Thesis (M.S.)--Georgia Southern University, 2004. / "A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science." Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-97, 117) and appendices.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: [90]-95)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 218-231).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Daniel Goodman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-144).

Thesis (M. S.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Douglas P. Nowacek, Florida State University, Collage of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Oceanography. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Dec.1, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 72 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by Amanda Silva (amanda.osilva2@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-05T13:59:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 TESE Fábia de Oliveira Luna.pdf: 6070926 bytes, checksum: 5c0233b17f6af6c3a2f420f1d6eb3248 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T13:59:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 TESE Fábia de Oliveira Luna.pdf: 6070926 bytes, checksum: 5c0233b17f6af6c3a2f420f1d6eb3248 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) and the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) belong to the mammalian Order Sirenia, classified respectively as critically endangered and as vulnerable in Brazil. Both species have been hunted commercially since the sixteenth century, resulting in a drastic reduction or elimination of manatees in some places. This hunting pressure may have caused isolation of the populations resulting in geographic genetic isolation, with a reduction of their genetic diversity. The objective of this study is to understand the genetic diversity and population structure of the West Indian manatee (T. manatus) in Brazil; verify the existence of hybridization between the manatees T. manatus and T. inungus; define the degree of relatedness of individuals in captivity; and provide strategies for the conservation of the species. In northeastern Brazil, a large number of dependent calves strand on beaches. Many of these calves have been rescued alive and rehabilitated for future release. Previously, the identification of release sites did not take into account the genetic issues. Through this study, it has been possible to identify suitable release sites based on phylogenetic traits of the manatees. The genetic structure of the population was studied using nuclear DNA in the program STRUCTURE, and comparing FST and RST values. On the Northeast coast one population was identified, which is subdivided in two subpopulations. A different genetic population was found in the Northwest of the Amazon River estuary (extreme north of Brazil, Guyana and Venezuelan). Manatees from the Estuary of the Amazon River grouped with Amazonian manatees from the Santarém region to form a third population. A total of four manatee Management Units were identified along the Brazilian coast, which should be treated separately for management and conservation needs. Using a combination of molecular markers (mtDNA and nDNA) and cytogenetic analyses the existence of hybridization between T. manatus and T inunguis was confirmed, although this does not appear to be a frequent occurrence. Some of the dependent calves rescued, and other individuals transferred from irregular captive conditions to the CMA/ICMBio, were kept together and breeding occurred. Maintaining related manatees together can lead to inbreeding. It was possible 29 to establish the degree of relatedness between individuals kept at CMA/ICMBio and verify the extistence of inbreeding. To avoid inbreeding, hybridization, and overpopulation in captivity, it is necessary that males and females be separated immediately, thereby preventing reproduction ex-situ. The present study allows us to establish actions for the conservation of the West Indian manatee. Actions that should be prioritized include: protection and restoration of habitat with the creation and implementation of specific protected areas; creation and maintenance of travel corridors that allow gene flow; reduction and elimination of anthropogenic pressures on the species; stopping pointless reproduction in captivity; designing further studies in the north of Brazil to better understand the hybridization and implement the action plan.

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2016-10-13T12:47:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Joao Carlos Gomes Borges.pdf: 2198512 bytes, checksum: de1f2ccf01e9496dcc35acd9a6874feb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-13T12:47:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joao Carlos Gomes Borges.pdf: 2198512 bytes, checksum: de1f2ccf01e9496dcc35acd9a6874feb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-02-12 / The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. in Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis) from Brazil, and also evaluate the hydric transmission of the coccidium and the influence between this pathogen and the staff involved directly in captive animal care and management. Fecal samples were collected from 34 Antillean manatees, 12 Amazonian manatees and also 21 employees involved in the management activities. Water samples, used to the manatees consumption and management were also collected. The fecal samples were processed by sedimentation in formol-ether and Kinyoun technique. Before the water samples were processed, this was submitted to a filtration process in membrane (diameter of 47 mm, porosity of 3 μm) under negative pressure. At the end of the analyzing operations, the positive samples were submitted to the Direct Immunoflorescence Test. The results obtained by light and fluorescence microscopy analysis showed alcohol-acid-resistant structures compatible with oocyst of Cryptosporidium spp. in 25% (34/136) and 4,30% (05/115) of thematerial proceeding from Antillean manatees and Amazonian manatees, respectively; 23,80% (10/42) of the material obtained from the employees; and 66,67% (04/06) of the water samples analyzed. The results showed the possibility of Antillean manatees and Amazonian manatees could become infected with Cryptosporidium spp., and participate in the epidemiology of this waterborne disease by eliminate of viable oocyst in water environment wich can infect man and a wide range of domestic and wild animals. The hand of the frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. in staff involved directly in captive animal care and management could be the way to prevent the infections the manatee’s species. / O objetivo neste trabalho foi verificar a ocorrência de oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. em peixes-boi marinhos (Trichechus manatus) e peixes-boi amazônicos (Trichechus inunguis) no Brasil, além de avaliar a transmissão hídrica deste coccídio e a sua influência com os funcionários diretamente envolvidos no manejo dos animais mantidos em cativeiro. Para tanto foram coletadas amostras fecais provenientes de 34 peixes-boi marinhos, 12 peixes-boi amazônicos e 21 funcionários envolvidos em atividades de manejo, bem como amostras de água superficial destinada a manutenção e consumo dos animais. As amostras fecais foram processadas através da sedimentação pelo formoléter e coradas pela técnica de Kinyoun. No que concerne as amostras de água, estas foram submetidas ao processo de filtração em membranas (47 mm de diâmetro e 3 μm de porosidade) sob pressão negativa. No final das análises, as amostras positivas foram submetidas ao Teste de Imunofluorescência Direta. Os resultados obtidos namicroscopia de luz e fluorescência revelaram oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. em 25% (34/136) e 4,30% (05/115), sendo inerentes respectivamente aos peixes-boi marinhos e amazônicos, 23,80% (10/42) do material proveniente dos funcionários e 66,67% (04/06) das análises de água. Os resultados finais apontam a possibilidade dos peixes-boi marinhos e peixes-boi amazônicos infectarem-se com Cryptosporidium spp., e participar da epidemiologia das doenças veiculadas pela água, através da eliminação de oocistos viáveis ao ambiente que podem infectar o homem e um grande número de animais domésticos e silvestres. O controle da freqüência de infecções de Cryptosporidium spp. nos funcionários diretamente envolvidos no manejo e cuidados dos animais mantidos em cativeiro pode ser um dos caminhos para prevenir a infecção nas espécies de peixes-boi.

(One-hour Magical Realism Dramedy TV Series) An awkward New Jersey man moves to a small tourist trap town on the gulf coast of Florida where the folk are quirky magical, mythical beings and he works as a caregiver for an elderly mermaid.

Florida manatees are semisocial marine mammals that vocalize when interacting with conspecifics and to maintain contact with offspring. While many aspects of their biology have been studied, there is a dearth of information on the diversity and complexity of vocal behavior during social, nonsocial, and stressful situations. Investigations of vocal communication repertoires which define, categorize, and correlate varied call types with behavior are needed in order to understand the behavioral and social function of associated calls. Arguably the most important social bond in manatees is the period of cow/calf dependency and empirical evidence indicates cows recognize the vocalizations of offspring. Exploration of individually distinctive vocal features can provide insight on which parameters might be salient to facilitate recognition between cows/calves. This study is focused on vocal communication in Florida manatees, how calls are structured, utilized and function while animals are distressed and during social interactions in their shallow water habitats. Hydrophones recorded vocalizations from individual calves and manatees in different behavioral contexts and varying size aggregations. Analysis of the vocal repertoire indicated manatee vocalizations can be parsed into five broadly defined call types which include the hill-shaped high squeak, tonal squeak, noisy squeal, two toned chirp, and the combinatorial squeak-squeal. Furthermore, the high squeak is likely a discrete call whereas the others are graded and do not have strict boundaries between call types (Chapter 2). Broadly defined call types were used to explore call usage with variations in behavior, group size, and group composition (Chapter 3). Manatees vocalized using few call types and altered structural parameters depending on behavioral state. Calls were longer and more frequency modulated when stressed. Vocalizations produced while cavorting were higher in entropy and more frequency modulated than when manatees were resting or feeding. Vocalizations obtained from individual calves suggest that the high squeak is a stereotypical call that is produced by smaller calves. All calves had individually distinctive acoustic features that could potentially be used in recognition (Chapter 4). Lower fundamental frequencies and higher emphasized frequencies from smaller calves suggest that the fundamental frequency may not be a reliable indicator of body size in calves. This research increases our knowledge of the vocal behavior and call characteristics of the Florida manatee. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Dissertação(mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Programa de Pós–Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, 2012. / Submitted by Cristiane Gomides (cristiane_gomides@hotmail.com) on 2013-10-11T12:19:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Sabrina Andrade (sabrinabeatriz@ibest.com.br) on 2013-10-17T17:27:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-10-17T17:27:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro.pdf: 1098668 bytes, checksum: d672d3888ee8760a698a4ba11e3e1121 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Na costa brasileira, o peixe-boi marinho, Trichechus manatus, apresenta distribuição fragmentada e restrita a algumas regiões com características ecológicas distintas. É considerado um herbívoro generalista e oportunista, que consome uma ampla variedade de vegetação de rios, mares e estuários, porém, existem poucas informações sobre a ecologia da espécie no país. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de estudar a ecologia trófica de T. manatus no Brasil por meio de análise de isótopos estáveis. Amostras de dentes (n=22) e ossos (n=21) de peixes-bois encalhados e amostras de vegetação foram coletadas na região nordeste do país para a análise de isótopos estáveis de carbono (δ13C) e nitrogênio (δ15N). Os animais foram agrupados em cinco regiões: Alagoas, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba (que também inclui animais do Rio Grande do Norte e Pernambuco) e Piauí. As plantas, obtidas destas mesmas regiões, foram categorizadas em quatro grupos: fanerógamas marinhas, macroalgas, mangues e de marismas. O modelo de mistura bayesiano para isótopos estáveis SIAR (Stable Isotopes Analysis in R) foi utilizado para estimar as proporções das fontes nas dietas dos grupos de peixesbois. Não foram verificadas diferenças nos valores de δ13C e δ15N entre dentes e ossos, classes de idade ou sexos. Foram verificadas, entretanto, diferenças nas composições isotópicas dos peixes-bois entre as regiões, principalmente com relação ao carbono: os peixes-bois do Ceará (-7,0 ±0,5‰) apresentaram as composições mais enriquecidas em 13C, enquanto os valores mais empobrecidos foram encontrados nos animais do Maranhão (-15,7 ±1,6‰). Valores intermediários foram observados nos indivíduos de Alagoas (-9,3 ±0,4‰), Piauí (-9,3 ±0,6‰) e Paraíba (-11,4 ±2,8‰). Com relação aos isótopos de nitrogênio, os animais da Paraíba (8,8 ±1,2‰) apresentaram composições mais enriquecidas em 15N do que os indivíduos das outras regiões. O modelo de mistura também mostrou diferenças espaciais na ecologia trófica dos peixes-bois. Os animais do Ceará consumiram predominantemente fanerógamas (97,3%), enquanto as fanerógamas (69,4%) e as macroalgas (64,4%) foram mais importantes para os indivíduos de Alagoas e Paraíba, respectivamente. Apesar dos manguezais predominarem no Maranhão, a vegetação de marisma foi a que apresentou a maior contribuição (68,7%) na dieta dos peixes-bois do região. Diferentemente das demais regiões, os indivíduos do Piauí apresentaram uma dieta mais diversificada, na qual os quatro grupos de macrófitas contribuíram em proporções similares (fanerógamas: 28,5%; marismas: 27,1%; macroalgas: 24,0%; mangues: 20,4%). Os resultados demonstram diferenças espaciais nas estratégias alimentares, bem como a importância dos diferentes grupos de macrófitas na dieta dos peixes-bois. O presente estudo é o primeiro a aplicar a análise de isótopos estáveis em peixes-bois marinhos na América do Sul, amplia o conhecimento sobre a ecologia trófica da espécie no país e fornece informações importantes para o estabelecimento de estratégias para a conservação de T. manatus e seu habitat no Brasil. / On the Brazilian coast, the manatee Trichechus manatus has a fragmented distribution, restricted to a few regions with different ecological characteristics. It is considered a generalist and opportunistic herbivore, consuming a wide range of vegetation from rivers, seas and estuaries, however, information about the ecology of the species in the country is scarce. The aim of this study was to study the trophic ecology of T. manatus in Brazil through stable isotopes. Samples of teeth (n=22) and bones (n=21) of stranded manatees and plants were collected in the northeastern region of the country for the analysis of stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). The animals were grouped in five regions: Alagoas, Ceara, Maranhão, Paraíba (that includes individuals from Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte) and Piauí. The plants, obtained from these same areas, were categorized in four main groups: macroalgae, mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarsh plants. The bayesian mixture model for stable isotopes SIAR (Stable Isotopes Analysis in R) was used to estimate the proportions of the sources in the diets of the groups of manatees. There were no differences in the values of δ13C and δ15N among teeth and bones, age classes or between sexes. There were, however, regional differences in isotopic compositions of manatees, especially for δ13C. Carbon stable isotope compositions ranged from depleted in 13C in Maranhão (- 15,7±1.6‰), to more enriched in Ceará (-7.0±0.5‰), whereas Alagoas (-9.3±0.4‰), Piauí (-9.3±0.6‰) and Paraíba (-11.4±2.8‰) presented intermediate values. Manatees from Paraíba had higher 15N values (8.8±1.2‰) than those from other regions. The mixture model also indicated regional variation on the manatees diet. Animals from Ceará feed almost exclusively on seagrasses (97.3%), while manatees from Alagoas and Paraíba graze mainly upon seagrasses (69.4%) and macroalgae (64.4%), respectively. Individuals from Maranhão were feeding mainly on saltmarsh plants (68.7%), despite mangrove dominate the area. Individuals from Piauí, on the other hand, had a more diversified diet, where seagrasses (28.5%), saltmarsh plants (27.1%), macroalgae (24.0%) and mangroves (20.4%) were assimilated in similar proportions. This study i the first to use stable isotopes do investigate the feeding ecology of manatees in South America. The spatial variation in the manatee’s diet demonstrates that proper conservation strategies for the species should include the maintenance of different macrophyte habitats along the northeastern Brazil.