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Marine Biology Commons

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Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Marine Biology

The Loss Of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk And Geographic Areas Of Global Concern, Beth A. Polidoro, Kent E. Carpenter, Lorna Collins, Norman C. Duke, Aaron M. Ellison, Joanna C. Ellison, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, Edwino S. Fernando, Kandasamy Kathiresan, Nico E. Koedam, Suzanne R. Livingstone, Toyohiko Miyagi, Gregg E. Moore, Vien Ngoc Nam, Jin Eong Ong, Jurgenne H. Primavera, Serverino G. Salmo, Jonnell C. Sanciango, Sukristijono Sukardjo, Yamin Wang, Jean Wan Hong Yong Apr 2010

The Loss Of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk And Geographic Areas Of Global Concern, Beth A. Polidoro, Kent E. Carpenter, Lorna Collins, Norman C. Duke, Aaron M. Ellison, Joanna C. Ellison, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, Edwino S. Fernando, Kandasamy Kathiresan, Nico E. Koedam, Suzanne R. Livingstone, Toyohiko Miyagi, Gregg E. Moore, Vien Ngoc Nam, Jin Eong Ong, Jurgenne H. Primavera, Serverino G. Salmo, Jonnell C. Sanciango, Sukristijono Sukardjo, Yamin Wang, Jean Wan Hong Yong

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangrove species are uniquely adapted to tropical and subtropical coasts, and although relatively low in number of species, mangrove forests provide at least US $1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services and support coastal livelihoods worldwide. Globally, mangrove areas are declining rapidly as they are cleared for coastal development and aquaculture and logged for timber and fuel production. Little is known about the effects of mangrove area loss on individual mangrove species and local or regional populations. To address this gap, species-specific information on global distribution, population status, life history traits, and major threats were compiled for each of the …


A Test Of The Area Of Refuge Hypothesis In Indo-Pacific Marine Biogeography, Jonnell C. Sanciangco Apr 2010

A Test Of The Area Of Refuge Hypothesis In Indo-Pacific Marine Biogeography, Jonnell C. Sanciangco

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the marine biogeographic patterns of species richness of the Indo-Pacific. One of these hypotheses suggests that available habitat area is the main predictor of species richness. This is the basis for the area of refuge hypothesis that attempts to explain the global maxima of species richness found in the Coral Triangle, the area encompassing mostly the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This species-area effect also has habitat heterogeneity as a potential component. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of habitat availability predictors, such as shallow water area and coastline length …


Benthic Ecology From Space: Optics And Net Primary Production In Seagrass And Benthic Algae Across The Great Bahama Bank, Heidi M. Dierssen, Richard C. Zimmerman, Lisa A. Drake, David J. Burdige Jan 2010

Benthic Ecology From Space: Optics And Net Primary Production In Seagrass And Benthic Algae Across The Great Bahama Bank, Heidi M. Dierssen, Richard C. Zimmerman, Lisa A. Drake, David J. Burdige

OES Faculty Publications

Development of repeatable and quantitative tools are necessary for determining the abundance and distribution of different types of benthic habitats, detecting changes to these ecosystems, and determining their role in the global carbon cycle. Here we used ocean color remote sensing techniques to map different major groups of primary producers and estimate net primary productivity (NPP) across Great Bahama Bank (GBB). Field investigations on the northern portion of the GBB in 2004 revealed 3 dominant types of benthic primary producers: seagrass, benthic macroalgae, and microalgae attached to sediment. Laboratory measurements of NPP ranged from barely net autotrophic for grapestone sediment …


Effect Of The Heterotrophic Dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis Marina And The Copepod Acartia Tonsa On Vertical Carbon Flux In And Around Thin Layers Of The Phytoflagellate Isochrysis Galbana, A. B. Bochdansky, S. M. Bollens, G. C. Rollwagen-Bollens, A. H. Gibson Jan 2010

Effect Of The Heterotrophic Dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis Marina And The Copepod Acartia Tonsa On Vertical Carbon Flux In And Around Thin Layers Of The Phytoflagellate Isochrysis Galbana, A. B. Bochdansky, S. M. Bollens, G. C. Rollwagen-Bollens, A. H. Gibson

OES Faculty Publications

Dynamics of material and energy flow through food webs differ when resources are allocated in patches in comparison to situations in which the same resources are distributed evenly throughout the water column. Thin layers of plankton are special cases of such resource patches. While previous studies have predominantly focused on the response of organisms to these layers, we investigated how 2 types of grazers in turn affect thin layers. In an experimental study with tightly controlled environmental conditions, we monitored the redistribution of particulate organic (POC), dissolved organic (DOC) and inorganic (DIC) carbon from thin layers of Isochrysis galbana. …


Theory Of Island Biogeography On A Microscopic Scale: Organic Aggregates As Islands For Aquatic Pathogens, M. M. Lyons, J. E. Ward, Holly Gaff, R. E. Hicks, J. M. Drake, Fred C. Dobbs Jan 2010

Theory Of Island Biogeography On A Microscopic Scale: Organic Aggregates As Islands For Aquatic Pathogens, M. M. Lyons, J. E. Ward, Holly Gaff, R. E. Hicks, J. M. Drake, Fred C. Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

Four predictions of the MacArthur-Wilson theory of island biogeography were evaluated to assess the degree to which detrital-based organic aggregates (e.g. marine snow, organic detritus, and bioflocs) may provide a favorable microhabitat (i.e. an 'island') for bacteria in general, and specifically aquatic pathogens. We demonstrate the theory's relevance for microbial communities in aquatic environments by describing the community metabolic response and functional diversity of individual organic aggregates while documenting the persistence of potential pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria. Our results support the 4 predictions, including a significant species-area relationship, consistency of species richness at equilibrium, non-zero level of species turnover …


Biodiversity Assessment Of The Fishes Of Saba Bank Atoll, Netherlands Antilles, Jeffrey T. Williams, Kent E. Carpenter, James L. Van Tassell, Paul Hoetjes, Wes Toller, Peter Etnoyer, Michael Smith Jan 2010

Biodiversity Assessment Of The Fishes Of Saba Bank Atoll, Netherlands Antilles, Jeffrey T. Williams, Kent E. Carpenter, James L. Van Tassell, Paul Hoetjes, Wes Toller, Peter Etnoyer, Michael Smith

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Biodiversity surveys were conducted on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, to assess ichthyofaunal richness and to compare with published surveys of other Caribbean localities. The primary objective was to estimate the total species richness of the Saba Bank ichthyofauna. A variety of sampling techniques was utilized to survey the fish species of both the visually accessible megafauna and the camouflaged and small-sized species comprising the cryptic ichthyofauna. Based on results presented herein, the number of species known on Saba Bank is increased from 42 previously known species to 270 species. Expected species-accumulation curves demonstrate that the current estimate of species richness …


Morphological Differences Among Eyeless Amphipods In The Genus Stygobromus Dwelling In Different Subterranean Habitats, David C. Culver, John R. Holsinger, Mary C. Christman, Tanja Pipan Jan 2010

Morphological Differences Among Eyeless Amphipods In The Genus Stygobromus Dwelling In Different Subterranean Habitats, David C. Culver, John R. Holsinger, Mary C. Christman, Tanja Pipan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The amphipod genus Stygobromus occurs in a variety of subterranean habitats in North America, including caves, phreatic (groundwater) lakes, and superficial subterranean habitats (seeps and epikarst). The habitats share the absence of light but differ in other features, such as pore size of the habitat, available food, and degree of seasonality. Measurements of body size, antennal size, and antennal segment number of type specimens were compared for 56 species occurring in the eastern United States. Except for differences in body size, differences among species in the four different habitats were not significant. Body size was related to relative pore size …


Impacts Of The Spotted Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Guttatus) On The Long-Spined Sea Urchin (Diadema Antillarum) And Patch Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Meredith D. Kintzing Jan 2010

Impacts Of The Spotted Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Guttatus) On The Long-Spined Sea Urchin (Diadema Antillarum) And Patch Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Meredith D. Kintzing

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Caribbean coral reefs have undergone a phase shift from a system dominated by corals to one where algae are pervasive. This shift was precipitated by the loss of herbivores, including the mass mortality of the long spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum), coupled with disease and the recruitment failure of hermatypic corals. Diadema populations have recovered in some areas of the Caribbean, but are still below historical levels in the Florida Keys, likely due to low larval supply coupled with predation on juveniles. Lobsters are sea urchin predators in other systems and the spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus …