Marine Biology Commons^™

Patterns Of Diversity, Zoogeography, And Ecological Gradients In Honduran Freshwater Fishes, Wilfredo Antonio Matamoros

Dissertations

Nineteen major river drainages across Honduras were sampled from 2005-2009 in order to understand Honduran geographical patterns of freshwater fish distribution, to delineate the Honduran freshwater fishes ichthyographical provinces, and to understand patterns of species assemblage at the drainage level. A total of 166 species of freshwater fishes were sampled, a 64% increase over previously published reports. Eight species belong to primary freshwater families, 47 to secondary, and 111 to peripherals. In order to understand the species-drainages relationships, a presence-absence matrix was built for the 19 major drainages and 55 primary and secondary freshwater fishes. Correspondence and cluster analysis clearly …

Algal Community Structure In Water Bodies Of Mississippi: The Role Of Environmental Factors In Its Spatial And Temporal Dynamics, Nestor Raul Anzola

Dissertations

A meta-analysis was done on studies that included six major taxa groups: Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, Chrysophyta (primarily diatoms), Euglenophyta, Pyrrophyta, and Rhodophyta and six aquatic habitats of Mississippi to determine the abundance and richness of the algal community and to identify relevant environmental drivers of algal assemblage composition. Twenty algae data sets on small order streams, large streams and rivers, lakes and reservoirs, fish production ponds, brackish water, and marine water were analyzed. Chlorophyta was dominant in lakes and reservoirs and was the most diverse taxa in the phytoplankton of small order streams and large streams and rivers. Cyanobacteria were the …

Deep-Sea Fishes Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Results Of The 2009 Henry Bigelow Expedition, Tracey Sutton, April B. Cook, John K. Galbraith, M. Vecchione

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

As part of an ongoing study of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge biodiversity and ecology (CoML field project MAR-ECO), a detailed survey of the pelagic and demersal fishes in the region of the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (~ 600 n.m. south of Greenland) was conducted. A total of 17181 pelagic fishes (92 spp., 35 families) were sampled from 0-3000+ m, with the Myctophidae the most species-rich. The bristlemouth Cyclothone microdon was by far the dominant species in numbers (82% of total), while the sawtooth eel Serrivomer beani dominated biomass (27%). A total of 441 deep-demersal fishes (28 spp., 13 families) were sampled …

Distribution And Trophic Ecology Of Bathylagus Euryops (Teleostei: Microstomatidae) Along The Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Christopher J. Sweetman, Tracey Sutton

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

The assemblage structure and ecology of meso- and bathypelagic fishes are poorly known in general, particularly over mid-ocean ridges. In June 2004, the month-long MAR-ECO (Census of Marine Life) research expedition aboard the R/V G.O. Sars sampled the deep-pelagic fauna over the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge with the objective of quantitatively assessing the nekton associated with the ridge from Iceland to the Azores. A total of 115 discrete-depth trawl samples were taken from the surface to depths of 3000+ meters using two different double-warp midwater trawls, one of commercial fishing size (a large ‘Akra' trawl) and one of oceanographic research size …

Stable Isotope Analysis Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharinus Plumbeus: A Minimally Invasive Method For Comparison Of Diet And Trophic Relationships Between Genders, Locations, And Age Classes, David Shiffman, Gorka Sancho, Bryan Frazier, John Kucklick, Dan Abel, Tracey Sutton, Kristene T. Parsons

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

The 2006 National Marine Fisheries Service SEDAR for large coastal sharks recommended the gathering of additional diet and trophic relationship data for the sandbar shark, Carcharinus plumbeus. No diet studies of any kind have been performed on South Carolina subpopulations of C. plumbeus, and stable isotope analysis has never been performed on this species. Muscle samples were taken from C. plumbeus caught by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shark surveys. The analysis of δ13C and δ 15N from this muscle tissue is ongoing and will be compared with prey …

Shark Assemblage Structure In The Chesapeake Bight, Kristene T. Parsons, Tracey Sutton, John A. Musick

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

The role and importance of the Chesapeake Bight region as essential fish habitat for several species of sharks is well represented in primary literature and US fisheries management plans. Diverse assemblages of shark taxa utilize the Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coasts at various stages throughout their lives. As top predators in most of the environments where they occur, sharks are key to maintaining healthy, diverse ecosystems. The estuarine waters of the Chesapeake Bay are exposed to extreme ranges in temperature and salinity, and consequently the environmental suitability of the Bay is spatially and temporally restricted to select taxa. By identifying …

Deep-Pelagic (0-3000 M) Fish Assemblage Structure Over The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Relative To The North Atlantic Subpolar Front, April B. Cook, Tracey Sutton, John K. Galbraith, M. Vecchione

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

Only a tiny fraction of the world's largest volume of living space, the ocean's mid-water region, has ever been sampled. It is one of the least understood areas on earth, so as part of the International Census of Marine Life field project, MAR-ECO, a discrete-depth trawling survey was conducted in 2009 aboard the NOAA ship Henry Bigelow to examine pelagic assemblage structure and distribution over the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The survey consisted of 11 stations divided into two transects, one northwest and one southeast of the CGFZ, which roughly coincides with the Subpolar Front. …

Evolution Of Host Associations In Symbiotic Zoanthidea, Timothy D. Swain

Oceanography Faculty Theses and Dissertations

Symbioses are pervasive in life and confer novel adaptive capabilities that enable ecological expansion into unexplored niches. Evolutionary transitions in symbiosis (terminations, origins, host shifts, or changes in relationship outcomes) can therefore have dramatic effects on the fitness, life history, and distribution of organisms. Because symbiotic interactions require coordination among traits that control recognition, colonization, and maintenance of symbiosis, transitions in symbiosis should generally be rare and conserved across evolutionary time. Cnidarians in the order Zoanthidea (class Anthozoa) are symbionts of taxa representing at least five invertebrate phyla and occur in most major benthic habitats from the intertidal to the …

Microzooplankton Grazing And Productivity In The Central And Southern Sector Of The Indian River Lagoon, Florida, Jennifer Putland, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Microzooplankton grazing was measured with the dilution method in the central and southern sectors of the Indian River Lagoon during summer 2006 and 2007. Microzooplankton actively grazed phytoplankton during all experiments. Grazing rates averaged (± SD) 0.956 ± 0.19 d^-1 and ranged from 0.54 to 1.36 d^-1. Phytoplankton carbon, measured by microscopy, averaged 314 ± 251 μg C L^-1 and ranged from 115 to 936 μg C L^-1. Microzooplankton ingestion rates averaged 303 ± 260 μg C L^-1d^-1 and ranged from 90 to 907 μg C L^-1d^-1. …

Biological And Physical Analysis Of Currents And Water Masses Off The Coast Of Southeast Florida, Stephanie Healey

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Biological and physical sampling of a 10km long, east-west transect was performed during 2007, off the coast of southeast Florida. Temperature and salinity measurements were recorded using a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensor, and current direction and magnitude measurements were recorded using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). Zooplankton samples were collected, during the daytime, using a Tucker multiple net mid-water trawl, with 760μm mesh, at intended depths of ~25m and ~200m, at three stations along the transect. Laboratory analysis indicated that several currents and water masses influenced the density distribution of calanoid copepods and chaetognaths. During April and September 2007, a …

Prey Selection By Young Green Crabs (Carcinus Maenas), Rock Crabs (Cancer Irroratus) And American Lobsters (Homarus Americanus) In The Gulf Of Maine, Joseph Sungail

All Theses And Dissertations

The intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine supports large populations of three species of decapods. Young green crabs (Carcinus maenas), rock crabs (Cancer irroratus) and American lobsters (Homarus americanus) co-exist in close proximity and forage on similar prey species. Competition for prey resources could have major implications for the populations of these predators. This experimental study focuses on determining the potential for interspecific competition between these decapods for prey resources. Young green crabs (25 - 35 mm carapace width), rock crabs (25 - 35 mm carapace width) and American lobsters (25 - 35 mm carapace length), were collected along …

Occurrence, Density, And Distribution Of The Larvae Of Three Commercially Important Crab Species In The Florida Current Off The Southeast Coast Of Florida, U.S., Gabriela L. Wisniewski

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the temporal and spatial distribution and density of the larvae of Florida‘s commercially important crab species, the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, the golden crab, Chaceon fenneri, and the stone crab, Menippe mercenaria in the nearshore and offshore waters of Florida‘s southeast coast is minimal. Such data, however, can be crucial to our understanding of the population dynamics of these vital fishery species. To obtain baseline data of the occurrence and distribution of these species‘ larvae in the Florida Current, densities were obtained from zooplankton tows from an E-W transect northeast of Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida along …

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Suspended Solids Concentrations In Tributaries To The Great Bay Estuary Watershed In 2009, Ted Walsh, Philip Trowbridge

PREP Reports & Publications

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to the Great Bay Estuary are a growing concern. The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) calculates the nitrogen load from tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary for its State of the Estuaries reports. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to collect representative data on nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment concentrations in tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary in 2009. The study design followed the tributary sampling design which was implemented by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services between 2001 and 2007 and by the University of New Hampshire in 2008, so as to …

Marine Bioinvasions And Climate Change, James T. Carlton, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Celia M. Smith, Jennifer E. Smith

National Invasive Species Council

BACKGROUND

Invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as the greatest cause of species endangerment and global biodiversity loss. Invasive species can cause severe and permanent damage to the ecosystems they invade. Consequences of invasion include competition with or predation upon native species, hybridization, carrying or supporting harmful pathogens and parasites that may affect wildlife and human health, disturbing ecosystem function through alteration of food webs and nutrient recycling rates, acting as ecosystem engineers and altering habitat structure, and degradation of the aesthetic quality of our natural resources. In many cases we may not fully know the native animals …

Location-Specific Responses To Thermal Stress In Larvae Of The Reef-Building Coral Montastraea Faveolata, Nicholas R. Polato, Christian Voolstra, Julia Schnetzer, Michael K. Desalvo, Carly J. Randall, Alina M. Szmant, Mónica Medina, Iliana B. Baums

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The potential to adapt to a changing climate depends in part upon the standing genetic variation present in wild populations. In corals, the dispersive larval phase is particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental stress. Larval survival and response to stress during dispersal and settlement will play a key role in the persistence of coral populations. Methodology/Principal Findings: To test the hypothesis that larval transcription profiles reflect location-specific responses to thermal stress, symbiont-free gametes from three to four colonies of the scleractinian coral Montastraea faveolata were collected from Florida and Mexico, fertilized, and raised under mean and elevated (up 1 …

Estuarine Nitrifiers: New Players, Patterns And Processes, Anne E. Bernhard, Annette Bollmann

Biology Faculty Publications

Ever since the first descriptions of ammonia-oxidizing Bacteria by Winogradsky in the late 1800s, the metabolic capability of aerobic ammonia oxidation has been restricted to a phylogenetically narrow group of bacteria. However, the recent discovery of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea has forced microbiologists and ecologists to re-evaluate long-held paradigms and the role of niche partitioning between bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidizers. Much of the current research has been conducted in open ocean or terrestrial systems, where community patterns of archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidizers are highly congruent. Studies of archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidizers in estuarine systems, however, present a very different …

Shoreland And Riparian Buffer Regulations For The Town Of Raymond Prep Local Grants Program 2008 Final Project Report, Town Of Raymond, New Hampshire, Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission

PREP Reports & Publications

In September of 2007, SNHPC applied to PREP’s Local Grant Program seeking $5,000 to help develop local shoreland protection ordinances consistent with the state’s Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act regulations. This project was modeled on similar PREP-supported projects completed in the towns of Candia and Deerfield. The Raymond Conservation Commission served as the primary municipal board involved with this project. PREP funded the project and ensured that it was coordinated with other natural resource planning efforts underway with the town via the Natural Resources Outreach Coalition.

Town Of Hampton Stormwater Management Prep Natural Resources Outreach Coalition Grant Final Project Report, Town Of Hampton, New Hampshire, Natural Resources Outreach Coalition

PREP Reports & Publications

PREP provided $3,500 towards the project which was matched by municipal funds to pay for consulting advice on improving the regulations. The Planning Board provided exceptional in-kind match on the project, with many hours of work spent by a volunteer engineer serving on the Board. On February 12th 2009, Hampton’s Innovative Land Use Team, in coordination with NROC, hosted a community workshop on stormwater issues that was well attended by municipal officials, town staff, and members of the public. After many revisions, the Planning Board formally adopted the approved stormwater management provisions into the town site plan and subdivision regulations …

A Comparison Of Copepoda (Order: Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Poecilostomatoida) Density In The Florida Current Off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jessica L. Bostock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Copepods, minute crustaceans, are vital constituents of marine food web dynamics in tropical ecosystems. Ecologically, copepods provide the link between primary production and tertiary consumers. Changes in population structure and densities may impact ecosystem stability and production on small to large spatial scales. The present study examined the influence of the Florida Current on copepod population densities off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida due to limited data in the area. Samples were collected during February and July 2007 at two locations, Stations A and B. Station A, dependent on current dynamics, fluctuated between the most western boundary and the …

The Land Conservation Plan For Maine’S Piscataqua Region Watersheds, Steve Walker, Tin Smith, Paul Schumacher, Jason Czapiga, Derek Sowers, Jamie Oman-Saltmarsh, Paul Dest

PREP Reports & Publications

The Piscataqua River/Great Bay estuary is a shared coastal embayment that forms the southernmost boundary between the states of Maine and New Hampshire. This rich coastal bay provides critical ecological, economic, and social benefits to the southern Maine and coastal New Hampshire region. The Great Bay estuary is such an important coastal resource that it is officially recognized as a coastal area of national significance by both the federal National Estuary Program and the federal National Estuarine Research Reserve program. The Piscataqua River/Great Bay estuary is fed by many rivers in New Hampshire, and by the Salmon Falls River, Great …