Marine Biology Commons^™

A Mitogenomics View Of The Population Structure And Evolutionary History Of The Basking Shark Cetorhinus Maximum, Kimberly A. Finnegan

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus, has historically been a target of international fisheries, leading to well-documented declines in parts of its global distribution. Currently, the basking shark is listed as globally ‘Vulnerable’ and regionally ‘Endangered’ (North Pacific and Northeast Atlantic) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, rendering the species an international conservation priority. Here, we assessed the global matrilineal genetic population structure and evolutionary history of the basking shark by completing the first whole mitochondrial genome sequence level survey of animals sampled from three globally widespread geographic regions: the western North Atlantic (n = 11), the …

Global Population Structure Of The Dusky Shark And Geographic Sourcing Of Shark Fins From Commercial Markets, Teagen K. Gray

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The dusky shark, Carcharinus obscurus, is a globally distributed, coastal-pelagic species subject to an apparent high level of exploitation. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this species as “Vulnerable” globally, and “Endangered” within western North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters due to an over 80% decline in this region, with no evidence of population recovery. The extensive exploitation of dusky sharks may partly be attributed to the high market value of its fins, but the contribution of individual dusky shark stocks to the fin markets is unknown. This knowledge would be helpful to detect …

Prokaryotic Diversity Of The Wastewater Outfalls, Reefs, And Inlets Of Broward County, Alexandra Mandina Campbell

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

We applied culture-independent, next-generation sequencing (NGS) high throughput pyrosequencing, to characterize the microbial communities associated with near shore seawater in Broward County, FL. These waters flow over coral reef communities, which are part of the Florida reef tract, and are close to shore where bathers frequent. Through a close partnership with the NOAA FACE program, 38 total seawater samples were taken from 6 distinct locales -the Port Everglades and Hillsboro Inlets, Hollywood and Broward wastewater outfalls, and the associated reef waters-over the course of one year. Tagged 16S rRNA amplicons were used to generate longitudinal taxonomic profiles of marine bacteria …

The Detection Of Amazonian Manatees (Trichechus Inunguis) Using Side-Scan Sonar And The Effect Of Oil Activities On Their Habitats In Eastern Ecuador, Caitlin E. Brice

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Substantial hunting pressure and habitat destruction caused by oil extraction has critically endangered the Amazonian manatee in Ecuador. The current population status is unknown because an effective method to observe them in the wild has yet to be developed. This study explored whether the Amazonian manatee persists or has been extirpated in the eastern Ecuadorian Amazon utilizing side-scan sonar to increase odds of detection. Spatial differences in probability of detection were quantified if manatees were observed. The level of chemical contamination was determined and compared spatially and temporally against historical data. Data were collected using opportunistic transect surveys and grab …

Conch Population Demographics And Habitat Association Near Port Everglades Inlet, Florida, Charlotte A. Berry

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The queen conch (Strombus gigas) is a large marine gastropod found throughout the tropical western Atlantic including Florida. Overfishing and habitat loss have led to Caribbean-wide population declines requiring regional protections. On Florida’s east coast, aggregations of conch were previously reported just south of a major shipping port near Ft. Lauderdale, unusually high latitude for the species. This study was designed to investigate the spatial extent and population demographics of the Ft. Lauderdale conch. In summer 2012, broad-scale population surveys were conducted to document benthic cover and conch distribution and size data along 72 random transects stratified across …

Behavioral Criteria For The Diagnosis Of Domoic Acid Toxicosis In Zalophus Californianus, Christiana Wittmaack

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) health is severely compromised by domoic acid toxicosis, which occurs in high levels during harmful algal blooms of Pseudonitzschia australis along the coast of California. Current diagnostic protocols are often inconclusive due to a 2-48 hour window of detectability within the urinary, circulatory, and gastric systems (Cook, et al. 2011 and Monte, Pers Comm, 2012). Past studies suggest that Z. californianus, with domoic acid toxicosis, commonly display abnormal behaviors (Goldstein, et al. 2008). However, many of these abnormal behaviors are also associated with other diagnoses and are therefore unreliable as diagnostic indicators. …

Measuring Viability Of The Red-Tide Dinoflagellate Lingulodinium Polyedra Following Treatment With Ultraviolet (Uv) Light, Scott Riley

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algae blooms (HABs) have caused millions dollars in annual losses to the aquaculture industry, inhibited beach recreation, and have threatened marine and human health. HABs and red tides can develop suddenly and their frequency, geographic range, and intensity have increased over the past decade. A possible source for spreading and seeding new areas expanding the geographic range of HABs is ballast water. The process of ballast water discharge has been identified as a primary vector for the translocation of non-indigenous species (NIS) and invasive species. National and international efforts are currently underway to address the impact of NIS and …

Increase Of Excavating Sponges On Caribbean Coral Reefs: Reproduction, Dispersal, And Coral Deterioration, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs ecosystems are deteriorating and facing dramatic changes. These changes suggest a shift in dominance from corals to other benthic organisms. Particularly in the Caribbean Sea, with corals dying, sponges have become the leading habitat-forming benthic animals. However, little is known about what life-history traits allow organisms to proliferate in a marine system that is undergoing change. Thus, the objective of this dissertation was to try to understand the current increase of encrusting excavating sponges on deteriorating Caribbean coral reefs through the study of reproduction, recruitment and dispersal potential of the widely distributed and currently expanding species, Cliona delitrix …

Evidence Of The Enemy Release Hypothesis: Parasites Of The Lionfish Complex (Pterios Volitans And P. Miles) In The Western North Atlantic, Gulf Of Mexico, And Caribbean Sea, Kayelyn Regina Simmons

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species are becoming more common as human interactions within coastal waters and the aquarium trade continues to increase. The establishment of the invasive lionfish complex Pterois volitans and P. miles from the Indo-Pacific to the Western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea has had significant negative effects on reef fish biodiversity and economically important species. Their rapid colonization and success has been attributed to their biological and ecological life history traits as well as their absence of predation. Past research has highlighted these characteristics; however, there is a knowledge gap in lionfish parasitism. This research explored the …

Molecular Ecology Of Globally Distributed Sharks, Christine B. Testerman

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Many sharks have life history characteristics (e.g., slow growth, late age at maturity, low fecundity, and long gestation periods) that make their populations vulnerable to collapse due to overfishing. The porbeagle (Lamna nasus), bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), and smooth hammerhead (S. zygaena), are all commercially exploited. The population genetic structure of these species was assessed based on globally distributed sample sets using mitochondrial control region (mtCR) sequences and/or nuclear markers. Complex patterns of evolutionary and demographic history were inferred using coalescent and statistical moment-based methods. All four species showed …

Combined Gut Content-Stable Isotope Trophic Analysis And Satellite Tagging Of The Pelagic Stingray Pteroplaytrygon Violacea (Bonaparte, 1832) From The Western North Atlantic Ocean, Tiffany A. Weidner

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The pelagic stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea, is a bycatch species in the global pelagic longline fishery. However, little research has been conducted on its basic biology, including prey composition, trophic positioning, and habitat utilization. Descriptions of the habitat utilization have largely been through indirect analyses of catch rates in commercial fisheries, which also provided no information on actual behaviors. The first chapter of this thesis will describe the habitat utilization and behavior of four individual pelagic stingrays using electronic tagging technology. Prior diet descriptions were hampered, in part, by low sample sizes and accordingly provided little information on the ecological …

Trophic Dynamics And Feeding Ecology Of The Southeast Florida Coastal Pelagic Fish Community, Travis Allan Moore

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The combined methods of stomach content analysis and stable ¹⁵N and ¹³C isotope biochemistry analysis were used to investigate the trophic dynamics and feeding ecology of coastal pelagic fishes in the waters off southeastern Florida, USA. The coastal pelagic fish complex includes blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus, dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla, little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus, skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis, and wahoo Acanthocybium solandri. These coastal teleosts, particularly the tunas and wahoo, are primarily targeted by recreational anglers. However, there is a shortage of available trophic and diet composition data concerning …

Post Disturbance Coral Populations: Patterns In Live Cover And Colony Size Classes From Transect Studies In Two Oceans, Claire A. Dolphin

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes data acquired in French Polynesia in the Pacific and The Bahamas (Atlantic), both oceans affected by recent, well documented and sequential disturbances. For the purposes of this study, a disturbance is defined as a perturbation of environmental, physical or biological conditions that causes a distinct change in the ecosystem. After several decades of coral bleaching events, biological change, and anthropogenic impacts, rapid assessments of the coral community were accomplished by collecting photo-transects across the reefs to extract size structure of the corals, percent live tissue cover and perform a faunal evaluation. Cluster analyses and spatial autocorrelation tests …

Reproduction And Population Of Porites Divaricata At Rodriguez Key: The Florida Keys, Usa, John Mcdermond

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Sexual reproduction in Porites divaricata (Le Sueur, 1820) was studied over a one year period (August, 2012 to August, 2013) in a shallow water (~2m depth) carbonate bank (also described as marginal) habitat at Rodriguez Key, a small island located 1.44 km off the east coast of Key Largo. Porites divaricata is a brooding, gonochoric species with peak reproductive output (planula release) occurring in March and at least a smaller event in May. This species showed an overall female to male sex ratio of 3.5:1. However, during peak reproduction, the sex ratio was 1.2:1. Spawning (sperm release) most likely occurred …

A Principal Component Analysis Of Vertical Temperature Profiles For Tracking Movements Of Swordfish Xiphias Gladius, Kathryn G. Carmody

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Electronic pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT) technology has been successfully used to monitor the at-large behavior of a suite of pelagic animals, especially regarding habitat utilization. Additionally, algorithms using ambient light-level data have allowed the derivation of geolocation estimates along the duration of the deployment. However, the diel behavior of swordfish moving below the photic zone during daylight hours precludes this methodology because of the lack of ambient light-level data. To produce deployment tracks for swordfish, a mathematical model was created to analyze hydrographic temperature and pressure data recorded by PSATs. This hydrographic-based model applies Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to …

Diet Of The Antillean Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) In Belize, Central America, Aarin Conrad Allen

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Belize has been identified as an important location for Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus), harboring the highest known population density of this subspecies. Information about their dietary habit is important in determining habitat requirements and aiding in conservation efforts. The main objective of this study was to identify the key plant species consumed by manatees in Belize and to establish differences in diet based on location, sex, size classification, and season. Samples were collected from two different locations within Belize where manatees are known to aggregate: Southern Lagoon and the Drowned Cayes off of Belize City. The contents …

Robinson Point, Belize: An Important Foraging Ground For Endangered Sea Turtles In The Western Caribbean Sea, Linda Searle

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Anecdotal reports, flipper tag returns, satellite migration paths, and above-water and net surveys have identified an important foraging area for sea turtles in the Robinson Point area, 12 kilometers southwest of Belize City. Visual observations confirmed that sea turtles were actively foraging at Robinson Point. Sixteen 30 minute visual observations from stationary and drifting boats made 132 sea turtle sightings from October 2007 through January 2008, with a maximum of 40 sightings made in one survey. In-water capture methodology tested the traditional turtle net, which captured 14 turtles in 63 sets for a success rate of only 22%. There were …

Species Composition And Reproductive Strategies Of Commensal Synalpheus Shrimp (Decapoda:Alpheidae) Occupying The Sponges Spheciospongia Vesparium And Spongia Sp. Of The Florida Reef Tract, Brittnee Nicole Barris

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Synalpheus shrimp species of the gambarelloides group are the only marine organisms displaying the highest level of social functioning, eusociality. Their social hierarchies are equally complex compared to the reproductive abnormalities that have been recently discovered. For instance, snapping shrimp of the genus Synalpheus were thought to be gonochoric, i.e. developing as independent sexes, until scanning electron microscopy studies revealed intersexed gonopores in several species. This project analyzed both the species composition, and accompanying reproductive structures, of Synalpheus spp. (Caridea: Alpheidae) comprised of densely aggregating communal and pair-living colonies in the Florida Keys, Florida.

Colonies of pair-living and communal Synalpheus …

Educating The Masses: Human Attitudes Affecting Reef Health, Ashley Wiehl

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

About two thirds of the world’s population lives within 60 km of a coastline, however many members of the public do not recognize the importance of the nearby coral reef ecosystems. Although reef degradation is currently occurring at alarming rates, there is hope for the future of coral reef health. It is proven that humans have a large effect on the current health of coral reefs. This thesis aims to determine how marine scientists and educators can best influence the general public to affect behaviors to improve reef health. To do this involves taking analyzing the many effects of human …

Characterization Of Shark Movements On A Mesophotic Caribbean Coral Reef And Temporal Association With Fish Spawning Aggregations, Alexandra E. Pickard

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Habitat use of mesophotic coral reefs by sharks is largely unknown. However, it is well established that mesophotic reefs are the site of spawning aggregations for many species of teleost fish. These aggregations represent seasonal concentrations of potential prey biomass that may influence the habitat use of predatory species such as large sharks. I employed acoustic monitoring to examine the movements of three shark species [lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris), tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), and Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi)] to determine 1) the comparative spatiotemporal patterns of mesophotic reef habitat use by the three …

Migratory Patterns And Habitat Use Of The Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias Taurus) In The Western North Atlantic Ocean, Shara Marie Teter

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Large population declines for sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus) in parts of its global range are well documented, resulting in a strong need for biologically informed conservation and management measures. Although sand tigers in the western North Atlantic have been listed as a Species of Concern by the US government since 1997, details of their seasonal migratory movements and especially vertical habitat use patterns along the US East Coast are limited. Understanding these movement patterns is vital to reducing fishery-related mortality of these sharks and informing other management efforts aimed at recovery of their stocks in the US Atlantic. …

Distribution Of Parasitic Isopods On Caridean Shrimp In South Florida Seagrass Beds, Sarah A. Briggs

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Caridean shrimp are a prominent element of seagrass faunal communities and play an important role in the energy transfer between trophic levels. They are a food source for other organisms and play an integral role in the ecosystem by feeding on algae and assisting with the breakdown of organic matter. Carideans are also fundamental to the marine fishery industry in that they are a food source for potentially valuable juvenile commercial fish. Ectoparasitic isopods (Cymothoida: Bopyridae) that infest caridean shrimps decrease the energy level of the shrimp, resulting in slower reaction time, greater predation rate, slower growth rate, and/or reduced …

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis Of The Marine Sponge Cinachyrella Spp: A Potential Model Organism For Oil And Dispersant Ecotoxicology, Emily Smith

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

In order to study the potential effects of an oil spill on coral reef organisms, the marine sponge, Cinachyrella spp. was investigated. In this study, Cinachyrella spp. was placed in a closed aquaculture system and exposed to sub-lethal water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of Macondo crude oil and chemically-enhanced water accommodated fractions (CE-WAFs) of the dispersant, Corexit 9500, over a 24-hour time course, in order to model the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and oil spill sponge response. Illumina RNA sequencing and gene expression analysis utilizing hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and KEGG bioinformatic database generated 34,147 unique transcripts with …

Changes In A Tropical Seagrass Environment After Installation Of Small Artificial Reefs, Joseph M. Penta

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The 3-dimensional structural complexity of coral reef environments is positively correlated with measurements of biodiversity and biomass. EcoReefs are a type of artificial reef that resemble branching corals, such as Acropora cervicornis, which provide an environment of high structural diversity, and that are effective at recruiting and sustaining fish populations. Little is known, however, about the effects of EcoReefs on the surrounding environments in which they are deployed, so this study examined the results after installing Ecoreef modules in a seagrass environment. The installation occurred in March 2009 at Coco Cay in the Berry Island chain in the Bahamas …

Evaluating Acropora Cervicornis Growth And Survivorship In A Line Nursery, Zachary Ostroff

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata were once dominant, reef-building corals of Caribbean reefs. Over the last several decades, population declines of Caribbean Acropora have been dramatic, and both species are now listed as “Threatened” under the United States Endangered Species Act. Numerous restoration efforts now utilize coral gardening techniques to cultivate these species for transplantation, in which A. cervicornis is primarily cultivated both on fixed structures and in line nurseries. This study evaluates growth and survivorship of multiple A. cervicornis genotypes grown via two line nursery techniques, and compares the efficacy of each against the conventional method of fixed nursery …

Density And Diversity Of Penaeid Shrimp And Fish Species In Near-Shore Seagrass Beds Of Northern Biscayne Bay, Florida (Usa), Robin Cascioli

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass beds serve critical functions in coastal Florida ecosystems. The beds serve as nursery habitat for many juvenile reef fish species and provide protection for many types of benthic organisms found in Biscayne Bay. They help stabilize sediment that would otherwise increase turbidity around coral reefs, filter the water of contaminants, and help support an entire food web. Three species of seagrass were found at the study sites in northern Biscayne Bay: Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii, and Syringodium filiforme. This study focused on understanding the organism habitat interaction by determining the species diversity, seasonal densities, and the …

Microbial Effects On The Production And Transformation Of Surfactants Within The Microlayer And Subsurface Waters In Application To Remote Sensing Techniques, Katie E. Vella

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The sea surface microlayer is a millimeter-scale interfacial layer between the atmosphere and the ocean. A number of studies have suggested that there is a unique ecosystem for marine bacteria in the sea surface microlayer, but little information exists on the microbial community composition of this ecosystem due to sampling complexities. In this work, we present an improved method to sample and compare the bacterial diversity of the sea surface microlayer with that of subsurface water at the same site. Bacterial samples were collected from the sea surface microlayer with a sampling method, which minimized sample contamination from the research …

The Effects Of A New Bridge On Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) Use Of The Fpl Discharge Canal At Port Everglades, Florida, Brea Viragh

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is an endangered species that migrates to warm water refuges such as natural springs or power plant effluents during the winter months to escape cold water. The Florida Power and Light (FPL) discharge canal in Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, FL., is utilized as a refuge by overwintering manatees. Construction of a new bridge over the FPL effluent canal had a potential effect on manatee usage of the canal. Discharge is often 10-15° C warmer in the winter season than the surrounding waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. Previous data, including age class and …

Post-Release Survival And Habitat Utilization Of Juvenile Swordfish In The Florida Straits, Jenny Fenton

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The use of pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) eliminates many of the limitations associated with acoustic and conventional tags by using fishery-independent data collection and retrieval. Previous research techniques have provided information on longer-term movements, migrations, and behavior patterns, but there is still a need for additional tagging studies using tags with depth and light data and increased memory that will further define the short-duration activity patterns and habitat utilization of juvenile swordfish in the western North Atlantic. PSATs have been successfully used on other large pelagic fishes, but have yet to be used on juvenile swordfish. This study investigated …

Field Ecology Patterns Of High Latitude Coral Communities, Kristi A. Foster

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Some climate models predict that, within the next 30-50 years, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) will frequently exceed the current thermal tolerance of corals (Fitt et al. 2001; Hughes et al. 2003; Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2007). A potential consequence is that mass coral bleaching may take place (i) during warm El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events which are predicted to occur in some regions more frequently than the current 3-7 year periodicity (Hoegh-Guldberg 1999; Sheppard 2003) or (ii) perhaps as often as annually or biannually if corals and their symbionts are unable to acclimate to the higher SSTs (Donner et al. 2005, …