The United States of Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) closely monitors the changing depths of navigation channels throughout the U.S. and Western Europe. The main issue with their surveying methodology is that the USACE surveys in linear cross sections, perpendicular to the channel direction. Depending on the channel length and width, these cross sections are spaced 100 - 400 feet apart, which produces large unmapped areas within each cross section of a survey. Using a variety of spatial interpolation methods, depths of these unmapped areas were produced. The choice of spatial interpolator varied upon which method adequately produced surfaces from large hydrographic survey data sets with the lowest amount of prediction error. The data used for this research consisted of multibeam and singlebeam surveys. These surveys were taken in a systematic manner of linear cross-sections that produced tens of thousands of data points. Nine interpolation techniques (inverse distance weighting, completely regularized spline, spline with tension, thin plate spline, multiquadratic spline, inverse multiquadratic spline, ordinary kriging, simple kriging, and universal kriging) were compared for their ability to accurately produce bathymetric surfaces of navigation channels. Each interpolation method was tested for effectiveness in determining depths at "unknown" areas. The level of accuracy was tested through validation and cross validation of training and test data sets for a particular hydrographic survey. By using interpolation, grid surfaces were created at 15, 30, 60, and 90-meter resolution for each survey of the study site, the Atlantic Ocean Channel. These surfaces are used to produce shoaling amounts, which are taken in the form of volumes (yd.³). Because the Atlantic Ocean Channel is a large channel with a small gradual change in depth, a comparison of grid resolution was conducted to determine what difference, if any, exists between the calculated volumes from varying grid resolutions. Also, a comparison of TIN model volume calculations was compared to grid volume estimates. Volumes are used to determine the amount of shoaling and at what rate shoaling is occurring in a navigation channel. Shoaling in each channel was calculated for the entire channel length. Volumes from varying grid resolutions were produced from the Atlantic Ocean Channel over a seven-year period from 1994-2001. Using randomly arranged test and training datasets, spline with tension and thin plate spline produced the mean total error when interpolating using singlebeam and multibeam hydrographic data respectively. Thin plate spline and simple kriging produced the lowest mean total error in full cross validation testing of entire singlebeam and multibeam hydrographic datasets respectively. Volume analysis of varying grid resolution indicates that finer grid resolution provides volume estimates comparable to TIN modeling, the USACE's technique for determining sediment volume estimates. The coarser the resolution, the less similar the volume estimates are in comparison to TIN modeling. All grid resolutions indicate that the Atlantic Ocean Channel is shoaling. Using a plan depth of 53 feet, TIN modeling displayed an annual average increase of 928,985 cubic yards of sediment from 1994 - 2001. / Master of Science

Zebrafish, a novel vertebrate model organism, has a high nucleotide sequence homology with human genes. Its transparent and fast developing embryo allows the analysis of physiological and anatomical characteristics, many of which are similar to those of mammals. Although the prolific nature of zebrafish can facilitate genetic studies, linking genes and behaviour is difficult because behaviour is not well investigated in zebrafish. The aim of this project is to develop robust behavioural tests that can quantify shoaling with conspecifics and fear responses to natural predators. Eight conditions using different computer-animated stimuli were used to induce behavioural responses. The results demonstrate that shoaling behaviours and fear responses can be successfully induced. More importantly, the behaviours caused by the computer-animated images confirm previous research findings using natural conspecifics and predators. Thus, computer-animated images will help standardize behavioural tests in zebrafish and will lead the way to more sophisticated and better controlled experiments.

Zebrafish, a novel vertebrate model organism, has a high nucleotide sequence homology with human genes. Its transparent and fast developing embryo allows the analysis of physiological and anatomical characteristics, many of which are similar to those of mammals. Although the prolific nature of zebrafish can facilitate genetic studies, linking genes and behaviour is difficult because behaviour is not well investigated in zebrafish. The aim of this project is to develop robust behavioural tests that can quantify shoaling with conspecifics and fear responses to natural predators. Eight conditions using different computer-animated stimuli were used to induce behavioural responses. The results demonstrate that shoaling behaviours and fear responses can be successfully induced. More importantly, the behaviours caused by the computer-animated images confirm previous research findings using natural conspecifics and predators. Thus, computer-animated images will help standardize behavioural tests in zebrafish and will lead the way to more sophisticated and better controlled experiments.

Umweltveränderungen kommen natürlicherweise vor und viele Spezies waren im Laufe ihrer Evolutionsgeschichte davon betroffen. Durch die Aktivitäten des Menschen jedoch finden diese in höherer Geschwindigkeit und größerem Umfang statt und stellen so für viele Spezies eine neue Herausforderung dar. Einen großen Einfluss auf die Umwelt nimmt der Mensch durch Verschmutzung, welche zu Veränderungen der Physiologie der Organismen und deren Verhalten führen und damit Einfluss auf die Populationsdynamik und letztendlich auf die Biodiversität haben kann. In meiner Dissertation untersuchte ich den Einfluss durch Bergbau ausgelöster Trübung auf das Verhalten und die soziale Struktur des Guppys. Er nutzt soziale Interaktionen für eine höhere Effizienz bei der Nahrungssuche und Räubervermeidung. Die Nutzung sei-nes dafür eingesetzten Sehsinns ist bei Trübung stark eingeschränkt. Ich untersuchte die Reaktion Trübung unerfahrener Fische aus Labor und Feld auf Trübung. Es zeigte sich, dass beide ihre sozialen Interaktionen in trübem Wasser verringerten. Eine zusätzliche Markow-Ketten-Analyse ergab aber auch, dass Laborfische Kontakte zu bestimmten In-dividuen der Gruppe verstärkten und Feldfische ihre initiierten Kontakte behielten. An-schließend studierte ich den Unterschied der sozialen Struktur Trübung erfahrener und - unerfahrener Fische. Trübung erfahrene Fische erhöhten die Gesamtzahl der Interaktio-nen, reduzierten jedoch die Anzahl der initiierten Kontakte im Gegensatz zu unerfahre-nen Fischen. Diese Strukturänderung, vermute ich, erhöht den Zusammenhalt und damit den In-formationsfluss im Schwarm. Die Ergebnisse von Folgeversuchen, nämlich der Erhalt der Paarungsanzahl und die effektivere Vermeidung einer Räuberattrappe bei Trübung er-fahrenen Fischen, unterstützen diese Vermutung. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass Guppys in der Lage sind, sich durch Änderung Ihrer sozialen Struktur an trübe Verhältnisse anzupas-sen. Dies könnte auch Einfluss auf ihre Populationsstruktur haben. / Most species have been subjected to environmental changes during their evolutionary history. However, due to human activity, environmental changes are currently occurring at higher speeds and on a greater scale, presenting new challenges for many species. Pollution, as a major type of human-induced environmental change, may not only affect physiology but also behaviour, thereby affecting population dynamics and consequently biodiversity. The topic of my dissertation is the effect of turbidity from quarrying on the behaviour and social association pattern of the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Turbidity impairs the fish’s ability to use visual cues during social interactions, which in turn helps increases efficiency of foraging and avoiding predators. I investigated the initial re-sponse of guppies to turbidity and subsequently tested whether turbidity-experienced vs turbidity-inexperienced populations differ in their social association patterns and how they cope with ecological challenges. Both lab-reared and wild-caught guppies that were inexperienced with turbidity reduced social associations in turbid water in con-trast to turbidity-experienced fish. A Markov chain analysis revealed that lab-reared guppies increased associations with particular neighbours. Similarly, wild-caught gup-pies maintained the number of initiated associations under turbid conditions. The in-crease in non-initiated associations suggests a stronger connectivity within the shoal, leading to higher information transmission in a poor visual environment. Additional results showed that this altered social structure enabled turbidity-experienced fish to maintain the frequency of mating attempts in turbidity and to avoid predation risk. This suggests that guppies have the ability to adjust to turbidity, but with major changes in their social structure, which might have an impact on population dynamics.

The Sulaiy Formation, which is the oldest unit in the Lower Cretaceous succession, is conformably overlain by the Yamama Formation and it is a challenge to identify the precise age of the two formations using foraminifera and other microfossil assemblages. In the eastern side of Saudi Arabia, the Sulaiy Formation and the base of Yamama Formation are poorly studied. The main objectives of this study is to enhance the understanding of the Sulaiy Formation sequence stratigraphical correlation, regional lateral variations and palaeoenvironmental investigation. Lithological and semi-quantitative micropalaeontological analysis of 1277 thin sections taken from core samples from nine cored wells providing a geographically representative distribution from the Saudi Arabian Gulf. These cores intersected the base of the Yamama Formation and the Sulaiy Formation in the total thickness of cored wells of 843.23 meters (2766.5 feet). On the evidence provided by the foraminifera, the Sulaiy Formation is considered to represent the Berriasian to the lowermost Valanginian. The investigation of the micropalaeontology has provided considerable insights into the biocomponents of Sulaiy and the base of Yamama formations in order to identify their biofacies. These microfossils include rotalid foraminifera, miliolid foraminifera, agglutinated foraminifera, calcareous algae, calcispheres, stromatoporoids, sponge spicules, problematica (e.g. Lithocodium aggregatum), molluscs, corals, echinoderms and ostracods. Systematics of planktic and benthic foraminifera is accomplished using the foraminiferal classification by Loeblich and Tappan (1988) as the main source. The assemblage contains foraminifera that recorded for the first time in the Sulaiy Formation. Other microfossils were identified and recorded to help in the identification of the sedimentary environments. The investigation of the micropalaeontology and the lithofacies analysis have provided evidence the identification of the various lithofacies. About twenty four microfacies were identified on the basis of their bio−component and non-skeletal grains. The lithofacies and the bio−component results have provided the evidence of the sedimentary palaeoenvironmental model namely the Arabian Rimmed Carbonate Platform. This palaeoenvironmental depositional model is characterised by two different platform regimes. They are the Platform Interior and the Platform Exterior each of which have unique sedimentary lithofacies zones that produce different types of lithofacies. Each lithofacies is characterised by special depositional conditions and palaeobathymetry that interact with sea level changes and the accommodation space. The important palaeoenvironments are intertidal, restricted lagoon (subtidal), open marine, deeper open marine, inner shoal, shoal and platform margin. Generating, and testing, a depositional model as a part of formulating a sequence stratigraphical interpretation of a region is a key to understanding its geological development and – ultimately – reservoir potential. The micropalaeontology and sedimentology of the Sulaiy Formation in the subsurface have indicated a succession of clearly defined shallowing−upwards depositional cycles. These typically commence with a deep marine biofacies with wackestones and packstones, capped with a mudstone-wackestone maximum flooding zone and an upper unit of packstone to grainstones containing shallow marine biofacies. The upper part of the Sulaiy Formation is highstand-dominated with common grainstones that host the Lower Ratawi reservoir which is capped by karst that defines the sequence boundary. This karst is identified by its abundant moldic porosity that enhanced the the reservoir quality by increasing its porosities into greater values. Integration of the sedimentology and micropalaeontology has yielded a succession of shoaling−upwards depositional cycles, considered to be 4th order sequences, that are superimposed on a large scale 3rd order system tract shallowing−upwards, highstand-associated sequence of the Sulaiy Formation. The Lower Ratawi Reservoir is located within the latest high-stand portion of a third-order Sulaiy Formation sequence. The reservoir consists of a succession of several sequences, each of which is sub-divided into a lower transgressive systems tract separated from the upper highstand systems tract by a maximum flooding surface (MFS/Z). The last of these depositional cycles terminates in beds of porous and permeable ooid, or ooidal-peloidal, grainstone. The reservoir is sealed by the finer-grained sediments of the Yamama Formation.