Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) and Temporal Distributions Throughout Broward County, Florida Laura F

Nova Southeastern University NSUWorks

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations HCNSO Student Work

7-27-2017 Differential Use of Two Warm-Water Effluents by the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and Temporal Distributions throughout Broward County, Florida Laura F. Eldredge Nova Southeastern University, [email protected]

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NSUWorks Citation Laura F. Eldredge. 2017. Differential Use of Two Warm-Water Effluents by the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and Temporal Distributions throughout Broward County, Florida. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (452) https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/452.

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HALMOS COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND OCEANOGRAPHY

DIFFERENTIAL USE OF TWO WARM-WATER EFFLUENTS BY THE FLORIDA MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS) AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS THROUGHOUT BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA

Laura F. Eldredge

Submitted to the Faculty of Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science with a specialty in:

Marine Biology & Marine Environmental Sciences

Nova Southeastern University

July 2017

Thesis of Laura F. Eldredge

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Masters of Science:

Marine Biology Marine Environmental Sciences

Nova Southeastern University Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography

July 2017

Approved:

Thesis Committee

Major Professor :______David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

Committee Member :______Curtis Burney, Ph.D.

Committee Member :______T. Patrick Quinn, Ph.D.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this paper to my tried and true family and friends whom without their guidance, support, knowledge base, and understanding I would not have had the motivation to complete this project. To my grandmother, Billie Joyce, who did not get to see me graduate before her death but always was excited to hear about my decision to be a marine biologist from such a young age. To my mother, Pamela, and my sister, Jennie, whose annual family trips to the beach house sparked a hidden desire to center my life around the ocean – your support to let me do whatever I so chose, even when I decided my fate at age 8, has always been a constant in my life. To the late Dr. Edward O. Keith, whose passion for manatees and discussions on project ideas initiated this journey – our many hours on a boat, looking for birds, dolphins, and manatees led to conversations which altered my viewpoints – thereby letting me gain as much experience as possible assisting him in his personal research projects.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank Dr. Edward O. Keith for his research and understanding of this project, guidance from day one, and choice to have me take the lead. He allowed me to develop this project and alter its scope in order to best fit my wants. I thank Dr. Caryn Self-Sullivan for her guidance and advice on the importance of this project and its implications for the future of manatee protections and natural resource management. I thank the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division staff for their many aerial flights which created the backbone of this research project.

Table of Contents

DEDICATION ...... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... ii ABSTRACT ...... iv LIST OF FIGURES ...... v LIST OF TABLES ...... vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...