Earth Sciences Commons^™

Mapping Seafloor Habitats And Characterizing Demersal Reef Fish Communities On The West Florida Shelf Across Multiple Spatial Scales Using Multibeam Sonar And Underwater Video, Alexander R. Ilich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine the role of spatial scale in deriving seafloor terrain attributes, modeling benthic habitat, and analyzing ecological patterns of the demersal reef fish communities on the West Florida Shelf (WFS), with implications for improving predictive habitat mapping and understanding fish-environment relationships. Spatial scale plays a central role in benthic habitat mapping and ecological inference, influencing how terrain attributes are derived, how habitats are modeled, and how ecological responses are manifested. This work integrates multiscale terrain analysis, acoustic remote sensing, and community ecology to evaluate how spatial scale influences both physical habitat representation and ecological analysis.

Chapter …

Morphodynamic Evolution Of Midnight Pass, West-Central Florida, Sydney C. Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study takes advantage of a rare opportunity provided by the reopening of Midnight Pass due to two consecutive hurricanes in 2024, to examine the morphologic evolution of a newly reopened inlet and subsequent beach-inlet interactions. Historical aerial photos since the 1940s were collected and analyzed to understand the last closure of Midnight Pass, and to gain knowledge on the future of the newly reopened inlet. Time-series topography and bathymetry survey of the beach-inlet system were conducted bimonthly to quarterly for the first year and a half after the reopening, with the goals of quantifying the morphologic changes and understanding …

Theory And Applications Of Natural And Nature-Based Solutions In Estuarine Environments, Elizabeth L. Royer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the theory and application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), through three unique case studies. This study explores how the broad and interdisciplinary NbS framework can be applied to mitigate common coastal hazards. This framework considers the environment, economics, and social wellbeing, equally in the design and implementation of a solution. The current paradigm, working against nature, which is commonly seen in more passive approaches to hazard mitigation, like grey infrastructure (e.g. a seawall to protect a shoreline against wave action) does not accommodate the extremely dynamic environment. As perspectives shift to “working with nature” NbS can be …

How Do Water Utilities Meet Growing Demand And Maintain Resilience Through Water Reuse? A Systems Thinking Approach, Elizabeth F. Vicario

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water and wastewater utility management is becoming increasingly complex due to factors like urbanization, climate change, new regulations, and rising costs. Utility leaders must balance competing political and financial pressures while managing aging infrastructure, rising demand, climate resilience planning, and customer concerns about affordability. Reuse of treated wastewater has emerged as a promising solution to address scarcity, declining source water quality, and new regulations on wastewater discharge in the United States. However, water reuse is not one-size-fits-all, and bespoke solutions are needed to optimize economic, environmental, and social returns from this finite resource. Despite growing interest, little is known about …

A Bioarchaeological Study Of The Individuals From The Városfalva Burial Mound In Transylvania, Romania (15th-19th Century), Vanessa C. Reeves

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the lives and deaths of the Szekler people recovered from a burial mound in the Transylvanian village of Városfalva. The Transylvanian plateau is located in present day Romania, and is protected on the east and the south by the Carpathian Mountains. The Szekler people arrived in this area around 1000 CE, and were a nomadic group originating in the Asian Steppes region who later intermarried with various migratory groups as they moved across the Eurasian plains. The Szeklers eventually banded together with the proto-Hungarian Magyar peoples and settled in the Carpathian Basin, the easternmost frontier of the …

Spatio-Temporal Characterization Of Trace Metals Across The West Florida Shelf And During The Decline Of The North Atlantic Spring Bloom, Delfina Paola Navarro-Estrada

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phytoplankton in the marine environment require the trace metals manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) to catalyze cellular processes driving photosynthesis, including macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon) acquisition, light harvesting, and protection from oxidative stress. The high biological demand for these elements, coupled with their low concentrations in the ocean, can limit primary production and shape community composition in marine ecosystems, highlighting the need to understand the drivers behind trace metal distributions and their interplay with phytoplankton growth across biogeochemical regimes. This dissertation characterizes the spatial and temporal distributions of dissolved …

What Controls Ice Shelf Isotopic Variability? Local And Global Processes Preserved Within Ice Cores Across The Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, Orion Laurene Schomber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is one of the foremost indicators of anthropogenic global warming as it interacts with both atmospheric and oceanic processes. Although ice shelves across the AP have undergone increased rates of disintegration over the last 30 years, limited in-situ measurements have been investigated. Assessment of three short (~30 m) firn cores (J108, J208, and J409) across the Larsen C ice shelf (LCIS) provide insight into local, regional, and global processes. Average core densities and isotopic variability (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) fall within expected ranges for all cores, indicating signal preservation through firn. However, isotopic maxima in J108 and …

Phosphorus: From The Origins Of Life To The Origin Of An Industry, Joshua Abbatiello

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The element phosphorus is a key biogenic element that is often the limiting reagent for life. Phosphorus is quickly bound by metal divalent cations making it virtually insoluble and inert in water (forming the phosphate mineral apatite). Due to this, it becomes imperative to understand alternative pathways to increase biogenically available phosphorus in environments. To that end, this dissertation involved examining olivine as an alternative source of phosphorus to apatite, analyzing a novel grain of iron silicide found via lightning reduction in a fulgurite, and finally sought to understand the impact of phosphate mining through phosphogypsum stacks. Olivine is a …

Sea Turtle Nesting On Nourished Beaches With Different Construction Designs: A Case Study In Southeast Florida, Usa., Lara Novalvos Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influences of different beach nourishment designs and subsequent post-nourishment profile adjustments on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles nest survival and reproductive success. Data on time-series post-nourishment beach-profile changes, positions and elevations of turtle tracks and nest/false-crawl apices, and sea turtle nest hatch/emergence success were collected on five high density nesting beaches along the east coast of Florida: Melbourne Beach, Jensen Beach, Jupiter Island Beach, Juno Beach, and South Hutchinson Island Beach. The field data collection was conducted in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 with the main goal of documenting and comparing turtle …

Quantifying Wellbore Effects During Co2 Sequestration In A Saline Aquifer, Uzoma Johnpaul Ajugwe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a strategy for mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large stationary sources like fossil-fuel-fired power stations. One method of CCS involves carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in deep saline aquifers, where supercritical CO2 is injected into an aquifer. The success of such projects depends on accurate predictions of CO2 behavior within the subsurface, which are obtained through numerical simulations.

TOUGHREACT, a renowned simulation tool, models subsurface fluid flow, geochemical interactions, and solute transport, providing insights into the feasibility of CO2 sequestration projects. A critical aspect of these simulations is the apportioning of …

New Petrographic And Geochemical Constraints On Pre-Eruptive Storage Conditions And Their Control On Eruptive Styles In Martinique’S Recent Volcanic Systems, Abigail Martens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the volcanic systems of Martinique Island, focusing on magma storage conditions, magmatic evolution, and eruption dynamics. Chapter 3 presents a petrographic analysis of volcanic rocks from the island’s old, intermediate, and recent arcs, examining the evolution of plagioclase textures and the increasing abundance of other mineral phases, such as pyroxene, amphibole, olivine, and quartz, which provide insights into changing magmatic conditions. The main research is divided into two projects. Chapter 4 addresses the pre-eruptive storage conditions (pressure and temperature) of magmas beneath recent (<5 Ma) volcanic complexes (Morne Jacob, Piton du Carbet, Trois Îlets, Mt. Conil, and Mt. Pelée), exploring magma evolution, crystallization, and the role of lower crustal injections and flank collapses in triggering eruptions. Results reveal variable magma storage depths (<6 km), with significant temperature and pressure variations, indicating complex magmatic systems. Chapter 5 focuses on the Roches-Genty ignimbrite in southwestern Martinique, investigating its stratigraphy, geochemistry, and age using field mapping, grain size analysis, and 40Ar/39Ar dating. The study identifies two distinct sub-Plinian eruptive phases associated with the Dizac ignimbrite, with ages of 3.37 ± 0.14 Ma and 2.10 ± 0.26 Ma, providing insights into past explosive volcanic activity. Geochemical analysis confirms an andesitic composition, similar to regional volcanic systems. This dissertation enhances understanding of Martinique’s volcanic history, providing valuable insights into magmatic processes and eruption dynamics, with implications for volcanic hazard assessments in the Lesser Antilles.

Characterizing Lava Flow Morphology And Lava Flow Dynamics: A High-Resolution Lidar And Structure From Motion Study Of The Hell’S Half Acre Lava Flow, Idaho, Rachel T. Bakowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Basaltic lava flow eruptions can impact vast areas, profoundly altering the landscape. Although many past eruptions have gone unobserved by scientists, they often leave behind substantial deposits that preserve key elements of the eruption’s history. By studying lava textures and the overall structure of lava flows, we can reconstruct the specific conditions that occurred during the eruption and contributed to the final morphology of the lava flows. Hell’s Half Acre is a large, well-preserved basaltic lava flow in the Eastern Snake River Plain, containing a variety of significant geological features resulting from its distinctive eruption history. This thesis examines a …

A Python Pipeline For Rapid Inversion Of Gravity Data Aimed At Early Career Researchers: Application To The Lost River Fault, Idaho, Bradford C. Mack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gravity data and modeling can be used to create a 3D view of basin and fault geometries, a valuable tool for seismic hazard assessment. Additionally, access to a high-speed, easy-to-use modeling workflow will enable more researchers to supplement their work with a new method and allow students to be exposed to modeling earlier in their academic careers. The primary goals of this work are to create a widely usable 3D gravity and basin model, to create an introduction to modeling teaching module for undergraduate geology students, and to apply the model to the northernmost two segments of the Lost River …

3d Reconstruction And Comparative Anatomical And Kinematic Analyses Of The Foot Of Archaeopteryx, Alexander M. Kirk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on the evolution of dinosaur flight has long been dominated by the wing, often overlooking the foot. The foot of Archaeopteryx, the “icon of evolution”, thus offers a unique opportunity to investigate this critical evolutionary stage. Chapter I of this dissertation integrates advanced 3D reconstruction techniques, combining photogrammetry with X-ray data, to create a high-resolution model of the foot of the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx for visualization and analysis. Driven by 3D coordinate axes derived from joint surface topology, the analyses in Chapter II reveal terrestrial adaptations -- such as a medially oriented hallux (81°), serially shorter phalanges on …

Compositional Characteristics And Relationships Between Oceanic Basement, Sediment, And Volcanic Arc Rocks: Geochemical Evolution Of The South China Sea And Luzon-Taiwan Arc, Antonio J. Luna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I have characterized the geochemical signatures of the South China Sea (SCS) igneous basement and marine sediments with the intent to examine the results in the context of the understanding the origin and evolution of the SCS oceanic mafic crust, the type of sediments found in the SCS, and finally their impact on the composition of the island arc lavas within the northern Luzon Arc. This dissertation research has three main objectives:

1. Examining the origin, composition, and evolution of the SCS mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), as well as the preexisting crustal rocks recovered near the continent-ocean transition …

Sea Surface Temperatures, The Gulf Of Mexico Loop Current, Hurricane Ian, And Their Junction, Alexander K. Nickerson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the first chapter, a climatology was created for the deep Gulf of Mexico, West Florida Shelf, and Tampa Bay. These climatologies were compared to each other and to global temperatures. Seasonal variability is shown to be a product of bathymetry as well as latitude. In Chapter Two, using the self-organizing map neural network, patterns of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current were analyzed to establish phases with necessary and sufficient conditions for translation from one phase to the next. Two separate patterns of evolution were established from these analyses, and empirical arguments are used to confirm the findings from …

Revealing Grounding Zone And Subglacial Processes At Cosgrove Ice Shelf: Seafloor Analogs For The Modern Antarctic Ice Sheet, Rosemary E. Burkhalter-Castro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The future loss of ice in West Antarctica is one of the biggest uncertainties in projections of global sea level rise. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), home to Cosgrove Ice Shelf (CIS), contains enough ice to raise global sea level by more than three meters if it collapsed completely. Accurately predicting how much sea level change may occur from a future collapse of WAIS is of particular interest to low-lying, heavily populated coastal areas such as Florida. For this reason, it is important to understand the processes underpinning rapid changes and retreat at marine-terminating glaciers in the Amundsen Sea. …

The Application Of Multi-Isotope Analysis To Assist In Geoprofiling Unidentified Decedents Within Florida, Liotta D. Noche-Dowdy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biochemistry of human tissues can provide information for geoprofiling (geographic birthplace or migration patterns) of an unidentified decedent. Utilizing isotope analyses (both stable and radiogenic) from teeth, bone, nails, and/or hair reveals specific isotopic information that correlates to diverse geographic regions reflecting an individual’s birthplace and migration patterns. Isotope analysis of enamel and bone has been employed in bioarchaeology for decades to reconstruct the diet, health, and migration patterns of past populations. Isotope ratios measured from enamel can then be compared to isotope ratios measured from bone of the individual to track patterns of migration. The enamel from the …

Development Of Decision-Support Tools For Water Resources Management In Coupled Human-Natural Systems, Edgar J. Guerrón Orejuela

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water is an indispensable resource for all forms of life. Water is a cornerstone for economic development, public health, and social well-being. However, increasing water demand and challenges posed by climate change, pollution, population growth, and land use change underscore the urgent need for effective water management strategies. To address these complexities and ensure the sustainable use of water resources, it is imperative to adopt science-based decision-support tools. These tools leverage data, models, and analytical techniques to provide valuable insights and recommendations that guide decision-makers in formulating evidence-based policies and practices.

Effective water management requires a comprehensive understanding of the …

Local Seismic Investigations In Arizona: Analysis Of A Low-To-Moderate-Magnitude Aftershock Sequence And A Pilot Study Of Monsoon-Driven Flash Floods, Kathryn Margo Dorn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Arizona encompasses a strikingly diverse array of geological terranes and physiographic terrain and consequently experiences a wide range of tectonic and meteorological phenomena, many of which generate distinctive seismic signals. For much of the past century, however, the state has largely lacked the style of dense seismic networks now prevalent in some regions of neighboring California, allowing myriad low-magnitude earthquakes and other subtle seismic sources to elude detection and characterization. In this dissertation, I utilize the high-resolution data of two temporary local seismic networks to investigate two such sources – the primarily low-magnitude but prolific aftershock sequence of the 29 …

Resolving Antarctic Margin Paleoceanography For Two Different Timescales And Archives, Theresa M. King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent decades have seen increased rates of ice mass loss from Antarctic ice sheets, through thinning of many ice shelves around the periphery of the continent. The most vulnerable are the glacial systems that are marine-terminating and grounded below sea level, a characteristic that exposes these systems to sea level rise and warming oceans. Enhanced basal melting under the influence of warm ocean water masses can lead to thinning and retreat of glaciers, and ultimately to the acceleration of grounded ice loss. To contextualize current ice mass loss and contribute to accurate model projections for future retreat scenarios, it is …

Antarctic Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interactions During Past Warm Climates: An Ice-Proximal Perspective, Imogen Mireille Browne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Antarctica’s ice sheets contain 58 m of sea level equivalent ice and thus exert a fundamental control on global sea level on decadal to million-year timescales. Interactions between Antarctica’s ice sheets, regional atmospheric circulation, and the Southern Ocean influence ice sheet mass balance, sea ice formation, and deep water production, which regulate Earth’s climate. At present, Antarctica’s fringing ice shelves and outlet glaciers, particularly in West Antarctica, are losing mass as warm ocean waters move landward across the continental shelves, melting the underside of ice shelves and eroding glacial grounding lines. In East Antarctica, net ice mass gain is occurring …

Painting A New Perspective On Ordovician Echinoderm Diversity Patterns, Ohav Barak Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Ordovician Period was a time of great biotic and environmental change, encompassing two important biotic events: the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) and the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction (LOME). The GOBE occurred during the Middle Ordovician and was a period of rapid diversity increase for marine invertebrate groups, as lower-level taxonomic groups like families and genera came into the forefront. The Ordovician ends with the LOME, an extinction event that is thought to have occurred in two phases: an initial glaciation followed by a subsequent warming. Approximately 85% of marine species went extinct during the LOME, making it the …

Sargassum In The Florida Keys: Assessment Using High Resolution Remote Sensing, Sarah “Sully” Sullivan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pelagic Sargassum in the Atlantic Ocean, one type of floating macroalgae, has increased in biomass and extent since 2011, bringing environmental, health, and economic issues to coastal communities. The introduction of large quantities of Sargassum to the Florida Keys, a tourism hub renowned for coral reef and marine diversity, poses a potentially devastating threat. Currently, Sargassum mats are widely monitored using medium resolution satellite imagery such as those collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, 1km) and spectral band difference algorithms such as the Alternative Floating Algae Index (AFAI), but the resulting maps lack the detail and nearshore certainty …

Development Of Novel Analytical Methods For The Investigation Of Mammalian Tissues And Cells, Grace A. Binder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation endeavors to advance the frontiers of analytical chemistry by addressing critical challenges across three distinct chapters. In the first chapter, the focus is on the evaluation of digestion methods for the analysis of trace metals in mammalian tissues and the Standard Reference Material NIST 1577c. The primary goal is to optimize methodologies, laying the groundwork for reliable trace metal analysis and furthering our understanding of their roles in biological systems.

Transitioning into the realm of immunomodulation, the second chapter elucidates immune response, disease and treatment through the optimization and discovery of STING modulators, utilizing the luciferase assay for …

Beach Processes Controlling Erosional Hotspots And Their Influences On Beach Nourishment Performances: A Case Study Along West-Central Florida Barrier Island Beaches, Sophia Gutierrez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the long-term performance of repeated beach nourishment over an approximately 35-year period at two barrier islands, Sand Key and Treasure Island along the west-central Florida coast, USA. Five cycles of beach nourishment on Sand Key and six on Treasure Island were conducted during the study period. Three erosional hotspots were identified along a combined 14-km stretch of the nourished beach. The processes that cause the erosional hotspot were examined through numerical modeling of nearshore wave and current fields.

The most recent three nourishments since 2006 were monitored systematically by this study. Beach profiles were surveyed bimonthly to …

Advancing Depth-Storage-Discharge Modeling In Regional Hydrology, Fahad Alshehri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development of an innovative approach to populating rating characteristics and supporting hydrologic modeling, designed to simplify complex real-world hydrological systems and accurately estimate their responses to rainfall, runoff, baseflow and evaporation stresses. The core of this research addresses the challenges inherent in characterizing hydrography elements in hydrologic modeling, particularly in regions lacking comprehensive stream reach survey data, flow and stage. This issue is pronounced in areas with extensive wetland hydrography, where traditional modeling requires intensive manual calibration, and course rating data that are often unavailable. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces a novel procedure that …

Leveraging Systems Thinking For Global Environmental Health, Martha M. Mcalister

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Environmental health inequities such as household air pollution, inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene, and chemical pollution persist globally and have myriad consequences on individual and societal well-being. Unfortunately, while billions of dollars and countless hours of research have been applied towards addressing these issues in development, humanitarian, and environmental justice contexts, attempts to reduce the environmental burden of disease can seem successful at first, but then backslide to pre-intervention conditions (or worse). This is indicative of policy resistance, a tendency of complex systems that makes it very difficult to enact change if the “rules” of the system are misunderstood. There …

Investigating The Causes Of Lake Level Variability On A Modern Carbonate Platform, Natalie M. Salazar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lakes on carbonate islands are known to reduce freshwater lens volumes and alter freshwater lens distribution; however, the magnitude and controlling factors between lake and freshwater lens interactions remain poorly understood. Since freshwater lenses are thin and can be fragmented by lakes in small carbonate islands, it is important to understand the magnitude of exchange between lakes and the freshwater lens to understand potential groundwater depletion. This study utilized high temporal resolution water levels and meteorological data to quantify monthly water budgets for seven lakes on San Salvador Island, The Bahamas. The monthly water budgets accounted for rainfall, potential evaporation, …

Dissolved Nickel Speciation At The Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series Study (Bats) Site, Caitlyn E. Parente

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Here I present the first depth profiles of dissolved nickel (DNi) speciation over an annual cycle at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site in the North Atlantic. Seawater samples were collected in March, May, August, and November 2019 and analyzed for labile DNi using competitive ligand exchange-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-AdCSV). Labile DNi was measured by CLE-AdCSV as the fraction of DNi that exchanges with an added competitive ligand in an overnight equilibration. Results revealed two distinct fractions of DNi present throughout the water column: a labile fraction, and a strongly organically complexed (i.e., non-labile) fraction. More than 50% …