Marine Biology Commons^™

Effects Of Trophic Relationships On Oyster Reef Restoration Success In The Mississippi Sound, Virginia Robin Fleer

Dissertations

Natural and anthropogenic changes resulting from altered hydrology, hurricanes, variable precipitation, and the BP oil spill have all taken their toll on oyster reefs in Mississippi. In response, oyster reef restoration efforts are currently underway within the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In order to understand why these efforts succeed or fail, it is crucial to consider predator-prey relationships within the context of the trophic dynamics of oyster reefs. Thus, for this dissertation study I integrated a multidisciplinary approach to understanding key trophic interactions affecting oyster recruitment, growth and survival, comprising field sampling, manipulative lab experiments, and individual-based modeling. Spat settlement …

Historical Change Of Seagrasses In The Mississippi And Chandeleur Sounds, Linh Thuy Pham

Dissertations

Seagrasses are important coastal resources facing numerous stressors, and losses have been documented from local to global assessments. Under the broad theme of habitat loss and fragmentation, a study of historical change in total area and landscape configuration of seagrasses in the Mississippi and Chandeleur Sounds was conducted. Mapping data was collated from a multitude of previous projects from 1940 to 2011.

Comparisons of seagrass area among various studies that used different mapping methods can result in overestimation of area change and misleading conclusions of change over time. The vegetated seagrass area (VSA) data were generalized to a common resolution …

Ecological And Oceanographic Influences On Leatherback Turtle Behavior And Scyphozoan Jellyfish Distributions In The Gulf Of Mexico, Katrina Aleksa

Dissertations

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are a wide-ranging, oceanic species that feed exclusively on gelatinous zooplankton. Leatherback have been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for several decades and consistently had a high level of interactions with longline fisheries. However, no quantitative studies have been performed to address the spatiotemporal distribution of these turtles in the GoM. This research determines 1) leatherback movements and high-use areas in the GoM, 2) their association with oceanographic features, 3) the distribution and density of two abundant medusae in the northern GoM and any association with biophysical parameters, and 4) the body …

Escorting Of Mother-Calf Pairs Of Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) In The Colombian Pacific During The Breeding Season, Natalia Botero Acosta

Dissertations

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) belonging to the “breeding G-stock” annually migrate from the Antarctic Peninsula and southern Chile to the southeastern Pacific to reproduce. Associations between mother-calf pairs and escorts were examined in the Gulf of Tribugá, northern Colombian Pacific, using photo-identification and behavioral/spatial sampling. Research hypotheses included: 1. The association between cows and escorts is short-lived, consistent with a male reproductive strategy, 2. The presence of escort(s) elicits a behavioral response from mother-calf pairs and, 3. The patterns of spatial distribution reflect the spatial segregation of maternal females. Groups were classified as mother-calf pairs (Mc), mother, calf …

Evaluating Social Network Dynamics Of Bigg’S Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) And Vessel Traffic Within A Transboundary Region: Implications For Conservation Management, Courtney Smith

Dissertations

The social lives of animals are defined by group dynamics based on the nature and strength of associations and movements between individuals, often resulting in highly complex and interconnected social networks. However, understanding of how environmental variables may shape this structure is poorly understood. Within the inland waters of Washington State and southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, mammal-eating Bigg’s (transient) killer whales occur in relatively small, but stable social groups. Group size and occurrence in recent years has increased, coinciding with a growing whale watching industry. Given the central importance of the social network within killer whale population dynamics, such …

Combined Effects Of Dissolved Oxygen And Temperature On Aerobic Respiration And Respiratory Recovery Responses Of The Spioniform Polychaete, Streblospio Gynobranchiata, In Relation To Body Size, Alyssa Bennett

Master's Theses

Elevated surface temperatures exacerbate the threat of hypoxia within coastal ecosystems. These two primary stressors likely interact as they elicit opposing physiological responses from marine organisms. Metabolic depression is typically associated with hypoxia, while metabolic rates increase with temperature. Moreover, physiological effects of combined stressors may not be additive. In light of increasing pressures from hypoxia, elevated ocean temperatures, and other stressors within coastal regions, studies need to examine effects of multiple stressors on physiology of coastal organisms.

Mass-specific aerobic respiration (V_O2) was characterized as a proxy for metabolic cost of Streblospio gynobranchiata, at combined levels of …

Effects Of Temperature On Growth And Molting In Blue Crabs (Callinectes Sapidus) And Lesser Blue Crabs (Callinectes Similis), Abigail Ann Kuhn

Master's Theses

Temperature can exert impacts on many processes in ectotherms. With global temperatures rising due to climate change, many ectothermic species may exhibit changes in growth rates and size at maturity, and these changes can have population-level effects. Predicting responses of species to climate change will require not only knowledge of thermal tolerance limits, but also effects of temperature change on growth rates and other life history parameters. For arthropods that exhibit discontinuous growth (i.e., molting), this includes both intermolt period and growth per molt. Previous laboratory and field experiments suggest that temperature affects both intermolt period (IMP) and growth per …

Brachylicoa Lui, A New Species Of Parapseudid Tanaidacean (Crustacea: Peracarida: Apseudomorpha), From The Hawaiian Islands, With A Taxonomic Key, Andrés G. Morales-Núñez, Sterling Ulrich, Richard W. Heard

Faculty Publications

Brachylicoa lui sp. n. is described from the coastal waters of the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu. It is distinguished from the other four nominal members of Brachylicoa by a combination of characters including (1) an incised margin between base of rostrum and carapace, (2) mandible palp article-1 with cluster of 20–25 simple setae, (3) maxillule biarticulate palp ending in eight “cleaning’ setae, (4) maxilliped inner sub-distal margin with two stout spiniform seta, and (5) pereopod-6 with carpus having three plumose setae on mid-dorsal margin. Brachylicoa (=Apseudes) babelmandebensis sensu Guţu is tentatively transferred to the genus Saltipedis Guţu sensu …

Bottom-Up Control Of Parasites, David S. Johnson, Richard W. Heard

Faculty Publications

Parasitism is a fundamental ecological interaction. Yet we understand relatively little about the ecological role of parasites compared to the role of free-living organisms. Bottom-up theory predicts that resource enhancement will increase the abundance and biomass of free-living organisms. Similarly, parasite abundance and biomass should increase in an ecosystem with resource enhancement. We tested this hypothesis in a landscape-level experiment in which salt marshes (60,000 m2 each) received elevated nutrient concentrations via flooding tidal waters for 11 yr to mimic eutrophication. Nutrient enrichment elevated the densities of the talitrid amphipod, Orchestia grillus, and the density and biomass of its trematode …

Egg Quality Traits And Predictors Of Embryo And Fry Viability In Red Snapper Lutjanus Campechanus, Agnés Bardon-Albaret, Eric Saillant

Faculty Publications

The quality of red snapper eggs is highly variable and unpredictable in aquaculture, leading to high mortality during early larval rearing. In this work, the viability of red snapper eggs was monitored from fertilization until unfed larvae expired because of exhaustion of vitelline reserves to determine egg quality traits in this species. The spawns were obtained via strip spawning wild-caught females following hormonal induction with chorionic gonadotropin. Females were induced immediately after capture (wild group, n = 17) or held captive for the entire maturation period prior to induction (captive group, n = 7). Candidate predictors of egg quality measured …

Catalase Is A Determinant Of The Colonization And Transovarial Transmission Of Rickettsia Parkeri In The Gulf Coast Tick Amblyomma Maculatum, Khemraj Budachetri, Deepak Kumar, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

The Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) has evolved as a competent vector of the spotted‐fever group rickettsia, Rickettsia parkeri. In this study, the functional role of catalase, an enzyme responsible for the degradation of toxic hydrogen peroxide, in the colonization of the tick vector by R. parkeri and transovarial transmission of this pathogen to the next tick generation, was investigated. Catalase gene (CAT) expression in midgut, salivary glands and ovarian tissues exhibited a 2–11‐fold increase in transcription level upon R. parkeri infection. Depletion of CAT transcripts using an RNA‐interference approach significantly reduced R. parkeri infection …

Evidence Of Multidecadal Recruitment In The Ocean Quahog, Arctica Islandica In The Western Atlantic Ocean, Sara M. Pace

Master's Theses

Ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) are the longest-lived, non-colonial animals known today, with a maximum life span exceeding 500 years. Limited information is available regarding recruitment, making the sustainable management of this valuable fishery a challenge. The objective of this research was to describe the age structure and growth rates for four populations of ocean quahogs from the mid-Atlantic stock to evaluate long-term recruitment trends. Clams were sectioned for age estimation to develop population age frequencies. Initial colonization began approximately 175-250 years ago depending upon site. All sites experienced an increase in recruitment beginning in the late 1800’s to …

Comparing Salinities Of 10, 20, And 30% In Intensive, Commercial-Scale Biofloc Shrimp (Litopenaeus Vannamei) Production Systems, Andrew J. Ray, Jeffrey M. Lotz

Faculty Publications

Minimal-exchange, intensive biofloc aquaculture systems offer a viable means of culturing marine animals at inland locations due to very low rates of water use. Fresh, never-frozen shrimp can be provided to metropolitan markets; however, the cost of artificial salt can be substantial. The purpose of this project was to examine commercial-scale biofloc shrimp production at three different salinities. Nine raceways were randomly assigned to three salinity treatments: 10, 20, and 30‰ (LS, MS, and HS), each treatment contained three raceways operated at 50 m³. The raceways were operated as heterotrophic biofloc systems, with daily additions of sucrose to …

Reproductive Dynamics Of Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: Effects On Stock Assessments, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, Robert T. Leaf, Amy M. Schueller, Michael J. Andres

Faculty Publications

Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) produce one of the largest U.S. fisheries, yet information on reproductive dynamics of the stock is sparse. Males and females reach 50% maturity at 140.8 and 137.2 mm fork length, respectively and recruit into the commercial fishery at this size. Analysis of fishery-dependent data from 1964 through 2014 indicated that somatic condition was lower during the late 1980s and late 2000s and that reproductively active fish from 2014 were significantly larger and had greater gonadosomatic index values than those from 1964 through 1970. Histological analysis performed on fish from 2014 through 2016 revealed spawning-capable …

Crude Oil Impairs Immune Function And Increases Susceptibility To Pathogenic Bacteria In Southern Flounder, Keith M. Bayha, Natalie Ortell, Caitlin Ryan, Kimberly J. Griffitt, Michelle Krasnec, Johnny Sena, Thiruvangan Ramaraj, Ryan Takeshita, Gregory D. Mayer, Faye Schilkey, Robert J. Griffitt

Faculty Publications

Exposure to crude oil or its individual constituents can have detrimental impacts on fish species, including impairment of the immune response. Increased observations of skin lesions in northern Gulf of Mexico fish during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill indicated the possibility of oil-induced immunocompromisation resulting in bacterial or viral infection. This study used a full factorial design of oil exposure and bacterial challenge to examine how oil exposure impairs southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) immune function and increases susceptibility to the bacteria Vibrio anguillarum, a causative agent of vibriosis. Fish exposed to oil prior to bacterial challenge …

Age, Growth, And Reproduction Of Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites Aurorubens) In The North-Central Gulf Of Mexico, Trevor Dalton Moncrief

Master's Theses

Vermilion Snapper is a commonly harvested species of reef fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). It supports both a large commercial and popular recreational fishery, however knowledge of this fish’s life history is limited spatially. Non-linear curve fitting was used to estimate growth parameters and Akaike information criteria (AIC) was used to determine relative model fit. The 2-parameter von Bertalanffy growth function provided the best model fit and lowest AIC score. Histological examination indicated that Vermilion Snapper are batch spawners with asynchronous oocyte development. Additionally, 17% of Vermilion Snapper in the actively spawning phase containing 24 hour POF’s …

The Effect Of Boat Type On Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Trucatus) Behavior In The Mississippi Sound, Maria Zapetis

Master's Theses

Increases in oceanic shipping are a global phenomenon, and a leading cause of concern for marine animal welfare. While it may be difficult to assess the effect of boat traffic on all species in all contexts, it is vital to report anthropogenic impacts where longitudinal data is available, and doubly so where a dearth of information exists. The purpose of this study is to describe how dolphin behavior changed in the presence of boats in the Mississippi Sound between 2006 and 2012, and more specifically, to detail how different boat types impacted dolphins’ behavioral states. This study is unique in …

Characterization Of Andrenocortical Tissue Morphology, Histology, And Steroid Synthesis Among Finetooth (Carcharhinus Isodon), Blacktip (Carcharhinus Limbatus), Atlantic Sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae), And Bonnethead (Sphyrna Tiburo) Sharks, Danielle Elizabeth Bailey

Master's Theses

Adrenocortical (interrenal) tissue is composed of steroidogenic cells that produce corticosteroids involved in the stress response and hydromineral balance. Previous research characterizing the elasmobranch interrenal suggests that the number of interrenal bodies that produce the single primary corticosteroid, 1a-hydroxycorticosterone (1a-OHB), varies among species. However, potential species-specific differences in the amount of interrenal tissue and major steroid products produced have been understudied. To address this critical gap in our understanding of elasmobranch biology, this study examined interrenal morphology, cell structure, steroidogenic enzyme distribution (3bHSD), and steroid production in four shark species: Finetooth Carcharhinus isodon, Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus, Atlantic Sharpnose …

Does Personality Similarity In Bottlenose Dolphin Pairs Influence Dyadic Bond Characteristics?, Kelsey R. Moreno

Master's Theses

Social structures are critical to the success of many species and have repercussions on health, well-being, and adaptation, yet little is known about the factors which shape these structures aside from ecology and life history strategies. Dyadic bonds are the basis of all social structures; however, mechanisms for formations of specific bonds or patterns in which individuals form which types of bonds have yet to be demonstrated. There is a variety of evidence indicating personality may be a factor in shaping bonds, but this relationship has not been explored with respect to bond components and is yet to be demonstrated …

Life History Of The Non-Native Invasive Red Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Alexander Q. Fogg

Master's Theses

Invasive Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) were first detected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in 2010 and since then their numbers have increased dramatically. From 2010 to 2015, more than 15,000 Red Lionfish were collected opportunistically from the nGOM for this study. Length and weight relationships differed significantly among ecoregions by sex and there was clear sexual dimorphism in size with males being larger and heavier. Red Lionfish age ranged from 0-4.5 years old and males achieved greater growth rate (K) and asymptotic maximum lengths (L_inf) compared to females and these parameters were also different …

Reproductive Strategy Of The Giant Electric Ray In The Southern Gulf Of California, María I. Burgos-Vázquez, Paola A. Mejía-Falla, Victor H. Cruz-Escalona, Nancy Brown-Peterson

Faculty Publications

The objective of the present study was to describe and characterize macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the reproductive biology of the Giant Electric Ray Narcine entemedor, a viviparous elasmobranch targeted by commercial fishers in Mexico. A total of 305 individual rays were captured (260 females, 45 males); all males were sexually mature. The median size at maturity for females was estimated to be 58.5 cm TL, the median size at pregnancy was 63.7 cm TL, and the median size at maternity was 66.2 cm TL. The range of ovarian follicles recorded per female was 1–69; the maximum ovarian fecundity of …

Growth And Spawning Dynamics Of Southern Flounder In The North-Central Gulf Of Mexico, Morgan M. Corey, Robert T. Leaf, Nancy Brown-Peterson, Mark S. Peterson, Samuel D. Clardy, David Dippold

Faculty Publications

Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma is the most commonly harvested flatfish in the north-central Gulf of Mexico (GOM), yet knowledge of this species’ growth and reproduction is limited for the Mississippi region. Given the offshore spawning migrations and likely mixing between state-managed units of the GOM Southern Flounder stock, small-scale environmental influences may constitute a major driver of life history dynamics during early life residency in nearshore estuaries. Therefore, estimates of local demographic characteristics are needed for effective fishery management. Here, we describe critical life history traits of Southern Flounder, including estimation of growth rates and maturity. The three-parameter von Bertalanffy …

Continued Spread Of The Seagrass Halophila Stipulacea In The Caribbean: Documentation In Puerto Rico And The British Virgin Islands, Hector Ruiz, David L. Ballantine, Jorge Sabater

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The geographical spread of Halophila stipulacea in the Caribbean since its first documentation in Grenada in 2001 has been impressive, as it has since been reported from most of the Caribbean. We now document its presence in the northern Caribbean at Culebra Island and in the Atlantic at a site between Humacao and Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. We further report the seagrass from Road Harbour, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Spread of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea is probably largely driven by Caribbean current patterns from its likely point of introduction in the southeast of the Caribbean basin. Continued spread into …

Luminescent Syllid (Odontosyllis Sp.) Courtship Display Densities Vary Across Marine Habitats Around South Water Caye, Belize, Mitchel Mccloskey, Joshua Scheil, Gregory J. Sandland, Gretchen A. Gerrish

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bright—green luminescent clouds frequently occur at the surface of shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea. These clouds are produced by syllid polychaetes during courtship. Although temporal variation in the occurrence of these courtship displays has been documented throughout the diurnal and lunar cycle, other factors such as habitat type have not been well studied. In this study, we investigated how syllid courtship—display densities varied across 3 substrate types (grassbed, rubble and coral) over a 3 day period. In line with previous studies, we found that syllid courtship displays occurred over seagrass and rubble substrates; however, we also found that display …

Loop Current Spin-Off Eddies, Slope Currents And Dispersal Of Reef Fish Larvae From The Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary And The Florida Middle Grounds, Donald R. Johnson, Harriet Perry, Guillermo Sanchez-Rubio, Mark A. Grace

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Large energetic spin—off eddies from Loop Current intrusions into the Gulf of Mexico play a major role in water exchange between the continental shelf and the deep basin in the northern Gulf. Reef fish larvae, spawned on the outer shelf and planktonic during their early life history, are broadly dispersed by this mechanism, but may be lost to the cohort by transport away from suitable settlement habitat. In this study, satellite altimeter data—assimilative ocean model currents (HYCOM) from 2003—2015 are used to calculate kinetic energy of the mixed layer over the upper continental slope (200 m —1000 m) due to …

Distribution And Habitat Use Of The Golden Crab Chaceon Fenneri Off Eastern Florida Based On In Situ Submersible And Rov Observations And Potential For Impacts To Deep Water Coral/Sponge Habitat, John K. Reed, Stephanie Farrington, Charles Messing, Andrew David

Gulf and Caribbean Research

This study documents the distribution and habitat preferences of the golden crab, a commercially fished species, in relation to deep-sea coral/sponge ecosystems (DSCEs) at 200-900 m depths off eastern Florida. A total of 386 h of videotapes from 94 submersible and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives from 1999 to 2009, covering a total distance of 376 km, were reviewed and characterized for habitat type and presence of crabs. The DSCEs surveyed included Lophelia coral mounds, Miami Terrace, Pourtalès Terrace, and Tortugas Valleys. Video transect data also included environmental surveys of proposed deep-water routes for Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) pipelines, LNG …

Eco-Label Certification: A Case Study Of The Campeche Shrimp Fishery, Mexico, Antonio Di Cintio, Luis Bourillón Moreno

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco—label certifies that seafood comes from a sustainable source. The use of this eco—label lags behind in the developing world, where ecosystem approaches to fishery management have not yet been widely implemented. However, the Food and Agriculture Organization under its REBYC—II LAC project is addressing ecosystem concerns within the shrimp trawl fisheries of a number of developing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean by helping them to improve management of the negative ecosystem impacts by modifying their gear to reduce by—catch and habitat damage. This study investigates how the potential improvements identified by the …

Examining The Combined Effects Of Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, And Body Size On The Physiological Responses Of A Model Macrobenthic Polychaete Species, Capitella Teleta, Kelsey Burns Gillam

Dissertations

While the scientific community is in consensus that coastal systems are threatened by climate change, few climate change studies test the effects of more than one variable directly related to climate change. The dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of the ocean are currently subject to both global warming and eutrophication; 94% of all hypoxia zones are expected to experience >2°C increase by 2035. This dissertation aims to examine how a model organism responds to simultaneous thermal and DO stress involving four levels of DO (100%, 70%, 50%, and 20%) saturation and three temperatures (15°C, 20°C, and 25°C).

The polychaete, Capitella teleta …

Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) Pre-Restoration Occupancy Patterns On Ship Island, Mississippi Sound With An Evaluation Of Designated Critical Habitat Use By Eastern And Western Population Segments, Page Elizabeth Vick

Master's Theses

Critical spawning and feeding habitat was designated for federally threatened, anadromous Gulf Sturgeon (GS) to aid in population recovery. This study examined GS occupancy, habitat use, and movement through critical habitat monitored by the Ship Island (SI) acoustic array during overwintering periods from 2011 to 2015 prior to MsCIP SI restoration. An occupancy index analyzed patterns of spatial and temporal habitat use of both western and eastern population segments (WPS and EPS, respectively) of GS on the SI array. The ends of SI along with the passes and cuts of the island, especially Dog Keys Pass (DKP), were occupied by …

Bloom Or Bust: Retrospective Analysis Of The Giant Jellyfish, Nemopilema Nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae), Ecology In The East Asian Marginal Seas, Naomi Yoder

Master's Theses

The Giant Jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai, is a large-bodied bloom-forming jellyfish that occurs in the semi-enclosed basins of the East Asian Marginal Seas. N. nomurai has bloomed more frequently in the past 20 years than in any period previously recorded. In Japan, recent N. nomurai blooms were responsible for millions of dollars in lost revenue and equipment damage to commercial fisheries alone. This study statistically analyzed 21 environmental factors in connection with N. nomurai occurrence (using occurrence as a proxy for blooms). Eight factors resulted in a statistically significant or marginally significant (p ≤ 0.10), linear or non-linear relationship with …