Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-138). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Joel Kostka, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Oceanography. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 22, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 108 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf [64-67]).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: [74]-79)

Thesis (M.T.S.C.)--Miami University, Dept. of English, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], vi, 64, [2] p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 32).

Thesis (M. Sc.(Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes summary. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

M.Sc.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

Coastal restoration has become a necessary and ubiquitous practice to enhance and conserve the many ecosystem services lost by marsh degradation. Wave climate is one of the most critical factors to consider for restoration projects. However, knowledge of the ways that waves affect marsh plants and the ecosystem services they provide is limited. The purpose of my dissertation was to improve the effectiveness of coastal marsh restoration by addressing the limitations and gaps associated with plant and ecosystem responses to waves through empirical research with three primary goals: 1) develop and test a low-cost wave gauge, 2) use it to compare above- and below-ground plant growth responses along a wave climate gradient, and 3) evaluate the effects of waves on nutrient removal in constructed marshes. I used three field and laboratory experiments to accomplish these goals. The low-cost wave gauge was developed using an Arduino microcontroller and various accessories. After development, the gauge was evaluated against a commercial gauge in a series of laboratory and field tests. Comparisons revealed over 90% agreement between the gauges and confirmed the applicability of the low-cost gauge. A total of thirty gauges were then constructed and deployed at sites within Mobile Bay, Alabama and surrounding tributaries. In addition to wave energy, plant data was also collected at each site, including above- and below-ground biomass, shoot density, height, and diameter. These data suggested that waves affect plant growth responses in ways not explained by the current plant response paradigm. For example, while greater diameter shoots best attenuate waves, shoot diameter declined with greater wave exposure in this study. This response was common among the study species. Other plant responses were species-specific. Finally, a field experiment was constructed to examine the main and interactive effects of sediment type, initial planting density, platform slope, and platform position at sites exposed to and protected from waves. Results from this experiment suggested that waves may potentially mitigate the effective removal potential of constructed marshes. Taken together, this dissertation advances research on plant responses to waves and provides new tools for land managers working on coastal restoration and conservation projects.

An elasmobranch survey conducted from 2013-2018 in the waters adjacent to Pinellas County, Florida, was used for a baseline assessment of the local shark population. ArcGIS and Boosted Regression Trees were used to identify hot spots of abundance and links between environmental predictors and distribution, as well as create species distribution models. A diverse assemblage of sharks, dominated by five species: nurse shark, bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose shark, blacktip shark, and blacknose shark, was identified. A large proportion of captures (~42%) were immature sharks. Results indicate areas characterized by seagrass and “No Internal Combustion Engine” zones correlate with greater diversity and abundance, particularly for immature sharks. BRT results underscored the importance of seagrass bottoms, as well as warm (>31℃) and shallow (< 6m) waters as essential habitat. By identifying spatially explicit areas and environmental conditions suited for shark abundance, this study provides practical resources for managing and protecting Florida’s sharks.