Marine Biology Commons^™

Rosp 3d Skull (Roseate Spoonbill), Kevin Rafferty, Briana K. Zaffiro, David Kerstetter

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

3D skull of a roseate spoonbill

Isomerization Of Galactose To Tagatose: Recent Advances In Non-Enzymatic Isomerization, Jikai Zhao, Zhuo Wang, Qing Jin, Danyi Feng, Juhee Lee

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The valorization of galactose derived from acid whey to low-calorie tagatose has gained increasing attention. Enzymatic isomerization is of great interest but faces several challenges, such as poor thermal stability of enzymes and a long processing time. In this work, non-enzymatic (supercritical fluids, triethylamine, arginine, boronate affinity, hydrotalcite, Sn-β zeolite, and calcium hydroxide) pathways for galactose to tagatose isomerization were critically discussed. Unfortunately, most of these chemicals showed poor tagatose yields (70%). The latter is able to form a tagatose–calcium hydroxide–water complex, which stimulates the equilibrium toward tagatose and prevents sugar degradation. Nevertheless, the excessive use of calcium hydroxide may …

Initial Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Australian Fisheries Production, Research Organisations And Assessment: Shocks, Responses And Implications For Decision Support And Resilience, Emily M. Ogier, David C. Smith, Sian Breen, Caleb Gardner, Daniel J. Gaughan, Harry K. Gorfine, Alistair J. Hobday, Natalie Moltschaniwskyj, Ryan Murphy, Thor Saunders, Michael Steer, James Woodhams

Fisheries Research Articles

Australia’s fisheries have experience in responding individually to specific shocks to stock levels (for example, marine heatwaves, floods) and markets (for example, global financial crisis, food safety access barriers). The COVID-19 pandemic was, however, novel in triggering a series of systemic shocks and disruptions to the activities and operating conditions for all Australia’s commercial fisheries sectors including those of the research agencies that provide the information needed for their sustainable management. While these disruptions have a single root cause—the public health impacts and containment responses to the COVID-19 pandemic—their transmission and effects have been varied. We examine both the impacts …

Grow-Out Culture Of Oyster Magallana Bilineata (Röding, 1798) Using Pouches: A Comparison Of Growth And Survival In The River And Earthen Pond, Ma. Junemie Hazel L. Lebata-Ramos, Ellen Flor D. Solis, Mark Jude C. Almeida

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Oysters are among the most in-demand aquaculture commodities in the Philippines and worldwide. With the decreasing culture area and the deteriorating water quality of oyster beds, there is a need to explore new culture sites and techniques to address the problems of dwindling stocks and the increasing demand for better quality oysters. This study compared the growth and survival of the oysters Magallana bilineata, the new accepted name of Crassostrea iredalei, cultured in an earthen pond and the river using pouches suspended from rafts. Mean growth rates of oysters in length and weight were significantly higher in those …

Recent Global Warming Induces The Coupling Of Dissimilar Long-Term Sedimentary Signatures In Two Adjacent Volcanic Lakes (Azores Archipelago, Portugal), David Vázquez-Loureiro, Alberto Sáez, Vítor Gonçalves, Teresa Buchaca, Armand Hernández, Pedro M. Raposeiro, Erik J. De Boer, Pere Masqué, Santiago Giralt, Roberto Bao

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Paleoclimatological information derived from the study of lacustrine sedimentary records is not only biased by taphonomical processes but also by potential differences in the expression of climate variability in the sediments due to site-specific factors. Using a multiproxy approach (the elemental and isotopic compositions of organic matter, diatom assemblages, and marker pigments of algae and cyanobacteria), we study the different environmental signatures recorded since the Little Ice Age (LIA) in the sediments of two volcanic lakes located within the same caldera on São Miguel Island (Azores Archipelago). Lake Santiago is a crater lake whose eutrophic status in the last stage …

Remote Sensing For Cost-Effective Blue Carbon Accounting, Martino E. Malerba, Micheli Duarte De Paula Costa, Daniel A. Friess, Lukas Schuster, Mary A. Young, David Lagomasino, Oscar Serrano, Sharyn M. Hickey, Paul H. York, Michael Rasheed, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Ben Radford, Trisha B. Atwood, Daniel Lerodiaconou, Peter Macreadie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCE) include mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows, all of which are currently under threat, putting their contribution to mitigating climate change at risk. Although certain challenges and trade-offs exist, remote sensing offers a promising avenue for transparent, replicable, and cost-effective accounting of many BCE at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has issued guidelines for developing blue carbon inventories to incorporate into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Yet, there is little guidance on remote sensing techniques for monitoring, reporting, and verifying blue carbon assets. This review constructs a …

Capturing Of Organic Carbon And Nitrogen In Eelgrass Sediments Of Southern Scandinavia, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Anna Elizabeth Løvgren Graversen, Gary T. Banta, Marianne Holmer, Pere Masque, Peter Anton Upadhyay Stæhr, Dorte Krause-Jensen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The ability of seagrass meadows to filter nutrients and capture and store CO₂ and nutrients in the form of organic carbon (OC) and nitrogen (N) in their sediments may help to mitigate local eutrophication as well as climate change via meadow restoration and protection. This study assesses OC and N sediment stocks (top 50 cm) and sequestration rates within Danish eelgrass meadows. At four locations, eelgrass-vegetated and nearby unvegetated plots were studied in protected and exposed areas. The average OC and N sediment 50 cm stocks were 2.6 ± 0.3 kg OC m ^{− 2} and 0.23 ± 0.01 …

Building Artificial Reefs From Recycled Construction Materials: A Feasibility Study, Nicholas H. Lew

Construction Management

Naturally occurring reefs are some of the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems formed by jagged rocks tucked slightly below sea level. In recent years global warming began to pose a major threat to many reef habitats. Most relevant is the increase in surface seawater temperatures that cause coral to bleach, taking away major food sources for larger marine species. Researchers have combated this by deploying artificial reefs in substitution for naturally formed limestone rock formations in order to promote the expansion of coastal habitats. This project specifically aims to utilize construction waste towards the production of artificial reefs, effectively upcycling …

Data From: Mechanisms Of Gill-Clogging By Hagfish Slime, Luke Taylor, Gaurav Chaudhary, Gaurav Jain, Andrew Lowe, Andre Hupe, Atsuko Negishi, Yu Zeng, Randy Ewoldt, Douglas Fudge

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Data Sets

Abstract of Proc. Roy. Soc. article:

Hagfishes defend themselves from gill-breathing predators by producing large volumes of fibrous slime when attacked. The slime’s effectiveness comes from its ability to clog predators’ gills, but the mechanisms by which hagfish slime clogs are uncertain, especially given its remarkably dilute concentration of solids. We quantified the clogging performance of hagfish slime over a range of concentrations, measured the contributions of its mucous and thread components, and measured the effect of turbulent mixing on clogging. To assess the porous structure of hagfish slime, we used a custom device to measure its Darcy permeability. We …

Increased Floodplain Inundation In The Amazon Since 1980, Ayan Fleischmann, Fabrice Papa, Stephen K. Hamilton, Alice Fassoni-Andrade, Sly Wongchuig, Jhan Carlo Espinoza, Rodrigo Paiva, John Melack, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Rafael M. Almeida

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Extensive floodplains throughout the Amazon basin support important ecosystem services and influence global water and carbon cycles. A recent change in the hydroclimatic regime of the region, with increased rainfall in the northern portions of the basin, has produced record-breaking high water levels on the Amazon River mainstem. Yet, the implications for the magnitude and duration of floodplain inundation across the basin remain unknown. Here we leverage state-of-the-art hydrological models, supported by in situ and remote sensing observations, to show that the maximum annual inundation extent along the central Amazon increased by 26% since 1980. We further reveal increased flood …

Marine Ecological Protection And Restoration: International Agendas And China Action, Ke Duan, Zhengyan Liu, Shengkang Liang, Yanbin Li, Dongliang Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

International conventions and initiatives can promote collective action against global crises, and strengthen the efforts of countries to take concerted actions. This study summarizes the important international agendas related to marine ecological conservation and restoration, and analyzes China's policy mechanism in recent years. It believes that the policies in China and international documents are synergistic and effective in jointly strengthening efforts to respond to the global crisis. This study also puts forward some countermeasures and suggestions for China to build a detailed regional marine ecological map, strengthen ecological corridor restoration, improve scientific and technological support systems, and promote international cooperation …

Saving The Critically-Endangered Western Gray Whale, Jen Maresh

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Jen Maresh, Biology - Saving the Western Gray Whale: How Science, Industry, and the Public are Coming Together to Protect a Critically Endangered Species from Oil & Gas Activities

On The Architecture Of Collaboration In Inter-Organizational Natural Resource Management Networks, Gordon M. Hickey, Evelyn Roozee, Remko Voogd, Jasper R. De Vries, Antonia Sohns, Dongkyu Kim, Owen Temby

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper reviews the architecture of collaboration that exists within inter-organizational natural resource management (NRM) networks. It presents an integrative conceptual framework designed to help operationalize the multi-level interactions that occur between different dimensions of trust, risk perception, and control as key concepts in inter-organizational collaboration. The objective is to identify and justify a series of propositions considered suitable for assessing inter-organizational NRM network collaboration through empirical work. Such an integrative conceptualization goes beyond the existing trust scholarship related to collaborative NRM, and, we argue, offers a useful starting point for further exploring some of the ‘inner’ social dynamics affecting …

Analysis Of “A Forest Under The Sea”- Studying Giant Kelp’S Benefits To Ecosystems, And Evaluating Kelp Restoration, Natalie V. Boyd

CAFE Symposium 2023

I wrote a research paper on how Giant Kelp needs to be restored due to the rising ocean temperatures. There are two methods that I specifically focused on and learned about which are "Super Kelp" and "Green Gravel." Giant Kelp is critical to our ecosystem and marine life specifically due to all the benefits that it supplies. For example, kelp forests can sequester up to 20 times more carbon than a land forest. Unfortunately, the kelp is dying off rapidly now because of climate change; specifically the rising temperatures and increased ocean acidification. In order to save the kelp, action …

Black Vulture Skull, Briana K. Zaffiro, David W. Kerstetter

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

Skull from 8 cm total length [Coragyps atarus (Black Vulture)]

Metal Contents In House Geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) From Industrial And Urban Areas Of Southern Tamaulipas, Mexico And Western Andalucía, Spain, May Reflect Airborne Metal Pollution, Luisiana Morales-Zamudio, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Md. Saydur Rahman, Miguel Antonio Dominguez-Crespo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

House geckos share living quarters with humans in the tropical and subtropical regions inhabited by these reptiles. Gecko behavior, biological traits, continuous exposure to suspended particulate matter 0 µm in diameter (PM10) and dust, as well as status as exotic species, motivated the choice of these species to examine environmental exposure to ambient air pollutants, in particular metals, and subsequent accumulation in these organisms. One part of the study was conducted in Tamaulipas (Mexico) where Hemydactylus frenatus is abundant in urban and industrial environments, the other part was conducted in Andalucia (Spain) where Tarentola mauritanica is found in similar environments. …

Multiple Behaviors For Turning Performance Of Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Orientalis), Abigail M. Downs, Allison Kolpas, Barbara A. Block, Frank E. Fish

Biology Faculty Publications

Tuna are known for exceptional swimming speeds, which are possible because of their thunniform lift-based propulsion, large muscle mass and rigid fusiform body. A rigid body should restrict maneuverability with regard to turn radius and turn rate. To test if turning maneuvers by the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) are constrained by rigidity, captive animals were videorecorded overhead as the animals routinely swam around a large circular tank or during feeding bouts. Turning performance was classified into three different types: (1) glide turns, where the tuna uses the caudal fin as a rudder; (2) powered turns, where the animal uses …

Impacts Of Tectonic Subsidence On Basin Depth And Delta Lobe Building, Tian Y. Dong, Jeffrey A. Nittrouer, Brandee Carlson, Brandon Mcelroy, Elena Il’Icheva, Maksim Pavlov, Hongbo Ma

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Channel avulsions on river deltas are the primary means to distribute sediment and build land at the coastline. Many studies have detailed how avulsions generate delta lobes, whereby multiple lobes amalgamate to form a fan-shaped deposit. These studies often assume steady subsidence and uniform basin depth. In nature, however, lobe building is disrupted by variable subsidence, and progradation of lobes into basins with variable depth: conditions that are prevalent for tectonically active areas. Herein, we explore sediment dispersal and deposition patterns across scales using measurements of delta and basin morphology compiled from field surveys and remote sensing, collected over 150 …

Global Dataset On Seagrass Meadow Structure, Biomass And Production, Simone Strydom, Roisin Mccallum, Anna Lafratta, Chanelle L. Webster, Caitlyn M. O'Dea, Nicole E. Said, Natasha Dunham, Karina Inostroza, Cristian Salinas, Samuel Billinghurst, Charlie M. Phelps, Connor Campbell, Connor Gorham, Rachele Bernasconi, Anna M. Frouws, Axel Werner, Federico Vitelli, Viena Puigcorbé, Alexandra D'Cruz, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Jack Robinson, Megan J. Huggett, Sian Mcnamara, Glenn A. Hyndes, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows provide valuable socio-ecological ecosystem services, including a key role in climate change mitigation and adaption. Understanding the natural history of seagrass meadows across environmental gradients is crucial to deciphering the role of seagrasses in the global ocean. In this data collation, spatial and temporal patterns in seagrass meadow structure, biomass and production data are presented as a function of biotic and abiotic habitat characteristics. The biological traits compiled include measures of meadow structure (e.g. percent cover and shoot density), biomass (e.g. above-ground biomass) and production (e.g. shoot production). Categorical factors include bioregion, geotype (coastal or estuarine), genera and …

What Drives Larval Condition For Northern Anchovy (Engraulis Mordax)? Implications For Coastal Pelagic Species Recruitment Fluctuations And Fishery Management Practices, Michelle Robidas

Theses

Discerning the causes of population boom and bust cycles for coastal pelagic species (CPS) has been a major focus of fisheries management research for over a century. Year-class strength is contingent on larval survival and condition, which can be influenced by larval size at age and growth rate. These two factors, in turn, can be affected by maternal investment and environmental variables such as water temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll a. We evaluated each of these factors from 127 two to eight week-old Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) larvae off the coast of San Diego to San Francisco, …

Evidence Of An Established Population Of Cherax Quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868) In South Texas, Usa, Adam Sanjar, Drew R. Davis, Richard J. Kline

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868) is a large parastacid crayfish (Decapoda: Parastacidae) native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. Due to various factors, C. quadricarinatus is an emerging invasive species in an increasing number of regions across the world. Deleterious ecological effects of C. quadricarinatus introduction have been documented in many of these regions, and its spread has been monitored and restricted where possible. Previously, only a small, isolated population of C. quadricarinatus in southern California had been reported within the continental United States. Here, we report the collection of three adult C. quadricarinatus from Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, the …

Holocene Evolution Of Parabolic Dunes, White River Badlands, South Dakota, Usa, Revealed By High-Resolution Mapping, Paul Evans Baldauf, Gregory S. Baker, Maraina Miles, Patrick Burkhart, Allen Gontz, Madeline Rinka, Michael Levenson

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The White River Badlands (WRB) of South Dakota record eolian activity spanning the late Pleistocene through the latest Holocene (21 ka to modern), reflecting the effects of the last glacial period and Holocene climate fluctuations (Holocene Thermal Maximum, Medieval Climate Anomaly, and Little Ice Age). The WRB dune fields are important paleoclimate indicators in an area of the Great Plains with few climate proxies. The goal of this study is to use 1 m/pixel-resolution digital elevation models from drone imagery to distinguish Early to Middle Holocene parabolic dunes from Late Holocene parabolic dunes. Results indicate that relative ages of dunes …

Controls Of Physical Drivers On The Formation And Toxicity Of Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (Cyanohabs), Courtney N. Hammond

LSU Master's Theses

Estuaries within the Gulf of Mexico are exhibiting profound alterations due to climatic changes and the implementation of coastal restoration activities. These changes are attributed to the increasing frequency of harmful cyanobacteria blooms (cyanoHABs) within Lake Pontchartrain, an estuary located in southeastern Louisiana, USA. There is a better understanding into how the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS) impacts cyanoHAB formations compared to the effect of other physical drivers when the spillway doesn’t dominate the system. The goal of this study is to provide a greater understanding of the baseline conditions when the BCS is closed and determine what …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture For Growing West Coast Venus Clams, Avery Wallace

Theses

With demand for sustainable sources of seafood on the rise, California is looking to expand aquaculture with a focus on innovative culturing methods and use of native or resident species. Therefore, this study examined the potential for culturing native North American west coast venus clams (Chione californiensis and Chione undatella) using integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA). An ITMA approach was chosen because it is a culture method that uses species from different but functionally complementary trophic levels that have been found to reduce the potential negative effects of traditional monoculture. California sea cucumber (Parastichopus californicus) and the seaweeds red ogo (Gracilaria …

Visual_Hea Software, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Software

Habitat Equivalency Analysis Software to Facilitate Calculation of Compensatory Restoration following Natural Resource Injury

Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA) is a means to determine the amount of compensatory restoration required to provide services that are equivalent to the interim loss of natural resource services following injury. The lost services are calculated from the time of injury through the recovery process. Recovery could be either via natural recovery or active restoration. The compensatory restoration services are calculated from the time of commencement through process of the chosen restoration. An injury to natural resources therefore involves a time component during which the ecological …

Larval Dispersal Patterns And Connectivity Of Acropora On Florida’S Coral Reef And Its Implications For Restoration, Samantha King, Antoine Saint-Amand, Brian K. Walker, Emmanuel Hanert, Joana Figueiredo

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Since the 1980s, populations of Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata have experienced severe declines due to disease and anthropogenic stressors; resulting in their listing as threatened, and their need for restoration. In this study, larval survival and competency data were collected and used to calibrate a very high-resolution hydrodynamic model (up to 100m) to determine the dispersal patterns of Acropora species along the Florida’s Coral Reef. The resulting connectivity matrices was incorporated into a metapopulation model to compare strategies for restoring Acropora populations. This study found that Florida’s Coral Reef was historically a well-connected system, and that spatially selective restoration …

Change And Stasis Of Distinct Sediment Microbiomes Across Port Everglades Inlet (Pei) And The Adjacent Coral Reefs, Lauren E. Krausfeldt, Jose V. Lopez, Catherine Bilodeau, Hyo Won Lee, Shelby L. Casali

Biology Faculty Articles

Deep water ports are human built coastal structures that by definition welcome ship traffic and disturbance. Evidence is accumulating that enhanced port activities such as dredging or deepening have negatively affected nearby natural habitats. Port Everglades Inlet (PEI) is a large active South Florida cargo port for over two million people and lies adjacent to coral reefs, dwindling mangroves, and recreational beaches. In this study, the microbial communities of PEI and adjacent reef sediments were characterized to serve as indicators for change due to dredging and assess anthropogenic influence on these sensitive ecosystems by sequencing the V4 region of 16S …

Insights From The Management Of Offshore Energy Resources: Toward An Ecosystem-Services Based Management Approach For Deep-Ocean Industries, M. Emilia Bravo, Miriam I. Brandt, Jesse M. A. Van Der Grient, Thomas G. Dahlgren, Patricia Esquete, Sabine Gollner, Daniel O. B. Jones, Lisa A. Levin, Craig R. Mcclain, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Tracey Sutton, Lissette Victorero, Erik E. Cordes

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The deep ocean comprises complex ecosystems made up of numerous community and habitat types that provide multiple services that benefit humans. As the industrialization of the deep sea proceeds, a standardized and robust set of methods and metrics need to be developed to monitor the baseline conditions and any anthropogenic and climate change-related impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services. Here, we review what we have learned from studies involving offshore-energy industries, including state-of-the-art technologies and strategies for obtaining reliable metrics of deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystem function. An approach that includes the detection and monitoring of ecosystem services, with …

The Evolution Of Life History Traits And Their Thermal Plasticity In Daphnia, Larry L. Bowman Jr., David M. Post

ETSU Faculty Works

Few studies have explored the relative strength of ecogeographic versus lineage-specific effects on a global scale, particularly for poikilotherms, those organisms whose internal temperature varies with their environment. Here, we compile a global dataset of life history traits in Daphnia, at the species-and population-level, and use those data to parse the relative influences of lineage-specific effects and climate. We also compare the thermal response (plasticity) of life history traits and their dependence on climate, temperature, precipitation, and latitude. We found that the mode of evolution for life history traits varies but that the thermal response of life history traits most …

Balancing Renewable Energy And River Resources By Moving From Individual Assessments Of Hydropower Projects To Energy System Planning, Jeffrey J. Opperman, Juan Pablo Carvallo, Rafael Kelman, Rafael J. P. Schmitt, Rafael M. Almeida, Emily Chapin, Alexander Flecker, Marc Goichot, Guenther Guenther Grill, Julien J. Harou

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

As governments and non-state actors strive to minimize global warming, a primary strategy is the decarbonization of power systems which will require a massive increase in renewable electricity generation. Leading energy agencies forecast a doubling of global hydropower capacity as part of that necessary expansion of renewables. While hydropower provides generally low-carbon generation and can integrate variable renewables, such as wind and solar, into electrical grids, hydropower dams are one of the primary reasons that only one-third of the world’s major rivers remain free-flowing. This loss of free-flowing rivers has contributed to dramatic declines of migratory fish and sediment delivery …