Qualitative Analysis of the Saltwater Aquarium Trade: The
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QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SALTWATER AQUARIUM TRADE: THE PROCESS OF SPECIALIZATION PROMOTES SCIENCE AS A LEISURE ACTIVITY A Dissertation by ELIZABETH ANN MARCHIO Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, David Scott Committee Members, C. Scott Shafer Gerard Kyle Jessica Light Head of Department, C. Scott Shafer May 2019 Major Subject: Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences Copyright 2019 Elizabeth Ann Marchio ABSTRACT Aquariums adorning the homes of hobbyists are ecosystems, specifically oriented to add a visual component to the living space. This hobby and trade utilizes animals that humans do not connect with on a regular basis. Home aquarium keeping, specifically the saltwater form of participation, requires daily contact (i.e., care) with the system and the organisms within. The captive environment facilitates contact with aquatic organisms. The main premise of this study was to investigate, using ethnographic methods, the interaction between saltwater aquarium hobbyists and the activity of at-home aquarium keeping. The serious leisure and specialization frameworks provide a guide to this study. These constructs delineate various forms of participation in other resource-oriented leisure activities such as birdwatching and boating. These hobbies affect wild resources, and when explored using specialization, managerial recommendations become evident. Due to increased focus on the aquarium industry as an under-regulated wildlife trade, these two constructs provided the opportunity to not only understand the participants in the aquarium hobby, but also identify sustainable management techniques. This study found saltwater aquarists are serious in their hobby from the onset. In addition, the ability to keep aquatic organisms alive requires the hobbyist to continuously gather information in order to maintain participation. Knowledge is obtained through research (i.e., sources) or second-hand information. Both modes rely ii heavily on the aquarium keeping social world. Furthermore, this study indicates saltwater aquarists are motivated to continue participation towards the pinnacle of participation, an aesthetically pleasing miniature reef display. A “mini reef” requires perseverance through stages of involvement, each building on the last. Most notably, progression towards a reef aquarium requires the aquarist to increasingly think, and act, like a scientist. In fact, a major result of this study delineated several scientifically oriented niches of specialization in which a hobbyist could demonstrate expertise. Niches provide reef hobbyists to find a place of distinction, and personal identity, within a challenging hobby populated by a number of other capable participants. In many ways, these niches resemble scientific specialties or branches of study. Further studies should aim to untangle this connection, the potential for aesthetic motivation to mediate the two, and the ability of the hobby to create scientific niches that facilitate scientific careers. iii DEDICATION This dissertation study and its time and energy is dedicated to the Murphy, Marchio, and Powell families. Whatever personality traits, grit, and determination I possess, it was they who supported me in the completion of this work. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge my committee and the mentors who provided personal support through my dissertation journey. Without them, I would surely fail. I would also like to acknowledge the grit and determination I mined within myself each day to overcome feelings of inferiority. This dissertation is the outcome of years of perseverance and work, that which cost me greatly. If you decide to take the Ph.D. journey, I implore you to read two essays I have written in Science – one at the start of my degree, one at the end. They lend insight into the uncalculated personal costs associated with this endeavor. v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES This work was supported by a dissertation committee consisting of Professor David Scott and Professors C. Scott Shafer and Gerard Kyle of the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences and Professor Jessica Light of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. All work for the dissertation was completed independently by the student. Graduate study was supported by Texas A&M University, including an Excellence Fellowship, a Diversity Fellowship, and the Robert A. Ditton Scholarship from Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences. vi NOMENCLATURE Aquarist and Aquarium-Keeper are used interchangeably throughout this dissertation. Unless specifically noted, these terms refer to saltwater hobbyists (i.e., not fresh- or brackish water hobbyists). Similarly, Saltwater and Marine are used interchangeably, both referring to oceanic organisms. FO A fish-only saltwater aquarium FOWLR A saltwater aquarium fish fish-only with live rocks LFS A local fish store; specifically a store close to the person using the term and one that sells only fish and fish-related supplies (i.e., not a pet store) Science as Defined by Marchio (2018) as a leisure activity with an essential Leisure scientific component Serious Defined by Stebbins (1992) as the systematic pursuit of an amateur, Leisure hobbyist, or volunteer activity that is sufficiently substantial and interesting for the participant to find a career there in the acquisition and expression of its special skills and knowledge. Specialization Refers to a continuum of behavior from the general to the particular reflected by equipment and skills used in the sport, and activity- setting preferences. (Bryan, 1977). vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ........................................................ vi NOMENCLATURE .................................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... xi LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1 Context and Statement of the Problem ...................................................................... 1 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................. 3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................. 4 Research Questions ................................................................................................... 5 Rationale and Significance of the Study ................................................................... 5 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations ........................................................... 8 Assumptions .......................................................................................................... 8 Limitations ............................................................................................................. 8 Delimitations ......................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................... 9 Review ....................................................................................................................... 9 Leisure and Recreation in the United States ........................................................... 10 Conceptual Frameworks .......................................................................................... 11 Overview ............................................................................................................. 11 Serious Leisure .................................................................................................... 15 Characteristics of Serious Leisure ....................................................................... 17 Recreation Specialization .................................................................................... 31 Sensitizing Concepts ........................................................................................... 38 Progression and Stages of Involvement .............................................................. 39 Science as Leisure ................................................................................................... 46 viii Overview and Conceptualization ........................................................................ 46 Leisure: Informal Science and Citizen Science ................................................... 47 Examples of Scientific Leisure Activities ........................................................... 52 Practical Outcomes .............................................................................................. 54 Leisure and Conservation ...................................................................................