study examined the hypothesis put forth by Natan and Vortman (2017) that magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), bacteria that create their own chains of magnetic …
Role Of Polyploidy In Leaf Functional Trait Evolution Across Wild Helianthus, Anestacia S. Robinson
Role Of Polyploidy In Leaf Functional Trait Evolution Across Wild Helianthus, Anestacia S. Robinson
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Whole genome duplication, or polyploidy, is a common process in plants by which failures in meiosis or fertilization result in offspring with twice the number of chromosomes. This doubles the number of copies of every gene, an effect thought to generate new ‘raw material' upon which natural selection can act. Few studies exist examining the consequences of polyploidy for plant physiological traits. Doubling the number of gene copies may have unknown effects on leaf structure and function. In this study, I compare diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid species within the genus Helianthus (wild sunflowers). Forty different accessions of wild sunflowers were …
Developmental Effects Of Terpenes On Vanessa Cardui At Varying Temperatures, Mari Irving
Developmental Effects Of Terpenes On Vanessa Cardui At Varying Temperatures, Mari Irving
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Secondary metabolites are organic compounds produced by plants that are not essential in growth, development, or reproduction. While they are not strictly necessary to complete the plant life cycle, secondary metabolites play key roles in functions like defense against herbivory and the moderation of symbiotic relationships. Terpenes are a major class of secondary metabolites present in all plants, and this class is hypothesized to have diversified in response to specific plant-herbivore interactions. These complex interactions are further complicated by changes in abiotic conditions experienced seasonally. Herbivory is a major biotic interaction that plays out across broad temporal and spatial scales …
Examining A Fish Community And Its Response To Coastal Restoration In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Richard Mahoney
Examining A Fish Community And Its Response To Coastal Restoration In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Richard Mahoney
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Globally, coastal habitats are experiencing degradation due to the increase of human population growth, development along coastlines, and a constantly changing climate. This threatens the future production of critical ecosystem services such as shoreline stabilization, water filtration, nursery grounds for marine fauna, and many more. To combat these losses, resource managers are actively restoring coastal habitat. Past research suggests restoring habitats has mixed results; numerous factors influence restoration success. This study is among the first to assess the nekton community in the Matanzas River estuary and uses a BACI experimental design to quantify the effect of habitat restoration on the …
Masters Of The Manipulator? A Species Description And Comparative Genomics Study Of Two New Hyperparasites Of The Zombie Ant Fungus, Brittany Lebert
Masters Of The Manipulator? A Species Description And Comparative Genomics Study Of Two New Hyperparasites Of The Zombie Ant Fungus, Brittany Lebert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Fungal hyperparasites have been known to indirectly impact ecosystem composition and disease dynamics by modulating the population size and transmission of their parasite host. In the present study we formally describe two new hyperparasite species that infect the fungus Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani, which manipulates the behavior of the Florida carpenter ant. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that both fungal hyperparasites are new, distinct species. The unique morphology and phylogenetic placement of one of the species even supports its placement in a new genus, which we have named Niveomyces. Our field data suggests that both new species, Polycephalomyces oviedoensis and Niveomyces ophiocordycipitis, negatively impact …
Molecular And Phenotypic Diversification Of A Cryptic Group Of Terrestrial Frogs From The Southern Andes Of Ecuador, Veronica Urgiles Penafiel
Molecular And Phenotypic Diversification Of A Cryptic Group Of Terrestrial Frogs From The Southern Andes Of Ecuador, Veronica Urgiles Penafiel
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The Ecuadorean Andes sustains one of the most remarkable frog diversifications. In this region, nearly one in three known species of amphibians belong to the Pristimantis genus, which contains the majority of the direct-developing terrestrial frog species. Although efforts are ongoing to understand the diversity of Pristimantis, large regions of the ecosystems they occupy remain understudied, and speciation and diversity of this genus remains poorly understood. Within this context, an interesting taxon with many unresolved questions regarding patterns and process of diversification is the Pristimantis orestes species complex which is distributed across the Paramo landscape and montane forests in the …
Genetic Control Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization In Helianthus Annuus, Katherine Stahlhut
Genetic Control Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization In Helianthus Annuus, Katherine Stahlhut
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Plant symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi provides many benefits for plants, including increased nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and belowground pathogen resistance. In order to have a better understanding of the genetic architecture of mycorrhizal symbiosis, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) by phenotyping a diversity panel of cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) for root colonization under inoculation with the AM fungus Rhizophagus intraradices. This mapping panel consists of 261 inbred lines that capture approximately 90% of the genetic diversity present in the cultivated sunflower germplasm. Using a mixed linear model approach with a high-density genetic map, we …
Getting Lost: The Fungal Hijacking Of Ant Foraging Behavior In Space And Time, Thienthanh Trinh
Getting Lost: The Fungal Hijacking Of Ant Foraging Behavior In Space And Time, Thienthanh Trinh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
Many parasites have evolved strategies to exploit host behavior such that it benefits parasite transmission. Ophiocordyceps manipulations of carpenter ant behavior represent an evident example. Manipulated ants are coerced to ascend vegetation and clamp down their mandibles in a stereotypical "death-grip" bite. The fungus then kills the ant, sprouts a stalk and releases infective spores. Research has focused on this ultimate manipulation, leaving the subtler behavioral changes pre-biting largely unexplored. Field and transcriptome data found that the host circadian clocks, olfaction, and communication may be disrupted, suggesting that the fungus is affecting ant foraging activity and effectivity. To test these …
The Effects Of Plant Phytochemistry On Parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Niche Breadth, Ryan Ridenbaugh
The Effects Of Plant Phytochemistry On Parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Niche Breadth, Ryan Ridenbaugh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023
The definition of a species, a fundamental unit of biology, has been debated since its inception. This level of classification is vital to our ability to make meaningful comparisons across all subdisciplines of biology. Cryptic species, those which are indistinguishable from another species using morphology alone, pose a unique problem. This is especially true for biological control programs, where the control of an invasive pest is achieved through the importation of a natural enemy or parasitoid from the pest's native range. The accidental importation of a cryptic species could have long lasting negative environmental effects. Molecular taxonomy provides a solution. …
Pine, Aphids, And Parasitoid Wasps: Patterns Of Cospeciation And Host Switches In A Tri-Trophic System, Amber Bass
Pine, Aphids, And Parasitoid Wasps: Patterns Of Cospeciation And Host Switches In A Tri-Trophic System, Amber Bass
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Ecological interactions may drive speciation events, and the processes that drive these speciation events can leave behind patterns in the phylogenies of interacting taxa. These patterns have been studied extensively in herbivores and host plants, as well as parasites and their hosts, but rarely in tri-trophic systems. Here, we examine three closely related groups of interacting taxa, including parasitoid wasps (Pauesia), aphid herbivores (Cinara), and pine trees (Pinus) to determine if the patterns between each interacting taxa indicate that cospeciation or host switches are more dominant. We create phylogenies of Cinara and Pauesia in the southeastern United States using ddRADseq …
Do Per-Capita Impact Or Abundance Dominate The Impact Of An Invader? Interactions Among Neighboring Species In Context-Dependent Competition, Haoyu Li
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Evaluating relative species competitive strength is a central question in community ecology, with strong implications for invasion ecology. Models assessing invader success consider three components: distribution, abundance and per-capita impact. However, relative strength and interactions among these factors remain unclear when applying to specific invasion scenarios. We hypothesized that performance of native and non-native species will vary as a function of direct and indirect effects at different abundances and scales. We conducted a replacement experiment between two dominant grasses in subtropical grasslands (the native Axonopus fissifolius and the non-native Paspalum notatum) in central Florida, USA. Thirty fenced plots (1 m …
Biogeochemical Effects Of Sea Level Rise-Induced Transitions Within Coastal Wetlands, Havalend Steinmuller
Biogeochemical Effects Of Sea Level Rise-Induced Transitions Within Coastal Wetlands, Havalend Steinmuller
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As sea level rise (SLR) affects coastal wetlands, ecosystem responses can include vertical accretion, landward transgression, or submergence. Sea level rise-induced transitions can alter key biogeochemical transformations within wetland soils, impacting the ability of these systems to provide ecosystem services, specifically carbon (C) storage and water quality regulation. Through a series of complementary laboratory and field-based studies, biogeochemical responses to salinity, vegetation shifts, and submergence were investigated. Changes in nutrient dynamics associated with saltwater intrusion were evaluated by artificially adding saline water to different freshwater wetland soil types, indicating that potential exports of critical nutrients (forms of nitrogen, phosphorus, and …
Assessing The Impact Of Oyster Reef And Living Shoreline Restoration On Macroinvertebrate Community Assemblages In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Adam Searles
Honors Undergraduate Theses
As the world continues to experience substantial rates of habitat loss, habitat restoration has become of prime interest to ecologists worldwide. Restoration has shown to be successful in recovering targeted components of certain ecosystems but it is important to achieve a holistic understanding of the resulting ecological impacts it has on communities. To address this, four oyster reefs and three living shorelines were restored during the summer of 2017. These sites, along with four dead oyster reefs, four living oyster reefs, and three undisturbed (control) living shorelines, were sampled before restoration and regularly post-restoration for one year using lift nets. …
The Hyperaccumulation Of Zinc In Sunflowers And Its Effect On Disease Resistance, Rayner J. Seavey
The Hyperaccumulation Of Zinc In Sunflowers And Its Effect On Disease Resistance, Rayner J. Seavey
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Sunflowers are considered to be a part of a group of plants known as hyperaccumulators that share the ability to accumulate high amounts of heavy metals in the above ground organs, far in excess of the levels found in other species, often without suffering any phytotoxic effects. Quantifying the effects of zinc accumulation through the lens of the elemental defense hypothesis is essential for uncovering if there is a means to increase herbivore resistance in agricultural settings without the use of external interventions such as pesticides. A greenhouse study was conducted on four widely grown commercial cultivars of sunflower. Each …
Capillary Electrophoresis Buffer Optimization For Plant Tissue Analysis, Rebekah Davis
Capillary Electrophoresis Buffer Optimization For Plant Tissue Analysis, Rebekah Davis
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is an analytical chemistry approach that allows for the efficient separation by charge of diverse classes of compounds for analysis, including secondary metabolites. The goal of this work was to optimize a buffer system for plant tissue analysis using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), and by doing so to understand the role of buffer components in the performance of this form of capillary electrophoresis. In this experiment we implemented a factorial design to optimize buffer composition for separating plant tissue and secondary metabolites. The results of this experiment will be used to optimize a universal buffer for MEKC …
Investigation Of Microplastic Accumulation In The Gastrointestinal Tract In Birds Of Prey, Julia Carlin
Investigation Of Microplastic Accumulation In The Gastrointestinal Tract In Birds Of Prey, Julia Carlin
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Plastic pollution is unavoidable in the natural environment. Consequences of plastic ingestion include exposure to environmental pollutants and toxin accumulation, causing endocrine disruption, inflammatory and physiological stress in organisms. Microplastics have been shown to transfer across food webs, however, limited studies have examined microplastic accumulation across terrestrial food webs. Furthermore, few studies have examined plastic pollution in apex predatory animals. A study was conducted to quantify the abundance of plastic pollution in the gastrointestinal tract in birds of prey. Two species were investigated, one which forages in terrestrial habitats and one which forages in aquatic environments including Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered …
Micromanipulation And Genetic Analysis Of Individual Sperm Cells For Sexual Assault Investigations, Amanda Penn
Micromanipulation And Genetic Analysis Of Individual Sperm Cells For Sexual Assault Investigations, Amanda Penn
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Sexual assault investigations utilize both physical and biological evidence to aid in the investigation. Physical evidence may include fingerprints, hair, fibers, stains, soil, and glass. Biological evidence may include semen, saliva, vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, and skin. Semen, often found in small or trace quantities, is of great importance when trying to identify the perpetrator. From the semen sample, DNA profiles using autosomal short tandem repeats (aSTRs) (gold standard in forensic science) or Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) can be obtained and can be used to identify a perpetrator through comparison to suspect reference samples or by searching the profile …
Investigating The Role Of Neuronal Aging In Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Katlin Marie Hencak
Investigating The Role Of Neuronal Aging In Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome, Katlin Marie Hencak
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is an X-linked late-onset neurodegenerative disorder caused by a noncoding trinucleotide repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene. This gene produces fragile x mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA binding protein whose targets are involved in brain development and synaptic plasticity. One of the proposed mechanisms of FXTAS pathogenesis is an RNA gain-of-function in which the repeat expansion causes toxic mRNA that sequesters important proteins in the cell, interfering with their functions. Another suggested method of pathogenesis is through a mutant protein called FMRpolyG. This protein results from repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation, in which the expanded …
Elucidating The Role Of Oxygen And Biotype In The Environmental Persistence Of Vibrio Cholerae, Amy M. Freiberg
Elucidating The Role Of Oxygen And Biotype In The Environmental Persistence Of Vibrio Cholerae, Amy M. Freiberg
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments and serves as the etiological agent for the severe diarrheal disease, cholera. Cholera epidemics follow a regular seasonal pattern, which account for tens to hundreds of thousands of deaths in a given year. V. choleraenaturally persist between epidemics through entry into a dormant state known as viable but nonculturable (VBNC). Research has shown that V. choleraein this VBNC state experience drastic morphological and metabolic changes, which serve as survival mechanisms until environmental conditions become suitable again. The natural marine ecosystem that V. cholerae inhabitis comprised of a complex …
Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall
Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was recently downlisted federally from "endangered" to "threatened" despite acknowledgments of remaining threats to long term population persistence. Challenges to future manatee conservation include, but are not limited to, increases in frequency of harmful algal blooms, intensifying anthropogenic disturbance, and loss of warm-water habitat. The goals of this dissertation were 1) to assess threats to the manatee via a comprehensive, long-term (1973-2016), retrospective analysis of the manatee rescue and rehabilitation partnership (MRRP) and 2) to use seascape genetics analysis to examine whether abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic seascape variables could significantly describe genetic distance patterns …