Zooplankton Community Composition in Natural and Artificial Estuarine Passes of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana
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University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses Summer 8-6-2018 Zooplankton Community Composition in Natural and Artificial Estuarine Passes of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Arnaud Kerisit [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Kerisit, Arnaud, "Zooplankton Community Composition in Natural and Artificial Estuarine assesP of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana" (2018). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2527. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2527 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Zooplankton Community Composition in Natural and Artificial Estuarine Passes of Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Earth & Environmental Sciences By Arnaud Kerisit B.S. University of New Orleans, 2012 August 2018 Dedication I dedicate this manuscript to my wife, Katie Kerisit, and my two girls, Elise and Amelie. Thank you for your love, support, and patience. ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Martin O’Connell for giving me the opportunity to work in his lab and all the support he has given me throughout this process. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Ioannis Georgiou and Dr. Frank Hernandez for offering their advice and time. I appreciate the help of Chris Schieble, Angela Williamson, Iain Kelly, Maiada Bader, Dr. Patrick Smith, Geoff Udoff, Dr. William Stein, Rebecca Cope, and Damon Morse. I would like to thank Dr. Michael Poirrier and Claire Caputo for helping me with specimens’ identification. Angela Denniston, you have done a remarkable job helping me in the lab. I will always be thankful for your help. I would also like to thank Mike (OGO) and Dianne (belle- maman) for their encouragement and support throughout this long process. Lastly, this would have not been possible without my little tribe. Katie, Elise et Amélie, merci du fond du coeur, je vous aime tres fort. iii Table of Contents List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………..v List of tables……………………………………………………………………………………..vii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………..…..viii Chapter 1………………………………………………………………………………………….1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….1 Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………………..14 Results…………………………………………………………………………………....18 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………..34 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….....53 Chapter 2………………………………………………………………………………………...55 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..55 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………………….60 Results (Species)………………………………………………………………………...61 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………….94 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………....96 Literature cited………………………………………………………………………………….98 Appendix I………………………………………………...……………………………………110 Appendix II………………………………………………………………………………….…139 Appendix III……………………………………………………………………………………147 Appendix IV…………………………………………………………………………………....150 Appendix V……………………………………………………………………………………..154 Vita……………………………………………………………………………………………..155 iv List of Figures Figure 1- List of cues with potential to affect Callinectes sapidus metamorphosis……….....…...6 Figure 2- Map of the Greater and lower Lake Pontchartrain Basin …………………………..…..8 Figure 3- Type of marshes along the Pontchartrain basin ………………………….......................8 Figure 4- Map showing the sampling location at the Rigolets Pass …………………………….14 Figure 5- Map showing the sampling location at the Chef Menteur Pass.…………………...….14 Figure 6- Map showing the sampling location the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal (IHNC)………….15 Figure 7- Images depicting the field collection methods..…………………………………...…..16 Figure 8- Overall contribution of all species at the three sampling location… ………………....19 Figure 9- Multidimensional Scaling Plot (MDS) of zooplankton communities..………...……...22 Figure 10- Multidimensional Scaling Plot (MDS) of zooplankton communities ….……………22 Figure 11- Scientific classification, overall sites distribution, and picture of Rhithropanopeus harrisii ………………………………………………………..61 Figure 12- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Argulus spp……..64 Figure 13- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of penaeid shrimp.....67 Figure 14- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Gammarus spp.....70 Figure 15- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Cerapus tubularis …………………………………………………………………………….....72 Figure 16- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Macoma mitchelli ……………………………………………………………………………….74 Figure 17- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Edotea montosa ………………………………………………………………….………….......76 Figure 18- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of copepods.………77 Figure 19- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Americamysis almyra …………………………………………………………………………...79 v Figure 20- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Daphnia spp..…..81 Figure 21- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Caligus spp…..…83 Figure 22- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Lepidophthalmus louisianensis ……………………………………………………………...….85 Figure 23- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Livoneca redmanii ……………………………………………………………………………....87 Figure 24- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of polychaete..…….89 Figure 25- Scientific classification, picture, and overall sites contribution of Cystobranchus vividus………………………………………………………………………………………...……………91 vi List of Tables Table 1- Overall species contribution at Chef Menteur Pass…………………………………….19 Table 2- Overall species contribution at The Rigolets Pass………………………………….….20 Table 3- Overall species contribution at Seabrook………………………………………………20 Table 4-Two-way ANOSIM testing for significant dissimilarities between sites crossed with months……………………………………………………………………………...23 Table 5- Two-way ANOSIM testing for significant dissimilarities between months crossed with sites………………………………………………………………………...24 Table 6- Similarity percentage analysis for Chef Menteur Pass assemblage………………..…..26 Table 7- Similarity percentage analysis for Rigolets Pass assemblage………………………….27 Table 8- Similarity percentage analysis for Seabrook assemblage………………………………27 Table 9- Similarity Percentage results between Chef Menteur Pass and the Rigolets……….….28 Table 10- Similarity Percentage results between Chef Menteur Pass and Seabrook…………..29 Table 11- Similarity Percentage results between the Rigolets and Seabrook…………………....29 Table 12- BIO-ENV analysis results for Seabrook……………………………………………....31 Table 13- BIO-ENV analysis results for Chef Menteur Pass…………………………………....32 Table 14- BIO-ENV analysis results for Rigolets Pass………………………………………….33 vii Abstract I assessed the composition of zooplankton communities at the three tidal inlets connecting Lake Pontchartrain to Lake Borgne and subsequently to the Gulf of Mexico. The objectives of my research were to better understand the factors contributing to both spatial and temporal differences in zooplankton communities at the three locations. Monthly samplings of the neuston were conducted from September 2009 until April 2011 and then again from September 2012 until May 2013. Sampling consisted of triplicate tows using SeaGear “Bongo” nets. Water quality data along with water turbidity were recorded at each site and during each sampling effort. All specimens collected during the survey were quantified and identified to the lowest taxonomical unit. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the aquatic invertebrate communities composition among the three sites groups averaged across months (ANOSIM, R= 0.162, p = 0.001). The outcomes from this study could have strong implications for fisheries management and will provide a baseline for future research. Keywords: Zooplankton communities, Rhithropanopeus harrisii, zoea, tidal inlets, Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico viii Chapter 1 Introduction Estuarine-dependent invertebrate life history strategies “The bipartite life history of most estuarine-dependent invertebrates generally results in a decoupling of presettlement forms from spawning adults and the environment occupied by adults” (Kingford M. J., et al., 2002). Consequently, numerous estuarine-dependent crustaceans produce planktonic larvae that exhibit three patterns of development: the expelled estuarine life- history pattern, the external estuarine life-history pattern and the retained life-history pattern (Queiroga et al., 1997; Hasek