Marine Biology Commons^™

Marine Protected Areas And Oceanographic Variability: Impacts On Blue Rockfish (Sebastes Mystinus) And The Human Dimensions Of Collaborative Fisheries Research, Erin M. Johnston

Master's Theses

Fishing pressure and environmental variability are two of the most impactful drivers of fish populations worldwide. It is critical to effective management to understand the intersection between the two and how each may affect fish population dynamics, especially for exploited nearshore species like rockfishes (Sebastes spp.). This is especially true as models indicate that global climate change will dramatically increase the frequency and severity of large-scale oceanographic perturbations. We were interested in whether we could detect changes in relative abundance of nearshore rockfishes relative to large-scale oceanographic events using a broad-scale index like the Multivariate Ocean Climate Indicator …

Marginal Reef Systems: Resilience In A Rapidly Changing World, Nicola K. Browne, Andrew G. Bauman

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Practical Solutions To The Invasion Of Lionfish In Utila, Honduras: Science, Education, Food, And Jewelry, Carolyn Corley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lionfish (Pterois sp.) are invasive species capable of devastating coral reef ecosystems due to their lack of predators, large appetites, generalist diet, high fecundity, and rapid spawning rates. As lionfish have expanded their distribution across the Caribbean, many conservation groups have taken it upon themselves to systematically remove these predators from environments where they are threatening native species. However, few have involved the community the way I observed while interning with the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center in Utila, Honduras. Protecting coral reefs is extremely important, especially in small communities like Utila, where the majority of people’s …

Does Artificial Lighting Cause Sea Turtle Hatchling Disorientations?, Kate Hickey

Biology Student Scholarship

Sea turtle hatchlings run into obstacles from the minute they emerge from their shell. They have a 1 in 1,000 survival rate and new obstacles are on the horizon. Coastal development is increasing and is not planning on slowing down. It supports and funds tourism, but has some negative implications on the wildlife that uses this area, like sea turtles. A particular problem with development is the artificial lighting it emits which is effecting sea turtles nesting. When the hatchlings emerge from the nest, they use the horizon and moon to guide them in the direction of the sea. The …

Interactions Between Marine Megafauna And Plastic Pollution In Southeast Asia, Lucy C.M. Omeyer, Emily Duncan, Neil Angelo S. Abreo, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Lea A. Angsinco-Jimenez, Sabiqah T. Anuar, Lemnuel V. Aragones, Gonzalo Araujo, Luis R. Carrasco, Emilyn Q. Espiritu

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Southeast (SE) Asia is a highly biodiverse region, yet it is also estimated to cumulatively contribute a third of the total global marine plastic pollution. This threat is known to have adverse impacts on marine megafauna, however, understanding of its impacts has recently been highlighted as a priority for research in the region. To address this knowledge gap, a structured literature review was conducted for species of cartilaginous fishes, marine mammals, marine reptiles, and seabirds present in SE Asia, collating cases on a global scale to allow for comparison, coupled with a regional expert elicitation to gather additional published and …

The Effect Of Water Temperature On Tiger Shark Location, Philip Gelso

Biology Student Scholarship

The tiger shark is a keystone species in its ecosystem. As an apex predator, the tiger shark keeps the entire ecosystem in balance such as maintaining seagrass and coral reef habitats. The rise of ocean surface temperatures have become an issue over the past decades due to the increase in energy from the sun trapped by greenhouse grasses. This change in ocean surface temperature can have detrimental impacts on the ocean environment and the life cycles of many species including the tiger shark. Therefore, this project evaluates the change in location of tiger sharks in relation to water temperature.BIO …

A Mathematical Model For Wound Healing In Reef-Building Coral Pocillopora Damicornis, Quintessa Hay, Luke Gardner, Eunice Pak, Liza M. Roger, Rebecca A. Segal, Anna Shaw, Nastassja A. Lewinski, Angela M. Reynolds

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Connecting Social And Ecological Systems In Small-Scale Fisheries In The Philippines, Sara Eisler Marriott

Dissertations

Nearly 50% of all marine fish capture in the Philippines is from artisanal fisheries, most of which is un- or under-reported. As in many emerging nations around the world, the Philippines cannot fully address overfishing by managing only half of the catch that comes from commercial fisheries. Marine reserves are a popular governance strategy for conservation and of growing interest for fisheries management. Many marine reserves in the Philippines, however, are not considered effective. In 2014, Rare, an international NGO, implemented a community-based management program to increase the effectiveness of the marine reserves, and while it found biomass increased, there …

A Deeper Understanding Of Noise Effects On Cetaceans, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Recent research with cetaceans under human care is illuminating just how dolphins are affected by human-made noise both in terms of their ability to cooperate as well as their ability to habituate to such noise. This research is providing granular detail to regulators assessing the problems associated with anthropogenic effects and is highlighting a role for behavior/cognition research in conservation.

Ecomorphology Of A Predatory Deep-Sea Fish Family: Does Trophic Specialization Drive Hyperspeciation?, Ryan P. Mcgonagle, David Kerstetter, Danté Fenolio, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Two of the main drivers of speciation among aquatic vertebrates are physical isolation (e.g., lakes and streams) and micro-niche availability (e.g., tropical reefs). In both regards, the mesopelagic domain of the open ocean, Earth’s second largest cumulative ecosystem (behind only the bathypelagic domain), would seem retardant. Ocean circulation makes isolation rare on both contemporary and geological time/space scales, and the lack of substrate precludes stable micro-niches. Paradoxically, some pelagic taxa demonstrate much higher-than-expected species richness on regional scales. A prime example is the dragonfish family Stomiidae, the most speciose family of mesopelagic fishes, owing largely to the subfamily Melanostomiinae (scaleless …

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

Rapidly Changing Range Limits In A Warming World: Critical Data Limitations And Knowledge Gaps For Advancing Understanding Of Mangrove Range Dynamics In The Southeastern Usa, Rémi Bardou, Michael J. Osland, Steven Scyphers, Christine Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu I, Robert Crimian, Richard H. Day, Nicholas M. Enwright, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has significant ecological and societal ramifications. Here, we synthesized existing data and expert knowledge to assess the distribution of mangroves near rapidly changing range limits in the southeastern USA. We used expert elicitation to identify data limitations and highlight knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of …

The Impacts Of Seasonality And Nutrient Loading On Microcystis Bloom Development In Wall Pond, Alyssa Antolak

Honors Theses

The harmful cyanobacteria Microcystis globally dominates eutrophic freshwater systems. Eutrophication leading to nitrogen and phosphorus loading into aquatic systems is increasing bloom propagation and shifting diatom/dinoflagellate dominated systems to cyanobacteria dominated systems. Understanding seasonal variability and environmental parameters combined with nutrient loading will allow for a better understanding of what factors are influencing Microcystis blooms. Biweekly plankton samples and environmental parameters were collected from Wall Pond from spring 2022-spring 2023. Results show that yearly plankton samples shifted from Microcystis dominated in the early summer to diatom dominated in the late summer-early fall then back to Microcystis dominated in late fall-early …

Meiofauna Distribution Patterns On A Sandy Beach Of Sapelo Island, Georgia, Nancy Dalman, Dianna Spence, Richard Settele, David Turner, Andrew Shirley, Jill Schulze

Georgia Journal of Science

Substantial abundance and diversity of intertidal invertebrates known as meiofauna are evident on a sandy beach of Sapelo Island, Georgia. Meiofauna are small, benthic, nearly ubiquitous animals. They consume microbes and detritus and are a food source for juvenile fish and ghost shrimp. Meiofauna were manually separated from sand samples collected from three intertidal zones and two depths during low tide in January, March, June, and October, 2017. Fifteen major meiofaunal clades were identified in June, while only eight were observed in January; in all, there were sixteen clades observed. Highest meiofauna densities were found in the middle intertidal zone …

Striped Blenny (Chasmodes Bosquianus) Presence And Behavior Between Sunrise And Sunset At Oyster Landing, South Carolina, Madeline Schuetze

Honors Theses

Lunar and diel cycles of fishes can help to interpret their behaviors during their reproductive season. Temperate estuaries are used by many benthic fishes for shelter and reproduction. This study examined the behavior and presence of striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianus) during diel and lunar cycles. PVC pipe shelters were placed to mimic oyster shell nests, a natural habitat for blennies, and cameras were placed to monitor these shelters in April, May, and June 2022, during the striped blenny reproductive period. Video footage was reviewed and analyzed for the presence and behavior of both male and female blennies. Male presence …

Dolphin Behavioral Responses To Uncrewed Aerial Systems As A Function Of Exposure, Height, And Type, Savannah Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are becoming a standard tool in the study of cetaceans, however, a comparative assessment of animal responses to UAS has not been established to gauge the most effective systems for cetacean study. We utilized Dolphin Quest Bermuda’s eleven bottlenose dolphins as subjects for such an investigation taking place over five weeks in 2022 and five weeks in 2023. The dolphins were evaluated for investigative behavioral responses to six off-the-shelf UAS types and a custom fixed wing system. Each UAS was flown in decreasing height vertically above the main dolphin lagoon to evaluate dolphin behavioral responses in …

A Small-Scale Wave Tank For Living Shoreline Extension And Outreach, Keith Chenier Jr, Jaden Akers, Skylar Liner, Shelby Harrier, Eric Sparks, Patrick Biber, Laura Blackmon, Jessica Kastler, Patrick Broussard

Journal of Extension

Hardened structures, such as bulkheads and seawalls, are currently the primary choice of shoreline protection for waterfront property owners. However, hardened shorelines are known to enhance erosion and often promote the loss of intertidal habitat. Living shorelines are a collection of environmentally friendly construction techniques that serve as an alternative to hardened shorelines through the incorporation of natural materials, such as native plants. To enhance extension and outreach efforts related to the promotion of living shorelines, we created a small-scale, hands-on wave tank that demonstrates the benefits of natural and living shorelines relative to hardened structures. This interactive tool allows …

Improvement Of A Low-Cost Diy Wave Gauge, Matthew F. Virden, Nigel A. Temple, Bret M. Webb, Eric L. Sparks

Journal of Extension

The impacts of waves on shorelines and nearshore ecosystems has highlighted the need for extension and other environmental professionals to have access to accurate and affordable wave measurements. The development of a low-cost DIY wave gauge improved the accessibility of these measurements; however, the original design was limited in battery life. Here, an improved version of the low-cost DIY wave gauge, the DIY Feather Wave Gauge, is presented with the same performance, longer battery life, smaller design, and cheaper cost along with tutorials, parts lists, and other resources. This new gauge has been used to improve shoreline management recommendations.

A Sister-Group Comparison Of Branching And Pedicellariae In Brittlestar S (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), Richard L. Turner, Brenna O. O'Neill

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Branching of arms and presence of pedicellariae are characters among ophiuroids found only in the order Euryalida (snakestars and basketstars). Family Asteronychidae has neither character; family Euryalidae has 2 small clades with branched arms; and family Gorgonocephalidae has all species with pedicellariae and 3 or 4 clades with branched arms. Despite the rare occurrence of these characters in the Ophiuroidea, they might be key adaptations within the Euryalida that have led to relatively high diversification. Sister-group comparison of the distribution of these 2 characters among taxa indicates that neither character alone explains diversity patterns within the order. In particular, branching …

Phylogeny And Taxonomy Of Himerometroidea (Echinodermata: Crinoidea), Kristian H. Taylor, Gregory W. Rouse, Charles G. Messing

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Himerometroidea is a clade of chiefly shallow-water, tropical, feather-star crinoids that is currently divided, based on morphology, into four families comprising 119 extant species in 31 genera. Our molecular phylogenetic results, based on three mitochondrial (CO1, 16S, CytB) and two nuclear (ITS and 28S) markers for 55 accepted species in 23 of the extant genera, allow for six clades within Himerometroidea to be given family ranks. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference analyses recovered largely congruent topologies with varying nodal support. A new classification revises generic placements among five families: Himerometridae, Colobometridae, and Mariametridae, all retained, and Pontiometridae and …

Relationships Between Horizontal And Vertical Movements Of Shortfin Mako Sharks (Isurus Oxyrinchus) In The Western North Atlantic Ocean, Katie Gheysen

Senior Honors Projects

Highly mobile pelagic predators, such as tuna, swordfish, and sharks, often undergo changes in depth over a 24-h period and exhibit diel vertical migration (DVM), presumably to maximize foraging efficiency. Studies on the diving behavior of shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) have been inconclusive as to whether this species consistently exhibits DVM. We investigated relationships between horizontal and vertical movements in shortfin mako sharks by using location and depth data collected from SPLASH tags and pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT). A state-space model was applied to location data derived from SPLASH tags to generate continuous tracks and to …

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

Estimation Of Mortality Rates For The Gulf Menhaden Stock And Reference Point Implementation For The Fishery, Catherine Wilhelm

Master's Theses

The Gulf menhaden stock is the target of a large commercial fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. To address the needs of both the stock and fishery, I performed two studies. I first addressed the natural mortality rates currently used in the Gulf menhaden stock assessment. To update these rates, I used data from a tagging study conducted from 1970 to 1988. Adult and juvenile menhaden were tagged, released, and recovered in fish processing plants. To evaluate the data, I built a Bayesian model using the negative binomial distribution to estimate natural mortality, catchability, and the overdispersion factor parameters. I …

Are Rising Seas Pushing Ghost Crabs Out Of Their Comfort Zone?, Finn Gillette

Honors Theses

Ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata) can be found on sandy beaches bordering the western Atlantic Ocean. These semiterrestrial crustaceans are often found between the swash zone and the dunes on beaches. Dunes are critical refuges for ghost crabs during storms and extreme tide events. This makes them a useful indicator species for monitoring the effects of global warming-induced sea level rise on beach biota, as their distribution patterns among beach zones may correlate with shifts found in other species. Beach surveys conducted from 2015 onward assessed the population density of ghost crabs on beaches of Horry and Georgetown counties …

Rattus Norvegicus As A Biological Detector Of Clandestine Remains And The Use Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Locating Mechanism, Gabrielle M. Johnston

Master's Theses

In investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in …

Determination Of Cadmium Uptake In Crassostrea Virginica Shell Under Controlled Conditions, Joseph John Pavelites Ii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The objective of this thesis was to meet growing demand for the development of environmental biomonitors that protect ecosystems and public health. To do this, I determined the potential of oyster shell as a bioindicator of cadmium (Cd) in the environment by determining the mode of Cd uptake and relationships between Cd concentrations in the environment, shell, and soft tissues of juvenile eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin). I performed a review of the literature on the ability of oyster shell to retain metal contaminants and the factors that could affect this process (Chapter 2). I then reared C. virginica …

Predictive Ecology And Management Of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities Through Cross-Scale Synthesis, David W. Armitage, Morgan E. Carter, Robin A. Choudhury, Mitja Remus-Emsermann, Cindy E. Morris, Johan H. Leveau, Linda L. Kinkel, José Pablo Dundore-Arias

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Here we summarize the main takeaways from a symposium and hybrid virtual and in-person participatory discussion focused on the challenges of scale in understanding the ecology and management of phyllosphere microbial communities. We provide an overview of the confounding effects of spatial scale on inference in microbial ecology, the spatial organization of microbial interactions in the phyllosphere, advances and remaining gaps in measuring phyllosphere colonization across scales, and the epidemiology in the phyllosphere. We hope to motivate further discussion and the development and adoption of creative approaches to solving the challenges of scale to enhance fundamental understanding and practical management …

An Overview Of Serial Depletions Of Global Marine Fisheries 1950 To 2019, Alison Follmer

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Overfishing is a global issue that poses a significant risk to the entire ocean ecosystem in diminishing biodiversity and ecosystem function. This thesis examined the pattern and pace of fisheries depletions due to commercial fishing during the past 70 years. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Division of Fisheries and Aquaculture maintains a database of global hauls of marine taxa (reported in metric tonnes) from 1950 – 2019. These data were queried to determine the total number and sequence of fisheries depletions documented by the historic record. Analysis of this database showed progressive, linearly-increasing exploitation of …

Physiological, Temporal, And Environmental Determinants Of Forage Fish Caloric Content In The Gulf Of Mexico, Rebecca R. Walsh

Honors Theses

Within the Gulf of Mexico, forage fish species serve as an important link between lower trophic levels and higher trophic levels, supporting economically valuable predator fish, birds, and mammals. Despite the key ecological role of forage fish, fisheries management efforts are often directed elsewhere; as a result, input data for fisheries models is unavailable for many forage fish species. To fill this knowledge gap, we sought to produce species-specific caloric content values for four forage fish species in the Gulf of Mexico: Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), white trout (Cynoscion arenarius), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), …

The Evolution Of Pollution Resistance In The Atlantic Killifish, Matthew Rock

Biology Student Scholarship

Matthew Rock ’23
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Markert, Biology

We examined genetic variation in Atlantic Killifish populations to better understand their ability to persist in Superfund sites like New Bedford Harbor, which is polluted with a mix of organic toxicants and heavy metals. As predicted, loci associated with the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) Detoxification Pathway show large differences in allele frequencies between polluted and non-polluted sites.