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Title: Fire ants in sea-turtle nesting areas: A distribution survey of invasive ants in Boca Raton, FL.
Creator: Romais, Danielle K., Wetterer, James K., Markwith, Scott, Graduate College
Abstract/Description: The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is native to South America and was introduced to Alabama in the 1930s. This predatory species rapidly spread throughout the southeastern US and parts of the West Indies, causing serious ecological and economic impacts. Solenopsis invicta is known to attack the eggs and hatchlings of ground nesting birds and reptiles. The ants also swarm into sea turtle nests attacking hatchlings and diminishing their chance for survival. This study is part of a...
Show moreThe red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is native to South America and was introduced to Alabama in the 1930s. This predatory species rapidly spread throughout the southeastern US and parts of the West Indies, causing serious ecological and economic impacts. Solenopsis invicta is known to attack the eggs and hatchlings of ground nesting birds and reptiles. The ants also swarm into sea turtle nests attacking hatchlings and diminishing their chance for survival. This study is part of a larger research that aimed to survey the distribution of ants at a sea turtle nesting beaches in South Florida and St. Croix, USVI. This particular study was conducted in Boca Raton, Florida. Besides providing a baseline dataset on ant species distribution in the area, this study also aimed at validating the survey methodology by finding consistency in the distribution over multiple days surveyed. The results indicate that, although more detailed surveys would produce more thorough results, we can state that the methodology is consistent in determining species distribution.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005851
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Method for Estimating Egg Numbers in Egg Clutches of The Exotic Apple Snail Pomacea maculata Without Affecting Clutch Viability.
Creator: Cantaloube, Michael, Markwith, Scott, Sharfstein, Bruce, Monette, Dean
Abstract/Description: The exotic apple snail Pomacea maculata appears to be gradually extending its range and increasing its density through much of south Florida. As a consequence, there is increasing interest in understanding its life history. One difficulty encountered in studying P. maculata is that it lays large, multilayered clutches of very small eggs that are impossible to count without disaggregating the egg mass; which results in the loss of viability. Using a previously described dis-aggregation...
Show moreThe exotic apple snail Pomacea maculata appears to be gradually extending its range and increasing its density through much of south Florida. As a consequence, there is increasing interest in understanding its life history. One difficulty encountered in studying P. maculata is that it lays large, multilayered clutches of very small eggs that are impossible to count without disaggregating the egg mass; which results in the loss of viability. Using a previously described dis-aggregation technique, we weighed, dis-aggregated, photographed, and counted 70 egg masses of P. maculata collected from various locations in Lake Okeechobee. Using the resulting mass and egg numbers we developed an algorithm that reliably relates clutch mass to the number of eggs in a clutch, allowing the estimation of the number of eggs in a clutch without impacting the eggs’ viability and paving the way for investigations into studies on fecundity, hatching rate, etc.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0005004
Subject Headings: College students --Research --United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Examining Consumption Behavior differences between Pomacea maculata and Pomacea paludosa on Vallisneria americana.
Creator: Olavarria, Adriana, Markwith, Scott, Ewe, Sharon, Monette, Dean
Abstract/Description: Pomacea maculata is invading Florida’s freshwater ecosystems. P. maculata is potentially competing with native Pomacea paludosa. However very little work has looked at the consumption behavior to Vallisneria americana. V. Americana, a restoration plant used by resource managers provides important habitat to nursery species. This study examines P. maculata and P. paludosa’s rate of physical, herbivory, and total damage on V. americana. Our results show P. maculata and P. paludosa demonstrate...
Show morePomacea maculata is invading Florida’s freshwater ecosystems. P. maculata is potentially competing with native Pomacea paludosa. However very little work has looked at the consumption behavior to Vallisneria americana. V. Americana, a restoration plant used by resource managers provides important habitat to nursery species. This study examines P. maculata and P. paludosa’s rate of physical, herbivory, and total damage on V. americana. Our results show P. maculata and P. paludosa demonstrate an average rate of physical damage of 2.5 cm/hr and 1.2 cm/hr, herbivory rates of 1.8 cm/hr and 0.2 cm/hr and total physical damage rates of 4.2 cm/hr and 1.4 cm/hr respectively; and with t-values of 0.180, 0.006, and 0.024 respectively. This study illustrates P. maculata herbivory is significantly greater compared to P. paludosa herbivory, and total damage rates but not physical damage. Resource managers need to consider these higher rates when planning to use V. Americana.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0005032
Subject Headings: College students --Research --United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Habitat Use by Bottlenose Dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon.
Creator: Greller, Rachael M., Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The objective of this research was to examine bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) habitat use in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) based on monthly relocation of photo-identified individuals, prey availability and environmental factors from 2003-2015. We focused on the variation of spatial and temporal abiotic and biotic factors and their influence on bottlenose dolphin habitat use patterns. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) conducted monthly photo-identification surveys along the...
Show moreThe objective of this research was to examine bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) habitat use in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) based on monthly relocation of photo-identified individuals, prey availability and environmental factors from 2003-2015. We focused on the variation of spatial and temporal abiotic and biotic factors and their influence on bottlenose dolphin habitat use patterns. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) conducted monthly photo-identification surveys along the length of the IRL and GPS locations of photographed dolphins were collected at the time of surveying. Stratified random samples of prey and environmental variables were collected monthly by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as part of the Fisheries-Independent Monitoring (FIM) program. Kernel density estimation was used to determine the magnitude-per-unit area of dolphins across a continuous raster surface of the IRL by wet and dry seasons each year, the values of which were used as a response variable in Classification and regression tree (CART) analyses with FIM fish community and environmental factors as predictors. Understanding how dolphins respond to environmental factors over time in the IRL could be used to predict future responses in estuaries and prioritize conservation and restoration actions.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013212
Subject Headings: Bottlenose dolphin--Behavior, Indian River (Fla. : Lagoon), Habitat, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR ENERGY FACILITIES, FLORIDA PANTHER HABITAT CONNECTIVITY, AND DISPERSAL CORRIDORS.
Creator: Leskova, Olena V., Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: The objective of this research was to study the impacts of large USSE facilities on wildlife movement corridors and habitat connectivity in Florida to identify important habitat patches and movement corridors significant for potential Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) dispersal, conservation, and recovery. Large carnivores (such as Florida panther) have often been examined as conservation umbrellas for large-scale connectivity planning due to their extensive spatial requirements (Beier et...
Show moreThe objective of this research was to study the impacts of large USSE facilities on wildlife movement corridors and habitat connectivity in Florida to identify important habitat patches and movement corridors significant for potential Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) dispersal, conservation, and recovery. Large carnivores (such as Florida panther) have often been examined as conservation umbrellas for large-scale connectivity planning due to their extensive spatial requirements (Beier et al., 2006, Thorne et al., 2006). In addition, Florida panther is relatively well-studied species that have been listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act for over 40 years, due to habitat fragmentation and reduction. Habitat suitability was compared before and after the installation of the USSE facilities using RandomForest model developed by Frakes and Knight (in prep). The connectivity study focused on comparing current density and effective resistance (resistance distance) before and after the installations of USSE facilities and was conducted using Circuitscape 4.0. The impacts on habitat connectivity were the most substantial in the areas where the USSE facilities were installed on or around wildlife corridors, near focal areas, and in large clusters. The study has identified important linkages and new pathways that animals may try to take in order to bypass the facilities. The study has also shown that installation of USSE facilities in areas not suitable as habitat for Florida panthers, but still permeable or semi-permeable (e.g., agricultural lands), can substantially impact connectivity between focal areas.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013500
Subject Headings: Florida panther, Puma concolor coryi, Habitat conservation, Solar energy--Environmental aspects, Solar energy--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Resource use, competition, grazing behavior, and ecosystem invasion impacts of Pomacea maculata.
Creator: Monette, Dean J., Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: Invasion of exotic species is a global threat to native species, biological diversity, and ecological restoration projects. Pomacea maculata is a macrophyte herbivore often misidentified with one of the world’s most invasive and destructive exotic snail, Pomacea canaliculata, but has a broader geographical distribution and climate tolerance, and greater egg production. This research examines whether the exotic P. maculata and native Pomacea paludosa occupy identical vegetation communities,...
Show moreInvasion of exotic species is a global threat to native species, biological diversity, and ecological restoration projects. Pomacea maculata is a macrophyte herbivore often misidentified with one of the world’s most invasive and destructive exotic snail, Pomacea canaliculata, but has a broader geographical distribution and climate tolerance, and greater egg production. This research examines whether the exotic P. maculata and native Pomacea paludosa occupy identical vegetation communities, mechanisms of interference competition, grazing impact differences on Vallisneria americana and to develop an exploratory agent based model. This model uses historical and present data to project how differences between species in life history and grazing patterns can potentially impact South Florida ecosystems. This model examined how P. maculate invasion of South Florida could affect two of the Central Everglades Planning Project’s main environmental restoration goals: function of key vegetative communities and conservation of endangered or threatened species.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004309, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004309
Subject Headings: Competition (Biology), Ecosystem management -- Florida, Florida applesnail -- Ecology, Florida applesnail -- Environmental aspects, Florida applesnail -- Habitat, Pomacea maculata -- Florida, Wildlife conservation -- Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: VEGETATION DYNAMICS AT DIFFERENT SPATIO-TEMPORAL SCALES IN FREQUENTLY BURNED MIXED CONIFER FORESTS, NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA RANGE, CALIFORNIA.
Creator: Paudel, Asha, Markwith, Scott H., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Mixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada, California, face threats from frequent highseverity fire associated with climate change and fuel accumulation leading to vegetation shifts at local and landscape scales. Under rapid climate change, a clear understanding of how vegetation responds to single and/or repeated wildfires is still lacking and needs to be investigated. Using field and satellite data, the effects of wildfire on vegetation dynamics were explored at the plot and landscape...
Show moreMixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada, California, face threats from frequent highseverity fire associated with climate change and fuel accumulation leading to vegetation shifts at local and landscape scales. Under rapid climate change, a clear understanding of how vegetation responds to single and/or repeated wildfires is still lacking and needs to be investigated. Using field and satellite data, the effects of wildfire on vegetation dynamics were explored at the plot and landscape levels in this dissertation project. Results from the field data suggest that management activities may be required in high-severity burned areas to restore dominance of mixed conifer forests and regain historical species composition in areas where live trees persist. Results from satellite data suggested that large shrub patches, created after mixed severity fire, fragment the homogenous mixed conifer dominated forest of the Sierra Nevada to create a more heterogeneous landscape, however the extent of diversity and fragmentation were dependent on fire severity and scales. Natural wildfires may restore landscape heterogeneity to conditions equivalent to the pre-Columbian era, but effects under the projected climate change scenario for 21st century remain uncertain. Mixed conifer dominated forests are predicted to be the dominant component of the Sierra Nevada landscape under historical fire probabilities and excluding higher probability of high-severity fire over the next 100 years.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013966
Subject Headings: Vegetation dynamics, Climate change, Fire ecology, Wildfires--Management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ANALYSIS OF TROPHIC STRUCTURE FOLLOWING ESTUARINE HABITAT RESTORATION WITHIN LAKE WORTH LAGOON, FLORIDA.
Creator: Kobylski, Adam, Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: We collected, with FWC, taxa inventory and numerical abundance data at three sites, a restoration concurrent with sampling, an older completed restoration, and an unimproved reference site, from 2014 to 2018 in the Central Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida. We examined effects in response to estuary habitat restoration and water quality on nekton food web structure among sites over time. A binary matrix of plausible interactions among trophic species, classified by size, was used to produce 51...
Show moreWe collected, with FWC, taxa inventory and numerical abundance data at three sites, a restoration concurrent with sampling, an older completed restoration, and an unimproved reference site, from 2014 to 2018 in the Central Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida. We examined effects in response to estuary habitat restoration and water quality on nekton food web structure among sites over time. A binary matrix of plausible interactions among trophic species, classified by size, was used to produce 51 individual food webs and nine trophic structure metrices within the R: Package Cheddar. Interactions of site and restoration, i.e., pre- vs. post-restoration samples, were found to be not significant in repeated-measures ANOVAs for each food web metric. Random forest analysis only identified Secchi depth as an important predictor of food web generality. Our findings suggest that generality and Secchi depth are inversely correlated and relatively stable within the Central Lake Worth Lagoon sites.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013921
Subject Headings: Estuarine restoration, Food chains (Ecology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: BIODIVERSITY, CARBON, AND WILDFIRES IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS: EXAMINING DEAD WOOD’S INFLUENCE BY INTEGRATING META-ANALYTIC, HIERARCHICAL & SIMULATION MODELING APPROACHES.
Creator: Parajuli, Rabindra, Markwith, Scott H., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Forest ecosystems are critically important to biodiversity and the global carbon budget. Within forest ecosystems, dead wood has several ecological roles, including in carbon and nutrient dynamics and biodiversity conservation. However, surface fuels in forests also influence wildfire behavior and associated risks and hazards. Therefore, appropriate management of dead wood contributes directly to appropriate functioning of the forest ecosystem by conserving forest biodiversity, mitigating...
Show moreForest ecosystems are critically important to biodiversity and the global carbon budget. Within forest ecosystems, dead wood has several ecological roles, including in carbon and nutrient dynamics and biodiversity conservation. However, surface fuels in forests also influence wildfire behavior and associated risks and hazards. Therefore, appropriate management of dead wood contributes directly to appropriate functioning of the forest ecosystem by conserving forest biodiversity, mitigating extreme wildfire events and pyrogenic emissions, and enhancing carbon sequestration. Using data extracted from peer-reviewed journal articles, geospatial, and field inventory data, and integrating meta-analytic, hierarchical regression, and vegetation simulation modeling approaches, this dissertation project examined the influence of dead wood on biodiversity, carbon, and wildfires in forest ecosystems. The meta-analysis results suggest that dead wood quantity is an indicator of forest biodiversity, while dead wood types and decay stages had varied relationships with biodiversity. Generalized linear and additive mixed effects modeling of geospatial and human observed data demonstrated the predominant influences of weather conditions and moderate effects of live and dead fuels on exceptionally large wildfires’ behavior in the western United States. Consistently dominant effects of temperature on wildfire behavior highlight and emphasize the pressing need to address climate change's impact on western US forests. Lastly, vegetation and wildfire simulation modeling of forest stand inventory data and post-modeling carbon computations suggested that physical harvesting of dead wood, an approach analogous to traditional practice of firewood collection, when combined with modern mechanical fuel reduction treatments in Sierra Nevada, CA, mixed conifer forests has great potential to mitigate wildfire hazards, reduce fire emissions, and enhance carbon sequestration.
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Date Issued: 2024
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014456
Subject Headings: Forest ecology, Wildfires, Forest management, Forest biodiversity conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: COMBINED LEGACY IMPACTS OF MELALEUCA QUINQUENERVIA AND BROADCAST AERIAL HERBICIDE TREATMENTS IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES.
Creator: Lange, James J., Markwith, Scott, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Melaleuca quinquenervia is an Australian tree, an aggressive invader of South Florida ecosystems, and has impacted over 100,000 acres of wetlands with many documented deleterious effects on native ecosystems. Millions of dollars are spent each year on management. The most rapid and cost-effective approach to date is the delivery of broadcast aerial herbicide application via helicopter, though long-term effects of this indiscriminate approach on native vegetation communities is poorly...
Show moreMelaleuca quinquenervia is an Australian tree, an aggressive invader of South Florida ecosystems, and has impacted over 100,000 acres of wetlands with many documented deleterious effects on native ecosystems. Millions of dollars are spent each year on management. The most rapid and cost-effective approach to date is the delivery of broadcast aerial herbicide application via helicopter, though long-term effects of this indiscriminate approach on native vegetation communities is poorly understood. We experimentally examined the effects of broadcast herbicides on uninvaded sawgrass plots in comparison to clip treatments and controls which showed that while clipped plots quickly recovered toward pre-treatment dominance, herbicide plots remained highly dissimilar and showed little to no recruitment even after 36 weeks. We also examined untreated Melaleuca stands to assess relationships between invasion severity and canopy cover using a generalized linear model with a beta distribution. Basal area, number of stems, and the interaction between basal area and number of stems was significantly related to canopy cover. Finally, we surveyed transects through aerially-treated Melaleuca stands (7 years post-treatment) separated into zones of dense infestation, sparse infestation, and untreated marsh. We compared differences in microtopography, invasion severity, and water quality to quantify changes in the physical environment brought about by both invasion and aerial treatment relative to the surrounding marsh. Additionally, we used percent cover abundance of vascular plant species in plots to compare vegetation communities between zones.
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Date Issued: 2024
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014474
Subject Headings: Melaleuca quinquenervia, Everglades (Fla.)--Environmental conditions--Management, Invasive plants
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: SPATIOTEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF THE FLORIDA BAY ECOSYSTEM IN RELATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND EVERGLADES RESTORATION.
Creator: Smith, Mason J., Markwith, Scott H., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: One of the largest restoration programs in the world, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) aims to restore freshwater flows to the Everglades and Florida Bay estuary. Coupled with climate change, future changes from restoration highlight the need to implement an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) approach in Florida Bay. The Ecopath framework was used to develop and apply a mass-balanced food web model to the spatiotemporal dynamics of hydrological restoration and...
Show moreOne of the largest restoration programs in the world, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) aims to restore freshwater flows to the Everglades and Florida Bay estuary. Coupled with climate change, future changes from restoration highlight the need to implement an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) approach in Florida Bay. The Ecopath framework was used to develop and apply a mass-balanced food web model to the spatiotemporal dynamics of hydrological restoration and climate change through time. Results suggest Florida Bay is stabilized through large detrital energy pathways and low nutrient inputs, but subject to species distribution shifts due primarily to sea-level rise and salinity variation. A suite of winners and losers predicted provide an opportunity to ensure management strategies are designed appropriately to best achieve desired results for the future of the Florida Bay ecosystem.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013913
Subject Headings: Florida Bay (Fla.), Restoration ecology, Climate change
Format: Document (PDF)

FAU Theses and Dissertations (8)	+ -
FAU Undergraduate Student Research (2)	+ -
FAU Graduate Student Research (1)	+ -

Climate change (2)	+ -
College students --Research --United States. (2)	+ -
Bottlenose dolphin--Behavior (1)	+ -
Competition (Biology) (1)	+ -
Ecosystem management -- Florida (1)	+ -

Estuarine restoration (1)	+ -
Everglades (Fla.)--Environmental conditions--Management (1)	+ -
Fire ecology (1)	+ -
Florida Bay (Fla.) (1)	+ -
Florida applesnail -- Ecology (1)	+ -
Florida applesnail -- Environmental aspects (1)	+ -
Florida applesnail -- Habitat (1)	+ -
Florida panther (1)	+ -
Food chains (Ecology) (1)	+ -
Forest biodiversity conservation (1)	+ -
Forest ecology (1)	+ -
Forest management (1)	+ -
Habitat (1)	+ -
Habitat conservation (1)	+ -
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (1)	+ -
Indian River (Fla. : Lagoon) (1)	+ -
Invasive plants (1)	+ -
Melaleuca quinquenervia (1)	+ -
Pomacea maculata -- Florida (1)	+ -
Puma concolor coryi (1)	+ -
Restoration ecology (1)	+ -
Solar energy--Environmental aspects (1)	+ -
Solar energy--Florida (1)	+ -
Vegetation dynamics (1)	+ -
Wildfires (1)	+ -

Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (8)	+ -
poster (2)	+ -
abstract (1)	+ -

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (8)	+ -
Department of Geosciences (8)	+ -
Florida Atlantic University (8)	+ -
Markwith, Scott (8)	+ -
Markwith, Scott H. (3)	+ -

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