Settlement Preferences of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora

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Settlement Preferences of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora SETTLEMENT PREFERENCES OF THE PACIFIC SEA NETTLE, CHRYSAORA FUSCESCENS, AND THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF JELLYFISH ON FISHERS IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CURRENT by KEATS RAPTOSH CONLEY A THESIS Presented to the Environmental Studies Program and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science June 2013 THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Student: Keats Raptosh Conley Title: Settlement Preferences of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora fuscescens, and the Socioeconomic Impacts of Jellyfish on Fishers in the Northern California Current This thesis has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in the Environmental Studies Program by: Kelly Sutherland Chairperson Janet Hodder Member Scott Bridgham Member and Kimberly Andrews Espy Vice President for Research and Innovation; Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded June 2013 ii © 2013 Keats Raptosh Conley This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (United States) License. iii THESIS ABSTRACT Keats Raptosh Conley Master of Science Environmental Studies Program June 2013 Title: Settlement Preferences of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora fuscescens, and the Socioeconomic Impacts of Jellyfish on Fishers in the Northern California Current Few data are available on distribution, abundance, and ecology of scyphozoans in the Northern California Current (NCC). This thesis is divided into four chapters, each of which contributes to our understanding of a different stage of the scyphozoan life history. The first study describes the settlement preferences of Chrysaora fuscescens planulae in the laboratory. Planulae were found to respond to the interaction of substrate and orientation. Artificial substrates were identified as viable habitat for C. fuscescens. In the second chapter, a population of scyphistomae in Charleston, Oregon were identified to species-level using DNA barcoding techniques. The third and fourth chapters focus on the medusa stage of the life history. Using surveys mailed to fishers in the Pacific Region, this study provides baseline data on the types and magnitudes of economic damages caused by jellyfish on different fisheries and helps assess fishers’ perceptions of jellyfish population trends in the NCC. This thesis includes previously unpublished co-authored material. iv CURRICULUM VITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: Keats Raptosh Conley GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon, Eugene The College of Idaho, Boise DEGREES AWARDED: Master of Science, Environmental Studies, 2013, University of Oregon Bachelor of Science, Environmental Studies, 2011, The College of Idaho AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Ecological & societal impacts of jellyfish Marine invertebrate life histories PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Graduate Teaching Fellow, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, 2012, Supervisor: Janet Hodder Graduate Teaching Fellow, Environmental Studies Program, 2012, Supervisors: Peg Boulay, Kay Crider Science Research Intern, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, 2011, Supervisor: Mark Chernaik GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS: National Science Foundation, East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) Fellow, 2013 University of Oregon Graduate School Research Award in Environmental Studies, 2013 v University of Oregon Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation Scholarship, 2012 Distinguished Senior Award for Achievement in Academics and Leadership, The College of Idaho, 2011 Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Studies, The College of Idaho, 2011 Summa cum Laude, The College of Idaho, 2011 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this thesis is a result of a number of people who were gracious enough to share their expertise. Foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Kelly Sutherland, for her unceasing patience, generosity, and encouragement throughout my two years at the University of Oregon. I am grateful for the thoughtful manuscript edits of my committee members Dr. Scott Bridgham and Dr. Jan Hodder. I am indebted to Evonne Mochon-Collura and Jim Burke at the Oregon Coast Aquarium for their assistance in collection of live specimens, to Elizabeth Daly, Ric Brodeur, and Stefen Gelcich for their technical expertise, to Kaety Hildenbrand for providing fisheries management context for the mail survey, to Joanna Guild, Dr. Brian Bingham, Kristen Cheyney, and Amanda Bednarz for their assistance with statistical and data analysis, and to Kelly Robinson for providing relevant references for the socioeconomic impacts of jellyfish blooms. Additionally, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Kay Crider, whose willingness to let me GTF remotely from OIMB enabled me to complete my degree within two years. I am indebted the Environmental Studies program and owe particular thanks to Alan Dickman, RaDonna Aymong, and Gayla Wardwell, as well as to the faculty and staff at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. This investigation was supported by the University of Oregon Department of Geological Science, the Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation, and a Graduate School Research Award in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon Graduate School. The California Fish and Game Office in Monterey generously sponsored the survey of California halibut draggers, and I am especially grateful for the interest and vii support of two biologists there: Paul Reilly and Travis Tanaka. Lastly, I would like to thank my family—Cort Conley, Diane Raptosh, Kerry Fitzharris, and Colette Raptosh, and to Raj Vable for our time at the coast house. viii For my parents. And for the fishers who took time out of their busy day to complete a jellyfish survey. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1 Jellyfish Life History ............................................................................................. 1 Jellyfish Population Trends .................................................................................... 2 Jellyfish and Fisheries ............................................................................................ 4 Jellyfish in the Northern California Current .......................................................... 6 II. SETTLEMENT PREFERENCES OF CHRYSAORA FUSCESCENS .................... 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 11 Methods.................................................................................................................. 15 Medusae and Gamete Collection ..................................................................... 15 Substrate Selection ........................................................................................... 15 Spatial Analysis of Settlement ......................................................................... 19 Results .................................................................................................................... 20 Larval Behavior and Development .................................................................. 20 Substrate Selection ........................................................................................... 22 Spatial Analysis of Settlement ......................................................................... 23 Discussion .............................................................................................................. 27 III. GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF SCYPHISTOMAE FROM THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST ................................................................................... 37 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 37 Methods.................................................................................................................. 41 Morphological Characteristics ......................................................................... 41 x Chapter Page Tissue Collection and DNA Extraction ........................................................... 42 PCR Amplification, Purification and Quantification ....................................... 44 Sequence Analysis ........................................................................................... 45 Results .................................................................................................................... 46 Discussion .............................................................................................................. 51 IV. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF JELLYFISH ON FISHERS IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CURRENT ................................................................... 55 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 55 Methods.................................................................................................................. 59 Results .................................................................................................................... 61 Salmon and Tuna Trolls ................................................................................... 72 Pink Shrimp Trawls ......................................................................................... 73 Rockfish Hook and Line .................................................................................
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