Pygoscelis Penguins Prefer Different Oceanographic And Terrestrial Habitats During The Austral Summer,
2025
Stony Brook University
Pygoscelis Penguins Prefer Different Oceanographic And Terrestrial Habitats During The Austral Summer, Katherine L. Gallagher, Rachel Herman, Katherine Walton, Michael S. Dinniman, Heather J. Lynch
OES Faculty Publications
Pygoscelis penguins interact with both terrestrial and marine environments, especially during the austral summer when they raise their chicks. Accessible ice-free ground spaces serve as locations for penguins to build colonies and successfully raise chicks while the surrounding marine environment serves as the foraging grounds for adult birds. Penguins must be able to navigate through the waters around their colonies to forage for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), their primary prey during the austral summer. Krill, whose distributions are driven partially by the surrounding physics and partially by their behaviors, must also be plentiful in the waters near the …
Assessing Inter-Organizational Collaboration Within The Transboundary Network Governing The Conservation Of Southern Resident Killer Whales,
2025
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Assessing Inter-Organizational Collaboration Within The Transboundary Network Governing The Conservation Of Southern Resident Killer Whales, Dane Pedersen, Owen Temby, Antonia Sohns, Evelyn Roozee, Gordon M. Hickey
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
The Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) is an endangered and charismatic species whose home range spans the Salish Sea, an ecosystem that extends across the Canada-US border. Conserving and recovering the SRKW represents a high-profile transboundary governance challenge that depends heavily on collaboration between a wide range of organizations. To better understand the factors affecting transboundary SRKW governance in the Salish Sea, this study applies a multi-dimensional trust, control, perceived risk framework to assess the inter-organizational architecture supporting collaboration. The analysis is based on key informant interviews (n=32) and surveys (n=35) conducted with policy actors working for different organizations involved …
Behavioral Response Of Wild Greater Caribbean Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) To Playbacks Of Conspecifics In Maya Beach, Belize,
2025
Antioch University
Behavioral Response Of Wild Greater Caribbean Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) To Playbacks Of Conspecifics In Maya Beach, Belize, Phoebe Sonia Hodson
Antioch University Dissertations & Theses
The behavioral response of the wild Greater Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) to the acoustic vocalizations of their closely related subspecies, the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), was examined for the first time in Placencia Lagoon, Maya Beach, Belize. The main goal of this study was to determine how vocalizations from conspecifics influence the behavior of the wild Greater Caribbean manatee and how this behavioral change may give insight into the functionality of manatee vocalizations. Three call types (squeak, squeal and high squeak) and chewing sounds were played to varying size aggregations of manatees. Broad behavioral …
Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis),
2025
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney
Papers in Herpetology
We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …
Organic Carbon Decay Mediated By A Mesopelagic Microbial Community: The Relevance Of Carbon Pools And Broad Biochemical Composition,
2025
Old Dominion University
Organic Carbon Decay Mediated By A Mesopelagic Microbial Community: The Relevance Of Carbon Pools And Broad Biochemical Composition, Noah J. Craft, Alexander B. Bochdansky
OES Faculty Publications
The mesopelagic zone is a site of strong microbially driven particle attenuation with depth and thus plays a crucial role in controlling the transfer efficiency of the ocean's biological pump. However, little quantitative information exists on the dependency of decay processes on the source material. Here we followed the decay of ¹⁴C-labeled dead particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from three different phytoplankton species, and two incubations of live diatoms, in mesopelagic water over 3 months. Commonly used first-order kinetics failed to adequately describe the decay of organic material as rate constants varied from day to day. …
Characterization Of Microbial Biofilms On Marine Plastics: Community Development And Density Implications For Vertical Transport Dynamics,
2025
Old Dominion University
Characterization Of Microbial Biofilms On Marine Plastics: Community Development And Density Implications For Vertical Transport Dynamics, Gregory M. Joern, Rut Pedrosa-Pàmies, Xiangtao Jiang, Zhanfei Liu, Alexander B. Bochdansky
OES Faculty Publications
Marine plastic pollution poses a significant and escalating threat to ocean ecosystems, with microbial colonization on plastics playing a critical role in determining their environmental fate. Despite the recognized importance of microbial biofilms, their composition, dynamics, and functional contributions on buoyant plastics remain poorly understood. In this study, we leveraged a novel integrative approach by simultaneously employing 16S, 18S, and ITS sequencing alongside microscopy, lipidomics, pigment analysis, adenosine triphosphate and biogenic silica quantification. This comprehensive methodology allowed for a thorough characterization of microbial growth and community dynamics on plastic debris in a mid-latitude, tidal sub-estuary. Our analyses consistently identified diatoms, …
The Effect Of Temperature And Salinity On Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii Va, Usa Strain Growth,
2025
Old Dominion University
The Effect Of Temperature And Salinity On Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii Va, Usa Strain Growth, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Margaret R. Mulholland, Katherine E. Crider, Kimberly E. Powell, P. Dreux Chappell, Alexander Bochdansky
OES Faculty Publications
Margalefidinium polykrikoides is a cosmopolitan dinoflagellate that blooms in coastal waters. Despite genomic evidence that it belongs to Group III and so closely related to isolates from Puerto Rico, Malaysia, North America, and Central America, M. polykrikoides blooms in the Chesapeake Bay at warmer temperatures and lower salinities than in coastal ecosystems occupied by its closest relatives. In this study, the effect of temperature and salinity on the growth rate and total cell yield of an M. polykrikoides VA culture isolate were examined and compared with environmental observations made during M. polykrikoides blooms in the Chesapeake Bay. M. polykrikoides group …
Husbandry Of Jellyfish And Ctenophores: Why Gelatinous Forms Thrive In Their Natural Habitat And Yet Often Struggle To Survive In Aquaria,
2025
Suffolk University
Husbandry Of Jellyfish And Ctenophores: Why Gelatinous Forms Thrive In Their Natural Habitat And Yet Often Struggle To Survive In Aquaria, Regina Garza Ramirez
Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects
Recent observations in the behaviors of several gelatinous forms in the wild have demonstrated that human impacts to their environment have likely accelerated growth of their populations tremendously. Interestingly enough, population growth of jellyfish and ctenophores in aquariums and artificial habitats is less often observed under controlled conditions, while they often bloom in rapidly changing environments of nature. Seeking the knowledge of aquarists and researchers that have worked directly with gelatinous animals through interviews, and documenting the experiences of each individual, allowed acquisition of data that can be used to compare the reproductive success of these animals in captivity and …
Isolation And Molecular Identification Of Pathogens Causing Sea Turtle Egg Fusariosis In Key Nesting Beaches In Costa Rica,
2025
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Isolation And Molecular Identification Of Pathogens Causing Sea Turtle Egg Fusariosis In Key Nesting Beaches In Costa Rica, Keilor E. Cordero-Umaña, Ruth Hernando-Martínez, María Martínez-Ríos, Jaime Restrepo, Roldán A. Valverde, Laura Martín-Torrijos, Pilar Santidrián Tomillo, Javier Diéguez-Uribeondo
School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications
The global rise of fungal pathogens presents an emerging threat to biodiversity, with significant risks to species such as endangered sea turtles. The fungal disease known as sea turtle egg fusariosis (STEF) is associated with high embryo mortality rates and represents a substantial conservation challenge. This disease is caused by two fungal species, namely Fusarium falciforme (Ff) and Fusarium keratoplasticum (Fk), and their identification is essential for guiding future efforts to address potential fungal infections, particularly on important nesting beaches such as those in Costa Rica. In this study, we conducted fungal isolations from sea turtle eggshells …
More Than One Way To Be A Planktivore: The Vast Morphospace Of Plankton-Feeding Reef Fishes,
2025
Edith Cowan University
More Than One Way To Be A Planktivore: The Vast Morphospace Of Plankton-Feeding Reef Fishes, Isabelle Ng, David R. Bellwood, Jan M. Strugnell, Sergio R. Floeter, Alexandre C. Siqueira
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Planktivorous reef fishes are thought to possess unique morphological traits to feed on small, evasive prey. Despite the multitude of family-level studies addressing this hypothesis, results remain inconclusive. Our goal, therefore, was to determine whether specialised traits and patterns of morphological convergence are congruent across a comprehensive phylogeny of reef-associated fishes. We measured 15 morphological traits from 815 images of 299 species in 12 globally distributed families. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we mapped the evolution of plankton-feeding across lineages; assessed the effect of planktivory on body shape; and tested for the presence of morphological convergence among planktivores. We demonstrate that …
Behavioral Responses To Underwater Noise,
2025
Edith Cowan University
Behavioral Responses To Underwater Noise, Christine Erbe, Capri Jolliffe, Renee Schoeman, Valeria Senigaglia, Cristina Tollefsen, Rebecca Wellard, Ann Bowles, Dorian Houser, Shyam Madhusudhana, Sarah A. Marley, Angela Recalde Salas, Chandra Salgado-Kent, Leah Trigg
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
This chapter presents an overview of physical and acoustic behavioral responses of marine mammals to underwater sounds. A literature review was undertaken, and data on received levels at the animal when certain types of responses were observed were compiled in an online supplementary spreadsheet. Based on this, an overview of responses was written, organized first by species and then by sound type. In-air and underwater sound sources were considered. The most studied sound types were mid-frequency sonar and acoustic deterrent devices and then impact pile driving and vessels. The most frequently reported response was avoidance, followed by changes in swim …
Benthic Community Structure Changes In Northern California Following A Marine Heatwave,
2025
Humboldt State University
Benthic Community Structure Changes In Northern California Following A Marine Heatwave, Franklin D. Moitoza
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
In 2014, an unprecedented ecosystem shift impacted the rocky reef communities of northern coastal California following a rapid succession of severe disturbance events. Rocky reef communities shifted from kelp forests to large scale urchin barrens due to the demise of the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), an unprecedented marine heatwave event (MHW) and increased purple sea urchin densities. This “perfect storm” caused a decrease in benthic species richness and led to a change in community structure due to intense sea urchin grazing. Here I examine the richness of the benthic community across four survey sites over an 8-year time …
Using Algal Turf Scrubber Biomass As A Feed Source For Juvenile Eastern Oysters,
2025
Georgia Southern University
Using Algal Turf Scrubber Biomass As A Feed Source For Juvenile Eastern Oysters, Taofeek Saka Jimoh
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Algal turf scrubber (ATS) is an engineered system that promotes natural wastewater treatment processes and improves water quality by passing a shallow stream of nutrient rich water over the surface of a gently sloped flow-way. Algae turf scrubber biomass is a combination of micro and macroalgae, as well as micro-invertebrates, ciliates, bacteria, and more. The overall aim of the study was to reduce the feeding cost of juvenile eastern oysters by replacing the commercial microalgae diet with ATS biomass. The experiment was designed to assess the viability of replacing commercial microalgal diet with ATS biomass at different substitution levels (0, …
Investigating The Role And Expression Of Aquaporin 10 Paralogs In Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias),
2025
Georgia Southern University
Investigating The Role And Expression Of Aquaporin 10 Paralogs In Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias), Esosa Omoregie
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins that facilitate the selective transport of water and small solutes across cell membranes, playing essential roles in maintaining osmotic balance in vertebrates. Among them, aquaglyceroporins such as AQP10 are capable of transporting water, glycerol, and urea, contributing to osmoregulatory and metabolic processes. This study investigated the expression, localization, and potential physiological roles of two AQP10 paralogs, AQP10C1 and AQP10C2, in the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), a marine elasmobranch that maintains osmotic equilibrium through urea retention and ion regulation. Using RT-PCR, quantitative PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry the study identified tissue-specific expression patterns of …
The Role Of Heterotrophy In The Response Of Oculina Arbuscula To Ocean Acidification,
2025
Georgia Southern University
The Role Of Heterotrophy In The Response Of Oculina Arbuscula To Ocean Acidification, Alejandra E. Daniel
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
On both tropical and temperate reefs, the calcium carbonate skeletons produced by scleractinian corals provide habitat that supports a high biodiversity of fishes and invertebrates. Ocean acidification (OA), driven by excess anthropogenic CO2 uptake, causes declines in seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration and can compromise coral calcification by causing increased energetic demands. Deciphering how corals meet this increased energetic demand is critical to predicting their future persistence. Oculina arbuscula is a facultatively symbiotic temperate coral common on subtropical reefs of the South Atlantic Bight. This coral has demonstrated calcification resilience to reduced pH conditions in both symbiotic and …
Developing New Methods For Quantifying Karenia Brevis In Florida Waters,
2025
University of Central Florida
Developing New Methods For Quantifying Karenia Brevis In Florida Waters, Antonia N. Ferguson
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), known as red tides, have long impacted Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Caused by the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, these blooms are named based on the characteristic red discoloration of coastal waters. Negative impacts of K. brevis range from fish kills, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and respiratory irritation in humans. Traditionally, K. brevis monitoring has been conducted weekly by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWC-FWRI) using light microscopy for cell identification and enumeration of collected water samples. However, this method is time-consuming, costly, and relies on deep taxonomic expertise for proper cell …
No Detected Signal Of The 2022 Epizootic From Multiannual Diadema Antillarum Settlement Data In The Florida Keys,
2025
Montclair State University
No Detected Signal Of The 2022 Epizootic From Multiannual Diadema Antillarum Settlement Data In The Florida Keys, Jason Albrecht
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
The sea urchin Diadema antillarum is a key coral reef grazer that remains functionally extinct on many Caribbean reefs following a mass mortality event in 1983–84. In 2022, another widespread mortality event, likely caused by a scuticociliate parasite, again decimated D. antillarum at reefs across the Caribbean. Understanding the population-level impacts of this recent epizootic will be important for coral reef conservation efforts. This study examines multi-year larval settlement data from the Florida Keys to determine if the 2022 mortality event reduced larval settlement. Larval settlement was assessed monthly at three long-term monitoring sites (Delta Shoal, Tennessee Reef, and Pickles …
An Economic And Production Analysis Of Seaweed Farms In California And The Pacific Northwest,
2025
Cal Poly Humboldt
An Economic And Production Analysis Of Seaweed Farms In California And The Pacific Northwest, Brian Donovan
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Since the early 2010s, the seaweed aquaculture industry has steadily expanded in the United States, with states like Alaska, Maine, Hawaii, and Connecticut leading the way in the development of this emerging sector. However, information gaps remain concerning certain aspects of the domestic seaweed aquaculture industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the seaweed aquaculture industry along the West Coast of the United States; specifically in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Seaweed farmers in these states were invited to voluntarily complete surveys asking important production, economic, and commercial questions regarding their operations. Data …
Associational Seaweed Defense Reduces Sea Urchin Grazing On Bull Kelp: Potential Use In Restoration,
2025
Cal Poly Humboldt
Associational Seaweed Defense Reduces Sea Urchin Grazing On Bull Kelp: Potential Use In Restoration, Brayden Tate Wiley
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Kelp forests are declining globally under warming seas, altered predator–prey dynamics, and intensified herbivory, with sea urchins often driving shifts from canopy-dominated forests to persistent urchin barrens. Management commonly relies on labor-intensive urchin removals, with variable success, underscoring the need for complementary, ecosystem-based tools that directly reduce urchin grazing pressure. Focusing on far northern California kelp forests, we combined subtidal surveys, field experiments, and laboratory feeding assays to assess whether the understory alga Desmarestia cf. herbacea can provide associational defense for bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) by physically deterring purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) grazing and offering low …
Cultivation Of Winged Kelp (Alaria Marginata) In Humboldt Bay,
2025
Humboldt State University
Cultivation Of Winged Kelp (Alaria Marginata) In Humboldt Bay, Evan C. Simpson
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The cultivation potential of the winged kelp (Alaria marginata) was evaluated in Humboldt Bay, California, to further develop sustainable aquaculture in the region. Seasonality, depth, and system design were evaluated in regard to harvest biomass and quality. Results suggested that single-longline configurations at shallow depths (< 2 m) produced greater total biomass than a multi-longline system, suggesting enhanced water flow and reduced self-shading improved growth. Kelp grew best with a winter outplanting period (December-April), most likely due to environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, nutrients, and salinity) being within the kelp’s tolerable range, with as much as 2.24 kg/meter of kelp being harvested. These findings demonstrate that while the estuarine system has more variable conditions than predicted, A. marginata can be successfully cultivated in Humboldt Bay and highlight its potential as a viable crop for northern California’s emerging seaweed industry. Future work targeting the optimization of single-longline design and deployment timing may further improve yield and support regional goals for sustainable aquaculture and food security.
