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Some Aspects of the Ecology of the Reefs of Palm Beach County, Florida, with Emphasis on the Gogonacea and their Bathymetric Distribution

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Date Issued:
1970
Summary:
This paper presents data relative to the ecology and bathymetric distribution of hermatypic gorgonians. The reefs were analyzed with respect to faunal composition and zonation. Ecological data such as turbidity, light penetration, salinity, dissolved oxygen and temperature were taken directly on the reefs. The main reef was carbondated (C^14 ) to determine the length of time required for development. Gorgonians were transplanted from 9 meters to 18 and 30 meters to observe growth rates and spicule changes. The relationships of zooxanthellae to the hermatypic Gorgonacea were analyzed and discussed. Experiments were conducted concerning respiration and photosynthetic rates, minimum oxygen tolerance, compensation intensities and depth, and starvation in the light as well as in the dark. Tolerance limits were establIshed for various levels of salinity, and temperature. Feeding behavior experiments were recorded and the relationship of gorgonian populations to the reef structure and community were discussed.
Title: Some Aspects of the Ecology of the Reefs of Palm Beach County, Florida, with Emphasis on the Gogonacea and their Bathymetric Distribution.
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Name(s): Goldberg, Walter M., author
Dobkin, Sheldon, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1970
Date Issued: 1970
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 140 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This paper presents data relative to the ecology and bathymetric distribution of hermatypic gorgonians. The reefs were analyzed with respect to faunal composition and zonation. Ecological data such as turbidity, light penetration, salinity, dissolved oxygen and temperature were taken directly on the reefs. The main reef was carbondated (C^14 ) to determine the length of time required for development. Gorgonians were transplanted from 9 meters to 18 and 30 meters to observe growth rates and spicule changes. The relationships of zooxanthellae to the hermatypic Gorgonacea were analyzed and discussed. Experiments were conducted concerning respiration and photosynthetic rates, minimum oxygen tolerance, compensation intensities and depth, and starvation in the light as well as in the dark. Tolerance limits were establIshed for various levels of salinity, and temperature. Feeding behavior experiments were recorded and the relationship of gorgonian populations to the reef structure and community were discussed.
Identifier: FA00000770 (IID)
Note(s): Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1970.
Subject(s): Reefs--Florida--Palm Beach County
Alcyonacea
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000770
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Restrictions on Access: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.