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Title: A test of factors affecting the foraging success of scarlet ibis.
Creator: Stanek, Rebecca A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Wading bird foraging success is influenced by many different factors. From January to March 2008, I conducted a small-scale experiment with three captive Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) at the Palm Beach Zoo, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Prey density and the presence of conspecifics were manipulated to test for a response by ibis in terms of prey capture rate. Mixed model analysis, when one prey type was available, showed that capture rate increased significantly with prey density and...
Show moreWading bird foraging success is influenced by many different factors. From January to March 2008, I conducted a small-scale experiment with three captive Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) at the Palm Beach Zoo, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Prey density and the presence of conspecifics were manipulated to test for a response by ibis in terms of prey capture rate. Mixed model analysis, when one prey type was available, showed that capture rate increased significantly with prey density and decreased with the presence of conspecifics. When two prey types were available, prey density and the presence of conspecifics had no effect on the capture rates of either prey type. Selectivity analysis revealed that ibis always selected for crayfish in mixed treatments. I hypothesize that the number of prey types available in a treatment played an important role in determining how fish density and the presence of conspecifics affected ibis foraging success.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/215288
Subject Headings: Scarlet ibis, Food, Birds, Ecology, Birds, Behavior, Wildlife management, Predation (Biology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades.
Creator: Carroll, Camille Darby., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Environmental Studies Program
Abstract/Description: I examined the impact of the exotic, invasive plant Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Brown, on tree island plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades. I selected 15 tree islands representing four groups: non-Lygodium islands, islands with low levels of Lygodium, islands with high levels of Lygodium, and disturbed islands impacted by people. I used a variety of diversity indices to compare plant and ant data among habitats. The ant communities studied included...
Show moreI examined the impact of the exotic, invasive plant Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Brown, on tree island plant and ant communities in the northern Everglades. I selected 15 tree islands representing four groups: non-Lygodium islands, islands with low levels of Lygodium, islands with high levels of Lygodium, and disturbed islands impacted by people. I used a variety of diversity indices to compare plant and ant data among habitats. The ant communities studied included native and exotic species typical of south Florida. Tree island plant communities were consistent with descriptions from previous studies. Plant species richness decreased with the level of L. microphyllum in the ground and midstory layers. Abundance of native plants decreased with level of L. microphyllum in the ground, midstory, and overstory layers. Lygodium microphyllum did not affect ant communities suggesting that although it negatively impacts plant communities it can provide habitat for ants.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186675
Subject Headings: Insect-plant relationships, Ants, Ecology, Wildlife conservation, Environmental conditions
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Observations of immature sea turtles at a nearshore hardbottom developmental habitat in Palm Beach, Florida.
Creator: Garrido, Katharine., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Nearshore sabellariid worm rock reefs tracts along Florida's east cost provide developmental habitat for many juvenile green turtles.
Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/41004
Subject Headings: Sea turtles, Ecology, Adaptation (Biology), Wildlife conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Monitoring seasonal and annual changes in the mesozooplankton community of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.
Creator: Kerr, Miranda Hoover., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: In estuaries, like the Indian River Lagoon, mesozooplankton have a vital role in the food web by connecting trophic levels. In this study, mesozooplankton abundance and species composition were monitored weekly on the incoming and outgoing tides from September 2006 to May 2009. For the incoming tide, the mean abundance was 2298.2 mesozooplankton/m3 (+/-325.2), and for the outgoing tide the mean abundance was 1180.0 mesozooplankton/m3 (+/-153.1). The mesozooplankton abundance on the incoming...
Show moreIn estuaries, like the Indian River Lagoon, mesozooplankton have a vital role in the food web by connecting trophic levels. In this study, mesozooplankton abundance and species composition were monitored weekly on the incoming and outgoing tides from September 2006 to May 2009. For the incoming tide, the mean abundance was 2298.2 mesozooplankton/m3 (+/-325.2), and for the outgoing tide the mean abundance was 1180.0 mesozooplankton/m3 (+/-153.1). The mesozooplankton abundance on the incoming tide was significantly greater than on the outgoing tide. The most abundant type of mesozooplankton was the copepod Acartia tonsa, representing 35.0% and 52.1% of the individuals on the incoming and outgoing tides respectively. Mesozooplankton abundance values were compared with environmental data obtained from the South Florida Water Management District. The strongest positive correlation was found between chlorophyll a concentrations and A. tonsa abundance, likely due to phytoplankton being the primary food source for A. tonsa.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2783241
Subject Headings: Marine zooplankton, Ecology, Marine ecology, Marine ecosystem management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Limitations on macroinvertebrate populations in South Florida weltands.
Creator: Knorp, Natalie E., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: It can be difficult to disentangle the factors that determine population success in freshwater systems, particularly for organisms with disturbance-resistant life stages like aquatic invertebrates. Nevertheless, the effects of environmental variation and habitat structure on animal population success in wetlands are important for understanding both trophic interactions and biodiversity. I performed two experiments to determine the factors limiting crayfish (Procambarus fallax) and dragonfly ...
Show moreIt can be difficult to disentangle the factors that determine population success in freshwater systems, particularly for organisms with disturbance-resistant life stages like aquatic invertebrates. Nevertheless, the effects of environmental variation and habitat structure on animal population success in wetlands are important for understanding both trophic interactions and biodiversity. I performed two experiments to determine the factors limiting crayfish (Procambarus fallax) and dragonfly (Family: Libellulidae) populations in wetland environments. A simulation of a dry-disturbance and subsequent sunfish (Family: Centrarchidae) re-colonization revealed that crayfish populations are sensitive to sunfish, while dragonfly naiads seemed to be limited by other drying-related factors. A second manipulation revealed that small-bodied fishes and habitat structure (submerged vegetation) shaped dragonfly communities primarily through postcolonization processes.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362485
Subject Headings: Wetland ecology, Wildlife conservation, Freshwater invertebrates, Ecology, Predation (Biology), Marine ecosystem management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An introduction to the Abacoa Greenway.
Creator: Blubaugh, Carmen., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Greenways are corridors of relatively intact natural vegetation through otherwise disturbed habitat that typically connect larger protected natural areas. The establishment of greenway systems throughout the United States is a testament to the increasing recognition of the necessity to incorporate wild areas within urban and other disturbed landscapes for the sake of biological sustainability and the emotional welfare of human residents. In my thesis, I examine a local greenway in Jupiter,...
Show moreGreenways are corridors of relatively intact natural vegetation through otherwise disturbed habitat that typically connect larger protected natural areas. The establishment of greenway systems throughout the United States is a testament to the increasing recognition of the necessity to incorporate wild areas within urban and other disturbed landscapes for the sake of biological sustainability and the emotional welfare of human residents. In my thesis, I examine a local greenway in Jupiter, Florida, the Abacoa Greenway, which is both product and component of the greenway movement, a recent and revolutionary phenomenon in urban planning. I evaluate the greenway's ecology, the specific functions it serves, and its significance within the broader realm of environmental ethics. The primary protected habitats are a mixture of scrubby pine flatwoods and shallow wetland basins. The flatwoods provide important habitats for numerous native species, including the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) and the many commensal species that live in the tortoises' burrows. The shallow wetland basins also serve a number of purposes, including a surface water management system. As a whole, the greenway is an important resource for human recreation and environmental education, including scholarly research by students and faculty at Florida Atlantic University. It serves as important link between people and nature in an urban setting where they might otherwise be completely estranged.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11594
Subject Headings: Greenways, Biological diversity conservation, Government policy, Nature conservation, Government policy, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Fishes of Savannas Preserve State Park.
Creator: McKee, Kristy., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Freshwater marshes are a harsh wetland ecosystem classified by seasonal water level fluctuation. Dry down periods are common in some marshes, making life difficult for fish and other aquatic organisms. The goal of this study was to compile an updated species list of fishes inhabiting the freshwater marsh system within Savannas Preserve State Park. Twenty-three fish species were collected between August 2005 and May 2007. This survey, along with past collections, and the current species list...
Show moreFreshwater marshes are a harsh wetland ecosystem classified by seasonal water level fluctuation. Dry down periods are common in some marshes, making life difficult for fish and other aquatic organisms. The goal of this study was to compile an updated species list of fishes inhabiting the freshwater marsh system within Savannas Preserve State Park. Twenty-three fish species were collected between August 2005 and May 2007. This survey, along with past collections, and the current species list in the park's management plan were used to make a new proposed species list. Three species of nonnative fishes were observed during the study, the first report of exotic fishes in the park. It is believed that abnormally high water levels for an extended period may have allowed the water in neighboring canals to connect to the marsh system and, as a result, new species were able become introduced in the park.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/40970
Subject Headings: Savannas Preserve State Park (Fla.), Ecology, Fishes, Identification, Population biology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An evaluation of methodology, dispersal and habitat usage of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) from a supplemental stocking on Lake Okeechobee, Florida.
Creator: Jordan, Alyssa., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fishery was at an all time low on Lake Okeechobee when experimental supplemental stockings were done to try and enhance local bass populations. Largemouth bass had never been stocked on a large lake like Lake Okeechobee. The objectives were to develop a methodology, study dispersal, and compare stocked versus wild bass habitat choices. The methodology underwent considerable changes between studies. Bass dispersed to the edges by the second sampling...
Show moreThe largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fishery was at an all time low on Lake Okeechobee when experimental supplemental stockings were done to try and enhance local bass populations. Largemouth bass had never been stocked on a large lake like Lake Okeechobee. The objectives were to develop a methodology, study dispersal, and compare stocked versus wild bass habitat choices. The methodology underwent considerable changes between studies. Bass dispersed to the edges by the second sampling period, so a larger sampling area may be needed. Water depth and pH were found to be significantly different between wild and stocked bass. Hatchery bass are naèive about predators, which may have resulted in stocked bass not moving to shallower areas like wild bass. The pH was weakly correlated with depth, so differences may be partially due to the fact that as depth increases, pH may also increase.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3342199
Subject Headings: Largemouth bass, Habitat, Largemouth bass, Ecology, Freshwater ecology, Fishery management, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Estimating the vulnerability of Everglades peat to combustion.
Creator: Johnson, James., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Center for Environmental Studies
Abstract/Description: Fire occurrences in the Everglades have increased since hydrologic alterations began, yet the vulnerability of Everglades peat to combustion during wildfires has yet to be determined. Natural fire regimes help maintain ecosystem functions and services and disruptions of natural disturbance regimes can have detrimental impacts, jeopardizing ecosystem health. Severe peat combustion can destroy native vegetation, alter microtopography, and release large amounts of stored carbon into the...
Show moreFire occurrences in the Everglades have increased since hydrologic alterations began, yet the vulnerability of Everglades peat to combustion during wildfires has yet to be determined. Natural fire regimes help maintain ecosystem functions and services and disruptions of natural disturbance regimes can have detrimental impacts, jeopardizing ecosystem health. Severe peat combustion can destroy native vegetation, alter microtopography, and release large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere. To create a better understanding of the mechanistic controls on Everglades ground fires, the soil's physical properties within several sites of Water Conservation Area 3 and how changes in water table affect these physical characteristics were determined. Areas disturbed by hydrologic alterations contain higher mineral content and therefore require lower water content to combust when compared to preserved regions. Changes in water tables have a significant effect on soil moisture and lower water tables drastically increase the vulnerability of a region.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358594
Subject Headings: Ecological engineering, Conservation of natural resources, Fire ecology, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effects of reduction mowing on gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus).
Creator: Del Signore, Vincent., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is endemic to the Southeast United States, where its populations are declining primarily due to habitat loss. Gopher tortoises prefer habitats with open sunny spots for nesting and basking. Fire is a normal element in gopher tortoise habitat, and when natural fires are suppressed, habitats may become too overgrown. To maintain the open spaces, some land managers use reduction mowing of vegetation. I studied gopher tortoises in the Abacoa Greenway...
Show moreThe gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is endemic to the Southeast United States, where its populations are declining primarily due to habitat loss. Gopher tortoises prefer habitats with open sunny spots for nesting and basking. Fire is a normal element in gopher tortoise habitat, and when natural fires are suppressed, habitats may become too overgrown. To maintain the open spaces, some land managers use reduction mowing of vegetation. I studied gopher tortoises in the Abacoa Greenway reserve, established to protect the tortoises in a residential area of Jupiter, Florida, and I examined how reduction mowing influences tortoise activity. I evaluated the distribution of burrows throughout the study site by flagging the burrows both before and after extensive reduction mowing took place in the greenway. Statistical comparison between new burrows found within the interior as compared to the periphery both before and after the mowing reveal a significant relationship between both variables. These results suggest that the tortoises utilize newly mowed areas as preferred substrate for new burrows.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/40270
Subject Headings: Gopher tortoise, Ecology, Greenways, Niche (Ecology), Adaptation (Biology), Environmental impact analysis, Prescribed burning
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of prescribed burning on native and exotic herpetofauna in Florida pine flatwoods in Savannas Preserve State Park.
Creator: Goethel, Carrie Ann., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Florida's pine flatwoods are pyrogenic ecosystems that require frequent fires to regenerate the herbaceous layer and suppress crowding vegetation. Human development has hindered these natural fires and consequently affected the herpetofauna (amphibian and reptile) species. Anthropogenic encroachment, in addition to fire suppression, has also provided ideal habitats for invasive species within native environments. Exotic species are often found in developed areas around buildings and roads,...
Show moreFlorida's pine flatwoods are pyrogenic ecosystems that require frequent fires to regenerate the herbaceous layer and suppress crowding vegetation. Human development has hindered these natural fires and consequently affected the herpetofauna (amphibian and reptile) species. Anthropogenic encroachment, in addition to fire suppression, has also provided ideal habitats for invasive species within native environments. Exotic species are often found in developed areas around buildings and roads, and it is likely this pattern continues into the park. This eight-month coverboard survey focuses on the effects various fires may have on herpetofauna in the area and explores the level of intrusion exotic species exhibit within the communities. Minimal differences among herpetofauna composition between transects were found. However, a convincing percentage of exotic species were found only within the first ten meters of the transects while all native species were at least 25 meters into a transect.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11611
Subject Headings: Prescribed burning, Environmental aspects, Reptiles, Habitat, Scrub pine, Ecology, Savannas Preserve State Park (Fla.), Wildlife conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Avifauna in a suburban environment.
Creator: Blair, Courtney., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: Habitat fragmentation causes the isolation of groups of individuals within species by producing a new landscape that is uninhabitable for many species, including birds. I surveyed the John D. MacArthur campus of FAU in the Fall of 2005 and Spring of 2006 to assess the use of the campus by birds. Throughout the campus trees are lined in rows along the sidewalks and around buildings, in contrast to the pine flatwoods environment that existed prior to development. The birds observed were found...
Show moreHabitat fragmentation causes the isolation of groups of individuals within species by producing a new landscape that is uninhabitable for many species, including birds. I surveyed the John D. MacArthur campus of FAU in the Fall of 2005 and Spring of 2006 to assess the use of the campus by birds. Throughout the campus trees are lined in rows along the sidewalks and around buildings, in contrast to the pine flatwoods environment that existed prior to development. The birds observed were found performing various activities on the campus, including foraging, perching, and building nests. Individuals were concentrated around or near buildings with the most diverse vegetation. Through assessing these campus uses I suggest that there are ways we can help increase bird diversity in promoting their use of urban environments. Such solutions can help decrease the number of individuals and species lost to the destructive force of habitat fragmentation.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/40269
Subject Headings: Birds, Ecology, Wildlife management, Birds, Habitat
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The avian community characteristics of constructed treatment wetlands of South Florida.
Creator: Beck, Tyler J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: This study compared the avian communities of treatment wetlands in South Florida called Stormwater Treatment Wetlands (STAs) to those in natural marshes and crop lands, and examined factors that influenced the size and structure of the avian communities within the STAs. The STAs contained a more abundant, rich and distinct avian community compared to reference land types. The STAs were dominated by wintering waterfowl, and therefore community patterns fluctuated more seasonally other land...
Show moreThis study compared the avian communities of treatment wetlands in South Florida called Stormwater Treatment Wetlands (STAs) to those in natural marshes and crop lands, and examined factors that influenced the size and structure of the avian communities within the STAs. The STAs contained a more abundant, rich and distinct avian community compared to reference land types. The STAs were dominated by wintering waterfowl, and therefore community patterns fluctuated more seasonally other land types. Within the STAs, density and richness in the fall and winter were much greater in the submerged aquatic vegetation than in the mixed emergent vegetation when waterfowl were present. The STAs maintain two vegetation treatments which enhanced their biodiversity value by supporting distinct avian communities with different migratory strategies This suggests the increase in treatment wetlands could partially offset the loss of natural wetlands, but avian communities in treatment wetlands are not surrogates for natural wetlands.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362327
Subject Headings: Constructed wetlands, Wetland hydrology, Watershed management, Habitat (Ecology), Birds, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Anurans of Abacoa.
Creator: Vuong, Wei Mien., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Abstract/Description: The construction of Abacoa included an attempt to conserve the wildlife in a Greenway, a set of habitats separated from the residential and commercial areas. All of the wetlandswith in Abacoa represent artificially constructed ponds, canals, and streams first created from 1998-2004. The present study focuses on the anuran (i.e., frog and toad) populations and looks at the number of different species that have naturally colonized six differnet sites around Abacoa. Each of these sites varies in...
Show moreThe construction of Abacoa included an attempt to conserve the wildlife in a Greenway, a set of habitats separated from the residential and commercial areas. All of the wetlandswith in Abacoa represent artificially constructed ponds, canals, and streams first created from 1998-2004. The present study focuses on the anuran (i.e., frog and toad) populations and looks at the number of different species that have naturally colonized six differnet sites around Abacoa. Each of these sites varies in qualities that may affect the probability of breeding in that section. The quality of water is known to be less ideal as the water flows away from the headwaters and mixes with water from other sources. This study aims to determine which anuran species are found at each of these sites after nearly a decade of colonization, and how both anuran diversity and abundance correlates with water and habitat quality.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359327
Subject Headings: Wildlife conservation, Amphibian populations, Restoration ecology, Anura, Habitat, Amphibians, Ecology, Amphibians, Conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

FAU Theses and Dissertations (7)	+ -
Honors Student Theses (7)	+ -

Wildlife conservation (5)	+ -
Habitat (4)	+ -
Birds (3)	+ -
Adaptation (Biology) (2)	+ -
Greenways (2)	+ -

Marine ecosystem management (2)	+ -
Predation (Biology) (2)	+ -
Prescribed burning (2)	+ -
Savannas Preserve State Park (Fla.) (2)	+ -
Wildlife management (2)	+ -
Amphibian populations (1)	+ -
Amphibians (1)	+ -
Ants (1)	+ -
Anura (1)	+ -
Behavior (1)	+ -
Biological diversity conservation (1)	+ -
Conservation (1)	+ -
Conservation of natural resources (1)	+ -
Constructed wetlands (1)	+ -
Ecological engineering (1)	+ -
Environmental aspects (1)	+ -
Environmental conditions (1)	+ -
Environmental impact analysis (1)	+ -
Fire ecology (1)	+ -
Fishery management (1)	+ -
Fishes (1)	+ -
Food (1)	+ -
Freshwater ecology (1)	+ -
Freshwater invertebrates (1)	+ -

Abacoa (3)	+ -
Jupiter (3)	+ -
Everglades (1)	+ -
Everglades (Fla.) (1)	+ -
Everglades National Park (1)	+ -

Everglades National Park (Fla.) (1)	+ -
Indian River (Lagoon) (1)	+ -
Lake Okeechobee (1)	+ -
Okeechobee, Lake (Fla.) (1)	+ -
Palm Beach (1)	+ -
Palm Beach County (1)	+ -
West Palm Beach (1)	+ -

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