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Articles 241 - 270 of 1123

Full-Text Articles in Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

Biological And Abiotic Factors Influencing Cetacean Mass Strandings In The Northeastern United States, Octavia Williams May 2018

Biological And Abiotic Factors Influencing Cetacean Mass Strandings In The Northeastern United States, Octavia Williams

HCNSO Student Capstones

Marine mammal strandings are frequent occurrences along many coastal areas around the world. The significance of stranded cetaceans has been of interest since around 300 B.C. when philosophers, like Aristotle, pondered why marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and porpoise beach themselves; and famous authors, like Henry David Thoreau, whose fascination in mammal strandings lead him to write a book about these mass occurrences off the coast of Cape Cod. Numerous hypothetical theories have been developed to explain these mass stranding phenomena. Though the causes of mass strandings remain unresolved, recent investigations suggest contributing factors could include environmental elements. Less emphasis …


Trophic Ecology And Parasitism Of A Mesopelagic Fish Assemblage, Matthew Woodstock May 2018

Trophic Ecology And Parasitism Of A Mesopelagic Fish Assemblage, Matthew Woodstock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton and are prey of oceanic predators. Some mesopelagic fishes (e.g., myctophids and stomiids) undertake a diel vertical migration where they ascend to the near-surface waters during the night to feed and descend into the depths during the day to avoid predators. Other mesopelagic fishes (e.g., Sternoptyx spp.) do not vertically migrate and remain at deep depths throughout the day. While in the epipelagic zone (surface – 200 m depth), vertically migrating fishes become prey to upper-trophic level predators, such as: tunas and billfishes. Benthic fishes (e.g., macrourids) often …


Identification And Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Tuna (Family: Scombridae; Tribe: Thunnini) Early Life Stages In The Oceanic Gulf Of Mexico, Nina Pruzinsky May 2018

Identification And Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Tuna (Family: Scombridae; Tribe: Thunnini) Early Life Stages In The Oceanic Gulf Of Mexico, Nina Pruzinsky

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Fishes within the family Scombridae (i.e. tunas, mackerels and bonitos) are of high ecological and economic value, as they are heavily targeted by commercial and recreational fisheries. In coastal and open-ocean environments, adults are high-level predators, while larvae and juveniles serve as prey for numerous species. Much is known about the distribution and abundance of adult tunas, but high taxonomic uncertainty and limited knowledge regarding the distributional patterns of larval and juvenile tunas have led to an “operational taxonomic unit” gap in our understanding of tuna ecology. Scombrids were collected across the Gulf of Mexico (GoM, hereafter) during seven research …


The Role Of Ontogenetic Habitat Shifts On The Parasite Communities Of Five South Florida Fishes, Brittany Nicole White Apr 2018

The Role Of Ontogenetic Habitat Shifts On The Parasite Communities Of Five South Florida Fishes, Brittany Nicole White

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Many reef fishes initially recruit into mangroves, and then migrate out to reef habitats as they grow and mature. Each ontogenetic habitat shift exposes migrants to previously unencountered parasite taxa, potentially increasing parasite species richness and driving changes in parasite community structure. However, studies on this topic rarely attempt to distinguish between the location effects of habitat shifts versus a simple increase in physical size. Therefore we contrasted parasite community richness and structure in Great Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda (N=84), Atlantic Needlefish Strongylura marina (N=49), Crevalle Jack Caranx hippos (N=59), White Mullet Mugil curema (N=90), and Yellow-fin Mojarra Gerres cinnerus (N=60) …


Pathogen Transmission Techniques And Genotypic Resistance To Disease In The Threatened Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Megan Bock Apr 2018

Pathogen Transmission Techniques And Genotypic Resistance To Disease In The Threatened Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Megan Bock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Unprecedented population losses of the staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, since the 1970s have been attributed primarily to disease. Although a positive linear relationship between disease prevalence and increased water temperature has been described, the pathogen(s) causing disease and whether they are spread through the water or vectors is still poorly understood. Additionally, an increase in disease outbreaks and severity has provided an urgent need to identify natural genotypic resistance to disease in Caribbean acroporids. Studies to date have explored a variety of pathogen transmission methods, but prior to this study, there has been no examination of differences among common techniques. …


Identifying Disease-Resistant And Thermal-Tolerant Genotypes In The Threatened Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Morgan V. Hightshoe Apr 2018

Identifying Disease-Resistant And Thermal-Tolerant Genotypes In The Threatened Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, Morgan V. Hightshoe

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, loss of herbivores, coral bleaching, pollution, and disease epidemics have reshaped the ecological framework of coral reefs. Staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, was a major reef-building scleractinian coral found throughout Florida and the Caribbean that experienced unprecedented population declines primarily due to disease and coral bleaching. These two stressors are coupled; the highest coral disease prevalence occurs after periods of thermal stress caused by increased sea surface temperature. Previous research documented three disease-resistant A. cervicornis genotypes in Panama, but it is unknown if disease-resistant genotypes exist in the Florida Keys. Thermal tolerance has been found to be …


Toxicological Effects Of Commercial Sunscreens On Coral Reef Ecosystems: New Protocols For Coral Restoration, Emilie C. Johnsen Apr 2018

Toxicological Effects Of Commercial Sunscreens On Coral Reef Ecosystems: New Protocols For Coral Restoration, Emilie C. Johnsen

HCNSO Student Capstones

The primary purpose of consumer-grade sunscreen is to protect skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. This market has grown during the past 80 years, and environmental contamination from increasing amounts of sunscreen compounds have created concern. In particular, impacts on ocean ecosystems have inspired investigations and toxicological research on their effects on marine life. Unfortunately, such studies using marine flora and fauna are scarce, and the impact of chemical exposure to consumer sunscreens is neither adequately measured nor completely understood. In a pilot study by the Coral Restoration Foundation, in situ toxicity exposure to 10 different brands of sunscreens …


Southeast Florida Reef-Wide Post-Irma Coral Disease Surveys, Brian K. Walker Apr 2018

Southeast Florida Reef-Wide Post-Irma Coral Disease Surveys, Brian K. Walker

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

Florida’s coral reefs are currently experiencing a multi-year outbreak of coral disease that have resulted in the mortality of millions of corals across southeast Florida, Biscayne National Park, and the Upper and Middle Florida Keys. In early September 2017, Hurricane Irma impacted the entire FRT. The purpose of this project was to conduct field surveys to identify the current state of the coral reefs in southeast Florida and coordinate with other concomitant reef tract efforts to improve the regional understanding of the extent of the disease outbreak and identify recent hurricane injury to direct future restoration. Through a broader partner …


Age And Growth Of Hogfish (Lachnolaimus Maximus) In Southeast Florida, Ian A. Towne Apr 2018

Age And Growth Of Hogfish (Lachnolaimus Maximus) In Southeast Florida, Ian A. Towne

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus; Walbaum 1792) from Southeast Florida were aged using sectioned otoliths and growth rates were calculated using the von Bertalanffy growth equation. The samples were collected from Broward County (n=209); other regions of Southeast Florida (n=18), the Florida Keys (n=35) and Bahamas (n=43). Growth rates were determined for each of these areas and were then compared to previously reported growth rates from other regions including the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys. There was significant separation at the 95% confidence level between growth rates from each reagion. The average maximum fork length increased, from the Florida …


Conductivity, Temperature, And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp05, May 2017, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton Apr 2018

Conductivity, Temperature, And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp05, May 2017, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton

DEEPEND Datasets

Conductivity, temperature, and depth data from the ship's CTD, which was deployed at each of the DEEPEND stations. Depth of cast was variable, but extended from near-surface waters to below the euphotic zone. This data also includes measurements from a red light transmissometer, a chlorophyll fluorometer, and a dissolved oxygen sensor. The data is used in the assessment of the water column's vertical structure, and for comparison with physical models. Data were collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico from May 2-12, 2017.


Spectral Remote Sensing Reflectance Of The Water Surface Collected At Multiple Stations, Cruise Dp05, May 2017, Chuanmin Hu, David English Apr 2018

Spectral Remote Sensing Reflectance Of The Water Surface Collected At Multiple Stations, Cruise Dp05, May 2017, Chuanmin Hu, David English

DEEPEND Datasets

Remote sensing reflectance, Rrs(λ), is used for validation of airborne and satellite ocean color measurements. Inverse models also employ Rrs measurements to estimate the bio-optical properties of near-surface waters or shallow benthic environments. It has been used to detect algal blooms, floating vegetation. The presence of oil also alters the water’s specular reflectance properties, and thus the measured Rrs. Rrs(λ) is measured from the ship using a handheld spectroradiometer. Multiple measurements of the light reflected from the water’s surface, a portion of the sky, and a calibrated, diffuse reflectance reference plaque are made using a spectroradiometer with a limited field …


Conductivity, Temperature And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp03, May 2016, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton Apr 2018

Conductivity, Temperature And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp03, May 2016, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton

DEEPEND Datasets

Conductivity, temperature and depth data from the ship's CTD, which is deployed at each of the DEEPEND stations. Depth of cast is variable, but extends from near-surface waters to below the euphotic zone. This data is used in the assessment of the water column's vertical structure, and for comparison with physical models. Data were collected during cruise DP03 in the northern Gulf of Mexico, May 2016.


Collaboration, Creativity, Compromise, And Conclusion: U.S. Coast Guard Modifies The Port Of Miami Anchorage Area, Paul D. Lehmann Apr 2018

Collaboration, Creativity, Compromise, And Conclusion: U.S. Coast Guard Modifies The Port Of Miami Anchorage Area, Paul D. Lehmann

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.


Outplanting Technique, Host Genotype, And Site Affect The Initial Success Of Outplanted Acropora Cervicornis, Elizabeth Goergen, David S. Gilliam Feb 2018

Outplanting Technique, Host Genotype, And Site Affect The Initial Success Of Outplanted Acropora Cervicornis, Elizabeth Goergen, David S. Gilliam

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Acropora cervicornis is the most widely used coral species for reef restoration in the greater Caribbean. However, outplanting methodologies (e.g., colony density, size, host genotype, and attachment technique) vary greatly, and to date have not been evaluated for optimality across multiple sites. Two experiments were completed during this study, the first evaluated the effects of attachment technique, colony size, and genotype by outplanting 405 A. cervicornis colonies, from ten genotypes, four size classes, and three attachment techniques (epoxy, nail and cable tie, or puck) across three sites. Colony survival, health condition, tissue productivity, and growth were assessed across one year …


A Global Perspective On The Trophic Geography Of Sharks, Christopher S. Bird, Ana Verissimo, Sarah Magozzi, Katya G. Abrantes, Alex Aguilar, Hassan Al-Reasi, Adam Barnett, Dana M. Bethea, Gerard Biais, Asuncion Borrell, Marc Bouchoucha, Mariah Boyle, Edward J. Brooks, Juerg Brunnschweiler, Paco Bustamante, Aaron Carlisle, Diana Catarino, Stephane Caut, Yves Cherel, Tiphaine Chouvelon, Diana Churchill, Javier Ciancio, Julien Claes, Ana Colaço, Dean L. Courtney, Pierre Cresson, Ryan Daly, Leigh De Necker, Tetsuya Endo, Ivon Figueiredo, Ashley J. Frisch, Joan Holst Hansen, Michael Heithaus, Nigel E. Hussey, Johannes Iitembu, Francis Jaunes, Michael J. Kinney, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Sebastian A. Klarian, Dorothee Kopp, Robert Leaf, Yunkai Li, Anne Lorrain, Daniel J. Madigan, Aleksandra Maljkovic, Luis Malpica-Cruz, Philip Matich, Mark G. Meekan, Frederic Menard, Gui M. Menezes, Samantha E. M. Munroe, Michael C. Newman, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Heidi Pethybridge, Jeffrey D. Plumlee, Carlos Polo-Silva, Katie Quaeck-Davis, Vincent Raoult, Jonathan Reum, Yassir Eden Torres-Rojas, David S. Shiffman, Oliver N. Shipley, Conrad W. Speed, Michelle D. Staudinger, Amy K. Teffer, Alexander Tilley, Maria Valls, Jeremy Vaudo, Tak-Cheung Wai, R. J. David Wells, Alex S. J. Wyatt, Andrew Yool, Clive N. Trueman Feb 2018

A Global Perspective On The Trophic Geography Of Sharks, Christopher S. Bird, Ana Verissimo, Sarah Magozzi, Katya G. Abrantes, Alex Aguilar, Hassan Al-Reasi, Adam Barnett, Dana M. Bethea, Gerard Biais, Asuncion Borrell, Marc Bouchoucha, Mariah Boyle, Edward J. Brooks, Juerg Brunnschweiler, Paco Bustamante, Aaron Carlisle, Diana Catarino, Stephane Caut, Yves Cherel, Tiphaine Chouvelon, Diana Churchill, Javier Ciancio, Julien Claes, Ana Colaço, Dean L. Courtney, Pierre Cresson, Ryan Daly, Leigh De Necker, Tetsuya Endo, Ivon Figueiredo, Ashley J. Frisch, Joan Holst Hansen, Michael Heithaus, Nigel E. Hussey, Johannes Iitembu, Francis Jaunes, Michael J. Kinney, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Sebastian A. Klarian, Dorothee Kopp, Robert Leaf, Yunkai Li, Anne Lorrain, Daniel J. Madigan, Aleksandra Maljkovic, Luis Malpica-Cruz, Philip Matich, Mark G. Meekan, Frederic Menard, Gui M. Menezes, Samantha E. M. Munroe, Michael C. Newman, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Heidi Pethybridge, Jeffrey D. Plumlee, Carlos Polo-Silva, Katie Quaeck-Davis, Vincent Raoult, Jonathan Reum, Yassir Eden Torres-Rojas, David S. Shiffman, Oliver N. Shipley, Conrad W. Speed, Michelle D. Staudinger, Amy K. Teffer, Alexander Tilley, Maria Valls, Jeremy Vaudo, Tak-Cheung Wai, R. J. David Wells, Alex S. J. Wyatt, Andrew Yool, Clive N. Trueman

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Sharks are a diverse group of mobile predators that forage across varied spatial scales and have the potential to influence food web dynamics. The ecological consequences of recent declines in shark biomass may extend across broader geographic ranges if shark taxa display common behavioural traits. By tracking the original site of photosynthetic fixation of carbon atoms that were ultimately assimilated into muscle tissues of 5,394 sharks from 114 species, we identify globally consistent biogeographic traits in trophic interactions between sharks found in different habitats. We show that populations of shelf-dwelling sharks derive a substantial proportion of their carbon from regional …


Rare Parthenogenic Reproduction In A Common Reef Coral, Porites Astreoides, Alicia A. Vollmer Jan 2018

Rare Parthenogenic Reproduction In A Common Reef Coral, Porites Astreoides, Alicia A. Vollmer

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Multiple stressors have caused a decline in coral populations. Broadcast spawning corals once dominated the Florida Reef Tract (FRT), but since their decline, smaller brooding corals, soft corals, and macroalgae are replacing them. Brooding corals are more resilient to current threats in part because they are reproductive throughout much of the year and their larvae are competent to settle after release. Despite the ubiquity of brooders on Florida reefs, much of their reproductive strategy remains unknown. This study aimed to examine paternity as a function of colony size and density in Porites astreoides, a common brooding coral in the …


Relative Abundance Of Bacillus Spp., Surfactant-Associated Bacterium Present In A Natural Sea Slick Observed By Satellite Sar Imagery Over The Gulf Of Mexico, Kathryn Howe, Cayla W. Dean, John Alexander Kluge, Alexander Soloviev, Aurelien Tartar, Mahmood S. Shivji, Susanne Lehner, William Perrie Jan 2018

Relative Abundance Of Bacillus Spp., Surfactant-Associated Bacterium Present In A Natural Sea Slick Observed By Satellite Sar Imagery Over The Gulf Of Mexico, Kathryn Howe, Cayla W. Dean, John Alexander Kluge, Alexander Soloviev, Aurelien Tartar, Mahmood S. Shivji, Susanne Lehner, William Perrie

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The damping of short gravity-capillary waves (Bragg waves) due to surfactant accumulation under low wind speed conditions results in the formation of natural sea slicks. These slicks are detectable visually and in synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery. Surfactants are produced by natural life processes of many marine organisms, including bacteria, phytoplankton, seaweed, and zooplankton. In this work, samples were collected in the Gulf of Mexico during a research cruise on the R/V F.G. Walton Smith to evaluate the relative abundance of Bacillus spp., surfactant-associated bacteria, in the sea surface microlayer compared to the subsurface water at 0.2 m depth. A …


Habitat Classification Of The Gulf Of Mexico (Gom) Using The Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (Hycom) And Salinity/Temperature Profiles, Cruises Dp01-Dp04, May 2015 To August 2016, Matt Johnston, Rosanna Milligan, Cole Easson, Sergio Derada, Brad Penta, Tracey Sutton Jan 2018

Habitat Classification Of The Gulf Of Mexico (Gom) Using The Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (Hycom) And Salinity/Temperature Profiles, Cruises Dp01-Dp04, May 2015 To August 2016, Matt Johnston, Rosanna Milligan, Cole Easson, Sergio Derada, Brad Penta, Tracey Sutton

DEEPEND Datasets

Deep pelagic habitat from the entire Gulf of Mexico (GOM) was classified using the deviation of sea surface height (SSH) from mean SSH for the entire GOM and water temperature at 300 m water depth, founded on ocean condition data from the 1/25° GOM HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Pelagic habitats were segregated into anticyclonic, mixed boundaries, and common water units – all of which likely produce varying levels of forage for deep-sea fauna and may be trophic drivers. Model classifications were compared to classifications based on water column temperature and salinity at depth, as measured by CTD casts during …


Halmos College Of Natural Sciences And Oceanography Graduate Program Catalog 2018-2019, Nova Southeastern University Jan 2018

Halmos College Of Natural Sciences And Oceanography Graduate Program Catalog 2018-2019, Nova Southeastern University

Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.


Diet Of The Invasive Lionfish Pterois Sp. In Broward County, Florida, Sarah Ann Jasper, J. D. Thomas, David Kerstetter Jan 2018

Diet Of The Invasive Lionfish Pterois Sp. In Broward County, Florida, Sarah Ann Jasper, J. D. Thomas, David Kerstetter

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The geographic range of invasive lionfish Pterois sp. currently extends throughout the Greater Caribbean in the western North Atlantic, prompting concerns about the impacts of its predation on local ecosystems. We focused on dietary habits of lionfish in Broward County, Florida, where there is only limited, anecdotal information on the species’ prey selection. Diet was determined using percent number, percent occurrence and percent weight, as well as the composite index of relative abundance (%IRI). A high percent teleost diet was documented during the third quarter (July-September) and a high crustacean diet in the fourth quarter (October-December), but seasonal effects by …


Evaluation Of A Climate Change Training Program For Local Government Employees, Clara Kashar Jan 2018

Evaluation Of A Climate Change Training Program For Local Government Employees, Clara Kashar

Theses and Dissertations

A local government in South Florida launched a training program to improve employee engagement on climate change using best practices in adult learning and climate communication to bridge the gap between climate science and action in government operations. The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine whether that climate change development and training program for local government employees met its stated goals and objectives. This evaluation blended a component of Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model with Kirpatrick’s Four Levels model. To conduct the evaluation, the researcher used a mixed methods approach for analyzing both quantitative and qualitative …


Conductivity, Temperature And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp04, August 2016, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton Dec 2017

Conductivity, Temperature And Depth (Ctd) Data For Deepend Stations, Cruise Dp04, August 2016, David English, Chuanmin Hu, April Cook, Tracey Sutton

DEEPEND Datasets

Conductivity, temperature and depth data from the ship's CTD, which was deployed at each of the DEEPEND stations. Depth of cast was variable, but extended from near-surface waters to below the euphotic zone. This data was used in the assessment of the water column's vertical structure, and for comparison with physical models. Data were collected on cruise DP04 in August, 2016.


Forecasting The Spread And Invasive Potential Of Apple Snails (Pomacea Spp.) In Florida, Stephanie A. Reilly Dec 2017

Forecasting The Spread And Invasive Potential Of Apple Snails (Pomacea Spp.) In Florida, Stephanie A. Reilly

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Forecasting the potential range of invasive species is a critical component for risk assessment, monitoring, and management. However, many of these invasive species are not yet at equilibrium which can be problematic for many modelling approaches. Using the climate matching method, MaxEnt, a series of species distribution models (SDMs) and risk analysis maps were created for select apple snail species in Florida: Pomacea canaliculata, P. diffusa, and P. maculata. Apple snails, freshwater gastropods in the family Ampullariidae, are native to South America and were introduced to the United States via the pet trade approximately 40 years ago. …


Pros And Cons Of Marine Zoological Parks According To Marine Conservationists, Kayla L. Patama Dec 2017

Pros And Cons Of Marine Zoological Parks According To Marine Conservationists, Kayla L. Patama

HCNSO Student Capstones

Throughout history zoos and aquariums have satisfied a number of different, albeit to some, conflicting roles (Ballantyne, Packer, Hughes, & Dierking, 2007). In recent years, zoos and aquariums have shifted their focus on taking a proactive role in wildlife conservation and promoting conservation learning among their visitors. The present capstone addresses the justifications that marine conservationists see in marine zoological parks and how they believe parks can become more relevant and valuable in the future. A 65 question survey (Appendix I) was distributed to marine science professionals online through personal contact between June and September 2017 questioning participant’s personal opinions …


Short-Term Toxicity Of 1-Methylnaphthalene To Americamysis Bahia And 5 Deep-Sea Crustaceans, Anthony H. Knap, Nicholas R. Turner, Gopal Bera, Dorothy-Ellen A. Renegar, Tamara Frank, Jose Sericano, Bernhard Riegl Dec 2017

Short-Term Toxicity Of 1-Methylnaphthalene To Americamysis Bahia And 5 Deep-Sea Crustaceans, Anthony H. Knap, Nicholas R. Turner, Gopal Bera, Dorothy-Ellen A. Renegar, Tamara Frank, Jose Sericano, Bernhard Riegl

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

There are few studies that have evaluated hydrocarbon toxicity to vertically migrating deep-sea micronekton. Crustaceans were collected alive using a 9-m2 Tucker trawl with a thermally insulated cod end and returned to the laboratory in 10 °C seawater. Toxicity of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 1-methylnaphthalene to Americamysis bahia, Janicella spinacauda, Systellaspis debilis, Sergestes sp., Sergia sp., and a euphausiid species was assessed in a constant exposure toxicity test utilizing a novel passive dosing toxicity testing protocol. The endpoint of the median lethal concentration tests was mortality, and the results revealed high sensitivity of the deep-sea micronekton …


Is The State Of The Air-Sea Interface A Factor In Rapid Intensification And Rapid Decline Of Tropical Cyclones?, Alexander Soloviev, Roger Lukas, Mark A. Donelan, Brian K. Haus, Isaac Ginis Dec 2017

Is The State Of The Air-Sea Interface A Factor In Rapid Intensification And Rapid Decline Of Tropical Cyclones?, Alexander Soloviev, Roger Lukas, Mark A. Donelan, Brian K. Haus, Isaac Ginis

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Tropical storm intensity prediction remains a challenge in tropical meteorology. Some tropical storms undergo dramatic rapid intensification and rapid decline. Hurricane researchers have considered particular ambient environmental conditions including the ocean thermal and salinity structure and internal vortex dynamics (e.g., eyewall replacement cycle, hot towers) as factors creating favorable conditions for rapid intensification. At this point, however, it is not exactly known to what extent the state of the sea surface controls tropical cyclone dynamics. Theoretical considerations, laboratory experiments, and numerical simulations suggest that the air-sea interface under tropical cyclones is subject to the Kelvin-Helmholtz type instability. Ejection of large …


Effects Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On Fertilization Success And Early Larval Development In The Green Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus, Brittney L. Lenz Dec 2017

Effects Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On Fertilization Success And Early Larval Development In The Green Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus, Brittney L. Lenz

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is predicted to affect the larval stages of many marine organisms. Ocean warming can reduce larval survival and hasten larval development, whereas ocean acidification can delay larval development. Ocean acidification is especially concerning for marine organisms that develop and grow calcified shells or skeletons in an environment undersaturated with calcium carbonate minerals. This study assessed the effects of ocean warming and acidification on the fertilization and larval development of the green sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, a tropical species common in Florida and the Caribbean. After spawning, gametes were fertilized and embryos/larvae were reared at: 1) 28°C and …


Variation In Coral Recruitment And Juvenile Distribution Along The Southeast Florida Reef Tract, Leah M. Harper Dec 2017

Variation In Coral Recruitment And Juvenile Distribution Along The Southeast Florida Reef Tract, Leah M. Harper

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Coral recruitment in Southeast Florida is being outpaced by mortality, resulting in population declines in many species. Identifying the coral species most likely to recruit and survive on Southeast Florida reefs and evaluating spatial variation in recruitment and survivorship is crucial for managing decreasing coral populations. This study focuses on 12 sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties that have served as long-term stations for monitoring adult coral cover and demographics. At each site, thirty-two 225cm2 grooved terracotta settlement tiles were attached to the substrate in winter of 2015 and retrieved in winter of 2016 to evaluate scleractinian and octocoral …


Reef Fish Assemblage Biogeography Along The Florida Reef Tract, Cory Ames Nov 2017

Reef Fish Assemblage Biogeography Along The Florida Reef Tract, Cory Ames

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the biogeography of reef fish assemblages is paramount to reef conservation, management, and conducting appropriate population survey designs. Reef fish assemblages are a multispecies complex of reef-associated fish and are shaped by multiple environmental and biological factors (e.g. temperature, depth, benthic habitat, and topographic relief), which determine the species constituents residing in an area. Assemblages typically change with latitude where the number of families, genera, and/or densities of species specific to warmer climates decrease poleward into colder climate regimes. The Florida Reef Tract (FRT) extends for 595 km from the Dry Tortugas in the south-west to Martin County in …


Frontline Experiences From Changing Fisheries Bycatch Paradigms, David Kerstetter Nov 2017

Frontline Experiences From Changing Fisheries Bycatch Paradigms, David Kerstetter

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.