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Oceanography

Honors Theses

Theses/Dissertations

2012

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Influence Of Tidal Cycles On Movements Of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In South Carolina Coastal Environments, Lauren Albrittain Dec 2012

Influence Of Tidal Cycles On Movements Of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In South Carolina Coastal Environments, Lauren Albrittain

Honors Theses

When studying estuarine environments that are directly fed by the ocean tides, the impact of the changing tide is vital in studying the migration and travel behaviors of organisms within those environments. This study was aimed at determining the influence of the daily tidal currents on movement with or against the tides by Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Data collection occurred from March to October 2012, at three study sites: the ACE River Basin National Wildlife Refuge, the Hilton Head estuary, and the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Photo identification transect surveys were conducted to observe resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins …

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Potential Changes To The Cubitt Creek System After Dredging, Hillary Sparagna Dec 2012

Potential Changes To The Cubitt Creek System After Dredging, Hillary Sparagna

Honors Theses

Dredging is the process of removing sediments from beneath the water's surface to increase the depth of the area. Many times, dredging is used to deepen navigational channels for boats in inlets and bays, control river flow, and environmental remediation of contaminated sediments. Sustainable dredging is when the sediments that have been dredged are used to replenish beaches. This method saves money, minimizes ecological impact, saves capacity at deposit sites, and can be used for habitat restoration.

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Countries' Involvement In Whaling And The Impacts On Their Tourism Industries, Kaitlyn Hofeldt May 2012

Countries' Involvement In Whaling And The Impacts On Their Tourism Industries, Kaitlyn Hofeldt

Honors Theses

Since the expansion of whale watching as an industry, many countries have converted from whaling as a source of revenue. There are still some countries that partake in whaling and also conduct whale watching tours. The belief is that these two industries cannot coexist in a country and that whaling will have a negative impact on the whale watching sector and the tourism industry all together. A comparative analysis of scholarly articles was conducted alongside a survey to examine the impacts of whaling on the whale watching industries of certain countries. The results showed whaling and whale watching can coexist …

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The Importance Of Isolated Wetlands As Habitat For Rare And Endangered Species In Comparison To Riparian Wetlands, Hillary K. Ballantine May 2012

The Importance Of Isolated Wetlands As Habitat For Rare And Endangered Species In Comparison To Riparian Wetlands, Hillary K. Ballantine

Honors Theses

In this paper, I will review the literature on the factors contributing to the presence of rare or endangered species, the species found in each wetland type and what threatens them, and the views on how to and why we should conserve these habitats. I will also provide data analyses on the importance of isolated wetlands as habitats for rare and endangered species in comparison to riparian wetlands, and present my own views on the topic.

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The Effects Of Significant Rainfall Events On Surface Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations Off The Coast Of Long Bay In South Carolina, Kelsey M. Couch May 2012

The Effects Of Significant Rainfall Events On Surface Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations Off The Coast Of Long Bay In South Carolina, Kelsey M. Couch

Honors Theses

Long Bay in South Carolina is currently facing recurrent hypoxic conditions ("South Carolina Coastal Hypoxia"). Therefore the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of eight significant rainfall events on the surface dissolved oxygen content of the bay. Differences in theoretical values of average monthly dissolved oxygen content and actual values of average monthly dissolved oxygen were observed. When analyzed, the data from the eight-month study showed no strong correlation between significant rainfall events and changes in surface dissolved oxygen content. Phytoplankton blooms, phytoplankton productivity and seasonal stratifications could be causing these fluctuations (Lomas et al. 2009).

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Population Structure Of Tursiops Truncatus In North Inlet, South Carolina And Use Of Inlet As A Nursery Ground, Heather Estep May 2012

Population Structure Of Tursiops Truncatus In North Inlet, South Carolina And Use Of Inlet As A Nursery Ground, Heather Estep

Honors Theses

Abundance, distribution and movement patterns of bottlenose dolphin populations are becoming more frequently studied along the Atlantic Coast from Virginia to Florida. One aspect of dolphin populations that has not been a focus of study is the use of nursery grounds by females with calves. Nursery grounds for bottlenose dolphin populations have been identified in Sarasota Bay, Florida and near Beaufort, North Carolina. This study analyzed data collected from September 1997 to June 2006 on focal follows and photo identification to determine if females were utilizing North Inlet, South Carolina as a nursery ground. There was no significant difference in …

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Effects Of "Ultrasound" On Completion Of Cognitive Tasks In Relation To Dolphin Assisted Therapy, Carrie Wein May 2012

Effects Of "Ultrasound" On Completion Of Cognitive Tasks In Relation To Dolphin Assisted Therapy, Carrie Wein

Honors Theses

In previous studies, it has been suggested that ultrasound may be the mechanism behind the success of Dolphin Assisted Therapy programs. This study was conducted to determine whether advertising these positive effects of dolphin produced ultrasound to prospective patients will elicit a placebo effect of improving cognitive function. A memory matching task was designed to measure cognitive task completion efficiency, and completion times were recorded in seconds. Participants were divided into two groups, Group A completing the task under normal, or control conditions first, and under the mock "ultrasound" condition second, while Group B received the mock "ultrasound" condition first …

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