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Title: Metamorphic response of queen conch (Strombus gigas) larvae exposed to sediment and water from nearshore and offshore sites in the Florida Keys.
Creator: Kowalik, Gretchen A., Davis, Megan, Shawl, Amber L., Glazer, Robert A., Delgado, Gabriel A., Evans, Chris
Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2147048
Subject Headings: Queen conch, Aquaculture, Marine ecology --Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Aspects of the ecology of Mnemiopsis mccradyi Mayer in North Lake Worth, Florida.
Creator: Segerblom, Kevin Lee., Florida Atlantic University, Marsh, G. Alex
Abstract/Description: The abundance, biomass, and size class composition of Mnemiopsis mccradyi were monitored weekly from March 1994 to May 1995. Relationships between M. mccradyi abundance and several environmental variables were investigated, including water temperature, salinity, rainfall, density of specific M. mccradyi prey, and abundance of the predatory ctenophore Beroe ovata. The mean abundance from September to May was 14.8 ctenophores/m^3, while the mean from May to September was 0.3 ctenophores/m^3....
Show moreThe abundance, biomass, and size class composition of Mnemiopsis mccradyi were monitored weekly from March 1994 to May 1995. Relationships between M. mccradyi abundance and several environmental variables were investigated, including water temperature, salinity, rainfall, density of specific M. mccradyi prey, and abundance of the predatory ctenophore Beroe ovata. The mean abundance from September to May was 14.8 ctenophores/m^3, while the mean from May to September was 0.3 ctenophores/m^3. Temperature observations indicated 26C (Sept-May) as optimal for population abundance, and 29-32C (May-Sept) as a possible upper temperature limit to larval development. Adults ctenophores dominated the population from May to September, while larvae and juveniles increased in number and biomass during the period of highest abundance. These results revealed two distinct seasons of M. mccradyi abundance based on ambient water temperature, and indicated that the dynamics of this population are attuned to the environmental conditions of a southern Florida estuary.
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Date Issued: 1996
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15238
Subject Headings: Mnemiopsis, Ctenophora, Marine invertebrates--Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of a decrease in downwelling irradiance on the daytime vertical distribution patterns of zooplankton and micronekton.
Creator: Frank, Tamara M., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Widder, Edith A.
Date Issued: 2002
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2783236
Subject Headings: Zooplankton --Ecology, Marine animals --Geographical distribution --Research, Light-- Physiological effect, Marine ecology, Irradiation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Integrated water quality and coral reef monitoring on fringing reefs of Tobago: chemical and ecological evidence of sewage-driven eutrophication in the Buccoo Reef Complex.
Creator: Lapointe, Brian E., Potts, Arthur C., Day, Owen, Langton, Richard, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2100737
Subject Headings: Coral reef ecology, Marine parks and reserves --Caribbean Area, Marine ecology --Caribbean Area
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Consumptive effects of predatory fish reduce wetland crayfish (Procambarus spp.) recruitment and drive species turnover.
Creator: Kellogg, Christopher M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Trade-offs in traits conferring success in permanent and ephemeral habitats are often at odds with few species being able to persist in both types of environments. I examined the effect of sunfish predators on two species of south Florida crayfish to establish the mechanism that limits one species, Procambarus alleni, to short-hydroperiod environments. The crayfish assemblage response to a gradient of sunfish predators and the effect of predation on P. fallax alone was examined. I also...
Show moreTrade-offs in traits conferring success in permanent and ephemeral habitats are often at odds with few species being able to persist in both types of environments. I examined the effect of sunfish predators on two species of south Florida crayfish to establish the mechanism that limits one species, Procambarus alleni, to short-hydroperiod environments. The crayfish assemblage response to a gradient of sunfish predators and the effect of predation on P. fallax alone was examined. I also examined the effects of sunfish on crayfish growth and quantified activity levels and risky behaviors of both crayfish species. P. alleni dominated at low sunfish densities but dominance shifted with increasing sunfish density. P. alleni was more active and likely to initiate risky behaviors, suggesting that sunfish predators remove the more active P. alleni, reducing their numbers disproportionally to those of P. fallax and allowing P. fallax to dominate crayfish assemblages in long-hydroperiod wetlands.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3171400
Subject Headings: Wetland ecology, Habitat selection, Marine ecosystem management, Predatory marine animals, Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Diet variation and the consumptive effects of native centrarchids on benthic macroinvertebrates in wetlands.
Creator: Bransky, Jacob., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Center for Environmental Studies
Abstract/Description: Fish predation can have structuring effects in aquatic communities, but the most important fish predators are not always immediately obvious. Generalist fish predators often occupy similar habitats and consume similar prey making determination of their consumptive impacts difficult. Understanding these consumptive impacts is important for understanding complex wetland food webs. I collected warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), bluespotted sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus), and dollar sunfish (Lepomis...
Show moreFish predation can have structuring effects in aquatic communities, but the most important fish predators are not always immediately obvious. Generalist fish predators often occupy similar habitats and consume similar prey making determination of their consumptive impacts difficult. Understanding these consumptive impacts is important for understanding complex wetland food webs. I collected warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), bluespotted sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus), and dollar sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) in two seasons from sloughs for both diet and bioenergetics analysis. Macroinvertebrates dominated diets of the three species, and nonparametric analyses revealed evidence of diet ontogeny in warmouth and potential competition for prey items among gape-matched individuals. Bioenergetics modeling revealed high levels of macroinvertebrate comsumption by these species relative to macroinvertebrate reproductive output suggesting that when combined with other sources of mortality, consumptive pressures placed by sunfish on benthic macroinvertebrates may be quite large.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3356894
Subject Headings: Wetland ecology, Predatory marine animals, Ecology, Predation (Biology), Habitat selction, Marine ecosystem management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Development and application of a new comprehensive image-based classification scheme for coastal and benthic environments along the southeast Florida continental shelf.
Creator: Makowski, Christopher, Finkl, Charles W., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
Abstract/Description: The coastal (terrestrial) and benthic environments along the southeast Florida continental shelf show a unique biophysical succession of marine features from a highly urbanized, developed coastal region in the north (i.e. northern Miami-Dade County) to a protective marine sanctuary in the southeast (i.e. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary). However, the establishment of a standard bio-geomorphological classification scheme for this area of coastal and benthic environments is lacking. The...
Show moreThe coastal (terrestrial) and benthic environments along the southeast Florida continental shelf show a unique biophysical succession of marine features from a highly urbanized, developed coastal region in the north (i.e. northern Miami-Dade County) to a protective marine sanctuary in the southeast (i.e. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary). However, the establishment of a standard bio-geomorphological classification scheme for this area of coastal and benthic environments is lacking. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis and answer the research question of whether new parameters of integrating geomorphological components with dominant biological covers could be developed and applied across multiple remote sensing platforms for an innovative way to identify, interpret, and classify diverse coastal and benthic environments along the southeast Florida continental shelf. An ordered, manageable hierarchical classification scheme was developed to incorporate the categories of Physiographic Realm, Morphodynamic Zone, Geoform, Landform, Dominant Surface Sediment, and Dominant Biological Cover. Six different remote sensing platforms (i.e. five multi-spectral satellite image sensors and one high-resolution aerial orthoimagery) were acquired, delineated according to the new classification scheme, and compared to determine optimal formats for classifying the study area. Cognitive digital classification at a nominal scale of 1:6000 proved to be more accurate than autoclassification programs and therefore used to differentiate coastal marine environments based on spectral reflectance characteristics, such as color, tone, saturation, pattern, and texture of the seafloor topology. In addition, attribute tables were created in conjugation with interpretations to quantify and compare the spatial relationships between classificatory units. IKONOS-2 satellite imagery was determined to be the optimal platform for applying the hierarchical classification scheme. However, each remote sensing platform had beneficial properties depending on research goals, logistical restrictions, and financial support. This study concluded that a new hierarchical comprehensive classification scheme for identifying coastal marine environments along the southeast Florida continental shelf could be achieved by integrating geomorphological features with biological coverages. This newly developed scheme, which can be applied across multiple remote sensing platforms with GIS software, establishes an innovative classification protocol to be used in future research studies.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004135, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004135
Subject Headings: Benthos -- Habitat -- Maps, Environmental mapping, Marine ecology -- Florida, Marine ecology -- Florida, Ubiquitous computing
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Taxonomy and ecology of the deep-pelagic fish family Melamphaidae, with emphasis on interactions with a mid-ocean ridge system.
Creator: Bartow, Kyle Allen., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Much of the world's oceans lie below a depth of 200 meters, but very little is known about the creatures that inhabit these deep-sea environments. The deep-sea fish family Melamphaidae (Stephanoberyciformes) is one such example of an understudied group of fishes. Samples from the MAR-ECO (www.mar-eco.no) project represent one of the largest melamphaid collections, providing an ideal opportunity to gain information on this important, but understudied, family of fishes. The key to the family...
Show moreMuch of the world's oceans lie below a depth of 200 meters, but very little is known about the creatures that inhabit these deep-sea environments. The deep-sea fish family Melamphaidae (Stephanoberyciformes) is one such example of an understudied group of fishes. Samples from the MAR-ECO (www.mar-eco.no) project represent one of the largest melamphaid collections, providing an ideal opportunity to gain information on this important, but understudied, family of fishes. The key to the family presented here is the first updated, comprehensive key since those produced by Ebeling and Weed (1963) and Keene (1987). Samples from the 2004 MAR-ECO cruise and the U.S. National Museum of Natural History provided an opportunity to review two possible new species, the Scopelogadus mizolepis subspecies, and a Poromitra crassiceps species complex. Results show that Scopeloberyx americanus and Melamphaes indicoides are new species, while the two subspecies of Scopelogadus mizolepis are most likely o nly one species and the Poromitra crassiceps complex is actually several different species of Poromitra. Data collected from the MAR-ECO cruise provided an opportunity to study the distribution, reproductive characteristics and trophic ecology of the family Melamphaidae along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). Cluster analysis showed that there are five distinct groups of melamphaid fishes along the MAR. This analysis also supported the initial observation that the melamphaid assemblage changes between the northern and southern edges of an anti-cyclonic anomaly that could be indicative of a warm-core ring. Analysis of the reproductive characteristics of the melamphaid assemblage revealed that many of the female fishes have a high gonadosomatic index (GSI) consistent with values found for other species of deep-sea fishes during their spawning seasons., This may indicate that melamphaids use this ridge as a spawning ground. Diets of the melamphaid fishes were composed primarily of ostracods, a mphipods, copepods and euphausiids. Scopelogadus was the only genus shown to have a high percent of gelatinous prey in their digestive system, while Melamphaes had the highest concentration of chaetognaths. This work presents data on the ecology and taxonomy of the family Melamphaidae and provides a strong base for any future work on this biomass-dominant family of fishes.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2867331
Subject Headings: Coral reef ecology, Marine biology, Marine ecology, Deep-sea biology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Postglacial expansion of Rhizophora Mangle l. In the Caribbean Sea and Florida.
Creator: Kennedy, John Paul, Devlin, Donna, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was a period of massive range contraction for numerous taxa, including the water-dispersed mangrove species, Rhizophora mangle L. Following the LGM, R. mangle expanded poleward via propagule transport by ocean currents. In this study, we use microsatellite loci to characterize the genetic structure of nine R. mangle populations and compare potential expansion pathways that resulted in the colonization of the Florida peninsula and Caribbean islands. Results show...
Show moreThe Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was a period of massive range contraction for numerous taxa, including the water-dispersed mangrove species, Rhizophora mangle L. Following the LGM, R. mangle expanded poleward via propagule transport by ocean currents. In this study, we use microsatellite loci to characterize the genetic structure of nine R. mangle populations and compare potential expansion pathways that resulted in the colonization of the Florida peninsula and Caribbean islands. Results show comparatively greater genetic connectivity between the Caribbean mainland and Florida, a similar pattern between West Africa and Caribbean islands, and substantial admixture on the island of San Salvador, the Bahamas. We conclude that Florida and Caribbean island R. mangle populations were likely recolonized via different expansion pathways. Estimates of recent migration rates are low and populations are structured into three regions (Caribbean mainland, Caribbean islands, Florida). These findings provide insight for future management and conservation initiatives.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004206, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004206
Subject Headings: Mangrove ecology -- Caribbean Sea, Mangrove ecology -- Florida, Marine ecology -- Caribbean Sea, Marine ecology -- Florida., Red mangrove, Shore protection -- Florida, Wetland conservation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Biological explorations in the mid-ocean realm: food webs, particle flux, and technological advancements.
Creator: Youngbluth, Marsh J., Bailey, T. G., Jacoby, C. A.
Date Issued: 1990
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007204
Subject Headings: Ocean, Marine ecology, Food webs, Submersibles, Oceanography--Research
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A molecular systematic survey of cultured microbial associates of deep-water marine invertebrates.
Creator: Sfanos, Karen S., Harmody, Dedra K., Dang, Phat, Ledger, Angela, Pomponi, Shirley A., McCarthy, Peter J., Lopez, Jose V.
Date Issued: 2004
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2827820
Subject Headings: Molecular microbiology, Microbial ecology, Marine organisms, Microorganisms, Sponges
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The role of seagrass biomass in the organization of benthic macrofaunal assemblages.
Creator: Stoner, Allan W., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Date Issued: 1980
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/3174446
Subject Headings: Seagrasses, Benthos --Ecology, Amphipoda, Polychaeta, Marine animals --Food
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Ecosystem-based fisheries management of seamount and deep-sea coral reefs in U.S. waters: conceptual models for proactive decisions.
Creator: George, R. Y., Okey, T. A., Reed, John K.
Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/3177165
Subject Headings: Fishery management, Deep sea corals, Marine ecology--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Functional aspects of behavior and morphology in the decorator crab Microphrys Bicornutus (Latreille, 1825) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Mithracidae).
Creator: Salazar, Monique Alexandra, Brooks, W. Randy, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Masking or decorator crabs, conceal themselves partially through camouflage, by selecting or indiscriminately attaching materials from their environment to their exoskeleton. Functional aspects of decorating behavior and morphology in this group have not been documented. Using Microphrys bicornutus as a model species, this dissertation demonstrates clearly that decorating is an advantageous phenotype that has evolved to serve several functions. Decorating is a complex behavior that begins...
Show moreMasking or decorator crabs, conceal themselves partially through camouflage, by selecting or indiscriminately attaching materials from their environment to their exoskeleton. Functional aspects of decorating behavior and morphology in this group have not been documented. Using Microphrys bicornutus as a model species, this dissertation demonstrates clearly that decorating is an advantageous phenotype that has evolved to serve several functions. Decorating is a complex behavior that begins when a crab approaches an algal substrate and results in the attachment of algae to hooked setae on the exoskeleton. Once decorated, crabs remain motionless on the substrate until disturbed or until another behavior is initiated. This was confirmed for M. bicornutus, as crabs spent a significant amount of time feeding, remaining motionless, picking, and walking when compared to decorating. Crabs displayed agonistic behaviors during encounters with conspecifics conspecifics. These included both active aggressive behavior and display behavior. Crabs showed a decrease in motility during these encounters, helping maintain dispersed distributions, thereby decreasing intrsapecific encounters in the field. Trials were done to determine the effect of conspecifics, predators and feeding preferences on algal utilization. M. bicornutus showed a significant decrease in the amount of algae used for decoration in the highest density trials (i.e., 4 and 8 crabs). Agonistic displays and aggressive behavior between these crabs likely affected the time available for decorating. Decorated crabs isolated from an algal substrate were more likely to survive in the presence of either of two sympatric fish predators. Thus, being protected by the algal decoration on their exoskeletons. Trials also showed a parallel between algal consumption and algal materials used for decoration. In addition to its protective function, algae used by M. bicornutus for decoration simultaneously serve as short term food supplies for the crabs. Eleven morphologically complex structures were identified and mapped on the exoskeleton. Hooked setae were the primary structures used to attach algae to the crab’s body. Ten additional setal structures were present, including two novel types of setae. On the basis of location and morphological variation exhibited among these latter structures, a primary sensory function may be inferred.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004056
Subject Headings: Animal behavior, Camouflage (Biology), Crabs -- Behavior, Marine ecology, Predation (Biology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Tropical crustose coralline algal community and individual growth responses to light and elevated pCO2.
Creator: Dutra, Elizabeth A., Koch, Marguerite, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are important reef stabilizers and their susceptibility to anthropogenic climate change and ocean acidification (OA) is of concern. Ocean acidification effects on benthic algal communities were determined by the response of CCA, fleshy macroalgae and microalgae to the interaction of pCO2 and light. I examined if elevated pCO2 and light influences CCA dominance by assessing their growth, recruitment and calcification. Elevated pCO2 under natural reef diurnal CO2...
Show moreCrustose coralline algae (CCA) are important reef stabilizers and their susceptibility to anthropogenic climate change and ocean acidification (OA) is of concern. Ocean acidification effects on benthic algal communities were determined by the response of CCA, fleshy macroalgae and microalgae to the interaction of pCO2 and light. I examined if elevated pCO2 and light influences CCA dominance by assessing their growth, recruitment and calcification. Elevated pCO2 under natural reef diurnal CO2 cycles did not significantly affect CCA percent cover, calcification rates or survival of adult CCA lobes. No significant community pCO2 effects were observed, rather light controlled dominance. The percent cover of microalgae increased in highlight, while CCA increased in the shade. My results indicate that algal response to irradiance is a more significant driver of reef benthic algal change than pCO2 levels predicted for 2100; however, this conclusion should be corroborated in longer-term and in field experiments.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004365, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004365
Subject Headings: Marine algae, Algal communities--Monitoring, Coral reef ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A comparison of stability in swimming loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle posthatchlings.
Creator: Dougherty, Erin., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description: Posthatchling green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles overlap ecologically but differ morphologically. This study compared hydrodynamic stability between the two species during swimming to test for functional differences in body shape. Flipper movement paths, four stability measures (yaw, pitch, heave, and sideslip), and the relative positions of the centers of buoyancy and gravity were compared between species. Both centers of buoyancy and gravity lie in the anterior...
Show morePosthatchling green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles overlap ecologically but differ morphologically. This study compared hydrodynamic stability between the two species during swimming to test for functional differences in body shape. Flipper movement paths, four stability measures (yaw, pitch, heave, and sideslip), and the relative positions of the centers of buoyancy and gravity were compared between species. Both centers of buoyancy and gravity lie in the anterior body; their positions relative to one another differed with species, but showed no functional consequences. Neither species demonstrated substantial yaw, sideslip, or pitch. Both experienced upward heave with the flippers' downstroke and downward heave with the upstroke; however phase relationships differed between these limb and body motions. No differences were found between the two species. Despite obvious morphological differences, loggerheads and green turtles were similarly stable during swimming, suggesting that the species use different mechanisms to achieve stability.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186689
Subject Headings: Sea turtles, Morphology, Sea turtles, Physiology, Animal locomotion, Marine ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THREE-DIMENSIONAL MOVEMENT AND HABITAT USE OF YOUNG WHITE SHARKS (CARCHARODON CARCHARIAS) IN THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC OCEAN.
Creator: Shaw, Rachel Lynn, Ajemian, Matthew, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Recent research confirmed white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) nursery habitat off Long Island, New York; however, additional research is required to determine the habitat use and fine-scale movements of young-of-the-year and juvenile white sharks within this nursery. Between 2016 and 2019, twenty-five white sharks were fitted with satellite and acoustic tags to better define habitat use. Individuals exhibited horizontal movements parallel to Long Island’s southern shoreline and coastal New...
Show moreRecent research confirmed white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) nursery habitat off Long Island, New York; however, additional research is required to determine the habitat use and fine-scale movements of young-of-the-year and juvenile white sharks within this nursery. Between 2016 and 2019, twenty-five white sharks were fitted with satellite and acoustic tags to better define habitat use. Individuals exhibited horizontal movements parallel to Long Island’s southern shoreline and coastal New Jersey. Log-likelihood chi-square analyses determined preference for water column depth, SSTs, sea surface salinities, and chlorophyll a concentration. Vertical analysis of diving behavior revealed swimming behavior primarily in the upper 20 m of the water column, in temperatures between 18°C and 20°C. Generalized additive mixed modeling suggested SSTs above 20.5°C affected dive depth. These results can help improve characterization of essential fish habitat for young white sharks and provide data to determine the species’ susceptibility to anthropogenic activities.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013440
Subject Headings: Carcharodon carcharias, White shark, Marine nurseries, Sharks--Ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Terpene Biosynthesis in the Octocorals Erythropodium caribaeorum and Plexaurella spp.
Creator: Frenz, Jamie L., Kerr, Russell G., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The marine environment is a prolific source of novel compounds for therapeutic use due to the complex biological and chemical diversity. Throughout the past 30-40 years, over 15,000 natural products have been discovered from the oceans, many of which display a broad range of potential clinical and commercial applications. Many marine invertebrates are sessile organisms that lack physical protection, and which chemical defense may be a possible explanation for these secondary metabolites....
Show moreThe marine environment is a prolific source of novel compounds for therapeutic use due to the complex biological and chemical diversity. Throughout the past 30-40 years, over 15,000 natural products have been discovered from the oceans, many of which display a broad range of potential clinical and commercial applications. Many marine invertebrates are sessile organisms that lack physical protection, and which chemical defense may be a possible explanation for these secondary metabolites. Despite the promise marine natural products have as potent pharmaceutical agents, one of the major factors delaying clinical use is the supply issue. These bioactive compounds are often found in trace amounts in the host organism, which makes harvesting from the reefs unfeasible. A general goal in our lab was to investigate the biosynthesis of secondary metabolite terpenes to ultimately provide a production method of these potent marine derived compounds. Eleutherobin and desmethyleleutherobin are diterpenes isolated from the Caribbean soft coral Erythropodium caribaeorum. These extremely valuable anticancer agents disrupt cell division by polymerizing and stabilizing microtubules, and have demonstrated tumor tissue selectivity toward selected breast, renal, ovarian and lung cancer cell lines. Determining the first intermediate in terpene biosynthesis is the initial step in developing a biotechnological production method of these cytotoxic agents. We investigated the complex chemistry of this coral using a radioactivity-guided isolation procedure, and isolated and partially characterized a diterpene hydrocarbon from E. caribaeorum. The close association between marine invertebrates, zooxanthellae and numerous bacteria gives rise to the question of the identity of the producer of secondary metabolites in marine organisms. If the symbiont produces these therapeutic agents, cell culture methods could be employed to supply the compounds rather than obtaining them from coral reefs. Sesquiterpenes have been isolated from the gorgonian Plexaurella spp., however, no investigations concerning host/symbiont contribution of the sesquiterpenes have been reported. We investigated the biosynthetic source of terpenes in this coral, and experimental evidence indicates that bacteria are responsible for sesquiterpene production. We also examined sesquiterpene variation of Plexaurella spp. from various locations, and found sesquiterpene content to vary within and between species, identifying Plexaurella as a chemically indistinguishable genus.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000853
Subject Headings: Coral reef ecology, Terpenes--Synthesis, Marine pharmacology, Pharmacognosy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Habitat suitability and population demographics of the seagrass, Thalassia testudinum, in the northeast salt ponds of Key West, Florida.
Creator: Miller, Cheryl L., Florida Atlantic University, Austin, Daniel F.
Abstract/Description: Reconstructive aging techniques were used to construct the age frequency distributions of T. testudinum short shoots in the Salt Ponds of Key West, FL. Median short shoot age was approximately two years. No evidence of sexual reproductive effort was found. A site-specific leaf emergence rate was not used, which may have contributed error in the reconstructive technique. Gradients in salinity, phosphorous availability, community composition, and leaf width were observed along the water flow...
Show moreReconstructive aging techniques were used to construct the age frequency distributions of T. testudinum short shoots in the Salt Ponds of Key West, FL. Median short shoot age was approximately two years. No evidence of sexual reproductive effort was found. A site-specific leaf emergence rate was not used, which may have contributed error in the reconstructive technique. Gradients in salinity, phosphorous availability, community composition, and leaf width were observed along the water flow pathway through the ponds. Populations of short shoots more distal from the tidal source exhibited an older age structure reflecting higher salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen stresses. Populations closest to apparent sources of nutrient enrichment were skewed toward young individuals. A significant positive relationship between increasing short shoot mortality and recruitment was identified. A significant correlation between low phosphorous availability and narrow leaf width was observed, and a positive relationship between phosphorous availability and recruitment was suggested.
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Date Issued: 2000
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12730
Subject Headings: Seagrasses--Florida--Key West, Thalassia, Marine ecology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Blade abandonment/proliferation: a novel mechanism for rapid epiphyte control in marine macrophytes.
Creator: Littler, Mark M., Littler, Diane S., Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Date Issued: 1999
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/3172820
Subject Headings: Marine algae culture, Plant-water relationships, Plant ecology, Coral reef ecology, Seagrasses --Habitat
Format: Document (PDF)

FAU Theses and Dissertations (51)	+ -
HBOI Faculty Contributions (35)	+ -
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Marine ecology (27)	+ -
Coral reef ecology (13)	+ -
Predation (Biology) (13)	+ -
Ecology (10)	+ -
Marine ecosystem management (8)	+ -

Animal behavior (5)	+ -
Marine chemical ecology (5)	+ -
Aquaculture (4)	+ -
Environmental aspects (4)	+ -
Marine organisms (4)	+ -
Predatory marine animals (4)	+ -
Queen conch (4)	+ -
Sponges (4)	+ -
Coral reef biology (3)	+ -
Estuarine ecology (3)	+ -
Eutrophication (3)	+ -
Habitat (Ecology) (3)	+ -
Larvae--Ecology (3)	+ -
Marine algae (3)	+ -
Marine ecology --Caribbean Area (3)	+ -
Marine pharmacology (3)	+ -
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Microbial ecology (3)	+ -
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Wetland ecology (3)	+ -
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Animal locomotion (2)	+ -
Ascidians (2)	+ -

Florida (5)	+ -
Bahamas (1)	+ -
Florida Bay (1)	+ -
Florida Reef Tract (1)	+ -
Indian River (Lagoon) (1)	+ -

Little Bahama Bank (1)	+ -
United States (1)	+ -
Whitewater Bay (1)	+ -
Whitewater Bay (Fla.) (1)	+ -

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