Marine Biology Commons^™

Image Segmentation By Convolutional Neural Networks In Coral Resilience Research, Jennifer Benbow

Master's Projects

As ocean temperatures rise, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe. Selective breeding experiments show promise for enhancing coral resilience, but scaling these projects is hindered by the labor-intensive nature of taking numerous time series measurements as corals grow. Automating this process with computer vision is one solution to this bottleneck, and to our knowledge, no such tool exists at present. To fill this gap, we have trained a set of machine learning models, based on the Mask R-CNN framework, for segmenting juvenile corals in lab-based coral resilience research. This work shows that retraining the Mask R-CNN architecture through …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Ocean Acidification On Juvenile Homarus Americanus Feeding Behavior, Sophia Roy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change has led to increased CO2 absorption by ocean surface waters, resulting in decreased pH levels, a phenomenon known as ocean acidification (OA). A primary class of marine organism behavior is impacted by OA, in particular, olfactory-mediated behaviors related to foraging and feeding success. However, the biological mechanisms responsible for the documented impairment of foraging and feeding-related behaviors remains in question. We find that juvenile American lobsters (H. americanus) exhibit significantly faster rates of total feeding times in response to short-term low pH exposure. However, total search time and total handling time were not affected by pH when examined …

Arctic Report Card 2024, United States National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

The Arctic Report Card from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for 2024.

An Aggregation Of The Pandalid Shrimp, Heterocarpus Ensifer, On Deep Reef Habitats Of The West Florida Slope, Eastern Gulf Of Mexico, Steve W. Ross

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Heterocarpus ensifer A. Milne—Edwards (1881) (Crustacea: Pandalidae), armed nylon shrimp, is widely distributed in the western and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic this shrimp occurs from off North Carolina to Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), western Bahamas, and Caribbean Sea at depths of 170—885 m. Despite its widespread occurrence, ecology or biology information for this species are sparse, and in situ observations of abundance, behavior and habitat preferences are particularly lacking. During extensive submersible and ROV observations on and near deep—reefs in the north—central and eastern GOM, a remarkably large aggregation of H. ensifer …

Density Dependent Calling Behavior In North Pacific Humpback Whales, Lucas J. Anderson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Animal density can define factors such as mating success, food acquisition, and communication. Inferring animal density from vocal rates is an important tool for estimating abundance and space use in difficult-to-study species like marine mammals and requires an understanding of the relationship between social context and calling rates. The goal of this project was to investigate the relationship between animal density and call rate in Southeast Alaskan humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Passive acoustic monitoring data were collected along with visual observations gathered near Frederick Sound and Stephen’s Passage, Southeast Alaska, over two summers (2019, 2022). Observers watched whales …

Region-Specific Drivers Cause Low Organic Carbon Stocks And Sequestration Rates In The Saltmarsh Soils Of Southern Scandinavia, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Anna E. L. Graversen, Gary T. Banta, Jeppe N. Hansen, Marie L. K. Schrøter, Pere Masqué, Marianne Holmer, Dorte Krause-Jensen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Saltmarshes are known for their ability to act as effective sinks of organic carbon (OC) and their protection and restoration could potentially slow down the pace of global warming. However, regional estimates of saltmarsh OC storage are often missing, including for the Nordic region. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed OC storage and accumulation rates in 17 saltmarshes distributed along the Danish coasts and investigated the main drivers of soil OC storage. Danish saltmarshes store a median of 10 kg OC m−2 (interquartile range, IQR: 13.5–7.6) in the top meter and sequester 31.5 g OC m−2 yr−1 (IQR: 41.6–15.7). …

Editorial - Contemporary Marine Science, Its Utility And Influence On Regulation And Government Policy, Piers Larcombe, Angus Morrison-Saunders, Peter V. Ridd

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The purpose of this Research Topic is to evaluate the quality of contemporary marine science and to examine relationships between science, regulation and government policy in the marine environment. The quality of marine science matters; not just to advance knowledge on understanding marine ecosystems, but also to guide marine management. ...

Inside Out: The Effects Of Water Quality And Stocking Density On Oyster Aquaculture In Georgia, Alexandra B. Raduege

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Oyster growing is one of the oldest known forms of aquaculture, but this ancient practice has only recently entered Georgia’s waters on a commercial scale. With any burgeoning industry, many questions need to be answered to maximize productivity. In the case of oyster aquaculture, growers must maximize both economic and ecological productivity for the long-term success of the industry. Water quality is of particular concern for the health and wellbeing of cultured oysters with the possibility that certain husbandry decisions made by oyster growers could adversely affect the growth and condition of their oysters. This study examines the influence of …

Seasonal Abundance Of The Nudibranch Dondice Jupiteriensis On The Colonial Hydroid Eudendrium Carneum, Erika Molina, Daniela Gutierrez-Andrade, Samantha Schlegel, Julia Piper, Louis J. Ambrosio, Michael L. Middlebrooks

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Benthic colonial hydroids often serve as a host to a large variety of invertebrate taxa. The colonial hydroid Eudendrium carneum Clarke, 1882 is host to a variety of epifauna, including the recently described nudibranch Dondice jupiteriensis García—Méndez & Valdés, 2022. Like many species of heterobranch sea slugs, little is known about the natural history and population biology of D. jupiteriensis. Here we describe a year—long study recording the population density and size structure of D. jupiteriensis on E. carneum colonies in Tampa Bay, FL USA. We found that the D. jupiteriensis population persists year—round but is the densest during …

ผลของอาหารเม็ดสำเร็จรูปเสริมด้วยจุลินทรีย์ Aurantiochytrium Limacinum ต่อความสมบูรณ์พันธุ์ของแม่พันธุ์ปูขาว Scylla Paramamosain, ปฏิภาณ จันทรมณี

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาผลของการเสริมจุลินทรีย์ Aurantiochytium limacinum ในอาหารเม็ดสำเร็จรูปต่อความสมบูรณ์พันธุ์ของแม่พันธุ์ปูขาว Scylla paramamosain จากการวิเคราะห์องค์ประกอบทางเคมี (proximate composition) ในอาหารเม็ดสำเร็จรูปพบว่า ปริมาณโปรตีนของอาหารแต่ละชุดการทดลองอยู่ในช่วง 43.58-48.22% ไขมัน 12.46-14.44% และคาร์โบไอเดรต 12.62-13.90% โดยชุดควบคุมมีปริมาณโปรตีนและไขมันสูงกว่าชุดที่เสริมจุลินทรีย์อย่างมีนัยสำคัญ (P<0.05) แต่เมื่อวิเคราะห์ปริมาณกรดไขมันในอาหารทั้ง 3 ชุดการทดลอง พบว่าอาหารเม็ดสำเร็จรูปเสริมด้วยจุลินทรีย์ A (imacinum 2% มีปริมาณรวมของกรดไขมันชนิด PUFA สูงกว่าชุดที่เสริมด้วย จุลินทรีย์ A. limacinum 1% และชุดควบคุมอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ (P<0.05) เมื่อเปรียบเทียบระยะพัฒนาการของรังไข่ของแม่พันธุ์ปูที่ได้รับอาหารเป็นระยะเวลา 60 วัน พบว่าแม่พันธุ์ปูที่ได้รับอาหารเม็ดเสริมด้วยจุลินทรีย์ A. Pimacinum 2% มีรังไข่ระยะสมบูรณ์ (OV4) มากที่สุด (75%) รองลงมาเป็นแม่พันธุ์ปู่ที่ได้รับอาหาร A limacinum 1% มีรังไข่ส่วนใหญ่เป็นระยะ OV3 คิดเป็น 75% และ OV4 คิดเป็น 25% ในขณะที่ชุดควบคุมพบว่ารังไข่อยู่ในระยะที่ 1-2 (75%) เมื่อ วิเคราะห์ปริมาณกรดไขมันในรังไข่ของแม่พันธุ์ปูแต่ละชุดการทดลอง พบว่า รังไข่ของแม่พันธุ์ปู่ี่ได้รับอาหาร A (imacinum 2% มีปริมาณกรดไขมันอิ่มตัว (SFA) เป็น 67.29 me/s Dw สูงกว่าชุดที่ได้รับอาหาร A. (imacinum 1%และชุดควบคุมที่มีค่า 65.52, 53.74 mg/g DW ตามลำดับ ในขณะที่รังไข่ของแม่พันธุ์ปู่ี่ได้รับอาหารชุด A. (imacinum 1% มีปริมาณกรดไขมันไม่อิ่มตัว MUFA และ PUFA มีค่า 55.24 และ 19.82 mg/g DW ตามลำดับ และสูงกว่าชุดที่ได้รับอาหารA. (imacinum 2% มีค่า 52.2 และ 17.17 mg/g DW ตามลำดับ และชุดควบคุมที่มีค่า 46.06 และ 15.75 me/e DW ตามลำดับ จากผลการศึกษาสามารถสรุปได้ว่าปริมาณจุลินทรีย์ A. (imacinum ที่เหมาะสมในการเสริมพัฒนาการของรังไข่ของแม่พันธุ์ปูทะเลอยู่ในช่วง 1% และให้จำนวนแม่พันธุ์ปูออกไข่นอกกระดองมากที่สุด

ความสัมพันธ์ของผลผลิตการประมงจับในอ่าวไทยกับความแปรปรวนของสภาพภูมิอากาศ, วิธวินท์ พลลาภานันท์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การบริหารจัดการทรัพยากรประมงในประเทศไทยยังคงเผชิญกับความท้าทาย แม้จะมีมาตรการกำกับดูแลที่เข้มงวด ทว่าผลผลิตทางการประมงยังคงแสดงความแปรปรวนสูงในแต่ละปี ซึ่งสะท้อนถึงอิทธิพลของปัจจัยแวดล้อมที่ซับซ้อนเหนือกว่าการควบคุมโดยมนุษย์ ปรากฏการณ์สมุทรศาสตร์ขนาดใหญ่ เช่น Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), เอลนีโญ และลานีญา มีบทบาทสำคัญในการกำหนดโครงสร้างของระบบนิเวศทางทะเล อย่างไรก็ตาม นอกจากปัจจัยทางธรรมชาติแล้ว กิจกรรมของมนุษย์ถือเป็นองค์ประกอบที่อาจส่งผลกระทบต่อประชากรสัตว์น้ำในระยะยาว เช่นกัน งานวิจัยนี้มุ่งเน้นการวิเคราะห์ความแปรปรวนของผลผลิตประมงโดยใช้ ค่าปริมาณการจับสัตว์น้ำต่อหน่วยการลงแรงประมง (CPUE) และปริมาณการจับขึ้นท่า (Landing Catch) ในการศึกษาความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างปรากฎการณ์การเปลี่ยนแปลงทางภูมิอากาศและความชุกชุมของประชากรปลา โดยใช้ Non-Metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) ผลการศึกษาพบว่า PDO มีความสัมพันธ์เชิงสถิติที่มีนัยสำคัญ (P = 0.004) กับปริมาณการจับปลาผิวน้ำในอ่าวไทยตอนบน นอกจากนี้ การวิเคราะห์ความสัมพันธ์เชิงสหสัมพันธ์ระหว่างดัชนี Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) และผลผลิตปลาทูเผยให้เห็นแนวโน้มเชิงลบที่มีนัยสำคัญ ขณะที่ค่าเฉลี่ยและค่ามัธยฐานของ Demersal CPUE ในอ่าวไทยตอนบนมีแนวโน้มเพิ่มขึ้นในช่วงของวงจร PDO ที่มีอุณหภูมิต่ำและในช่วงลานีญา (P < 0.001) ข้อค้นพบเหล่านี้ตอกย้ำถึงความสำคัญของปัจจัยสิ่งแวดล้อมที่ส่งผลต่อผลผลิตประมง และชี้ถึงความจำเป็นในการบูรณาการข้อมูลสมุทรศาสตร์และภูมิอากาศในการวางแผนบริหารจัดการ เพื่อประเมินแนวโน้มผลผลิตได้แม่นยำและกำหนดนโยบายที่ยืดหยุ่นต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงของสิ่งแวดล้อมทะเล โดยงานวิจัยนี้ช่วยเพิ่มองค์ความรู้เกี่ยวกับผลกระทบของการเปลี่ยนแปลงภูมิอากาศต่อการประมงในประเทศไทย สนับสนุนการวางแผนใช้ประโยชน์ทรัพยากรอย่างยั่งยืนและการออกแบบมาตรการปรับตัวในระยะยาว

A Strategic Framework For Estimating International Container Flows: An Empirical Study, Dung-Ying Lin, Hsin-Chun Huang, Steven Travis Waller, Xiang Zhang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Maritime transportation is a highly complex transportation system that plays a pivotal role in international trade. Its low-cost and high-volume advantages have enabled it to cover most of the world’s cargo transportation. However, with the trend of global trade volume increasing almost every year and the recent congestion of ports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chaos in global supply chains not only increases operating costs for shippers but also makes it difficult for countries that rely heavily on port trade to plan for their ports’ future. To develop a strategic analytic tool to estimate container flow in liner shipping, …

Targeting Ocean Conservation Outcomes Through Threat Reduction, Joseph A. Turner, Malcolm Starkey, Nicholas K. Dulvy, Frank Hawkins, Louise Mair, Adeline Serckx, Thomas Brooks, Beth Polidoro, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Kent Carpenter, Minna Epps, Rima W. Jabado, Nicholas B. W. Macfarlane, Leon Bennun

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Nations have committed to reductions in the global rate of species extinctions through the Sustainable Development Goals 14 and 15, for ocean and terrestrial species, respectively. Biodiversity loss is worsening despite rapid growth in the number and extent of protected areas, both at sea and on land. Resolving this requires targeting the locations and actions that will deliver positive conservation outcomes for biodiversity. The Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric, developed by a consortium of experts, quantifies the contributions that abating threats and restoring habitats in specific places offer towards reducing extinction risk based on the IUCN Red List …

Mangroves Of The Warm Temperate Northwest Atlantic, Daniel A. Friess, Ena L. Suárez, Anna R. Armitage, Cheryl Doughty, Laura C. Feher, Ilka C. Feller, Alejandro Fierro, Kara R. Radabaugh, Lorae T. Simpson, William C. V Vervaeke, Carlos Zamora-Tovar

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The ‘Mangroves of the Warm Temperate Northwest Atlantic’ province is a regional ecosystem subgroup (level 4 unit of the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology). It includes the marine ecoregions of Carolinian and Northern Gulf of Mexico. The biota is characterized by 3 species of mangroves: Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle, and 1 mangrove associate Conocarpus erectus, though not all species are equally distributed throughout the province. Mangroves in this province cross the USA and Mexico and are quite unique, as they exist at the latitudinal range limit of the mangrove ecosystem. The majority of mangroves in this province are …

Integrating Remote Sensing With Ground-Based Observations To Quantify The Effects Of An Extreme Freeze Event On Black Mangroves (Avicennia Germinans) At The Landscape Scale, Melinda Martinez, Michael J. Osland, James B. Grace, Nicholas M. Enwright, Camille L. Stagg, Camille L. Stagg, Simen Kaalstad, Gordon H. Anderson, Elena A. Flores, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Quantifying ecosystem responses to extreme events at the landscape scale is critical for understanding and responding to climate-driven change but is constrained by limited data availability. Here, we integrated remote sensing with ground-based observations to quantify landscape-scale vegetation damage from an extreme climatic event. We used ground- and satellite-based black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) leaf damage data from the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA and Mexico) to examine the effects of an extreme freeze in a region where black mangroves are expanding their range. The February 2021 …

Managing Inter-Organizational Trust And Risk Perceptions In Transboundary Fisheries Governance Networks, Evelyn Roozee, Dongkyu Kim, Antonia Sohns, Jasper R. De Vries, Owen Temby, Gordon M. Hickey

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Transboundary fishery management represents a significant governance challenge that requires ongoing inter-organizational communication, collaboration, and collective action to ensure sustainability. Previous research suggests that different dimensions of perceived risk, trust, and control interact in complex ways to affect inter-organizational collaborative performance, providing an administrative ‘architecture’ that enables partners to share resources, engage in teamwork, resolve conflict, and coordinate tasks and responsibilities while also allaying their concerns about the alliance. However, the extent to which different control mechanisms influence trust and mitigate the perceived risks of collaboration between the diverse organizations involved in transboundary fisheries management remains unclear. This paper presents …

Trophic Interactions Of Sympatric Cyprinodontiform Fishes Inhabiting Louisiana Saltmarshes, Ryan Heines

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Resident saltmarsh nekton, namely Cyprinodontiform fishes, play key ecological roles in supporting terrestrial and aquatic food webs. These fishes are highly abundant across the saltmarsh landscape of coastal Louisiana and have evolved to tolerate the highly variable environmental conditions that are characteristic of these habitats. The objective of this research is to consider mechanisms enabling this diverse community of fishes to cooccur in the spatially limited saltmarsh habitats of coastal Louisiana. In Chapter 2, bulk stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C), sulfur (δ34S) and nitrogen (δ15N) were used to quantify the intra- and inter-specific resource use of six sympatric Cyprinodontiform …

Exploring Market Segmentation For Autonomous Ferries, Ashari Fitra Rachmannullah, Taih Cherng Lirn, Kuo Chung Shang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study aims to investigate the determinants that underlie psychographic segmentation in the domain of autonomous ferries (AFs) by using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a guiding theoretical construct. The paper focuses on Indonesian individuals who had previously utilised conventional ferry services. TPB was applied as a catalyst to identify possible market segmentation among potential AF passengers. In this study, cluster analysis is used to differentiate passengers by their perception of using AFs. The results identified three market segments through cluster analysis based on passengers’ perceptions of using AFs: Resource-Limited, Resource-Capable, and Value-Optimistic. Among these segments, the Resource-Capable …

Adaptive Prediction Horizon Energy-Saving Collision-Free Mpc Of Ships Based On Ship-Shore Cooperation, Han Xue, Enjie Yang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

ABSTRACT:In order to perform the close association between ship maneuvering control and energy consumption through the control strategy, this paper designs an adaptive prediction horizon based energy-saving robust nonlinear model predictive control (APHERNMPC) for underactuated ships to deal with the actual control and state constraints during berthing based on ship-shore cooperation. An improved Emperor Penguin Optimizer (EPO) method is proposed for collision avoidance decision. To solve the problems of falling into local optimum and reducing the convergence speed, the traditional EPO is improved based on Sobol sequence in order to enhance the diversity and ergodicity of the population. The multi-ship …

Research And Design A Lifeboat Virtual Reality Simulation System For Maritime Safety Training In Vietnam, Nguyen Dinh Thach, Nguyen Van Hung

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Ensuring maritime safety and security is crucial for all nations. Training trainees and operational officers in this field aims to enhance their professional skills and ability to manage and resolve incidents at sea. This article outlines the development of a lifeboat simulation system that integrates Virtual Reality (VR) technology in accordance with international maritime regulations. It describes the creation of an algorithm designed to optimize data transmission between simulation systems using the ant colony optimization technique in conjunction with intelligent control algorithms on Unity 3D software for human interaction. In particular, the system combines training with a maritime simulation framework …

Baby's First Jets: A Kinematic And Hydrodynamic Analysis Of Turning In Cuttlefish Hatchlings, Alissa M. Ganley, Paul S. Krueger, Ian K. Bartol

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Turning is an important aspect of life underwater, playing integral roles in predator avoidance, prey capture, and communication. While turning abilities have been explored in a diversity of adult nekton, little is currently known about turning in early ontogeny, especially for cephalopods. In this study, we investigated the turning abilities of hatchling common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis, n = 49) and dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis, n = 30), using both kinematic and wake-based analyses. Using body tracking software and particle image velocimetry (PIV), we found that S. officinalis turned faster than S. bandensis, but both species …

Tropical Fish Study In Tahiti, French Polynesia, Miranda Brainard, Caitlyn Swango, Paityn Houglan, Richard Londraville

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In May of 2023, I embarked on an exciting research journey to Moorea, French Polynesia, alongside fellow students and faculty members from the University of Akron and Syracuse University. This expedition was part of the university-sponsored Tropical Vertebrate Biology course, where we delved into the exploration of various tropical species inhabiting the island, including sea urchins, geckos, and my primary focus, the blackspotted rockskipper.

My research team, composed of my co-authors and me, was particularly intrigued by the unique refuge-seeking behavior displayed by blackspotted rockskippers. These amphibious fish are renowned for their remarkable ability to inhabit tide pools and rocky …

Workshop On Recreational Fisheries In Stock Assessments (Wkrfsa), International Council For The Exploration Of The Sea (Ices)

Fisheries Research Articles

ICES Technical Report Contributors (Editors)

Martina Scanu; Zachary Radford

Contributors (Authors)

David Curtis; Didzis Ustups; Eneko Bachiller; Estanis Mugerza; Gwladys Lambert; Hans Jakob Olesen; Ioannis Thasitis; Ivo Sics; Jonnathan White; Karina Ryan; Kieran Hyder; Kjell Nedreaas; Lennert van de Pol; Lucia Zarauz; Manos Koutrakis; Marie Storr-Paulsen; Martina Scanu; Matthew Farthing; Nicola Walker; Paul Bouch; Pia Schuchert; Sean Tracy; Simon Weltersbach; Sophy Phillips; Zachary Radford.

Executive summary

The Workshop on Recreational Fisheries in Stock Assessments (WKRFSA) aimed to establish a process for integrating recreational fisheries (RF) data into stock assessments. The workshop addressed three questions: identifying obstacles to RF inclusion, creating …

Monitoring Faunal Responses To Biodegradable Oyster Reef Restoration Materials With Camera Traps, Tara L. Blanchard

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Restoration of the oyster reefs has become increasingly crucial due to great population declines around the globe. Intertidal oyster reefs provide essential foraging and loafing grounds to many faunal species, including several threatened/endangered wading bird species. Biodegradable oyster reef restoration materials have been introduced to avoid potential plastic pollution from traditional materials. Studies have shown success regarding oyster recruitment rates to these materials. However, their impacts on fauna using restored oyster reefs are unknown. This project aims to evaluate oyster reef restoration using biodegradable materials to increase faunal diversity, abundance, and foraging behaviors. Camera traps were deployed to observe fauna …

Examining Wrack In Mosquito Lagoon To Analyze Biodiversity And Seagrass Viability, Nicole Jerrell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Seagrass restoration of Halodule wrightii, has become crucial as seagrass coverage in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) declined by 58% between 2011 and 2019. To understand the abundance of seagrass fragments available for natural recruitment and restoration, we tracked the abundance of viable fragments found in the wrack in Mosquito Lagoon. Wrack is plant material, including seagrass fragments, mangrove propagules, and detritus. Seagrass fragments were considered viable if the fragment had an apical meristem present. Replicate samples were collected from 5 locations every two weeks, starting in September 2022 and ending in September 2023, and the samples were processed …

Abundance And Habitat Associations Of Bivalves In Mosquito Lagoon, A Preliminary Survey, Mariam Sonbol

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigates the understudied abundance and habitat associations of bivalves in Mosquito Lagoon. Seagrass habitats were found to support the highest diversity of mollusks in earlier surveys (Mikkelsen et al., 1995). Twelve sites, including seagrass-vegetated, unvegetated, and seagrass-restored areas, were sampled in March and May 2024. Habitat characteristics, such as sediment composition and seagrass cover, were analyzed alongside bivalve populations. Across all sites, 6 genera were identified among 44 individuals. Overall abundance and diversity of bivalves collected were low in all sites, and most individuals were juveniles. Sediment characteristics influenced differences in diversity across site types, with restored sites …

Training The Concept Of Innovate In Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Is Both Creative And Cognitively Stimulating, Deirdre Yeater, Kathleen M. Dudzinski, Dawn Melzer, Andrew R. Magee, Michaela Robinett, Gonzalo Guerra, Kimberly Salazar, Terri Bolton, Heather Manitzas Hill

Psychology Faculty Publications

Creative or novel behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be indicators of flexible thinking and problem solving. Over 50 years ago, two rough-tooth dolphins demonstrated creative novel behaviors acquired through reinforcement training in human care. Since this novel training, a variety of species have been trained to respond to this conceptual cue. The current study assessed the creativity of 12 bottlenose dolphins (5 females, 7 males) housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) in Roatan, Honduras. Individual differences were found across four constructs measured for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. Variability in performance occurred across test …

Benthic And Epibenthic Invertebrate Assemblages Associated With Estuarine Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Differ Between Native And Invasive Plants, Marissa Hall, Kathryn O'Shaughnessy, Bethany Kiley, Ashley Mcdonald, Taber Faurie, Zoey Hendrickson, Anna Reimer, Samantha Smith, Charles Martin

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) provides vital habitat for macroinvertebrate communities that support diverse food webs and subsequent ecosystem services. Invasive SAV, however, has the potential to alter estuarine food webs through competition with native SAV, resulting in different associated biological communities. In the Mobile-Tensaw Delta (Alabama, USA), the invasive Eurasian milfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum, is fast becoming the dominant SAV, out-competing native SAV such as wild celery, Vallisneria americana. This study investigated the above- and belowground macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with these SAV habitats. We found significantly different assemblages between the SAV, with V. americana supporting more even and …

Temperature Driven Variability In Bull Kelp (Nereocystis Luetkeana) Early Life Stages: A Comparative Study Of California Populations, Marzia Fattori

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study investigated the effects of elevated temperatures on the reproductive and developmental stages of Nereocystis luetkeana, a crucial brown macroalgae found along the western coast of North America. My objectives were to 1) evaluate the impact of increasing temperature on the abundance of gametophytes from various sites, 2) determine the length of gametophytes that were affected by temperature on day 10 of culture, 3) assess the presence or absence of oocytes, sporophytes (young vs. multicellular), and abnormal cells, to understand the reproductive and stress responses to higher temperatures, and 4) determine if there is variation among early developmental …

Turtlegrass (Thalassia Testudinum) Undergoes A Coordinated Hypersensitive Response When Challenged With Pathogenic Labyrinthula Sp., Ava Vasile Larson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Infection of the subtropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum Banks ex König by pathogenic Labyrinthula sp. was found to induce lesion progression, alterations to the host’s oxidative metabolism, and production of defense metabolites over the early stages of infection (monitored over a 72-hr time course). By 48-hrs post-infection, host oxygen consumption, internal reactive oxygen concentrations, and caspase-3 proteolytic activity reached their highest levels. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were detected in T. testudinum lesions by use of redox-sensitive probes/substrates and fluorescent imaging. To our knowledge, this work represents the first time NO has been detected in …