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- 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.
Show less - 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)
- Title
- Assemblage dynamics of exotic herpetofauna on Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University.
- Creator
- Kingsland, Kimber, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Many species considered exotic, by both biological definition and social construction, have been introduced into South Florida. These species compete for resources with native species and with each other. In this study, I surveyed the John D. MacArthur Campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter Florida during spring and fall of 2005 to determine the assemblage dynamics of several exotic herpetofauna species, primarily the nocturnal Wood Slave gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), the Indo-...
Show moreMany species considered exotic, by both biological definition and social construction, have been introduced into South Florida. These species compete for resources with native species and with each other. In this study, I surveyed the John D. MacArthur Campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter Florida during spring and fall of 2005 to determine the assemblage dynamics of several exotic herpetofauna species, primarily the nocturnal Wood Slave gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), the Indo- Pacific gecko (H. garnotii), and the diurnal Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei). I found that the more recently established (H. mabouia) was out-competing (H. garnotii) on most of the buildings being surveyed. The study also showed that the Cuban treefrog, (Osteopilus septentrionalis) population affected the gecko populations significantly. (A. sagrei) was the primary anole found on campus, with sightings of (A. carolinensis) the native Florida green anole, being rare.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11609, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT11609
- Subject Headings
- Amphibians, Reptiles, Biological diversity 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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/40269
- Subject Headings
- Birds, Ecology, Wildlife management, Birds, Habitat
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Breeding season and fecundity of Gopherus polyphemus in South Florida.
- Creator
- Strattan, Melody., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, is a threatened species native to the southeastern United States. The breeding season of G. polyphemus is reportedly from April to June. However, out of season hatchlings in Jupiter, Florida, suggest that in South Florida, the very southernmost part of the gopher tortoise's range, the warmer climate allows a longer period of reproduction or a year-round breeding season. My research sought to find evidence for an extended breeding season and to collect...
Show moreThe gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, is a threatened species native to the southeastern United States. The breeding season of G. polyphemus is reportedly from April to June. However, out of season hatchlings in Jupiter, Florida, suggest that in South Florida, the very southernmost part of the gopher tortoise's range, the warmer climate allows a longer period of reproduction or a year-round breeding season. My research sought to find evidence for an extended breeding season and to collect fecundity data on the South Florida tortoises by capturing female tortoises and X-raying them at different times of the year to check for the presence of eggs. Although I found no conclusive proof of an extended breeding season, I present additional circumstantial evidence for it, as well as information regarding the fecundity of tortoises in the spring.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11604
- Subject Headings
- Gopher tortoise, Reproduction, Gopher tortoise, Breeding, Wildlife conservation, Wildlife management
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Diatoms as a food source for Sorites dominicensis.
- Creator
- Gaston, Tiffany., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Sorites dominicensis is a common Foraminifera living on Thalassia testudinum seagrass blades in the Indian River Lagoon. This locality is unique because epiphytic diatoms, characteristic of Caribbean and temperate environments, are expected to make up the biofilm community. Diatoms compose a large part of the Foraminiferan diet. It is important to understand the cause and effect relationship of population variation between S. dominicensis and its preferred food source, since both are valuable...
Show moreSorites dominicensis is a common Foraminifera living on Thalassia testudinum seagrass blades in the Indian River Lagoon. This locality is unique because epiphytic diatoms, characteristic of Caribbean and temperate environments, are expected to make up the biofilm community. Diatoms compose a large part of the Foraminiferan diet. It is important to understand the cause and effect relationship of population variation between S. dominicensis and its preferred food source, since both are valuable bioindicators. We examined the selective feeding of S. dominicensis by first, identifying the diatom assemblage. Second, we utilized scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to identifying the remains of diatoms entrapped in pseudopodial nets and in debris piles. We found that Mastogloia and Cocconeis were the most prominent genera in the overall diatom assemblage. The food preference of S. dominicensis included Amphora, Berkeleya rutilans,Cocconeis, Licmophora dalmatica, Mastogloia, Odontella rhombus, Plagiogramma pulchellum var. pygmaeum, and Skeletonema.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77667
- Subject Headings
- Diatoms, Identification, Wetland ecology, Stream ecology, Methodology
- 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.
Show less - 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
- 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.
Show less - 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
- The facts behind the FCAT.
- Creator
- Gamsey, Erin., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 makes schools accountable for the performance of their students, and measures that goal through standardized testing. Florida's standardized test is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This paper investigates how the incentive structure of the FCAT accountability system has resulted in costly unintended consequences, such as the disruption of local home prices, teaching towards the test, manipulation of the test pools, and an increase in the...
Show moreThe No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 makes schools accountable for the performance of their students, and measures that goal through standardized testing. Florida's standardized test is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This paper investigates how the incentive structure of the FCAT accountability system has resulted in costly unintended consequences, such as the disruption of local home prices, teaching towards the test, manipulation of the test pools, and an increase in the number of school dropouts. The State of Florida officially estimates that the cost to administer the FCAT is $19.44 per student. My claim is that the Florida Department of Education's estimate is profoundly understated because it does not take into account an array of internal and external costs associated with the test. By including these costs of the FCAT, I show that the FCAT does indeed cost more than $19.44 per student.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3335019
- Subject Headings
- Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Achievement in education, Educational tests and measurements
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- False crawls by loggerhead sea turtles in Palm Beach County, Florida.
- Creator
- Leech, Anna, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
In Florida, loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting populations are in decline, and human presence on beaches during nesting season can create an array of problems for the sea turtles. Volunteers and workers from the Loggerhead Marinelife Center collected nesting data from 2001 to 2005 along a 9.7 km stretch of Jupiter and Juno Beach, in Palm Beach County, Florida. Using these data, I found that human presence appears to have a negative impact on false crawl rates. The rate of false...
Show moreIn Florida, loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting populations are in decline, and human presence on beaches during nesting season can create an array of problems for the sea turtles. Volunteers and workers from the Loggerhead Marinelife Center collected nesting data from 2001 to 2005 along a 9.7 km stretch of Jupiter and Juno Beach, in Palm Beach County, Florida. Using these data, I found that human presence appears to have a negative impact on false crawl rates. The rate of false crawl was significantly higher on weekends than on weekdays(χ2 = 6.3, p < 0.05), and in areas with continuous public access than in areas with no public access(χ2 = 69.0, p < 0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in the number of nests laid on weekends versus weekdays(χ2 = 0.6, p > 0.05), although there are still other, less obvious negative effects caused by false crawling, and even nesting, while humans are in the vicinity. Even though it is impractical to try to keep people off the beach at night, it is important to increase awareness of the negative impacts that human presence may have on sea turtle nesting in order to help reverse the decline in the population of loggerhead sea turtles.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77673
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles, Wildlife conservation, Loggerhead turtle, Sea turtles, Orientation
- 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.
Show less - 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
- Fishes of the Abacoa Greenway.
- Creator
- Snow, Tiffany., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The Abacoa Greenway is a manmade artificial water system constructed in the late 1990s, and home to an array of aquatic flora and fauna. There has been no previous survey of the species residing in this area; therefore this will be a foundation for future samplings to compare to. The goal of this study was to compile a species list of fishes inhabiting the freshwater systems of the Abacoa Greenway Ranges IV and V, as well as a classification of exotic and native species inhabiting the area. A...
Show moreThe Abacoa Greenway is a manmade artificial water system constructed in the late 1990s, and home to an array of aquatic flora and fauna. There has been no previous survey of the species residing in this area; therefore this will be a foundation for future samplings to compare to. The goal of this study was to compile a species list of fishes inhabiting the freshwater systems of the Abacoa Greenway Ranges IV and V, as well as a classification of exotic and native species inhabiting the area. A total of 11 species have been collected and identified between March 2007 and May 2008. Of these three species have been classified as exotic or introduced and the other eight as native species naturally existing in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77693
- Subject Headings
- Greenways, Fishes, Identification, Population biology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Gun control in Florida: an analysis of the Right to Carry Law of 1987.
- Creator
- Mathews, Sunil., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
In 1987, Florida passed a Right to Carry Law, allowing citizens to purchase a concealed weapons license. Bill proponents believe that an armed citizenry will deter crime. This study examines the relationship between gun control legislation and violent crime in Florida. By using multiple regression analysis, I conclude that gun control legislation has a significant effect on homicide rates, and the presence of national economic conditions is associated with violent crime in Florida.
- Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3325083
- Subject Headings
- Firearms ownership, Law and legislation, Violence, Prevention, Firearms, Law and legislation, Gun control
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An illustrated guide to the Abacoa Greenway.
- Creator
- McKee, Kelley., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The Abacoa community enjoys the unique social, economic, environmental, and aesthetic benefits of a 267-acre greenway system. The Abacoa greenway provides habitat for the threatened gopher tortoise and other endemic wildlife, and a system for water management. I am collaborating with Dr. Jon Moore to develop an educational field guide to the Abacoa greenway. For my part, I am developing the body text and contributing scientific illustrations of select flora and fauna species. The content of...
Show moreThe Abacoa community enjoys the unique social, economic, environmental, and aesthetic benefits of a 267-acre greenway system. The Abacoa greenway provides habitat for the threatened gopher tortoise and other endemic wildlife, and a system for water management. I am collaborating with Dr. Jon Moore to develop an educational field guide to the Abacoa greenway. For my part, I am developing the body text and contributing scientific illustrations of select flora and fauna species. The content of the guide will be drawn from the compilation of research and materials herein. My research essay explores the various aspects of the greenway, including the history of the site, the social and environmental significance of the greenway, gopher tortoise conservation, the ecology of pine flatwoods and wet lands ecosystems, and ongoing greenway management. The subsequent section provides tables listing greenway species. In the final section, select species are featured in a series of captioned illustrations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77677, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT77677
- Subject Headings
- Greenways, Description and travel, Greenways, Environmental aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The influence of public access on raccoon predation on sea turtle nests in Boca Raton, Florida.
- Creator
- VanDam, Andrea., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
In the Eastern United States, the Florida coastline provides 85% of all nesting sites for the green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles. Palm Beach County beaches experience some of the highest nesting frequencies, but recreational use of the beaches has increased threats like raccoon predation. The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (GLNC) in Boca Raton (founded in 1984) keeps records of nests and predators to the nests. I analyzed 4554...
Show moreIn the Eastern United States, the Florida coastline provides 85% of all nesting sites for the green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles. Palm Beach County beaches experience some of the highest nesting frequencies, but recreational use of the beaches has increased threats like raccoon predation. The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (GLNC) in Boca Raton (founded in 1984) keeps records of nests and predators to the nests. I analyzed 4554 GLNC nest records from 2002-2007 to examine whether raccoon predation of turtle nests was most prevalent in areas of high human impact. I found that raccoon predation occurred at significantly higher rates in areas with public access to the beach than in areas without such access (high access: 50.8%, low access: 14.4%, overall: 36.4%). This suggests the necessity of increased protection of nests in areas of high access for the preservation of nesting populations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77697
- Subject Headings
- Predation (Biology), Sea turtles, Mortality, Wildlife conservation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Influences of mosquito control impoundments on Rhizophora mangle initial propagule establishment and growth.
- Creator
- Coldren, Glenn A., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Rotational Impoundment Management (RIM) is a commonly used method of mosquito control in Florida involving seasonal flooding during mosquito breeding season and allowances for natural tidal variations during summer flooding. My study looks at the effects of this impoundment strategy on the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle L., recruitment. Primary productivity of mangroves in these impoundments has been found to be similar to that of natural areas, although nutrient levels have been found to...
Show moreRotational Impoundment Management (RIM) is a commonly used method of mosquito control in Florida involving seasonal flooding during mosquito breeding season and allowances for natural tidal variations during summer flooding. My study looks at the effects of this impoundment strategy on the red mangrove, Rhizophora mangle L., recruitment. Primary productivity of mangroves in these impoundments has been found to be similar to that of natural areas, although nutrient levels have been found to differ greatly. R. mangle is a completely viviparous species, and as such, maternal conditions have a strong effect on propagules. My study compares the initial establishment and growth of R. mangle propagules collected from and planted in both impounded and non-impounded sites.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11618
- Subject Headings
- Red mangrove, Mangrove ecology, Wetland conservation, Mosquitos, Control
- 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.
Show less - 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
- Manatee census of the Harbor Branch channel utilizing photo-identification techniques.
- Creator
- Nys, Lauren., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Anecdotal accounts of manatees congregating in the Harbor Branch channel have been reported by staff scientists at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute for over three decades. The main goals of this study were to identify individual manatees using photo-identification techniques and collect baseline data on manatee abundance and environmental parameters. During the primary study period (summer 2009), I identified 31 distinct manatees at Harbor Branch. Four manatees were matched with the...
Show moreAnecdotal accounts of manatees congregating in the Harbor Branch channel have been reported by staff scientists at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute for over three decades. The main goals of this study were to identify individual manatees using photo-identification techniques and collect baseline data on manatee abundance and environmental parameters. During the primary study period (summer 2009), I identified 31 distinct manatees at Harbor Branch. Four manatees were matched with the statewide Manatee Individual Photo-identification System database. I observed the highest abundance of manatees in the small boats marina, suggesting that this location is preferential manatee habitat. Water temperature at the two deepest depths measured (0.6 m and 1.50 m) were the only two significantly different environmental parameters influencing the number of manatees present. The results of this study provide evidence for the Harbor Branch channel as an important manatee habitat.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3335459
- Subject Headings
- Manatees, Monitoring, Manatees, Habitat, Manatees, Identification
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- More social capital please!: a study of a Brazilian immigrant community.
- Creator
- Esteves, Jessica., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
Researchers who study Brazilian immigrants in the United States have noted a lack of camaraderie and social networks among Brazilians. Based on recent research conducted in Broward County, Florida, Manuel Vâasquez argues that while there are clear structural impediments to community formation among Brazilian immigrants, Brazilians do form social networks. This thesis examines the survey and ethnographic data from Vâasquez's sample to test a series of hypotheses about which factors impact...
Show moreResearchers who study Brazilian immigrants in the United States have noted a lack of camaraderie and social networks among Brazilians. Based on recent research conducted in Broward County, Florida, Manuel Vâasquez argues that while there are clear structural impediments to community formation among Brazilian immigrants, Brazilians do form social networks. This thesis examines the survey and ethnographic data from Vâasquez's sample to test a series of hypotheses about which factors impact levels of social capital and the potential for network creation and mobilization among Brazilian immigrants. Analysis of the data suggests that religious participation and levels of perceived discrimination are correlated with higher levels of social capital in this sample. For a group of immigrants characterized by a lack of collective solidarity and facing an increasingly hostile economic and social climate, religious organizations may be essential locales for achieving sufficient social capital for social, economic, and political integration.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3335017
- Subject Headings
- Social capital (Sociology), Infrastructure (Economics), Social networks, Brazilian Americans, Social conditions, Brazilian Americans, Cultural assimilation, Brazilian Americans, Ethnic identity, Emigration and immigration
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Niche adjustment of the brown anoles after introduction of the curlytail lizard.
- Creator
- Jameson, Meghan R., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
The effects of the recently introduced species, the curlytail lizard, on the Florida ecosystems are relatively unknown. Previous research conducted in the Bahamas showed that brown anole lizards, once introduced to curlytail lizards, became arboreal to evade the threat of the curlytail lizards. To attempt to see if such a niche shift in the brown anole population is occurring in Florida, data were collected using two areas located on the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of FAU. One area was...
Show moreThe effects of the recently introduced species, the curlytail lizard, on the Florida ecosystems are relatively unknown. Previous research conducted in the Bahamas showed that brown anole lizards, once introduced to curlytail lizards, became arboreal to evade the threat of the curlytail lizards. To attempt to see if such a niche shift in the brown anole population is occurring in Florida, data were collected using two areas located on the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of FAU. One area was inhabited by only brown anoles whereas the other area was inhabited by brown anoles and curlytail lizards, the latter which newly invaded this site in 2006. Observations were made by walking through the selected area, and counting and recording all lizards that were visible. Data were collected at specific times during the day, four times a day. After comparing the two locations, it was found that the brown anoles have become arboreal when sharing an environment with curlytail lizards.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11610
- Subject Headings
- Anoles, Lizards, Physiology, Wildlife conservation, Curlytail lizards
- 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)