The Contribution Of Marine Aggregate-Associated Bacteria To The Accumulation Of Pathogenic Bacteria In Oysters: An Agent-Based Model,
2016
Old Dominion University
The Contribution Of Marine Aggregate-Associated Bacteria To The Accumulation Of Pathogenic Bacteria In Oysters: An Agent-Based Model, Andrew M. Kramer, J. Evan Ward, Fred C. Dobbs, Melissa L. Pierce
OES Faculty Publications
Bivalves process large volumes of water, leading to their accumulation of bacteria, including potential human pathogens (e.g., vibrios). These bacteria are captured at low efficiencies when freely suspended in the water column, but they also attach to marine aggregates, which are captured with near 100% efficiency. For this reason, and because they are often enriched with heterotrophic bacteria, marine aggregates have been hypothesized to function as important transporters of bacteria into bivalves. The relative contribution of aggregates and unattached bacteria to the accumulation of these cells, however, is unknown. We developed an agent-based model to simulate accumulation of vibrio-type bacteria …
A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds,
2016
Old Dominion University
A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds, Chin-Chang Hung, Shih-Chieh Tsao, Kuo-Hao Huang, Hsu-Kunag Chang, Fred C. Dobbs
OES Faculty Publications
The turbid, low-light waters characteristic of aquaculture ponds have made it difficult or impossible for previous video cameras to provide clear imagery of the ponds' benthic habitat. We developed a highly sensitive, underwater video system (UVS) for this particular application and tested it in shrimp ponds having turbidities typical of those in southern Taiwan. The system's high-quality video stream and images, together with its camera capacity (up to nine cameras), permit in situ observations of shrimp feeding behavior, shrimp size and internal anatomy, and organic matter residues on pond sediments. The UVS can operate continuously and be focused remotely, a …
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. …
Influence Of Increased Sediment Exposure On Suspension-Feeder Assemblages In A Temperate Seagrass Meadow,
2016
Edith Cowan University
Influence Of Increased Sediment Exposure On Suspension-Feeder Assemblages In A Temperate Seagrass Meadow, Pierre Bouvais
Theses: Doctorates and Masters
The impact of increased sediment exposure on coastal marine ecosystems is one of the most important contemporary environmental issues. Sediment exposure is defined as the concentrations of sediment particles suspended in the water column and the amount of sediment depositing on the seabed. In addition to natural events, such as land erosion, rainfall, and tidal currents, anthropogenic activities such as land use, road building, logging, mining, port maintenance and dredging, contribute to the discharge of a great amount of sediment in the water column. As sessile suspension-feeder assemblages play a critical role in marine ecosystems through their active transfers of …
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 …
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 …
Marine Ecoregion And Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Affect Recruitment And Population Structure Of A Salt Marsh Snail,
2016
University of Houston
Marine Ecoregion And Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Affect Recruitment And Population Structure Of A Salt Marsh Snail, Steven C. Pennings, Scott Zengel, Jacob Oehrig, Merryl Alber, T. Dale Bishop, Donald R. Deis, Donna Devlin, A. Randall Hughes, John J. Hutchens, Jr., Whitney M. Kiehn, Caroline R. Mcfarlin, Clay L. Montague, Sean P. Powers, C. Edward Proffitt, Nicholle Rutherford, Camille L. Stagg, Keith Walters
University Faculty and Staff Publications
Marine species with planktonic larvae often have high spatial and temporal variation in recruitment that leads to subsequent variation in the ecology of benthic adults. Using a combination of published and unpublished data, we compared the population structure of the salt marsh snail, Littoraria irrorata, between the South Atlantic Bight and the Gulf Coast of the United States to infer geographic differences in recruitment and to test the hypothesis that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to widespread recruitment failure of L. irrorata in Louisiana in 2010. Size-frequency distributions in both ecoregions were bimodal, with troughs in the distributions consistent …
Development Of A Low-Cost Arduino-Based Sonde For Coastal Applications,
2016
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Development Of A Low-Cost Arduino-Based Sonde For Coastal Applications, Grant Lockridge, Brian Dzwonkowski, Reid Nelson, Sean P. Powers
University Faculty and Staff Publications
This project addresses the need for an expansion in the monitoring of marine environments by providing a detailed description of a low cost, robust, user friendly sonde, built on Arduino Mega 2560 (Mega) and Arduino Uno (Uno) platforms. The sonde can be made without specialized tools or training and can be easily modified to meet individual application requirements. The platform allows for internal logging of multiple parameters of which conductivity, temperature, and GPS position are demonstrated. Two design configurations for different coastal hydrographic applications are highlighted to show the robust and versatile nature of this sensor platform. The initial sonde …
Potential Benefits And Shortcomings Of Marine Protected Areas For Small Seabirds Revealed Using Miniature Tags,
2016
Old Dominion University
Potential Benefits And Shortcomings Of Marine Protected Areas For Small Seabirds Revealed Using Miniature Tags, Sara M. Maxwell, Melinda G. Conners, Nicholas B. Sisson, Tiffany M. Dawson
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Marine protected areas are considered important tools for protecting marine biodiversity, and animal tracking is a key way to determine if boundaries are effectively placed for protection of key marine species, including seabirds. We tracked chick-rearing brown noddies (Anous stolidus) from the Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida USA in 2016 using 1.8 g Nanofix GPS tags (n = 10), making this the first time this species has ever been tracked. We determined movement parameters, such as flight speed, distance traveled and home range, and how birds used a complex of marine protected areas including the Dry Tortugas …
Dragon Kings Of The Deep Sea: Marine Particles Deviate Markedly From The Common Number-Size Spectrum,
2016
Old Dominion University
Dragon Kings Of The Deep Sea: Marine Particles Deviate Markedly From The Common Number-Size Spectrum, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Melissa A. Clouse, Gerhard J. Herndl
OES Faculty Publications
Particles are the major vector for the transfer of carbon from the upper ocean to the deep sea. However, little is known about their abundance, composition and role at depths greater than 2000 m. We present the first number-size spectrum of bathy-and abyssopelagic particles to a depth of 5500 m based on surveys performed with a custom-made holographic microscope. The particle spectrum was unusual in that particles of several millimetres in length were almost 100 times more abundant than expected from the number spectrum of smaller particles, thereby meeting the definition of "dragon kings." Marine snow particles overwhelmingly contributed to …
A Missing Link In The Ionoregulatory Strategy Of Larval Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus) And African Lungfish (Protopterus Annectens): A Closer Look Into The Role Of The Non-Gastric H+/K+-Atpase,
2016
Wilfrid Laurier University
A Missing Link In The Ionoregulatory Strategy Of Larval Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus) And African Lungfish (Protopterus Annectens): A Closer Look Into The Role Of The Non-Gastric H+/K+-Atpase, Justine E. Doherty
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Fishes living in freshwater need to actively compensate for the diffusive loss of ions and osmotic gain of water. The gill is the primary organ of ion regulation and contains an array of ion transport proteins to help maintain homeostasis. Two of the more well studied ion pumps are the Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) and vacuolar type proton ATPase (V-ATPase). This thesis focuses on another ion pump known as the non-gastric H+/K+-ATPase (ngHKA). The ngHKA (gene: atp12a) has not been found in any of the teleost fishes, indicating loss from that lineage. In …
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 …
Sea Turtle Response To Climate Change: Analyzing Current And Predicting Future Impacts On Populations, Habitat, And Prey Populations,
2016
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Sea Turtle Response To Climate Change: Analyzing Current And Predicting Future Impacts On Populations, Habitat, And Prey Populations, Eva J. Golden
Honors Theses and Capstones
With the prediction of devastating global climate change effects for the near future, scientists are expanding their research and understanding of some of the most severely affected organisms. Because sea turtles rely on both marine and terrestrial habitats for survival, and because coastal areas are already experiencing great losses due to sea level rising, human development, and pollution, all seven species are already listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In this literature analysis, I examined the many factors that contribute to a sampling of the current sea turtle population status as well as scrutinized turtle adaptability to the …
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 …
Accelerating Tropicalization And The Transformation Of Temperate Seagrass Meadows,
2016
Edith Cowan University
Accelerating Tropicalization And The Transformation Of Temperate Seagrass Meadows, Glenn A. Hyndes, Kenneth L. Heck, Jnr, Adriana Verges, Euan S. Harvey, Gary A. Kendrick, Paul Lavery, Kathryn Mcmahon, Robert J. Orth, Alan Pearce, Mathew Vanderklift, Thomas Wernberg, Scott Whiting, Shaun Wilson
Research outputs 2014 to 2021
Climate-driven changes are altering production and functioning of biotic assemblages in terrestrial and aquatic environments. In temperate coastal waters, rising sea temperatures, warm water anomalies and poleward shifts in the distribution of tropical herbivores have had a detrimental effect on algal forests. We develop generalized scenarios of this form of tropicalization and its potential effects on the structure and functioning of globally significant and threatened seagrass ecosystems, through poleward shifts in tropical seagrasses and herbivores. Initially, we expect tropical herbivorous fishes to establish in temperate seagrass meadows, followed later by megafauna. Tropical seagrasses are likely to establish later, delayed by …
Impact Of Mooring Activities On Carbon Stocks In Seagrass Meadows,
2016
Edith Cowan University
Impact Of Mooring Activities On Carbon Stocks In Seagrass Meadows, Oscar Serrano, R. Ruhon, Paul S. Lavery, Gary A. Kendrick, S. Hickey, Pere Masque, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Andy D.L. Steven, Carlos M. Duarte
Research outputs 2014 to 2021
Boating activities are one of the causes that threaten seagrass meadows and the ecosystem services they provide. Mechanical destruction of seagrass habitats may also trigger the erosion of sedimentary organic carbon (Corg) stocks, which may contribute to increasing atmospheric CO2. This study presents the first estimates of loss of Corg stocks in seagrass meadows due to mooring activities in Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Sediment cores were sampled from seagrass meadows and from bare but previously vegetated sediments underneath moorings. The Corg stores have been compromised by the mooring deployment from 1930s onwards, which involved …
Should We Sync? Seascape-Level Genetic And Ecological Factors Determine Seagrass Flowering Patterns,
2016
Edith Cowan University
Should We Sync? Seascape-Level Genetic And Ecological Factors Determine Seagrass Flowering Patterns, Marlene Jahnke, Jordi F. Pagès, Teresa Alcoverro, Paul S. Lavery, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Gabriele Procaccini
Research Datasets
Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in flowering occur in many plant species with abiotic pollination and may confer fitness advantages through mechanisms such as predator satiation or pollination efficiency. Environmental factors such as light quality or quantity and temperature play an important role in inducing synchronisation on wide geographic scales. On a smaller geographic scale, external factors such as resource availability and herbivory are theorised to trigger flowering, while genetic factors may also play an important role. In this study, we assessed the importance of ecological and genetic factors in shaping seascape-level spatial heterogeneity in flowering of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. …
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, …
