Diseases And Parasites Of Scallops,
2016
Cornell University
Diseases And Parasites Of Scallops, Rodman G. Getchell, Roxanna Smolowitz, Sharon E. Mcgladdery, Susan M. Bower
Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications
Knowledge of the diseases and parasites of scallops has continued to change since the second edition of this book (McGladdery et al., 2006). Advancements in the field of scallop health research have followed the broader improvements in the ability to identify disease agents in other aquatic animals. Significant progress has been made in diagnostic capability, particularly the ability to distinguish between infectious pathogens and cryptic histopathological lesions in scallops using molecular techniques. Evidence of this is the progress made in combating opportunistic infections of larvae and juveniles of several scallop species reared under hatchery conditions. There are an increasing number …
Conservation Triage: Debating Which Species To Save And Why,
2016
Roger Williams University
Conservation Triage: Debating Which Species To Save And Why, Loren B. Byrne
Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications
Because of human impacts on the biosphere, so many species are now threatened with extinction that it may not be possible to save them all. Akin to triage in a medical emergency situation, this challenge has brought forth the idea of conservation triage: having to make difficult choices and justifications about which species should be saved and which might not be savable. The goal of the learning activity described in this chapter is to engage students in this debate so they can gain insights into real-world conservation challenges and practice critical thinking and decision making skills in an authentic context. …
Comparative Anatomy Of The Bony Labyrinth Of Extant And Extinct Porpoises (Cetacea: Phocoenidae),
2016
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, CA
Comparative Anatomy Of The Bony Labyrinth Of Extant And Extinct Porpoises (Cetacea: Phocoenidae), Rachel A. Racicot, William Gearty, Naoki Kohno, John J. Flynn
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
The inner ear anatomy of cetaceans, now more readily accessible by means of nondestructive high-resolution X-ray computed tomographic (CT) scanning, provides a window into their acoustic abilities and ecological preferences. Inner ear labyrinths also may be a source for additional morphological characters for phylogenetic analyses. In this study, we explore digital endocasts of the inner ear labyrinths of representative species of extinct and extant porpoises (Mammalia: Cetacea: Phocoenidae), a clade of some of the smallest odontocete cetaceans, which produce some of the highest-frequency clicks for biosonar and communication. Metrics used to infer hearing ranges based on cochlear morphology indicate that …
Beyond Just Sea-Level Rise: Considering Macroclimatic Drivers Within Coastal Wetland Vulnerability Assessments To Climate Change,
2016
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Beyond Just Sea-Level Rise: Considering Macroclimatic Drivers Within Coastal Wetland Vulnerability Assessments To Climate Change, Michael J. Osland, Nicholas M. Enwright, Richard H. Day, Christopher A. Gabler, Camille L. Stagg, James B. Grace
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
Due to their position at the land-sea interface, coastal wetlands are vulnerable to many aspects of climate change. However, climate change vulnerability assessments for coastal wetlands generally focus solely on sea-level rise without considering the effects of other facets of climate change. Across the globe and in all ecosystems, macroclimatic drivers (e.g., temperature and rainfall regimes) greatly influence ecosystem structure and function. Macroclimatic drivers have been the focus of climate change-related threat evaluations for terrestrial ecosystems, but largely ignored for coastal wetlands. In some coastal wetlands, changing macroclimatic conditions are expected to result in foundation plant species replacement, which would …
Responses To Familiar And Unfamiliar Humans By Belugas (Delphinapterus Leucas), Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), & Pacific White-Sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus Obliquidens): A Replication And Extension,
2016
St. Mary's University, Texas
Responses To Familiar And Unfamiliar Humans By Belugas (Delphinapterus Leucas), Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), & Pacific White-Sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus Obliquidens): A Replication And Extension, Heather M. Hill, Deirdre Yeater, Sarah Gallup, Sara Guarino, Steve Lacy, Tricia Dees, Stan A. Kuczaj Ii
Psychology Faculty Publications
Previous research has documented that cetaceans can discriminate between humans, but the process used to categorize humans still remains unclear. The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend previous work on the discrimination between familiar and unfamiliar humans by three species of cetaceans. The current study manipulated the familiarity and activity level of humans presented to 12 belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) housed between two facilities, five bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and six Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) during free-swim conditions. Two measures of discrimination were coded from video recordings of each trial: …
Measuring Beach Profiles Along A Low-Wave Energy Microtidal Coast, West-Central Florida, Usa,
2016
University of South Florida
Measuring Beach Profiles Along A Low-Wave Energy Microtidal Coast, West-Central Florida, Usa, Jun Cheng, Ping Wang, Qiandong Guo
School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications
Monitoring storm-induced dramatic beach morphology changes and long-term beach evolution provides crucial data for coastal management. Beach-profile measurement using total station has been conducted along the coast of west-central Florida over the last decade. This paper reviews several case studies of beach morphology changes based on total-station survey along this coast. The advantage of flexible and low-cost total-station surveys is discussed in comparison to LIDAR (light detection and ranging) method. In an attempt to introduce total-station survey from a practical prospective, measurement of cross-shore beach profile in various scenarios are discussed, including: (1) establishing a beach profile line with known …
Spatial Biodiversity Patterns Of Fish Within The Aransas Bay Complex, Texas,
2016
University of Tampa
Spatial Biodiversity Patterns Of Fish Within The Aransas Bay Complex, Texas, Bridgette F. Froeschke, Megan M. Reese Robillard, Gregory W. Stunz
Gulf and Caribbean Research
The goal of this study was to consider the effects of habitat type and environmental conditions on the biodiversity of fishes within the Aransas Bay Complex, Texas and provide a management framework and an ecosystem examination of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). A stratified, randomized experimental design was used to collect fishes from seagrass, oyster, and non-vegetated habitats within the Aransas Bay Complex from February through May 2010 over large spatial scales at the “bay-complex” level. We developed a biodiversity habitat model using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). Fitted functions from the “best” fit BRT habitat model indicated that fish biodiversity was …
Parasites From The Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans From The Gulf Of Mexico,
2016
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Parasites From The Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans From The Gulf Of Mexico, Alexander Q. Fogg, Carlos F. Ruiz, Stephen S. Curran, Stephen A. Bullard
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Tests Of Reproductive Isolation Between The Fishes Fundulus Heteroclitus And F. Grandis,
2016
University of North Florida
Tests Of Reproductive Isolation Between The Fishes Fundulus Heteroclitus And F. Grandis, Ruthie E. Barbas
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The closely related killifishes Fundulus heteroclitus and F. grandis hybridize in a small region where their ranges overlap in coastal northeastern Florida. Hybrids of these species are rare in frequency within the contact zone, suggesting the presence of relatively strong reproductive isolation between these species. The objective of this study was to elucidate barriers to reproduction between F. heteroclitus and F. grandis in the lab, as well as to quantify the relative strengths and contributions of various isolating barriers. Pre-zygotic (mating and fertilization) and post-zygotic (hatching) barriers were investigated by performing a variety of choice and no-choice laboratory mating experiments. …
What Would The Babel Fish Say?,
2016
The University of Western Australia
What Would The Babel Fish Say?, Monica Gagliano
Animal Sentience
Starting with its title, Key’s (2016) target article advocates the view that fish do not feel pain. The author describes the neuroanatomical, physiological and behavioural conditions involved in the experience of pain in humans and rodents and confidently applies analogical arguments as though they were established facts in support of the negative conclusion about the inability of fish to feel pain. The logical reasoning, unfortunately, becomes somewhat incoherent, with the arbitrary application of the designated human criteria for an analogical argument to one animal species (e.g., rodents) but not another (fish). Research findings are reported selectively, and questionable interpretations are …
Biodegradation Of Highly Weathered Deepwater Horizon Oil,
2016
University of South Carolina
Biodegradation Of Highly Weathered Deepwater Horizon Oil, Joel T. Bostic
Theses and Dissertations
Oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) spill continues to be found on beaches five years post-spill. Understanding the role of microbes in removing DwH oil from sandy beaches is necessary to elucidate the fate of DwH oil in the coastal zone. Oiled sand patties and non-oiled sand were collected from affected beaches five years post- DwH. Biomarkers in oiled sand indicated that sand patties originated from the DwH spill, however the oil was heavily weathered and dominated by oxygenated hydrocarbons. Microbial communities, as measured by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), were present on oiled sand patties and distinct from microbes on …
Evaluating Climatic Response To External Radiative Forcing During The Late Miocene To Early Pliocene: New Perspectives From Eastern Equatorial Pacific (Iodp U1338) And North Atlantic (Odp 982) Locations,
2016
Imperial College
Evaluating Climatic Response To External Radiative Forcing During The Late Miocene To Early Pliocene: New Perspectives From Eastern Equatorial Pacific (Iodp U1338) And North Atlantic (Odp 982) Locations, Anna J. Drury, Cédric M. John, Amelia E. Shevenell
Marine Science Faculty Publications
Orbital‐scale climate variability during the latest Miocene‐early Pliocene is poorly understood due to a lack of high‐resolution records spanning 8.0–3.5 Ma, which resolve all orbital cycles. Assessing this variability improves understanding of how Earth's system sensitivity to insolation evolves and provides insight into the factors driving the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) and the Late Miocene Carbon Isotope Shift (LMCIS). New high‐resolution benthic foraminiferal Cibicidoides mundulus δ18O and δ13C records from equatorial Pacific International Ocean Drilling Program Site U1338 are correlated to North Atlantic Ocean Drilling Program Site 982 to obtain a global perspective. Four long‐term benthic …
Resurgence Of Acropora Corals On Mid Shelf Patch Reefs, Southwater Caye Marine Reserve, Central Belize,
2016
Otterbein University
Resurgence Of Acropora Corals On Mid Shelf Patch Reefs, Southwater Caye Marine Reserve, Central Belize, Jillian J. Keefer
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
Acropora cervicornis (staghorn) and Acropora palmata (elkhorn) are ecologically important corals that grow quickly and provide topography and refuges for fish and invertebrates. Historically, Acropora was the most abundant coral in shallow patch reef zones in the Caribbean. During the 1980s, white band disease eliminated most Acropora causing a loss in rugosity and an increase of macroalgae on many reefs. Although Acropora remains rare throughout most of the Caribbean, this study documents its partial comeback and possible limiting factors in Southwater Caye Marine Reserve (SWCMR), Central Belize. Patch reefs in the reserve averaged 19% live coral cover with A. palmata …
Isolation And Identification Of Bacterial Endosymbionts In The Brooding Brittle Star Amphipholis Squamata,
2016
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Isolation And Identification Of Bacterial Endosymbionts In The Brooding Brittle Star Amphipholis Squamata, Abbey Rose Tedford
Honors Theses and Capstones
Symbiotic associations with subcuticular bacteria (SCB) have been identified and studied in numerous echinoderms, including the SCB of the brooding brittle star, Amphipholis squamata. These SCB, however, have not been studied using current next generation sequencing technologies. Previous studies on the SCB of A. squamata placed these bacteria in the genus Vibrio (γ-Proteobacteria), but subsequent studies suggested that the SCB are primarily composed of α-Proteobacteria. The present study examines the taxonomic composition of SCB associated with A. squamata from the Northwest Atlantic. DNA was extracted using a CTAB protocol and 16S rRNA sequences were amplified …
Attached Algae As An Indicator Of Water Quality: A Study Of The Viability Of Genomic Taxonomic Methods,
2016
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Attached Algae As An Indicator Of Water Quality: A Study Of The Viability Of Genomic Taxonomic Methods, Allison R. Wood
Honors Theses and Capstones
This research involved evaluating algae as an indicator of water quality in New Hampshire's rivers, with a focus on the Great Bay Estuary. The project had three main goals. First, determining whether or not algae would work as an indicator of water quality in the great bay ecosystem, an environment where tidal currents are strong and water composition is mixed. The second goal was to compare traditional microscopic methods of taxonomy with emerging genomic methods, increasing the economic viability of attached algae monitoring. The third project goal, still underway, is to evaluate massive amounts of genomic data from the Great …
Gene Flow And Genetic Structure Of The Seagrass Thalassia Hemprichii In The Indo-Australian Archipelago,
2016
Edith Cowan University
Gene Flow And Genetic Structure Of The Seagrass Thalassia Hemprichii In The Indo-Australian Archipelago, Udhi Eko Hernawan
Theses: Doctorates and Masters
How genetic variation is distributed across space (genetic structure) and what factors influence the spatial genetic structuring is one of the primary questions in population genetics. The interaction between species biology (e.g. life-history traits) and physical processes operating in the seascape over time, including palaeo-historical events (e.g. sea level fluctuations) and contemporary processes (e.g. ocean currents), have been predicted to influence the extent of gene flow and the spatial genetic structuring in marine organisms. However, the relative contribution of each factor in governing the genetic pattern remains unclear. This study examined the pattern of genetic structure and the factors influencing …
Tracking The Hercules 265 Marine Gas Well Blowout In The Gulf Of Mexico,
2015
University of South Florida
Tracking The Hercules 265 Marine Gas Well Blowout In The Gulf Of Mexico, Isabel C. Romero, Tamay Özgökmen, Susan Snyder, Patrick Schwing, Bryan J. O'Malley, Francisco J. Beron‐Vera, Maria J. Olascoaga, Ping Zhu, Edward Ryan, Shuyi S. Chen, Dana L. Wetzel, David Hollander, Steven Murawski
Marine Science Faculty Publications
On 23 July 2013, a marine gas rig (Hercules 265) ignited in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The rig burned out of control for 2 days before being extinguished. We conducted a rapid‐response sampling campaign near Hercules 265 after the fire to ascertain if sediments and fishes were polluted above earlier baseline levels. A surface drifter study confirmed that surface ocean water flowed to the southeast of the Hercules site, while the atmospheric plume generated by the blowout was in eastward direction. Sediment cores were collected to the SE of the rig at a distance of ∼0.2, 8, …
Response Of Fishes To Restoration Projects In Bayou St. John Located Within The City Of New Orleans, Louisiana, Including Hydrological Characterization And Hydrodynamic Modelling,
2015
University of New Orleans
Response Of Fishes To Restoration Projects In Bayou St. John Located Within The City Of New Orleans, Louisiana, Including Hydrological Characterization And Hydrodynamic Modelling, Patrick W. Smith
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Quantifying the impacts of restoration on coastal waterways is crucial to understanding their effectiveness. Here, I look at the impacts of multiple restoration projects on urban waterways within the city limits of New Orleans, LA, with an emphasis on the response of fishes. First I report the effects of two projects designed to improve exchange down estuary on the hydrologic characteristics of Bayou St. John (BSJ). Within BSJ, flow is dominated by subtidal wind driven processes. Removal of an outdated flood control structure did not appear to alter exchange in BSJ, but removal combined with sector gate openings did. I …
No Ordinary Fish Tale: Working Toward A Transnational Solution To The Cod Crisis In The Gulf Of Maine,
2015
Indiana University
No Ordinary Fish Tale: Working Toward A Transnational Solution To The Cod Crisis In The Gulf Of Maine, Michael Ruderman
Indiana Law Journal
In response to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) survey that showed “record-low levels of abundance” of groundfish in the Gulf of Maine (“Gulf”), local fisherman Brian Pearce asserted: “It concerns [me] that what [NOAA is] saying and what we [the local fishermen] are seeing is such a contrast . . . . Who sees more fish in the ocean than the fishermen?” Despite Mr. Pearce’s skepticism, the state of the cod fishery in the Gulf of Maine—home to “critical” and “legendary" fishing grounds in Canadian and American territories—is, in fact, dire. According to the NOAA survey, conducted in …
Viruses And Metals In Ocean Food Webs: Top-Down And Bottom-Up Effects Of Marine Viruses And Trace Elements On Marine Picophytoplankton,
2015
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Viruses And Metals In Ocean Food Webs: Top-Down And Bottom-Up Effects Of Marine Viruses And Trace Elements On Marine Picophytoplankton, Brady Robert Cunningham
Theses and Dissertations
Viruses are the most numerous biological entities in the ocean, playing a key role in microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycling. In order to replicate, viruses must first infect a host and then use the host’s cellular machinery to produce new viral particles. Some of the most abundant viral hosts in the subtropical open ocean are picophytoplankton. However, picophytoplankton growth is typically constrained by nutrient availability. In many regions of the ocean, iron (Fe) is only available in very low concentrations causing growth-limitation of picophytoplankton. Interestingly, the interactions between Fe-limitation and viral infection of picophytoplankton have not been extensively studied. This …
