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Effects of St. Lucie Estuarine Discharge Water and Thermal Stress on the Coral Montastraea cavernosa
- Date Issued:
- 2017
- Summary:
- Coral reef declines, particularly in coastal zones, have been linked to thermal stress and anthropogenic impacts on water quality. St. Lucie Reef near Stuart, Florida receives increased estuarine efflux as a result of watershed changes and management policies that have substantially altered historic, natural flows. This research used ambient and elevated temperatures (25°C and 30°C, respectively), and offshore versus St. Lucie Estuarine discharge water to investigate the individual and interactive effects of thermal and water quality stress on Montastraea cavernosa, a dominant scleractinian coral species at St. Lucie Reef. These goals were accomplished using ex-situ, factorial, experimental design that was supplemented with existing in-situ monitoring on St. Lucie Reef. Zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll content were evaluated to determine effects on the corals and their symbionts. Zooxanthellae populations were significantly affected by thermal stress. Significant interactions between temperature and water treatment were observed, suggesting that the impacts of discharge water may be supplanted when corals are exposed to thermal stress. In a supplement to the experiment, M. cavernosa colonies transplanted from Palm Beach to St. Lucie Reef demonstrated resilience despite exposure to more variable environmental conditions. Collaborative partnerships with multiple state agencies and local government offices facilitated data sharing to inform decision making for South Florida’s resource management strategies. Creating effective resource management is crucial for the conservation of coastal ecosystems impacted by land-based sources of pollution both locally and globally.
Title: | Effects of St. Lucie Estuarine Discharge Water and Thermal Stress on the Coral Montastraea cavernosa. |
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Name(s): |
Shatters, Alycia, author Voss, Joshua, Thesis advisor Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Department of Biological Sciences |
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Type of Resource: | text | |
Genre: | Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation | |
Date Created: | 2017 | |
Date Issued: | 2017 | |
Publisher: | Florida Atlantic University | |
Place of Publication: | Boca Raton, Fla. | |
Physical Form: | application/pdf | |
Extent: | 91 p. | |
Language(s): | English | |
Summary: | Coral reef declines, particularly in coastal zones, have been linked to thermal stress and anthropogenic impacts on water quality. St. Lucie Reef near Stuart, Florida receives increased estuarine efflux as a result of watershed changes and management policies that have substantially altered historic, natural flows. This research used ambient and elevated temperatures (25°C and 30°C, respectively), and offshore versus St. Lucie Estuarine discharge water to investigate the individual and interactive effects of thermal and water quality stress on Montastraea cavernosa, a dominant scleractinian coral species at St. Lucie Reef. These goals were accomplished using ex-situ, factorial, experimental design that was supplemented with existing in-situ monitoring on St. Lucie Reef. Zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll content were evaluated to determine effects on the corals and their symbionts. Zooxanthellae populations were significantly affected by thermal stress. Significant interactions between temperature and water treatment were observed, suggesting that the impacts of discharge water may be supplanted when corals are exposed to thermal stress. In a supplement to the experiment, M. cavernosa colonies transplanted from Palm Beach to St. Lucie Reef demonstrated resilience despite exposure to more variable environmental conditions. Collaborative partnerships with multiple state agencies and local government offices facilitated data sharing to inform decision making for South Florida’s resource management strategies. Creating effective resource management is crucial for the conservation of coastal ecosystems impacted by land-based sources of pollution both locally and globally. | |
Identifier: | FA00004843 (IID) | |
Degree granted: | Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. | |
Collection: | FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
Note(s): | Includes bibliography. | |
Subject(s): |
Coral declines. Coral reef management. Estuarine pollution. Water--Pollution. |
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Held by: | Florida Atlantic University Libraries | |
Sublocation: | Digital Library | |
Links: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004843 | |
Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004843 | |
Use and Reproduction: | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder. | |
Use and Reproduction: | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | |
Host Institution: | FAU | |
Is Part of Series: | Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections. |