DOCSLIB.ORG

Final Report Florida's Wildlife Legacy Initiative Florida's State Wildlife

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Final Report Florida's Wildlife Legacy Initiative Florida's State Wildlife Tellier et al. 2008 FWRI File Code: F2196-05-08-F Final report for Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative Florida’s State Wildlife Grants Program Monitoring the Flora and Fauna of the nearshore hardbottom habitats of the Florida Keys June 16 th , 2008 Report Authors: Marie-Agnès S. Tellier 1 Rodney Bertelsen 1 Principal Investigators: John H. Hunt1 Mark Butler 2 Thomas R. Matthews 1 1 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute South Florida Regional Laboratory 2796 overseas highway, suite 119 Marathon, Florida 33050 2 Old Dominion University Department of Biological Science, 110 Mills Godwin Life Science Blds. Norfolk, VA 23529-0266 Tellier et al. 2008 i FWRI File Code: F2196-05-08-F ABSTRACT Florida’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) has specifically identified hard-bottom habitat as an area of concern. This project was developed to meet the data needs of the CWCS and allow an evaluation of the status of the hard-bottom community at an ecosystem level. Nearshore hard-bottom surveys of the Florida Keys were conducted from 2002 to 2007 at 32 sites ranging from west of Key West to the Upper Keys. All sites were surveyed visually by divers using SCUBA. Surveys of sessile fauna were conducted during the summer whereas motile fauna (fish and invertebrates) and algal surveys were conducted quarterly in the first year, then spring and fall thereafter. Data were analyzed primarily using multivariate techniques (regression, logistics, factor, discriminant, and non-linear canonical correlation) to explore which taxa, structures, and physical parameters best describe the nearshore hard-bottom community. There were three faunistically district regions in the Florida Keys designated as Oceanside, Channels, and Inner Bay. The centrally positioned Outer Bay region was not distinguishable from any other geographical area in the nearshore hard-bottom habitat. We found that the Anomura spp., Cerithiidae, and Astraea spp. (all small common invertebrates) with a larger decapod, Menippe mercenaria , formed a principal group that responded favorably to hard-bottom structure. While members of this group could be found throughout the Florida Keys, they best characterized the Gulfside region. The Oceanside region could be characterized with the abundance of echinoderms, and octocorals. The majority of sessile invertebrate structure was composed of sponge and octocoral taxa. Sponge structure were correlated with decapod abundance ( Panulirus argus , Menippe mercenaria , and Mithrax spinosissimus ), whereas octocoral structure was correlated with echinoderm abundance, especially Clypeaster rosaceus and Echinometra lucunter . We found two significant trends from 2003 to 2007 in the algal data. The presence of Halimeda spp. increased, and both Halimeda spp and Laurencia spp. increased in percent cover. A majority of the fishes observed during these surveys were juvenile fish. More than 85% of the fish were less than 15 cm total length. Only 79% of all fish taxa had reached up to one-third of their maximum size. We recommend that any management decisions and future regulations regarding the nearshore hard-bottom community account for the unique regional characteristics of the hard-bottom community and recognize that hard-bottom habitat, like seagrass habitat, has an important role as a nursery area for both fish and invertebrates. We also recommend that future monitoring include efforts to link factors between seagrass and hard-bottom by conducting simultaneous surveys in adjacent seagrass and hard-bottom sites. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Support was provided for this project by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s program, Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grants program (grant number: F2196-05-F). We would also like to thank Dr. Mark Butler IV and his students from Old Dominion University, Dr. William Herrnkind and his students from Florida State University, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for assisting in the data collection. Tellier et al. 2008 ii FWRI File Code: F2196-05-08-F TABLE OF CONTENT ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................................i INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................1 STUDY AREA ...................................................................................................................................2 METHODS.........................................................................................................................................3 Sampling Procedure........................................................................................................................3 Sessile Invertebrates ...................................................................................................................4 Algae and Seagrass.....................................................................................................................4 Motile Invertebrates....................................................................................................................4 Fish .............................................................................................................................................7 Data Handling and Analysis ...........................................................................................................8 Agreement Analysis....................................................................................................................8 Regression Analysis....................................................................................................................8 Discriminant Analysis.................................................................................................................8 Non-linear Canonical Correlation Analysis................................................................................9 Principal Factor Extraction Analysis ..........................................................................................9 RESULTS...........................................................................................................................................9 Sessile Invertebrates .......................................................................................................................9 Presence-Absence Analysis..........................................................................................................10 Algae and Seagrasses................................................................................................................10 Motile invertebrates..................................................................................................................13 Fish ...........................................................................................................................................16 Percent Cover and Density Analysis ............................................................................................17 Algae-Seagrass .........................................................................................................................17 Agreement Analysis among Algae and Seagrass Data Collection Methods ............................19 Motile invertebrates..................................................................................................................21 Fish ...........................................................................................................................................24 Discriminant analysis....................................................................................................................25 Algae-Seagrass and Region ......................................................................................................25 Sessile Invertebrates and Region ..............................................................................................25 Motile Invertebrates/Fish and Region.......................................................................................25 Non-Linear Canonical Correlation Analysis ................................................................................27 Principal Factor Extraction...........................................................................................................27 DISCUSSION...................................................................................................................................30 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................37 Recommendations for Future Studies...........................................................................................37 Recommendations for Future Hardbottom Studies.......................................................................37 LITERATURE CITED.....................................................................................................................38 Hunt et al. 2008 1 Report: F219-05/08-F INTRODUCTION Nearshore habitat can be defined geographically as exposed rocky bottom within 2 km of the shore on the Gulf and Florida Bay side or Oceanside of the Florida Keys (Chiappone 1996). Another definition uses hydrodynamic characteristics to describe nearshore
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Megan E
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School November 2017 Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Megan E. Hepner University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Hepner, Megan E., "Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary" (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7408 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Reef Fish Biodiversity in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary by Megan E. Hepner A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Marine Science with a concentration in Marine Resource Assessment College of Marine Science University of South Florida Major Professor: Frank Muller-Karger, Ph.D. Christopher Stallings, Ph.D. Steve Gittings, Ph.D. Date of Approval: October 31st, 2017 Keywords: Species richness, biodiversity, functional diversity, species traits Copyright © 2017, Megan E. Hepner ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to my major advisor, Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, who provided opportunities for me to strengthen my skills as a researcher on research cruises, dive surveys, and in the laboratory, and as a communicator through oral and presentations at conferences, and for encouraging my participation as a full team member in various meetings of the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and other science meetings.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Proximate Composition of Marine Invertebrates from Tropical
    Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research E-ISSN: 0718-560X [email protected] Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Chile Diniz, Graciela S.; Barbarino, Elisabete; Oiano-Neto, João; Pacheco, Sidney; Lourenço, Sergio O. Proximate composition of marine invertebrates from tropical coastal waters, with emphasis on the relationship between nitrogen and protein contents Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research, vol. 42, núm. 2, mayo, 2014, pp. 332-352 Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Valparaíso, Chile Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=175031018005 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Res., 42(2): 332-352, 2014 Chemical composition of some marine invertebrates 332 1 “Proceedings of the 4to Brazilian Congress of Marine Biology” Sergio O. Lourenço (Guest Editor) DOI: 10.3856/vol42-issue2-fulltext-5 Research Article Proximate composition of marine invertebrates from tropical coastal waters, with emphasis on the relationship between nitrogen and protein contents Graciela S. Diniz1,2, Elisabete Barbarino1, João Oiano-Neto3,4, Sidney Pacheco3 & Sergio O. Lourenço1 1Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense Caixa Postal 100644, CEP 24001-970, Niterói, RJ, Brazil 2Instituto Virtual Internacional de Mudanças Globais-UFRJ/IVIG, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Rua Pedro Calmon, s/nº, CEP 21945-970, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 3Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos, Laboratório de Cromatografia Líquida Avenida das Américas, 29501, CEP 23020-470, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 4Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 234, Caixa Postal 339, CEP 13560-970 São Carlos, SP, Brazil ABSTRACT.
    [Show full text]
  • Maizeuianjusellm
    MAizeuianJusellm PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK 24, N.Y. NUMBER 2202 DECEMBER I5, I964 Results of the Puritan-American Museum of Natural History Expedition to Western Mexico 20. The Recent Mollusks: Gastropoda: Harpidae, Vasidae, and Volutidae BY WILLIAM K. EMERSON' INTRODUCTION The present paper continues a study of the Recent marine mollusks collected in west Mexican waters during the course of the expedition. Previous reports considered the family Conidae (Emerson and Old, 1962), the superfamily Cypraeacea (Emerson and Old, 1963a), and the super- families Strombacea, Tonnacea, and Cymatiacea (Emerson and Old, 1963b). The present report treats the gastropod families Harpidae, Vasi- dae, and Volutidae. Specimens were taken by shore and intertidal collecting, by skin div- ing, and by dredging from a small skiff and from the schooner "Puritan." Dredging operations were restricted to depths no greater than 50 fathoms. The itinerary and descriptions of the collecting stations were recorded in the general account of the expedition (Emerson, 1958). The present collection contains three of the four eastern Pacific species that represent the families covered by this paper. An attempt is made to 1 Chairman, Department of Living Invertebrates, the American Museum of Natural His- tory. 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES NO. 2202 determine for the west Mexican region the modern and fossil distributions ofthese species. A new species of Vasum is described from the Pliocene de- posits of the Imperial formation of Imperial County, California. I am indebted to several people for assistance in the completion ofthis report. Dr. R.
    [Show full text]
  • Growth of Florida Fighting Conch, Strombus Alatus, in Recirculating Systems
    Contribution No. 666 Growth of Florida Fighting Conch, Strombus alatus, in Recirculating Systems 2 AMBER SHAWL', DAVE JENKINS , :tvlEGAN DAVIS I, and KEVAN MAIN2 I Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Aquaculture Division 5600 US 1 North Ft. Pierce, Florida 34946 USA [email protected],· mdavis@hboi. edu 2 Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, Florida 34236 USA [email protected],· [email protected] ABSTRACT With the increased interest in water conservation and the need to reduce the discharge of effluent from aquaculture production systems, there has been a shift from open, flow-through systems to recirculating aquaculture production systems. In 2001, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution developed the first recirculating conch aquaculture program. Two important aspects of conch aquaculture are detennining the stocking density and water quality parameters in growout systems that yield the fastest growth rate and the highest survival. An experiment was conducted from March 11 - June 3, 2003 at two Florida sites, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and Mote Marine Laboratory, to compare survival and growth of juvenile conch in a recirculating growout system. The recirculating system consisted of raceways troughs with an elevated sand substrate. The three replicate raceway troughs at each site were stocked with juvenile (16.9 ± 1.9 shell length) Florida fighting conch, Strom­ bus alatus at 75 conchlm2 (l09 and 140 conch per replicate at Harbor Branch and Mote, respectively). In 12 weeks, the conch grew 18.8 mm or 0.22 mmI day at Harbor Branch and 22.5 mm or 0.27 mmJday at Mote. There was a significantly faster growth rate at Mote, which appeared to be due to a lower stocking density throughout the experiment.
    [Show full text]
  • Ensiklopedia Keanekaragaman Invertebrata Di Zona Intertidal Pantai Gesing Sebagai Sumber Belajar
    ENSIKLOPEDIA KEANEKARAGAMAN INVERTEBRATA DI ZONA INTERTIDAL PANTAI GESING SEBAGAI SUMBER BELAJAR SKRIPSI Untuk memenuhi sebagian persyaratan mencapai derajat Sarjana S-1 Program Studi Pendidikan Biologi Diajukan Oleh Tika Dwi Yuniarti 15680036 PROGRAM STUDI PENDIDIKAN BIOLOGI FAKULTAS SAINS DAN TEKNOLOGI UIN SUNAN KALIJAGA YOGYAKARTA 2019 ii iii iv MOTTO إ َّن َم َع إلْ ُع ْ ِْس يُ ْ ًْسإ ٦ ِ Sesungguhnya sesudah kesulitan itu ada kemudahan (Q.S. Al-Insyirah: 6) “Hidup tanpa masalah berarti mati” (Lessing) v HALAMAN PERSEMBAHAN Skripsi ini saya persembahkan untuk: Keluargaku: Ibu, bapak, dan kakak tercinta Simbah Kakung dan Simbah Putri yang selalu saya cintai Keluarga di D.I. Yogyakarta Teman-teman seperjuangan Pendidikan Biologi 2015 Almamater tercinta: Program Studi Pendidikan Biologi Fakultas Sains dan Teknologi Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta vi KATA PENGANTAR Puji syukur penulis panjatkan atas kehadirat Allah Yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang yang telah melimpahkan segala rahmat dan hidayah-Nya sehingga penulis dapat menyelesaikan skripsi ini dengan baik. Selawat serta salam senantiasa tercurah kepada Nabi Muhammad SAW beserta keluarga dan sahabatnya. Skripsi ini dapat diselesaikan berkat bimbingan, arahan, dan bantuan dari berbagai pihak. Oleh karena itu, penulis mengucapkan terimakasih kepada: 1. Bapak Dr. Murtono, M.Si., selaku Dekan Fakultas Sains dan Teknologi UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. 2. Bapak M. Ja’far Luthfi, Ph.D., selaku Wakil Dekan Fakultas Sains dan Teknologi. 3. Bapak Dr. Widodo, S.Pd., M.Pd., selaku Ketua Program Studi Pendidikan Biologi 4. Ibu Sulistyawati, S.Pd.I., M.Si., selaku dosen pembimbing skripsi dan dosen pembimbing akademik yang selalu mengarahkan dan memberikan banyak ilmu selama menjadi mahasiswa Pendidikan Biologi.
    [Show full text]
  • Part I. an Annotated Checklist of Extant Brachyuran Crabs of the World
    THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 2008 17: 1–286 Date of Publication: 31 Jan.2008 © National University of Singapore SYSTEMA BRACHYURORUM: PART I. AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF EXTANT BRACHYURAN CRABS OF THE WORLD Peter K. L. Ng Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 119260, Republic of Singapore Email: [email protected] Danièle Guinot Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Milieux et peuplements aquatiques, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France Email: [email protected] Peter J. F. Davie Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT. – An annotated checklist of the extant brachyuran crabs of the world is presented for the first time. Over 10,500 names are treated including 6,793 valid species and subspecies (with 1,907 primary synonyms), 1,271 genera and subgenera (with 393 primary synonyms), 93 families and 38 superfamilies. Nomenclatural and taxonomic problems are reviewed in detail, and many resolved. Detailed notes and references are provided where necessary. The constitution of a large number of families and superfamilies is discussed in detail, with the positions of some taxa rearranged in an attempt to form a stable base for future taxonomic studies. This is the first time the nomenclature of any large group of decapod crustaceans has been examined in such detail. KEY WORDS. – Annotated checklist, crabs of the world, Brachyura, systematics, nomenclature. CONTENTS Preamble .................................................................................. 3 Family Cymonomidae .......................................... 32 Caveats and acknowledgements ............................................... 5 Family Phyllotymolinidae .................................... 32 Introduction .............................................................................. 6 Superfamily DROMIOIDEA ..................................... 33 The higher classification of the Brachyura ........................
    [Show full text]
  • The Following Section Has ! Been Excerpted from A
    THE FOLLOWING SECTION HAS ! BEEN EXCERPTED FROM A LARGER DOCUMENT. Handbook of Seagrass Biology: An Ecosystem Perspective Edited by RONALD C. PHILLIPS Departmentof Biology SeattlePacificUniversity Seattle, Washington C. PETER McRoY Instituteof MarineScience University ofAlaska Fairbanks,Alaska Garland STPM Press, New York &London :172 FaunalRelationshipsin 2. 'perate SeagrassBeds biotsenozov v pribrezhnyh vodah zoliva Possiet (Japonskoe More). In Biolsenozy zaliva Possjet, Japonskogo Mora. (English r/sum6, by courtesy of Prs, J. M.) pp. 5-61. Stevens, N. E. (1936). Environmental conditions and the wasting disease of eelgrass. Science 84: 87-89. Taylor, J. L., and Saloman, C. H. (1968). Some effects of hydraulic dredging and coastal development in Boca Ciega Bay, Florida. U.S. Fish. WildI. Ser., Fish.Bull. 67: 213-241. Tenore, K. R., Tietjen, J. H., and Lee, J. J. (1977). Effect of meiofauna on in. corporation of aged eelgrass, Zostera marina, detritw, by the polychaete Nephtys incisa. J.Fish. Res. Bd. Can.34: 563-567. Thayer, G. W., Adams, S. M., and LaCroix, M. W. (1975a). Structural and functional aspects of a recently established Zostera marina community. Estuarine Research 1:518-540. Thayer, G. W., Wolfe, D. A., and Williams, R. B. (1975b). The impact of man on seagrass systems. Amer. Sci. 63: 288-296. Tutin, T. G. (1934). The fungus on Zosteramarina. Nature 134(3389): 573. Welsh, B. L. (1975). The role of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, in a tidal marsh ecosystem. Ecology 56: 513-530. Wilson, D. P. (1949). The decline of Zostera marina L. at Salcombe and its ef­ fects on the shore. J. Mar.Biol.Ass.
    [Show full text]
  • Composición De Ácidos Grasos De Los Caracoles Marinos Phyllonotus Pomum Y Chicoreus Brevifrons (Gastropoda: Muricidae)
    Composición de ácidos grasos de los caracoles marinos Phyllonotus pomum y Chicoreus brevifrons (Gastropoda: Muricidae) Haydelba D’Armas1*, Dayanis Yáñez1, Dilia Reyes1 & Gabriel Salazar2 1. Universidad de Oriente, Núcleo de Sucre. Departamento de Química, Escuela de Ciencias, Cumaná, Estado Sucre 1601, Venezuela; [email protected] 2. Instituto Universitario de Tecnología, Cumaná, Estado Sucre 1601, Venezuela. * Correspondencia. Recibido 10-VII-2009. Corregido 25-X-2009. Aceptado 27-XI-2009. Abstract: Fatty acids composition of the marine snails Phyllonotus pomum and Chicoreus brevifrons (Muricidae). Muricid species of P. pomum and C. brevifrons are of economic importance in the Caribbean. This study includes a comparative evaluation of fatty acid content in the total lipid composition of Phyllonotus pomum and Chicoreus brevifrons. Snail samples were collected during the rainy, dry and transition seasons, in Punta Arena, Sucre (Venezuela). Total lipids were extracted and the specific fatty acid contents were analyzed by gas chromatography. Lipid concentrations varied between 0.87 and 1.85%, with minimum and maximum values corresponding to C. brevifrons collected during rainy and dry seasons, respectively. In the case of total lipids, a high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids (57.21-70.05%) was observed followed by saturated fatty acids (20.33-31.94%), during all seasons. The polyunsaturated occurred in higher proportion among the unsaturated fatty acids, except for P. pomum which showed higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (38.95%) dur- ing the transition season. The prevailing fatty acids were: C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C20:1, C22:1 ω-11, C22:1 ω-9, C18:3 ω-3, C20:5 ω-3 and C22:6 ω-3, among which docosahexaenoic acid was the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid, showing values between 4.62 and 33.11%.
    [Show full text]
  • (Approx) Mixed Micro Shells (22G Bags) Philippines € 10,00 £8,64 $11,69 Each 22G Bag Provides Hours of Fun; Some Interesting Foraminifera Also Included
    Special Price £ US$ Family Genus, species Country Quality Size Remarks w/o Photo Date added Category characteristic (€) (approx) (approx) Mixed micro shells (22g bags) Philippines € 10,00 £8,64 $11,69 Each 22g bag provides hours of fun; some interesting Foraminifera also included. 17/06/21 Mixed micro shells Ischnochitonidae Callistochiton pulchrior Panama F+++ 89mm € 1,80 £1,55 $2,10 21/12/16 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Chaetopleura lurida Panama F+++ 2022mm € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 Hairy girdles, beautifully preserved. Web 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Ischnochiton textilis South Africa F+++ 30mm+ € 4,00 £3,45 $4,68 30/04/21 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Ischnochiton textilis South Africa F+++ 27.9mm € 2,80 £2,42 $3,27 30/04/21 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Stenoplax limaciformis Panama F+++ 16mm+ € 6,50 £5,61 $7,60 Uncommon. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura gemmata Philippines F+++ 25mm+ € 2,50 £2,16 $2,92 Hairy margins, beautifully preserved. 04/08/17 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura gemmata Australia F+++ 25mm+ € 2,60 £2,25 $3,04 02/06/18 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura granulata Panama F+++ 41mm+ € 4,00 £3,45 $4,68 West Indian 'fuzzy' chiton. Web 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura granulata Panama F+++ 32mm+ € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 West Indian 'fuzzy' chiton. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F+++ 44mm+ € 5,00 £4,32 $5,85 Caribbean. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F++ 35mm € 2,50 £2,16 $2,92 Caribbean. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F+++ 29mm+ € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 Caribbean.
    [Show full text]
  • Invertebrate Predators and Grazers
    9 Invertebrate Predators and Grazers ROBERT C. CARPENTER Department of Biology California State University Northridge, California 91330 Coral reefs are among the most productive and diverse biological communities on earth. Some of the diversity of coral reefs is associated with the invertebrate organisms that are the primary builders of reefs, the scleractinian corals. While sessile invertebrates, such as stony corals, soft corals, gorgonians, anemones, and sponges, and algae are the dominant occupiers of primary space in coral reef communities, their relative abundances are often determined by the activities of mobile, invertebrate and vertebrate predators and grazers. Hixon (Chapter X) has reviewed the direct effects of fishes on coral reef community structure and function and Glynn (1990) has provided an excellent review of the feeding ecology of many coral reef consumers. My intent here is to review the different types of mobile invertebrate predators and grazers on coral reefs, concentrating on those that have disproportionate effects on coral reef communities and are intimately involved with the life and death of coral reefs. The sheer number and diversity of mobile invertebrates associated with coral reefs is daunting with species from several major phyla including the Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Echinodermata. Numerous species of minor phyla are also represented in reef communities, but their abundance and importance have not been well-studied. As a result, our understanding of the effects of predation and grazing by invertebrates in coral reef environments is based on studies of a few representatives from the major groups of mobile invertebrates. Predators may be generalists or specialists in choosing their prey and this may determine the effects of their feeding on community-level patterns of prey abundance (Paine, 1966).
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Threespot Damselfish (Stegastes Planifrons)
    THE ROLE OF THREESPOT DAMSELFISH (STEGASTES PLANIFRONS) AS A KEYSTONE SPECIES IN A BAHAMIAN PATCH REEF A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Science Brooke A. Axline-Minotti August 2003 This thesis entitled THE ROLE OF THREESPOT DAMSELFISH (STEGASTES PLANIFRONS) AS A KEYSTONE SPECIES IN A BAHAMIAN PATCH REEF BY BROOKE A. AXLINE-MINOTTI has been approved for the Program of Environmental Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences by Molly R. Morris Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Leslie A. Flemming Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Axline-Minotti, Brooke A. M.S. August 2003. Environmental Studies The Role of Threespot Damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) as a Keystone Species in a Bahamian Patch Reef. (76 pp.) Director of Thesis: Molly R. Morris Abstract The purpose of this research is to identify the role of the threespot damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) as a keystone species. Measurements from four functional groups (algae, coral, fish, and a combined group of slow and sessile organisms) were made in various territories ranging from zero to three damselfish. Within territories containing damselfish, attack rates from the damselfish were also counted. Measures of both aggressive behavior and density of threespot damselfish were correlated with components of biodiversity in three of the four functional groups, suggesting that damselfish play an important role as a keystone species in this community. While damselfish density and measures of aggression were correlated, in some cases only density was correlated with a functional group, suggesting that damselfish influence their community through mechanisms other than behavior.
    [Show full text]
  • Epibenthic Mobile Invertebrates Along the Florida Reef Tract: Diversity and Community Structure Kristin Netchy University of South Florida, [email protected]
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 3-21-2014 Epibenthic Mobile Invertebrates along the Florida Reef Tract: Diversity and Community Structure Kristin Netchy University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Other Education Commons, and the Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Netchy, Kristin, "Epibenthic Mobile Invertebrates along the Florida Reef Tract: Diversity and Community Structure" (2014). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5085 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Epibenthic Mobile Invertebrates along the Florida Reef Tract: Diversity and Community Structure by Kristin H. Netchy A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Marine Science College of Marine Science University of South Florida Major Professor: Pamela Hallock Muller, Ph.D. Kendra L. Daly, Ph.D. Kathleen S. Lunz, Ph.D. Date of Approval: March 21, 2014 Keywords: Echinodermata, Mollusca, Arthropoda, guilds, coral, survey Copyright © 2014, Kristin H. Netchy DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to Dr. Gustav Paulay, whom I was fortunate enough to meet as an undergraduate. He has not only been an inspiration to me for over ten years, but he was the first to believe in me, trust me, and encourage me.
    [Show full text]