Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Zooplankton Trophic Ecology In The San Francisco Estuary During Summer As Determined By Stable Isotope Analysis, Kyla Bradylong, Steven Westbrook, Julien Moderan, Wim Kimmerer

STAR Program Research Presentations

Declines in the abundance of several pelagic fish species in the upper San Francisco Estuary have prompted investigation into food web interactions within the estuary and delta (the lower Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers). This area is characterized by low primary production and pelagic food webs much longer and reticulated than previously thought, implying low efficiency in the energy transfers from primary producers to planktivorous fish. We determined the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope (SI) composition of zooplankton samples collected monthly between June 2012 and February 2013 at eight stations along the salinity gradient. As consumers SI composition reflects that …

Big Babies, Big Mammas?: Relationship Of Leatherback Hatchling Size And Mother Size, Shane Morales, Violet Campbell, Kelly Stewart

STAR Program Research Presentations

Individual leatherback hatchlings vary in size when compared to individuals from other nests, as well as individuals from the same nest. It is thought that many factors affect hatchling size but that one of the most influential factors is maternal size. Of all the aspects of a mother which could affect hatchling size, evidence for question concerning influence of mother size is determinable within the field using minimal tools and basic statistical analysis. If a direct correlation exists between mother size and hatchling size then the claim can be made that larger mothers produce larger offspring while smaller mothers produce …

James’S Rule And Causes And Consequences Of A Latitudinal Cline In The Demography Of John’S Snapper (Lutjanus Johnii) In Coastal Waters Of Australia, Mike Cappo, Ross J. Marriott, Stephen J. Newman

Fisheries Research Articles

Demographic parameters were derived from sectioned otoliths of John’s Snapper (Lutjanus johnii) from 4 regions across 9° of latitude and 23° of longitude in northern Australia. Latitudinal variation in size and growth rates of this species greatly exceeded longitudinal variation. Populations of John’s Snapper farthest from the equator had the largest body sizes, in line with James’s rule, and the fastest growth rates, contrary to the temperature size rule for ectotherms. A maximum age of 28.6 years, nearly 3 times previous estimates, was recorded and the largest individual was 990 mm in fork length. Females grew to a larger mean …

In-Water Hull Cleaning And Filtration System: In-Water Cleaning Trials, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Guidance Statement For Oil And Gas Industry Consultation With The Department Of Fisheries, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Oyster Bed Mapping In The Great Bay Estuary, 2012-2013, Raymond E. Grizzle, Krystin M. Ward

PREP Reports & Publications

Six major oyster beds (reefs) in New Hampshire are mapped periodically to assess wild oyster populations in the Great Bay Estuary. Data on the spatial extent of the beds are combined with density and other measures to estimate the abundances of live oysters. The first objective of the present project was to determine the spatial extent of these six oyster beds, and to compare the 2012/2013 data with previous mapping efforts. A second objective was twofold: to map the extent of live oyster bottom at selected recent oyster restoration sites, and to map areas where oyster beds have been known …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Macrofaunal Diversity Components Relative To Sea Floor Landscape, Roman Zajac, Brittney R. Gibbons, Joseph M. Vozarik

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

We examined temporal changes in macrofaunal α- and β-diversity over several spatial scales (within patches, among patches, across landscapes and across regions) in Long Island Sound on the northeast USA coast. Regional ε-diversity was estimated at 144 taxa, however γ-diversity fluctuated over time as did α- and β-diversity components. Based on additive partitioning, patch- and region-scale β-diversity components generally had the highest contributions to γ-diversity; lower percentages were found at within-patch and landscape scales. Multiplicative diversity partitioning indicated highest species turnover at within- and among patch scales. For all partition results, within-patch and patch-scale β-diversity increased sharply when hypoxia impacted …

Estudios Científicos En El Estado De Hidalgo Y Zonas Aledañas, Volumen Ii, Griselda Pulido-Flores, Scott Monks

Zea E-Books Collection

Los 16 capítulos que conforman este libro son una contribución al conocimiento de la biodiversidad y conservación de los recursos naturales en el estado de Hidalgo, México.

Se aborda el derecho de propiedad intelectual en la biodiversidad, citando algunos ejemplos de México. Así mismo, se presenta un estudio de la biodiversidad y distribución de la herpetofauna en cuatro tipos de vegetación. Desde el punto de vista de la helmintología se presentan dos estudios de los helmintos parásitos de vertebrados silvestres; con nuevos registros de hospederos y localidades de algunas especies de helmintos para Hidalgo. También, se aborda el uso de …

Fish And Decapod Community Structure In Estuarine Habitats Of The New Orleans Land Bridge, Including A Description Of The Life Cycle Of Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) In Southeastern Louisiana, William Stein Iii

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Estuarine marshes are generally considered to be productive but not necessarily diverse ecosystems. During 24 consecutive months, I collected 65,000 fishes and decapods comprising over 65 species from the New Orleans Land Bridge, an estuarine salt marsh. My research details the distribution of nekton across five contiguous but geomorphically different regions, which I defined as “Areas”. This factor “Area” was significant in explaining community composition differences in 11 of the 24 months I evaluated. That is, during those 11 months community structure was different among the Areas. Specific “month” was also found to be a significant factor as community structure …

The Effects Of Refuge On Escape Responses Of Two Caribbean Goby Species, Russell P. Dauksis

Senior Honors Projects

The Effects of Refuge Abundance on Escape Responses of the Bridled Goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum)

Russell P. Dauksis

Major

Marine Biology

Advisor

Dr. Graham Forrester

Advisor Department

Natural Resources Science

Date

5-2012

Keywords

Escapology, marine ecology, functional morphology, animal behavior, predator-prey interactions, Bridled Goby, Coryphopterus glaucofraenum

Abstract

Interactions between predators and prey species are arguably the most pervasive and important events in ecology. Predators have strong effects on the distribution and abundance of prey in virtually all environments. In the long-term, it is therefore hardly surprising that selective mortality imposed by predators has shaped a wide array of prey behaviors …

For The Birds, Milan Bull

Wrack Lines

A new column about shore birds, starting with piping plovers.

Marine Turtle Health Assessment And Aquarium Suitability: Uzi Island, Zanzibar, Olivia “Warda” Crane

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study assessed the health of the marine turtles in the aquarium on Uzi Island. Health evaluations of each turtle included size, eating habit, and physical abnormalities. Behaviorally the sea turtles were observed at two different time periods multiple times. Results were compared to research on wild sea turtles. The conditions of the aquarium were evaluated for water quality and holding capacity. The water temperature, pH, and salinity levels were tested to assess the water quality. The results showed that the overall health of the sea turtles were positive from the normal activities and few abnormalities. The overall aquarium conditions …

Partners In Spread Prevention, Nancy C. Balcom

Wrack Lines

Working together to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Basin Isolation And Oceanographic Features Influencing Lineage Divergence In The Humbug Damselfish (Dascyllus Aruanus) In The Coral Triangle, Jeremy M. Raynal

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The Coral Triangle (CT) is a hotspot for marine species diversity as well as for intraspecific genetic diversity. Here, nuclear RAG2 and mitochondrial D-Loop genes were used to identify deep genetic divergence among Dascyllus aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758) populations across relatively short scales within the CT. Mitochondrial clades different by greater than 20 mutational steps were geographically isolated from one another across the distance between Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands, and also east and west across the Philippines. Evidence for population structure in the Sulu Sea and at the Lesser Sunda Islands is also identified. The results suggest that the …

Comparative Phylogeography Of The Emperor Snappers Lethrinus Lentjan And Lethrinus Harak (Lethrinidae: Percoidei) In The Coral Triangle, Andrew B. Hines

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Many questions remain regarding the origins of the well-known peak in marine biodiversity found in the Coral Triangle. Barriers to gene flow may promote lineage diversification and provide the potential for speciation contributing to the high biodiversity in this area. Population structure was examined in two species of Emperor Snappers (Lethrinidae), Lethrinus harak and Lethrinus lentjan. These species were selected because they share similar life-history traits and geographic distributions, but differ in their habitat preferences. Specimens were collected from within the Coral Triangle as well as other localities across the Indo-Pacific. To investigate phylogeographic patterns and structure a hypervariable …

Rapid Change In Shallow Water Fish Species Composition In An Historically Stable Antarctic Environment, Bradley A. Buckley

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, is home to a unique marine biota with an ecology that has evolved in this frigid environment over millions of years. The region is one of the least disturbed, and possibly the last pristine, marine ecosystem on Earth. Here, the results of three seasons of fishing in the shallow nearshore waters of McMurdo Sound are reported. A shift in the composition of small fish species at one site, Inaccessible Island, has been observed in just five years. The shift in shallow water species composition occurred during a period that followed the maturation of a commercial fishery for …

Phase Ii Of Tidal Marsh Restoration At Steedman Woods Reserve At York, Maine, David M. Burdick, Chris Peter, Gregg Moore

Jackson Estuarine Laboratory

No abstract provided.

Fall 2013, Nova Southeastern University

Currents

No abstract provided.

The Biology And Ecology Of Epinephilidae Speciea And Their Implications To Fisheries Management, Jason R. How

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines the biological and ecological aspects of members of the globally exploited Epinephilidae with reference to fisheries management and in particular the use of closures. The leopard coralgrouper Plectropomus leopardus is a common reef fish throughout the Indo-Pacific region and a major target of both commercial and recreational fisheries. There has been limited research on this species in the eastern Indian Ocean, where there are only two populations. An examination of the species found a number of significant biological differences to their eastern Australian con-specifics. Most noticeable was the strong size-related cue over their protogynous sex change. The …

Bacterial Colonization And Extinction On Marine Aggregates: Stochastic Model Of Species Presence And Abundance, Andrew M. Kramer, M. Maille Lyons, Fred C. Dobbs, John M. Drake

OES Faculty Publications

Organic aggregates provide a favorable habitat for aquatic microbes, are efficiently filtered by shellfish, and may play a major role in the dynamics of aquatic pathogens. Quantifying this role requires understanding how pathogen abundance in the water and aggregate size interact to determine the presence and abundance of pathogen cells on individual aggregates. We build upon current understanding of the dynamics of bacteria and bacterial grazers on aggregates to develop a model for the dynamics of a bacterial pathogen species. The model accounts for the importance of stochasticity and the balance between colonization and extinction. Simulation results suggest that while …

Biology Department Newsletter, No. 3, Sacred Heart University

Biology Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Genetic Population Structure Of Us Atlantic Coastal Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis), David T. Gauthier, Corinne A. Audemard, Jeanette E. L. Carlsson, Tanya L. Darden, Michael R. Denson, Kimberly S. Reece, Jens Carlsson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Genetic population structure of anadromous striped bass along the US Atlantic coast was analyzed using 14 neutral nuclear DNA microsatellites. Young-of-the-year and adult striped bass (n = 1114) were sampled from Hudson River, Delaware River, Chesapeake Bay, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Analyses indicated clear population structure with significant genetic differentiation between all regions. Global multilocus F-ST was estimated at 0.028 (P < 0.001). Population structure followed an isolation-by-distance model and temporal sampling indicated a stable population structure more than 2 years at all locations. Significant structure was absent within Hudson River, whereas weak but significant genetic differences were observed between northern and southern samples in Chesapeake Bay. The largest and smallest effective striped bass population sizes were found in Chesapeake Bay and South Carolina, respectively. Coalescence analysis indicated that the highest historical gene flow has been between Chesapeake Bay and Hudson River populations, and that exchange has not been unidirectional. Bayesian analysis of contemporary migration indicated that Chesapeake Bay serves as a major source of migrants for Atlantic coastal regions from Albemarle Sound northward. In addition to examining population genetic structure, the data acquired during this project were capable of serving as a baseline for assigning fish with unknown origin to source region.

Gulf-Wide Decreases In The Size Of Large Coastal Sharks Documented By Generations Of Fishermen, Sean P. Powers, F. Joel Frodrie, Steven B. Scyphers, J. Marcus Drymon, Robert L. Shipp, Gregory W. Stunz

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Large sharks are top predators in most coastal and marine ecosystems throughout the world, and evidence of their reduced prominence in marine ecosystems has been a serious concern for fisheries and ecosystem management. Unfortunately, quantitative data to document the extent, timing, and consequences of changes in shark populations are scarce, thwarting examination of long-term (decadal, century) trends, and reconstructions based on incomplete data sets have been the subject of debate. Absence of quantitative descriptors of past ecological conditions is a generic problem facing many fields of science but is particularly troublesome for fisheries scientists who must develop specific targets for …

Family Matters: An Analysis Of Genetic Relatedness Of Tetraclita Rubescens (The Pink Volcano Barnacle) Over Several Spatial Scales At Monterey And Bodega Bay, California, Kelly N. Chang

Scripps Senior Theses

Inbreeding involves the mating of closely related individuals at a higher frequency than at random; this can decrease the average fitness of populations and individuals by reducing the presence of heterozygotes and augmenting the expression of deleterious genes. Since marine invertebrates exhibit widespread dispersal, their potential for inbreeding is often disregarded. The adult sessile state of barnacles creates the potential for inbreeding as a result of necessary copulation between neighboring individuals. Depending on the degree of mixing that occurs during dispersal, closely related individuals or siblings may settle in close proximity, generating the possibility of kin aggregation and consequent inbreeding. …

Ontogenetic Shifts In Resource Allocation: Colour Change And Allometric Growth Of Defensive And Reproductive Structures In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Joshua R. Anderson, Angelo J. Spadaro, J. Antonio Baeza, Donald C. Behringer

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Resource allocation theory predicts a disproportionately large allocation of resources to defensive structures during early ontogeny in organisms that are subject to more intense predation at smaller than at larger body sizes. We tested this prediction on the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus, which exhibits a negative relationship between predation risk and body size with a high natural mortality of smaller individuals. Independent allometric growth analyses demonstrated that numerous defensive structures (e.g. orbital horns, segments supporting the antenna, the tail fan) display negative allometric growth throughout ontogeny. We interpret these findings as lobsters investing disproportionately more resources to defensive …

Phylogeography Of The Christmas Tree Worm Spirobranchus Corniculatus (Annelida, Serpulidae) From The Coral Triangle, Australia, And Fiji, Abril Iñiguez, Craig J. Starger, Elena Kupriyanova, Demian Willette, Tristan Varman, Joshua A. Drew, Abdul Hamid Toha, Benedict Maralit, Kent E. Carpenter, Paul H. Barber

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Christmas Tree Woms is a common name given to a group of large and colourful serpulid polychaetes of the genus Spirobranchus that are obligate symbionts of hermatypic corals commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions world-wide. While current taxonomic species delimitations of these worms are based almost exclusively on the morphology of opercular structures, particularly the number and shape of calcareous opercular horns, high levels of intraspecific variation in this morphological feature have made species boundaries within the genus difficult to resolve. Molecular work to differentiate serpulid worms has long been hampered by the availability of informative markers. Recent work …

Multiscale Analysis Of Factors That Affect The Distribution Of Sharks Throughout The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, J. Marcus Drymon, Laure Carassou, Sean P. Powers, Mark Grace, John Dindo, Brian Dzwonkowski

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Identification of the spatial scale at which marine communities are organized is critical to proper management, yet this is particularly difficult to determine for highly migratory species like sharks. We used shark catch data collected during 2006–09 from fishery- independent bottom-longline surveys, as well as biotic and abiotic explanatory data to identify the factors that affect the distribution of coastal sharks at 2 spatial scales in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Centered principal component analyses (PCAs) were used to visualize the patterns that characterize shark distributions at small (Alabama and Mississippi coast) and large (northern Gulf of Mexico) spatial scales. …

Horseshoe Crab Eggs: A Rare Resource For Predators In Long Island Sound, Mark Beekey, Jennifer Mattei, Barbara J. Pierce

Biology Faculty Publications

In Delaware Bay, the spawning of several million horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) coincides with the arrival of migratory shorebirds that feed on their eggs. High horseshoe crab spawning densities and resulting high egg densities drive egg availability and predation rates. At high spawning densities, female horseshoe crabs perturb previously deposited clutches causing eggs to rise to the sediment surface (surface egg densities average 100,000 eggs m^{− 2}). At the surface (0–5 cm), the eggs are quickly depleted by shorebirds and other predators. This interaction between egg density and egg predation has not been explicitly explored on …

Effect Of Laser Ablation Depth In Otolith Life History Scans, Renée R. Hoover, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

Life history scans of fish otoliths are bringing new insight into the structure, connectivity, and movement of fish populations. Data obtained from such scans, however, possess in-herent limitations that have not yet been fully addressed or understood. For example, several investigators have noted delays in otolith elemental uptake that do not appear to reflect habitat exposure. We hypothesized that the 3-dimensional structure of otoliths may produce sampling artifacts in the results obtained from laser ablation scans. To test this hypothesis, we sampled sagittal otoliths from juvenile Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to obtain …

Herbivory By Parma Mccullochi (Pomacentridae) : Its Role As An Ecosystem Engineer In Temperate Algal-Dominated Reefs, Frederico Vitelli

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Pomacentridae is one of the most representative families of herbivorous fishes inhabiting both tropical and temperate reefs, yet the vast majority of studies examining feeding within this family have been undertaken in tropical rather than temperate regions. Despite the high abundances of the pomacentrid Parma mccullochi in temperate waters of Western Australia, and their likely importance in removing algae from reefs in the region, there is a lack of information on their diet and their impact on the reef algal community. This study aims to determine the role of Parma mccullochi as an ecosystem engineer on temperate algal-dominated reefs in …