Browsing by Subject "Seagrass"
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Item The acoustic ecology of submerged macrophytes(2011-12) Wilson, Christopher James, 1985-; Wilson, Preston S.; Dunton, Kenneth H.; Shank, G. Christopher; McClelland, James W.; Fuiman, Lee A.Underwater acoustics has recently emerged as a viable tool for assessing ecosystem health and exploring the estuarine soundscape. Recent acoustic surveys have mapped distributions of both seagrass meadows and kelp forests, and scientists are currently developing remote sensing capabilities to improve ecological assessments of these communities. Furthermore, researchers are beginning to focus on the propagation and ecological significance of bioacoustic signals within estuarine landscapes. The research presented here includes a thorough examination of the interaction of acoustic energy and macrophyte tissue as it pertains to habitat assessment and ecosystem function. Modeling experiments investigated the interaction of acoustic energy and submerged macrophyte tissue. Both seagrasses and kelp exhibited a similar acoustic response by increasing the acoustic compressibility of a seawater medium. The increase in acoustic compressibility was driven by free-gas volumes contained within the macrophyte tissue. Interestingly, the tissue served to limit the acoustic compressibility of the gas volume below the magnitude predicted by effective medium models. Separate inquiries of high-frequency sound propagation and the seagrass canopy revealed a significant temporal component to acoustic transmission. Specifically, sound transmission throughout a seagrass canopy was altered by the formation of free gas bubbles and the pressurization of aerenchyma channels, which was mediated by photosynthesis. The photosynthetic controls on sound propagation were species-specific, and patterns of acoustic transmission provided a reasonable proxy for gross primary production in Syringodium filiforme plants. Finally, the interaction of sound energy and submerged macrophytes appears to have important ecological implications. This research suggests that seagrass meadows scatter high-frequency sound energy and provide an acoustic refuge to fish from marine mammal predators. This refuge is highly seasonal, specific to different seagrass species and dependent on the abundance of above-ground biomass. Seagrasses also may influence the transmission of low-frequency sounds used by soniferous fish. Propagation characteristics of low-frequency sounds are highly dependent on frequency and result in differential transmission distances among individual fish species. It is clear from this body of work that submerged macrophytes are an important feature of the underwater soundscape. Future research should continue to exploit this feature for remote sensing purposes and examine its ecological significance.Item Assessing the Impact of Groundwater Pollution from Marine Caves on Nearshore Seagrass Beds in Bermuda(2010-01-14) Cate, Jenipher R.This investigation characterized karstic and nearshore environments of Bermuda to describe 1) behavior and periodicity of cave springs; 2) submarine spring water quality; and 3) nearshore marine seagrass density. Caves can be conduits for groundwater pollution where terrestrial anthropogenic processes leach nutrient enriched water into marine caves springs that flow directly into coastal waters. Seagrass may serve as an environmental indicator due to its susceptibility to anthropogenic pollution. In 2007, environmental water monitoring devices were moored at the entrance of coastal cave springs throughout Bermuda to retrieve data on water quality, flow volume, velocity and direction. Nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, nitrite, and ammonium) and fecal bacteria (Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli) were measured in each cave. To qualify a link between terrestrial pollution and the nearshore environment, seagrass density within 100 m from cave entrances were measured. Bermuda caves were tidally influenced. Caves in Harrington Sound showed a delayed tidal flux with smaller ranges due to the restricted tidal inlet. Four caves exhibited a 1:1 in:out flow ratio. Caves with an imbalance flow ratio could be influenced by additional entrances, connection to an alternate water body, or cave geometry. Cave water was similar between caves. Environmental parameters and nutrients changed together, excluding seasonal variations in temperature (17.89 to 22.94 degrees C). Higher nutrients and fecal coliforms within caves indicated sewage may be leaching into the subsurface ground water system. Three seagrass species were evenly distributed within patchy meadows. Densities ranged from 0.91 to 4.5 (on a Braun-Blanket Scale). Higher mean densities in Harrington Sound, suggested the enclosed, protected nature of the sound allowed for reduced wave and current action. Syringodium filiforme decreased in density towards the ocean signifying a direct influence of cave water on seagrass beds. Tidal in and out-flux allowed for a constantly changing environment suitable for a mixture of seagrass species. Higher dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations were associated with locations lacking seagrass. This study found 1) cave springs connected groundwater and nearshore seagrass ecosystems; and 2) components associated with terrestrial sewage pollution (DIN, HPO4=, and Enterococcus spp.) were higher within caves than nearshore waters.Item The effects of habitat fragmentation on the diversity of nekton inhabiting subtropical seagrass meadows(2011-05) Hensgen, Geoffrey Michael; Holt, G. Joan; Munguia, Pablo; Ojanguren, Alfredo F.; Stunz, Gregory W.Habitat fragmentation is often regarded as a biodiversity threat associated with habitat degradation; however, research has also revealed beneficial effects on biodiversity as well, depending on the ecosystem and species community. This study examined the biodiversity of small nekton residing in seagrass meadows characterized by three levels of habitat fragmentation, and as a habitat gradient comprised of measures such as habitat amount, connectivity, patch shape, and proximity. Landscapes were mapped using recent advances in GPS and GIS technology, and analyzed using established methods from research in terrestrial ecosystems. Species richness was not significantly different as a function of fragmentation regardless of season, suggesting that the amount of habitat and configuration of several patches in fragmented habitats is sufficient to support comparable numbers of species in several patches compared to communities in large, continuous seagrass meadows. Species evenness declined significantly in fragmented habitats versus continuous ones in both seasons. Within fragmented landscapes, evenness progressively declined as habitat amount and connectivity decreased and patch isolation and density increased, suggesting that changes in landscape qualities can differentially impact processes supporting metapopulations such as dispersal and reproduction in certain species, thereby influencing community structure. Analyses that included measures of habitat connectivity, proximity, and patch density in addition to habitat amount accounted for more variability in species evenness than those just containing percent cover, and showed that fragmentation’s impacts can differ geographically. These data suggest that community resilience to fragmentation can differ between similar animal communities residing in separate locations, and that landscape configuration plays an important role in determining how communities respond to fragmentation after a threshold of change in habitat amount has been exceeded.Item Effects of post-settlement habitat use and biotic interactions on survival of the seagrass-associated fish red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)(2009-12) Fencil, Megan Christine; Holt, J. (Joan); Dunton, Kenneth H.; Montagna, Paul A.; Rocha, Luiz A.; Rooker, Jay R.Due to high mortality encountered by marine fish larvae during their first weeks of life, small changes in the number of individuals surviving through this period can cause large fluctuations in year-class strength. Larval Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) are dependent upon structured estuarine habitat to avoid predation. A study of post-settlement larval Red Drum distribution in a subtropical seagrass meadow in Mission-Aransas Estuary, Texas, USA indicates that larvae settle over approximately two months. Abundance of larger settled larvae was significantly different among sites. The areas of highest larval abundance varied temporally, indicating that the entire extent of the seagrass bed is utilized. Regression analysis of abiotic environmental factors did not explain why larvae were more abundant at particular sites. To characterize the structure and variability of the fish species assemblage that Red Drum encounter upon settlement, larvae and juveniles were captured in the seagrass meadow during weekly collections. Of the 32 fish species collected, seven represented 92% of the assemblage. Multivariate species analysis indicated that collections widely separated in time and space shared the lowest Bray-Curtis similarity. Because Red Drum settle over a relatively long period and co-occur at body sizes known to cause cannibalism under laboratory conditions, I tested combinations of small and large Red Drum larvae at various field-realistic densities and at different levels of seagrass habitat structure to determine potential for cannibalism. Artificial seagrass did not protect small (5 – 6 mm SL) larvae from cannibalism, but natural dense seagrass had a protective effect relative to edge habitat. The final component of this research examined the emergent impacts of a common predator pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) on mortality and cannibalistic interactions between small and large Red Drum larvae. Both pinfish and large Red Drum larvae alone readily consumed small Red Drum in all seagrass habitat structures tested. However, the combined treatment of pinfish and large Red Drum together led to reduced mortality of small Red Drum. Predation can significantly affect Red Drum survival during the post-settlement period, and multiple predators may have a protective effect on the smallest settlers if predation pressure is re-directed towards a larger size class.Item Experiments to examine transplant procedures on the seagrass Halodule beaudettei(Texas A&M University, 2007-09-17) Land, Frederick JosephDuring the growing seasons of 1999 and 2000 five experiments were performed to test growth of the seagrass Halodule beaudettei (shoal-grass) in nursery pond conditions. Sediment oxidation state, sediment source, container type, flow regime, and light transmittance were tested to improve nursery pond cultivation techniques and to test assumptions about the decline of seagrasses in Galveston Bay, Texas. Oxidized and reduced sediments exhibited no statistical difference as mean percent change in the number of stems of shoal-grass, after 47 days. Sediment from three source locations, West Bay, East Beach Lagoons, and the experimental pond bottoms, showed no significant difference in the mean percent change in the number of stems of shoal-grass at 48 and 95 days. A statistical difference was seen in the container type experiment, trays versus pots, at 48 days where shoal-grass had double the number of stems produced in trays; however no significant difference was found at 93 days. A significant difference was found in the flow regime experiment, no-flow versus flow, at 47 days in the mean percent change of shoal-grass with double the number of stems produced in the flow regime. Significant differences were observed between the low light and high light treatments with shoal-grass, widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima), star grass (Halophila engelmannii), and turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum), with survival and growth occurring in the high light treatment and decline and death occurring in the low light treatment. The importance of reduced sediment may have been overstated in the past as sediment reduction occurs rapidly with submersion. It appears that while West Bay sediment did not have a deleterious effect on shoal-grass, West Bay simulated light conditions did. Container type seems to be important at first but not so much in the long term. Some flow, water movement, or current appears to be important.Item Patterns in seagrass coverage and community composition along the Texas coast : a three-year trend analysis(2015-05) Wilson, Sara Susan; Dunton, Kenneth H.; Buskey, Edward J.; Maidment, David R.Seagrasses are extremely productive coastal plant communities that serve as habitat for various types of marine and estuarine fauna and provide numerous ecosystem services. Seagrass meadows around the world have become threatened by environmental and anthropogenic pressures such as altered hydrologic regimes, physical disturbances, and eutrophication. Monitoring programs that provide high-resolution information and document changes in cover, morphometric characteristics, species composition, and tissue nutrient content across large spatial scales are critical in global conservation and management efforts. In an attempt to address the uncertainties regarding the current distribution and condition of seagrasses in the southwest Gulf of Mexico, I conducted annual sampling from 2011-2013 to examine seagrass cover and condition at 558 permanent stations. Sampling occurred in three regions of the Texas coast: the Coastal Bend (CB), Upper Laguna Madre (ULM), and Lower Laguna Madre (LLM), which together comprise over 94% of the seagrasses in Texas. Significant trends in seagrass coverage and tissue elemental composition were highly location- and species-specific. In the CB, I did not observe significant changes in seagrass cover and no spatial patterns in tissue nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) were apparent. However, I observed a species shift in the northern ULM, where significant decreases in Syringodium filiforme cover were coupled with significant increases in Halodule wrightii cover. Long-term salinity records at four stations throughout the study area suggest that S. filiforme mortality in the ULM in 2013 was a product of an extended period of high salinity (> 55) that began in late 2012. In LLM, there were significant increases in H. wrightii cover in the north and significant decreases in T. testudinum cover in the south, which cannot be explained based on underwater light levels, salinity, or nutrient availability. Both H. wrightii and T. testudinum displayed lower C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios, along with enriched δ¹⁵N signatures nearest urban areas, particularly in the LLM. This study illustrates the value of integrating rapid-assessment field sampling and rigorous statistical and spatial analysis into a large-scale seagrass monitoring program to uncover patterns in seagrass community structure. I detected significant trends in seagrass coverage and condition across multiple spatial and temporal scales, including a massive species replacement that coincided with a prolonged period of hypersaline conditions.Item Two studies on the acoustics of multiphase materials : seagrass tissue and encapsulated bubbles(2014-05) Enenstein, Gregory Robert; Wilson, Preston S.There are two focal points of this thesis: the acoustics of seagrass and the acoustical properties of encapsulated bubbles for underwater noise abatement. The acoustical properties of seagrass have applications in mine hunting, shallow water sonar, and environmental acoustic remote sensing. In order to optimize these applications, a predictive model of acoustic propagation in seagrass beds is sought. Previous laboratory research has indicated that the tissue acoustic properties of seagrass as well as the tissue physical structure and entrained air masses inside the leaves contribute to the overall acoustic behavior. The present research utilized a glass laboratory resonance tube to find the low frequency (1 kHz-4 kHz) acoustic compressibility of two species of seagrass, Thalassia testidinum and Halodule wrightii. By using a mixture of finely divided seagrass tissue suspended in seawater, the bulk moduli of the seagrass species were extracted. In the second section, encapsulated bubbles were analyzed as a method of abating underwater anthropogenic noise sources, since these sources, including marine piledriving and oil and gas exploration and production, pose potential harmful effects to marine life. Previous research, which used an array of rubber-shelled encapsulated bubbles, found the attenuation from these bubbles in be in close accordance with an existing encapsulated bubble model. Experiments were performed in a small laboratory resonance tank, a large outdoor acoustic tank, and at Lake Travis Test Station (LTTS) in order to determine the effects of varying an encapsulated bubble's wall thickness and fill material on bubble resonance frequency and damping. Results found that increasing the wall thickness tended to increase the balloon resonance frequencies measured in the small tank, which was strongly correlated to the frequency of maximum noise reduction in the large outdoor test tank and LTTS tests. The addition of polyester fibers and aluminum wool as fill materials decreased both the resonance frequency and quality factor, whereas helium-filled filled encapsulated bubbles had an increased resonance frequency but decreased quality factor as compared with air-filled bubbles. The resonance quality factor and void fraction further proved to affect the noise reduction near bubble resonance in the outdoor acoustic tank and LTTS tests. The measurements made with a single bubble in a small laboratory tank were correlated to measurements with a full-size system composed of many bubbles operating in open water.Item Understanding factors that control seagrass reproductive success in sub-tropical ecosystems(2014-08) Darnell, Kelly Marie; Dunton, Kenneth H.Seagrasses are submerged marine plants that provide essential ecosystem functions, but are declining in abundance worldwide. As angiosperms, seagrasses are capable of sexual reproduction, but also propagate asexually through clonal rhizome growth. Clonal growth was traditionally considered the primary means for seagrass propagation. Recent developments in genetic techniques and an increasing number of studies examining seagrass population genetics, however, indicate that sexual reproduction is important for bed establishment and maintenance. Few studies have investigated the reproductive biology and ecology of sub-tropical seagrass species, although this information is necessary for effective management and restoration. This work investigates the influence of pore-water nutrients on flowering, water flow on seed dispersal, consumption on seed survival, and describes the reproductive phenology in Texas for the two dominant seagrass species in the Gulf of Mexico: turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) and shoal grass (Halodule wrightii). These species exhibit distinctive reproductive seasons that span summertime months, but reproductive output varies spatially and temporally. Results of an in situ nutrient enrichment experiment indicate that turtle grass produces fewer flowers (but more somatic tissue) when exposed to high pore-water ammonium than when exposed to low pore-water ammonium, suggesting that nutrient loading has the potential to reduce seagrass reproductive output. Seed consumption may also limit reproduction and recruitment in some areas, as laboratory feeding experiments show that several local crustaceans consume shoal grass and turtle grass seeds and seedlings, which do not survive consumption. Dispersal experiments indicate that seed movement along the substrate depends on local water flow conditions, is greater for turtle grass than shoal grass, and is related to seed morphology. Under normal water flow conditions in Texas, turtle grass secondary seedling dispersal is relatively minimal (< 2.1 m d⁻¹) compared to primary dispersal, which can be on the order of kilometers, and shoal grass secondary seed dispersal can be up to 1.1 m d⁻¹, but seeds are likely retained in the parent meadow. Results from this work can be used when developing seagrass management, conservation and restoration actions and provide necessary information concerning a life history stage whose importance was historically under-recognized.