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Title: American Green Caviar: Analysis of sea grape algae (Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata) for bio-filtration and valuable co-production.
Creator: Gamel, Matt, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: Rising global demand for seafood and declining catches have resulted in the volume of mariculture doubling each decade. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) expects such a growth to persist in the years to come. This exponential growth has created a subsequent need to find alternative solutions to wastewater generation. The use of marine algae as bio-filters for aquaculture wastewater treatment has been shown to be an efficient and cost effective strategy. For...
Show moreRising global demand for seafood and declining catches have resulted in the volume of mariculture doubling each decade. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) expects such a growth to persist in the years to come. This exponential growth has created a subsequent need to find alternative solutions to wastewater generation. The use of marine algae as bio-filters for aquaculture wastewater treatment has been shown to be an efficient and cost effective strategy. For this study, I selected Caulerpa racemosa (commonly known as sea grape algae) as a potential bio-filtration candidate for the mitigation of aquaculture effluent. Sea grapes are highly valued in Asian and South-Pacific cuisine, where they are referred to as green caviar. They are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, representing a possible new marketing angle as a “super food.” This alga has been largely excluded from western markets, as the Pacific varieties are known invasives in the Atlantic basin. For this reason, I decided to utilize the native Floridian variety, which is poorly researched, despite being present throughout the Caribbean and parts of South America. For my study, I conducted laboratory growth trials to determine optimal conditions for both irradiance and nutrient concentrations. Floridian C. racemosa was found to be highly adaptable to a wide range of irradiance and nutrient regimes, with nutrient uptake efficiency greater than 90%. A clear set of optimal parameters could not be defined, however, as the treatment results were not significantly different. This finding demonstrates the high adaptability and resilience of this species. For the final trials, I constructed a 1500-L outdoor recirculating aquaculture system, raising juvenile pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides). The setup was designed to serve as a proof of concept, to test how good C. racemosa performed outside of the laboratory. The study produced mixed results, but found that a 4:1 fish to seaweed wet weight ratio was ideal in maintaining stable nutrient levels. Overall, the results designate C. racemosa as a strong candidate for commercial bio-filtration, and as a possible cash crop for the domestic sushi and algal supplement industries.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: Gamel_fgcu_1743_10258
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATOR’S PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR NEEDS TO BEST SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITY.
Creator: Rolfe, Allison Elizabeth, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: According to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2010), the demand for STEM-educated teachers in the United States is increasing. With limited time and space in the general classroom setting, Environmental Education (EE) is becoming increasingly more important to the education system. The Environmental Education Alliance of Southwest Florida (EE Alliance) is a community of practice that relies on participation of local experts to create successful environmental...
Show moreAccording to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2010), the demand for STEM-educated teachers in the United States is increasing. With limited time and space in the general classroom setting, Environmental Education (EE) is becoming increasingly more important to the education system. The Environmental Education Alliance of Southwest Florida (EE Alliance) is a community of practice that relies on participation of local experts to create successful environmental education programs. This study identifies the needs of environmental education in Southwest Florida through the EE Alliance by eliciting the perspectives of local EE professionals. A survey was sent to a total of 219 participants of the EE Alliance listserv; 50 responses were received. This study collects quantitative data from Likerttype survey response as well as qualitative data obtained from open response comments sections. The study identifies the perceived needs of material resources (resources that can be bought with funding), human resources (the knowledge, amount, and adequacy of staff), and social resources (the ability to create partnerships, relationships, and professional development opportunities) in order to run successful environmental education programs.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: Rolfe_fgcu_1743_10265
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Diel movements of juvenile smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata): Implications for defining the size of a nursery hotspot.
Creator: Huston, Cecily Ann, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: Habitat use and movements of juvenile (1-year-old fish (1–3 years old), remained along the northern shoreline of the river in a protected cove. The younger age class remained closer (
Show moreHabitat use and movements of juvenile (<3 yr old) Critically Endangered smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata were studied in the Peace River in southwest Florida to estimate the size of a known nursery hotspot (high-use area). A total of 23 smalltooth sawfish were tagged during the peak recruitment period of April and May 2014 and were tracked until the end of September 2014 using passive acoustic monitoring. Active tracking was used to estimate positions of individuals relative to the shoreline and major habitat types. During the day, sawfish <1500 mm stretched total length (STL; n=11), representing <1 year old fish, and those measuring 1504 to 1881 mm STL (n=12), representing >1-year-old fish (1–3 years old), remained along the northern shoreline of the river in a protected cove. The younger age class remained closer (<25 m) to red mangrove-dominated shorelines than did the older age class. At night, both age classes moved away from the shoreline and away from the protected cove; the older individuals made the longest excursions (~5 km), toward the southern shoreline of the river. The discovery of these regular diel movements has led to the expansion of the boundaries of the single recognized nursery hotspot in the Peace River, which was previously defined solely by daytime catch data. These data are crucial for aiding the conservation of this Critically Endangered species and adding an extra layer of protection within its federally-designated Critical Habitat.
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Date Issued: 2017-06-13
Identifier: Huston_fgcu_1743_10259
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effect of Urbanization on Predatory Defense Mechanisms of Southern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus) Populations in South Florida.
Creator: Richards, Tesla, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: The effect of urbanization on native wildlife is mostly negative. For example, the creation of urban habitats results in the loss of wild habitats, which can increase fragmentation, limit species dispersal and reduce access to resources. However, in some circumstances, urbanization can have positive effects on native wildlife. For example, some opportunistic and generalized species are able to tolerate urbanization by taking advantage of novel niches with reduced competition. Diadophis...
Show moreThe effect of urbanization on native wildlife is mostly negative. For example, the creation of urban habitats results in the loss of wild habitats, which can increase fragmentation, limit species dispersal and reduce access to resources. However, in some circumstances, urbanization can have positive effects on native wildlife. For example, some opportunistic and generalized species are able to tolerate urbanization by taking advantage of novel niches with reduced competition. Diadophis punctatus punctatus (Southern Ringneck Snakes) are a small, cryptic species found throughout the southeastern United States that thrive in both urban and wild habitats, indicating the snake’s tolerance to urbanization. Urbanization may have expanded D. p. punctatus’ niche. These snakes may be able to take advantage of the climate and landscape, availability of novel prey, and/ or refuge from predators within urban habitats. In this study, I examined if D. p. punctatus used urban habitats as refuge from predators by comparing the frequency of predator bite marks on clay snake models placed in urban and wild habitats. The snake models resembled different aspects of D. p. punctatus’ morphology and behavior. I also analyzed the placement of predator bite marks on the snake models to determine the function (i.e., aposematic, parasematic, or deimatic signaling) of D. p. punctatus’ tail-coiling display. The rates of predator attacks on the snake models were similar between urban and wild habitats, indicating D. p. punctatus used urban habitats for reasons other than a refuge from predators. In addition, this study supports the claim that D. p. punctatus’ tail-coiling display was an anti-predatory mechanism. Predators avoided the tail on snake models with red coloration and coiled tails, suggesting D. p. punctatus’ tail-coiling display may be used as a deimatic signal. Results of this study appear to contradict previous findings about the tail-coiling display. However, it is likely that the use of D. p. punctatus’ anti-predatory signal depends on the context. These snakes seem to show multi-modal signaling and flexible defense mechanisms, which may be important characteristics of urbanophiles.
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Date Issued: 2017-07-27
Identifier: Richards_fgcu_1743_10263
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Environmental Factors Affecting Enterococcus and Fecal Coliform Bacteria in Beach Waters of Sarasota County, Florida.
Creator: Clemente, Jennifer Elaine, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) conducts sampling at recreational beaches for Enterococcus and fecal coliform bacteria, and posts advisories recommending against beach swimming when reported concentrations exceed 104 #CFU/100mL for enterococcus and 400#CFU/100mL for fecal coliform). County agencies select beaches to sample, and collect surf-zone samples once weekly. Bacteria concentrations fluctuate rapidly and over short distances, and beach advisories are posted up to four days...
Show moreThe Florida Department of Health (FDOH) conducts sampling at recreational beaches for Enterococcus and fecal coliform bacteria, and posts advisories recommending against beach swimming when reported concentrations exceed 104 #CFU/100mL for enterococcus and 400#CFU/100mL for fecal coliform). County agencies select beaches to sample, and collect surf-zone samples once weekly. Bacteria concentrations fluctuate rapidly and over short distances, and beach advisories are posted up to four days after high bacteria is first observed (field resampling and laboratory testing consume several days), seriously compromising FDOH's capability to protect beachgoers from exposure to harmful conditions. Precautionary measures could be improved if we could reliably predict conditions under which high bacteria concentrations are likely to occur. The objective of this research is to identify conditions statistically related to high bacterial concentrations using data from ten years of weekly sampling at 16 beaches in Sarasota County, FL. Previous studies in California, Miami FL, and elsewhere, analyzing the immediate vicinity of ocean stormwater outfalls, have identified modest relationships to factors including: magnitude and intensity of storm events that may mobilize bacteria from coastal watersheds; length of antecedent dry period before mobilizing storm, during which bacteria may propagate in conveyances; and tide/surf conditions that may either mobilize bacteria propagating in beach sand, break up bacterial colonies in the surf zone, or generate where bacteria may survive near the shore. The present study attempted multiple regression relating bacteria conditions to explanatory factors including: watershed rainfall in days prior to the sample date; total rainfall over several months, a surrogate for saturation of soils in the tributary watershed as well as for dry periods when bacteria may multiply in conveyances; seasonality, a surrogate for high air and water temperatures that promote propagation in the environment; and tidal stages and levels. Results found no correlation greater than 20%, for Sarasota County beaches in aggregate or for any beach individually, with the magnitude of bacteria measured in samples. Relationships are, however, identified between frequency of high-count bacteria samples and environmental conditions including flood level and stage, one-day antecedent rainfall, and seasonal rainfall (wet vs dry season). Results show the relationships are stronger for beaches influenced by stormwater outfalls, and less evident in beaches where no outfalls are nearby. This demonstrates that different mechanisms affect high-bacteria conditions on different beaches in this region, implying that prediction of potentially unhealthful bacteria conditions may be possible on a site-specific basis but may not be supported for a uniform set of environmental parameters across multiple sites, even for a group of beaches in close proximity with similar precipitation, tidal, and seasonal characteristics
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: Clemente_1743_10253
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Fish Community Responses Following Restoration of Vallisneria americana in the Caloosahatchee River.
Creator: Cooper, Charles Michael, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) has long been recognized as a critical habitat for macrofauna and megafauna in freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Historical and current anthropogenic activities such as canal construction, land development, and water management have had destructive impacts on SAV in the Caloosahatchee River and estuary. Large scale alterations to flow rates, salinity fluctuations, nutrient loading, an expansion of the watershed, and dredging activities have led to a...
Show moreSubmerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) has long been recognized as a critical habitat for macrofauna and megafauna in freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Historical and current anthropogenic activities such as canal construction, land development, and water management have had destructive impacts on SAV in the Caloosahatchee River and estuary. Large scale alterations to flow rates, salinity fluctuations, nutrient loading, an expansion of the watershed, and dredging activities have led to a substantial decrease of Vallisneria americana in the Caloosahatchee River. This study focused on three oligohaline locations of the river that underwent restoration of Vallisneria americana, amounting to 20 acres of SAV restoration. Understanding fish communities and associated changes in diversity and abundance is critical in assessing the success of the restoration. Pre-restoration assessments of the fish community in 2018 and early 2019 were compared to post-restoration assessments of the fish community in 2019 for each of the sites. Multiple types of passive and active fish traps were deployed throughout the sampling period. Data were interpreted using univariate statistical techniques and multivariate statistical techniques to examine diversity and abundance of the fish. After initial sampling, the effective passive traps were narrowed down to Breder traps, mesh umbrella traps, and crayfish traps. Active trapping methods initially involved seining and cast netting. Cast nets were found to be ineffective and were not continued. After restoration of Vallisneria americana and introduction of herbivore exclusion cages, seining was more difficult due to the placement of cages and was only utilized once after restoration. Alternative active trapping methods were added: hook and line sampling, trawling, and electroshocking. Electroshocking was found to be the most efficient at capturing large numbers of individuals of many different species. Trawling was found to be moderately effective and hook and line sampling was found to be largely ineffective. For the consistently utilized passive trapping techniques, individual locations did show some variability, but the mean species richness appeared to follow the similar trends as the Control Site over time. For the three consistently utilized passive trapping techniques, a drop in average species richness was seen for the mean of all restored sites and the Control Site. The largest lifts in total abundance were seen in the two downstream locations, Site 1 and the Control Site. Multivariate analyses by site for the pooled pre and post-restoration data indicates that all sites were similar in pre-treatment and differences emerged in post-treatment. Post-treatment similarity appeared to be related to geographical position in the river, with downstream sites showing similarity and upstream sites showing similarity. Such trends might also be related to lack of exclosures which may have affected the establishment of Vallisneria americana at Site 1. Disaggregation of data into individual sampling events indicated two significant groups in the cluster analysis at the p<0.1 level, largely grouping by time, regardless of treatment type. Electroshocking of the sites showed that species richness, abundance, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) increased in the restored sites farther upriver, although not all trends were statistically significant. Abundance and biomass of common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) was statistically significant, with more were captured in upstream sites. The larger numbers in the upstream locations is potentially a result of geographical location or as a result of the presence of cages as structure. Seining abundances significantly increased at all sites when comparing the first seining session to the one post restoration sampling. Seining richness also increased across each site, but the results were not statistically significant. The ecological lifts (richness or abundance) occurring at all sites, including the Control Site, indicates that such changes were likely related to external factors. The lack of significant differences in fish species diversity or abundance following the initial restoration plantings does not signify a failure of the project. Geographical differences of the sites and the lack of long-term data might also mean that lifts in the fish community are difficult to observe and quantify in the short-term. The monitoring of changes in fish abundance and diversity can inform future restoration efforts. Additionally, this research highlights effective methods to record fish abundance and diversity. Restoring SAV will allow future generations to enjoy improved aesthetics, enhanced recreation, a sustainable economy, sustainable fisheries, and most importantly to have a healthy environment to live in that fuel’s happiness and wellbeing. Quantifying changes in diversity and abundance is also of interest to fishermen who are looking to catch more species of fish, ecologists looking to restore ecosystems, and local, state, and federal governments seeking justification for allocating resources to restoration.
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Date Issued: 2020-08-19
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0347
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Survival and Growth of Eastern Oyster Spat, Crassostrea virginica, when Exposed to Low Salinity for Prolonged Periods with Short Intervals of Recovery at Higher Salinities.
Creator: Hans, Samuel, College of Arts & Sciences
Abstract / Description: The Caloosahatchee River and Estuary in Southwest Florida has a history of human driven alterations by dredging, channelization, construction of several lock and dams, and an artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee. Water management has changed the quality and quantity of discharges into the river and the ecological health of the estuary. The artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee sometimes requires large freshwater releases into the Caloosahatchee River. The euryhaline species in the...
Show moreThe Caloosahatchee River and Estuary in Southwest Florida has a history of human driven alterations by dredging, channelization, construction of several lock and dams, and an artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee. Water management has changed the quality and quantity of discharges into the river and the ecological health of the estuary. The artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee sometimes requires large freshwater releases into the Caloosahatchee River. The euryhaline species in the Caloosahatchee River face osmotic challenges from these freshwater inputs. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is a keystone species that can provide an indication of estuary response to freshwater inflow and the resulting salinity fluctuations. A valued ecosystem component, the eastern oyster, helps sustain the ecological structure and function of the estuary by providing food, living space, and foraging sites for other estuarine species. Oyster spat, newly settled oysters <25mm, have an optimal salinity range of 15‰ to 22.5‰ and exposure to low salinity levels for long periods of time causes mortality. High temperatures (300C), which occur during the summer and rainy season, have a synergistic effect on low salinity stress. As part of a larger study to investigate how to improve water management to sustain oyster reefs in the Caloosahatchee River while managing the lake levels, this project examined oyster spat survival and growth during exposure to low salinity levels with intermittent recovery periods at higher salinity. This study carried out iterative bioassays to determine the longest duration (i.e., consecutive days) that oysters can be exposed to some minimum salinity (0‰-5‰, where valves will likely remain closed) with the shortest periods of recovery (10‰) to survive and grow. The results of this study clearly show that Crassostrea virginica spat exhibited improved survival rates and growth when given periods of recovery at a tolerable salinity after being stressed by prolonged low salinity conditions both with and without thermal stress. Spat reach greater than 50% survival when stressed at 5‰ for less than seven days and are allowed periods of recovery at a salinity of 10‰ or higher under thermal stress. Without thermal stress 50% survival was observed in spat that were stressed for less than 14 days at a salinity of 5‰ and allowed periods of recovery at a salinity of 10‰ or higher. The longer the recovery period at both 25oC and 30oC, the better the results tended to be in matching or exceeding growth in the negative stress controls held at 25‰. A ≥14-day period of recovery should always be targeted regardless of exposure duration in order to ensure oyster spat growth.
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Date Issued: 2020-12-08
Identifier: fgcu_ETD_0350
Format: Document (PDF)

Environment (3)	+ -
Algae (1)	+ -
Aquaculture (1)	+ -
Crassostrea virginica (1)	+ -
Eastern oyster (1)	+ -

Ecological restoration (1)	+ -
Ecology (1)	+ -
Environmental education (1)	+ -
Fecal coliform bacteria (1)	+ -
Habitat use (1)	+ -
Salinity (1)	+ -
Urban animals (1)	+ -
Vallisneria americana (1)	+ -
Waste water (1)	+ -

Caloosahatchee River (Fla.) (2)	+ -
Florida (2)	+ -
Sarasota County (Fla.) (1)	+ -

English (7)	+ -
eng (7)	+ -

College of Arts & Sciences (7)	+ -
Clemente, Jennifer Elaine (1)	+ -
Cooper, Charles Michael (1)	+ -
Gamel, Matt (1)	+ -
Hans, Samuel (1)	+ -

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