Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Non-Adaptive Phentypic Plasticity: Morphology, But Not Swim Speed, Of Spotted Salamander Larvae Is Affected By "Terrestrial" And "Aquatic" Herbicides, Mitchell Schooler

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

1. Phenotypic plasticity, although ubiquitous, may not always be advantageous. In cases where individuals expressing an induced phenotype outperform non-induced individuals, the phenotypic plasticity is considered adaptive. Conversely, if the individuals with an induced phenotype underperform relative to non-induced individuals, then the plasticity is maladaptive. A final possibility is that both induced and non-induced individuals perform equally well (or poorly). This would be a case of non-adaptive (i.e. neutral) phenotypic plasticity.
2. We investigated the mode of phenotypic plasticity induced by four glyphosate-based herbicides in larvae of the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw, 1802), by determining whether the herbicides induced different morphologies, …

Analysis Of Sediment Reveals An Ecological "Regime Change" In Lake Hilary, Toni R. Gohman, Emily K. Kiolbasa

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

Lake sediments contain excellent records of both fossils and component minerals that can be used to reconstruct regional ecological history. To complement ongoing studies of Lake Hilary’s pollen and macrofossils, we constructed a high-resolution record of the organic matter, carbonate, and non-carbonate mineral fractions of the lake’s sediment. The organic fraction is a proxy for the biological productivity of the pelagic, littoral, and shoreline of the lake. Non-carbonate minerals can evince erosion and subsequent aerial or fluvial deposition. Carbonate deposition can be related to lake productivity and chemical weathering in the surrounding watershed. We sought to compare our sediment record …

Ecosystem Resistance In The Face Of Climate Change: A Case Study From The Freshwater Marshes Of The Florida Everglades, Sparkle L. Malone, Cynthia Keough, Christina L. Staudhammer, Michael G. Ryan, William J. Parton, Paulo Olivas, Steven F. Overbauer, Jessica L. Schedlbauer, Gregory Starr

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Intestinal Parasite Loads Of Minnows In Eastern Kentucky Streams, Seth H. Bromagen

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the College of Science and Technology Morehead State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Seth H. Bromagen on April 13, 2015.

Isotopic Incorporation Rates And Discrimination Factors In Mantis Shrimp Crustaceans., Maya Devries, Carlos Del Rio, Tate Tunstall, Todd Dawson

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Stable isotope analysis has provided insights into the trophic ecology of a wide diversity of animals. Knowledge about isotopic incorporation rates and isotopic discrimination between the consumer and its diet for different tissue types is essential for interpreting stable isotope data, but these parameters remain understudied in many animal taxa and particularly in aquatic invertebrates. We performed a 292-day diet shift experiment on 92 individuals of the predatory mantis shrimp, Neogonodactylus bredini, to quantify carbon and nitrogen incorporation rates and isotope discrimination factors in muscle and hemolymph tissues. Average isotopic discrimination factors between mantis shrimp muscle and the new diet …

Early Successional Microhabitats Allow The Persistence Of Endangered Plants In Coastal Sand Dunes, Eleanor A. Pardini, Kyle E. Vickstrom, Tiffany M. Knight

Biology Faculty Research

Many species are adapted to disturbance and occur within dynamic, mosaic landscapes that contain early and late successional microhabitats. Human modification of disturbance regimes alters the availability of microhabitats and may affect the viability of species in these ecosystems. Because restoring historical disturbance regimes is typically expensive and requires action at large spatial scales, such restoration projects must be justified by linking the persistence of species with successional microhabitats. Coastal sand dune ecosystems worldwide are characterized by their endemic biodiversity and frequent disturbance. Dune-stabilizing invasive plants alter successional dynamics and may threaten species in these ecosystems. We examined the distribution …

Marine Animalia Organism Diversity And Reef Condition On Two Reef Sites At Big Creek Beach And Boca Del Drago, Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Bri Tiffany

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing, and coastal development are endangering coral reefs across the globe. In Bocas del Toro, Panamá, coral reefs are especially threatened by the rapid growth in tourism and the subsequent anthropogenic effects caused by an increased human presence. To evaluate reef condition in this area, a study comparing percent coverage of live and dead coral as well as the diversity of marine Animalia organisms was conducted at one reef site in Big Creek beach and one reef site in Boca del Drago, Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro. It was predicted that dead coral cover would be …

The Behavioral Causes Of Reproductive Skew In Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reproductive skew, the degree to which reproduction is shared among same-sex individuals in a social group, is a pattern affected by ecological conditions, sociality, cooperation, and the inter- and intrasexual behavior of individuals in complex animal societies. Transactional and compromise skew models assume that high skew is the product of dominance hierarchies among cobreeders, yet this has rarely been tested. Both model types fail to incorporate the decisions of more than two individuals, generally overlooking the effect of female behavior on male reproductive success in multi-male groups, and are ineffective at predicting skew in larger groups characterized by more than …

The Influence Of Spines On Predation Of Devonian Brachiopods, Broc S. Kokesh

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2015

Brachiopods are small animals that live on the seafloor and are prominent in the Devonian fossil record from 420 to 360 million years ago. An interesting feature of some species is that large spines develop on their exterior surfaces and are thought to have evolved for defense against predators. Fortunately, this hypothesis can be tested by observing wound marks indicative of attempted predation as described by Zhang et al. (2011). In this study, I examined wound marks on fossils of the spiny brachiopod Atrypa rockfordensis and the spineless Atrypa devoniana. Results show that A. rockfordensis only experienced attacks at …

Distribution And Identification Of Fish Eggs In An Internal Wave Transport Mechanism, Claire Kuelbs

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Internal waves have been proven to transport invertebrate larvae onshore, but there has been little indication on whether internal waves transport fish eggs. Fish eggs are typically buoyant and are often found in neustonic samples, and internal waves often cause fronts that transport oils and other light particles. This research aims to determine whether there are patterns to the distribution of fish eggs. One possibility is that offshore fish eggs can be transported onshore, to nearshore nursery habitats. Before 2003, when genetic barcoding was proposed as an identification mechanism, fish eggs could only be identified visually, using color, size, and …

The Ecological Significance Of Emerging Deltas In Regulated Rivers, Malia A. Volke, Michael L. Scott, W. Carter Johnson, Mark Dixon

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Sedimentary deltas forming in the world’s regulated rivers are a glaring gap in our knowledge of dammed riverine ecosystems. Basic ecological information is needed to inform the current debate about whether deltas should be retained and managed to gain ecosystem services lost under reservoirs or whether they should be partially removed to improve flow conveyance and to resupply sediment-starved reaches below dams. An examination of nine deltas on the heavily regulated upper and middle Missouri River showed the following: The sizes, dynamics, and biotic communities vary widely across deltas; riparian forest has established on portions of most deltas; the current …

Blue Carbon In Coastal Freshwater/Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia: Belowground Carbon Dynamics, Nathan M. Sedghi

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Some coastal ecosystems sequester substantially more carbon (blue carbon) than land locked systems due to high net primary production and deposition associated with oceanic influences. Most blue carbon research has focused on mangroves, seagrass beds, and salt marshes. Studies on blue carbon potential of coastal freshwater marshes are less common. Barrier islands frequently flood, with seawater reaching interior ecosystems. I examined brackish/freshwater marshes on Virginia barrier islands for possible roles as blue carbon systems. I studied four interior marshes on Hog Island, which varied in proximity to a direct overwash path and protection by a trail berm that divides northern …

Blue Carbon In Freshwater / Brackish Marshes On The Barrier Islands Of Virginia Aboveground Net Primary Productivity And Carbon Pools, Emily Caitlin Adams

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

"Blue carbon" is a relatively new concept describing carbon distributed tidally and sequestered via net production within coastal ecosystems, including seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and salt-water marshes. These systems sequester carbon at least 10 times faster than terrestrial systems. Fresh to brackish wetlands that receive irregular tidal influence due to overwash and storm events have not been typically studied as blue carbon systems. My objective was to quantify carbon pools within four interdunal fresh to brackish marshes on Hog Island, Virginia to determine their blue carbon potential. Marshes 1 and 2 were farthest from the ocean, below and above a …

Biology And Ecology Of Bigheaded Carp In An Invaded Ecosystem, Alison Adele Coulter

Open Access Dissertations

Globally, the homogenization of species has become a threat to biodiversity. As species are transported around the world, a portion of these species, released intentionally or accidentally, may become invasive and can produce negative impacts. Great effort has been invested into early identification and prevention of invasions as these are considered less expensive than managing an invasion. Unfortunately, species may exhibit varying characteristics across ecosystems, and so their behavior and potential survival in a new environment may be difficult to predict. Therefore, I examined trends in the biology and behavior of invasive fishes, including the plasticity surrounding these and how …

Consequences Of Short-Term Water Temperature Variability To Fish: Current And Future Climate Change Impacts, David P. Coulter

Open Access Dissertations

Water temperature has a profound influence on aquatic ectotherms by affecting all aspects of biological organization; from chemical and molecular functioning to whole-organism and population-level impacts. Natural processes and anthropogenic activities can create conditions where temperatures vary greatly through space and time. While exposure to temperature changes lasting ≥ 24 hours have been examined in some species, it is unclear how more rapid (< 24 hours; sub-daily) thermal fluctuations affect aquatic ectotherms. I used a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments, and modeling simulations to understand: 1) how habitat quality of aquatic ectotherms is affected in thermally dynamic environments; 2) the role of sub-daily temperature fluctuations on growth, survival, and stress responses in juvenile and adult fish; 3) how fish early life stages are affected by sub-daily temperature fluctuations; and 4) what impact thermally dynamic environments have on a model species at a population-level. A model quantifying habitat quality around power plant thermal discharges indicated that elevated and variable discharge temperatures affected habitat quality over a relatively small spatial area for aquatic ectotherms. Models examining elevated temperatures representing climate warming showed that the effects of industrial discharges and climate warming could have an interactive effect on habitat quality by increasing the spatial area and duration over which industrial thermal effluents impact aquatic ectotherms. Laboratory experiments indicated that closely related fishes can respond differently to the same sub-daily temperature fluctuations. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) had higher consumption and growth under sub-daily temperature fluctuations but developed skin lesions; an indication of thermal stress. In contrast, these same fluctuations reduced growth in physiologically similar walleye (Sander vitreus) …

Seagrass Deterrence To Mesograzer Herbivory: Evidence From Mesocosm Experiments And Feeding Preference Trials, Latina Steele, John F. Valentine

Biology Faculty Publications

Two laboratory experiments documented the effects of mesograzers (i.e. the gastropod Crepidula ustulatulina and the isopod Paracerceis caudata) on phenolic acid and condensed tannin production in 2 regionally abundant seagrasses—Thalassia testudinum (turtlegrass) and Halodule wrightii (shoalgrass). Subsequent paired choice experiments tested the hypothesis that phenolic acids and condensed tannins produced by these seagrasses deter mesograzer feeding. At the scale of the shoot, grazing by gastropods and isopods led to ~40 to 50% decreases in concentrations of some phenolic acids and ~20% decreases in condensed tannins in turtlegrass leaves. At a more refined spatial scale, concentrations of 2 of these compounds …

Ocean Food Systems, Barry A. Costa-Pierce

Marine Sciences Faculty Presentations

Presentation given during session on Food Justice, where Barton Seaver, Director of the Healthy and Sustainable Food Program in the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard, described a great nutrition and health crisis in America perpetuated by groups demarketing seafood and promoting meat in the American diet. Seaver noted that Americans consume about 167 lbs. of meat a year and only 14 lbs. of seafood, leading to connected public health and environmental crises, heart disease, and obesity.

According to presenter Barry Costa-Pierce:

Seafood systems in the USA are our most insane foods; America imports nearly every seafood we …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Blue Sucker Cycleptus Elongatus, Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus are a large-bodied, benthic fish that are considered an indicator species for riverine health. A combination of historic commercial fishing and anthropogenic modifications to riverine habitat led to blue suckers being listed as a candidate species for the federal threatened or endangered species list in 1993. However, they were never designated a federally protected species. Locally, Blue Suckers are currently listed as a Nebraska Natural Legacy Project’s Tier 1 species but population changes and trends have not been quantified. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the current population status of Blue Sucker in …

The Influence Of Spines And Size Refuge On Predation Of Devonian Brachiopods From The Lime Creek Formation Near Rockford, Iowa, Broc S. Kokesh

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

Brachiopods are small invertebrates that live on the seafloor and are prominent in the fossil record from 540 to 250 million years ago. An interesting feature of some species is that large spines develop on their exterior surfaces. These spines are thought to have evolved for defense against predators, but fossils are limited in how much information they contain about how organisms interact with each other. In this study, I examined wound markings on fossils of both a spiny (Atrypa rockfordensis) and spineless (Atrypa devoniana) species of brachiopod. Results show that spiny brachiopods were less frequently …

Growth Of A Deep-Water, Predatory Fish Is Influenced By The Productivity Of A Boundary Current System, Hoang Minh Nguyen, Adam N. Rountrey, Jessica J. Meeuwig, Peter G. Coulson, Ming Feng, Stephen J. Newman, Anya M. Waite, Corey B. Wakefield, Mark G. Meekan

Fisheries Research Articles

The effects of climate change on predatory fishes in deep shelf areas are difficult to predict because complex processes may govern food availability and temperature at depth. We characterised the net impact of recent environmental changes on hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios), an apex predator found in continental slope habitats (>200 m depth) by using dendrochronology techniques to develop a multi-decadal record of growth from otoliths. Fish were sampled off temperate south-western Australia, a region strongly influenced by the Leeuwin Current, a poleward-flowing, eastern boundary current. The common variance among individual growth records was relatively low (3.4%), but the …