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The Colonization of a Multi-Functional Artificial Reef Designed for the American Lobster, Homarus Americanus

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The Colonization of a Multi-Functional Artificial Reef Designed for the American Lobster, Homarus Americanus The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fogler Library Spring 5-8-2020 The Colonization of a Multi-functional Artificial Reef Designed for the American Lobster, Homarus Americanus Christopher Roy University of Maine, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd Recommended Citation Roy, Christopher, "The Colonization of a Multi-functional Artificial Reef Designed for the American Lobster, Homarus Americanus" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3205. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/3205 This Open-Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE COLONIZATION OF A MULTIFUNCTIONAL ARTIFICIAL REEF DESIGNED FOR THE AMERICAN LOBSTER, HOMARUS AMERICANUS By Christopher Roy A.A. University of Maine, Augusta, ME. 2006 B.S. University of Maine, 2004 A THESIS SuBmitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (in Animal Science) The Graduate School The University of Maine May 2020 Advisory Committee: Robert Bayer, Professor of Food and Agriculture, ADvisor Ian Bricknell, Professor of Marine Sciences Timothy BowDen, Associate Professor of Aquaculture © 2020 Christopher Roy All Rights ReserveD ii THE COLONIZATION OF A MULTIFUNCTIONAL ARTIFICIAL REEF DESIGNED FOR THE AMERICAN LOBSTER, HOMARUS AMERICANUS By Christopher Roy Thesis Advisor: Dr. Bob Bayer An Abstract of the Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Animal Science) May 2020 HaBitat loss anD DegraDation causeD By the installation of infrastructure relateD to coastal population increase removes vital habitat necessary in the lifecycles of benthic and epibenthic species. Of the species affecteD, the American loBster is the most commercially valuaBle specie in the Gulf of Maine, anD it has Been proposeD that lack of suitaBle haBitat coulD potentially limit loBster DistriBution anD population. Granite Block mooring systems (GNT) are essential in anchoring Boats anD equipment relateD to marine recreation anD inDustry, the footprint of the GNT removes Benthic haBitat anD Does little to enhance epibenthic haBitat. In an effort to support the sustainaBility of the loBster fishery, HaBitat Mooring Systems™ designeD a multifunctional artificial reef (HMS4000), which serves as both a marine mooring system anD potential loBster haBitat. A granite mooring system was compared to an HMS4000 at Seal HarBor, Mount Desert IslanD, ME anD SanD Cove, South Bristol, ME, to unDerstanD the effectiveness of the HMS4000 to increase species richness, loBster abunDance, loBster biomass, craB abunDance, anD fish abunDance in, on or arounD the mooring. Data collection consisteD of loBster counts, lobster carapace length, lobster sex, crab identification and count, fish identification and count, anD all other invertebrates were iDentified anD counted. Crabs were DiviDed into two groups, 1) Jonah/rock craB, anD 2) “Other craBs” where all other craBs were iDentifieD, counteD anD catalogeD. Four dive surveys were performeD at each location between July 26, 2012 and February 14, 2013. The HMS4000 had a significantly higher species richness compareD to the control groups at Seal HarBor, anD higher lobster inhabitance compared to the GNT overall. The HMS4000 at both locations had similar lobster occupancy and calculated lobster biomass. Lobster carapace length on the HMS4000 was larger than other treatments, anD the male to female loBster ratio was close to that of the control site, however there were no significant Differences Between treatments. Although Jonah/rock craB were founD on the HMS4000, the GNT haD significantly more, But, with less loBster aBunDance, the GNT haD fewer resiDent preDators and provided adequate shelter for this species group. No significant differences in fish prevalence were found, but fish had a greater tendency to use the artificial habitat over the GNT and control. Commercially valuable fish species, such as Atlantic cod and American eel, were exclusively surveyeD on the HMS4000. In conclusion the HMS4000 coulD alleviate habitat Degradation through the mitigation of benthic habitat loss generated from a foot print of traditional granite mooring, by increasing overall species richness anD proviDing suitaBle haBitat that woulD support commercially anD recreationally valuaBle species such as, the American loBster, Atlantic coD, Jonah craB, anD American eel. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First anD foremost I want to thank GoD anD my family for shaping my character with integrity anD Blessing me with encouragement. My path through this graduate program was certainly not without obstacle and I thank you for your support I would like to thank my committee. Thank you Dr. Ian Bricknell for mentoring me through these years of research anD writing. Thank you for your patience, I appreciate all your encouragement anD guiDance through this entire project. Thank you Dr. BoB Bayer for taking me on as a graduate stuDent anD for your help anD encouragement. Thank you Dr. Timothy BowDen for joining my committee anD working with me through eDiting anD efficiently guiDing me through the program. An enormous thank you for those you help with data collection. I am very grateful to the School of Marine Sciences, scientific divers. In particular, thank you to Dive Officer Chris Riguad for limitless guiDance with Dive safety anD logistics, Dr. Rhian Waller for taking the time anD interest to help with multiple dive days (anD thank you Rhian for taking me to Antarctica to work on your research—an experience I will never take for granted), Dr. LeeAnne Thayer, Phoebe Jekielek, M.S., Steve Auscavitch M.S, Ph.D. canDiDate, anD the Darling Marine Center Dive class of 2012 for helping as Dive partners in data collection. Without your help, none of this woulD have been possiBle. Thank you to those who helpeD with Data analysis anD technical support. Thank you Dr. RicharD Wahle for your help with the comparative analysis of this project. Thank you Serge Drage anD Peter Scully for helping with the camera equipment anD computer needs. Thank you to those who helpeD anD encourageD me from the siDelines During this entire project anD my overall academic career. Thank you to Neil GreenBerg, M.S. for hiring me to work at the A.R.C. (even though I might not have given you a choice). Working in that facility was eDucational anD proviDeD iii a variety of interesting anD useful experiences, anD ultimately, you encouraging me to get involveD with the graDuate stuDent program. I appreciate that. Thank you Dr. Paul Rawson anD Dr. Sara LinDsay for all your guiDance, support, anD encouragement over my years at the University. I really appreciate your willingness to help anD encourage stuDents to achieve goals anD succeeD. Thank you Dr. Melissa A. May for your seemingly enDless patience anD help with processing Data anD preliminary edits. My experience at UMaine has Been interesting anD enjoyaBle Because of all of you, anD I am truly grateful for having met anD worked with each one of you. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................. v LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background and Project Rational ................................................................................................ 1 1.2. American LoBster Biology ........................................................................................................... 2 1.3. Shelter Needs of the American LoBster ...................................................................................... 6 1.4. Marine HaBitat Loss anD DegraDation ........................................................................................ 6 1.5. Artificial Reefs ............................................................................................................................. 8 1.6. Project Goals ............................................................................................................................. 11 2. METHODS ............................................................................................................................................ 13 2.1. StuDy Sites ................................................................................................................................. 13 2.2. Data Collection anD Equipment ................................................................................................ 17 2.3. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 20 3. RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................... 23 3.1. Species Richness ....................................................................................................................... 23 3.2. American LoBster,
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