Marine Biology Commons^™

Bathypelagic Ocean Waters, Christy Linardich, Tracey Sutton, Imants G. Priede, David A. Keith

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Mesopelagic Ocean Waters, Kate E. Watermeyer, Eduard J. Gregr, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Imants G. Priede, Tracey Sutton, David A. Keith

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Southern California Margin Benthic Foraminiferal Assemblages Record Recent Centennial-Scale Changes In Oxygen Minimum Zone, Hannah M. Palmer, Tessa M. Hill, Peter D. Roopnarine, Sarah E. Myhre, Kastherine R. Reyes, Jonas T. Donnenfield

Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Student Professional Publications

Microfossil assemblages provide valuable records to investigate variability in continental margin biogeochemical cycles, including dynamics of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Analyses of modern assemblages across environmental gradients are necessary to understand relationships between assemblage characteristics and environmental factors. Five cores were analyzed from the San Diego margin (32∘42′00′′ N, 117∘30′00′′ W; 300–1175 m water depth) for core top benthic foraminiferal assemblages to understand relationships between community assemblages and spatial hydrographic gradients as well as for down-core benthic foraminiferal assemblages to identify changes in the OMZ through time. Comparisons of benthic foraminiferal assemblages from two size fractions (63–150 and >150 …

The Importance Of Understanding Trophic Transfer In Top Marine Predators Due To An Increase In Plastic Production, Annika M. Markovich

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Epipelagic Ocean Waters, Kate E. Watermeyer, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Imants G. Priede, Tracey Sutton, David A. Keith

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Books and Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Deep Sea Sediments Of The Arctic Central Basin: A Potential Sink For Microplastics, Colleen Mcmaken

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Will Shark Skin Dissolve Under High Co2?, Emily K. Witt

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

First Estimates Of Greenland Shark (Somniosus Microcephalus) Abundances In Arctic Waters, Taryn Szalay

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Thirty Years Of Data Sheds Light On Plastic Pollution In The Deep Sea, Adam Warren

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Dolphin Study Gives Insight Into Marine Mammal Threat Response, Marshall Hawkins

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Social Structure Of Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) In The Galápagos Archipelago, Mary Gad

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Using Drones To Assess Great White Shark Behavior Along Coastal Beaches, Alydia Moorhead

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Size And Density Of Upside-Down Jellyfish, Cassiopea Sp., And Their Impact On Benthic Fluxes In A Caribbean Lagoon, Chester B. Zarnoch, Noshin Hossain, Erika Fusco, Mary Alldred, Timothy J. Hoellein, Sophia Perdikaris

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Anthropogenic disturbances may be increasing jellyfish populations globally. Epibenthic jellyfish are ideal organisms for studying this phenomenon due to their sessile lifestyle, broad geographic distribution, and prevalence in near-shore coastal environments. There are few studies, however, that have documented epibenthic jellyfish abundance and measured their impact on ecological processes in tropical ecosystems. In this study, the density and size of the upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) were measured in Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda. A sediment core incubation study, with and without Cassiopea, also was performed to determine their impact on benthic oxygen and nutrient fluxes. Densities of Cassiopea were 24–168 …

Investigating The Effects Of Uv Filters In Sunscreen On Human And Environmental Health, Brittany M. Thompson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Ultraviolet filters are active ingredients in sunscreen that protect us from harmful UV radiation. However, organic UV filters are thought to have adverse effects on the environment and humans. In recent years, fear of harmful impacts of sunscreen has caused a surge of coral reef safe sunscreens to hit the market. These sunscreens, which contain inorganic metal oxides as UV filters, have been accepted as safe for humans and the environment until recently. Metal oxides in reef safe sunscreens may form intermediates in the water that can harm marine life and can absorb through the skin and into the blood, …

The First Global Deep-Sea Stable Isotope Assessment Reveals The Unique Trophic Ecology Of Vampire Squid Vampyroteuthis Infernalis (Cephalopoda), A. V. Golikov, F. R. Ceia, R. M. Sabirov, J. D. Ablett, Ian G. Gleadall, Gudmundur Gudmundsson, Henk-Jan T. Hoving, Heather L. Judkins

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

Vampyroteuthis infernalis Chun, 1903, is a widely distributed deepwater cephalopod with unique morphology and phylogenetic position. We assessed its habitat and trophic ecology on a global scale via stable isotope analyses of a unique collection of beaks from 104 specimens from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Cephalopods typically are active predators occupying a high trophic level (TL) and exhibit an ontogenetic increase in δ15N and TL. Our results, presenting the first global comparison for a deep-sea invertebrate, demonstrate that V. infernalis has an ontogenetic decrease in δ15N and TL, coupled with niche broadening. Juveniles are mobile zooplanktivores, while larger …

Temporal Variability Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Deep-Sea Cephalopods Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Isabel C. Romero, Heather L. Judkins, Michael Vecchione

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

As part of the effort to understand the effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS), we analyzed tissue from five species of midwater oceanic cephalopods in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) during three time periods, including one period sampled fortuitously just before the spill (2010), and two periods sampled after the spill (2011 and 2015–2016). The species, Japetella diaphana, Abralia redfieldi, Histioteuthis corona, Leachia atlantica, and Onychoteuthis banksii were collected in three geographic areas in the GoM (east, south and southeast of the Macondo wellhead). Results indicate a shift in the composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in …

Using Harvest Slot Limits To Promote Stock Recovery And Broaden Age Structure In Marine Recreational Fisheries: A Case Study, Jacob M. Kasper, Jeffrey Brust, Amanda Caskenette, Jason Mcnamee, Jason C. Vokoun, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Fish populations with broad age distributions are expected to have higher reproductive capacity than age-truncated populations because of the disproportionate contributions of older fish. Harvest slot limits, an expected means of ameliorating age truncation, are modeled for Tautog Tautoga onitis in an overfished population subunit that is experiencing overfishing. Tautog, currently managed by a 40 cm minimum size limit (MSL), is a candidate species for slots because it is relatively long-lived, slow-growing, with low discard mortality. We evaluated changes in biomass and abundance-at-age relative to management with the current MSL regulations using a forward population simulation model for four slots: …

Leaf-Tip Morphology Does Not Support Species Status For The Seagrass Halodule Beaudettei In Florida, Usa, Michael E. Wheeler, Bradley T. Furman, Margaret O. Hall

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Turning The Tides - An Examination Of The Red Tide Epidemic In Florida, Dahlia Lilleslåtten

Honors Program Theses

Southwest Florida’s red tides are characterized by patches of maroon-colored water, respiratory irritants, and elevated levels of marine mortalities. While a natural phenomenon, red tide has a devastating impact on aquatic ecosystems that become overwhelmed with dense aggregations of unicellular organisms and the subsequent brevetoxins that are released into the air. ​This paper reviews recent research on the Gulf Coast’s red tide epidemic in an attempt to fully understand the cause of the heightened intensity, frequency, and duration of algal blooms. It goes on to highlight the Sanibel and Captiva Islands’ rich history in conservation, and how this foundation of …

Life History Of Northern Gulf Of Mexico Warsaw Grouper Hyporthodus Nigritus Inferred From Otolith Radiocarbon Analysis, Beverly K. Barnett, Jeffrey P. Chanton, Robert Ahrens, Laura Thornton, William F. Patterson Iii

C-IMAGE Publications

Warsaw grouper, Hyporthodus nigritus, is a western Atlantic Ocean species typically found at depths between 55 and 525 m. It is listed as a species of concern by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and as near threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. However, little information exists on the species’ life history in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) and its stock status in that region is currently unknown. Age of nGOM Warsaw grouper was investigated via opaque zone counts in otolith thin sections (max age = 61 y), and then the bomb 14C chronometer …

Detedit: A Graphical User Interface For Annotating And Editing Events Detected In Long-Term Acoustic Monitoring Data, Alba Solsona-Berga, Kaitlin E. Frasier, Simone Baumann-Pickering, Sean M. Wiggins, John A. Hildebrand

C-IMAGE Publications

Passive acoustic monitoring has become an important data collection method, yielding massive datasets replete with biological, environmental and anthropogenic information. Automated signal detectors and classifiers are needed to identify events within these datasets, such as the presence of species-specific sounds or anthropogenic noise. These automated methods, however, are rarely a complete substitute for expert analyst review. The ability to visualize and annotate acoustic events efficiently can enhance scientific insights from large, previously intractable datasets. A MATLAB-based graphical user interface, called DetEdit, was developed to accelerate the editing and annotating of automated detections from extensive acoustic datasets. This tool is highly-configurable …

Distribution, Density, Movement, And Support For Management Of Mountain Sucker, Pantosteus Jordani, In The Black Hills Of South Dakota, Seth J. Fopma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mountain Sucker, Pantosteus jordani, is a cold-water species native to the Intermountain West. Fringe populations of Mountain Sucker have experienced declines in recent decades. The population of Mountain Sucker found in the Black Hills of South Dakota represents the eastern fringe of the species’ native range. Recognized as both an indicator of biologic health and as a species of greatest conservation need in South Dakota, recent studies have suggested significant declines in both distribution and abundance. Despite the recent study of Mountain Sucker in the region, increased understanding of Mountain Sucker ecology is needed to effectively manage for the conservation …

Modification Of Plant Proteins And Their Potential Application As Fish Meal Replacements In Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss Feeds, Miran Jaza Hama Salh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soybean meals (SBM) and its by-products are the most common plant feedstuffs that are used in feeds for a variety of fish species of fish over the last three decades due to high protein levels and good amino acid profile, in comparison with other plant protein sources. In the last two decades the production of soybean was around zero metric tons (Index, 2020). Barley is another plant protein that has been tested in some species diets. While barley is used in many areas such as brewing industry, animal feeding, human consumption, it is mainly used for animal feeding in Kurdistan. …

Novel Mechanism For Turning Performance In Bluefin Tuna, Abigail Downs

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Scombrid fishes can attain exceptional swimming speeds due to their thunniform, lift-based propulsion, large muscle mass, and fusiform body shape. A rigid body restricts maneuverability for aquatic organisms. To test if turning maneuvers by the rigid-bodied Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) are constrained, captive animals were video recorded from above as the animals routinely swam around a large circular tank or during feeding bouts. The turning performance was classified into three different types of turns: 1) glide turn, where the tuna uses the caudal fin as a rudder to passively move through the turn, 2) powered turn, where …

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary: An Exploration Of Changing The Discourse On Conservation, Arielle Ben-Hur

Pitzer Senior Theses

In 2015, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council submitted a National Marine Sanctuary Nomination to establish the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary– a means by which to ensure the protection of one of the most culturally and biologically diverse coastlines in the world. On October 5, 2015, John Armor of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responded to the nomination, adding it to the inventory of areas NOAA may consider in the future for national marine sanctuary designation.

In my thesis, I explore how the nomination of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary acts as a platform from which Traditional …

The Impact Of Climate Change On The Migration Phenology Of New England’S Anadromous River Herring And American Shad, Charles K. Cobb

Honors Theses

Anadromous fish play important roles in food webs and nutrient cycling in both aquatic and marine ecosystems. As a result of climate change however, anadromous fish’s migration timing has begun to change, with potentially deleterious consequences to both anadromous fish, and the species that depend on them. Western coastal US studies have linked earlier anadromous fish returns to warming marine temperatures and changes in river flow regimes, but the exact temperatures thresholds that anadromous fish respond to, and the relative importance of temperatures and river flows, remain somewhat unknown. Additionally, there has been relatively little research on anadromous fish phenology …

Development And Validation Of Gene Delivery Methods For ​Crassostrea Virginica, Adrienne N. Tracy

Honors Theses

The Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is an important part of the East Coastal USA economy because aquaculture creates jobs. Sadly, the oysters are under constant threat due to increasing pollution, red tides, and diseases. Bivalves, and oysters in particular, are also becoming potential model organisms in medical research. With the sequencing of the oyster genome, scientists are focusing on deciphering the function of the predicted genes. However, the limited number of molecular and cellular tools available makes functional annotation of the genome challenging. A consistent, replicable gene delivery system needs to be developed to assess gene function and understand the …

Bacterial Biofilms Colonizing Plastics In Estuarine Waters, With An Emphasis On Vibrio Spp. And Their Antibacterial Resistance, Amanda L. Laverty, Sebastian Primke, Claudia Lorenz, Gunnar Gerdtz, Fred Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

Since plastics degrade very slowly, they remain in the environment on much longer timescales than most natural organic substrates and provide a novel habitat for colonization by bacterial communities. The spectrum of relationships between plastics and bacteria, however, is little understood. The first objective of this study was to examine plastics as substrates for communities of Bacteria in estuarine surface waters. We used next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize communities from plastics collected in the field, and over the course of two colonization experiments, from biofilms that developed on plastic (low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene) …

Modelling Silicate - Nitrate - Ammonium Co-Limitation Of Algal Growth And The Importance Of Bacterial Remineralisation Based On An Experimental Arctic Coastal Spring Bloom Culture Study, Tobias R. Vonnahme, Martial Leroy, Silke Thoms, Dick Van Oevelen, H. Rodger Harvey, Svein Kristiansen, Rolf Gradinger, Christoph Voelker

OES Faculty Publications

Arctic coastal ecosystems are rapidly changing due to climate warming, which makes modelling their productivity crucially important to better understand future changes. System primary production in these systems is highest during the pronounced spring bloom, typically dominated by diatoms. Eventually the spring blooms terminate due to silicon or nitrogen limitation. Bacteria can play an important role for extending bloom duration and total CO2 fixation through ammonium regeneration. Current ecosystem models often simplify the effects of nutrient co-limitations on algal physiology and cellular ratios and neglect bacterial driven regeneration, leading to an underestimation of primary production. Detailed biochemistry- and cell-based models …

Solid Phase Extraction And High-Precision Mass Spectrometry Analysis Methods For Crassostrea Virginica Metabolome, Alyssa Darling

Theses and Dissertations

Metabolomics is the rapidly-growing field which focuses on the endpoints of biological processes, and has the capability to provide a snapshot of an organisms’ interaction with their environment on a molecular scale. The objective of the experiment herein was to develop a standard metabolic extraction technique coupled with ultrahigh-precision analytical tools to build a global metabolic pathway of the keystone species Crassostrea virginica. To achieve this, C. virginica whole-body samples were extracted using acetonitrile and methanol, then split into a dehydrated group and a diluted group. Following reversed-phase solid phase extraction (RP-SPE) of both groups, metabolites were identified using …