Marine Biology | Open Access Articles | Digital Commons Network™

Final Report Floating Upwelling System Harvest Road Oceans, Robert Michael, Scott Bennett

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A Floating Upwelling System or FLUPSY is a mechanical system for the culture of seed stock during the nursery stage of commercial bivalve production.

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Screening Ocean Samples From Georgia For The Presence Of Msx And Dermo Using Pcr And Qpcr Methods, Olivia Michelle Williams

Honors Theses and Capstones

This Senior Thesis project aimed to be able to screen samples that came in from a PhD student in Georgia for the presence of two oyster diseases, MSX and Dermo. This study was done using PCR followed by visualizing on E-gels for initial presence of disease. These were then followed by qPCR and visualization on Criterion gels. These Criterion gels were able to be analyzed in order to calculate the pg/uL of MSX and Dermo in the original ocean samples. Since the samples were sent in over the course of February-August ‘21 the presence over time was also able to …

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Validation Of The Use Of Clathromorphum Compactum Growth And Skeletal Δ18o As A Proxy For Seawater Conditions, Teagan Mcmahon

Pitzer Senior Theses

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are important organisms that create benthic habitat in the photic zone of oceans worldwide. CCAs mechanisms of photosynthesis and calcification may, in some cases, make them vulnerable to climate change and ocean acidification. Therefore, CCA are important not only for their ecological role within ecosystems but also for their ability to indicate the effects that ocean acidification and climate change may have on other marine calcifying organisms. Some species of CCA are known to be useful recorders of paleo oceanic conditions. These climate archives and reconstructions of past environmental conditions are important for understanding past changes …

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Sheepshead (Archosargus Probatocephalus) Neurocranium, Andrew J. Hartmann, Steven Peterson, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)

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Assessment Of Temperature Optimum Signatures Of Corals At Both Latitudinal Extremes Of The Red Sea, Guilhem Banc-Prandi, Nicolas R. Evensen, Daniel J. Barshis, Gabriela Perna, Youssouf Moussa Omar, Maoz Fine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Rising ocean temperatures are pushing reef-building corals beyond their temperature optima (T_opt), resulting in reduced physiological performances and increased risk of bleaching. Identifying refugia with thermally resistant corals and understanding their thermal adaptation strategy is therefore urgent to guide conservation actions. The Gulf of Aqaba (GoA, northern Red Sea) is considered a climate refuge, hosting corals that may originate from populations selected for thermal resistance in the warmer waters of the Gulf of Tadjoura (GoT, entrance to the Red Sea and 2000 km south of the GoA). To better understand the thermal adaptation strategy of GoA corals, …

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Temporal And Spatial Occurrence Of Karenia Brevis Blooms In The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Jonathan Jackson, Yee Lau, Paul Mickle, Just Cebrian

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

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Nutrient Improvements In Chesapeake Bay: Direct Effect Of Load Reductions And Implications For Coastal Management, Rebecca R. Murphy, Jennifer Keisman, Jon Harcum, Renee R. Karrh, Mike Lane, Elgin S. Perry, Qian Zhang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In Chesapeake Bay in the United States, decades of management efforts have resulted in modest reductions of nutrient loads from the watershed, but the corresponding improvements in estuarine water quality have not consistently followed. Generalized additive models were used to directly link river flows and nutrient loads from the watershed to nutrient trends in the estuary on a station-by-station basis, which allowed for identification of exactly when and where responses are happening. Results show that Chesapeake Bay’s total nitrogen and total phosphorus conditions are mostly improving after accounting for variation in freshwater flow. Almost all of these improving nutrient concentrations …

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A Call To Action: Education Driven Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Blue Economy Initiatives At Coastal Universities, Matthew Tallino

Education Theses

Microplastic pollution impacts the earth’s oceans. Research at the deep sea and surface level, as well as research examining different bodies of water, indicates this problem is widespread. This research examines data from 2012 to the present to assess the impact the human stressor of microplastic has on marine ecosystems and ocean sampling and the insight that peer reviewed research on microplastics can provide as coastal universities create Blue Economy strategic action plans. Data indicates microplastics are a critical issue to the oceans overall health. The implications of the research are designed to target a variety of community members at …

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Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On A Pelagic Marine Mammal, The Northern Elephant Seal, Lauren M. Kashiwabara

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

As plastic pollution increases, top marine predators such as marine mammals are becoming increasingly susceptible to plastic particles and their additives. Plastic particles have been found in gastrointestinal tracts and scat of many marine mammals, and quantifying plastic pollution in those that are pelagic can provide insight into plastic pollution in mesopelagic ecosystems that are just beginning to be analyzed. Adapting well-developed laboratory techniques for microplastic (MP) isolation (i.e. density separation and chemical digestion), I isolated MPs from the scat of the deepest diving pinniped, the northern elephant seal (NES), and found that100% of scat samples (n=11) contained high counts …

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Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease And Other Diseases Affect Adults And Recruits Of Major Reef Builders At Different Spatial Scales In The Dominican Republic, Aldo Croquer, Someira Zambrano, Samuel King, Aurelio Reyes, Rita I. Sellares Blasco, Andreina Valdez Trinidad, Maria Villalpando, Yira Rodriguez-Jerez, Estefany Vargas, Camilo Cortes-Useche, Macarena Blanco, Johanna Calle-Triviño, Rebecca García-Camps, Ana C. Hernández-Orquet, Ruben Torres, Iker Irazabal, Laura Díaz, Yassmin Evangelista, Emy Miyazawa

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Monitoring programs can help understand coral disease dynamics. Here, we present results from a national program in the Dominican Republic (DR) aimed at evaluating coral diseases 3 times a year following a nested spatial design. Prevalence of coral diseases in DR varied from sites to regions, suggesting that disease dynamics can be driven by local processes and/or across larger spatial scales. Three diseases were common: Dark Spot (DSD), Yellow Band (YBD) and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). DSD and YBD were more prevalent across the western coast (north and south), whereas SCTLD was restricted for the study period to …

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How Do They Do It? Using Omics Approaches To Explore Metabolic Responses Associated With Hypoxia And Exercise Tolerance In The Deepest Diving Pinniped, Elizabeth R. Piotrowski

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Marine mammals such as northern elephant seals (NES) routinely experience hypoxemia and ischemia-reperfusion events to many tissues during deep dives with no apparent adverse effects. Adaptations to diving include increased antioxidants and elevated oxygen storage capacity associated with high hemoprotein content in blood and muscle. Despite experiencing decreased oxygen tensions during diving, NES likely rely on the mobilization of large lipids stores and catabolism of fatty acids to provide energy to exercising muscle while diving. To identify potential regulatory mechanisms that may underly hypoxia and exercise tolerance in diving mammals, this study used system-wide approaches to characterize changes in genes …

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Beyond Cortisol: Indicators Of Stress And Negative Feedback In Plasma And Blubber Of Marine Mammals, Jessica Avalos

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Marine mammals play an important role in ecosystem stability. However, anthropogenic activity is compounding pressure on many already vulnerable populations. A potential consequence of anthropogenic disturbance is physiological stress, which can impact metabolism, immunity, and reproduction, especially if it occurs repeatedly. Previous studies on marine mammals have focused on acute stress, but the impacts of repeated stress are poorly understood. Due to its accessibility on land during haul-outs, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is a good system in which to study the effects of stress in marine mammals. Stress stimulates the release of glucocorticoid hormones, primarily cortisol. Elevated cortisol …

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It's A Small World After All: Insights, Interferences, And Implications Of In Situ Chlorophyll Fluorescence Monitoring In Estuaries, James Silas Tanner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concentrations of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a are used as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass by estuarine scientists to study eutrophication, food web dynamics, and harmful algal blooms. Coastal managers use chlorophyll as an indicator of nutrient pollution and for assessments to meet Clean Water Act standards. Chlorophyll a, as measured in the laboratory by extraction from monthly discrete water samples, is a core component of the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). Field-deployable sensors based on the excitation and emission spectra of in situ chlorophyll have not been incorporated into SWMP to date because past …

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Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The integument plays essential roles in the structural support, protection, and hydrodynamic capability among fishes. Most shark skin research has been done on the external epidermal layer containing the dermal denticles, while the larger dermis layer has been mostly ignored. The dermis layer in sharks is composed of two layers, the upper stratum laxum and the lower stratum compactum, holding supportive collagen and elastin fibers. There may be morphological and compositional differences in the dermis layers across various species of sharks, although the extent of such is unknown. These potential differences may be represented by various dermal thicknesses and different …

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Evaluating Muskellunge (Esox Masquinongy) Catch-And-Release Mortality At Elevated Summer Water Temperature, Ian Taylor Booth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Angling for Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) has become widespread and increasingly popular throughout the fish’s range. Current management strategies for Muskellunge include high minimum harvest lengths (>1016mm), closed seasons, and catch-and-release regulations. Due to these strategies and angler sentiments, up to 97% of Muskellunge caught today are released by anglers assuming they will live and be caught again in the future. Previous research on catchand-release mortality in Muskellunge has suggested relatively low mortality rates (0%-5%). However, these studies were all conducted within the fish’s thermal optimum and generally at water temperatures25°C during the summer months, representing a need to evaluate …

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Scorpionfish (Scorpaena Porcus) Neurocranium, Erin Porter, Cairone Reft, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium preparation of a Scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) by Erin Porter and Cairone Reft for the Biology of Fishes course at Nova Southeastern University taught by Dr. Kerstetter.

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Kingfish Neurocranium, Kaden R. Mackey, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

This is the skull of a kingfish with the nasal bone included.

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Grey Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus) Neurocranium, Madelynn Sampson, Hailey Levine, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Grey Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) neurocranium preparation by Madelynn Sampson and Hailey LeVine.

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Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus) Neurocranium, Alexia J. Hilber, Caileigh Craddock, Kiara Belanger, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), collected in 3/2021 by Katerina Sawickji

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Centropomus Undecimalis, Common Snook Neurocranium, Victoria Rose Kelley, Savanna Duda, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Centropomus undecimalis (Common Snook), collected from NSU Oceanographic Campus Boat Basin on 24/03/2021 by Savanna Duda.

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[Red Grouper (Epinephelus Morio)] Neurocranium, Laurel Gallaudet, Robert Spekis

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 14.1 cm total length (TL) Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio), collected from Miami on 13/10/21 by Laurel Gallaudet.

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Red Grouper (Epinephelus Morio) Neurocranium, Katja C. Kramers, Morgan A. Pfeiffer, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium From 10 cm total length Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio), collected from Whole Foods Supermarket on 10 October 2021 by Katja Kramers and Morgan Pfeiffer

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Light Pollution Levels On Beaches: How Window Tinting Effects Disorientation Of Sea Turtles On Hilton Head Island, Kathryn (Kate) Hettiger

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Loggerhead sea turtles, an endangered species, are decreasing at alarming rates worldwide. Artificial light from beachfront hotels on Hilton Head Island are causing disorientation in Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings affecting their ability to successfully find the ocean. To mitigate this, exterior windows facing the ocean will be tinted using either tinting spray, which will be implemented at the Marriott Grande Ocean, or using tinting film, which will be implemented at the Marriott Westin. During the typical nesting and hatching season (May-October), sea turtle hatchling tracks will be recorded using drones to compare the effects of various levels of light pollution …

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King Mackerel (Scomberomorus Cavalla), Aubrey L. Anthony, Erin Keeley, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from [length] cm total length (TL) King Mackerel (Scomberomorus Cavalla), collected from Bravo Market on 11/16/2021 by Aubrey Anthony

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Tile Fish (Lopholatilus Villarii) Neurocranium, Maeya C. Yeatman, Sebastian K. Chan, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 12 cm total length (TL) Tile fish (Lopholatilus villarii), collected from Foodtown on 10/22/2021 by Maeya Yeatman and Sebastian Chan

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Snook Neurocranium Scan Mello & Glanzmann, Christopher F. Glanzmann, Madison A. Mello

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

This file is a 3D scan of a Snook Neurocranium. Snook head provided by DR. Kerstetter and scan performed by Chris Glanzmann and Madison Mello. Medium detail scan with a simplification ratio of 50.

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Pelagic Tunicate Grazing On Marine Microbes Revealed By Integrative Approaches, Kelly R. Sutherland, Anne W. Thompson

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Marine microorganisms comprise a large fraction of ocean carbon and are central players in global biogeochemical cycling. Significant gaps remain, however, in our understanding of processes that determine the fate, distribution, and community structure of microbial communities. Protists and viruses are accepted as being part of the microbial loop and a source of microbial mortality. However, pelagic tunicates (salps, doliolods, pyrosomes, and appendicularians), which are abundant in oceanic and coastal environments and consume microorganisms with higher individual grazing rates than other common grazers, remain underappreciated in their role controlling microbial communities, distributions, and flux through ecosystems. In spite of sampling …

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Resource Allocation And Phenotypic Plasticity Of Simultaneous Hermaphroditic Turtle Barnacles (Chelonibia Testudinaria), Kevin C. Cash

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

This research addresses the knowledge gap of phenotypic plasticity in a commonly found and important species of epizoic barnacle, Chelonibia testudinaria. Limited research has been published regarding how phenotypic expression is mediated the spatial distribution of barnacles on a mobile host. To investigate this potential relationship, barnacles were collected from the backs of turtles along the beaches of Fort Lauderdale Florida. These barnacles were assessed for various phenotypic traits as well as their corresponding spatial distribution on the turtle carapace. Barnacles were safely removed from the carapace using a chisel before their preservation in ethanol. Barnacles were then numbered …

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Who Are We? Highlighting Nuances In Asian American Experiences In Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, K. H. Nguyen, A. K. Akiona, C. C. Chang, V. B. Chaudhary, S. J. Cheng, S. M. Johnson, S. S. Kahanamoku, A. Lee, E. E. Deleon Sanchez, L. M. Segui, Richelle L. Tanner

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

"As ecologists and evolutionary biologists, it is important to recognize that issues surrounding AAPI do not exist in a vacuum and that these issues affect some of our students and colleagues in and outside of the classroom and lab. Recently, anti-Asian racism has been brought to the forefront of US society. Though media attention has primarily focused on how COVID-19 fears motivated both violent and nonviolent racist incidents against East Asians in 2020 (e.g., Chinese and Taiwanese Americans) (Tessler et al. 2020), attacks on other AAPI groups, such as South and Southeast Asians (e.g., Filipino, Pakistani, and Vietnamese Americans) (Truong …

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Cetacean Acousticwelfare In Wild And Managed-Care Settings: Gaps And Opportunities, Paige E. Stevens, Heather Hill, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Cetaceans are potentially at risk of poor welfare due to the animals’ natural reliance on sound and the persistent nature of anthropogenic noise, especially in the wild. Industrial, commercial, and recreational human activity has expanded across the seas, resulting in a propagation of sound with varying frequency characteristics. In many countries, current regulations are based on the potential to induce hearing loss; however, a more nuanced approach is needed when shaping regulations, due to other non-hearing loss effects including activation of the stress response, acoustic masking, frequency shifts, alterations in behavior, and decreased foraging. Cetaceans in managedcare settings share the …

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Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

Final Report Floating Upwelling System Harvest Road Oceans, Robert Michael, Scott Bennett

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Screening Ocean Samples From Georgia For The Presence Of Msx And Dermo Using Pcr And Qpcr Methods, Olivia Michelle Williams

Honors Theses and Capstones

Validation Of The Use Of Clathromorphum Compactum Growth And Skeletal Δ18o As A Proxy For Seawater Conditions, Teagan Mcmahon

Pitzer Senior Theses

Sheepshead (Archosargus Probatocephalus) Neurocranium, Andrew J. Hartmann, Steven Peterson, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Assessment Of Temperature Optimum Signatures Of Corals At Both Latitudinal Extremes Of The Red Sea, Guilhem Banc-Prandi, Nicolas R. Evensen, Daniel J. Barshis, Gabriela Perna, Youssouf Moussa Omar, Maoz Fine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Temporal And Spatial Occurrence Of Karenia Brevis Blooms In The Northcentral Gulf Of Mexico, Jonathan Jackson, Yee Lau, Paul Mickle, Just Cebrian

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Nutrient Improvements In Chesapeake Bay: Direct Effect Of Load Reductions And Implications For Coastal Management, Rebecca R. Murphy, Jennifer Keisman, Jon Harcum, Renee R. Karrh, Mike Lane, Elgin S. Perry, Qian Zhang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A Call To Action: Education Driven Strategies For Successful Implementation Of Blue Economy Initiatives At Coastal Universities, Matthew Tallino

Education Theses

Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On A Pelagic Marine Mammal, The Northern Elephant Seal, Lauren M. Kashiwabara

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Gulf and Caribbean Research

How Do They Do It? Using Omics Approaches To Explore Metabolic Responses Associated With Hypoxia And Exercise Tolerance In The Deepest Diving Pinniped, Elizabeth R. Piotrowski

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Beyond Cortisol: Indicators Of Stress And Negative Feedback In Plasma And Blubber Of Marine Mammals, Jessica Avalos

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It's A Small World After All: Insights, Interferences, And Implications Of In Situ Chlorophyll Fluorescence Monitoring In Estuaries, James Silas Tanner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evaluating Muskellunge (Esox Masquinongy) Catch-And-Release Mortality At Elevated Summer Water Temperature, Ian Taylor Booth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Scorpionfish (Scorpaena Porcus) Neurocranium, Erin Porter, Cairone Reft, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Kingfish Neurocranium, Kaden R. Mackey, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Grey Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus) Neurocranium, Madelynn Sampson, Hailey Levine, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena Hippurus) Neurocranium, Alexia J. Hilber, Caileigh Craddock, Kiara Belanger, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Centropomus Undecimalis, Common Snook Neurocranium, Victoria Rose Kelley, Savanna Duda, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

[Red Grouper (Epinephelus Morio)] Neurocranium, Laurel Gallaudet, Robert Spekis

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Red Grouper (Epinephelus Morio) Neurocranium, Katja C. Kramers, Morgan A. Pfeiffer, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Light Pollution Levels On Beaches: How Window Tinting Effects Disorientation Of Sea Turtles On Hilton Head Island, Kathryn (Kate) Hettiger

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

King Mackerel (Scomberomorus Cavalla), Aubrey L. Anthony, Erin Keeley, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Tile Fish (Lopholatilus Villarii) Neurocranium, Maeya C. Yeatman, Sebastian K. Chan, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Snook Neurocranium Scan Mello & Glanzmann, Christopher F. Glanzmann, Madison A. Mello

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Pelagic Tunicate Grazing On Marine Microbes Revealed By Integrative Approaches, Kelly R. Sutherland, Anne W. Thompson

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Resource Allocation And Phenotypic Plasticity Of Simultaneous Hermaphroditic Turtle Barnacles (Chelonibia Testudinaria), Kevin C. Cash

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Who Are We? Highlighting Nuances In Asian American Experiences In Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, K. H. Nguyen, A. K. Akiona, C. C. Chang, V. B. Chaudhary, S. J. Cheng, S. M. Johnson, S. S. Kahanamoku, A. Lee, E. E. Deleon Sanchez, L. M. Segui, Richelle L. Tanner

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Cetacean Acousticwelfare In Wild And Managed-Care Settings: Gaps And Opportunities, Paige E. Stevens, Heather Hill, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications