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- Title
- Isolation, Analysis and Origin of Bioactive Diterpenes in Pseudopterogorgia acerosa.
- Creator
- Kate, Abhijeet S., Florida Atlantic University, Kerr, Russell G., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Abstract/Description
-
Nature has served human kind m many ways, one of which is a source of medicines. Natural products from marine sources represent a relatively new area of research and have shown tremendous potential as a source of new chemical entities in drug discovery. Caribbean gorgomans corals of the genus Pseudopterogorgia have been shown to produce a variety of chemically interesting and biologically significant secondary metabolites. ln this dissertation, the Caribbean coral Pseudopterogorgia acerosa...
Show moreNature has served human kind m many ways, one of which is a source of medicines. Natural products from marine sources represent a relatively new area of research and have shown tremendous potential as a source of new chemical entities in drug discovery. Caribbean gorgomans corals of the genus Pseudopterogorgia have been shown to produce a variety of chemically interesting and biologically significant secondary metabolites. ln this dissertation, the Caribbean coral Pseudopterogorgia acerosa has been investigated for the presence of novel diterpenes and these compounds were found to belong to three different classes: pseudopteranoids, bis-pseudopteranoids and lipidyl pseudopteranes. Nine of these were new compounds. The structural elucidation of these compounds was performed using spectroscopic means such as l D and 20 NMR, and mass spectroscopy. There is growing evidence that secondary metabolites isolated from manne invertebrates may actually be produced by a bacterial symbiont. The research studies in our laboratory regarding the source of diterpenes in the selected gorgonian corals suggested a bacterial origin. The hypothesis that coral associated bacteria are the source of diterpenes in the coral P. acerosa, was evaluated using the series of experiments and evidence supported this biosynthetic origin. A study comparing the "gall" tissue and healthy coral tissue in terms of diterpene content and culturable bacterial communities showed that different groups of diterpenes were concentrated in different coral tissue types. It was also observed that the bacterial populations associated with the "gall" and healthy tissues were considerably different. Furthermore, observed specificity in antimicrobial activity of certain groups of compounds against bacteria isolated from the same coral suggested the ecological role of these compounds. This work with "gall" tissue supports the hypothesis that diseased coral tissue represents an excellent source of bioactive natural products for drug discovery. Additionaly, a simple LC-MS method was developed for the analysis of anticancer drug carmustine in plasma.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000864
- Subject Headings
- Marine pharmacology, Coral reef ecology--Caribbean Area, Natural products--Synthesis
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Mapping and analyzing the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County in relation to major storm events in a GIS database.
- Creator
- Pitti, Joseph G., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
The Florida Reef Tract in Southeast Florida is made up of hard-bottom formations. The shape and size of the tract is constantly changing. One major factor contributing to these changes is the movement of sand. This is influenced by location-based, human-induced, and natural factors. These shifting sands cover or uncover reef structure. Images of the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County were analyzed by the Department of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University, using a partially...
Show moreThe Florida Reef Tract in Southeast Florida is made up of hard-bottom formations. The shape and size of the tract is constantly changing. One major factor contributing to these changes is the movement of sand. This is influenced by location-based, human-induced, and natural factors. These shifting sands cover or uncover reef structure. Images of the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County were analyzed by the Department of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University, using a partially automated method of mapping. There are notable changes in reef structure throughout the years 2004-2006, in which many major storm events occurred in the region. A time series analysis was conducted throughout these years. Losses and gains of reef structure were quantified and compared throughout the county as a whole, in beach renourishment project areas, and inlet intervals. Trends suggest that the major storms of 2004-2006 may have had effects on the reef tract.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3172425
- Subject Headings
- Continental shelf, Mapping, Geographic information systems, Coral reef ecology, Environmental geology, Coral reefs and islands
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Benthic Foraminiferal Assemblages from Pulau Karangmadjat, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia.
- Creator
- Garcia, Christine N., Oleinik, Anton E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Globally, coral reefs are in severe decline (Jackson et al., 2001) and face potential extinction of 1/3 of reef species by 2050 (Veron, 2011). This decline is the result of the inability of coral communities to recover after disturbance events, often resulting in a shift from coral- to macro-algal dominated regimes. Reef resources managers are in need of tools to assess the condition of these ecosystems prior to, during, and post disturbance, especially in regions of the world where coral...
Show moreGlobally, coral reefs are in severe decline (Jackson et al., 2001) and face potential extinction of 1/3 of reef species by 2050 (Veron, 2011). This decline is the result of the inability of coral communities to recover after disturbance events, often resulting in a shift from coral- to macro-algal dominated regimes. Reef resources managers are in need of tools to assess the condition of these ecosystems prior to, during, and post disturbance, especially in regions of the world where coral cover and diversity are high, yet management resources are scarce. Foraminifera have been widely utilized as bioindicators in both modern and paleoenvironments for more than a century due to their abundance, diverse functional morphology, rapid generation time, global distribution, and rich geologic record (Sen Gupta, 1999; Hallock et al., 2003). The FoRAM Index (FI) was developed as a single metric indicator to assess whether water quality supports coral recruitment and reproduction in Caribbean and Western Atlantic coral reefs (Hallock et al., 2003), yet the FI has not been widely applied to Indo-Pacific coral reefs. This study reports benthic foraminiferal assemblages from Pulau Karangmadjat, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia, and is the first to provide in situ foraminiferal assemblages for the Mentawai region. Results revealed overall low Shannon’s H’ and Fisher’s alpha, and low Buzas and Gibson’s evenness values across 13 sample sites selected from a variety of reef habitat zones. Values for the FI were also calculated and were extremely high across all sites due to the dominance of symbiont-bearing calcarinid taxa, suggesting favorable water quality conditions. Q-mode hierarchical cluster analysis revealed 4 clusters, only one of which corresponded in its entirety to a well defined benthic habitat zone. Overall, a high degree of similarity between foraminiferal assemblages was present for most sites sampled due to the dominance of calcarinids, suggesting prevalence of a macro-algal substrate, and potentially a shift from a coral- to macro-algal dominated regime for this study area. Utilization of indices like the FI, when used in conjunction with non-FI analysis of foraminiferal assemblages, may aid managers in deducing drivers of regime shifts on Indonesian coral reefs, which may ultimately facilitate solutions for reef conservation and recovery following natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Further testing of the applicability of the FI on Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific reefs is needed to in order to test this hypothesis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004790
- Subject Headings
- Foraminifera--Ecology--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands., Coral reef ecology--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands., Coastal zone management--Indonesia--Mentawai Islands.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Elevated pCO2 effects on the macroalgal genus Halimeda: Potential roles of photophysiology and morphology.
- Creator
- Peach, Katherine, Koch, Marguerite, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
While ocean acidification (OA) is predicted to inhibit calcification in marine macroalgae, species whose photosynthesis is limited by current dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) levels may benefit. Furthermore, variations in macroalgal morphology will likely give rise to a range of OA tolerance in calcifying macroalgae. One genus of calcifying macroalgae that has shown varying species’ tolerance to OA is Halimeda, a major carbonate sediment producer on tropical reefs. Species within this genus...
Show moreWhile ocean acidification (OA) is predicted to inhibit calcification in marine macroalgae, species whose photosynthesis is limited by current dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) levels may benefit. Furthermore, variations in macroalgal morphology will likely give rise to a range of OA tolerance in calcifying macroalgae. One genus of calcifying macroalgae that has shown varying species’ tolerance to OA is Halimeda, a major carbonate sediment producer on tropical reefs. Species within this genus occupy a range of habitats within tropical environments (reefs and lagoons), illustrating their ability to adapt to diverse environmental conditions (e.g. carbonate chemistry, irradiance). To date it is not clear if morphological and photophysiological diversity in Halimeda will translate to different tolerances to OA conditions (elevated pCO2 and lower pH).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004621
- Subject Headings
- Coral reef ecology., Chemical oceanography., Halimeda., Environmental mapping., Plants--Effect of light on., Plant physiology., Photobiology., Carbon cycle (Biogeochemistry)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Interpretation of seafloor topologies based on IKONOS satellite imagery of a shallow-marine carbonate platform: Florida Bay to the Florida Reef Tract.
- Creator
- Steinle, Jacob Thomas., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
A benthic environments classification system is devised from digital interpretations of multi-spectral IKONOS satellite imagery for 1,360 km2 of the carbonate platform and presented in a comprehensive digitized map. The classification scheme is designed as a 7th order hierarchical structure that integrates 5 Physiographic Realms, 24 Morphodynamic Zones, 11 Geoforms, 39 Landforms, 6 dominant surface sediment types, 9 dominant biological covers and 3 densities of biological covers for the...
Show moreA benthic environments classification system is devised from digital interpretations of multi-spectral IKONOS satellite imagery for 1,360 km2 of the carbonate platform and presented in a comprehensive digitized map. The classification scheme is designed as a 7th order hierarchical structure that integrates 5 Physiographic Realms, 24 Morphodynamic Zones, 11 Geoforms, 39 Landforms, 6 dominant surface sediment types, 9 dominant biological covers and 3 densities of biological covers for the description of benthic environments. Digital analysis of the high-resolution (4 m) IKONOS imagery employed ESRI's ArcMap to manually digitize 412 mapping units at a scale of 1:6,000 differentiated by spectral reflectance, color tones, and textures of seafloor topologies. The context of each morphodynamic zone is characterized by the content and areal distribution (in km2) of geomorphic forms and biological covers. Over 58% of the mapping area is occupied by sediment flats, and seagrasses are colonized in almost 80% of the topologies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174075
- Subject Headings
- Submarine topography, Marine sediments, Remote sensing, Marine ecosystem management, Ocean bottom, Sampling, Ocean bottom, Sampling, Coral reef ecology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- NOAA CIOERT Report: Survey of the Pulley Ridge Mesophotic Reef Ecosystem. NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Florida Shelf-Edge Exploration II (FLoSEE) Cruise Leg 1-September 12-19, 2011.
- Creator
- Reed, John K., Farrington, Stephanie, Pomponi, Shirley A., Hanisak, M. Dennis, Voss, Joshua
- Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/3340535
- Subject Headings
- United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology (U.S.), Corals Ecology, Pulley Ridge Deep Coral Reef
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Population Structure and Gene Expression of the Coral Montastraea cavernosa in the Northern Florida Reef Tract.
- Creator
- Dodge, Danielle, Voss, Joshua, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Coral reefs on Florida’s Reef Tract (FRT) are susceptible to many anthropogenic influences including controlled freshwater discharges and agricultural runoff as well as high natural environmental variability from seasonal rainfall, runoff and upwelling. To better understand coral population structure and responses to sublethal stressors, populations of the scleractinian coral Montastraea cavernosa in the northern FRT were examined using a combination of genomic and transcriptomic techniques....
Show moreCoral reefs on Florida’s Reef Tract (FRT) are susceptible to many anthropogenic influences including controlled freshwater discharges and agricultural runoff as well as high natural environmental variability from seasonal rainfall, runoff and upwelling. To better understand coral population structure and responses to sublethal stressors, populations of the scleractinian coral Montastraea cavernosa in the northern FRT were examined using a combination of genomic and transcriptomic techniques. Microsatellite genetic markers identified high local retention among sites and a slight southward gene flow. An in-situ temporal gene expression analysis utilizing a tag-based sequencing transcriptomic approach was used to analyze baseline coral health at St. Lucie Reef (SLR), off Stuart, FL. Temporal variation had the greatest influence of differential gene expression among M. cavernosa at SLR. Results will be shared with local resource managers and coupled with a complementary ex-situ experimental trial.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005920
- Subject Headings
- Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Montastraea, Coral reef ecology--Florida., Corals--Effect of stress on, Gene expression--Analysis.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Distribution and Diversity of Benthic Foraminifera Within the Nearshore Ridge Complex off Pompano Beach, Broward County, Florida.
- Creator
- Hanley, Caitlin, Oleinik, Anton E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Benthic foraminifera are exceptional organisms with distinctive features that allow for interpretation of both past and present environmental conditions. Some benthic foraminifera are widely distributed while some are restricted to specific environments due to their way of life. Foraminiferal assemblages south of Biscayne Bay and north of Cape Canaveral have previously been investigated; however, a gap exists in data covering a transitional zone along the Florida coast between the tropical...
Show moreBenthic foraminifera are exceptional organisms with distinctive features that allow for interpretation of both past and present environmental conditions. Some benthic foraminifera are widely distributed while some are restricted to specific environments due to their way of life. Foraminiferal assemblages south of Biscayne Bay and north of Cape Canaveral have previously been investigated; however, a gap exists in data covering a transitional zone along the Florida coast between the tropical waters of the western Atlantic and the cooler coastal waters along the North American coast. The purpose of this study was to collect baseline data on the benthic foraminifera of the small marine environment off of Pompano Beach that falls within this zone. This environment has a very particular relict reef system that includes a near-shore ridge complex, the unique foraminiferal assemblage of which has not been documented. Thirteen rubble samples were collected from this near shore ridge complex between October 2013 and April 2015 from depths of 2.5m – 9m. Abundances and diversity indices were calculated, and multivariate analysis and SHEBI analysis carried out to summarize baseline data for the area. Substrate types and seasonal collections were compared with foraminiferal abundances to determine if benthic foraminifera diversity varied between the four substrate types found on the near-shore ridge and between wet and dry seasons in Florida. Results revealed a variation in abundances for both substrates and seasons with the dominant genera being Quinqueloculina, Laevipeneroplis, and Archaias. Multivariate analysis displayed dissimilarities between substrates colonized by corals and those that were uncolonized. Comparison of studies from surrounding areas revealed fewer, however similar, species and different dominant genera. Overall, this area has proven to be a different environment compared to surrounding coastal areas and merits further investigation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004601
- Subject Headings
- Pompano Beach (Fla.)--Environmental aspects., Foraminifera--Ecology--Florida--Pompano Beach., Paleoecology--Florida--Pompano Beach., Coastal zone ecology--Florida--Pompano Beach., Coral reef ecology--Florida--Pompano Beach.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
