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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Environmental Sciences

William & Mary

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

2007

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

The Infection Dynamics Of Pav1 In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Caiwen Li Jan 2007

The Infection Dynamics Of Pav1 In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Caiwen Li

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Panulirus argus Virus 1 (PaV1) is an emerging disease in Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus. It is considered a threat to the lobster industry in the Florida Keys. In order to understand the infection dynamics of the PaV1 virus in the lobster host, a sensitive and specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was developed for diagnosis of PaV1 in lobsters. The lower limit of detection using the 110-bp DNA probe in a dot-blot hybridization for PaV1 was 10 pg of cloned DNA template and 10 ng of genomic DNA extracted from hemolymph of diseased spiny lobster. The probe specifically …


Hypoxia And Macoma Balthica: Ecological Effects On A Key Infaunal Benthic Species, William Christopher Long Jan 2007

Hypoxia And Macoma Balthica: Ecological Effects On A Key Infaunal Benthic Species, William Christopher Long

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Hypoxia, low dissolved oxygen, is an important environmental stressor in estuarine systems. In this dissertation, I examine the effects of hypoxia on the macrobenthic communities of the York and Rappahannock Rivers, Chesapeake Bay, USA, and in particular its effects on the infaunal clam Macoma balthica. A survey of the macrobenthic community was performed using box-coring before and after hypoxia in 2003 and 2004 in both rivers. Hypoxia was associated with a change in the macrobenthic community towards smaller, shorter-lived, opportunistic species; and a substantial decrease in biomass. M. balthica recruited into all areas of the river but suffered local extinction …


The Effects Of Mercury On The Nesting Success And Return Rate Of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta Bicolor), Rebecka L. Brasso Jan 2007

The Effects Of Mercury On The Nesting Success And Return Rate Of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta Bicolor), Rebecka L. Brasso

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.


Effects Of Mercury On Condition And Coloration Of Belted Kingfishers, Ariel Elizabeth White Jan 2007

Effects Of Mercury On Condition And Coloration Of Belted Kingfishers, Ariel Elizabeth White

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.


Environmental Factors And Typha Spp Dominance In Created Wetlands, Azure E. Bevington Jan 2007

Environmental Factors And Typha Spp Dominance In Created Wetlands, Azure E. Bevington

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

As created wetlands are becoming more common due to compensatory mitigation under section 404 of the Clean Water Act, it has become important to understand how the vegetation community and the soil nutrient availability develop over time. For a created wetland to replace the function of the destroyed natural wetland, the biogeochemical cycling and vegetation community must replicate the natural system. In this study, I sampled the vegetation community as well as the soil and porewater nutrient availability in four created wetlands in southeastern Virginia, constructed and managed by the Virginia Department of Transportation. All the sites used in this …


Assessing The Impacts Of Land Use Change On Hard Clam Aquaculture In Old Plantation Creek, Northampton County, Virginia, Matthew J. Strickler Jan 2007

Assessing The Impacts Of Land Use Change On Hard Clam Aquaculture In Old Plantation Creek, Northampton County, Virginia, Matthew J. Strickler

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

One of the main threats to water quality in the Chesapeake Bay is contamination by bacterial loading from point and non-point sources. While only very high levels of fecal bacteria (greater than 200 MPN/100ml) indicate the potential of a health threat to humans from contact with water, lower concentrations (14 MPN/100 ml) make the shellfish from contaminated waters unfit for human consumption. Many nearshore areas that are vulnerable to bacterial contamination also are suitable for the propagation of shellfish, including the hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria). This is especially true on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where shallow, sheltered waters with optimal salinity …


The Impact Of Drainage Ditches On Salt Marsh Flow Patterns, Sedimentation And Morphology: Rowley River, Massachusetts, Lynsey E. Lemay Jan 2007

The Impact Of Drainage Ditches On Salt Marsh Flow Patterns, Sedimentation And Morphology: Rowley River, Massachusetts, Lynsey E. Lemay

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Salt marshes along many tidal systems in New England have been ditched since colonial times. These ditches have been thought to help control mosquito populations and increase salt marsh hay production by improving water drainage from the marsh. Although these ditches are prominent geomorphic features, little quantitative work has focused on how these man-made ditches may alter marsh hydrology and geomorphology. This study attempts to quantify the ways in which ditches alter sediment and water transport pathways and how that affects the overall morphology and surface geology. This study also addresses treatment affects on sedimentation from fertilization and fish removal …


Mercury Exposure In Terrestrial Insectivorous Birds, Scott Lawrence Friedman Jan 2007

Mercury Exposure In Terrestrial Insectivorous Birds, Scott Lawrence Friedman

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.