Marine Biology Commons^™

Contribution Of Seagrass Blue Carbon Toward Carbon Neutral Policies In A Touristic And Environmentally-Friendly Island, Camila Bedulli, Paul S. Lavery, Matt Harvey, Carlos M. Duarte, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Estimates of organic carbon (C_org) storage by seagrass meadows which consider inter-habitat variability are essential to understand their potential to sequester carbon dioxide (CO₂) and derive robust global and regional estimates of blue carbon storage. In this study, we provide baseline estimates of seagrass extent, and soil C_org stocks and accumulation rates from different seagrass habitats at Rottnest Island (in Amphibolis spp., Posidonia spp., Halophila ovalis, and mixed Posidonia/Amphibolis spp. meadows). The C_org stocks in 0.5 m thick seagrass soil deposits, derived from 24 cores, were 5.1 ± 0.7 kg C_org m^{–2 …}

Tropicalisation Of Temperate Seagrass Meadows In Western Australia: Predicting The Impact Of Tropical Herbivorous Fishes On Temperate Seagrass Meadows, Maria Samsonova

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Rising sea temperatures through climate change produce shifts in the distribution of tropical species to temperate regions, a process termed “tropicalisation”. The poleward expansion of tropical herbivores into temperate seagrass meadows is predicted to increase grazing pressure and alter ecosystem services and processes in these seagrass systems. This study attempted to examine the effects of tropicalisation on temperate seagrass meadows along the western coast of Australia, where the increasing abundance of tropical consumers such as the herbivorous Siganus fuscescens has already been documented. Through the assessment of fish assemblages in seagrass meadows and the grazing levels on seagrass in 2001 …

Physiological Response Of Elasmobrachs During Propofol Immersion, Matthew Levendosky

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Sensory experiments require anesthesia so the animal is immobilized, however fish anesthetics have shown to depress sensory responses. Newer anesthetics may offer similar anesthetic relief, but differ in means of action so sensory responses may be unaffected. Propofol has been used intravenously on small elasmobranchs but may provide prolonged effects if used as an immersion anesthetic. Objectives of this study were 1. Determine appropriate concentration of anesthetic to minimize induction and recovery for animals anesthetized at a surgical plane of anesthesia and 2. Measure physiological response of the pupil to light stimuli during anesthetic immersion. To address these objectives, I …

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Red-Spotted Grouper Nervous Necrosis Virus-Infected Seabass Lates Calcarifer (Bloch, 1790), Kitipong Angsujinda

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Infection with Red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) remains a significant problem in aquaculture of a variety of fish including Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). This study presents a transcriptome analysis of the head kidney which performs the important immune functions during RGNNV infection in L. calcarifer. RNA sequencing was employed to distinguish the transcript abundance in head kidney between RGNNV infected and control fish. Functional analysis identified 59 and 73 differentially expressed genes at 2- and 15-day post infection, respectively and twelve candidates were shown to have a potential implication in RGNNV infection. This study lays the groundwork for future …

The Potential Impact Of Nuclear Conflict On Ocean Acidification, Nicole S. Lovenduski, Cheryl S. Harrison, Holly Olivarez, Charles G. Bardeen, Owen B. Toon, Joshua Coupe, Alan Robock, Tyler Rohr, Samantha Stevenson

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

We demonstrate that the global cooling resulting from a range of nuclear conflict scenarios would temporarily increase the pH in the surface ocean by up to 0.06 units over a 5-year period, briefly alleviating the decline in pH associated with ocean acidification. Conversely, the global cooling dissolves atmospheric carbon into the upper ocean, driving a 0.1 to 0.3 unit decrease in the aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) that persists for ∼10 years. The peak anomaly in pH occurs 2 years post conflict, while the Ωarag anomaly peaks 4- to 5-years post conflict. The decrease in Ωarag would exacerbate a primary threat …

Architectonica Karsteni Rutsch, 1934 (Gastropoda: Architectonicidae) In Seamounts Of The Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park: First Evidence Of An Extant Population In Chilean Waters Since The Miocene, Cynthia M. Asorey, Javier Sellanes, Erin E. Easton, Rüdiger Bieler, Ariadna Mecho

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The presence of Architectonicidae in Chile was previously recorded only from fossil material of eight species present during the Lower Miocene, when Architectonica karsteni had a geographic range that extended from Costa Rica to central Chile (34°S). No evidence of the presence of the family in Chile after the Lower Miocene have been reported. As part of this study, we report the discovery of A. karsteni at four seamountsat ~200 m water depth in the recently created Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park, located ~900 km west of continental Chile. Morphological identification was based on protoconch diameter, coloration patterns, and teleoconch sculpture. We …

Additions To Philippine Slender Skinks Of The Brachymeles Bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) Iv: Resurrection And Redescription Of Brachymeles Burksi, Cameron D. Siler, Elyse S. Freitas, Jennifer A. Sheridan, Stephanie N. Maguire, Drew R. Davis, Jessa L. Watters, Kai Wang, Arvin C. Diesmos, Rafe M. Brown

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The diversity of Philippine amphibians and reptiles has increased over the last few decades, in part due to re-evaluation of species formerly believed to be widespread. Many of these investigations of widespread species have uncovered multiple closely related cryptic lineages comprising species complexes, each restricted to individual Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complexes (PAICs). One group in particular for which widespread cryptic diversity has been common is the clade of Philippine skinks of the genus Brachymeles. Recent phylogenetic studies of the formerly recognized widespread species Brachymeles bonitae have indicated that this species is actually a complex distributed across several major PAICs and …

Variability In Antibacterial Activity In The Caribbean Sponge Amphimedon Compressa, Mackenzie Reilly

Honors Theses

Coral reefs are essential ecosystems that provide an abundance of natural resources. Sponges, common reef inhabitants, produce a diversity of secondary metabolites that are known to serve as chemical defenses. Secondary metabolites often have ecological functions, such as antipredator and antibacterial activities. I studied the common Caribbean sponge species, Amphimedon compressa, which is known to be chemically defended. Samples were collected from three sites in Belize, two sites in Grand Cayman, and three sites in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. To determine whether antibacterial activity varied across broad or local geographic scales, sponge extracts were tested against four bacterial strains …

Spatio-Temporal Models Of Juvenile And Adult Sheepshead (Archosargus Probatocephalus) In Tampa Bay, Florida From 1996 To 2016, Bridgette F. Froeschke, Leslie B. Jones, Brian Garman

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Spatio-temporal distribution models for juvenile and adult Sheepshead (Archosargus protocephalus) were developed for Tampa Bay, FL using Boosted Regression Trees. Juvenile Sheepshead were primarily associated with month of collection (highest occurrence in May and June), low salinities (<10), and increased distance from a tidal inlet. Adult Sheepshead were more frequently detected closer to inlets in September through November, with an increasing trend through time, and had the highest probability of detection in areas with the highest salinity levels. Our results indicate that juvenile Sheepshead are associated with tidal tributaries on the east side of Tampa Bay and adult Sheepshead are associated with the major inlet into the Gulf of Mexico. These findings reflect seasonal and ontogenetic shifts in distribution that are necessary to inform spatially-based management approaches and to prioritize areas for habitat conservation.

Non-Invasive Method For Leptin Supplementation In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Regan Mcnamara

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I tested the hypothesis that recombinant leptin protein can be introduced to zebrafish in vivo through non-invasive soaking in a solution containing the protein. One way to study various molecules’ effects in vivo is through intraperitoneal or intracerebroventricular injections during the embryonic or larval stage, which is invasive, difficult to administer, and can have a high mortality rate. 48 hours post fertilization (hpf) zebrafish were soaked in a His-tagged recombinant leptin protein solution at 10 nM and 100 nM concentrations (produced by Genscript). After soaking, zebrafish larvae were washed extensively to remove all recombinant protein on their exterior before homogenization. …

Hyperparasitic Spore-Forming Eukaryotes (Microsporidia, Haplosporidia, And Myxozoa) Parasitizing Trematodes (Platyhelminthes), Yuliya Ya. Sokolova, Robin M. Overstreet

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

ABSTRACT

Trematodes serve as outstanding hosts for a variety of parasites. This paper restricts those parasites to three groups of non-related taxa parasitizing trematodes and forming invasive spores similar in external morphology, which is why in the past these three groups of parasitic eukaryotes were united into the taxon “Sporozoa” (Kudo, 1924). (1) Trematode-infecting microsporidia (type Microsporidia Balbiani, 1882: Rozellomycota: Holomycota) are represented by more than 30 species. Among those, the species with sequenced barcode (SSU rDNA) are phylogenetically associated with either microsporidia from invertebrates, as the species of the genus Unikaryon (7 species), or fish microsporidia, as the species …

Assessing The Hierarchy Of Long-Term Environmental Controls On Diatom Communities Of Yellowstone National Park Using Lacustrine Sediment Records, Victoria Chraibi, Sherilyn C. Fritz

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

An ecosystem’s ability to maintain structure and function following disturbance, defined as resilience, is influenced by a hierarchy of environmental controls, including climate, surface cover, and ecological relationships that shape biological community composition and productivity. This study examined lacustrine sediment records of naturally fishless lakes in Yellowstone National Park to reconstruct the response of aquatic communities to climate and trophic cascades from fish stocking. Sediment records of diatom algae did not exhibit a distinct response to fish stocking in terms of assemblage or algal productivity. Instead, 3 of 4 lakes underwent a shift to dominance by benthic diatom species from …

Ice Algae Resource Utilization By Benthic Macro- And Megafaunal Communities On The Pacific Arctic Shelf Determined Through Lipid Biomarker Analysis, Chelsea Wegner Koch, Lee W. Cooper, Jacqueline M. Grebmeier, Karen Frey, Thomas A. Brown

Geography

We studied ice algae utilization by benthic fauna from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas using highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) biomarkers. We assessed whether various food acquisition strategies influence the observed HBI signatures. The proportion of phytoplankton to ice algae-sourced HBIs was determined through the H-Print approach that is presumed to reflect the percentage of sea ice organic carbon (iPOC) incorporated into tissues, relative to phytoplankton organic carbon. Cluster analysis separated 3 groups based on location and feeding strategy that were significantly influenced by annual sea ice persistence. Ice algae utilization was most significant in the northeast Chukchi Sea, where …

Microbial Degradability Of Terrigenous, Marsh-Exported, And Estuarine Colored Dissolved Organic Matter In Long Island Sound, John R. Supino

Dissertations and Theses

The Long Island Sound is one of the world's most urbanized estuaries, polluted from excess nutrients which impact the quality of water through increased biological productivity. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a sensitive indicator of anthropogenic pollution and nutrient enrichment in coastal waters as well as an important part of the carbon cycle and serves as a primary food source for aquatic food webs. Additionally, the colored portion of DOM (CDOM) impacts coastal optical properties, ocean color, and light attenuation. High levels of CDOM have been shown to inhibit the growth of phytoplankton and limit photosynthesis, damaging the food chain …

Estimating The Heritability Of Plasticity Of Thermal Tolerance And Its Application In The Restoration Of Endangered Caribbean Coral, Matz O. Indergard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Over the last two centuries anthropogenic activity has elevated atmospheric CO₂, creating a greenhouse effect that is predicted to elevate global temperatures 1-4^o C within the century. Increases in surface temperature pose a threat to the world’s coral reefs and have been the cause of many mass bleaching events. To combat this new threat, corals must migrate, acclimate, or evolve to rising temperatures. Phenotypic plasticity, or the ability of an individual to express different phenotypes to survive in different environments, is crucial for sessile organisms since it can increase survivability in species incapable of moving to …

Effects Of Integrated Application Of Plant-Based Compost And Urea On Soil Food Web, Soil Properties, And Yield And Quality Of A Processing Carrot Cultivar, A. Habteweld, D. Brainard, A. Kravchencko, Parwinder Grewal, H. Melakeberhan

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil nutrient management system characterized by reduced input of inorganic fertilizers integrated with organic amendments is one of the alternatives for reducing deleterious environmental impact of synthetic fertilizers, suppressing soil-borne pests and diseases, and improving soil health and crop yield. A hypothesis of the present study was that lower rates of urea mixed with higher rates of plant compost (PC) would improve nematode community structure, soil food web condition, soil biological, and physiochemical properties, and yield and quality of a processing carrot (Daucus carota) cultivar. Urea and PC were each applied at 135kg nitrogen (N)/ha alone or at 3:1, 1:1, …

Influence Of Diet And Abiotic Factors On The Survival And Reproduction Of Calanoid Copepod Pseudodiaptomus Annandalei, Abd Aziz Fatin Fatihah

Student Works (2020-2029)

The calanoid copepod, Pseudodiaptomus annandalei, due to its good nutritional value and significance as a natural diet of many tropical fish, is a superior live feed for marine fish larvae. Fish larvae needs a sustainable supply of good quality live feed for optimal growth and survival. Aims of this study were to investigate the effects of (1) marine mircroheterotrophs grown in palm oil mill effluent (POME) as copepod diet and (2) abiotic factors i.e. salinity (ppt), temperature (˚C), pH, photoperiod and light intensity on the survival and nauplii production of P. annandalei. Both biotic and abiotic experiments were conducted with …

The Ecological Function Of Intertidal Seagrass For Sediment Entrapment On Middle Bank Shoal, Penang, Awang Nur Asilah

Student Works (2020-2029)

Application of seagrass in eco-engineering for sustainable coastal protection requires a deeper understanding of seagrass functions for sediment entrapment. Knowledge gaps on the influence of intertidal seagrass in trapping sediments raised two main questions in this study; (1) what is the relationship between intertidal seagrass meadow structure and trapped sediment? and (2) which part of the intertidal seagrass meadow structure best explains the variability of trapped sediment? To answer these questions, seagrass shoot density, Leaf Area Index (LAI), and total aboveground biomass were used as predictors for sediments deposition rate on Middle Bank Shoal. Three seagrass species were found; Enhalus …

Short-Term Estimate Of Finfish Bycatch Discards In The Inshore Artisanal Shrimp Fishery Of Guyana, Leanna Kalicharan, Hazel A. Oxenford

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The artisanal shrimp fishery in Guyana is important for livelihood and food security, involving around 300 vessels owned and crewed exclusively by Guyanese nationals. This fishery uses Chinese seines and operates in major river estuaries. It targets penaeid shrimp, but also retains some finfish and is known to discard a significant but undocumented quantity of smaller finfish bycatch. The lack of knowledge regarding the bycatch is a concern for fishery management and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we quantify for the first time the finfish bycatch discards through onboard observations (July—August 2016) of a single typical vessel operating in the …

Habitat Characterization Of Juvenile Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) In Isle Of Youth, Cuba, Zenaida M. Navarro-Martínez, Jorge Angulo-Valdés, Lisandra García-Córdova, Aaron Adams

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Tarpon is considered a ‘Vulnerable’ species by IUCN but is also a highly prized recreational species. It is reportedly abundant in Cuba and may be threatened by high levels of fishing pressure. However, the current knowledge about Tarpon habitat characteristics and ecology in Cuba is very poor, which limit any attempt for its management and conservation. Here we summarize abiotic characteristics of juvenile Tarpon habitats in Lanier Swamp, Isle of Youth, Cuba, which is a RAMSAR site and Faunal Refuge. Three locations in Lanier Swamp were sampled for juvenile Tarpon presence during 2015-2017: Colony Lagoon (CL), Punta Francés Lagoon (PFL) …